A TIME OF TESTING - DON’T FAINT!

Missionary-Evangelist Esther Thornton, Oregon

 

Dear Beloved Ones In Christ,

 

 I want to share a testimony with you that I believe will encourage you in your walk with the Lord.

 

May is a month when we think of "Mothers" and what they mean to us.  My own mother is with Jesus, but she left such a Christian heritage for me to follow.  She was a woman who did things in a simple fashion but was faithful to the Lord and truly cared for other people. 

 

I am a mother who has raised four children and have twelve grandchildren.  I had the privilege of baptizing four in my family not long ago - two children and two grandchildren.  And, now all of our children and grandchildren have accepted the Lord and been baptized, for which we are so thankful!

 

Those of us in ministry know that our first responsibility before God is the family that He has given us.  And, it is such a privilege to be able to help them spiritually in any way!

 

Bob and I have undergone over a month of physical issues and are not quite on the other side as yet. 

 

I had a kidney operation to remove numerous stones in both kidneys and am still passing these stones.  I am also having a colonoscopy tomorrow morning to remove a polyp in the colon.

 

Bob has a rhythm problem in his heart and specialists have been talking with him about this.  But, the conclusion at this time is just medication for the problem and he is doing O.K. and not suffering with it.

 

I was asked to speak at a group in Vancouver last week and they asked me before I knew of the health problems, so I accepted.  But, as time went by, I was still weak and felt I should call the leader and cancel, to be fair to her and the group.  But, she is a woman of faith, and said that she felt I was the one God wanted to speak, so she wouldn't let me go!  She said I could wait until the last day to tell her!  (This is a group that invites speakers who come in by plane to speak!).  But, by her words and faith, she released me to also trust God in this situation!

 

I was sitting in my chair in the bedroom one evening, watching TBN, when all of a sudden, I recognized the presence of an angel standing directly in front of me!  The angel said:  "Esther, the Lord has sent me to strengthen you."  That was all that was said!

 

But, even the night of the meeting I was to speak at, I still felt weak.  Yet, in faith I went.  There were leaders there from the healing rooms (John Lake) who came to the study where I was praying before the meeting, to pray for me.  I was leaning back in the chair in weakness.

 

Folks, I had told God, that when He healed me and strengthened me, that I would be happy once again to go forth to serve Him.  But, do you know what He told me?

He said, "No, tell my people not to wait until their problems are over to serve Me, but tell them that I am coming in the midst of their problems."

 

When I stepped up to the pulpit that night, God had strengthened me to the point that the strength of anointing was there and I prophesied personally to most of the people (there were 80 people there, I was told!).  Some even were so blessed that they came back for a second refilling!

 

Someone is reading this right now, that God wants you to know that He knows right where you are!  He sees the problem(s) that surround you and almost envelope you.  He says to tell you that, though Jesus was sleeping in the boat and the storm was raging - yet, He was there!  And, when the waves rose, all He had to do was to arise and say "Peace be still", and the storm ceased!

 

He is aware of all that you are going through and it is but for a season.  And, though Satan meant it for evil, God is turning it around for your good!  And, like the Hebrew children in the 7-times hotter furnace, Jesus was with them right in the midst of the furnace!  And, when they came forth, they didn't even smell of smoke!

 

Time is running out!  Many famililies are under attack from the enemy.  But, God is preparing a "new breed" of believers that have weathered every storm and thus, have gained strength to move forward in the days ahead to accomplish God's bidding in the earth!

 

Don't become discouraged in the time of testing!  Things won't always be like this!  And, after you have been tested for awhile, you will come forth as gold!

 

God is saying to the church, to take a deep breath, because a new season is upon us!  He allowed the testings to prepare us for this!  There will be a shining forth of His glory upon his people in a way that we have never known in the past!

 

And, when all nations have heard, Jesus is coming again!

 

John Hagee was a guest on Benny Hinn last week and they talked about his recent book, "Jerusalem Countdown".  It makes the hair on back of your neck stand up when we hear how close we are to the return of Jesus, according to Bible prophecy and current news.  They said that reading John Hagee's book, you would think that he wrote it today after listening to Fox News last night - yet, he wrote it about a year ago!  Things are rapidly coming to pass!

 

Benny Hinn said on the program that if you have a song to sing - sing it now!  If you have loved ones to win, do it now!  And, if you have a mission to accomplish, do it now! 

 

And, as I mentioned at the beginning of this article, this is May, when we think of mothers and what a blessing they are and have been to us.

 

But, this is a day in the body of Christ for "spiritual mothers and fathers" who will raise up seed in the Holy Ghost, even around the world! 

 

The work of the Apostle is to build the work of God around the world.  And, the apostle Paul said for us to be to all men what they are in need of.

 

I see the body of Christ as a strong rope or chain, stretching around the world.  But, when we see a weak link, we are to go and strengthen that link, which will benefit the whole chain and strengthen it so that it can pull together to get the job done for the kingdom of God.

 

God is raising us up to new heights and new depths that we have never known before!  He is placing us high above all principalities and powers!  And, His mighty power He is placing upon His children who have been faithful, even in the hard times and hard places.

 

 The army is arising!  It is unifying!  It is pulling together as never before!  But, the Battle is the Lord's and He always wins!

 

2 Chron. 20:17
    Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, STAND YE STILL, AND SEE THE SALVATION OF THE LORD WITH YOU,  O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.

 

God bless each one of you as you continue to faithfully serve the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!

 

In His Service and

In His Love,

 

Esther Thornton

 

   

 

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