Andy Hall writes:

Isaiah 35 1-10. We are on a journey with God

We are all on a journey with God the only question is our direction either towards God’s heart or away from it?

Psalm 84 says “ blessed are those who have set their hearts on pilgrimage… they will go from strength to strength until they see the Lord in Zion…”

This passage in Isaiah shows us what pilgrimage journey is. Firstly, we see the determined intentionality of Father God to get us to the end of the journey. Notice the 19 ‘wills’ in the passage God will do a lot with us and for us. No if or perhaps or maybe. The intent of God heart for you is that you finish your journey well!

V1-2 We are often in places of desert or wilderness, but God’s intention is to bring us out into the abundance of Carmel, Sharon and Lebanon, into fruitfulness.

V3 “…feeble hands…” we can be strengthened by God so we can get a grip on faith and destiny and task. “Knees that give way…” God wants to strengthen us so we can stand in our allotted place. Weakness and feebleness are not our allotted place of mode of living in God.

V4 “…Do not fear…” hearts full of fear have no room for faith.

V5 “Fear not…” because the enemy of your soul is going to be made to pay back all he has stolen from you.

People who stand fearless, gripping faith, who will do what Jesus asks of them. They will have spiritual eyes that are able to see, ears that do hear God and their stumbling weak steps will be made strong so they can stand. Even the tongue tied will go on to become loud voices for Jesus.

All the above is facilitated by the gushing forth of the Spirit of God (v6b). The water transforms the dessert and causes it to bloom. By His Spirit, the Father intends to overwhelm your problems with His power. To overtake your lack with His abundance and to overcome your restrictions with His resources. It’s a gushing stream of the Spirit not a dripping tap!

V8-10 “… a highway…called the way of holiness”. Designed as a place of acceleration and speed towards God with deep ditches; keep focused on God to stay out of the ditch.

This is the “Way” that Jesus calls us to. No lion (Satan) will be on this road but we, as the redeemed of the Lord, will be accelerated into a place of meeting. Here the ransomed of the Lord meet with their Saviour and great rejoicing fills the air.

As we go into a New Year it is the TRANSFORMATIONAL JOURNEY that the Lord is asking from all of us in the Network

Blessings and a Happy Christmas to you all

Andy Hall CCBN