The Church was celebrating Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Lenten Season. It was February 18, 2015, at past 6pm, when I was almost done with my one-hour jog around the village. I was running along Mahogany Avenue, trying to open my mind to what God would tell me amidst the attacks of anxieties when suddenly I sensed something in my thoughts:
“You already prayed for it, right? Then why worry? Why are you thinking too much if it is already in the Lord’s hands? Why don’t you just get on and rejoice with what you prayed for?”
Suddenly, some words began to formulate in my mouth. As my feet continued to carry me forward in a moderate pace, I murmured an on-the-spot composed hymn:
“Para saan pa ang pagdarasal kung hindi magtitiwala? Para saan pa ang pakikinig kung hindi maniniwala? Para saan pa ang Panginoon kung sarado sa pagpapala?”
In no time, a pedicab suddenly passed by my right side, and I heard a sweet and loud music playing from it, singing the exact lines:
“Every breath that I take, every moment I’m awake, Lord have your way in me…”
Woah. Wait. I know that song. It was one of my favorite songs from the Christian band Hillsong entitled, “I Give You My Heart” — a song of surrender. Then the exact lines I just heard at this exact second when I was reflecting on the value of entrusting my situation to the Lord… oh my. In this sense, God just spoke to me clearly!
I was then reminded of the prophecy I had proclaimed in our community branch’s prayer meeting two weeks ago — words from ten different passages conveying one message, words affirmed by the aligned senses of other gifted brothers and sisters who prophesied, words honored by many siblings in faith who attested that these had pierced impeccably through their hearts, and words that addressed the exact circumstances many in the body were going through which I had no idea of. Through me that evening, God had said:
“What is that thing that you have been aspiring for? Have you lifted it up to Me? If you already have, then you don’t have to be afraid. Recall the days when you started to know Me, when you first lifted up your life into My hands. Didn’t you see My wonders working in various areas of your life? Everything that I have allowed to happen before your birth until now — every second, every moment — has already been in the palm of My hands. Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before, and I will call the past to account. I have made everything beautiful in its time. Now, my people, my children, you are where you are supposed to be. Everything I have placed in your midst is what you exactly need. Keep on with what you have started and work at it all the more, for I tell you, the days are coming and I will not delay any longer. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills, and I will bring you back from exile. I will plant you in your own land, never again to be uprooted from that land I have given you. You may not see it yet at this moment, but persevere with confidence in hope, my children. By faith, you know that the universe was formed at My command, thus nothing will be impossible with Me. In the journey, you will pass through the sea as on dry land; you will shut the mouths of lions; you will quench the fury of the flames; you will escape the edge of the sword; your weakness will turn into strength; you will become powerful in battle; and you will route foreign armies. Just consider Me faithful, the One who has made the promise. Yes, my beloved, do not be afraid, and instead, walk in faith. I have prepared a better version of your desire. Continue to follow Me, and I assure you that whatever you have already seen, you will see greater things than that.”
Truly, I realized that God’s words through this prophecy was not only speaking to my brothers and sisters, but also to me. Yes, unquestionably — a fact where I was honestly joyful as it was also a confirmation of my belongingness to the body. Indeed, I should hold on to His words, no matter what happens. After all, He holds the universe by the power of His word (Hebrews 1:3). He reminded me that whatever is given unto His hands, He will definitely be in control.
With this, some words of last week’s prayer meeting prophecy from a sister in Christ, which had bore through my soul and had made my tears fall, also kept on ringing in my mind:
“…Anak, ngayon pa ba? Hindi ba noong panahong nangangailangan ka, nandun ako? All you need is Me, Anak. If you have God, you have everything. I will fix all your problems. I will fulfill all your dreams. Watch me take over.”
I was already near our house. My body was sweating, but my spirit was soaring. It was amazing that the Lord addressed the concerns of my heart in just a few minutes. Now, I was reminded not to meddle with the things that are already in God’s hands. It did not make sense for I was just exhausting myself on the things beyond my control. Worrying did not do any good. Precisely, ever since I prayed and presented everything to Him, the Lord has just given me some little parts to do to cooperate with His plan. Those were the things I should be working on and that’s it. The rest, yes the big and wide and mighty and unseen rest, is all up to Him.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7
Encounters 