A Letter from the Lydia Fellowship International Coordinator

January, 2012.

My dear Lydia Sisters

I would like to begin this year with praise and thanksgiving to the Lord for all He has done in the work of Lydia worldwide and for each one of you who has remained faithful and loyal to Him and to the calling you have for such a time as this, and also, on a personal note, for your love to me and your faithful prayer support.  We are simply God’s messenger girls, doing whatever He tells us, but we need one another, and together we make a huge difference!!   What a tremendous blessing it is to know that you are there faithfully standing in the gap, and loyally supporting me and those God has called to lead you in this work.   

We can joyfully report that in 2011 the work of Lydia greatly increased. The vision of Lydia was shared with many women from many nations on every continent and we now have many faithful Lydians meeting for prayer on a regular basis, not only in Europe, the South Pacific, North and South America, but throughout Africa and Asia, and in the Middle East. And our literature is being translated into languages from both Africa and India.  I believe this is a direct answer to our prayers and I want to thank you for standing with me, and also to give God all the praise and glory!!   Great things He has done!!  And in His love and faithfulness, great things He will do in us and through us in this new year. 

As I was seeking the Lord for a Word for the 20^th Anniversary Lydia Conference in the Czech Republic in October, praying along the lines of the conference theme taken from Eph. 5:15, I distinctly heard “Enlarge the place of your tent” Is. 54:2.   It was so sudden and so unexpected, I thought at first it was just me, and I sought the Lord for confirmation.  Suddenly the next morning, I was awakened to the following, which I quickly wrote down and shared later at the conference, and which I believe is the Word the Lord would have me share with you for this year.   May it bless you, encourage and strengthen you, and may it exhort you to seek the Lord for a vision of His soon coming Kingdom and to pray and intercede accordingly.      

“Yes, that was the Word I gave you, and now get ready for a time of intercession that will usher in the King of Glory. 

             See Him coming!!   Enlarge your vision.   Get Kingdom minded and get God’s vision.  Enlarge your mind to receive the fullness of My vision of the Kingdom, says the Lord.

As you enlarge the place of your tent spiritually, you will enlarge it physically as well.   The numbers will come, but they are not the issue.

What counts is vision and commitment to it!!  A Vision of the Kingdom and a total commitment to the establishment of it….. 

In Intercession that is accurate and targeted.  In Intercession that is fervent and impassioned.  In Intercession that will prepare the way of My coming, says the Lord

Prepare ye the way of the Lord, Make straight in the desert a Highway for our God.     Is. 40:3  Clear the way -  take out the obstacles – stones. Is. 62:10

Again He says, “Enlarge your vision – stretch your capacity to see as He sees.  Lengthen your vision – beyond what you see with your natural sight.   See with God’s eyes.

Lift up your heads – open wide the gates - and the King of Glory shall come in!  Ps. 24

And spare not!!  Get serious and willing to do whatever it takes.

You have been called to the Kingdom for such a time as this.  Esther 4:14.   To be involved with God and in the fulfilling of His eternal purposes for all mankind in Christ - in the establishing of His Kingdom – His Family.  Gal.4:27

So, strengthen yourselves for the battle – prepare for war.   Blow the trumpet!   Sound the alarm!!  Sing!   Shout for joy!  Rejoice!

And get rid of your mentality of smallness, weakness or inferiority.  See yourself as God sees you – a daughter of His Kingdom

Walk not in the counsel of the ungodly, following their advice, plans and purposes; nor stand, submissive and inactive in the path where sinners walk; nor sit down to relax and rest where the scornful and the mockers gather.   But instead, delight in and desire the law of the Lord and on His law habitually meditate, ponder and study day and night.  Ps. 1:1-2

Jesus says it this way, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God.  In other words get a vision of the Kingdom and make it your first priority.  He promises to take care of everything else”.  

Later, as I meditated on "Enlarge the place of your tent”, I realized that my tent is me, my being, who I am and that the place of my tent is in Christ.  In John 1:14 it says that the Word (Christ)  became flesh and tabernacled – fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile among us.  The tabernacle is a type of the Kingdom of God and Christ is the fulfillment of that Kingdom.  We now abide in Him, in His tabernacle – hid with Christ in God it says in Col. 3:3.  And it was as if there were many areas of the Tabernacle that I had not yet explored, many things that had not yet been revealed to me, and that now was the time and God was drawing me into them, wanting to enlighten me to the things that are to come.  He wants to stretch my vision to the length of His which is eternal and beyond time and space, and in order for me to be stretched to that capacity, He is urging me to strengthen my stakes, the things in which I put my faith and which support my tent - my faith in God, in His love, His grace, His mercy, His Word and His promises.  These are the stakes that must be strengthened to support the enlarging of my tent and the stretching of my vision.  And finally, I am to spare not.  I am to do whatever it takes.  The question is, am I willing to pay the price?  It's like selling all you have for the pearl of great price.  What a challenge!  What an opportunity!   What a privilege!  And what an honour to be invited into the inner recesses of God’s tabernacle, to have a vision of His Kingdom, to understand the prophecies of old, to see them coming to fulfillment – to be so intimately involved with God in the fulfillment of His eternal plans and purposes.

Let us together receive this Word with joyful anticipation and embrace all God has for us this year, eager and ready for a time of intercession that will usher in the King of Glory!!  Let us see Him coming and let us rejoice!!

 With great expectation and in His love,

Joan