A Touch, a Giggle, and the Ride of a Lifetime!

A word from God was awaiting me this particular day, as I took time to listen to the songs on the CD my dear friend had given me just days beforehand.

The text message read, "When U R getting ready today, I BEG U to listen to the first 5 songs on 'The Longing' CD. There is a Word for U there!"

A few days before, Ruth had delivered the next CD in a series of albums produced by incredibly God-gifted musicians who record sessions of live praise. "Anointed" would be stating it mildly, as I had already witnessed firsthand God's profound effect on my own life through the songs and lyrics found within the first CD, "The Soaking," which she had given me a few months before.

So, once back home from working out at the gym, I shared with my husband Steve about Ruth's text message request. He copied the CD onto my iPod. As I returned to my bedroom, I set the iPod to play and knelt down to get my heart above my head.

A side note: getting your heart above your head

I had learned about this beautiful position of praise from a recorded service on a DVD that my friend had given me. The worship pastor shared how he was taught the lesson of getting his heart above his head. How, you ask? Follow these simple steps:

1. Get down on your knees.
2. Lean forward, placing your hands out in front of you.
3. Place your forehead between your hands on the floor.
4. Turn the palms of your hands facing upward. (I added this part!)

And voila! You are now in a position where your heart is above your head! This is a great position to be physically reminded to turn your mind off and to let your heart have top priority as you give God the praise and honor.

So, back in my room, with my heart above my head, I began to praise Him while listening to the songs on this newest CD.

After a few of the songs, I felt the Holy Spirit's nudge to turn over onto my back. It wasn't long before I could visualize Jesus sitting next to me on the floor, arms resting on top of bent knees, intently watching me as He leaned against the side of the bed. He then reached over and brushed the hair from my face as He leaned over to kiss my cheek. The softness of His kiss sent wonderful goose bumps all over me from head to toe.

From there He took hold of my hand, and we were now climbing a mountainside covered in what appeared to be wheat and wildflowers. I began to giggle as we ran lightheartedly up the side of this mountain. We reached the top and He smiled at me and began to point out across the horizon. From where I stood, I couldn't see what it was He was showing me, as my eyes grew wide with wonder. Totally awestruck, I began to cry tears of joy.

The scene changed to me in a long satin dress, holding a lit lantern up in front of me. There in the distance, I saw Him coming toward me! He was seated on a beautiful, large white stallion. This horse was enormously perfect in every way. Strong, courageously moving by an unbridled guided force. The stallion's face bore a look of determination, with his vision keenly set on completing the task at hand. Proud was his stance to be the carrier of his Lord and Master, the King of Kings!

Riding up alongside of me, Jesus reached down and pulled me up, setting me in front of Him. Surrounded by His arms and under the covering of His chest, we continued to ride over the mountainside toward the valley below at record speed.

Just before entering the valley, He repositioned me on the stallion's back just behind Him. Instinctively, I took hold of His waist with both arms, holding on tightly, removing any form of space between my Lord and me. His posture began to change as He leaned ever so slightly with a forward tilt toward the blackened valley ahead. As His determined focus intensified, His face showed no sign of second-guessing or fear.

Entering the valley, He began to weave back and forth through the black thick coverings within the deep walls of this God-forbidden place. Without an audible word, my King demanded that they fall back. And as they began to submit to His will, He moved to a standing position on top of this powerful stallion, who with every step firmly placed one hoof in front of the other, running according to his Master's leading. Without a waver in His pace, everything in His path ahead began to fall, one after the other, like dominoes crashing into each other. Down! Out of His path! Out of His way!

And then the scene changed back to the mountainside of wheat and wildflowers. Holding hands, we ran to the top. However, this time once at the top, I smiled at Him as I began to point out across the horizon, with excitement now written all over my face. He lovingly chuckled as He smiled back at me. Then we gazed ahead, standing side by side, hand in hand, together there on the mountaintop.

I don't know specifically what He was showing me, or what I was showing Him in this vision, but I do know what I felt...

I believe He was showing me what He and I were going to conquer together.

• As I waited and watched, He came for me.
• He allowed me to first sit in front of Him, so that I could see where we were heading. Yet before we entered the dark valley ahead, He moved me in behind Him for protection.
• Although He was the one who fought the darkness within the walls of this valley, I was seated there with Him on His stallion, together all the way.
• He allowed me to witness His conquering power and victory over that which would have swallowed me up whole, with little or no effort, had I entered this valley without Him.
• He stood tall without wavering, proving to the darkness His authority to rule over it.
• He stood tall to show me that He alone reigns.
• He then allowed me the honor of taking hold of His hand, to lead Him up the same mountainside.

And it was there that He allowed me to show Him... that I could now see what He saw all along.

I was created to be His daughter, a child of the King of kings and Lord of lords!

And to know that with Him, nothing is impossible!

"The Lord your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you." Deuteronomy 1:30

A few days later...

On February 25, I felt led to read in Revelation. Glancing page to page, here and there, until my eyes caught a glimpse of the following scripture in chapter 19: the Rider on the white horse.

"Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war... On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords." Revelation 19:11-16

And then, at the very end of the book:

"He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon!' Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!" Revelation 22:20

Oh, yes!

Joanna Mikel writings, February 18, 2009