AUDREY DICKEY MINISTRIES
Glory International Center
"A Center for God's Presence"
HOPE DEFERRED OR FAITH, THE CHOICE IS YOURS
Dr. Audrey L. Dickey, Los Angeles, CA
This is destined to be a glorious year of overcoming our enemies, having clarity of our purpose as sudden portals (windows) open up and we have the ability to perceive and have the choice of good or evil, which by the way, will affect the path to our destiny. A year of experiencing restoration at an accelerated pace by witnessing major supernatural miracles, signs and wonders, breakthroughs and seeing situations in our families, health, finances, businesses and work turn around. Divine reversals are at hand being done by the power of Almighty God Himself Who has also commissioned His angelic force to come to our assistance. This is double portion time with no more delays! It is time to Crossover into the new!
We have already entered a new season and it will continue for the next seven years of answered prayers, promises and expectations met and great abundance! This comes with divine favor, grace, mercy, divine strategies and divine completion straight from the throne room. Those that believe will finish and finish well. So what more could we ask for? What more could be so awesome and great for a Child of God?
Let’s be wise as a serpent yet gentle as a dove! Scripture says, “For a wide door of opportunity for effectual [service] has opened to me [there, a great and promising one], and [there are] many adversaries,” 1 Corinthians 16:9. At the gate (the door) the place of transition before we see the promise or progress to levels that bring us to our destiny, we are positioned to receive what it is that we have been waiting for. As we emerge from years of training, learning, preparation and testing the transition may involve chaos, confusion and disorder until full clarity and order are once again in our lives. This is where the adversary will use his best devices and weapons as you experience your greatest battle from the enemy as he tries to keep you chained to your past with no hope of ever seeing the will of God in and for your life. He will try to deceive you into believing a lie so that you forfeit your destiny and remain in your past. At this point you must make a decision, for it is your choice of whether you will receive hopelessness or press through and see the Glory of God in this hour for your life. At this junction you will truly need to draw on your faith and walk it out.
HOW DOES HOPE DEFERRED WORK? The Bible says in Proverbs 13:12 “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.” Years of disappointments, bitterness, grieving loss of any kind, complaining, and always thinking our promise will manifest later will bring hopelessness into our lives. These are devices used by Satan at a strategic time to hold us back. If you are in despair and depression you will block the hand of God from being able to fully help you. These things represent a lack of faith. They also change the atmosphere from the supernatural to the natural where Holy Spirit won’t be present to move on your behalf. But when we choose to cooperate with the Spirit of God and exercise humility and yield to His way of handling matters and circumstances with the Word of God we give place for God’s will to manifest in our lives. Therefore, the enemy’s weapons will not be able to work against you as they lose strength to do real damage. He won’t be able to bring you down or cause you to miss your opportunities set in place by God.
As we are resisting the enemy and his tactics our shield of faith can become weakened. Many children of God begin to accuse God of not really being there for them and as they do they are separating themselves from His love and protection. They may feel abandoned and lost. They may even form a rebellion to authority which would include delegated authorities in their lives and even extend to God Himself. Because of hope deferred they may also become unteachable and believe there can never be a solution to their problem. Because there is no hope there is no healing and restoration which would deliver them out of this state and into position to receive the promises of God.
With self-pity and despair there is nothing left to fight the adversary who is behind it all. Self-pity comes as a result of losing sight of the Love of God and turning to self preservation. Faith works by love and if you think you are not loved why walk by faith? They know He only wants the best for them so many cannot understand why they are suffering so and why doesn’t a great and loving God do something about it. When people think like this it is because they have forgotten or lost sight of the preparation, learning, training and testing period that will strengthen them, teach them about God and His ways and who their true enemy is. So many settle and live in the wilderness which was supposed to have strengthened them for the spiritual fight, their calling and prosperity. Instead, they give up and go aimlessly through life looking for whatever will please them for a moment to try and bring comfort and a peace of mind.
One cannot really function on this earth outside of their true “purpose” and be content, successful, and fulfilled. Remember, we are called to fellowship with His sufferings (this does not include poverty and sickness, Jesus took those things to the Cross). This type of fellowship leads us to His resurrection power which will bring us back to ‘life.’ You must allow God to complete His work in you His way and in His timing. “Hope deferred happens when we begin with an expectation that God will breakthrough. We face a test, and our shield of faith is in place, but we have assumed that God would act in a certain way and in a certain time frame. The time that we have established comes, but we don’t see the answer. The fulfillment of our hope is deferred. We find ourselves continuing to wait for a breakthrough, but as we wait we grow tired and become discouraged. Our heart feels sick. Satan tells us that the breakthrough will never come.” At this point if we stop living by faith and let it go we can and will miss the promise of God. It is important to remember who He is and who we are in Him and as we continue to trust Him in spite of what it looks like or what others think or say we shall see the breakthroughs. You are in a battle, a war and you will win if you don’t give up!
SIGNS WE HAVE YIELDED TO HOPE DEFERRED: “Weariness brings wavering; feel like you want to give up and no longer want to hear about God’s promises; we do not want to hear any more prophecies about what is to come and just want it to happen; Satan is able to plant a thought in our mind – e.g. I can’t take any more of this. First of all God would not say this. The Lord repeats His Word to us through prophecy, and so forth to strengthen our faith. If confronted with these thoughts tell Satan he is liar. God has promised that He will not test us beyond what we are able to take, I Cor. 10:13. Never agree with the enemy in your thoughts because once you do you have put down your shield of faith. Avoid falling into the trap of hope deferred which could happen if you take your eyes off of God and put them on the circumstance and resort to only human knowledge and ways of looking at or handling situations.”
WORRY CAN STEAL YOUR FAITH: Worry will also cause you to feel hopeless with a desire to give up. We must choose not to worry just as we must choose to remain in hope. If we choose to stop worrying and start trusting and believing not only will our faith increase, but we will be strengthened as well. In our weakness God is able and willing to make us strong. Worry
is sent to steal our faith and peace as well as having the capability of making us sick and physically wearing us out. In addition, it belongs to the family of fear, doubt and unbelief. If we decide to give God the ashes in our life then we will be able to enter the rest of God. However, if we choose not to give Him the ashes, then we will not enter into His rest, Hebrews 4:3.
If we choose to simply do things God's way we can receive the beauty God has for each of us and not the ashes. We can receive His love, His protection, His joy, His strength, His gifts, mantles, fruit, increase, peace, healing, stability, His garment of praise and much more, Isaiah 61:3. But like I said, we have a choice and God will honor our decision.
LIVING BY FAITH: Acting on the Word of God is faith and obedience. Faith is necessary to overcome the challenges of life. Our covenant with God is not an insurance policy against problems and challenges; but our covenant is a commitment from God that through the exercising of our faith we can overcome any hardship or problems we face. I must maintain and manage my words to see that they are in agreement with what I believe. This is critical, to only speak what I believe and not just what I see. I must also maintain and manage my thought life in agreement with what I am confessing.
“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise,” Galatians 3:23-29 NIV.
“What I am saying is that as long as an heir is under age, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are His sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are His child, God has made you also an heir,” Gal. 4:1-7.
Then touched He their eyes, saying According to your faith be it unto you. (Not according to your education, nor your race, nor your religion, nor your connections in life), but according to your faith, trust, confidence and reliance [on the power invested in Me] be it done to you, Matthew 9:29.
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, as it is written: The man who through faith is just and upright shall live and shall live by faith. (If your faith cannot be tested it cannot be trusted), Romans 1:17; Hab. 2:4.
But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out], Hebrews 11:6.
May God, the source of hope, fill me with all joy and peace by means of my faith in Him, so that my hope will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit, Romans 15:13. I live by faith, not by sight, 2 Cor 5:7.
Because of my faith in Him, I dare to have the boldness (courage and confidence) of free access (an unreserved approach to God with freedom and without fear), Ephesians 3:12.
THE BEST WAY TO OVERCOME: Remember that if you are saved the Greater One lives on the inside of you (I John 4:4; Ro 10:9-10; I John 1:7). “The best way to overcome the devil and his demons is simply to stay in God’s will by complying with His Word and allowing Him to work things out according to His divine plan and purpose.” Praise and Worship in song with the right heart and motive is one of the strongest weapons you have to fight the enemy, Psalm 16:11 and Psalm 32:11. As we remain humble and in a state of repentance, also realize that faith is a part of our armor that renders great results. “I lift up over all the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which I can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one],” Ephesians 6:16. “Be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you.” James 4:7. To plead the Blood of Jesus by faith is your defense against the enemy as power is released on your behalf! Ro. 5:9; Rev. 12:11. “Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you,” Luke 10:19. Only faith can overcome the enemy’s blocks and hindrances and overthrow his decrees:
DEVICES AND WEAPONS USED BY THE ENEMY:
Hope Deferred
Self-Pity, not being thankful, selfishness
Bitterness, not praying, angry with God
Rejecting Godly Knowledge
Depression, despair, intimidation, discouragement
Deception, lying, delusion, slander, division, discord
Doubt, worry, anxiety, stress
Complaining, resentment
Murmuring, grumbling
Anger with rage, profanity, and other fleshly actions
Strife, controlling
Condemnation
Compromising
Confusion
Pride, prejudice, judging others
Criticism, gossip, faultfinding
Revenge, backlash, retaliation, retribution
Evil plots and plans; evil powers; evil thoughts to your mind
Demonic strongholds; familiar spirits
Yoga (act of worshipping other gods)
Suicide, murder (slander or physical)
Chemical Abuse, gluttony
Alcohol to the point of drunkenness
Fornication, sexual immorality, perversion
Adultery, idolatry, unfaithful, disloyal
Lust, greed, rude
Envy, guilt, jealousy, shame, suspicion
Hatred, vengeance, violence
Unforgiveness, suffering
Lack of finances, poverty, love of money before God
Procrastination, slothfulness, lazy
Diabolical blocks and satanic contentions, provocations, intentions
Character assassins, ill spoken words, persecutors
Unequally yoked
Lasciviousness, uncleanness
Witchcraft in any form: Curses; Spells; Enchantments;
Divinations; Black Magic; White Magic; Reincarnation;
Palm Reading by Psychics; Crystal Ball; Séances;
Tea Leaf Reading; Hypnosis; Mediums; Occult literature;
Astrology; Tarot Cards; Horoscopes; and Quija Boards; etc.
Master spirits: Jezebel; Affliction; Baal; Fear;
Sabotage; Seducing spirits; Inferiority; Agitation;
Sanballat (distractions); Rebellion; Insecurity;
Amalek (death); Rejection; Affinity (soul ties);
Infirmity (sickness); Eglon (excess tax); Leviathan;
Hydra (recurring curses) and so forth.
Audrey L. Dickey, PhD
Christian Love Fellowship Church, Inc.
January 2015