I had risen early today to take care of my sweet little eighteen year old dog. Nikki, and when I finally had him settled, I grabbed my cup of coffee to sit with The LORD.

Immediately, I continued to hear the words to an old song that I heard this morning in my spirit as I awakened, “I Come to the Garden Alone”.

As I sang the words to the song, I knew The LORD was beckoning me to a SPECIAL time alone with Him today. (every day is special but this one took me back to a special time in my life).

Today this the 8th day of April and eight is the number of New Beginnings — which is one of the key Prophetic Words for this season!

So I sincerely believe The LORD set this day aside for me as a super Special new beginning as it took me back to solidify a few things as I have many hard decisions to make this year.

I Come to the Garden Alone
by C. Austin Miles.

I come to the garden alone
while the dew is still on the roses,
and the voice I hear falling on my ear
the Son of God discloses.

And he walks with me, and he talks with me,
And he tells me I am his own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

As I sang that song in worship unto Him in preparation of my prayer time, my thoughts immediately went back to a prayer journal I found yesterday and when I first began to see myself in the garden with Him as the gardener.

Today The LORD spoke to me through my journal from 1995 to share some insights He gave me these nuggets I so treasure as part of the Journey of My Heart.

On January 7, 1995, I said, “LORD, I want to be more intimate with you, LORD Jesus!”

He spoke to me, “I have called you friends. True Friendship is sometimes rare on earth but you will know a friend when you can identify in thought, heart and spirit.”

As I listened to The LORD in silence, I heard what I needed was more discipline.

He imparted this truth to me to write on my heart that day:

“The whole discipline of life is to enable us to enter into this close relationship with Jesus Christ.”

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” John 15:1-4 NIV.

When we are intimate with Jesus, we are never lonely and we never need sympathy.

We can pour out our heart all the time without being PATHETIC.

The only impression left by such a life is that of a STRONG CALM SANITY that our LORD gives to those who are intimate with Him.

On January 8, 1995 He spoke to me, “Don’t ever be afraid again of making a bad choice and making a b mistake or you will miss out on acting on the voice of The LORD.

Start now to seek and trust the leadership of The Holy Spirit one step at a time.

Do not run ahead and do not lag behind. Write it on your heart that your times are in my hands but your obedience is a choice you must make quickly when I give you the direction you were seeking.”

Footnote : I have now learned to say, “YES SIR!” As a spirit-filled believer, I have learned The Holy Spirit is leading me every day as I listen and yield.

Follow the number one way that God leads His children-by the inner witness — (Romans 8:14).

Later that same evening, as I prayed before going to bed. The LORD gave me another life lesson that I treasure completely.

He said, “My daughter, want not! I will never forsake you or leave you in need.

So do not say, “LORD, I want….”

Know that because you have given Me the right to direct your life and you are trusting Me, you are fulfilling My Word to delight yourself in Me and My Promise is: I will give you the desires of your heart.

You are proving you have delight in being led by my spirit and learning to follow your spirit.

So, want not, but know that I will meet every need and pour out blessings upon your life that you never expected or asked for. I will never leave you or forsake you.”

As I pondered these two days from 1995, I find that I am still in Agreement to what I wrote at the end of that late encounter to sum up what He had spoken to me.

I wrote,

“God’s Word to me is the only STABLE thing I have!

God is not the author of fear, and God is not broke!

I must not and I will not base my life’s decisions on fear or money or lack.

Remember this: the devil will always use those weapons against me!”

Today I choose Faith and Trust in God alone.

I take authority over the spirit of unbelief!

I dare to consider not my old body or the state of my body.

I take a giant step across the FAITH line and I confess I am in, Lord. I am past the point of NO RETURN.

Lord, I believe. I choose to remain STABLE on God’s Word.

I choose not to be moved by what I feel or what I see.

Circumstances will let me down and I cannot consider them. People will always let me down. I will not put my trust in people — but I will honor those The LORD puts in my life.

I will never blame them for my decisions, my problems or my failures.

I have let myself down before — but The LORD will never let me down!

His Word will never let me down or fail me. The devil will try to deceive me and he will come against me — but no weapon formed against me shall prosper!

God’s Word says, “No one who is double-minded will receive anything from The LORD!” I will not be chained to the past.

These two days in my journal in 1995 represent a turning point in my life after my Discipleship Training School in Youth with a Mission when I put FAITH in action, because that was all I had.

I found out quickly that money is no issue with God. He is the supplier of EVERYTHING we need ALWAYS.

What HE orders, HE pays for… no exceptions and HE is not broke!

We do go through a time of true broken to come to the knowledge of what this means. We are in the world — but not of the world.

I believe one of the most valuable thing I have learned up to this time in my life is to cherish what it means to embrace the JOY that goes before us.

He had to see the end result, the Joy of His sacrifice to go to the cross.

I am grateful to have come to that crossroads many times in my lifetime when I have come to a crossroads of choice and The LORD has been gracious to show me and give me the JOY to make the decision that sometimes seemed difficult or impossible.

To God be the Glory!

HE alone holds the Keys to the Doors He opens for us.

He also supplies.

He is the God of the impossible….. and all things are possible to those who BELIEVE.

I sometimes spell JOY… Just Offer Yourself!

 

~ Sandi Holman

---

Sandi Holman was called to the nations as an End-Time Handmaiden in 1984 with Gwen Shaw and served with YWAM Singapore and YWAM Charlotte in missions. Sword of The LORD Ministries came from a divine encounter with The LORD when He came into her prayer room and said, “I have come to put a sword in your hand and was given special instructions on how and when to use it.” She is an author, Prophetic Intercessor and Seer, Chaplain, Teacher, Speaker and Equipper, and Blogger who has also served as a Pastor Online with Beyond the Veil Ministries.

Back to Top