Release From The Waterless Pit - Unbelief

 Yesterday during a prayer time at our church, I started praying out of Zechariah 9:11-12 NIV:

[11] "As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit. [12] Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you."

I was praying for quite a while, specifically for those with no hope, those trapped in whatever pit one could define. I also continued on praying for a restoration of twice as much to us all, whatever that meant.  Twice as much hope, twice as much as was lost, twice as much life, etc.

As I was praying this all,  I felt like the Lord shifted my focus to Jeremiah 33:2-3 NIV: “This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it---the Lord is his name: [3] 'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'"  

Again this theme of a shift in our perspective, of our knowledge of God, a releasing of new revelation.  Lord, I don't know what it will look like, but I know it will be different.  We want to understand the great things, and ask You Holy Spirit to teach us all things (John 14:26).  I focused my prayer on this theme for a while, asking for more and greater revelation, deeper understanding, seeing and hearing new things, a release for the gifts of seeing God's movement, the spiritual world and reality.

Again, after a time of focused prayer, I felt the Lord shift me to Mark 6, which is, among other things, Jesus walking on water.  As I was reading through those verses a couple of things stood out - but mostly that this was a point of revelation for the Apostles.  Mark described this as follows - Mark 6:51-52 NIV: "Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, [52] for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened."

Jesus' walking on water, opened there eyes and softened their hard hearts, for somehow they had missed the significance of the feeding of 5000.  The Greek word used to describe the hardened heart is a word that means hardened skin, as with a callus.  In other words, we would say they had become callused to Jesus' signs and wonders.  Oh Lord, I pray that is not ever our state, and yet I believe it is.  We hear of things You have done and while we might cheer and say "Praise God!" does our heart condition change?  Have we become hard hearted from ineffective prayers, from allowing unbelief to grow in our hearts?  

Mark writes that Jesus' walk on water amazed the Apostles, and apparently broke through their callused hearts.  He also note in verse 45 that Jesus made the disciples get into the boats and set out ahead of Him.  As I was reading and reflecting, I thought that these two verses (45 & 52) were related, for Jesus was aware, via the Power of the Holy Spirit, and prayer with His Father, that the disciples were becoming hard-hearted, and so I believe He orchestrated this situation that they might really grasp the reality of who Jesus was, and the depth of relationship and the fullness of His authority!   Oh Lord, that You might cause our eyes to be opened and hearts to be softened to Your will, Your Words and Your way!

This morning I am encouraged to press into the Lord for all of this.  For a release from the waterless pit, for a restoration of Hope, and all that has been lost, including belief!  I am encouraged to press deeper into the Lord, looking for and waiting for greater revelation, for a paradigm shift in understanding!  I am encouraged to humbly acknowledge my own hard-heartedness, my callused response to the Lord, knowing that I need break-through, I need my eyes opened, and praying for that which will soften my heart.  

I just realized that my unbelief is my own waterless pit.  Lord set me free from this pit, bring me to a place where my hope, my belief, my faith is alive and well!  Lord, I pray that my eyes might be opened, my heart made fully alive by new revelation of Your sovereignty and power!

Lord, I am waiting for You, please come and help me!

Amen!