Brush and Debris Left From Past Storms by Kim Potter

Dayton, TN

Brush and Debris

On Saturday morning I went outside early to take care of some "brush" that had been stacked in my yard for some time now. As I began to stack it up to start a fire, the Lord began to speak to me. He said, "What is all this brush and debris from?" I knew He knew, I also knew He was about to show me something significant.

I replied, "It is all from the storms of the past year or so."

"Hmm...," He said.

I began to think about those storms as I was continuing to stack the brush and light it. As I carried limbs and debris, my thoughts went back to the storms that had come through which had blown all these tree limbs down into the yard. I had picked them up but I had not gotten rid of them, and subsequently they kept piling up.

It reminded me of all the prophetic words I have heard in the past year that said, "Everything that could be shaken, would be shaken." You see, several storms had come through my area and everything that was dead and lifeless had simply come loose from the roots and blew away.

Again, God spoke to me and said, "What do you do with debris and broken limbs that are left over after the storm?" I remained silent. He said, "There are times when all you can do with dead things is to throw them in the fire, burn them until there is nothing left but ashes." (Photo via Pixabay)

I began to think about a different kind of storm. These storms also left behind a pile of dead things. I didn't realize it at the time, butjust like the brush pile I was facing this day, I had a brush pile of things left over from the spiritual storms and emotional storms I had weathered over the past few years.

In that debris pile was disappointment, fear, a lack of confidence in myself and all I once believed. In that pile were the losses I had faced, the lack I had endured and a battle-worn faith. I was reminded of the message God gave me just a few short weeks ago about letting the season end. I had let the season end, now I was facing the debris left behind, just as there is debris left behind in natural storms.

In the Fire...Let It Burn!

God said, "There is only one thing you can do with those things, put them in the fire." Most Christians don't want to talk about fire or going through a fire; I don't like to think of it myself, however, I know there are times that there is no other way we can get to the other side than to go through the fire. I know and fully understand that there are things in me that must be removed and the only way to remove them is by going through the fire. I am not afraid of that fire anymore, for I know I am not alone. (Photo via Pixabay)

Isaiah 43:2-3 assures me of His faithful promise, as it says, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior."

You may ask, "How do we throw those things in the fire, spiritually speaking?" The fire we go through is through the word of God. Jeremiah 23:29 says, "Is not My word like a fire?" says the Lord, "And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?" There are times in our life when the fire of His word will burn away the debris left behind from storms that have come our way, IF we allow it to.

I don't know how it is in your area, but in my area, we must obtain a permit before we can burn brush or anything else, so it is with God. He will bring us to a place where we invite Him to come into our heart and burn away everything that is keeping us from walking in the fullness of Him and the fullness of our destiny. I know that is the place I came to as I stood and watched that brush burn. I began to pray.

I prayed, "God, burn away all the things that are standing between me and You. Burn away all the debris, all the hurt, pain and disappointment from the past storms, burn it all God, and leave nothing but ashes." (Photo via Pixabay)

I don't know what kind of storms you have faced this year. I don't know what kind of debris pile you have laying around, but I do know this: it is time to throw it in the fire of God's Word and allow Him to remove it once and for all. It is time to allow Him to set fire to it and allow it to burn until there is nothing left but ashes.

Down to the Ashes

Ashes...most people think it is all over when it all comes down to ashes, but not so with our Lord. Isaiah 61:3 says, "To appoint those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified."

Ashes are only the beginning. When you allow and invite God to burn away all the debris of past storms and losses He does that, but when the ashes are all that is left He begins to do a "new thing" in your life. That new thing is that He first appoints those who mourn in Zion. This means He makes an appointment with you – a set time to repay you.

He gives you beauty – this means He will beautify everything that concerns you; remember we serve a God who perfects ALL things that concern you (Psalm 138:8). He gives beauty, which means His glory. Beauty for ashes – this means that He will bestow on you His glory and that He will pay you wages for what you have mourned and He will cause you to yield produce from all the storms. That sounds like coming out with the plunder to me, doesn't it? (Photo via deviantart)

What is left from your storms? Do you need to throw it in the fire of God and be rid of it once and for all? Is it time to allow those things to become ashes so that His glory can be released in your life? I don't know if it is time for you to do this or not, but I do know that it is time for me to throw it all in the fire, light the match...and watch it burn! That is how I prayed this past weekend, "Let it all burn God, leave nothing but ashes. I am ready to let the past and everything that came from it be behind me, once and for all."

I am more than ready for Him to give me beauty for those ashes... and I realize the beauty only comes from the ashes, so let it burn!

Kim Potter
A New Thing Ministries
Email: kpotter@anewthingministries.com
Website: www.anewthingministries.com