Get Up For The Dress Up

October 2021

“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6 (ESV)

It's time for many lost dreams, purposes, promises, and dormant callings to rise, get up, and live again. What many have been feeling as a delay or detour in their destiny is just a season change. New seasons need new clothes, vision, and direction.

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 (ASV)

“For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.” Habakkuk 2:3 (ESV)

Acts 9:32-43 tells the story of Peter praying for a woman named Tabitha, which is translated to Dorcas and means “gazelle.” Dorcas was an early disciple of Jesus and worked very hard helping the poor. She had many beautiful pieces of clothing to show for her skill and dedication to her gifting that she used to bless others. But, she had died and was laid in an upper room as her friends deeply moured her death.

All that Dorcas had worked so hard for lay to nothing in the hands of her weeping friends. Her friends showed Peter all of Dorcas’s talented works of art and explained all she had done to bless others while she was alive. They were now heartbroken that all she had made now lay dormant and dead in the upstairs room. Peter then sent her friends out of the room, knelt down beside Dorcas, and told her to, “Get up!” Dorcas immediately opened her eyes and sat up. Peter then took her hand and presented Dorcas to her friends very much alive and well.

“Peter made them all leave the room.Then he knelt down and prayed. Turning to the dead body, he said, ‘Tabitha, rise up!’ At once she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers and all the widows to come and see that she was alive!” Acts 9:40-41 (TPT)

As I read these passages, the Lord showed me that many are staring in the mirror of their own lives as they look at all the dead and dormant talents, gifts, and callings—thinking their destiny has been delayed once again. Many feel like all that was made is now gone, what was built with and for the Lord has now been redirected, and are wondering if they missed God altogether or if they are now being detoured in a completely different direction than shown, planned, or dreamed. The promises from God may even seem farther off than ever before and the call on many’s lives seemingly dead and lifeless once again.

The Lord showed me that those who feel this way have much to show that the Lord has done in past seasons through them (a display of His goodness in and through thier life), but for some reason all that remains from that past season is a beautiful garment left behind. Like putting away our summer clothes and getting out our fall and winter attire, so it may feel for many of you with your sense of direction on what God has told you to do. You feel you are having to put away and box up what you knew was God’s clear direction. It may not make sense to many of you and some even have friends who are pounding the gates of Heaven on your behalf, mourning your loss of direction and hidden purpose.

“I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.” Psalm 57:2 (ESV)

But, those cries have not gone unnoticed. It’s time to say “Rise! Get up!” to the seemily dead things in your lives and stand. What was dead shall live again. Those feeling this way shall open the eyes of their hearts and hope again, sit up with fresh clarity and divine purpose, and stand as they are presented in this new season alive, refreshed, whole, and dressed to walk in the power of the Lord.

“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” Psalm 138:8 (ESV)

What is dead must “GET UP” in the name of Jesus! Those dormate areas need to wake up, arise and shake off deffered hope––no longer asleep or dead. Those feeling this way are just changing seasons and need new attire, fresh vision, and clearer purpose. You must know that God did not make a mistake—help is on the way. He is bringing you back to life and it is going to be better than you ever imagined on the other side.

New seasons need new clothes. Everything that won’t fit into the new must go. Everything made by selfish hands will be burned. The Lord is now dressing those feeling this way in their new garments. Garments of praise drenched in His love and faithfulness. These garments are liquid light of purity with no spots or blemishes, nothing missing, broken, damaged, or lost. These garments will be better than the former and will withstand all that is meant to stop you in the coming days.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105 (ESV)

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5 (ESV)

A powerful woman of God shared with me a vision she recently had of a massive closet with people putting on new, beautiful costumes. This brought confirmation of the timeline to a vision I had where the Lord showed me how He had many treats He was handing out to His people on October 31th. In the vision, the Lord lit up the dark, ancient, and hidden paths as I reached down and took treats that He had laid at my feet on what looked like rock stepping stones beneath me. With every treat I picked up, I began to shine with a greater intensity of light. That greater intensity lit up the next stepping stone for me to walk on. I began to quickly pick up more and more treats as I was so filled with His light and glory. His glory was lighting my path that was dark and seemingly hidden. I feel we have an opportunity to open our hearts and hands and receive the treats treasures that the Lord is pouring out. Treats that will illuminate the dark and hidden direction in our lives that lead to Him—our Treasure.

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” John 8:12 (ESV)

“‘You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. ‘You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.’” Matthew 5:13-16 (ESV)

I encourage you to lay all your seemingly dead and lifeless hopes and dreams at the feet of Jesus and put down all you have worked toward and made. Give it all in loving surrender to the King. As you lay down what is lifeless or dead works made in selfish pursuit by your own strength, He will breathe life back into those places and give you power and renewed strength. As He brings you back to life, you will be radiant as He equips and dresses you for the new season with a new, clear purpose and direction.

“And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’” Luke 9:23 (ESV)

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 (ESV)

The Lord showed me many who have felt shut up, in the dark, and disillusioned without clarity. I saw many people panicking and searching for a way out. But what the Lord told me is that many of you are not derailed, but in the dressing room. In the dark you are being dressed for your new start.

“Now you're dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete.” Colossians 3:10 (MSG)

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 (ESV)

The new start is all going to be completely new—different, fresh, never seen before. It won’t look like the past, but it will be better than before. Don’t try to fight it, but yield to the process and allow the Lord to love you back to life! Hold on a little longer friends because you have not been detoured or delayed, you’ve been getting dressed for the ball.

“That he might present the church to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:27 (ASV)

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 (ESV)

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 (ESV)

“For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” Ephesians 5:8 (ESV)

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” Matthew 5:14 (ESV)

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9 (ESV)

“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1:5 (ESV)

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1 (ESV)