11 minute read
Miraculous Manna
Stories of healings, miracles, salvations, deliverances, prophetic dreams and visions; all bringing glory to God.
written by Carrie Christopher
Take a walk through a suffocating garden of death and a glorious, life-filled garden of life. Bask in a heavenly testimony of a deliverance from temptation, lust, wealth and the war against guilt as our Father in heaven redeems, shapes, and molds His child into His glorious image.
This woman was the epitome of the perfect stay-at-home mother; she outdid ‘Susie homemaker.’ She rested cozily in fulfilled dreams, nestled in a log cabin with her picture-perfect family. Her family were good old church-goers, servants at heart, laboring in their home and tirelessly in their church ministries. They were intricate parts of their American church community. She was faithful to teach the Bible in her home, to admonish good works, and tirelessly toil.
This beauty had it all, literally everything she could ever want and desire. But it was never enough. There was a shortcoming buried and deeply embedded in her soul, one that she never had to come face to face with - her sin. She wrestled with guilt and imitated perfection, idolizing the perfect Christian family - heart and home. You see, her sin was lying unreconciled in her heart. This sister hadn’t seen the light because guilt lied to her as a professed Christian. She buried her pain under the idol of perfectionism, all ruled by guilt within. She tried to be good enough, wise enough, strong enough, successful enough; the righteous, successful Christian. But inwardly, she knew the truth - it was never enough. Sin wrapped her heart and she had no way to release it to receive the paramount of forgiveness that the gospel promises; instead, guilt promised to silence her.
The slithering, sneaky snake entered into this woman’s heart and home through the access bridge of guilt-driven perfectionism. He lured and enticed this ‘good girl’ with venomous lies. He crept into a 20-year marriage and whispered that infidelity, pornography, and sexual lusts were better than God and better than a perfection-driven life. You see, her sin was always hidden lying dormant, covered up by her good works. When the lures and fangs of sexual impurity pounced, she was enticed by her own desire.
She believed in Christ, as a professed Christian, but didn’t understand the gravity and propensity of her own sin intertwining with the everlasting love of God despite what was on the inside. Lies pervaded and ripped apart this precious family. Guilt continued to ravage; divorce divided.
Our bountiful beauty ran into hiding under fig clothes and ran in desperation, looking for comfort and love everlasting.
This time, it was into another man’s arms. They looked and felt safe, the sexual impurities that she had walked through and experienced didn’t seem to have a hold on him. But what did was another beast of its kind, full of power and wealth. Lots of it in fact, sheer opulence. Opulence that very few of us in this world will ever witness face to face: the garments she wore were clothed in riches, basking in jewels of all kinds, a 7-carat engagement ring, multiple cars, meetings with presidents, striking galas, a circle of fame and riches, worldly splendor and delight; anything she ever wanted was hers! Housekeepers, private airplanes, you name it; it was a lifestyle for only the elite, rich, and famous.
She was lavished in so much wealth that she began generously giving it away to her family and friends.
Her striking blonde hair, pretty-in-pink lipstick, manicured nails, and perfectly beautified attire dazzled outwardly. She glimmered and sparkled, she was perfection wrapped up in a bow, but inwardly she groaned for a love she never knew how to receive, a grace-filled freedom from her sin, and an unceasing, fatherly love. Someone to love her despite her sin, shortcomings, and imperfections. She lived with a painfilled heart, voided by memories of the past marriage and loss of it all. Corruption from her sin was consuming her heart more than she ever imagined.
That is when our God of Jacob intersected her life with freeing grace. The gospel of Jesus, His very presence was coming to aid her in a rescue beyond anything she had ever encountered.
She was on a trip with her fiancé, now of 7 years, to Israel where the tomb of Jesus lay in a garden. Quietly, in a gracefilled garden of His love, He whispered these words:
“Do you love me? Do you trust me? If you do, then walk away from this lifestyle and repent of it all. Confess your entire past right now. I want your heart back, but I want all of it.”
This woman did not delay! There she was delivered in the garden tomb of Jesus’ miraculous resurrection. She immediately repented; tears of repentance and showers of grace fell upon her life! God’s deliverance intersected what the flesh couldn’t. He exchanged her sin, her wealth, all for a taste of forgiveness, freedom, and mercy-filled love. Coming to life, where Jesus died and rose again, forfeiting His own life for HERS. This woman was now clothed with the fragrance of redeemed beauty intertwined with flowers of forgiveness, life shooting through her heart, pulsating with the breath of the Holy Spirit. He removed her clothes of works-based righteousness and wealth from her, and instead lavished her with the greatest gift anyone could ever receive - a pure, wholly-devoted love. Jesus had promised her from this time forward that His grace would be enough for her life, birthing life in the most perfect GRACE GARDEN; that perfection here on earth wouldn’t be possible, but if she turned from her sin and trusted in HIM, then He would forgive and cleanse her from all unrighteousness.
You see, it was never her good works that saved her, these were the ways she walked in the beginning of her faith in Christ; believing a lie that she had to be good enough. After having fallen into dark sin, shame wrapped her in fear, trapping her in a lifestyle that held her captive. Jesus was there from the very beginning with redemptive, triumphant plans for her life. He had a call on this woman’s life, and He would stop at nothing to retrieve her from legalism and self-righteous Christianity. He allowed her to stumble knee-deep in darkness to show her His impenetrable, unstoppable, forever-availing love available to HER. Guilt no longer needed to operate under her sin, for she could be freely forgiven by the confession and freedom that awaits at the cross of Jesus. Throughout her childhood and teen years, she lived under this false gospel harness of Christianity, God was so merciful that He allowed worldly-enticements to provoke the hidden sin already in her heart.
God’s call on this woman was so grand and powerful that He would use her story as unceasing depictions of the gospel to lead many to Himself with GRACE; ultimately to mark the nations with His great glory. This woman today overflows with POWER and grace all because of this story, this way that God showed her the evidences, truths of His gospel love, and presence - truly teaching her that nothing outweighs the experience of God’s love, true joy, and freedom found in Him alone; not wealth, pleasure, or perfection. The Spirit of the Lord has brought freedom and communion over sin, cleansing her by the blood of the lamb, eternally secured.
This sister is our very own Women World Leaders founder, Kimberly Hobbs.
As many of you read this, you may have heard her story prior to reading this column. As many could agree, the very formation of this ministry has rested on the power of God in and through this GLORY-child. Kimberly’s life is overflowing with continual affections and pure devoted love to Jesus, lavishing this same love onto others.
This magazine speaks here and now as you read the tears spilled on these pages, because of her willing obedience to respond to grace in and through Christ speaking to her. The Voice of Truth magazine has come to life through her turning from the sin and no longer hiding from HIS PRESENCE of grace and forgiveness, but rather coming in and under the authority, rule, and reign of Christ’s love in her.
Kimberly is not only my friend and my sister, but a mother of faith to many of us. God has used her life, sin, and her pain for His glory. And our beautiful sister willingly turned to serve the Lord with her full heart. I am convinced the LORD used her stumble to save many near and far, to offer them the grace of God she has experienced. She continually gives us all courage to keep pressing into the Lord, giving Him our stories of brokenness to be used for His glory. She is an incredible writer, a founder of this ministry, a speaker, and so much more. She shines like a rare jewel of Christ, administering love and God-given encouragement-fuel to the body of believers. She is a woman of faith who continually presses us to believe and receive the big plans that God has for us all.
What would it look and feel like to give up multitudes of riches, to lay down sexual impurity and be fully delivered by the hand of God, believing that HIS love is BETTER, far more fulfilling than any of sin or pleasure on this land and earth? Take it from her story, our beautiful founder, nothing is greater here on earth than experiencing Christ. When you taste and see that the Lord is good, you too will want to turn away from your sin and trust in HIM.
You too have an ending that rests in the grace and love of Jesus Christ, the calling in and through your life. You too have been given a purpose that God designed for only you. You too can have a redemption story to share and show the powerful love and working of Christ on your life. Exchange your bondage and sin for HIM and you will be bountifully dressed in a grace garden, just as the Lord brought KIMBERLY through. Your sin, no matter what it is and how much it is, cannot outweigh the grace of God. Instead of running and hiding in fig leaves, would you come out of your garden of sin and enter into a grace garden?
As a ministry we are here to wrap our arms around those stuck in the bondage of sin. We believe in the power of DELIVERANCE. Now is the time, do not wait. Email us at info@womenworldleaders.com so we can call, email, and communicate with you, walking with you through your repentance to the ultimate grace and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.
Excerpt on Repentance from Tears to Triumph
“Genuine repentance pleads with the Lord to forgive and deliver from the burden of sin and the fear of judgment and hell. True repentance is not only changing behavior by stopping what is wrong, but it’s learning to do what’s right. The Bible commands it, our wickedness demands it, justice requires it, Christ preached it, and God expects it. ‘Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so iniquity shall not be your ruin.’ (Ezekiel 18: 30) Repentance involves a change of heart and purpose, which inevitably results in a change of behavior. Repentance is not voluntarily suffering for the punishment of sin, nor is it remorse. It’s also not selfcondemnation.”
“Repentance involves a change of one’s view – a recognition of sin involving personal guilt, defilement, and helplessness. There is also the emotional part of repentance that consists of a change of feeling, manifesting itself in sorrow for sin committed against a holy God. In addition, repentance involves a change of purpose, an inward turning away from sin, and an attitude to seek pardon and cleansing. Repentance is a response of the total person, which is why it can be described as total surrender. Being sorry for sin is not repentance. Judas felt remorse, but he didn’t repent. (Matthew 27:3, TPT) When Judas, the betrayer, saw that Jesus had been sentenced to death, remorse filled his heart. He returned thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and leaders saying, ‘I have sinned because I have betrayed an innocent man.’ Repentance isn’t just a resolve to do better. It’s not a change of mind; it’s a change of heart. It means turning from sin totally and going in the opposite direction. In the case of Christianity, one turns from sin to the Savior. It’s an inward response, not an external activity. ‘Then turn away from your sins, turn to God, and prove it by a changed life.’ (Luke 3: 8, TPT) Repentance calls for total surrender and total commitment to the will of God. It allows for a whole new relationship with God within an obedient lifestyle. It awakens joyous devotions to serving God with a clean heart that has been forgiven. A repentant heart is one that God can use. Repentance and faith go hand-in-hand. ‘And without faith living within us it would be impossible to please God. For we come to God in faith knowing that he is real and that he rewards the faith of those who passionately seek him.’ (Hebrews 11: 6) I believe you cannot have ‘saving repentance’ unless it’s accompanied by ‘saving faith’ in the Lord Jesus Christ. Your life can be changed, your sins can be forgiven, and you can live a new life. Repentance frees us to live a new life in Jesus Christ. Every day you can live with a joyful gladness in your heart. It means your chains can be broken, and your life can be free to serve God with purpose and pleasure, with nothing separating you and Him. What a desirable way to exist.” — Tears to Triumph, Releasing Pain to Receive God’s Restoration by Kimberly Ann Hobbs
