Darlene Rose

We enter the wilderness thinking we are called to change the weather. We emerge from the wilderness knowing we were called to change the climate. ~~~~ Darlene Rose

The first 7 years of my walk with the Lord in salvation was both glorious and tumultous. My friends were changing. My family thought I joined a cult. My desires were no longer the same.

Yet….

I was filled with love. I had love flowing through me. Words of knowledge (not my knowledge, I had no idea sometimes the truth I spoke into other’s lives).

All of the gifts of the Holy Spirit flowed through me, including raising dead animals to life – I did this with my children and I believe the Lord included them so that they would carry this knowledge within them forever.

I was repentant for everything and yet also full of zeal for the Lord’s house in a way that has not been matched since then. I had a supernatural faith, wisdom and strength, a humble heart, the joy of the Lord, and everyone saw the change. So did my adversary.

The arsenal was released. Friends were dying from drugs and alcohol. My own cat was devoured by the dogs of two witches who lived in an old neighborhood. Abuse from my ex husband was in full bloom – (my head was struck so hard that I lost consciousness and when I came to, I had lost control of my muscles).

I had a taste of glory to convince me that the Kingdom of God was the best place to be, yet I had no power or understanding to change what was around me. Slowly as I approached 6-years of salvation, the intensity of the gifts waned. I became afraid and even concerned. I cried out for the Lord to move and He did a little here, a little there.

The church I was attending no longer looked like it did when I first attended. It was my third church membership since becoming a Christian, because I moved out of state. My eyes were opening to see I was no longer a baby believer, and the reality of false teachers and preachers were all around me. I was going from gullible and naive in the Kingdom, to afraid and alone in the wilderness.

One day in prayerful meditation, I had a vision. I was a child again, at 10 years old. The backdrop was the season of FALL and before me was a pile of colorful leaves. I was gearing up to run FAST and then jump right into that pile. Oh, to be a child again. No cares, no worries. Discovery all around me.

As soon as I was about to run, I “feel” a hand tap me on the shoulder and then I heard a voice. “The leaves are brightest right before their death. Enjoy them for a while, but if you put your hope in them, you will die with them.”

Then I was turned around, my back to the colorful leaves. I was pointed to the Evergreens of Summer. As we started the walk toward them together, He said “Put your hope in the one whose colors never change with changing seasons.”

As we walked back, I knew I was about to experience a new thing.

The wilderness. I didn’t know it was called the wilderness at the time but it was clear. We were walking together into a place of unknown territory for me, with the Evergreens ahead, and rocks and stones and briers at my feet.

The glory, the fun, the wonders of every new day as a child were no longer there. I knew the Lord was going to speak to me through the Word. At first I embraced it because I was walking with the Lord, but in a short while, it seemed that He too was gone. I couldn’t see Him. I couldn’t hear Him. I could only read and discover Him solely through the Word.

I protested. I ranted. I cried. I kicked. I screamed. I was going to change this! I was going to kick down doors of opportunity to minister in places I wasn’t called to because I (emphasis on I) experienced THE KINGDOM! The Glory of the Mountaintop! ALL THE GIFTS IN OPERATION. I saw the Lord! I heard Him.

And everyone has to know that I (emphasis on I) heard from and saw the Lord with my eyes! “They HAVE to know I’m SPECIAL!” (ahhhhh)

The winds came and blew my structures I built in my mind, down. The fires came and burnt up the wood, hay and stubble of the structures and then the rains came and washed away the left over debris from the ash of the fires.

Years.

Years.

Years.

The Lord came in short seasons of glory so that my hope would not be destroyed, but I was still in the wilderness.

Just like the Israelites went through the wilderness in order to get Egypt out of them, we have gone through our own. We go in kicking and screaming because of the weather (that the Lord sent). Those fires, winds and rains that spoil all our plans for our lives.

But He never intended for us to be weather changers.

He wants us to change the environment we live in and walk in, so that no matter what weather we face, we are still known as “the ones who revealed the Lord”.

Florida is called the Sunshine State. The terrain is pretty much flat. Is it always sunshine? No. It has weather of all kinds. Is it always flat? No. In northern areas are mountains and hills. Yet the climate is such that it is known for its sunny days and a terrain of flat land.

West Virginia is called the Mountain State. The weather is usually gray and overcast with a lot of rain. Is it always like that? No. It has terrain of all kinds, even flat lands. It is often sunny and warm as well. Its climate is such that it is known for mountains and cold, overcast skies and rain.

Every location has weather. But each state has a certain ambience that is seen and experienced by its residents and tourists.

So, we enter the wilderness thinking we are going to change the weather. The rains and winds and fires that were sent by God to mold us and refine us to be created in the image of Christ the Son, so that our focus is on Christ alone, the one whose colors never change regardless of the changing seasons and weather.

We emerge no longer trying to change the weather, but creating the climate that invites others in. It draws them, and as it does, it changes the very nature of who they are, what they desire, why they exist, and provides refreshment for their weary soul.

1 Kings 19:9 Then he came there to a cave and spent the night there; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

vs 10 And he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of armies; for the sons of Israel have abandoned Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they have sought to take my life.”

vs 11 So He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by! And a great and powerful wind was tearing out the mountains and breaking the rocks in pieces before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.

vs 12 And after the earthquake, a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire, a sound of a gentle blowing.