For so long you have been in a cave, not a literal cave but a place of hiding. You have been hiding from life, pain, stress, and even the Jezebel spirit at times.
It’s time to come out of your cave. You know it’s time, but you also know there is a heavy resistance. You don’t feel like you can come out of your cave. You don’t feel strong enough, but the Lord God is equipping you to come out of the cave by faith. Take the first step out by faith. Declare, “ I shall come forth quickly from hiding, and light my light shine.”
Do not be afraid. For the Lord God will show you step by step what to do and where to go.
The cave has become comfortable to you. That time of cave dwelling is passing, and you are entering a new transition time of living again fully.
Whatever caused you to go into the cave and stay there has to come to the surface. Ask the Holy Spirit,” Why did I stay so long in the cave?” When I asked the Holy Spirit that question He showed me almost immediately. I did not want to face life any longer. Life had become one long series of pain, loss, and disappointment. I originally went into the cave to retreat for a short while, but as time passed the cave became a place of false comfort.
Perhaps, like me you have faced devastating blows to your faith, and become so exhausted that your cave became a place where it was you, maybe a comfy blanket, and lots of entertainment to distract from the realities of life. I became “addicted” to watching hours of YouTube videos in my cave, by myself. It was safe, and I did not have to worry about someone letting me down or even God letting me down.
If you are hearing the Holy Spirit saying,” It’s time to come out,” obey and He will guide you. Renounce the fear that the Lord will ask you to do something that you are not capable of doing. Don’t worry how you will have the strength and energy to come out of the cave. You will be refreshed as you come out of the cave.
The Lord is walking with you hand in hand, and He wants you to know that you can trust Him out. You were never meant to live permanently in the cave. It was supposed to be short term, temporary, but now it has become a place of isolation.
You do not need to be afraid of people, places, or the enemy when you come out. The Lord is with you always. You must get to the place where you are sick and tired of the cave. No one comes to the cave with you. You are in a place by yourself, and you were never meant to be disconnected from people permanently. Sure the cave protects you, but you also lose a great deal when you stay too long. Life goes by without you.
Life has been hard for you, and maybe at times unbearable. You retreated to a safe place, your cave. Don’t beat yourself up for staying too long. Forgive yourself. Be kind to yourself as you step out of this place of hiddenness. You will hide no longer. Enough is enough!
Coming out of your cave means facing your fears and difficult circumstances, but God is pouring out His grace to aid you in facing life again. He will give you the grace to manage the people and circumstances that kept you running back to your cave over and over again.
Now, some of you have spent so much time in the cave alone that you don’t like going out and when you go out you are counting down the time until you can get home. Home is safe, and that is understandable. However, if we stay at home and hide in our cave all the time, we will miss what God may want to do through us.
If the Lord is saying to you,” Get up and out of that place,” then believe He has a better way for you. You may feel slightly anxious about getting up and out, but you will also have a tangible peace that it’s time.
To begin walking out of your cave, renounce agreement with these lies:
- I renounce that I won’t have enough energy or strength to come out of the cave. Declare,” I have energy and strength to do what God is calling me to do, one step at a time.”
- I renounce the fear of the unknown (what will happen if I leave the cave, my safety). Declare, “ The Lord God is with me everywhere that I go.”
- I renounce all false comfort whether it is tv, food, shopping, alcohol, drugs, or self isolation. Declare,” I am deeply comforted and satisfied daily in the Lord.”
Now, come into agreement with the Word of God that says, “Jesus has come to give you life and that more abundantly.” John 10:10
When Elijiah was in his cave, God asked him twice,” What are you doing here?” God asked Elijah not because He did not know, He asked to force Elijah to face his own heart. Ask yourself the same question, “What are you doing here?”
To get out of the cave:
- You have to be honest with God. Confess your fears, concerns, your fatigue, your anxieties, your shame.
- Break the isolation. Call a trusted friend for coffee, go to a small group, attend a church service, do a Zoom call with someone. Just get out of the place that you were hiding in. Get off that couch, get out of that bed, get out of that room that you have made your cave and do something different.
- Refrain from running to your comforts. Sit with being uncomfortable if need be. You may not know exactly what else to do, but refrain from going to the old comforts. It may seem easier, but as you step out little by little you will come to find a life waiting to be lived fully. There is joy in simplicity. Keep what you’re doing simple at first.
- You have to take a step of obedience. It most likely will start small and practical. Coming out of the cave you may hear a simple instruction like,” Instead of watching tv tonight, go outside and work in your yard.” Small, practical steps of obedience will eventually lead to larger steps of faith.
The cave not only can become a false comfort, but can become addictive. It demands nothing from you. You don’t have to risk anything, or be hurt by anyone. The cave becomes unhealthy when it is being used as a numbing agent.
When thinking about leaving the cave, you might imagine jumping straight back into full-time ministry, dealing with difficult relationships, or doing things you don’t feel equipped for. No wonder there is difficulty leaving the cave.
Remember, one small and often practical step at a time, not one huge leap into the deep end. Redefine what your cave experience has been to now having times of retreat with the Lord. Make your cave a sanctuary. A place where when you need to rest you get your fill of worship, alone time with the Father, journaling, praying, and just sitting before the Lord with no agenda other than to be with Him. This kind of retreat is refreshing, and you will not need as long here as you did in the cave. The cave pulls you to stay there, a retreat with the Lord encourages you to go back out after being refreshed in His presence.
Offering hope, encouragement, support, & guidance to women of God to overcome being a survivor and living the abundant life in Christ. Isaiah 61:1-3. Motivating women to be all that God has designed them to be by dismantling strongholds, uncovering unhealthy "roots", and equipping women to know their true identity in Christ. Bringing healing to your mind, body, and spirit.
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