The “Suddenly” of Christmas
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The “Suddenly” of Christmas
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And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.
~ The Gospel of Luke, 2:14
Despite having precisely one full year to prepare for Christmas, we inevitably break into a panicked fright around mid-December when we are startled by Christmas Tide knocking on our door again. Some of our most inspired planning casually coalesces in July as we watch bundled-up Hallmark Channel actors suppress their sweat while frolicking in deep-fake snow. Then, on August 1st, we shake the Etch-a-Sketch over our heads and erase Christmas planning from our brains.
Let the IFA community know how to pray for you.
Shopping, decorating, and festivities aside, these past few Christmases have been particularly trying for me. So trying, my faith has been fire-tested so that every seam in my life is stressed and thoroughly singed.
I owned a successful consulting company for years, but in December 2020, by no fault of my own, we lost our contracts, and I had to lay off my entire team. With two boys in college, I began collecting unemployment for the first time in my life. Merry Christmas to me.
We made it through that first year only by God’s good grace. I often tell people there is a Kingdom economic plan that you will discover only when there are no options left. The testimony of that tested truth is that we never missed a mortgage payment. 2021 was also the year I began writing and setting up my blog, The Wine Patch. The Lord may take away, but He always gives something new in exchange.
After submitting my resume with 30 years of professional experience to almost 200 different companies, I think I’ve tallied a dozen automated responses, 4 interviews, and not a single offer.
In 2022, I managed to piece together a few small projects, and by early 2023, I was able to bring back two of my old teammates. Making a fraction of what I used to earn felt like progress, and we were grateful for an answered prayer.
But two weeks before Christmas 2023, our approved contract for 2024 was snatched from under me like the old tablecloth trick. With plates and glasses crashing to the ground, for the second time, I had to lay off my team. Merry Christmas to us.
The first half of 2024 was some of the darkest days of my life. Discouragement, despair, and waves of delusion became my abiding, unholy friends. And when people asked me how they could pray for me, I would always say, “Pray for my wife, Jill. She has to live with me.”
Throughout these four years, we have prayed. We have fasted. We have taken communion in our home. We have held tightly to the prophetic words spoken to us. We have continued to serve, continued to give, and I continue to lead worship. And I write, which is sometimes the hardest thing to do.
But while those first six months of 2021 felt like taking a deep breath and going underwater to playfully see how long I could hold it, 2024 has felt more like my foot is stuck in the drain in the deep end, and I am out of air.
Just as bountiful blessing insulates us with comfort, prolonged suffering exacerbates pain. Yet, few Evangelical pulpits journey into the deep end to dare contemplate the nearness of suffering. Instead, everything is up, everything is exciting, everything is shiny, and everything is immediate. And why not? We love it when prayers are answered immediately.
The Doctrine of Immediately
Most of the accounts of Jesus’ miraculous healings happened immediately.
“Immediately, his leprosy was cleansed” (Matthew 8:3).
“Jesus touched their eyes, and immediately they received their sight” (Matthew 20:34).
“Immediately, the crippled man stood up and took his stretcher” (Mark 2:12).
“Immediately, the man’s ears were opened” (Mark 7:35).
“He commanded the fever, and it left her. Immediately, she got up and began to serve them” (Luke 4:39).
I’ve been in prayer meetings and altar calls when the pastor laid hands on someone for healing. Too often, the only immediately I saw was how quickly that pastor moved to the next person.
I believe in biblical, supernatural healing not only because I’ve experienced it but because Jesus told us we could do it. But what can we say when the immediate healing we pray for repeatedly fails?
The Opposite of Immediately Is Not Never
In the Book of Acts, there is a stirring account of Paul and Silas in desperate need of their immediately. Chapter 16 opens with Paul having a dream which immediately leads him to travel to Macedonia. When they arrived, they came upon a slave girl who had a spirit of divination. As she followed Paul’s group, she shouted and caused consternation because she bore the voice of a demonic spirit.
Paul turned, rebuked the spirit, and commanded, “Come out of her.” The spirit came out of her immediately.
The girl was set free but lost her gift of fortune-telling, so her owners became irate. Paul and Silas were forcibly brought before the magistrates, stripped of their clothing, severely beaten, put in chains, and thrown in prison.
As they were being falsely accused, the truth was not immediately revealed. When they were condemned before the magistrates, the justice they sought was not immediately served. As the crowd began tearing their clothes off, a holy angel did not immediately intervene.
As each clenched fist and hack of the rod landed on their naked bodies, the only sensation they immediately felt was unbearable pain. Blow after blow after blow.
As they were dragged into their prison cell feeling utterly abandoned, I imagine they were quizzically praying:
Lord, where are You? Why is this happening? How could you let them do this to us? We are serving you! We performed countless miracles for others; where is ours?
To further personalize this unbearable scene, allow me to overlay some possible protestations from my worst emotional dives;
I did what You asked, and this is my reward? What have I done to deserve this? Why does everyone else have it better than me? If my child were suffering like this, I would have stopped it by now.
And now you see why you should pray for Jill.
Our prayers can take on limitless forms of expressed devotion based upon our state of mind and posture of soul. When it is well with my soul, the modals of petition, gratitude, contrition, and intercession seem to flow nobly. But when my soul is unwell and in wait of its immediately, my articulations are packaged in anger, doubt, questioning, and accusation.
Thank God Paul and Silas didn’t share my exposed and unstable foundational flaws. Instead of shaking their fists toward heaven, they set their affections upon The Lord. And instead of counting their wounds, they counted themselves among the worshippers of God.
About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
~ Verse 25
Of this I am sure: Worship matters. When we release worship regardless of the wellness of our soul, even the angels gather to behold such a marvel.
Suddenly, there came a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened.
~ Verse 26
The Lord may not move immediately, but when He moves, it is always suddenly. And when the suddenly of God comes upon you, your immediately is taken care of.
Imagine the fear, confusion, and discouragement the disciples felt as they cowered in the upper room after Jesus’ death. “Suddenly, a sound like a violent wind blowing came from heaven and filled the entire house where they were sitting” (Acts 2:2).
When Peter was in jail waiting to be killed by Herod, “Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in his prison cell” (Acts 12:7).
While bloodthirsty Saul was traveling to Damascus to imprison more Christians, “Suddenly, a light from heaven flashed around him, and he fell to the ground” (Acts 9:3).
It was a long, dark night that Christmas Eve. Shepherds on the night watch had to fight off sleep to protect their flocks from predators. Seconds seem like minutes, and minutes seem like hours under the endless celestial canopy. “Why can’t I have a day job like everyone else? How long until Israel receives Her King? God, these sheep stink, and I just want to go to bed. What did I step in?!”
And suddenly there appeared . . .
What did this article stir in you? Share in the comments below.
Keith Guinta blogs at www.winepatch.org. He is a husband and father, and he has been a worship leader and church planter. Photo Credit: Eddie Palmore on Unsplash.
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Comments
I absolutely loved this article. God used it to give me faith for a wayward person. I expected a “suddenly” to come to her and it did. I am rejoicing and encouraging others who have prayed long and hard to believe for God to reach their target in a “suddenly.”
Sometimes I have waited 7 years. Sometimes I have not recognized the answer until many years later. I am always amazed at God’s amazing faithfulness!!
God always answers and his timing is always perfect. Thank you Abba Father, that when immediately happens an immediate blessing occurs which always out weighs all the pain you suffered. Praise is always the response. In Jesus’s name Amen
Sing songs of praise to the Lord. Fill your life with scripture songs full of God’s word and thanksgiving. God inhabits the praises of his people. Psalm 22:3
Let us hold fast the confession of our faith WITHOUT WAVERING for he who promised is faithful! Hebrews 10:23. May we always remember that. God does not lie. We can and should stand on his word. Wait on the Lord, be of good courage and he will strengthen thine heart. Wait I say on the Lord. Psalms 27:14
So rich! Thank you for your vulnerability. It will strengthen hundreds of us.
Fine article. I felt your pain. I commiserate and pray for your suddenly and immediately to be pressed down and overflowing with God’s merciful provisions.
Amen and Amen that You Lord will move in the suddenly’s in Your precious name, Amen
Suddenly and Immediately is how God our Awesome God works. These words will remain with me for a long time knowing how God works. Amazing points of view that amaze me how easy it is to forget that we have a marvelous God, that is always working to show how he is with us eternally and internally.
Thank you for the article. I am going through a bad time. I would give anything to hear from the Lord but he seems so silent. I have been fasting and praying 🙏 but nothing. I don’t know what to do. I am all alone.
You are never alone Jesus loves you and I pray that you would feel His Presence near you in a tangible way
DEAREST GOD
THANK YOU FOR JESUS’ CHRIST YOUR SON WHOM YOU SENT TO SAVE THE WORLD.
AMEN
Thank you Keith. Such an encouraging and uplifting article that helps us walk through those difficult times.
I’m adding another comment, because the Lord stirred my memory of a specific intervention in just such a time of testing. To make a long story short, my husband, son & I were living in a town gripped by the occult in NE MO, only income a paper route, a decrepit old house, no heat or hot water, bitter cold, spurned by fellow believers, a car that barely ran – most as a result of my husband taking a stand for righteousness with his boss. We were huddled up in bed, the only “warm?” place we could find even with our coats on. My husband and I were crying out to God – literally crying. I said through my tears, “Undertake for us, Oh God!”, not knowing at that time it was a Biblical prayer (Isa. 38:14) “Suddenly” I could tell he was experiencing something. He began to laugh/cry – only way I know how to express it. When he was able, he shared a vision from the Lord. The black clouds over us split and began to roll back like a scroll, and through them came Yeshua on a pure white steed – much as described in Revelation. I ‘imagined’ what he shared in my spirit, and we both laughed/cried until it hurt. Our hope was restored, and then “not as suddenly” but in His good timing, He brought us deliverance – a move back home, a job, restored fellowship, etc. I will never forget it!!
Thanks Keith. Certainly a word for the season we are in. If Christ our head so suffered what makes us His body think we should be spared??
God always answers.
Thank you, Keith. In the moments when God seems silent, we can be sure He isn’t. He is there, working out His plan for our growth in Him to trust Him in all things and grow in the fruit of the Spirit. It is hard to have bad things happen, but they will and during the hard times, we have to hold onto Him! How often during the hard things do I wonder, but then worship brings me to my senses and the need to look to and trust Him in all He is doing!
Thank you, Keith, for being vulnerable and sincere. Your words articulate my own experience; different details, but same struggles. And “suddenly” I don’t feel so all alone. Hallelujah to God!
Yep.
Thank You, Lord, for leading Keith to write this article. I feel like it was meant expressly for me. I’m sure many others feel the same. Your “immediately” might not seem immediate to me, but You are never late with Your answers. You are always right on time. When I take time to look back in my journals, think back on my life, You show me how on time You always were! The way we live our lives, everything seems to need to happen right now! IMMEDIATELY! But in Your Sovereignty, Your Omniscience, only Your timing is PERFECT! Teach me, Lord, to praise You through the difficulties and thank You for the trials that draw me closer to You. In Your time, You will reveal Your purpose and how it transcends all I thought was important.
Dear Sir,
You have just summed up the last five years of my life. But I have a feeling that God has allowed many of His elect to go through the fire in these past few years. I still not have had my suddenly, or my immediately. But my love for God, foundations of the faith, repentance, intercessions, and worship have abounded. The intimacy I have with God now you cannot put a price tag on. So maybe I do have my suddenly. I must decrease so He can increase. What He is building in me today I will need for tomorrow. I know, Sir, God will richly reward you. Meet Christmas. And thank you!
Thank you for this heart-wrenching testimony you have so articulately displayed in words on paper. No matter what we go through in life, our constant comfort is in Christ alone. We may be bleeding and dying on the Jericho road, but through HIM we can continue putting our flesh aside and waiting for our suddenly….. thank you Mary Beth I don’t celebrate either.
Thanks, Barbara!
My husband and I went through a similar 4 years. We lost our business, house, and our vehicle brokedown and without the money to repair it. We were able to get a vehicle for very little but no air conditioning and we live in a very hot part of the country. My daughter was in college. God supplied the necessary things, but not comfortable. We lived in a mobile home for 6 months with no running water. Through this we learned that God is faithful. We also learned that giving is possible even when you have very little. The important things are steeped in love. We learned that walking by faith is possible but not easy. I learned how to pray and be thankful in all things. It was a difficult miraculous time and I will never fear being destitute again because God is my supply and all in all.
My life the past five years has had big disappointments so it is comforting to know my husband and I aren’t the only ones. It always feels like we are. My husband complains like you. We were both forced to retire early and deal with disease and mental problems and our savings is dwindling. We are only 68 and feel old but aren’t! I am waiting for a suddenly!
Dear Sir,
You have just summed up the last five years of my life. But I have a feeling that God has allowed many of His elect to go through the fire in these past few years. I still not have had my suddenly, or my immediately. But my love for God, foundations of the faith, repentance, intercessions, and worship have abounded. The intimacy I have with God now you cannot put a price tag on. So maybe I do have my suddenly. I must decrease so He can increase. What He is building in me today I will need for tomorrow. I know, Sir, God will richly reward you. Meet Christmas. And thank you!
I’m glad I didn’t skip this article because it was couched in terms of a day I don’t celebrate. Thank you for your honesty and transparency, Keith. We’ve walked through many years like what you’ve described. We’ve had our share of “suddenlies”, but also things we are still waiting for. Some if not much of our inheritance is laid up for us in heaven, and that suddenly is sure!
Born Again to a Living Hope
1Pe 1:3-9 “Praised be God, Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who, in keeping with his great mercy, has caused us, through the resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah from the dead, to be born again to a living hope, to an inheritance that cannot decay, spoil or fade, kept safe for you in heaven.
Meanwhile, through trusting, you are being protected by God’s power for a deliverance ready to be revealed at the Last Time.
Rejoice in this, even though for a little while you may have to experience grief in various trials.
Even gold is tested for genuineness by fire. The purpose of these trials is so that your trust’s genuineness, which is far more valuable than perishable gold, will be judged worthy of praise, glory and honor at the revealing of Yeshua the Messiah.
Without having seen him, you love him. Without seeing him now, but trusting in him, you continue to be full of joy that is glorious beyond words.
And you are receiving what your trust is aiming at, namely, your deliverance.
Keith,
As a boy struggling through a debilitating, painful disease, probably the first thing that I ever clearly heard from the Lord was “This too shall pass.” It did not pass immediately. In fact, it really did not improve for probably 3-4 years. Then, gradually through family support, prayer from my congregation, my own growing trust in the Lord, and good medical help, I reached something approaching full functionality approximately 15 years after I heard “This too shall pass.”.
However, by then, I was firmly rooted in the kingdom. Thanks be to God for all that He spared me from during those years, separating me, through affliction, from a culture in rebellion. And, thanks be for my parents and the “praying ladies at the church”.
Then, He started to add abilities beyond the natural that have, and continue to, bear good fruit.
I do not try to figure it our but HE HAS IT FIGURED OUT.!
Yes, Roy – His ways are past finding out! Thank you for your testimony!
For most Christians, Christmas is such a joyous time of the year. Those of us who are left with no family and most friends are gone, it can be a sad and lonely time of the year. The world seems to go on without you. I don’t think this is what our Lord wants for us, but for some of us it is a true reality. Please pray for those of us in this situation.
To Carol, and all who are experiencing this – May you know the sweet presence of the Lord. He is near the brokenhearted, the dejected, the lonely. He is the Balm of Gilead, the Bright and Morning Star, our eternal sunrise!! May He break upon you now – dissipating the darkness.
Lord Jesus, with you, all things are possible. Keep us focused upon You, and Your goodness to us. Greater is He who is in us, than he who is in the world. No matter what happens to us in this life, You will make a way for us. Thank You Jesus.
I needed this more than I can express.
Thank you
Oh, Lord, thank You for this testimony. May the body of Christ find ways to bare our souls, not only to You, but also safely to one another. In this way, we find our way, we find healing, we establish ourselves in the family of God, we learn to be vulnerable and truthful with one another. Lord, Your words say in 1 Peter 5:10
10 After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.
May this be so for Keith and his family soon, Lord. Amen.
This article is truly inspired. It speaks truth and reminds us of the hope that can only come from God.
Suddenlies are God’s to give in HIS timing, which is always perfect. But the struggle of waiting is ours. Yes, the waiting builds within us godly characteristics, but is not without some difficult lessons. My prayers go out to you, who along with me and Mr. Guinea, await the glorious ‘suddenlies’ God has for us.
I so appreciate your honesty. My husband, my son and I have embarked on a long journey with the Lord. And looking to the “suddenly ” is what holds me right now…. knowing that even though I see nothing, the “suddenly ” can rescue us at any given time. And even though, though like you, we are still trusting in the Lord, the walk is long and hard… but i would not trade it in. In the end of this part of our stories, the Lord will be glorified and our “suddenlies” will come!
This article helped me so much. On March 1st, 2020, our neighbor assaulted my husband, claiming that a portion of our front yard, which we had owned and occupied for 46 years, was his, according to an online county tax map that was labeled “This is not a legal document”. For 4, almost 5 years, this neighbor harassed and cursed us, put up multiple surveillance cameras, aimed directly at our home, and had our entire family served with criminal trespass charges for occupying our own land. We spent thousands of dollars on a survey, 2 lawyers, and finally I sued this man to recover our property. I am 70 and my husband is 73. We have owned our land for 50 years as of May 29, 2025. I knew this whole time that we were under a demonic attack as the same neighbor had harassed me, threatened me and our animals, (cats and chickens), cursed me, and rushed up on me physically screaming and threatening me for 6 years before 2020. He would wait for my husband to leave to go to his all night job, (commercial fishing in the Pamlico Sound) leaving at 5PM and often not returning till daybreak the following morning. I did not tell my husband because I knew he would quit fishing and he was not yet ready to retire. When the police came because of the assault, I did tell my husband and the police. Belonging to the Lord, I believed I could ask for God’s protection and He would help me. The neighbor did not kill me, so I guess my prayers are answered. He did, however poison 2 of my cats and kill my rooster. I have no video proof of that, and going to court, demands rigorous proof. I ended in mediation with this demonic neighbor. My husband did quit fishing and gave his boat away to a wonderful young fisherman. My husband’s mental health has suffered terribly and he has had stress related memory problems since 2020. The police would not come to our aide after the 1st assault call, because they said their hands were tied because this was contested property . I prayed and fasted and my church and friends and family prayed and this misery dragged on and on. Not only was I dealing with the threatening neighbor, but now my husband was screaming at me on a daily basis, furious because I could not make this go away. We claimed our contested property by adverse possession, by the legal laws in North Carolina. The neighbor had an old survey that was dated 10 years after ours, and yes, the 2 surveys did not agree, so court was the only way to settle this. I had to take on this entire legal battle by myself, ( of course with my lawyer) because my husband’s mental state was bordering on lunatic. The court demanded we first go to mediation, which we did, and my lawyer and the mediation lawyer, both begged me to give in to the demands of our neighbor and give him 20 thousand dollars to give up all claim to our property. They both said going to court would cost 80 thousand dollars, and a jury might decide in the favor of the horrible neighbor. So I paid the money. Yes, our land is now legally ours and the mediation lawyer put a lifetime restraining order on both parties. So he has to leave us alone now. There was no suddenly; this was worked out increment by increment. I had a vision in church one Sunday during the middle of this ordeal, of his home being empty and him being gone. Just gone. I believe that is how our suddenly will happen. I believe God will move him away from us and I hope we will be able to purchase the land and very derelict house next door. We do have a more peaceful life now, and my husband’s mental health is improving. He still believes the neighbor is a dire threat and wants one of us to be here at home all the time. So we can’t go any where together. I do believe God sees all of this and He will suddenly deliver us from this. I did my part here on the Earth and now it is God’s turn to do His part in the Heavenlies. One last thing, this property was owned by the demonic neighbor’s father prior to him inheriting it. We loved the father and he loved us. He was like our brother and we had a wonderful relationship with the father for over 30 years. God is still good. God is always good.
So sorry for all you’ve had to endure, Vanessa. I pray that the Lord will restore what the enemy has attempted to steal from you – spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally. satan has come only to steal, kill and destroy – but YHVH has preserved you – tested yet preserved. Yes, our God is so good. That testimony from someone who has suffered is precious!
What a refreshingly honest and vulnerable testimony of hanging on tight to God’s Word. Also a huge encouragement to keep trusting even though the feelings may be missing. Thank you so much!!!
What a marvelous testimony by a brother in Christ whose faith is being refined like gold in the fire. May God richly bless him AND his wife with all the strength they need for the journey. In the Name of Christ we pray. Amen.
Abba, I live in a world where I can put something in the microwave and it is done in minutes, life isn’t like that. Sometimes You put us into Your waiting room.
It’s hard to not focus on You when my life is in chaos, but when I focus on You, You bear me up. You take my burden upon You like when I was a child and my dad would tell me to carry a loaf of bread while he carried everything else. I thought I was a big girl carrying a load. Now I realize who carried the load. THANK YOU ABBA THAT WHEN I PRAISE YOU, YOU CARRY THE HEAVY PART.
How refreshing to get a a realistic and honest perspective when our “immediate” is not met immediately. This article provides scriptural insight on the often ignored subject of suffering. Thank you!
Heavenly Father,
Our Bible is filled, Old and New Testament, of stories of suffering from those who walked with You. Your Son Jesus was despised rejected, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief-in faithfulness He was afflicted-and we are told we are to be transformed by the Holy Spirit to be like Him. Paul said everything else means nothing, to know Christ is the goal, for the joy set before us. Peter said when we suffer in the flesh we cease from sin but when we are going through long periods of suffering it seems like there is something off, something wrong. But is it an opportunity to know Christ and the many ways He suffered in obedience? Is there a trust and a bond created during suffering, a compassion so deep that only You could create something good out of so much pain? The mystery of suffering. Your ways are higher. We are trusting You to complete the work You began in our lives so when we stand before You, our lamps will be filled with oil and we will be watching and ready to see You face to face. Help us all who live to know and follow Christ to run this race, get us Home to You hearing well done good and faithful servant. In this world we will have trouble but we have the greatest promise, You have overcome this world. Thank You Jesus for coming to save us, thank You for never leaving us, thank You for the promise of the life to come. Hold us close to You. Committed to Christ forever, in Christ Name I pray for us all
I like the part that the angels are pleased to hear us praising the Lord in the midst of trials.
Keith, I thoroughly enjoyed your article. You were refreshingly honest! Unfortunately we Christians like to pretend things are great when they REALLY aren’t. I’ve had chronic back pain for almost 2 years. Watch people disappear out of your life. But take courage Keith God will never leave you!
I will pray for you. God is always on time!