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OBEDIENCE IS OPENING DOORS TO THE IMPOSSIBLE
God is doing amazing things despite the drastic changes in our nation. I’m blessed to hear stories of God raising up people and sending them out with influence, and opening doors only He can open. Everyday people like stay-at-home moms, widows, retirees, and just about anyone who will answer His call are rising in this hour. This is an amazing story of how God is using an intercessor whose only prerequisite was her obedience.
Whitney Thorn grew up in the Midwest, and moved to Boca Raton, Florida five years ago. She is a wife and mother of three. Whitney was brought up Lutheran and so was familiar with prayer; however, she admits her prayers were self-focused, and she sometimes struggled to read the Bible.
Ten months ago, Whitney’s life drastically changed. She began to read the Bible daily, coupled with fasting and prayer. It was then that the Lord began to unlock His word to her, and she shifted from praying to intercession. In case you don’t know the difference, prayer and intercession are both communicating with God. Most people pray, but intercession is when we identify with Christ the Intercessor. It is an act that puts others before self. It’s God’s agenda above our own.
Something’s Gotta Give
As Whitney participated in extended fasts, she was given her assignment. She felt an overwhelming burden for the unsaved. She also felt a burden to awaken the sleeping Church. As she continued to feel the burden of the Lord, she sought Him even more in prayer. Through a series of dreams, she felt God was asking her to step out in boldness and stand up for biblical truths. She responded to these dreams with even more intercession, fasting, and action. It was here that Whitney began to see the victory.
What Fruit Came From Her Prayers?
Whitney and her husband sent their children to a Christian school. This school was considering “incorporating culture change,” which meant inclusion of LGBTQ and critical race theory, along with evolution.
She called for a meeting with the pastor of the school and took a bold stand against this infiltration of perversion. With boldness and the love of God, she spoke the Truth from God’s word, that none of the above should be allowed in a Christian school. Whitney, who was serving on the school board at that time, eventually stepped down and opted to homeschool her children instead. She fervently prayed for this school, the parents, and the pastors to “wake up.”
So how did God answer, you may ask? Whitney shared, “Over the summer I overheard from friends that a multitude of families showed up in the principal’s office and took a stand against corrupt teachings that were in the school.”
“Another answer came when the principal would also reach out to the science department and ask them to remove everything from the curriculum that was against faith-based biblical truth of creation.” Whitney said, “Though I don’t know fully what is happening, I do know that God has started a movement there.”
Knock and the Door Will be Opened
As Whitney continued to walk in obedience, God opened more doors for her. She was granted an opportunity to serve at a dinner where Governor Ron DeSantis was the guest of honor.
Whitney has many affluent friends from the Christian school in Boca Raton. She learned from a friend that they were hosting a dinner for Gov. DeSantis at a private residence, with a price tag of $5,000 a plate, and an opportunity to eat at the table with him for $25,000. Whitney jokingly told her friend, “It’s too rich for me, but I’d love to help in any way. Only 5 days before the event I was asked to be a server. They needed two servers, so I invited my sister Kacy to serve with me.”
Whitney remembers the chef calling her to find out more about her experience. She was completely transparent, confessing that she had not served a table in 15 years. She also shared that she and her sister felt the need to be there to pray for the governor. The chef proceeded to confess to Whitney that he wanted to be there for the same reason!
Many people attended the dinner, many of which were Christians. Soon a line formed to take pictures. When it was Kacy’s turn, she looked Gov. DeSantis in the eyes and said, “We are praying for you.” To which he humbly replied, “Thank you so much.”
As Whitney was setting up the dining area, Gov. DeSantis entered with one other person. He spoke to Whitney and asked if she worked for the catering company. Whitney took this opportunity to share with the governor that she took the position to pray for him. She then thanked him for fighting for Florida’s freedoms and his great work. He expressed his thanks to Whitney.
What an amazing testimony of what God can do when we are obedient!
What Advice Can You Offer to Encourage Intercessors to Step Out?
“I remember praying a dangerous prayer.” Whitney said, “God, there is so much deception. Will you please use me?” Whitney made the point that sometimes we say prayers like this…but do we really mean it?
She had a deep desire to do something. If you feel this desire from God to step out in faith, do it! We are encouraged by Jesus to ask God for His help.
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. (Matt. 7:7)
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. (1 Jn. 5:14)
Whitney stressed the importance of obedience: “if you truly mean it when you pray for God to use you, He will answer. God will open the door, but you must obey.”
Nothing is Wasted
When God sends you on assignment and it looks like the door is closed, it doesn’t mean God is not at work. He is preparing you. Here’s another great example in Whitney’s life:
Whitney joined the Classical Conversations community, which is a very large homeschooling group. She was soon asked to be a director. She had no formal training in this area at all but took the job. She went through training, set up business insurance, set up an LLC, and started a community from scratch.
Whitney was bothered by seeing how manmade rules and traditions were disqualifying Spirit- filled believers from serving. She stood up against unbiblical precepts and shared that the qualifications should be based on Jesus’ standards and not man’s. She was immediately fired. However, this was not wasted time; this was God’s preparation for the next phase in Whitney’s life. Though she was no longer a director, all the training equipped her for next steps.
She then started her own homeschool group called God’s Rainbow Road. “We have a small group of women who are Christ-centered. The mission of GRR is not only to make Jesus known, but to raise up our children to be strong disciples. We are teaching our children to be proud Americans, teaching the Constitution, and basically the opposite of what public schools are teaching.”
What an encouragement and reminder that when it looks like a door slam, God’s hand is still on you. Even man’s rejection cannot negate God’s protection or provision. God is so good!
What Scriptures/Promises are You Clinging to and Praying For the Nation?
Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. (HEB. 10:36)
This is an encouragement for every Believer. If you patiently endure, you will receive what God has promised.
Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The LORD has spoken! (Is. 40:5)
The LORD will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing! Come out from it and be pure, you who carry the articles of the LORD’s house. But you will not leave in haste or go in flight; for the LORD will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard. (Is. 52:10-12)
Isaiah is called the Prophet of Hope. It’s no wonder the Lord is laying these verses on Whitney’s heart. As dark as things may get, the glory of the Lord will be revealed.
Christ is the hope of glory! If we have Jesus, we have hope!
But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The LORD himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” (Ex. 14:13,14)
This is a verse in which God promises to fight for and deliver His people. Won’t He do it again?
This is only one intercessor’s story of how God is moving. There are so many more still unwritten. Will your story be written? Will you step out in faith? If you are willing to ask, seek, and knock, then the next step is to move in obedience and trust that God will open the doors for you. Trust that He will connect you to the right people. Trust that He is training you as you step out in obedience, and nothing will be wasted.
If you have been moved by Whitney’s story, let’s pray:
Father, my heart is moved reading this story. I know that what You are not a respecter of persons, what You’ve done for her, You can also do in me and through me.
Lord, awaken Your people. Awaken Your leaders, awaken Your churches. Move us with compassion for the lost. Move us with holy boldness to take a stand for righteousness. Let us unashamedly speak the Truth in love. We know that You will never leave us nor forsake us.
Like Isaiah let my heart’s cry be, “Here I am Lord, send me.” Send me where You need me. Send me into the marketplace. Send me to the schools. Send me to the churches, even into the governmental arena. Send me where I can make the most impact for Your kingdom.
Whether I am in a classroom or waiting tables, I will be obedient. Don’t place me where I want to be, place me where You want me and where people need me. I will not waste another opportunity to present Jesus to those who need Him. Let my obedience bring glory and honor to Your name. In Jesus name, amen.
Does this encourage you to follow God’s lead on the adventure He has for you? Share in the comments below!
Author Gloria Robles is a passionate intercessor with a prophetic voice for today. For more from Gloria, go to Spotify or Anchor to listen to her podcast Something To Share.
(Photo Credit: Jan Tinneberg/Unsplash).
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Comments
Thank you. What an encouragement. The Lord has a place for each of us. When we are willing, he will use us!
I was definitely encouraged by this article to “follow God’s lead on the adventure He has for [me].” What ministered to me the most was Whitney’s description of God giving her specific “burdens” in response to her new level of intercession. I also appreciate Gloria’s description of intercession as “identifying with Christ the Intercessor.” In other words, we become Jesus’ prayer partner for the concerns on His heart, and He teaches us how to pray for them, gives us the burdens He feels so that we share them together with Him, and then leads us in obedience to bring God into the situation.
I printed this article as very special and helpful. A big thank you to Gloria and Whitney for blessing us in this instructive and inspiring way. I love you in the Lord!
Thank you, Gloria. Your articles are always so encouraging and uplifting. Thank you, Whitney, for your obedience. I pray that God will reveal crucial assignments to us. In these Last Days/End Times, we need more than ever to be His hands and feet to a hurting, confused world. I pray, Lord, for a boldness, and the obedience to follow hard after You. In Jesus’ name.
My wife Barbara graduated from nursing school in 1994. She had waited to go back to school until our youngest son was in high school, so she was the eldest in her class.
Shortly after graduation she and I were called into our Pastor’s office to discuss an opportunity that had arisen. A young mentally challenged woman pregnant with her 3rd child was living in a pop-up camper with a drug dealer. In addition she was HIV positive.
Although she was under the supervision of the county health office she was not showing up for her doctor’s appointments and the camper was a filthy mess. Pastor asked Barbara if she would visit the girl and persuade her to get the treatment she needed and mentor her on basic hygiene.
He acknowledged the panic that was gripping the general public – that it was only a matter of time before Aids would become airborne, etc. In addition there was likely broken glass and needles lying around.
We went home to pray and consider. After several days of prayer we called the church and spoke with the Pastor. He only said “we don’t know what happened, but she has straightened up. She is going to her appointments and is taking care of herself and cleaning up the camper.”
Barbara and I consider it an example of Isaiah 6:8 “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me”
Obedience…
Beautiful testimony – the Lord bless Whitney. I am encouraged by the truth of obedience.
Thank you for Whitney’s testimony. It greatly encourages me. I received an impartation last week to return to ministering at the UP campus of PSU. I have no clue on how Jesus will arrange this. But God is LORD!
May the Lord lead you on a new adventure, Mel! This is wonderful that you are responding in faith and obedience. May Jesus become more real to you than ever before.
Thanks, Joy Anna. I am confident of the Lord being in this and in me, so I am going forward with prayers and supplication and consultation with my wife and accountability partner.
Whitney, thank you so much for sharing. Your story is so encouraging to me; and I’m sending it to others who need to hear this too.
We cannot forget that our stories can and are able to stir one another up to love and to encourage one another because our God IS faithful and in control of all things. Our God IS eternal and His love and faithfulness endure forever.
Luke 8:15 And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.
Yes, Adell! That is how revival starts! We need to encourage each other to love and good works, and all the more so as The Day approaches! We need to be willing to share the Story because we don’t know who needs to hear it that day.
Thank-you Whitney for your example of obedience and boldness. May we all follow Jesus’ leading in our individual circumstances in order to advance the Gospel.
Lord Jesus, I am in awe of how You used this faith-filled and obedient woman to STAND UP, and be BOLD and COURAGEOUS when it was apparent no one else would. There are so many parents who want their children to know and serve You, yet, these little ones are lead by example. Help these servants to prioritize Your Agenda, Father, and take up the Full Armor that will be necessary to Fight the enemy and the evil that continues to permeate every school, church, business, and especially in the government.
You can, and would be willing to, do all things, if only WE call upon You to help us overcome any lack or weakness we may feel. Thank You, Father, that through our faith in Your Son, Jesus, those who might pray along, will become the obedient disciples and warriors this world needs !