You Must Untether to Launch Out

"Stop dwelling on the past. Don't even remember these former things. I am doing something brand new, something unheard of. Even now it sprouts and grows and matures. Don't you perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and open up flowing streams in the desert."

Isaiah 43:18-19 TPT

This Isaiah scripture has been like a prophetic signpost for many the last couple of years. I have felt drawn to read and re-read the familiar phrases over and over as the language beckoned me to press in for what the Father is speaking through the words He spoke through the prophet, Isaiah.

Recently, as I meditated and sought Him on what the new would look like, I saw a vision of a boat tethered to a dock with rope. On the starboard side of the bow of the boat was the word "Uncharted". The dictionary explains the word this way, "If you're in uncharted waters, you are in a situation that is unfamiliar to you, that you have no experience of and don't know what might happen." (UsingEnglish.com)

I felt the Lord saying that there are no pre-made maps or charts to tell us where we are headed. We may have prophetic words that serve as signposts along the way, but they are "in part" and not the total picture. We are totally dependent on His voice to lead us and guide us into the unknown waters.

On the left side of the stern of the boat I saw the word "New Adventures". I felt some excitement on seeing these words, but then remembered the ropes fastening the boat to the dock, and knew that the boat was not going anywhere as long as the ropes remained tied. Then, I heard the Father's heart so strongly say, "You must untether to launch out."

After these words were spoken, I felt there was something else He wanted me to see. Then, I saw the the stern of the boat was full of sandbags and each one had a name written on it. Jesus came and began picking them up one by one and tossing them into the sea.

He said, "These things you cannot take with you. They will weigh you down and cause your boat to sink." I watched as He threw un-forgiveness, control, fear of man, jealousy, self-promotion, and comparison overboard into the sea. I felt the Spirit of God underlining the importance of getting rid of the weights, and that each heart would need to seek Him to identify the weights they might be carrying that cannot go into this new era.

As the boat was still tethered to the dock, I heard Jesus speak the word, "Relinquish". The dictionary defines relinquish as, "1) to renounce or surrender (a possession, right, etc.) 2) to give up; put aside or desist from 3) to let go; release." (dictionary.com)

I saw then that the ropes represented the need to "relinquish" in order to push away from the dock. I felt like the Lord was going to began to identify areas that must be surrendered in lives in order to launch out. Many people were holding on to the "old or established thing" hoping to get a glimpse of the "new" before they let go or relinquished the old. But, the Lord was asking for a FULL RELINQUISHING of the things that He put His finger on so that hearts would be free and unfettered to embrace and encounter the new. There was a sense that the boat could not leave until this happened.

There was a cry going up from the hearts of many people who were hungry to see the new things God is wanting to reveal. Many were discouraged and defeated as if they were on an unending treadmill, always stepping forward but never arriving anywhere new. Over and over they have felt like they arrived at the same place, but all the time longing to see the new. But, then Jesus spoke the word again, "RELINQUISH".

As He spoke the word a second time, I felt a new grace being released for FAITH for the NEW SEASON and HOLY RESOLVE to push past fears, unanswered questions, past failures, unbelief, and false security that would keep hearts tethered to the past season. The need to know what is coming ahead of time was being dealt with, too, as Jesus breathed FAITH into hearts. As He breathed this FAITH, these hearts began to surrender and relinquish every weight, hindrance, and attachment, and the things they were "clutching" onto, in case the new things did hot appear. The need to control the outcome of things was also being relinquished by the faith-filled hearts. As all of these things were being released, the knots on the ropes came untied and the boat was free to drift away from the familiar place by the dock.

As Jesus continued to blow faith into hearts, the hearts changed and became like large sails. These sails billowed with the winds of His Spirit and were FULL of faith and a confident expectation of good.

As the boat drifted away from the dock, I was surprised to see that Jesus was now in the boat. We will not be making this voyage alone! At the same time, as the boat moved further away, I could again see the words "New Adventures" emblazoned on the back of the stern. These words caused a nervous excitement in my spirit that quickly gave way to peaceful excitement with the realization that Jesus was now in the boat.

We have entered remarkable days, full of challenges and yet full of His glory. Right now the Lord is looking for those who are willing to relinquish weights, and unnecessary things to Him, turning their hearts towards Him in FAITH, believing Him to lead them into uncharted waters and new adventures with Him.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith."

Hebrews 12:1-2a