Pastor Frank Hechavarria

“On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.” Matthew 13:1-2

Everywhere where Jesus went people wanted to hear him and they followed him to hear him teach. Who is listening to what you have to say? Do you have anything to say to give to people?

Now the word that God has for you…

“Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side.3 And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. 4 Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist. 5 Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed.” Ezekiel 47:1-5

Explaining this vision…

Ezekiel. This man of God is having a vision about a temple that was going to be established when Jesus came back in the second coming. The temple he was seeing though was the temple Heron rebuilt after Salomon’s temple. Ezekiel sees this vision and first sees the water coming into the temple, ankle deep. This verse and the ones following speak about the four kinds of believers in church today. You will definitely find yourself amongst these.

The ankle deep

God wants to reveal something to us since He is showing it to Ezekiel; He wants to show us too. The ankle deep represents the multitude; these are people coming for fish and bread only. They come to church just because they need a miracle and one finds them sitting somewhere in the back or the side. All they want is for Jesus to give them fish and bread, to meet their need at that moment. Don’t get me wrong, Jesus’ heart was moved to compassion and met their need. Understand one thing though, these people do not seek Jesus’ face but His hand. They are sick and want healing, want God to open a door to pay for an FPL bill or just come looking for something to do rather than to go to the beach and catch a tan. When they do go to the beach and tan, they then go to the water but only ankle deep. They get water to wash their face but never commit to go all the way in.

God wants more than ankle deep people! He wants more than you just laying down and catching a tan and staying as a simple spectator! A spectator who comes to church to criticize and check out who’s “hot” yet you wonder why God can’t bless and raise you up like you want Him to.

The knee deep

So the prophet continued having the vision and saw that the water was knee deep. These are some people from the multitude but a little advanced. They believe, love and receive the word. Shout in church and love the church. They say amen and shout hallelujah but the moment commitment is demanded, the excuses arise. “I am too busy,” we tell them we are taking the city and need your help but the response is always no. Why is this? It’s because they only like the way the word is laid out but don’t want to commit. That’s cool if you only want to come to church to hear the word but understand that only doing this will never get you to fulfill your purpose. It will forever hinder you from getting in deeper intimacy with God. You want God to use you beyond your wildest dreams? Then you MUST go beyond knee deep! Knee deep people don’t want to run with the vision and/or want to hear of sacrifice. Do not become part of the knee deep clan.

The waist deep

The waist deep are soaked below but above are dry. The glory of God shows up, they get touched by it but it never reaches the heart. Many of these are disciples. Understand that just because you joined a discipleship does not mean you’re going to change or reach the purpose of God.

What does God want from you?

God wants you to go deeper. You’ve been giving to God but He says it’s not enough. You must build a fasting and prayer life. Forget how cold the water is, go deeper! It is time! Stop giving excuses that the water’s too cold or that you can’t swim. He wants you to go deeper. If you were fasting once a week, God is demanding twice a week. If you were giving 10% as your tithes, He wants 15%. If you were praying one hour, God wants an hour and a half. He wants more than a shell collection or a tan; ankle deep or waist deep. He wants you all the way in. Either you’re all the way in or nothing at all! The time will come when you will see who is all in or half way. There are some that won’t be able to hang around with the level of anointing that will come. The demand becomes greater as the anointing grows.

Be willing to do whatever it takes to go to the next level. The reason why God cannot use you more or fix the family issue is because you’ve become too comfortable of where you are. Get uncomfortable, desire more. God has great things for you and your family.

Check this out…

“Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed.” Ezekiel 47:5

The water became so deep it was difficult to cross. Don’t think it too much, just get in! Stop thinking it and just do it! It might be cold, muddy, dirty or under the water but don’t care, don’t be satisfied!

How do I jump in? Jump in by faith, give the Lord all you have, your body, hands, talents, family, gifts, time and money. If you give Him your money, He will give you the money you need, if you give Him your gifts, He will give you everything you need. Jump in all the way, but do it by faith.

He’s all the way in the horizon waiting for you. When God calls you someplace, He wants you to go and you better go!

How about this?

“Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper. 2 And the Syrians had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife. 3 Then she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.” 4 And Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus said the girl who is from the land of Israel.” 5 Then the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he departed and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. 6 Then he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said, Now be advised, when this letter comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy. 7 And it happened, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his leprosy? Therefore please consider, and see how he seeks a quarrel with me.” 8 So it was, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes that he sent to the king saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Please let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.” 11 But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’ 12 Are not the Abanah^[a] and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. 13 And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.” 2 Kings 5: 1-14

The prophet doesn’t even come out to see the commander. He was expecting for the prophet to come out but instead sent him to wash himself in the dirtiest river. There are blessings that won’t come to you unless you go and take a dip. So the man went and did it. God wants u to take a dip and get soaked from head to toe.

Go beyond your ankle, knee and waist deep. To swim, you must first take a dip with faith. Get tired of where you’re at, it’s all about faith.

Imagine, this guy was a commander in chief with all kinds of medals yet the prophet Elijah told him to go into the muddy water to cleanse himself. Unless you get into the river, all you will have to offer are shells and a tan. Now is the time to be willing to go all the way with God.

Stop playing church and with your life; give it to Him and He will bless you.

Make a commitment to go deeper with your Heavenly Father today!