Journey of Faith

JOURNEY OF FAITH

By Bonnie Jones

April 2021

Snippets of One Soldier’s Journey of Faith

Many years ago I asked God for the faith of Abraham and Moses. What was I thinking? Although I didn’t hear an immediate response what began taking place shortly thereafter is amazing. One day the Lord said, “I’m going to take you on a journey unlike any man could ever do so get ready for the ride of your life!” From that time forward He began to develop my faith in Him. In reality I was asking for the “faith of God” because that’s the only faith that moves mountains. Only God’s faith will deliver you from the clutches of death and despair. God’s faith is connected to hope. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) If we could see it there wouldn’t be a need to hope for it.

Although my journey of faith is too numerous to cover in one short message I’d like to share a couple interesting stories. I believe there are different levels of faith. The Lord gives us grace to complete each level before advancing us to the next one. In the beginning the Lord began by speaking to me and giving me instruction on what to do. I believe the fear of the Lord plays an important role in our journey. Because I love the Lord I desire to be obedient to His voice. I know His ways are perfect (2 Samuel 22:31) and He will never lead me into temptation (Matthew 6:13). If I obey Him He will deliver me from the snare of the enemy. (Psalm 91:3)

Hearing and Obeying

I believe the first faith level is hearing and obeying. Of course many people thought I was insane. Forty years after being saved I heard the Lord say, “Today is the day – no more excuses!” He then directed me to give my resignation. And I did – that day! Why should I wait? After all I’m on a journey! At that point I only had a glimpse of my calling to serve Him but that was enough. I gave a three-week notice and within four weeks my house was sold and the following week I arrived in the Carolina’s ready to begin ministry school.

Each level of faith begins by hearing and we may hear in different ways. At times we hear through the reading of scripture. Romans 10:17 says that faith comes by hearing the word of God. Other times it may come through the still small voice within us. (1 Kings 19:12) While other times we might hear through a dream or vision. On occasion I’ve heard the Lord call my name and when I responded, “Yes Lord” He spoke to me and gave me directions or instructions.

Here are a few examples of hearing and obeying. In August of 2004 the Lord woke me singing North to Alaska – go north the rush is on! He had told me earlier that He was taking me North and West. Well that’s as far north and west that I could go. He didn’t tell me why but it was time for me to move. I asked for confirmations and He was faithful to give them through an 80-cent postage stamp of Mount McKinley, a Denali truck at a stoplight and then came the clincher. The Lord said, “I’ll confirm my word through MorningStar leadership.” And sure enough the following Friday night one of the pastors spoke about him going to ministry school in Alaska. Can you believe he was standing right in front of me as he said it?  Then just days before I left He called me Bonnie Cost. My name was Kost (long o) pronounced like Coast. So now I’m going to a foreign land with an unfamiliar name. I felt like I was somebody else yet I knew this pleased God. The good thing is – nobody knew me so it didn’t matter to them what my name was. In reality God was sending me there to rest in Him and final preparation to become Bob’s wife. He was also preparing me to change my name from Kost to Jones. What a deal!

Faith Is Trust

Although I believed I would work part-time while attending ministry school the Lord said, “No you will not work, I am your sustenance. When you are not in school or at a church function you will sit at my feet and I will teach you.” Then the Lord began to teach me how to trust Him for all things. My son and I shared an apartment and my half of the rent was more than I received per month plus we had food, gas and utilities. Yikes! Faith is the substance of things hoped for – well I’d say faith is also the substance of things prayed for and believing for. If I found a penny I’d prophesy to that penny a hundred-fold return. Well that’s only $1.00 – I needed to think bigger. But when I trusted God for finances – supernaturally money would come in the mail or someone would just give me money at church. I began living Proverbs 3:5&6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

Faith Is Saying Yes!

During Christmas break the Lord said, “You will complete this year and then I’m sending out.” Well what does this mean I wondered? Then He gave me the names of three places I would go. Of course He didn’t tell me why He was sending me but that I would go and stay until He told me to travel to the next place. Let me say this, some times when the Lord sent me He would only say, “Get in your car and start driving and I’ll tell you where to go.” I realize God was fine-tuning my ability to hear His voice as well as building faith. Over the years I’ve had some awesome adventures. I’d pack up my vehicle not knowing if I’d be gone a day, a week or a month………FAITH!  Just go and He’ll direct your path!

Let me add a little tid-bit. One day while sitting before the Lord He said, “You are not the first one I called. Others have come before you but they turned around and went back. You will NOT be like Jonah. You will not turn and go the other way!” Believe me there have been times when the going got tough and I thought about quitting. Then I remembered Jonah and the others that dropped the ball. I know God has predestined me for success in Him so I repent, pick up my cross and move forward not looking back.

Blessings For Obedience

Recently my grandson was asking me about some of my travels. He asked me an interesting question. “Would the Lord punish you if you went the wrong direction? If He tells you to go west and you go east instead?”  Well I can’t imagine doing that because I always want to be obedient to the Lord. Then I told him an interesting story of how I misunderstood what the Lord said. On one of my adventures the Lord sent me out west through Texas, California and up the Oregon coast. Then He said to go to Albany. Well this was before GPS and I didn’t have a cell phone. The only Albany I knew was New York State. Can you believe I drove from the Oregon coast cross-country to Albany, NY? Yes I sure did! Of course I had a map of the US so I did a good job. I explained to my grandson that in my ignorance or lack of understanding I misunderstood what the Lord was saying. But in my willingness to obey He blessed me anyway. I had an awesome time in NY and was able to minister to others. When I returned home from this trip, one of my friends told me that Bob Jones had just returned from Albany, Oregon where he had amazing meetings with a lot of angelic activity. You see I believe God wanted me to attend those meetings with Bob and Bobby Conner but I missed it. Yet God is faithful to bless us even when we miss the mark. In my willingness to obey the Lord He blessed others through me.     

Faith Conforms You to His Will

Faith draws you closer to the Lord till you conform to His will. It seems like the more you mature spiritually the quieter the still small voice becomes. Why? Because He’s fine-tuning our will so we desire His instead. In 2005 while living in Alaska the Lord asked me, “What do you want in a husband?” Immediately I responded, “I don’t want one!” Then He told me to make Him a list of what I wanted in a husband. Well you see – for years it was just the Lord and me so why would I want a husband? A man would only complicate things. After He told me three times to make a list I finally did. I wrote it down and signed my name to it and pushed the paper across the table. Then I went for a walk on the frozen ice. I was upset and I thought He’d never find anyone to fit that description. Boy was I wrong! What I realized later is that the list I gave the Lord was the desire of His heart that He worked in me. And I just came into agreement with it.

Faith knows the will of God and responding. Like Isaiah 6:8 when God asked, “Whom shall I send?” And Isaiah responded, SEND ME! Building your faith requires commitment on your part and that means drawing close to the Lord. It means pressing into Him like John did and laying your ear on His chest – listening to His heartbeat. Faith is knowing the will of God and entering into His presence, dwelling in the secret place of the Most High and abiding in His glory. (Psalm 91) Faith is calling those things that are not into existence, from intangible to tangible. (Romans 4:17)

Faith is Divine Counsel

Faith without works is dead! (James 2:17) I believe all Christians want to hear the voice of the Lord. But the flip side of that coin is obedience to what the Lord speaks to us. I believe that’s why the Lord said to me that many turned back and went the other way. What they heard was too difficult for them. And often times it is – that’s why we need the faith of God to do what He’s asking of us. Remember we are not in this alone. No, we are co-laborers with Christ. It’s impossible to please God without faith (Hebrews 11:16) so we must trust Him to accomplish the work He is sending us to do. And we must enter into His divine will to receive divine counsel and release it. In doing so we bring the action of heaven to earth and His will is done. Here are a few quick examples of faith in action – hearing and obeying – releasing divine counsel in the earth.   

1. In a church setting the Lord said, “Tell that young girl that she should NOT do what she’s about to do.” That’s all He said. By faith and His divine counsel I was able to relay this message to the young teenage girl. Little did I know she was going to have an abortion the following day. 
2. The Lord sent me to a Mall to seek out a man that needed prayer. I knew by the still small voice within me which direction to go. When I talked with him he said, “I’ve been waiting here all day for someone to come to me. I told God if you are real then send someone to me. If not I’m going home to commit suicide!” Praise God for His faithfulness and using me to release His love and truth to this young man. He was tormented by demons but God sent someone to pray with him and set him free.
3. The Lord sent me to a restaurant for lunch after a 10 day fast. Needless to say I was happy and enjoying my lunch when the Lord gave me a word for one of the waiters. Although he was not my waiter I called him over and spoke the word God gave me. He nodded and continued on his way to the kitchen. I paid my check and proceeded to my car. Suddenly this young man came running out to catch me and explained what the word meant to him. He was a pastor but stepped down from ministry because his wife left him. She didn’t like being a pastor’s wife. So he felt he was washed up – finished. But the word God gave him was simply this, “Tell him that I love him and I am not finished with him. I want him to return to ministry!” I know that changed his life and set him on the right course once again.

Like I said at the beginning these are little snippets of my faith journey with Jesus. There has never been a dull moment although there have been times I doubt that I’ve heard correctly. Yet in those times I know that God is fine tuning my hearing to a greater degree and increasing my faith in Him. My faith alone is good but it’s not sufficient. I want the “faith of God!” His faith will heal the sick, raise the dead and move mountains of offense. So on your faith journey don’t be anxious for anything but to clearly hear the voice of God and obey Him. Let Him fine-tune your hearing as you press into His heart and rest in the secret place of the Most High. There He will shelter you from the enemy. He will never leave you nor forsake you. I pray you will be as blessed in your journey with Jesus as I have been.