When Worship Becomes Warfare: Codye Reystead’s Holy Resilience and Prophetic Art

In this powerful episode of Hope Unlocked, host Kristin Kurtz welcomes back prophetic artist and author Codye Reystead. Codye shares the deeply moving story behind her creative calling, chronic illness journey, and the supernatural strength God provides as she paints live during worship events. Through raw testimony and Holy Spirit wisdom, this conversation explores faith through suffering, endurance, prophetic creativity, and trusting God’s greater glory story. Be inspired to keep saying “yes” to your calling—even when it costs everything. Listen in for healing, hope, and holy resilience.

Codye's Contact Info:

Contact form - www.codyereystead.com/contact

Website - www.codyereystead.com

Resources Mentioned:

Graham Cooke - www.brilliantperspectives.com

Ray Hughes - www.rayhughes.org

🎙️Hope Unlocked Listener Exclusive! Feeling stirred but not sure what to do next? Book a 45-minute Holy Spirit-led 1:1 coaching session w/ Hope Unlocked host Kristin Kurtz, founder of New Wings Coaching. This powerful conversation will help you move from stirred to activated—with peace, clarity, & a Spirit-led next step. Book your call HERE now–special pricing to listeners!

Chapters

• 0:16 Welcome to Hope Unlocked
• 4:13 The Calling of a Prophetic Artist
• 17:35 When Sickness Confronts Purpose
• 30:09 God's Strength in Human Weakness
• 41:16 The Greater Glory Story
• 57:08 Finding Jesus in Disappointment
• 1:07:09 Prayer and Final Encouragement

Transcript

Speaker 2: 0:16

Welcome to the Hope Unlocked podcast. I'm your host, kristen Kurtz, and I'm also the founder of New Wings Coaching. I help and empower wildhearted and adventurous women of faith feeling caged and stuck, unlock their true purpose and potential, break free from limitations and thrive with confidence, courage and hope. If you're curious to learn more about coaching with me, head to newwingscoachingnet and be sure to explore the show notes for ways to connect with me further. Get ready to dive in as we uncover empowering keys and insights in this episode. So tune in and let's unlock hope together. Welcome to the Hope Unlocked podcast. I'm Kristen Kurtz, your host. I pray this episode is like a holy ivy of hope for your soul. Please help me.

Speaker 2: 0:55

Welcome Cody Reistad to the show. I am so happy to have her back again today. If you didn't get a chance to listen to her the last time I had her on it was just recently, back August, or not August, april I'm skipping ahead to summer. We're in summer right now, but back in April, 17th episode 133. Don't want to miss it, but I really wanted to have her back on and we we've just had such an enjoyable time coming on here ahead of time. Just love her Like we have such an amazing connection in the spirit and here in the natural, and I would love for her to if you didn't catch her last time if you could just share a little bit about yourself before we get started, and then we'll get into it.

Speaker 1: 1:41

Well, I'm a prophetic artist, um, but I'm also kind of creative, like on. I enjoy writing, I enjoy um I'm appreciation of beauty, I guess is what you could say um any form of creativity I really enjoy um, and so, anyways, I do um have in the past I've done live prophetic paintings and some prophetic teachings, things like that, with the Father. I consider what I get to do with Him a great honor and an exquisite pleasure. What I get to do, what the Lord has called me to, is absolutely one of my most amazing passions. I get to be with him and I get to hear his heart, and then I get to translate that to canvas and to paper or you know what other forms that it may come out.

Speaker 2: 2:35

Yes, well, I just I absolutely love. If you guys go back and listen to episode 133, you'll get to hear a little bit more about what she does. But there's also a back end to how she's come to this place and the journey. For those of you who remember, the first season of Hope Unlocked was Voices of Hope from the Valley and she's also a pioneer, so that's the season we're in. And um, she's also a pioneer, so that's the season we're in. But I want to really um, like we. We want to go on a little walk together here today and just share the journey of um the behind the scenes. I guess that would be the best way to put it. Um, does that resonate with you?

Speaker 1: 3:21

yeah, the backstory. Yeah, behind the scenes and the backstory.

Speaker 2: 3:33

Yeah, so take us on a little journey wherever you're led to start. What does it look like for?

Speaker 1: 3:38

you to continue walking out this adventure with the Lord. Well, probably listening to the first time that we, the first podcast, would be helpful. But, like I said, I'm a prophetic painter, so I'm going to quickly, quickly recap, because that was kind of a whole story of how God called me into that. But that was on the first podcast. So, for a quick recap, I started painting live in 2007. 2007, I believe, was my first painting. Um, god called me into it and I really had no clue what I was doing, um, so hence the pioneering piece.

Speaker 1: 4:15

At that time there was not a lot of prophetic painting, you know, at live events, at worship events, things like that, there wasn't really a lot of that going on, especially where I was located in Colorado, and so I did not technically have a map for that, it was just the Lord's voice and he came to me as Rabbi Jesus and Rabbi artist and taught me how to do what I could not have done in my own, even in my own gift.

Speaker 1: 4:47

I mean, you know, I say gifting and the gift is from him of the artistry. But he took me out of my comfortable zone and we had to create in a completely different way than what I was comfortable with and so over the course, the first painting was in November and by May of that same year God had me in front of like 3000 people at a Graham Cook conference and I did seven paintings in three days and it was a boot camp to get there. And so it's, it's, it's, it's a really crazy fun, I pray encouraging story of how somebody can be found by the father. You know, on the, in the middle of nowhere, without any. You know, outside training, outside really much outside help at all. You know, outside training, outside really much outside help at all, what he can do and what he can birth, and with your gifting and when you partner your gifting with him where he can take in what he can do. Because I pray that that's an encouraging story that we've covered.

Speaker 2: 6:02

Yeah, absolutely. And, like Cody said, definitely go back and listen to episode 133 to get more on her story as well. I so resonate with that and you know we I think that's a huge connection point for us is the willingness to do things differently, right to do this.

Speaker 1: 6:20

Yeah, his vantage point and his instructions, even if it looks completely crazy to other people, would you say, oh, definitely, and I think that part of the pioneering spirit in essence his spirit in us would be able being able to hold onto that vision, uh, against all odds, and um being able to pioneer when you can't even see straight, much less around the people. You know the people around you aren't, they're not seeing the vision, they're not um called to this specific purpose and so they um. You know, since you travel a bit of an isolation, you know um with the Lord, um in our callings and our destinies even, and you know a lot of the struggle is to learn how to um trust your relationship that you have built with the father and to settle into, instead of the unknowing being scary, um to step in trust and wonder um and continue, you know, continue to press in and to pioneer and to go after the vision that God has given you and to continue to build it, to continue to create it after he's given it to you. Because usually the, you know, the fun part is receiving the vision. The fun part, you know, but then the execution of the vision comes, is what I kind of like to call it, and that can be broader. You know, for me, a lot of what God has taught me over the years has been through.

Speaker 1: 8:09

My avenue of creativity is, you know, as an artist, um, you know he gives me the vision that he wants on canvas and that you know, hearing him in that space and and seeing in the spiritual realm and him showing me, you know what's on his heart and I can see that in my mind's eyes and it's exquisite, it's beautiful. But then comes the work of it and the execution of it. And you know, sometimes there's a lot of blood, sweat and tears involved in the process of executing the visions of God. I wouldn't say sometimes there is always.

Speaker 1: 8:48

And then you got the other aspect of when you're trying to execute the visions of God, when you're trying to build for God, whatever he has asked you to build and whatever aspect that might be, then it's going to be confronted. If you've heard him and it's something on his heart, well, all of hell is going to come against you. Yes, in the process of trying to get that executed, um, and and created, you know, delivered into the spirit, into the natural realm, um, and so there comes a whole lot of um in the process of learning how to lean into the god of endurance and and to lean into his strength. Um, you know, we've all been taught those things, but there's also, like a resilience and endurance that I believe the Lord, we have access to when God has called us to pioneer, but there's a process of learning how to access it and to maintain it and to be fueled even by it.

Speaker 2: 10:37

Yeah, well, I like to call it resistance training. So you're, yes, um, would you be open to kind of bringing us into what that looks like for you? Because, um, yeah, absolutely Like when you're, when you're stepping into a big God vision, or even a small one, like it's not easy, like I don't.

Speaker 2: 11:04

I don't know why, at some point, like years ago, I thought you know I I would like things to be easier sometimes, you know, like I think we all would just like hit the easy button on this one. But could you, could you invite us into what that has looked like for you? Because I think you know I'll just use, for example, when I was saved, I was going to a church and I, I remember it, it wasn't, they didn't talk about like spiritual warfare, they didn't talk about. It almost sounded like it. Your life should become like Cinderella when you step in and I was experienced everything but um, and there was no grid and nobody was like kind of helping me along the journey because, um, it was, it was my own journey, right. But for those who are listening and they're like, oh my gosh, I didn't even know, like I didn't know that this is what I'm supposed to experience when I'm walking things out, right, what does that look like for you in your experience? To continue on this endurance, you know endurance training as well.

Speaker 1: 12:19

Yeah, training as well, yeah, um. A side note, I would probably tell people now the, you know, just walking with the lord in this creative space and executing of his visions, um, for the time that I have that, if they, if, if it is not of god, then it's, it'll probably seem possible. If it's impossible, seems impossible, um, then it's probably God and um, and if you could do it in your own power, then you probably just need to abandon it as personal agenda, it's you know, um, and if it is not contested by hell, I don't know that it is an assignment that is of heaven.

Speaker 1: 13:05

So you know, now I have kind of learned, I think that I guess what I like to say is that Caleb has risen, you know, rises up within us, and that you know the war, you're okay with that. I think part of being a pioneer, part of, um, being a visionary, uh, even part of being, like you know, creative, visionary, is that you're okay with the warfare, because then, you know, it's almost becomes a confirmation that, okay, god wants this done, because hell's coming against it and it kind of brings out a bit more resilience and even I call it a holy rebellion. You know that you're just like no, you know, no, god wants this done. So you're going to have, it's going to get done. It may be ugly, it may not be pretty, but it's going to get done. Yes, um, my story, um, you know, in a personal realm, of what this looked like for me, kind of as a prophetic artist, is, I had no idea, um, you know that once you kind of stepped into your land of destiny, you saw the promised land, as you could say.

Speaker 1: 14:27

You saw the vision, you saw your purpose, you know, god started kind of downloading, you know calling and these things to you, calling purpose, destiny they started to come up on the horizon. I had no idea that once they come up on the horizon, you know, then you got to fight for your promised land. Yes, you got to fight for your calling. And then the intensity really begins, and for me, I didn't really understand that, you know, the Lord called me into prophetic painting. I remember the first painting I did. I was just like. It was almost like my bones just started to burn, like I could. It felt like I was touching eternity. Like you know, my purpose was like this is why, you know, one of the reasons amongst you know, being, you know, some other roles in my life, but that this was the purpose of the artistry he had given me. This was the whole why of why he had given me the gift of the artistry. And I can't not do this, you know. And so the clearing, the calling became very, very clear to me, very clear. And so the clearing, the calling became very, very clear to me, very clear. And so, but as I started to pursue it, um, probably, maybe, maybe a year, maybe two, I can't even remember, but not long at all.

Speaker 1: 15:55

Um, once I started doing some live events and you know just really said yes to the Lord about. You know what he is, he. I felt like he was asking me to do um as a prophetic painter. And once I started saying yes to that and showing up, and you know really, um engaging in my, my calling and my destiny that I believed he had given me, um, all of hell came against me and I, um, I got very, very sick and it was probably I had I'd had, I have two little girls. Um, they're not little anymore, but at the time, um, I had two little girls and after my second one was born, um, and after I started paying for the Lord and things, I kind of began to time overlapped some there and I, my health just fell apart and.

Speaker 1: 16:53

I had always been a runner. Um, we're talking like miles. Um, I ran miles, I ate really really well. Um, you know, I took care of my, my body. I took, I was not cruel to it, I took good care of it, and so it did not make a whole lot of sense I was 33 at the time. It just did not make any sense to me, like what in the world is happening, yeah, and I got very sick. Um, I lost, like you know, 20 pounds within like three weeks oh my gosh, I got miserably sick, um, lots of pain and undefinable we.

Speaker 1: 17:36

We didn't know what was going on and what was interesting. Interesting about that whole. When it hit, it hit very hard and that was in August of 2010. And I, what killed me most actually, the physical pain was just, you know, nobody likes that. You know, what my physical body was going through was just not not any fun.

Speaker 1: 18:05

But what actually pained me the most, what, what was the most grueling and hardest part to process of all that was that the pain was was consuming me physically enough and even you know I call it real estate in my mind, you know it was so present that I couldn't push it aside to get with God. I've always been, you know, I love to hear his voice. His voice is my lifeline and I had created, um, a space with him and, in essence, of where we could be in solitude and um and have conversation and commune and um, that space was my lifeline, his heart, hearing him, sitting with him, being with him, creating with him. And I couldn't get in that space because the pain was so intolerable really, and that's what broke my heart the most about, about that, you know, six months or so of not knowing what was physically happening and battling this. You know, um, the symptoms, uh, like always, that I could not be with god, like I had been with him and I grieved, um, there was grieving, and in 2011, we finally you know in the medical community that kind of thing Long story short, diagnosis came and it it was. You know it was a mixed thing and I remember, you know, receiving the call and a diagnosis came. So it was, it was. You know, on one hand, it's really nice to know what you're fighting, um, but you know, on the other, it's like, oh my gosh, is this? You know, wow, this is my reality in this moment, this is my reality.

Speaker 1: 20:14

And and then it began a very long process of walking out. And it began a very long process of walking out, walking out your faith, with a tremendous physical challenge and disease. Yeah, and I, I've never been one. Um, he's the creator of the universe, he can fix something in a moment, one word, and I, you know, I like to think. There's this scripture and about the sin, the um, roman officer that you know, his, his servant was sick and he ran to Jesus. His servant was sick and he ran to Jesus. And, and I I've looked this up now and I think it was like 20, some odd miles, you know, and he went to Jesus knowing, in faith, you know, that one word and he will be healed. You don't even have to come and and I think you know some it, for me personally, it was never a struggle to trust the creator of the universe that he could heal me with one word. It just never was a struggle that. That was always very much a reality for me.

Speaker 1: 21:35

Um, so when things continued and the Lord, you know, chose to let this remain, you walk through a whole lot of stuff. You know there is a lot of things even within the church that processing ongoing physical illness and disease. There's a lot of mystery in it. But then I had this whole oh my gosh, you know, lord, how do I continue doing what we were doing? Because I know that. I know I'm supposed to paint, I'm supposed to create, um, I'm supposed, you know, at this time, I feel you know I'm supposed to go to these events and you know um.

Speaker 1: 22:30

So then there was a massive leaning into learning the strength that he could be for me, even the physical strength. What I do, I paint on four foot by four foot canvases, when you know, at these live events they're large canvases, they're paintings that are done very quickly. It is actually very physical. Yeah, I can imagine and the preparation. You're on your feet for hours, you know, because I would also did some teaching and things and so, and even just you know, people coming up and ministering and it was very. It's actually physically pretty challenging and I had done enough of it to know that, oh my gosh, you know I'm like I'm walking into some unknown territory because I can't depend on my own physical body to sustain me to do what I was doing for you. And so it was a new realm of trust, of actually learning and living in a space that God could consume my physical body to sustain me to do what he has called me to do. And I've really lived in that space since I. You know I would wake at times.

Speaker 1: 23:56

It's a bloodborne disease that I battle, so it can kind of pretty well go to any organ and it's very, very difficult to you know, to get get rid of. It can kind of go into ie remission, you could call it, but then it'll come back and a lot of joint pain, a lot of physical, you know, there's, yeah, things that you know, when, when you paint with your whole body big, big things that you know, big can canvases and a very fast speed, it affects it. There was numbness in my arms and my hands and you know I would just really have to trust, like you know, 10 minutes before painting, and I'm going to be up there, live in front of you know, an event in front of people and but God gave me the vision.

Speaker 1: 24:41

You know we prepared it in the studio, but I would have to be like, do I physically feel like I can do this? No, no, you know. And so it's been a process of learning how to lean into him so hard and trust that he will come through. He wants this done, and I showed up and he'll get it done. And um, and you know it's been a um, it's been a really long, it's a long journey about it and uh, so that went on, um, you know, many times, uh, you know, getting up in front of people, live and things and they didn't have any idea of what was going on?

Speaker 2: 25:29

Did anybody know? No, no.

Speaker 1: 25:33

And only, like you know, inner circles of you know, maybe the leadership that invited me and things like that, but sometimes not even that, of course, family and and at that time, you know, for a long time I mean, this has been, you know, over a decade now and getting you know, receiving treatments going to. You know, getting you know receiving treatments going to you know, very long IVs. I've had a, you know, had the good old port a couple of times and you know, actually, treatment, you know, having to do that, medical, a lot of medical demand, I guess, and and they didn't, you know I would God would give me the vision for another event. You know it's like, okay, I need, didn't you know I would God would give me the vision for another event. You know it's like, okay, I need you to.

Speaker 1: 26:24

You know, here's three paintings or here's whatever, and so I would, you know, you just be like, okay, lord, you showed me, you showed me these things, and so I know you're going to have me well enough to get there and you're going to have me well enough to you know you're going to step into me to have me well enough to. You know you're going to step into me and I remember there being times that, um, literally I did one painting and I would run, I run random fevers and I it was the last painting of this event Um, and I did not feel well and you just show up, um, and I did not feel well and you just show up and and God you know, I was just like, really, I mean, I always need you, I really need you to get this. You know, I need you on another level because I literally physically do not feel well to do this, you know, and, but I know you, you know everything's done, everything's ready.

Speaker 1: 27:24

I know you want this done. And and I, he stepped into me. I mean, there's been many times now that that people didn't realize that, as I was painting these paintings, that God would, literally, you know, it was like Jesus just came from behind and he would just step into me because I had no physical strength, my arms were hurting, you know, for whatever reason, um, or running a fever, and and God, he would just take over. And and they would, you know, they, they, I'd step back from them and I would not even remember my physical movements. I wouldn't. You know what felt like 10 minutes to me was, you know, the full worship set of like an hour or whatever, and and in those moments I felt so good you know, it was really like a supernatural intervention.

Speaker 1: 28:42

And you know, and I don't and I walk this day hasn't quite you know, I know that some not speaking for everybody at all, but I think that there's a concept that needs to be addressed more, that sometimes God leaves us in things, leaves us in fights, or you know, or we're fighting for your health or or whatever. And you know there are those that you know, you have the faith, you, you believe you can do this and you've, you know, been told all kinds of things. Well, you know, and I could get into all of that, but you know from kind of leaders in the church, from other people in the church, well, you just don't have enough faith, you don't have it, you know. I mean, the list goes on and on and it's a kind of after walking this out, it's kind of heartbreaking sometimes, um, because I think that at times the lord leaves things because there's a greater glory story. Say that again.

Speaker 1: 29:50

And there's a greater glory story yeah and you know he stepped back and he could trust job to go through the fire, to lose everything and to still call him God and to worship him. He could trust Job with that and I think that there might be some that are the healing might not come yet, whether it's this side of heaven or the other, but it may not come yet for some, because the Lord has a greater glory story and that he can trust you with something even greater. And I wouldn't be able to. You know, these paintings are, um, you know I I look at them now and it's like I can never do some of these again.

Speaker 1: 30:44

Yeah, and I wouldn't be able to say that I don't know that they would carry the supernatural essence, yes, of the Holy Spirit and his power If it hadn't been so much of him in them and doing them, if I had not had to rely on him so hard, if it was more in my physical, my own physical power, my own physical, you know artist, you know gifting. I don't know that they would carry the impact and everything that he desired them to carry.

Speaker 2: 31:38

If that had not been there. You know it's really interesting. Um, I want you to touch a little bit more on um. For those I feel like there's going to be those that are listening that you know I've I've walked through a journey as well, you know, in the weight right For whatever it looks like. And, um, like you, I'm not going to give up. You know, no matter what, for those who maybe have been told like you, just don't have enough faith. I've heard that before many times.

Speaker 2: 32:17

And what happens when I hear that is, there's almost something in me that goes well, that that like is very shame producing.

Speaker 1: 32:32

Yeah, yeah, it's, um, it's walking it out with the Lord this long. I think there needs to be a little bit of observance for those who are people of faith and they're, you know, they have not been healed yet. Um, that you know, and honestly, I've even kind of observed and watched. Um, you know, some are like prophetic fathers in the faith and a prophetic few prophetic mothers are coming to mind as well. You know of of the next generation over me. Um, as I was walking through all of this, they were getting hit hard with physical ailments and these were people that were, like, you know, the Caleb's and the Joshua's and the Moses's. I mean, these were like amazing, highly gifted but highly honorable people of integrity in the church and in the minute, you know, had their own ministries and things and that I was close to. So I, you know, I knew their, their depth of faith, was familiar with where they were with the Lord and and I knew their character, you know their characters were it's an amazing character and I kind of observed and watched, even at a time it was just like you know, I think, that the enemy has cheap weapons and then he has weapons that cost him more, and I think sometimes that you know what, if we engage in our destiny, we engage in our calling and we have that yes and amen in our heart, that we're just like I, you know, I see the horizon, lord, and I can tell this is, you know, this is where you want me to go and we're pioneering for him, and but we've kind of made that. You know, the caleb is rosin up and that's where we're just like nothing's gonna get me off this path. You know, I see the promised land and I'm going. You know, because you are with me, I'm going and um, so then I think the weapons start coming out.

Speaker 1: 34:57

So then I think the weapons start coming out to either distract us, which I think is a very cheap weapon of the enemy you get distracted, so you get off course, you disengage from the vision, you stop building, you know you don't have the time anymore. I mean, you know the distractions come, you're in your focus, he, you know the distractions come, your focus, he, you know, moves your focus. And then you know you move into, you're like, okay, I recognize that, I recognize the distraction. I'm not going to let you. You know, no, that's not going to happen. I'm going to stay focused on what the father has asked me to do here. I'm going to stay focused on his heart.

Speaker 1: 35:38

And so you move past the distraction and then you know, and then comes, you know, even within the church and the ministries and things, you know, some sinful things that could happen. You know lifestyle shifts and changes. You know just not spending as much time with God or engaging in things that you know, you know scripturally are not what you should be doing, you know, and that actually becomes, you know, a daily habit, kind of stuff to distract you and pull you away. And so you know lifestyle shift, that you know there's just so many weapons that he has and it's just sometimes I, just I kind of watched, I sat and observed, especially as I was trying to process, you know, my ongoing battle for my health with the Lord and continue doing what I was called to do.

Speaker 1: 36:41

You know I look to the generation over me, I look to trusted voices that had, you know, had character and faith and had spoken into my life that, ok, they're getting hit hard, you know physically, and everything else in their life is ordered.

Speaker 1: 37:01

You know they, they've already been through this distraction thing and they said, no, you're not, you know, no, no, enemy I'm not, I'm not going down that right, I'm staying focused or, um, you know, relational stuff is, um, no, not going to happen. You know, um, and I, you know, and you know, I mean, the enemy came after, you know, my family is marriage and he definitely is distraction and all that kind of stuff, and it was just kind of I noticed personally for myself and I could see, amongst others, that if that, if those cheap weapons fail over time, he brings out the big gun, and I think that sometimes I'm not saying you know, we live in a fallen world and I definitely this is all mystery. Um, sickness is just a mystery. Um, why he? You know he can see what. Even I heard it sometimes that why he, you know, I heard it sometimes that you know, why do we make healing so complicated? Because Jesus didn't Right Exactly, you know they didn't. I mean he would heal, even on a mother's desire.

Speaker 2: 38:21

You know he rose a boy from the, from the dead on a mother's request.

Speaker 1: 38:25

It had nothing you know nothing to do with the, with the child, um. So you know, it's just some of these factors that even that the people would speak about it, um, that I heard about the whole healing matter. You know, I'm like you know that really don't line up with what I saw with Jesus. It just doesn't line up. And so it kind of puts you further out there of like you're trying to process when you're kind of in a space that not a lot of people have spoken from. I guess, you know they haven't actually traveled it and spoken from that space.

Speaker 1: 39:05

And so I looked towards the voices that had traveled through and were in that space, and how were they processing? And so it's not, you know, for me it kind of came down like you know what, you know, he couldn't take me out, he couldn't, um, take me off of my you know course, my journey of destiny. He couldn't get me disengaged with all these other you know weapons, um, and so I need my body physically to do what the Lord has asked me to do. I need my physical body, I need my hands to not be numb, and so what is the enemy? I mean, what's happening with the physical. You know, my hands are numb.

Speaker 1: 39:53

And so I chose, like you know, as I and this was kind of you know several years of thinking and processing and continuing to create. Anyways, it really got even more clear. I was like, ok, this is war, this is war now, and I'm supposed to be doing this, and this is the, this is how you're coming against me now. And so it became, you know, I'll refer to Caleb once again it's just like okay, you know, I can either kind of in the wilderness of disease, so I can either sit and wait it out and you know, or, like Caleb and Joshua probably did, we can assume they built an army, yes, while they were in the wilderness yeah and and it is.

Speaker 1: 40:46

it is um battling a long-term you know, one that has lasted a long a disease. It's a very isolating thing and you learn. I've gotten to experience now Jesus is my best friend.

Speaker 2: 41:15

Yes.

Speaker 1: 41:15

Yes, I've gotten to experience the part of God's nature that, yes, I've gotten to experience the part of God's nature that he's you know, jesus sits down with you and there are no words of comfort, but he's crying with you, yes, and he's sitting beside you and he's crying with you and you're you know, because there's a lot of disappointment that you have to navigate. A lot of disappointment, um, a lot of um. You know even fear. You know what's going to happen next, what's going to you know cause um discouragement too right.

Speaker 1: 41:56

Yes, yeah, and discouragement, yeah, and um, too right, yes, yeah, and so you, just um. Yeah, I've learned how to sit in that space with jesus and just I, I feel like I've gotten to experience him in ways that are just, are they kind of painful? But there's beauty in the pain and there's things that I think that he can birth only in the fire and the refining of the whole process. That will carry so much more weight and so much more truth and so much more power and so much more beauty of the Lord. Um, because you, you were willing to go through the fire and and and let God be God.

Speaker 1: 42:54

Yes, um, there's a certain sovereignty to it. That it's, you know. Yes, lord, I know you can heal me, but I'm not going to stop worshiping you and working for you and serving you if you don't. And that's actually a greater act of love that I can give you from where I'm at in my life and the position that I'm at. Yes, what a holy act that can be, what a holy, you know, love you get to show him.

Speaker 2: 43:27

Yeah, and wouldn't you call that big faith? Yes, I mean, that's that's faith right there, that's big faith. That's that's faith right there, that's big faith. You are a you're this is a word that I was hearing last week um, you know, for those of us who you know, the horizon thing, um, I prayed over us, like there's some, there's more on the horizon right that we have yet to see or experience yet.

Speaker 2: 44:02

And if you go back to Hebrews 11, I just love Hebrews 11. It's like, you know, if you guys haven't read it, go back and read it. But it's the heroes of the faith. And I had a word for my Facebook group last week about, you know, some of us are like modern day heroes of the faith because we have continued on and and I can say this and this isn't boasting, right, I don't feel like it's boasting Like there's almost this like congratulatory, um, I don't know like how to even put this into words that he's been like you have continued on, like way to go. I'm just simplifying. And as a faith giant, you have faced giants and when you come into the promised land, there are giants. So we, we are, we are giants facing giants, but we are more gigantic because he is with us than those little grasshoppers, right, yeah, and yet you know. So I just really want to just give you that congratulations as well.

Speaker 2: 45:25

I mean your paintings. I don't even remember the first time I saw one of your paintings, but I get very awestruck by prophetic paintings and it takes a special person to really kind of take me in, I guess is the best way to put it. Take me in, I guess is the best way to put it. And um, your book, um, there's a book that she created called chronicles of the treasury journey of destiny, and this book like rocked my world a couple weeks ago. Um, there's so much in it. The words like exploded off the page, the, the paintings exploded off the page. And you know, as you're talking, even looking at the word I, I often see words within words. The first four letters of painting is what?

Speaker 1: 46:28

Well, pain, oh pain. Yes, yes, yeah, it's, I don't. And it's funny because you use the word explosion and I guess Ray Hughes once told me. He said you know, it's like you just explode onto the canvas. Yeah, I mean. And what's fascinating to me and what has just undone me is that it wasn't me.

Speaker 1: 47:01

Yeah, you know for me to physically, for people to see that that there were, you know, an explosion of creativity onto the canvas, that these paintings got done as fast as they did and they were as big as they were, and that I would have the endurance to last a whole weekend and do multiple paintings and teach and be on my feet and all these things was just an extraordinary grace of God, Just an extraordinary act of God. And I mean part of that is like sharing that. Now, for a long time, God was like you know they don't need to know I was still working through a lot with the Lord personally about it, a lot, and then slowly, over the last few years and things there's just been. Now it's time to tell the story. We built the treasury, you and I built the treasury, but it's time to tell the story. So some of this is standing from a place of wanting to honor the master. Yeah, Because it was not very little of it was of my doing. So much of it was his empowering grace. Yeah.

Speaker 2: 48:27

And your yes, yes.

Speaker 1: 48:31

And it's like, as you know, some of it is just to encourage people, like it's so far beyond what you could imagine. The empowering grace of God, yeah, and I feel you know this has been a hard, hard road and it continues to be. But I feel you know this has been a hard, hard road and it continues to be. But I feel, in a strange, beautifully complicated way, blessed to have experienced this fast these facets of his nature that I know, you know, I wouldn't have been, I wouldn't have gotten to encounter and experience his strength and and his literal, like, his physical maintenance of my body if I had not so needed it. And the journey continues. I was, you know it's been very interesting because, like, but I guess it's been almost two years ago, things kind of took a downward shift again for me physically and they really I've kind of been in and out of this for years. It's, you know, kind of get quiet and go under emissions, you know whatever they kind of want to call it for a while, but then it'll, you know, flare up again and here it comes again and um, but two years ago it's been, you know, it's, it's been even more um to process because I was diagnosed with a, a cardiac condition, that, um, they can't you know they can't do surgery and things. They can manage it as they say they can, you know, just manage it. It has slowed me down considerably and so you know, it's almost.

Speaker 1: 50:23

It's been an interesting thing with the Lord because it seems like I'm kind of back at the starting gates and it hasn't been removed. It's been increased what physically to process with Him now and there's been kind of a completion of possibly doing live events and things. But it was also, I guess, the old Caleb in me. I was like, hmm, the IE diagnosis, you know, in the physical realm, increased and I've been trained enough now by the Lord to look around and be like, okay, he's not done yet. You know, jesus is not done yet because I'm getting hit again Really, yeah. So, okay, father, you know there's there's been a shift in my calling, um, an advancement possibly in my calling. You know, what else do you want me to do? What if I'm not done with my assignment here?

Speaker 2: 51:31

Wow.

Speaker 1: 51:32

She's so distorted. Yeah, yeah, you know there's another level, there's more. And so then, you know, the canvas is my meeting place with him. You know the canvas is my meeting place with Him and it's been. You know, I'm like it's of, like, you know where's your, where's our sweet spot with the Lord? I guess you could say, you know, where is that? Where is the communication easiest? You know, is it on a bench outside under a tree, in creation? You know. But then, like, once we find that sweet spot, like, make it your mission to live there.

Speaker 1: 52:33

And then, when all, when, everything breaks loose and while hell comes against you, you have something built with the father. Yes, you have that sacred space built with him. You have that reserve because, you know, I've learned, kind of going through this the first time and stuff. I was like you know what I, man, when I didn't feel well and I wasn't able to get in that space with the Lord and our intimacy almost was challenged, because my, you know, physical being was so consumed with pain that I learned that when I did feel good, I'm showing up with God, I'm showing up with Jesus, you know, because my brain feels clear. Today I can, you know, I physically can do this today. So I'm showing up and so I just, you know, I began to build a well on the good days because I knew, you know, bad days I'm going to need that well, I'm going to need that.

Speaker 1: 53:40

Those encounters with him, those conversations with him, those aren't the days that you're going to need the fresh stuff, need the good stuff that you've built with him, those relationships where you, you know just the closeness with him. And so you know, even kind of, when this next next thing hit and this new diagnosis on top of it came and I was just like, okay, Lord, you know, thank you for the reserve that we have, thank you for um, you know, okay, I'm going to see this as confrontation of hell, you know, uh, okay, well then let's pick up again. But you know, what do you want done? Because nearly always, over the course of walking this with him, you know, I think, as we walk more and more with him, you, you and you get the warrior mentality that this is.

Speaker 1: 54:34

I mean heaven and earth, or I mean heaven and hell, are very real, yes and uh. And if you are on a mission for the lord, whatever that might be, the enemy will hate you, yes, and you got to get used to that and you got to be watchful for that. And then you have to learn how to lean into the Lord to create the resilience and a spine of steel that I'm doing this, you know. Even it go, even if it goes down like Job so be it.

Speaker 1: 55:10

You know, and that's some days, some days the best that I can do is just, you know, ask Jesus, you know, just please, come and sit by me and let me cry, you know. You know, and those have been become some of my sweetest moments where he just sits with me and lets me cry the human tears of disappointment of it all and but then trust him in his sovereignty, that he's. There's something in this that could be more powerful. You know, if I allow you to do this and you had my full yes and amen and I don't take it back If this is part of the story to make it this into a glory story for you and to make these things that you and I do together and create and release more powerful and have more of your essence in them and more of your character, your nature, your beauty, your wonder, whatever it might be, more of you in them and less of me, then I say yes and I just think that's okay with the Lord. I mean what I've experienced with him. It's okay to be disappointed.

Speaker 1: 56:30

I think sometimes that's a stigma. That's on being, you know, being ill and being well. You just got to assume, you know, cause I felt that at times, especially like being in front of people, you know, um, it kind of IE called into the ministry it's a very unique, different way but you know teaching and things too, and that you had to have it all together and that you really weren't. You know you're believing for your healing and, yes, god can do this, and that you don't show your brokenness and you're not, and that you don't show your brokenness and you're not. I think that there is actually power in the authenticity and realness of like.

Speaker 1: 57:20

Look, this hurts. I am massively disappointed. You know this is hard, this is painful. You know, emotionally, physically, mentally, this is painful. I'm tired, on every level. I'm tired. I mean, some days. You know some days you can go, it's not. But then other, you know you just wake up some days and it's just like you know all of hell seems to be, you know, smacking you in the face and uh, and physically, mentally, everything, and um, you know it's on those days that you, just, you know you go to that reserve of like what you've encountered and experienced with him in the journey and that it's okay to like God. I just, I I'm so disappointed. Yes, um, this hurts. You know, to process to learn how to process your pain and your disappointment, um, your confusion. You're just, you know all the things that kind of come with like a ongoing physical illness and even outside of that, just ongoing tribulation in life Learning how to process that with the spirit of counsel himself, Mm-hmm.

Speaker 1: 58:43

With the spirit of counsel himself, yes, and the spirit of wisdom himself. We need to do that more.

Speaker 2: 58:54

Yeah, we need to do that more. I feel like this is like a clarion call that you're, it's just.

Speaker 1: 59:03

He is a spirit of counsel, he is a spirit of wisdom. He's never how. He consoles and comforts, is always perfection. And and even when you don't have a clue what you need and you're broken and you, just, you know, I mean, there's been times that I just, you know, yeah, usually in my studio, but you know, just fall on my face and it's just, I, just I can't even.

Speaker 1: 59:30

I look at something. I'm like if I could just get back into that space where you and I could do that again, like today I am so physically ill that I can barely get off the floor, you know, and and so you're mourning in essence, you're almost kind of mourning your physical body and to be able to feel and to seek the Lord. He will come and he will literally gather you up and cry with you, and that's okay. It's okay to not hear, get up and go on, or you should be. You know that sometimes it is simply going to be. He cried over Lazarus. You know the humanity of Jesus understands and he's not upset with us because we don't know how to process this. You know we don't know how to process this. You know we don't know how to process all the things that are happening and whatever challenges and forms they come in, you know, in life, and he's okay with that and he'll teach us how and there's no shame. Yes, exactly.

Speaker 1: 1:00:45

There's no shame and there's no blame. And you know, just like I can't even feel anything today, jesus, I can't even think straight. Can I just sit here with you? I need to just sit here with you. And what that does, or what it has done for me, you know, it's just irreplaceable. It's irreplaceable. There is no counselor like him, there is no spirit of understanding like him. And then you know to be willing to die to self. I think that there is a space in the spirit and a space in this time of history for those who are willing to die for the greater glory story, for those who are willing to die for the greater glory story. And I say die where you know you may be walking around, living, you know you're walking on the planet and you're breathing still, but you have died to all and sacrificed everything. You're willing to sacrifice, you know everything, for the sovereignty of the Lord Jesus and his hand on your life and your assignment and the purpose that he has assigned you to and to please him.

Speaker 2: 1:02:19

You know first and foremost right.

Speaker 1: 1:02:23

Yeah, no, it's just, you get more focused, focused. You know, um, if you allow the process to happen, if you sit with him and you're in the unknown of am I going to be healed or am I not going to be healed, or you know, do I keep hanging on? Do I can't? You know what do I even do? Now, it's been years. You know, if you sit with him in the process and just like god, you've got this, I can't deal with this anymore, you know, I can't even.

Speaker 1: 1:02:51

Yeah, I don't know what the next step is. I don't know how to process this.

Speaker 1: 1:02:54

I don't even know what I should be doing um but you have it and and the focus that you get of, just like you know this, this really is an entryway into learning how to see from heaven and earth and to see with eternal eyes. These things will pass away, yes, but one day we will be standing in front of Jesus. We will be standing in front of Jesus, we will be standing in front of the Father and we will get to have that chance of saying he will say job well done. Amongst it all, you never let go, never let go of my hem, of the garment, because you always believed that I could heal you. That wasn't about that. It wasn't about that. Whether you believed or not, you allowed me, you sacrificed and gave your life because you allowed me to write your story and you were willing to be for whatever story that was. You wanted it because it was my story for you and that's what I want to hear, because it was my story for you and that's what I want to hear.

Speaker 1: 1:04:12

You know, I guess, if any anybody takes anything from all of this, it's been a little bit all over the place, you know. It's just. It's okay to to be in a space with the Lord where you're disappointed. It's okay to be in a space where you're hurting and it's painful and you can't define it and you don't know how to move on and the hits just keep coming. You know of not knowing what's happening. You know it's okay to be in that space and allow him to actually encompass you and to empower you your mind, your heart, your body, your will to keep going, to keep pioneering, to keep creating, to keep living, to continue fighting for your promised land.

Speaker 2: 1:05:20

Yes, cody, can I share a verse that I'm hearing just?

Speaker 2: 1:05:25

for you, yes, and I believe it's for others as well, but it's Proverbs 31, 25 in the Passion Translation. It's bold power and glorious majesty are wrapped around her and she laughs with joy over the latter days and her teachings are filled with wisdom and kindness, as loving instruction pours from her lips. I just feel like he wants you to know that on a deep level, and those of you who are listening who also have walked through a lot and are continuing to walk through a lot. I don't know what you're walking through, but I do know, in even my own journey these last six months or so, that have been more pressing than I've experienced in a long time To really focus on joy and laughing. It makes the enemy really mad. Yes, that's one of my arrows.

Speaker 2: 1:06:28

I don't know, it's amazing, oh my gosh. Well, um, I know we need to wrap up. Um, I think we could talk, for we literally could talk forever. We actually talked for about an hour and a half before we got started. Today, Um, we'll probably have to have you back again just to pour out some more wisdom and keep on with your journey. I know that what is the best way for people to like find you at this point? I'll be sure to add the information to the show notes.

Speaker 1: 1:07:12

Probably just CodyRystadcom, which is C-O-D-Y-E-R-E-Y-S-T-E-A-Dcom, and then there's a contact form and you know they can email me from there. I'm also on Instagram, not very much, and then on Facebook Cody Rystad Awesome.

Speaker 2: 1:07:28

Well, we did this last time, but I always want to do it again. Is there anything else that you'd want to speak over? Any words of encouragement or anything else that's coming up for you, and then would you pray us out today.

Speaker 1: 1:07:42

Yes, abba, father, we thank you that the seven spirits, lord, that we read about in Isaiah, that you are all these things, the spirit of might, the spirit of counsel, the spirit of wisdom, lord, all these access, that you are those things and that we, as your children, get to access those things and to lean into you and receive those gifts to empower us, father, to sustain us. It's incredible and in your goodness, lord, we recognize your goodness. So, father, I just speak a holy endurance over everyone that's listening now, if they have seen their promised land, and for those who haven't, father, you are so good, you will show. You will show, if that is in their heart, their calling, their destiny, that you will show it to them, lord, and that all that you really need is our simple yes and amen, continually. And, father, I just so. I speak a holy endurance, lord, I speak a holy comfort, like only you can give to the hearts that are bleeding right now from just living this life, and that's the things that come against us.

Speaker 1: 1:09:00

Father. I speak holy wisdom, lord God, on those that are seeking counsel and how to continue and how to pioneer, how to build, how to create, how to live. Lord God, on those that are seeking counsel and how to continue and how to pioneer, how to build, how to create, how to live. Lord, god, what to do next? Father, I just speak your wisdom and your counsel, father, over everyone that's listening. Now, Lord, and I just thank you for everything that you are. In Jesus' name, I pray Amen.

Speaker 2: 1:09:28

Amen. Thank you, Cody. Such a blessing to have you back again, and thank you again for being a brave voice who's setting so many free. I will close with the anchoring verse. It's may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit, you may abound in hope, and that's Romans 15, 13. So thank you again, Cody. I'll have her contact information in the show notes and I will be back with another episode next week. Thanks again, Thank you.