In this time of cultural complexity and difficulty, its easy to become overwhelmed with all the adversity. It’s easy to get focus off the Lord and upon the problems that we’re facing. The ignoring of the challenges and just believing that God will sort it out is “fatalism”! The scriptural approach is to realize that God has called us to be light in the darkness. The darker it becomes, the brighter He shines through us. He has called us to work with Him and to bring His kingdom into godless situations. In the great commission, He said this in Matthew 28:16-20 (ESV);
“Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Did you catch that? Making a disciple of a nation is a plan that involves more than just witnessing and discipling one on one. It must involve waiting on the Lord as He gives us the spiritual strategies to tear down principalities and powers to remove spiritual “blindness” off people so they can be drawn to the Lord on a national level. The Apostle Paul reinforces this truth in 2 Corinthians 10:4 (ESV)
“ For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.”
So as the day gets darker, get ready to shine more brightly. Isaiah penned these words with the understanding that a great day was coming; Isaiah 60
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
2 For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.
3 And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”
Habakkuk 2:14 says this;
“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”
It’s the definition of the term “glory” that causes much confusion and division in the church. To what does the term “glory” refer; a mystical cloud? a presence of the Lord? In the Old Testament, there seemed to an emphasis on the external presence. This was never more evident as when King Solomon dedicated the temple to the Lord in 2 Chronicles 7:1-3 (ESV);
“As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. 2 And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord's house. 3 When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, ‘For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.’”
Can you even imagine? In the New Testament, this glory is already exists within us; 2 Corinthians 4:6-7 (ESV);
“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”
The term “glory” is an interesting word in the Greek. It is the word “Doxa” which is defined in this way, Doxa can represent an “opinion”. opinion (always good in NT), praise, honor, glory. In other words, the world will recognize the church when we leave them an opinion of who Jesus really is. The church will radiate the person of Jesus Christ through the glory He has put within us. I believe that is the essence of the final harvest. That’s what the Bible teaches. Finally, I want to share a dream that Charlene Miller had this week. I trust it will encourage you as it did myself;
I had a very encouraging vision this morning.
I was laying in bed this was around 430 to 5, all of the sudden as my eyes were closed I saw the sun rising and it was big n so bright!!!
You could feel the joy if a new day. The brightness of the sun was so much more and so overwhelming large, and it was filled with such hope and it's glorious light was so warm and inviting.
I actually opened my eyes to see if the sun had actually come up but it was still dark out.
I closed my eyes once more and I was back in the vision but this time I was watching as people came outside and got into their cats with such hope and joy the streets were filled with the warmth of the presence of the SON !!!
I didn't want it to end, but I got up out of bed knowing that very soon we are entering a new day filled with HOPE, JOY once more and LOVE!!!
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. God bless!!