What does it mean to go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah as was prophesied about John the Baptist? John's father, Zechariah, declared, "And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. You will tell people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins." (Luke 1:76-77 - NLT) He certainly had an important call on his life! I think that every Believer has the same call—that we should live our lives to "prepare the way for the Lord," in the spirit of Elijah.
We can read about Elijah's life in the Bible in 1 Kings 17 through 2 Kings 2. Here are some of the highlights of his life:
The prophet Malachi declared, "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers..." (Malachi 4:5-6) The angel of the Lord repeated this prophecy to Zechariah to let him know that his son John would fulfill it. (Luke 1:15-17) And John's life is seen as a standard for all of us to follow. Jesus said, "I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it." (Matthew 11:11-12) We are in the season of celebrating the break-in of heaven to earth. Jesus came to earth as a seed in his mother's womb. As that seed grew, John the Baptist would prepare the way for Him. Time would show that Jesus is the Lord of the breakthrough. He demonstrated the power and love of His Father in heaven. Many around us are celebrating Christmas but may not comprehend its true meaning. We are those who can and should prepare the way of the Lord through a ministry of power and love that fosters reconciliation between family members and friends. The anointing is upon us: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Luke 4:18-19) These promises from the Word of God may challenge us, but let us not bring the truth of the Word down to our level of experience. Ask Holy Spirit to bring our experience up to the truth of the Word. Let's claim these promises over our lives and launch out into a lifestyle to "prepare the way of the Lord." Spring flowering trees that are blossoming in October? What is going on? As I look out my bedroom window I see clusters of rosy-colored crabapple blossoms. The tree has been confused by our uncharacteristically warm weather. Spring blooming trees set their flower buds for the following spring in the summer. The extra warmth of our autumn brought those buds into bloom. Now I am seeing both flowers and fruit on the same tree.
Like the crabapple tree, Christians are to blossom and bear fruit. God made it clear to the Israelites that He wants priests who blossom and bear fruit to minister to Him. He instructed Moses to place a staff from the leaders of each tribe in the Tent of Testimony. "The next day Moses entered the Tent of Testimony and saw that Aaron's staff, which represented the house of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds." (Numbers 17:8) This was a confirmation that those in the tribe of Levi were to perform duties in the Tent of Testimony and minister before the Lord. Jesus dealt with the issue of spiritual unfruitfulness while He was walking with the disciples from Bethany to Jerusalem through the cursing of an unproductive fig tree (representing Israel). "The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to find out if it had any fruit. When He reached it, He found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then He said to the tree, 'May no one ever eat fruit from you again.’ And His disciples heard Him say it." (Mark 11:12-13) God's desire for us to blossom and bear fruit for His Kingdom is talked about in Isaiah 27:6. "In days to come Jacob will take root, Israel will bud and blossom and fill all the world with fruit." How can we increase our season of bloom and fruit bearing? The crabapple tree blossomed out of season because of the warm environment around it. We must be atmosphere changers! God rewards those who seek Him with all their hearts. (Jeremiah 29:13) Let us ask the Lord to draw us unto Himself. "Take me away with you--let us hurry! Let the king bring me into his chambers." (Song of Solomon 1:4) Let us strengthen our faith. "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6-NAS) Let us be diligent in our pursuit of the Lord and watch the flame of love bring us into blossom and increasing fruitfulness. It was on May 14, 1948, that the modern State of Israel was birthed after the British Mandate over Palestine came to an end. President Harry Truman announced recognition of this new State. Leaders of other countries would follow his lead. Shortly after the proclamation of the Jewish State an attack of Moslem armies from the south, east and north came and tested the ability of the fledgling State to protect herself. It was the first of many battles that would be fought by the Jewish State. That is one of the reasons why there was such a celebration over the 70th anniversary of Israel that took place on May 14, 2018.
The number 70 is significant in Israel's history. Some of its meanings include a time prior to increase, breaking off the last season and restoration. You may recall that the Israelites had to serve the king of Babylon for 70 years. Jeremiah had prophesied: "'When 70 years are completed for Babylon I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" (Jeremiah 29:10-11) Israel has completed 70 years as a state. They have been blessed with prosperity and protection by the Lord because of the covenant He made with Abraham. God always keeps His promises! Seventy years of statehood for Israel was not the only event celebrated last week. The United States Embassy was moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This move was an agreement with Israel and a declaration that Jerusalem is their capital. After 70 years, President Trump made it happen. These momentous events occurred during the 50 days from Passover to Shavuot (to the Jewish people) or Pentecost (to the Church). Isn't it significant that this week of celebration is being capped off by Shavuot or Pentecost? It is also significant that the Church's Greek calendar coincides with the Jews' Hebrew calendar. Rarely do these two celebrations (one from the Old Covenant and one from the New) occur on the same day. When we look at history, three significant events took place on the same day in different years. The wheat crop of the Israelites would have been mature 50 days after Passover, so they were required to come to the temple with two baked loaves of bread made from the harvested wheat. The loaves were to be presented to the Lord as a firstfruits offering of thanksgiving. (Leviticus 23:15-17) According to Jewish belief, the feast of Shavuot was also the anniversary of the day that the Israelites arrived in Sinai and Moses received the Word of God or Torah. (If one cuts a loaf of bread in half, would the front of the pieces not look like the tablets upon which God wrote the Ten Commandments?) This special day of feasting, when the Jews would have been gathered in Jerusalem, was the day that God chose to pour out His Holy Spirit on those who gathered in an upper room and waited upon Him. Believers call this day Pentecost for 50. Historically, when significant events occurred in Israel, significant moves of God occurred in the Church. Could it be that the Church is in store for a mighty move of God? The Lord desires relationship with us. The prophet Hosea's message is as powerful today as it was in the day of the Israelites. "Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge Him. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth." (Hosea 6:3) Today the Church is celebrating Pentecost. We have had a solid week of spring rain here in Bucks County, PA. Is the Lord ready to do in the Spirit realm what He has done in the physical realm? We are surrounded by lush, green plants--the result of all the rains. The Psalmist talks about the productive trees that are planted by streams of water. (Psalm 1:3) Like the trees planted by streams of water, let us plant ourselves in a place where we can receive God's spiritual rains. It is time to move into a season of fruitfulness. After 70 years, Israel is moving into a new season. Let us cry out to God for a fresh outpouring of His Spirit and a new season for His Church. The first mention of the ancient city of Nineveh appears in Genesis 10:9-12. We are told that Nimrod, whose name means "we shall rebel," went to Assyria to build Nineveh. The book of Jonah calls it "the great city." It was known for its evilness, but in God's eyes, there is no one that cannot be redeemed. In His mercy and grace, He decided to send the prophet Jonah to Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrians, to preach against the wickedness of the people. As we know, Jonah had judged the people of this city and wanted no part of God's desire to redeem them. God demonstrated the extraordinary lengths to which He will go to bring us back to Him. He orchestrated a violent storm so that Jonah would be thrown into the sea and swallowed by a huge fish. After three days and nights in the belly of that fish Jonah became willing to speak to the people of Nineveh. The fish "vomited Jonah onto dry land," (Jonah 2:10), the shores of his destiny. He was now prepared to deliver a powerful message that had been formed through God's intervention and backed up with a mighty testimony. "Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. He proclaimed, 'Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned,' When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in dust." (Jonah 3:3-6) The king decreed that neither man nor beast could eat or drink and that all should urgently call on God and give up their evil ways. (Jonah 3:7-9) As a result of their actions, God had compassion and did not bring destruction upon them. The repentance of the Ninevites may have lasted about 100 years; however, they eventually returned to their evil ways. God sent another prophet, Nahum, to tell Judah that their days of oppression would come to an end and that the Ninevites would be destroyed. The plains of Nineveh and their surrounding cities are located in modern day Iraq. In the many years since the days of Jonah, there has been a Christian remnant. Franklin Graham, leader of Samaritan's Purse, wrote about the "historically Christian cities on the Nineveh Plains" in his most recent newsletter. Here is what he wrote when comparing his visit from last year and this year: "Neighborhoods had become battlefields, churches were charred, and all the families had fled. Even though ISIS was losing battles, it looked like the terrorists might have won their war to drive out Christians from Iraq. What a difference it was this Easter! In the largest Christian town of Qaraqosh, the cleaned-up streets were decorated with olive branches and filled with joyful Believers who celebrated the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ along with the rebirth of their city." Samaritan's Purse is investing in the future of the Iraqi towns that were once Christian. A gentleman named Yousif, whose home was rebuilt and is now the project manager for the Samaritan's Purse rebuilding project, gave his opinion: "This is the only thing you can do to keep Christianity here. Christianity is in danger now. Believers have been persecuted. They feel that there's hate and that they're unwanted. The only thing to connect them with their country is their homes." Franklin reports, "One pastor told us, 'When the evil one comes, it may look like he has the victory, but that's not the end of the story. The cross is. We stand firm in our faith. Why? Because our Lord says, ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?' (Romans 8:31 - NKJV) With God's help, Samaritan's Purse will do all we can to lift up the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Nineveh Plains." Amid their suffering, the people of the Nineveh Plains are lifting up the Cross as their testimony of God's faithfulness. We should do likewise. "We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice for we trust in His holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in You." (Psalm 33:20-22)
We have moved from Nisan, the first month on the Jewish calendar, to Iyar, the second month. God determined that Nisan would be a time of new beginnings and a time of remembrance through the feast of Passover. It is a month of redemption through the blood of Christ and miracles through the resurrection of Christ. Iyar is known as a month of transition and preparation. It was during this time frame that the tribes of Israel would have been making their way across the desert from Egypt to Mt. Sinai where Torah was given. They were being prepared for an increasing level of relationship with God. He was teaching them about His nature as they traveled. Three of God's names were revealed along the way: Yahweh Rapha--as He healed the bitter waters, Yahweh Jaira--as He provided quail and manna to eat, and Yahweh Nissi--as He gave victory over the attacking Amalekites through the raising of hands as a banner of praise. Throughout the Old Testament we read how God uses wilderness seasons to reveal Himself to us. He is intentional about bringing us into the desert so that we become more intimate with Him. "I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards..." (Hosea 2:14-15a) For the children of Israel, God's desire was to wash them of the slavery mindset and bring them into a realization of their position as sons and daughters of the Most High God. "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." (Isaiah 43:18-19) This is a time when we should be transitioning from one level of relationship with the Lord to another by seeking to know Him more. The tribe associated with the second month is Issachar. When he was born, his mother Leah declared, "God has rewarded me for giving my maidservant to my husband." (Genesis 30:18) Thus his name means "reward." The tribe of Issachar played an important role as the tribes traveled. They marched second in line after Judah because they "understood the times and knew what Israel should do." (1 Chronicles 12:32) They were the tribe that linked Judah (praise) to Zebulon (dwelling/habitation), the third tribe. Here is a key to receiving blessing from God: Our praise of God is connected to the place where we will dwell or how we live. Understanding this and walking it out will transition and transform our lives. We must set our sights on the goal: greater intimacy with the Lord. We are in a season where God is pleased to give us revelation and bring us into deeper intimacy with Him. We are moving toward the day of Pentecost (Shavuot) where the Spirit of the Living God was poured out upon God's people. The Lord wants to prepare each of us to receive the fullness of His Spirit in order that we will experience our own personal Pentecost--a fresh encounter with Holy Spirit. Let us set our hearts on seeking the Lord. As we do this, blessings will be poured upon us. My heart was stirred over the weekend as I spent time at the Voice of the Prophets with over 1,000 people who are hungry for revival. This Global Awakening event brought us several speakers, including Shawn Smith, a traveling evangelist, equipper and revivalist. He confirmed what I believe is the heart of God to bring another Great Awakening to our churches and our nation. He opened the subject of uncapping the wells of revival through Genesis 26. This is the story of Abraham digging wells in a place called Gerar. Wells are dug to supply life-giving water, to place a claim on the land, and to bless the next generation. After Abraham's death, his son Isaac came to the land of his inheritance to find that the wells had been blocked. He went about unblocking them to re-establish the flow of water. My excitement grew at Shawn's word because the wells of revival have already been dug at my own church. We believe that our inheritance is one of revival for several reasons: Renown revivalists from the Great Awakenings traveled to our area and dug wells of revival. It was revivalist John Wesley who established the Methodist Church. Our Methodist Church (The Crossing) tasted revival in 1994 when the Spirit of God fell in power. Our prayer is, "Do it again Lord. We want to see the flow of Your Spirit unleashed again." Shawn taught us about how to break open the wells of revival:
Being made in the image of God, we have the capacity to love and be loved. God's greatest desire is to have intimacy with us, and I believe that this is why He made us to be worshipers. We might miss what is at the heart of worship without understanding the meaning of the language of Scripture.
Jonathan Cahn points out in his book, The Book of Mysteries, a Greek word found in the New Testament--proskuneo--which means "to kiss." The intimacy of a kiss reminds us that worship is meant to be "the most intimate thing you can experience." True worship is freely given and comes "from the overflow of your heart." A kiss is an expression of love and joy. When given to God, it is our way to worship Him and share in intimacy with Him. Not only does God desire our worship/kisses, He desires to kiss us. How does God kiss us? He does it through His Word. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1) In her book, A Kiss a Day, Jamie Lash tells us, "According to rabbinic tradition, it is a living word of prophecy. The Christian equivalent would be a rhema word." When a specific Scripture comes alive to us and resonates in our inner most beings so that we know that God is speaking directly to us, we have been kissed by Him. The Hebrew word nashaq (naw-shak) means kiss. Its root is to equip with weapons, to arm. So, when God kisses us through His Living Word not only is He showing us affection, but He is giving us direction and equipping us for the battles against the enemy. Psalm 2 talks about the nations conspiring against God and gives a word of prophecy that He will send His Son who is meant to be kissed. (Verse 12) He will set a standard. "I will make peace your governor and righteousness your ruler." (Isaiah 60:17) "Righteousness and peace kiss each other." (Psalm 85:10) He is the Word and gives us kisses that bring life. "Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord." (Deuteronomy 8:3) The sweetest times with the Lord are when we exchange kisses--when worship from our hearts is alive and the Word of God is ministering to us. It is the epitome of intimacy! Let us exchange kisses with the Lord. His love is more delightful than wine. (Song of Solomon 1:2) When God distributed land to each of the 12 tribes of Israel it was His intent that an allotment become a permanent inheritance for each tribe. Thus, He made provision for the redemption of the land and for the care of widows within a family. This is played out for us in the Book of Ruth. Naomi lost not only her husband, Elimelech, but also both of her sons. Out of love and concern for Naomi, her daughter-in-law, Ruth, a Moabite, decided to stay with her. She declared, "Your people will be my people and your God my God." (Ruth 1:16)
The women returned to Bethlehem during the barley harvest, and Ruth went to glean in a field owned by Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech. Naomi realized that Boaz could be a kinsman-redeemer for them. This means that he would be responsible to protect the interests of the family and would pay the price for their deliverance and freedom. He would take care of Naomi and Ruth and any offspring that might result from his marriage to Ruth. Ruth was instructed to lay at the feet of Boaz after he finished winnowing the barley on the threshing floor and to request that he provide a covering for her. Boaz was ready to become Ruth's kinsman-redeemer but knew that there was a man who was a closer relative to Elimelech's family who could serve as the redeemer. Boaz and 10 witnesses gathered at the City gate to bring to the attention of this man that Naomi was going to sell the land that belonged to Elimelech. He could purchase the land, but Ruth would come along with it. His responsibility would be to marry her and have children with her so that the name of the dead man would be maintained with his property. (Ruth 4:3-6) At hearing this, the man refused to become the kinsman-redeemer because he said, "I would jeopardize my own inheritance." (Ruth 4:6 - NAS) He passed his right of redemption on to Boaz who became the kinsman-redeemer of Elimelech's family. Boaz gladly took on a Gentile wife and redeemed the property, preserving the family name. He is a picture of our Kinsman-Redeemer, Jesus Christ. We know that Jesus is the Son of God. He was sent to earth for a specific mission--to redeem mankind from sin and the curse of the law, so that "we receive full rights of sons." (Galatians 4:5) Jesus came to restore our inheritance and fellowship with God. As our elder brother in the family line, He was not only qualified but also able and willing to redeem us. The willingness of Jesus to be our kinsman-redeemer was demonstrated when He, the Son of God, took on a new name, "Son of Man," our name. He calls Himself this multiple times in the Gospels. He came to redeem both Jew and Gentile; we are "The Bride of Christ" for Him. "Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So, Jesus is not ashamed to call them (us) brothers." (Hebrews 2:11) Jesus became our Kinsman-Redeemer, gladly taking on our name, the Son of Man, taking us as His bride, and restoring to us everlasting life. The women of Bethlehem said to Naomi: "Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a kinsman-redeemer...He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age..." (Ruth 4:14-15) Should we not also give abundant praise to our Kinsman-Redeemer and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, the One who has redeemed us and taken us on as His Bride? As we study the appearance of a number in Scripture we can learn the meaning of that number. The number eight is significant for us now as it is the last number in both the Hebrew and Gregorian calendar years (5778 and 2018). The prophets are declaring that this is a year of new beginnings and of the open door. The number eight plays a large part in what they are prophesying. Hebrew, male babies were required to be circumcised when they were eight days old. (Genesis 17:12) On the eighth day of their lives, baby cattle and sheep were given as an offering to the Lord. (Exodus 22:30) Priests Aaron and his sons began their ministry and were dedicated to the Lord on the eighth day by bringing sin and burnt offerings to Him. (Leviticus 9:1-2) The Feast of Tabernacles is celebrated for seven days. But the eighth day is holy. "...On the eighth day hold a sacred assembly and present an offering made to the Lord by fire..." (Leviticus 23:36)
What are our expectations for the new year? Are we excited about the opportunities that will arise? I hope so! Jonathan Cahn, in his New York Times Best Seller, The Book of Mysteries, puts an interesting spin on the potential for a new year by introducing us to the Hebrew word "shannah." As with many Hebrew words, this word has two meanings. It can mean second, duplicate or repeat. Cahn says, "In the natural realm the year is a repetition of what has already been...the revolving of the earth around the sun...the coming of winter, spring, summer and fall...the rebirth of nature and its dying, the same progression, the same replaying of what already was." The second meaning of shannah is to change. Cahn writes, "The way of the world is to repeat--but the way of God is the way of newness and change. You can't know God and not be changed by knowing Him. And His will is that the year, the shannah ahead of you, be not a time of repetition, but of change, of new beginnings, of new steps, of breaking out of old ways and the old nature...But you must choose to live in the supernatural and walk in the will and power of Him who makes all things new." Charles Shamp, founder of Destiny Encounters, sought the Lord for a word for 2018: "What I am about to do for my people has no historical reference...I will visit in a new and fresh way...I will open the windows of heaven and showers of blessings will overtake your homes. This is a year of open opportunities, open doors and open heavens!" Glory of Zion's Chuck Pierce declares, "This will be a year of firsts, new beginnings and kingdom demonstrations...No matter how established you are, there will be new beginnings in your life, ministry and spheres of authority. We, the body of Christ, must manifest who we are and whom we represent." Amen! The prophet Isaiah encourages us in Chapter 43, verses 18 and 19. "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." In the New Testament the apostle Paul describes the life of a Believer in Jesus Christ. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17) I hope you are as excited about the open doors and opportunities that God will provide for us as I am. He wants to meet us face-to-face to lead us into our Promised Land and destiny. Let's walk in newness of the Spirit, pursue Him wholeheartedly, and press into the new thing He has for us this year. This is what Jesus told His disciples before He was crucified: "But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you." (John 16:7) "But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth...He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you." (John 16:13-14) Those who confess Jesus as their Lord and Savior receive the Holy Spirit--the fullness of God, the Counselor, the Spirit of Truth, the very Presence of God--into their spirits. What an amazing gift!!
Maybe you were given a beautifully wrapped gift box for Christmas that looked so gorgeous that you were hesitant to open it. However, it had to be done in order for you to discover what was hidden inside. Slowly, you slid off the ribbon, released the tape and pulled the paper aside. Once this was done, the lid had to be taken off the box and then the tissue paper pulled back. First, you would get a glimpse of the gift; then you would pick it up and get familiar with it and imagine how to use it. Finally, you would try it out and then use it for its intended purpose. The more you use it, the more valuable it would become. Jesus gave His disciples and those of us who acknowledge Him to be our Lord, the gift of the Holy Spirit to help us in life and to guide us in all wisdom and truth. He shared this: "Anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father...You may ask me anything in my name, and I will do it." (John 14:12-14) "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever--the Spirit of Truth..." (John 14:16-17) Now, we must ask ourselves a question: Have we gotten to know and fully use our gift of the Holy Spirit? Have we unwrapped the gift yet? Some of us finished unwrapping our gift but put it aside. Some of us are using the gift but have not experienced the Holy Spirit in His fullness. I believe that the Holy Spirit is waiting on us to connect with Him regularly so that He can release the fullness of His power into our lives. We must become aware of the Holy Spirit's presence. Daily, we must invite Him to fill us up and anoint us to carry the glory of the Lord wherever we go. May I suggest that we intentionally engage the Holy Spirit in our lives so that we can walk in His power as we begin the new year. I pray that we will have an experience like the disciples did when they were filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. |
Joan E. MathiasCategories
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