Through God’s Eyes it’s a Change, Through Ours a Crisis

“Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,  As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!  When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence.  For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.  Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.” – Isaiah 64:1‭-‬5 KJV

In his first letter to the church at Corinthians, Paul wrote in the ninth verse, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” For the things God promised to happen, He will have to render the heavens opened.

These are powerful things that Him alone has in mind, and wants to accomplish in the lives of people within the church. However, for this to be fulfilled, you must be intentional about it, and understand what He is doing.  

1st Peter, chapter 5 says that in other for God to exalt His people they first have to humble themselves under His mighty hand. Paul also spoke about this ‘humbling process’ in Romans 8:20 – what we are going through, the adjustments we are making, the decisions to remain under the hand of God and live according to his principles even when things are not yet apparent as they should – these things are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us.

Because there’s a time for everything under the sun, God sets up times or seasons when He destroys certain things within our lives (Eccl. 3). Understanding these seasons will prevent you from experiencing frustrations because you decided to cooperate with Him.

In Jeremiah 8:7, God says, “Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the Lord.”

So, the birds understand that there is a time of migration and the understanding that if they don’t migrate they won’t be able to survive. The stork in the heavens know it is time to move, and they act according to the time and the season. When in the time of crisis, where the hand of God is being placed upon us; if we don’t know what to do in that particular season,or we don’t have that skill, so we won’t enter into what God has purposed to bring forth in our lives.

“Crisis is a particular season that requires us to behave in a certain way so that God’s will shall come to pass.”

During crisis, Satan does attack. But by submitting yourself to the will of God, you resist the devil, and he will flee from you. This is the way in which you conduct yourself in other to get what God has intended. A time of crisis, also means a time of stagnancy when things are just not right on the outside. At this time, God says, “I want to bring you into a season where I will be doing exceedingly abundantly above anything you can ask or think.”

There are ten things you need to do when you find yourself in that kind of season;

1. You give him all the glory.
2. Thank Him for whatever is in your hand; no matter how insignificant it seems.
3. Be full of praise for the future. The worship is with everything in the past, Thanksgiving is what you have in your hands. Praise releases the ability of God to birth your future.
4. Cast all your cares. Write out what you consider as your basic needs, things that you have been worried about, and then cast them in form of prayer of commitment to God.
5. Surrender to the crisis to God. Let Him be in control.
6. Don’t focus on yourself during that time. Open yourself up and begin to help and serve others. Prayerfully find those in need of what you have and help them. (2 Cor. 8:1-4)
7. Turn your weakness into His strength. You do this by rejoicing in the supposed negative things that have happened to you. By this, you remove the sting of death and the power of God flows through that area. (2Cor. 6:1-3)
8. Forgive everyone concerned and maintain a genuine love walk during this time.
9. Open up to an elder. Let in people who have gone ahead into your life. Read their books with the intention of learning. Without knowledge from the older generation, there is no chance of fulfilling your mandate in your own generation. (Num 10:31)
10. Pray for fresh oil – Creative ideas, light, new pathways – upon your head. (Psalm 23)

From last Sunday’s message, 23rd September 2018.