“But now, says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you O Israel; Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you, when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you, For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel…since your were precious in My sight, you have been honored, and I have loved you…fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, and gather you from the west; I will say to the north, Give them up! And to the south, Do not keep them back! Bring my sons from afar, and my daughters from the end of the earth…Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old, behold I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it?”
Excerpts from Isaiah 43
Christ elected the church to rule and reign with Him, to represent Him in the earth once again. WE are God’s elected officials to bring transformation to the earth through the only message and power able to change man’s heart and very nature – the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the power of Truth. As Satan rules only with the power of deception, so the church can only bring the rule of God through the power of truth.
“I have put My words in your mouth; I have covered you with the shadow of My hand, that I may plant the heavens, lay the foundations of the earth, and say to Zion, you are My people.
(Isaiah 51:16) “Awake, awake!”
Truth has fallen in the streets…
For truth to “fall” it must be let go of or never received. God challenged Israel with this verse. Though they were chosen, loved, and valued by God, they were no longer receiving truth and they were letting go of truth they had known. For the state of the elect to change, they would need to change. They would need to embrace truth about God and themselves and then choose to respond to that truth. They would have to hold on to that truth so they could continue to be blessed. As Israel turned from sin and compromise and embraced truth, God’s blessing would be released on them and the nation they dwelled in would be impacted. The prayers of a righteous people are heard and answered. God intended His people would be influencers of the earth – not the other way around!
Let’s compare the church today with the elect of Isaiah’s time in the first two chapters:
In Israel: There was sin and iniquity (crooked ways) (1:4); fainting hearts and wounded people (1:5-6); sacrifice without obedience (1:11); doing of evil (1:16); oppression of others (1:17); no defending of the fatherless or widow (1:17); rebellion/stealing (1:23); a following after reward (1:23); mixing with Eastern ways/religious tolerance(2:5); love of mammon/money (2:7); materialism (2:7); idolatry of self-effort/accomplishment (2:8); subjection to idols.
Because of these issues in the elect, the nation they dwelled in was desolate, cities burned with fire, strangers devouring the land, war, filled with love of mammon and idolatry, economic and environmental hardships and under God’s judgment with the elect. For the nation to change, the elect would have to change.
Are we ready???
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