Let It Rain

Well, good morning! I sit with my computer at this very early hour thanks to the crashing thunder that felt like an actual punch to my chest.  With the rain pouring and the storm covering the city, I could feel a smile growing on my face, an anticipation that has been growing.  Let it rain, let it cover this city.  Lord, the seeds that you have been planting all of this time, let them begin to sprout up from the ground.

The wheat is growing during this time.  The people, now sitting at home have the ability to be growing in relationship, drawing closer to God right now, listening for His Word.  His people can be filling themselves up within His Word and His presence, worshiping Him day and night without fear.  This is the time that has been set aside for His church, His bride.  This is the time for us to position ourselves in Him.  God is good and He did not send this foul sickness, but won't He use it for His good?  He isn't surprised by it, and in knowing that, isn't there a preparation in hearts that has already been taking place?

How many feel like they were created for such a time as this?  How many can feel their faith rising, that the continuous rain on us during this time is watering that small seed and that mustard plant (tree) is beginning to grow out of the ground?  Can you feel the electricity in the air?  

Matthew 9 is such a great reminder.  So much happens in this chapter, it begins with healing the paralyzed man, while forgiving his sins.  The next thing we see is Jesus calling Matthew, the tax collector.  Once we grasp the fullness of that choice, we see Jesus on his way to heal a daughter and a woman steps in and receives healing by the faith she has to reach out and touch his robe.  While dealing with the woman, the daughter dies, and yet, Jesus wakes her from her slumber.  Next, he heals the blind and mute.  That is the first 34 verses, leading up to this next passage.

Matthew 9:35-38
 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.  When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Matthew 10:1
Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
Matthew 10:5-7
These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.  As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

Jesus showed them, Jesus talked about it and then Jesus sent them to do what he was doing.  The workers multiplied.  (after he told them to pray for the workers, he sent THEM as the workers) The workers were given identity and authority and they were given a specific plan of action.

Matthew 16:19 
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

We have been given the keys to the kingdom.  Jesus told the disciples to teach others what he had taught and shown them.  We have been given the same authority and identity.  We have been given the power to bind and the power to loose.  We have been told to go and proclaim the kingdom of heaven is near.  We have been told to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse leprosy and drive out demons.  

When this quarantine ends, (YES IT IS GOING TO END) are you going to be ready to harvest what has been growing?  Are you going to be ready to partner with God, and take your city with Him by your side?

The more I pray, the more certain I am that our eyes have moved and our prayers need to shift back into place.  We keep asking God to do EVERYTHING.  We keep praying for revival.  We keep praying for a great move of His Spirit.  I keep seeing that revival is the direct response to the people of God getting into that quiet place with him, filling up to overflow and taking it out into the world.  Revival is the response to our overflow.  We must be right with God.  We must reposition our eyes to Him, and let Him direct our paths instead of us creating the perfect formula.  He has positioned us to lean in, take a rest in Him, reposition ourselves back into rightness and to then take it back into the world.  A world that needs hope, a world that needs something that doesn't change, SOMEONE who doesn't change, yesterday, today or tomorrow.  A world that needs to be released from the bondage of fear and anxiety.  A world that needs people filled with the Spirit, living out their identities, not for themselves, but for the Glory of God to be seen and known. 

We keep asking God to do a lot of things.  My question is, what has God given you the authority to do, and are you doing it?  We complicate things, Jesus said, take nothing with you, and go and do what I have shown you.  The message hasn't changed.  Leave your programs and your plans behind, and just take the good news that Jesus is still reigning on the throne, and He loves us enough to die for us, and even more, to give us a new life in Him that lasts an eternity.  

James 1:22
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

What is He telling you right now?  If you are having trouble hearing through all of the noise, pick up your Bible and read only the red letter words.  What are you going to do?