Turned a Corner--Salvation Comes
Greetings in the Lord~
Well, finally some good news. Yesterday and today the Lord gave several passages that tell of His promises of restoration! Praise God! We will now be seeing Him move powerfully until Easter, as the Lord is moving on our behalves, judging this virus and corruption in the spirit realm and touching many lives in their recovery process. So what does that mean? Can we leave our houses and resume normal business?!
Not quite yet; as anyone knows who has ever had surgery, or an injury, or major sickness to overcome, sometimes the recovery process can be daunting in and by itself, and often we get impatient when the trajectory changes in our favor, and when we start to get our strength and appetite back and the pain begins to go away. We get excited and want to move about like before. But Easter is our green light, per the word of the Lord. And we must understand that "turning a corner" doesn't mean less cases of the virus--just the opposite. What the enemy means for harm, God will use for His good; it is about getting people's attention in a serious way for salvation, and not just for a few, but for the nations.
"Was it in anger, Lord, that you struck the rivers and parted the sea? Were You displeased with them? No, You were sending Your chariots of salvation!" Habakkuk 3:8
We certainly do not want to overlook or discount the hardships and seriousness of the virus pandemic, for these are real hardships. But we must know that everything did not come about by accident; this was God's 'timeout', a sign and a wonder like the plagues we read about in Egypt and elsewhere in the Bible. Yet, godly discipline does not remain forever. So today we can begin to thank and praise God for beginning to move us forward to wisdom and recovery and an opportunity to receive salvation. Out of this great calamity will come global spiritual revival. Let's look at some of the passages He has given and see what we can learn and look forward to.
First, from Isaiah 61:1-2, there is a promise about the coming freedom from our homes and comfort to our hearts for the loss of life and hardships we endured during this time of global pandemic. For we know thousands have lost loved ones and even more were afflicted with pain and sickness and lack during this period of time.
Also, as we read that as the Lord brings favor and restoration to those who sought refuge in Him and used this time to draw near to Him, He also brings His "anger against their enemies." In other words, over the next weeks we will see the strong hand of the Lord move against those who used this pandemic time for corrupt purposes--everything from over-pricing and fighting in the stores to blocking aid to millions of people while they were in desperate need and silencing whistle blowers and social media coverage to the truth of what was really going on, or God's words about it, etc. For there really is a right and wrong way to act, even in a time such as a great natural disaster.
"For only when you come to judge the earth will people learn what is right." Is. 26:9
"For I, the Lord love justice. I hate robbery and wrongdoing. I will faithfully reward My people for their suffering and make an everlasting covenant with them. Their descendants will be recognized and honored among the nations. Everyone will realize that they are a people the Lord has blessed." Isaiah 61:8
Verse 8 gives us some really cool promises of reward and honor, especially to those in the early days of Chinese doctors that tried to warn the people of the virus, and for all those throughout the pandemic on the front lines who sacrificially helped people and met their needs, prayed at their bedsides, comforted their families, and shed tears in their break times. God has watched and taken note of everyone's behavior during this time and will repay accordingly, be sure of that. And the prayers of the righteous avails much! I do discern that it was the power of prayer (in addition to the obedience to stay home) that nipped the raging epidemic in South Korea to a crawl in a short time frame--thank God for the prayer warriors there!
Next, verses 4-7 and 10-11 talk about rebuilding and repopulating desolate cities, the nations prospering economically and agriculturally, spiritual revival breaking out and God's blessing of joy and honor on the people of the earth with whom God is pleased. Those are awesome and exciting promises! And be sure of this, too, these promises are for righteous leaders as well as upright common folk of the land. In the months after Easter, expect good things to spring forth on the earth!
"They will rebuild the ancient ruins, repairing cities destroyed long ago. They will revive them, though they have been deserted for many generations.
Foreigners will be your servants. They will feed your flocks and plow your fields and tend your vineyards.
You will be called priests of the Lord, ministers of our God. You will feed on the treasures of the nations and boast in their riches.
Instead of shame and dishonor, you will enjoy a double portion of prosperity in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours." Isaiah 61:4-7
~Be blessed and be a blessing.
Well, finally some good news. Yesterday and today the Lord gave several passages that tell of His promises of restoration! Praise God! We will now be seeing Him move powerfully until Easter, as the Lord is moving on our behalves, judging this virus and corruption in the spirit realm and touching many lives in their recovery process. So what does that mean? Can we leave our houses and resume normal business?!
Not quite yet; as anyone knows who has ever had surgery, or an injury, or major sickness to overcome, sometimes the recovery process can be daunting in and by itself, and often we get impatient when the trajectory changes in our favor, and when we start to get our strength and appetite back and the pain begins to go away. We get excited and want to move about like before. But Easter is our green light, per the word of the Lord. And we must understand that "turning a corner" doesn't mean less cases of the virus--just the opposite. What the enemy means for harm, God will use for His good; it is about getting people's attention in a serious way for salvation, and not just for a few, but for the nations.
"Was it in anger, Lord, that you struck the rivers and parted the sea? Were You displeased with them? No, You were sending Your chariots of salvation!" Habakkuk 3:8
We certainly do not want to overlook or discount the hardships and seriousness of the virus pandemic, for these are real hardships. But we must know that everything did not come about by accident; this was God's 'timeout', a sign and a wonder like the plagues we read about in Egypt and elsewhere in the Bible. Yet, godly discipline does not remain forever. So today we can begin to thank and praise God for beginning to move us forward to wisdom and recovery and an opportunity to receive salvation. Out of this great calamity will come global spiritual revival. Let's look at some of the passages He has given and see what we can learn and look forward to.
First, from Isaiah 61:1-2, there is a promise about the coming freedom from our homes and comfort to our hearts for the loss of life and hardships we endured during this time of global pandemic. For we know thousands have lost loved ones and even more were afflicted with pain and sickness and lack during this period of time.
Also, as we read that as the Lord brings favor and restoration to those who sought refuge in Him and used this time to draw near to Him, He also brings His "anger against their enemies." In other words, over the next weeks we will see the strong hand of the Lord move against those who used this pandemic time for corrupt purposes--everything from over-pricing and fighting in the stores to blocking aid to millions of people while they were in desperate need and silencing whistle blowers and social media coverage to the truth of what was really going on, or God's words about it, etc. For there really is a right and wrong way to act, even in a time such as a great natural disaster.
"For only when you come to judge the earth will people learn what is right." Is. 26:9
"For I, the Lord love justice. I hate robbery and wrongdoing. I will faithfully reward My people for their suffering and make an everlasting covenant with them. Their descendants will be recognized and honored among the nations. Everyone will realize that they are a people the Lord has blessed." Isaiah 61:8
Verse 8 gives us some really cool promises of reward and honor, especially to those in the early days of Chinese doctors that tried to warn the people of the virus, and for all those throughout the pandemic on the front lines who sacrificially helped people and met their needs, prayed at their bedsides, comforted their families, and shed tears in their break times. God has watched and taken note of everyone's behavior during this time and will repay accordingly, be sure of that. And the prayers of the righteous avails much! I do discern that it was the power of prayer (in addition to the obedience to stay home) that nipped the raging epidemic in South Korea to a crawl in a short time frame--thank God for the prayer warriors there!
Next, verses 4-7 and 10-11 talk about rebuilding and repopulating desolate cities, the nations prospering economically and agriculturally, spiritual revival breaking out and God's blessing of joy and honor on the people of the earth with whom God is pleased. Those are awesome and exciting promises! And be sure of this, too, these promises are for righteous leaders as well as upright common folk of the land. In the months after Easter, expect good things to spring forth on the earth!
"They will rebuild the ancient ruins, repairing cities destroyed long ago. They will revive them, though they have been deserted for many generations.
Foreigners will be your servants. They will feed your flocks and plow your fields and tend your vineyards.
You will be called priests of the Lord, ministers of our God. You will feed on the treasures of the nations and boast in their riches.
Instead of shame and dishonor, you will enjoy a double portion of prosperity in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours." Isaiah 61:4-7
~Be blessed and be a blessing.
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