I had a hearty discussion this week with some persons who were insisting that the old practices and faith walks in Christendom were far better than now. These persons indicated that now they don’t see or hear of persons walking by faith and how God came through for them. I was perplexed. While there were truly people and acts of great faith back then, these individuals seemed to ignore the provisions and the work that Jesus is doing right now. How often do we look back so longingly on what Jesus did, while ignoring what He’s doing right now? How is He moving in this season? What does He want us to do right now to advance the mandate of His Kingdom in the earth? How can we ever press towards higher heights in Christ if our entire being is oriented towards what’s behind us? Don’t look back, look forward!
Don’t Get Stuck in the Past
At the time, I was saddened by the fact that these individuals were stuck in the mode of the glorious past, instead of focusing on the goodness and works of Jesus Christ right now. They were so aggressively resolute to maintain their dark and bleak outlook on the present. I am so grateful that the Spirit of God shielded my divine optimism from the negativity that was swirling around! Then I came home and the Spirit of God told me: “That’s the message for this week.” The relevant scriptures for this message are: Hebrews 12:1-3; Isaiah 43:18-19; Psalm 1:3; Jeremiah 17:5-8; John 15:1-8, 13-16 (emphasis on verses 5 and 16).
Men and Women of Faith Still Exist!
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. He never changes and His power never diminishes.1 The acts of faith of the past are not dead. There are still men and women of great faith in this era. The arenas for these acts of faith may have shifted from where they were in the past to their current location now, but they still exist.
My mother was a domestic helper. Before washing machines were popular in Jamaican homes, she would hand wash other people’s clothes in their homes. She told me that she often prayed for the rain not to fall and for the sun’s heat to dry the clothes on the line, so that she could gather them up before leaving work for the day. Jesus would always answer her simple prayers of faith.
I also pray for the rain not to fall, but not in the context of being a domestic helper. Jesus answers my prayers when I pray for my own clothes to get dry on the clothesline. I have also proved the great faithfulness of Jesus in many other areas of my life. So you see, Jesus Christ is still speaking to us. He is still moving among us, so we can look forward to His work here in the earth. Jesus just requires hearts fully surrendered to Him.
Run Your Own Race
Hebrews 11 and 12 are important indicators for us. Hebrews 11 gives the rundown of the great men and women of faith in the past. However this chapter didn’t end with: “Oh well, I guess that’s it! Those people were all great, nothing will happen in our time!”
No! Hebrews 12 picks up with an encouragement to the current generation to run with patience the race that is before us! We have the baton and we must run unhindered, unfettered and completely free in Jesus Christ to the end of our leg.
However let me just caution: We cannot run the race that is set before us if we are constantly looking backwards in regret and longing for what is past. Never denigrate/put down your present in the rosy afterglow of the past – that is a spirit of ungratefulness. Be thankful to Christ for the miracles of provision, protection and preservation that He is doing for you right now. As you are faithful in the little, Jesus will make you ruler over much.2 The past is gone, we are supposed to take those lessons and run forward into the next that Jesus has for us. We must work to do His will right now!
Maintain the Right Outlook
““”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?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert.””
Isaiah 43: 18-19, NKJV.
Jesus is doing a new thing, but can you see it? Are your eyes still blinded by past methods and operations that you cannot discern what the Lord is speaking and doing right now? Are you current in Him, or are you stagnated? Can you see the new roads that Jesus Christ is opening up in wilderness situations of your life and ministry? Can you see the rivers that are unexpectedly bursting forth in the desert? Where are you? Where is your focus? Are you right here, right now, ready to be used of the Master?
In order for us to maintain the right vision of Christ, we must remain close by Him, in His presence. Psalm 1:3 gives us the imagery of our true state in His Kingdom. I am a firm proponent of speaking the Word of God over myself so I have added the necessary inserts to make it especially relevant to us right now, in this time:
“[We] shall be like tree[s]
Planted by the rivers of water,
[We] bring forth [our] fruit in [our] season,
[Our] lea[ves] also shall not wither;
And whatever [we do] shall prosper.
Psalm 1:3, NKJV.
We must abound and flourish in everything that we do! Why? We are planted by our Eternal Source of Living Water, Jesus Christ! We can only be fruitful if we abide in our life-source: Jesus Christ. Our perspective must be through the awesome power and grace of Christ, not through the oppressive lens of a fallen world. Jesus Christ is our hope; our source is Jesus Christ, not people in high or low positions, not systems, not hierarchies, not our feelings, not our carnal outlook. Jesus Christ must be our only source and our only hope. You should always look forward to your ultimate Source!
Where Do You Put Your Trust?
““Thus says the Lord:
“Cursed is the man who trusts in man
And makes flesh his strength,
Whose heart departs from the Lord.
For he shall be like a shrub in the desert,
And shall not see when good comes,
But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness,
In a salt land which is not inhabited.”“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
And whose hope is the Lord.
For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,
Which spreads out its roots by the river,
And will not fear when heat comes;
But its leaf will be green,
And will not be anxious in the year of drought,
Nor will cease from yielding fruit.””
Jeremiah 17:5-8, NKJV.
Wow! It’s our choice: Will we trust in Jesus Christ alone or trust in the arm of flesh? Do we want to be shrubs dying in a desert? Let’s decide on being mighty trees rooted in His divine source of strength and flourish. It’s a choice my people! It’s a clear choice!
Abide in Jesus Christ
Let’s all abide in Jesus Christ as outlined in John 15. Abide in the True Vine, even Jesus Christ. Rest in Him, live in Him, in every way possible, remain; even abide in Him. As we abide, fully enclosed into the True Vine, we will grow as branches of Jesus Christ; we will begin to yield much fruit and our fruit will remain. I just love these words from Jesus Christ Himself, they encourage my heart so much and I know that they will encourage your hearts as well:
““”I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing…
You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.””
John 15: 5 and 16, NKJV.
Look Forward!
Again, I ask that you do not look back, look forward! Jesus is doing a new thing right here, but you must be fully present right now to receive it! Do not trust in the arm of flesh, trust only in Jesus Christ! Don’t let situations and the actions (or non-actions) of other human beings derail you! Jesus Christ is our only hope and our only source! You choose: a shrub in the desert, or a tree planted by the Eternal Spring of Life? Choose! I urge us to live fully abiding in the True Vine, even Jesus Christ, that we may bring forth much fruit and that our fruit will remain.
Blessings, peace and wisdom upon you,
Sophia.
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