By Pastor Daphne Yang
There’s a stirring and brewing of the Holy Spirit across nations, over all the earth. God is greatly stirring His creation for an awakening that’s coming upon us.
As surely as the sun rises from the east and sets in the west, our God neither slumbers nor sleeps who watches over Israel. His love is endlessly desiring to see our good because His purpose to be accomplished in and through us is important.
Before we were born and formed in our mother’s womb, God said, “I knew you.” Before any mistake, disappointment, and failure we encountered, God said, “I knew you for I formed you in your mother’s womb.”
His Word goes before us and Isaiah 45:2 reminds us that He will make the rough places smooth, and He will shatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron bars. He goes before us in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night, He gives light. (Ex 13:21)
Do you awake each morning with yesterday’s worries when God has promised to be in your tomorrow? Where there are things you’ve yet to figure out, circumstances you’re stressed with or questions you can’t find the answer for, God says to you, “I’ve got you, and I’ve got this.”
God doesn’t just follow us into our challenges, troubles, situations, or seasons. He reminds us, “I’ve gone before you. I’ve prepared a place for you, and I’ve prepared a table for you in the presence of your enemies. Even if you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, no evil shall befall you.”
When God awakens you, He desires to reveal hope in you more than you desire it for yourselves. It’s time to start listening to what God has to say, by first listening to Him and not to what someone else or the devil has to say about you or your circumstance.
When we don’t fill our minds with the Word of God, the enemy will fill it with anxiety, stress and temptation. When we’ve conversations with God on His purpose and promises for our lives, we will certainly keep the devil out and Christ with His manifold wisdom in.
Proverbs 19:20-21 says, “Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter end. There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless, the LORD’s counsel – that will stand.”
Be willing to receive wisdom and counsel, for wise counsel will help us seek God’s best for our lives by looking at all sides of issues. If we’ve taken our eyes off Him, it’s time to awake out of our slumber and put our focus back on God.
The apostle Paul warns, “Let us not sleep as others do but let us keep awake and be sober” (1 Thess 5:6). We’re prone to tire and slumber and lose sight of eternal joys against the canvas of earthly realities. But when the harsher reality of life surrounds us, we’re to be more awakened to the glorious, boundless and attentive heart of heaven.
Behold, the glory of God is coming upon what God wants to do, so ask Him for faith to do His will, for “every man is given the measure of faith” (Rom 12:3). Our portion is to yield to the anointing but if we’re honest, we’ve a problem yielding to the anointing, yielding to the Holy Spirit.
I exhort you, begin to practise the presence of God and become a God-lover with your simple devotion and simplicity of heart. A. W. Tozer said, “If we are not changed by grace, then we are not saved by grace.” Indeed, the enemy comes to steal, kill, destroy, and to devour our soul but grace will overcome.
Therefore, being fully confident in God’s loving and unstoppable promises, our hope shall be complete. We’re heirs of the righteousness of God in His Kingdom and the spiritual realities through faith must be as real when we see our town, city, family, and our little place in the grand scheme of God’s work.
God has not brought us this far to desire that we should fall down again and again. He desires that we be able to see what He sees for us. He who began a good work in you has not brought you this far to leave you, but He will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Phil 1:6). Start giving God the full credit, give Him the honour, and His first place.
You’ve been resourced – whether it’s possessing a generous heart, serving people in the ministry of hospitality, teaching, prophecy or the many differing gifts granted to each. We’ve a purpose in life and the faith of God working with grace must be fully awakened in us. Let’s fix our eyes to wholly follow after what’s truly real.
We must keep awake!