Rise up in faith in this season

At the Sacred Assembly Angus Buchan emphasised the need for us to change our minds (repent) and return from walking in the world’s ways to God’s ways in the humility of acknowledging complete dependence on Him.

Uncle Angus also said it is time for us to rise up in faith accepting God’s Word as the absolute truth, the uncompromising plumb line for our thoughts, words and actions.

He made it clear that it is time do God’s Word; not just read it, speak it or believe it; but to live God’s Word and His purpose for us.

Now that we have repented, we need to step out onto the waters of our faith to where we can only act through the Holy Spirit, because in ourselves we cannot walk on water, but in Him we can do all things.

We are at a watershed point where what we do, now, will change our lives forever.

For a time such as this
Remember Mordecai told Esther, Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this? — Esther 4:13-14.

We cannot go back to before and we cannot stand still on ground that is fluid and fast changing around us, we can only go forward and we must choose one of two ways, either God’s way or the world’s ways.

The world’s ways are material and many, and will cause us to stray from the singular path of the Spirit that leads to who God designed us to be.

To become who God designed us to be it is vital that we walk in the presence of the Lord and in the hope of righteousness, refusing to be sucked into the hopelessness of the corrupt world around us.

God’s way not only involves us loving Him, obeying Him, serving Him, and worshiping Him in deed, but also in spirit.

Jesus said, But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth — John 4:23-24.

Time for the supernatural
It is time for us to walk in the spirit, guided by what God’s Holy Spirit shows us. It is time for us to look beyond what we can see in the natural into the supernatural.

It is time for us to walk in the faith of God’s Holy Spirit moving in us, doing His will through us, so that we may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power towards us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come — Ephesians 1:18-21.

It is time for us to reach beyond where we are materially and, in faith, realize all that God has prepared for us to serve Him in the spirit.

However, while we are to draw near to God and “worship Him in spirit and in truth”, our relationship with Him needs to be expressed in material and practical service: teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and observing all things that He commanded; making disciples of all nations and baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; healing the sick; cleansing the lepers, raising the dead, casting out demons.

It is time for us comply fully with the terms of Jesus’ commission, which we will only do by walking in faith beyond our limited natural capabilities, acknowledging our total dependence on the Lord, and placing our free will on the sacrificial altar of His will being done on earth as it is in heaven.

Grace for the assignment
While many of us feel that we are not good enough to be used by God or that we have little to offer, it is not about us, it is all about Jesus who said My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness — 2 Corinthians 12:9.

We must take courage remembering that Jesus Christ has overcome the world and He assured us that he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it — John 14:12-14.

Jesus went further; He promised that although He was going to the Father, if we love Him and keep His commandments the Father would give us another Helper that would abide with us forever – the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him not knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you — John 14:17.

Jesus confirmed that the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in His name, will teach us all things, and bring to our remembrance all things that He said (John 14:26).

However, it is essential that we spend time in the presence of the Lord worshipping Him, praying, reading His Word and communing with Him each day, which will strengthen our relationship with Him, build our faith in Him and equip us to do His will. God will empower us, put us in the right place, and provide us with the right relationships to achieve His purpose for us.

As we submit our lives in surrender to the Lord, He will provide us with the spiritual maturity, discernment, and understanding to stand in the face of adversities and not be confused by what we see in the world around us for, Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint — Isaiah 40:28-31.