Friday, April 10, 2020

REVISITING THEME OF THIS YEAR

This week, I was impressed upon Pastor’s sermon for the year of time and space. I felt it was timely to review what was preached. Much was forgotten during the whirlwind and storm of this virus outbreak. But since the Lord already said this plague was passing over, it is about time to prepare for what is coming ahead. Back to the theme of the year. The year of time and space. 

Pastor was talking about the chambers in Solomon’s temple. The first level is the grain, wine and oil. The second level is the sleeping quarters of the priests. The third and uppermost level is the treasury where the floors are overlaid with gold. We have just experienced the first level of the grain, wine and oil. Pastor had been preparing us for this first level since 2019 when he preached about taking holy communion. Then in Feb, he also told us to apply anointing oil to protect ourselves. 

Currently we are at the second level. The sleeping chambers of the priest. This is a place or position of rest. As the Lord calls us to rest in a time of partial lockdown, He will also be downloading strategies for us to move up the spiral staircase to ascend to the third floor, which is the treasury. This may occur in the last quarter of the year.

There are many things happening right now that we cannot see. A lot of spiritual activity in the atmosphere. Angelic activity too. When men rest, God works. It wasn’t always easy to get men to rest. So whatever the enemy meant for harm, God turned this lockdown around into our rest. When we rest, we get recharged. We get refreshment and energy to continue the journey, especially when things start to accelerate.

When I read the sermon notes, I see that the church is really transitioning from the wilderness to the promised land, to the palace. This is typified by the change in focus from the tabernacle of Moses to the temple of Solomon. The former is a temporary structure typified by the wandering in the desert. The latter is a permanent fixture in the promised land. That is the place where God has always wanted His people to be dwelling in.

As we stepped into 2020, the backdrop had already been set. We just had a year of latter rain and the grain, wine and oil was already in the first level chambers. But as we were moving up the spiral staircase to the second chamber of rest, we saw the enemy coming ferociously against this rest. He used the virus outbreak to get us into fear and worry, and totally out of the position of rest that the Lord wanted us to be in.

Yet somehow it was of utmost importance that we learn to rest in the midst of the storm. The peace that the Lord has given us is going to see us through the storm. And as we gladly welcome Jesus into our boats, we will find ourselves immediately translated to our destination though we know not how (John 6:16-21). Indeed this is the year that we will truly cross over to the other side. The side that had been so elusive to many of us in those years of our wandering. The promised land that many could see but just couldn’t cross over.

The Passover was finally over. We have come so far. A few days before Passover, I can sense the increasing resistance from the enemy once again. But I know exactly what a defeated foe he is! He has no teeth. His power has been taken away from him. He can only scare and intimidate us. We continue to remain at rest and keep our eyes focused on Jesus. On the day after the Passover, I sensed a shift in the spiritual atmosphere. It was like a turnaround had taken place, and an anointing of ease has come. 






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