Unite, Fight and Evangelize During This Time of Social Distancing
No matter what happens in this world, Jesus is with us. And Jesus is in control. In this past week, Jesus has reminded me twice that he is with us until the end of the age.
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
This is a comforting passage to hear anytime but perhaps especially in times of struggle. News about the coronavirus is all over my feeds these days. Hong Kong was hit a little earlier so in some ways we’ve had a little more time to … I don’t know, process it. To see fear and desperation grip people while still prayerfully trying not to fear ourselves and live lives that showcase God’s peace, love, faith. But to be honest, it’s not been my biggest concern. In this current season, God has been speaking to me about evangelising. I don’t think he’s given me a heart for praying and fasting to destroy the enemy’s plans regarding the coronavirus. But that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t pray, sometimes I just don’t know how. Thankfully God has given this heart to a few of my friends, and one asked me to share via social media so more could gather together in prayer. Will post his encouragement for us to ‘Unite, Fight, and Evangelize’ (see Notes below) and prayers going forward. Whether you have lots of thoughts on the coronavirus or don’t know what to think, please join us as we pray and share together.
I thank God for community and marvel at his design. He gives us different missions and gifts, and we are to use them to work together. In this time, I pray that we can all seek God more and stay aligned with his heart, and focus our time in the way he leads us. For me, the best way to do this is by worshipping more. Worshipping keeps my eyes on God and helps me stay humbly dependent on him. I know things are not right when I start to feel fearful or self-sufficient. Reading the Bible, it’s clear that things will get worse before Jesus returns. But the church will have revival.
My Revelation Book Study by Mike Bickle @ihopkc explains this saying, “These seven letters [in Revelation] give us a clear portrait of what Jesus requires of the Church, to whom He will entrust great power so we may partner with Him in His end-time battle plan" (Revelation 6-22).
This weekend, I attended my church’s women’s retreat (leaders decided to go ahead after lots of prayer and taking lots of precautions) and the guest speaker, Sharon Balcombe Lau, began and ended with encouragement to step into the purpose God has for our lives. “Whatever God gives you, preach it!”
‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants—men and women alike—and they will prophesy. And I will cause wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below—blood and fire and clouds of smoke. The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives. But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ (Acts 2:17-21).
Let’s remember that no one and nothing is mightier that our Lord Jesus and he IS coming back, perhaps sooner than we think.
When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave. (Revelation 1: 12-18)
Together we can ‘Unite, Fight, and Evangelize’ and partner with God to carry out his plans. He doesn’t need us but he wants us all to play a part. I pray we take our identity and our responsibility seriously. And never forget to enjoy everyday we have with him. I feel Jesus really wanted us to be reminded of this … that life and serving him is not always easy, but we can always do it with his joy.
