In this time of Covid-19 panic and social distancing like most people I started finding myself on an emotional roller coaster. I'd start out the day in the Word and focused on God and by lunchtime after reading and listening to all things economic and virus related I would be in a stressed out, uncertain of everything in life, emotional mess. I know the Word enough to know that is not who I am. That is not who my God is and not what he has promised. So I have spent the last five or six days setting my focus of the Father. I have stopped scrolling fb, stopped watching and reading about the virus, the economy and the lies. If I'm not praying or reading the Word I am praising or listening to teaching on the Word. I have been so encouraged. I have spent the last almost week in a constant peace and joy and just the love of the Lord. It's been awesome.
I have been reading about the life of a man named John G. Lake. He was a minister, missionary and an amazing man of faith in the early 1900's. There is a particular time of his life that just fuels my faith especially during a time like this. I encourage you to read the full testimony here: http://www.geocities.ws/passionsurf/resources/JohnGLake.html
But for now I'm going to share the heart of it. John Lake had such an understanding and belief of the Word that the bubonic plague died as soon as it came in contact with his skin. Seriously you want to read the full testimony! This testimony alone has stirred my spirit and filled me with a desire for the same kind of faith.
I have also been reading through the book of Acts and you know what I've found??? The same faith as John G. Lake and Jesus! Friends, we have the most powerful tool, medicine, cure, news source, textbook, etc... right at our fingertips! The living, active word of God! Unfortunately, most believers don't even read it. Most believers have the outward symbols of faith that adorn their bodies or homes or cars but their inward man is naked. This has become evident in this time of panic. The Lord spoke to me about a shaking that is separating the light from the darkness and that is exactly what is happening.
Please do not get offended but take what I'm about to say back to the Word and discern it for yourself. I'm going to start by sharing an experience I had yesterday. I had to go to the post office and as I stood in line with others maintaining a 6 foot perimeter around me the two men on either side of me began preaching to the whole post office. One speaks out saying, "you know the bible spoke of this virus". The other says, "it also speaks of not trusting Pharmakia, that is the drug companies". They went back and forth sharing about what the bible says and how many people are estimated to die from this virus. As I stood there completely dumfounded by the situation scriptures were flooding my mind. I wanted to say something but I was so confused by the situation that I was speechless. I was confused because these men were talking about what the bible says while clothing themselves in fear as the rest of the world. Face masks and gloves and talking about hiding out in the desert until this plague from God passes. Now please don't misread what I am saying. I am not shaming anyone for taking precautions. You can wear a mask and gloves if you want. We are taking precautions as well with vitamin A, vitamin D, high dose vitamin C, and a healthy diet. I don't know the exact scriptures these men were referring to or standing on but what came into my mind was, "No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;"- Ps. 91:10 and "The Lord will take away from you all sickness, and will afflict you with none of the terrible diseases of Egypt which you have known, but will lay them on all those who hate you."- Deut. 7:17 and "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed." 1 Peter 2:24, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."- 2 Tim. 1:7
I left the post office grieved in my spirit, thinking, "Is that the church? Is that the light shinning into the darkness?" "What happened to the Paul's and Peter's and John Lake's?" "What happened to the church, the body of BELIEVING believers?" I thought and prayed on this the rest of the day and night and this morning woke up with it on my mind. I sat down to read the word at immediately felt like I could relate to Paul in Acts 18: 5-10, "5 When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. 6 But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.9 Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.”
I am not being prideful or thinking I am better or more spiritual than anyone but like Paul was compelled by the Spirit to speak to the Jews (the people who were supposed to know God) I feel compelled by the Spirit to speak to the church (the people who have the truth at their fingertips). Don't ignore this gift and miss out on what God is doing in this time. Don't be so caught up in the world that you miss the word. I am seeing believers doing the same thing that I was doing, getting a little God and a whole lot of the world. When you see people in the grocery store or scroll fb it is almost impossible to know who is a believer and who isn't. All I see is a people following the spirit of fear. No peace. No power. No sound minds. Just fear, everywhere. If I were only looking at the world I would think that God has just up and left but because I've been looking at Him I know that He is here knocking and working and stirring. Do you see Him, do you hear Him? Are you responding to Him? Or are you seeing fear, hearing fear and responding to fear? Be careful brothers and sisters not to make a virus or fear your god. Don't pay them worship through meditation on them. Do not give them foothold in your mind or body.
Friends, I am going to ask something of you. I am asking you to turn off your television. Stop scrolling fb. Tune out the conspiracy talk and videos and seek God. Pick up His word and seek the truth. Call on the Spirit of truth who has promised to lead you into ALL truth (John 16:13). Put aside unbelief! Unbelief grieves the heart of the Father (Hebrews 3: 16-19). This stupid virus has not dethroned or made weak your God. Every one of His promises to His children are still Yes and Amen (2 Cor. 1:20). Please look up these verses and do a search on all scriptures on "unbelief".
I am praying for you today that you may prosper and be in health just as your soul prospers. -3 John 1:2 Your soul prospers by the word of God. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. -Romans 10:17 No other word but the word of God will grow or produce faith. I'm going to leave you with this, "Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him" - Prov. 30:5. Put your trust in Him! You are the church, the world needs you to stop looking and acting like them and start acting like Christ. Be the light! Be blessed!