GIG260 Look Up

Growing In God Podcast

 

Web Description: How do we walk through the end times? By walking with God! It is during these times that Christ’s redemption and the Kingdom of God are nearer to us than ever before. Therefore, we look up. We are not focused on what is happening in the world. We are already seated with Christ in the heavenly places. And from there we appropriate His great power to be His effective instruments in the world.

 

Show Notes: It is easy to study the Bible at home or in a nice study group. But it is in circumstances that challenge us and demand something of us personally where we begin to implement what we have studied in the Bible. We need an atmosphere where we can turn our knowledge and understanding of the Scriptures into an enabling to walk in and execute what we have learned. This shows us how to think about the end times.

 

We can look at all the turmoil and spiritual conflict in the world and be concerned, even fearful, that we are entering the end times. But the end-time offers us a unique opportunity to have our faith tested and refined like pure gold. These times enable us to reach into the power of the Holy Spirit and move in the gifts and ministries required for this day. You could say, “But the events will be so terrifying that people’s hearts will fail them out of fear!” It all depends on what you are focused on.

 

Yeshua (Jesus) said, “When you see these things happen, look up! Lift up your heads because your salvation is drawing near. The Kingdom of God is near!” Put your focus on Christ who is seated in the heavenly places with the Father, who in His great love has also seated us there with Him. We are able now to dwell in His Kingdom. It is closer in these times than it has ever been. Now is the time to look up and reach into this great authority and power the Father has given us in Christ. We take this opportunity to appropriate everything we have learned in the Scriptures and apply them.

 

Key Verses:

 

•       Matthew 16:21–23. “But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan!’”

•       Luke 22:31–32. “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat.”

•       1 Peter 1:6–7. “… the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold.”

•       Malachi 3:3. “He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold.”

•       Luke 21:25–28. “When these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads.”

•       Luke 21:29–31. “When you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near.”

•       Ephesians 2:1–6. “God … seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

 

Quotes:

 

•       “We can't just study the Scriptures. We can't just talk about our faith and have that faith disconnected from what is necessary for us to walk in these things.”

•       “The Kingdom of God is near to us, and we can bring ourselves into that Kingdom. We can experience the things of the Kingdom, the fulfillments of the Kingdom now, if we are looking up.”

•       “If God made this available that He has raised us up—it's past tense. Don't say, ‘Well, when I die, I am going to heaven.’ No. When we're here right now, we have the ability to rise up and be with Him where He is at the right hand of the Father and to move in our walk with God from that place.”

 

Takeaways:

 

1.    We live in the age where God has placed us. We should be grateful to Him that we are a part of His family and part of those who are walking in the knowledge of the gospel during these times.

2.    When you are in a time of need, you learn to appropriate all that the Scriptures are saying. So rather than succumbing to fearfulness about the end times, we should recognize the opportunity that we have as individual believers to walk in these days in a way that glorifies the Lord, brings His strength and blessing, and appropriates all that we need.

3.    In the end times the Lord commands us to look up because His redemption and His Kingdom draw near. In these difficult times we have a greater ability to minister God’s redemption to the world and to walk in His Kingdom.

4.    We are to be in the heavenly places seated with Christ and the Father in the Holy Spirit. From there we move in the earth as God's chosen people and His instruments right now in this day and through the time of the end.