Before I can stand and speak boldly before kings such items of signs and wonders, I must learn to “stand before the Father”. To stand before the Living God means being closed in with Him while being separated from the world.
The Spirit of Elijah will fall on the body of Christ. That fact is for sure. However, will be the body be ready? There is still way to much of a "people-pleasing spirit" among the believers that many will not be ready to receive the Spirit of Elijah nor willing to hear and obey the message given.
Yet even more fearful and demanding than being separated from the world is the separation that sometimes happens between our own brethren in the faith. This does not mean there is a strife among our brothers, but that the Father will need to place us in a position where we are willing to stand alone.
Many of us have graduated from worrying about what the world says of us. Have we, however, come to a place of such maturity that we can live with the “second guessing” or separation of our brothers?
Matthew 16:13-16 ESV Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" (14) And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." (15) He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" (16) Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Luke 6:22-23 ESV "Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! (23) Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.
That is not an easy place to come to, because perhaps we have just begun to really enjoy the prestige and acceptance of men and women in the body of Christ. The man who can stand before the "king Ahabs” of this world has got to be the one who stands before God continually or he will be overwhelmed being in the presence of stardom and worldly heroes. He must ultimately be indifferent to the opinions of both the world and those who call themselves believers.
The Spirit of Elijah will fall on the body of Christ. That fact is for sure. However, will be the body be ready? There is still way to much of a "people-pleasing spirit" among the believers that many will not be ready to receive the Spirit of Elijah nor willing to hear and obey the message given.
Yet even more fearful and demanding than being separated from the world is the separation that sometimes happens between our own brethren in the faith. This does not mean there is a strife among our brothers, but that the Father will need to place us in a position where we are willing to stand alone.
Many of us have graduated from worrying about what the world says of us. Have we, however, come to a place of such maturity that we can live with the “second guessing” or separation of our brothers?
Matthew 16:13-16 ESV Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" (14) And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." (15) He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" (16) Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Luke 6:22-23 ESV "Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! (23) Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.
That is not an easy place to come to, because perhaps we have just begun to really enjoy the prestige and acceptance of men and women in the body of Christ. The man who can stand before the "king Ahabs” of this world has got to be the one who stands before God continually or he will be overwhelmed being in the presence of stardom and worldly heroes. He must ultimately be indifferent to the opinions of both the world and those who call themselves believers.
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