My video teaching this week on my sister site (www.deborahlade.org) was based on the account of YHWH's encounter with Gideon in Judges 6. However, as I read the scriptures, the part the Lord highlighted to me for His Church as a whole was verse 14 (NIV): '' The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”'' The Complete Jewish Bible version of these verse puts it as ''Adonai turned to him and said, “Go in this strength of yours and save Isra’el from the hands of Midyan (Midian). Haven’t I sent you?”'' What the Lord (YHWH) was categorically saying to his Gideon is this: ''What you have is more than enough to save Israel because I have sent you. ''
He said to me to tell the Leaders of all categories in the Kingdom ''Go in this strength of yours and save Isra’el from the hands of Midyan. Haven’t I sent you?”
Whatever we think we have or do not have, however big or small we think our strength or position is, this is the word of the Lord: 'Go in this strength of yours: unify, build, save and establish the Kingdom. Haven’t I sent you?
The job will be done by us.
Yes, it is by God through us but no, not by the Lord alone. This is not the time to pray and wait on the Lord to move. He has commanded us to GO in the strength we have because He has sent us. Whatever we have is sufficient because he has sent us. The ability we have is therefore beyond human because the unfathomable ability of our God packaged in his command to 'GO' backs it up.
He proved this to Gideon not by giving him more skills apart from that which he naturally possessed, but by filling him with His (holy) spirit, weeding down his army of thirty-two thousand men to ten thousand, and further more to just the three hundred men that lapped water as they drank from the stream. And by equipping him not with swords but earthen Jugs, torches and trumpets and an action plan 'laughable' by human standards.
''Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands. The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.'' Judges 7:19 -21
By this it was obvious to all that HE was the power behind Gideon and the victory.
This morning as I prayed, he reinforced this verse in Ephesians 1:18 - 23 '' I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
We have this incomparably great power for us who believe - the very same power that raised Christ from the dead and made him have an authority that is beyond that of any ruler, power or dominion or any name that can be invoked on this earth or in heaven. THIS power is the strength that we GO in. Halleluyah! We are no longer waiting for a saviour to save this world or establish God's kingdom; Christ has come, died , risen from the dead victoriously, acquired all authority in heaven and hell and instructed us to GO! Now we ARE the saviours! As the CJB puts Ephesians 1:23, we - the church - are ''...his body, the full expression of him who fills all creation.
Jesus is not coming back a second time to save his body of Believers, we who believe in the Messiah are already saved! His coming is to call us to himself because we have been victorious in this earth. This means we have learnt to live in the principles and by the authority of the Kingdom of God while yet in this present earth and we have fulfilled his instruction to GO and to occupy till he comes (Luke 19:11 - 26).
The Lord said to me 'tell my people to CREATE the rule and reign of Christ on the earth. Create it with your 'righteous' words as I created the earth with my words and tend it with your hands as I instructed the first Adam to tend the earth.' This is what it means for the Kingdom to come and his will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Christ's ability is in us and he commands 'Go in this strength of yours and save Isra’el from the hands of Midyan. Haven’t I sent you?”
''your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.'' Matthew 6:10 NIV
''But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you!'' Matthew 12:28 NIV
'' I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.” Matthew 16:19-20 CJB
''Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”'' Matthew 28:17-20 NIV
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