In Isaiah 58, as we watch the unfolding of what God calls His "Chosen" fast, we see the same instructions given to the people by the Lord Jesus in His teachings. When we look through the Gospels and listen to the Holy Spirit's Words for today's Church, we realize that this is God's will for the earth and mankind.
As covenant children, the family of God must see how we no longer need to "wait and see"what God's going to do, but wait for the manifestation of what He has already done. We've been taught for many years, that everything God promised is for the future time when we get to heaven. We must remember that Jesus is always, "The same yesterday, today, and yes, even tomorrow," according to Hebrews 13:8.
Jesus told His disciples to "Go out into the surrounding homes and villages to heal the sick, feed the hungry, bring comfort to the brokenhearted and proclaim the Good News that deliverance is Now here," in Luke 10. They returned with the announcement that, "Even the demons are subject to us in Your Name," in Luke 10:17 (Amplified). Many of us today, have given up on having authority over demons. Even if we do not believe that demons exist, we have given over the authority into the enemy's hands.
We've been successfully getting new believers born again into God's Kingdom, but haven't been good at bringing these "babies" into adulthood. Paul wrote in 1Timothy 1:2 (Amplified), "To Timothy, my true Son in the faith; Grace (Spiritual blessing and favor), mercy, and (heart) peace (be yours) from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord."
Paul was responsible for leading Timothy to the Lord, by the preaching of the Gospel. He never left Timothy at the new born-again Christian, but raised him as a son, in the faith of the Lord Jesus. Paul raised the newly born-again Timothy into a mature man of the faith, who went forth doing like he witnessed Paul doing.
Too many times, we have simply put off "maturity" in the new life as being something that would happen in heaven. Jesus told us that we were Now to have dominion and the authority back that Adam once had and He said we would have His Name to do it in.
We've been like the Israelites God brought out of Egypt, they came out, but they wouldn't "come in." We came out of death, but refuse to enter into life. We didn't get born again only to go to heaven when we die. If this was true, then God would simply take us out of here when we get saved. We, the Church of the Lord Jesus, have a job to do here on this earth, that only the power of God can accomplish.
We've tried doing it by the world's standards and have mostly been overrun by that way of doing things. There was a man named Ananias in Acts 9:8-15 who God called to pray for Saul. I cannot find him anywhere else in the Word, either before or after this. Whoever this man was, he knew God and God knew him. He wasn't a great Apostle or a leader of the Church, but this man walked in power by faith in the "Now" presence of the Spirit.
Ananias might have only gotten one man saved in his entire walk, but the man who received this miracle of supernatural sight was the great Apostle Paul. Paul didn't just go sit down in some congregation and wait to go to heaven, but brought down the "Now" Word of heaven to earth. It was through His ministry we learned to grow into adulthood in our faith. Jesus Himself taught Paul how the new children of the Father were supposed to be, as well as who they are now, even in this world.
Paul didn't putt off being in right standing with God until he got to heaven, but declared that NOW the righteousness of God has come upon the believer. Paul taught that we didn't wait to get to heaven in order to become sons of God, but that we are NOW sons of God. He taught us how to grow into mature sons and not to remain in the infant stage.
We've looked upon many in the Church as being "crazy," because they believe God still heals, speaks, directs and lives in man today. Some in the Church become upset if someone says that God speaks to them. How can we ever hope to bring God's Presence to the people, if we cannot even acknowledge His Presence in us? Jesus gave us a mandate to put the devil under our feet and proclaim liberty to the captives.
I'm not saying that what the Church has accomplished until now hasn't been important or of God. What I am saying is that it is now time for the infant Church to become adult and mature in its faith in God the Father. Any father expects his children to grow and become fruitful in their own lives.
We, as the family of God, are still trying to decide what the Father really wants or Who He really is. We've almost viewed Him like some sort of "Cosmic Cop" who is lurking with a speed trap to ticket us with. If God was going to "get" you for every little mistake, then we would never have lived long enough to get saved. Like any other Father, He expects us to make mistakes as we grow into adulthood. This isn't to say this is good, but it is true.
Our first child began walking at ten months old. She spent more time falling down, than she did walking. But as her confidence and balance grew, she didn't make as many mistakes or didn't fall nearly as much. She continued in her ventures until she got it down. When she initially began walking, my wife and I would reach out to her and encourage her to take another step. We cheered her on in her first steps to maturity.
This same daughter is grown and we don't get excited when she takes a step, because that's what happens when we grow. There are still times when we encourage her, now that she's a mother and grandmother. There are still areas in her life where she's growing in and both her mother and I, encourage her to "step out" into them.
Our lives in Christ have been a lifetime of growing. There is no place in Him, where we have arrived at the full maturity as sons of God. We are to grow up into Him, as part of His family. Paul wrote in 2Corinthians 6:4-13 about the things that he and the other apostles, had gone through to grow up into they were and to bring the Word of growth and faith to the Church.
When the Father sent Jesus into the world, He never intended for Jesus to remain as a little baby. Mary and Joseph were looking for Jesus in Luke 2:49-52 (Amplified) when Jesus said to them, "How is it that you had to look for Me? Did you not know that it is necessary (as a duty) for Me to be in My Father's house and (occupied) about My Father's business? But they did not comprehend what He was saying to them. And He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was (habitually) obedient to them; and His mother kept closely and persistently guarded all those things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom (in broad and full understanding) and in stature and years, and in favor with God and man."
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