Dear Friend,
I have good news today: God is moving! He’s busy gathering a people for Himself. In spite of all of the craziness and foolishness of this season, He is responding in the most practical ways. He is not removed from our reality. In fact, He’s helping us.
We’ve seen tremendous evidence of this over the past year at World Outreach Church, where we’ve witnessed unprecedented numbers of baptisms and baby dedications by the dozens. There is a responsiveness of God’s people that I haven’t seen before, in all of my years of serving in the body of Christ. Through their faithfulness and generosity, we’ve been not only able to maintain our ministry in this time of adversity, but to grow. It’s truly remarkable!
The Lord is multiplying opportunities to share the gospel more quickly than we can respond to them. Hundreds of thousands of people a week now share services with us over television, radio, and the internet, and we’re just “a little country church” in Middle Tennessee!
Though we won’t see this story in the mainstream media, the name of Jesus is being lifted up in a way we’ve never seen before. This should encourage you and me, as we stand on the frontlines for the Lord and His purposes. We need to remember God is the source of our strength, and He will give us all we need for the challenges before us. We do not need to live in fear. In Daniel 10:19, an angel comes to Daniel and says, “Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed … Peace! Be strong now; be strong.”
The world news is frightening, and what’s happening to our nation is terrifying, but we don’t need to be afraid, because we are highly valued by God. He watches over us, and He will give us the strength we need to endure. We need to think about that, and meditate on it, and say it out loud. As we let God’s Truth work into our hearts, it will begin to shape our perspective, and it will become the filter through which we view the world.
Let’s use this season to seek the Lord in a new way. While the conflict is boiling, let’s ask God if there anything we need to set down, so we can step more closely to Him. Is there anything we’re holding on to that’s a limit, or a weight, or an inhibition? Are there any ideas or any part of our pasts we need to repent? Is there anything we need to be set free from, or to renounce? Is there anyone we need to release? Are we holding onto any anger, or resentment, or bitterness? We can’t afford it!
We need the Lord’s strength in our lives to have the resilience necessary to continue to stand. My prayer is that the Spirit of God would fall on us in new measure, and we would begin to speak on His behalf with the boldness that comes from Him, so we can see the outcomes of God working restoration in our midst.
What God has asked of us is to seek Him and to serve Him, so we can take our place in His Kingdom. That’s why He created us. It’s the greatest expression of our lives! You see, the change we need isn’t going to be driven by the pulpits, or the denominations, or the organizations. It’s a grassroots initiative, and you and I represent the frontline. In our businesses, in our schools, and in our neighborhoods, God’s people must own their place, tell the truth, and stand for what’s right.
Since we need boldness, awareness, and perseverance to complete our assignment, let’s turn our focus to the One we worship. God is Almighty, and He’s the Lord of the armies. It really doesn’t matter who’s arrayed against Him—God wins!
Remember David, who in 1 Samuel 17:45 says to Goliath, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” David understood Goliath wasn’t simply challenging the Israelite armies—He was confronting God Himself. That’s something that the 21st century edition of the Church needs to know. The battle is the Lord’s!
God is not intimidated by what’s happening in the Earth. Yes, we have a difficult assignment, and it’s not an easy season. There are things that have been unleashed spiritually that we haven’t seen before. The entities that we thought were reliable are proving to be unstable and untrustworthy. But God hasn’t changed.
The Lord is at work purifying His people, and He has called us to make a difference. So, don’t grow weary in doing good, and don’t give up. He will renew our strength, He will refresh us, He will lead us, and He will reward us as we diligently seek Him.
Onward in Him,
Pastor Allen Jackson