It’s October 1st, and the season has shifted. What a glorious thing to always know that the seasons change and we are invited to change too.
We are not stuck in sameness but on a journey of becoming more like Jesus. Transformation after transformation.
With Him, nothing is boring.
As we press into October and the fall season I am hearing it’s a season of signs and wonders through His STRENGTH that we will only access by our repentance.
He is going to be our strong tower our shelter in the storm.
- I actually heard Him say, that in the times that are coming our only shelter will be to, “hide ourselves in Him”.
In this time of turning to Him as our strength and acknowledging our weakness and inability to provide for and protect ourselves on our own we are going to witness the miracles we’ve been waiting on.
The shift in seasons has already happened but we aren’t seeing the fullness of it yet but it is coming.
In the months ahead as the world around us gets darker the Lord’s people will get brighter.
And the Lord wants His people to be prepared, pure and secure in Him boldly shining our light without fear of what others will think and without fear that He won’t back the prayers we pray.
Part of the process will be clearing out what’s been dimming out lights.
Without a doubt, embracing our weakness will be the embracing deep and true repentance.
By seeking a pure heart and clean hands through repentance, we can find strength in Him that we couldn’t access before. Through the unity repentance brings His strength becomes ours.
I am also hearing the reason the Lord wants us to press into this purification through repentance is that this season is going to be, terrible and wonderful.
In the “terrible” that’s coming Gods people will be bringing the good news of Jesus Christ like never before in modern times.
In this season we will experience a plentiful harvest but must understand that the workers are few.
We should have heightened concern and motivation about our purity and our readiness to share the love of Christ with the lost remembering afresh that repentance is not just unto salvation but unto sanctification.
We need to want to be sanctified.
Pure vessels of Gods love making it winsome to love the Lord for those that are lost and far from Him and confused about the world around them.
For the true believers this is going to be a “wonder–ful” season because we are going to see Him move in signs and wonders in ways we have not seen before. Our prayers have been answered, Jesus is coming soon.
This leads me to the rest of what I am sensing and that is that He wants us to remember we have a map to orient ourselves, that map is His word. And the Bible story He gave me to use to see what’s hidden in our hearts is the story of the Israelites in Egypt.
Your job is to recognize what character or characters the Lord is showing you you’re like.
I encourage you to wholeheartedly surrender to the process of spiritual purging.
For some of you, there will be many convictions arising from the examples I share below. For others who have been pressing into repentance with the Lord for some time, you may need to seek His guidance with a trusted friends to be able to identify areas that still require purging.
(Or anyone reading this is welcome to join our free zoom meetings offered through EOG each week. Click here to sign up.)
But here is a great place to begin, ask the Lord to reveal whether you have grown comfortable placing your hope in worldly provisions. Are you like the complacent Israelites in their slavery to Egypt? Has your longing for the Lord’s return faded? Have you fallen into a spiritual lifelessness, merely following a handed-down religion while harboring bitterness towards God? Have you settled for mundane living instead of preparing yourself to meet your Maker? Are you held back by confusion and compromise, failing to wholeheartedly hope in Jesus?
Or have you embraced “Egyptian ways” our culture, forsaking God without fear? Do you believe you can treat God and His people without regard and not have consequences? Have you engaged in low level or outright devious acts without fearing the Lord? Do you live with pride, exerting power and bitterness towards others? Do you lack conviction for your sins? Have you embraced idol worship, witchcraft, or personal happiness over holiness?
Have you become callous and narcissistic, prioritizing your ease over others’ pain? Are you focused on being served rather than serving the Lord? Have you forgotten that your sins affect your children and the community due to your lack of honor and fear for God?
Ask yourself if you have hardened your heart like Pharaoh, causing suffering in your sphere of influence.
Have you found yourself more like Moses? Perhaps you’ve known you’re set apart but haven’t fully embraced your true identity. Have you blocked it out and mindlessly indulged in worldly pleasures?
Or have you tried to integrate into God’s people while relying on your own strength, causing harm to those around you?
Like Moses, have you witnessed injustice, felt anger and bitterness, and experienced betrayal from those you tried to help? Has it led you to isolate yourself and lament “church hurt,” resulting in a life of wandering?
Regardless of where you see yourself in this story, Jesus offers a way out. Through this post by His Holy Spirit. He extends an invitation to repent and be cleansed. Let His conviction wash over you as His love and power transform you. He is not angry with you. The Lord invites you to draw near, repent, and find refuge in Him, our STRONG tower.
Identify the areas in your heart that need repentance and express your remorse to God through saying this simple prayer: “God, I praise You for revealing these sins to me. You are faithful and kind. I confess that my heart resembles _________ (Israelites, Pharaoh, Moses) in these ways: ________ (list the specific ways you see yourself in these three). You promise to be faithful and just in forgiving and cleansing us from all unrighteousness when we confess our sins to You. I have done that tonight, and I ask You to grant me true repentance through the power of Your Holy Spirit. Transform me, Father. I desire to become more like You. Thank You for making me new. Amen.”
In this season, remember that your sole refuge will always be found in the Lord. Repent, for the kingdom of God is near, and He desires to envelop you in His mercy, power, and strength.
Believe in God, not just believing that He exists but that He also wants to reward you. He desires to reveal more of Himself to you and to work in and through you.
This will be an awesome season!
Xo