Waymaker | Crossing Christmas | Week 1
God has made a Way!
How not to miss the Messenger
1. Remember the fact that He will accomplish his Word
Isaiah 55:11 (NIV) 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Matthew 5:17-18 (NIV) 17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
If God said it, that settles it! No matter what the timeframe is
Malachi 3:1 (NIV) 1 "See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the LORD Almighty.
Malachi 4:5 (NIV) 5 "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.
2 Peter 3:8-9 (NIV) 8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise (fix your sight on eternity and live with some expectancy), as some understand slowness. He is patient with you (forgive someone twice), not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Gabriel says to Zechariah, “And [John the Baptist/The Baptizer] will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah … to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:17).
You know the scriptures, now let me update how you apply what you know! We see in part and we know in part but God is the ultimate interpreter.
· It doesn’t matter how many verses you know if you’re not expecting a move of The Spirit…we can miss the Messenger and the Message…Zechariah would have memorized, word for word, the first five books of the Bible – Genesis to Deuteronomy. He would have been keenly aware of the specifics regarding Malachi’s prophesy but he wasn’t expecting a miracle to take place on a weekday. Prophetic Activation-God’s about to move in my life in miraculous ways…I’m ready!
· Whether you believe it or not…Zechariah said “How can this be? Elizabeth said, “The Lord has done this for me”! When we get jammed up and we experience delays, when we take God at his word and choose to believe, that’s when we receive.
· Whether you feel it or not…It doesn’t matter if your Lot has been chosen and you feel like you have won the Lottery or you feel like a total a total failure. That doesn’t limit God’s move in your life. Zechariah was enjoying a once in a life time experience and missed a blessing. Elizabeth was suffering through a lifetime of bad experiences but was able to receive a blessing. God isn’t a respecter of persons, he knows where you heart is. On the outside it may look like things aren’t going well for you…but God has a great plan for your life!
2. Remember the fact that He works in mysterious Ways
Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV) 8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. 9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.