Isaiah 43 and a word for 2011

This past Friday night, I lead the OBX Renewal Service here at Liberty Christian Fellowship.  As I prayed through and sought the Lord about the service, God was really stirring my heart about the word “new”.  I dug into Isaiah 43 and was astounded by it’s personal significance at this time in my life, the life our Liberty, and I feel, so much of the Body of Christ.  Here are some of the passages in Isaiah 43:

“But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, Jacob,
he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
² When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
³ For I am the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior”

 

8 “Lead out those who have eyes but are blind,
who have ears but are deaf.
⁹ All the nations gather together
and the peoples assemble.
Which of their gods foretold this
and proclaimed to us the former things?
Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right,
so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”
¹⁰ “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD,
“and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.”

 

^“18 “Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
¹⁹ See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.”

These passages were written in a time that despite the disobedience of Israel, God has mercy upon his people and promises favor because they are His.  I believe we are in one of those seasons where the Lord is unveiling some new things and favor to His people.  We can call it opportunity if nothing else.  Wars and rumors of wars, famine, economic uncertainty, violence in the public square, open hostility to Christianity and its principles.  It is a time where we can sacrifice our pursuit of comfort and self indulgence and invest in our walk with Christ and service to those around us.  We can celebrate the grace of God manifested in Christ to us with passion and abandon.  He remembers our transgressions no more!  I believe that God wants to do a new thing in His people and we can lay hold of it as we let go of all the other things that so easily beset us.  I believe He wants to empower us to walk in joy and freedom regardless of our circumstances.  That we can, because of grace, be instruments of peace in a great time of chaos.  We have the opportunity in a time of brokeness and disobedience in our world to brightly reflect Christ and bring renewal.

Let’s press into Jesus this year like never before.  Let’s worship like we mean it and not go through the ritual.  Let’s pray like we are really talking to God.  Let’s give outrageously because it doesn’t belong to us anyway.  Let’s share the Gospel like it really is people’s only hope.  I believe it is harvest time.

God is all about new.  His mercies are new every morning, He makes us new creations in Christ, We are challenged to sing new songs to the Lord.  He gives us a new heart, trading our heart of stone for a heart of flesh.  He says right in Isaiah 43 that He’s going to do a new thing.  Someday, those of us who die in Christ will receive new bodies and enter into the new heaven and earth.

Embrace God on a deeper level in this new year.  Let go of the old, the bondages, the broken dreams and painful past.  Allow God to do a new thing in you today.

Read Isaiah 43 this week and pray!