Act 20:22 And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem,
not
Knowing the things that shall befall me there:
The scripture here points to us that Paul was heading
to Jerusalem. Jerusalem was the pinnacle of dreams at that time for the Jews. It
was a place of fulfillment, the capital city of the nation of Israel. It was
the confluence point of every citizen, the center that holds all Jewish cities
together.
So, Paul was heading to the fulfillment of his
dream, but he took an approach towards it, he said “I go bound in the spirit…” This was like a promise God gave to him, a
dream he has always expected to come to pass. Although he was already going
there physically, he took a sure route-the route of the spirit.
Like God told Abraham in Genesis 13, to lift up
his eyes and look around the land about to become his. Paul was doing the same
thing here; he went in the spirit to Jerusalem. Friend, going in the spirit
also means taking your pen and paper and putting down things about your future.
What have you seen about the year 2014? Have you looked and maybe you haven’t seen
anything? Probably because, what you want`, you haven’t seen any possible way
it can happen.
Maybe what you have seen are all troubles, lack,
failure. Don’t worry friend, Paul was also in the same shoe as you are now. He said,
“I have gone in the spirit and still do not know the things that shall happen
to me there, but what I see are bonds and afflictions.”
He made another statement in v.24 of Acts 20 “but none of
these things move me…” But come to think of it, it is not only hardships
that makes people moved or backslide. I have seen people rich and successful
and they became moved forgetting God. In essence Paul was not only referring to
bad things when he said, “bonds and afflictions” but also success. He is also
saying, “I see also prosperity and success in every month of the year.
This shows us the importance of seeing ahead. But,
knowing also that seeing ahead is not a guaranty that you will have what you
saw. If so, Moses would have entered the Promised Land. It does not matter what
you have seen about 2014, what interpretation are you giving it?
Paul said, “None of these things move me. What I have
already conquered in my mind will not move me when it comes physically. When I get
to my dream and face difficulties, I will not ask God why.” God wants you to
have a mentality of victory against your adversaries. Whatever that comes your
way in 2014, make up your mind that none of them will move you. You will be
living in deception when you think failure, disappointment and loss will not
come to you in 2014. Rather, when they come you have to move them out of the
way.
Israel sent spies into Canaan to check out the
land, just as Paul went in the spirit to Jerusalem. This is how you are also
going to look into 2014 to spy it. But in the case of the Israelite
, 10 out of 12 brought a negative report. But the other 2 brought another report saying, Numbers 14:8 “if the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into the land and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.” There is a condition, “if.” So the big question is, “does God like me? Does He delight in me? Does He find pleasure in me?”
Psalm 149:4 For the LORD taketh
pleasure in his people:
So, we see God likes you and that means he is
going to bring you into 2014, and give it to you. You might choose like me to
call the year 2014, according to the word of God, “the year of milk and honey.”
But don’t forget, it’s only the mature cow that gives milk. success and
prosperity doesn’t come overnight, it has to mature. For the honey part, you will
have to face bee stings, and sometimes as well, you have to face a lion like
Samson.
You will have to face bonds and afflictions. Fights,
for you to get to your milk and honey, but Numbers 14:9 says; Only rebel not ye
against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they [are] bread
for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD [is] with us: fear
them not.
The year is yours for the taking!
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