"Do not be afraid to face what comes in your future! Fear not, for I am your Miracle and your Provider! I will know how to provide even in the midst of famine or uncertainties! I will know how to shield you from the fiery darts or arrows that come against you! Look to Me therefore, and look not at what is around you!"
Indeed, in times like these, look to Him, and look not at the troubles around you. John 6:16-21 (NLT) says, 'That evening Jesus' disciples went down to the shore to wait for Him. But as darkness fell and Jesus still hadn’t come back, they got into the boat and headed across the lake toward Capernaum. Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough. They had rowed three or four miles when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified, but He called out to them, "Don’t be afraid. I am here!" Then they were eager to let Him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination!'
Just before that, John 6:8-13 (NLT) says, 'Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. "There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?" "Tell everyone to sit down," Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.) Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward He did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. After everyone was full, Jesus told His disciples, "Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted." So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves'.
People of God, from the Bible verses above, know that Jesus isn't just your Miracle-worker, but HE IS your Miracle! And Jesus isn't just your Provider, but HE IS your Providence! When you have Him, you have everything you ever need on earth! This Miracle lives in you, and this Providence lives in you! He is your all-sufficient God and you don't need to look anywhere else, because He is more than enough for you! He can even redeem your lost time, and bring you to your 'destination' in spite of the storms and rough seas around you!
The Lord says further:
"This is a key time to guard your 'spiritual windows'! Guard your spiritual eyes and ears! Do not allow your 'windows' to be intruded and compromised by the enemy! Guard what you see, and guard what you hear! Take authority over the spiritual atmosphere around you, and bind the spirit of fear!"In perilous times like these, here are some of the questions people in the world often ask:
- "Will I still be needed in my company/organization?"
- "Will I still be needed in the job market?"
- "What does the future hold for me?"
- "Do I have enough for my retirement?"
- "Will I end up sick and lonely in old folks' home?"
- "Will I be abandoned by my children in my older days?"
- "Will I get scammed or cheated in my later years?"
If left unchecked, 'fear' can 'paralyse' us. So, what do you do when you are overwhelmed by atmosphere of fear? Or what do you do when you are afraid to face your future (or what comes in your future)?
- Know that your God isn't dead! (1 Corinthians 15:20)
- Don't allow fear to 'seep' in. Trust God! (Proverbs 3:5-6)
- Take authority in Jesus' name! (Luke 10:19)
- Bind the spirit of fear, and nullify those works of darkness! (Matthew 16:19)
- Cover yourself with the blood of Jesus (Psalm 91:3-6).
Some may ask, "But what if I've made a bad mistake in my life?"
In 2 Kings 4:38-40 (NLT), the Bible says, 'Elisha now returned to Gilgal, and there was a famine in the land. One day as the group of prophets was seated before him, he said to his servant, "Put a large pot on the fire, and make some stew for the rest of the group." One of the young men went out into the field to gather herbs and came back with a pocketful of wild gourds. He shredded them and put them into the pot without realizing they were poisonous. Some of the stew was served to the men. But after they had eaten a bite or two they cried out, "Man of God, there’s poison in this stew!" So they would not eat it'.
People of God, like that 'young man', we all (at one time or another) make mistakes in life (due to ignorance, immaturity, or lack of knowledge) and end up in a 'poisonous' or 'precarious' situation. But look what happens next. In 2 Kings 4:41 (NLT), the Bible says, 'Elisha said, "Bring me some flour." Then he threw it into the pot and said, "Now it’s all right; go ahead and eat." And then it did not harm them'.
You see, a miracle happened then and there: The 'flour' healed and neutralized the 'poison'!
What does 'flour' symbolize here? JESUS! And how is flour made? When grain gets crushed! 'Flour' here is therefore a 'picture' of Jesus (the grain offering) being crushed! He was 'beaten' and 'crushed' when He died for you on the cross! Isaiah 53:5 (NLT) says, 'But He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed'. He is the remedy to your 'poisonous' or 'precarious' situation! And He is here to turn things around for you, even if you think you've 'blown it' and made a bad mistake in life! Take heart therefore.
What does 'flour' symbolize here? JESUS! And how is flour made? When grain gets crushed! 'Flour' here is therefore a 'picture' of Jesus (the grain offering) being crushed! He was 'beaten' and 'crushed' when He died for you on the cross! Isaiah 53:5 (NLT) says, 'But He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed'. He is the remedy to your 'poisonous' or 'precarious' situation! And He is here to turn things around for you, even if you think you've 'blown it' and made a bad mistake in life! Take heart therefore.
By the way, 'Elisha' (or 'Eliyshuwa' in Hebrew) means 'God of supplication (riches)'; from two words, 'El' meaning 'God'; and 'Shuwa' meaning 'supply, miracles, riches' or 'freedom from trouble, fear, worry'. The good news is your 'pot of stew' need not be wasted, and your 'pot of stew' need not be 'poisonous' any more! The same God who performed miracles and turned things around those days is the same God in your life today. Just trust Him, look to Him, and let Him in, and everything's going to be alright! Believe and receive by faith. In Jesus' name. Amen!
