Arise And Shine

ARISE AND SHINE

STUDY TEXT: Isaiah 60:1-5

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.

2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.

5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.

- In this portion of the scriptures there are four things that are evident which we are going to look at:

1. There is proclamation to arise and then shine.

2. There is a provision for your rising and shinning.

3. There is a purpose for your rising and shinning.

4. There is a prophecy surrounding your rising and shinning.

1. THE PROCLAMATION TO ARISE AND SHINE

- There is a divine commandment for you to arise and thereafter shine. God is never pleased when His children are stagnant and are not making progress.

- His will for everyone that believes in Him is to rise and make progress in every facet of their lives.

- Let us see the possible initial situations before the proclamation to arise and shine:

1. In a fallen position. Micah 7:8

Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.

- It is possible to fall into sin, error, or failure. Whichever is the case God is willing to draw you out so that those positions will only be temporary and are not meant to be the end or the final state of your life.

2. In a dead situation. Ezekiel 37:10

So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

- God has a plan to raise you up from you up from the state of spiritual death, and any thing that is dead in your body or your life can be raised back to life by the power of His Spirit. I prophesy after the order of Ezekiel that the power of the Holy Ghost come upon you and raise up to life whatsoever is dead in your body in Jesus name.

3. In a confused situation. Acts 9:6

And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

- There are sometimes that one will be confused and know not what to do or the right step to take. God is telling you today to arise from the state of your confusion and receive divine leading and direction in Jesus name.

- It is the devil that will want to keep you in confusion, because a confused soul is a captured soul, but God says to you ‘arise and shine’

4. In a sitting situation (idleness). Acts 9:10-17

And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.

11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,

12 And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.

13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:

14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.

15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.

17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.