Time To Get Ready

April 6, 2008

Morning Worship

Text: Isaiah 54:1-5

Subject: God’s Promise of Blessing

Title: Time to Get Ready

I want to pick up this week with where I left off last week. How many of you remember what I preached about last week? NO PRESSURE! Last week I preached about having a radical type of faith that enables you to live a radical kind of life. I want to take you back to a verse that I closed with last week to remind you what radical faith does. John 15:7-8, If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

I have taught you before about the two words translated as “word” in the NT. One is Logos, which refers to the Bible, the written revelation of God to His people, or to Jesus, God’s living and eternal revelation of Himself to the world. The other word is “Rhema”. This refers to a word that God speaks to individuals in their spirit man. The “Rhema” always lines up with the “Logos”.

The word Jesus used in John 15:7 is “Rhema”. So if you are hearing the “Rhema” of God in your spirit to do something or the word is telling you something you can believe it. And if you believe it, then you should act on it. That action is the thing that brings glory to the Father. It is when you act on the word – whether it is LOGOS or RHEMA – that you produce fruit, and it is fruit producers who are known to be God’s disciples.

Now, having said that I want to remind you of the “Rhema” that has come to this congregation many times in the form of prophecy or interpretation. God is ready to fill this place with His Spirit and with people. Keeping that in mind I want you to see that now God is calling the church to act like He is already doing it, because He is. He is waiting for you to do your part.

Open your bibles to Isaiah 54. I want to show you through the Word of God today that even though you don’t see the physical manifestation of a promise doesn’t mean that it is not happening. It could be that the manifestation will not come until you are willing to step out in faith and act upon the word. Open your hearts today to receive everything God wants you to have today.

I. REJOICING IN THE PROMISE. 1“Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the LORD. You understand don’t you that Isaiah was writing this with the Hebrew culture in mind. As the Holy Spirit gave him these words he would understand that a woman without a child was considered cursed by God. The context of this is with Israel in mind. Now, I believe that the general promises given to Israel are also intended for the church, especially in this age when the church in America seems to be in a devastating downward cycle leading to destruction. I also believe that in line with the “Rhema” Word of God given to this congregation, this scripture speaks specifically to Palmyra First Assembly of God. 1“Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; I know that there are some of you who have never personally led another to Christ. I’m not condemning anyone. I know how difficult it is for some of you to talk to people you don’t know much less try to share the gospel with them. But Isaiah says that this is what you should be doing; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; I want you to see this. This is faith in action. You know that the word says you should witness to others. You haven’t been very consistent at it, but you’re going to do it. You haven’t led anyone to Christ but you’re willing to try. So begin by thanking God right now for the children He is giving you. Boy, it’s so hard to thank God for something when you don’t see it. But isn’t that what faith is? Hebrews 11:1, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (NKJV) Everybody say, faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen… You see in our refusal to rejoice in God’s promises and to just believe that what He said He would do will come to pass we are limiting Him. You will never see the manifestations of the promise until you act on the promise. You will never see someone come to Jesus until you tell them about Jesus. Romans 10:14, How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? Once you begin to praise God for the promise do you see what happens? More are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the LORD. Thanks God for the children you are about to bear and then watch it happen. Romans 4:16-17, 16Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed… Verse 17, in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; Now here is the difference between you and God. God calls something out of nothing. Through your faith you call the manifestations of what God has already promised into being. They are already there. You’re just believing God. So rejoice. The birth pains are here and baby Christians are on the way right now.