Lessons From Lockdown
What is God doing in his Church in the midst of global turmoil, uncertainty, and difficulties?
During these past months of unprecedented change for the whole world, God has been at work changing his Church in many positive ways. For those willing, the Holy Spirit has been drawing us closer to Jesus, strengthening our faith in God and his Word, stirring us to love more and pray more. He’s inspired many with new innovations and taught us increased flexibility to ‘go with the flow’ of all the unexpected changes in our lives, to name but a few.
One of the positive changes that has been especially highlighted to me is greater endurance. God calls us to be a people of faith and endurance, and he has used this time of tumult and trials through the Covid-19 pandemic to grow our endurance.
It all started for me on May 2nd. During an early morning run I had a freak accident, stepping on a rolling tree cone in the dark at high speed. The sudden violent force and subsequent fall resulted in severe pain and injury to multiple structures in my lower leg, ankle and foot.
Several times in the past Jesus has immediately and miraculously healed me, and so I straightaway began to ask him to touch me. Ten days later after daily crying out in prayer and praise, commanding and declaring healing, the pain and purple ‘long sock’ appearance from widespread internal bleeding was still present.
Then Jesus lovingly spoke to me. He assured me that he and Father had heard all my cries for mercy and miraculous healing. He explained why this happened and how he was going to heal me. I can testify that the Lord fulfilled every detail of what he said he would do!
In this encounter what especially struck me were these words of Jesus, “Father and I are pleased you have kept persevering in looking to us and declaring your trust in us. We are pleased you have kept appealing to us with the written promises of the Word, and I have turned it for good as a test of patient endurance and faith in my Word.”
My life is often a prophetic message. I believe the Lord is intent on developing and growing these elements in the lives of his people. Why? Faith and endurance are essential for every believer. We all need these vital characteristics. We must have them to cross the finish line where our reward awaits us.
Hebrews 6:12 tells us that we will inherit God’s promises because of our faith and endurance. Revelation 13.10 GNT says, “This calls for endurance and faith on the part of God's people." And Hebrews 10:36 NLT declares, “Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.” Finally, Jesus himself said, “But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 24:13 NLT)
Be encouraged in these times of trouble and testing. The Covid-19 pandemic is a Satanic global attack to hinder God’s purposes, but rest assured Father God always works all things for good for those who love him. He is growing our faith and endurance to make us complete. He will always give us sufficient grace to endure if we depend on him. Hang in there, and keep praying and praising him in the midst of it. Aim to consider it an opportunity for great joy, and remember that God blesses those who patiently endure testing.
The Holy Spirit has also reminded me of an earlier experience of running with endurance in which Hebrews 12:1-3 became very real to me:
“And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross ... consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Several years ago during our annual visit to the UK, David and I took a few days off to refresh ourselves in the beautiful mountains of northern Wales. Early one morning I set off on a run, having memorised my route through a network of narrow roads. However, I missed a key turnoff, mistaking it for a driveway. I soon found myself in an area so remote it was even devoid of the ubiquitous Welsh sheep! Endless mountaintops stretched into the distance, and a bewildering array of intersections faced me. I was thoroughly lost!
My instinctive response to this dilemma was turning my eyes up to heaven. “Help, Lord,” I called. “Holy Spirit, please lead me as I choose the roads to take. Please guide me home.” I kept on running, and at each fork in the road followed his promptings. I literally ran with perseverance, and about 15 km later had the joy of arriving home to David’s relieved face. A physical analogy of a spiritual truth!
There is an eternal and incomprehensible joy waiting ahead for us too when we cross the finish line. But right now there is also joy in our journey of life in spite of its challenges and hardships. Running through the spaghetti layout of those Welsh mountain tracks, I was surprised by joy along the way. En route I discovered unexpected delights, like a spectacularly beautiful lake hidden in one of the valleys, or a carpet of vivid bluebells spread among the woodland trees.
What Jesus endured is far beyond what any of us will ever go through. At this time, I sense him saying, “Consider me, keep your eyes focused on me, wait on me. If you do this, then you won’t grow weary and lose heart. I AM your joy, and I promise to renew your strength and increase your power so you will run with supernatural stamina.”
When we have run our races with endurance and finished the course, may we hear Jesus say, “...you have kept my command to endure patiently” (Revelation 3:10)