RISE UP FROM THE PIT
2 Kings 6:5-7
Testimonies are powerful message of God's working in our life.
Apostle Paul was asked by King Agrippa to defend himself... He was asked to testify.
Axe symbolizes barrenness. When the axe were not sharpened, it has no use.
It has no value at all. And it is good only to drawn through the water.
There are times that our life is like that. We have no accomplishments, no productions, no results even though we tried evrything, we gave our best and gave up all our strength. Yet still nothing happens.
It is also like the church, there are seasons in the life that church became stagnant, no new converts coming, the pews were empty, the giving was to poor and life were so hard to bear.
Life without a vision was like that boat with a two pad. The left pad has a word written on it, "WORK" and the other pad wrote "FAITH" When a boat man, row the pad to the left, it will go around going to the left. Using the right pad will only going to the right moving round and round.
The boatman must have a vision. Vision is seeing something in the future. Vision is a roadmap to our destiny. The boatman represents you, me and all of us. We need to have a vision. Our church must have a vision. Rowing the pad together with the vision, we will move forward. We will accomplish something. We will have good results. We will rejoice for the change it will make in us and in our life and ministry.
The axe head was lifted up by a stick though it is drawn down into the water, it went up out of the water. The same thing in our life and ministry. We need the stick that will lift us up from the pit. That stick represents Vision.
But most of all, that sticks represents the CROSS of Jesus Christ. It was Jesus Christ who goes down into the pit in order to set us free from darkness. The bible says that Jesus overcomes sin and death in 1 Corinthians 15:56. The power of the enemy has no power over us. We are redeemed by the blood of Christ. Our sins was cleansed. We were renewed to our True Identity in Christ. We are now Children of God. And we have all the benefits and blessings as a child of God.
The death of Jesus Christ happened 2,000 plus years ago. God has already paid the price. We need to SEE the Cross today. We need to have the VISION OF THE CROSS.
THE POWER OF THE VISION OF THE CROSS
1. Vision will give us PASSION. - it becomes a fuel that generates power. The death will rise, the dry land will be watered, the barren will bore a child., the fruitless will bore more fruits. Passion will make us alive. It gives us the reason to wake up in the morning. Our life will be exciting. Our churches will rise up.
Just like Apostle Paul in Philippians 3:13-14, "I press on toward the goal.."
2. Vision will never lack PROVISION. - God's work done in God's way will never lack God's Provision. - Andrew Murray. If the vision came from God, needs will be provided. No one can stop it. Just like in the life of Joseph, when he dreamed of his great future, it doesn't arrived that easy because the vision was tested and tried. But eventhough that would happen, God will fulfill His calling, he will provide, he will line up every. Possible needs you may have and made a miracle.
Deutoronomy 8 - God made a way in the desert. He rain manna in the wilderness, he showered water in the desert.
3. Vision will renew our POSITION. - The enemy destroyed our right relationship as a Child of God. After the fall of Adam and Eve we were casted out of the presence of God. We were curse and the purpose of Satan in John10:10 is to steal, kill and destroy. The purpose of all the problems, trials, troubles, even temptation was to keep us away from God, destroy and kill us so that our life will not be fruitful, productive And glorifying to God. But Jesus redeemed us by His precious blood. He came to give us abundant life. He came to bring back our POSITION as a Child of God and enjoy the benefits and blessings as His Child.
Conclusion
If you are in darkness right now, you down and drawn into the pit of that water. God can lift you up. Just look at the cross. Of Jesus and He will save you.
Hebrews 12:2 Look unto Jesus the author and perfector of our faith.
