Blog In Audio:
Greetings,
To be leaders in the body of Christ, we must know the seasons of God. The future of the church is not determined by the seasons of the world, but the seasons of the world are determined by the seasons of God in His church. When the church embraces a season of the world as the season of today, the church becomes an illegitimate witness of the light of Christ to the world.
What is the difference between the seasons of the world and the seasons of God? The seasons of the world are connected to natural sight. The seasons of God are connected to God in heaven. God’s seasons inspire faith. They are always connected to God’s heart of love. Even when a season contains correction, that correction is redemptive and includes the available attribute of God’s mercy and the empowerment of His grace. The seasons of the world are inspired by the self-seeking agendas of men.
The seasons of the world promote fear, reaction, and defensiveness. The seasons of God promote love, faith, and a willingness to change. The seasons of the world are bound to the laws of entropy, but the seasons of God are connected to God’s increasing glory. That glory always involves a change in us.
2 Corinthians 3:15-18 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
When experience is our teacher, it is a testimony that can only be read. It is bound to something that has happened or is happening, and to be preserved it must be remembered. This is the mark of an Old Covenant reality. When Holy Spirit is our teacher, it produces a testimony that can be heard, read, and kept – in the sense of being further walked out. Holy Spirit’s voice is always the NOW sound of God to our hearts. The seasons of God bring liberty that is the fruit of a passion for God’s desires birthed within our hearts. This is when the influence of God’s kingdom comes into our lives and a testimony of His will is revealed.
In the world, the seasons are determined by the teachings of experience. That experience is both good and bad, or perceived good or bad. The seasons of God are determined by the teaching of Holy Spirit. This is not teaching of information, but the teaching of transformation. It is a place where thoughts, reasoning, desires, emotions, and imaginations are inspired from our spirits to our souls. Every season of God will inspire us to grow in the attributes of Christ and a testimony of His life. We can only see, embrace, and walk in the seasons of God by faith.
2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.
We must listen for the voice that brings peace from within our hearts. We must listen for the sound of faith, hope, and love in every season of our lives. Very seldom does God want to get us out of our circumstances in life but it is for sure that He wants to get into every circumstance of our lives with His manifest presence. Every season of God includes God’s manifest presence in our lives. His manifest presence will change a past season to a new season reality. The seasons of God are a testimony of the kingdom of God. A principle of the kingdom of God is always testified by an increase of God’s kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit from within our hearts.
Matthew 13:31, 32 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”
Matthew 13:33 Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”
We need not be shaken by the seasons of the world. We only need to look for, and to, every new season of God’s life.
Food For Thought,
Ted J. Hanson
