Living and Loving Supernaturally During COVID-19

Jesus is exalted throughout the book of Revelation. It is the “revelation” of Him. The Bible tells us in chapter 1 verse 3 “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.” This book is the completion of God’s love letter to us, enabling us to deeply know Him. As we are strengthened and empowered in this supernatural LOVE of God, we will know and partner with His FULL purposes.

In chapter 1, John is described as the Lord’s bondservant and is given this prophecy by God’s angel. Our Triune God is strategically introduced so there is no mistake or misunderstanding as to the authenticity and intent of this glorious book. Verses 4-8 state: “John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.  To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood – and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father – to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever Amen. BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So, it is to be. Amen. ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’”

DISCOVER THE RICHES

“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” Isaiah 55:8-9

 “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor?” (Romans 11:33-34)

“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter” (Proverbs 25:2).

We are called to follow THE LAMB under a NEW AND BETTER COVENANT, as we discover the riches and search out a matter. He is the Mystery Revealed (Ephesians 3:2-6 and Colossians 1: 26-27). We exist for this, for Him.

OUR SUPERNATURAL SAVIOR AND LORD

Jesus was and is Great High Prophet, Priest, and King. Hebrews 1:1-3 reminds us: “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, IN THESE LAST DAYS has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the EXACT representation of His nature and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” 

We live under a new and better covenant in this broken world (Hebrews 6: 9-20).  We are to live in a “diligent pursuit of Jesus so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end” (verse 11). We are to “imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises of God.” Verse 17 reminds us “that as heirs of His promises, we will see the unchangeableness of His purposes.” This means that He not only provides the answers we need, but that HE IS the Answer we need in every situation. We are called to deep intimacy with Jesus, to a supernatural and joyful relationship that produces fruit that remains (John 15).

NON-NEGOTIABLE SUPERNATURAL NATURE

According to Hebrews 8:6, Jesus “has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.” Considering that, we must always stand on the truth that our God is not only RIGHTEOUS but also JUST as seen in Psalm 84:14 “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne.” His unshakeable and non-negotiable supernatural nature is clearly depicted throughout all Scripture.  He changes not, and Jesus is the fulfillment of all (as mentioned above). Our Rescuer in Isaiah 43:16-19 is the same today. “‘Thus,’ says the Lord, ‘Who makes a way through the sea and a path through the mighty waters. Who brings forth the chariot and the horse. The army and the mighty man. (They will lie down together and not rise again; they have been quenched and extinguished like a wick). Do not call to mind the former things or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new. Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness. Rivers in the desert.’”

Since believers are to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), the Lord has designed our life to be structured as such. We are to live to please Him. Hebrews 11:6 AMP reminds us that “Without faith it is impossible to (walk with God and) please Him, for whoever comes (near) to God must (necessarily) believe that God exists and that he rewards those who (earnestly and diligently) seek Him.”  It is critical for Christians to know and believe that God is who He says He is. We must search Him out to be rewarded.

NEW AND BETTER SUPERNATURAL COVENANT

Since God sent Jesus to give us eternal life as seen in John 3:16 AMP “For God so (greatly) loved and dearly prized the world, that He (even) gave His (One and) only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him (as Savior) shall not perish but have eternal life.” He also spoke about judgment in verse 17: “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” So, what does that practically mean?  Is God sending destructive cyclones, hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters to judge and destroy the world? Our God is FOR US, NOT AGAINST US as stated in Romans 8:31. We must believe that.

Under the Old Covenant (typically) if people obeyed God and His Word, they were blessed.  If they disobeyed, they were cursed. (Deuteronomy 28).  In 2 Chronicles 7:14, the conditions for God moving on behalf of His people were very clear:  IF God’s people humbled themselves, prayed, sought God’s face, turned from their wicked ways, THEN He would hear from Heaven, forgive sin, and heal the land. This Scripture is compelling and for us today BUT must be interpreted considering our NEW and BETTER Covenant of grace. Since Jesus is the exact representation of The Father, every part of this covenant is supernaturally maintained.

Because Jesus is described as the Stone who makes men stumble and the Rock that makes men fall (Check out 1 Peter 2: 3-12), we are promised a firm, stable, and secure relationship as we are forever connected to Him. We are the body of Christ. We are depicted as a spiritual house made by living stones with His life flowing inside of us. New Covenant believers are described as a chosen race, a holy and royal priesthood, a holy nation, people possessed by God, who have been called out of darkness into His marvelous light, who are to glorify God and proclaim His excellencies through their lives.  In these supernatural roles, as believers in Jesus, we are invited into unseen Kingdom places and offered divine revelation to strengthen our connection with Him. Will we seek Him?

TAKE YOUR PLACE

Revelation 1:6 and 5:10 reiterates that “He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father – to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever” and “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth.” The Lord wants to reveal to us who He is and how He sees us so we will better understand Him. Then, we will take our place in the kingdom here on earth, embracing a supernatural lifestyle. We are being shaped by Him to better step into these places of influence and authority. Through this shaping, the world will know that righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit define us (Romans 14:17) and nothing will stop us.

Since the Bible clearly tells us that “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life” and that “we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23; 6:23), we must pursue Jesus.  He has made a way to SAVE us from destruction; that is why He came. We are to be empowered by the Holy Spirit, live our lives to reflect Jesus, and release His Power, Goodness, and Fire to the nations.  This is His supernatural plan so all will hear and know that He is LORD. 

THE HARVEST

Supernatural passion to fulfill the Great Commission precedes the end-time harvest. Jesus paid the ultimate price to ensure that the way is now open to bring His global lost bride into His family. We have a job to do.  We are to earnestly desire and walk out these orders from Almighty God, with grace, peace, and wisdom, even during COVID-19 and other extreme turbulence. In Mark 16:17-18, Jesus states “These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Jesus speaks in Matthew 10:7-8 saying: “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.”

With the new and better covenant in mind, the book of Romans clearly lays out God’s response to unbelievers. Romans 1:18 states that “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.”  THREE TIMES in that chapter, we read “GOD GAVE THEM OVER” (in verses 26, 27, and 28).  When God gives man over to his own lusts, could it be that the legalist, Satan himself, is legally released to steal, kill, and destroy?  When God gives people over to their sins they move from underneath God’s protection. This grieves God’s heart and darkness loves this. Believers must see who the real enemy is that comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10a) and defeat him through the Blood of Jesus and His Dunamis power.

SHAKE THE NATIONS

“I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,’ declares the Lord of hosts. ‘The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘and in this place I will give peace,’ declares the Lord of Hosts” (Haggai 2:7-9).

Hebrews 12:25-29 exhorts us to “see to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking.  For if those did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven.  And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, ‘Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.’ This expression, ‘yet once more,’ denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.”

THE LORD’S PROMISE TO US

The Lord deals with believers as His sons and daughters, which leads us to respect and submit to Him. He disciplines as a loving Father would do. Verse 10 in Hebrews 12 AMP reminds us that this is for our good, so that we may share His holiness. The effects of this discipline are described in verse 11: “For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems sad and painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness (right standing with God and a lifestyle and attitude that seeks conformity to God’s will and purpose).”

Romans 8:28 AMP is our promise during these unprecedented times, “And we know (with great confidence) that God (who is deeply concerned about us) causes all things to work together (as a plan) for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.” Romans 8:37 states that believers are considered more than conquerors.

Romans 8 AMP in its entirety is staggering. The final verses contain great hope: “For I am convinced (and continue to be convinced-beyond any doubt) that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present and threatening, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the (unlimited) love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

JESUS WILL RETURN

End-time judgment is mentioned in Matthew 25:31-33, where He separates sheep from the goats. The Bible is very clear about this, along with further explanation found in Matthew 25:41. Revelation 20:11-15 speaks of the Final Judgment known as the Great White Throne Judgment. Verse 11 reads: “And I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them (for this heaven and earth are passing away).” Verse 15 states: “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was hurled into the lake of fire.”

The Bema seat of Christ is for believers. According to 2 Corinthians 5:10-11a AMP, “For we (believers will be called to account and) must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be repaid for what has been done in the body, whether good or bad (that is, each will be held responsible for his actions, purposes, goals, motives-the use or misuse of his time, opportunities and abilities). Therefore, since we know the fear of the Lord (and understand the importance of obedience and worship), we persuade people (to be reconciled to Him). But we are plainly known to God (He knows everything about us).” This passage should inspire believers to live a repentant lifestyle.

COVID-19 LANDING

We are to proactively love God with every fiber of our being (Mark 12:30) during this pandemic, with a constant awareness of and gratitude for our new and better covenant. Believers must do life within that framework. We are to yearn for and intentionally seek Him which produces a willing heart to fulfill the Great Commission. God wants us to understand His ways (Proverbs 25:2) and walk in total allegiance and obedience to Him; yet knowing that the wisdom and knowledge of God are beyond comprehension. And, so are his judgments and ways (Romans 11:33). Now is the time to discover the riches of His nature within that context. Our call is to search for Him with all our hearts and be found by Him (Jeremiah 29:11-13), and love others with His “GO” in mind (Mark 12:31 and Matthew 28:19). As you hit the “restart” button in this season, the Lord will clarify His purpose and plan for your life. He is looking for our cooperation. May the unfathomable love of God draw you into a lifestyle of deeper intimacy. This is intended to produce extreme faith to enjoy Him and GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS… (Matthew 28:18-20). Fear will be eradicated from any part of your soul as living and loving supernaturally becomes your norm. “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty’” (Revelation 1:8).