Listen to this inspiring message: Your Due Season is Now
THE WAY UP IS DOWN
Whether we want them or not, at some point or another we will be faced with difficult circumstances. We will be able to handle some of these circumstances on our own; others we will be able to call a family member or members for help; others we will be able to call our pastors or priest; others our prayer partners. However there are some situations that we will be faced with that will require us to go down so we can get up.
What do I mean by the way up is down? Let’s take a look at Mark 14:32-36.
They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch." Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. "Abba, Father," he said, "Everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."
Prior to our Lord and Savior’s crucifixion and ultimately His ascend into heaven, He had to go down. He went down on His knees in prayer. He really could have called ten thousand angels or even more, however He chose to submit to God’s ultimate plan for salvation. Since the Son of God Himself had to go down before going up, let us use that as our example. Our circumstances will in no way compare to what Christ was about to face before He went down on His knees. Remember, He took on the sins of the entire world; past, present and future. Isaiah 53:3-4 gives us a clear picture of the anguish He experienced on that day. “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.” Funny thing is He didn’t deserve this. He was without sin. Hebrews 4:15 tells us, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. However because of His unconditional love, He paid a debt He did not owe. He took our place and we find Him in that place called Gethsemane down on His knees praying. This was Jesus Christ, the Holy One, praying. He understood the power in knee ministry. He taught us that in order to be victorious, we must go down in order to get up.
In Exodus 15:25, we read that Moses cried out to God when he was faced with a bitter situation and immediately God gave him the answer. What circumstances are you facing that you find yourself not being able to get out of? I highly recommend the example of Jesus Christ. It is time to get down on your knees. Sometimes it is necessary to encourage ourselves. Sometimes, it is necessary to pray over ourselves as the song writer states. By getting into that humbling position on our knees we will receive the victory.
The Father so desperately wants to be with us on an intimate level. While He does not mind hearing from our friends, our relatives, our prayer warriors, or our pastors on our behalf, He wants to hear from us on a personal one on one level.
The next time you are faced with a circumstance and there will be a next, remember Isaiah 43:2 states, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” Not “if”, “when”. Therefore the next time, find a cushion and go down on your knees so you can go up.
A prayer: Father we thank You for the examples set forth in Your Word for us to live by. Father we thank You that we can come to You with all our circumstances. We thank You for hearing and answering and we are mindful to give You all the glory, all the honor and all the praise, in Jesus precious name.
Pastor Maureen Chen Daley
Simple Words Ministry
Whether we want them or not, at some point or another we will be faced with difficult circumstances. We will be able to handle some of these circumstances on our own; others we will be able to call a family member or members for help; others we will be able to call our pastors or priest; others our prayer partners. However there are some situations that we will be faced with that will require us to go down so we can get up.
What do I mean by the way up is down? Let’s take a look at Mark 14:32-36.
They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch." Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. "Abba, Father," he said, "Everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."
Prior to our Lord and Savior’s crucifixion and ultimately His ascend into heaven, He had to go down. He went down on His knees in prayer. He really could have called ten thousand angels or even more, however He chose to submit to God’s ultimate plan for salvation. Since the Son of God Himself had to go down before going up, let us use that as our example. Our circumstances will in no way compare to what Christ was about to face before He went down on His knees. Remember, He took on the sins of the entire world; past, present and future. Isaiah 53:3-4 gives us a clear picture of the anguish He experienced on that day. “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.” Funny thing is He didn’t deserve this. He was without sin. Hebrews 4:15 tells us, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. However because of His unconditional love, He paid a debt He did not owe. He took our place and we find Him in that place called Gethsemane down on His knees praying. This was Jesus Christ, the Holy One, praying. He understood the power in knee ministry. He taught us that in order to be victorious, we must go down in order to get up.
In Exodus 15:25, we read that Moses cried out to God when he was faced with a bitter situation and immediately God gave him the answer. What circumstances are you facing that you find yourself not being able to get out of? I highly recommend the example of Jesus Christ. It is time to get down on your knees. Sometimes it is necessary to encourage ourselves. Sometimes, it is necessary to pray over ourselves as the song writer states. By getting into that humbling position on our knees we will receive the victory.
The Father so desperately wants to be with us on an intimate level. While He does not mind hearing from our friends, our relatives, our prayer warriors, or our pastors on our behalf, He wants to hear from us on a personal one on one level.
The next time you are faced with a circumstance and there will be a next, remember Isaiah 43:2 states, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” Not “if”, “when”. Therefore the next time, find a cushion and go down on your knees so you can go up.
A prayer: Father we thank You for the examples set forth in Your Word for us to live by. Father we thank You that we can come to You with all our circumstances. We thank You for hearing and answering and we are mindful to give You all the glory, all the honor and all the praise, in Jesus precious name.
Pastor Maureen Chen Daley
Simple Words Ministry