Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee ~ Isaiah 60:1.
Introduction:
This year has been very remarkable in many respects, especially in the manifestation of God’s kindness. God has chosen to distill upon His people the dews of His goodness and the rich abundance of heaven in several ways, more than we can name one-by-one (Psalm 65:11).
Please make no mistake about it: every experience He has allowed in your life — the sweet acceptance or the brick walls, the joy or even the anxious moments, etc. — have all contributed to the gentle showers of God’s blessings upon you throughout the year up until now.
Meanwhile, every ending equally marks the chance for a new beginning. Your recent experiences, whatever they may be, wrapped up the old year and a new beginning is unfolding. Therefore, it is profitable for you to train your spiritual senses to recognize the new dawn, choose to maximize it and get set for the distinction it will offer you in the coming years.
The Threshold of a New Dawn Is Here!
When your new dawn comes, no matter how dark or stormy the night has been, the brightness of the dawn lightens up the day. Similarly, when God locates you and your new dawn arrives, no matter what you are presently experiencing, your story changes as God brightens your entire life-space.
David was in the wilderness, but when his day came, God located him there and sent Prophet Samuel to his father’s house. Jesse paraded all his sons whom he felt would fit the bill before Samuel, but Samuel declined. He expressly told Jesse to send for David in the bush. His dawn had come and, afterwards, he became a wonder to his world (Psalm 71:7).
God caught up with Moses at the backside of his desert experiences while he was busy trying to escape from the avenger of blood on account of the murder crime he had earlier committed. But then, his new dawn came, and the Lord called him and gave him a dispensational assignment at Mount Horeb.
Joseph’s case was even more dramatic. He was in prison when his new dawn came. That day, he woke up in the morning a prisoner, and later the same day, he slept in the palace as the Prime Minister of Egypt, a nation that was akin to a Super Power in the then known world! What a wonder of divine timing (Psalm 102:13).
As for Elisha, he was practically involved in arable farming when his new dawn came. He burnt his yoke of oxen, a symbol of total commitment to the Lord’s calling. He went and fully followed Elijah to the end. No wonder, he got a double portion of Elijah's anointing.
When a man's new day arrives, it doesn't matter where he is from or at what point he is in his journey of destiny, God will locate him and change his identity.
Recognizing Your New Dawn
At this juncture, let us examine some signal characteristics of a new dawn.
At the onset of your new dawn God will readily send a prophet to you, both to bring you out of obscurity and to preserve you to enjoy the full benefits of divine light (Hosea 12:13; Amos 3:7). And when He does, He will also bypass others to establish you as His choice.
This reminds me of Esther, an Israeli captive, who became a queen in a foreign land. Queen Vashti misbehaved and had lost her position, and a replacement was being sought for.
Esther was very undeserving of the post. As a matter of fact, Esther competed with many other ladies, some of whom perhaps were more beautiful than her from about 120 provinces of Babylon, and who were also free born. But, because Esther's day had dawned, she carried the day and all the odds stacked against her couldn't stop her.
Our God does what He pleases. He is the “Original Majesty”, Who would have mercy on whom He will have mercy, and compassion on whom He will have compassion (Psalm 115:3; Romans 9:15-16). And, when He chooses you by mercy, He can do and undo anything in your favour. At one time, He even went to the extent of changing the course of the sundial because He wanted to grant a man's request (Joshua 10:12).
When it is your day, God will intervene to honor you in spite of the innumerable naysayers, and make you unstoppable. When God chooses to honour you at His set time for your life, He will just do the impossible to spite the naysayers and shut them up by His sovereign power.
Painfully, David was despitefully abandoned by his siblings, and thoughtlessly forgotten in the bush by his own father when Samuel arrived at their house to anoint a king. Jesse didn't even think that David had the right credentials nor was seasoned enough to meet God's standard. But, that was man's summation, not God's.
David’s day had come, all his siblings were divinely rejected, and Samuel told Jesse that everyone was going to have to wait for David to come before they could sit.
Even the highly revered prophet would not sit down until David arrived, was anointed and pronounced the incoming king. Nothing, they say, is more powerful than an idea whose time has come! Alleluia!!
Friends, your light of a new dawn has come, get ready to shine (Luke 1:78-79). It is your day, your light has come and you must start shining even in darkness (Isaiah 60:1-4).
Maximizing the New Dawn
It is quite important that you maximize the benefits of your day. And, this you can do by surrendering totally to God. God rarely forces His will on people.
Today, it is quite pathetic and sad to find people who are not born again, but are bearing various Biblical names and titles in church arenas, and their behaviors don’t attest to a genuine encounter with Christ. For you to maximize your timing, you must truly surrender your life to Jesus Christ, believe the gospel and forsake your sins.
Anyone can be pious, gentle and appear spiritual while in church, but when you are alone, how do you relate with Jesus? Outside there, what image do you cut for others to see? Absolutely, there is beauty in surrendering fully to Christ (Psalm 40:1-3).
Forthwith, let’s us all determine to wear the banner of proper Christianity wherever we are found, keeping our focus on Christ and His Word (Isaiah 60:4). Let’s keep intact our implicit trust in Him.
Finally, to ensure maximal impacts of your new dawn, you must be diligent not to frustrate the grace of God. As a firm believer in Christ, you can achieve this by choosing to live a crucified life (Galatians 2:20-21).
A crucified life is a spiritual life of discipline, which connects a man’s aspirations to the heavenly vision, and stands him out taller than his peers here on earth (Proverbs 22:29).
Brethren, as you refuse to frustrate the grace of God, I see you maximizing this new dawn, and breaking free from the shackles of poverty, failure and defeat. I see you commanding eye-popping results and mind boggling accomplishments in life. Please, go forth to excel, in Jesus Name. Happy Sunday!
Rhema Christian Church,
Otta, Ogun State, Nigeria.
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