There is a land where a curse has fallen upon it. Evil has entered in, and it has plagued everyone like a pandemic. Every living being has been infected by it, and the tally of the dead is on the rise. Unless someone can thwart the plans of the curse derailing its course of action, every person will fall prey to the venom that evil spouts proudly. Unless there is a change in heart, every person will fall victim to the curse.
While this land is deep and dark in sin, there is someone who rose up to save the land. You could say a valiant warrior rose up and said, “I will not only save the people in this forsaken land, but I will put the evil one in his place. I will be the authority over him!”
You could say this strong and mighty Prince of Peace is a Branch, an offshoot from a tree that has become infected with, lets say, ash borers. The ash borer slowly kills a tree from the inside out. Once the damage is done, you have to take the tree down for death has occurred. In my yard, I have several trees that need to come down because of the damage it has done to our ash trees.
This Branch was grafted into the dead tree to breath new life to something that was dead. This Branch will build an everlasting Temple where people in the land can come to and be given a new lease on life. This Branch will receive royal honor and rule as King from a throne of authority. This Branch will be like a high priest who oversees the inhabitants of the land with grace, mercy and love (see Zechariah 6:12-13).
When the people in the land choose to follow the ways of this valiant Warrior instead of succumbing to the venom of evil that has taken over, a new land emerges. A kingdom begins to grow and thrive where evil has to take a back seat. Unity and harmony will overtake a people that allow this Warrior to lead them out of sickness and darkness.
Healing begins where hearts are willing to be changed.
New life permeates a land where people are willing to change for this Warrior who has come without asking. He comes in love. He makes Himself available to anyone who wants to escape the perils of a plagued land.
In the day of healing, people will live differently. They will become little warriors, little warriors with a big message for anyone who desires to hear and change. They live for the Warrior, the Branch, their Prince of Peace with the mission of rebuilding the Temple.
One becomes a Kingdom builder for the Savior, rather than having a savior who fits into their plans.
A Kingdom builder carefully obeys what the Warrior says. Lucky for the people in their cursed land, they have the Book of Life that teaches them how to live set apart so the evil that is around them does not get in them, like ash borers do to trees. The evil in the land is the same way. It permeates slowly and methodically. Before you know it, one is spiritually dead. The devastating reality is that a person can look alive on the outside while being dead on the inside.
My friend, this is no fairytale. This is the reality of our world. The earth is soaked in sin which makes it sick. Sin is the cancer without any cure, and you and I are full of cancer. In our desperation, Jesus said that He would come and battle evil for us, and He did! He conquered death and placed Satan under His feet forever more! He is the valiant Warrior who comes with His Book of Life so every person who believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life, see John 3:16.
You are called to choose life over death. If you remain unchanged in this world, you are headed on the road to destruction. God, in His love for you, wants you to seek Him. When you do, He will reveal Himself to you. So much so, that you will be awestruck in wonder over how He faithfully loves you. You will be forever grateful that in His love, mercy and grace, He removed you from the wide road to hell and placed you on the narrow road to heaven. It is narrow for a reason. Why do you think it is?
The narrow road is one of humility and the letting go of what you desire your life to be. Your life becomes His and you live for His Kingdom. God needs to remove the ash borers that are eating away at your life. He fills you with Himself and heals you from the inside out.
The walk with God is not a natural one. You must choose to follow God. You must choose to reprogram your mind and heart, with the Holy Spirit’s help, by filling yourself with His truths that are only found in His Book of Life called the Bible. You learn to speak to God throughout your day and in all things, asking Him to lead you. When He asks you to change in an area, you change. If He asks you to give up something, you hand it over. If He asks you to serve in some way, you serve, for you honor God. Wherever He convicts you, you listen and obey. He has better things for you than the road that you are on now. Trust Him.
Would you trust Him? Maybe God wants to give you more breathing room in your day so you can enjoy it more. Maybe He wants to deepen your relationships so you can experience joy and happiness at a deeper level. Maybe He wants to refresh you so you can truly see His hand in all areas of your life. Maybe He wants you to stop and smell the roses. Maybe He wants you to give up that job that drains you so He can place you in a job where you feel fully alive making a difference. Maybe God wants to show you, refresh you, strengthen you, simply love on you where your soul becomes settled and at peace. What is your maybe?
Jesus will be returning soon. There are two ways for His return. One is corporately where He will come back to take His Church off this earth. The inhabitants on the narrow road will instantly be taken up to be with the Lord. When this happens, the end for this world is at hand and Jesus is coming to put evil in its place. The other way is intimately and personally. He comes every day to take people off this earth, and He comes for all ages. No one is guaranteed 70, 80, 90 years. You do not know when He is coming for you. Are you ready?
Don’t be found falling victim to the curse. There is no reason for it. Jesus has come to set you free!
Carol J German 