Have you guys heard Jason Upton’s song “Lion of Judah”? It’s a great one and I listened to it this morning.The song talks about the army that the prophet Joel saw; it is found in chapter 2:2-11.
This is how the army looks like:
•Great and strong. The like of whom has never been.V.2
That is How God sees me: Great and strong!That’s really encouraging because sometimes I focus on “I’m not” and the “I can’t.” I sometimes find myself thinking too much about the things which I currently do not have.But as part of this army, I am called to look at all the things I do have instead (Revelations 3:11); greatness and strength are part of my identity.
•The land is like the Garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness v2b-3
I am going from glory to glory, from strength to strength.The past is gone, the new is here.I do not dwell on the past whether be good or bad. I don’t think of how things used to be. I keep moving forward.
•A fire devours before them; and behind them a flame burns. V 3
This makes me think of Mark 16:20.When the disciples went preaching, signs and wonders followed them.This fire inside of me will be released more each day! This fire changes me and it also changes the people I love and encounter.When I meet people they can leave a different way than the way they came to meet me.I am supposed to love, encourage, heal, speak life, joy, gladness, into people; that’s part of that fire that devours the old.The flame is the new; it’s the new praise that will come out of my life and from the lives of people I touch in His name.
•Their appearance is like the appearance of horses.v4
I have had more than a few visions and revelations on horses.One time I was praying with a friend and a saw us both as horses in a vision. We were both running but I was running faster and ahead of my friend.All of a sudden my friend caught up to me! He started running faster and faster, until we were both going at the same pace, going in the same direction. That was great because I could encourage my friend that he was going more for God now!He started crying as I spoke because others had told him that week that he wasn’t a “good Christian”.The time is short, so I must run; I must run first to Jesus; I must also run to the lost, the sick, the hurting, the young men, the young women, the children, and the youth…to all who want to meet with the Jesus who is in me!
•They run like mighty men. V7
I BELONG TO THE X-MEN!!The men at my church are X-MEN; and we are mighty as we worship God and love our family, friends, and others.We are extraordinary because we belong to this great and strong army.
•They do not push one another; every one marches in his own column.V8
I am part of this army! As part of this army I don’t compete, I complete!We say that a lot at my church and I love it; it keeps me humble and it reminds me that I am not fighting by myself.
Every one marches in his own column: everyone does their part in different and special areas, all for the expansion of the kingdom of God.We are all skilled in this army and we all have something to offer.Furthermore, we are all to have a part in the ministry (the war). Ephesians 4:12;16.
•The Lord gives voice before His army...strong is the one who executes His word.V11
Finally, and most importantly, just as God was pleased with Jesus when He said in a loud voice “this is my beloved Son in whom I am pleased”, The Lord is also pleased with His army. The Lion of Judah goes before this army and with His words He executes judgment upon sin, sickness and disease, and oppression! (Revelations 19:14-15).
MY identity as part of this army will be more established in 2010.
