Caught Up

1 Thessalonians 4 : 15 - 18, For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. NKJV

We have learned from the scriptures that God came to earth many times to visit with His people. The first account of such an encounter was when God was calling out to Adam while walking through the Garden of Eden in the cool of the evening. Another example is found in Exodus when God came down on Mount Sinai to commune with His people, Israel. Likewise, in John, the Word of God became flesh and dwelt among the Jews, and they beheld the glory of God.

However, it was after four-hundred years of living in bondage to Egypt that God heard the afflictions of His people and sent Moses to DRAW His people out of bondage. I bring up this story because the Holy Spirit is telling me that He is, once again drawing His people out of the world. Consequently, we must overcome the PULL of the world’s pleasures, bondages, and cares. We can accomplish separation from the world only when we first desire a closer and more personal relationship with our Creator and heavenly Father.

Much of what Christians have been experiencing in their daily lives is the result of God shaking everything that can be shaken. As the Lord shakes this world, we will experience separation anxiety from it. The Jews experienced this same unease when they departed Egypt. When they had to face the hardships of the wilderness, they began to look back at what they had left behind. They had to undergo the process of “dying to self” in order to overcome the world. The writer of Hebrews explains in detail what we are facing in today’s world.

Hebrews 12 : 25 - 29, See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven." Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.NKJV

Why is God shaking everything that can be shaken in this world? He must get our ATTENTION! The Holy Spirit is preparing the body of Christ for the move of God that is about to sweep the planet. Therefore, we must make ourselves ready for it. Many times when God was about to reveal Himself to His people or begin a move of His Spirit in the earth, He first called His people to a time of consecration and purity so that they would be prepared for the event.

Even so, we are also living in a season when the Holy Spirit is drawing us out of the PULL of the world’s pleasures, and its cares. Just as the earth’s gravitational pull holds all matter down to the earth, our flesh is, likewise, lured by the force of the world’s temptations. Therefore, we must walk in the Spirit so that we don’t fulfill the lusts of our flesh. Only when we answer God’s call to live holy and dedicated to His purposes will we be able to defy the allure of the world.

Nevertheless, one day the body of Christ will be ready for His return. As a result, instead of God coming down to earth to meet with us, He will call us up to meet with Him in the air. At that moment, no gravitational pull and no earthly lust will be able to hold us from being ONE with the Lord. Are you willing to make yourself ready? The Lord is calling.

Answering God’s Call for Preparation,
Pastor Asa Dockery