USING GOD OR BEING USED BY GOD

Arise, Shine, Manifest His Glory (Be Used by God)

Main Readings: Isaiah 60:1-5, 18 and Acts 9:1-15

When I asked the those in the meeting to write down five things they want God to do for them, and five they believe God wants to use them for, they were very swift about the first, and started chewing the pens and pencils when we came to the second. Classic Israel, Saul and us?

The stories of Israel and Saul are ours who also receive the salvation of God. We are also prone to presuming that we must be special to God, and that we need to be protected against unbelievers and dangers at all cost, under the guise of protecting the Name of God. Inadvertently, we begin to “use” God, rather than allowing Him to use us. We set our own agenda and ask God to bless it, whether it is His will or not. We refuse to arise (declare the saving power of God), shine (show forth the superior character of Christ enabled by the Holy Spirit in us). Thus we fail to manifest Christ (show true humility, and compassion for the perishing. These stories and the effective meaning so of the words used in Isaiah 60, will help us to make the necessary turnaround and save us the time-wasting they went through.

The Story of Israel

Israel was called by God to be an instrument for the salvation of the world. It clearly misunderstood this for centuries in the same manner that Saul of Tarsus, thinking He was serving God was actually working against God. Israel might have felt it was really special, entrusted with the special knowledge of God, and went about establishing that reputation in the world, often calling upon God to deal with their enemies. In answering their prayer, they discovered that God sent punishment not only on their enemies, but on them as well when they committed similar offences against one another. After several cycles of abusing God’s calling and being punished for it, Isaiah prophesies that the coming of the Light of Israel would end their ignorance and nations will come to their light. Instead of their walls becoming an offense to their enemies, their walls will be called salvation, and all who enter through their gates will no longer come crying as captives of war, but with praise to their God.

The Story of Paul

Paul’s story is a microcosm of Israel’s. He might have felt we was specially positioned, being a Jew of the highest quality, and went about establishing his reputation by oppressing the followers of the Messiah, taking authority from the chief priests to persecute believers. When He was struck with light, God showed him that he was to be an instrument in His hands for the salvation of others. Such an instrument would need to suffer and therefore can proceed only by the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul’s agenda of his perceived agenda of God to establish himself had come to an end. Now, God would use him for His agenda.  

Arise

It is voluntary action urged on one who is alive or strong, but is not willingly using that strength.

Shine

It is to live in a way that exposes what is covered or hidden by darkness, guiding people into safety and uncovering treasure and potential. It is to live differently from those whose living produce the darkness.

Your Light has Come

The reason why arising and shining is being urged is that light has come: it is called Your light  because it has long been promised to you. This reflects also the new heart promised in Jeremiah 36:26, referring to the dawn of the Kingdom of God through the death of Jesus and the giving of the Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28)

Original Audience of Isaiah is Israel: God was using Israel as an instrument of salvation to the world, which was covered in deep darkness. They had tasted the consequences of darkness, and would now be restored with the necessary equipment to fight darkness – Primarily, Light – and, through the work of the Light, abundance of God’s blessings (those who walk in the light will not lack any good thing - Ps 34:10). Their prosperity will attract many to the Light, and when they come they will see that the walls are called Salvation and Praise – to receive that kind of prosperity/defense, they need to be saved, and they are welcome to enter the walls through the gates. As they come, they will be praising God.

Ultimate Audience of Isaiah is the Church: The Church – the church is actually Israel’s light (though Israel by and large rejected the Messiah who had come as Light into the world, “salvation is of the Jews”- John 4:22), it started through them. Jesus called the believers “Light of the world”. From Matthew 5-7, He taught them to shine (lifestyles that are superior to what they saw around them, beginning with the wickedness of even those who claimed to live by the law given through Moses). The nascent church was to wait in Jerusalem after the Lord’s ascension until they received power from on high (to arise and shine). When the Holy Spirit came, they arose (began speaking powerfully, Ac 2:4), and shone (lived powerfully, Ac 4:13), and were likened to Christ (manifesting Christ’s glory, Ac 11:26).

Manifesting Christ’s Glory on Earth – What it Means

A costume has meaning in its culture. Jesus is known on Earth by His humility and sacrifice: that He went about “doing good and healing all who were oppressed” (Acts10:38, NLT). That is His glory as the world knows and can recognize in His followers. Anybody living differently and claiming to be a servant of the Christ will only raise questions and will not be believed. We should watch out and refuse the Satan-like temptations to prove we are children and servants of the Most High. It is not our ability to get what we want when we want it that will prove we are children of God, because “man shall not live by bread alone” (Mt 4:4). It is not by rushing into clear and avoidable danger unprepared that proves God is our protector, because “you shall not put the Lord your God to test” (Mt 4:7). We must avoid all shortcuts to easy life, since we must always be careful that all credit and service goes to God alone (Mt 4:10) Moreover, essentially all things are ours, since we have Christ (1 Cor. 3: 21-23).

Rather, we must manifest His glory in:

1. His humility and gentleness, identifying with the weak, and urging the offender to come home
2. His generosity, kindness and willingness to forgive
3. His endurance in hardship and abuse

Face the Truth:

Let us face these truths and turn around:

1. We are special in the hands of God only as instruments of salvation to the world, and nothing more. I our own selves, we are better than nobody, and every unsaved soul is a potential child and servant of God like we are;
2. The rest of the world now walks in darkness and God has given us His light, just to use us as light to save the world from doom;
3. As light of the world, we are sent forth not for the world’s destruction, but rather as “sheep among wolves” (Mt 10:16). The world is not expected to be terrified of us. Rather, our wisdom and compassion in the face of their howling should make them desire to become like the sheep we are.
4. Sent forth “unarmed” among wolves, our alertness to the Holy Spirit and dependence on His power cannot be taken for granted. We must keep the mind of Christ in order to fulfill our mission. He, though in the very nature of God, accepted to become a CHILD and a SERVANT of God. Thus, as a child, He always prayed to His Father for strength, direction and sustenance. As a servant He offered His all, even His life, to serve the will of God (See Php 2:5-11).
5. Since it is God's intention to use us, He will be bear all the cost in preparing and protecting us to ensure we accomplish His goals, and nothing can stop Him, except our unwillingness to let Him proceed with us. The burdens of our welfare therefore shift unto Him, and we have no business being frightened or anxious about anything, unless we refuse to go to Him in prayer.