Australia’s Largest Christian News Site

What if this present moment—a time of untold global chaos—was actually a wide open door for you into prosperity?

As you read the news, that may seem unlikely. But in recent weeks, there are many around the world who have been seeking out something stronger to anchor their lives to than the daily headlines. And they have found the solace they are seeking in the ancient Scriptures.

Consider Isaiah 54. This chapter is almost 3000 years old, but it speaks with piercing relevance to our current day. Here, Isaiah confidently declares that even from a place of desolation and grief, those who trust in God can expect lives of unparalleled abundance.

In this chapter, Isaiah likens God’s people to a wife who had been unfaithful to her husband. And God is the husband who welcomes her back with open arms, a heart full of love, and beautiful promises about the future.

We don’t have to squint hard to see ourselves here. In so many areas of our lives, you and I have been unfaithful to God. But He has welcomed us back, forgiven our sins because of Jesus, and has more love and affection stored up for us than we are ready for.

This passage is pregnant with God’s promises. Consider just three of them.

God’s People Will Prosper | v2-3

“Enlarge your house; build an addition. Spread out your home, and spare no expense!
For you will soon be bursting at the seams. Your descendants will occupy other nations and resettle the ruined cities.”

Cynicism comes naturally for us Aussies—in fact, being cynical might just be one of our national pastimes. We love to diss our politicians, pay each other out, and challenge authority.

There is a place for this larrikin, carefree attitude. But it can also go too far, and it can actually run counter to some of core convictions as believers.

As you imagine the future state of the Church in your city or region, what do you see? Do you see the Church fading into insignificance, or do you see revival and renewal and hope?

God tells us here that we should be expecting great things. “You will soon be bursting at the seams,” He says.

For the better part of a century, we have tended to think of other parts of the world as the place where God is growing the Church. But many of the challenges that have made the non-western world dependent on God are now upon us in the West. Revival and renewal are our birthright too.

So pray—and prepare to be amazed at what God will do, even in our nation.

God’s Love Will Remain | v10

“For the mountains may move and the hills disappear,
but even then My faithful love for you will remain.
My covenant of blessing will never be broken,”
says the Lord, who has mercy on you.

What are the mountains that are shaking in your life? I have too many to tell—a cancelled wedding was only the start of the uncertainties my new wife and I now face.

If you’re in a situation anything like mine, then hear the promise of God once more:

“The mountains may move and the hills disappear,
but even then My faithful love for you will remain.”

Isn’t that amazing? God’s love will remain. His faithful, covenant love will never be broken, regardless of the circumstances in our lives.

The challenges you’re facing might be big or small, they might be material or mental, they might be real or imagined. But your response to them doesn’t need to be fear.

Why? Because we have the greatest truth to hold on to. Better still, we have the greatest Truth holding on to us—the stubborn love of God that will never let us go.

God’s Enemies Will Fail | v17

“But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed.
You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you.
These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord;
their vindication will come from Me.
I, the Lord, have spoken!”

There is still much speculation about the origin of the coronavirus. Was it caused by Wuhan’s wildlife market? Was it mishandled in a science laboratory? Could it even be a biological weapon?

But there is something far more powerful than a deadly virus. God can make any virus flee, and can destroy any weapon turned against Him and those He loves. There is nothing that can defeat the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!

Over generations, we have become accustomed to solving so many of our problems with our own human solutions. But if humanity has learnt anything these past few weeks, it’s that we are not in control of everything.

God is. This is a spiritual battle, and one we must fight from our knees.

God promises us prosperity—yes, even in the age of coronavirus. It’s just that we may need to upend our definition of prosperity. Maybe our assets will suffer a hit, and our spending habits will need an overhaul, and our plans for 2020 will go into a tailspin.

But this might be exactly what we need for God to give us what we really need: spiritual prosperity. Lives deeply rooted in Him. Foundations dug deep in His Word. Intercession, intimacy and investment in the things that matter.

When our values are reset by Heaven, even the most unusual circumstances can be the channel for God’s blessing and abundance. Are you ready for all that God has for you?

[Photo by Gustavo Fring from Pexels]