A Word in Season: Leaving Old Ground for New Promises
Have you ever wondered why God asked Abraham to leave his home country in Ur of the Chaldeans and journey to an unknown land? And no, it’s not just to bless him, for God could have blessed a man anywhere. There was nothing God said or did with Abraham that couldn’t have been done where he was living. Or else, we all would have had to travel to Israel or any specific place to hear and be blessed by God.
Well, I didn’t know the reason either. Until the Holy Spirit brought it to my mind while praying this morning and showed me the significance of that.
The Power of a Word in Season
Before we dive into Abraham’s journey, let me share a secret I’ve learned: In the atmosphere of prayer – especially when praise and thanksgiving fill your heart – God speaks clearly. But to hear Him, you must quiet every distracting thought. Pray with expectancy. Worship with abandon. And then… listen.
Over the years, in this atmosphere, I’ve received revelations that have revolutionized my life. Examples of such are:
The Name Above All Names. In moments of crisis – when there’s no time for eloquence – calling on “Jesus” sums up every prayer you could ever pray.
“God’s Vision for Africa”. When my book on that very topic wasn’t selling and I asked God why in prayer (seeing that I received the instruction to write the book and even the title in the same atmosphere), God whispered, “It’s not a business – it’s my message to my people. Give it out free.”
Breaking Cobweb Yokes. The “revelation light” destroyed the yoke that bound me for years, by dispelling the underlying lie in one moment of truth.
A Publishing Plan from Heaven. One morning, moved in my spirit, I cleared all noise – even turned off my home theatre, where I was listening to gospel music – and simply worshipped. In the stillness, God laid out my entire newsletter strategy: where to publish, what to post, and when. I wrote it down then and there.
Why Christ Came. Many believers, even now, still wrestle with the question of why God had to come to the world in human form, called Jesus – especially when it comes from atheists and non-Christians – and only in the atmosphere of prayer did I receive the clarity that explained everything, even though I wasn’t even thinking about it.
I hope to discuss each of the above revelations elaborately at some point in the future of this publication.
Each revelation arrived “in season” – exactly when I needed it most. And today, I want to bring you another word in season, straight from my morning prayer.
The Revelation Significance of Leaving Ur
God’s command to Abraham wasn’t arbitrary. It was both practical and symbolic:
1. Practical
God had cursed the earth by reason of Adam’s sin of disobedience at the beginning. For this reason, the earth – the whole world – was placed under God’s curse. This curse put man in perpetual throes of painful existence. In Genesis 3:17, NKJV, the bible says:
Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’:
“Cursed is the ground for your sake;
In toil you shall eat of it
All the days of your life.
Under that curse, the ground could not yield its best for man.
But being full of mercy, when God was ready to move man from the place of curse to blessing, He introduced the Covenant. And he found a man to introduce His covenant to humanity: Abraham.
Remember God gave Adam the Obedience test, and when he failed, God cursed the earth.
To establish His covenant, God gave Abraham the same obedience test. And Abraham passed the test. Now, God could bless man again.
By His obedience, Abraham procured for man what Adam lost for man.
And so it happened, that the undisclosed land that God instructed Abraham to move to was a land He has preserved from the curse that was on the earth: a land flowing with milk and honey, while everywhere else was overgrown with thorns.
2. Symbolic:
Just as Abraham willing to sacrifice his only son Isaac was symbolic of God sacrificing His only begotten Son Jesus, so also does Canaan – the land where God moved Abraham – become symbolic of the land of rest that God has prepared for all humanity: Salvation in Jesus Christ.
As the world continues to roam in darkness and groan in end-time tribulations, God has given Jesus as a place of refuge for all who will obey His voice, accept the salvation in Jesus Christ, and walk according to His dictates.
What This Means for You
There is a place that God has prepared for you.
It’s important that you know this. And do the work to find it. Because whatever God is calling you to, is far better than what you have right now.
Be it a new career, a new business, a ministry or life’s calling. Salvation in Christ. Or more quality walk with Him.
Be encouraged: God doesn’t ever ask you to leave without leading you forward. And if you follow His voice, you’ll discover that the ground you thought you could never give up was actually limiting you all along. The land He’s prepared? It’s more abundant, more alive, and fuller of purpose than you can imagine.
Go ahead – leave your Ur. Your promised land is waiting.
Don’t settle. Until you find that abundant life and fullness of joy that Jesus promised.
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