TRANSITION
By Cherie Sheridan
6/24/2013
Transition: A change, a passage from one location to another, one sound into another, one phrase into another. Some transitions are abrupt, sharp, even painful. Other transitions are smooth, gradual and pleasant.
What is an example of an abrupt transition? A sudden storm, tragedy, one that we don't have forewarning with. Something that just suddenly comes upon us and propels us into change. These sudden changes can be demonic or diabolic in nature. Set for our destruction. This is a time we must bear down and find the Lord in the midst of the upheaval
and hang on. We must hear the Lord as best as possible during these times. Often times, in this type of transition we feel as though we are being carried about by a great current with no ability to make it stop. We can't get off this ride. Yet the circumstances surrounding this transition may be almost too much for us to bear.
The more we set our mind to the circumstances and meditate upon them the worse it will be for us. We must get our mind upon the Lord. During such a crisis moment it is often difficult to be still before God. We may cry out in desperation but it will not change the circumstances. Somehow we must become still. Watch a movie, listen to some worship music, go for a walk. You must disengage from the situation before you can move forward. Similar to the process of giving birth you must “breathe” to keep your body through the contractions in a more controlled state.
We as a nation, USA, have been in transition. We are not done. When we come out of this change we won't look, smell, or act the same. Most of the transition this nation is going through and will continue to experience is not good overall. We have thrown in the towel in defeat to the overwhelming tide of sin that has been unleashed upon us.
Many individuals in the body of Christ have and are being uprooted and moved around. Like the pieces of a giant chess board we are being positioned. Some pawns will be taken in this game in order for castles, knights and bishops to take decisive positions in the end game.
In the book of Daniel chapter 7 starting in verse 25 the word of the Lord tells us “He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute (wear out) the saints of the Most High and shall intend to change times and law (transition). Then the saints shall be given into his and for a time and times and half a time.” It has been appointed by God that the saints will be forced into this “transition” by the enemy. Transition is a necessary process of birth. Some labor is harder than others.
1 Peter 4:12 “Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is try you, as though some strange thing happened to you.”
We all go “through” change and trials. This is part of life and part of being a child of God. This particular season in God is abounding with many changes and transitions. Like going up and down a flight of stairs, every step is a transition. Some steps are large, broad and gradual while others are short, quick and narrow.
The scriptures often liken this transition to childbirth. The joy of conception, the time of carrying, growth, incubation of the baby (promise); the time when it seems like the promise will never come forth then....suddenly transition. I have five children. I can tell you from personal experience transition is a whirlwind of emotion. Excitement, fear, fatigue, pain and just when you think you can't take it for another moment, birth. The one carrying the promise has gone through transition and the one being born has also come forth through transition. Next is complete change. Everything following transition changes. Lifestyle changes, where you live, what you do can change. It cannot stay the same because the dynamics of your life have now been forever changed.
We as believers in Jesus go through many transitions. For many in other nations accepting Jesus as their Lord and savior suddenly throws people into transition. They are no longer accepted by their natural family when the accept their eternal family. They are cast out and forced to flee, many for their lives.
I spoke of two types of transitions: abrupt and smooth. What does a smooth transition look like?
An example of a smooth transition would be: The Lord impresses upon you to leave where you are an go to a new location. We can choose in this transition. We decide to some degree when it begins, we still don't know the end but we have time to prepare. Things and life are not suddenly ripped from us. Nor is our world thrown into a major uproar all at once. This is likened to the broad, gradual smooth steps or a childbirth where you've received and epidural. It lessens the pain of transition.
When the children of Israel walked around in the desert for forty years that was their transition time.(See Exodus)
God will carry us during and through transition. He will provide for us. He will use the time of transition to cleanse and purify us. This time is meant to prepare us to receive the promise. Upon entering into the promise land there is still another cleansing. God will cause us to cross over Jordan before we can take possession of our land flowing with milk and honey. He will cause the river to part for us once again. Joshua 3:14-17. Again, God is demonstrating to us His faithfulness to us and that we can trust Him and believe Him to bring us into our promise.
We must maintain forward momentum. We do not want to get stuck in transition. As with childbirth, we must continue to “bear down”. We have to “push”. We have a role to play in the process of transition.
Finally there comes the time where all our efforts bear fruit and come forth. The promise arrives, but now what? We have to care and tend to our promise. We have to help it to develop and grow. We have to strive to hear God for every direction. We should have learned through the transition how to hear God. We should have also learned that God doesn't need our help, just our obedience.
Our transition was specifically custom designed by God for us to bring us forth in Him. It was designed to purge us of the works of the flesh. It was also a time for healing and opening up of our heart for the Lord to come in to the deep places and remove those hidden things. The wounds and pain that would hinder us in our promise land.
NOW:
The purpose for transition, the purpose for the attaining of our promise land is to establish God's Kingdom here on earth. We have been readied to demonstrate what it is to walk as a child of God, even as Jesus walked.
“Arise, shine: For your light has come!” Is 60:1 That sounds like a birth. Jesus is that light being made manifest in us through the Holy Spirit. He wants us to illuminate Him! That means we are going to stand out from the crowd. We are going to be shining brightly for Him. People will notice, demons will notice. Expect it. It is happening now.
“And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.” Is 60:2 God's manifest presence will be rising upon His people! Any moment now. It has already begun! Do you understand what that means? Really? Can we truly fathom what it means to have the “glory” the very essence and splendor of God emanating from us?
“For behold (look and see), the darkness (destruction, death, wickedness, deception, sorrow) shall cover the earth, (We cannot stop the darkness from coming.) and deep (gross) darkness (covering like a cloud looming over the people) the people;
But the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles (those that are not the Lords) shall come to your light, (We won't have to do anything but shine and they will be drawn to the glory of the Lord upon us. Point to yourself and say, “that means me”.), and kings to the brightness of your rising.”
Kings (businessmen/women, leaders, have kingdoms, they have domains, lands, seats of authority and rule and influence over their domains and those that dwell in them. The glory of God upon us will drawn them to us.
1 Pet 5:6 “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God so that in due season He may exalt you.”
Transition was our time for humbling ourselves before the Lord God, so that He may exalt us (cause us to rise) before Kings and the Gentiles so that we may influence them for the Kingdom of God.
Let's go back to the book of Daniel. The story does not end with the saints being given over to Satan. That was just for a “season” a “transition” time. Let's read what the rest of the story says.
“But the court shall be seated (place of authority), and they shall take away his (Satan's) dominion, to consume and destroy forever, (that means it's over for him, he cannot persecute God's people anymore.) vs 27 “Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High.” (Did you read that? Doesn't sound like God's saints are defeated anymore!) His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.”
Are you in transition? Or have you just entered into the promise land? Both places require you to hear God, have faith and trust in Him and obey. The key for moving forward in the promise land is obedience unity and faith. When you are in your promise land God goes before you and opens the doors all you have to do is walk through them. He will make things fall in place that there is no way you could make happen. You've been stripped in the transition. The bridges have been blown up. The old ways won't work in this new land. You and I must hear God in this season more than ever. Things that were hard in the past God will make easy. When His glory rises upon you His favor comes with it. You can't mess it up. Did you hear me? YOU CAN'T MESS THIS UP! God is doing this just listen and obey. God wants to bless you. He wants to prosper you. He wants to make you so blessed that it will get the attention of the kings! They're going to say, “How is it you did this?” and you will be able to say, “Let me tell you about my God.”.
We know our world is going through a metamorphosis. No matter what nation you live in change is taking place. We can't stop it. Trying to hang onto the past will only make things harder for us. Paranoia and fear are running rampant and it's going to get worse. Individuals are going to be and are being monitored on a mass scale. This news about the governments monitoring us is not really news at all. We've known this for some time, the fact is that they are just not able to cover it up anymore. Yes our freedoms are being messed with. True liberty only come in Christ. Man can only place limitations on our physical body, our spirit man can not be limited when we are in Christ Jesus. We do not have to walk in fear, we can walk in His peace. His perfect peace. We have eternity with Christ. This world and the trials we go through are for the purpose of training and equipping us to live in eternity with Him. We learn the laws of the Kingdom of God and the operations of His Kingdom while we are here. This earth is also a transition. When we go through our transitions we must ask God for His eternal perspective and not our temporal one. If we base everything we do in light of eternity we can endure.
At the end of transition is the promise!
Hebrews 6:15 “..after he patiently endured he obtained the promise.”
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