God Has Set Times and Seasons
Just as God has set the times and seasons in which to redeem the lost on the earth, God has also set the times and seasons in every believer’s life, during which He desires to bring restoration. The more restoration the Lord brings to each of our lives, the more free we become, and the more equipped we are to reach the lost and to help bring restoration to others.
God has set the times and seasons by His own authority, but we do not know when these times and seasons are until God chooses to reveal them. Jesus said to His disciples, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority” (Act 1:7).
But neither does God want us to be ignorant of His will, but to “understand what the will of the Lord is”
(Ephesians 5: 17).
God promised His people through the prophet Isaiah, that when they returned to Him, they would hear His voice behind them and that He would guide them in the way they should go. The Holy Spirit does the same for us today.
“Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left”.
(Isaiah 30:21)
When we walk in close relationship with Christ and learn to recognize the voice of His Spirit, we will not miss those seasons in which God wants to bring restoration to our lives.
Our Times are in God’s Hand
King David said that he could trust the Lord, because his times were in God’s hand.
“But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hand”.
(Psalm 31:14 & 15)
Because the Lord God surpasses all time, He both is; and was; and is to come.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, says the Lord, Who is and Who was and Who is to come, the Almighty”.
(Revelation 1:8)
God is God of the present, God of the past, and God of the future.
Therefore there is no time that is not God’s time. Yesterday was God’s time, today is God’s time, and tomorrow will be God’s time also. God holds all of time in His hand. He holds all of the past, all of the present and all of the future.
- There is no time that is not God’s time!
- God holds all of time in His hand
God Works All Things Together for Good
God gives us the assurance that He will work all things together for our good when we belong to Him. That means not only those things that we are experiencing in our present day, but also what has taken place in the past and what is yet to come in the future.
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose”.
(Romans 8:28)
When God says all things work together for our good – but we know that yesterday did not turn out so well, or we are struggling with today or uncertain about tomorrow – God is waiting for us to recognize that He has a promise for us to take hold of! When we take hold of the promise that God will work all things together for our good, we can start declaring it in faith over all of our yesterdays, all of our tomorrows, and all of our today.
God wants to speak into past disappointments and past mistakes to redeem them for His glory. He wants to give us wisdom for today and guidance for tomorrow. But God wants each of us to walk in ways that are wise.
God will redeem the past; give us victory in the present; and prepare us wisely for the future.
To do this We must understand what the will of the Lord is.
“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is”.
(Ephesians 5:15 – 17)
Wisdom and Knowledge Bring Stability
When we know the will of the Lord, we are not leaning on our own wisdom or knowledge, but on the wisdom and knowledge that comes from Him. Leaning on the wisdom and knowledge that comes from the Holy Spirit is what brings stability to our times.
“Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times”.
(Isaiah 33:6)
It is not what we know about the present, the past or the future that makes the difference, but what God reveals that makes the difference.
It is not what we know, it is what God knows!
The Holy Spirit can give us His understanding and knowledge of the times when we ask Him. As He speaks to us about things past, present and future, He will also give us the wisdom to know how to respond to what He shows us.
God speaks into our yesterdays, to bring peace to our today and security and strength for our tomorrow!
The Strength of Salvation
Wisdom and knowledge are the strength of salvation, and the fear of the Lord is His treasure.
“Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, and the strength of salvation; the fear of the Lord is His treasure”.
(Isaiah 33:6)
No matter what has happened in the past, God, through His wisdom and knowledge saw in advance our need for a Redeemer. God sent His own Son, Jesus, to die on our behalf, in order to bring salvation to every part of our lives.
“For our transgressions are multiplied before You, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and as for our iniquities, we know them:”.
(Isaiah 59:12)
“Then the Lord saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no justice. He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor; therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him and His own righteousness, it sustained him”.
(Isaiah 59:15 & 16)
Our salvation was complete when Christ died on the cross, but we receive that salvation when we accept Christ into our lives. As we submit ourselves to God, we then work out that salvation in every aspect of our lives.
Our fear or reverence for the Lord becomes a treasure that the Lord gives to us, enabling us to work out our own salvation.
“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure“.
(Philippians 2:12 & 13)
Exceedingly Abundantly More
God promises that He will do exceedingly; abundantly more than all we could ask or imagine, According to His power that works within us.
“Now to Him Who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen”.
(Ephesians 3:20 & 21)
When we take our past, our present and our future to God, His redeeming power will restore every part of our lives!
Previously dark places become filled with His light.
God may lead us to forgive past hurts or put past wrongs right. Generational curses can be broken and relationships and healing can be restored. As God brings redemption to every part of our lives, it is like being given treasures and riches from what were once dark and hidden places.
“I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the Lord, Who call you by your name, am the God of Israel”.
(Isaiah 45:3)
Prayer: “Heavenly Father I come to You today to give You every part of my life; my past, my present and my future. Lord, Your word says that You have “made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). I thank You, Lord, that You know ALL things, even those things that are hidden from my sight. Thank You for the voice of Your Holy Spirit. I ask Your Holy Spirit to speak into my spirit those things that You want to show me. Help me to respond in right ways to those things that You show me, so that You can redeem all of my past, all of my future and all of my present for your glory and purposes. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
