A Season of Lights - Day 7 - Sons of Zion

During this time of consecration and rededication that coincides with Chanukah, one of the cries of our heart is that the Lord would purify us from the wisdom of Greece that we might enter the new season living as true sons of Zion.

I will rouse your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and make you like a warrior's sword. Zechariah 9:13

Greece and Zion symbolize two opposing world views that war for control in our lives. Greece represents the spirit of rationalism – the elevation of human intellectual ability above the voice of God. Zion on the other hand represents those who choose to live their lives led by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:28).

Since the Fall, every man is born as a son of Greece, so our first separation as a son of Zion happens when by faith we choose to receive Christ and enter the plan of salvation. From this point on, every day we are given the opportunity to die to the control of our minds in the decisions of our lives and live in submission to counsel of Christ through the leading of the Holy Spirit, becoming more and more separated as a son of Zion.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

Easy to quote, hard to do! As human beings we are experts in independence. Many of us actively seek God’s wisdom for the overall “big picture” of our lives – what is my destiny? What is the vision for my ministry? Who does the Lord want me to marry?

But when it comes to the how, the steps that we need to take and the timing, we easily default back into the domain of human wisdom. Our lives are lived like movies that are “inspired by a true story”. The foundation is true (our visions come from God) but we take lots of creative license to develop the story to be and say what we think is best.

So we plan, we strategize, we budget, we arrange, we frame, we calculate, we structure, we lay out, we project, we organize, we re-structure, we implement, we execute.

And we fail. Rarely do we ever attain to the fullness of the original God-given vision. And if we do, it’s at a much higher personal cost than God ever intended. Because we have tried to fulfill the vision in our own strength and by our own wisdom rather than positioning ourselves to listen to the one who has the Master Plan and knows every step.

We are standing on the cusp of a major shift in the church, of a season of entering in to possess the inheritances of the Promised Land. The years of wilderness wandering are over and we are about to enter the season of every vision being fulfilled.

"You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed." Joshua 23:14

As we light a candle tonight as a prophetic sign of the new season we are entering let us cry out to the Lord to deliver us from the wisdom of man and commit to walk afresh as true sons of Zion.

Lord I ask that the year of 2008 will be marked by a new sensitivity in me to wait and listen for your voice in every area of my life. God please come and examine my heart and expose in me areas and ways in which I live leaning on my own human understanding instead of trusting in You. God my desire is that in all my ways I would acknowledge you so that You would not only direct me to the goals but on the paths/journey that You have for my life. Father I declare that as the church of Jesus Christ we are entering into a new season where every vision and every promise will be fulfilled. In the Mighty name of Jesus, I pray, Amen!

Grace and Peace to you

The Watchmen Team