Embracing Renewal
Scripture: Mark 1:5-6
“Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by
him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and with
a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.” The Jewish people were
drawn to John the Baptist. They were embracing a renewal and turning from a lifestyle that was
self-focused to a life that was God-focused. This required God’s forgiveness and becoming
transformed individuals. They were becoming a people prepared for the Lord. The question is,
how are we ourselves doing in our personal preparation? Are we a people prepared for the Lord?
We are not if we have not cleansed our conscience from dead works to serve the Living God. We
aren’t if we have not taken the Blood of Christ and established ourselves as sons and daughters
of the Highest with a clear conscience. Let’s cast off harmful rehearsal of past sins once and for
all. It is time we began to fully embrace what Jesus has done for us!
# Read Mark 4.14,16-17. Persecution comes for the sake of the word. Are you going
through a tough season? Could it be that every persecution the enemy has targeted you
with, is to attempt to kill the incorruptible seed of the word of God concerning your life
and circumstance? Could it be that there is enough of the word of God through prophetic
words, through scriptural proclamations that have been planted in your life to attract the
enemy’s persecution?
# If your situation has been one of great trial and challenge after challenge, then it
informs you that there is something worth fighting for growing inside you. Once it bears
fruit, once it manifests, it will be limitless amount of seed to bless you and bless the
world.
# Ask the Lord to open your eyes so you can see the truth against every lying physical
circumstance that may cause you to not to speak the seed of His word in your life and
circumstance.
# Read James 5.7-10, and Take time to revisit all the prophetic words, all the scripture
proclamations you have had over the past season.
# Does the opposite seem to be true instead? Then the enemy is persecuting you for the
sake of the word. It is by your words that you will either water and nurture the seed of the
word planted in your life or by your words that you will uproot that seed, never to
germinate. Which one will it be?