Let's Hew You

Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. (Acts 9:40)

The verse above is taken from the account of Simon Peter’s resurrection of Tabitha, a disciple in Joppa who was known for her good works and acts of charity. She had fallen ill and died. The other disciples who were mourning her passing, called for Peter who went without delay to Tabitha’s home. There, the act he performed would result in many believing in the Lord.

On the purpose journey, do you sometimes feel like there is someone or something holding you back? Do you sometimes feel like, it doesn’t matter what you do, you can’t seem to move forward? Perhaps you sometimes feel like you were just about to move forward when, like Tabitha (Dorcas in Greek), you are stricken ill and can’t move? It’s at these times you need a Peter, one who will come to your aid. It is at these times, you need that person to put all others out of the room, to come to you, and to say to you, ‘Get up.’

Alternatively, you might have just been given your mission, and you know you’re ready and rearing to go when something comes out of nowhere and hits you for six (knocks you flat, for those who are not familiar with cricket terminology). What do you do at such times? Do you give in to the downward tug? Do you allow circumstances to get the better of you? Do you give in to that opposing force that is determined not to allow you to move forward? No! My friend, you stand up! You muster all the strength you have in you and you get up! You stand up!

As I’ve said before, purpose is no easy journey. Let’s not kid ourselves: there are forces which are hellbent on frustrating the Master’s plans for you. Being sober and vigilant, however, allows you to recognise the ‘cosmic powers of this present darkness’ and the ‘spiritual forces of evil’ so that you can robustly persist in the face of those would-be defeating forces.

My friend, you can’t stop now! You’ve come so far! You are so close to your breakthrough! Will you allow the opposing forces to vanquish you? No! I say. You get up! You stand up! You stop lying on your back feeling sorry for yourself! You stop this little pity party that you are throwing for yourself. Throw off the cloak that is weighing you down, take up the mat that you’ve made your home and reach out and touch just the hem of His garment and take hold of your healing!

How long have you been being called into healing? How long have you been lying on your back waiting? How long have you been telling yourself you will wait for someone to move you? My friend, perhaps many have already come but you have not been heeding the call to get up, to stand up. Perhaps your Peter has already come and called you, more than once, but you have not believed.

To you who are lying on your back, to you who feel somewhat defeated, to you who are feeling sorry for yourself, to you who are ‘just waiting for your turn to come’ I say STAND UP! I say GET UP! Taking pattern after Jesus as he answered the Jews in the temple in the portico of Solomon, I ask, how many more works need to be performed before you believe?

I tell you, you are cut out for your purpose. The one who fashioned you and knew you before you were born assigned that purpose to you. Therefore, there’s no doubt as to whether you can do what your purpose requires. You can. I come, like Peter, to say to you ‘Stand up; get up and walk into your purpose.’

Last week, in my piece entitled ‘Follow Me‘, I shared that when we are being prepared to be sent on a mission, we will be submitted to a test which, more than testing us, per se, is aimed at proving to us that we are indeed ready for the mission. Therefore, at this stage, there’s no determining if you’re ready, but rather proving to you that you are ready. So, I ask, what’s keeping you lying flat? What’s holding you back? What is holding you down? Peter has already come to you and he is saying, ‘Get up’; he is saying ‘Stand up’.

I don’t know who this message is reaching, but I would like to encourage you. You have what it takes. The Master has already infilled you for purpose. He will HEW you; He will strip you of those things that hold you back or hold you down. He will remove the obstacles that have been placed in your path. In fact, He has already done it. You just need to believe. As I said some weeks ago, ‘The devil knows it; you better believe it.‘

It’s time now for you to stand up. It’s time now for you to get up.

Until next time,