It Takes the Death of a King to Birth a Vision
Photo by Randy Tarampi on Unsplash
It takes the “death of a king” to birth a vision of God. As 2022 was closing, the Lord has been challenging me through His commissioning of Isaiah as His messenger, “Whom shall we send? And who will go for us?” Isaiah had famously replied, “Here am I. Send me!” (Is. 6.8). All Nations is all about sending messengers of the Good News to the ends of the earth. But Isaiah’s magnificent vision of God enthroned in the temple began “in the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne . . .” Uzziah was a king whose “fame spread far and wide.” He loved the Lord until “after Uzziah become powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord” (2 Chron. 26.15-16). The pride of a king has to first die before we can see a glimpse of the King of Kings this advent season.
This month, when I’ve asked to encounter Jesus more powerfully, the Lord told me, “death precedes birth.” As I prayed, I sensed the need to dethrone specific idols and “kings” in my life -- pride, and areas of unfaithfulness -- and not take them into 2023. And as with Isaiah, I felt God cleansed my lips of specific words I had said and specific sins I previously committed.
Then . . . I saw my King just as Isaiah declared, “My eyes have seen my King.” He invited me to stand and kneel before His throne. I then felt Jesus commissioned me to speak His message to any audience He sends me. I felt He touched my lips again, this time as if He put His Word in my mouth. I love Isaiah’s response: “Here am I.” It is our response, the response of a servant. We can only give ourselves to Jesus. We can only say "here am I, Lord" not "Here he is or here she is." We can only offer ourselves with all our giftings, lack of giftings -- all of our strengths, and lack of strengths. We cannot offer our friends because they are more talented, qualified, or charismatic. We can only offer our mere selves, “Here am I. Send me!”
As we head into 2023, let’s take five simple steps to allow Jesus to commission each of us this year:
Allow Jesus to crucify our idols and kings. Leave them at the Cross and don’t pick them back up.
Allow Jesus to cleanse us of our sins, especially slander, gossip, and unkind words. He gives us a new heart and a new message for 2023.
Allow Jesus to reveal Himself to you.
Allow Jesus to commission and send you with a renewed call in 2023.
Allow Jesus to receive your “Here am I. Send me!”
Let us encounter and celebrate the Birth of our King!
Mary
Dr. Mary Ho, DSL
All Nations International, Inc. | International Executive Leader
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