On August, 21st 2018 God gave me this word “shaken not stirred”. Which I thought was funny, I don’t even like Martinis! He told me He was coming with a mighty force. Shaking the heavens and earth. We are not to be shaken but He is doing the shaking. When He wants something to happen He will shake it.
In Hebrews 12:26-27 this tells us that ALL of creation will be shaken and removed so that only unshakable things will remain. Although the author is describing the end times of when Jesus returns, we are currently going through a “shaking”. Each day our lives need renewed with Christ, so in a sense “shake” off all that is hindering us from being in His wholeness. Sometimes our stubbornness causes Him to “shake” us to get our attention. To turn our hearts to Him.
Why do we need to be shaken before we turn to Him? I’m not talking about just being saved, but after. How many warnings do we need before He shakes us and we turn to Him? Why do we wait until we are shaken to move/act? Stubbornness, pride, control, fear…you fill in the blank. All I can say is I’m truly grateful for His forgives, patience, grace and mercies! I’m so grateful He loves me, and He loves you too! God loves us so much He wants to shake off all the bondage and chains we aren’t meant to bare. Then we can help those who are bound by the same bondage we once had.
Maybe we are looking for things to shake in our own lives? Well when Peter and John got thrown into prison because they couldn’t stop telling everyone about Jesus. Acts 4:31 says “After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.” This passage says a lot! So first if we want something to move or to shake, FIRST we PRAY! After we pray Holy Spirit comes in and saves the day giving us power and authority over a situation! Holy Spirit gives us the boldness we need to stand up to the giant, that mountain, and tell it move with the word of God! High five right?! Wait do you know, I mean really know what the word “boldness” means….in Strong’s Concordance it means outspoken, unreserved utterances, freedom of speech, with frankness, candor, cheerful courage and the opposite of cowardice, timid or fear. Wow right?!
We are called to have a boldness for God and to pray with out ceasing! Not just pray for our personal issues and struggles but for others, to intercede. You know before Jesus was to tell Peter how he would deny him three times before the rooster crows? Jesus informed him that Satan asked permission to sift them like wheat. Being that Jesus is God and everything goes through Him, He had a heads up. So, Jesus pleaded in prayer for them, He interceded to His, their, our Father. Jesus prayed for Simon, aka Peter (Jesus called him Simon to indicate he would turn to his old ways), that his faith would not fail. Then Jesus told Him to repent and turn to Him again so he could strengthen his brothers and sisters. Sounds like that is instructions to follow. Jesus (knowing Peter would sin) prayed for him to have faith, then instructed him to repent from his sin, in this way he would no longer be bound to that. In a sense “shaking” off the old way and learning from the test and trial so he could help others going through the same.
Psalm 112:6-7 tells us that the ones who obey God will not be overcome with evil and not to fear bad news, instead confidently trust in God to care for them. We are called to trust in the One who can NOT be shaken! All through the Bible we read about heaven and earth being shaken and how people will be terrified. But let’s not forget about the greatness that comes after the shaking! Remember Paul and Silas in prison praying and worshiping then suddenly there was a massive earthquake and the prison doors flew open? Talk about freedom, breakthrough and overcoming! Let’s not forget the ultimate finally shaking when Jesus comes back…total restoration, peace, eternal life, no more bad stuff!
We can’t be shaken by the enemy when we know Who’s we are. God shakes us but it’s for our good. When God wants something to happen, He does it, fully, not half.
You want God to move, shake you free? Pray, sing Hymns and worship, take action!
