I am sure that most churches are now on their Christmas countdown for their main service to take place. Choirs will be practising and budding actors will be rehearsing their lines. I am sure that each church will do its best to present the incredible message of Christmas. But can I encourage us to keep looking beyond these preparations and to have an expectation of a move of God that might surpass these efforts. Surely, we are no different to Zechariah and Elizabeth who were busy with their normal duties when suddenly angelic visitation occurs. Zechariah is told that God has responded to his prayers and his wife will be with child. It’s a time of breakthrough! 

 

Are our prayers for this barren land being ignored by God? I don’t believe so. It is important that we continue to pray and to do the works God has given each church to do but we should expect a greater breakthrough to follow at some time. Like Habbakuk we must keep our focus on God and not on what we see

 

 

Each year Christmas reminds me that an incredible move of God took place. It was a time when the earth was being impacted by God’s glory and supernatural events began to break out. Mary an ordinary young woman has an encounter with the angel Gabriel. As with Zechariah, she was fearful but was told not to be afraid because God was at work

 

I don’t know about you but I have a strong impression that God is up to more than we might think in these days. Perhaps before a move of God can take place we must first learn to overcome our fears? Thank God we can look back and see that this heavenly activity hasn’t ceased over the past 2000yrs. If that was the case, traditions and religion would be the order of the day and any sense of walking with God as Abraham and others did would be totally alien to us

 

No, we are still walking with God and there are signs that God is at work and he is answering our prayers. We can be encouraged by courses such as Alpha where the work of the Holy Spirit has not been hindered by traditions or religion. Churches have embraced a fresh sense of walking with God and in faith are advancing the kingdom of God. Let’s keep walking!

 

May this season be filled with more heavenly activity for all the churches. I pray we will be known not as the religious in our community but as those like Abraham who still please God by walking in faith. May the angelic words of Christmas encourage you, ‘Do not be afraid’