Victory of Life over Death 9-9-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I am Yours and You are mine. ... "When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, 'Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you.' Elisha said, 'Please let me inherit a double portion share of your spirit.' He responded, 'You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.' As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha kept watching and crying out, 'Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!' But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces" (2 Kings 2:9-12). Elijah never died. He came to the end of his journey. He faithfully fulfilled his calling and destiny, lived out his divine purpose for his generation, and imparted an increased, double portion his anointing to the next generation. He was caught up into the heavens in the rushing, mighty wind of Your Sprit and in the presence of the consuming fire of Your glory. His work on earth was done, but his ministry from heaven had just begun among the "great cloud of witnesses" who have gone before us in the faith (Hebrews 12:1). We know part of that ministry was to speak encouragement to You with Moses on the Mount of Transfiguration before the day of suffering and sacrifice at the cross (Matthew 17:3). He was still preparing the way of the Lord, turning the hearts of the people to the Lord their God and declaring the heart of God that is always turned toward His people to "restore all things" (Matthew 17:11). And there will be a generation of Your disciples on the face of the earth who will never die, "who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom" (Matthew 16:28). There will be a generation who will faithfully fulfill their calling and destiny, living out their divine purpose for their generation, who will be caught up into the heavens with You. "Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed....then the saying that is written will be fulfilled: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory' " (1 Corinthians 15:51-54). "For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel's call and the sound of God's trumpet, will descend from heaven and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever" (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). Lord, let me and my generation be found faithful, fulfilling our destiny, preparing the way of the Lord in the Spirit of Elijah for the coming of that day. If it's not our generation to see Your coming in glory, let us be found faithful to impart all You've given us, with increase of a double portion and more, to the next generation, and on to every generation until the one comes who will not even taste of death. That will be a worldwide display of the victory of Life over death. That day will be the fulfillment of Your word that though there is a thief who comes "to steal and kill and destroy," You came that we "may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:10). "The last enemy to be destroyed is death" (1 Corinthians 15:26). But our enemy and adversary of Your kingdom will be destroyed, along with all forms of death in sin, sickness, disease, destruction, and defilement of Your creation (Hebrews 2:14). The victory of the cross will be enforced when "Death and Hades" are "thrown into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:14). Then there shall be "a new heaven and a new earth" where Life reigns forever victorious in the hearts of all, and "death will be no more" (Revelation 21:1-4). Lord, "when the Son of Man comes," may You "find faith on earth" to believe Your words are true and they can be trusted (Luke 18:8). May You find a people who are found faithful to be preparing the way of the Lord in the Spirit of Elijah, in our hearts and in all the earth (Malachi 4:5; Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 3:3). And let us see and live Your victory of Life over death even now through the life of "Christ in (us), the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Subscribe by email to me at Messiah Ministries --mailto:--MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502Devotional Archives at: http://www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com/