Escape Velocity...Prophetic Momentum

Escape Velocity...a life carrying prophetic momentum 

New Year’s day, 2011, I was driving my car back home from Sheffield city centre, playing a worship CD, which my dear wife gave me as a birthday present. I changed the CD over to the radio to listen to some news. I am not sure which FM station it was but there was a great discussion taking place about New Year resolutions and how can you make it possible by feeling good. There was a guest psychotherapist talking to different listeners, answering their questions and prescribing right solutions. People were asking different questions, like how can you overcome the state of feeling low?

One of the answers she gave was, if you feel low, do whatever makes you FEEL GOOD

1. Hug your cat or dog
2. Drink a hot chocolate when you are having a bath.
3. Hold your teddy bear or pillow for some time.
4. Try FB
5. Or watch Jeremy Karl on TV, then you can see that you’re not like ‘those people’; that should make you feel good

Do it till you feel the FEEL GOOD feeling. That is it, resolved.

 

Facebook…for some people they can’t think of a life without FB now!!

A life without mobile phone and internet. It is hard to imagine the consequences without communication equipments.  How has this technology been made possible? One of the answers is satellites (COMSAT, communication satellites),

In order to understand my topic, you need to understand what escape velocity is according to a scientific definition: If you throw an object straight up, it will rise until the negative acceleration of gravity stops it, then returns it to Earth. Gravity's force diminishes as the distance from the centre of the Earth increases, however. So if you can throw the object with enough initial upward velocity so that gravity's decreasing force can never quite slow it to a complete stop, its decreasing velocity can always be just high enough to overcome gravity's pull. The initial velocity needed to achieve that condition is called escape velocity. From the surface of the Earth, escape velocity (ignoring air friction) is about 7 miles per second, or 25,000 miles per hour. This works out to be approximately 11100 metres per second. Given that initial speed, an object needs no additional force applied to completely escape Earth's gravity.

How is escape velocity connected to overcoming challenges? Every object in this earth is subjected to the laws of this earth. Newton's First Law states that an object will remain at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an external force. That means without an external force an object can’t move from one place to the other place. Jesus clearly mentions this in Luke 11:21-22, ^“When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.”

            But if you look at the history of mankind, in every generation people tried different means to come out from the orbit of sin. But everything they tried contained the element of the sin, so even if the external force seems massive that torque didn’t make any difference to their state, not only that but the situation got worse, or the orbit shifted even closer to the power of sin. It’s like trying to move a car by sitting inside the car without the help of the engine.  One of the scriptures mentioning this problem is 2 Peter 2:19 (KJV) ^“While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.” 

The world is struggling to come out from relationship problems, sinful thoughts, pornography, extra marital and pre marital sexual relationships, corruption, abortions, teenage sexuality, immorality.  It’s is a long list. In India and different parts of the world people trying to escape from this orbit thorough Karma/Yoga. Do something that makes you feel good (including charity work); you can do whatever you want but try to give plenty of money to some pilgrim place, then have a nice bath in the holy river and it’s done. Next, go and do whatever you want, return and have a nice bath again. But they never ever feel satisfied, haunted by the truth of sin their mind.

Just think about a boat or a ship. Without water it can’t move from one place to other since water is the medium for travelling. But if water were to come inside the boat or the ship that would be a disaster. This is the same subject Jesus prayed in John 17:14-19, ^“I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.” Here Jesus is very clear about the nature of the world but he is praying to protect his followers from the water coming inside the boat.

Here we can see we have a God given prophetic momentum/ acceleration, which enables us to escape from the orbit or the gravity of sin. It’s not from our own strength but from God. Jesus mentions the specific word ‘truth’ 17-18 times in the New Testament, mainly in John (NKJV) (Except Luke 4.25, NRSV). When we are living in this world we face temptations, and challenging situations in our work place, in our colleges, everywhere you are surrounded by the orbit of sin, but once you are born of the Spirit you can have prophetic acceleration or momentum from Jesus, who has conquered sin and death. To illustrate, you are like a fully armed soldier, but it is your responsibility to know the power of the weapons you have and to use it by obeying the information from the higher command. If you are not sure about how to come out from the orbit of sin and have repeatedly tried many things, there is no need of doing doing something for the sake of doing it, but if you’re not sure what action to take the best thing is pray to God, and ask other people for prayer support. God can speak to you in different ways,here some of them, through:

• His Word
• Church/leaders
• Prophesy
• Words of knowledge
• Dreams and visions
• Nature
• Insights
• Thoughts

What is the solution to coming out from this orbital struggle? Hebrews 12:1-3 says “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”   Here are some amazing scriptures about overcoming. Don’t miss them. Please just read through all of these:

^“I have written to you, fathers,

Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.

I have written to you, young men,

Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you,

And you have overcome the wicked one.

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.  Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.” (1 John 2:14-18)

What is the promise from Jesus in John 16:33? “These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye may have peace. In the world ye have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world”

1 John 5:4,5 says “for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”

When we are living in this word the world is still under the control of the lord of this world, Satan. Overcoming challenges is everyone’s dream, yet we can’t imagine a life without challenges. A victorious life doesn’t mean a life without challenges. A victorious life means a life which faces challenges with courage, not using our own strength but using the grace and God given potential in our life. However, one of the questions continually coming to our mind is, is it really possible? Sometimes we are excited to hear the Word of God, but facing reality makes us disappointed, especially after hearing a powerful sermon which implies that once you are in Christ you’ll have no problems!!

We are living in a world of confusion and anxiety. Then what does it mean by the freedom promised from Jesus? John 8:31-35 says: ^“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

They answered Him, ‘We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, “You will be made free”?’

Jesus answered them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.’ ”

Here the scripture is very clear that you can’t make yourself free. In the whole history of humanity people tried and failed, kings and authorities tried but they utterly failed. Now in the UK the government is planning the concept of the ‘big society’ to fix the problem. We are in this world but of the word, we are born of the Spirit, what does this mean?  A life controlled by the Spirit of God - I like to use the phrase “a life guided and instructed by the Spirit of the Lord” - means we will be guided by the Spirit, but in each and every moment we have the freedom of choice. Our choices will decide the nature of the outcome. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1-4)

Let us look at Romans 8:9-12: “You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it.”

The victory comes through identifying who we are in Christ. What happened to us when we invited Jesus as our Lord? Jesus is very clear in this matter. John 8:36 says “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” The truth will set you free (John 8:32). He said he is the way the truth and the life. Anyone who enters through the door will be saved. Paul proclaims his freedom through Christ when he says “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:3)

2 Corinthians 12:9 says: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.”

1 Timothy 1:12 “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.”
1 John 4:4  ^“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” Only though His grace and power can you overcome this world.

The word ‘overcome’ is in the Old Testament only 14 times, but is in the New Testament 44 times. Out of these 44, 23 are in Revelation. I will just mention the first and the last instances from the book of Revelation. Rev 2.7 says: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”’ Revelation 21:7-8 says:  “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
This is Jesus saying I died for your sin, I have given you authority and grace, lavish grace. You now have every support from heaven to overcome this world, but still it’s your choice whether you want to come out from the orbit of Sin. Here is Jesus promising I will be will you all the time. Using the grace and the power of the Holy Spirit and His word and with the help, support and covering from the church, you can overcome or escape from the orbit of Sin. But remember that you can’t use yesterday’s strength for today’s escape or today’s challenge, you need His grace . You need to renew your strength.

Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the LORD

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:30-31)

If you think about astronauts or satellites, they never travel to space by themselves but always in a space shuttle or rocket. Their vehicle makes it possible. In the same way His grace and anointing are always there to enable us to flee from the orbit of temptations, fear, anxieties and worries.

So it's out responsibility to enter into the shuttle and fly!!