“Turning Points”
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. John 3:8
The Bible is very clear in describing the character of God: He is a God who never changes; “For I am the Lord, I change not” (Malachi 3:6). God doesn’t change in His mercies, in His expression of love, or in His expression of justice. Even though God is unchanging in His ways, there is one declaration we see Him make in both the Old and New Testaments and that is about the new thing which He is about to do: “Behold, I am doing a new thing” (Isaiah 43:19); “I am making everything new” (Revelation 21:5). What does this mean?
Even though the God we serve is unchanging in His character, the work He does in the earth and through us is always fresh. It is in this new work that He does in and through us that we find our breakthroughs and blessings. I would like to highlight three key moments in the Bible where people received their breakthroughs and miracles in their turning.
Moses: For 40 years Moses carried a dream and a destiny: to be Israel’s deliverer. It was not when the Lord visited him at the “back of the desert” (Exodus 3:1) that Moses experienced the Lord and the birth of his ministry, but it was when Moses decided to turn: “Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.” So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look…” (Exodus 3:3-4). It was when Moses turned that the Lord began engaging with him.
Elijah: One of the first instructions that Elijah received at the very beginning of his ministry was a command to turn: “Get away from here and turn eastward…” (1 Kings 17:3). It was in that turning that Elijah’s life and ministry was preserved.
Israel: One of the greatest miracles recorded in the Bible is the parting of the Red Sea. Do you know that before the Red Sea miracle could take place Israel had to turn and change direction? “Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth…” (Exodus 14:2). This was a last-minute change in direction, but it was this turn that positioned Israel for one of their greatest miracles.
This month do not be afraid of change; your miracle and breakthrough could just be a turn away.
Declaration: I will be pliable for seasons of change. It is in my obedience to change direction that I will experience my breakthrough and miracle.
Scripture: “For I am about to do something new…” (Isaiah 43:19).