April 10

God’s Response To Coronavirus: Divert And Delay

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Feeling worried or fearful about the coronavirus? God's response to coronavirus is to bring good out of bad. He is still at work today.

God's Response To Coronavirus

As I write, we are at the end of the first week of the UK’s “lockdown” due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Everyone that can has been working from home instead of going into the office.

Schools and universities are shut. No one is allowed out of their home, except for essential journeys for food or medical supplies and one short period of exercise each day.

Today, the chances are that you are in almost exactly the same circumstances as you read this, wherever you live in the world.

There is one word for the chaos caused by this virus that is becoming almost cliché already: unprecedented.

But what is God saying in the midst of all of this?

I believe God brings good out of bad situations and ultimately, he will bring about his plans and purposes, despite the pandemic.

An Easter Message?

When I came to schedule this post, I realised it would be published on Good Friday.

Although this article is not a typical “Easter message” Jesus’ death on the cross is the superlative example of how God brings forth good out of evil.

What the devil meant for destruction, God used to bring life, freedom from sin and healing for all!

God’s Response To Coronavirus: A Long Journey

On the Friday before the lockdown, we heard from our son that his university had told all students to go home.

It’s some distance to the university so up until that point I was thinking he could come home by train and we’d pick up all his stuff later. His university is far enough away I don’t feel able to do all the driving in one day, so it would involve an overnight stay.

However, there were already fewer trains scheduled and the journey would take him straight through the heart of London. And London is where a third of UK cases have been reported.

Decision Made

So when the edict came, it was with a sense of relief that the decision was made for us. So off I went.

Early on Saturday morning I headed off, wondering what the journey would bring.

The roads were quiet as I suspected they would be, but the motorway service areas were eerily so. One place we stop at regularly is usually packed, but I counted only seven or eight cars this time round.

I reached my son in good time and we got to work sorting and packing.

God’s Response To Coronavirus: Silent Campus

The university grounds were silent. It was strange walking through the once bustling campus with empty buildings and walkways.

Aside from two or three other family groups who were also packing up, there was no one in sight.

We ventured outside to the local supermarket and saw more people there. This made us feel a little more normal. Except for the social distancing, of course.

I stayed over that night and on the following day, we set off once more.

By now, it was Sunday but we didn’t miss church because group gatherings had already been banned. We therefore contented ourselves with singing worship songs in the car, which helped to shorten the trip.

We arrived home in good time and on the following day our Prime Minister announced the lockdown.

God’s Response To Coronavirus: Gratitude

Of course, we had no way of knowing that the lockdown was so imminent, even though it was on the cards.

However, I am grateful to God that we got our son back home with us in time.

Your experience may be similar to ours or very different. But it’s likely that your life has been severely limited too, in one way or another.

I’m fortunate to be in a job where I can work from home reasonably easily and much of the infrastructure for that was already in place.

Of course, we are adjusting to being around each other 24/7 and it’s hard to avoid the wall-to-wall news coverage of what is happening in the world.

I’m appreciating more than ever how the situation is engendering fear, anxiety and paranoia in all but the stoutest hearts.

"God said two words to me: divert and delay.

He also spoke to me about power.

Here is what he said..."

God Speaks

And it’s into the midst of all this that the Lord spoke to me.

He said two words to me: divert and delay. He also spoke to me about power.

Here is what he said:

Divert

The Lord said that the world’s attention has been diverted for the time being.

The world’s attention is focused solely on coronavirus and very little else that is not related to it.

This means there are things happening in other arenas and in the heavenly realms that the world will miss.

Delay

As a result of the pandemic many things are being delayed.

We have all seen how sporting events are being postponed, many businesses are halted and travel is limited.

Beyond the obvious, families, friendships and social events are also being delayed.

I believe that new relationships and new contacts which will turn out to be “of the Lord” have also been held back.

Even Christian ministries and churches are being delayed in their missions and the assignments given them by the Lord.

And this leads me on to the question of power.

Power

The distraction and delay is resulting in frustration for many churches and ministries around the world.

As well as making it difficult for leaders and congregations to care for people pastorally, there are new initiatives that were meant to happen at this time which cannot now do so.

But there is no lack of power.

The power of God is present but it cannot be brought to bear in its fullness. If we were to try to apply it fully at this time, it would fail because the power is bottled up and cannot be released.

Good News: God Is (Still) At Work

However, we should not be dismayed or concerned about this because God isn’t!

The Lord himself is still at work, even in the midst of crisis and fear, to divert and delay what could otherwise happen both in the physical and in the heavenly realms.

He is working “under the hood” of international affairs to bring about harvest and to multiply blessing.

Although the world is distracted by all the chaos and anxiety, Jesus is the prince of peace and is ushering in a new era for his kingdom.

Even though many churches and ministries have, are and will be diverted and delayed, he will have his way and is working through that delay to bring about increase:

When those ministries, events and churches get moving again, the harvest will be multiplied 10, 100 or 1000 times what would have been, had they not been delayed or diverted now.

God’s Response To Coronavirus: Multiplication Of Harvest

I believe that is the key message that God is bringing to his church today:

Jesus is not afraid of the current situation, he is the prince of peace and he will continue to bless his people at this time.

Although we cannot see it at the moment, the Lord is at work in our lives, the lives of those around us and in key ministries across the globe.

At the right time, later in the year, he will allow his power to be fully released once more and the harvest will be plentiful: 10, 100 or 1000 times what would have been.

The question is, are we ready?

Jesus is not afraid of the current situation, he is the prince of peace and he will continue to bless his people at this time.

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A Prayer For Those In Need

Much of this word has been about the future: what will happen in 6 months’ time or in a year or more.

However, I would be remiss if I didn’t also speak to the present, particularly for those who are struggling right now.

For those who are fearful, who have been affected directly or have already lost loved ones to the disease, my heart goes out to you.

I know that the heart of my God also goes out to you. He cares for you and his will is for healing to take place, for you and for the people of all nations.

We sang a worship song in our online church meeting last Sunday, which spoke of God’s life in us:

“It’s your breath in our lungs, so we pour out our praise to you only”(Integrity Music)

The Lord said to me that this should be our prophetic prayer for the nations, so this is my prayer for you and the whole world today:

“I pray that we will see miracles of healing and protection to bring the coronavirus under control and reduce the death toll across the world.

I pray that out of his glorious riches the Lord will bring healing and protection to your lungs.

That he would give you his breath in your lungs, that you will be healed and made whole, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Your Turn

The Lord always brings hope and love into difficult times and situations. I believe that he will do that even for those of us who have lost loved ones to this frightening disease.

Jesus is the prince of peace and he wants to comfort and reassure his people at this time.

If you have found this prophetic message encouraging then please share it with your friends and family on social media using the buttons on this page.


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