PETER RANDOLPH, a slave in Prince George County, Virginia, until he was freed in 1847, described the secret prayer meetings he had attended as a slave.
“Not being allowed to hold meetings on the plantation,” he wrote, “the slaves assemble in the swamp, out of reach of the patrols. They have an understanding among themselves as to the time and place. … This is often done by the first one arriving breaking boughs from the trees and bending them in the direction of the selected spot.
“After arriving and greeting one another, men and women sat in groups together. Then there was “preaching … by the brethren, then praying and singing all around until they generally feel quite happy.”
The speaker rises “and talks very slowly, until feeling the spirit, he grows excited, and in a short time there fall to the ground 20 or 30 men and women under its influence.
“The slave forgets all his sufferings,” Randolph summed up, “except to remind others of the trials during the past week, exclaiming, ‘Thank God, I shall not live here always!’ “ (https://www.christianitytoday.com/2014/02/inconceivable-start-of-african-american-christianity/)
And however bleak you would describe your situation today, this is not where you truly sit. It wasn’t for Paul and the Galatians and it isn’t for you. You have been saved by grace, rescued and raised with Christ! You shall not live here always!
“For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” (Galatians 5 v 5-6)
Faith for righteousness and faith expressed through love.
This is a sure and certain guarantee that one day we will be with God. We will not be battling any more with this human weak body with all of its sins and failings. We will be with God. How is this possible? For we know our sins and failings. How will any one of us stand before a Holy God?
It will not be through our efforts, our performance, circumcision and the Torah! But by His Spirit! This is not a hope that the world has. In that I hope today it doesn’t rain! This is an unwavering guarantee. I know it will not rain. I know I will be with God.
Since the first lie in the garden the enemy of our soul has been continually working at destabilising our identity as children of God.
Every bereavement he has exploited; every accusation he has magnified; every mistake he has echoed; he has continually worked at reminding you of what you don’t have and who you are not; you have fallen short and do not make the grade; you are not good enough for God and for this world; you need to work harder and be better; you need to follow this and that; you need another baptism; you need to wander, search until you find because what you think you have is not enough.
This is the work of the father of lies.
You were outside; worshippers of idols; ignorant to the purposes of God; every part of your life was a distorted image of Christ; you were out of alignment in your minds and behaviour.
BUT NOW.
That’s not your location now. That’s not where you stand. So you need to know this. When people come and say you are not what you should be remind yourself where you now stand. When the voices of doubt say you need to perform and prove yourself in order to be accepted by God then it is a complete lie. Do not listen to that lie. It is a falsehood. Ignore it.
You are complete in Him; you are alive in Him; you are free and not afraid; you are a child of God and belong to Him; you are without blame within His love; you have peace with God and the peace of God in your mind; you have the Spirit of God hovering over your life and dwelling in you; you have the Spirits wisdom and understanding for every situation you face; you have the powerful strengthening enabling to be and do whatever needs to happen; you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you; you are chosen by God for this moment; you have everything you need for this life because you have Him; you are a temple of the Holy Spirit; cleansed, forgiven and set aside for a holy life; you are saved by the grace of God.
Do you understand this? Are you reminding yourself daily of these truths? You have another place!
Missions Paul 