Pastor Andy’s session began with laughter as a prophecy of how we will deal with whatever comes our way in the coming year.
He began his first session at WAFBEC 2023 by reading Isaiah 60:1–3.
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
Isaiah 60:1-3
He taught that your light could appear without your knowledge. Our world is currently in darkness, and God has called us to God is not afraid of darkness, and neither should we be. We must react to the light.
He taught that to “arise” means to change your mental posture or position. A shift in attitude is required to begin believing again, to pick up the baton of faith, and to stand!
He encouraged us by saying that God wasn’t done with us yet and that there were gifts inside of us that we hadn’t yet activated. Light is available, but we must change our posture and rise to meet it.
He quoted Ephesians 5:13–14 and John 1:1–5 to teach that we should all be lights in our generation. Shining means manifesting and radiating the light you have encountered.
But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
Ephesians 5:13-14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
John 1:1-5
He explained that Jesus is the light that has engulfed the light of the law, represented by Moses, and the law of the prophets, represented by Elias, in Matthew 17:1. Prior to Christ, the light was tainted by man’s fallen nature. We are now in a different epoch and must be cautious about who and what we listen to.
We hear Jesus through his Spirit in our current dispensation. The Holy Spirit today represents Jesus’ ministry at the time. John 16:12, he stated that, hearing Jesus is facilitated by the leading and ministry of the Holy Spirit. He encouraged us to rekindle our relationship with the Holy Spirit so that we could hear God for ourselves. A relationship with the Holy Spirit is necessary for success in life.
He quoted passages from Ephesians 6:1, Hebrews 3:7, Revelation 2:7, and John 5 to demonstrate that how you follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance determines how you respond to the light. You must accept responsibility in order to follow the light. Although he won’t rise up for you or shine for you, the Holy Spirit will assist you.
You must get up and take a leap of faith. You will be equipped via prayer to move forward in trust and be met with favor.
He concluded this teaching by encouraging us to continue shining despite the opposition’s appearance since we had listened to the Holy Spirit. If we don’t shine, we disgrace God’s grace. God wants us to return to our positions of authority. We have been granted a great deal of power, and the angels will obey any orders we issue. We have the Holy Spirit within us to help us.
When we shine, God receives the glory. People who are completely in the dark are drawn to and attracted to your light. You can then direct their attention to God, giving him all the glory. Darkness is dispelled by light.
