Indeed, I truly believe that 2021 is going to be the year of ‘the good news'... where it’s not only the words and teachings of Jesus that are preached, but also His works.
Likewise, in the same way that Paul made known the testimony of God to the Corinthians (see 1 Corinthians 2:1), which I believe included the details of his transformation, I believe we, too, will declare the wonderful things that God has done in our own lives.
The testimony of Jesus, after all, is the spirit of prophecy (see Revelation 19:10).
In other words, there is something about hearing about what God does in someone else’s life —whether it’s through the inspired words of scripture or a firsthand, personal account from a living person.
There’s a proclamation that’s made.
Hope is released.
There’s something that can rise up within an individual that says, “If God can do it for them, He can certainly do it for me.”
This is why I also believe that 2021 will be a year of faith as well.
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ (see Romans 10:17).
The wondrous thing about faith is that it’s the assurance of things hoped for (see Hebrews 11:1).
Hope is always tethered to the future.
Concerning the promise made to him about one day having a son and being the father of many nations, Abraham maintained hope in the face of a hopeless situation (see Romans 4:18).
Although the promise had not yet come to pass, he had hope that it would one day.
As a result, it was an anchor for his soul when he was not yet able to see with his eyes what had come alive in his heart.
Faith; however, says that tomorrow is today.
That’s why it’s the assurance of things hoped for.
Faith always brings the future into the present.
It was what she heard concerning Jesus that resulted in faith exploding within the woman who had a hemorrhage for 12 years.
It was because of what she heard that she said within herself, “If I touch His garments, I will get well” (see Mark 5:28).
And it was because of her resolve that she experienced an ‘immediately.’
“Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.” — Mark 5:29
I believe with all of my heart that there are those of us that need to experience an immediately from heaven and I believe they, too, will be a facet of 2021.
The preaching of the things Jesus did and is willing to do will produce a faith within people that will result in an immediately from God.
It was the faith of the paralytic’s friends that resulted in the man immediately picking up his pallet and being able to walk (see Mark 2:12).
It was the faith of the leper that caused his leprosy to immediately leave him (see Mark 1:42).
But where did their faith come from?
I believe Mark 1:28 explains it best: “Immediately the news about Him spread everywhere into all the surrounding district of Galilee.”
The immediacy of the report of Jesus’ works culminated in a faith in those who heard and it led to the immediate manifestation of what they believed.
Dear reader, I believe we are going to see many wonderful things happen this year.
I believe we are going to see faith erupt in people and I believe we are going to see the fulfillment of that faith.
I know that I have personally been confronted in various ways concerning the limitations of my own faith and thus my need to refamiliarize myself with the wonderful works of Jesus.
I, too, need to hear the good news.
I, too, need to see faith be the byproduct of what it is that God has been revealing to me.
And I, too, need an immediately from heaven.
- Brian Connolly, Faith Like Birds
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