When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Psalm 126:1
To God be the glory for His faithfulness and immeasurable mercies and grace over our lives. I welcome you to the year 2020, the year of the Great Turnaround. The theme for December 2019 was “His Praise.” His praise shall continually be in our mouths in Jesus’ Name. To describe the Great Turn Around; the word great means something that is big, or extra ordinary. Turn means to shift base, to change course or position, change direction, or leave the status quo. Around means to rotate and face in the opposite direction as well as on every sides. Therefore, the Great turnaround means that the Almighty God will change us and our situations on every side from poverty to prosperity, from failure to success, from barrenness to fruitfulness, from low to high, from better to best and from sickness to health. In order words, in year 2020, the Lord God, the Unchangeable Changer will change all negative situations in our lives to praiseworthy situations in Jesus name.
The Bible is filled with lives of people that experienced the great turn around as well as events of great turn around.
God used Cyrus to declare a decree that freed and enabled the Jewish people to return back to Jerusalem after seventy years of captivity in Babylon so they could rebuild Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple. He equipped the Jews with supplies and funds to fulfill this task. in fact, Cyrus was called God’s shepherd and His anointed, even though Cyrus did not personally know the Lord. God used Cyrus to make Himself known to the world.
Ezra 1: 1-11; Isaiah 44: 28; 45:1-6. This great act of God was echoed in Psalm 126.
In Genesis, God created the heavens and the earth and the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. As the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters, God pronounced, “Let there be light”; and immediately a great turnaround happened, and darkness gave way to light (Genesis 1:1-3). The earth that was void and without form at the beginning, now harbors different creatures and creation of God.
Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and finally landed in prison. A great turnaround came for him in prison and he became the prime minister of Egypt Genesis 41:39-44.
Ruth was a pagan Moabite woman who married into an Israelite family and eventually converted to Judaism. She is the great-grandmother of King David and hence an ancestor of the Messiah Ruth 1:16-17; 4: 17.
Peter who denied Jesus Christ three times changed drastically, to someone who would give up everything for Christ. Peter had a special role after Jesus’ resurrection as the leader of the early church and lead many people to God through preaching, healings, and other miracles Acts 2:14-41; 3:1-8; 9:32-43.
How does a person experience the great turn around?
Through receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Savior. You must acknowledge, confess and repent of your sins. Ask Jesus Christ to forgive your sins and promise to serve Him for the rest of your life (John 1:12; Romans 10:9; Acts 16:31).
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:33.
Through depending on God’s Word. God said, “let there be light,” and there was light. Through God’s spoken command, the universe that was without form and void, was occupied by Sun, Moon, seas, rivers, vegetations, sea creatures and man. There are thousands of God’s promises in the Bible that you can claim for a great turn around. God’s promises are yea and Amen. Read, study and meditate on the Word of God for a great turnaround. (2 Timothy 2 :15, Joshua 1: 8).
Through prayer and praise- -Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
Pray without ceasing (1Thess. 5:19). Luke 18:1-8 talks about a judge who did not know God, but the woman who was in need, persisted in place of prayer. She eventually encountered the great turn around Matthew 7:7.
Through holiness; living a sanctified life with the fear of God. Genesis 39: 9, Ruth 1:16-17; Romans 12: 1-2.
Through the in filling of the Holy Spirit. After Peter received the Holy Spirit, his great turnaround began. His denial of the Lord Jesus Christ gave way to boldness in preaching the Lord Jesus and performing miracles. Acts 2: 14-41.
Through giving and paying your vows- 1 Samuel 1:11, 26-2:3, Psalm 50: 14.
May the Lord grant you the grace to be a Spirit filled, prayerful child of God who will consistently live a holy life and faithfully meditate in the word of God.
The Lord that brought a great turnaround for the children of Israel from their captivity in Babylon will orchestrate your turnaround in Jesus name (Psalm 126:1-6).
PRAYER:
Father, I thank You and exalt You for 2019 and 2020. Thank You for bringing me thus far. Please, LORD, accept my thanks, worship and adoration in Jesus name. Sing: “For this God is my God forever and ever, He will be my guide from now even unto the end.”
Blood of Jesus, cleanse me totally from every defilement of the spirit, soul and body and from every pride, self-will, and pomposity.
Please cleanse me of every sin that is yet to be forgiven me right now, in Jesus’ Name.
Father, I receive a Great Turnaround now in my life, family, church, community, state and country, in the mighty Name of Jesus.
Thank God for answered prayers.
Welcome to the year 2020, the year of the Great turnaround.
Yours in the Lord Jesus,
Pastor Lillian Haastrup
