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Empty Hands Encouraged 250525
The Bible exhorts us not to come before God with empty hands. God is sovereign, Lord over all things in heaven and earth, the almighty Holy one, awesome in splendour and so we should definitely be prepared bring gifts when we come before Him.
This is the traditional way that you would honour someone, by bringing gifts. And it’s the background context of Exodus 34:20, when the Lord says, ‘No one shall appear before me empty-handed.’
It was a covenant act, remembering how God had brought them out of slavery, redeemed the nation of Israel.
Jesus had much to say about what and how we carry things Matthew 11:28-30 ‘Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’
1.We Are Not Carrying Anything More Than We Need.
Anxiety, Fear, Guilt, Regret, Shame, Unforgiveness
Colossians 2:13-15. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him.
Nailing it to the cross’ tells us that Jesus took away the charges and debts of sin against humanity by being crucified.
It tells us about the cancellation of the legal demands put upon us by sin and tells us that there is true, final, once for all forgiveness of sins. – Hallelujah!
Tells us we no longer have to carry the things we were carrying, before we met Jesus. 1 Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
2.God Can Fill Them
‘God gives where He finds empty hands.’
In our walks of faith, at times instead of encountering Jesus, we encounter feelings of insecurity, loneliness, inadequacy. We nurse a spiritual longing for the reassurance of God’s presence, in the emptiness.
In these moments, we find that God not only sees our struggles but is right there beside us, ready to fill those empty spaces with His unfailing love.
Understanding that He is with us, helps us to confront our insecurities and inadequacies. Filling us instead with renewed faith, hope and strength to keep going.
Isaiah 41:10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
John 14:18 I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you.
3.Lift Up Holy Hands
Our hands are so expressive and when we bring our fingers into play well there’s not limits to what we can communicate.
Psalm 141:2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice
4.Posture NOT Position Ourselves to Receive.
Not about where we position ourselves geographically but where our hearts are postured toward Him. Posture because it speaks to the personal Not the peripheral. The internal not the external.
Psalm 143:8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.
5.Posture Ourselves to Surrender
In every scenario of surrender, the victor always tells the one surrendering to ‘drop whatever is in their hands’
Concern is that whatever is in their hands may cause harm. God has a concern that if we continue to hold onto somethings when He calls us to surrender, we’re going to harm ourselves.
Our empty hands signals our humility and dependence upon a sovereign God. The Bible teaches that surrender involves submitting to God's will and trusting Him completely. It encourages us to surrender our will to His, take up our cross and follow Christ.
Jesus in Garden of Gethsemane postured Himself Luke 22:41And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed,
Biblical surrender emphasises that true life is found in dying to self for His sake.
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me
6.Pick Up What We Need At the Right Time
(Not the same all the time sword, shield, incense of prayer, others, tools to reap the harvest, tools to prune, strengthen)
Different season, times, cycles of our lives means that we will put some things down in order that we might pick up something different and necessary for the season we are in.
Prophecy, teaching, encouraging, giving, mercy, wisdom, faith, discernment, helps, administration, Intercession.
Wilderness, Waiting Psalm 37:7, Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him… Busy, Tests & Trials, Warfare, HappyJames 5:13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.
7.Leads Us to Worship God
When we become aware of the poverty/ lack of our position before a Holy God. We see with renewed eyes the gift of Christ Jesus. Renewed revelation leads us into a place of worshipping Him.
Psalm 63:4 So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.
Just as Moses lifted his hands in Exodus 17:11 during Israel’s battle with the Amalekites that resulted in victory when his hands were raised.
So too today, we can lift our hands in expectation of divine help and encounter.
Conclusion
To be poor in spirit, to have empty hands is the first mark of a person who walks with God.
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By Bethel Elim Church, NeathThe Bible exhorts us not to come before God with empty hands. God is sovereign, Lord over all things in heaven and earth, the almighty Holy one, awesome in splendour and so we should definitely be prepared bring gifts when we come before Him.
This is the traditional way that you would honour someone, by bringing gifts. And it’s the background context of Exodus 34:20, when the Lord says, ‘No one shall appear before me empty-handed.’
It was a covenant act, remembering how God had brought them out of slavery, redeemed the nation of Israel.
Jesus had much to say about what and how we carry things Matthew 11:28-30 ‘Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’
1.We Are Not Carrying Anything More Than We Need.
Anxiety, Fear, Guilt, Regret, Shame, Unforgiveness
Colossians 2:13-15. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him.
Nailing it to the cross’ tells us that Jesus took away the charges and debts of sin against humanity by being crucified.
It tells us about the cancellation of the legal demands put upon us by sin and tells us that there is true, final, once for all forgiveness of sins. – Hallelujah!
Tells us we no longer have to carry the things we were carrying, before we met Jesus. 1 Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
2.God Can Fill Them
‘God gives where He finds empty hands.’
In our walks of faith, at times instead of encountering Jesus, we encounter feelings of insecurity, loneliness, inadequacy. We nurse a spiritual longing for the reassurance of God’s presence, in the emptiness.
In these moments, we find that God not only sees our struggles but is right there beside us, ready to fill those empty spaces with His unfailing love.
Understanding that He is with us, helps us to confront our insecurities and inadequacies. Filling us instead with renewed faith, hope and strength to keep going.
Isaiah 41:10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
John 14:18 I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you.
3.Lift Up Holy Hands
Our hands are so expressive and when we bring our fingers into play well there’s not limits to what we can communicate.
Psalm 141:2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice
4.Posture NOT Position Ourselves to Receive.
Not about where we position ourselves geographically but where our hearts are postured toward Him. Posture because it speaks to the personal Not the peripheral. The internal not the external.
Psalm 143:8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.
5.Posture Ourselves to Surrender
In every scenario of surrender, the victor always tells the one surrendering to ‘drop whatever is in their hands’
Concern is that whatever is in their hands may cause harm. God has a concern that if we continue to hold onto somethings when He calls us to surrender, we’re going to harm ourselves.
Our empty hands signals our humility and dependence upon a sovereign God. The Bible teaches that surrender involves submitting to God's will and trusting Him completely. It encourages us to surrender our will to His, take up our cross and follow Christ.
Jesus in Garden of Gethsemane postured Himself Luke 22:41And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed,
Biblical surrender emphasises that true life is found in dying to self for His sake.
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me
6.Pick Up What We Need At the Right Time
(Not the same all the time sword, shield, incense of prayer, others, tools to reap the harvest, tools to prune, strengthen)
Different season, times, cycles of our lives means that we will put some things down in order that we might pick up something different and necessary for the season we are in.
Prophecy, teaching, encouraging, giving, mercy, wisdom, faith, discernment, helps, administration, Intercession.
Wilderness, Waiting Psalm 37:7, Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him… Busy, Tests & Trials, Warfare, HappyJames 5:13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.
7.Leads Us to Worship God
When we become aware of the poverty/ lack of our position before a Holy God. We see with renewed eyes the gift of Christ Jesus. Renewed revelation leads us into a place of worshipping Him.
Psalm 63:4 So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.
Just as Moses lifted his hands in Exodus 17:11 during Israel’s battle with the Amalekites that resulted in victory when his hands were raised.
So too today, we can lift our hands in expectation of divine help and encounter.
Conclusion
To be poor in spirit, to have empty hands is the first mark of a person who walks with God.