Recorded by Tan Lay Leng
There Is Information and There Are Orders
11 May 2020 Monday
Day 30 Things Pertaining to the Kingdom
#perikingdom2020
Are you feeling overwhelmed by the massive deluge of information coming from all kinds of sources? Are you asking how to discern God’s voice? What is God really saying to us?
Ps Henson exhorts us that we need to make sense of the information in light of the marching orders we have received from God.
First, an overview of our #perikingdom2020 journey thus far. As we count up to Day 40 (21 May), be encouraged that the second half is more challenging, at the same time, crucial. As fellow soldiers, we are coming together, comparing notes and discerning what the Lord is saying, then we get released to move on our kingdom assignments.
Archippus Awakening, being a kingdom initiative, we are now looking through a magnifying glass and bringing kingdom perspectives into greater focus. In true Archippian spirit, we are nobodies but we gather to share openly and consult one another. This is like scouts being sent out into enemy territory to spy, receive intelligence and report to the S2 (Intelligence Officer); and with the processed information, for the commanders to come up with the battle plan. As a #perikingdom2020 community, we are sharing bits of revelation as we hear what God is saying and then we bless the larger kingdom community.
That said, in this age of deception, we recognise that processing information can be challenging. It is critical to exercise discernment to process the extensive information overwhelming us today: which information is of God and which is of the devil? Which is of the kingdom of God and which is of the flesh?
As Ps Henson was praying, God dropped these words into his heart, “There is information and there are orders.”
He explained that we need to discern the difference between information and orders. If we are not careful, information can confuse us or distract us from our orders. Orders can change in light of the information (yes, they can shift); or orders can remain in spite of the information.
As fellow soldiers, to move in the kingdom army, we must know our orders. Do we know our orders, our kingdom assignments? Or are we just good at spreading information, and without understanding?
We must be clear what the orders are in order to process the information. When the information comes in, process it carefully and ask, “LORD, this information is coming in. What are my orders? What do You say? Do I stay on my assignments?”
Should the LORD say “yes, stay,” then whatever the information, positive or negative, we stay on our assignments and do what we need to do for the glory of God and His kingdom.
Let’s learn from Paul. Paul, in his defence to the Roman commander, recounted his Damascus encounter with the LORD. When the LORD answered him that He is Jesus of Nazareth, whom Paul was persecuting, Paul recounted:
“I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do.'”
Acts 22:10
So Paul did what the LORD had told Ananias to tell him to do. And in yet another defence before King Agrippa, Paul expressed that he knew what his orders were, and he stayed on his assignment.
(Paul) “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,…”
Acts 26:19
Going back to just before Paul went to Jerusalem, Agabus came and he gave Paul a prophecy that he would be bound by the Jews in Jerusalem. The elders persuaded him not to go. What did Paul do?
And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. When he had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'” Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I AM READY not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, “The will of the Lord be done.”
Acts 21:10-14 (emphasis added)
Paul received the information and his response was “For I AM READY…” Paul was ready for anything, even death.
Those of us familiar with the message of Archippus Awakening will know that one main question we always ask is, “Are you ready?”
So Agabus came and he gave information; prophetic, no less. With the intelligence given, Paul had to ask God if he should still go. See how Paul processed the information in light of his orders: he was ready to carry out God’s orders in spite of the information that suffering awaited him. Why? Paul knew what God’s orders were. Unfavourable information, notwithstanding, Paul was a good soldier of Jesus Christ and his desire was to please His King and Commander (2 Timothy 2:3-4).
What about us? Do we know our orders a.k.a. kingdom assignments? Or are we being distracted by the overload of information? If we want to know our kingdom assignments, are we focusing on kingdom perspectives? Will we stay resolute today to move on God’s marching orders despite whatever information that may come our way?