It's Time To Look Up And Pray!

The prophets spoke of a time when the eyes of all would be opened, not just to the signs in the heavens and on the earth, but to the truth that had long been hidden in plain sight. The very nations that once scoffed, the people who had hardened their hearts and turned away from God, would begin to see, and they would be drawn to Him. The prophet Zechariah spoke of a moment when "the Lord shall be king over all the earth" (Zechariah 14:9), when every knee would bow and every tongue would confess. Even those who did not know Him would come to believe in His mighty power.

In Isaiah, it was foretold that the Gentiles—the nations beyond Israel—would come to the light of God’s glory. "The Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising" (Isaiah 60:3). In the time of Christ, this began to unfold as Jesus reached out to those who were far off, those considered outside the covenant, drawing them near with His love, healing, and truth. But it wasn’t just for that moment in history; the prophecy speaks to something greater, something that we see unfolding today.

Jesus, in the Gospel of John, told us that He is the light of the world. In John 12:32, He said, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." His sacrifice, His death, His resurrection—these were the means by which all people, both Jew and Gentile, believer and unbeliever, would be drawn to Him. The cross was not just for the faithful but for all, to awaken hearts and open eyes. Even those who have not known Him will begin to look up, drawn by His love, by His grace, by the undeniable signs of His presence in the world.

Paul wrote in Romans 10:14-17 about the urgency of the gospel reaching all nations: "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" The message of salvation, Paul says, will go forth, and it will not return void. People who once rejected the gospel will hear it and begin to believe, not because of their own power, but because of the work of the Holy Spirit. This awakening will be swift, and many who have walked in darkness will be brought into the light.

In the book of Revelation, we see the culmination of this great movement of faith. The nations, which were once divided and separated, will come together in worship before the throne of God. Revelation 7:9-10 speaks of a great multitude that "no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues," standing before the throne, crying out, "Salvation to our God which sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb." The unbelievers will become believers, drawn from every corner of the earth, transformed by the power of God’s love and truth.

We are in a time when the seeds of this great harvest are being sown. Even those who have hardened their hearts, those who have mocked, those who have dismissed the ways of God, will begin to see the truth in a way they cannot ignore. The world is waking up to something greater than itself. The world is waking up to God. The apostle John, in 1 John 2:22, warned that many would deny Christ, but he also spoke of the moment when even those who had denied Him would come to know the truth. "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ?" he wrote, "he is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son." But the time is coming when all will be revealed, when even the hard hearts will be softened, and the truth of Christ will be undeniable.

Jesus Himself spoke of this transformation, even to the thief on the cross, who had once mocked Him. In that moment of death, that moment of darkness, the thief turned and believed, and Jesus assured him, "Today shalt thou be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43). No heart is too far gone; no person is too lost. Even the most hardened will begin to believe, to see, and to understand the power of God’s love in their lives.

So, it’s time to look up. For the unbelievers are not lost forever, and the signs are not just for the faithful. They are for all who will open their eyes and recognize the truth. As the Lord pours out His Spirit, as the gospel is preached to all corners of the earth, even those who have rejected Him will begin to see the light and be drawn to His glory. The time is coming when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. It is time to look up—because the world is awakening, and the truth is being revealed.

But as we look up, let us also look around us. There are those among us who still walk in darkness, our families and friends who have not yet seen the light. As believers, it is our calling not only to recognize the signs but to continually pray for those who do not know Him. We must pray for the salvation of our loved ones, those who are blinded by the world and have not yet encountered the saving grace of Jesus. "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us" (1 John 5:14). Pray with faith, for we know that God hears the prayers of His people, and in His time, He will draw them to Himself.

Let us also remember those brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering for their faith, those who are being tortured, persecuted, and martyred around the world. The Scriptures call us to stand with them in prayer, to not forget them. Hebrews 13:3 says, "Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body." The time may come when persecution intensifies, but in those moments, we are to pray fervently, knowing that God is faithful and will sustain His people. The believers who are suffering will be upheld by the prayers of the saints, just as the prayers of the saints strengthen us all.

As we look around, we also recognize that Satan knows his time is short. Revelation 12:12 warns that "the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time." In his rage, Satan is doing all he can to deceive, destroy, and lead people away from the truth, knowing his defeat is near. He has but a brief time to try to disrupt God’s plan, to pull souls away from salvation. We must stand firm in our faith, knowing that though he fights with fury, his time is limited, and his ultimate defeat is certain.

So, look up. As the world awakens, as many come to faith, as God’s kingdom advances, let us also be vigilant, praying for the lost, for those who suffer for their faith, and for the protection of the faithful. The Kingdom of God is at hand, and the time is near. It is time to look up, to pray, to intercede, and to walk boldly in the truth, knowing that our redemption is drawing near.

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