The Appointed Time Is Now

The Appointed Time By Linda Davis Called to Freedom Ministries www.ctfm.net 11/22/08

God does have an appointed time, a set time for everything. “To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” When Jesus was declaring this, those gathered around him in the synagogue were literally looking God’s favor in the face, His blessed gift of grace, His son. The word year can be translated to mean “any definite time” We all are given God’s favor, the Lord’s favor in a definitive period of time for different circumstances, His favor for one situation may not stand for all of time, if He is opening a door or window of favor, we must step through it during the definitive time he has set before us. Don’t assume a certain opportunity will always be before you. When God speaks we must not wait too long to respond to what He is requiring of us, whether salvation, commitment, serving, moving, going, doing, being, speaking forth, stepping out, stepping back and allowing someone else to step forward, simply waiting, whatever he is proclaiming as his time of favor, will be for a set time, it will be for the appointed year.

There is a “definite time” and God says it is now, the appointed time to come forth, come in, come up, enterinto His fullness of all things. One of our favorite vs. Ps 102:13 13 You will arise and have mercy on Zion; For the time to favor her, Yes, the set time , has come.

I can’t say it enough don’t let your time of favor pass you by. His plans will be accomplished and it will always be through the willing vessel. Do not be deceived to think you can step into your destiny whenever you feel like it, no, it is when God says:

“favor is standing before you for this definite time are you willing to step in?” Step into what? The fullness of all I have the fullness of My Spirit functioning through you, the fullness of operating in Gal 5:22-24 love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. If you are not functioning in these fruits, you are not in the fullness of God. God tells us we will know people by their fruits, not by their words, not by their intentions but by their fruits. Nothing can stand against these nine fruits standing in our lives. As we enter the fullness of the nine fruits of the Spirit, we operate in the nine gifts of the spirit which are: 1 Cor 12:8-11 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. NKJV Notice the Spirit distributes these gifts as He wills, not as we will. It is however by the actions in our life, the fruit that we are producing, because the fruit we walk in reveals who our father is and let’s the Spirit know that He can trust us to function in the gifting He places down in us. Matt 7:16-20 You will know them by their fruits . Do men gather grapes from thornbushesor figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 Agood tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. This is Jesus talking, we will be known, actually we are already known by our fruits, it doesn’t really take too long of watching someone’s fruit to see where they are with the Lord. Not just that they serve but who are they willing to

serve? Are they willing to serve the lowly along with the high ranking? Not many are. Many want to serve the name or serve the position, but when it comes to “just” another brother or sister in the Lord, they aren’t so willing (ouch)

There is a due season, let’s not miss it! There is an appointed time of favor for specific assignments in our life, it is our choice to step into. If God says “now is the time” and we don’t choose to lay down self and step into what He has for us, His favor will move on and find the willing vessel because His body of people will not be denied on the delayed obedience by one person. Prov 15:23 And a word spoken in due season, how good it is! NKJV Has anybody in here ever had a word of knowledge for someone else in the room and hesitated to give it only to have someone else deliver the word God wanted to come forth. The person that needed to hear the word will not be denied because someone hesitates to bring forth the word, God will jump to the next person. Eccl 3 tells us that Everything Has Its Time, To everything there is a season , A time for every purpose under heaven: We must make sure we don’t miss our appointed time. We can no longer sit by idly not wanting to give up our selfish wants and desires. Jeremiah warns of the idle heart. Saying how the people do not get concerned about fearing the Lord, knowing he gives rain in its season and he appoints weeks of the harvest. Jer 5:24 They do not say in their heart, "Let us now fear the LORD our God, Who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season. He reserves for us the appointed weeks of the harvest." God would always hold of the rain forweeks during the appointed weeks of harvest so the crops could be brought in without damage and it would be enough harvest to last them the whole year. The appointed weeks of the harvest - the seven weeks between Passover and Pentecost, by God's special providence no rain fell in Palestine during the harvest weeks, so that harvest

work went on without interruption, I would call this a time of favor, a set time every year, Gen 8:22, "While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest ... shall not cease.” There is a perfect example if you don’t step in that time and do the harvest, the work that needs to come before the rain hits, must be done or delay ends up tailing into the raintime. We must have an understanding and knowledge of the Lord and His goodness,to function in our appointed times of favor. We must be walking Hidden in Christ, following the lead of His voice daily, again, dying completely to self, crucifying our flesh to be raised up in His resurrection power by the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead and in turn going and doing the same things Jesus did while walking this earth but even greater. Our flesh must be dead and we must be in the fullness of God to be doing this, Trulyknowing Him. That is when the former and the latter rain come together, to saturate the harvest and bring forth much fruit IN ITS SEASON. You see the former rain comes just a little after seedtime has happened, the destiny has been stirred, the prophetic word spoken, the intimacy has taken place, a seed has been planted and the former rain will cause it to grow, then the latter rain comes just a little before harvest, there is an appointed time for harvest for the seed that has been planted in us. See both rains take place in their proper season. We only must continue on IN HIM, being hidden IN HIM, walking IN HIS WILL, laying our flesh continually aside, worshipping him, giving him glory, doing as we only see the father do, walking in our daily assignments so we never miss the appointed time, being continual God pleasers and never man-pleasers that will get you out of your appointed time every time!!! During the harvest time was in a few weeks enough gathered to serve for satisfaction for a whole year. The weeks of the harvest are appointed us by the promise of God, that seed-time and harvest shall not fail. We must keep ourselves IN HIM, fully dependent on Him, keeping our walk with loving Him and loving others continually. We must lean on Him and not ourselves. The fruitful seasons of our life will be a reflection of our dependence on God, our obedience to His direction and our humbleness to His call upon us. I don’t want a single person to miss their appointed time with God, their appointed time for God. For what God has them to due in the fullness of their destiny.

A few scriptures of God’s appointed time being carried out: Ex 9: 5 Then the LORD appointed a set time, saying, "Tomorrow the LORD will do this thing in the land." Saul had an appointed time for that burnt offering, but he rushed it. 2 Kings 4:17 But the woman conceived, and bore a son when the appointed time had come, of which Elisha had told her. Job 23:13-14 "But He is unique, and who can make Him change? And whatever His soul desires, that He does. 14 For He performs what is appointed for me, And many such things are with Him. Ps 104:19 He appointed the moon for seasons; The sun knows its going down. John 15:16-17 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another. We have an appointed time to bear fruit, let’s please not miss it. When God says, God says, we either step in through obedience, or He moves to the next person finding a willing vessel. Most importantly God’s people will not be denied, let’s be the ones through whom their deliverance comes being fully ready, fully prepared for our appointed time to allow Heaven to invade Earth through our submission and our obedience. What an awesome experience that would be, nothing could compare to that. Have you recently said “man I wish I was there?” don’t let that statement come up again, be there next time, be ready. God will use another person, God will use another Church, God will use another ministry, God will use another nation, God will use another people, He will use the willing obedient vessels to get His perfect will accomplished, He will hold back only so long, let’s get it right, let’s get ourselves straightened out, stop piddling around in our flesh, be willing to tell God “I’d rather not but your will is much more important than mine so be it to me according to your will.”

Let’s respond like Paul did: Acts 22:10 So 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.' And he went. He didn’t stay and ponder a few years, he didn’t wait until everything was figured out and perfect and all lined up, until he finished doing what he wanted to do, no, he went. This was the very first thing Paul asked God “what shall I do?” Didn’t wait for God to speak first. Even Jesus had an appointed time: Gal 4:2-4 but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. 3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, I’ve heard people say “I know what God said” “I know what God showed me” or even the opposite of that “Well, God said this but it never happened” What was your part, honestly ask where did you miss it, where were you not willing to lay it all down, what were you not willing to let go of? We know God didn’t lie about it so if it didn’t take place the appointed time of favor was missed out. I want you to hear my heart here, I am not trying to beat anyone up, I am desiring to wake you, stir you or shake you enough to not miss your appointed time, not miss your destiny, not miss the fullness of all God has for you. Step in, Step Up then Step Out!!! Here is an example, hand people a ticket, the Celtics are playing the Rockets for the NBA championship game 7 it’s for an appointed time, I’m blessing you, you’ve been notified but you have to go. You want to see the game you go. Job interview, set time to show up, they tell you, you want it you show up. On time, non-negotiable. This is not meant to be harsh, you’ve got to meet your appointments, youhave to meet your appointed time. You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do now. This is to wake you up, this attitude of missing appts. Missing times

of reaping because rain has been held back. When opportunity comes to go will you be ready. Like the 10 virgins with the lamps, can’t decide after bridegroom shows up to go get oil, it is an appointed time he’ll show up, must have your ear to the ground listening for the vibrations to know the appointed time is coming. Everything we do is preparation for the next thing we do and then the ultimate thing we do which is meeting our bridegroom for the marriage supper. Let’s not miss any of our assignments, appointments. Go do, you better go do on time, when He says. Let us seize the every opportunity of favor for every good purpose and work. The time to put our hands to the plow will soon pass us by. If we seek God daily I’m sure that we would always have something to do; none of were sent into the world to be idle in the Lord.

Ps 1:1-3 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. (continually HIDDEN in Him) 3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, (roots are sucking in water, being attached not jumping around, firm in the ways of God) That brings forth its fruit in its season, (in it’s season, not a day too early not a day too late) Whose leaf also shall not wither; (healthy tree, there’s health, not limp, not dried up, not burnt) And whatever he does shall prosper. (everything doing prospering because everything setting hands to is out of obedience to God, and hands are blessed)