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What's New?
by Pastor Graham Cathers
 Luke 5:36-39 Then Jesus gave them this illustration: "No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to patch an old garment. For then the new garment would be torn, and the patch wouldn't even match the old garment. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. The new wine would burst the old skins, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine must be put into new wineskins. But no one who drinks the old wine seems to want the fresh and the new. 'the old is better,' they say." (NLT)
God is pouring out new wine today but only those with a new wineskin can receive it. Many people are content and happy with what they already have. They're living in the comfort zone where everything is familiar and no risk is required. I don't want to be counted among that group.
Here's Our Challenge
Are we able to appreciate what we've learned in the past and continue to hunger and thirst for the new? Every move of God has brought a fresh and new revelation of the kingdom. We need to learn from them and yet remain open to what He's doing in this hour. Today if you hear his voice, don't harden your heart. So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure chest." (Matthew 13:52 GWT)
The true riches of the kingdom is revelation. Kingdom disciples are able to bring out of their treasure chests both the old and new revelation. Whenever God reveals something new it doesn't mean we have to throw away all that we've ever learned. It's been said that, "We honor the past, live in the present and look to the future". The true challenge is remaining open to what we don't know.
2 Kings 2:11-14 says, "Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!" So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces. He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, "Where is the LORD God of Elijah?" And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over. (NKJV)
Elisha asked for a double portion of the Spirit that was upon Elijah. It says in verse twelve that he tore his own clothes and then picked up Elijah's mantle. His clothes represented the old or what he had lived and walked in up to that moment. His mindsets, His anointing and revelation.
As long as he held onto the old he couldn't pick up the new. If we truly want the new then we can't let our old mindsets, our old way of doing things govern us any longer. That doesn't mean we abandon everything we know; but it does mean we let go of anything that stops us from receiving the new.
Jesus said, "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins". The reason is that as new wine ferments it begins to expand and stretch the skin. Old wineskins lose their elasticity and no longer have the ability to expand. How do you know if you're an old wineskin? You're not open to anything new.
A new wineskin can handle the new wine because it will stretch as the wine ferments and expands. God doesn't pour new wine into old skins because they can't handle it, they would burst.
He pours new wine into new wineskins because they can handle it. New wine represents new revelation; it represents the new and fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
What God is Doing Today?
His kingdom is increasing and expanding. New wine is being poured out on those who say I must have more, I'm hungry for more and I'm thirsty for more.
I'm praying for the Father to fill you with new wine, to expand your capacity for more and to bless all that you set your hand to this year.
For more information about Living Faith Christian Church,
please visit: www.living.org |
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