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Isaiah 60:1-2 states: “Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you” (NKJV).

Jerry Dirmann

The Holy Spirit predicted through Isaiah that a thick darkness will cover the earth and its inhabitants at the end of the age. But He also prophesied to His people, saying, “Arise!” and “Shine!” When things look the darkest, the people of God are going to arise, and the glory of the Lord—His power, wisdom, knowledge, provision and favor—will be visible in and through their lives.

It’s easy to say “amen” to a great passage like this. But that is not God’s desired response. The Hebrew word translated to “arise” is a command that means “get up.” God is calling the whole body of Christ to get up and get moving because the glory of the Lord is ready to shine.

When I was in junior high, my dad’s philosophy was that, since there was no school on Saturdays, it was the perfect time for my older brother and me to work with him in the yard. Every Saturday about 7 a.m., Dad came to our room and loudly announced, “Okay, it’s time to go work in the yard!”

My brother and I didn’t move. About five minutes later, we heard footsteps just before Dad would shout, “I said get up!” We instantly would sit up and say, “I’m up! I’m up!” Then we lay right back down to sleep. But when we heard Dad coming down the hallway the third time, we’d jump up and try to look like we were getting ready. Because if we were still in bed when Dad showed up the third time, we would experience some serious—well, let’s call it “behavior modification.”

As a senior pastor, I feel stirred by the Lord—especially now—to use this Isaiah 60 passage to prophesy to every attendee of my church and say, “Arise … get up … we need all hands on deck!” So I’m starting a new series on this passage with the intent of mobilizing every person in my church.

The church in these last days must not be satisfied just with great worship and teaching from the platform, and spectating from the pews. God is stirring leaders to preach and prophesy in such a way that believers will become motivated to put to good use all of the teaching and discipleship they’ve received. We need “all hands on deck!”

Ephesians 4:16 tells us that a healthy, growing body happens when “every part does its share.” But most people will not just go—they must be sent.

Now is the time for all willing hands to be sent!

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is senior pastor of The Rock (Anaheim Foursquare Church) in Anaheim, Calif.
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