Going Out and Coming In

Come, Lord Jesus

Going Out and Coming In

"Coming out," to society parties celebrating a young woman's coming of age and ready for marriage are steeped in tradition, with an emphasis on gracious manners and beloved rituals. The queen of England outlawed the practice in 1958 but many still celebrate this ritual for young women of 17 or 18 to be introduced to society.

There is coming a day when we shall have a celebration second to none at the marriage supper of the Lamb. All those in Christ shall be there, those from all walks of life shall be robed as royal brides.

Today we will consider some situations in the Bible where there was a going out and a coming in.

Lock Down and Stay at Home Orders remind me of some Bible verses that may encourage us today.

Joshua 6:1 “Now Jericho was tightly shut because of the sons of Israel; no one went out and no one came in.”

The reason for this lock-down for the enemy inside Jericho, was that they were terrified and knew their time was up.  Excavations there reveal that the city of Jericho's fortifications featured a stone wall 11 feet high and 14 feet wide.  At its top was a smooth stone slope, angling upward at 35 degrees for 35 feet, where it joined massive stone walls that towered even higher.  Joshua and the Israelite army were soon to march around these walls that were virtually impregnable - until by the power and grace of God, on the seventh day, the walls fell down flat and the Israelite people could march right in. 

We today are marching around spiritual walls with our prayers and by the Help of God, these walls will come down as well.

Joshua was given leadership to bring the people into the promised land. God outlined some blessings if the people would serve Him only, and and some cursings if they failed to serve Him. Deuteronomy 28:6 “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.

The book of Psalms has many verses that refer to God knowing and protecting our coming in and going out.

Psalm 121:8 The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever.

Psalms 139:2  Oh Lord, You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thoughts afar off.

Psalms 40: 2 The Lord God has brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

Psalms 121: 5-8 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.  The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

King Solomon prayed in 2 Chronicles 1:10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people, for who can rule this great people of Yours?”

We must be reminded to pray for our leaders that they will have wisdom as well as understanding to come in and go out before the people.

David had aligned himself to the philistines King Achish for protection and had helped him fight battles, but jealousy and envy arose in the hearts of the political group; 1 Samuel 29:6 Then King Achish called David and said to him, “As the Lord lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army are pleasing in my sight; for I have not found evil in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, you are not pleasing in the sight of the lords. So David departed for his own safety and for that of his family and followers.

I am reminded about Jesus who came out from heaven and came in to this earth to live, minister, teach, deliver, heal, and die on the cross. After he rose from the dead and showed himself alive to his disciples and to around 500 others, there was a day when he was going out, and this time from earth and a coming in, back to heaven to join His Father God. He did not leave us comfortless but give us the Holy Spirit to guide and lead us in our comings and goings. One more time Jesus, you will come out of heaven, this time with a shout and with the trumpet sounding to receive all those IN Christ to be ever with him in Glory.

Today we will be praying for our citizens, many who are out side of God's will in dark areas of their lives, but we will prophesy that they will come out of darkness and come into His marvelous Light and receive Jesus as their Lord and master.