By Beat Baingana Bisangwa
Matthew 9:16-17
17 …..Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins [f]break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
In olden Israel, people used to keep new wine in skin sacks made from animals. A new animal skin would be elastic, a quality that made it stretchy and flexible. It would be cleaned and tanned for keeping wine. The liquid that turned into wine would first go through a process of fermenting, releasing gases that would build pressure and make the skin stretch. With time, the skin would lose its elasticity, becoming brittle and even tearing sometimes. It was against common sense then to put new wine into old wineskins.
Jesus used this story to say that He came to usher in a new Kingdom that would overhaul the then prevailing old Judaism system. He was not going to try and fit the new Kingdom principles into what was traditionally there.
Today, Jesus still has ‘new wine’ for us in form of introducing new ways of thinking and working. What does it look like for you and me? In its simplest form, He was talking about a new Kingdom that would be experienced through redemption by believing in Him as the Messiah.
The characteristics of an elastic new wineskin were; flexible, pliable, stretchable, springy, resilient, adaptable, accommodating, and adjustable. These characters are also desirable in a converted Christian life for growth, progress, transformation and usability by God. Jesus is looking for such vessels to pour in His Spirit for obedience, power, boldness and abundant life! The Holy Spirit is usually compared to wine.
When the Holy Spirit is poured in a pliable vessel, He transforms it to conform to God’s order for Kingdom use. Character matters – being teachable, moldable and pliable; following the leading of the Holy Spirit and obedience.
I also hear the Lord say ….prepare for new infilling; new enablement; new revelation and ideas for practical growth and expansion – new heights; new spaces. As vessels for displaying God’s glory, we need to prepare for daily empowerment for progress. We prepare spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, socially etc.
Isaiah 54: 1-4a
“Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; Lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes. 3 For you shall expand to the right and to the left, and your descendants will inherit the nations, and make the desolate cities inhabited. 4 “Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame…..”
I need to ‘see’ the impossible with my heart and mind and to call those things that are not as though they were. I need to position myself for favours and miracles for achieving my dreams-in the horizon. I need to start thinking like my future-self; to talk like my future-self; to dress and walk like my future-self. I need to be in spaces that are congruent with my future self.
As I anticipate fresh infilling of the Spirit of the Lord; the Spirit of might, counsel and revelation, I position myself today for what is coming! I expand my digital and physical space to accommodate what is coming. It may mean investing more in human resource or in resources like upgrade gadgets and upscale equipment. It may mean acquiring more skills and competences!
When the new is anticipated, thorough preparation is inevitable and indispensable. Growth and progress demands practical faith – faith with action. I will take a step of faith in the direction of anticipated destination.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, as a vessel of honour to you, I desire to be moldable as clay in the potter’s hand ({Jer. 18: 6} ….. 6 “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the Lord. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!).
- I present my body as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which ismy reasonable service. Transform me Lord that I may not conform to the standards of this world, but that I may be transformed by the renewing of my mind.
- May I never be a victim of human traditions whether from the past, present or future, but be guided by your principles in every area of life in Jesus name!
- May my heart be like the fertile that receives revelation truth and allows it to grow and bear fruit in Jesus’ name!
- May I walk in practical faith daily, anticipating and preparing for all the best that life has to offer!
May I indeed be found worthy to receive this ‘new wine’ every day for thriving and for your glory!
Amen!
