Chapter 6, Jesus isn't returning to rescue you.
I'm just going to be blunt.
Jesus is not coming back to stage a rescue mission.
Now that sentence is going to shake and even anger some believers, but it's the truth.
Too many Christians today have bought into the idea that this world is spiraling beyond
hope, destined for destruction, and that all we can do is wait it out until Jesus returns
to pluck us from the chaos.
They scroll through the latest headlines and nod in agreement, wars, disasters, corruption,
violence, and conclude that we're all just passengers on a sinking ship.
But that's not the story God is telling.
Jesus isn't returning to evacuate his people from earth.
When he comes back, and he is coming back, it will be to complete the restoration plan
that was sealed at the cross, and the end of the world won't look much like the doom
and gloom scenario many have been taught.
The truth is far more powerful and far more hopeful.
When Adam and Eve fell, sin entered the world and fractured the relationship between God
and humanity, but God had a plan for our redemption and restoration.
As I said before, Jesus didn't die just to save you from hell, and his sacrifice wasn't
just about getting you into heaven.
It was about bringing heaven to earth.
He did what he did to empower you to live victoriously and to partner with him.
He restored your access to the Father and re-established your authority to steward and
reclaim the earth for the kingdom of God.
Restoration is taking root.
Yes, there's no denying that the world is in a chaotic state, but with spiritual eyes
you can look beyond the noise and see underneath the surface that God is moving.
Seeds of divine revelation and restoration are starting to break through.
Prophecies are being fulfilled.
Prayers that have been lifted for generations are being answered.
But there's a catch.
Much of what God is doing in this season isn't coming through traditional religious channels
or institutional oversight.
God is raising up individuals with hearts and minds to follow the direct guidance of
the Holy Spirit.
People who aren't bound by religious rituals but are in intimate relationship with and
fully surrendered to him.
Many won't recognize what's happening because it doesn't fit inside the box of what they
think church should look like.
But make no mistake, the Ekklesia, the true body of Christ, is moving and growing.
Your spiritual growth isn't about where you sit on Sunday.
It's about whether the Spirit is alive and active in you.
Remember, the Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.
Romans 8 verse 16.
Belonging to a church or denomination doesn't make you part of the body of Christ.
It is the Spirit of God, entwined with your spirit, that confirms you are his.
Jesus is waiting for you to move.
Let's be honest.
For many, Christianity has become a spectator sport.
Church attendance has replaced genuine engagement with God.
Believers can sit in pews, listen to sermons, sing songs, and then return to their lives
unchanged, wondering why they still feel spiritually empty.
And because of this, too many churches, congregants, and clergy mirror the brokenness of the world
instead of reflecting the power and the presence of God.
They focus their attention on foreboding and anxiety rather than fixing their attention
on the promises and the provisions of God.
They're powerless.
Instead of stepping into the authority God has given us, they're sitting back, waiting
for Jesus to come and fix it all.
But here's the truth.
Jesus already accomplished the fixing at the cross.
Hebrews 10, verses 12-14 tell us,
But our high priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time.
Then he sat down in the place of honor at God's right hand.
There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet.
For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.
Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He's not pacing heaven, wringing his hands.
So who is he waiting on to humble his enemies and make them a footstool under his feet?
He's waiting for us.
He's waiting for his people, those being made holy, to grow in maturity and partner with
him to put into place all that he came to achieve and finish the work of establishing
the kingdom of heaven on earth.
earth. Let that sink in. Jesus isn't waiting to swoop in and save you. He's waiting for
you to step into the authority He's already given you.
The highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth He has given to mankind.
Psalm 115.16
From the beginning, God entrusted humanity with the stewardship of the earth. Although
we lost our authority after the fall, that commission didn't disappear. Jesus reclaimed
our authority and power to meet our assignment, and now more than ever, it's on us to carry
it forward. In His name, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, we recovered the divine
authority of the earth that had been lost in the fall.
Christ restored to us the right to claim and steward the earth, but like the Israelites
standing on the edge of the promised land, we must be willing to take it. That might
sound intimidating, but remember David facing Goliath. He said, The battle is the Lord's.
1 Samuel 17.47
Our part is to move forward in faith. What then shall we say in response to these things?
If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8.31
Our calling isn't to survive until Jesus returns. It's to advance the kingdom on earth,
to be salt and light, to be a reflection of the love and character of God in a world that
desperately needs it.
Remember, the kingdom of God is within you. Luke 17.21
And the authority of heaven is in your hands. The Holy Spirit resides within you, and you
were born for such a time as this.
Are you ready to trust God and move forward to bring His kingdom into the spaces that
you influence?
In part two, Religion vs. Relationship, we'll examine what this looks like in practical
terms. Chances are, living a life that's centered around and focused around a real relationship
with God doesn't look the way you've been taught that it should.
This concludes the complimentary pre-release audio of the first chapters of Out of Rituals
and Into Relationship, Connecting with God Beyond the Church Walls by Xavier Lamont.
Thank you for listening to my book and taking this step on the path toward a deeper relationship
with God. I made these chapters available because I believe this message is needed now
more than ever, and I want your feedback. Your insights will help shape the final version
of this book and ensure it speaks directly to those who need it most.
Visit www.xavierlamont.com forward slash feedback to share your thoughts. Whether
these chapters challenged, encouraged, or inspired you, I'd love to hear about it.
And while you're there, you'll find details on how to get the full pre-release audio book
with the rest of the chapters.
If what you've heard so far resonates with you, don't stop here. The rest of the book
goes even deeper, unpacking how to break free from religious routines, hear God's voice
with clarity, and cultivate the kind of direct personal relationship that changes everything.
By purchasing the full release version, you'll not only gain access to the entire audio book
ahead of its official release, but you'll also be supporting this work and playing a
role in refining the final published edition.
So, if these chapters have stirred something in you, go to www.xavierlamont.com forward
slash feedback and take the next step. I appreciate your time, your thoughts, and most
of all, your desire to know God deeply.
Blessings to you on your journey.