Contagious Love or Contagious Fear: Responding to the Coronavirus Pandemic

by Nathan Shaw

Everyone’s talking about coronavirus. It’s a world-wide pandemic with the potential to escalate out of control in any nation. Because it’s on everyone’s mind we easily connect with others over it, whether they are friends or strangers. In the midst of the chaos, uncertainty and change there are three important questions to ask.

1. Am I in love with the Man Christ Jesus?

This is easily the most important question you can ask yourself at any time. It is so easy to get focused on life, ministry, good works, or even pandemics, that we forget the most important thing of all. When you are in love with someone you can’t stop talking about them. Imagine if we talked about Jesus as much as we talk about the virus. That’s a recipe for world-wide revival right there! And I don’t mean annoying talk. I mean the natural, spontaneous overflow of a heart that’s in love. We are made in the image of God and wired for love. Life works best when we live loved and in love. Love for Jesus is a contagious virus. It’s infectious and it’s unstoppable.

2. What has changed?

It’s good to take stock of what’s happening:

• There is a contagious virus sweeping the globe.
• People are responding in fear—some of it rational, but a good portion of it irrational.
• There are restrictions to our daily lives.
• The world economy is being majorly affected.

Many are experiencing big changes: financial loss; loss of employment; having to work from home; uncertainly about future employment; isolation and confinement; chronic sickness; death of a loved one.

3. What has not changed?

In a world awash with change it’s important to base our lives solidly on the rock of that which does not change. Consider the following:

• God is seated on His throne (Revelation 4:2-3).
• He is good and His mercy endures forever (2 Chronicles 5:13, 7:3).
• He is Jehovah Jireh, the One who provides (Genesis 22:14).
• He is a warrior who roars against the works of the devil (Exodus 15:3, 1 John 3:8).
• He is Jehovah Rapha, the One who heals (Exodus 15:26).
• He is not perturbed by chaos in the nations (Psalm 2:1-4).

In all of these things God does not change (Hebrews 13:8). He is a Father who cares deeply about individuals and nations. When change brings upheaval and uncertainty, focus on that which does not change.

Is God Judging the Nations Through This Pandemic?

Let’s be very clear: God is not judging the nations through the coronavirus pandemic. In Matthew 11:20-24 Jesus pronounced judgment on the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum. But note well the reason for the judgment: they had rejected God despite the phenomenal healings and miracles repeatedly done in them. These three cities had rejected an undeniable display of God’s incredible love, care and kindness. It is equally important to note that this judgment would not happen until the day of judgment. Jesus didn’t pronounce a temporal, earthly judgment. Rather, He pronounced an eternal, heavenly one that would happen at the end of time.

God is courteous, even with temporal, earthly judgments. He waits patiently until it is absolutely clear there will be no repentance. He states clearly if a judgment is from Him—usually a long time before the judgment even happens. God’s heart is to save, not to condemn (John 3:17).

Rather than God judging the nations, I believe we are on the brink of a world-wide healing revival. In October 1918 a flu pandemic swept through New Zealand killing half a percent of all Europeans and over two percent of all Māori. No event has killed so many New Zealanders in such a short time. Wiremu Rātana was one of 21 grandchildren. Of the 21, only Rātana and two of his sisters survived. God visited Rātana in November 1918. Rātana went on to have a remarkable healing ministry. To this day there is a large room full of the crutches, wheel chairs, glasses and other implements abandoned by the healed. Rātana also released many others into the ministry of healing. In 1946, after the unspeakable death and destruction of World War 2, God visited a poor Kentucky man called William Branham. God used Branham to ignite the spark of the great healing revival that continued for well over a decade.

What Can We Do?

How should we respond to the present pandemic. Here is a suggested course of action:

1. Remember who God is. Psalms 47 and 93-99 are known as enthronement psalms. They proclaim God’s sovereignty over all. Knowing God as sovereign King and loving Father is the foundation for a supernatural peace which transcends all understanding (Philippians 4:7).
2. Take authority over the spread of the virus. It is the devil who comes to steal, kill and destroy, not God (John 10:10).
3. Take authority over world-wide economic chaos. The world-wide church has authority to stop world-wide economic chaos.
4. Cooperate with governments and health officials and pray for them (Romans 13:1-7, 1 Timothy 2:1-2). They are doing their best to protect people. Pray that God gives them wisdom to know how to respond. Pray for medical breakthroughs.
5. Don’t live in fear. God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). God promises He will never leave us or forsake us (Matthew 28:20, Hebrews 13:5). In times of fear and chaos, peace is the most powerful commodity.
6. Have compassion on the fearful. We greatly misrepresent God when we imply that He is judging people through tragedy. Jesus made it clear that God makes the sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:43-45). God is a compassionate, loving Father, not a vindictive judge. This is a great opportunity to display the Father’s love.

As always, Satan is actively at work. His aim is to escalate fear, death, and economic chaos—and use these to advance demonic global agendas. God is also at work. God’s plan is to out-escalate demonic agendas through economic reversals and advances that can only be described as miraculous. Through all of this there will come a greater appreciation of the importance of border controls and critical supply chains within nations. No matter how bad things look let’s declare and decree these positive outcomes.

Finally, God has a plan and it involves you. Let His love enlarge you. He loves you, your family, your neighbors, your nation and the nations of the earth. His love is personal and it’s large. Become infectious with Jesus’ love.

© 2020 Nathan Shaw.

Related Articles:

2020: A Year of Seismic Shifts – Nathan Shaw
The Prominence of Healing on the Father's Heart – Nathan Shaw

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