Strength to take the land

Look at the nations and watch – and be utterly amazed.

For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe,

 even if you were told. Habakkuk 1: 5

I woke up this morning with the Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves by Verdi from his opera Nabucco running through my mind. I didn’t know anything about this opera, I just knew the tune. The opera is based on the Hebrews in exile in Assyria singing with longing for their homeland, similar to Psalm 137. 

It then occurred to me that when God led the Children of Israel out of Egypt after 400 years of slavery, they had no idea what the Promised Land was like. No one had ever seen it, not even Moses. They had no vision. Even when the spies returned after their expedition to scout out the land, 10 of them saw the Promised Land through the eyes of slaves, not as Children of Israel. It was all about identity. 

They didn’t see God as the covenant keeping God of Abraham or themselves as his people. Despite God having released them from slavery through mighty miracles, they didn’t see themselves as holy and dearly loved, a treasured possession. They were just worthless slaves.

That leads me to ask, how do we look at our situations? Through the eyes of slaves to sin or as children of God with an inheritance to take hold of? 

This last year has shown us that like the Children of Israel, none of us have been this way before. None of us have endured a pandemic and none of us really know what the way ahead looks like.  We can look at it as slaves bound by fear and insecurity believing we are never going to be free of the virus, or we can look with eyes of faith as children of God. He is laying before us an opportunity, never given to previous generations to press into something of God that will be so spectacular we wouldn’t believe it, even if we were told. 

Bill Johnson says that if Israel had walked into the Promised Land a few weeks after leaving Egypt, they would not have had the maturity to maintain the inheritance. The Lord will put us in situations so we have to push through to build spiritual strength, trust and faith in God so when the answers to our prayers and longings are released, we have the maturity to give all glory to God. 

These last 13 months have been a time for perseverance, patient endurance and seeking God.  Many of us have had time and space to build up our spiritual muscles, to learn to trust God in the wilderness for provision and presence. This will mean when we stand on the edge of our promised land, we will have faith and courage to cross over and a deep trust in God believing him to see souls saved, strongholds demolished and our nations turn to Jesus. 

The prize is enormous but if we have used the last year to fix our gaze upon Jesus, to know his voice, to hear his strategies, to catch the whisper of heaven and see a glimpse of his glory, we will have the maturity to give all glory to God when his sovereign power sweeps our nations. 

We know God wants to save our nations but all glory must go to him. When thousands are saved, blind eyes opened, deaf ears unstopped, the lame walking all that must be heard is an anthem of praise, thanksgiving and adoration to our God from his amazed, awe-struck, blood-bought children, overwhelmed by his goodness and love. 

Social distancing to bring the presence of God

² After three days the officers went throughout the camp, ³ giving orders to the people: ‘When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. ⁴ Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.’ Joshua 3: 2 – 4

River Jordan today

When the Israelites set out to cross the Jordan, God gave very specific instructions about what to do. He would provide the miracle of drying up the River Jordan, which was in full flood. The Israelites just had to follow the ark into the riverbed and cross over. However there was one important instruction, they must keep a distance of 2000 cubits or 900 metres. That is quite a distance.

When reading this recently, I immediately thought of social distancing. In the UK at this time, due to COVID19, everyone must keep two meters apart.  Both instructions to keep distance are for people’s safety. At this virus time, it is to reduce the possibility of catching the disease. When crossing the Jordan it was to avoid accidentally touching or coming into contact with the ark.

The ark represented the presence of God, which is both holy and precious. Not something to be treated casually. Uzzah discovered to his cost that touching the ark, no matter how well intended, meant the loss of his life (2 Samuel 6).

God made sure with his social distancing there was absolutely no chance of anyone coming near the ark. At 900 meters away people could hardly see the ark, let alone get close to it. Don’t forget the Israelites had all their children, sheep and goats to cross over, and none of these have any idea about social distancing. Giving a clearance of 900 meters meant that even a flock of wayward sheep could be retrieved, before they became entangled in the priests holding up the ark in the middle of the riverbed. 

Even today, God’s holy presence is still not something to be treated lightly or casually. As we pursue God, to draw nearer and know him better, his presence will still kill the flesh. This is a good thing if we are prepared, but are we ready for what may have to go? Our preferences, opinions, prejudices will be exposed, and will need to be placed on the altar if we are serious about seeking the presence of God. Consider what sacred cows we may have that will need to be sacrificed.  However everything we give to God will seem to be very unimportant when we have the very presence of Jesus instead.

Our lifestyles may have been significantly altered by the virus, but if the presence of God comes in manifest power and glory, not just our lives, but society itself will be even further changed. Isn’t this what we desire? To bring the very presence of Jesus to a hurting, dying world with great signs and wonders. But it is costly.

The Welsh and Hebridean revivals showed that society was fundamentally altered, and not everyone liked it. Those who lived through those revivals though, and embraced God’s presence had their lives transformed till the day they died.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12: 1

The Lion roars

September 2008 - even more relevant today 2019

Behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah stands over this nation

He roars over the land      

Strongholds tremble and fall

Arise church and take your place

Declare the goodness of God to an unbelieving generation

Declare His love, His mercy, His forgiveness

The lion shakes his mane and gold dust falls over the land

Each fleck of gold is a glint of glory

Every speck is a miracle, a healing, a sign.

Gold falls as snow on the nation

Glory covers the land.

Church arise, declare the goodness of God to an unbelieving generation

Declare victory over the enemy

Declare the Lordship of our King over this land.

The Lion breathes over this nation

His breath warms cold hearts and cold lives

Apathy turns to passion

Indifference becomes a fire; an intense love for Jesus

A zeal for His Kingdom

A passion for His name.

The Lion swishes his tail

Strongholds tremble, falter and fall

Cracks appear in major institutions

Those built on power and greed totter and fall.

Governments tremble

The people fear, their knees shake

Hearts melt, bile arises in their throats 

‘What will become of us?’ they ask.

Church arise, declare the goodness of God to an unbelieving generation

Speak peace to fearful hearts 

Show love to those who have no hope

Do not fear for Our God reigns 

Let God’s people arise

Let His enemies be scattered

Let mercy like a tidal flow sweep this land

Grace will wash away greed and selfishness and cleanse the land

Love like a never ending stream 

Will cause righteousness to blossom and flourish

Church, arise, declare the Lordship of the King over this land.

Catch me if you can

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. Hebrews 12: 1 - 2

Every baton change was secure and it was with great cheers that the British men’s 4 x 100m relay team brought home the gold medal. It had been a rather disappointing week of athletics for Britain but on the final weekend all four relay teams won medals.

Watching relays always reminds me of the analogy of handing the spiritual baton on as an inheritance to the next generation.

An inheritance is something passed on that we get for nothing from someone else who has paid for it. It can catapult us up to the next level. For instance – getting a financial inheritance can help us buy a house we couldn’t possible afford otherwise. Spiritual inheritances work in the same way. We inherit a grace for something, for instance healing, that others have laboured for and may have paid a high price in terms of commitment and even criticism but it makes us more effective for the kingdom.

A natural inheritance gives us something we did not have before but a spiritual inheritance reveals to us something that was there all along but which we had never seen or grasped before. When we realise the inheritance we have, we receive all the knowledge and experience gained by the previous generation. We don’t have to find it, earn it, dig for it, battle for it but just receive and walk in it.

Bill Johnson says that one of the saddest things in the Church is that one generation has never been able to pass on revival to the next generation. Revival has become the boost that the Church receives every few years instead of being the norm. What should be normal is that ‘of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end’ Isaiah 9: 7.

Going back to the analogy of passing on the baton it is as if the next runner takes the baton, looks at it and decides that running the next leg is too hard, demands too much and anyway they are too busy with work and family. Worse still it when the baton is put in a place of honour and revered as ‘the baton from the GB and NI team who won the gold medal in 2017.’ This is like honouring Smith Wigglesworth or John G Lake but not trying to run past them and push into God for the next revelation or grace he wants to impart.

For me the saddest thing is when the next generation take the baton and then goes back to the starting blocks and starts the race all over again, running the same lap as the previous generation. Instead once the baton has been passed, the next generation must take their inheritance and run hard their own race into fresh new things of God.

Jesus ran the first lap and he promised we would do greater things than he did (John 14: 12). That’s the norm. Our forefathers are our example and they are cheering us on the greater deeds, to greater revelation that the Kingdom of God would advance not stagnate or repeat.

Have you ever seen how the previous runner at the hand over, shouts at the next runner exhorting them to run their fastest? May it be the same in the kingdom. As we pass on all we have laboured and fought for, may we urge the next generation to catch hold of everything and then run into a fresh season of revelation with faith and anointing to increase the Kingdom and see Jesus revealed in ever greater measure.

Simeon and Anna

When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord Luke 2: 22

Jesus had been born in Bethlehem as prophesied and eight days later Mary and Joseph went the five miles to the temple in Jerusalem to offer a sacrifice in keeping with the Law of Moses.

In the temple they met a pair of elderly, devout people who had been waiting patiently for the Messiah. First of all Simeon came up to them. He had been promised that he would see the Lord’s Messiah before he died. He rejoiced that this day had come and very accurately prophesied to Mary that ‘This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.’

Mary and Joseph marvelled at what was said but more was to come. The very elderly Anna, a lady whose life was devoted to prayer and fasting also came up ‘at that moment’ and told anyone who would listen that this child was the Messiah (the redemption of Jerusalem).

I love the patient faithfulness of these two elderly people, devoted to the Lord. They had not given up as the years passed by. They had not settled down to a passive, inactive, elderly lifestyle. They were as fervent in their faith as ever.

In today’s culture, young is beautiful but the Bible is full of the very elderly being significantly used by God; Abraham, Moses, Gideon’s parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth. So often the elderly laid the foundation for the next generation to build on.

As I have written before, the elderly in the back of the church can be a huge fount of wisdom and experience to tap into. Unfortunately they are largely ignored as irrelevant whilst the younger generation like to learn from their own mistakes without tapping into the wisdom that is available from those who have gone before.

I wonder how many others at the temple paid any attention to Simeon and Anna that day. Despite telling anyone who would listen, were they ignored or did anyone take note that the greatest event for the Jews and Gentiles, the Saviour of the world had just been presented at the temple?

Many of today’s elderly have been waiting and praying patiently for years for revival and have lived through previous outpourings and know a thing or two about them. Some of them may well have the promise from God that they will not die till they see revival. They may even have a head’s up on what God is doing for any willing to listen to them.

God loves all generations and wants to use everyone, young and old to reach a lost world. Crossing the generational divide is a wonderful expression of God’s heart. As we come to the end of 2014 let us not give up on the promises of God but by faith take them into 2015, believing that he who has promised is faithful.

21st century Gideon: an allegory Part 4

They then called on all Christians across the land to rise up and defeat the powers of darkness that ruled in their localities. The Christians called out to God for deliverance and proclaimed his goodness and mercy in all their major places of government, power and influence.  There was no hiding place for the powers of darkness.  Everywhere they tried to go, there were bands of Christians proclaiming the wisdom, majesty and glory of God and they were consigned to the Abyss. 

One group from a large and influential Pentecostal church was upset that they had not been asked to help sooner.  They had gone out as asked and defeated the major forces of evil in their area which were also badly afflicting the nation.

 

‘Why didn't you call us out earlier so we could have helped you?’ they asked.

 ‘What have we accomplished compared to you? You have overthrown two great forces of evil in the land.  What are our accomplishments compared to this?’ the pastor replied.

The large Pentecostal church was mollified at this and promised to pray for the pastor and his little band as they pursued the remaining evil forces.

They pursued these powers of darkness like freemasonry and witchcraft to their home towns and cities.  They asked the Christians and church goers in these towns and cities to help them in the overthrow of these forces. 

‘We have been pursuing these demons for ages and are tired, hungry and thirsty.  Will you join with us in the fight and give us something to eat and drink?’

 But the Christians and church goers said, ‘Who are you that we should help you?  Who says the powers of freemasonry or witchcraft live here?  When we can see you have overthrown them as you declare, then we will help you and give you sustenance.’

So the pastor and his band went and surrounded one of the religious centres in the city where the forces of evil had gone home to roost. They proclaimed again the goodness of God, his might and majesty and the powers of darkness sank into the abyss. Some of the symbols of their activities and ownership of the buildings fell to the ground as they were defeated. The Christians took them as spoil to show those who had opposed them.

They went on to another city where again they were given no help.  This time they went to the high places surrounding the city and again proclaimed the might and majesty of God.  The powers of darkness fled terrified into the abyss at the sound of the proclamation as they realised judgement was upon them and all the wicked, evil things that they had caused to have done in the land.

The pastor and his band returned to the city that had refused to help them. The people there looked amazed at the symbols that had fallen from the walls and furniture of the buildings.  The Christians and church goers of the city admitted they had been wrong and asked God and the pastor to forgive them. They turned to the Lord with fresh enthusiasm, many were saved and many more healed of their infirmities.

Then Christians across the land, realising that the powers of evil were overthrown and weak, went out and about declaring the goodness of God to all who would listen.  Many repented of their sins and were baptised. The sick were healed, the blind received sight, the lame walked, the deaf got their hearing back and wham bam, the dead were raised.

The land enjoyed peace again and the Christian heritage that had been lost was restored to them.  Christians were sent to the nations to bring the Gospel, healing and peace.  Many turned to the Lord and great was the revival in the nation.

21st century Gideon: an allegory. Part 1

Again and again Britain did evil in the eyes of the Lord and for many years he gave the people over to their sinful desires.  But their desires became oppressive to them and reaped harvest after harvest of evil. Soon they contrived ever more devious plans to circumvent the wickedness they were producing. They listened to more and more Godless men and women but they did not seek the Lord.

Society did as it saw fit and the government passed ever more ungodly laws.  The behaviour of the  people became increasingly selfish and self seeking. The church said nothing. Whenever anyone came up with a way to help society, everyone would belittle them and people quickly found alternative ways to hurt their fellow men. Cynicism and scepticism became the norm in Britain.  Few saw anything good in anyone. Everyone did what was best for themselves in any way they liked and with no regard for the ways of God.

No matter how evil the ways of men became only a few sought the face of God on behalf of the many.  The Church compromised on the truth of the Gospel and tried to make it more appealing to the people by diluting the message of salvation.  Religious practices and 'relevant' services became more important than the word of God.  People did as they saw fit and no one turned them from their wicked ways.  Churches emptied and Christians were regarded as irrelevant, even foolish.  They were portrayed in the media as odd, deviant and repressed.  The life of God no longer flowed through the church. Occasionally a man of God would tell society where they were going wrong but nobody wanted to acknowledge God or ask him for help.

Indeed the Almighty was belittled most of all and became a laughing stock.  His name was used as a swear word and no one seemed to notice or mind.  Even the remnant of God’s people was too cowed to try and do anything to defend the name of the Lord. They kept themselves to themselves. Nobody minded what Christians did as long as it didn't bother them. 

In fact other religions found a louder voice and demanded their rights.  They did great evil in the eyes of all and yet no one opposed them, not even the church.  No one spoke out against these false religions for fear of offending people and the country forgot their Christian roots and heritage.  Everyone just wanted a tolerant and accepting society, exchanging the grace of God for a licence to sin.

Then the church realising it was being oppressed and marginalised cried out to God. He started to raise up men and women to encourage the church to repent and return to the Lord.   The word of God found its place again in the church and people turned and sought the face of the Lord.  They took great comfort from verses that said, ‘if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.’

Then the angel of the Lord came to a small church and said to the pastor, ‘The Lord is with you mighty warrior.’

And the pastor said, ‘If the Lord is with us why are such wicked things happening in our land.  Did we not have mighty outpourings and revivals in the past but now God has forgotten us and gone to Africa, Asia and Argentina.’   

And the angel of the Lord turned to the pastor and said, ‘Go in the strength of the Lord and take back Britain from the enemies’ hands.’