11-15. I had a vivid vision of a light shining in the darkness. This light was small, but it pushed back the darkness nevertheless. Then a second light appeared and the darkness was pushed back further. Then more and more lights appeared till there was hundreds of them, and it was then that the darkness could not hold on any longer. I knew that the lights were many believers standing together and displaying the gospel openly in their city. When enough of them rose up to shine their lights the darkness lost all power in their city. These lights were not the greatest brightest lights, but when they came together they became very bright.
I was reminded of the story of the mighty warrior Gideon. Gideon was not mighty in the worlds eyes, but he delivered his city from the enemy. As he led 300 warriors to lift their torches high on the mountain top the enemy was struck with fear and ran away. He was not as anointed as Samson or others of the mighty men God used, but he understood the power of unity. Samson defeated thousands of the enemy, but he never delivered his nation, or even his own city like Gideon did.
These are the days of Gideon. It is time for the church to shine their lights brightly in their cities, and as the many display their lamps the darkness will flee. God showed me two parts to this prophecy. 1) We must have oil in our lamps for them to shine. 2) We must be willing to lift them high for all to see.
Oil comes from intimacy with God, which we find by spending time in His presence. God is awakening a people who walk in the secret place and have the oil of anointing in their lamps. He is awakening a worshiping generation.
Next, we must hold our lamps high, which is our testimony and the message of the gospel. This happened as we begin to display Jesus to the people around us and fulfill the great commission to make disciples. I saw these shining lights teaching people about God in such simple ways, yet it was pushing back the darkness. Each one was reaching the people near them. There were no great heroes among them, for they were all great, all doing their small part. As people came to Christ the darkness left them and the enemy lost his hold. When enough people came to the knowledge of Christ the enemy lost his hold completely. This is how the darkness was broken.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
A Great Harvest
We live in extraordinary days. God is preparing His people for the greatest harvest of souls the earth has seen, and we live in this day as vessels He will use to carry His glory to the earth. We will see an explosion of healing and miracles like never before, and more, we are positioned to see souls come to meet God. Along with this there will be moves of justice and mercy in the earth and the people of God will become the answer to many social issues.
The church in America and Europe (as compared to the early church) is not what most would call glorious and powerful, but God in His mercy will raise her up in holiness and glory and the world will marvel. It is time that God will restore the fortunes and glory of His people. The early church had a reputation for turning the world upside down. This will be said again.
Now the clincher. God is looking for those who will be witnesses. He is looking for those who are willing to yield to Him and be His vessels. We must understand though that many are called, but few are chosen, and many who are first will be last. God is looking for good speakers, or talented singers, or smart seminary graduates; He is looking for willing vessels that know Him intimately and who are yielded to His Spirit. He is looking for those who have a mind for the Spirit and who belong wholeheartedly to Him.
Let the mighty one rise up and prepare for the day of the Lord. Let the weak say, "I am strong." In this day those who KNOW their God will do great exploits.
The church in America and Europe (as compared to the early church) is not what most would call glorious and powerful, but God in His mercy will raise her up in holiness and glory and the world will marvel. It is time that God will restore the fortunes and glory of His people. The early church had a reputation for turning the world upside down. This will be said again.
Now the clincher. God is looking for those who will be witnesses. He is looking for those who are willing to yield to Him and be His vessels. We must understand though that many are called, but few are chosen, and many who are first will be last. God is looking for good speakers, or talented singers, or smart seminary graduates; He is looking for willing vessels that know Him intimately and who are yielded to His Spirit. He is looking for those who have a mind for the Spirit and who belong wholeheartedly to Him.
Let the mighty one rise up and prepare for the day of the Lord. Let the weak say, "I am strong." In this day those who KNOW their God will do great exploits.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Prodigals Come Home
Many people have been seeing 11:11 repeatedly. I know I have. Seeing repetitious numbers is one way God will get our attention in order that we might seek Him and ask what He is doing. In praying recently about this God led me to Isaiah 11:11, which I have been sensing is a word for 2011. Isaiah 11:11 is a prophetic word about the restoration of Israel, and the children coming home from many lands. For us today I hear God saying He is calling the prodigals home again, and that many who have walked with God and had been discouraged or who fell away would be drawn back by the love of God. Many will begin to have divine appointments where they encounter prodigals and will have opportunity to love them and reveal God's mercy to them.
There are many who have been hurt by the religion of man, by traditions of men, and those who calim to be followers of God but do not walk in love. There are others who became entangled in sin or addiction and out of shame left fellowship with God and people. God in His mercy is drawing them back home, to know His true message of grace, mercy and love. He will break off the offenses, hurts, and shame that held them down and set many free.
We can play a part in this word and prepare to be a part of what God will do. We can be ready to love those who come back and embrace them with grace rather than condemnation and works oriented religion. We can be ready to pray for them and release them into the freedom of God. Ask God for His fathers heart for those who come back. Ask the Father to lead you in how to love them and mentor them.
There are many who have been hurt by the religion of man, by traditions of men, and those who calim to be followers of God but do not walk in love. There are others who became entangled in sin or addiction and out of shame left fellowship with God and people. God in His mercy is drawing them back home, to know His true message of grace, mercy and love. He will break off the offenses, hurts, and shame that held them down and set many free.
We can play a part in this word and prepare to be a part of what God will do. We can be ready to love those who come back and embrace them with grace rather than condemnation and works oriented religion. We can be ready to pray for them and release them into the freedom of God. Ask God for His fathers heart for those who come back. Ask the Father to lead you in how to love them and mentor them.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Dream of Revival
In a dream a worship leader and I were walking through JC Penny's at the mall here in Chico. The presence of God filled the store and Katie began to sing HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY as she was looking around for clothes. Then the power of the Spirit fell in the place and we began to pray for all the people that we saw in the store. Pretty soon the Spirit was moving in these new believers like they had been believers all their lives. They began finding people and praying for them, just as we had been. It was as if we were in a present day Pentecost revival. The Spirit was moving in everyone who we touched.
All of a sudden we were in down town Chico and the people who had just became believers were forming groups and going throughout the city. We went out on the streets and everywhere you could see there was people getting prayed for by these new believers. I remember walking up to a group of students and asked one if his right knee was hurting and he said yeah, so I began to pray for him. In the midst of praying the Lord spoke a name to me and I spoke it out loud, and it happened to be the name of the student next to the one I was praying for. We prayed for them both and they both walked away healed. Pretty soon the streets of down town were flooded with people being ministered to by the Holy Spirit and people were getting saved left and right. Our whole church was there and everyone was worshiping on the streets.
This dream I feel was of the Lord. It was interesting because I felt like we were in the Pentecost revival of ACTS. We didn't do anything but worshiped and HE came and many got saved.
All of a sudden we were in down town Chico and the people who had just became believers were forming groups and going throughout the city. We went out on the streets and everywhere you could see there was people getting prayed for by these new believers. I remember walking up to a group of students and asked one if his right knee was hurting and he said yeah, so I began to pray for him. In the midst of praying the Lord spoke a name to me and I spoke it out loud, and it happened to be the name of the student next to the one I was praying for. We prayed for them both and they both walked away healed. Pretty soon the streets of down town were flooded with people being ministered to by the Holy Spirit and people were getting saved left and right. Our whole church was there and everyone was worshiping on the streets.
This dream I feel was of the Lord. It was interesting because I felt like we were in the Pentecost revival of ACTS. We didn't do anything but worshiped and HE came and many got saved.
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