WINDS OF CHANGE
By Pastor Ben Gray - CityHarvest International Ministries.
In the hour before the magnitude 9 Japanese Megaquake and the following Tsunami on Friday 11th March, I felt a strong stirring within, to stop what I was doing in order to pen this word.
The winds of change are indeed upon us in the nations. Recent events across the globe lay testimony to this fact. Change occurring in ways almost unprecedented in their intensity, timing and scope. Governmental shifts, cultural shifts, economic shifts, meteorological and geological shifts: wars and civil unrest. In these times God's children must know how to discern the times and seasons they are in; be able to see and hear God from within these shifts, to be prepared for them and to speak out of God's revealed nature to all who will listen.
Jesus said that His followers are to be readers of times and seasons. He also told us that such things must happen first before His return (Luke 21: 9); also, "when these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your
heads, because your redemption is drawing near." (Luke 21:28). This call to stand and look up, is not just about increasing our hope concerning the expectation of Christ's return, it is a biblical principle that is to carry us
through seriously trying and difficult
situations; to be His transforming influence.
Remember this, the future does not belong to evil, darkness, war, murder and corruption. Yes they will happen and continue to happen, but Jesus said, ".when you see such things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near." All
things may pass away, but His words will never pass away, and His kingdom is forever. (Luke 21:31-32) What is God saying to you? Regardless of how small or large it maybe, in these times, we are reminded to obey - to submit, that is to
trust
His known nature and character, and to yield to His word of revelation to us.
According to Paul in Romans 8:19-21, there is a cry in creation - a creational cry because of the fall. Recent events across the globe tell me that we are hearing the echo of that cry coming from creation to be freed from
its bondage to sin, decay and frustration. Together with creation, there is a real cry for freedom being herald by men and women right now across all cultures and nations. This change is not about revolution or rebellion.
This change has more to do with the
change of the Holy Spirit as witnessed in the book of Acts - it's about a new order of submission and a radical obedience to the person and work of the Holy Spirit.
Will we, as Peter exhorts, humble ourselves under God's mighty hand in the midst of these challenging and unsettling times. Will we cast ourselves unreservedly upon Him allowing God to advance us, as we stay alert for the
enemy's prowling activity? (1 Pet. 5:6-8) God is pursuing us to choose humility, simplicity, honouring one another, His glory and authenticity. The Holy Spirit seeks for a fresh release of His presence and power in and through the
church of Jesus Christ
worldwide. For it to be the salt - influence, leaven - impact and light - illumination within society, drawing men and women from every tribe, tongue and nation, to be ready for the returning bridegroom.
God is romancing His church, the Bride of Christ, to engage more fully with its first love, Jesus. the heavenly bridegroom. There are things in the church He likes and things that He doesn't like, and in those He dislikes, He
will bring dramatic change. This may result in some wrestling with Him in order for Him to assume full control. If resistance is prolonged, He's going to remove those who resist Him. In some situations He will remove permanently
through death, those who
become intransigent; however removal will happen if resistance persists.
We are going to witness in many nations the power of God coming back to the church in a manner that is not unlike the days of Wesley, Edwards and Finney and in recent times as witnessed in parts of South America, China and Africa. God's refreshing Spirit is upon us, even in the midst of such traumatic and unprecedented global phenomenon; His Spirit is safe. Safe to abandon ones self to and safe to engaged with in seeing His authority and wisdom shape peoples worlds shattered by recent events.
God's wind of change will not harm those who are prepared to throw off the weight of conformity, the spirit of rejection or the spirit of unbelief; to let the Spirit have full sway in their life, work and worship relationships. It will flow, it is powerful and it is so wonderful that to resist it would be to deny your birthright as a child of God. We, especially in the West, need to prepare. The church in the two-thirds world are more there than we are, and they are waiting - yes longing for this freedom to sweep through their nations, even in the midst of crisis, upheaval and change.
God will use them like a forerunner in much of what He seeks to do through His church in the earth: look and be amazed and witness how He will orchestrate the movement of His Spirit in these nations. They will risk everything to see this change; however, we in the West are underprepared, and our focus has been on things that consume us - our existence; comfort, conformity, reputation and the cares of this world have stolen much from His church. Friends, prepare your hearts for change; prepare your minds for change, gird up your loins and be ready to move with this fresh wind.
Prepare now for this change that the Spirit of God is birthing in the nations and across His church worldwide. In short, we need to depend upon the living God as never before. This wind of the Spirit is already bringing
change at the highest level or national government and power structures in the nations; more is yet to come. Great change! He will also require change at different levels within the church and across sections of Christian
leadership, especially in the West and those
nations where church leadership have fallen prey to self interested ideals.
He seeks to release a fresh anointing - a special grace of humility, compassion and the miraculous, that will see arise a new standard of kingdom authority, an authority that will have the power to silence the enemy at the gates of cities and territories, even nations. He will accomplish it - it has already started in some of the most difficult nations where the church has been systematically persecuted, He's answering their cry for real freedom. It will be powerful; it will be magnificent; it will be wonderful and it will have the capacity to draw many to Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
As I started off saying, it will be similar to the outpowering in the book of Acts. However like it, this wind of change in the nations and the church will not be without controversy, nor without problems, but the peace, presence and power of God's Spirit will be event, and the anointing of God's love will be almost tangible. That will be the witness in the streets. We have yet to see the extent to these winds of change, as they contain things that are yet hidden, hidden from the enemy's sight as well as mankind's. Yet to be released, however, great and powerful things are in these winds of change. that are blowing.
To be able to pull back the curtain to take a sneak-peek at what is coming; change that will see both crisis and opportunity sit side-by-side together for all who have the kingdom eyes to see; to rise up and take their position of authority and calling within this change, is not ours to view, but ours to be involved in. We are to be prepared and ready to sacrificially obey the call. For truly it is upon us yet still a ways off. but it will surely come as it is coming now, because God has heard the cry of the people. the oppressed, persecuted, marginalized and the poor:
He's heard the cry of those who have been hurt, misunderstood or forgotten by authority, the system and broken promises of others. He's heard the prayers of faithful intercessors, and He has set His heart to step down and
answer the cry of the hearts of those both inside and outside the church. His Son died for this generation! He will not see them lost nor without a heavenly guide. He will be that guide! This wind will change things;
it will destroy and it will uncover, yet it will
reveal and cause to rise-up a new move of His power and spiritual authority across the globe; for His glory to be seen and His presence felt in the earth.
His peace will be His abiding presence in the hearts of men and women. In the midst of such momentous change globally, I believe that we, the Christian church, are at a point of great opportunity and enormous potential. In this respect, we are in a season not so unlike the 1st century Gal 4:4 setting: Paul explains that, "when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son.." A fresh release of spiritual 'son-ship' is upon the earth. Mark this time! Due to the change happening worldwide, the time was right, the opportunity was great and the 1st century Christians responded to the challenge to win their generation to Christ and to see the church of Jesus Christ explode.
In this changing season, we need to be like those 1st century believers, humbling ourselves before God's mighty hand. To trust and yield to this fresh spiritual wind by seizing the opportunity and winning our generation, and praying. 'His kingdom come His will be done in the earth.' We must flow with this change; we must be exposed to this fresh wind of God's Spirit that is blowing across the globe.to change, be changed or moved aside.
Ps. Ben F. Gray
http://www.benfgray.org/
CityHarvest International Ministries | Vocations 4Life International |
Founder and Apostolic Oversight Australian Prayer Network
Source: Written by Pastor Ben F Gray