The Anointing is Not Enough

What I'm about to say may come across as blasphemous or somewhat heretical, but I hope you have ears to hear what I'm about to say. We are in an age and entering a Season where the anointing is not enough. I know that sounds hard to believe, particularly considering the scripture that says, "it's the anointing that breaks the yoke" (Isaiah 10). However, I stand by my statement, the anointing is not enough. The word Anointed means "the Chosen One", which is Christ. The Anointing is the operation and activity of the Movement of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, any child of God who is operating in the spiritual gifts (1Corinthians 12) is operating under the anointing. Any minister of the Gospel who has been called by God to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ is anointed. Any pastor called by God to feed the flock of God (Acts 20) is anointed. Yet our families are falling apart. People are still getting shot in the streets by criminals as well as police. Perverted legislation like Same-Sex Marriage is still being passed, without sufficient resistance from the church. As I said, the anointing is not enough.

When we look at the Ministry of Jesus, we will find that the Lord operated in more than just the anointing. When Jesus is first Inaugurated in the Office of Sonship, when He was baptized by John the Baptist (Luke 3), the Holy Spirit comes down upon Him in the form of a dove and the Father says, in Him He is well pleased. This was when Jesus was anointed as the Son of God. But if we continue to read the text, the Holy Spirit then leads Jesus into the wilderness, to fast and be tempted of the Devil for 40 days (Luke 4). When Jesus comes out of the wilderness, the Bible says that He came out with power. This was not just "the anointing", at least not the limited anointing that the mainstream American church operates in. No saints. Yes, it was an anointing, but it was an anointing with Power! The anointing that the church is operating in today is enough to preach a good sermon and to maybe run a few ministries. But is it enough to heal the sick? Is it enough to raise the dead? Is it enough to give sight to the blind? Is it enough to make the lame man walk?

When Jesus performed his first miracle in Cana of Galilee (when He turned the water into wine), the Bible says in the 2nd chapter of the Gospel of Saint John that Jesus "manifested forth His Glory". There were some miracles that Jesus did under the Anointing and Power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 4). But there were other Miracles that Jesus did that were His Miracles of Glory. Turning water into wine was not the Anointing, it was The Glory. Walking on water was not the Anointing, it was The Glory. Making the winds hush up and the waves of the sea behave was not a miracle of Anointing, it was a Miracle of Glory. Taking five loaves of bread and two fish and feeding five thousand men plus women and children was not the Anointing, it was The Glory! Saints this is where God is moving us to. We've been called, not only to operate in the Power of the Spirit, but we've also been called to operate in the Supernatural Glory of God. The same miracles that Jesus walked in are the same miracles that the Father expects us to walk in, and Greater!(John 14). We can no longer settle for this traditionalized religion that today's society is calling the church. Wrong! No saints. God has GREATER THINGS in store for His people. Things that are going to turn this world upside down! But we have to go deeper into the Lord for what He has ordained for us. The anointing is not enough.

A Divine Expectation

The Bible says that to whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12). We are entering a Season where the investment that God has and will make in His Chosen will be manifested on behalf on the advancement of the Kingdom of God and the Glory of the Lord. With this in mind, there will be an expectation that the Father will have of us in regards to the fulfillment of His Divine Will being properly executed in our lives. 

We need now, Saints, to do some serious inventory and make sure that when the "games begin," we are prepared to "run the race with patience" and to "finish our course" (Hebrews 12, 2Timothy 4). This is not the time to be ambivalent about the standard that God is calling us to meet. We need to understand that God has laid upon us a divine expectation.  

We live in a society now where excellence is no longer promoted. Mediocrity and "getting by" has become satisfactory. Such is not the case with the God we serve. Jesus makes it clear that the Standard for every born-again child of God is to "be ye perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is Perfect" (Matthew 5). This does not mean "sinless". It means holy and complete (1Peter 1). Holiness, righteousness and perfection in Christ must now be the standard for which we not only strive, but submit to, in order that the divine expectation that the Father has placed upon us as His people may be met. Remember, the Scripture says that we are a "holy nation" (1 Peter 2).

In order to fulfill the divine expectation that the Father has placed upon our lives, we must reach for a spirit of selflessness. The issue is not being "sinless." The Blood of Jesus has taken away all of our sins. However, Jesus makes it clear that if we're going to be His discples, we must learn to "deny ourselves" (Matthew 16). What we will discover is that if we indulge the self, it's just a matter of time before we engage in sin. Whether it's a sin of behavior or a sin of the mind. Whether it's a sin of commission or a sin of omission. At the root of every manifestation of disobedience to the divine will of God is the indulgence of self over against the submission to Christ.

Another area we must address in order to meet the divine expectation of the Father is the area of sanctification. The scripture says that, "this is the will of God, even your sanctification" (1Thessalonians 4). To be sanctified means to be "set apart" unto God. Just like a spouse is set apart unto their husband or wife, God expects us to be strictly and solely set apart unto Him. That doesn't mean that we don't have other committed relationships like our marriages or to our children or even our congregations and communities. But none of these commitments take precedence over our Devotion and Commitment to the Father. As a matter of fact, when the primary relationships that we have do not grow out of our commitment and devotion to God, we'll find, inevitably, some degree of flaw or dysfunction in terms of how we operate and interact in these key relationships. We must make sure that we are sanctified unto God.

The last area we want to address as we strive to fulfill the divine expectation of the Father is the call to suffer. As we continue to move through this Next Season, this area right here will be what separates, spiritually, the men from the boys and the women from the girls. We must understand and accept that God has called us to suffer with His Son Jesus Christ (1Peter 2). This is not an option, this is a divine commandment, a divine expectation. 

Part of the reason why the witness of the American church is so weak as it relates to the manifestation of the Power of the Kingdom is because collectively and congregationally, we have not made a commitment to suffer for the cause of Christ. We have not made the standard of being a Christian to bear one's cross (Matthew 16). The church, like most of Western society, is addicted to convenience and comfort. This is not the will of God. Jesus didn't come to earth to be comfortable. Jesus didn't come here to live a life of convenience. Jesus came here to die! And He expects all of those who are going to faithfully follow Him to do the same. 

Are you prepared to take this step? Are you positioned to answer this call? If not, it's time you get ready, for it is the divine expectation of the Father.

The Illusion of Envy

One of things that we're going to have to look out for as we enter the next season is the spirit of envy. Envy is a very devious and deceptive spirit that can easily catch you unawares, and then totally overtake you without you even really knowing it. 

Most people don't think that envy is something that they would have to worry about, but I would beg to differ. There are certain circumstances that sponsor this spirit; and if we're not careful, we, too, can become victims of the illusion of envy. One of the reasons why we need to be on guard against this sinister spirit is because we are getting ready to enter a season where God is getting ready to bestow rewards and promotions. 

For a long time, there have been many of us that really haven't had a lot, as it relates to material and financial acquisitions. This, my brothers and sisters, is about to change. The days of the devout Christians being broke are about to be over! Hallelujah! With this being the case, people who were comfortable and content with you not having anything, will not be so when God promotes you to where He's ordained you to be. So you need to get prepared for the "haters." Oh yes, they're coming. And you should expect them to come. 

And for the record, you're not going to be able to "downplay" the blessing that God is going to give unto you. You won't be able to do that, because the whole reason that God is going to bless you in the way that He is, is so that He may be glorified. So, you need to prepare your heart and mind for those individuals, particularly those closest to you, to be irritated, cynical, and basically non-supportive, as you begin to move into the direction and the abundance that God has prepared for those who have been faithful and obedient to Him.

Then we need to watch out for our own susceptibility to envy. This vulnerability can grow out of a "spirit of comparison." One of the things that a lot of us do (I believe to a large degree unconsciously) is determine our own self-worth by comparing ourselves with someone else. My pastor taught me a long time ago, you always win in a comparison, and you always lose in a comparison. This is the danger of the "comparison" spirit. Once you start looking at what "so and so's" got, and what they make (financially) and how they're living, you start to draw assessments upon yourself. Not only is this not healthy, it's not of God. Once you start playing the "comparison game," inevitably, you'll find yourself longing for what they've got, or thinking you "deserve" what somebody else has: "They ain't smarter than me," "They aren't more spiritual than me," and the list goes on. This type of thinking is what gives Satan the foothold he needs to plant that spirit of envy in your mind and soul. And remember, it was this spirit that led the Pharisees to crucify Christ (Matthew 27).

The best way to protect yourself from this insidious spirit is through humility and being hidden in Christ. If you stay humble, then you'll understand that "whatever" you receive, you don't deserve. If you stay abased, you don't have to fall. That's why humility is such a blessing. It allows you to keep things in "godly" perspective; particularly the perspective of yourself. 

If you want to compare yourself to somebody, compare yourself to Christ. Compare yourself to the Man who made Himself of no reputation (Philippians 2). Compare yourself to Him who was Meek and Lowly in heart (Matthew 11). Compare yourself to Him who knew no sin but suffered and died for the sins of the world unjustly. It's hard to become "envious" of that. Saints, this spirit of envy is dangerous. Let us keep our minds on Christ, that we may avoid the illusion of envy.

Behold I Do A New Thing

Many of us are familiar with the scriptural reference, "Behold I do a new thing" (Isaiah 43). This phrase is referenced in various sermons and teachings and prophetic declarations. Let me say today that this word is definitely applicable to our time and this season. Whether you can see it or not, whether it feels like it or not, we need to understand that indeed, the Father is doing a new thing.

What I'm learning with God is the new things that He does don't always appear "new" immediately. For many of us, it feels like the "same ol', same ol.'" Wrong. If you've been faithful and persistent in following the Lord, particularly over the last several years, I can assure you, things are not what they used to be. I know when I look at my own life over the last four years, "a lot" has changed. I suspect it is the same with many of you. With this being the case and for such a time as this, we don't want to get bogged down in the frustration of what "appears" to be "lack of progress" or "positive change." You can't measure the movement of God based upon circumstantial evidence. You have to measure the movement of God based upon His Word. And according to His Word, He's doing a new thing.

One of the areas for which we will witness the new thing that God is doing is in the church. I can tell you that in the days to come, our idea of "church" is going to be radically different. The challenge with a lot of "organized" churches (not all of them) is that they don't reflect the spirit of the Kingdom of God. It's not that the Presence of the Lord is not there; and it's not that the people there don't "love the Lord." But the Spirit of the Kingdom of God can't be "bound up" in a sanctuary and regulated by "church protocol and infrastructure." This is what has happened to a lot of our churches, even the best of them. But God is doing a new thing. It won't be about "church structure" anymore. It won't be about "denominational protocol and allegiance." It will be about what thus saith the Lord. The only thing that will matter is how the Holy Spirit is leading the Body of Christ under the Administrative Headship of the Lord Jesus Christ. Period. For many churches, particularly those entrenched in "tradition," this will be a new thing.

Another area for which we will witness the new thing of God is in our country. We are getting ready to witness some changes in America that we never would've been able to conceive 20 to 30 years ago. I still declare, the Judgment of God is set on this nation for our blasphemous legislation of Same-Sex Marriage in this country. We will not go unaccountable for that. God is "still" giving us time to Repent; but America is a "stiff-necked" nation when it comes to the things of God. However, God is getting ready to change all of that. And when He "manifests" the New Thing that He has prepared for America, it will be like I heard one prophet say nearly 4 years ago; we will see an America that we don't recognize.

The last thing I want to address is the new thing that God is doing in our lives individually. Saints, you need to be prepared for "radical change." The changes that God has prepared for many of our lives are literally going to "blow our minds." One of the things we've got to stop doing as it relates to our relationship with God is to stop projecting our "restricted perspective" upon Him. That's why the Bible says that God is able to do, "exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think" (Ephesians 3). Do you understand that the things that you've been asking God for, He's going to do exceeding abundantly above your request? Do you understand that even the "thoughts" that you've been having that you haven't even had the wherewithal to ask God about, God is going to exceed even your Imagination? Hallelujah! That's what I'm saying Saints, It's the new thing. God's not doing an old thing that will be "contemporized." No, no, no. The new thing that God is doing, you haven't even conceived of, unless the Holy Spirit has given you a "degree" of revelation. 

So, get ready, Saints. Enlarge your faith. Expand your Expectation. Gird up. For what we're about to experience in Christ is the new thing that the Father has planned for you.

The Defilement of Bitterness

One of the things that is eroding the soul of many individuals, including those in the church, is the embracing of the spirit of bitterness. There are too many people in our country and in our congregations that are angry and mad about things that have happened to them. Opportunities that were lost. Tragedies that they've endured. Loved ones that have died. Injustices and abuse for which they were victimized. 

Many people carry around in their hearts this type of Bitterness that is rotting the core of their soul. What's interesting is that a lot of people aren't even aware of the extent of bitterness that they are harboring. When anger and malice and bitterness go undetected in the spirit, it then begins to manifest in the body through various sicknesses and disease. None of this is the Will of God. We are at a point saints where we need to deal with the defilement of bitterness.

Hebrews chapter 12 says, "lest there be any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled." What does it mean to be defiled? It means to corrupt the purity or perfection thereof. When we allow bitterness and anger to take root in our souls, we corrupt our hearts and spirits, thereby making them unfit for the Habitation of the Lord. The Holy Spirit dwells within us because of the Grace of God and the Blood of Jesus Christ (Romans 8, Ephesians 2). But in terms of the abiding Presence of God indwelling the heart of the believer, this cannot happen if our hearts are defiled by Bitterness (2Corinthians 6and 7). So this is nothing to play with. Therefore, it is imperative that we address the issue of the defilement of bitterness.

How do you know if you have been or are being defiled by Bitterness? The main sign of the root of bitterness is a spirit of Unforgiveness. If you have somebody in your life that you're holding a grudge against, then you're being affected adversely by the Spirit of Bitterness. Some of us have been through all types of abuse and neglect and victimization. And you're Mad! And you have a right to be mad. But you can't afford to stay mad. That's why the scripture says to be angry and sin not (Ephesians 4). It doesn't say not to "get" mad or to be mad. There are some things in life that "ought" to arouse your anger. But the Bible instructs us not to stay mad. That's why that scripture goes on to admonish us to "let not the sun go down upon your wrath". There comes a point in time where we have to resolve the anger that we have towards those that have done us wrong or that we feel haven't treated us fairly. We must learn to forgive. If you're walking around with unforgiveness in your soul, you are allowing your heart to be defiled by bitterness.

We must also learn to forgive ourselves. We not only need to forgive others, we must also forgive ourselves. The truth of the matter is, you're not going to treat anybody else better than you treat yourself. Why? Because the reference for your treatment of others is the internalization of how you feel about yourself. Some may disagree with this; but I can assure you, if it "seems" like someone is treating someone better than they treat themselves, it's generic and superficial at best. Too many of us are still walking around beating ourselves up over something we did, in some cases, decades ago. Let it go. Why? Because the Blood of Jesus has washed away ALL OF OUR SINS (Revelation 1). As a child of God, you don't have the right not to forgive yourself. We have been Accepted in the Beloved (Ephesians 1). But understand saints, neither do you have the right, no matter how egregious the offense, not to forgive others.

Saints, if you know that you still have anger issues, or issues of unforgiveness that you're wrestling with. If there's still somebody that "makes you mad," then it's time to make peace with that bitterness. Get that resolved. If that means going to counseling, if that means sitting down with that individual or individuals, do it. Take the necessary steps to get that poison out of your spirit. We can't afford to go into this next season with unforgiveness in our hearts. We can't afford to be victims of the defilement of bitterness.

It's Not About the Natural

As we continue to press through the last month of summer into the Beginning of the Fall, the Lord is revealing something to me that I didn't quite understand going into the summer months. There are a lot of saints that are "going through" right now. Times just seem to be hard. Some of us don't have a car. Others are wrestling with financial hardship. There are people that are unemployed or underemployed. There are saints who are sick or are wrestling with pain and ailments in their body. The common thread that all of these situations have in common is that they're tied to the Natural Realm. Even those who are wrestling with relationship issues, feelings of loneliness and isolation; a lot of these issues are "environmental". So at the end of the day, what a lot of us are wrestling with are situations and circumstances that manifest themselves in the Natural Realm.

But saints, I want to let you know today that It's Not About the Natural. Yes, we are physical creatures that are challenged to operate in a Natural world. But the essence of our beings is Spiritual. So even though we operate in the Natural Realm, in essence we are Spiritual Beings. I mention this because I believe that one of the reasons why God is allowing so many of us to struggle and go through physical and financial hardship, is because He wants to break us from our dependency on the things of the Natural Realm. Do you need a car? Do you need a job? Do you need money? Of course the natural answer is Yes. But is that the spiritual answer? In the Supernatural Realm where the Presence of God abides, are the prerequisites of the Natural Realm still necessities in the Realm of the Kingdom (which is Supernatural)? My faith Answer is No. But my self answer still leans towards the Natural. This is where the struggle is, and this is why a lot of us "are" struggling. The issue is not the lack of resources; physically, financially, emotionally, relationally or otherwise. The issue is the basis of definition and identity of the Realm for which you choose to primarily operate in. I'm inclined to believe, once this inner struggle has been resolved in regards to our faith, the other external issues will not internally affect us as much.

The scripture says in the 3rd chapter of Colossians, "set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth". This is the shift that we're being challenged to make during this Season; and it's a shift that's going to have to be made if we're going to serve as instruments of the Manifestation of the Kingdom of God. The reality of the Christian is not earth-based. Let me say it again: the Reality of the Christian is not earth-based. It's Heaven-Based. But if you don't have a concept of the Reality of Heaven and the operation thereof, you'll exercise faith in God, but it will be regulated by your earthly conditioning, not informed by your Heavenly Revelation. This is the source of frustration for the believer in Christ. What we've got to do is allow the Holy Spirit to strip us of those things that are keeping us earth-bound, so that we can mentally and psychologically operate at the Realm of Heaven (Romans 12). This is not easy. This is the Sanctification Process. This is the chastening that the Lord takes every true son and daughter of God through (Hebrews 12). This is the Shift that the church has to make if we're going to see the Lord's Prayer fulfilled, "thy Kingdom come, thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven" (Matthew 6).

We're almost there saints. The storm is passing over. A prophetic word was shared with me this week where the Lord said, "the tides are turning, and the walls are coming down". He's turning this thing around saints! But when He ushers in His Kingdom Reality, we have to be conditioned to understand, It's Not about the Natural.

Trust In the Lord

The foundation of any relationship that is viable and functional, is Trust. Whether it's with your parents, your children, your spouse, your siblings or your friends; if you don't have trust, you don't have a genuine relationship. Such is the case with our relationship with God. In order for us to have a viable, fruitful, and productive relationship with the Lord, we have to learn to Trust Him. This is easier said than done, but it is a prerequisite for where God wants to take His people and the fulfillment of what He has ordained for our lives.

The Bible says in the 3rd chapter of Proverbs to, "trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding". This, I believe, is the biggest challenge to learning how to trust in God, leaning unto our own understanding. God's Will has to always compete with our finite comprehension. Remember what the Word says, His Ways are not our ways, His Thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55). We have to understand that what God is doing in our lives and the way He is orchestrating everything is far beyond what we're able to figure out. This requires a level of humility that many of us don't possess. There are many Christians that still like to "be in control". You can't follow God and the leadership of the Holy Spirit and be in control. The two concepts are mutually exclusive. We have to get to the point where we recognize and resolve that God is right and we are not. That God is in control and we are not. That God knows what He's doing, and we don't. Not a big ego booster of course. But we don't need our egos stroked, we need our faith strengthened. Trust the Lord and leave the details to Him.

Another area that hinders our lack of ability to Trust in the Lord is truly believing in the Goodness of God. For a lot of saints, things don't seem to be going "good" right now. The situations, the circumstances that many of us are finding ourselves in right now seem "less than ideal" to say the least. And as we ponder our current conditions and our faith in God, we start to wonder why God is allowing this to happen to us. Many times we check the "sin card". "Is there something I did to deserve this?" So we start repenting of stuff that we're not even aware of. Then we wonder did we "miss God" somewhere. Did He tell us to go right and we ended up going left? Did He tell us to go up and we instead went down? We go through all of these mental gyrations because "surely" there has to be an explanation for why we're in the "fix" that we're in. But saints, when in doubt, always go back to the Word of God. The scripture says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His Purpose" (Romans 8). Whatever you're going through, no matter how miserable and depressing it is, if you love God and are called according to His Purpose, it's working for your good. It may not feel good, BUT IT IS GOOD. You can't process that intellectually, you have to internalize that spiritually. You have to know in your gut that the Lord is Good and that WHATEVER He allows in your life is working for your Good; whether you understand it not.

Saints, we are getting ready to enter a Season where the only way you will be able to survive, literally, is if you Trust in the Lord. There will be nothing and nobody else to believe in but the Lord. Take this time to let the Holy Spirit train you and develop your faith. Learn to Trust in the Lord.

Are You Ready?

As we prepare to enter the Fall Season, we want to recognize that the weeks leading up to the beginning of the Fall, represent a season of Preparation. If you follow football, you'll notice that the NFL teams are playing pre-season games, in preparation for the regular season which gets underway close to the Fall. People are getting "prepared" to go back to school. Not just students, but teachers, administrators and other individuals whose livelihood is tied up with the "school season". The things that commence in the Fall require a level of preparation. And saints, it is no different with the New Season that we're about to embark upon, which will also commence in the Fall (the beginning of the Jewish New Year starts the 2nd week of September; The Day of Atonement is on the first day of Fall). The question today is, Are You Ready?

When God visited the children of Israel on Mount Sinai, after delivering them from Egyptian bondage, He told Moses to tell the people to be ready on the third day (Exodus 19). There comes a point in time saints where you no longer have the luxury of getting ready, you have to be ready. That's what these last few weeks of summer should be about for everyone who is serious and sincere about participating in what God is going to do in and throughout this country in the upcoming months. When God begins to Move, we won't have time to try to "get it together" at that point. That's what the summer months have been for. When we cross over into September and October, the question will then be, Are You Ready?

God told Moses what the children of Israel needed to do in order to be ready for His Divine Visitation. The Lord told the children of Israel to be sanctified and to wash their clothes (Exodus 19). Sanctification is a prerequisite if you're going to experience a Divine Move of God. God will be gracious and grant a Divine Visitation based upon His Grace. But you will only go so far with Jehovah if you're not sanctified unto Him. This is one of the main reasons why a whole generation didn't reach the Promised Land, even though they experienced God's Divine Presence on the Mount. It's time saints to sanctify yourself unto the Lord. First Thessalonians chapter four says, "this is the will of God, even your sanctification". Second Corinthians chapter six says, "...come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing and I (the Lord) will receive you". Part of the preparation process is sanctification unto the Lord. Are you Ready?

The other thing that God instructs Moses to tell the children of Israel to do in preparation for Divine Visitation is to wash their clothes (Exodus 19). This is significant, because Ephesians chapter 5 says that we are washed by the water of the Word. I cannot emphasize this enough: it is imperative that as believers in Christ we study the Word of God on a daily basis. One of the reasons why Satan is having a field day with so many believers in the church is because our spiritual diet is weak. We read the newspaper, we read the internet, we read facebook, we read emails, we read text messages, but we won't read the Word! If you're going to be prepared for a Move of God, you've got to get into the Word of God. You've got to have a grasp of the Mind of God, the Mind of the Spirit, the Mind of Christ; how He thinks, how He leads, what He expects, what He commands. You can't know who God is apart from reading His Word. "Study to show thyself approved" (2Timothy 2).

A prophetic word was shared with me recently where the Lord said, prepare for the Latter Rain. That word was given with the instruction to prepare, during the season of preparation. But a few years ago, another prophetic word was shared with me, wherein the Lord said (and I paraphrase), "there will come a time when the preparation period will cease and it will be time to do the work for which I have called you to do". We are approaching that season saints. Are You Ready?

You Cant' Raise Two Sons

The story concerning Abraham is an interesting one. Recognized as the Father of Faith (Romans 4), Abraham had his own set of special challenges in his effort to serve and please God. One of those challenges had to do with his two sons, Ishmael and Isaac. Isaac was the son of promise, while Ishmael was the son of works. Isaac was the son born of the Spirit, Ishmael was the son born of the flesh. You can read in Genesis the specific accounts of the birth of these two sons. But at the end of the day, the point that I want to raise is that both of these boys, were Abraham's sons.

I frame it this way because the challenge that Abraham had with Ishmael and Isaac is a very similar struggle that each of us has in working out our faith relationship with God. There are two spirits wrestling on the inside of us (Galatians 5). One is the flesh, the sinful nature; and the other is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit we receive at the New Birth (John 3). Even though we know our responsibility is to yield to the Spirit (Romans 6), what gets overlooked a lot of times is the degree of affection that we have towards the flesh. Even though the flesh represents enmity with God (Romans 8), the reality of it is that the flesh has been with us (and in us) longer than the Holy Spirit (Psalm 50). This is where the struggle is, and we need to face it as such. Remember, both Ishmael and Isaac were Abraham's sons.

What we need to understand in the witness of Abraham is that you can't raise two sons. When you have sons that represent two different spirits (from a spiritual and theological context), you can't raise both of them. You can't nurture both of them. One has to be embraced, and the other has to be discarded. This is the same challenge with those things in our lives that have been birthed by the flesh, the sinful nature, and those things that have been birthed by the Holy Ghost. Abraham couldn't hold on to both sons. And neither can we.

As the story goes, Ishmael was "afflicting" Isaac (Genesis 21). He was "mocking" his younger brother. When Sarah, Isaac's mother, witnessed this, she said in essence to Abraham, Ishmael and his mama got to go! Abraham conceded and God gave confirmation that what Sarah was saying was right. Could you imagine the paternal agony Abraham must have felt having to leave his own flesh and blood son to die out in the desert? But the only way that Isaac could develop unhindered was for Ishmael and that which birthed him (his mother) to be cast out.

Saints, the only way the promise (Isaac) that God has birthed in us spiritually and supernaturally, is going to be properly nurtured, is if the Ishmaels in our lives are cast out of our hearts. I know it's painful, because Ishmael is a part of us. Ishmael was birthed in us. Ishmael came out of us. But saints, Ishmael was not of God. And neither are the Ishmaels of your life. As we prepare for the Kingdom move of God, remember the lesson that Abraham had to painfully learn: You can't raise two sons.

Moving Behind the Scenes

I suspect that there are more than a handful of believers, who are right now asking the question, where is God? You've been faithful. You've hung in there. You've been obedient. You've sacrificed. You've submitted. And your situation still hasn't changed. In some cases, it might have actually gotten worse. It's during these Seasons that we begin to wonder where God is and what is He really up to. But always remember Saints, God is Faithful to His Word. He told us that He would never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13). So we know that God hasn't gone anywhere. But a lot of times, when you can't  track God on the surface, you want to understand by faith that He's moving behind the scenes.

One of the fallacies of our faith a lot of times is that we're always looking for the activity of God to be seen. We want to see what God is doing. But remember, we walk by faith and not by sight (2Corinthians 5). So even when God is moving, it doesn't always mean you're going to be able to trace or track His Activity. What this means then is that by faith, we have to embrace the fact that God is moving behind the scenes. That He's doing some things that we are unaware of. That He's working some things out that He has seen fit not to disclose to us yet. If you can put your faith in the "unseen" activity of God, then you'll understand that no matter how things may appear situationally or circumstantially, GOD IS STILL MOVING. And He's moving on your behalf. He's just doing it, behind the scenes.

One of the first examples of this is in the Beginning. Genesis chapter one states that in the beginning, the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. But it also says that the Spirit of God was moving upon the face of the waters. What this means is that God was moving in the darkness. In the midst of the chaos, in the midst of the confusion, in the midst of the emptiness, God was moving. So if He was moving in the darkness, it means His activity couldn't be seen.  But my faith says, that there were some things that the Spirit was working out before the Father said "let there be Light" (Genesis 1). And saints, I just believe that the Holy Spirit is working some things out in the midst of your darkness before the Father declares "let there be Light" for your situation.

Another example of God moving behind the scenes is Abraham. When God told Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, Abraham didn't know how God was going to fulfill His Promise of giving him an heir (Genesis 17). But Abraham trusted God, and while he was processing, I'm sure what had to be one of the darkest moments of his life, God was moving behind the scenes. And what did the Lord do? He provided a ram in the bush! (Genesis 22) Do you know that God has a ram already prepared for you? But guess what, you can't see it right now. He's moving behind the scenes.

The last example is Christ. Even though Jesus had been telling His disciples for awhile, nobody (except the thief on the cross, Luke 23) believed that Jesus was going to be risen from the dead. All of the hopes that the disciples had of the coming Davidic Kingdom and Messianic reign of Christ seemed to have come to a crashing end because of the Crucifixion. 

It might seem like certain dreams and aspirations that you've had appear to be dead in the water, too. But the Father was moving behind the scenes. God's movement couldn't be seen on the first day. God's movement couldn't be seen on the second day. But on the third day, Hallelujah! The Bible says that Jesus was raised by the Glory of the Father (Romans 6). Jehovah came down and said, "it's time to wake up, Son, I've put ALL POWER in Heaven and Earth in Your hands" (Matthew 28). 

People may have counted you out. Folks thought you'd never rise up from that last episode that you had to endure. But what they didn't know is that you serve a God who moves behind the scenes that still raises His children from sealed graves and dead situations. Glory Hallelujah!!! He's moving behind the scenes!

Belief in God v.s Fear of God

In order to have a relationship with God, one must first exercise faith in Jesus Christ. One must believe in the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, and the atoning and redemptive work of His Blood for the forgiveness of our sins. According to Romans chapter 10, if one believes this, then one will be saved. There are millions of people around the world, and thousands upon thousands here in America that believe on Jesus Christ and confess Him as their personal Lord and Savior. But what we must acknowledge today is that this level of belief is not sufficient for a Manifestation of the Kingdom of God. If it were, then every generation would experience a Move of God that would usher in the Kingdom within their respective generation. History shows us, that this is not the case. So, how do we have so many churches, and so many "Christians" and yet so little Kingdom Power?

Part of the problem saints is not the fact that we don't believe, but the fact we do not Fear. What I'm discovering more and more is that people do not possess a sufficient amount of Fear of the Lord. It's not that they don't believe in Him, particularly in the pardon of their sins. But when it comes to complete submission and obedience to the Divine Will of God for their lives, the problem is not belief, the problem is fear. When we talk about the "Fear of the Lord", we're not talking about intimidation, or being scared like in a scary movie or something. We're talking about Reverence, Honor, Submission and Obedience. Jesus said it very clearly, "if you love me you will keep my commandments" (John 14). The reason many Christians are not obeying God is because the love that we do have is not being mixed with a sufficient amount of Fear of the Lord. This saints is a problem. Without a proper Fear of the Lord, you cannot experience a Supernatural Move of God. It's just not going to happen.

When you Fear the Lord versus just believing in Him for the forgiveness of your sins, you take His commandments very seriously. When God gives a Word, when the Lord gives a Commandment, it's not a debate. It's not up for discussion. It's done. Now there are some areas of disobedience in our lives that are due to spiritual immaturity (Galatians 3, Romans 7). No one expects a 5 year old child to have the cognitive skills of a 15 year old teenager. The child simply has to grow up. But there are some things that God has told us to do that are within our ability to do them. We just don't want to do them! And this is a problem with God. Those areas that are a struggle or a wrestle, God will give us His Grace and Strength to accomplish those things. But even when you see your inadequacy to fulfill what God is telling you to do, you still set your mind to do it. You're not going back and forth on whether it should be done.

At the end of the day saints, we have to make a decision. Is it going to be God's way or the highway? We have to resolve within our spirits that if God has instructed and commanded us to do something, that's it, it's done. Without this type of mind-set and Fear of the Lord, He won't be able to trust us to do specifically and explicitly His Will. Yes, you can believe in God for Salvation. But to experience a Supernatural Move of God, we must possess The Fear of the Lord.

Comfort v.s The Cross

Saints, all of us have a decision to make. We are literally one month away from the beginning of the New Year on the Hebrew Calendar. I can assure you, as we go into the Fall of 2015, there are some things that God is going to do in this country that are going to Shake Up America. Remember however, that Judgment starts first in the House of God (1Peter 4). Therefore, there are some things that God is going to address in His Church as He prepares to address certain things in His country. With this in mind, as believers in Christ, we have to make a decision as God prepares to move in America in a way I don't believe we've ever seen before. Are we going to settle for Comfort, or are we preparing to Bear our Cross?

Many of you, I'm sure, are familiar with the phrase "comfort zone". This is the area of familiarity and functionality that most people like to operate in because it represents the most comfort and security for them. Their knowledge of what to expect and what's expected of them, allows them to operate in what can be described as their "comfort zone". Saints, I want to put you on alert; God is calling the church out of her "comfort zone". God no longer wants us to feel "comfortable". You wonder why it's been so hard for you lately? You're wondering why God is allowing you to experience this struggle that you're going through. Let me answer it for you in a very succinct manner; He's calling you out of your Comfort Zone. Most of the believers that I'm talking to these days are going through some type of struggle right now. Even though they know God is Faithful and has not left them, the question still arises, where is God? And if not "where is God", then, why God? All of these questions are legitimate, but understand what the Lord is doing. He's breaking you out of your comfort zone.

With this in mind, what the Lord is doing is conditioning you to Bear your Cross. Jesus told us to bear our cross daily (Luke 9). That's why it feels like a daily grind. God is allowing this with Divine Intentionality. What you're experiencing is not arbitrary. God operates with Specific Intent when it comes to the affairs of His children and His chosen. My pastor preached a sermon years ago entitled, "Tough Equipment for a Rough Assignment". God's not looking for spiritual civilians, He's looking for Soldiers. He's building an Army. And when you're in the armed services, they train you for Battle. God as Commander-in-Chief, is no different.

But at the end of the day, the choice is still ours. God's not going to "force us" to bear our cross. And I suspect that there are some of us that want to resort to our "old ways". Can I just feel good for a moment? No you cannot. What did Jesus say? "No man having put his hand to the plough and looking back is fit for the Kingdom of God" (Luke 9). It's Training Season saints. Let the Holy Spirit get you in Spiritual Fitness for the Manifestation of the Kingdom of God. I know it's rough right now; but don't look back! Don't turn back to comfort. Don't turn back to convenience. Deny yourself. Bear your Cross. Endure that pain. Suffer those hardships. If you continue to endure (Hebrews 6), you'll discover that the Reward of the Cross always trumps the convenience of comfort.

The Source of Fulfillment

One of the dilemmas that plagues our society, including the church, is the challenge of dealing with Voids. It's rare that you meet an individual, saved or unsaved, that isn't dealing with some sort of deficit or deficiency in their life. We've learned very well how to "cover things up" and "act" like everything's ok. But at the end of the day, many of us are still very miserable and empty on the inside. This is not the Will of God, for Christians and non-Christians alike. God wants His people to be happy, fulfilled and Blessed (3John). He wants us to be prosperous and joyful, not sad, depressed and despondent. However, in order to experience the happiness that all of us want to achieve, we must learn to believe that Christ truly is the Source of Fulfillment.

Many people have voids that they're dealing with emotionally and relationally. It's rare these days to meet an individual that isn't working through some sort of issues with their parents or family members. If one is not wrestling with internal family issues, then more than likely there's some sort of emotional scar or wound that has remained a secret for years that has yet to be acknowledged to others. Saints, we can no longer walk around like "everything is fine". No. As my pastor used to say years ago, we have to learn how to say "ouch". Too many of us are in denial, to ourselves, about the extent of the pain and the hurt that we've been challenged to endure over the span of our lifetime. Not acknowledging it doesn't help. Trying to "tough it out" isn't effective either. This just makes it build up on the inside, and not only sponsors mental health issues, but also physiological and biological health concerns as well. We need to be real about the fact that we're hurting and some things in life just don't seem right nor fair. If we continue to operate in self-denial (denial of the truth), then we're going to continue to perpetuate the dysfunctional patterns that we've adopted to cope with these voids. This pattern of dysfunction is not of God.

Jesus said in the 8th chapter of the Gospel of Saint John, "ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free". Once we tell the truth about our problems and our pain, we'll then be in position to receive the Truth. The Truth of any situation that you're facing internally, emotionally or relationally, is that Jesus is the Answer. I know that sounds like a cliche, but it's the Truth. The reason it sounds like a cliche is because we don't give the practical application to back up it's accuracy. Christ is the Source of all Fulfillment. Do you understand that there are some issues and some challenges that God has allowed in your life, just to prove to you that His Son is the Answer? (Romans 8) Why do you think that the Lord "allowed" humanity through Adam to fall into sin? So that He could show that His Eternal Love through His Son was the Answer for a lost humanity. And He's still the Answer. I would encourage you to take your pain and to take your hurts to Jesus and allow the Holy Spirit to give you Revelation and Divine Direction on what to do to fill those voids. Now let me share with you on the front end, and this is where most people mess up; what God's going to show you is not what you're going to want to hear, and what He tells you to do is not what you're going to want to do (Isaiah 55). But that is why we walk by faith and not by sight (2Corinthians 5). Let us trust in the Lord, submit our voids to Him, and witness the reality that Christ is indeed The Source of Fulfillment.

The Reward of Endurance

As I continue to talk to the saints, the feedback that I receive is that many believers are still tired. God is Faithful, so it sounds like some of the soldiers are getting a "second wind" if you will; but things are still hard. But I want to encourage you saints that Promotion Time is coming. As we prepare to go into the last month of the Hebrew Calendar, the New Year going into September of 2015 will be one that I don't think any of us will forget. God has blessings, miracles, breakthroughs, rewards, promotions and gifts for all of His children who have chosen to be Faithful and Obedient to Him during this very trying season. For this reason I want to encourage you with the Reward of Endurance.

As I've stated on several occasions, the key to this Season is Endurance. One prophet received a word from the Lord that described it as Perseverance. For the next 4 weeks, it is imperative that you hang in there. Whatever lessons God has chosen to teach you during this Season, hold onto them. Whatever Revelation that He has chosen to impart, receive it and internalize it. You've got to "hold that fast" which the Lord has given unto you (Revelation 3). Part of the reason this is necessary is because the Lessons that you've been taught over the last several years and in many cases over the last several months, are going to be critical during the Season we're about to embark upon going into September and the rest of the Fall of 2015. However, we also want to keep in mind that there is a Divine Reward awaiting all of those who have been Faithful to the Lord and have "endured" unto the end.

The God we serve is a God of Reward. We don't often (or at least often enough) think of Him in these terms, but we need to. You're not just "working" for nothing (Matthew 20). God has a Reward and a Promotion in store for you. But you must Endure. The Reward of Endurance is the entrance into a whole nother Dimension in God. One of the fallacies of our faith is that we're always looking for God to reward us in the Natural. Yes, He can do that, and He will; but that's not the true Reward. When you remain Faithful unto the Father, He doesn't just reward you with temporal gifts, He rewards you with the Gift of Himself. This is where the witness of the church has fallen grossly short. There's a Dimension of Reality in God and in Christ that far exceeds any amount of money or personal pleasure that you can experience here on earth (Psalm 16). The "natural" man is not going to understand this, but the spiritual man is "supposed" to; and God expects His children to reach for this Reward (Philippians 3). Hebrews chapter 12 says that, "for the Joy that was set before Him, (Jesus) endured the Cross". Jesus didn't endure the Cross "just" to satisfy the Will of the Father (even though that was the primary Motivation). He did it because there was a Reward in store for Him. A Joy that He had not yet experienced as the Eternal Son of God. Can you believe that? There was a Greater Glory that Jesus was reaching for in Enduring the Cross. Hallelujah! And saints, there's a Greater Glory in the Spirit Realm that God has prepared for you that's literally going to blow your mind (Ephesians 3). It is indeed, the Reward of Endurance.

Revival v.s Resurrection

I was listening to a Woman of God this past weekend, and she said something that really pricked my spirit. She said that the church is waiting for "revival" when we should be looking for "Resurrection". It is rare that you will hear me refer to the Kingdom Movement that is about to hit our planet as "Revival". I choose not to use this terminology because I don't believe that what God is getting ready to do necessarily fits that description. No, God is getting ready to do something much greater than send a Revival, He's going to release Miracle Transformation. We're about to experience something in the earth that we've never experienced before. However, whether you experience Revival or Resurrection depends on how you're positioned in Christ.

There will be many believers that when God releases the Kingdom Movement of the 21st Century, will indeed be Revived. They will experience a new-found zeal for the Lord. They'll be excited about the wonderful things that God will be doing, in their lives and in the church as a whole. However, they won't experience Resurrection. How do I know this? Because in order to experience Resurrection, there must first be a Death. The reason why a lot of saints are so "tired" right now is because you're actually dying. Not necessarily in the Natural, but a spiritual death. All of us as children of God are called to die to self (Colossians 3). This is the only legitimate way that Christ can live through us (Colossians 1). However, this is not something Christ is going to force us to do. We have to willingly sacrifice our lives unto Him (Romans 12). It would stand to reason that this would be a "no-brainer" for all Christians, since Jesus willingly laid down His Life for us (John 10). But for many believers, this is a challenge, that isn't always successfully worked through. Yet the God we serve is a God of Patience. He will wait for us and give us space to repent (Revelation 2). But I can assure you, time is winding up.

If you want to experience the Resurrection Power of Jesus Christ as this Kingdom Movement commences, I strongly urge you to consecrate yourself and deny yourself like never before. Those areas in your life that you know are outside of the "Divine Will" of God, pray earnestly that God will deliver you, renew you, and transform you, so that you can be totally submitted to the will of God for your life. Take your relationship with God more seriously than you ever have before. Let the Holy Spirit work to make the "crooked places straight, and the rough places plain" (Isaiah 40). He's coming saints. The prophetic declaration has already been sounded, prepare for the Latter Rain. Now is not the time to be slack about your relationship with God. Now is not the time to "go with the flow". Now is the time to be diligent and sober. Gird up! (1Peter 1). As children of God we all have a Decision to make. When God releases His Kingdom Movement on the earth, will we experience Revival or Resurrection? The choice is completely yours.

For God Still Loves the WORLD

One of the staple scriptures of Christianity is John 3:16: For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have Everlasting Life. This passage is foundational to our Salvation; noting that God loved humanity so much that He was willing to sacrifice His Only Begotten Son for the sins of the world. We give God all of the praise for the Greatest Act of Love this world has ever seen. Generally when we think about this text, we think of God's love for the world in the context of the church; those who are saved or those who are being saved. But saints, I'd like to remind us today that God still Loves THE WORLD. Yes He does. The same love that God had for the world over 2,000 years ago that allowed Him to sacrifice His Son, He still has that same love for the world. Not just the church, THE WORLD.

Why is this important? Because I constantly get the impression that the church is trying to get as far away from the world as we possibly can. I suspect we do this in part to try not to be too "worldly" from a sinful and carnal standpoint. Then we use the scripture that Jesus quoted in John 17, "they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world". All of these things are true. But there's a major oversight that we have that is drastically affecting our Witness; God loves the world. Yes saints, we need to quit putting John 3:16 in a strictly salvific context. We need to understand that today, in 2015, God loves THE WORLD; and all that are in it. God still loves THE WORLD.

The reason this needs to be stressed is because the Kingdom Movement is not designed primarily for the church; it's designed primarily for The World. Whenever God is ready to release a Kingdom Movement, you'll notice that the primary effect is upon the world. Do you need some proof? When God called Moses to serve as the leader of the Egyptian Freedom Movement on behalf of the children of Israel, where did that Movement take place? In Egypt, which represents what? THE WORLD. The Judgments, the Miracles, the Signs and Wonders, they were all performed in front of Pharaoh, who was the King of Egypt; once again, THE WORLD. When you look at the Book of Acts, the scripture says that the apostles turned "what" upside down, Judaism? No, it says THE WORLD (Acts 17).

So the question becomes, how are we going to participate in a Kingdom Movement of God if we're not committed to operating in the world? We've got to get into the streets saints. We've got to get into the marketplace. We've got to get into the neighborhoods. Some of us spend too much time in "church"; particularly us preachers. It's time to hit the pavement. Yes, Jesus spent a significant amount of time in the synagogues and in the Temple. But the main thrust of His Ministry was reaching the world. This is our job as His Body. The unsaved, the unchurched, the unbelievers, they're not going to be found in our sanctuaries on Sunday Morning. If we're going to reach them and spead the Gospel of the Kingdom, we have to reach them where they are. Because God still loves THE WORLD.

Integrity

One of the things that is lacking, unfortunately, in our country and even in many of our churches, is a spirit of Integrity. This is a word that you don't hear used often these days, but it's still a big priority with God. If people expect to be blessed, and if this country expects to be blessed, then we must learn to operate and function within a spirit of Integrity. Integrity doesn't mean you're going to always do the right thing (Romans 3). It doesn't mean you're faultless. But what it does mean is that there's a certain character and approach that you take to life, dealing with others, and most importantly, how you choose to relate to God. If a person or a nation does not operate with Integrity, then everything else is negotiable and basically unstable.

What is Integrity? There are multiple definitions one could use. But the one I would like to propose today is having a basic standard of values and ethics for which one's behavior and attitude is regulated. When you're operating in Integrity, there's a Moral Code for which you operate, even if you don't perfectly keep it. You're not operating by the philosophy of "anything goes". No. There are certain values and beliefs that regulate and determine what you do and why you do it. America has gotten away from that. And so have many of our churches. We've been swept away by popular culture, which says, if everybody's doing it, then it must be alright. No, that's all wrong. Our conduct and behavior can't be regulated by "the crowd". No my friends. There's no Integrity in that. That's part of the problem right now with the mainstream church. We won't take a stand against same-sex marriage because "the majority of Americans" think it's ok. So what! Does God think it's ok? That's a question of Integrity. Integrity says, I must be true to the values and beliefs that I have adopted, whether they go along with the majority or the crowd or not. We must re-establish a Standard for our churches and for our Nation (Isaiah 59).

When you're operating in Integrity, when you mess up (and you will), you own up to it and acknowledge that what you did was wrong. Once again, people sometimes think that operating with Integrity means that you're immune from making mistakes or doing something that's wrong. This is incorrect. Everybody makes mistakes and is prone to human error. The distinction with Integrity is that you acknowledge that you're wrong and you admit your mistake. Why is this Integrity? Because you never put yourself above the Standard that you've adopted and identified with to set the tone for your character. This is where the Witness of the church gets lost so many times. People in the world would have more respect for the church if we would just admit that we're wrong just like them. The world and the unchurched, by and large, doesn't have a problem with the message that we promote; their problem is when they see us deviate from that message and then still want to condemn them for "being sinners". There's no Integrity in that. The beautiful thing about Grace is that we can confess our sins, knowing that we have an Advocate with the Father (1John 1). So we don't "have" to "cover up". We don't have to "pretend" like we're something or someone that we're not. That doesn't mean we're condoning the wrong that we may be involved in, but we have the Integrity to say that we're not living up to the Standard that the Lord has set for His children. That's Integrity.

The Standard for the Body of Christ that establishes the Integrity for the church is the Word of God. Bottom line is, if the Word says it, that settles it. Now mind you, I know there are different "interpretations" of certain things in the Word, and sometimes things are taken out of context. But some things are just basic. Sex outside of marriage, fornication, is wrong. Homosexuality, two people of the same sex being romantically involved, is wrong. Lying, not telling the truth, is wrong. Same-sex marriage, two people of the same sex being married, is wrong. The only reason I'm listing these particular sins is because our society has reached a point where a lot of these things are normal. And because America no longer operates by the Standard of the Word and Will of God, a lot of people, including people in the church, think that some of these things are ok. Wrong! If it's against the Word and Will of God, it's not ok. And the church has got to start saying that! "Our" Integrity is on the line. What is the church going to stand for? When are we going to speak up and say Enough Is Enough. No, we won't be perfect, and no we won't be right all the time. But we can at least be a church that when God is looking for a Voice to represent Him in the earth, He doesn't have to look far to find a church with Integrity.

Waiting for your Season

If you've been one who has been pressing into the will of God for this Season, then you know that a big part of the Lesson that God has been teaching His people is Waiting. Many of the saints are tired, and about ready to throw in the towel. But saints, trust me when I tell you, that is the last thing that you want to do. God is ready to Turn things Around in a very Supernatural way. He's getting ready to do things that many of us have never seen done before (1Corinthians 2). Therefore, what we're challenged to continue to do is to Wait on the Lord (Psalm 37). However, we want to know exactly what we're waiting for, and what we need to be waiting on the Lord for is our Season.

The God we serve is a God of Timing. When it looks like He's acting arbitrarily, this is far from the case. God is a God of Timing and Specificity. So what we want to learn to do in Waiting on God is to allow the Holy Spirit to place us in a Rhythm, that will coincide with the Divine Timing of the Father. God has a set time for which He has ordained to manifest the plans that He has prepared for His people (Psalm 102). This is your Season. This is what you want to be waiting for. The Waiting on God isn't just waiting for Him to act within His Sovereignty. Yes, that's part of it, but you're waiting for His Set Time to usher in the Season for which He has appointed for your life.

The Bible says in the 6th chapter of Galatians, "let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not". Once again, this Due Season that Paul is referring to is Your Season. The Time where God is going to manifest all of the promises for which He has ordained for you. But you see that the rewards of the season are contingent upon your spiritual stamina. The scripture says that we will reap if we faint not. That's why I exhort you saints to Hang in There. Don't give up now. Don't turn back now. Hang in there, and wait for your Season. The key to maintaining spiritual stamina and waiting for your season is Preparation. While you're waiting on God to move, and while you're waiting for the Lord to usher you into your New Season, you have to focus on Preparation. One of the things that's going to disappoint a lot of believers is that when God moves and ushers in the New Season, many of His people won't be prepared. Why? Because there wasn't an anticipation or expectation for the New that God is ready to release. When you're conscious that God is doing something different in your life, and that you know you're not where you want to be nor where God has ordained you to be, you start getting prepared for where God has ordained you to be. That's why complaining and sulking and being discouraged is a waste of time, because that's time and energy that could be invested in further Preparation for where God is taking you. And understand something saints, getting to the Promised Land and staying in the Promised Land are two different things.

If you're a sports fan (and many of you may not be) then you know that Football Season starts in roughly a month. In Preparation for the Season, the teams will have scrimmages and pre-season games, in order to prepare for the upcoming Season. School starts in roughly a month for many students. School supplies and class schedules and tuition fees, all have to be addressed, in order to be adequately Prepared for the upcoming School Season. Let God continue to make Preparations for what He has in store for you. Then you'll have the proper posture and spirit in Waiting for your Season.

Carbon Copy

We must keep in mind the Objective of Salvation. The Objective of Salvation is to be conformed to the Image of Christ (Romans 8). God didn't save us just to go to Heaven when we die. Jesus didn't shed His Blood just so we could go to church on Sunday mornings. The Holy Spirit doesn't dwell within us just for the purpose of the operation of the spiritual gifts. No. God has put His Redemptive Plan in place so that what He originally designed humanity to be in the Beginning (Genesis 1), can come to fruition in and through His Only Begotten Son. If we lose track of the Divine Intention for which God created and regenerated us in the first place, at some point, no matter how committed we are to ministry, we're going to get off track. God is looking for a Carbon Copy.

I haven't met a parent yet, that doesn't derive some degree of joy over the fact that their children look like them. As a matter of fact, it becomes a point of concern when the child "doesn't" look like either their father of mother (from a biological standpoint). Why is this significant? Because when your child has your nose, has your eyes, has your ears, has your height; it's a strong indication that the child belongs to you. Also, it testifies to the fact that the child is not just a reflection of you, but they're also an Extension of you. You are in them. The physical characteristics for which the both of you share proves that your DNA, your blood, runs through the veins of that child, your child. There's something special about that dynamic that warms the heart of every parent, no matter how negligent or irresponsible they may be as a mother or father.

This type of "parental pride" (for lack of a better word) is of God. God is the Eternal and Universal Parent. EVERYTHING (not just human beings) is birthed from Him. But He put a special stamp on His human creation, because according to the biblical record, we are the only aspect of His Creation that He specifically designed to Look Like Him (Genesis 1). I believe that there is an aspect of our physical dimension that is created in the Image and Likeness of God; but let us not forget, God is a Spirit (John 4). So, God is looking for us to look like Him in our hearts, in our minds and in our spirits. And I can assure you, when we begin to develop attributes that reflect the DNA of the Father, He derives the same type of Pleasure that we do as earthly parents.

Jesus is the Express Image of the Father (Hebrews 1). Therefore, if you want to know what God looks like as a human being, all you have to do is look at Jesus (John 10). But what we often miss, is that this wasn't God's intention for just Jesus, this is His Intention for all of humanity. Every soul that God has birthed into the earth was designed to reflect His Image and Likeness. Of course we know that not all human beings aspire to this. But Christians should! And my concern is that we have too many born-again believers that are not trying hard enough to look like their Daddy (Romans 8). We're still not allowing the Holy Spirit to cultivate love, meekness, humility, lowliness, kindness, forgiveness, mercy, sacrifice, long-suffering...the attributes that make up the DNA of our Heavenly Father.

It's time, Saints, for us to re-commit ourselves, not just to God, but to allowing the Holy Spirit to re-create in us the very Image of God! This is what the Father wants. So that when He looks down from Glory, He'll witness a church that is a Carbon Copy of His Son.

Endurance and Resistance

One of the things that we must keep in mind as we progress through the Summer Season and into the New Year on the Hebrew Calendar, is that we are in a War. There are still too many believers that want to operate as Christian Civilians rather than Spiritual Warriors. Whether you like it or not, the moment you became a Christian, you entered a Spiritual War (Romans 7). God has given us everything we need to access the Victory, and the Victory has already been won through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Romans 8). But we still have to adopt a Soldier's Mentality. If we do not learn how to fight the good fight of faith and embrace the Warfare to which we have been called (Ephesians 6), then we will not be prepared nor equipped to fight the necessary battles required to advance the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in Heaven.

In order to posture oneself appropriately in Spiritual Warfare, there are two spiritual attributes that are required: Endurance and Resistance. If we don't learn how to Endure, and if we don't learn how to Resist, we will not be equipped to be the Spiritual Soldiers that God is calling us to be.

In regards to Endurance, it is the ability to absorb and internalize hardship and discomfort in the midst of adverse conditions and circumstances. Paul admonishes us to "endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ" (2Timothy 2). For many of us, the last several months have been hard. For others of us, the last several years have been hard. But the word of God teaches us to Endure. This is part of our Warfare. No matter the situation, no matter the circumstance, as a child of God, nothing is happening in your life that the Father has not Sovereignly Allowed. Therefore, we know it is working for our Good (Romans 8). The question is, do we have the spirit to "hang on in there", or are we going to be Quitters. What I'm learning is, you can Quit without necessarily Leaving. Some people think that because they don't go anywhere "physically" that they haven't necessarily quit. Wrong. When you quit trying, when you stop giving your best, when you become indifferent and cynical and nonchalant, guess what, you just quit. No saints, we've got to endure. We've got to endure the pain, endure the trials, endure the discomfort, endure the criticism. It's all part of the Warfare.

The next area of Warfare in Christ is Resistance. It's not just enough to Endure, we must also learn how to Resist. This is where a lot of believers miss it, because we think that "enduring" should be enough. Wrong. Why? Because even though you're being challenged to endure, you're still under attack. "I thought what I was having to endure was the attack"? To a very large degree it is, but it's not restricted to that. Even while you're enduring heartaches and trials, Satan is still looking for a way to exploit you and defeat you (John 10). This is what he does. And what can happen, if you don't learn to operate in "resistance-mode", while you're being challenged to endure, Satan can sneak up on you and get you to fall and digress in a particular area because you weren't resisting him. The scripture says, "resist the devil and he will flee from you" (James 4). How do you resist the devil? By staying watchful and prayerful, and being sober and vigilante (1Peter 5).

The greatest example of Endurance and Resistance was Jesus. When He was in the wilderness for 40 days (Matthew 4), He not only endured the heat of being outside in the burning sun and the hunger of going without food for 40 days, but He had to resist Satanic temptation at the same time. This is the essence of Spiritual Warfare. Self-Denial and Satanic Resistance.  Is it easy? No. But is it possible? For with God nothing shall be impossible (Luke 2). Let us allow the Holy Spirit to grow us all up into the Spiritual Warriors that we're called to be, and learn to operate in Endurance and Resistance.

Making the Shift

If you haven't recognized already, within the Spirit Realm, we are in the midst of a Divine Shift. One of the things that we must learn about God if we're going to consistently walk with the Lord, is that Jehovah is a God of Shifts. It's very rare that He's going to stay in one place for any extended period of time. The God we serve is a God of Movement. He's always on the Move. Even if we can't see Him moving, and even if we can't necessarily "feel" Him moving; you better believe, God is Moving! The challenge is that God doesn't ask our permission when He gets ready to make a Move. And what I'm discovering more often about God, is that He tends to move in a direction for which we are not necessarily familiar with (Joshua 3). For this reason it is imperative that we stay close to the Lord and submit to His leadership, so that we are in position to Make the Shift.

We are in the midst of a Shift saints, a Divine Shift. One of my primary concerns is that we have more than a few believers that are not going to be positioned with God as He prepares to "make the turn". I can assure you, even if you've been faithful and obedient up to this point (praise God for that), there are still some shifts that God is calling us to make that, if we choose to ignore them, we might be able to "make the shift" but we won't be able to sustain the Shift that God is making during this Season.

One of the first things we must do in Making the Shift with God is repent. The word repent doesn't only mean to change direction, or to turn around, it also means to think again. There are some mental habits that we have established, even in the context of our relationship with God, that the Spirit is saying to us, think again; take another look at this. There are some things in our lives, that may have worked five years ago, five months ago, even five weeks ago, but are not working now and are not going to work in the future. Why? Because God is Making the Shift, and if we're going to walk with Him going into this next Season, we too must Make the Shift with Him. This is not always easy, because it requires change. But even though it's not easy, it's necessary in order to Make the Shift.

Another area we must be committed to in order to Make the Shift is the area of Sacrifice. There are still too many Christians that want to serve God from the vantage point of Convenience. Wrong. He is God! He deserves Sacrifice! If you study cultural history, you'll notice that every ancient culture and people has a god that they sacrificed to. Even the pagan cultures had gods for which they offered sacrifice, whether they were idols or not. The principle has not changed. This is why Jesus commanded His Disciples to "bear their cross" (Matthew 16). Hopefully it's everyone's aspiration to become a Disciple of Christ. If it is, then it must be understood that part of Making the Shifting is committing to Sacrifice unto the Lord.

Lastly saints, part of Making the Shift is expecting criticism. God is taking His Chosen into a realm that most people have never experienced before; including the contemporary, mainstream church. Whenever one goes against the grain and goes against the tide, misunderstanding and subsequent criticism is to be expected. A lot of people shrink back at this point because of their "need" to be socially accepted and affirmed. I need to inform you today that part of Making the Shift with the Lord is getting to the point where you don't care what people think about you. Not that you're trying to be crass and insensitive, but when it comes to God's Divine Will for your life, you're not taking a social consensus for that. People won't understand, and that's ok. That's why Jesus made it clear, "my Kingdom is not of this world" (John 18). Therefore, if you're representing the Kingdom of Christ, you need to understand that people with worldly thinking (including people in the church) are simply not going to get it. You have to be ok with that. But I can assure you, it's All Good. The Rewards and the Blessings that God has for His Elect are "out of this world". Are you looking to receive? You can. It's all about being Prepared and Making the Shift.

Solitude

One of the things that I am learning is that if you're going to press into God's Divine Will for your life, there comes a point where you have to deal with being alone...all alone. Solitude is not something that is necessarily taught in our culture. As a matter of fact, as one German theologian put it many, many years ago, our society is almost structured to the point where solitude is not encouraged, let alone easily obtained. I believe this statement to be the truth. Most of our time is centered around groups or crowds. But there comes a time where God will call you "away" from the crowds, even your family, to get you alone to Himself. When we receive the Call to Solitude, let us not resist it, let us receive it; knowing that it is of the Lord and He is doing it for our good.

There are many people, young and old alike, that are wondering either why they are not in "significant" relationships or are not married. I would submit to you that part of the reason why God has a lot of His children alone "for a season" is because He wants them to embrace Solitude. Because our culture and the church has not properly taught how to appropriately approach and conduct significant relationships with the opposite sex, these types of "romantic" relationships become more of a distraction and a hindrance to our relationship with God rather than a Blessing. This is not the will of God. There are a lot of things that God "winked at" before (Acts 17), but these dysfunctional relationships, I don't believe God is winking at any longer. God wants our primary pursuit of Intimacy to be with Him! Not another man or woman. Yes, the Father created us male and female, in order to interact this way. But within the Divine Boundaries for which He has set. Since a lot of Christians don't have this understanding, it's important that we embrace Solitude so that the Lord can properly prepare us for the Life Partner (spouse) that He has ordained for us.

There will come a time in your walk with the Lord where He will deliberately call you to Himself. This is what He did with Moses (Exodus 3) and this is what He did with His own Son, Jesus the Christ (Matthew 4). If you're wondering why you don't have a lot of friends. If you're wondering why you don't have much of a social life (according to the world's standards). It's not necessarily because something is "wrong with you". It might very well be because God has singled you out for Solitude. What I'm learning to do in the midst of my Season of Solitude is wholeheartedly embrace it and submit to it. Why? Because there are very valuable lessons that God will teach you in the place of Solitude that He won't "necessarily" choose to teach you in the midst of the Crowd or Companionship. There's nothing like being alone with the Lord! There are things He will show you that no one else in the universe can reveal. These periods of Solitude are seasonal, they don't last forever. So if you find yourself in one, or sense that God is calling you into one, don't be disappointed, and don't be discouraged. Just know that God is ready to prepare you for your next level within your season of Solitude.

Pressing towards the Mark

Saints, we are at a point now where we must press to enter into the Divine Will of God and the manifestation of His Kingdom. I know for many it has been rough, and it is rough. But I want to encourage you, the Scripture is true, "weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning" (Psalm 30). Hallelujah! 

No, it's not going to be easy. But if we can remain focused and steadfast, God will usher us into that Place that He has prepared for His people. However, we must continue to press towards the mark.

The challenge of having to press, is not commensurate with having to endure stress. There are a lot of God's people, particularly ministers, that are stressed out. This is not the will of God. Not that there's not stress involved in serving God, hopefully that's a given. But total exasperation and frustration is not the will of God for His children (Matthew 11). 

When you are pressing towards the mark, you're pressing into Him! (Philippians 3) As you draw closer to the Lord, there's a peace that He gives to you that overrides every negative and adverse situation and circumstance that you may be experiencing (Philippians 4). 

Whatever God is allowing in your life from a "negative" standpoint if you will, has been Divinely Designed to draw you closer to Him (Romans 8). So, don't let the disappointment or the frustration of the moment make you digress into negativity or selfishness or sinful habits. Use this as an opportunity to press further into the Lord.

The challenge with pressing towards the mark, and one of the reasons why more Christians don't engage in this spiritual pursuit, is because in order to press into Christ, you have to press beyond yourself. We're not conditioned to do this. We've been conditioned, when things get rough, to retreat into ourselves. Wrong. What we need to learn how to do is when things get rough, to press into His Presence. It's not easy, but it's possible. 

This is why John the Baptist said, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3). That's why the Hebrew writer exhorted us to "labor to enter into His Rest" (Hebrews 4). The best example of someone Pressing towards the Mark was Jesus. After all He had done in His earthly ministry, He had to Press to Bear the Cross. We know Jesus had to press because He asked the Father to "take this cup from Me" (Luke 22). But He pressed! Jesus pressed to the point to where He was sweating Blood (Luke 22). Jesus endured abandonment, solitude, ridicule, betrayal, torture, injustice, rejection and crucifixion; all in the name of pressing towards the mark! Jesus went beyond Himself, in order to fulfill the Divine Will of the Father. 

Saints, in being "Christ-like", we too must be willing to endure the same type of sacrifice in order that God's will may be manifested in our lives. The only way it's going to happen is if we press.

Wrestling with the Flesh

As we continue to press into the Kingdom of God, we must remain mindful that any serious attempt to press into God's Divine Will for one's life is going to be met with Satanic opposition. No one is going to receive a "free lane" into the presence of God (Acts 14). 

There will be all sorts of Satanic attacks and demonic forces that are designed to thwart you as you attempt to seek God's Divine Will for your life. This is something we must expect, but not something to which we have to succumb. So, if you're finding that in your attempt to execute what "thus saith the Lord," you're coming against Satanic resistance, internally as well as externally, then understand that it's par for the course and a part of your wrestling with the flesh.

The Bible says very clearly, "we wrestle not against flesh and blood" (Ephesians 6). The battle that we have to fight as we seek to do God's will is strategically executed by Satan and his horde of demons, that have one objective in mind, and that is destroy you! (John 10) But be not dismayed. Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world! (1John 4). 

The challenge is understanding that the war that we're in is not in the natural, it's in the spiritual realm. With this in mind, we must use "spiritual weapons" in order to be victorious in a spiritual battle (2Corinthians 10). Therefore, we need not be frustrated, let alone exasperated, we need to be Encouraged. God has already given us the Victory (Romans 7), we just need to learn how to access it.

Saints, as I've stated before, it is imperative, if you're going to be Victorious in Wrestling with the Flesh (the sinful nature and the carnal mind) that you learn to Abide in the Word. We have too many Christians that are still trying to operate at a level of Spiritual Health without consuming a healthy diet of the Word. It's just not going to happen. If you're not in the Word, reading the Bible daily, I can assure you that Satan is having a field day with the thoughts of your mind. People still want to think that only "preachers and ministers" need to read the Bible on a consistent basis. Wrong! If you are a child of God and a born-again believer in Christ, then you need to be feasting on the Word of God. Reading the Word consistently is the only way that your spirit is going to be built up in order to stand against the wiles of the Devil (Matthew 4). This is a spiritual discipline that we cannot do without.

We must also learn to praise and worship God consistently, not just on Sunday mornings. I know of several Christians that read the Word daily (even if it's in a Daily Devotional), but they are not worshipers. For the type of war that's going to be waged in order to advance the Kingdom of God, you must be a worshiper. What does that mean? That means that on a daily basis, you set time aside to give demonstrative praise and worship to God. You lift your hands, you sing your song, you open up your mouth and you audibly say "HALLELUJAH" to God. Too many Christians want to try to get away with this "silent praise." "The Lord knows my heart." Wrong. The Bible says to make a joyful noise unto the Lord (Psalm 100). 

And remember, God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22). A devil nor a demon will remain in a place where the presence of God is residing. Let us be proactive in combating the Satanic attacks that the Enemy is mounting against us; knowing that our victory is already secured in our wrestling with the flesh.

From Servanthood to Sonship

As we prepare to prepare to enter one of the greatest moves of God to ever hit the earth, we want to understand the dynamics of this move of God. This move will not focus primarily around function, it will focus specifically on being. In order to fulfill the call that God has on one's life in this next Kingdom move of God, it will be imperative that one has established their true Identity in Christ. 

For too long the church has been preoccupied with what we're called "to do" for the Lord, and not focused enough on who we're called to be in Christ. This is where the focus of the Father will be as He Manifests this Kingdom move of the 21st century. Therefore, it will not matter whether you're a preacher, a pastor, an apostle, a prophet, an evangelist; this will not be the primary concern. The question will be, who "are you" in Christ. There is a calling of identity that we as children of God must answer and fulfill. And for this reason we must make the transition from Servanthood to Sonship.

Most of us are aware that everyone has been called to serve. Regardless of the nature of one's calling or ministry, we know that the Holy Spirit has provided all of us with spiritual gifts that are to be used towards the edifying of the Body of Christ and the Advancement of God's Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven (1Corinthians 12, Matthew 6). However, it's not as equally known that all of us are also called to a specific Identity in Christ, and that identity is the call to Sonship.

Every born-again believer is called to be a son of God (John 1). Please don't get lost in the gender terminology. The reference to sonship is not about male or female, it's about "office." Sonship in Christ is a spiritual office, not a gender identification (Galatians 4). (However, if you're more comfortable as a woman with the reference to Daughters of God, you can use that as well, 2 Corinthians 6). So the next movement, as a I heard one apostle put it, is a movement of the Sons. We must therefore focus on becoming Sons of God and manifesting the very character of Christ.

In order for this to take place, we must make the transition from Servanthood to Sonship. Over the years we've had too many people in the ministry whose identity was not reflective of the office of Sonship. They were excellent preachers. They were wonderful pastors. They were faithful and effective prophets. But they were not Sons! This has to change, and will change in the upcoming move.

It's not enough to just function in an anointing or a gift, you must become a Son. This will require spiritual maturity.That 's why Galatians 4 makes it clear that as long as you are a child, your spiritual status is that of a servant, not an heir. The sons of God are the heirs of God (Romans 8). There are powers and blessings that are only reserved for the sons of God. Who would you give your inheritance to, your maid, your butler or your son or daughter? 

We must mature, Saints. We must let the Spirit purify us and sanctify us that we may be conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8). The Kingdom of God can only be manifested and sustained as we learn to make the transition from Servanthood to Sonship.