A TIME OF PREPARATION
Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us that for everything there is a season and a time for every purpose. It is vital to know what season we are in, its purpose and the preparation required to fulfill the eternal purpose for what God is about to do.
A trumpet call has sounded. It is the clarion call to be part of the greatest spiritual force on earth – the Lord’s army. To be relevant for the times we must find our place in the spiritual force being gathered. With this comes the required equipping and training needed to serve in our specific area of expertise. All this is in preparation to confront and prevail over the tide of evil that is rising.
When I was in the Marine Corp every person was trained, equipped and deployed in a specific job. Together in warfare, as a fighting unit under the banner of freedom, we were one. Likewise, God is preparing champions of faith to make a great advance- the fight will be for the liberty to set people free. Marching under the banner of love, they will wield the sword of victory that Christ won at Calvary.
There is a new type of leadership emerging that carries the fire of the Lord. Their resolve is to fulfill the Lord’s purpose. Embracing Father’s heart, they are finding and uniting with those that carry the fire (Hebrew 1:7). These messengers of God will set the world ablaze with the glory of the living presence of God. The Church is about to be set aflame with a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit. In that day,“Those of the nations: shall come to partake of the light of your rising” (See Isaiah 60:1-3).
The Lord’s Bootcamp
My passion is to go after the glory and walk in increased Kingdom authority. In preparation, I have been in the Lord’s boot camp. The Holy Spirit is taking me through a course that requires uncommon discipline, resolve and focus. To help stay centered, I even changed my vehicles license plate to read “Focus2.” Along with the purging, pruning and cleansing taking place is the impartation of faith, hope and love with the command to “Be strong and of good courage”(Joshua 1:9).
Our strength comes from the joy of the Lord who is our strength, for in His presence there is fullness of joy (Psalms 16:11). Our courage comes from embracing the heart of the Father. Motivated by love, a love for God and His people, love faces the evil of our times without fear, for God’s perfect love cast out all fear.
If we are to follow the Lord, we must not allow temporal things to eclipse our vision of the eternal purpose that God has for our lives. In order to prepare for what we are called to do, we must avoid the distractions and become too caught up in everyday affairs that supersede our affections for Christ. Our main call is to “Be with Him”(Mark 3:14). Jesus said,
“If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honor” (John 12:26).
A mobilization is beginning to take place throughout the region. The focus will be on unity – unity first with the Lord, and then with one another. When one has part of a mantle and gifting that comes together with another mantle and gifting, their authority is multiplied. If one can put a thousand to flight, and two can chase ten thousand, just think what an army in unity led by the Lord of Hosts can do?
Unity of mantles multiplies spiritual authority
The Present Emphasis
A major emphasis of the Spirit is on equipping and training. Presently there are few Churches providing the Ephesian 4 mandate to equip the saints for ministry. Most are devoted to preaching and teaching with little equipping for the people to walk in their own gifting. In this new season, this must change.
The heart of many long to be equipped and empowered for their mission, especially in the gifts of the Spirit and their weapons of war that are mighty in God to the pulling down of strongholds. I see an exodus coming. Many will escape the boundaries of the Church to go where the liberty of the Spirit is. To be empowered and released in their gifts is to release Christ in our midst.
The Lord is that Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty (2 Cor. 3:17).
One of the greatest opposition is against the prophetic ministry. The prophetic ministry empowers God’s people to know His heart, hear His voice and see with the eyes of the Spirit. Satan know that a people who hear the Lord’s voice, are a people of faith that follow Christ their shepherded wherever He leads them.
It is common in the Church to hear slander, criticism and faultfinding – the work of the accuser of the brethren. His game plan is simple. By creating discord, and strife he knows that a house divided will not stand. In order for the Church to be the pure voice of the Lord, a cleansing must first take place. Then we shall hear from heaven, the voice of our Lord and King. Below is God’s promise noted in Isaiah 58:8-11,
Then shall your light break forth in the morning, your health shall spring forth…the glory of the Lord shall be your reward…you shall call and He will answer… the Lord shall guide you continually…you shall be like a well watered garden…IF YOU TAKE AWAY FROM YOU THE POINTING OF THE FINGER(Being critical, judgmental and finding fault with others).
It’s time to prepare. A great battle looms on the horizon. Perhaps you are called as a champion of faith to engage in the coming battle. Why not? Your whole life has been one of preparation for a new dimension of spiritual life and glory. All it takes is the resolve to be a willing disciple of Christ.
In His heart with love,
Roy Roden