When I’ve spoken to people about “going back” to church I embrace the excitement, but have this constant sense of caution from the Lord. It seems God has used this to disrupt our rhythm on purpose! It’s almost as if we are off balance and that’s what has to happen when you take a step forward.
Psalm 118:13-14 I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. NIV
There is a strong sense that the Lord is leading us into some deep and significant changes. We must not return as we were before. God is making the church into a new wineskin to be able to carry the new wineskin harvest.
I want to remind you of the 1986 Dave Wilkerson prophecy: “I see a plague coming on the world, and the bars, churches and government will shut down. The plague will hit New York City and shake it like it has never been shaken. The plague is going to force prayerless believers into radical prayer and into their Bibles, and repentance will be the cry from the man of God in the pulpit. And out of it will come a third Great Awakening that will sweep America and the world."
God to use something painful to release something purposeful!
Isaiah 43:19 For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. NLT
God is raising up sons and daughters of God in the earth! Sons and daughters of God carry supernaturally prophetic nature of their Father as a way of life!
If we don’t pay attention to what God is doing, we will blindly retreat to what is familiar.
A few years ago, a teacher at Destiny Christian School was blind. He knew how many steps it took to get from one place to another. When you’re blind you learn to survive by doing that which is familiar finding comfort in routines. God is saying I’m opening your eyes to something more.
Last week when my family and I went to the eagle’s nest to send my drone up to take video footage of the birds something interesting happened. There was a 13 degree drop in temperature in just a few minutes. Suddenly the winds shifted. There is a shifting of the winds taking place right now and the atmosphere is about to change. I see life bursting forth and at the same time I see chaff blowing away. Branches that seemingly had no life suddenly produce fruit.
God is raising up sons and daughters who will understand how to function supernaturally as a way of life. I recently mentioned a man in Pakistan who is winning Muslims to Christ. In one instance there were multiple gun shots fired at him as he fled for his life escaping unharmed. Afterward he found bullet holes through the front and back of his jacket, yet he had never been hit. God is able to do impossible things as we learn to look to him.
Before we knew of anything about Covid-19, we declared a 21 day fast asking God to awaken his sons and daughters in the earth. On the 1st day of the fast, 02/02/2020, Tracy spoke of the Roaring 20’. She explained that the Lion of the Tribe of Judah would roar through the church in this decade of the 2020’s in powerful ways. It so resonated w me that I announced this would become our focus starting Easter Sunday.
On the final day of our fast worship night on 2/23/2020 that night we sensed God bringing a wave of healing into the earth. People crowded to the front of the church as we prayed and declared healing!
One month later 3/24/20 Governor Kevin Stitt issued a Safer At Home Order.
Last year in Sept Chuck Pierce prophesied plague-like conditions would hit the earth: February, March and April would be hellish but it would shift at Passover.
2020 Passover started 4/8 and ended 4/16. The day after it ended on 4/17 Governor Stitt announced a plan to reopen the State of Oklahoma in phases stating churches can gather the first Sunday in May.
2 weeks ago I told Tracy I felt the Holy Spirit telling me we would go back to church gatherings first Sunday in May. I told Tracy I must not be hearing correctly because it seems impossible.
Clearly God doing something significant right now. God is decentralizing the pulpit without deconstructing the church in order to mobilize his people! We are asking God for wisdom to gather around God’s presence in how we worship as a family rather than gathering around a pulpit.
This involves both purpose and structure that communicates that purpose. It is important that we celebrate stories and testimonies of what God is doing in all of our lives helping cultivate an atmosphere of expectation and faith.
We want to go deeper in understanding God’s presence as a way of life for all of us. It seems God has our attention right now as many are calling out to God in these times of difficulty. He not only wants our attention but he wants our affection so His work will continue to expand.
We need more than a visitation for a season we need an invasion of God’s Kingdom in the earth!
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Purpose a time this week to fast and pray asking God to have his way in all of our lives in this next season of life.
Discussion Guide for Community Leaders
Click here for a downloadable PDF file of this guide.
THE ROARING LION: DON’T GO BACK
UNDERSTANDING THE SEASON: We have entered into unprecedented days for the church. God is not taken off guard so we must be intentional about moving from being on our heels to being on our toes. Our mission hasn’t changed. Love is our agenda and making disciples is our focus. God is speaking to His sons and daughters and it is important that we all take the time to hear his voice.
We’ve been starting our groups with the first and primary question that we want to continue even more specifically during this season:
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
1. Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God?
Isa 43:19 For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. NLT
The Bible is clear that we can be in the middle of a new season God has brought into the earth and miss it all together if we are spiritually dull or distracted.
The Day of Pentecost was the most phenomenal outpouring of the Holy Spirit the world had ever seen yet some stood in the middle of the movement mocking all God was doing.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
2. Share a time in your life when something obvious was going on that you didn’t realize the obvious until later when you were looking back at the situation.
Developing a spirit led life comes from cultivating a spirit led perspective. We are all capable of missing God’s direction in our lives and this is why it is so important that we continue to purpose community and connection with other believers. Together we are stronger as we continue to pursue God as a church family.
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Purpose a time this week to fast and pray asking God to have his way in all of our lives in this next season of life.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
3. Conclude by making time for people to pray as they feel led to do so for this next season of the church.