All that the people witnessed at that feast was the same old ritual, repeated year after year with deep religious fervour. Because the priests did not know that the Person the whole event pointed to had manifested and was right there in their midst, the rest of the people followed blindly. They missed the time of their visitation ultimately.
Likewise, we came with excitement into the Pentecostal camp where we heard God was moving. We were glad to know the fresh truth as revealed at the time. We were full of excitement for having been set free at last from religious rituals. However, for some time, we waited to hear what was next in God's end-time agenda for the earth, but we heard nothing. We waited to hear of another level but no one spoke to us. Just like the children of Israel, we settled and continued with business as usual. We believed that all we saw (and experienced also?) was the end of the journey — the miracles and the prosperity — before the rapture! We were all wrong. For the Spirit has begun to show that the journey is not yet ended.
Incredible! Surely, our compass must have developed some faults. But God is merciful to us, for He would not let us miss the time of our own visitation.
What usually happens when there is no prophetic vision is that the people get to a place in their walk with God and settle down. The experience of the children of Israel in the wilderness is what has happened in each reformation move in the Church, from Luther to Pentecost. The message of miracles and prosperity was given to encourage the Church in the journey, just as God provided moments of refreshing for the Israelites in the wilderness; Jesus also performed miracles and provided bread for the people of His time; but that was not the goal of His coming to earth. Unfortunately, at these different times, the people misinterpreted the miracles and saw them as the ultimate goal or purpose of God. This is the stage majority of Christians are in currently. However, because prophetic vision sees a bigger picture of God's plan, it brings clarity and balance to each truth God is restoring in the Church.
There is a generation on the earth right now whose ears God has circumcised to pick up the signal that is being sent to the earth. Today, a voice is going forth and calling God's people everywhere to leave those traditions and established patterns, which the enemy has used to check the Church's advance against his domain. God is bringing His people to a new level in their walk with Him. It is a whole new dimension of spiritual activity and experience.
It is time to move up to the place where deep continually calls unto deep; where the present position of the Holy Spirit can be located and the strategies for current warfare campaign against the kingdom of darkness are revealed. The glory cloud of God has moved and the Church must move along with it. The journey is not yet ended.
Not a Revival but a Restoration
The move of God today is not another revival. The Church of Jesus Christ has entered the post-Pentecostal era. Emphasis is no longer on the celebration of the gifts of the Spirit before the saints but on activating and bringing them (Christians) into the fullness of kingdom life and their individual callings and purposes in God, to enable them fulfill their destinies. This is the challenge before the emerging church leadership.
The pillars at the door of Moses' tabernacle upholding the tent and leading to the Holy Place represent the governmental offices in the Church ordained by Christ Himself (see Ex. 26:37; Eph. 4:7:18). The Lord's desire is to bring the entire body of saints to the fullness of His stature through these ministry offices (Eph. 4: 13). The goal is to make all saints understand and partake of the glory of His presence. They are not to stand at the door and merely minister to or "entertain" the saints with external manifestations of God's power in signs and wonders and prosperity promises. They are to usher in the saints into the Holy Place, and subsequently the Most Holy Place, through accurate teaching of the Word.
For a long time, the saints have been made to feel satisfied with merely receiving of “blessings” from the pulpit and not knowing that beyond the outward excitement lies the question of the individual's destiny and purpose, for which God will call everyone to account at the end of time. Therefore, getting saved or being born again is only but the beginning; we are to continue with the Lord as He takes us towards the place of our ultimate rest — a place of complete oneness with the Spirit of God; beyond the place of outward signs and wonders.
Entering into the above experience would require a transformation of mind and breaking out of the present Pentecostal mould and man-established patterns of church organisation which, over the years, have prevented the saints from attaining their God-ordained fullness, resulting in the marginal impact of the Church in a hopeless and confused world.
To
be continued.
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