Heaven desires and the world groans for a true spiritual revolution for Jesus Christ and for His glory. For that to happen, the greatest need is for committed and dedicated disciples of Jesus Christ to be true salt and light on the earth. A spiritual revolution is not happening presently because most Christians are failing to be true and mature salt and light to the world around them. Why? One of the main reasons is that there is a famine of hearing, receiving, believing, and acting on true prophetic words. Note: There is a famine of true prophetic voices, but the greater famine is of hearing the true prophetic word and having the perseverance and endurance to stay focused on following that word to completion.
Rather than believing in and listening to a true prophet(s) and thereby learning what God is emphasizing, too many Christians are listening to other voices, especially the voice of self. The self, especially the hurting self, will either shut down or step up activity, and both are devastating to God’s purposes. Those who shut down will not be fruitful for the kingdom of God. Those who step up activity for the wrong reason will not be fruitful for the kingdom either, even if they are engaged in what would be termed spiritual work. They have sacrificed listening to and obeying God’s prophetic words for other things, even spiritual things, which gives them a false escape from the hurting self. It brings them attention, what their old nature is starving for.
Those who are prone to stepping up activity will be caught up at times in prophetic words that speak of their destiny and their value, words that validate them, as it were. Pseudo and immature ministers are becoming famous and prosperous by speaking about people’s destiny. These words are often motivated by the flesh and appeal to the flesh. God does, at times, speak about the future, but He really wants us to hear what He is saying about the here and now.
Because of the lack of hearing and acting on true prophetic words, most Christians lack true prophetic vision. The result is the acceptance of satanic or fleshly-inspired visions. This is often manifested in cultural and self-centered individualism. To those with discernment, it is obvious that secular society has been taken over by cultural society, but it is also obvious that the Church has been invaded by the same. Many sincere Christian individuals have subtly been captured by individualism, whether it is cultural or self-centered. Self-centered individualism will sometimes motivate one to be part of a group or to do things for others, but the underlying motivation and focus is upon receiving glory for self.
What is the way out of all of this self centered deception? Real surrender to the Holy Spirit! Real surrender that enables one to deny self, forsake all, take up their cross and follow Jesus. After all, one is not on the path of true discipleship unless they begin at this place of full surrender, which specifically involves the denying of self. The amount of surrender (yielding) to the Holy Spirit is directly proportional to the denying of self, both the good self and the hurting self.
In closing, I want to emphasize that we need a spiritual revolution. It doesn’t take many disciples to start a spiritual revolution, but it takes disciples who are focused on Jesus and others, rather than on self. These disciples will have ears to hear what God is saying through His true and mature prophets. They will cease listening to voices that distract them; they will cease being involved in activities—spiritual and otherwise—that feed the self. They will truly follow Jesus, seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness, and will be a vital part of the bride who is making herself ready. Their joy will be the joy of pleasing the Lord and not the pseudo joy of the world and self, which is always elusive, fleeting, and never fulfilling. They will never lose focus! Even in a storm, they will stay focused on Jesus and His will for them and His people. God is calling you to be such a disciple!
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1 comment:
There is truly a famine of discernment today in those who call themselves Christians. Knowing the Word of God is critical as our Standard for Truth and the real, especially when there are so many voices, some not so pure, in our pulpits. The Holy Spirit indwelling us is critical to give us ears to hear beyond the natural and, especially, to hear the voice of God speaking to us. We need to be on our knees as never before keeping that close relationship and communication with our Lord. A garden untended will soon be overtaken by weeds and will not produce healthy fruit. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
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