PREPARING FOR THE CHANGING TIMES

The notable year of 2020 has ended and we have now entered the year 2021, now gearing up to be another notable year! It will now become increasingly important to be positioned securely in Christ, positioned in His truth, and positioned resolutely within a mindset of supernatural courage. Throughout the year 2020, ninety-nine percent of the world was caught off guard by the rollout of an agenda of evil planned over decades now called the Great Reset! This is not a conspiracy theory! Legitimate, sound sources of information are readily available for any who take the time to do their research.

One of the reasons information on this demonic agenda is now easier to access, is their scheme is to brazenly disclose their plans, while working to brainwash the masses into believing that what they are seeing, and hearing is not real. Through all forms of media, they force feed blatant and outrageous propaganda that defies all logic or common sense, and in a spirit of aggressive intimidation, threaten any who question, resist or dissent with cancellation—cancellation of your reputation, your job, your business—essentially your life!

It is not my intention to come across as a doomsayer, as I have full, absolute, and complete faith and confidence in God to accomplish His will on Earth, and I do know how the story ends—God is victorious, He reigns!  However, I do feel very strongly that both Christians and unbelievers need to be awakened, educated, and armed with the information to make important decisions that will affect their lives. We cannot sing kumbaya, hide from the truth, and pretend all is well—if it is not! This is pure folly! Rather, the important song we should be singing is “It is well with my soul.”

Now, more than ever, the times require bold and courageous leaders who know their God, are ready to do exploits, who are not afraid to speak truth. Leaders whose intention are not to simply tickle the ears of their people! Not too many were seeing ahead to these days, and were working with intentionality to prepare, equip and mobilize a generation of warriors for these times. A well known ministry out of Kansas City, is one of the few that I am aware of that were focused on warning of the encroaching evil agenda that was coming on the earth, while working urgently to instill the light of Christ and great faith to a generation of hundreds of thousand entrusted to them by God—many who tuned in online or attended their conferences. These were men and women—a vast majority from the younger generation, being prepared to lay down their lives—even as martyrs if necessary; many prepared as leaders and forerunners who chart the path ahead.

My intention is not to condemn or judge others who may have had another mandate from God, but this type of boot camp training has been sorely lacking in the Church. Too many, including myself sometimes, have been focused on the Glory side of Isaiah 60, while not heeding the warning of the coming deep darkness in the same passage. We have now entered a decade and a new era where the need of the hour is for a new breed of saints and leaders having discernment, possessing a Davidic anointing of the fearless warrior, and a Joseph anointing, embedded with God’s blueprint strategies for what to do in this new God dynamic—one that we have not yet experienced.  Many such saints have been in the fire for decades being prepared.

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”  Genesis 50:20 

Twenty-seven years ago, God entered my life in an overly dramatic way and began to show me many things personally—for my life and my family’s life. I was very fearful as He also made it clear to me that He was returning, and I thought that he meant possibly that week! That week, however, has stretched into twenty-seven years; I still do not claim to understand the timings of God, but I do know that we are much closer to His return than we think—however many years that may be—and time is moving very quickly!

At that time one of the pictures the Lord instilled in my mind was of a hurricane where He was positioned in the Eye of the storm. There was absolute peace and stillness in the eye, however, surrounding the eye was a wide ring of swirling destruction. As the Eye moved closer, so did the ring of destruction. The swirling destruction represented the frantic efforts of the demonic to prevent the movements of Jesus. At that time, the Lord began to show me several things that I was instructed to research; with all the information I acquired, and in my immaturity as a new Christian, I felt very overwhelmed and alone. I also did not have the character and spiritual wholeness of soul to withstand the enemy’s assaults on my mind, my life, and my son’s life. After about seven years the Lord had me lay down all of it; I put all my research on a shelf, and I forgot about it. Until 2020! Little by little God has begun to bring certain things back to mind that He had shown me at that time.

God absolutely sees the end from the beginning and His plan is unfolding—a plan that will now lead His people into a decade of notable breakthroughs on many fronts. This year will be another year of turmoil and shaking; nevertheless, with God it is possible for His people to prosper in the midst of turmoil and persecution! Despite all that the enemy will be rolling out, the Church is coming into an unprecedented time, where the Son of God will be revealed in and through a prepared people—a people whose will is the Lord’s will! A people called to not only show the marvelous virtues of Christ—Love, mercy, and compassion—but also to reveal His great power in the earth! Paul expected to see the power of God in operation in God’s people. He said:

“But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.” 1 Corinthians 4:20 

The power of God and the supernatural is about to be revealed in and through the saints, making His disciples distinguishable on Earth. Paul said he would be able to recognize an authentic follower of Christ by the power, for the Kingdom of God was in power.  He made an astonishing statement in Galatians 1:15-16 that reveals the distinctive mark of a life in full surrender to God.

“But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother\’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood.”

The Greek word reveal in this verse is apokalupto and means to take of the cover and to disclose. The world reveal is also defined as: to make known to others something previously unknown or secret; to cause or allow something to be seen; to make something known to humans by divine or supernatural means.

Paul said that God was pleased to reveal Christ in him! God took the cover of Paul off, and revealed the Christ in Him. Its important to get this! God supernaturally caused the indwelling Christ in all His fullness and power to be known, and seen in Paul, by others.  God is about to remove the covering and allow Himself to be clearly seen in us, and His great power revealed through us. Others will see what they have not seen in us previously! God’s manifest Presence is about to change everything!

Dwight L. Moody, the nineteenth century evangelist, was praying for an encounter with God and to receive a baptism of His power.  He did encounter God while secluded alone in a room for hours and left that room filled with the power from on high. He said that the day after this experience, God revealed Himself to him; his preaching remained the same but countless souls became saved. That is the power and Presence of God—not only indwelling a life but resting upon that life in power—the Son of God revealed in a man or a woman! Such a life is empowered by remaining faithful, yielding all to the living God in full surrender, while maintaining an expectancy for what He is about to do in and through us!

As we prepare to move out in the power of God, it will be important to also move with great wisdom, fully aware the dynamic of the times we are moving into. Times have changed and the challenges are exceptional. As we press into God for direction, He will give each one direction and strategy unique to their call and mandate. During a recent time of prayer, I was a bit startled with a word I received from the Lord in Luke 22:34, here, Jesus asked His disciples, if when He instructed them not to take money, or a bag with them, when He sent them out into the villages to preach, if they had need of anything. Their answer was that they had need of Nothing. He then said to them:

\”But now,  he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: \’And he was numbered with the transgressors.\’ For the things concerning Me have an end.\” Luke 22:35-36

In this passage, Jesus’ stark departure from His normal stance on peace and non-retaliation took me by surprise, especially as within this very same chapter He rebukes Peter for cutting of the soldier’s ear, and said to him, “Those who live by the sword would die by the sword.” In researching commentaries about this passage, I found a variety of views. Some took it as a call and a right to take up arms, while others believed he was only speaking figuratively. I believe every individual must hear for themselves a word from the Lord as to what they are responsible to do in the matter of arms. People live under different circumstances, having differing calls and direction from God. I do not sense God leading me to get armed in the natural, however, I have friends who hold to both views.

Whichever view is taken, what is clear is that Jesus was warning that times were about to change, and was instructing them how to be ready for it!  Professor Moyer Hubbard states in an article related to this passage: “Jesus is warning his followers—in his characteristically attention-riveting manner—that in the coming days they will need to be prepared for a spiritual battle like they have never before experienced, and it will require a radically different mindset and approach.”

In this passage Jesus was warning His disciples that they were about to move into a season of warfare with danger ahead. So, what was the crisis that the disciples had to be prepared for, that would change everything? We are shown, within the very same chapter and shortly after he made that statement, that Jesus was betrayed, arrested, and later crucified. After this everything did change for His followers—the persecution began, Peter denied Jesus three times in fear; the disciples began to meet in secret, and Paul began a violent campaign against the followers of Christ.

Could Jesus now be giving us a warning, and sounding an alarm that things are about to change for Christians and for Christianity? It is important to now have understanding and discern the times regarding the conflicting movements of revival, awakenings, coupled with persecution. This decade will reveal the dichotomy of the two existing realities of darkness and light co-existing on the world sphere. On one hand we prepare for the worst and on the other we expect God’ absolute best to breakthrough in our lives, and His ability to reveal His Son in us to rise and face the challenges—while also revealing His peace, joy and love in all we do!

In a recent article that I wrote, I shared that history has shown that times of great revivals and times of increased salvations, came usually in volatile times surrounded by persecution. In my last word God revealed that 2021 would be a year of darkness and of great light, with the darkness bearing fruit exponentially and the light and Glory also increasing exponentially and bearing big supernatural fruit!

In the day of Harvest, and the Day of His Power, it is understandable that there will be battles as the enemy will move to protect their prey fiercely and aggressively. However, God declares in His Word that the prey will be taken from the enemy, that they must release their captives (Is. 49:25).

This leads us to the question of how then do we prepare and what must we do? How do we stand and face the challenges ahead? First and foremost, we must be firmly anchored in Christ! Second, we must trust and have confidence in His ability to guide and direct us in every situation we may face. Third, we must intentionally grow in our understanding of God’s supernatural Power, His ability to save and rescue the lost, and then begin to move out in this power. Fourth we must overcome our fears and not be afraid to take the risks of obedience to His directions. Fifth, be firmly planted in and accountable to a Church or a group or house church, with those you can trust, having both wisdom and courage.

\”Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.\” Ephesians 6:13