Awe, Wonder, and Simplicity

by Jorge Parrott

Hab 1:5 (NKJV) “Look among the nations and watch—Be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days which you would not believe, though it were told you.”

There is an increasing intensity building and a radical shift taking place in the earth with this generation. Waves of revival, lasting and strong, are being witnessed, then assimilated, in many nations. Realms of glory line the avenues with supernatural power, extraordinary power. As Kingdom thinking replaces bondage thinking, individuals, communities, and nations are in the prenatal stages of being transformed. At times the Glory may not look like it to the natural eye. An increase of understanding, sensitive to the Spirit's voice, and hearing God are stoking the passionate embers of the soon coming firestorm of the Holy Spirit. There will be an awakening of a boldness with courage and single mindedness, able to release once hidden destinies of Life to millions, in an almost simultaneous fashion, as never before seen on earth.

This heavenly orchestration may look disconnected and disjointed but the Spirit is weaving the tapestry of the end times in such a way that the enemies of the Spirit can not see the great 'real'- alignment taking place right before our eyes, much less stop the inevitable flood of righteousness and truth and justice about to prevail.

Oh, just as Elisha prayed the eyes of the young man be opened in 2Kings 6:17 so may our eyes be opened to the unseen realm and the armies of angels at work in our midst, preparing to reveal the chinks in the enemy's armor, pointing the way to fortresses and safe places where we can rest as we are refueled and recharged between the battles. Chariots of glory are swooping into your life right now to aid and assist and the Holy Spirit is whispering in our ear, “come closer, come closer, and I will show you the snares of the enemy.” God does nothing that He first does not reveal it to His prophets.

There is a rising army of stealth apostles who have no desire in the legacies of self and notoriety, but are intent in honing the purity of heart, humbly decreasing so that Jesus of Nazareth might increase. Humility and brokenness and lives set apart for Christ paint the canvas of these 'MasterPeace' apostolic artisans. The Spirit of God is working a work in those now hearing God and given understanding for the discernment of the times, that the world will be astounded and their unbelief will emerge into hope, then faith filled glistening glimpses of a new day, as they learn to walk into the fullness of Christ. In a flash, a shimmering light, a moment from beyond time, many life situations and current circumstances will change, as a “suddenly” pierces time and transforms a multitude of lives and God smiles at His workmanship in the supernatural.

From the desert wilderness many will walk out, a bit dazed, but really, really happy for this new time of breakthrough. We surely enter His courts with thanksgiving in our hearts. God, you are so faithful. You never left us. You stuck with us even when we felt like giving up.

Spiritual giftings and creative releases are being discovered, shaped and honed in strategic ministry training schools, camps, retreats, short, medium, and long term mission adventures, scattered throughout the world, and are increasing. Native pastors in many nations are having encounters of their own and the Western disciple now needs to venture to the nations to learn more of what God is doing and desires. Can you hear the breeze in the tops of the balsam trees? More and more, in our trips overseas, we see how just a deposit of the word mixed with faith, just a seed watered in the Spirit, can become a nuclear grenade to explode God's love and the Father's heart as many fall on the floor weeping after an embrace, a word, a look, a prophecy, melting hungry hearts and bringing rapid change. (American Christians make up less than one percent of all Christians in the world).

Sharing resource connections, networking strategies and “same- wavelength” prophetic visions, utilizing technologies for Kingdom building are now releasing endeavors anointed by God and these will utterly confound the wise, the experts, the faithless, including the media. Joseph companies are fueling the increase in witty inventions, new technologies, e-fuels, and open borders of adventurous entrepreneurs, full of faith, willing to risk it all, and are seeing miraculous returns that come up (e) on the calculators, which means the ROI or return on investment is infinity. That is the kind of Kingdom interest rate that God is pouring out in such a manner that blessings will not be able to be contained.

It is coming! It is coming! It is coming! Yes, it is time to be amazed. It is time to allow the Lord to restore the dreams that were buried in years past. It is time to anticipate that the God of the impossible is the God who made it possible for us to be reconciled by His son Jesus, who now intercedes for us night and day. Dream beyond your own life, like David danced. Dream beyond your own circumstance, like Joseph in Egypt.

Hebrews 11:39-40 encourages us with “and all these, having obtained, a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.”

There may be some reading this who are the very ones who are destined by faith, to complete the promise given David of a tabernacle for worshiping the Lord. There may be some reading this who are the very ones who are destined by faith to complete the dreams of Joseph, or Daniel, of Abraham. And, we are all called to complete the prayers of Jesus and that is, that we would be one, as He and the Father are one, written about in John 17. We are sent, as Jesus has sent us.

As God pours out His spirit in these days, the prophetic release is increasing globally as the Body matures in seeing, as a seer, and speaking the prophetic flood God is sending down now to bring a unifying cohesion to His body, with Christ as the head.

The rivers of living waters are indeed flooding the earth, as the earth and the souls of men groan for the heart of the Father to come and inhabit His people. As ambassadors of Christ we carry a mobile, portable, embassy of Heaven with us, where ever we go, impacting and affecting the spiritual atmosphere. We are being called to 'get over' ourselves, to now live outside ourselves, in being positioned to offer refuge, escape, and sanctuary, freely sharing with the lost, hurting, persecuted, tormented, possessed, and those in bondage.

Multitudes are looking for clarity, hope, and purpose and are longing to hear from God for themselves. Even atheists want to see the real God. It is time for an increase in the manifestations of the Lord through His chosen generation, peculiar, royal and holy to ignite and set free captives of the gloominess of and despair “lukewarmness”. He is calling us to greater maturity, to greater believing what He tells us, in His word, in His prophetic orchestration of our lives. The completed work of Christ on the cross and wisdom and understanding we seek, He freely gives, if we ask. God is waiting on us to release the faith of God in our day by day walking.

A handkerchief or a shadow can heal. When our hearts are purified by rich, deep encounters of His presence we can take a walk and hospitals will empty their beds. Lord, burn away the chaff and may your Glory burst into the here and now.

This John the Baptist generation must prepare the way for the presence of the Lord, as maker, as friend, as intimate warrior. The prophetic spark being released is in advance of the fire rain coming from Heaven and the Spirit of God beckons us to stay in this holy communing with the Lord, fully armored day and night, remembering His body and His blood. From the table of the last supper to the banquet wedding hall celebration just on the other side of the veil, we sup with Jesus, Lord and King. Time is a small part of eternity. There may seem to be a great chasm, but while we breathe, by faith, it is closer than we think. May the realization of the belief, as sons of God, solidify in our hearts with increasing freshness and fullness by the fact of who we are, with this authority of the King of all creation.

As the Lord molds our hearts and conforms us to His image an increasing sensitivity to the move of the Spirit is underway. In 2008 we will see a new boldness and sure-footedness be established as more and more of the soldiers in God's army are faced with a “do or die” mentality. Pressure cooker situations will increase where this army will make instinctual faith choices and we will thank God His word is hidden in our hearts at this time. Instantaneous decisions for obedience, covered in faith, passion, and zeal will ignite further the growing waves of Glory.

As sin abounds, grace abounds even more. What a time to press into the Glory! There has never been a better time than to dance, march, rejoice, serve, die,get freer, and give it all away, as we draw closer to each other along our way into His presence, moving as one, with Jesus, as King! Come, let's dance in this rain in 2008.