Holy Spirit Power
There is a move of God promised to come. It is a "pouring-out" of the Holy Spirit on all of God's servants. It is an opening wide of the gate of encounter with God:
Joel 2:28 “And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. 29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. 30 “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
This pouring out of the Spirit will be church-wide. Every servant of God, everyone committed to Jesus' leadership...men, women, kids, young, old, rich, poor...all of the church will be touched with power.
In the days before Jesus, only a select few operated in this sort of power: David, Daniel, Isaiah, Elijah...we know a lot of the names, because their lives were so impactful on the world. But Joel looked to a generation where everyone serving God would walk in the power of God...He identified the generation that the Lord would return to, that would be literally marked by the whole church operating in a powerful Spirit outflow of prophecy. Their words will be marked with signs and wonders on earth and in the heavens. Someday soon, this will be poured out.
Prophecy has a purpose. Prophecy, or supernatural knowledge of God's words, plans, desires, and feelings, isn't the goal. It is a means to an end. God's goal for mankind hasn't changed one bit since the Garden of Eden: God with man. God has always intended to be with us. Present among those He loves and created. Prophecy is a tool to accomplish that goal. This is what Jesus said about prophecy:
John 13: 19 Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He. 20 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”
Jesus said prophecy is a tool for redemption. It is proof that Jesus is who He says He is. He said that the one who prophesies points to Jesus. When the word spoken is seen to be true, it helps open the door of a heart to Jesus, and to the Father. Prophecy is a witness to the true power of the one true God to bring His kingdom to earth. All the church prays "our father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come...". Prophecy is a down payment answer to that prayer.
There is coming soon a great falling away, and a great harvest. Many will leave what they see as a "powerless" church, and many will come in to what they see as a "power filled" church. Those who fall away, will do so because they will think man (the antichrist system) is better at providing for them than the invisible God can. BUT, many now outside of the church will come into the church because the truth of God's love, mercy, justice, and sovereignty will be demonstrated by a prophetic church.
The pouring out of the spirit will be progressive. It is available now. We can "go after it" now. Peter said 2000 years ago, when the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Prophecy, was powerfully poured out on 120 in the upper room, that the time had come, and He was not mistaken:
Acts 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. 15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh...
3,000 got saved that day! The spirit of prophecy started hauling in the nets of the great harvest that day. The 120 that were the down payment for the whole church were "tarrying in the city." Because Jesus had told them to, they were praying for the power to come, refusing to move forward until the power had obviously come upon them. They had set their hearts to make God their strength. Jesus said "wait here until it comes." Jesus said don't be distracted by the hugeness of the great commission. Don't worry about how you are going to get this done. Press in, and you will know when you get the power to do this! It was so obvious the day they got the power, that they had to start explaining to those around them what was happening.
The experience at Pentecost wasn't the pinnacle of what is possible, it was the down-payment. Healing, provision, prophecy. If we understand what they are for, to bring in the harvest, and who releases them, the Holy Spirit, and we are willing to make God our strength...if we will tarry in prayer. Contend for it to come in an obvious and real way, it WILL be poured out. The real question is what am I tarrying for? What am I contending for? Am I willing to press in until it comes obviously and powerfully. Will I press in for it until it comes to such a degree I have to start explaining it to people outside of the church because it is undeniable?
The out pouring Joel talked about is the beginning to the fulfillment of this glorious truth:
Habakkuk 2:14 For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, As the waters cover the sea.
The glory of the Lord, the knowledge and experience of His powerful presence, will cover the whole earth as the water covers the sea. The water in the sea is really shallow in some spots, and really deep in others. In some spots it is really warm, and in others it is really cold. In some places a storm of activity is breaking out, and in others it is calm as glass. We have a part in deciding how deep, how hot, and how active the outpouring is where we live. The 120 tarried and prayed, and received what they contended for. 3,000 were saved. That day marked a permanent changing of the earth that we still experience the benefits from. If we will agree with God and contend for the out pouring now, it WILL be deep, and hot, and active where we live. Powerful for bringing in a great harvest where we live.
This is part of what 24 hour worship and prayer is about. Because of this truth, the 24 hour prayer and worship movement, and our commitment to it, is what will fulfill the great commission in the way Jesus described it. Agreeing with Jesus to tarry and press in until the power comes isn't a waste of time. It is the way God has chosen to pour out His spirit!
Joel 2:28 “And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. 29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. 30 “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
This pouring out of the Spirit will be church-wide. Every servant of God, everyone committed to Jesus' leadership...men, women, kids, young, old, rich, poor...all of the church will be touched with power.
In the days before Jesus, only a select few operated in this sort of power: David, Daniel, Isaiah, Elijah...we know a lot of the names, because their lives were so impactful on the world. But Joel looked to a generation where everyone serving God would walk in the power of God...He identified the generation that the Lord would return to, that would be literally marked by the whole church operating in a powerful Spirit outflow of prophecy. Their words will be marked with signs and wonders on earth and in the heavens. Someday soon, this will be poured out.
Prophecy has a purpose. Prophecy, or supernatural knowledge of God's words, plans, desires, and feelings, isn't the goal. It is a means to an end. God's goal for mankind hasn't changed one bit since the Garden of Eden: God with man. God has always intended to be with us. Present among those He loves and created. Prophecy is a tool to accomplish that goal. This is what Jesus said about prophecy:
John 13: 19 Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He. 20 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”
Jesus said prophecy is a tool for redemption. It is proof that Jesus is who He says He is. He said that the one who prophesies points to Jesus. When the word spoken is seen to be true, it helps open the door of a heart to Jesus, and to the Father. Prophecy is a witness to the true power of the one true God to bring His kingdom to earth. All the church prays "our father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come...". Prophecy is a down payment answer to that prayer.
There is coming soon a great falling away, and a great harvest. Many will leave what they see as a "powerless" church, and many will come in to what they see as a "power filled" church. Those who fall away, will do so because they will think man (the antichrist system) is better at providing for them than the invisible God can. BUT, many now outside of the church will come into the church because the truth of God's love, mercy, justice, and sovereignty will be demonstrated by a prophetic church.
The pouring out of the spirit will be progressive. It is available now. We can "go after it" now. Peter said 2000 years ago, when the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Prophecy, was powerfully poured out on 120 in the upper room, that the time had come, and He was not mistaken:
Acts 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. 15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh...
3,000 got saved that day! The spirit of prophecy started hauling in the nets of the great harvest that day. The 120 that were the down payment for the whole church were "tarrying in the city." Because Jesus had told them to, they were praying for the power to come, refusing to move forward until the power had obviously come upon them. They had set their hearts to make God their strength. Jesus said "wait here until it comes." Jesus said don't be distracted by the hugeness of the great commission. Don't worry about how you are going to get this done. Press in, and you will know when you get the power to do this! It was so obvious the day they got the power, that they had to start explaining to those around them what was happening.
The experience at Pentecost wasn't the pinnacle of what is possible, it was the down-payment. Healing, provision, prophecy. If we understand what they are for, to bring in the harvest, and who releases them, the Holy Spirit, and we are willing to make God our strength...if we will tarry in prayer. Contend for it to come in an obvious and real way, it WILL be poured out. The real question is what am I tarrying for? What am I contending for? Am I willing to press in until it comes obviously and powerfully. Will I press in for it until it comes to such a degree I have to start explaining it to people outside of the church because it is undeniable?
The out pouring Joel talked about is the beginning to the fulfillment of this glorious truth:
Habakkuk 2:14 For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, As the waters cover the sea.
The glory of the Lord, the knowledge and experience of His powerful presence, will cover the whole earth as the water covers the sea. The water in the sea is really shallow in some spots, and really deep in others. In some spots it is really warm, and in others it is really cold. In some places a storm of activity is breaking out, and in others it is calm as glass. We have a part in deciding how deep, how hot, and how active the outpouring is where we live. The 120 tarried and prayed, and received what they contended for. 3,000 were saved. That day marked a permanent changing of the earth that we still experience the benefits from. If we will agree with God and contend for the out pouring now, it WILL be deep, and hot, and active where we live. Powerful for bringing in a great harvest where we live.
This is part of what 24 hour worship and prayer is about. Because of this truth, the 24 hour prayer and worship movement, and our commitment to it, is what will fulfill the great commission in the way Jesus described it. Agreeing with Jesus to tarry and press in until the power comes isn't a waste of time. It is the way God has chosen to pour out His spirit!
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