The Future. I love talking about the Future! As a prophet, I live there. I have glimpsed the great future of the Church and am so thrilled at what is on the horizon. There is hope. There is light. There is glory! And we are all a part of the Glory that this coming toward us!
There are seven different types of prophets that I have counted in my studies of this incredible ascension gift.
- Psalmist Prophets
- Teaching Prophets
- Wisdom Prophets
- Revelation Prophets
- Exhortation Prophets
- Guardian Prophets
- Reformation Prophets (War Prophets)
These labels that I have associated with the various expressions of the prophet are not exhaustive by any means but they are very useful in classifying the expression of this ascension gift to the body.
From psalmist prophets to reformation prophets, our function is always to be the stewards of the heartbeat of God toward His people and all contain futuristic elements of expression. That is the only way a true prophet is recognised as such. Prophets deal in the future.
My particular role is a reformation war-prophet. That means I look at the Church catholic and focus on what God is saying to the church and her leaders and what God is desirous to express through the church to the world. It’s not very glamorous and quite possibly the role that comes with much grief and anguish of spirit.
Reformation war-prophets speak to the corporate church. We see far into the distance as to what the Church should look like (the image of tomorrow) and then cry out to the current generation knowing full well that what God has shown us might take more than a single generation to bring to pass!
Because we are looking at the future we carry the glory of what we are seeing ahead and speak about it while it is still called today. Most times the sound of that future glory is incompatible with the fading glory of a yesteryear that often still defines the present.
Due to this incompatibility of sound the cries of reformation prophets often seem to fall on deaf ears and hardened hearts. Persecution follows. But in the true vein of reformation these prophets continue to cry out until someone in a generation begins to catch on and latch on. In that moment – a new generation is born. A Remnant generation is awoken.
Right now God is speaking to me about a shaking. And it might not be something we enjoy. At all.
THE COMING SHAKING
See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken —that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
Hebrews 12:25-29 (NIV)
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.
Contrary to the vogue narrative of revival, visitation, signs and wonders – we are actually in one of the most dangerous spiritual places right now as the Body of Christ! The season of Transition.
It is during this season, as the Spirit of God moves us from the bondage of Egypt to the promise of Canaan, from an Old Order to a New Order that the enemy – that dragon of old – spews forth his vilest threats, most wicked deceptions and strongest attacks against the Church.
Consider that Jesus was filled with and then deliberately led by the Holy Ghost, into the period of transition and separation in the wilderness. During that period satan came to tempt and test him. Why? Because Jesus was at his natural weakest. But he overcame the Deceiver (through the Word of God) and transitioned into the power of the Spirit prior to his return to Galilee.
There are those who would have you believe that the fight is over! The war is done. They convince you with flattering and enticing words to lay down the sword and rest.
It is with great alarm that I hear “social media prophets” proclaim that we are right now entering into the rest that has been prepared for us and that the battle is behind us. I would not condemn this as a false word but an immature one spoken out of season!
The battle is far from over. It is only beginning. Are you ready for War?
What Will God Shake?
For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; and I will shake all nations…
Haggai 2:6-7
In short everything! From the ecclesiastical order of the day to the secular systems we are so reliant on, God is going to shake it all!
The Spirit of God is going to breath upon the Church and blow and burn away the hay, wood and stubble and only that which is truly of God is going to be left standing.
False prophecy, counterfeit signs, divisive wonders, deceptive doctrine, seducing spirits, the hype, the flash, the culture of pseudo-spirituality, superficial discipleship, artificial anointing and production atmosphere is all going to be consumed in the fire of purification and separation.
This is the shaking of things in heaven and earth and no one said it’s going to be a comfortable process. There are many things in the church world that are going to be exposed so that what remains is of God and can be used for God’s purposes.
THE HOUSE OF CARDS
We either get on board with what God wants to do or get blown away by the wind of the Spirit – the sifting of the Lord.
Recall that in the book of Acts when they are gathered together in the upper room they heard the sound of a mighty rushing wind – and it shook the house!
Before the fires of revival and glory of the new wine there has to be the wind of God that shakes the very foundations of the things that man has built! And we’ve built a lot.
We’ve built empires to ourselves and brands to brag about. We’ve created idols out of men and women and superstars made in our own image.
In Exodus we read the story of the golden calf that Aaron made at the behest of the people using their very own golden adornments! This is laden with prophetic insight. Let him that hath an ear hear!
The scripture records that the people saw that Moses was delaying returning from being upon the mountain with God. They grew impatient. They did not want to tarry any longer. And so they fashioned for themselves new gods. They worshipped what they had made and the scriptures say: “…and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.” Exo 32:6 (KJV)
In that process of the wilderness experience many will fall by the wayside. Fair weather christians who have no true love for God nor zeal for the house of God will fall away from the truth and into the clutches of a gospel based on whim and fanciful indulgence. Many recognised big ticket name leaders will find themselves naked before the world. It is not going to be pretty. But it is all going to be God.
The time for playing at church is at an end! Whatever can be shaken will be shaken and what remains will be of God!
THE GOOD NEWS
… their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.
1 Cor 3:13
Some might think that this is a harsh word. No my friend. It is a great word! God is bringing this season to refine and purify so that we can enter into the next season of oil and wine in Zion!
What is coming will be far, far greater than anything we could have ever expected. On the horizon is a Remnant Church built on the Rock of Revelation- Christ Jesus!
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. “And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”
Matt 7:24-27
Jesus is saying that the only thing that will hold up in the coming perfect storm is what is established on a sure foundation.
The builders of these houses represent two classes of Christians in these last days – the wise and the foolish. They both built houses on very different types of foundations – and people were already living in them when the storms hit. I think its plainly evident from the text which house endures!
Your foundations must be deep. And this speaks of maturity. Maturity and depth are synonymous.
Today we are raising believers on hype and catchy sermon titles that are better suited to the motivational speakers circuit than the House of God. We love attending conferences and seminars but produce very little fruit of the Spirit. Indeed we give preference to displays of the gifts of the Spirit over fruit of the Spirit. We are replacing the scriptures with watered down, polluted versions of the bible that are tailor made for erroneous popular theology.
In short we are culpable of producing a generation who know the stories of the scripture but do not seek to understand the truth therein.
Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other.
Luke 7:31-32 (NIV)
When satan makes an appearance in your life (and he is bound to when you become a threat to him) you cannot rebuke him with a catchy phrase or a glib expression you read in someones best selling book.
Only the Word of God endureth forever! When Jesus was confronted by satan in the wilderness (again there’s the story of separation and transition) he did not come up with a fancy prophetic declaration or clever alliteration – he pronounced scripture!
We must do the same in the day of trial. But one would have to know the scripture before it can be used right? Now can you see the problem?
We have substituted depth and maturity for the superficial and shallow that is being masqueraded and paraded as truth and revelation.
THE COMING GLORIOUS CHURCH
It’s coming! The glorious church that will make known the manifold wisdom of God to principalities and powers in heavenly places – is coming!
Some argue that it is here now and they are “in revivial.” Yes we do see sporadic outbursts of true glorious manifestations and visitations of God. But these are few between and geographically localised for the most part. Visitations are important because they let us taste of what is to come. But Friends, a visitation of Glory is not the goal. God desires habitation!
The time is coming when even the shadows of children will cause spirits of infirmity to flee. When we will impart true anointing into inanimate objects and it will be transmitted into flesh and blood. When we will speak a word and stock markets will react. When praying christians will be sought out by dignitaries and diplomats. When even natural disasters will be averted because the believers united themselves in defence and defiance against satanic attacks.
Like many other prophetic reformers – I have glimpsed this afar off. It’s a long road from where we are now to where God wants us to be. But God is initiating the shaking now.
Wars require Warriors. Reformation requires Revolutionaries. Those who will take a stand against the status quo and defy the popular narrative that controls the age. They might be hidden in a cave right now, but the time has come for the Prophetic Reformers of my generation to release them to their purpose.
A new age of reformation of Church is about to begin. It is up to us to determine if we will be a part of the New Order thing that God is doing or if we will cling to yesterdays traditions or the mere imitations of a future glory.
There is still a Remnant. Find your place in it!
