Looking at revival when Jesus leads it

Which was the greatest revival ever recorded?

How did the revival change people’s lives? What was its lasting impact and what can we learn from it?

If you ask different people, you will surely get different answers. Perhaps the Welsh revival? Or Azusa street? Or perhaps the Wesleyan revival? Just for clarity’s sake I must state that I am no real student of revival. I guess my pursuit in God has led me on a different route. Yet, in the wake of all the prophetic words and the rumblings of revival around the country and world, we need to understand what is on Father’s heart regarding reviving the dead and dying.

Regarding the greatest revival, I want to argue that perhaps the greatest revival the earth has seen was during the first 15-18 months of Jesus’ public ministry. During this time He traveled around Galilee and beyond healing all the sick and oppressed. He raised the dead, fed thousands and offended the religious. He was the ‘ultimate revivalist’! Tens of thousands followed Him until be became the ultimate stumbling block to the religious system of the day.

So what happened during the revival?

God came down

God in the flesh visited mankind. During this visitation He healed the sick, opened blind eyes, raised the dead and delivered the oppressed. His love reached out to a dying and broken world. He showed Himself. He was neither religious nor organizational. He was a normal person, brought up in a big family and had a ‘real job’. God visited mankind and showed Himself. As Jesus said, ‘If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father’.

The revival’s message

Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:14-15)

Jesus preached repentance and faith in the good news of the imminent return of the rule of God. This might shock some, but Jesus did not simply preach salvation. He firstly preached repentance (Vine’s: ‘change’ of ‘perception, the mind, the seat of moral reflection’). Secondly, Jesus preached faith in God. Faith means to trust or to ‘entrust something to another’. Thirdly, He preached the imminent return of the rule of God. Jesus declared that salvation would come to those who did these three things.

And therefore the message of the greatest revival was that of the ‘changing of one’s perception or viewpoint’, the entrusting of one’s life in God’s hands and finally the acceptance of the rule of God over one’s life. The results of these steps would lead to salvation (brought to the place of safety).

The revival’s impact

At first there was tremendous excitement and joy at the signs and wonders, healings and His message of hope. The crowds swelled and the possibilities for ‘honour, riches and glory’ were tremendous. Yet, as time passed people began to realize that Jesus had another agenda. He was not simply content to ‘have God come down’ and ‘pack out the synagogue’. He was actually determined to see His message change the world.

The change that He was determined to see was the fulfillment of His message. He was determined to find and lead those who would ‘change their personal perception’, entrust their lives to Him and finally allow Him to rule their lives.

His message was to put it simply, ‘ruining the party’. The more persistent He became regarding Him becoming the life of His followers, the less they liked Him. The crowds finally stopped showing up when He declared that “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.” (John 6:56-57)

Jesus was not content with only reviving the dead and dying. He was determined to teach mankind how to live! And therefore once Father showed Him who those were who would follow Him beyond the cross into a new life, He did the shocking thing and shut the revival down! Once revival served His purpose in opening peoples’ eyes and hearts in order to see Him as the Way, He departed from the place of revival in order to set His followers on the next leg of the journey back to Father.

Lessons to learn

#1 – God’s purpose is to lead people into a life of union with Him.

No matter how great or important revival is, for most it is simply the beginning of a journey towards union with Father. And Father will not let up until His sons and daughters have returned to their intended place in His heart, family and home. And therefore He will lead us on from the place of revival to set us on the journey to completely and fully reside in and with Him.

#2 – Revival is a visitation only

Many believe that the ultimate revival must turn into a habitation by the Lord. Viewed simplistically this is true. Yet, the process from revival to habitation involves a journey. It is the journey through the desert of self-rule that separates God’s visitation from our ultimate habitation with Him. Also, the visitation and the habitation are at two different spiritual ‘places’. This is why Jesus had to leave. He was here on earth to visit mankind. Yet, He had to leave this earth to open the way to our habitation with Father. Whereas revival has many physical manifestations as evidence of God’s visitation, the life of habitation is hidden in God. It is a place unseen and a place unknown. It is the place of intimacy in the heart. It is the place of journeying with the one we love most dear.

#3 – Revival with an incomplete gospel cannot lead to its ultimate purpose

Few revivals have ever preached the full gospel. Few revivals have ever preached the fullness of the life of Christ that is available to believers to live by if they are willing to exchange their lives for the life of Christ. Most revivals slowly die because the gospel message becomes more and more watered-down as the focus shifts from hungry hearts seeking God, to signs and wonders, manifestations, personalities and success.

#4 – Revival mixed with mammon leads to death

Judas Iscariot is a type of a money manager in ministry. He was a true follower of Jesus. He also wanted to see and enter the kingdom of God and desired to see His kingdom come on earth. Yet, he wanted other things as well. He also desired the riches and success that God’s visitation could bring. But Jesus deeply offended Him. Jesus was not interested in the success of the ministry. He was solely focused upon His relationship with His Father – wherever that would take Him. Jesus processed the temptation of the success of ministry while He was tempted in the desert, and therefore He was able to withstand the temptation of spiritual success. Jesus refused to set up a ministry headquarters, start of building fund, gather the tens of thousands of followers into stadiums and take up lucrative offerings. Instead He took the road of suffering, insignificance and ultimately death in order to fulfill His union with His Father. Jesus’ death was ultimately also the death warrant to Judas. Prophetically seen the money manager in ministry with all His human dreams dies whenever he passes through the cross. This is part of the journey from visitation to habitation and one of our most severe tests.

Yet, whenever the money manager gains the upperhand, and turns God’s visitation into a money spinner, the revival quickly becomes tainted and the Spirit starts departing. In many cases mammon with its pride and arrogance ultimately takes control, sets the programme and runs the show.

#5 – Revival produces a remnant of followers

Out of the tens of thousands of people touched by Jesus’ ministry only 120 pursued the path of the Lord. They became the faithful remnant whom the Lord would use during the Lord’s next visitation at the day of Pentecost. They were the one who embraced Jesus’ message of changing their perception, entrusting their lives to God and surrendering to the rule of God over their lives.

They followed the path into the kingdom of God, and were therefore the ones qualified to show the next generation the path from visitation by God to habitation with God.

#6 – Completing the journey without revival

I truly believe that there is a shorter route to the Lord’s ultimate purpose in our lives (no 40 years in the desert). I agree that most people need revival to get their eyes opened in order to see the possibilities of a life in God. Yet, I believe that the Lord ultimately desires a generation that will be taught and guided along the Lord’s path to life through surrender and obedience in the Spirit. In my experience I currently perceive a shorting of the timeframe for young believers to get to the point of ‘exchange’ – giving up their own path for the path of the Lord and these are therefore set on the path to intimacy and union with God much quicker.

I witness this in Atlantis and Durbanville, as He is doing this around the country and world.

As discussed before this ‘shortening of the journey’, depends a great deal on the ones who have gone before to lay down their lives as bridges for the next generation. They need to give their lives, their time and their faith to a next generation in order to have them ‘see’ and ‘believe’ in a life that is neither natural, nor seen or understood. It is a living relationship with the Creator and Master of the universe.

Be encourage and have great faith!

Prophetic view of our company

The ‘neck’ of the Body

While at NIRSA I saw a picture of our company as the neck of the church. The Lord has been calling and using us to re-establish His headship over the church by our own surrender unto Him. As we laid down title, position, privilege, calling and crown, He has re-commissioned us to be the connecting joint (neck) between Him as the Head and the rest of the body which has lost its way.

This is a true intercessory and prophetic work – standing in the gap between the Lord as the Head and the rest of His body the church. Yet, it is also a truly apostolic work as we laid down our lives to see new life being birthed in the church. Whereas many others are called to pray for the Lord to visit and refresh His people, I believe we are also called to actively lay down our lives and ministries and be forerunners of those who would only have one Head and Lord, the Lord Jesus Himself.

As mentioned during my visit to Pretoria in January we have been called by the Lord as a bridge which the Lord will use to usher many in the church into the place of His rule (kingdom). Yet, for this to happen His Headship over the church has to be secured and we have not only embraced this theologically, but in practice we have pressed on in the Lord. Many of us have paid a high price to see this come to pass in the natural, yet the results are now becoming visible in the spiritual and will soon manifest in the natural.

I share this as an encouragement from the Lord to those who have struggled with this calling from the Lord during the last 14 years, but especially since 2001.

Eyes and ears of the Body

I see that the Lord will continue to use us as a company of ‘eyes’ and ‘ears’ to serve the whole body of Christ in South Africa. Whether we are known or recognized is of no concern. The real issue at hand is that which is seen, heard, prayed and spoken in the Spirit.

Mentors and couches

The Lord has taken many of His most courageous and faithful servants on a completely new journey during the last seven years. They have been led from being leaders of ‘children’ and are now being re-commissioned as mentors and couches of a generation that will strive to take possession of the Lord. I believe that this generation will be much more hungry and thus willing to pay a far higher price than previous generations due to the darkness that is descending upon our land. This generation will not seek ‘kindergarden’ Christianity, but will be ready to ‘trained’ as an army of the Lord.

Positioned to be trained and released

Many have been praying for years for this outpouring. Yet, it will not primarily be an outpouring of ‘blessing’. It will be an outpouring of power and fire. Those who will be empowered and used by the Holy Spirit in the coming moves of God must now position themselves to be trained in the Spirit by the Lord. They will be commissioned and released by the Lord, and not by men. Yet, for their growth and maturity the Lord has raised up and re-commissioned mentors and couches to help and guide the army of the Lord. Now is the time for the mentors and couches to dust off their shoes, cast of their depression and shame and present themselves unto the Lord. Many have felt that their work for the Lord has come to an end as He called them to lay aside their ministries and callings. Yet, they have only been prepared and re-positioned by the Lord to fulfill His calling in this new phase of the Lord’s work.

Many the Lord have positioned in the marketplace from where they will both work, serve and minister and help to release the army of the Lord ‘behind enemy lines’.

Prototyping in faith

I see that those that have been faithful in allowing the Lord to do a new work in their midst are being called to step forward. The Lord has raised up new ‘prototype’ assemblies during the last seven years and now the Lord will take that which is from Him and build upon that. Many who have walked by faith, not knowing where they where going, will now see the purpose and plan of the Lord and they will rejoice. For much of the old will become more and more obsolete as the pressure of the world and the darkness sets in. The Lord is raising up new communities that will be able to grow and thrive in the midst of adversity.

Servants above all

I sense a special warning from the Lord that those whom the Lord is calling and will be used by Him during the next 7 years, must remain completely humble and broken before Him and his people. The power of His love to heal, nurture and empower the army of the Lord can only flow from broken and humble vessels. If these will be faithful the Lord will call them to even greater heights in the years that follow the next 7 years. This is not a time to gather a following. It is instead a time to lay down our lives to serve as bridges for the next generation to pass through to the land of the Lord. Also we are to be positioned as foundations for the next generation to be raised up above us. This is indeed a true intercessory calling.

The danger of revival

Revival is beginning to break forth in South Africa. All the prophetic words and pictures that we have received over the past 15 years point to this. Yet, the real issue at hand is not revival! This is critical for all of us to understand and process. The purpose of revival is to ‘revive’ those who are dying and to bring fire to those who have gone cold. Revival heals the broken. Yet, only the ‘rule of Christ’ (kingdom) establishes something lasting and ultimately transforms society. We have to press beyond revival into the kingdom! We have to look pass the excesses that revival brings and endevour with all the Lord’s strength to help those who are revived to press on and loose their lives and cross over into the kingdom. We have to help them journey with Jesus and thus come into maturity. This journey both heals and destroys. It heals my pain, but destroys my pride. It sets me on higher ground, but humbles my heart. We dare not loose sight of the fact that the purpose of revival is to shake men loose from sin in order to follow Jesus and become like Him. We dare not use revival again to gather a following after ourselves and start new flows and denominations. We dare not use revival again to make a name for ourselves and become filled with pride. I for one will pray that the Lord will keep His pressure on this nation so that in the midst of revival we will remain desperate and hungry to become like Him. Unless we help people press through Christ’s cross, shame and suffering and mature as sons much will be in vain!

The sons of the kingdom

The purpose of revival as stated above is to shake men loose so that they might enter and inherit the kingdom of God. This entrance and possession is dependant upon men being humble like little children and broken before the Lord. It is only when the pride of the sons of Adam is broken, that they can truly mature to stand as the sons of God. Today in Africa, creation cries out for the manifestation of the sons of God (Romans 8). These men and women will be used by the Lord as the liberators of societies wherever He might position them. They will usher in the rule of God wherever they go. This will not be an institutional ‘rule’, but a very personal invisible rule as they are living under the direct command and instruction of the Spirit of God. These will not be those in religious positions, but will be the nameless and faceless ones called to simply hear and obey the Spirit of God.

Breaking down the walls

Part of our purpose as an apostolic/prophetic company is to break down walls and barriers. We are also called to be the bridges that connect different parts of the body in this nation. To this purpose we have to continue to be a people who reach beyond our own culture, race, language, fears and hopes. As forerunners and sons of God we have died to our ‘own’ to embrace a calling beyond culture, race and language. We have also died to denomination, position and prestige. Although I appreciate what well known and recognized men in authority can do to cross these lines in the spirit, it is only us as His foot soldiers who can actually break through these barriers in practice. We must be courageous and bold. We cannot shrink back in this regard. Christ in us is the hope of glory!

Because we have no labels beyond Christ we are very well positioned to influence the whole body without much detection. We can truly be an undetectable force for the good. Yet, we have to avail ourselves for this purpose. We have to understand that this is the purpose of the Lord, and that His kingdom does not come through ‘big names and banners’ but through the living Christ dwelling and ruling in our midst.

His love to cast out fear

Only the love of Father can cast out the fear in our nation. Part of the desperation in the nation and church is simply rooted in fear. The only spiritual antidote against the power of fear is the love of the Father. Only He can fill our hearts with faith and hope and lift our eyes to seek and see Him alone. Men’s ways coupled with their visions of grandeur cannot deal with fear. In most cases these visions simply create (false) hope only to be replaced by despair since they do not come to pass. What I am seeing is not a vision of grandeur but simply the outworking of hope based upon a relationship rooted in our Father’s love for us and our country with all its people.

Final encouragement regarding Intimacy and Authority

Extract from The Knights and the servant – Nov 2002

Look and see that a change of season is at hand. The landscape of the kingdom is once again changing and the challenges that lay ahead many do not see nor understand. It is only those who through intimacy with Me and understanding of My ways who can see this change. They are being prepared for the appointed time when yet again new territory will be taken. Through intimacy I am now building a new heart in my servants. For if, in the times that lay ahead, you do not have My heart, you will not be found fit for the work of the kingdom. Many have built on My authority and in My name, but they have not learnt from Me and neither know My heart. These will slowly loose authority in the season that is upon us, until their exploits will become as nothing.

Look at David, My servant. His heart was always to be with Me; yet he did the greatest of exploits. His desire was for Me. Even in the greatest times of victory and battle, his heart longed for My presence and courts. It is to such a one that I will give the kingdom. Purify your desire for Me. Examine your heart to see whether you are truly keeping in step with Me. Come and abide with Me, and you will learn the secrets of the kingdom at this time.

Be encouraged – the Lord is on the move!

Seven years of drought coming to an end

Sunday 27 April 2008, was exactly 14 years since the 1994 elections and the birth of the new democracy in South Africa. I regard the 1994 elections as the starting point of the 21 year prophecy and we are thus exactly at the beginning of the third seven year season today.

Two gatherings in the past 2 weeks have confirmed to me the end of one season and the beginning of a new season in the church in South Africa. These gatherings were the National Initiative for the Restoration of South Africa (NIRSA) convened by Michael Cassidy and the Mighty Men Conference called by Angus Buchan which was attended by 60000 men.

General Overview – Three seven-year seasons

Three seven year seasons summarize the Lord’s dealings with the church in South Africa since 1994.

1994

End of an era and the departure from the house of slavery (Egypt). God pouring out much grace and mercy in leading the church and nation out of apartheid and setting a new course and purpose.

1994-2001

• The beginning of the journey in search of a new purpose and release of God’s rule in the church of South Africa.
• Numerous outpourings and prayer movements started.
• Many leaders and movements come to an end.
• The Lord sets a new course.
• Starting trumpet call: First democratic elections in South Africa – April 1994

2001-2008

• The Lord calls leaders to be remolded and recommissioned by Him in preparation to raise up the ‘army of the Lord’.
• The Lord calls the Moseses and Joshuas (1^st and 2^nd apostolic and prophetic generations) together to meet Him on the mountain and in the tent of meeting to hear and receive His heart.
• The church increases in anticipation and prayer until the point of desperation (now).
• The Lord has to complete His preparation, testing and maturing of the Moses/Joshua company.
• The Moses/Joshua company are those who are ready to enter Canaan (meaning: to bend), because of their surrendered hearts and the willingness to simply hear and obey the Lord.
• Brokenness is worked out in the Moses/Joshua company.
• The Lord raising up small prototype communities in the preparation of the Moses/Joshua company.
• Starting trumpet call: First Transformation prayer gathering March 2001 Newlands, Cape Town.

Extracts from the 21 year prophecy – 2001 to 2008

It will be a time of unity. People from all over will flock into stadiums; different denominations, cultures and races. From all over they will come and they will flock into stadiums and big conferences. It shall be a time of humility; a time that people will weep; a time that people will be purified. My fire is going to burn. My fire is going to burn. A time of tremendous prayer and travail. Many will not understand what I’m doing; many will cry out as if they are desperate; many will cry out because the desert is too hot, but for those who have discernment; those who walk with wisdom, they will see that it is a work of the Lord.

For the Lord says: “Truly in this nation I shall bring forth the message of the cross. Truly from this nation forth My cross shall be preached. From here shall come a company who will say: ‘No matter what happens, we’ve already laid down our lives. What happens in the natural is not important, because we have already surrendered all. We have already crossed over. We are no longer of this world. Nothing in this world can hold us nor persuade us. We are walking as dead men for the glory of God.”

After those 7 years there will be such power in this nation that men shall come from all over. As they minister and visit this nation, they shall be astounded at the amount of grace and power that I am pouring out on this nation. At the end of that 7-year period I shall have pure prophets and apostles that will speak with boldness and go into the nations of this world and shake them. They shall shake the nations, because they have truly learned to trust and walk with Me.

2008-2014

• The season for he training of the ‘army of the Lord’.
• The Moses/Joshua company of servants to raise up and train the Lord’s army.
• These trainees must be transformed from slaves to soldiers and matured from children to sons.
• These to be trained and equipped to conquer and possess a new land according to a decentralized model (no king or head quarters). Unless they are trained in a decentralized model they will not be able to conquer and possess the whole territory that the Lord intends for them to have.
• The Lord to pour out His rain of love to nurture, refresh, heal and strengthen the children.
• The Lord to pour out His fire to equip and empower His sons for the time of battle.
• Starting trumpet calls: NIRSA April 2008, Might Men gathering April 2008

Extracts from the 21 year prophecy – 2008 to 2014

“The third seven year season is going to be a time of battle. A time that My light is going to break forth. A time that My servants is going to be trained in warfare; they are going to be trained to fight with faith and by the word of the Spirit they shall overcome. And it is going to be 7 years that I will fight in this nation. No longer will you fight like you do now, for the ways and schemes of men will pass away. The darkness will be dark and the light, lighter. The darkness will be utter darkness. The world will say: ‘Yes, darkness has come, but My church will say: ‘Wait, wait the light of the Lord has risen upon us”. It will be seven years that I will press into this nation. No longer will they fight, but I will fight for them. As long as My church and people will walk in unity, I shall fight for them. As long as they all go forth with one purpose and mind to fulfill the call that I have placed upon them and walk in unity and boldness I shall bless whatever they do. … If My servants and church will humble themselves, walk in love, humility and unity, I shall bless them. I shall conquer for them. I shall break down the walls and places of captivity. I am raising up a Joshua generation that will take the land. Revival is not going to be in isolated places. Revival is not going to be in one denomination or amongst individual groups or amongst certain ethnic groups. Revival will be all over. It is going to spread from the south and run like a fire. … I shall come and establish what I have purposed from the beginning of the earth to be accomplished in South Africa

NIRSA 2008 – a prophetic perspective

‘The Church has lost its voice and is powerless’ – Michael Cassidy, co-convener of NIRSA, 2008

The body of Christ has lost its connection with its Head. Thus the body cannot speak. The body can also not see and neither can it hear.

In some ways the church has taken the ‘new South Africa’, the constitution and the ‘government’ as its own head. It has in many ways felt too ashamed to declare the Lordship of Christ since it was clear that in many matters the church has indeed not been under the headship of Christ. In so doing the Lord has become ‘powerless’ and ‘silent’. It has also lost its own way by being double-minded about clearly defined biblical moral standards, and has thus become unstable in many ways.

‘The Church is praying like never before’ – Bennie Mostert, Graham Power at NIRSA 2008

The level of desperation in the nation has reached an all time high. But so has prayer! The different prayer initiatives have all confirmed that prayer has grown almost exponentially in the nation over the past 7 years. Yet, the Church and nation’s situation has steadily deteriorated. Why?

Christ is waiting to be crowned as the Head of His Church

God has ordained a drought in the land to cause the Church to hunger and thirst and thus seek Him. The Lord opened a new season for the church in 1994 and has been intensifying with a spiritual drought over the past 7 years. The level of seeking and desperation is now at a breaking point. The Lord is doing this so that we will press through to get to the real issue at hand – the re-establishment of Christ as the Head of all the church in South Africa. Without this re-dedication through a humble submission and surrender unto the Lord, we will not have Him as the Head and will therefore remain a body without direction, purpose and influence. Once Christ as Head is returned through our absolute surrender to Him, we as His body in South Africa will regain our speech, sight and hearing. We will regain our strength, sense of direction and purpose and the Lord would have us once again be His prophetic manifestation to a hurting and dying world.

Pressing on

I have no doubt that NIRSA was a pivotal point for the church in South Africa and indeed the whole of Africa. Yet, once we have secured our connectedness to the Lord through an absolute surrender to His will and ways, we must press on until we see the ‘rule’ of Christ complete its work in the church. All the initiatives regarding discipleship and a return to biblical standards are applauded. But we must also ensure that we go beyond seeing the ‘rule’ of Christ in our church-life and commit ourselves to seeing His rule touch all of life and all spheres of society. Africa needs to see the discipleship of nations, and this cannot happen with a discipleship solely focused upon church-life. It has to become a discipleship that transforms all of life and in particular the responsible use of time and talent as given by the Lord to each man and women. The church and all its members need to mature beyond being good members of a local body, to becoming servants given to the serving of their fellow countrymen, country and continent until we see the full effects of Christ’s life manifested in our everyday lives. By the ‘rule’ of Christ I do not imply institutionalized ‘rule’. To the contrary, I see this as self-governance under the direct control of the indwelling Christ – our only Hope of glory.

Stephan Vosloo asked:

Could it be significant that the NIRSA Consultation took place during the Feast of Unleavened Bread? If my calculations are correct then the Feast of First Fruits would have been on Wednesday (of the consultation). Could it be that the Consultation was intended to signify a removal of leaven from our midst by the leaders of the church? Could it be that Father intended them to experience something of the resurrection power of Jesus on the Wednesday?

I believe that this is indeed significant. There is little doubt in my mind that the Lord has indeed removed something significant from the church as represented at NIRSA. Instead of arrogance and a jockeying position (which was still evident some time ago), there was a very real sense of loss, humility and brokenness. I believe that humility and a commitment to obey the Lord were indeed offered at NIRSA and that pride has been broken. The time has come for the Lord to again raise up His body.

A new prophetic season

2008 marks the beginning of the last seven years of the 21 year vision which I received in 1993. Through the years I have received many different visions and words, and mostly tried to understand and walk it out (obedience) rather than simply proclaim it. Yet, there are times that the Lord calls us to specifically proclaim certain things in the heavenlies. My understanding is that these proclamations are like “trumpets” that “open spiritual gates and seasons”. It is important to understand that these “gates” and “seasons” are spiritual – not physical. And therefore many spiritual “doors” are opened in the heavenlies without any significant “event or people” to witness or validate them.

Amos 3:7 “Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.”

Being invited to NIRSA in JHB might be an opportunity to do a public proclamation (if the Lord so desire). Yet, more importantly is the fact that we as a prophetic and apostolic people understand the season the Lord is opening at this time. At the beginning of the 2nd seven year season (2001) I was invited to speak about the 21 year prophecy to 400 pastors at the first gathering before the first Newlands Prayer gathering in March 2001. That was a “trumpet” which ushered in certain events in this nation. Then at the actual Newlands Prayer event on 21 March 2001 I received the following prophetic vision (below). I submitted the word to the leadership at the event, but there was no space on the programme to accommodate the sharing of the prophetic vision. This word was then shared within our small circle of influence. In hindsight I realize that the word could not be received by the “majority”. Instead God raised up a remnant that would be willing to go on the journey (seven years) of death to be raised up as “trumpet blowers”.

Below I have added some comments (in italics & blue) to the original word as received.

The corporate altar (received March 2001)

I saw a group of leaders in the church walking along a path. They were from different denominations, cultures and races. They came to huge gates. There was a sign on the gates: “The Gates of Unity.” An angel came from the side and spoke to me. “These are the Gates of Unity. These gates will now be opened because men in authority have come together in unity. Yet before the blessing of the Lord will fill the church and Cape Town, there needs to come a unity in the Spirit. Today there is a unity of authority, but true unity comes when men lay down their own authority and serve one another in humility and love.”

I saw how the angel opened the gates and the men were allowed to pass through them. They came to a barren valley. I was surprised not to see blessing, but only a barren field. The Lord stood at the one side and said, “Before the rain of the blessing of God will fall, there needs to come the death of selfishness and pride. True unity and reconciliation can only come through the work of the cross, so that one new man in the Spirit might arise.” The angel then gave to each of these men a book to eat. Upon each book was written, “The Ministry of Reconciliation.” As they tasted it, each of these men ate it with great difficulty because it was bitter. Some of them paused from time to time, while others completely resisted. Those who ate the book were transformed. Slowly they became completely snow-white as the light of the Lord entered them. I saw how robes and cloaks of the flesh and human wisdom and traditions fell off, and the Lord clothed them with new garments. Those who resisted to eat of the book were taken to one side by the angel. There they were given a cup to drink. There was an inscription upon the cup, “The love of the Lord.” Then the Lord spoke, “Unless you are touched by My love and allow Me to heal and restore you, you will not eat the Book of Reconciliation.” As these men drank of the cup of love, I saw how scales fell from their eyes, and they received a deep understanding of the love of the Lord. They were then again given the Book of Reconciliation to eat. I knew that the more a person ate of the book the sweeter it became. Some were completely unwilling to eat from the book and was taken back through the gates.

I believe that the “Gates of unity” refers to the start of the 2^nd seven year period (2001-2007). The unity was not about the unity of men, but instead about our personal unity with the Lord. The Lord was calling these men (and women) to embrace His heart and His path (journey). The “Book of reconciliation” refers to the story of our individual lives – past, present and future. The Lord desired that we become reconciled with His plans and purpose for our lives. This is essential if He is to use us for a far greater, yet less self glorifying purpose. The only way for us to embrace the bitterness of the past, present and future cross is to become completely filled with His love (cup of love). To the measure that we allow the love of the Lord to fill our lives, to that measure we are able to eat of the bitterness of the death of self and of His cross.

Then the angel led the men to an altar. Upon this stone altar was an inscription: “The altar of love.” Then the Lord said, “Unless each one of you are willing to lay down your life for your brother you will not see My redemption come upon this land.” I saw how one by one these men laid down their lives upon the altar. As a person laid there it would disappear after a while and the next person would ascend the altar. “This is the death of the life of each of these groups. Through death I will be able to birth new life in this nation. The old order of pride and selfishness is being replaced by love and humility. Each one will live to bring life to another.”

The purpose of being the church without denominations, labels and positions is so that we may qualify to be called to this altar of love. The “death of the groups” refers to the leaving behind of our old callings and positions in churches. It is not the place of significance in the church’s eyes. Instead it is the (only) place from which life in the church can come forth. We are called as a remnant to die so that others might live!

I then saw how a new man arose from the altar. This man was completely transparent and radiated the glory of the Lord. He did not represent any of the old divisions, only the newness of Christ. Then I saw how the Lord poured His love into him. He became filled with radiating love and compassion, truth and righteousness. “When My love touches you and allow Me to transform you through the work of the cross, you will become a vessel of My grace and glory. Without love you are nothing.”

I think transparency is a most excellent description here. In being transparent Christ can fully come to the fore through our lives. Having no labels other than Christ, leaves us accessible to many groups and places. Our identity is now of another kind – that of the sons of Kingdom of God. It also perhaps speaks about a people who will not be seen, neither will they be recognized. They have become agents of the King and are not recognized by those on earth, yet they are the true messengers in the heavenlies!

The angel then gave a trumpet to this man. Upon the trumpet was an inscription: “The Rain of Restoration”. I then saw how this man changed into 12 men, each with a trumpet in his hand. They split up and each went to a hilltop. They turned towards one another and started to blow their trumpets. As they blew, it started to rain. Yet it was not normal rain, but the rain of love. It rained continuously and the valley of barrenness was turned into the valley of plenty. I saw how a spirit of death and violence, abuse and strife departed from the land. The blood crying out from the land was silenced and the love of the Lord flowed into the ground. I saw multitudes coming to this place to see the life that has come forth. They all came to drink of the life that was in this valley.

These men then turned outward and started to blow their trumpets again. Yet this time it was as if fire was released from the trumpets. The fire going forth reached many far away places, and ignited revival in the hearts of the church. The love of the Lord was being declared and demonstrated to the heavenlies. In each place where the fire touched there was a deposit of love and an imprinting of the heart of the Lord left upon that place. “Your purpose is to demonstrate the Ministry of Reconciliation and Love. I have given you the mission to impart My heart of love to the nations, and demonstrated that My love can heal any land.”

The trumpets speak about proclamation. The message is about “Restoration”. This restoration speaks about the restoration of Christ as the Head of His church and about man being fully united with Him. The method is through the “rain of love”. This rain of love turns the valley of barrenness into a valley of plenty. This love brings healing and restoration to the nation.

Then there will be the fires of revival as a demonstration of the kingdom and rule of Christ in His church. In the 21 year prophecy it speaks about the revivals that will be birthed and released from South Africa in the third seven year season (2008-2014).

Our purpose as a prophetic and apostolic people is to obey the Lord by simply keeping in step with His plans and purposes. For some this means prophetic utterance. For others this is done in prayer. For others this might be evangelistic outreach or perhaps through signs and wonders. For others is might be to be fishermen and carpenters. Yet, the day is here that the Lord is beginning to raise up the one new man in Christ!!

Please pray for this one new man in Christ to arise. Some of us might still be in the finally stages of laying ourselves upon that altar. Therefore let us pray for courage and faith to see the invisible rule of Christ come upon our country and our people.

Kingdom obedience: Responsibility or Response?

According to religious thinking responsibility is almost equal to obedience. This manifests in many ways, but comes mainly to the fore when we measure our actions. Are my actions reflecting my responsibility towards the Lord and towards others? Am I doing all that is required in accordance with the responsibility given to me?

I have heard people mention that they have no responsibility any longer. Christ has set them free from all responsibility and they are now free to simply be with Him. Yet, is this correct?

Many of us have been struggling with this question for a while and I feel the Lord has been granting some light on the subject. I would like to start by simplifying the issue by looking at the word ‘response’.

As I understand the gospel of Christ, He is primarily calling me to follow Him on a journey of love and healing that ultimately leads to the restoration of my relationship with Father, Son and Spirit, my brothers and sisters and also myself. In its simplest form this call requires a ‘response’. This response for example could be ‘to open my eyes’, ‘keep in step’, ‘hear His voice’, ‘speak a word’ etc. Every response is an act of obedience which is accredited as faith in the spiritual realm, and releases the power (grace) of the Spirit which enables and empowers me to follow through on my ‘response’ (obedience).

Religious obligation (law) on the other hand removes much of these direct responses to the Spirit from a believer. Instead of being led by the voice of the Spirit, believers are taught to ‘respond’ to steps of ‘obedience’ which in most cases are conceived in the ‘letter’ instead of the ‘Spirit’ and therefore are deemed as mere religious works in the spiritual realm. These steps of ‘obedience’ are without power unless they are enacted by faith which can only be when they are obeyed in the Spirit. In most cases believers are charged with these steps of ‘obedience’ as their ‘responsibility towards God’. Believers are then taught that after the fulfillment of their responsibility the blessing of God would follow. All religious systems are built upon this.

Therefore in religious obligation (law) we find many ‘dead works’. The more we learn to live by the ‘voice of the Spirit’, the more we enjoy the liberty which such a relationship brings. This is because we move from being under task masters (religious systems, patterns, structures, leaders) to being under the Spirit.

Do we then have no ‘responsibility’ anymore? I believe we are indeed charged by the Lord with certain ‘responsibilities’. Yet, these must be rooted and birthed from a direct ‘response’ to the Spirit, not from manmade structures, sets of rules or patterns of belief. Although some of these systems and patterns might be good and some indeed evil, they are all ‘dead’ without the Spirit of Life. Only the Spirit of Life can make anything alive, no matter how good and perfect in principle. And therefore as we pursue Christ and mature He moves us from systematic obedience to relational obedience, which at its core is rooted in a ‘response to Him’ instead of a ‘responsibility towards Him’.

And thus, at this time the Lord is releasing many of us from the previous ‘steps of obedience’ and our responsibility towards it, in order so that we can simple live from a heart that ‘responses’ in love and obedience. Yet, I believe the time will come again that He will charge many with responsibilities that are purely birthed, rooted, empowered and maintained by the Spirit alone. This is ultimately ‘kingdom living’. Here all will be done by direct and personal instruction by the King instead of systems of belief and religious obligation.

Hearing Him is imperative

But what if someone cannot or is unwilling to hear the personal voice of the Lord (majority of believers)? Then relational obedience rooted in a personal response to the Spirit would not even come into play. In such a case the best alternative is for a person to live by Godly pattern and principle as being instituted through system and obligation (law). The Galatians had this exact problem. And therefore for those Christians the teaching of responsibility towards Godliness through pattern and principle is the best option. And it is therefore also best for them to remain in institutions and under human task masters until such a time that they are willing or able to live by the voice of the Spirit alone. Although much is dead in institutionalized Christianity, it is still good that Godly principle and pattern is taught, for when enacted upon it brings blessing to mankind and combats evil. Believers who learn to hear and obey His voice alone, are also many times moved by the Lord to a different denomination or group where there is more liberty in the Spirit in order for them to learn and grow even more. And therefore the Lord has moved all of us to a certain place in the Spirit, and we grappling with its meaning and purpose.

Why we left the systems of men?

I am convinced that most of us find ourselves at our current place in God, not because of the evil of any system or the superiority of a new ‘way’, but simply because God would have us learn to hear and obey Him alone. And if that is the purpose then we have to ensure that we get this ‘right’. We have to ensure that we learn well the lessons He is trying to teach us. For in the coming season He alone desires to be King and Lord. This requires personal faith and obedience – not so much an understanding of a ‘new way of doing church’. Jesus did not leave any instructions regarding church structure. He simply called us to response to His leading and that He would build His church (assembly of believers).

Relationship versus Manifestation

The Person of God is the core or centre of His kingdom and as His followers we are called into relationship with Him as King and Lord. In the light of this we have to ensure that we view and understand the ‘rule of God’ from a relational perspective instead of a conceptual one. This is a challenge when we try to gain an understanding of the kingdom via its secondary effects or manifestations instead of its foundation, which is God Himself.Some of the manifestations of the kingdom or rule of God are:

“But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.”  Matt 12:28

“for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”  Rom 14:17

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15

The church have traditionally longed for the manifestations of the kingdom. These are the visible signs that God is with His people. Yet these signs are not what we are to pursue in our quest for God. Most often what people seek or desire in God is actually the manifestations of His rule. We all love the power, the signs and wonders, the evidence of God’s presence, the miraculous provision and the departing of evil from our lives and society. These things are all precious in God’s sight, but our true quest must be to become united with Him relationally.

Jesus, while He was on earth, encountered the same problem. Most eagerly embraced the triumphant King as He entered Jerusalem. Yet, only days later He was being crucified by many from the same crowd when Father chose Him as the suffering Lamb. Jesus’ own disciples faced the same problem, as they were intent on seeing and understanding the kingdom from a visible and measurable perspective.

Pursuing Him

Personally I am hungry for Jesus. I am hungry for more of Him. Yes, there where times when I also confused the manifestation of God through His love, grace and mercy with Him as a Person. I also sought the gifts. I also longed for the power. I also desired for Him to do ‘great things’. Yet, in experiencing all of these I remained hungry for Him. I wanted to know Him, hear Him and walk with Him.

My conclusions on relational Christianity versus the institutional alternative, is far deeper rooted in my personal pursuit of Jesus than my distaste of man-made organizations and traditions. I arrived at ‘Jesus as the Builder and Head of His own people’, not because I experienced all the wrong stuff, but because I refused to compromise in my pursuit of Him. It was in pursuit of Him that He gave me the choice of ‘headship’. Either He was the leader and I followed, or I would go my own way away and He would try to help, advise and bless the best way He could.

I was blessed because at an early age I was confronted with the choice to ‘surrender all’ to Him and follow Him alone. I was blessed because I received the wisdom not to see the call to ‘surrender’ as a ‘death sentence’, but as a way of getting closer to Him.

And therefore today in our discovery and discussion surrounding the kingdom, I am set on pursuing Him alone. The fact that Jesus is the King of the universal is in some ways simply coincidental. I am seeking Him – period. Yet, since He is the King, I need to learn to live with Him – in His ‘space’ – not my own. If His ‘space’ or ‘zone’ is the kingdom, then I have to go there.

For clarity’s sake I would state in the context of this conversation that the church is the people in pursuit of the King. They are the remnant longing to be with their King. Where the church is the ‘ones called to pursue the king’, the kingdom is ‘zone’ where the King resides.

That ‘space’ or ‘zone’ where Jesus resides in our day and age is in our own hearts. He has chosen to come to establish His throne on our hearts and to rule and reign from within. He chose to become more intimately involved in our lives than we could ever imagine.  To me this is awesome news!

The nature of the integration of kingdom and church

As previously stated I believe that God the person is the ‘core’ of the kingdom. As King He governs and rules from the center of Himself. The kingdom or rule of God flows from His Person. Therefore in us as His church, Christ the King now reigns within us.  In this way we can say that the Kingdom is within us which is also what Jesus proclaimed when He said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20,21) Jesus makes it very clear that the kingdom cannot be seen with the natural eye. The kingdom is hidden. It is hidden in the heart of every man, women and child who have surrendered to the King and He has entered their lives personally. The kingdom is evident by the presence of the King and He has decided not to reside on the thrones of men, but upon the throne of our hearts.

And therefore the kingdom has entered the church in three ways. Firstly He has entered the church through every believer who has surrendered to Him as King and He now resides as King within their hearts. Secondly Christ as the Head of the church governs the church. Thirdly God the Spirit assembles the parts of the body in order for it to function properly. All three aspects are aspects of ‘rule’ and therefore ‘kingdom’ by nature.

The nature of the ‘rule of God’ within the church

This brings me to the nature of the kingdom within the church. The nature of the working of the ‘rule’ of God in the church is clearly established in scripture. It only works through relationship.

The gospel of John details this relationship beautifully. Over and over John stats that as we abide (live) in Him, He will abide in us and likewise the Father and the Spirit. Jesus further explains that His own relationship with the Father is that of close intimate and personal ‘imitation’. He stats that He only does what He sees His Father do and only says what He hears His Father say. This was the practical relationship between Jesus and the Father.

Today, we are called to a similar relationship of intimacy and obedience. It is this relationship of ‘hearing’ and ‘obeying’ that is basis of the ‘rule of God’ in our lives.

The church as a branch of the olive tree

In Romans 11 Paul gives us the picture of the Gentiles (church) being grafted into the olive tree. The kingdom of God is represented by the olive tree. Both Israel and the Church (Gentiles) are branches of that same tree (kingdom). Israel as a branch was broken off because of unbelief in rejecting the kingdom (rule of God). The church has been grafted into the olive tree through the sacrifice of Christ. He is the bridge between the kingdom and the church.

As stated before the church and the kingdom is not the same. Just as the branch and the tree is not the same. The branch is completely dependant upon the tree for its life and nourishment, but the tree is not dependant upon the branch. And thus the two are not the same.

Yet, for the branch (church) to fully be alive and bear fruit it has to be fully integrated into the tree (kingdom). The more the branch is integrated into the tree by fully embracing the life of the tree the more fruit it will bear.

I therefore see the understanding of the life of the tree (kingdom) as essential for the health and growth of the church. In fact the growth of the church is fully dependant upon the life of the kingdom (tree).

We have correctly established that we are the church without buildings and human organizations. But have we established Christ as our only Head and life source, to the extend that His ‘rule’ governs our personal lives, families, finances, future and dreams?

I believe we can only fully get to this point when we fully embrace a life of absolute surrender to the King. When we have surrendered all, we effectively invited the King to fully take over everything in our lives for Him to rule and reign ‘our’ affairs as His own. This is extremely personal and real and the true manifestation of the kingdom ‘within’.

The nature of the church

As a follow-up to the ‘nature of the kingdom’, I also want to look at the ‘nature of the church’. In this we will clearly see that the church and the kingdom is not the same. They are closely related by the work of Christ, but the church has a special position and purpose in God’s kingdom.‘What’ is the church?

Simply put the church is the ‘God-Man’. It is the merging of God and man into a single body of believers. Through Jesus and the Holy Spirit, God has inserted Himself into a sinful world in order to redeem those who would believe and follow Christ.

‘Who‘ is the church?

The church is both Christ and all his believers. Christ is the Head, the believers are the body and the Spirit is the assembler of the parts.

‘When‘ is the church?

The church was born as Christ was injected into man’s sinfulness in order to bring those who would believe to follow Him back to Father. This happened at the cross, through Christ death and resurrection.

‘Where‘ is the church?

The scriptures refer to the church on earth, the church in the heavens and even the church in the desert (Israel as a prophetic type). More specifically, Jesus as the Head of the church is now with the Father and His body of believers are in various stages or places (alive on earth, deceased living in the heavens). Simply put the church is ‘in-between’. It is neither here nor there. It is caught between the spiritual and natural, the earthly and the heavenly.

‘How‘ is the church?

How does the church happen or work? It works by faith through love. When man puts His faith in God, and entrusts his life to Christ, he becomes part of the church. It is established through a personal relationship between Jesus as the Head and the believer as a part of His body. To the degree that a member of the body trusts the instructions of the Head, and then executes accordingly, the body functions correctly. This trust relationship depends upon an increasing revelation of the love of the Head towards His own body.

In summary it is clear to me that the kingdom and the church is not the same. Where God is the ‘core’ of the kingdom, the God-man, Christ and his followers, are the ‘core’ of the church. The world are those living in rebellion against God.

Next I will look at the nature of the relationship between the kingdom and the church.

The nature of the kingdom of God

Understanding the nature of the kingdom is vitally important in order for us as citizens of that kingdom to function properly under its authority. Also as the church we need to know how we fit into the bigger framework of the kingdom of God.

In understanding the ‘nature’ of something one needs to gain an understanding of its basic elements or ‘building blocks’. These elements make up the foundational principles upon which all secondary ‘effects’ are based. One of the problems when endeavoring to understand the basic building blocks of anything is to try and understand its foundation by studying its ‘effects’ or ‘outputs’. Although there is merit in this, the approach is fundamentally flawed because it leaves one open to too much interpretation.

We have all been through this process to some degree on our journeys in discovering what ‘church’ really is. Although we could all find some truth regarding the true church by looking at various effects such as bad leadership, inflexible denominations, real relationships etc., we can only really arrive at the full truth when we find Christ as the Head and Source in the midst of it all. Christ at the center is our only hope at arriving at a foundational understanding of anything in life. And therefore we have to do the same in gaining an understanding of the kingdom.

God as the ‘core’ of the kingdom

I want to ask five basic questions. These are the What, Who, When, Where and How questions regarding the kingdom, in the hope to gain better understanding of the foundational elements thereof.

‘What’ is the kingdom of God?

Previously we have determined that the word ‘kingdom’ simply means the ‘rule of God’.

‘Who’ is the kingdom of God?

If the kingdom is the ‘rule of God’ then the question could be rephrased as ‘Who rules’. This is obviously the King who is God Himself. I believe that it should be extended to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, although Jesus has a unique role in the current dispensation of the church.

‘When’ is the kingdom of God?

Since God is the ‘Who’ of the kingdom, the question could be rephrased as ‘When is God?’ He exists obviously from everlasting to everlasting and therefore so is the kingdom of God. It has no beginning and no end.

‘Where’ is the kingdom of God?

The kingdom of God is wherever He is. Since God is omnipresent so the kingdom is omnipresent in like manner. The only exception would be where God limits Himself and therefore chooses not to be present. Thus we find many situations where God withdraws from people, places etc. and therefore so does the kingdom of God withdraws.

‘How’ is the kingdom of God?

To rephrase the question: ‘How is the rule of God?’ The obvious answer would certainly be ‘by authority and power’. Although this is true in a sense, it does not bring forth the full picture. This question of ‘How’, is the same one Jesus’ disciples struggled to get a satisfactory answer for. Most expected visible manifestations of authority and power on earth, but instead the ‘how of the rule of God’ was manifested through Jesus’ victory in the heavens over principalities and power. That victory’s manifestation on earth was the death and resurrection of Jesus! And therefore the ‘how’ is fully depicted by the King who exercises authority over His enemies, yet simultaneously lays down His life for His own!

In summary we have to conclude that the kingdom of God is simply God Himself. Therefore the term the ‘kingdom of God’ or ‘rule of God’ should be treated more as a descriptive term of God Himself instead of an independent entity divorced from the Person of God.