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What's Next?

April 9th has been a significant day in history on more than one occasion. Googling the date pulls up many events. Here are just a few:

  • Henry V crowned King of England - 1413
  • Sir Walter Raleigh departed England for Roanoke Island (now North Carolina) - 1585
  • The Civil War ended – 1865

All of these events took place with much fanfare. Another event, a prayer meeting, took place on April 9th, 1906 in a run-down house in Los Angeles. No one knew about it except those who were inside, but in a short amount of time people all over the world were talking about that meeting on Azusa Street. The reason this small gathering of no-names made the front pages was because the headliner was the Holy Spirit. The recent Call convocation on April 9th, 2016 got lots of press with over 100,000 people registered.  For a period of time on the 9th, Azusa Now was the top trending topic on Twitter and Facebook.

Azusa Now What's Next?

From the social media results it would appear that the world was watching. I believe the world is now waiting and wondering—what’s next?  They have a right to ask. We have a responsibility to give them an answer. Will this be merely a memory, a post on Facebook or a Twitter hashtag? I pray it will it be the igniting of a switch in the body of Christ that propels us forward with God’s plan for Heaven to invade earth.

For the latter to happen I believe we must believe something significant took place on the 9th.  Perhaps some were expecting fire to break out from Heaven, God to appear on the stage and non-stop revival meetings to take place in the LA Coliseum for the next 3 months till all of Los Angeles was saved. The fact that this didn’t happen doesn’t mean nothing happened. From God’s perspective, when we pray, something always happens, whether we see it or not. It is crucial to see Azusa Now through eyes of faith.

I believe Azusa Now was a holy re-set for the body of Christ, not simply for the fulfillment of a prophecy given 110 years ago. It was a re-set of:

  • Purpose—to boldly preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God with signs and wonders with expectation and hope.
  • Affection—for Jesus and the expression of love for Him in worship, prayer and fasting.
  • Relationship—for a new love of the body of Christ and commitment to unity and reconciliation in humility.

Here are 7 action steps I am taking to be positioned to participate as the Holy Spirit reveals the "What's Next?" in the days ahead.

  1. Believe that April 9th was the beginning of something not merely a one-time event.
  2. Stay plugged in to the Presence experienced during Azusa Now.
  3. Plan for the inevitable revival. I have taken disaster-training courses to prepare for natural disasters. I am asking God how to prepare for mass revival.
  4. Give thanks for what happened on April 9th, both the seen and the unseen.
  5. Live daily from Heaven—keeping in touch with the revival command center for blueprints, deployment, and execution strategies.
  6. Keep these weeds out: Jealousy, Offense, Impatience, Looking at circumstances, Immorality, Fear, Laziness
  7. Stay focused on Jesus

It is time to get this done! God has been planning this revival since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden. He had redemption in His heart and set the plan in motion that very day.  He strategized, planned, executed, and persisted for centuries. He knew the end from the beginning. That is why He could sit in Heaven and laugh. God has done His part. He is waiting for us to do our part. He has given us the world, the present and the future as well as everything we need for life and godliness through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. (See 1 Corinth. 3:22 and 2 Peter 1:3)

Here are some Daily Declarations I plan to make to stay focused. I invite you to join me.

The petitions from this house of prayer will be without ceasing.

The fire on my altar will never go out.

I will seek first your kingdom not my own.

Your praise, not criticism, will ever be on my lips.

The world will know I am a Christian by my love and not by my judgements.

Signs and wonders will follow me all the days of my life.

I will keep my faith anchored in hope not in fear.

Preparing for what's next!

The Waiting Game

Waiting can be the most painful experience any of us face. For children, it is worse than hell itself! The frustrated cry from kids, sitting in the back seat, of "when are we going to get there?" is heard around the world in every language. As adults we may have that same cry, but have learned to use our "inside" voices to impatiently, but quietly, ask God a similar question.

Patience

Another word for waiting is that awful "p" word patience. Whether we like it or not, patience is a character trait that God wants to produce in His kids. It is not an optional extra for a select few. He wants all of His sons and daughters to perfectly imitate His Son, Jesus Christ, who is His exact likeness. It is heartening to know God isn't asking us to do something He doesn't do Himself. He is not an unkind parent who says "Do as I say, not as I do."

God never requires something from us without also supplying His power and strength for success. The Holy Spirit in us is the dynamic energy we need for the development of obedient, faith-filled patience. He lends me His strength for the long ride in the back seat.

Consider for just a minute the extent of God's patience towards the human race. He waited for generations until the fullness of time arrived for Jesus to appear. He is still waiting for us as we disciple the nations and bring Heaven to earth. In the midst of His waiting He doesn't lose hope, condemn, criticize, complain, get depressed, throw tantrums, disconnect, or send another flood and start over. He is always loving, always hopeful, and always patient with us.

Paul gave a character checklist in 2 Peter 1:5-8. Here's the list in the order in which he gave them: "And besides this, giving all diligence add to your faith…”

Virtue
Knowledge
Temperance
Patience
Godliness
Brotherly Kindness
Charity

Patience is the key, the turning point that brings us into godliness from which the greatest commandment to love one another is possible. It is impossible to obey Jesus’ words to His disciples to love God, and to love their neighbor as they loved themselves, without embracing patience. We know that from experience. It is difficult to act in love towards someone who is driving us crazy keeping us waiting!

Recently I was talking with God about some “waiting issues” in my own life. He showed me an image of myself in a waiting room. There was one door and periodically someone from the other side would open the door, call someone's name and usher him or her through the door. There were various responses from those in the room whose names were not called. Their faces spoke, even if their mouths were silent: expressions of discouragement, impatience, and anger.

I asked Him to show me what I could do in the waiting room in order to stay patient and not lose hope. With those who currently receive my emails, or for those who subscribe now, I am sharing my list of 25 Things to Do in the Waiting Room.  I hope this will help if you feel stuck and forgotten in the waiting room!

Hope from History: Resources

Hi friends! To accompany my recent thoughts on getting God's perspective on the past, here is a little list of resources I have used to get informed and increase my level of hope for the future!

...and my talk Hope for the Nations is now available online!

I pray your expectation is stirred and that you experience God ministering to you personally as you explore all that is on His heart for our nations!

Hope from History

Today I want to share what I have been thinking about regarding the power of history. All of us have history. The body of Christ has a history. Each of our nations has a history. But do these stories fill us with hope?

When I think of my past, what do I feel? Thankfulness, satisfaction, amazement? Or do I feel shame, guilt, or regret? How I see the past really matters. If I cannot see God’s involvement in my past, I usually struggle to expect His involvement in my future! If I have not received forgiveness for mistakes I made in the past, I have a hard time living in the blessing He wants to pour out on me today.

Like it or not, having the wrong version of the past holds me back from enjoying God’s plan for my future. If this resonates with you, might you want to take a moment right now to talk with God about your past? Ask Him to show you where He was in the moments He seemed absent. Ask Him to forgive you and reaffirm His love for you in spite of past failures.

I want to take this a step further: what about the Body of Christ? What about our respective nations? The Church has a remarkable history of revival. Likewise, each of our nations - as different as they may be - have stories of how God has intervened and used His people to change the course of history. When I forget God’s involvement in the history of my nation, it is harder for me to expect His involvement today. Yet, God calls me to “be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (Romans 12:12), knowing that “our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed”! (Romans 13:11)

I am eager to understand what God has in store for my nation.  It is important for me to increase my expectation for Him to fulfill the promises I read in the Bible. My number one way of growing my expectation is to study what He has already done! For me, that may involve reading about Christian revivals, watching a video, listening to a podcast, or having a conversation with someone who has a longer history with God than I do.  I have found that as I search through history, His glorious acts shine through and fill me with expectation for what He wants to do next.

Click here to see some resources I have used to get God's perspective on the past to increase my hope for the future!

Five things that could ruin your new year...and why they don't have to!

Dear friends, I have a question for you today: is there anything holding you back from stepping into your dreams for the new year?  If we want to have a fulfilling year, we must be brave enough to confront the little issues that seem to hold us back every time we embark on a new dream, a new plan, or a new adventure.

Vision

Some of us run into the same challenges over and over again - myself included! Past failures are no hindrance when we have a loving Heavenly Father who is ready to supply all our needs! Take a look at the checklist below. These could be your keys to a fulfilling year.

Lack of thankfulness

Thankfulness is a gateway into the Presence of God. If for no other reason than gaining access to His Presence, it is worth expressing thanks to Him. Thankfulness also enables us to overcome challenges and helps us to see our lives from Heaven’s perspective. This is extremely valuable if we want to achieve our goals this year!

I am so glad our Father has given us the Holy Spirit who leads us into all truth, including truths that spark thankfulness. If you need more strength and hope this year, it may be that the Holy Spirit wants to give you a thankfulness upgrade!

Lack of a strategy

I am sure you have some great ideas of what you would like to do this year. Maybe God has already spoken clearly about what He has in store. But how will you act on the direction you have received? Will you pair your good expectations with the necessary steps to fulfill the vision He has put in your heart?

All projects start with God! He is also an expert at bringing things to completion. It is extremely important to talk with Him as we plan our year and prepare to take action: He wants to talk to us not only about what will happen by the end of the year, but what He would like us to do in order to get there. He is also the great time manager and knows just how much we can handle in a day. Who better to plan with?

Lack of forgiveness

Your heart is a priceless treasure which the Bible urges you to guard diligently. When somebody causes you pain, neglecting to forgive that person can cause you more pain than they caused you in the first place! It is impossible to fully experience God’s blessings when we are holding someone else’s sins against them. Though forgiveness may feel difficult at first, it is worth it for the freedom and peace that God pours into our lives when we say “yes” to this foundational requirement.

It may surprise you to know that sometimes, the person we most need to forgive is God! This may be true for you if you experienced disappointment last year. We can unwittingly begin to feel that it was God who let us down. Forgiving Him means choosing to no longer hold things against Him, so that we can receive His help and rebuild our connection with Him.

Lack of connection

Some of us have been through times in life when we felt alone. Maybe you have gotten used to this feeling and no longer believe you need others in order to be successful. The reality is, learning to give and receive will enable us all to soar higher than we could alone. Think about it: even a menial or unpleasant job can be fun when we have the company of friends!

Not only do we need companionship: we need wisdom, and resources. The Bible warns us that without advisers, plans fail. We need to learn to be open and vulnerable with others, so we can receive what God has put in them for us, whether it be an encouraging word, a practical gift or a much-needed honest opinion. Sometimes, it feels scary or embarrassing to share our dreams and goals. However, it is worth the risk!

Lack of rest

Sometimes I do not realize how tired I am until I stop and rest for a moment. Have you had that experience? Modern society discourages us from rest. There is an unspoken law that says we must be working and productive 7 days a week in order to reach our goals. If we are not careful, we will consider it a waste to enjoy time with God, family and friends. Let’s not fall into that trap, lest we miss out on some of the most fulfilling moments in life.

Some of us have been robbed of rest not just during the day but also at night. Many people suffer from insomnia, while others have not incorporated a healthy amount of sleep into their lifestyle. If this is the case for you, be encouraged that your Heavenly Father plans for your nighttime hours to be a time of rest and refreshing for your body, soul and spirit. You may want to check out my message Shifting Nightmares to Dreams for more help in this area.

I hope that as you read through this, the Holy Spirit has highlighted some areas in which He wants to bring you transformation. He plans to prosper you this year, and to help you overcome every obstacle that could hold you back from your goals and desires. True fulfillment begins and ends in relationship with Him.

For more help in moving forward this year, you might want to take a look at Prep 7. This online workbook is designed to help you get a fresh understanding of God's heart and His plans for you as well as practical steps for a successful year. It's available until January 31st.

Remember that no matter your age, experience or IQ level, you have an important role to play in your family, your church, your community and your world! This January, will you take the time to get alone with God and find out what He has in store for the next 344 days? There is still time to get prepared, and make this a truly fulfilling year.

Abundant blessings, Faith

Get access to Prep 7!

Hi friends! I am really excited to announce that I am sharing a free chapter from Prep 7 with my subscribers!

Prep 7 is a seven session downloadable workbook designed to help you:

  • Get a fresh understanding of God's heart and His plans for you
  • Celebrate the joys of last year
  • Get free of burdens that could prevent you from looking to the future
  • Create vision and practical steps toward a successful year

If you'd like to receive your free chapter, it's not too late to hop on board! Subscribe to my newsletter here and you'll receive a link, straight to your inbox.

I pray that as you explore the workbook, you will be filled with a joyful expectation of all Father God has in store for this coming year. I pray that as you utilize these tools, you will experience God's love on a deeper level and be encouraged to make this your most successful year yet! 

Abundant blessings!