Where to from here?

It is the beginning of a new year and we thank God for keeping us. We recently celebrated Christmas and have now entered into 2022. Within Christmas is locked so much majesty and awe and a new year holds hope for a fresh start filled with promise. Some of us however find ourselves in a space that is not as hopeful as we would like. On one hand our hearts are full with family, food and festive cheer but on the other hand lies the uncertainty of tomorrow. As hard as we may try, we cannot forget that we live in an unusual time with much sorrow, loss and hardship. As we have spent the last year trying to be there for our family and friends who have been hurting, while trying to keep ourselves together, some of us enter the new year rather tired. Maybe even exhausted. One on hand we are aware of the promised revival and on the other hand we instinctively know that the hardships are not over.

How do we navigate through this? Are we heading for the promise or for dark days? Will we see revival or judgement?  We will see both, together. It will all happen at once, and while some may experience darkness, the remnant of God, those who dwell in His secret place are heading for the fulfilment of things promised. The Lord has not left us unprepared, so there is a strategy to survive what comes next. God does nothing on the earth unless he reveals it to His prophets (Amos 3:7), which means that an intimate relationship with Him is essential. Not the kind that boasts of how God is our best friend and how we talk to Him all the time about everything. Rather, true intimacy lies in the kind of relationship where two people talk and both people listen. While God is our friend and loves us dearly, He is also God and we should never become so familiar that we lose a reverential fear of the God who created all things, and destroy the same. Our intimacy with Him lies in knowing His heart and His ways, and knowing that while He is gracious and merciful, He is also fair and loves justice. It is in intimacy, that secrets are shared, secrets and strategies for survival. As we watch Him shake all that can be shaken, may we not become overcome with fear, but rather be reminded that He is God, and beside Him is no one. (Isaiah 43:11).

‘Even from eternity I am He, and there is no one who can rescue from My hand. I act, and who can revoke or reverse it?’- Isaiah 43:13, AMP

We find ourselves in a season where God, through exposure, is splitting all things down the middle. There is a split between the true believers and the fake. There is a split between true prophets and the fake. It will be evident as God reveals those who have a relationship with Him and those who claim they do, for He will not know them.

We cannot pray away what Jesus himself said would happen, but it is not all gloomy, at least not for His remnant. With every sign in the heavens and on earth, with every natural disaster, with every plague, with every sorrow, ours is to lift up our head and be on watch because with every sign our redemption draws close.

“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” – Luke 21:25-28, NKJV

All that can be shaken will be shaken (Hebrews 12:27). There is a purpose for the shaking. For those not with God, the shaking will reveal weak foundations, and uproot all that was done outside the will of God. For those who dwell in the secret place the shaking will cause an awakening. We are in the last of the last days, clearly. When we think of the parable of the ten virgins, we accept this parable as representation of how the rapture will occur. If we study this parable, we realise that before the rapture or beginning of the wedding feast, we get a glimpse the Lord as He draws near. He draws close enough to see, and alert us. Let us recap the parable.

‘Now while the bridegroom was delayed, they all began to nod off, and they fell asleep. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look!’ The bridegroom [is coming]! Go out to meet him. Then all those virgins got up and put their lamps in order [trimmed the wicks and added oil and lit them]. But the foolish virgins said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out. But the wise replied, ‘No, otherwise there will not be enough for us and for you, too; go instead to the dealers and buy oil for yourselves.’ But while they were going away to buy oil, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut and locked. Later the others also came, and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open [the door] for us.’ But He replied, ‘I assure you and most solemnly say to you, I do not know you [we have no relationship].’ Therefore, be on the alert [be prepared and ready], for you do not know the day nor the hour [when the Son of Man will come]. – Matthew 25:5-13, AMP

We see in this parable that bridegroom (Jesus) had been delayed and that caused His bride to fall asleep. Asleep, or complacent and haphazard, compromising in her faith, to accept a watered down gospel. From the beginning of the parable (Matthew 25:1-5), we know that 5 virgins were wise enough to take extra oil for their lamps, while 5 virgins were foolish and had no extra oil. If this parable depicts the second coming of the Lord, then we see that the second coming cannot be one sudden event where the bride is raptured without a major sign preceding it. It rather reveals a gracious God, who alerts first and then arrives. At midnight there was an alert to say that the bridegroom was on His way, and all the sleeping virgins got up to meet Him. Thus, an awakening precedes the second coming. The only problem was that not all who were awakened were taken into the wedding feast. The reason was that 5 did not have enough oil to keep the light on! Between the wedding feast and the awakening was enough time for the wise and foolish virgins to have a conversation but not enough time to for the foolish to then decide they needed more oil.

Oil in the bible is often used as one of the symbols of the Holy Spirit, and represents the presence of the Holy Spirit. The presence of the Holy Spirit brings the power of God. (Acts 1:8). How do we get oil? Well, we can try to buy it like the foolish virgins, but then the bridegroom might come while we are in the que at the shop.  How else can we get oil? A process of crushing. No short cuts, no waiting for a half-price sale, but allowing God to process us by grinding and crushing us until oil flows. It is also this process that purifies us so that we may have intimacy with God. These past few years have been difficult, but all that crushing had purpose. Extra oil is essential because a relationship with Him is the only way to survive, literally.

We are good at quoting Psalm 91. As soon as trouble arises, Psalm 91 is read, prayed and declared. It is plastered on every social media platform to be liked and shared. This action however, cannot protect us. Reading it and posting it is not enough because Psalm 91 is conditional, and not a standing promise for whoever will post it on their status. The condition is outlined at the beginning so it is clear.

‘He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will remain secure and rest in the shadow of the Almighty [whose power no enemy can withstand]. -  Psalm 91:1, AMP

‘He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.’ – Psalm 91:1, KJV

The condition is that we dwell in the shelter of the Most High, the secret place. First, we must know where the secret place is by diligently seeking, and then we must dwell in this place. This requires effort. We are accustomed to visiting the secret place if and when we please or only if we need something. God is holy and in order to dwell in His presence we must pursue holiness, easier said than done because it requires denial of the flesh. But if we dwell in His secret place then Psalm 91 is our legal right and personal promise.

Yes, there are dark times ahead. We sometimes fear darkness because we cannot see well in darkness. But when it is dark, God moves because He is light. At the beginning when darkness covered the earth, the Spirit of God moved (Genesis 1:2). And in the darkness of the midnight hour ahead of the rapture, the lord begins to move so that His bride can wake up. We see then that darkness is only a problem if you don’t know God. Further, the bible teaches that hidden in darkness are treasures.

‘I will give you the treasures of darkness [the hoarded treasures]…’- Isaiah 45:3, AMP

On this first day of a new year let us be reminded that with every sign we see on this earth, we are drawing closer to redemption and the Lord moves toward us. Let us not sleep or slumber in our faith and passion to pursue God and His purpose. Let us represent Him with the excellence He deserves, demonstrating His power and glory. He is nearer than we think and very close. He is not silent, not in this season and would love to have a conversation with us… if we have the time!

I pray, in the name of Jesus our saviour, the name by which we can enter boldly into the throne of grace. I pray that we will understand the urgency of the time and resolve to advance the kingdom of God without delay. I pray that we move forward with renewed strength and ignited passion for our first love. I pray that old dreams are brought back to remembrance and unfulfilled prophecies come back on the table as God puts justice on the agenda. In this season, as God moves quickly to complete His word, may we move at His pace and with His rhythm, in partnership so that His will and plan is accomplished in our lives, in the lives of those around us and in the land. May our prayers be sealed and covered by the blood of Jesus, Amen.