FRESH REVELATION

Whenever the Lord does something new in the earth – why is it that only a few people seem to understand it?

Archives

November 2011

And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy (Acts 2:17-18)

Fresh revelation never fits into the current status quo. Fresh revelation often challenges our religious comfort zones and forces us to re-think patterns and belief systems. True revelation often produces conflicts. Those who have a vested interest in the current traditions and religious system are many times the most vocal against the new revelation. It was the religious leaders who resisted Jesus and the apostles (John 11:47-48; Acts 14:1-4). Jesus himself pointed out that there is only one force, one stronghold that “sets aside” and “nullifies” the revealed will of God – human traditions (cf. Mark 7:1-23; cf., Frank Viola, Reimagining Church, p. 42).

To some, fresh revelation is no more than ‘religious information’. These people often have a ‘take it or leave it’ attitude. They ‘take it’ if they receive some personal benefit, but ‘leave it’ if they have to leave their comfort zones. They forget that God does not give suggestions. He expects us to obey His Word. Our comfort is not His motivation – the accomplishment of His will is.

In the last days, God promised that He would pour out His Spirit upon ALL flesh. The evidence will be dreams, visions and prophecy. Some of the prophetic utterances is the release of fresh insight into the purposes of God for this season. Pouring out His Spirit is 'God-Speaking' His purpose for the His Church. His purpose has already been revealed in scripture (Genesis 1:28; Ephesians 3:10-11), however how it will be manifested is being released as we are able to handle it. What we consider 'fresh revelation' is in fact the unveiling of God's already established will for this generation. The problem is that we often become so enamored with the last revelation that we become blinded to any new truth.

Again, fresh revelation that is new to us has always been in the mind of God. He desires “…to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:9). Our carnal nature, our traditions, our fear of losing our position in the church, and satan often blinds us from seeing what God is saying. God will never stop revealing His purposes and His will. You must decide if you will hear and obey.

The church as we know it is in transition. This is a prophetic fact. The Barna Group has done research showing a growing restlessness among believers in the traditional church. Two of their articles that explore church attendance and the growing house church attendance are recommended reading. In the mind of many, there is something missing in the church. People are seeking a more meaningful experience in church.

Is there something we are missing? Yes, it is the New Testament Church. It is the church we see demonstrated in scripture. It is a church that is governed by elders, developed by ministry gifts and where the believers primarily gather in homes rather than dedicated buildings (Acts 2:46; 14:23; Ephesians 4:11-12). It is a church where the Kingdom Mandate is a lifestyle (Genesis 1:28). This type of church has always been in the mind of God, even though to us it may seem to be new.

What causes us to miss all that God is pouring out? It is our traditions and our flesh. For the natural man is not able to take in the things of the Spirit of God: for they seem foolish to him, and he is not able to have knowledge of them, because such knowledge comes only through the Spirit (1Corinthians 2:14 Bible in Basic English). Fresh revelation regarding the structure of the New Testament Church is being released by God through apostles and prophets (Ephesians 3:5). I am one of many with a mandate to release this revelation in the earth. You must determine how much your traditions rule you. Only you can determine how you will respond to what God is speaking.

The Apostle Paul prayed that your eyes will be open to see all that God is doing in the earth today (Ephesians 1:17-20). Are you committed to obeying God at all cost. I believe you are. Yes, the revelation being released in the earth regarding the Church may be new to you, but rest assured that God has your best interest in his heart. How will you respond?

Ask yourself: If you found that you were not doing something that the bible said you should be doing – what sacrifices would you make to obey God?

---