So what is God saying to His church? How do we interpret the cultural and spiritual skies that are overhead?

Allow me to take you back for a moment to the turn of the last century when God was pouring out His Spirit in Topeka, Kansas and Azusa Street in Los Angeles. The two most influential men in this fresh visitation of God that began in about 1903 were Charles Parham and William Seymour. Both were mightily used by the Lord to re-introduce the baptism in the Holy Spirit, along with His gifts, to the church in America. Thousands and thousands of people came to Christ, were healed, set free from sin and filled with the power of the Spirit. This revival absolutely changed the spiritual landscape of America and beyond.

Fast forward to 1910. This move of God was coming to a close. It was that year, according to historians, both men prophesied about the future of America. By this time, these men no longer worked or served together. Their prophecies were independent of each other, neither knowing what the other had spoken on behalf of Spirit that had inspired them.  Both Parham and Seymour prophesied the following in 1910. One hundred years from now, God will once again pour out His Spirit upon America in a way that exceeds this revival.  Of course, that would bring us to 2010.

If true, what will this outpouring look like? How will we recognize it and how and where will it begin? I believe it will be completely different from the early 1900’s. Today, we have experienced the fullness of the work of the Spirit in churches across America.  Thankfully, we still have thousands of churches in every major city and small town that have an expression of God’s Spirit in their midst each time they gather. I suspect the outpouring that the Lord may have for us 100 years later is much different in scope and purpose.

I am convinced it will be an outpouring of the Spirit’s love and bidding for lost souls.  Could God be preparing His Church for a fresh baptism of love and compassion for those who are still outside of His grace. Is God preparing to visit His people with a spirit of goodness and grace that has the potential to change the world?  Romans 2:4 says that it is the goodness of God that leads men to repentance.

One of the most underrated and unheralded fruits of the Spirit is goodness. Simple goodness. The genuine act of being good to someone other than yourself. What would happen in America if the millions and millions of Christians in our country were on a mission: to be good.  To be good to those in the church. To be good to those outside the church. What if we helped?  What if we cared? What if we asked?  What if we gave? What if we comforted? What if we eased? What if we were good? 

Really good.

My guess is it wouldn’t be long before our churches would be crowded and overflowing with lost sheep brought home. I suspect a move of God’s grace and goodness would never be confined to one “meeting” or geographical location. What could make this greater than Azusa would be the breadth of influence from Seattle to Miami… from LA to New York of course to the nations of the world.

One more thing. What if this move of God’s goodness had the touch of the Spirit upon it as well?

What if the Lord gave you a word of knowledge about a neighbor that had lost their job? So you invite them over for dinner and coffee. At an appropriate time, you share that word with them and ask them if it is true? Bewildered, they confide it is true. You follow with compassion and the offer of prayer for a better job. (Who would say no to this?) Then before leaving that night, you show a simple act of goodness.  You give them a card with a couple hundred dollars tucked inside with a note about Christ’s love for them. What do you think the effects of that evening might be in their lives? I wonder where that couples thoughts will turn when the Lord leads them to that new job? I wonder if that card and gift might change any previous attitudes they had towards the church? I wonder how long it would be before they receive Christ into their lives?

I believe the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is about to enter into its finest hour. The Spirit is ready and willing to inspire and equip us with all we need to arrest the attention of the world we live in and proclaim the greatest goodness… that Jesus died on a cross, paid for our sins, rose from the dead, conquered death and hell and offers eternal life to the worst of us.

The power of the Acts 2 outpouring pushed the disciples out and closer to their world, not father away. May we experience the same kind of outpouring and power today.

Categories: Church •General •Holy Spirit •Spiritual Formation •Thoughts
Tags: church • america • life • mission • power • time • land • grace • god • jesus
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