Six Things God is Doing in the World
As Greta and I have travelled this year, people have asked us what God is doing in the world at present. We don’t know everything he is doing, but some observations are:
God is awakening the world to a greater God-consciousness through global shakings in preparation for a great harvest of lost souls. These shakings are not his judgments of wrath (reserved for the end of time) but judgments of discipline to correct and awaken a world that has become shameless in its evil doing and rejection of God’s truth. (God’s plan A is always love and mercy to lead people to himself. But if they reject him, then plan B is discipline.) Job 14:7-9 says, "If a tree is cut down, there is hope that it will sprout again. Though its roots have grown old in the earth, and its stump decays, yet at the scent of water it may bud and sprout again like a new seedling.” There is hope for the world that the tree stump of God consciousness can grow again which will bring greater openness to the gospel.
God is awakening the church from spiritual sleepiness and prayerlessness. There is a shout from heaven and an alarm clock is sounding – alarms are meant to wake us up not scare us. The fires of prayer and mission are being lit in those who fervently desire for this world to be reached. While all ages will be involved, the younger generation will be especially impacted.
There is a renewed focus on Jesus. Our eyes will more and more centre on him, and less and less on ourselves and peripherals. A fresh revelation of him will help to rouse many from passive Christianity. May the Holy Spirit draw us increasingly into a simple and pure devotion to Christ.
There is a fresh honouring of the Holy Spirit in many churches, with a resultant increase in his presence and power.
There are the stirrings of a fresh move of worship that is in spirit and truth, not form. At times, worship may be prolonged and will release people into encounters with God. Also, believers will increasingly see their sacrificial service to God in all spheres of life as acts of worship (Romans 12:1). When I was caregiver to my first wife Jane, who was disabled with multiple sclerosis, Jesus once said to me, “Your service to Jane is worship to me.” Worship is not only in song; it is in service too.
There is a shift from churches being pastoral to churches being apostolic. The pastoral is rightly concerned with church growth and health. The apostolic is concerned not only with that but also with community and national transformation, and Kingdom expansion into all society. An apostolic mind-set thinks, “How can I make a difference?” rather than, “How can my needs be met?” Any church can access an apostolic anointing if they ask for it.
In Chris Tomlin’s song Awakening he sings:
In our hearts, Lord, in this nation awakening;
Holy Spirit, we desire awakening. Like the rising sun that shines, from the darkness comes a light; I hear your voice say, ‘This is my awakening.’
A prophetic cry for where the world is right now. May we be alert and prayerful to see this come to pass.