press toward the mark

I sense a weariness in the Church today. I come to you with a word of encouragement.

First, the battle is not YOURS. I hear the Lord speaking clearly that this battle is His. He’s calling us to fast, pray, worship, and watch for His mighty hand of deliverance.

Many of you know this is beyond human hands but you are worrying. You are trying to figure it out. You are trying to hear “a good report” or even “a bad report” just so you KNOW something.

I hear your Beloved calling you away to a sacred place—a place of protection, provision, and protection.

He wants to pull you away to refresh you, refill you, renew a right spirit in you, and revive you.

He wants for you to silence the many voices so you can hear Him as He speaks to you His strategies and plans.

He knows you feel that feeling of protectiveness for Him, Christianity, your country, and your president, however He has got this.

This is not another election—it’s a battle of good and evil.

The enemy has his fingerprints all over this—he is the thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy and this time he has overplayed his hand. He has been caught. He will have to pay back.

I see the turnaround coming in like a huge wave. I keep seeing a wave like a tsunami. It will come in with a red wave. The red wave I am seeing is the blood of Christ that will be pouring over this nation and ultimately this world.

This red wave is bringing revival. It is bringing sons and daughters HOME. It is bringing healing. It is bringing unity. It is bringing salvation to those who have been seeking for the real thing but not finding it. It is bringing justice—RIGHTNESS restored. It is bringing a flood of identity, power, and purpose.

This is a time to worship. Worship wins the battle. Worship wins the war.

Habakkuk 3 will be your war cry:

“Yet, I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the [victorious] God of my salvation! The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]! Habakkuk 3: 18-19

Remember 2 Chronicles 20? In this passage, King Jehoshaphat is sent “a bad word” that a “great multitude” was coming against him and his people.

Defeat appeared to be definite.

BUT GOD!!

God had already placed His man in leadership and Jehoshaphat did the RIGHT thing…he immediately “…set himself determinedly, as his vital need, to seek the Lord.”

He proclaimed a fast in the whole land. What was the Word of the Lord? What was the answer for the battle that was on the horizon?

Look at it in 2 Chronicles 20:

The Lord says this to you: ‘Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Go down against them tomorrow. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the river valley, in front of the Wilderness of Jeruel. 17 You need not fight in this battle; take your positions, stand and witness the salvation of the Lord who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.’”

Stick with me…

So they go out the next day. Keep reading…

20 So they got up early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe and trust in the Lord your God and you will be established (secure). Believe and trust in His prophets and succeed.” 21 When he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the Lord and those who praised Him in their holy (priestly) attire, as they went out before the army and said, “Praise and give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy and lovingkindness endure forever.”

Praise!
Give thanks!
Worship!
This is their military plan!

It did not make sense. It sounded so absurd. Their enemies were gathered all around and were ready to destroy them.

Praise?
Give thanks?
Worship?

Yes! Praise! Give thanks! Worship!

Then look what happened:

22 When they began singing and praising, the Lord set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were struck down [in defeat]. 23 For the sons of Ammon and Moab [suspecting betrayal] rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, completely destroying them; and when they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
24 When [the men of] Judah came to the lookout tower of the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude, and behold, they were dead bodies lying on the ground, and no one had escaped. 25 When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found much among them, including equipment, garments, and valuable things which they took for themselves, more than they could carry away; so much that they spent three days gathering the spoil.

What a way to battle!!

Before we go on—God takes attacks against His beloved very serious. He is clear that those who bless His people will be blessed and those who curse His people will be cursed. Those who attack His children will be battling HIM. HE is the Almighty God. He warns not to touch His anointed.

What happens?
He battles for His family.
He wins.
He is the Almighty God!

No one, no power, no principality can come against Him and prevail.

We have a culture with a segment of people who have exalted themselves above Him and disregard His precepts, His will, and His ways. They have set their faces against His church. They spew hate and lies against those He anoints for positions of leadership. They need to look at the writing in the wall—their days are numbered. Their eternity is at risk. Their party is coming to an end and they will come up short—total defeat!
There is also a word for us today in this passage.

The Spirit of the Lord came upon them. He instructed them to do just a few things:

Show up to the battlefield.
Stand still.
Watch God battle for them.
SING AND PRAISE God!

I believe that God is calling His bride to pull apart and prepare to fight like HIS VIRTUOUS WARRIOR!

His church IS a virtuous warrior!
Her days of silence are over!
Her days of slumber are over!

She has not been faithful to fight the good fight. She has conformed to the world. She has come back battered and abused. However, I hear a cry that it’s time for the church to make herself ready!

Redemption is hers!
Reconciliation is hers!
Restoration is hers!

She knows her identity.
She knows her position.
She knows what she possesses.
She knows her power.
She knows her protection.
She knows the One Who fights FOR HER!

It’s time for her to arise!

It’s time for her to fight the good fight!

It’s time for an awakening that will be an unprecedented and unconventional outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the Church is to be the vessels carrying Him forth!

I see her going into the enemy’s camps setting captives free and empowering them to take their position in the army of God.

I see her blowing forth a revival fire! The revival that has been moving across this country has lit little fires compared to what is coming! I see those fires growing into wild fires! Uncontrollable and never ending wild fires! These fires will cover this country. Every person has a choice—become the fire or be burned by the fire. The church is being activated to carry forth revival fires.

I see the wounded arising. Their wounds will become weapons against the enemy. They will step out of their victim identity into beloved identity and rebuild the streets and desolations of generations.

Now is not the time for weariness. It is the time to rest.
We rest not because we are tired or not enough. We rest because our God has a different way He does things than our world. He commands rest so we have a full assurance that HE is enough for whatever we face.

My friend, rest.

Pull aside.
Fast from what is filling you full of fear, doubt, unbelief—fasting breaks it’s hold so you can get above it.
Seek His presence.
Seek to hear His heart.
Press in to hear a his strategies.
Let Him fill you back up with His Word and in worship.

Then….
Show up to the battlefield.
Stand still.
SING
PRAISE God!
Watch God battle!