Revival and Awakenings Volume Two E-Book

Riaan Engelbrecht

• Herausgeber: Riaan Engelbrecht
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

Volumes one and two of Revival and Awakenings (part of the End-Time Series) explore what is a real revival and a spiritual awakening. Prophetically, it delves into what God has been saying for a long time, which is that the Lord will sweep the earth with revival in the end times which will ignite many followers with His holy fire. What will this revival look like? This is the big question, and one would rather say it will not be a singular event, but a sequence of Godly movements across the globe that will be infectious, contagious and real. In an awakening, the Holy Spirit gives unbelieving people - who are dead in their trespasses and sins -a new awareness of their needs. A revival is connected to the people of God and it is when those who are in churches - those who are professing believers - are ministered to by the Holy Spirit in such a way that they are renewed in their devotion to the Lord. The time is ripe for the one final great harvest, yet this calls for the revived church, full of the fire of the Holy Spirit, to go into the fields, to awaken the lost and the forgotten and broken, and to bring them into the loving embrace of a God who is full of compassion, grace and mercy. This is the time of spiritual latter rains, and now is the time to welcome the embrace of a God who is real, alive, and who calls us all into His arms to reflect His beauty and greatness. It is not God’s Will that any soul should perish, but that all men should come to the knowledge of God and be saved. God is calling on all believers to cast their net in the deep for the harvest of souls.

Leseprobe

Series of work by the same author:

––––––––

Perilous Times

In Pursuit of God

The Holy Spirit

The Disciple of God

Deliverance

Crossroads to Freedom ­­­

The Kingdom of God

The Prophetic

Apologetics

The Vine

End-Time Remnant

­­

Table of Contents

Title Page

Revival and Awakenings Volume Two: Refreshing of the Latter Rains (End-Time Remnant, #2)

Revived in the goodness and joy of the Lord

Speak the truth of God fearlessly to spark revival

Let the song not die

Born out of the revival

The Balm of Gilead, a cure for all

Awakened and revived to God’s presence

Bent me Lord

Revived and a change of heart

Repentance and the great travailing

Fire to bring forth life out of the ashes

Revival’s thirst for righteousness

God is doing a new thing, are you ready?

Revived, no what?

Revived by the Word

Revival of power

Are we in revival or survival mode?

The devil loses another one

The coming amazement and uncertainty

The refreshing of the latter rains and the harvest

Water, abundant water!

Revived in our love for our First Love

The great spiritual exodus

Pray for revival

Sign up for Riaan Engelbrecht's Mailing List

Also By Riaan Engelbrecht

About the Author

Revival and Awakenings Volume Two: Refreshing of the Latter Rains

This is a distributed edition from Avishua Ministries.

The author’s intellectual property rights are protected by international Copyright law. You are licensed to use this digital copy strictly for your personal enjoyment only: it must not be redistributed or offered for sale in any form.

Scriptures quotes from the New Kings James Bible, Amplified, and the New International Version.

For more free study material and audio visit http://avishuaministries.wixsite.com/avishua

Table of Contents

Revived in the goodness and joy of the Lord

Speak the truth of God fearlessly to spark revival

Let the song not die

Born out of the revival

The Balm of Gilead, a cure for all

Awakened and revived to God’s presence

Bent me Lord

Revived and a change of heart

Repentance and the great travailing

Fire to bring forth life out of the ashes

Revival’s thirst for righteousness

God is doing a new thing, are you ready?

Revived, no what?

Revived by the Word

Revival of power

Are we in revival or survival mode?

The devil loses another one

The coming amazement and uncertainty

The refreshing of the latter rains and the harvest

Water, abundant water!

Revived in our love for our First Love

The great spiritual exodus

Pray for revival

Revived in the goodness and joy of the Lord

As we become revived, we become aware of the goodness and greatness of God. We are filled with joy, for God is indeed mighty and there is none like Him!

So what does it mean to be good? If we look at the world we live in these days, how much goodness is left anymore? To be good speaks of being morally excellent, virtuous, righteous, pious and showing high quality or excellent conduct. Jesus said in Luke 18 the following: “18 Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.” Yes, God is good. No one can deny it. No one can argue against it. He is glorious and wonderful! Take note, Jesus never said He wasn’t good. He simply stated that only God is good, which would include Jesus, the Son of God. Therefore, Jesus was not denying that He was good nor was He denying that He was God. Jesus most likely knew this man could not recognise Him as being God, rather someone to aid him in his quest for greater riches. Jesus actually wanted the man to think bit deeper, therefore, do some soul searching and realise that Jesus is God and the only goodness and wealth worth pursuing is God!

Paul says in “2 Thessalonians 1:11 Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power.” God only has good intentions towards His children. He wants us to be joyous, content, at peace and filled with His power. God has the following word for the captives who will face 70 years of captivity in Babylon: “Jeremiah 29:  11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Judah was punished for their idolatry and spiritual apostasy, yet God still intended for them to be restored as a people in His love, peace and hope.

During the drought, the Lord provided Elijah with food (1 Kings 17:2-16). During the time in the wilderness, God provided Israel with manna. Wherever you turn in the Bible, you will find God is good. Even at the time of creation, whenever God created something we read that “it was good”. God made the earth to be good. He made Adam and Eve to be good. The devil robbed that goodness, but we find our goodness again in God. One day, with the new heavens and new earth, God’s children will dwell in goodness again all the time. Joshua 21:45 says, “Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.” Amen. God is faithful. He is good so give Him praise!

Luke 6:38 says, “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” Our spiritual life is very much about reaping what we sow. If we sow goodness, we shall reap goodness. To be good harms no one. It only produces kindness and promotes love.

Paul encourages Timothy with the following advice: “1 Timothy 4:12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” Our conduct speaks of our character and behaviour. As disciples of God, the world must see our goodness in our actions. It must be evident in our conduct and how we behave and speak.

I love what it says in “Psalm 50:23: Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.” The Amplified Bible says it as follows: “He who offers a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving honors Me; and to him who orders his way rightly [who follows the way that I show him], I shall show the salvation of God.” We need to order our way in righteousness, moral excellence and virtuous godliness so that the world may see God’s light shine in us. And such light is the reflection of God’s saving power within us, and His Presence that shines bring in those who are redeemed by the precious Blood of the Lamb. Yes, we are called to be good, for God is God just as God is holy!

Paul speaks of leaving behind the old man, therefore our ways and conduct as determined by the world. It says in “Ephesians 4: 20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” To walk in righteousness and holiness speaks of goodness, and it speaks of walking in a manner that glorifies and exalts God.

A definition of being good is to have the required qualities, therefore of a high standard. Such qualities pertain to our moral standards. It speaks of our values. Everything God does is good, and the evidence of such goodness is seen on the cross when Jesus died for our sins. Psalm 139 says, “23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; 24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” We must earnestly seek God so that the Lord may lead us in goodness so that we may be good. Yes, our goodness must glorify the goodness of God!

Yes, God is good. His mercy never fails us. He holds us, He loves us and He is faithful. If we really pause to consider the goodness of God, we shall sing of His praises all the time. Every time we breathe, it is because of the goodness of God! Yes, God was there to lead us through the fire. He is our deliverer, Savour, redeemer and strength. He is our Father, our friend and our hope and joy every day.

As the Holy Spirit works in our lives, our character is transformed. In the areas of our lives where we once held onto sin, which reflects our human nature, we can now possess the fruits of the Spirit and reflect God’s character. One of the fruits of the Spirit is goodness. We have to remember that goodness is action; it’s not something we do only for the sake of being virtuous. When we strive to be “good” only for our own benefit, it is not truly goodness that we possess. In Greek, the word goodness, “agathosune,” means “an uprightness of heart and life.” It speaks of active goodness, virtue, excellence or beneficence.  God’s goodness has extended to all mankind through the sacrifice of Jesus.

When we act out of the true goodness of the heart and reflect the fruit of the Spirit, we are obedient to God’s commandments and seek the benefit of others. Our actions come from a place of selflessness, and we place the needs of others before our own. The life of Jesus Christ is the perfect example of goodness, as He died on the cross for the sins of humanity in order to give us the gift of eternal life. No one else has been as good as Jesus. Everything Jesus did was good, but Hi goodness was always to help others. And so He fed the hungry, healed the sick, delivered the oppressed ad shared the Good News. Yes, the Gospel is the Good News for it declares the goodness of a good God!

Peter, a disciple of Jesus, talks about the goodness of Jesus’ ministry in Acts 10:38: “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” In addition, Jesus is called the “good shepherd” in Scripture, because He laid down His life for His sheep. Just as God is good, we are called to be good by loving Him above all and loving others.

Goodness is not about doing elaborate things to gain recognition. Oftentimes, it is the small acts of goodness we do throughout our day that mean the most to those around us. It is in these acts of goodness that we reflect Christ’s character and possess the fruit of the Spirit. While it may seem like no one notices, God does. Ultimately, when we show goodness, we bring glory to God’s name.

In the long line of evil kings in Israel and Judah, King Hezekiah stands out as one of the only good kings. He showed goodness through his actions and decrees, and his goodness was rooted in his love for God. In 2 Chronicles 29, Hezekiah became king and reopened the Lord’s temple, cleansed it, and commanded his people to worship God again. Verse 2 says, “he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done.” Hezekiah committed himself to the Lord. He said, “Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the LORD, the God of Israel” “(2 Chronicles 29:10). Out of his love for God, Hezekiah made choices and decrees that led all of the Israelites to worship God again. His good actions were caused by his heart that loved and honored God, a heart that was full of goodness.

Esther, a Jewish woman, became queen. Her husband King Xerxes didn’t know she was Jewish, and his evil associate Haman planned to kill all of the Jews. Esther had a choice: she could stand up for what was right and risk her life to protect God’s people, or she could ignore their plight and stay safe. Esther did the good and right thing: she told the king, and he listened to her and the Jewish people were saved. Esther’s goodness led her to do the right thing, and God saved his people through her actions.

Ultimately, there is no greater story reflecting goodness that the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37).  Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan to share with his followers what it means to be a good neighbor, to “love your neighbor as yourself.” In the parable (a short story Jesus told to illustrate a point), a man was attacked by robbers and left to die. A priest and Jewish man both passed by, but a Samaritan stopped to help the man. (Jews and Samaritans were enemies.) The Samaritan took the beaten man to an inn and paid for his care, which was an act of goodness, shown by the mercy and justice the Good Samaritan showed the stranger.

Matthew 5 says, “14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” To be good speaks of shining God’s light in a dark world of so much wickedness, corruption, evil and selfishness. We must be good sot that others will see our conduct. We will then be a light causing others to glorify the Father of goodness.

James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” God is good. He is complete holiness and purity. Since He is good, He shows goodness to His children. Therefore, as those who are the recipients of the good and perfect gifts of God, goodness toward others means generosity. It calls us to be merciful, to show compassion, kindness and to love. Such is the fruits of the Spirit. It means we recognize that God gives us good things so that we may be a blessing to others, therefore to be good.

In James 3:13 we read, “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.” It is wise to seek the path of goodness, and true goodness flows from our love and relationship with God. 1 Peter 1:15 says, “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.” Yes, our conduct must be holy so that we may glorify and exalt God. And in such holiness we find the goodness to exalt God.

It says in “Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Yes, God is God. For those who walk with God will find that goodness follows them. This is the truth of “Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever,” and also “Matthew 7: 7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! 12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”

David writes of the goodness of God:

Psalm 31:19 Oh, how great is Your goodness, Which You have laid up for those who fear You, Which You have prepared for those who trust in You In the presence of the sons of men!

Psalm 107:9 For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.

Psalm 107:15 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!

Exodus 33 says, “19 Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” Yes, God is God. In God’s Presence that passed before Moses is God’s goodness. For it says in “Exodus 34:6 And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth.” Praise God for His goodness!

Solomon says in Proverbs 2 about seeking after wisdom: “20 So you may walk in the way of goodness, and keep to the paths of righteousness.” Yes, it is wise to be good. It is foolish to be wicked! Proverbs 9:6 proclaims, “Forsake foolishness and live, and go in the way of understanding.” If we truly seek God’s wisdom and understanding, we shall walk in the goodness and live of God.

Listen to Paul’s strong words in “Romans 11:22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.” Paul makes it clear that those who seek God and His Presence, as Moses did, would know God’s goodness, a path of foolishness only leads to “severity” in action.

To be revived speaks of knowing God’s goodness, but it also means that we seek the path of goodness and to bear such fruit. For it brings joy to others, and it brings joy to God. And so, speaking of joy, it says in “Nehemiah 8:10 Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."

In a time when people seemingly are finding less joy and more stress, it is good to pause for a moment and consider where we find our joy. Even Christmas, once a joyous time of giving and family, has become rather chaotic and stressful as we run around trying to find the perfect present, trying to make arrangements for the family dinners and trying to get into the festive cheer.

What then gives us joy? Joy is described as a state of happiness while happiness in itself is described as a feeling of contentment. Joy is a state of being, which implies being joyous beyond fleeting emotional moments for your soul is content, while the other, happiness, is when we experience a moment of delight based on something happening externally or internally, but which is fleeting. We all experience constant moments of happiness, and we can even experience this throughout the day, but it comes and goes like the waves breaking on the shore.

What we truly should be seeking is that contentment in our spirit and soul of joy, which becomes a state of being. Joy, therefore, comes not from fleeting external or internal moments of happiness, but it comes from a spiritual assurance and a deep-seated hope in the Lord. This is why it is described as a fruit of the Spirit, for if we truly dwell in God’s Presence and walk in His Presence we shall be joyous. Why? Because God is good. God is great. He is an awesome Lord!

Only the Lord can lead us into that state of joy, for in Him we know and trust and have faith that we are safe with Him, that He leads us in goodness, that He is our salvation, that He is our source of provision and protection and that He loves us unconditionally. No matter what, no matter the pain or hurt or the tears or the sadness, God is with us and nothing will separate us from His love (Romans 8-35-29).

Paul writes in “Philippians 4: 10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Paul suffered much for the Kingdom, but he rejoiced in God and he was content. His joy was not based on his circumstances, but it was based on his relationship with a faithful God.

He also wrote in “Philippians 4 (NKJV) 1 Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved. 2 I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.  6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

He wrote in “Philippians 1: 3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; 7 just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. 8 For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

Charles Spurgeon said, "You cannot always be speaking His praise, but you can always be living His praise." Paul the Apostle lived God's praise. He only cared about God getting the glory by winning souls for Christ. This is significant considering the terrible trials and sufferings he went through. Here is a list that still falls short of all he suffered. It comes from 2 Corinthians 11:23-33: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, faced death often, from the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one, three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have been in the deep, in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren, in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in often fastings, in cold and nakedness, besides the other things, what comes upon me daily my deep concern for all the churches

Despite this, he wrote in “Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain,” and also “Philippians 3:7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” That's powerful. He used the words "everything," "surpassing," "all," and "rubbish." He was bound up in prison when he wrote this. Philippians is a letter of overwhelming joy and rejoicing, and encouragement for believers to do likewise.

In Acts 16 we read, “25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Paul was in prison, and those prisons were at the time more like dungeons that were filthy and smelled terrible. Yet in the darkness and in the grime, Paul still praised the Lord. This was an expression of joy, for his joy flowed from God’s goodness and greatness.

Shouldn’t we be joyous, implying being in a spiritual state of happiness, for the simple reason that God loves us, that He promises us eternal life, that we are known by Majesty and that every day we do not walk alone but that He walks with us! Should we not be joyous that no matter the obstacles and challenges facing us, no matter our fears and stresses, no matter how down we may get, that God is bigger than all our problems, that He is more than capable of carrying us through the storm and He is more than able to lead us to quiet rivers and green pastures.

Should we then not rejoice and be joyous knowing He is in control and that He knows the plans for us and He can make those plans come true? Where then do we find our strength? In fortune? In fame? In materialism? In knowledge? No, for these things are but fleeting and are not mightier than our internal and external struggles of seeking a state of contentment and peace. Only in God do we find our strength for He is our joy, hope and love. In Him we have the faith to confront life daily and to walk with our heads held high, for those who know Him are citizens of heaven and are called His children. So be joyous and rejoice for the God of all loves you, cares for you and knows about you! 

In Habakkuk, the prophet in chapter one bemoans the way of the wicked: “1THE BURDEN or oracle (the thing to be lifted up) which Habakkuk the prophet saw.  2O Lord, how long shall I cry for help and You will not hear? Or cry out to You of violence and You will not save?  3Why do You show me iniquity and wrong, and You look upon or cause me to see perverseness and trouble? For destruction and violence are before me; and there is strife, and contention arises. 4Therefore the law is slackened and justice and a righteous sentence never go forth, for the [hostility of the] wicked surrounds the [uncompromisingly] righteous; therefore justice goes forth perverted.”

Habakkuk was in a state of no joy. He was burdened and unhappy. The problem was, he was failing to see what God was seeing and knowing what God knew. He had also failed to hold onto God’s promises. And so the Lord answered:  “5Look around [you, Habakkuk, replied the Lord] among the nations and see! And be astonished! Astounded! For I am putting into effect a work in your days [such] that you would not believe it if it were told you. 6For behold, I am rousing up the Chaldeans, that bitter and impetuous nation who march through the breadth of the earth to take possession of dwelling places that do not belong to them. 7[The Chaldeans] are terrible and dreadful; their justice and dignity proceed [only] from themselves. 8Their horses also are swifter than leopards and are fiercer than the evening wolves, and their horsemen spread themselves and press on proudly; yes, their horsemen come from afar; they fly like an eagle that hastens to devour. 9They all come for violence; their faces turn eagerly forward, and they gather prisoners together like sand. 10They scoff at kings, and rulers are a derision to them; they ridicule every stronghold, for they heap up dust [for earth mounds] and take it. 11Then they sweep by like a wind and pass on, and they load themselves with guilt, [as do all men] whose own power is their god.”

The Lord tells Habakkuk to see and to be astonished! For the Lord informed Habakkuk of what He knew and was doing. It is no surprise that Habakkuk’s mood started to change:  “12Are not You from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O Lord, You have appointed [the Chaldean] to execute [Your] judgment, and You, O Rock, have established him for chastisement and correction.  13You are of purer eyes than to behold evil and can not look [inactively] upon injustice. Why then do You look upon the plunderer? Why are you silent when the wicked one destroys him who is more righteous than [the Chaldean oppressor] is?”

What a change in mood and hope and joy! Without a short space of time Habakkuk was first bemoaning their fate and was questioning God, and then the next moment he was praising God for His goodness and mercy. This is all because He had suddenly seen and understood the bigger picture and he was granted an insight into the work of the Lord. We then read in Habakkuk 3:17 and 18, "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall no herd be in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." (KJV) 

To be joyful is becoming so difficult at times with everything that is happening around us. We sit with financial conundrums while life in general is very hard. The Lord reminded me that the problem is that we keep on looking at the physical and not the spiritual. More specifically, we have to understand that if we truly “see” what God “sees” and “knows” what God “knows” then we will be most joyous and full of praise. We all know that is says that we walk by faith and not by sight, but so often we fail in this regard.

The Lord does give us word and revelations and dreams so that we can begin to understand and comprehend what He “sees” and “knows”. For example, a person who travels back in time will be very frustrated with the lack of technology. He would in the 50s be stuck without a computer, cellphones and modern equipment. How he would long to tell people that one day – yes one day – they will get to a point where such marvellous things such as fast vehicles and super televisions and microchips are available. But they would not understand him. They would not know what to make of his ramblings. But he would know for he had seen it and experienced it and so he has something to look forward to. And that process of looking forward speaks of a joy founded in the moment of expectancy but also a certainty.

Aren’t we then talking here about faith as well? Hebrews 11 (Amplified Bible) says, “1 NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].” We can find our joy when we place our faith in God, for God is always in control, never fails, never slumbers and never does anything wicket or cruel.

Take also for example a person who has made his first deposit on his house. He knows it will take 20 years to down pay the bond, but there is an expectancy and a certainty that when it is paid then the house belongs to him. And in that expectancy there is a joy and hope and something to look forward to, even though this person will go through 20 rather tough years, he still has something to strive for and live for.

Think of a woman who carries a child. It is a nine-month wait and it is not an easy nine months, but there is such expectancy and such anticipation for that child! 

So, when we consider the example of the man who has gone back in time and the pregnant woman, this is very much the same with God who is yesterday, today and tomorrow the same. You see, God knows already what is going to happen and thus what has already happened. If we can listen to His word for us and what He is saying now to the church, then there is an expectancy and anticipation that overflows into a sense of joy and hope. We can look forward to that down payment and that birth of a “child”, whatever the “child” may be!

Let me make this even clearer – we have to understand that what God has spoken about, has already happened! What has been spoken as already manifested in heaven but not yet in the natural realm. This is the crux of the Lord’s Prayer, for we must pray that His will be done on earth as it is already in heaven. What we are currently doing to His glory will eventually contribute and form part of the manifested outcome of God’s Sovereign Will, which will at the right time be brought forward from the supernatural to the natural realm.

This is why the Lord has shown for example the “spiritual” falling of Babylon in Revelation and also the city of Jericho, which speaks of spiritual strongholds. He has shown this to make us take joy this has already happened and because it has happened, we must take joy in it and get excited! Babylon has fallen – praise the Lord! Jericho comes down – praise the Lord! Indeed, our eyes might not see it, but our spiritual being can know it and sense it and believe it and hold onto it for God says so. Praise the Lord!

We just need to stand on God’s Word and believe, yet just believe and be expectant and joyful! For when Jesus said “it is done” on the cross, it meant all that has been written and will be said and be written has been DONE! It has been done for it has been done in the heavens but only needs to be manifested on earth!

And because we have such knowledge and can stand in faith, with faith being the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses], then surely we can joyful and full of hope.

But we need to stand upon God’s word. What will be done shall be done. For the Lord has spoken several times out of Ezekiel 12 which says in verse 25: “But I the LORD will speak what I will, and it shall be fulfilled without delay. For in your days, you rebellious people, I will fulfill whatever I say, declares the Sovereign LORD.’” And also verse 28: Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: None of my words will be delayed any longer; whatever I say will be fulfilled, declares the Sovereign LORD.’”

In Nehemiah chapter 8 we find Ezra reading the Law. This is after the walls have been rebuilt and the people had been brought back from exile out of Babylon. We read in verse 9: “Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

The people had no joy because they had failed to adhere to God’s Word and so they realised they had erred and for that reason found themselves in a predicament. But then Nehemiah speaks to them in verse 10 the following: “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” 11 The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.” 12 Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them. 13

Ah – can we see this? There was a moment of sadness, but then they were told to be joyous and to be merry. Why? The Lord had restored the people unto His Word and Ways! No longer were the people without joy because they were out of the will of God, but as soon as they were in the will of God and in the Word of God, then joy returned and they found such joy in His strength – therefore the infallible and constant nature of God. And they were able to celebrate because they now understood the words that had been made known to them. Indeed, there is rejoicing and gladness when we understand the words of the Lord that have been spoken over and to us – made to us personally and to the church.

I truly believe the reason why the Lord showed the future events of what will happen to Daniel is so that he and the people can take comfort out of it and be joyful in the strength of the Lord. For the Lord wanted to remind Daniel and the people that He is God and once your hope and faith rest in that certainty of His greatness, then why will one be fearful and one will be sceptical and be so full of doubt? For Daniel was made to understand that God will bring about these kingdoms and empires, but God will also bring them to their knees! Daniel can take hope and joy from what he saw for he understood God’s greatness.

Daniel was thus made to understand the future. And it was a future that has in most part manifested – the Persians, the Greeks and the Romans have come and gone. They have made their mark but were no match for God who said it will be so. How else for Daniel not to be hopeful and full of joy! Empires will rise, but they will fall. 

In Daniel 12, the prophets receive a final word about the end times: “1A“t that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.” 5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank. 6 One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?” 7 The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, “It will be for a time, times and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.” 8 I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, “My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?” 9 He replied, “Go your way, Daniel, because the words are rolled up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand. 11 “From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12 Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days. 13 “As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.”

Can we comprehend this? Daniel was made to understand what was spoken shall be for it has already taken place in the supernatural. There was no way that what was shown to Daniel will not take place. Daniel was reminded that God is always but always in control and that He alone is God. What a hope and what a joy! Daniel at the time was sitting in Babylon, but he was foreseeing a time of glory and hope. Right there in captivity Daniel could be joyful because the Lord had shown him and made him understand events to unfold, even though it was far in the future. And so Daniel could be full of hope and joy. There was expectancy and a hope and a joy of things to come! 

We are also reminded of the letters to the seven churches in Revelation, which speak of the following: “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Ah, we need to hear so that we can stand upon God’s Word and upon that word we need to remain firm in our action and course, for God’s Word shall not be delayed and shall not return empty unto Him. And when we listen to God’s Word and what He is saying, and if we stay true to our mandates, then surely we shall be full of joy and certainty for we can take our hope in God who never fails.

Alas, how sad when the Israelites went into the wilderness. A journey that should have lasted 11 days lasted 40 years. The Lord had said that they would enter the Promised Land. It was a done deal! Just walk and follow God. Just believe! But unfortunately, they failed to see what God was seeing and they failed to know what God knew about the journey ahead and the Promised Land.  They rather grumbled and complained and moaned, and ended up going through harsh times. And the more they failed to heed God, the worse their disillusionment and discouragement became until it ended in defeat for many.

We cannot allow the world and the devil to blind us to the promises of God. What has been spoken shall be, but we need to abide and remain in Him, and we need to remain faithful and obedient and true unto God. In the parable of the sower (Luke 8) Jesus said regarding the seed [spiritual word]: “6 Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”  We cannot allow what God is saying to us and to the church and what has been written in Scriptures to become buried under the thorns of life and neither can we allow our hearts to be hardened as we wait upon Him and as we wait upon the manifestation and the outcome of what has been said.

Too often we become discouraged and we become impatient because of the thorns of life, but so we lose “vision” and “focus” and we fail to “see” what God “sees” and to “know” what He “knows”. If this happens, we lose our joy. Joy is to hold on and to abide in God, to move with His Spirit and to keep on believing and having faith no matter what. God shall not fail and He is never late.

And the Lord also reminded me that everything we do in life is like a deposit towards that glorious manifestation and outcome as spoken over our lives and even to the Bride in general. As long as we remain and abide in God, we shall deposit assurance and certainty. It is like the man who makes his monthly deposit to pay off his house – he knows the deposit will allow him one day to own the house. And just so when we remain in Him then we make a deposit but such a deposit has primarily to do with our spiritual treasures and the promises in our lives. 

How we need to take joy in the Lord because He is a Lord who is faithful, true and everlasting. What He says will happen. But let us abide in Him and pursue Him and let us stand on His Word and hold onto His truths.

Psalm 42 says, “1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” 4 These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng. 5 Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. 6 My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. 8 By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.  9 I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?” 10 My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, “Where is your God?” 11 Why, my soul, are you downcast?  Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”

King David also writes the following:

Psalm 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.

Psalm 30:11 You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.

Psalm 33:1 Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.

Psalm 33:3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.

Psalm 35:27 May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, “The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant.”

Psalm 16:11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 30:5 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.

Psalm 32:11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

Psalm 33:3 Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy.

Psalm 35:9 And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; It shall rejoice in His salvation

David wrote a lot about the joy of the Lord, yet his life was not always joyous! David was a man pursued by Saul, by enemies and even by his family, yet God made him steadfast, strong and able to overcome all the odds. That is the greatness and goodness of God.

His entire life and his relationship with God is summed up in "2 Samuel 22: 21 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. 22 For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. 23 For all His judgments were before me; And as for His statutes, I did not depart from them. 24 I was also blameless before Him, and I kept myself from my iniquity. 25 Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness, According to my cleanness in His eyes. 26 “With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful; With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless; 27 With the pure You will show Yourself pure; And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd. 28 You will save the humble people; but Your eyes are on the haughty, that You may bring them down. 29 “For You are my lamp, O Lord; The Lord shall enlighten my darkness. 30 For by You I can run against a troop; By my God I can leap over a wall. 31 As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. 32 “For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? 33 God is my strength and power, And He makes my way perfect. 34 He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places. 35 He teaches my hands to make war, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 36 “You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your gentleness has made me great. 37 You enlarged my path under me; so my feet did not slip."

Glory to God! What a testimony of the greatness and the goodness of God. This sums up God – a deliverer, a protector and our strength. Indeed, who is like God? This is a God who took a fair-haired shepherd boy and turned him into a king. A boy who defeated a giant named Goliath. Others recall David as the wise Jewish ruler who brought the tribes of Israel together as a united nation.

David was willing to obey and follow God no matter what, therefore, being obedient to the will of God.  Yes, David did commit terrible sins, including adultery and murder. Yes, David’s life was a portrait of success and failure, and the biblical record highlights the fact that David was far from perfect. But what made David a cut above the rest was that his heart was pointed toward God. He had a deep desire to follow God’s will and do “everything” God wanted him to do. He was a man after God’s own heart.

God does hear our prayers and whatever situation we bring to Him, He is aware of that situation and is more than willing to deal with it. So rejoice! James 5 says, “13Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”

We are not praying to some small-time God – we are asking a God who carries all our lives in His beautiful hands. And He knows every one of our names, our voices, our needs, our fears, our pain, our hopes, our desires, our fears, our faults for He is an awesome God!  And as we pray and seek the Lord, shall we not pray for others and lift them to the awesome God of all universe to whom nothing is impossible.  Yes, rejoice! Be joyous! For God is great, awesome and our victory is secure in Christ. Yes, rejoice because of who God is and what Jesus has already done. It is done, so rejoice.