The Desire of Children

It is not an understatement to say that the children of this generation are enticed with fun, fun, and more fun. With an onslaught of video games, movies, and music it would seem the church has some competition. There is nothing wrong with fun. The kingdom of God is immersed in fun and saturated with joy. In light of this challenge by the world…. With so many entertainment frontiers, we must have better alternatives to offer. This is no problem for our Father God, because He is the creator of every good and perfect gift. Did you catch that word, perfect? The competition has imperfect gifts to offer, while the children of the Kingdom have the right to offer gifts of perfection.

While I believe a big part of the advancing Kingdom of God is to occupy the mountains of media and technology (which includes music, movies, and even video games) there is more. How about real encounters with the reality of God through His power? “Beam me up Scotty” can become, “Beam me up Holy Spirit”. Our children need power encounters and maybe to our surprise, they desire power encounters. Often, while our children play their games and seem to be off in a fantasy world, their inner spirit is crying for encounters with their Creator.

As I look back at my childhood, somewhat void of music, movies and video games, I recall a deep hunger for God. My childhood fantasies involved outdoor games and simple adventures in the 60’s. However, hidden to those who knew me, I was spending a lot of time trying to connect with God. One memory involves the time that my older brother junked an old car in a sink hole back behind our house. I spent a lot of time in that old car. It had a radio. As long as the battery on the car lasted, I listened faithfully to the radio. I chose to listen to gospel songs and preachers. I learned the days and times these programs would come on. I wrote them letters. They sent me small pamphlets and things that I treasured. Although we didn’t have TV at home and weren’t allowed to listen to the radio in the home, this was a special time for me.

Sometimes when I visited our neighbors, they would be watching Oral Roberts on Sunday mornings. I wrote him. Another program came on called, “Revival Fires” and I loved the flame that come up on the screen. I wrote them. They sent me a brochure and a picture of the young minister. I remember carrying the picture of the minister in my little billfold for several years. In all of this there was a longing for adventure and encounter. The revival flames became embedded in me as deep as the Bonanza map that I also watched burn on weekdays at 5:00 on their TV. Oral Roberts surely had his faults, but the belief that God desires to heal was embedded in me.

And then there were Sunday mornings. I attended Sunday school and that was good. During worship, I sat without my parents, on the 4th row on the right, closest to the aisle. The speakers and older people commented on my attentiveness. It was more than attentiveness for me, it was hunger. I wanted as much of God as I could possible get and that desire has stayed in my spirit over the years. Remember we are talking about a child here. A child that did not live in a Christian home or have parents to pray with him or encourage him in his faith. The fact is that children have a need to plug into God as much as an electric coffee pot needs to plug into an outlet. Sometimes Sunday mornings is the only outlet some children have.

　
In these times of outpouring, as we see the hand of God moving amongst us in ways we only dreamed of seeing in the 60’s, are our children experiencing it too? Do they know that they can? Do we understand that they can? For this to happen, the vision or revelation must be imparted to the parents, teachers, youth pastors, children's workers and congregation.

Jesus ministered to the children (see Matthew 19: 13, 14). I am not sure how much he used games or stories, although I almost suspect He did. I do know that He ministered to them with the laying on of hands. This was a guaranteed encounter. It definitely resulted in power and love being imparted to each one of them. He also knew their callings, purpose and potential. Although scripture didn’t have room it seems, to record all that He said and did with the children, I feel sure He spoke prophetically into their futures. When the children were brought to Jesus, they were set up for power encounters and lives filled with His glory and blessing.

John the Baptist worshipped in his mother’s womb. He was filled with the Spirit before he was born. How does that fit into our cozy theology? Have we overlooked the radical side of God, that loves to do things outside the box? Our God cannot be tamed! He works outside the realms of human reasoning. What kind of pride have we allowed to rise up within us to think that we can fully explain God or His ways? Our own relationship with God requires a childlike trust so we can accept His ways.

Let’s get down to the core of what we are trying to say here. Our children can move in the anointing of God. They can prophesy with great accuracy. They can pray for the sick with tremendous results. They can be used powerfully in the Kingdom. They can have amazing experiences with God. I have heard testimonies lately of how missionaries are using small children in prayer lines for the sick. I have heard of revelation given to children that is totally accurate. I have heard of them being touched by God in phenomenal ways. They easily see angels. They have simple expectancy that adults have long ago discarded. They do not try to explain away the involvement of God amongst us in these times but stand with open arms to receive all that He gives.

Some may think children are not ready, and are unqualified to speak, or pray for the sick. Qualification does not depend upon age, but depends more upon intimacy with God and love for Jesus. God also shows His strength through weakness. That is a basic principle in scripture and in the Kingdom. There are no real “professionals” in the Kingdom of God. Grace is the key that unlocks all encounters.

I am in great support of “Children’s Church” as implemented in most churches today. I think this is fertile ground for training and bringing the children into intimacy and encounter. However, I feel the door should be left open for a child to step out of “Children’s Church” when the time is right. When the child feels a desire to be in the main worship service because of deeper hunger, this should be allowed. As this happens, may we be wise enough to involve them (if they desire) in the prayers for the sick, the laying on of hands, and prophetic encouragements over the people. Watch how people are touched by their humility and involvement. 　

I know this sounds somewhat radical and abnormal. Let's not be normal anymore. Let’s enter in by faith to all that God has for us. This will challenge our predictable and canned programs. Hungry people want more than what’s in a can. We want home cooked meals. We do know where home is…. don’t we? Jesus told Nicodemus he must be born again (see John 3). Jesus added an additional comment in His discourse with Nicodemus. He said, “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit" (John 3:8). Jesus is saying that we are to be as free and as unpredictable as the wind. This looks and sounds like a new kind of normal to me.

Standing on the Promises

What do you do when you are awakened early and you can’t go back to sleep? How about those times that you lay there and think about life in America? You think about the years of blessings on a nation sent from God Himself. Sometimes you wonder about how long it will continue. It is in these moments that we have a decision to make. We can despair or dismiss the thoughts. We can worry or try to muster up some faith. Or…. we can look at the promises of God.

There doesn’t seem to be many promises given directly to America in the scriptures. However, there are major promises for the world itself and especially for those who make a covenant with God. Scripture is filled with promises for the people that God has made a covenant with. He made a major covenant with Abraham and his descendents. He made another even greater covenant through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son. The early Apostles gave many encouragements to covenant people by the Spirit’s inspiration. Men and women who have connected with the vision of the Spirit have continued to see the promises of the covenant throughout the years. They have spoken and written letters, articles, and books that are filled with these visions of promise.

Stepping onto the scene in our times is an army of people filled with hope because of the promises of their God. They are as certain as Jeremiah that the order of the sun, moon, and the roaring of the sea would cease before God’s promises for those He has a covenant with would fail (see Jeremiah 31).

This remnant group (that is growing every day) knows there is great darkness on the earth. They are not in denial. They understand it is a deep, serious darkness. Yet, they hear the clarion call of Isaiah to arise and to shine. They are certain beyond doubt that their Light has come (see Isaiah 60:1-3). They are certain that the glory of the Lord has risen upon them and they are ready to march. Darkness cannot affect light. Light repels darkness. The Lord, Himself, has risen upon them and His glory appears all around them. They have been touched by Ezekiel’s River (see Ezekiel 47) and everything they touch is affected. Like a “Midas touch”, life flows to everything they touch. Nations are touched by their light. It is their inheritance and their delegated authority. They have doves eye vision for recovering what has been lost and for the promises to be fulfilled.

Instead of just standing by idly waiting for something to happen, they see that the fullness of time has come. Don’t be mistaken, they have seen the “thumbs up” of the Lord and they are ready to go forward. Is there danger? Sure, but this is their testimony, they love not their lives to the death. This is how they overcome (see Revelation 12:11).

The Psalmist wrote that the heavens are the heavens of the Lord, but the earth has been given to the sons of men by God (see Psalm 115:16). The Lord has delegated authority of the earth unto men. Our response is to agree with what He has already spoken and through prayer, intercession, declaration, and sometimes fasting, move towards the advancement of the kingdom of God upon the earth. When Daniel read about from the prophecies of Jeremiah that Israel was to return home from captivity after 70 years, he started praying into it. Promises need the mixture of intercession. The book of Revelation gives an illustration of how the prayers of God’s people mixed with the fire of the altar of Heaven brings a reaction upon the earth (see Revelation 8:3-5). We need the reaction of Heaven upon the earth and the authority has been given to man to intercede accordingly. We make a difference.

So… we lie awake and we ponder our choices. Darkness or light? Disaster or blessing? Hopelessness or glory? Death or life? Unless we are in great bondage to the lies of the enemy, the choice is easy. We will stand on the promises of God and we will intercede, fast, and proclaim His goodness in the land of the living. We will watch as the river flows through the desert and watch the flowers bloom. We will experience restoration of our lives and our land.

As we recently watched a documentary on the transformation going on here in the Appalachian mountains, I felt excitement. Most of the documentary was about restoration in the lives of the people in Manchester, Kentucky, as they stand on God’s promises for them. However, I was blessed to see how the land is being affected. One of the ways the land is being restored is the return of wildlife. Elk is coming back in great numbers. To the people of Appalachia this is like a rose blooming in a desert. Isaiah talked about how barren places would blossom like a rose (see Isaiah 35:1). We can watch the lives of people being transformed. We can watch nature glorify the restoration process of the Lord. This will include restoration of the land, the water, and the wildlife. All of this is welcomed by the people of God.

The gloom and doom reports don’t have the final word. God does. The gospel means good news. How long has it been since you heard some gospel? It can become a new kind of normal. The choice is ours.

Evangelism

Could there be a new normal happening and we aren’t aware of it? Are there things happening outside of our culture that we aren’t seeing? What is happening in world evangelism?

According to some recent reports, Christianity is increasing by 8% a year. It is said to be the fastest growing faith on planet Earth. This growing group crosses theological lines, laying aside controversial doctrines, to focus on relationship with Jesus Christ. The number is said to be over 700 million and growing fast. The bulk of these people are from China, India, Africa and Southeast Asia.

This movement is exploding in such a way that one article (I recently read) states that the entire world could be composed of such Believers by the year 2032. Of course many would debate such an idea and there are always those who resist the gospel, but look at the possibilities. It didn’t look this way 50 years ago. 50 years ago Christianity was stronger here in the Western hemisphere than anywhere else in the world. Now it is stronger throughout the rest of the world. At the rate we are going, tomorrow there will be 175,000 more Christians. At this rate there will be 8.2 billion believers by autumn 2032. Sounds funny…. because at this rate, there would be more believers than people on the planet. Is the snow ball rolling and picking up momentum as it rolls?

Many of us base our entire belief system on how things are going in America. If something happens bad on this side of the ocean, we believe the end of the world must be near. We are not the only ones on planet earth. The idea that God is a white American republican needs to be erased from our minds. God is doing major things throughout the world. He is emotionally in love with all races of people on this planet. This planet we live on is not even big enough for a paper weight on His desk, in comparison to the size of the Universe He controls. Yet, He loves us so much He’d rather die than live without us.

The reason that Islam have been reported as the fastest growing religion by the media, may be because the media hasn’t done its homework. Surveys look at the traditional Protestant denominations and the Roman Catholic Church and make their reports. There are multitudes of believers and followers of Jesus Christ who aren’t a part of these. There are those who are intimately in love with Jesus Christ, who do not want to be labeled Protestant or Catholic. They do not want to be boxed up with either group. They live and worship outside the box with a strong passion for Christ. Some worship in churches that are not denominational. Others meet in homes. Some meet in secret in caves, underground, and different places to avoid persecution.

　
Some have described this explosion of evangelism as the mushrooming of the Kingdom of God. There are reports and evidence of an original form of biblically inspired Christianity sweeping throughout the planet at the present time. One of the main drives for this explosion of evangelism is healing, miracles and powerful answers to prayers. There have been hundreds of dramatic cases of resurrections of actual corpses. Also, countless testimonies have been given of blind eyes and deaf ears being healed. I have often referred to this kind of evangelism as, “power evangelism”. Simply defined, unbelievers see the power of God displayed in their life or someone else’s life and are converted. Even miracles in the lives of unbelievers will become more common. Many of the miracles in the scriptures happened to unconverted people. Jesus came to seek and deliver the lost.

　
Life on earth is going through such a paradigm shift at the very present time. Teachings that have been built upon the sand are being washed away. For some people wineskins are bursting at such thoughts. It’s hard for them to imagine such a thing, much less recognize it. Teachers who have scoffed at healing and miracles because of the deception of charlatan type preachers of the past will now have to re-adjust their thinking. Those who have dissected scripture to suit their doctrines will have to put miracles, healing, and the raising of the dead back into this dispensation. Many who are standing in line at “Rapture Airport” will see the need to go out and compel the lost to come to the big feast prepared for them. Escapism will give way to occupy the earth for the Kingdom of God.

Does all of this excite you? Does it get you out of breath? I am out of breath as I write. The keys are clicking fast. Or…. Does this burst your bubble? Get a new wineskin. The kingdom of God is forcefully advancing (see Matthew 14:12). The violent take it by force. What a mighty fortress is our God!