Last night I was reading the book ‘The Harvest’ by Rick Joyner. It was an old book first published in 1987 and revised in 2007. I read it many years ago when I first began my stay home season in 2011 but I could never really understand what he was talking about. But now, as I have grown in wisdom and understanding, I began to see what he was saying. It was all about the end time harvest.
In his book, I gained a better revelation of what is truly happening now, in the midst of so much confusion and speculations of end times, rapture and Jesus’s second coming. I also made some sense of the conspiracy theories going on right now. When declaring events that would signal the end of the age, he said the Lord told him that these were ‘beginning of birth pangs’ (Matthew 24:8). The harvest and accompanying events have been unfolding and will continue to unfold just as travail comes upon a woman in labour.
The closer one gets to the birth, the more intense and frequent the contractions become. The first contractions signalling the end of the age actually occurred several hundred years ago with the beginning of the Reformation. Over a two hundred years passed before there was another, then a hundred years, then decades. Soon it will be just years between the contractions with each one becoming significantly more intense.
During the ‘transition’ stage, when the baby is entering the birth canal, the mother usually goes through severe disorientation. At this point in time, it helps for the mother to have a ‘focal point’ on which to concentrate on. It is also essential for the mother to heed the instructions of the labour coach (usually the husband) and to obey them regardless of her pain or feelings.
Likewise it is important for the church to look at her focal point and resist being distracted from it. The Lord used ‘birth pangs’ to describe the unfolding of these times because it is an appropriate metaphor. Sadly the church being ignorant of the actual process through which she is going through, has often continued to follow her natural instincts instead of the voice of the Lord.
This has caused her to strive counterproductively through much of the process, leaving her now weary and expended as we enter the most critical stage of delivery. It has never been more urgent for the church to concentrate on her ‘focal point’, the ultimate purpose of God, that she might bring many new sons and daughters to birth. She must become obedient to the instructions of her husband Jesus.
Beginning with Martin Luther, each spiritual contraction resulted in a major, basic Christian truth being restored to the church, as well as one of the fivefold ministries given for the equipping of the saints. With the beginning of the Reformation, the pastor was restored to recognised ministry. Over two hundred years later, the evangelist was restored with the Wesleys, and gained general recognition and acceptance.
The Pentecostal and Latter Rain revivals began the restoration of the gifts of the Holy Spirit but it was not until the Charismatic and Third Wave Renewals that the teaching ministry was fully restored. Teaching was the primary emphasis and a much greater anointing came upon this ministry during these movements. Rick Joyner said that the next spiritual contraction will bring about the restoration and recognition of the prophets, which is what happening now. The next move will be the restoration of the apostolic authority. The ministry that opened the church age will also be the one that closes it.
It is also during the transition stage that a remarkable clarity of purpose and strength return to the mother. This is the time to push until the baby comes forth. Like the manner in which birth pangs come upon a woman, there will be times of great intensity and advancement in the church followed by periods of rest. There will be upheavals in the world followed by times of relative peace. There are general patterns that the whole church and the whole world will be moving towards though at different paces, the church will be increasing in light and power while the world will be sinking into unprecedented darkness.
Well, there is so much more in his book but I think I will just stop here. There is so much to unpack in just this one chapter. After reading this chapter, I become more convinced that no, this is not the end of ages yet. No, the rapture is not going to happen anytime soon. I am sorry to disappoint some people who have been so earnestly waiting for Jesus to come back for them but no, now is not the time yet. We are close to the day of the Lord but not yet.
So what is happening right now is that the church is going through birth pangs. And as each wave gets more intense, we are closer to the birth of a new movement. The earth is also groaning in pain for the manifestation of sons and daughters of God. Even in child labour, the mother often thought she was going to die but quite contrary, she was birthing new life. This is exactly what the church is going through now.
After identifying what is really happening now, the next important thing is how we should respond. What we should do. As mentioned by Rick Joyner we should have a ‘focal point’. We should listen to the voice of our husband Jesus and do what He says, instead of looking at our pain or feelings. Yes I understand that in times of prolonged labour, the woman can easily lose her strength and become weary. When the time comes for her to give the final push, she couldn’t because she had expended all her energy earlier on.
But the Lord is gracious. It is also during the transition stage of birth that He imparts clarity of purpose and a second wind to the church. If only we could be still and know the Lord, stop running around and cut off all distractions, we will be able to hear the Lord’s voice. We will then be able to receive instructions and strategies to know what to do next. What we focus on will manifest. That is where our expectations will take us. When we become still, we will be able to hear our Shepherd’s voice more clearly.
During this dark season, I have discerned this one thing. Many believers who are very knowledgeable about the word of the God might not be necessarily equipped to hear His voice especially on issues like end times, rapture and Second Coming. This is hardly surprising because the bible is not very clear on such issues and the language used is metaphorical.
Besides there has been many differing views on the timing of the rapture or even the Second Coming. The books of Daniel and Revelation are not easy to understand. Even the prophets who can shed light on such issues are only given a part of the puzzle. Prophets know in part and prophesy in part. Not one person has the whole picture. Maybe because we haven’t come to the end of times yet. I believe in the days to come, as we are nearing the end of times, the Lord will make things even clearer.
Well, to me, rather than speculating on when rapture will come or trying to establish if we are living in the end of times, why not focus our energies on what we should be doing. Why not be more intentional about how we number our days? Why not ask the Lord what is our purpose here on earth and how to better equip ourselves for the future?
What I know is while this pandemic will blow over, other crisis will still pop up in future. Such is the nature of the end times we are living in. Life will never really go back to normal. How then should we be responding? Ask the Lord to show you what is He birthing in the church and what He is birthing in us. I believe that the next important thing is to equip the believers. In sharing the gospel, healing the sick and driving out demons.
No comments:
Post a Comment