7/20/15

Destructive Duplicity vs. Kingdom Alignment


"I hear more and more prophetic voices calling for an alignment of individual hearts, ministries and churches with the Father's heart for this day and hour."
They have left the straightway and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam, son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness” (2 Pet. 2:15). 
The Apostle Peter describes a situation in the early church where teachers and prophets had come out of alignment with Truth and wandered off the ‘straight way’. While some teaching and prophecy are certainly areas of concern in the church today, God also desires an alignment of believer’s hearts into a place of unity, to advance His kingdom.

Alignment is the position or placement of a line, specifically a straight line between two points. I hear more and more prophetic voices calling for an alignment of individual hearts, ministries and churches with the Father’s heart for this day and hour. We could also call this unity, agreement, or one accord, a straight line to the Father and His kingdom.

So why does Peter bring Balaam into his description of those who are not lined up with Truth? In Numbers 22-24 we read a rather long account of Balaam, a seer or prophet, in Midian, partnering with Balak the Moabite King. Balaam seems to do the right thing outwardly some of the time. However he also withholds some of what God tells him and continues to try to please Balak. Balaam has a desire to make the King happy. The King affirms him, telling him how valuable he is, that he is key in spiritual things, and that he is a spiritual man. Balaam continues to inquire of God looking for some way to please the King. We also find that Balaam had resorted to sorcery (Num. 24:1) and taught Balak how to entice Israel to sin (Rev. 2:14).

So we see the way of Balaam was duplicity, literally facing two directions. He outwardly spoke the right thing, yet inwardly was looking for and desiring something else. He was trying to please God and Balak and could not be aligned with both. He had a prophetic gift that was directed toward whomever he could please, both Balak and God. While on the surface it seemed that he did the right thing, his heart was facing a different direction…the way of pleasing Balak. He was enticed by Balak with affirming words of how important he was to the King. This was a tempting place in his soul, even though he declared with his words some right things he received from God.

It is critical in this day and hour that believers come into Kingdom alignment. In my experience as a leader in government and in ministry, I witness people saying one thing, even acting the right way in outward compliance, yet inwardly resisting Truth, either in denial of or withholding their real desires and beliefs. The first level of Kingdom alignment is in individual hearts, an alignment of the soul with the born-again spirit and the Truth of His Word. The Kingdom of God is a place where soul and spirit are in unity, lined up facing the same direction, or ‘one faced’. The power of individual alignment is magnified when experienced in the larger context of a church body. It is further magnified when churches and ministries come into alignment with the Father’s heart and His kingdom purpose.

Alignment in a straightway is happening powerfully in many Asian nations. We are seeing the seeds of alignment being sown in the church in America. Those seeds must now take root and come forth. I pray that individuals and leaders in ministry respond to conviction of the Holy Spirit and come into alignment with the Father, His Word and His purposes in this day and hour.

Acknowledge and repent of any area of your life that is not aligned with the Kingdom. Consider those areas of your life you don’t want people to see, the places ruled by self. Repent of those places you withhold from the Father. Align with His kingdom, with a kingdom leader and a kingdom ministry.

7/2/15

The Lion of Judah Is On The Move!



 
"More remnant hearts will be as the Lion of Judah, free from chains and walking in power."
Deborah and I just returned from a 10 day ministry journey in Texas and New Mexico where the Holy Spirit stirred the hearts of entire churches to embrace His move in this day. I am excited to report a great move of the Spirit toward unity and purpose for those who responded with ‘send me’. Just as a small group of God’s people returned to Jerusalem after 70 years of exile, small groups of believers are returning to the heart of the Father, to the homeland of His kingdom in righteousness and with a purpose.

So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerrubabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people (Haggai 1:14). Before the Hebrew remnant began to restore the temple, the Lord stirred them. I believe that in this hour in church history the Lord is stirring the hearts of many across the world to advance His kingdom in these last days. The Holy Spirit is looking to and fro for who will respond. Only a remnant will say ‘here I am, send me.’ But those who respond will walk in a supernatural level of faith and trust in the Father to provide, protect, and direct their steps. 

During the meetings in recent days there was a move of the Spirit during praise and worship that brought a sharper edge to the battle ax and greater engagement in their kingdom position.   There were deeper levels of wisdom and understanding about what the Father is calling out to His people. During one very powerful time of worship, a spontaneous flow of the Spirit broke into ‘There is power in the name of Jesus to break every chain, break every chain’. That word defines the Father’s heart to break the chains that bind and restrict His people from engaging and living in His kingdom. Some believers find security in their chains. Others seek to be free.

While the Supreme Court just rewrote the definition of marriage, it cannot rewrite the Word of God or hinder the Father’s call to His children. The court cannot mandate hearts to agree with it.  Those who have spiritual ears to hear and eyes to see are moving into a new dimension of faith and trust in the Father.  Just as many of the Tribes of Israel chose to stay in Persia/Babylon, many in the church in America will choose to stay in the culture. But there is a remnant who have heard and seen the Father stirring them to prepare for the return of the Supreme Justice of the court, the King of Kings, Jesus Christ. Jesus offered himself as a lamb but will return as a lion, the Lion of Judah to break every chain. The Holy Spirit stirred the believers in Texas and New Mexico and chains were broken as the Lion manifest His presence and power. More remnant hearts will be as the Lion of Judah, free from chains and walking in power. Praise His Name!