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Season of Suddenly's

Season of Suddenly's

7 September 2011

As these Last Days intensify and escalate, we are going to find ourselves living in and through a "season of suddenly's". The Church was born in and into just such an hour:

"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God." (Lk 2.13)

"When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind...And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit." (Ac 2.1-4)

"Now as (Saul) journeyed he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed about him. And he fell to the ground and heard a voice." (Ac 9.3-5)

And in exactly the same kind of dramatic interval and atmosphere, will salvation-history be fulfilled (with visitations of both great grace and chastisement):

"And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts." (Mal 3.1)

"But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father...Watch therefore...lest he come suddenly and find you asleep." (Mk 13.32-37)

"But as to the times and the seasons, brethren...you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When the people say 'There is peace and security,' then sudden destruction will come upon them." (1 Th 5.1-3 also Jer 51.8-9 & Rev 18.1-2)

One of the reasons why eschatology is today generally scorned or else held at arm's length, is because we've had to wait so long for the Parousia or 2nd Coming. But, such a "delay" is not an invitation to cynicism and thinly disguised unbelief...but to patience and vigilance.

"What is this proverb that you have about the land of Israel, saying, 'The days grow long, and every vision comes to nought'?" (Eze 12.22)

"First of all you must understand this, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own passions, and saying, 'Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things have continued as they were from the beginning of creation.' " (2 Pe 3.3-4)

"And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified; for this must first take place, but the end will not be at once...Now when these things begin to take place, look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing hear." (Lk 21.9&28)

Nor is the promise of the Lord's "sudden" Return an inducement to panic and enter into a ministry of running at ever-increasing speed, in ever-diminishing circles. But it is a call to position ourselves in and for the End Times. What meaneth this?

The moment-by-moment "Administrator" of God's Will on the earth, in the Church and in history, is the Holy Spirit (supported by the holy angels).

"It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirement." (Ac 15.28)

"Take heed to yourselves and to the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the Church of God which he obtained with the blood of his own Son." (Ac 20.28)

To position ourselves aright, so far as God's final "suddenly's" are concerned, is to locate ourselves aptly and appropriately alongside and in the Spirit of the Lord. Such an alignment is accurately and vividly prophesied by exiled Ezekiel, in his vision of a river flowing from the altar of the Temple. (Ch. 47)

Here we see, with the prophet, the whole historical, New Testament flow of the Holy Spirit. From Calvary through the desert (of this world), and on into the Dead Sea which it heals...i.e. ultimate worldwide revival, culminating in "the resurrection at the last day" and "life from the dead".

Therefore, it now behoves us to join the prophet (not as observers, commentators and critics on the banks), but in the River which is swollen with the final purposes of God, and which is "deep enough to swim in - a river that no one could cross"!

By committing and abandoning ourselves to this Heaven-sent cataract and current, two absolutely crucial things will happen:

1) We will be carried along to arrive and to be, wherever the River reaches; the place of destiny and divine appointment.

2) We will reach the right place, at the right time thoroughly "wet"...fully anointed for His service.

"So everything will live where the river goes. Fishermen will stand beside the sea...it will be a place for the spreading of nets; its fish will be of very many kinds." (Eze 47.9-10)

"He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, 'Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.' " (Jn 7.38)