A Mystery Revealed

Tags

1 Kings 18, 2 Thessalonians 2, Elijah, Lawlessness, Mount Carmel, Mystery, Righteousness

The Word of God is filled with mysteries, not in order to keep us in the dark, but to give us something to search out. This to me is why the Bible is my favorite book to read, for the author is alive and speaking, every time we read it. Bill Johnson is quoted as saying, “I read my bible until God speaks, then I stop and listen to what He has to say.” This is the most practical, helpful advice we can be given as believers, for we have a God that speaks and He loves to share with us mysteries.

What is a mystery? Dictionary.com says, a mystery is something that is difficult or impossible to understand or explain; some synonyms are a puzzle, enigma, conundrum, riddle, secret. This is our working definition of mystery and when I asked my bible study group to define mystery, this is what they said as well. However, in the Greek, the word mystery means something that is not revealed here and actually holds a piece of the puzzle that unlocks the whole puzzle as it pertains to what Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2 calls the mystery of lawlessness.

Mystery in the Greek means to shut the mouth, silence imposed by initiation into religious rites, not obvious to the understanding, hidden purpose or counsel (Strong’s Dictionary). This definition of mystery gives us insight into what is happening in our world today. But to unlock it with great clarity, let’s define lawlessness according to Strong’s Dictionary. Lawlessness means, illegality, violations of law, wickedness, iniquity, unrighteousness, transgression of law. Therefore, based on these two definitions, the mystery of lawlessness is the illegal transgression of the law which silences people and they do not have a clear understanding of why they have been silenced or said another way, lawlessness silences the voice of righteousness.

Now do you understand why the Church is silent in the world today? Why the righteous voices are not being heard? Does this clarify for you, what has silenced the Pastors and Leaders and Lovers of God on earth and in the places of worship we call church? Lawlessness, which 1 John 4:3 says, was at work in the world when Jesus walked the earth and it is still at work today. Because those who are to be righteous (law abiding, both biblically and nationally) have entered into lawlessness, we have been silenced, for lawlessness silences the voices of righteousness.

Once the body of Christ repents of its lawlessness (2 Chronicles 7:14) and takes a stand for righteousness, among ourselves, in our churches, pulpits, conferences and denominations, then we will have a voice again in the earth. Once this return to righteousness happens, then we will hear a roar of righteousness that will rend the veil of deception. But right now, the body of Christ is living in 1 Kings 18:21, which says, “Elijah came near to all the people (of God) and said, how long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him. But the people did not answer him a word” (NKJV). The remnant has chosen righteousness, the world has chosen wickedness, but the majority of the body of Christ is not saying a word, for they have been silenced by lawlessness.

Proverbs 25:12 says, “It is God’s privilege to conceal things and the king’s privilege to discover them” (NLT). The mystery of lawlessness is that lawlessness silences the voices of righteousness. However, to break out of that silence, we must choose righteousness, no matter what the law of the land may say about marriage; what your friends may say about wickedness; nor what your Pastors and leaders may say about political correctness. Proverbs 28:1 says, the wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion” (NIV). If you want your voice back, you must repent of lawlessness and choose to live in righteousness.

A Great Earthquake Is Coming

The church needs to be saved, saved from the error of its own ways. The teachings have erred into deception, so the people believe a lie and they do not even know it. Paul said, not all of you should presume to be teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment (James 3:1). The teachings of the Jews in Paul’s day was that this man in the flesh who claimed to be the Messiah, was just another man who died. When Paul came preaching the truth about the Messiah, Jesus the Christ, who died and rose again, many Jews in many cities incited mobs to attack Paul and Silas on many occasions. But Paul did not cease to preach the truth, whether in the marketplace, synagogue or in jail. He saw the error of their teachings and brought the truth that set people free. We must do the same.

 

We are in need of preachers of righteousness, of truth and of resurrection to arise again. We need people to stand up to cultural Christianity that says, it’s okay to twist the word of God to match your experience, preference or personal desire. We need men and women who have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer them who live, but Christ who lives through them to arise and shine. We the church need to be saved, from ourselves as we are self-destructing from false teachings, that are telling people it is okay to live in sin, rather than telling them to repent and be saved like Peter, Paul and James did.

 

World leaders are shifting their nations toward righteousness, by exposing and rendering justice on wickedness. This is the work of God on earth. Seeing leaders step down, seeing leaders rise up, seeing children being set free from traps of people’s fleshly desires; seeing women being freed from sex trafficking; seeing states stand up against abortion; it is obvious the Lord Himself is having righteousness exalt nations. But, the church, must repent and arise as well. There is a great earthquake coming for both the church and the nations. This great earthquake is likened to the one in the days of Paul and Silas.

 

Acts 16 tells us “At midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. SUDDENLY there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and IMMEDIATELY all the doors were opened and EVERYONE’S chains were loosed.” A great earthquake is coming and it will happen suddenly. For many have been locked into prisons of emotions, poverty and relationship problems, freedom is coming! Others have been waiting for the door to open, opportunities to show themselves, open doors are coming! Still others have been chained by sin, sickness and disease, healing is coming! This great earthquake is going to shake the foundation of all the places that have been against us. This great earthquake is going to set us free.

 

Church, there is a great earthquake coming. Ready or not, here it comes, for the Lord has heard the songs sung in the midnight hour and prayers prayed when no one was listening. There is a great earthquake coming!

Restoration Hold Up

Tags

Acts 3, Ezekiel 44, Laodecian Church, Luke 15, Prophecy, Recognize, Restore, Revelation 3, riches

Have you seen the myriad of prophetic words about restoration, refreshing and riches? Have you wondered what is the hold up? Have you held on to a promise about one of these three issues and yet, have not seen movement in regards to them coming to pass? You are not alone. Many are prophesying and preaching restoration, refreshing and riches, and they are not inaccurate in their prophesies or in error in their preaching. Everything they are saying is biblically accurate, so what is the hold up?

I was praying Ezekiel 44 the other day and the Lord revealed to me something I had never seen before, but just like God, it is not in one place, it is in many and I just missed it until He opened my eyes to it. In Ezekiel 44, Luke 15, Acts 3 and Revelation 3 we see three stages that we are to progress through, but what we hear is only the third stage. Look at Acts 3:14-15, 17-21 and see if you can identify the three stages the Lord showed me. “You denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses…Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.”(NKJV) The three stages are recognize, repent and be restored or refreshed.

When people preach restoration, refreshing or even riches, without preaching recognize and repent first, they will not be restored, refreshed or rich.

Our God is a God of order, He does not give us something for nothing. We are in a relationship with the Lord and therefore, we have a responsibility. The Holy Spirit was given to open our eyes to see things we cannot see about ourselves (Ephesians 1:18), to convict us of sin (John 16:8) and to lead us into all truth (John 14:26). Until we recognize our error, the deception we have believed, and the iniquity we are bearing, we cannot repent. If there is no repentance there is no restoration, refreshing or riches. It all starts with recognition.

Let’s look at Revelation 3, so I can show you how important this is. Revelation 3:17-19 “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore, be zealous and repent.” (NKJV) It’s in reverse order, but do you see it. They needed salve so they could see (recognize) they were not who they thought they were; they needed garments of white (repentance) and they needed to buy gold refined in the fire (restoration) so they could be rich.

If your restoration, refreshing or riches are being held up, it is probably because you have been promised something out of order. Recognize the truth, repent of sin and be restored, refreshed, enriched. This is a word for the church, not the world, today. We need to be restored, so we can be ready for the harvest that we will be called to serve.