Last night before bed I heard the Lord say "Stay the wave". He showed me a tsunami coming in. A flood of the Holy Spirit that is designed to powerfully cleanse everything in it's path. Everything. I was on the shore line, outside of a beautiful dusty city near Greece or Rome with beautiful Greco-Roman architecture. I was wading in the calm water, with my toes in the wet sand, when a beautiful noise caused me to turn my gaze to one of the ancient buildings on the hillside. I saw a beautiful celebration for the Lord. There were banners hanging from the columns, people dancing, a feast of foods and music. The sun was shining and the sky was blue. There was a swift change in the atmosphere as the wind began to blow and the dusty air kicked up. I felt a dip in my gut, as the ground began to tremble, and the water began to swell and rise around me. I was engulfed in this feeling of anticipation and excitement, coupled with an attack of uncertainty. Many in the body of Christ have this internal knowing that something big is coming. We are unsure of exactly how, or when, or what it will be, but we know its eminence is upon us. We feel it. I heard the Lord again "Stay the wave."
I stood there as the water receded, my feet planted firmly in the sand, the wave pulling the water away from the shore line to feed the force it would return with. Many of us in our churches, over the last few years, have felt that the Holy Spirit has pulled away, that people aren't moving, when really, he's pulling back and feeding the wave. He will return with greater force. With greater magnitude.
The anticipation that consumed me as I stared at the wave was overwhelming. Almost to a state of panic. Like staring down the barrel of a gun so to speak. Seeing this overwhelming force, this wave of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that has every power to take not only your life but everything around you in an instant. This Lord our God, that not only cares about something as great in magnitude as the supernatural battle of good and evil that’s detailed in the Bible; but also cares about something as small as if you have had dinner or a peaceful nights sleep. Our God. "Stay the wave."
Strength took over my legs and I stood firm in the sand as the vast wave crashed around me. The force blowing over my face, across my chest, and through my hair seemed to cleanse me to this cellular level that I find hard to convey with words. I could barely see under the water as it continued to rise, and then recede again. People were sweeping by me, being pulled out to the dark depths of the ocean. There was a fear, confusion and trembling in their eyes that shot into my spirit. I was seeing debris, and banners of fabric being pulled out to sea.
As the water receded, I stood there on the shore line. I stood still, covered in salty, sandy water, It reminded me of the day I was baptized in the ocean. I stood with the Lord, quiet for a moment. There was no sound, no wind, no birds, no waves, nothing. It was completely silent, completely still. I felt the water dripping from the top of my head, beading down my hair, onto my shoulder, down my arm and rolling off of my finger tips. I couldn't move.
I turned my head from the ocean to the land, my eyes looking for signs of life, not knowing what to expect. What I saw brought a joy that welled up inside of me. I was not alone. I saw the ruins of Greek and Roman temples with their pillars standing tall in the background, it was like everything that was for show, for embellishment, was stripped from the land. There were no banners, no flags, no flashy altars or stages. There was nothing left but the pillars, the foundation, and a handful of other people standing there still, in amazement of our God.
There is a wave of the Lord that is coming in power, it requires the fluff to be stripped away. It requires the show to fall away and the behind the scenes work to flourish.
I climbed the hill, one step at a time, as the others came to their senses and began to wander about. I wasn't surrounded by the people dressed extravagantly in robes that were shouting for the Lord, I wasn't surrounded by tables of food, and music. I was surrounded by humble people, in torn clothes, that love our God with everything they have. Who recognize that we would be nothing without Him. That His ways are superior to ours, even when we don't understand them. I was surrounded by the presence and the peace of the Lord. "Stay the wave."
He is calling for his pillars of strength to remain steadfast through the rise and fall of this next wave of "revival." It's not about the wave, it's about who's still standing when it's done.
John 14:26 - But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Romans 8:26 - Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered
Isaiah 11:2-3 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. 3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
1 Timothy 3 The Mystery of Godliness 14 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, 15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. 16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
Jeremiah 1:12-19 Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.” 13 The word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling pot, facing away from the north.” 14 Then the Lord said to me, “Out of the north disaster shall be let loose upon all the inhabitants of the land. 15 For behold, I am calling all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, declares the Lord, and they shall come, and every one shall set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its walls all around and against all the cities of Judah. 16 And I will declare my judgments against them, for all their evil in forsaking me. They have made offerings to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands. 17 But you, dress yourself for work; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. 18 And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. 19 They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you.”
Jeremiah 1:5-10 The Call of Jeremiah 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” 6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” 7 But the Lord said to me,“Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.” 9 Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”
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