The Next Step: What Now?

There has been an undercurrent or theme to what I have posted over the past few days. I didn't really have language for it until last night. I was in my office at Rapha reading my Bible when God began to give me bits and pieces of what has been going on over the past 6 years.

It began in October of 2003 with a weekend vacation. Vicki and I had driven to a secluded spot and spent the weekend reading and praying in an effort to renew ourselves. That entire weekend was about repentance. It was in every verse I read. It was in every prayer I prayed. A friend of mine had given me some tapes to listen to and this was the main topic of every tape I put in........repentance.

For the past, almost 6 years, God has been preparing people for such a time as we find ourselves in here in America. God is not daunted by what has happened to our nation, in fact, He has issued a call to the body of Christ to step up and become all that we were created to be. In the process of this "being" who God has called us to be, we begin to do for the Kingdom. We begin to push back the spiritual darkness of this land by doing the works of Christ. First and foremost, we learn to love. We love the unlovable and usher in the Kingdom of God.

We also have got to draw from the past. Those who have gone before us in that line of believers that stretches to the ages long since past. We draw from what they learned of God. We draw from the mantles and anointing they carried. How can I say this? Because God showed me in II Kings 2:14 a similar situation.

Elijah had been taken to heaven by a fiery chariot and Elisha was left to carry on. His only request of Elijah was to receive a double portion of his mantle or anointing. Elisha picks up the mantle or cloak of Elijah and goes to the Jordan river. Standing there he proclaims, "Where is the Lord, The God of Elijah?" He then struck the waters of the Jordan and they divided. Elisha was saying, "Where is the power and presence of the God of Elijah? Will He be with me?"

That is the cry that is needed in the body of Christ today.
That is the cry that should be on the lips of every believer.
"Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?" As this is proclaimed, we should allow God to put on each of us the anointing of the Holy Spirit and go forth in the purity of God.

This is the next step.
The Anointing of God....The Holy Spirit. Not for emotional hoo-ha's and whoop-de-doo's but the anointing of God to be a witness for Christ. Proclaiming the word of God and demonstrating the power of God.

Foolish you may say.
Those things have long since past and are not for today, you may think.
I think not.

God on you....

Verse of the Day:

Psalm 72:12-14

For he will deliver the needy when he cries for help. The afflicted also, and him who has no helper. He will have compassion on the poor and needy, and the lives of the needy he will save. He will rescue their life from oppression and violence and their blood will be precious in his sight.