THREAD OF FAITH -

What are the Elements of the Coming Worldwide Move of the Spirit of God?

The church systems and so-called Christian television have their ideas of the coming events. Millions of dollars are being spent on multitudes of books and movies. All of them seem to apply the wisdom of the world with their views of the scriptures. However, they have missed out on church history and the ways of the Spirit of God. All of these self-proclaimed prophets have different views of what is coming and all believe they have a special anointing. I turned on a Christian television channel  and saw more witchcraft and idolatry than I would have believed possible, and the people loved it. Unfortunately the believers are marked for destruction.

What about church history? In the 17th century the Lord raised up multitudes of men in Great Britain to preach the Truth to a lost world of people sitting in churches and dead in their pews. These jewels - such as George Fox, Francis Howgill, Leonard Fell, Robert Barclay, William Penn, and many others - began to tell the Truth to the church and national leaders of their day, and many were thrown in prison, beaten, their property seized, and many died in prison. Many of these friends of Jesus traveled all over Europe and the colonies of America. Many of these friends of Jesus were even hanged by the Christians in America! What were they teaching that got them into so much trouble? Some of the main points were:

Ÿ You need not any man teach you, because in this dispensation the Holy Spirit is inside of us and He will teach you, not your bishop, priest or pastor. Your Teacher is within you. (John 14:26 and 1 John 2:27)

Ÿ That paying tithes to a church with hireling pastor is Old Testament and is over. George Fox said, "I was sent to you to tell you that, if you have received the gospel freely, you would minister it freely without money or price; but you make a trade and sale of what the prophets and apostles have spoken; and so you corrupt the Truth."

Ÿ The whole church systems of the world were filled with the spirit of antichrist

They taught many other things and paid a big price for it at the hands of organized religion and the State. Over 70 notable men, known as the 'Valiant Seventy', were raised up in Great Britain to be a witness for the Truth, and some lived and taught into the 18th Century. In the 19th century the Lord raised up men in Great Britain who also came out of the systems of the church world and made a stand for Truth. The 20th century saw great men such as T Austin Sparks from Great Britain who threw off his robes and taught the Truth for many decades. All of these men of the past centuries spread the gospel truth to other nations and had great messages of truth for the world in this dispensation.

Well, we are here in the 21st century. I like the pattern of church history which has been enacted by the Spirit of God. We see a great pattern of truth coming to the different nations of the world through men of God.

I believe the elements of the coming worldwide move of God are the same ones already given by previous men in church history. However, few have heard their message. It may be that the Spirit will again visit the nation of Great Britain and raise up men of vision like George Fox to warn the Christian world of their folly.

It may be that the warning given to the town of Ulverston, England, is still valid for them today, as well as for us: "O people consider, who be within the parish of Ulverston; I was moved of the Lord to come into your public place to speak among you to the directing of your minds to God, being sent of the Lord that you might know where you might find your Teacher; that your minds might be stayed alone upon God, and you might not gad abroad without you for a teacher; for the Lord God alone will teach His peoples, and He is coming to teach them, and to gather His people from idol’s temples and customary worships, which all the world is trained up in."

This word is still good for today. God’s plan for the church age has not changed. The coming work of the Spirit will surely include the outpouring of what was given for the last few centuries in this new 21st century that is upon us. The Spirit is moving in men currently, and the greatest persecution in history is yet to come. And, as always, it will be outside of men’s organized self-made denominations.

If you look for the answers, as to what is coming, in the church systems or from their prophets, you will miss them just as the people of the past.

Jim

Acts 12 Amplified Bible (AMP)

12 About that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to afflict and oppress and torment some who belonged to the church (assembly).

2 And he killed James the brother of John with a sword;

3 And when he saw that it was pleasing to the Jews, he proceeded further and arrested Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread [the Passover week].

4 And when he had seized [Peter], he put him in prison and delivered him to four squads of soldiers of four each to guard him, purposing after the Passover to bring him forth to the people.

5 So Peter was kept in prison, but fervent prayer for him was persistently made to God by the church (assembly).

6 The very night before Herod was about to bring him forth, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, fastened with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison.

7 And suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared [standing beside him], and a light shone in the place where he was. And the angel gently smote Peter on the side and awakened him, saying, Get up quickly! And the chains fell off his hands.

8 And the angel said to him, Tighten your belt and bind on your sandals. And he did so. And he said to him, Wrap your outer garment around you and follow me.

9 And [Peter] went out [along] following him, and he was not conscious that what was apparently being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.

10 When they had passed through the first guard and the second, they came to the iron gate which leads into the city. Of its own accord [the gate] swung open, and they went out and passed on through one street; and at once the angel left him.

11 Then Peter came to himself and said, Now I really know and am sure that the Lord has sent His angel and delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting [to do to me].

12 When he, at a glance, became aware of this [[a]comprehending all the elements of the case], he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark, where a large number were assembled together and were praying.

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An old memory:   It was about thirty years ago that two of us wanted to get some of the scriptures in the local daily paper.  So we placed an article saying "PREACHER THROWN IN PRISON" , with a post like the one above.  We knew that even the unsaved would love to read what they thought was a current event.

I was attending an old FGBMFI meeting in a new city.  The meeting seemed o.k. and we had some great fellowship.  After the meeting was over, I was walking to my car and a tall gentleman recognized me and wanted to talk.     He then introduced his son and wife to me. 

The son told me that his life was in trouble and he needed advise and help.  I just listened and he said something like: "I have made some awful investments in my life.  I bought metals, stocks and lost all of my savings and we are in trouble."   From a outwardly view, a strong Christian family.  The problem came in his rant where he began his blasting the Lord in his rage.  As if the Lord had driven him into these investments.

I knew as I listened that he wanted investment advise.  I told him that I understood his bad investments and I had done the same.  I was just beginning to explain to him that he had lost more than his money while investing in the world, he had lost his Way, the narrow road that leads to Life.  His real problem was his lack of repentance and returning to the Lord. 

Yes I really had this dream last night and hope it is for someone.   Jim

When we were working in the Ukraine during the early '90's, I met a local grade school teacher who was teaching the scriptures in the public schools.  I was a bit shocked and told her that it was illegal in America.  Then there was the time in Zululand where I was able to address the entire school, and taught the basics of Christianity.   The principal of the school thanked us and said that they, the students, were the future of the Zulu nation and they needed to hear the message of Jesus the Christ.

This last week, I have been asked to help some of our local youth, who are in public schools, with their evangelism programs.  They all need big funds to go into their third world nations.   Not to testify of their faith and trust in Christ alone but to build steeple houses and homes.  This has been happening for decades.  They actually think that they are missionaries but some will find out that the third world youth may be light years ahead of them.  There is nothing wrong with building homes for people. 

I have met many youth who first want to attend some S.H. bible college and become a pastor.   I tell them to stay home and work in the field in their home area which is white unto harvest.  That is not what they want to hear.  It is an exciting thing for Americans to be sent out from their divisions as missionaries, however, many are not prepared for what they will encounter in those foreign fields and come home. 

We still like "Go unto all the world and preach the Gospel". 

This topic may stir some, however, I have been in that foreign field to see what America has sent into their field and it is not the living book of Acts.      jmo