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This I believe is the crux of the action plan for the 14-18 youth to spearhead revival in our land.
Primarily
• To spend regular time with their God for His help in the following agendas.
• To find out the other Christians their own age.
• To befriend a number of them as strategically as possible. From as diverse a cross- section of the Christian denominational community as possible.
• To operate in small groups to seek God's face for whom to reach out to and target.
• To pray, have fun and learn together thus binding them into a cohesive team to spearhead the witnessing front.
• To find out and record all the different groups and communities of believers in their locale.
To assist they will need
• To identify who the mother and father figures as well as all other adult helps available to them. So that they may know where to rest, relax, have fun as well as be supported, trained and equipped. Particularly to know whom to trust to fully intercede on their behalf and in their situations.
• To know who the prophets, pastors, teachers, apostles and evangelists are in their midst and in the immediate community.
• To know when to pass on and share problems and challenges. To know their potential as well as their limits.
• To learn and understand what still divides believing groups. To understand Who God is and His heart in sound doctrine and teaching such that effective witnessing and cutting through the lies of the enemy is possible. Both when communicating with non-believers and believers alike.
Visionary
• As they seek God's face, He will point out who to befriend and spend time with of their own age who are in their locality. They will also learn who is near them who can help. Which teachers and parents are believers and able to assist. Which leaders and church folk are available to help.
• As they seek God's face together they will discern their particular plan of action and whom to target in their witness. They will learn and know how to proceed. They will equip themselves accordingly and learn to share failings and triumphs. To support one another and avail themselves of older support.
Why the youth?
They are not 'owned'. The Lord gets the glory. Each and every One is a full blown believer 'in their own right'. They are freer and better able to communicate than ever before. The internet and mobile phones have made that possible...
Why this way?
The divided Church is the biggest single spiritual hindrance to the release of God's Spirit in a community. At schools across the nation believing youth of different denominations use the same playgrounds and buildings and are able to contact each other in a natural way. The divides they have inherited and walked into, or grown up into, are not of their own making. As they learn and understand the root influences of the enemy which perpetuate the divisions of the Church they will communicate this across the divides and to their elders. This will not just build bridges, but cause the walls between to disintegrate. They will lead their elders into the freedom of the Father's heart for His Church.
The edifices centuries old, real façades and illusory, will collapse. The real nature of God will shine through. As this happens the new freedom of believers will shine as beacons of life to unbelievers. Laughter, joy and fun will return between believers.
Whom to target?
In particular the 2 divided groups of the Church the Lord wants to work together are those with an emphasis on the Word and those with an emphasis on the Spirit. The latter are mainly the Charismatics, Pentecostals and those who understand themselves as Spirit filled believers. The former are those who have been known as conservative Evangelicals, Strict Baptists, some Brethren, some F.I.E.C, but in the main those who have more of a Word emphasis and are comfortable being named as Reformed.
How?
Ironically it is the youth 'from the Spirit emphasis' who, as they learn the Word and share it who are then in a 'Word strength' position. They will cut through the dividing lies of the enemy binding their brothers and sisters who are not Spirit filled. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit and the truths about the Father and His heart undivided for each and every person will be the keys (see the book SO YOU THINK YOU'RE CHOSEN? and my article WHAT IS BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT?). The Lord Himself will confirm His Word with signs following as it is shared. And thus not only will the Church wake up to work together, but the unchurched will also awaken to Jesus and His Bride.
This reminds me of a prophetic picture given a few years ago. There were sailing ships at sea and the wind very suddenly changed course and was very powerful. The force was such that all who tried to turn into the wind capsized. But, all who took their sails completely down and then turned were able to do so before catching the wind again. The understanding is that God is going to do such a powerful change of things that those who do not humble themselves truly to turn into God's way will stumble and fall. Those who do humble themselves truly will be able to catch what God is doing and move into His purposes.
Why the recording?
When I first learned of God's plans for effecting unity in 1993 it involved a national Church Services Centre (see The Banks of the River). In 1995 I then learned the Lord wishes to start local centres to be catalysts for the whole Church in a community. Some would start from bookshops. Some from community centres. Some from other means, but all would be inclusive and servants to the whole Body of Christ. As these arise and as believers desire to work together the need to know who is where and what they can do to help will be evident. When I started where I was to attempt collating such a file of information I was clearly resisted by the Holy Spirit. I witnessed that the very act of collating the information is reserved for the youth as a means of their acquiring knowledge of the Church in its entirety in their locale. The act itself of collection a further means of breaking down barriers. The gathered information however will require assistance from the local or national centre to process into an available format for all to benefit.
In summary
I believe the strategy for Revival today is as follows:
The unity of churches in any one area will release the anointing of God for Revival in that area.
The steps towards this will involve the youth working together across all the church divides. Church Service Centres in whatever form will help as catalysts to enable the believers to work together by facilitating communication. The youth will help accomplish this by:
• The collating of churches/fellowships/meetings info for local directories.
• The sharing of truths to the local Body by means of all natural contacts thus 'speaking into' the divisive heresies of the enemy.
• The ministering in groups in all common areas of influence: schools, colleges, youth groups, sport activities. By praying together, seeking God's plan for each immediate area of influence. Praying into this and witness accordingly. Revival will follow.
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