Over the last few months, a word has burned in my soul… for weeks and weeks I have wanted to share it, yet I feel my words fall short. But when I sit face to face with a friend and share this word, I weep. I can’t speak it without tears because I believe it so deeply. It moves my soul and burns like fire in my bones.
Prepare and Position for the Suddenly.
While we spent our first 8 weeks in Florida I spent time in Acts, and there I couldn’t get past Acts 2. I would sit with those first few lines, “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting…”
SUDDENLY, as they were all together in one place.
I believe the church has found itself in a unique moment in history, a Kairos moment; (a time when conditions are right for the accomplishment of a crucial action) This may be a moment we can’t miss or shy away from. Though this has been for many of us the hardest few years, all the enemy meant for the evil I believe God is turning for His good and GLORY! For our family personally, I believe he called our family to Florida for a few reasons, one of them being, to call believers together in one place in prayer and prepare for the suddenly.
We are to position ourselves like Eagles, to catch the wind and soar.
The American church is weary, beaten down, and tired, yet I believe a fresh wind is on its way that will allow us to soar. Many are feeling exhausted from the oppression, all the loss, and sudden changes.
“The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” Is 40
Did you know Eagles are patient and wait for the wind before they leap out of a tree to catch the wind and soar? The Eagle’s wingspan is so large that flapping their wings tires them out quickly, so rather than flying they like to soar. If the Eagle waits patiently, they then can soar high when the wind blows through.
Eagles wait patiently.
In Acts 1& 2, the believers gathered, they positioned, they waited on the rustling from heaven to come blow through. (2:1)
A group of 120 believers started a small wildfire and waited for the wind to come blow upon it and explode the church rapidly to 3,000
One way they waited was by staying together and joining in constant prayer. (Acts 1:14)
Wind and Fire.
My heart burns for the wind to come and blow on the fire. The Holy Spirit is often referred to in scripture as both wind and fire.
It only takes a few embers yet when the wind comes….. You get wildfires.
When wind comes it does a few things: It disturbs by uprooting and stirring, It refreshes like a fresh breeze on a hot day, Cleanses and clears out, and upheaves things to make room for renewal.
Fire Illuminates the dark, reveals the hidden things, fire brings warmth, fire purifies, a fire ignites new affections for living God, fire spreads by setting other things on fire.
My prayer has been, come Holy Spirit and set me on fire, the Church on fire. Help us wait like eagles for the sudden gust of wind so we can soar once again.
Some of you reading this may be called to start a fire in your home by waiting in prayer for the wind to blow through. And some may be called to come to join us on the Florida beaches as we position ourselves for the wind to blow through and spread the fire.
I hear the sound of the Spirit urging us to press in, to not forsake the gathering, and be expectant for the suddenly.
I want to invite you, come and see. Come and see what Santa Rosa Beach is like and listen, listen for the Spirit to speak. While I don’t know exactly what He wants to do and God isn’t formulaic, nor placed in boxes, after much prayer and fasting, I sense deep down in my soul he is about to do something NEW.
The winds are shifting.