It is a great encouragement to know that God chooses the lowly and the humble to do His work. When we look at the prophets of the Lord it is hard to find the most educated and the wealthy among them. But how does someone of low estate or no reputation get to stand in front of kings to deliver their messages?
This passage in proverbs, suggests that it is the skilful undertakings of a man that position him in front of thrones.
Prov 22:29. Do you see a man skilful and experienced in his work? He will stand [in honour] before kings; He will not stand before obscure men.
We have to understand that the undertakings of ministry are endowed with spiritual strength and grace. God knows who He can use for certain things. So why do we worry about what God might ask of us? The only thing that stops us is fear and the disbelief that God may choose us at all.
If God chooses a man to be a king then why doesn’t God speak directly to him? We know that this may not be the case for all in such high estate but in general, we could say that it is. Prophets are called to those in leadership, perhaps because they are too embroiled in leading.
Generally, monarchs are an educated bunch and have many counsellors at their disposal, but the counsel they receive on matters of rule, international relations, and other protocols may not always prioritise the pursuit of God's will. In ancient times, it was incumbent upon the rulers of Israel to seek the wisdom and guidance of God concerning their monarchical decisions and other important matters. However, God is aware that each person has a responsibility, a task, and a gift to utilise.
Establishing the dynamic of body ministries proves that this is how God dispenses authority and purpose. Each member of the body, though separated, has a different part to play. But men struggle of course with all of this and thus there can often be a disconnect in functionality and a presumption in how roles are be to fulfilled
Responding to the call of God is a personal and decisive choice and many men stumble over it. As in the case of Jonah, for example, God had to speak to Him twice, causing him to repent between conversations. Jonah 3:1
Gideon asked for signs, Judges 36:40…… Jacob made a deal, Gen 28:20…..Moses argued over his inadequacy, Ex 4:10. Others among the chosen seemed to have simply obeyed. Amos was a prophet who declared himself a simple shepherd and gardener. As to the hearing of the word, we are told that the people wanted to stop the prophets from prophesying. Amos 2:12.
The pattern of Israel’s enslavement is a common theme and certainly a disciplinary action of God upon an unrepentant and disobedient people and idolatry always becomes entrenched within their culture as a result.
In Amos’ prophecy, God declares that all worship given to Him by the people, including, their sacrifices and songs were no longer acceptable and that as a result of the depth of their sin, many would die in captivity - this would be a time of exile for them.
When we think of exile, we think of a person who is sent away from his countrymen and culture. Leaving Israel and the holy land was a curse upon the people. In the first temple period, we see that such was the depth of the sin among the people and the priests, that God left the temple and never returned. Eze 10:1-22. In 586 BC the temple was destroyed and the people came under Babylonian rule. Subsequent conquests by the kingdoms prophesied in the book of Daniel kept Israel in bondage, despite a greater sense of freedom from among their subjugators. However, exile in a broader sense, means that the people have distanced themselves from God, but one may not necessarily be out of the land to be in this form of exile.
Returning to the pattern of the discipline brought upon the period by God, there is a transference of power and the land will suffer as a result. As time goes by, the identity of the people will almost disappear, worship of God will wain and the sacred spaces will turn into pagan shrines and temples.
Throughout prophecy, we hear a recurring theme. The call to return to God and repent is the precondition that brings real revival. What we must understand is that true repentance is not just a mind change but a life and attitude change and fundamentally it must include a deep resolve to return and keep walking in obedience to the word of God. It is not about being better people or redefining the Christian mission. The person must walk in this transformed way and this comes by true conversion causing the person to live righteously. Jesus, tells us that this type of person is the one who has died to self and understands the cost of being a disciple of the Word. In the sacrificial system, Israel made atonement for sin once every year when the high priest entered the Holy place. There is no longer any need for us as believers in Christ to submit this offering because the believer should walk constantly in repentance excepting the fulfilment of this law which Christ Himself became.
Repentance is therefore the believer’s walk. Familiarity with Father and the observances of tradition don’t convince God of one’s holiness only repentance and fruits from it do because God takes part in the response — He forgives.
Returning to this message, We must understand that God chooses the humble to confound the wise (1 Cor 1:27) and thus simple shepherds, which by the way were the attributes of the patriarchs and Israel’s greatest king, can be chosen to bring world-changing messages to the leaders of every tribe, nation and tongue. Why does He choose the humble and those who consider themselves to be unworthy of such a call? Because He can show His power over those who tend to boast in their strength. So dear friend, do not think that you are just a number among the saints.
There are a lot of voices in today’s church who have gained global reputations. They exude charisma, influence and status among world leaders. Some strut like showmen and peacocks on the stages of the illuminated temples and some prefer a trendy dress down to blend in with their audiences in the blacked-out spaces of the modern stage. Their loud encouragements and life lessons are not dissimilar to the gurus and influencers of the secular world. The odd hallelujah and amen, here and there, convince the assembly of some godly aspect. Now, I not tarring every minister of the word with the same brush, but I think you get the message.
Friends, preaching of God’s word must change us every time we hear it. Are you seriously impacted by this when you listen to it as you sit in front of the pulpit? Come on, let's be truthful. Every believer must be edified and equipped by its teaching. If we are not, we have to ask questions and encourage those who should be doing the job. But do not forget, dear friend, that our hearts must also be in a place of receiving its transforming power. In other words, the impact of the weight of this word will crush an unwilling heart.
If you ever put hot water into a cold vessel? Then you will know what I mean.
Speaking of a crash, we must be aware that there going to be a collision of beyond cosmic proportions and everyone will feel it.
Crashes cause separations and thus the clash of gods and God will bring wars of various kinds upon the earth and in the church. We are already seeing them manifest among the nations, in our streets, and not so long ago amongst our own families during the catastrophe of COVID-19. Foreign shoes are trampling our nation and changing our laws. Unfortunately, most do not see it as a consequence of our infidelity to God
As events reach a climax, which I believe is pretty close, a generation will be called to arms. But I am afraid that much of this generation will refuse to respond either through a sense of disloyalty or because of fear, just as Gideon’s multitude did.
Those who will accept some degree of responsibility and duty will nonetheless find the recruitment process daunting and unbearable because they have never experienced any sense of combat or discipline. This will be the case among the saints, I feel, as many have simply accepted teachings that have prepared them for nothing. Many Christians fail to engage in spiritual warfare at all, convinced that it’s all up to Jesus and that a good heart will see them through. God has called us to be soldiers in His army, and many, still, have only just passed the process of enlistment.
Once again there will be a clash between those who see the need to fight the foe upon our lands and in the spiritual realms and those who can’t see the problem at all.
Friends, why does the battle rage? It is because of the prayers of the saints. Those of us living today, have no choice but to engage with the prayers of the past. The baton of the ancients has been passed on.
War comes upon a nation, not by surprise. It is not a ‘sudden’ event. Wars are designed in the principalities of the unseen realm and brew in the darkness of the minds of evil men. I don’t believe that God desires war Himself, but He simply has no choice either, because there are evil forces who have forced it upon Him. All the forces combined, that rage against Him have no hope of defeating the greatest power of all. But they started it and their pride won’t let them submit.
Back down to earth, believers on the other hand must be reminded that our battle is not against flesh and blood but against those very principalities that war against our kingdom and the knowledge of God.
Nonetheless, the calamity of war comes upon a defiant wicked people whom God desires should repent. If you don't believe this then just ask Israel or better still, read your Bible, and ask God what He’s talking about.
It is a strange construct of God that He should use Satan as an agent to bring pain upon the world and that God’s children should experience tribulation. Let us not forget, that tribulation comes so that sin can be revealed and repentance made. Release from tribulation must come just like water flows from a tap when it is turned on. God forgives and that is the result — He lets His water flow. When the end time harvest is upon us and the angels come to do their winnowing, the wheat will go to Christ and Satan’s spoil will be the chaff.
The role of the prophet is to bring the warning of God’s displeasure.
Isaiah 43: Israel's Unfaithfulness
…23 You have not brought Me sheep for burnt offerings, nor honoured Me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, nor wearied you with frankincense.
24 You have not bought Me sweet cane with your silver, nor satisfied Me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened Me with your sins; you have wearied Me with your iniquities. 25 I, yes I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake and remembers your sins no more.
Isaiah’s passage reminds us that our sacrifices to God should not be burdensome. Do you, for example, find joy in giving a gift to a loved one? Then why should there be a lesser joy, or why should it be a chore to bring your gift to God?
God is burdened by sin, and thus he finds the need to forgive when true repentance is sought. It is probably the only time when God has no power over His actions.
But God in His mercy does not burden us with observing sacrifices but asks only that we present ourselves as those sacrifices, living sacrifices acceptable to Him. In this way, our relationship remains close and we can know His perfect will.
Romans 12: 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Sadly, many remain ignorant of this process of sanctification. We cannot, however, rest the blame upon bad teaching. Some teachers are as ignorant as those they teach, but it is incumbent for every believer to seek the Holy Spirit, primarily as their teacher — something else that has not been taught.
The teaching of repentance is something that does not occupy much time behind the pulpit. However, personal repentance should occupy our thoughts and actions daily, but when it comes to corporate repentance, is there a time for this? It would seem that there is.
We are living in an hour in which deep repentance on both levels, the physical and the spiritual, must be sought. There will be no true revival until this happens. Yet, some are awakening, those who are awake, and those who have not let deep slumber overcome them. The latter, hears the trumpet call and recognises the warning sound.
Friends, I see it like this—there is a series of trumpet calls. The voice of the prophets is encapsulated by two trumpet calls. The first tells us he is coming and the second lets us know that He has spoken.
The third trumpet call is the call to repentance and the fourth calls us to worship because our sacrifice is now acceptable to God.
We cannot continue to think that God finds our worship and offerings acceptable if we are not living a holy and separated life. This once again, is stated in the opening passage of Romans 12:1-2.
So, what do we do about this battle that we are all supposed to be involved in and in what state of slumber or awakening are you? Are you feeling the unction of the Holy Spirit to pray and intercede, and are you ready to go to war, knowing that you have already been conscripted, or are you, like Gideon’s 12,000 who didn’t want to fight because of fear?
In this hour, men are being specifically called up. Through this conscripted force, an elite troop will be selected to spearhead the attack. They will surround the city and their strategy will confound and confuse the enemy’s defences. Intercession you could say, is a stealth tactic and many of the warriors have been positioned already and still there is more to come.
Today, wars and rumours of wars abound. This is where we are friends but a generation of cowards have been raised. This generation enjoys the virtual battles and gladiatorial games, that now pervade technology and the media. From these, heroes of no substance attract childish and narcissistic attention. Their power is only gained when we turn on the switch. These virtual games occupy the false battlegrounds and all those who occupy this ground can leave when they have had enough without ever being called a coward.
Friends, you can’t kill a dead man and all those in Christ are already dead. Their power is the power of the resurrection, it does not come from a hole in the wall.
A dead man has surrendered and a soldier never trains on his own. A spiritual man trains with the praying saints and follows the banner of their tribe and the sound of the trumpet from generations of those who went before them.
In times of war, men go to the home front and women guard the home. This is generally the case. People had a cause they believed in; they defended their nation and identity. It was about patriotism. Can this be said of the generation we find in such a time as this?
Their only cause is a selfish one, their only identity is a confused one, and these two define our nation today. This cause is an evil one that has replaced the true cause that was fought for by generations passed, and we have to recognise and declare that there is only one King to whom we pledge our allegiance.
But how strange and abnormal these loyalties seem to this almost lost generation. I consider this generation, and in truth, I feel that yes, some will be lost in all of the mayhem but there is a new generation rising that needs the intercession of the saints like never before. These are the ones who are currently being educated in cottonwool Christianity and the absurdity of our schools and universities. These are the ones who go on to be elected leaders in society. Absurdity cannot be allowed to rule!
So where are the wise? Where are the elders who should be teaching the young? Have they been silenced by this absurdity? I believe so. The solution is for those who believe in the truth to stand up and be prepared for the collision and the separation to come. We must not look to the catastrophe but to what comes out of the ashes. This is the hope, the victory of battle.
God’s children have always been a peculiar breed. We are called to fight on two flanks, the spiritual and the physical. One of the roles of women during WW1 and WW2 was to fill vital positions at home, in agriculture and manufacturing. They took the jobs that would normally be occupied by the men. The wars could not have been won without them and so as then and just like today, I sense that the backup and driving force behind the engine of these final battles will be a combination of three flanks of attack. You can read more in part two of this article.
The strategies of war are made in the war room and they are based on those who gather intelligence. This role belongs to the intercessors. Spending time in the war room makes you part of God’s cabinet of power.
Finally, let me say this: there are few amongst men who have stood in their true callings. God calls these His remnant. This has nothing to do with elitism or predestination. God has a plan for all of us and we can choose it or lose it in other words, we can keep it bound or we can loose it. He leaves that decision to us.
Remember, in Gideon’s call, it was God who chose the three hundred. Many are called but few are chosen.
Shalom
Grant Marshall
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