******* REVIVAL FIRE!!! *******
Hi Matt and all,
I find it funny that you posted this word today and I read it right when I was finishing my New Year sermon in which I am inspired to say ... well almost the same thing you are saying! Wow, this is my kind of Holy Spirit! One who knows what the church needs and goes about talking to us wherever we are!
I am not gonna preach my sermon here today, but just wanted to share a couple things, maybe some New Year resolution: go back to the source.
It seems that in these times when lots of people go into pains to go here or there to catch the last word from God, we have lost the sense of why we need God to speak!
It seems that we have turned ourselves into the center of it all. We want God to speak to us about us and reveal to us the plans He has for us and to show us what marvelous blessings He has for us.
Now there is nothing wrong about wanting to hear God speaking to us; but how about making God want to speak to us?
God, I want to be so close to your heart that you will want to speak to me.
Blessed!
JC
J. Conrad Lampan
Revival Highway
Newport - Wales
United Kingdom
Email: connect@revivalhighway.net
Alt Email: revivalhighway@sky.com
Phone: + 44 (0) 163 385 4409
Text: + 44 (0) 750 114 7598
From: revival-fire@hub.xc.org [mailto:revival-fire@hub.xc.org] On Behalf Of matthew Oliver
Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2008 6:20 AM
To: A forum for Revival Discussion and Posts
Subject: [revival-fire] Before the New Year – an important thought from Matthew Oliver
******* REVIVAL FIRE!!! *******
I believe I am like many who are awaiting the new year. Just the title is exciting, “new”. In America if it is “new” then it must be better. It does not even matter if what we have is really, truly old, the reality is, this is “new”.
In point of fact, I am not even out of this year yet. Not only is it not old, it is not over. And this year was an amazing year. That does not mean it was good, but it sure was amazing, filled with highs and lows, challenges and victories. But this is not about my year, I just wanted to give a thought before this year was out, perhaps the first of many, and I do hope it causes us to think.
I wanted to title this, PLEASE – AN IMPORTANT PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCMENT!
Before we all hit the keyboards with our 2009 prophetic words, and I know that the will be coming. Anything and everything that can rhyme with 2009.
2009 the year of divine
2009 what’s yours is mine
2009 I want a pine
2009 we are the vine
You get the picture, I hope.
I was thinking briefly about 2008 prophetic words.
Allow me to quickly state that I am weird about prophetic words, and, in the same sense, prophets. (I love them both)
I do not quickly label anyone a prophet, and I think that is for everyone’s own good. I don’t think that true prophets are really looking to be labeled a prophet, and at the same time, don’t need to be.
There are many who move in the prophetic, but prophet, I think we should be a little more careful, and respectful of the office.
And prophetic words, so many are quick to get one, and build their life around them. It’s the NEW concept again. We have a whole Bible filled with amazing, insightful, powerful, directing words that have come direct from Gods own heart, yet we are looking for NEW prophetic words.
How about for 2009 we open the Bible and claim an old word, unfinished, for NOW!
Like Gods glory covering the whole earth. Or this is a fun one, “Greater things than these.”
I know, they are not new, but how many of us are doing them? Too preachy, sorry.
When I look back at 2008, I read so many words about the year of abundance, the year of victory.
2008 the year of great.
2008 let’s celebrate.
Sure, I guarantee you that many could write words of Gods abundance and victories, yet, as a whole, on the surface, that is not the state of this nation, nor is it the state of the church.
I read words about 2008 the year of the harvest. Have there been salvations, YES! But if this is it, this is the great harvest, then we missed something. And I think that it could have been a year of the harvest, but every year could be the year of the harvest.
We don’t need a new prophetic word for that, what we need to do is get active in doing what the Bible says.
Every year could also be a year of miracles, healings, provision, if we are willing to walk in obedience.
2008 was in fact the year of the “winepress.” This is not a prophetic word, I can look back and see it.
What was in you was coming out!
2008 was the year that God was looking at Character, His character in us.
We said a lot of stuff, the real question is, did we believe any of it, and then, were we going to stand on it?
We wanted a year of abundance, but abundance of what? I could say wealth, but heavenly wealth is not measured by dollars and cents, it is measured by the core of who a man is.
We wanted abundance, this was the year to get it. You want victory, well,
“You cannot have a victory without first having a battle!” -
This was an opportunity as a church and as a nation to grow. We had some obstacles thrown our way, and God was looking to see who we were, our character, our core, what was in us.
What will 2009 be? First and foremost, it will be a chance for us to take some responsibilities for our actions, or not. It will be an opportunity for us to grow, grow up, or not. It will be a chance to walk in the fullness of our calling, as a body of radical believers, a warrior bride…..or not.
This is not a prophetic word, it is what is laid out before us daily. It is what Adam and Eve had in the garden and it is what every generation has had since. And is there grace? Yes, lavish downpours of grace. Yet, there will be a generation that lays hold of the promise and walks in the fullness. Is that 2009, it has yet to be decided, I will let you know next year.
What I would love for us to do, as a church, as radical believers, is not be so quick to claim the word for this year.
Let us not loosely throw “prophecies” around like they are cheap, and fulfill the worlds view of the church as some side show attraction.
If you have a prophetic word, how about you do what many of the true prophets of the Bible did, pray. Pray the word through. Pray for guidance, pray for support, pray for grace and mercy. Pray, pray, pray.
As a disclaimer, I am not saying God will not download to you the prophetic word for this year, He may already have.
But what we do with it also defines us. Eagerness is not one of the fruits of the spirit, but patience is.
I am looking forward to the new year, 2009, and I will be joining with the masses as we petition the throne of God. Yet, I am not looking for the new word. I would simply like the completion of some old ones. And in the words of a great song writer, “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.” And in the midst, God will download all sorts of new stuff, that I was not even looking for.
This year I am praying that I do not get so caught up in the what could be’s or the maybe’s, but that I lay hold of the fulfillment of the promises that are.
There is a whole lot of land out there for the taking, and I hear the sound of soldiers marching.
Christmas hat still on, and sword drawn
Matthew Oliver
Its been great talking with you
ATTN:
If any of the statements and words above offended you or gave you cause for alarm and you feel as though they were written directly to and for you, allow us to calm your offense. It was not written with you in mind, we most likely do not even know you (but are wanting to make your Acquaintance). It was written with only Matthew Oliver in mind. It was written about, too, and for him, and shared with the general populous as a character growing exercise. If you would like more insight and general transparencies about Matthew you can visit, www.myspace.com/consecratedone
www.takingbackthenightonline.com
we thank you for your time and support.
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