Every so often, when I don’t know how to write what’s burning in my heart, I remind myself of a few things before I start:
One: God knows my heart.
Two: It doesn’t have to be perfect.
Three: Only about 2.35 people will read this. That might be a good thing.
Four: Sometimes, I just need to say it.
There’s something odd that is happening in the church today, and I truly believe that the God has stirred (is stirring?) a prophetic word in me about it. I humbly submit it here for those 2.35 people to weigh and test.
There’s an erosion taking place in the church today. It is an erosion of authority due to a lack of visibility. While the enemy didn’t cause or create all the circumstances that we’ve faced over the last 18 months, he has used it as a mechanism to deliver fear, bitterness, and offense to many within the church.
The word that God is burning in me isn’t so much about individual believers who may be struggling in those areas as much as it is about the Church as a whole in America. A Church that once led with authority, but now follows in fear. A Church who once spoke with confidence, but now whispers in cowardice. A Church who was once knit together through prayer, but is now pulled apart through preference. Loving one another has been replaced with leaving one another. Correcting one another has been replaced by shaming one another.
It’s a bleak picture, I know, but it’s only part of the picture. In fact, it’s a shrinking part of the picture because God is beginning to restore His Church to the authority that has been given to her by Him.
Unfailing love and faithfulness protect the king; his throne is made secure through love. (Proverbs 20:28 NLT, emphasis mine)
The Hebrew word used in that verse for “throne” means authority. The very thing that has been eroding in the Church! What’s caused the erosion? A lack of love and faithfulness. Brothers and sisters, it’s time to find our way back to a place of one-anothering that restores the Church’s voice of authority.
Why is this so important? Because the heat is rising (and so is the remnant!!!), and as it does, people will crave something that they can know for sure. As our culture continues to crumble, people will seek a strong-tower and a refuge. There are days ahead of us that will give us opportunities to speak about the hope within us, and yet the question that remains is this: will our words carry the authority of authenticity?
Boldness is our birthright. Click To TweetGod is calling His Bride back. Back to Him and back to His other children. His invitation is motivated by His kindness because He knows that bitterness grows in isolation, but boldness grows in community, and boldness is our birthright.
Bitterness grows in isolation, but boldness grows in community. Click To TweetThe wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as lions. (Proverbs 28:1 NLT, emphasis mine)
The day of our King’s return is drawing near. It’s time for the body to draw near, too. The authority in our roar depends on it.
