As the children of God, we cannot have the same view as the world does.
Haggai 2:6 “For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land.
Haggai 2:7 and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts.
Hag 2:8 ‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts. NKJV
In every prophecy in the Bible, God is talking to three persons: Israel, the Church, and the Nations.
What’s happening now is, God is speaking to the nations because it is not just happening in some places but everywhere. But after the shaking will come the Glory – if there is no shaking then there is no need for the Glory. Everyone and everything is and will be shaken no matter how strong your faith may be. Often, we pray and ask God that it may pass us, but there are just some things that we have to go through…
God is shaking us to reveal the core of our faith!
David said: “though I walk through…”
During the shaking, whatever isn’t real will crumble, especially the faith that is not directed towards God. Faith that looks to things is an idol, this is the faith that many in the world has today – that kind of faith is going to crumble.
Hebrews 12:26 At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”
Hebrews 12:27 The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken – that is, created things – so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
When was the first shaking?
Ex 19:18 ‘the whole mountain shook violently’, NLT
The first shaking happened in Mt. Sinai when the law was given. This was the time of Pentecost which means that the first Pentecost shook the earth – Israel was born at Pentecost; from a shaking. The Church was also born at Pentecost, but not out of a shaking but from a resurrection and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This means that the church was birthed in power. It was God’s plan that the church would be a part of what He is going to do globally in these end times, that’s why she has to be powerful!
The shaking that is happening today is part of God’s plan to bring a reset.
What is God doing now?
He is overturning the economy of man to expose our faith down to its core. God will strike the Pharaohs of the earth – we are watching it happen, even now, it’s global. During the time of Moses, all the plagues that God sent were aimed to cripple the economy of Egypt.
Plague of blood: drinking water, aquatic resources, agriculture
Cattle and livestock: food and industry
Plants: again food, most vital
US national debt is 28T, it now exceeds the size of the entire US economy and is expected to exceed 102% of GDP by the end of this fiscal year! [80% tax]
Venezuela hyperinflation: 53million percent [5yr rate]
Today, especially to His people, God is testing our hearts.
How is God testing us?
God gave you prosperity, but only by a measure – it’s limited!
With the limited prosperity, many started believing that they could prosper without God and they began to go their own way, doing things with their own strength. Before this you made a promise and commitment to God that if He will prosper your job or your business, that you will do this or that!
But you forgot Deuteronomy 8:18
Deut 8:18a “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth…
God’s people now have faith in the economy of man…
That’s why God will shake it!
God can turn everything, no matter how good it looks, upside down – why? [Ps 24:1 the earth is the Lords!]
Q? Do you trust what’s in your pocket or God?
Who is your source? [LG from God] THIS IS NOT A JOKE! Ask yourself, how many days, weeks, months, can you last without any income? [666]
Let me say this: The survival of the church and the people of God in these hard times is the present Supernatural – The Supernatural Now!
It’s Our Only Guarantee! If you are not Supernatural – you will not be able to survive what’s coming, you won’t even fit in the plan of God today. We have the Word of the Lord, we can either shine, manifest the Glory, or be like the world – darkness.
Let me show you the Supernatural Now!
Mark 16:17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
Mark 16:18 “they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
THE CHURCH IS THE CURE!
We have something that the world doesn’t have. You are essential.
We Don’t Serve a God Of Crisis, We Serve A God Of Purpose!
God permits crisis, yes—He is not the God of crisis but the Author of purpose!
When people don’t know the purpose, they will be consumed by a crisis. What’s happening today is not new to God, it’s new to men, it’s new to this generation, but not to God! [cassette tape]
Everything God permits, even the works of the enemy, He made sure it will work for your good!
Gen 50:20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. NKJV
1 Cor 2:8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
In the times of shaking and crisis, many lose their faith…
But if we know the purpose, you won’t lose faith, you will have faith!
1 Cor 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion [NIV disorder] but of peace. NKJV
If you know God and His Word, there is no confusion. If you know God, you won’t blame Him for what is happening because you understand that you are being tested by fire. Until they are tested, you will never know their value!
1 Cor 3:12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,
1 Cor 3:13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work.
We cannot think as the world does, for we will be consumed by it. As a child of God, we cannot just be following the principles of the Bible because even the world practices it. We must follow the Author of the Bible for only in knowing the Author can we apply the principles in real life as God desires; we must be able to see things from God’s perspective.
Luke 8:22 Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” And they launched out.
Luke 8:23 But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.
Luke 8:24 And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm.
Luke 8:25 But He said to them, “Where is your faith?”
The day is not mentioned, but this is appointed by God to test His disciples. To each man, there is a day appointed for testing. God asked them: WHERE IS YOUR FAITH? Jesus asks where because maybe it was lost! This is the question we are being asked right now, ‘where is your faith?’ Until you find your faith, you can’t use it. Faith is so powerful; it is the substance of the Supernatural Now. Many today would focus on the wind, on the boat being filled with water, but what many fail to understand is this: they were in His presence!
This is the key: HIS PRESENCE!
He made that promise, He will never leave us nor forsake us!
Q? Are you in His presence?
Maybe you’re in the church, at sea, in the hospital…
Jesus would ask you: where is your faith?
Is it possible to be in His presence but not have faith? Clearly it is when we are consumed by what is around us rather than of His presence. When you take your eyes off Christ, you will begin to deal with things in your own strength, when that happens, you are coming into a crisis. God will shake you to remove all that can be removed so you will return to the core of your faith.
If you don’t acknowledge God in your crisis, the crisis becomes the dictator. The dictator will tell you what you should do, how you should live – the crisis now becomes a god to you. But God is calling: come into MY presence.
The principle is simple:
Return to His presence, strengthen your faith. Stop apologizing for what you believe.
Mark 16:17-18 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
If you are in the natural, you will struggle to believe that, but if you are a believer, you will believe. The end times are marked by organized crises; who is organizing? God! “I will shake.” God doesn’t organize crisis, nor confusion, nor disorder… He is the Author of purpose and of faith. You need not fear, you need only to believe. Because for everything the world calls a crisis, I believe God has prepared a miracle for all those who believe!
For the WISE! That’s the only way we can survive what’s happening, what’s going to happen… Until the day God calls us to be Him – via RAPTURE!
We Must Be RAPTURE Ready!