Portions of the conference will be aired on the DayStar Television Network from 7:30 – 9pm CDT tonight and Friday night.
The title is the theme of our conference this week. I have shared on many occasions this is not a suggestion, but a command from God. It is the only hope for America and the free world to halt the catastrophic consequences of rebellion against God’s truth.
We must have a great spiritual awakening. There is no substitute for what God can do. Men and women filled with all the right desires and goals cannot accomplish the necessary and significant transformation without wisdom that comes from above. No government or any rule of man will prove effective without understanding the importance of the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God.
The spiritual awakening I reference begins with an acute awareness not only of what must be addressed, but of the spiritual realm that influences all we observe. The invisible moves the visible. The clash between good and evil, light and darkness, has been and will continue to intensify. The conflict we find ourselves in is indeed a revolution, and the battle will prove fierce—as a matter of fact, so fierce that people of faith should become keenly aware that they must be “suited up” in the armor of God in order to be more than conquerors and overcomers in this life.
It is a revolution because both sides are committed to their cause. Both believe they have the answer. Those who are deceived are so confident they are right that they unwittingly devote their lives to a deceptive, damaging, deadly, and ultimately destructive cause. As with the communists, they have sold out, and they march to change the world not knowing they are destroying meaningful life, substituting a relationship with the living God for hopes and dreams based on foolish fantasies and promises. They choose to depend on an all-powerful state.
Years ago, a man walked through Moscow’s Red Square in tattered clothes. A communist said, “Communism can put a new coat on that man.” A Christian standing nearby said, “Yes, but the grace of God can put a new man in that coat.” This is forever absolute truth.
The necessary Awakening must be one of love and truth shared with compassionate expressions. Ambassadors of life will stand with unwavering convictions and unshakable faith. The greater the pressure, the more highly refined are the lives committed to God’s kingdom purpose. The battle will not be won with mere physical strength. Tragically, there will likely be riots, and other expressions of animosity, hatred, and violence. Although control is necessary and protective walls must be maintained, the battle will be won with the sword of the Spirit (God’s word) and His light piercing the darkness.
True believers will interpret the vision of the Lord and His will for His kingdom purpose to come right here and right now—on earth, as it is in heaven. God’s kingdom is first established within the life of every believer. That kingdom is the rule of God: first in us, then in our families, and then the influence of that rule affecting our neighbors, communities, cities, states, and ultimately our nation. Only transformed people can help transform and correct our nation’s perilous course.
Constantine saw a great vision and misinterpreted it. He took the wrong cross and put it on a banner. He took up the wrong sword—a physical sword—against the wrong enemy. When misinterpreted, even a good, true, heavenly vision can set us back and hinder the kingdom purpose of God. The vision must not be misinterpreted today. We must become the light piercing the darkness, standing together, the city set on the hill that cannot be hidden. As this light shines, it will glorify our Father in heaven, and people will see Him as the wonderful God, personal Father and friend He longs to be.
Christine Caine, scheduled for Thursday in the Awaken Now conference, was recently on LIFE Today. She is part of the Hillsong outreach birthed in Australia that has swept the world. She is now focused on helping victims of human trafficking and making a tremendous impact on the United States, as well as other nations. She shared with us a brief shopping trip she took to Wal-Mart one night. She commented, “Wal-Mart is a fun place. You can go in and buy anything you want. You can buy groceries or underwear. Anything.” Her 3-year-old daughter was with her and found a flashlight she wanted. She kept turning it on and off in the store but couldn’t see its effect because of all the bright, fluorescent lighting in the store. When they were checking out at the register, Christine heard her daughter’s tiny voice over all the other sounds. “Mommy, let’s go find the darkness so we can shine the light.”
“Oh my goodness!” Christine exclaimed. “Out of the mouths of babes…” How true were the words of that little 3-year-old. God has left us here to find the darkness and shine the light of His love.
We will not win this battle by boasting in our numerous warriors or, as the Old Testament referenced, “trusting in horses and chariots.” In the Old Testament, the strength of horses was often used as an allegory representing the flesh, just as Egypt depicted the bondage we find ourselves in when we depend on the systems of this world or the power of some type of Pharaoh for our security.
The world teaches people today that success comes from having the right connections. The New Testament teaches clearly that success comes through connectedness. Christians are members of the body of Christ. Every member must fit together properly, supplying the need to every other member while they are submitted first to each other and ultimately to the head. In order for the hands of God to work properly, the lower and upper arm must be properly connected and submitted to the head in order to express the very heart of our Father. We have seen the truth of this in mission outreaches around the world. We don’t duplicate efforts; we connect, undergird, and enable, allowing the power of God’s love to flow like a mighty river.
True believers must learn to stand together like a mighty faith-filled army. The challenge is far greater than winning elections, as important as that is. It is a matter of winning hearts and minds with the transforming power of truth. The battles we face today will not be won because we simply outvote those with whom we disagree. When we live the way we should, we assume responsibility. We must choose our leaders wisely by becoming well-informed and guided by principles, not manipulated by parties or personalities. We must be committed totally to the cause of Christ and refuse to ever back down. Everything accomplished must be in the Holy Spirit power of God our Father and His Son. This is the Trinity revealed.
We have a relationship with the Father. When Jesus taught us the model prayer, he started with “Our Father, which art in heaven,” making it very clear we are talking to someone with whom we have a personal relationship. Then in His own prayer in John 17, He once again emphasized the importance of this relationship. He prayed all believers would be one with the Father as He is. What a wonderful, meaningful relationship! Jesus didn’t move unless He saw the Father directing His steps. He only did those things which pleased the Father, and His life was filled with overwhelming, indescribable love, joy, peace and power. He longs for us to have that relationship.
In order to know the Father in a personal way, we must accept the redemptive work of the Son. We must literally be born from above—born of the Spirit, transformed by the power of God, washed in the water of His Word and truth so we become renewed in our minds. We’re talking about transformation that comes through Christ. There is no substitute for it—religion will not suffice. Our own efforts will always come up far short.
And then He said it was necessary for Him to leave and send another one just like Him—the paraclete, the Holy Spirit, to live in us so that He would be with us at all times, in all ways, accomplishing His kingdom purpose. Jesus was actually informing His disciples that the truths He left them with would produce such indescribable blessings and benefits it would be essential for them to be filled with the Holy Spirit in order to handle them, and not allow any blessing to become an idol. How true this is.
When the truth makes us free, we must be ever-aware how easy it is to abuse the blessings freedom offers. As a matter of fact, without Holy Spirit enabling, it will be abused. While we wait for the future kingdom to come, we are commissioned by God to live in His presence and in His power in the present. We need fear no evil, for He is with us. We can live in personal victory—but not without a battle. We are freed to fight and win the battle, to move from victory to victory.
The victory He offers can lead us to find realistic, effective solutions to all the challenges we face personally and nationally. We resist evil. We cannot destroy it—we overcome it. When we recognize that Christ in us is the hope of glory, we will find ourselves as believers moving in holy harmony and supernatural unity, adorned in His glory. When Christ comes in glory, He will come for a church clothed in His glory.
We know who wins, but this is no time to sleep. As the apostle Paul challenged all believers, we must put on the whole armor of God, resist the evil one, fight the good fight of faith as soldiers of the Lord Jesus, as more than conquerors and overcomers in this life. Now is the time to arise and shine with the glory of the Lord upon us. This is the time for a great awakening, and in obedience and commitment, we will rejoice in it and allow Him to accomplish His kingdom purpose through us. To Him be the glory and honor, forever and ever.