There is Good News...A New Day Dawns

Photograph by Loci B. Lenar

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all people; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.

Joel 2:28

Guest Opinion: The following excerpt from an interesting article by Junior desouza Ministries is presented here for your prayerful discernment.

A New Day Dawns - Junior desouza Ministries

A New Day Dawns
Biblical Basis

In Scripture, the dawning of a new era in God's plan is illustrated by the rising of a sun. Such "dawns" or "mornings" can pertain to a single person (Ps 57:8, 108:2, Isa 38:13), God's people (Mt 4:15,16), or even the entire world (Isa 26:19). However, the metaphor is consistent: a glorious sunrise terminating a long, dark night. Here's a few examples.

The incarnation of the Messiah dawned a much-awaited new day. Matthew, quoting Isaiah the prophet, said of Jesus' arrival (Mt 4:15,16, underline added): "Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles--the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." Zechariah, in his prophetic celebration of John the Baptist, spoke similarly (Lk 1:78,79,): ...the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death.

Jesus, the Morning Star, was dawning the New Testament era. Notice the providential metaphor...He resurrected at dawn (Lk 24:1-3), and birthed the church in the morning (Ac 2:15).

Isaiah and Hosea prophesied a new day would dawn for Israel, a day when the Lord would relent from His judgments against her and restore her completely. Isaiah 30:19-26 is the entire passage with several promises, but notice the illustration used in verse 26 (underline added): The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the LORD binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds he inflicted. Hosea foretells likewise. The entire passage is Hosea 6:1-3, but once again, notice the illustration used in verse 3: Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.

The dawning of new days can also be personal. David said weeping would last throughout the night season, during the momentary anger of the Lord. However, joy would come "in the morning"--when a new season dawned--and that favor would last a lifetime (Ps 30:5).

Hezekiah, in the midst of his agonizing illness, said (Isa 38:13): I waited patiently till dawn, but like a lion he broke all my bones; day and night you made an end of me. After eating some boiled figs, he recovered miraculously and his new day dawned (v21).

Song of Songs refers to Solomon's bride as a "sunrise". Song of Songs 6:10: Who is this that appears like the dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, majestic as the stars in procession? The friends could see that her presence in his life was a brilliant sunrise to him. She dawned a new day for Solomon.

Photograph by Loci B. Lenar

The Lord God is a sun, dawning new days of shielding, favor, honor, and good things for those who walk blamelessly with Him (Ps 84:11). He is the Morning Star (Rev 22:16), and that very nature demands that He manifest as a sunrise somewhere. Will you be that somewhere?
 
A New Day Dawns
Prophetic Rhetoric?
 
 I present this message to you today in childlike sincerity and divine seriousness. I say this, because, numerous prophecies are presently circulating about a coming "new day" or "new era", in this arena or that. Some of these words are 100% authentic, while some are hand-me-downs reissued in the spirit of prophetic rhetoric. The phrase new day has a high voltage, charged with sensation and hope, capable of being exploited simply as a mesmerizing catch-phrase.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, from the depths of my heart, I assure you this message is not prophetic rhetoric, spiritual sensationalism, Charismatic mesmerism, or trending/fadding. This is not a bandwagon prophecy. I have enjoyed several enlightening experiences the past few weeks that verified the Lord is truly revealing the dawning of a new day. A giddy excitement has filled my heart as this hope trickles down into my core!

As with all prophetic messages, I urge you to prove this word in your own secret place with the Master. I urge you to prayerfully wait on Him and the various confirmations He will provide in the coming weeks and months. And as He does, rejoice! I am so happy for what the Lord has scheduled! Many of His weary warriors and faithful fighters have waited long years for this good news.

In writing this, the Spirit urged me on joyfully from Isaiah 40:1,2: Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.

For those of us who thought/think our warfare would never give way to a new era, the Lord cries from Isaiah 66:9, "Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery?" says the LORD. "Do I close up the womb when I bring to delivery?" says your God.

An Era of Peace from War
The Ending of Heavy Warfare

The day is coming when many will no longer look over their shoulder for fear of the enemy's flood. The bullride will be over. It will be a day of peace from war, a day of rest on every side, a day when mega-seasons of brutal warfare have resulted in victory and subjugation of the enemy. David entered this era personally (see Psalm 18).

In that day many will quote the following scriptures (Ps 9:6 NKJV, 18:37,38, 46:9): O enemy, destructions are finished forever!...I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed. I crushed them so that they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet...He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. Their prayer from Psalm 7:9 will finally be answered: Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the just.
 
An Era of Successful Building
A Time to Build

The circumstancial peace will allow for settling down and the development of God-inspired projects. The enemy's resistance will be minimal and quickly manageable. It will be a time to focus energies not on warfare, but on building. Important progress will be made and God-dreams will become reality.

In that day many will have the experience of King Asa and Judah (2Chr 14:5-7): He built up the fortified cities of Judah, since the land was at peace. No one was at war with him during those years, for the LORD gave him rest. "Let us build up these towns," he said to Judah, "and put walls around them, with towers, gates and bars. The land is still ours, because we have sought the LORD our God; we sought him and he has given us rest on every side." So they built and prospered.
 
An Era of Long-awaited Second Chances
The Redemption of Major Mistakes

Waiting for a second chance to redeem colossal mistakes can be torturous. The humiliation and reproach weigh heavy on our souls, imposing a necessary sanctification on our pride, motives, and goals. For those who cooperated with the humbling, a new day of long-awaited second-chances will arrive.

In that day many will sing from Joel 2:19,26,27: The LORD will reply to them: "I am sending you grain, new wine and oil, enough to satisfy you fully; never again will I make you an object of scorn to the nations...You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed. Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the LORD your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed.
 
An Era of Unusual Confidence
Fearless and Sure, Finally

Insecurity and hesitation are pandemic in God's people. Heaven and earth are overwhelmed by the opportunities missed, relationships passed up, expressions suppressed, destinies delayed. This new era will be one of great inner strength and confidence, where insecurities and hesitations no longer restrain the faithful from the risks and adventures of the Christ-life. The faithful will assert and initiate in ways that terrified them before. Fear of rejection will be replaced with fear of missing the blessing.

In that day these once-fearful ones will praise from Psalm 65:5 (NKJV): O God of our salvation, you who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth.

An Era of Surprising New Work
Unexpected Vocational Reordering

Work will be reordered in a major way. Many will be surprised, even shocked (pleasantly), at the unexpected new tasks and projects the Lord appoints them to. Major portions of many destinies have been kept carefully concealed until this time. This has been for both lofty and practical reasons. The dawning of this new day will dawn abrupt and unforeseen work assignments that will reorder many Christians' vocational lives completely.

An Era of New Demarcation Lines in Conscience
Expansion of Personal Liberties

The Lord will be greatly expanding the personal liberties of many in this new day. The demarcation lines of their conscience will widen into a broad place (1Co 8:7-12, 10:25-29, Ro 14). Many who were under divine "restriction" and testing will be released from seasonal prohibitions. Many who were legalistic in certain areas will be illumined to the overstrictness of their convictions. A widespread relaxation from divine permission is dawning.

In that day many will say (Ps 16:6,11, 84:11, Ro 14:17): The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places...with eternal pleasures at your right hand...no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless...For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

In that day many will testify with the words of Amos (Am 7:14,15): "I was neither a prophet nor a prophet's son, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'

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To read the complete article, please visit the following link: A New Day Dawns

God is Miraculous, but Intelligent

Guest Opinion

By Junior Desouza Ministries

Signs, Wonders, and Miracles. We can't help but love and celebrate them. Our Bible says Yahweh Elohim is a wonder worker, a master of miracles, a specialist in signs (Job 5:9, Dan 6:27, Ps 77:14, Jer 32:20, Mk 16:17, Ac 2:19, Gal 3:5, Eph 3:20,21). He dances at the opportunity to defy natural law and baffle human reason with remarkable demonstrations of power. It pageants His omnipotence, that it might be known "He does as He pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth" (Dan 4:35). Such demonstrations come in different forms, in different seasons, in different quantities, in different geographies, for different reasons. However, the immutable nature of the Unique One has never mutated: He was, is, and is to be miraculous.

This very attribute indicts cessationism as one of the most tragic compromises in the history of the church (I say this with love and respect to my cessationist Christian brothers). At worst, it disregards God's miraculous virtue, at best, it downplays it. We can expect from God what we project onto God. Jesus said, according to our faith will it be done to us (Mt 9:29). Consequently, if we perceive Him to be miraculous only occasionally--and that occasion is, conveniently, the distant past or distant future--then we forfeit a relationship with the miraculous side of our Father. For all practical purposes, a piece of His character has been amputated. Cessationism has failed us.

I am so happy that a faith-filled people relating with the miraculous side of God is resurging. Many are abandoning the God-taming tendencies of cessationism and seeking a fuller, more biblical Christian journey. The same spirit of faith that prevailed in generations past is rousing itself once again. Like Gideon, these God-hunters are asking, "Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about?" (Jud 6:13). Like Habakkuk, they are praying, "LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O LORD. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known" (Hab 3:2). And God is answering them.

These Christians are discontent with intellect-only, information-only Christianity. Certainly cognition plays a crucial role in our spiritual journey, but it is incomplete by, in, and of itself. Are we brains only? Did God make us computers? No. First and foremost we are spiritual beings, craving spiritual realities because eternity has been preprogrammed into our heart's desire (Ecc 3:11).

However, in the same way cessationism has given God's miraculous side the cold shoulder, the signs-n-wonders movement must be careful to not do the same to God's intelligent side. As cessationism snuggles with dry orthodoxy, the signs-n-wonders movement occasionally flirts with strange doctrines and magic show religion. At the end of the day, both extremes injure the beloved body of Christ.

Jesus said Spirit and truth are Siamese twins, and when they remain connected, true worship happens (Jn 4:23,24). The Father requires experience AND education...power AND principle...Spirit AND truth. Spirit without truth is a river with no riverbanks--plant life is flooded and ruined. Truth without Spirit is riverbanks without a river--plant life is little to none. The Father dreams of a powerful riverflow of the Spirit safeguarded by sturdy riverbanks of truth--plant life is maximized and protected.

Purposes of the Miraculous

Why signs and wonders?

Asking why the church needs signs and wonders is equal to asking why the church needs the miraculous side of God, which is equal to asking why the church needs any side of God. Answer: because we cannot attain "the whole measure of the fullness of Christ" unless we "in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ" (Eph 4:13,15). Whole measure, fullness, all things...definitive terms telling us we need all of Christ, every attribute and expression, to mature personally and corporately. We cannot nitpick which aspects of the living Christ we want to relate with based on our personality, upbringing, experience (or lack of), denomination, or dispensational constructs.

The corporate maturity of the church is central to the divine program. Because God's glory is stewarded by the church (Eph 3:21), the knowledge of that glory cannot cover the earth as the waters cover the sea (Hab 2:14, 2Co 4:6) unless the church matures and prevails on the earth. Isaiah 2:2 says the last-days church will be the generation that actualizes this lofty destiny. But how will she do it? One way is through the miraculous side of God. Ecclesiastical institutions, Christian campaigns, and well-organized programs fall short, though they have a dimension of benefit. However, a church regularly demonstrating the Omnipotent One can surpass the mountains of this world so that "the mountain of the LORD's temple is chief among the mountains" (Isa 2:2). Moses understood (Ex 33:15,16): If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here...What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?

Signs, wonders, and miracles are increasing everywhere not because there is a "signs-n-wonders movement" inducing demonstrations, some real, some not. Rather, the Lord Jesus Christ is maturing His church, actualizing His global glory, prevailing over the mountains of this world with the mountain of His temple, all in preparation for His epic return.

Situational purposes

Besides the overarching purpose just mentioned, there are several local, or situational, purposes for the miraculous.

1-Authenticate Jesus as the Messiah. Many scriptures directly state that signs and wonders were used to accredit Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Messiah (Ac 2:22, Jn 2:11, 7:31, 10:24,25, Mt 11:2-5).

2-Authenticate the Word of God. Since God's Word is powerful and life-giving (Heb 1:3, 4:12), the miraculous often happens alongside the faithful, anointed proclamation of it (Mk 16:20, Ac 8:5,6, 14:3, Heb 2:3,4, Ro 15:18,19; Jer 23:28,29, 1Ki 17:22-24).

3-Create saving faith. Some unbelievers can be convinced of salvation through awesome demonstrations of divine power (Jn 20:30,31, 2:11,23, 4:48-53, Ac 13:6-12, 16:25-34, 19:13-20, Rom 15:18,19, 1Co 2:4,5). Some can be convinced through extraordinary wisdom (1Co 1:22). Some will never be convinced regardless (Jn 12:37, Lk 16:31).

4-Reward for faith. At times, miraculous happenings are a heavenly reward for active and ongoing faith (Heb 11:6, Mt 9:29, Mk 9:23, 11:22-24, Jn 14:12-14; Mt 7:7-11).

5-Compassion. God occasionally grants miracles out of pure compassion for people's hardship (Mt 15:32-38, Jn 11:33,38,43,44).

6-Judgment upon enemies. In a punitive sense, the Lord will act miraculously to directly confound, chastise, or defeat His enemies (Deu 6:22, Neh 9:10, Ac 12:21-23, 13:6-11).

Translating Miracles Into Maturity

Moves, Movements, & Maturation

Corporate maturity. This is why God "moves". This is why He initiates "movements". To supply a missing or struggling element of the church, an element necessary to progress the church to greater maturity (1Th 3:10, Ro 1:11). Genuine moves of God are not spiritual fads, celebrity opportunities, or a business-like Christian innovation. All genuine moves of God are motivated by this purpose in Ephesians 4:12,13: ... so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Corporate maturity.

If the human stewards of a divine move do not fully embrace and enforce this intention, sadly, the move eventually dissipates. God then schedules another move, in another season, with the same intention. This cycle will repeat itself until the move has been successfully integrated into the true, cross-denominational church, and a new level of corporate maturity has been reached. For example, the Protestant Reformation brought about a tremendous move of the Spirit concerning salvation by grace through faith alone. We have not seen any more significant moves along these lines because the corporate church, for the most part, is established and mature in this area. Every move of God, then, must be successfully integrated into the church for corporate maturation.

The signs-n-wonders movement is no different. If we become inebriated by the miraculous, we will ignore our sober responsibility of integrating the move into the larger Christian spirituality. How heartbreaking would it be to see the move become a fossil, a hardened story of a once-living organism that died back-when and back-then? The Lord is gracious and patient, waiting, watching, and continuing to move in the hopes that His human instruments will translate the movement into broader maturity. This is done through spiritual education.

Thunder & Lightning...but No Rain

Spiritual Education

Generally speaking, signs and wonders are not the basic tools of spiritual growth, development, and education. Rather, they ignite the faith, desire, interest, and enthusiasm necessary for a commitment to growth. Miracles do not teach you how to pray, feed on Scripture, love a difficult person, forgive your oppressor, manage your money, overcome certain habits, discover your calling, learn the Lord's voice, and so on. Sure, the Lord might give a miracle in one of these areas, imparting a significant amount of know-how in a short amount of time. But this is not typical kingdom protocol. When it comes to spiritual education, the Lord has appointed other gifts and functions to shoulder the task.

At soccer practice some time ago, the sky overhead grew dark with a looming thunderstorm. As practice continued, the thunder got louder and longer, the lightning brighter and more frequent. It got our attention; practice had to stop for awhile. As I stood under a tree, slightly fearful of the awesome power the weather was demonstrating, and frustrated that my practice was interrupted, the Lord said to me, "Stay here. I have something to show you."

The thunder and lightning kept intensifying, but the rain wouldn't come. Thunder and lightning...but no rain. The Spirit prompted my eyes to notice the lush green grass, the flourishing trees, and all the healthy plants and vegetation surrounding the park. The scene made sense: What makes the grass, trees, and plants grow is the rain. It could thunder and lightning all day, but if there is no rain, nothing grows. If we demonstrate signs and wonders, but undervalue or neglect the teaching and education of the people, they will never mature in Christ. They will be sign-n-wonders junkies, but spiritually immature, ignorant, and imbalanced. Eventually they'll become easy prey for the enemy, strange doctrines, false leaders, and other dangerous elements. Yes, they need thunder and lightning to get their attention and "stop their practice", but then they need rain to make them grow and mature.

In Scripture, rain is sometimes used as a symbol for biblical education and equipping. Moses uses the imagery exactly as I experienced that stormy day at the park, Deuteronomy 32:2: Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants. How exact and how awesome! Isaiah 55:10,11,13 say the same about God's Word: As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth... Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. In the language of John 4:23,24, if we have miracles but little to no spiritual intelligence, we are lopsided toward Spirit but wanting for truth. As Jesus said, true worship happens only when both Spirit and truth are honored in approaching the Father.

Leaders, let us not be that one spoken of in Proverbs 25:14: Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of gifts he does not give. Do not withhold the gift of spiritual education.

Life After the Miracle

Where do we go from here?

Life goes on after the miracle. No matter how glorious the miraculous might have been, we still have daily lives to live. If we never learn to succeed in daily life, the glories of a mighty miracle will be overshadowed by the embarrassments of a defeated life. The solution? Facilitate the miraculous, but focus on spiritual education.

Shepherds: shepherd the flock

Scripture uses three terms to identify local church shepherds: pastors, elders, and overseers (bishops). All three designations are synonymous, as Acts 20:17,28 and 1Peter 5:1,2 show. Local churches are to have a plurality of these shepherds (Ac 14:23, 1Ti 4:14, Tit 1:5).

Shepherds need to be diligent and do just that--shepherd. Paul says to the elders at Ephesus (Ac 20:17,28): Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.

Leaders, we must not neglect visiting our people in their homes, calling them, healing their wounds, praying with them, developing in them a biblical worldview, helping them process life by the Spirit, nurturing them into spiritual intelligence and success. Manifesting miracles without diligent pastoral guidance is like giving a Ferrari to a 7-year old.

Teaching: teach carefully and correctly

The gift of teaching (Ro 12:6, 1Co 12:28, Eph 4:11) is the supernatural ability to explain and apply Scripture effectively. Paul told Timothy not to neglect his teaching gift (1Ti 4:14), but to devote himself to the public reading, preaching, and teaching of Scripture (v13), with great patience and careful instruction (2Ti 4:2). Much of what is called "teaching and preaching" in today's popular Christianity is simply a hodgepodge of hype, faddism, basic encouragement, and a few scriptures. This is rhetoric, not teaching.

Genuine teaching that spiritually educates means interpreting Scripture responsibly, communicating it clearly, and applying it relevantly. It means consecrating time and energy to biblical studies, depending on the Spirit to give meaningful illuminations into what is studied. The miraculous would be the candy bars and ice cream of the kingdom; teaching, the meat and potatoes.

Paul said not to be ignorant or uninformed about spiritual gifts (1Co 12:1), and the psalmist said the works of the Lord are to be "studied" (Ps 111:2 NKJV). If Christians can better understand thorough biblical truth concerning the miraculous, the lure to become a sign-n-wonders junkie is weakened (Mk 8:12), and even more so, the possibility of being deceived and derailed (Mt 24:24).

Wisdom: counsel the entire person

The gift of word of wisdom (1Co 12:8) is the supernatural ability to reason skillfully and produce ideal, practical counsel for decision-making and problem-solving (1Co 6:5). (Some scriptures on the age-old wisdom/counsel relationship: 1Chr 26:14, Job 12:13, Jer 18:18, 49:7). This gift is often present among effective Christian counselors and effective pastors.

Why would God juxtapose the Spirit of counsel and the Spirit of power in Isaiah 11:2? Because excellent, Spirit-led advice is equal to an awesome demonstration of God's power! Yes, the people need the Spirit of power, and equally so they need the Spirit of counsel to help them find emotional freedom, mental soundness, physical wellness, relational fulfillment, vocational destiny, and financial capability.

Non-leaders

Do not wait to be spiritually educated. Educate yourself. Study your Bible diligently, read books, ask questions, pray for heavenly intelligence. There is a promise beckoning you in Proverbs 2:1-6.

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