While referring to my posting on the Big Five, Steve Hill ("success is in the grandkids") wrote something interesting in his newsletter:
Some people dream about making a difference, others stay awake and do it! Another one of those prophecies about a change in season was sent to me this morning. Isaiah 43:18-19 is just about worn out! And right up there with prophecies about change are the prophecies about the new generation that is coming. If I had a dollar for every time I have heard or seen one of those words, I could take a very nice vacation! If I had a dollar for every time I had given one of those words I could at least take a weekend away! But I have not given one of them for a long time! Why not?
The word about a new season, about change is a very powerful word because it is a very true word. But it loses its power and creates paralysis when it is misapplied to a season which is to come! God only has two seasons. There is the season of law and there is the season of grace. There is no new season to come! We are in the new season and have been ever since the day of Pentecost! If we are true declarers of good news we will continue to declare the new season but we will declare it to be now! Paul said, "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." (II Corinthians 6:2b)
If I declare the season is to come, I create a mindset of waiting on the season and then prophets start to use words like "alignment" or "positioning" to be in the place to take advantage of the new season. These words of "spiritual technology" are code for submitting to my ministry and coming to my meetings. If meetings could bring in the harvest it would be here! But we have a "geography problem". Jesus said, "Go!" We want people to come to us!
We are waiting for the revival, for the harvest, for the next wave, for the new anointing, for the next wind, for the fresh fire and we do nothing but go to the next conference to hear about the next new thing. So much of the prophetic imagery and language is old covenant! We are not back there! We are not waiting for the new! We are in the new! So much of this talk about the new is, in reality, a denial of it!
And all the while those who are doing the gospel are seeing the fruit of the season of grace, of harvest and of the power of the Spirit! The Chinese church is not waiting for harvest. They are doing it and have been for years! Check out some reports from a DAWN conference on what is happening in India. And even in America!
The problem with "the new, radical generation" prophecies is similar. There is no new, radical generation yet to come unless you are still in the Old Covenant! God has only one new generation and that is the generation of Jesus Christ. He has only one new man and that is the new man in Christ. These words about the radical new generation to come only build up pride in the hearers- "Wow! We are the generation that will bring in the harvest!" and create paralysis. They are waiting for a bus that will never come! There is no magical thing going to happen that will make any generation special. Will you obey and do or not!
We have become consumers of religious information and religious experiences. Religion will celebrate what God has done in the past. Religion will celebrate what God will do in the future. Religion will not accept the words "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4:21) because these words demand obedience and faith now!
Jesus was with the disciples in Samaria (John 4:34- 38). They saw barren ground which was four months from harvest. He saw fields "already white for harvest". The problem was not with the field! The problem was with the vision. The problem was not with the season! The problem was a problem of faith and obedience! Jesus saw harvest and had harvest!
He is the Lord of the Harvest! And he has commanded us to pray for laborers for the harvest fields. You cannot harvest while talking inside the barn!
Waiting for the next season? According to your faith, so shall it be unto you!