CHAPTER TEN
THE ARMY GOD IS RAISING
Equipped for the Days Ahead
" Revelation 4:1 AMP After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a [war] trumpet speaking with me, said, 'Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.'"
“2 Peter 1:3 AMP For His divine power has bestowed on us [absolutely] everything necessary for [a dynamic spiritual] life and godliness, through true and personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.”
“Philippians 4:13 AMP I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.]”
“Ephesians 6:10 AMP In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might.”
THIS IS NOT AN ORDINARY SEASON
As I have prayed and meditated upon the Scriptures, one conviction has grown stronger within my heart.
We are not living in ordinary times.
The increasing darkness around us is not accidental.
The moral confusion.
The spiritual compromise.
The growing hostility toward truth.
The attack upon families.
The assault on biblical values.
The deception that has crept into the Church.
None of these developments have taken God by surprise.
They are reminders that we are approaching the fulfilment of many prophetic realities revealed throughout Scripture.
Yet whenever darkness increases, God always has a people prepared for that hour.
He has never left Himself without witnesses.
When Egypt descended into darkness, God had Moses.
When Israel fell into idolatry, God raised Elijah.
When Judah entered captivity, God prepared Daniel.
When the Roman Empire oppressed God's people, the Lord raised the apostles.
Every generation has its darkness.
Every generation also has its remnant.
I believe our generation is no different.
GOD IS RAISING A PEOPLE FOR HIMSELF
One statement has echoed repeatedly throughout this book because I believe it captures the heartbeat of the Holy Spirit.
God is raising an army.
Not an army armed with earthly weapons.
Not an army motivated by political influence.
Not an army recognised merely by impressive numbers.
He is raising a people who know Him.
People whose greatest strength is not found in talent but in intimacy.
People who have learned to remain before Him until His glory rests upon their lives.
People who are more concerned with obedience than popularity.
People who fear God more than they fear man.
This army is not being prepared on public platforms.
It is being formed in secret places.
Before God entrusts public authority, He develops private character.
Before He releases spiritual power, He establishes humility.
Before He sends His servants into the harvest, He first draws them into fellowship with Himself.
The mountain always comes before the mission.
HEAVEN'S QUALIFICATION
One of the greatest misconceptions in ministry is believing that God primarily looks for gifted people.
Throughout Scripture, He certainly uses gifted people.
But gifts have never been His first requirement.
God first looks at the heart.
Again, the Scriptures remind us:
"For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth so that He may support those whose heart is completely His."
Notice what God seeks.
Not perfection.
Not fame.
Not exceptional education.
Not natural ability.
A heart.
Completely His.
This truth is wonderfully liberating.
Many believers quietly assume they could never be used by God because they compare themselves with others.
Some compare personalities.
Others compare gifts.
Others compare opportunities.
Yet heaven never asks us to become someone else.
Heaven simply asks us to become completely surrendered.
God does extraordinary things through ordinary people who are wholly yielded to Him.
THE SECRET PLACE PRODUCES SOLDIERS
Every army requires training.
No soldier enters battle without preparation.
No commander sends untrained recruits into conflict.
How much more does our heavenly Father prepare His people?
The secret place is God's training ground.
It is there that courage is developed.
Discernment is sharpened.
Faith is strengthened.
Character is refined.
Humility is cultivated.
Love is perfected.
Many believers desire spiritual authority.
Few appreciate the hidden preparation that authority requires.
Authority is never produced by titles.
It grows through obedience.
Every hidden victory over temptation strengthens the believer.
Every act of forgiveness enlarges spiritual maturity.
Every surrendered ambition creates greater room for God's purposes.
Every hour spent waiting upon the Lord prepares us for battles we have not yet encountered.
Nothing learned in God's presence is ever wasted.
THE ARMY IS IDENTIFIED BY HIS PRESENCE
When Moses prayed,
he made one request that continues to challenge every generation.
He understood that Israel's greatest distinction was never its military strength.
Never its wealth.
Never its history.
Their greatest distinction was the presence of God.
The same remains true today.
The Church's greatest strength has never been its buildings.
Its programmes.
Its technology.
Its influence.
Its finances.
Our greatest strength is the presence of God.
Without His presence we merely imitate spiritual life.
With His presence ordinary believers become extraordinary instruments in His hands.
The world is not waiting for another impressive organisation.
The world is waiting to see Jesus.
And Jesus is revealed through men and women who carry His presence.
This is why the secret place remains central to everything.
It is impossible to carry His presence publicly if we do not cultivate His presence privately.
THE MARKS OF THIS GENERATION
As I have sought the Lord, I believe the army He is raising will be recognised by several distinguishing characteristics.
They Will Know God Personally
They will not merely know about Him.
They will know Him.
Their confidence will come from relationship.
Not religious activity.
When crises arise, they will not panic because they have learned to trust the One who governs every season.
They Will Hear His Voice Clearly
The noise of the world will not determine their direction.
They will live from revelation.
Prayer will not be an occasional activity.
It will become the atmosphere in which they live.
Having learned to remain in the secret place, they will recognise the Shepherd's voice even when confusion surrounds them.
They Will Carry His Character
This generation will not pursue power while neglecting holiness.
They will understand that gifts without character eventually destroy those who possess them.
Their lives will increasingly reflect Christ.
Love.
Humility.
Purity.
Compassion.
Integrity.
Faithfulness.
These qualities will become the visible evidence that they have been with Jesus.
They Will Stand Firm
The days ahead may become increasingly difficult.
Yet those who know their God will not be easily shaken.
Their hope will not depend upon favourable circumstances.
Their confidence will not fluctuate with public opinion.
Their lives will be anchored in Christ.
Storms may surround them.
Darkness may increase.
Opposition may intensify.
Yet they will continue standing because their foundation is secure.
They Will Manifest the Glory of God
The ultimate purpose of intimacy is not personal fulfilment.
It is the manifestation of Christ.
The world desperately needs to see the reality of Jesus.
Not merely hear about Him.
The Father desires sons and daughters who reveal His nature wherever they go.
Homes transformed by His love.
Churches filled with His presence.
Communities influenced by His righteousness.
Workplaces touched by His integrity.
Nations impacted by His light.
This is the purpose of the secret place.
We encounter God privately so that Christ may be revealed publicly.
THE CALL TO CONSECRATION
Every generation faces defining moments.
Moments when believers must decide whether they will follow the spirit of the age or the Spirit of God.
Our generation has reached such a moment.
The Father continues to issue the same invitation He has extended throughout history.
"Come up hither."
Come away from distraction.
Come away from compromise.
Come away from superficial Christianity.
Come away from divided affections.
Come higher.
Come deeper.
Come closer.
The invitation has never changed.
Neither has the cost.
It still requires surrender.
Still requires humility.
Still requires obedience.
Still requires remaining.
Yet the reward far exceeds the sacrifice.
For those who answer this invitation discover that God's presence is not merely a blessing.
It becomes life itself.
THE CHURCH THE WORLD NEEDS
I do not believe the greatest days of the Church are behind us.
I believe they are still ahead.
Not because humanity is becoming stronger.
But because Christ remains the Head of His Church.
The darker the night becomes, the brighter light appears.
The greater the confusion, the more precious truth becomes.
The deeper the spiritual hunger, the more powerfully God reveals Himself.
I believe the Holy Spirit is preparing a people whose lives will demonstrate that Jesus Christ is still alive.
Still saving.
Still healing.
Still restoring.
Still speaking.
Still transforming lives.
The world does not simply need better arguments.
It needs believers who carry the reality of God's presence.
WILL YOU ANSWER THE CALL?
As this chapter ends, I want to leave you with one question.
When God searches the earth...
Will He find your heart completely His?
When He says,
"Come up hither,"
will you answer?
When He seeks someone to carry His burden...
will you be available?
When He looks for someone who values His presence above everything else...
will He find you waiting?
History has always been changed by ordinary men and women who gave God an extraordinary "yes."
Nothing has changed.
The invitation remains open.
The mountain still stands.
The secret place is still waiting.
The Father is still calling.