This word is not specifically about the Northwest, but I believe that there is much in this word for our region. In other words, it's my judgment – feel free to come to your own – that this is part of His call on our region. –Editor
Since the start of this year, a vision keeps coming back to me. I keep seeing a vision of a man sitting inside a race car, wearing a helmet and racing outfit, as He waits at the starting line of a race track. I can clearly hear the sound of His car engine running, shifting into higher gear as the Driver is ready to start the race. I believe this vision has spiritual significance for the time we are in. As I have continued to watch and listen to what God impressed upon me, below is the message I received. I pray it will bring encouragement to you as it has to me.
The Driver is the Holy Spirit, and as He set to go at the starting line, this represents the coming move of God. Our Heavenly Father has shifted to a higher gear, and He is inviting His people to join Him in this ride. This move will be both exhilarating and intimidating. To those who totally trust God and His leading--this ride will be the greatest joyride of your lifetime. God is telling us, "It's time to move forward."
The question is: Are you ready for the ride? Do you have total confidence in the skill of the Driver?
What Makes Us Qualified to Ride with God?
God is looking for people whose hearts and motives are pure and who do not hide their weaknesses from God. These are people who, when convicted of their shortcomings, are quick to let God deal with their hearts in complete surrender to Him. Just like when God chose David, He said to Samuel, "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).
Therefore our present success will not be His basis for choosing us; it will be the condition of our hearts which will matter to Him. David failed greatly when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and plotted the death of Uriah (2 Samuel 11). Yet despite David's shortcomings, God continued to use him greatly, and he was fondly remembered as "a man after God's own heart."
Great News for God's Children
Presently there is a big group of God's children who, in the past, experienced the mighty moving of God in your life and ministry. But due to various circumstances, some of you had to give up works or ministry, and may now find yourself seemingly bereft of any success. Despite the difficulties you had to face, the sacrifices you had to endure, the seemingly barrenness of your life right now, quietly, you continue to worship and honor God as best you know how. Yet you cannot deny there is a greater longing in your heart to do more for God's people, to do more for His Kingdom, and to implement all the ideas and plans God has planted inside of you to do. The dreams and visions God placed in the innermost parts of your heart for so long seem to be unattainable.
But there is great news: God had you in His mind! If you can identify with this group, the great news is that God had you specifically in mind and will call you to be on the forefront when His Holy Spirit makes the move. As you have been faithful to God, holding nothing back in the process, laying down everything at His feet, it's now His time to respond. He has not forgotten His promises and His calling for you and your family, and you will see Him opening doors and opportunities which you thought were closed or lost.
Luke 1 Connections
We are coming into a time of connection just like Zechariah and Elizabeth, and Joseph and Mary were intertwined with each other (read Luke 1). These were two different couples at various age levels, facing different challenges, yet both families' lives were intertwined with each other and linked by God for each other's comfort, confirmation, and for a common cause. So will it be in the coming days.
God will use the wisdom, skill and experience of those from the older generations, and He will link them with the new ideas and innovative ways of the younger generations. The experience and expertise of each will "complement," not compete, and they will blend perfectly to fulfill God's Kingdom for the nations.
What Peter had spoken to the crowd about during Pentecost will once more be manifested in our midst. This is both to the older and younger generations: "This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 'In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people, your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on My servants, both men and women, I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy'" (Acts 2:16-18).
Prophetic Insight As the Driver Moves
As in the days of Jesus' disciples:
• The people of God will ride this wave and will once more impact the community where they have been planted by God.
• Holistic endeavors connected with education, skills training, community development, poverty alleviation, indigenous inventions, environmental protection and many other projects that the community will need, will once again be spearheaded and pioneered by God's children who will have an important role in these projects.
• God is releasing a marketplace anointing where your skills, talents, hobbies and spiritual gifting will be used extensively by God to impact the people that you are and will be working with in the coming days.
• Ministry, business and job opportunity, which you had given up on before and thought had been lost, will once more be brought back into your path by God Himself. He will network you with people whom He has chosen to work beside you for these projects.
• Just like in Jesus' time, God's work will start off "small," and may not seem significant in the beginning. But as you continue to press in and faithfully do what has been assigned to you, the impact and effect of these works will catch the attention of the secular world.
• You will experience our God going before you and preparing the way. You will hear Him clearly guiding you as He says, "This is the way, walk in it."
Our Prayer
Our Father, we thank You for quickening our hearts once more with this message. We await this day with great expectation. Come Holy Spirit, even today, prepare us for the work that You have chosen for each one of us to do. Just like David cried out to You with these words: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24), so we cry out to You in the same manner today.
As a watchman waits for the dawn, so we also wait and long for You. Move as You have in the days of old. Summon Your power, and show us Your strength as You have done before.
Be exalted once more in the midst of the nations. Raise up the standard of Your people. Pour out Your favor upon us so that people around us will know that Your Presence is with us, and they will be able to distinguish Your children from the people of the world.
Thank You for revealing Your plans and Your heart to us for the coming days. We wait for them with great expectation and with thanksgiving in our hearts. Unto You and You alone, be all glory and power and might for all that You have done, are doing and will do in our lives. In Jesus Christ's name, we say, "Amen!"
Ching Ten L. Co
Email: mailto:Chingten_co@yahoo.com
