Last
week, I had a peculiar, yet powerful dream. It was one of those
dreams where I immediately knew God was speaking. If God could put a
dream in bold, caps-lock, this would be it. The urgency and clarity
of the dream made it impossible to ignore. I knew that every detail
mattered.
In the dream, I walked into a conference setting. The location
wasn’t grand or large, but it had a massive river flowing beside
it. As I entered through the front door, I was immediately confronted
by a person. This person began to criticize me, telling me I didn’t
know what I was talking about, listing their ministry statistics and
achievements. They boasted about how God had chosen them for a mighty
move of His Spirit, but not me. Right away, I discerned that this
person was operating out of an orphan spirit, striving to manufacture
something that wasn’t from God. Their charisma, their appearance,
and even the way they spoke were familiar—a formula the Church has
used for far too long. I stood quietly as they slandered me.
Then this person challenged me. “If you’re truly anointed by
God,” they said, “I want to challenge you to a competition by the
river in three days.” Normally, I don’t feel the need to prove
myself, but something in my spirit told me to agree. “What’s the
challenge?” I asked.

They explained, “There’s a hummingbird that sits by the river,
and it’s very hard to allure. The person who can get this
hummingbird to sit on their shoulder is the one God has anointed in
this hour.”
I agreed and went on my way.
In the next part of the dream, I watched this person striving for
days, practicing how to capture the hummingbird. They had all sorts
of tools—fishing rods, hooks, cages, nets, and various contraptions
to try and catch the bird. They even dressed in camouflage and
imitated hummingbird noises to try to lure it. But I did nothing. I
simply observed.
The day of the competition came, and it was their turn. They spent
what felt like an hour striving, yet again, to capture the
hummingbird. Sweat dripped down their face, frustration etched into
their every movement, but they failed. Now it was my turn. I
approached the river with nothing in my hands. I stood still, made a
“tsk” sound and the hummingbird flew straight to me, landing
gently on my shoulder. Then I woke up.
I immediately asked the Lord, “What are you trying to tell me?”
And the Lord spoke to me clearly: “My Church has been trying for
too long to manufacture revival. They have been chasing after past
revivals, attempting to recreate and monopolize what I once did. They
use their own methods, striving to capture My presence, striving to
control My Spirit for their gain and reputation. But I will not place
the next move of My Spirit in the hands of those who seek it for
themselves. I am looking for a people who will simply be a landing
place for My Spirit.”
He continued, “Tell them to stop striving and be a landing place
for Me again. I will come without measure. I will pour out My Spirit
without measure. My signs and wonders will come again, and My glory
will shine in the darkest places of the earth. Those who welcome My
presence without agenda will see Me move mightily.”
I was overwhelmed. I began to weep and even repent, searching my
own heart. “Lord,” I prayed, “I just want to be a landing pad
for You.” Then the scripture came to mind: “Heaven is My
throne, and the earth is My footstool. Who will build a house for Me?
Where will My resting place be?” (Isaiah 66:1). In that
moment, I cried out, “Lord, let me be a dwelling place for You. Let
me create spaces where Your Spirit is welcome, where there is no
agenda but You.”
THE PROPHETIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THE HUMMINGBIRD
As I reflected on the dream, I felt it was significant that the
Holy Spirit was represented by a hummingbird. This wasn’t random
but something the Lord was trying to show me through this. Here are a
few thoughts that came to me;
• Hummingbirds are delicate and sensitive:
RT Kendall once said “The Holy Spirit is like a dove—He is
easily grieved and easily offended. If He does not feel at home, He
will take His flight.”
• Hummingbirds are incredibly sensitive creatures, easily startled
and hard to capture. This speaks to the nature of the Holy Spirit—He
is not to be manipulated or coerced. He is drawn to places of peace,
rest, and stillness, not striving. The next move of God will not be
caught through our efforts but through our ability to be a still,
welcoming vessel.
• Hummingbirds are small but mighty:
Though hummingbirds are small, they are known for their incredible
strength, endurance, and agility. They can fly great distances
despite their size. The Holy Spirit is often underestimated, but His
power far exceeds anything we can imagine. This next move of God may
come in small, unexpected ways, but its impact will be mighty and
far-reaching.
• Hummingbirds eat nectar;
Hummingbirds are drawn to the sweetness of nectar. This represents
the sweetness of our intimacy with God. The next move of God will be
drawn to places of genuine intimacy, where His people are drinking
deeply from the sweetness of His presence, not from the bitterness of
striving or self-promotion.
• Hummingbirds are in continuous motion:
Hummingbirds are always in motion, symbolizing the Holy Spirit’s
continuous work. He never stops moving, even when we can’t see it.
The next move of God will be constant and unceasing, flowing through
those who are aligned with Him.
• Hummingbirds are vibrant and beautiful:
Hummingbirds are known for their vibrant colors. This speaks of
the beauty and diversity of the Holy Spirit’s work in this next
season. The move of God will not be confined to one look, one
formula, or one method. It will be vibrant, full of life, and
expressed in many different ways.
THE WARNING & THE CLARION CALL
The
warning is clear: We must stop striving. The Church cannot
manufacture what God is about to do. The formulas and strategies of
the past will not capture the Spirit’s movement in this new season.
Those who seek to control or profit from this move will be left
striving in vain. The Lord is looking for people who will simply be a
landing place for His Spirit.
The clarion call is just as clear: Be a landing place. Prepare
your heart to be a dwelling place for His presence. Create
environments where there is no agenda but to welcome Him. As we do
this, the Holy Spirit will come and rest upon us, not through our
efforts, but through our surrender. This next move of God will be
marked by His Spirit moving without measure, in places and through
people who are yielded and open.
Let us heed this warning and prepare ourselves for what is to
come.
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Source: Nate & Christy Johnston
October 2024