Is it TIME for a "NEW MOVEMENT"??
Posted by: prophetic <prophetic@...>
-by Andrew Strom.
As you can imagine, I have been inundated with over
400 emails in the last day or so - giving me feedback
on the concept of a "new movement". I simply have not
had time to read them all, but from what I've seen the
comments and insights are often of a very high quality. I
will try to publish some of them next week, but suffice it
to say that there were large numbers who agreed that
it is time for a 'new movement' of some kind and are
excited at the prospect. Others were not too sure. One
of the main objections they had was that we need to
make sure it is not just "man-initiated" but rather "God-
initiated". Some said it was best simply to 'wait' and
that it is GOD who will bring about all the "change" Himself.
I can certainly see where these people are coming from.
And I totally agree. -If we are trying to build something
without God's leading then we labor in vain. It is easy to
build "Ishmaels" in the flesh. We see this throughout
Christendom today. And we certainly don't want to repeat
that error. One of the things that God's lengthy 'wilderness'
process has produced in me is a hatred of "running ahead
of Him" and also of producing fleshly "Ishmaels". That is
why I have been 'waiting' for years. God crushed all my
Ishmaels in the past in such a devastating way that it
cured me of ever wanting to build another.
But I have been feeling a 'change of season' in the air for
several months now - maybe longer. Particularly this year -
2004. I am convinced that we are at the cusp of a large-
scale "era of change" in the church. Something is stirring.
'Reformation' is in the air. Can't you feel it?
About a year ago, just before my first trip to the USA, I
literally woke up one morning with a new message from
God formed inside me. I had no idea how it got there,
and it was a total revelation to me. It was concerning the
"50-year cycle" of Revivals in America. -Something I had
never seen or read anywhere before. (-Even though I
had been studying Revival history for years).
What it was all about was pretty simple. I suddenly saw
that roughly EVERY 50 YEARS, going back CENTURIES,
God had sent a Great Awakening to America. Since the
first Great Awakening around 1742, there has been a
massive Revival hit the USA roughly every 50 years ever
since. Thus we see these great WAVES of Revival:-
1743, then 1801, then 1857, then 1906, then 1953.
(-All rough dates).
The message God gave me for America on that trip was
that the 50-year Window is OPENING AGAIN. But is
America ready? It has been 50 years since the last great
Revival. But will the "JOHN-THE-BAPTIST" preachers be
found this time so she can enter into her next great
Awakening? Or will all be lost?
The anointing on that message was very strong when I
preached it on my next two trips to the USA. In fact, this
was the message I was preaching the night of my
"Thundering in Nashville" sermon - which was by far the
hardest-hitting message I had ever delivered up to that time.
Everywhere, I preached that the 50-year 'window' is opening -
that we are coming into a "new season" in God's timetable.
-That we need to pray and act differently. That the new
"John-the-Baptist" preachers must be found. -That we need
to "agonize" in prayer for God to pour out His Holy Spirit.
All this was only last year.
And now here we are, just a matter of months later,
miraculously living in America ourselves, and feeling a
rising sense that God is up to something NEW. That we
are coming into the era of GREAT CHANGE that has
been prophesied for the last 20 years. It is 2004 and God
is on the move. That's how it feels to me.
I was at an intercessor's meeting tonight where they were
all sharing with me that this is what they have been
sensing also. It is everywhere.
This is really the reason I have embarked on this new
(very controversial) direction on this email List lately.
I mean, I had no plans whatsoever to publish "The 9 Lies
of Today's church" when I first came to America!! I could
not have imagined doing such a thing. Was I trying to kill
my ministry outright? But really I had no choice. Radical
change is in the air. And we need to respond accordingly.
Some people say that we should just sit back and let God
change everything Himself. That is why they oppose any
kind of "movement". They say that God alone is the one
who will do it all. But this is one thing I cannot agree with.
For God has always used HUMAN BEINGS when He has
wanted to do something new. I am totally convinced that
there are many on this List and many around the world
whom He is calling to have a part in propelling this era of
"change" forward. He always uses HUMAN BEINGS!! If He
could get angels to be the preachers and evangelists and
prophets and reformers then maybe His life would be a
little easier. But that is not the way God works. He
chooses to use ordinary people like us. It's as simple as that.
Would there have been a 'Great Reformation' without
Martin Luther taking the action that he took? -Maybe not.
Would there have been a First Great Awakening without
Wesley, Whitefield, Edwards or Tennant? -Probably not.
Would there have been citywide Revivals in the Book of
Acts without Peter, John, Philip or Paul? Maybe not. -For
God trains and raises up HUMAN BEINGS to do His work.
And He will often take years and years getting them ready.
And yes, He does require them to DO SOMETHING when
the time comes. If He is calling you to be a leader, is it
right to turn Him down? What might be the consequences
if you abdicate your place?
I believe we are coming into a time of great conflict and
war. I believe God is calling for a people who will "protest"
the state of today's church and contend for the salvation of
her people - many of whom are mired in religion. It is
the WORD OF THE LORD that will set them free. Is
He calling you to speak?
It is the time of the turning of the tide - a new season in
God. It is 2004. Let His saints arise and do exploits.
Can't you feel the stirring?
God bless you all.
Kindest regards in Christ,
Andrew Strom.