Lisa Great

As members of the body of Christ begin to walk in confidence we will see the removal of competition among us. We compete with each other because we are not confident in who God made us to be. Confidence removes competition and gives us the ability to complement each other rather than compete with each other. We must be confident in our God and how He made us for confidence looks good on us, but competition distorts God’s image coming through us. We’re on the same team, no need to compete with each other. Be confident and we’ll compliment each other and do great exploits.

1 John 5:14-15 “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”

The word of God is filled with prophetic timelines. Knowing which timeline we are on, and who the target audience is for that timeline is critical. When we are out of time people get disappointed because promises are made that are not in time. People get confused because people announce prophetic things that don’t come to pass and they wonder why. One of the things that maturity brings is accuracy in relation to prophetic timing. When we as the body of Christ are operating in accurate prophetic timing not just one prophet or just one voice will be speaking it there will be a cluster of prophetic voices speaking the same thing just in a little different way. It’s not about one prophet having the word of the Lord it’s about the prophetic ministry within the body of Christ communicating the mind of Christ in God’s timing.

So where are we on God’s prophetic timetable as a nation, as the nations? That is what many people are trying to understand. The prophets around the world were in alignment until the timing was not what they expected around a major issue. However that doesn’t change that the prophets were correct it’s just that the timing has not manifested that which they prophesied. But it is about to. Those prophetic voices that all came together in agreement were not wrong, it’s just that the timing is not going according to what typically happens, because we are in the greatest shift our generation has ever known. When their collective prophetic voices that communicated a truth comes to pass, the nations are going to rejoice, because the prophets in the land in our generation got it right.

When you’re entering a new era, when you’re crossing Jordan into a new land, when you’re coming out of Egypt, the old ways of earthly time tables don’t apply in the new place because the transition is so huge. We are in one of those enormous times of transition. This my dear friends is why the timing has been off but the prophetic word has been on. Be encouraged and not discouraged. All you’re seeing is smoke and mirrors of the enemy trying to convince you and convince me that he is in control of the nations and that the prophets were wrong. But in the words of some of my good friends, the devil is a liar. Or in the word of God it says, Let God be true and every man a liar. It’s been a challenging six months, it’s felt like a roller coaster with high highs and low lows, but it’s because we’ve entered a new place in the history of the world and when the dust settles the nations are going to rejoice because the prophets heard God clearly.

A decision was made yesterday to meet in Crab Orchard, TN so I could get from Sevierville, TN back to Nashville with some friends and this became the halfway point for pick up. What I thought was just a random small town off the interstate turned out to be the gateway to Nashville on which many pioneers passed. Being a gateway it is important that the gate is opened according to Psalm 24 that the King of glory might come in. I grabbed my shofar and opened this gate on a no longer used old railroad located in this ever so small town. Going through the gate into a city or region is critical because Jesus said in John 10, thief’s climb in through other ways because they are thief’s (John 10). I went through the gate yesterday into the Nashville area and now we see what God has prepared for this place. Details matter.

A decision was made yesterday to meet in Crab Orchard, TN so I could get from Sevierville, TN back to Nashville with some friends and this became the halfway point for pick up. What I thought was just a random small town off the interstate turned out to be the gateway to Nashville on which many pioneers passed. Being a gateway it is important that the gate is opened according to Psalm 24 that the King of glory might come in. I grabbed my shofar and opened this gate on a no longer used old railroad located in this ever so small town. Going through the gate into a city or region is critical because Jesus said in John 10, thief’s climb in through other ways because they are thief’s (John 10). I went through the gate yesterday into the Nashville area and now we see what God has prepared for this place. Details matter.

Isaiah 62:10 “Go through, Go through the gates! Prepare the way for the people; Build up, Build up the highway! Take out the stones, Lift up a banner for the peoples!”

I’ve yet to meet a person that does not want to be successful. People want to prosper in every area of their life. They want healthy kids, a strong marriage, financial stability, family, friends, and fun. People want God Involved in their lives, they want to hear His voice, and know His will as well as so many other things. This is why people go to conferences, counseling, church, school, trainings, because they want to succeed in life. This is how God made us, He made us to be producers, productive, and successful at what we do.

The challenge, as people, we face is we get tripped up on the road to success. We start, we’re excited, we have dreams, we see a bright future, but then the challenge comes. Challenges are par for the course, but when a challenge comes we don’t feel able to solve it, overcome it, conquer it, so many quit at the base of what I call a speed bump. You see challenges are like speed bumps they are built in the process in order to slow you down. If you speed over a speed bump you will bottom out your vehicle; cause your passengers to come out of their seat; and may cause damage to your vehicle as well as shock your passengers.

In life challenges are like speed bumps, slow down until the whole vehicle gets over the bump, gets through the challenge, but don’t stop moving. Speed bumps can be annoying if your in a hurry, but they are designed as a safety measure not a thorn in your flesh. Next time you face a marriage challenge, financial difficulty, a problem with your child or a job related issue, remember it’s only a speed bump, slow down, go over it and before you know it you’ll be cruising down the road successfully again.

James 1:2-5 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

When we dress self in the garments of a prince, we seek to be served rather than serve. We have promoted people to princes before they learned to be servants. We have puffed people up rather than built them up, therefore when a storm arises they quickly collapse at the first gust of wind.

We are entering a building season as the body of Christ. There are major renovations that must be done, it will be an extreme makeover. This is necessary and when it’s complete we will rejoice together at God’s handiwork. There will be those who resist, but the majority will submit to the process for the foremen and women God is going to assign to help lead have been through the process already. The renovations in their life will be noticeable as soon as God reveals them.

God is a builder not a destroyer. Wisdom builds, God is wisdom. Love builds, God is love. Grace is a builder, God is grace. We are entering a major building project and not only is it needed, most people want it. The days of puffing up and propping up are over, we are now going to see the body of Christ built up.

Ephesians 4:29 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

Prophets are like town criers, they stand in the presence of the King and then come out and announce to the people what the King said. Prophets of God only speak what God said, they don’t add their interpretation; their agenda; their desires or the people’s desires into what God said. Prophets of God are only the mouthpiece, they are not the voice. Therefore, they don’t seek credit for being accurate; they don’t seek payment for what God said through them; they don’t seek affirmation; or a title. Prophets of God are humbled by the reality God tells them things and trusts them to share it with His people accurately. Prophets of God desire more than anything for everyone to hear the voice of God, so when they speak it just becomes a confirmation or an echo of what you heard. The only reason prophets of God hear clearly is because they listen consistently. Everyone can NT prophesy (edify, exhort, encourage), but not everyone is a prophet of God, because not everyone is willing to be a town crier that only announces what the King is saying in now time. Henceforth, why Paul said in Ephesians 4:12 “And He gave some to be prophets…”

Maturity is going to become popular.

Leadership is going to have integrity again.

Controlling others is going to be replaced with self-control.

Hearing God is going to produce obedience.

Souls are going to be restored.

Bodies are going to be healed.

People are going to be truly born again.

Fire is going to purge away sin.

Love is going to melt hearts.

Trust is going to be identifiable.

Joy is going to be contagious.

Peace is going to be the result of rest.

Confidence is going to replace cocky.

Humility is going to be attractive.

Honor is going to be our culture.

All because righteousness is going to exalt the nation again!

Throughout Israel’s history, the temple, the city Jerusalem, and Mount Zion were symbolic images of their God in their midst. These landmarks were not idols they worshipped but places they looked to as images of their God. Psalm 48:1-3 says, “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, In the city of our God, His holy mountain. Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, Is Mount Zion in the far north, The city of the great King. God, in her palaces, Has made Himself known as a stronghold.”

Just as the White House represents the authority of America; the Kremlin represents the authority of Russia; or how Buckingham Palace represents the authority of England; So was the temple in Jerusalem. But when Jesus prophesied the destruction of the earthly temple as a symbol of authority, this was hard for the Israelites to grasp. To this day they’ve struggled with no physical symbol of power to point to. God wanted them as people to be the new symbol of God’s power, the new image people pointed to and saw God in the midst of them both individually and corporately. Paul told the, Christ in you is the hope of glory. God was no longer in a building but in a people.

The leaders in the church have said, God is in the house, come to the church building to meet God, revival is in a building, come and see. The words of Stephen and Isaiah are now for us as they were for Israel. “David found favor in God’s sight, and asked that he might find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. But it was Solomon who built a house for Him. However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says: HEAVEN IS MY THRONE, AND EARTH IS THE FOOTSTOOL OF MY FEET; WHAT KIND OF HOUSE WILL YOU BUILD FOR ME?’ says the Lord, OR WHAT PLACE IS THERE FOR MY REPOSE? WAS IT NOT MY HAND WHICH MADE ALL THESE THINGS?’” God doesn’t dwell in buildings made by man, He dwells in you, He dwells in me.

We must understand we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Wherever you are today, God is in you. He is near to you, He is for you, He wants to speak through you, do miracles through you, bless others through you. You are the temple, you represent God. I hope you enjoyed gathering with others who are the temple, yesterday as you corporately worshipped, prayed and heard truth, but you are still the temple at work, school, shopping, having coffee, raising kids or on vacation. You are the temple of the Holy Spirit. May people see God when they see you, His temple!

I’m praying Psalm 47 this morning and the phrase, THE KING IS AMONG US, is ringing in my spirit. I kept saying it over and over, THE KING IS AMONG US. We don’t need to wait for the month when the king is in the field, for THE KING IS AMONG US. The Holy Spirit then said to me, it’s a song, so I look up the words THE KING IS AMONG US. Little did I know Elevation Worship does this song. Here are the lyrics…

“The King Is Among Us”

All our fathers saw
In the days of old
Would you do it again
Do it again
All the stories told
All the miracles
Would you do it again
Do it again

You said “Consecrate yourselves to me
And you will see amazing things”

We need Your revival
Holy Spirit fire
Burning ever brighter
In our souls
Kings and kingdoms falling
Hear your people calling
King of Kings we need a miracle

There’s a time to sow
And a time to reap
Would you do it again
Do it again
There’s a time to heal
And a time to build
Would you do it again
Do it again

You said “Consecrate yourselves to me
And you will see amazing things”

We need Your revival
Holy Spirit fire
Burning ever brighter
In our souls
Kings and kingdoms falling
Hear your people calling
King of Kings we need a miracle

The King is among us
And His glory surrounds us
And His fire is falling as we sing
The Savior is for us
And His love is victorious
And revival is rising in His name

This song may not be new to you, but it’s the words God blew on this morning for me and I believe it’s a song for us right now. THE KING IS AMONG US! Have a great Sunday friends.

The Lord is breaking the theology of death and destruction off His church and bringing them into a theology of life and abundance. This change will be difficult for some to make because they were trained in the theology of death and destruction. Jesus said it this way, “No one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, ‘The old is good enough!” (Luke 5:39). But those who can make the change will find untold blessings and opportunities arise. This theological change is imperative for the new era.

When Jesus was headed toward Jerusalem with His disciples, a village would not receive them, so two disciples said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” (Luke 9:54). The theology of death and destruction is obvious here, but may not be as obvious to those who believe wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes, famines, fire, you name it is the precursor to a “rapture” of certain people so others are “left behind” to suffer. Jesus would say to all with a theology of death and destruction, the same thing He said to those two disciples, “But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what kind of spirit you are of.” (Luke 9:55).

Jesus doesn’t rebuke, correct or seek to transform us to hurt us, embarrass us or shame us, but to reveal to us what we’ve been taught that is not allowed to come into the new era, the new day. He also doesn’t just tell us what is out of alignment, He shares the way to think to be in alignment. “For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went on to another village.” (Luke 9:56). This is the theology of life that is going to permeate Christian literature, sermons, movies, and every other form of communication. The kingdom of God is a kingdom of life and abundance not death and destruction. Welcome to the new day. Welcome to life abundantly!