by Paul Keith Davis
White Dove Ministries

Never has the need been greater for a clear prophetic word coming direct from God's heart. The Lord told us prophetically that 2005 would be a year of transition. We have now determined that 2006 will be a year of change.

Transition is defined as "the act of passing from one state or place into the next." Change is "the result of an alteration or modification." The transition of 2005 initiated a process while the change of 2006 will manifest the results of our responses to this process.

Genuine spiritual change only transpires with a visitation from God. The Great Reformation was launched with a clear prophetic word from the Lord's heart. A fullness-of-time moment had occurred in God's plan, and the ministry of restoration was set in motion. That movement has been progressively accelerating to this present hour. Another crossroad has been met and great change is imminent.

With a fresh word from the Lord, there is an equally important need for increase in our measure of discernment. History has proven that each major juncture in God's time-line is met with a deluge of voices. However, the Lord promised that His sheep will know His voice. He said,

When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers. (John 10:4-5)

Nevertheless, when we discern His Voice there must be a positive response, or we will be doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past. Dating all the way back to Israel's exodus from Egypt, a consistent pattern has developed following each visitation of God's Spirit. Biblical and natural history affirms that without the spirit of revelation resident in us, we will miss the day of our visitation. (Deuteronomy 29:2-4)

Apprehending the Message

The Lord comes with miracles, signs and wonders to validate a message that is firmly rooted and grounded in the written word. God's people are often captivated by the signs and wonders but only a remnant captures the message. This trend must be reversed in this hour. The early Church model stipulated,

They went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed. (Mark 16:20)

The Holy Spirit worked with the early disciples with signs and wonders to confirm the message of God's Kingdom. To us a measure of grace is being allotted to quicken our spirits for receptivity to that message. A supernatural hunger is provoking us to move beyond cold formal religiosity to pursue relationship with Him. To even possess this desire is God's gift. We desperately need the validation of His Spirit with miracles and signs but we cannot allow that to become the end in itself. It is only a means to the end—that is, union with the Lord.

Pursuit of Maturity

As someone once said, "change demands growth and growth warrants change." A legitimate and experiential encounter with the Living Word will kindle a fruitful and needy change. The greatest change will be for the Bride of Christ to move from adolescence into maturity (read Hebrews 5:12-14). That is what this juncture of church history will produce.

Many hearts have been prepared to encounter the Lord. Tremendous revelatory truth promised to us in God's Word is poised to be released in this exchange. The prophet Daniel was given panoramic visions of this time but was not permitted to relinquish the revelation. It was reserved for this specific moment in human history. That certainty alone ought to provoke us to rise above the spirit of this world to apprehend the divine destiny allotted for each of us individually.

The apostle Paul is another prophetic model for leadership to emulate today. His gospel came neither by the teaching of man nor by the reading of a book, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:12) His message was an absolute standard that the Lord was able to validate with the authenticity of Heaven.

God's Absolute

The level of revelation granted to Paul is about to be released to the Church to present the "plumb-line" of God and establish a perfect standard. Our comprehension of God's Word will rocket to incredible heights when we eat the now "open book" of redemption that unveils the fullness of God's plan. It has been reserved in God from the days of Daniel until today. The treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden in Christ that will present the Bride without spot or wrinkle will be delegated to her.

There is something woven into the spiritual DNA of God's people today that propels us into this new place. It is "deep calling unto deep." God will respond to our desperation with a release from His throne. It will be the Voice of the Seven Thunders promised in (Revelations 10).

The mysteries of God's Kingdom are prepared to be set in motion that will awaken and equip the Bride of Christ. That is our current purpose and our quest. Our greatest council is to participate in this plan by responding to the wooing of God's Spirit. This mobilization will cause us to lay aside every weight and encumbrance that has entangled us in our past. Today, if we hear His voice, we cannot harden our hearts to this fresh message.

For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you would hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness (Psalms 95:7-8).

For a season, the Lord has been restraining spiritual issues so that we can be prepared both spiritually and naturally. Likewise, our enemy has been attempting to escalate things before their time. This has been the contention that many have experienced over this season.

There is a first fruits harvest that is coming to maturity, so that God's plan can be set in motion. In the feasts of Israel, the first fruits came to a place of maturity early. They were gathered and dedicated to the Lord as an offering to assure God's favor for the great harvest.

This symbolism portrays the current season. Like the spies of Israel, there will be pioneers and forerunners who cross over into God's promise to apprehend its reality and introduce it to the body at large. They will experience (Hebrews 6:5) and will have, "tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come." Their walk with the Lord and powerful ministry will be an introduction to the latter-day anointing that will bring in the greatest harvest of souls ever witnessed.

Another Greak Awakening

During the early 16th century, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the church doors of Wittenberg, Germany. This act launched a spiritual transformation that changed the face of Christianity leading to the Great Awakening of the 18th century. Something equally as significant is prepared to transpire today.

The dealings of God being initiated in this day will produce another "great awakening." However, this Heavenly strategy will quicken individuals to their destinies and the awareness of God's provision for the harvest of the ages.

Like the first Great Awakening launched by Jonathan Edwards, Kingdom principles will be set in motion to bring us to this place. Edwards recognized, in his day, that human history has been a progressive journey perpetually leading to the Person of Jesus. He also understood that the revivals of his day were only a foretaste of something greater to come. His messages clearly defined God's standards that outlined various intervals of revival and spiritual awakening that produced both times of promotion and seasons of hiding. We are now broaching an opportunity for great advancement. Our mind-set is shifting from a defensive posture to an offensive one.

In "The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Volume One Part IV," Edwards concluded from his analysis of church history and God's dealings with mankind, that "time after time, when religion seemed to be almost gone, then God granted a revival, and sent some angel, or raised up some eminent person, to be an instrument of their reformation." We are overdue for such a visitation as that expressed by Edwards.

by Paul Keith Davis
White Dove Ministries

Posted on March 16, 2006