The Shift to GLORY

As we hasten toward the end of another year, I see something major happening in the body of Christ that goes far beyond our individual churches, denominations and organizations. We are on the verge of a Kingdom-wide shift that involves a changing of the guard. Whenever God is about to shift the Body of Christ from one season to another, He raises up new leadership. We see this even with Joshua when God declared to him in Joshua 1:2, “Moses my servant is dead.” A new generation of leaders are postured, positioned and ready to mobilize.

As we move closer and closer to the end times, God desires to realign and reposition His church. Yet, ironically, the Body of Christ has come to a place where we have removed God from the church. We have removed God from the church by focusing more on fame, fortune, programs and events. The church of today is more interested in our own glory instead of His glory. Because of this, we have had “church”, but many have not truly experienced God in his fullness. We have a form of godliness with little to no power. It is possible to be a “church member” and not be a Kingdom citizen (John 3:5; Luke 17:20).

This place that the Body of Christ is currently in reminds me of the book of 1 Samuel. In 1 Samuel chapter 2, it begins to talk about the high priest Eli and his sons, Hophni and Phinehas who assisted him in his priestly duties. However, the Bible lets us know that they were wicked, corrupt and did not know the Lord. Not only did they steal the offerings, but Eli’s sons also had sex with the women who had assembled in the tabernacle. This means that sexual acts were happening right in God’s house!

This sounds like today’s church, right? Greed, the love of money, no fear and reverence for God or His house and rampant sexual immorality. Yet in the middle of all of this evil and wickedness, God placed Samuel as a child in the temple. Even amongst all of the evil, there are those who can continue in their “duties” and maintain “church as usual”, but it’s not Kingdom because there is no demonstration of God’s power (Matthew 12:28) or transformation of the minds (Romans 12:1-2). Though Samuel was young and inexperienced, God was setting Samuel up to take over and turn the people’s hearts back to God, which is one of the roles of a prophet. God allowed him to be around corruption to show him a more excellent way.

This is the shift that is happening in the Body of Christ right now. The sons of Eli have run the house of God long enough. The spirit of Eli and his sons is rampant in the today’s church. But in the middle of corruption and wickedness, Samuel is a “secret agent”; a “sleeper spy” who is growing in stature and in favor. Samuel has been called into the Kingdom for such a time as this!

Samuel represents the remnant inside of a corrupt system. There are some Samuels who are being birthed, set in place, and brought into the Kingdom of God for such a time as this. God has placed Samuel in position to be ready for the coming shift in the Body of Christ! Next is about to become NOW.

In today’s church, there is a remnant of people, young and old, who have the spirit of Samuel and are ready, postured and in position for a Kingdom Takeover. But if you read the story, you will see that Samuel waited for God to shift him. Though Samuel was in the house and saw all of the corruption going on, He did not usurp the authority that was already in place. He waited until God called him and made room for him. I caution this generation to not possess a zeal that is not according to knowledge. God is a God of order and everything will happen in His time. We must wait patiently for the shift!

In Samuel, chapter 4, we learn of a battle between Israel and the Philistines. Not only did Israel lose the battle, but the lost the Ark of the Covenant, which represented the presence of the Lord. When Eli heard of all that had transpired, he fell off of his seat, broke his neck and died. When Eli’s daughter-in-law, who was pregnant with the next generation, heard the news, she went into premature labor, naming her son Ichabod, meaning "the glory of the Lord has departed from Israe"l.

The only person left standing was Samuel. Samuel represents a paradigm shift, a sudden changing of the guard. Samuel is the start of new regime or governmental order (2012: The Year of Governmental Order). Though Ichabod was birthed, Samuel was the prophet who led the Israelites into the Philistines camp to recover the Ark. This will either be the generation which knew not the Lord (Judges 2:10), or the generation that seeks the face of God (Psalm 24:6).

I believe that this the generation that wants GOD and not just a “form of godliness”. In the next shift, the Ark of God is returning to the temple. It’s a shift to glory. The Ark (presence of God) is now in our hearts and we have a hunger and thirst after God’s righteousness. As we make this turn in the Body of Christ, you need to ask yourself this question: Am I a Samuel (for God’s glory); or a son of Eli (for my own glory)?

#dropsmic