Worship
“Have My Heart” by Maverick City Music
Scripture
“The earth was rocked at the sound of his voice from the mountain, but now he has promised, ‘Once and for all I will not only shake the systems of the world, but also the unseen powers in the heavenly realm!’
“Now this phrase ‘once and for all’ clearly indicates the final removal of things that are shaking, that is, the old order, so only what is unshakeable will remain. Since we are receiving our rights to an unshakeable kingdom we should be extremely thankful and offer God the purest worship that delights his heart as we lay down our lives in absolute surrender, filled with awe. For our God is a holy, devouring fire!” -Hebrews 12:26-29, TPT, emphasis added
A Heart Reset
I have had the above worship song on repeat consistently as I am praying that every part of my heart is consumed by Jesus. And this passage of Scripture has been front and center all week long. There are a lot of things vying for the attention of my heart right now and essentially trying to consume me. Jesus is calling His Bride into a DIVINE RESET of our affections and attention to be entirely and completely on Him. That means fear has no right to reside there; it must go! That means that anger or frustration aren’t invited to the table any longer. Stress, anxiety, hopelessness, fear of man, are uninvited guests in the home of our union and communion with Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit. Agitation, who made your bed in one of the rooms of my heart? It’s time for a good ol’ house cleaning! Because you know, as well as me, Jesus wants to consume each one of us with all of who He is, and the enemy will do everything in his power to keep our eyes on the shaking and fill the rooms of our hearts with everything contrary to who God is.
We are watching the literal shaking of world systems crumbling and being reset (fulfilling prophesy before our very eyes). Finance, government, religion, society are just a few things that are being shaken in this hour. But hear me. God’s Kingdom will not be shaken. He sits enthroned, not pacing Heaven. His Word is established, and it will be fulfilled. There is a destiny over your life, the Church, and our nation that God wants to see brought to completion. But I will boldly say, some things need to be shaken off and shaken loose for the Kingdom of God to come and consume that space.
I was pondering this shaking and the changes I see happening with great acceleration and wondering if the fairy tale plans we all have of a “normal” life with work, family, retirement, and, well, the presumed American Dream are no longer the course for us in America. What a mindset adjustment for all of us. What if we have to take the American Dream off the table entirely? But what if that trajectory was never the trajectory for the Bride anyway? What if we have been dulled down by a plan that was not ever conceived in God’s heart? Were we sold a treasure map that never promised the gold at the end of it all?
If we look at the infant church, who hid for fear of the Jews and were then consumed by tongues of fire and set out to take the gospel to the world, as our road map, we find a sacred treasure map. The Lord met them in their need for comfort and self preservation with His great mercy. And He sent them running in zeal and passion for the movement of the gospel. They were indeed shaken, and they were indeed ignited with the awe and wonder and power of the Spirit. The gospel spread like wildfire to both Jew and Gentile and from nation to nation. Believers were soaring in vision and power, miracles and wonder. Yes, persecution preceded and followed them. Many lost their lives for the sake of the gospel. Some never even saw their promises fulfilled because the generations that followed them had to take up the mantle of calling and carry it. But when God showed up and called them to move, a fiery Church had its shoes on and its eyes fixed!
The New Church Model
I have recently learned of several churches in the U.S. who will not gather corporately any longer. They are forming house churches (exactly like what God is doing all over the world with the Church). I believe these little house churches are forming in preparation for many things, one being little places of worship and discipleship for all the baby believers who will be found soon in the coming harvest—just like in the book of Acts. Let me remind you once again. There is a DIVINE RESET happening, and the purposes for the Bride of Christ will be fulfilled. And the best is yet to come!
In Mario Murillo’s closing remarks in his book “Vessels of Fire and Glory,” he writes: “But I leave you with a final challenge. What if the best churches haven’t even been planted yet? What if the greatest sermons are yet to be preached? What if the best inventions, books, songs, and miracles are yet to come? I wouldn’t doubt it. God always saves the best for last.”
Sisters, before we get to the best, it’s just simply time to have a heart-to heart conversation with the God of the universe who knows you so intimately (Psalm 139). It’s time for each of us to invite Him to walk around the rooms of our hearts and clean house. Ask Him to shake off the very things that ensnare you and every wound that has pierced you (Hebrews 12:1). It’s time to allow His Spirit to counsel us into complete truth and reveal every lie that is raising itself against the knowledge of God and the truth of His word (2 Corinthians 10:5). If He’s going to shake all things, and we know that we are anchored in the love of Christ (Romans 8:37-39), we cannot be shaken. But the things that don’t need to remain will be shaken indeed, and we can be confident that He has us! Don’t fear the shaking; invite it, sisters. We need those things that inhabit us that are not of Jesus to GO. They don’t have a place in the life of a believer who is marked and sealed by Jesus, who carries His Name and bears His victory and freedom! Why do we believe they will never leave? Why do you fear you will be like this or live with this forever? Healing and deliverance and wholeness and strength and fortification and joy and hope and victory are yours, in Christ Jesus! They are the very things that need to consume you—to fill every room of your heart. This is your rightful inheritance because of the cross of Christ! I invite you to ask Him to fill you with these truths and realities that can’t be shaken or removed. Fire of God, come and consume.
A Prayer for Transformation
So Lord, I pray for my sisters to get eye to eye and heart-to-heart with You. I pray for honesty and transparency to hear from You what things are inhabiting the rooms of their hearts and need to GO at the very command of Your voice. I pray for courage to go there in conversation with You as you clean house—every room and no detail left unturned. I pray that as these things go, You would overwhelm Your Bride with awe, the fire of Your Spirit, and a fresh fear of the Lord, resulting in holiness and purity. I pray that these ones who dare to go there with you, would experience both Your presence and Your power to do in them what only You can do that is intimate and full of Your goodness and wonder. I pray for Your fire to fall on these ones that they would be the ones who are sent running with the good news of Jesus far and wide. Raise up Your victorious ones, and fill their lamps with oil and their mouths with songs of praise. I’m asking for miracles of deliverance and healing, Jesus. I ask that You would come and touch them even now with a deep strengthening and resolve in their innermost being to trust You and follow You because You are trustworthy and faithful to Your promises. Fill these glory-bearers with a greater measure of Your power and faith for the days ahead, Jesus! AMEN!
Now dear sisters, will you come with me into the harvest field to take this love and hope of Jesus that you have received? Will you join me all over the U.S. on Aug. 1 or Aug. 15 to come and pray for people and tell them Jesus loves them? I will train you, and together two by two we will go find those lost treasures in cities all over the U.S. If you are raising your trembling hand, click here to sign up! I love you and bless you and can’t wait to hear what God is doing in your life. Share your testimony—there is so much victory in that!
