Worship

“My Testimony” by Elevation Worship

Scripture

“In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’ This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

“‘A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
“Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.”’”

^“John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.” -Matthew 3:1-4, emphasis added

“‘Those who repent I baptize with water, but there is coming a Man after me who is more powerful than I am. In fact, I’m not even worthy enough to pick up his sandals. He will submerge you into union with the Spirit of Holiness and with a raging fire!  He comes with a winnowing fork in his hands and comes to his threshing floor to sift what is worthless from what is pure. And he is ready to sweep out his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his granary, but the straw he will burn up with a fire that can’t be extinguished!’” -Matthew 3:11-12, TPT, emphasis added

Biblical Principles for Heart Preparation

One morning last week, the Holy Spirit placed this in my spirit:

I am looking for radical lovers who will live out a radical testimony for all the world to see. These ones will receive the baptism of fire and burn for me.

It has become so clear to me that God is raising up His forerunners in this significant moment of RESET. He has prepared them, and they will burn for Him. Many will encounter their radical lives of passionate pursuit and turn to God. They will be ignition points of both the demonstration and proclamation of the gospel. There will be an army of revivalists bent on the purposes of God with a gaze fixed on Him and the chains that were bound to the pursuit of earthly kingdoms radically broken.

John the Baptist’s Example of Preparing Hearts for Revival

John the Baptist has always been my favorite person in Scripture (apart from Christ, of course). I love his radical life of set-apartness. He was marked before the creation of the world to be a forerunner for the Messiah. He preached a revolutionary message with urgency and conviction and to prepare hearts for the coming of Jesus. He was fearless, simple in his devotion, unwavering and passionate—the very things that are to mark us now, dear sisters.

“As a Believer, you are a walking encounter of the living God. You are the embodiment of God’s revival.” -Kris Vallotton

Walking in Faithful Obedience Today

We have a testimony of the saving grace of Jesus. He has brought us from death to life. We live in a spiritual desert called “the world” where Christians are becoming more and more the “odd man out” to put it simply. Moral absolutes and absolute truth “social distance” even in the church. More often than not you can’t even tell us apart from the world. And yet there’s a voice of One calling in the desert, “prepare the way for the Lord (Matthew 3:3).” Do you hear the Spirit’s invitation?

“In the spirit of today’s age, John’s ministry would have been very different. He wouldn’t start in the wilderness. He wouldn’t dress funny. He wouldn’t preach such a straightforward message. He would use marketing surveys and focus groups to hone his message and presentation. John wasn’t motivated by the spirit of today’s age, but by the Spirit of God.” -David Guzik

Living as Faithful Witnesses

Sisters, we can’t lose our voice or our calling to come out, be set apart, marked and moving in the power of the Holy Spirit. Where did we buy into the lie that we were supposed to blend in and shut up? God is looking for His burning ones who are purified by fire. He is touching the lips—just like He did with Isaiah—of those who will have a sanctified message and who will burn with the fire of God. He gave you His glory (I have given them the glory that you gave me … (John 17:22).”) and it rests on you (… for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you (1 Peter 4:4).”). He will partner with you to bring Heaven to Earth with your radical testimony and the power of His life in you. We receive salvation for free. But there will be a cost to the depth of intimacy He will invite you to go with Him. Would you allow Him to take you even deeper?

“I am asking you to make an irrevocable decision to be in the middle of God’s greatest acts in history. At this moment, God is selecting people and working in them for unmatched power to overcome evil. He is recruiting people to do things that are beyond comprehension. Someone is going to heed this call and do astonishing works for Christ. I must ask … why not you?” -Mario Murillo, “Vessels of Fire and Glory: Breaking Demonic Spells Over America to Release a Great Awakening”

We Must Prepare Our Hearts for Revival

John’s life was radical in order to prepare a nation for the coming Messiah. An army of passionate laid down lovers of Jesus are taking up the same calling. It’s called revival, and it’s happening NOW. It begins with surrender. Billions will hear the name of Jesus for the first time, and Heaven will be filled with the nations because many are awakening and living their lives bent on the purposes of God. He will come and fill you with the fire of unwavering passion and power, for His name’s sake and for His glory. You have been marked and assigned for glory—His glory. Will you take your place in this time of revival and pick up what He has for you? Your very life will carry eternity.

A Prayer of Dedication

Perhaps you want to get on your knees as I pray this prayer for you. Declare it to the Lord if this is the desire of your heart.

Lord, I want to burn for You. All that I am. All You have destined for my life before the foundations of the world, may it be consumed by You, Jesus. Let me be marked by radical passion for You. May I be counted as one of Your burning ones, who are consumed with Your purposes right now. Lord, would You burn up fear of man, timidity, and people pleasing? Would You touch my lips and sanctify my tongue that I would speak the words of the Lord with boldness and resoluteness? I forsake all else, and I lay my life before You to be consumed by You, Jesus. Anoint my life, train me, prepare me, and set me ablaze for Your glory and because of Your goodness. I want to be counted as one who prepares the way for the return of Jesus to this generation and this time in history. Bring revival in me first, and then bring it through me, Lord! In Jesus’ name, amen!