Worship

“Real Thing” by Maverick City Music

Scripture

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life —is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” -1 John 2:15-17 (ESV)

The Call to Deeper Devotion

I had planned to write something a little less intense that I received last week while in Alaska, until the Holy Spirit placed a powerful word on my heart a few days ago. I haven’t been able to shake it. I believe we are in a very specific time of purification and intimacy by the hand and invitation of the Father. I write these words to you with great sobriety.

We are at a precipice. The earth is shaking and trembling in fear. My people will begin to tremble in awe of Me. I will shake off fear. I will shake off complacency. To those who do not revere Me, I will shake the dust off My feet. Multitudes are in the valley of decision, but many are turning their hearts to begin to think about Me. For those who know Me, I implore them to NOT LOSE HEART.

I am purifying My Bride (1 John 1:7). She has been purified by My blood and is being purified even now. The comforts and anchors of her heart to earthly things must be uprooted! For too long My people have placed their confidence in the things of the world that they can see and hold on to. I am reestablishing their confidence in Me alone. This is the hour of intimacy and purity so that My Bride truly knows and follows Me. Her “love” is being tried and refined. And I am OK with her struggle and questions and doubt. We will drill down to the core of what each believes and what and who they love and follow. I am literally shaking them from the clutches of the enemy who has lied and lured them to captivity. I have to gather up My prized possession in this hour. There is a tearing away and a breaking off I have to do. I promise that disillusion will lead to depth; it will not result in despair or destruction. I will feed them the bread of Heaven to sustain them by My Spirit.

It is imperative that you do not become weary or distracted. You cannot afford to meditate or dwell on negativity. That is not where I reside. To know Me is to know life. And to know Me is the most important thing! Intimacy and purification are the words of the hour. I am purifying My people from all ungodly connections and defamation (ungodly reputations). I am bringing them back into the truest sense of intimacy. But they also must be willing to let go of some things that are holding them captive. It’s a time for complete honesty, transparency, and surrender before Me. No more playing religious games. No more loving Me and loving the things of the world. The decision is before My people just like I gave to Lot’s wife. Will you forsake the cravings of the world for the cravings of Me?

“And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.” -1 John 2:28

“Don’t set the affections of your heart on this world or in loving the things of the world. The love of the Father and the love of the world are incompatible. For all that the world can offer us—the gratification of our flesh, the allurement of the things of the world, and the obsession with status and importance—none of these things come from the Father but from the world. This world and its desires are in the process of passing away, but those who love to do the will of God live forever.” -1 John 2:15-17, TPT

I am getting the love of the world out of My people. I will instead replace it with a love for the world so that they will be harvesters in My harvest field.

The Process of Purification

The purification process can be painful, but Jesus promises us a depth of intimacy if we will just let Him get to the roots of our affections. Like I have mentioned in previous weeks, I believe that this is our divine interruption, reset, returning, revival for the Bride of Christ! This is just as important for us, His Bride, as it is for the harvest that is coming. He cares about the lost sheep, but He also cares deeply for the Bride He gave His very life for. We don’t want to miss this moment, this precipice, this crossing over into greater intimacy and the fulfillment of many promises.

I invite you today to get before the Lord in total transparency (hold nothing back from His hand of healing) and ask Him if there are places in your heart that are holding onto any love for the world more than a love for Him.

A Prayer for Freedom

Holy Spirit, reveal the deepest recesses of my heart that need purification, and I invite You to cut me free from anything that has held me captive. We have the invitation to run into greater freedom, intimacy, and power right now.

May I pray for you?

Lord, I see a multitude of Your women before Your throne of grace asking You to do some radical things of freedom, deliverance, and healing today. There are some who are so bound by fear of losing the comfort they have found in the world that they cannot let go to trust You. There are others who have struggled for many months and years with disillusionment and doubt in Your goodness. There are some who are suffering through this purification process. For all of these, I pray that You would hover over them, Holy Spirit, like You did when You created the world. You hovered over the depths, and You spoke LIFE. Speak NEW LIFE into the places of our hearts that need to be set free so that we would only be captives of the Lord Jesus Christ and no one else. You didn’t give Your life for us so that we could divide our affections between You and the things of this world. Holy Spirit, overwhelm these ones, Your anointed, with the power of Your presence right now. Take their moment of surrender and multiply it into a life of passionate worship. Take their longing for freedom and healing and deliverance and break every chain of captivity that binds them, in Jesus’ name. I pray for a fresh surge of power to endure. May each one run into the arms of intimacy, not looking back for a moment! Fix their eyes on You, Jesus. Release dreams and visions to them in this hour, in Your precious name!