Worship
Scripture
“Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side.
Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through.
And he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?”
Then he led me back to the bank of the river. As I went back, I saw on the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other.
And he said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, and enters the sea; when the water flows into the sea, the water will become fresh. And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. Fishermen will stand beside the sea. From Engedi to Eneglaim it will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea.
But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt. And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.”” -Ezekiel 47:1-12 (ESV)
An Invitation
Today, September 1, 2021, begins a 40-day pursuit of Jesus for those of us who are ready to take a plunge into deeper waters. Many of us are going through my new book, “Revivalist Arise,” for 40 days of fasting and encounter with Jesus. Will you go with us? You can purchase my book on Amazon, and I will be posting the first week of devotionals from that book in the Arise Facebook group while you wait to receive it. Will you stand with me on the river’s edge and ask Him to take you deeper? Will you step in ankle-, knee-, waist-, in-over-your-head-deep over the next 40 days? Will you take my hand and go with me into deeper waters till we are scouring the depth of who He is? I am praying for those who take the plunge to be consumed by Him, encounter His fire, and are raised up as revivalists in this hour. If you are ready, let’s go.
The Heart’s Longing
One of the things that has been pressing on my heart these past few weeks is the need to go deeper still. There’s a longing in the heart of God that nothing comes before Him—not one thing. He wants to consume even more—no space reserved for anyone or anything other than the Lord. The One we love is calling to us to go deeper still.
In light of this invitation, I want to share a testimony. As we took our team last week to Vancouver, Washington, the Lord had put the idea on my mind to baptize any of the women on our team who wanted to start fresh and ask the Lord to take them in over their heads. It’s a new day, and the Bride of Christ is increasing in hunger and intimacy. Three on my team raised their hands longing for Jesus to consume even more of their precious lives. We baptized one another as a prophetic cry to take us in over our heads. Deeper still.
“I believe there is something significant about baptisms in this next move of God. If in Joel 2 God says, ‘I am going to pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,’ the question is, is all flesh prepared for His Spirit? I believe this baptism revival signifies more than being born again. We, as the Church, need to drown. We need to let the former things drown in the water. We need to let ourselves die in that water. I urge you, get baptized 1,000 times until you have died to your sinful nature and are prepared for Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit!” -Jessi Green, “Wildfires”
It’s a cry for deeper sanctification, being made like Jesus, holiness, purity, and intimacy. Do you hear Him calling you toward this? Lord, take me under the water, raise me up with increased hunger. Do a new thing today in my heart. He is calling, and for those of us with ears to His heart, we are answering His invitation.
“My beloved speaks and says to me: “Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away, for behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree ripens its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away. O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the crannies of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom.” -Song of Solomon 2:10-15 (ESV)
Rivers of Living Water
There’s a river we are being invited into. There are also rivers of living water flowing out of the people of God. It’s my prayer that the levies holding back this river in your life and mine begin to come down, so that the rivers may flow and touch a world around us longing for an encounter with the Living God. These rivers are going to feed the people who need to hide under the trees of our lives and find healing and safety. They will be watered with what comes forth from your life. People will begin to sit under these trees and feast from the fruit of your life. They will receive this beautiful gospel of grace, the overflow of the fruit of the Spirit, and the unsearchable love of God. But where does it start first? It starts with you taking your first step into this glorious river of life. Just one step and then another! Will you simply ask Him to take you deeper?
Prayer
I want to close with a prayer to consecrate these next 40 days to the Lord for you and for me. Thank you to all who have rallied new women to join you so that more and more can be prepared to carry the fires of revival to the world in this great and glorious time in history.
Father, I pray for an unquenchable desire for You and You alone. I pray that You will sustain these women for 40 days in the secret place with You. Take them into the river of life and let them swim, way over their heads, taking in all that You are pouring out over them. I pray for sustained focus, increased passion, and zero distractions. Deep in the river or standing on the mountain, may they never be the same. May their lives begin to change, their passions begin to change, their relationships begin to change, and their hearts begin to be consumed by You. Lord, whatever is holding each of us back, will You show us and then begin to move us to freedom. Lord, we have all of You, but do You have all of us? Speak that answer to us. Show us. Make it so very clear until we are able to crawl upon that altar and offer You our whole lives. Make us a people prepared for our Bridegroom. You are calling in this hour, and You have our answer: “We are coming, Jesus!” Father, will You take these 40 days and consecrate them entirely unto Yourself and let the river flow over us, in us, out of us, and into a world needing You, Jesus? I bless my sisters to know and taste and see and experience Your goodness at new depths and new heights, in the glorious name of Jesus! Amen.
I will be jumping on Zoom over the next few Fridays to pray for you and spur you on in your 40-day journey. Sign up to join me!
See you in the river!
A Few Key Notes
- It’s not too late to join us for a 40-day devotional and fast! Purchase my new book “Revivalist Arise” on Amazon, and then sign up to join the devotional series. Please invite other women to join you!
- Join us October 1 at the Hope Center to hear from speaker and author Christina McCracken. The cost to attend will go toward launching new Arise cities as the Lord brings them on. You can RSVP today! If you are interested in hosting a six-person table for $125, please contact Stacy Riddick at [email protected] or 214.514.3351.
- Women and young ladies, you’re invited to Mountain Tops Weekend on Saturday, October 9. We’ll enjoy a time of worship, prayer, and ministering to each other. You can RSVP now!
Date: October 9
Time: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Location: Freedom Church, 2435 E. Hebron Parkway, Carrollton, TX
Cost: $20 - Join us October 22-23 in Midland, Texas, as we share the hope of the gospel for Harvest Day. Email me at [email protected] for more details.
- Arise is looking for women to lead initiatives in 70 cities. If you would like to start an Arise chapter in your city, email me at [email protected].
- Do you want to be equipped in sharing the gospel? Email me at [email protected] for details on trainings.
