30 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GLORY ON THE LAST DAY'S CHURCH!
Date: 2004-07-13
Author: Matt Sorger
GREATER WORKS Isaiah 60:2 "For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you. And His glory will be seen upon you." Recently, during a time of prayer, the Lord began to speak to me about the many characteristics that will mark the Glory of God on the Last Day's Church. So many times we read the book of Acts and marvel at what the early church walked and lived in.
The level of supernatural activity seems to far surpass what we see in the church today. As I was pondering this the Lord challenged my heart with the prophecy Jesus shared in John 14:12: "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father." Jesus prophesied that the church would not only do the works He did, which includes healing the sick, cleansing the lepers, casting our demons, and raising the dead, but even GREATER works. The works of the Holy Spirit through the early church are only the beginning of the wonders God wants to do in the earth. We are still writing the book of Acts today.
The greatest signs and wonders are still to be seen! Haggai 2:9 prophesies: "The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former." 2 Corinthians 3:18 declares: "But we all, with an unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." KEEP MOVING TO HIGHER REALMS OF HIS GLORY Throughout the ages God has called the church to keep moving to higher realms of His glory. Not only does this scripture refer to our personal journeys in Christ of being continually more conformed to His image, but it also refers to the corporate Body being conformed to His image as a whole. With each passing generation the Church should be more closely conformed to the Lord in both character and power. Jesus is returning for a Church without spot or wrinkle (Eph. 5:27).
With each generation the Holy Spirit is bringing us deeper into the fullness of the revelation of truth found in the Word, as well as experiencing and walking in that revelation. We can see this restoration of the fullness of Christ and His word throughout church history, from the Reformation under Luther with the 95 Thesis, to the faith movement with the truth of faith being brought forth in the church, to the prophetic movement with the restoration of the prophetic office, and now the apostolic movement. With each generation more of the fullness of Christ is restored to the church. As we look at the world around us today we can become alarmed at the increasing darkness that is prevailing in society. But we must remember that when the darkness gets darker, the light and glory in the church will become more radiant! Isaiah 60:2 "For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you. And His glory will be seen upon you."
The best way to expel the darkness is by turning on the light. We have Christians today trying to gain victory over spiritual darkness by expending energy fighting the darkness. Rather, they should focus on getting their spirits, souls, bodies and minds so filled with the light of God's glory and word that spiritual darkness wouldn't even have a place to hang around. The more we allow God's glory to consume our lives, the more radiant we will become and the less warfare we will have with spiritual darkness within our own minds and souls. Our light will so shine that, when we walk into an area that is dark, the light of the glory of God will cause demonic power to flee!
We'll be like Peter whose very shadow healed the sick. That's the measure of the glory I want on my life and even more! "IT'S FOR US TO EXPERIENCE AND WALK IN NOW" Paul shared in Philippians 3:14, "I press toward the goal for the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." This is an upward call! That means more glory with each passing day we walk with God. We keep going higher and higher and higher in character, revelation, truth, and power. There will be tremendous glory on the Last Day's Church. And WE are part of the Last Day's Church. The Last Days began when Jesus was taken off the earth.
What the Lord showed me through His word was not something for 20, 50 or 100 years down the road. It's for us to experience and walk in NOW. "The just shall live by faith." By faith and walking with God in a lifestyle of intimacy, holiness, obedience, and truth we can access the fullness of all God has for us now. As I waited on the Lord He brought me through the Book of Acts and gave me 30 characteristics of the Glory of God that will rest on the Church in these last days. As we meditate on these characteristics may your heart be filled with faith to experience the fullness of all God has for you!
1. THEY WERE IN ONE ACCORD IN ONE PLACE Acts 2:1 "When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place." We will see specific geographic locations visited and transformed by the Glory of God. This type of visitation will occur among believers who are unified in heart and mind.
2. EVERY NATION AND ALL FLESH Acts 2:5, 17 "And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven...And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh." Every nation will experience the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. I believe this even speaks of a worldwide awakening of the Holy Spirit that will sweep around the globe touching every nation, tribe, and tongue. No one will be left out. All flesh will encounter His glory, including every race, tribe, tongue, gender, and age group.
3. SONS AND DAUGHTERS, ENTIRE HOUSEHOLDS Acts 2:17 "Your sons and your daughters..." Acts 16:15 "And when she and her household were baptized..." Acts 16:33-34 "Having believed in God with all his household..." Entire households will be saved. Now is the time to aggressively pray for household salvation. The moving of the Lord upon unsaved family members will become so irresistible that, where they have been able to fight and push away the promptings of the Spirit before, they won't be able to escape.
4. DREAMS, VISIONS, AND TRANCES Acts 2:17 "Your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams." Acts 10:3 "He saw clearly in a vision an angel of God." Acts 10:9-10 "He fell into a trance..." Acts 16:9-10 "And a vision appeared to Paul in the night." There will be an increase in the prophetic. Both the old and young will receive divine revelations from the Lord through prophecy, dreams, visions, and trances. We will walk and live in the revelation of the heart and mind of God.
5. SIGNS AND WONDERS IN THE HEAVENLIES AND ON THE EARTH Acts 2:19-20 "I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath." There will be physical signs in the heavenlies, not just miracles and healings, but in the very physical elements of nature.
6. MASS SALVATION AND HARVEST Acts 2:21, 41 "That whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." There will be mass salvations as multitudes turn to the Lord and call upon Him for salvation, including the nation of Israel.
7. & 8. WE WILL BE A CHURCH OF THE WORD AND PRAYER Acts 2:42 "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers." Acts 6:4 "But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word." We will be a praying church who is solidly grounded in the Word of God, not easily moved by passing doctrines, fables and teachings. There will be a great balance between the life found in the Word and the life found in Prayer. They are like two wings of an airplane that will keep the church on course and in balance.
9. INCREASE OF CREATIVE MIRACLES Acts 2:43 "And many wonders and signs were done through the apostles." There will be an INCREASE OF CREATIVE MIRACLES as they church walks in power.
10. HOLY FEAR Acts 2:43 "Then fear came upon every soul." There will be a HOLY FEAR that rests on the Church, causing many to walk in holiness.
11. DIVINE FAVOR Acts 2:47 "...praising God and having favor with all the people." There will be a DIVINE FAVOR placed on the church, not only with God, but with man.
12. GIVING THAT RELEASES SUPERNATURAL PROVISION Acts 2:45 "...and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need." The church will walk in the truth and revelation of GENEROUS GIVING THAT RELEASES DIVINE, SUPERNATURAL PROVISION.
13. LIVING STONES BUILT TOGETHER Acts 2:46 "So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house." The move of God will be both in the TEMPLE (Church buildings) AND HOMES for we know that the true temple of God is wherever living stones are built together, including individual believers and groups of believers. God's glory won't be compartmentalized into "church life" and "regular home life." Even the homes will be filled with His presence and glory and will be places where Christians gather to share their faith with one another.
14. "CONTINUING" RELATIONSHIPS Acts 2:42 "Continuing in fellowship..." "CONTINUING" RELATIONSHIPS WILL BE THE STRUCTURE THAT HOLDS AND MAINTAINS THE MOVE OF GOD. God moves in the midst of community. We are a living temple built together stone upon stone, life upon life. There will be divine relationships established that will form a network that will be able to hold, maintain, and pour out the Glory of God into the earth.
15. OPERATE IN GOD-GIVEN AUTHORITY AND POWER Acts 3:6 "What I do have I give you." The Church will walk and operate in their God-given authority and power. We will know what we have and give it away.
16. THE CHURCH WILL BE A PLACE OF WONDER AND AMAZEMENT Acts 3:10 "They were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him." God is restoring His wonder to the church.
17. PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL WITH SIGNS AND WONDERS Acts 4:31, 33 "They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they spoke the word of God with boldness. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus." The Church will walk in a supernatural boldness to proclaim the gospel with signs and wonders backing them up.
18. HEALING IN THE STREETS Acts 5:14-16 "They brought the sick out in to the streets, and they were all healed." There will be such a degree of power in the church that ALL WILL BE HEALED WITH SIGNS AND WONDERS BEING PERFORMED IN THE STREETS. God's glory will break outside the four walls of a church building and will be demonstrated in the streets where the lost, sick, and dying are.
19. ANGELIC ACTIVITY Acts 10:3 "About the ninth hour of the day he saw in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, Cornelius!" Also see Mt.1:20,24; Mt.2:13; Lk.1:26. ANGELIC ACTIVITY WILL BE COMMON FOR THE CHURCH. The realm of the Spirit and supernatural activity will be natural for the Last Day's Church. Visitations of angels will be understood and experienced in a biblical way.
20. GREAT JOY IN THE CHURCH Acts 8:4-8 "And there was great joy in that city." THERE WILL BE GREAT JOY IN THE CHURCH AS GOD'S POWER IS DISPLAYED, despite the increase of darkness in the world, along with possible persecution for our faith from those whose minds are blinded by the god of this age. Christians will live in a supernatural joy as they see the amazing miracles performed by the power of God.
21. SUPERNATURAL POWER AND ACTIVITY INCLUDING TRANSLATION Acts 8:39 "The Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away." Supernatural power and activity, including translation, being supernaturally taken from one location to another in bodily form by the power of the Spirit, will be experienced by the Church.
22. VISIONS OF THE LORD HIMSELF Acts 9:3-4 "And suddenly a light shone around him from heaven." These visions of Christ will even be given to those in the deepest darkness and will be a way the Lord reveals Himself. This will happen more and more in the Muslim world as well.
23. THE DEAD WILL BE RAISED Acts 9:36-37, 40 "And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up." The dead will be raised as a supernatural sign of the resurrection of Christ.
24. THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL BE POURED OUT ON ENTIRE GROUPS OF PEOPLE Acts 10:44-46 "The Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word." Including entire people groups, tribes, congregations, and denominations.
25. SUPERNATURAL DELIVERANCE WITH THE ACTIVITY OF ANGELS Acts 12:5,7 "An angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison, and his chains fell off his hands." Also see Acts 5:17-19 There will be supernatural deliverance with the activity of angels.
26. ONLY GOD WILL GET THE GLORY Acts 12:23 "An angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give the glory to God." God is jealous for the glory. He wants ALL of it.
27. COMMISSIONED THROUGH FASTING AND PRAYER Acts 13:2 "As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said 'Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.'" People will be commissioned into their callings and destinies through fasting and prayer.
28. THERE WILL BE THE OPERATION OF GREAT AUTHORITY FOR DELIVERANCE Acts 16:18 "'I command you in the name of Jesus to come out of her.' And he came out that very hour." Not only will the Church heal the sick and see mighty miracles, but we will also move in deliverance seeing the oppressed set free from demonic power.
29. UNUSUAL MIRACLES Acts 19:11-12 "Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul." There will be UNUSUAL MIRACLES that God works through His servants. Even prayer clothes will carry the tangible anointing of the Holy Spirit.
30. HOLINESS AND PURITY WILL MARK THE CHURCH Acts 5:4-5 "Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things." Eph. 5:27 "That He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish." There will be no inward toleration of sin or hypocrisy. Ananias and Sapphira were judged for their hypocrisy, setting a standard for God's holiness in the Church. Remember, with great power and authority comes great responsibility. The greater the glory and power God gives us, the purer we must be to hold that power. God has given us the book of Acts as the standard for the operation of the supernatural in the Church. In a way, we are still writing the book of Acts as we move in the power of the Spirit and perform the works Christ has called us to do.
The glory on the Last Day's Church will be even greater than that on the early church. There are still greater works God has called us to do to see all the nations brought into His Kingdom and come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Let's lay hold of the fullness of the Spirit by faith, step out and walk on the water! May God's glory fill your life with increasing power as you seek after Him.
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