The Frustration of Anticipation
http://www.newchurchorder.com/content/view/76/45/
I must confess at the risk of sounding too real that there are days I find myself in agreement with Bono of the Band U2 by humming the lyrics to his song
“I still haven’t found what I’m looking for”. This symptom seems to be rooted in an emotion I’ve begun to describe as the “
Frustration of Anticipation”
In the last few months, we have been receiving calls, emails, letters and visits from ministers literally around the world expressing this same sentiment. We are anticipating something we cannot seem to articulate or explain. It’s as if the Holy Sprit has planted a seed in the womb of the Church and we have yet to birth what we know is a “New Thing”!
This anticipation of the inexplicable is causing a sense of urgency and frustration by those that have paid a price to leave old systems and paradigms, yet still have not found what their looking for. This is especially frustrating to goal-oriented visionaries who are accustomed to a proactive approach to life and ministry. One of the key elements of successful people is there proactive ability to be self-starters. Most of those who will read this article are visionaries who live with one foot in the future. I would even venture to say that there are times many of us step into our vision of the future and live in a manner that is confusing to those who cannot see what we see. How many times have you prayed as the prophet of old “Lord, open their eyes that they may see that those that are with us are much more than that against us”?
Others of us are more missional in our approach to life and ministry. ….meaning we are not as quick to get excited about what some would call unrealistic dreams, as we seem more prone to anchor our talents and dreams to a particular mission or calling. One of the new buzzwords today in ministry is missional. A missionary personality has a very clear goal that one will spend years of time, energy, and money investing into accomplishing and fulfilling a pre-determined mission statement. I have yet to meet a successful person in life or ministry that was not either purpose driven, a visionary or both!
Therefore, one can understand how frustrating it would be for a visionary to stop being able to see clearly into the future. For many of us accustomed to “visioneering” as Andy Staley calls it seems as if the light has gone out! When a visionary loses sight of the future, it is as if the heavens have gone dark. In the same sense when a missionary loses their sense of purpose and direction, it’s as if the compass of their spirit is broken. Yet it seems men and women of God all over the world are experiencing this frustrating season in their lives. We are groping in the dark and straining our eyes for a glimpse of the shore in the the midst of a season of transition. Nothing old and comfortable seems to work and we haven’t quite finished discovering the new tools and talents for our prophetic fulfillment. We are reaching and praying for something that is inexplicable yet undeniable in our spirit! Many of you have left old paradigms, systems, and denominations, and for what? Are you asking yourself if you even have a future? Did you even hear from God in the fist place or better yet, does God even speak anymore? What is the Lord doing? Is he through with you?
Could it be that God is speaking, and we are having a hard time understanding because it’s being communicated in a way we have never interpreted before. In the days of Noah he had to create definitions for words never heard in the earth before such as rain, drown, repent or especially ark Could it be then that God is speaking but we can’t totally grasp His Word because He is introducing a new vocabulary of faith full of words, visions and plans ? Is it possible instead of us all feeling alone and isolated in our own aspirations, insecurities and insufficiencies that the Lord may be trying to speak corporately? Could this be a Godly frustration? A frustration not meant to be wasted in bitterness or the pain from the loss of past opportunities and unfulfilled dreams. This is a frustration of anticipation for something new and unprecedented. We are subconsciously anticipating a corporate anointing that is going to change the world for the Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Is this what it felt like right before the Day of Pentecost? Is this what Peter felt like in the day’s preceding the Acts 2 sermon? Is this how Paul felt headed to Rome? Is this how William Seymour felt while simply operating a humble mission and prayer room at Azusa? Is this what men like William Booth, Charles Finney, Smith Wigglesworth felt like before they literally shook the earth with the Gospel? Hear me – this is not an attack from the Enemy. This is a Holy frustration from the Holy Spirit within you that is anticipating in advance something that has already been set in motion in the heavenlies!
We are on the brink of a Holy visitation that will be beyond any reference point outside of scripture. We are entering into a season of Book of Acts proportions that will transcend cultural, religious and logistical barriers. There is a new way of ministry being introduced that we will have to build from scratch. There are fraternities of Godly relationships being birthed that we will have to cherish and nurture in their infancy stages of growth and development.
A clear understanding of the Five fold ministry in the Local Church will began to unfold as Churches become Antioch’s that spread the Gospel to the entire world with television, internet, radio, newspaper and magazine adds along with Billboards. These coupled with apostolic teams financed and sent by strong local Churches will create a stir unprecedented since the days of the Book of Acts Church!
My prayer is that I just want to be a part…We have lived our entire lives for such a time as this. Maranatha!
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Is this more than it appears? Anyone like to decode?
Threaded Mode
