THIS GLOBAL TRANSITION

TEXT:

JESUS PRAYS FOR US…(John 17:20-26 NIV)

THIS IS FOR US..

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also FOR THOSE WHO WILL BELIEVE IN ME THROUGH THEIR MESSAGE,

1. {21} THAT ALL OF THEM MAY BE ONE, FATHER, JUST AS YOU ARE IN ME AND I AM IN YOU. May they also be in us

2. SO THAT THE WORLD MAY BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE SENT ME.

3. {22} I HAVE GIVEN THEM THE GLORY THAT YOU GAVE ME, THAT THEY MAY BE ONE AS WE ARE ONE: {23} I in them and you in me. MAY THEY BE BROUGHT TO COMPLETE UNITY TO LET THE WORLD KNOW THAT YOU SENT ME AND HAVE LOVED THEM EVEN AS YOU HAVE LOVED ME.

4. {24} "Father, I WANT THOSE YOU HAVE GIVEN ME TO BE WITH ME WHERE I AM, AND

5. TO SEE MY GLORY, THE GLORY YOU HAVE GIVEN ME BECAUSE YOU LOVED ME BEFORE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD. {25} "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me.

6. {26} I HAVE MADE YOU KNOWN TO THEM, AND

7. WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE YOU KNOWN IN ORDER THAT

8. THE LOVE YOU HAVE FOR ME MAY BE IN THEM AND THAT

9. I MYSELF MAY BE IN THEM.""

WE ARE LIVING IN A TIME OF GLOBAL TRANSITION

- THE BIBLE CALLS OUR GENERATION THE DAY OF THE LORD

IT IS THE MOST PROPHESIED GLOBAL TRANSITION IN THE BIBLE!!

-EVEN THOUGH THE BIBLE CALLS OUR GENERATION “DREADFUL”

-WE ALSO SEE THAT GOD INTENDS TO AMAZING THINGS

-THINGS THAT HAVE NEVER HAPPENED ON THE EARTH BEFORE!

-THE BIBLE SAYS THAT THE LIKES OF THESE DAYS HAVE NEVER BEEN SEEN ON THE EARTH BEFORE AND WILL NEVER BE SEEN AGAIN!

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THESE DAYS!

(2 Tim 1:7 NIV) "For God did not give us a SPIRIT OF FEAR, but a SPIRIT OF POWER, OF LOVE AND OF SELF-DISCIPLINE."

SCRIPTURES THAT TALK ABOUT THE DAY OF THE LORD – 25 PLACES

ISA. 2:12,13:6,9, JER. 46:10, EZEK. 13:5,30:3, JOEL 1;15-3:14, AMOS 5:18,20, OBAD. 1:15, ZEPH. 1:14,14:1, MAL 4:5…. ACTS 2:20, I COR. 5:5, I THESS. 5:2, 2 PET. 3:10

CURRENT GLOBAL TRANSITION – “DAY OF THE LORD”

(Joel 2:28-32 NIV) "'And afterward, I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT ON ALL PEOPLE. Your sons and daughters will PROPHESY, your old men will dream DREAMS, your young men will see VISIONS. {29} Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. {30} I will show WONDERS IN THE HEAVENS and ON THE EARTH, blood and fire and billows of smoke. {31} The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. {32} And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, among the survivors whom the LORD calls." (Joel 3:1-2 NIV) "'In those days and at that time, WHEN I RESTORE THE FORTUNES OF JUDAH AND JERUSALEM, {2} I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land."

THE BIBLE TELLS US ABOUT OTHER TIMES OF GLOBAL TRANSITIONS

1. CREATION - ADAM & EVE

a. Creation – fellowship with mankind was established

b. God set up a way that his children could get to know him

c. Relationship based on FULFILLMENT OF THE COVENANT

-OBEDIENCE TO THE INSTRUCTIONS OF GOD (COVENANT)

2. DAYS OF NOAH TRANSITION

CHARACTARISTICS OF THE TRANSITIONAL GENERATION IN NOAHS TIME…

1. THE PEOPLE IN THE CULTURE HAD TURNED AWAY FROM GOD…

2. GOD FOUND A REMNANT PEOPLE (Noah & his family) WHO LOVED HIM..

3. GOD GAVE HIS PEOPLE A “COVENANT” – “DIVINE INSIGHT”

a. MAKE AN ARK

b. TELL THE PEOPLE TO GET INSIDE..

c. GET INSIDE BECAUSE I AM BRINGING A FLOOD

4. NOAH OBEY THE STRATEGY NO MATTER WHAT!

a. BUILDING AN ARK INVOLVED DYING TO SELF

b. BUILDING AN ARK INVOLVED LAYING ASIDE OTHER “INTERESTS”

5. BUILDING AN ARK LOOKED FOOLISH TO THE WORLD

a. NOT UNTIL THE FLOOD CAME DID THE COVENANT MAKE SENSE

6. WHEN THE FLOOD CAME…

a. ALL THOSE WHO GOT IN THE ARK GOD WERE READY FOR THE TRANSITION

b. ALL THOSE WHO DO NOT GET IN THE ARK WERE LOST..

IT WAS ESSENTIAL FOR SURVIVAL THAT NOAH & FAMILY FOLLOWED ALL OF THE RULES OF THE COVENANT!

3. DAYS OF MOSES TRANSITION

CHARACTARISTICS OF THE TRANSITIONAL GENERATION IN MOSES TIME…

THE PEOPLE IN THE CULTURE HAD TURNED AWAY FROM GOD…

GOD FOUND A REMNANT PEOPLE (MOSES/ISRAEL) WHO LOVED HIM..

GOD GAVE HIS PEOPLE A “COVENANT” – “DIVINE INSIGHT”

TEN COMMANDMENTS

GET THE PEOPLE UP ON THE MOUNTAIN

ANIMAL SACRIFICE FOR SIN

MOSES OBEY THE STRATEGY NO MATTER WHAT!

DELIVERING PEOPLE INVOLVED DYING TO SELF

TEN COMMANDMENTS INVOLVED LAYING ASIDE OTHER “INTERESTS”

TEN COMMANDMENTS LOOKED FOOLISH TO THE WORLD

GOD’S PEOPLE SET APART FOR HIM

HOLINESS IS NOT FUN

THOSE WHO FOLLOWED THE COVENANT..

BLESSED & PROSPERED

WALK IN THE GOODNES OF GOD

4. JOHN THE BAPTIST – A GLOBAL TRANSITION

JOHN ANNOUNCED THE TRANSITION

(Mark 1:4-8 NIV) " And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching A BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE for the forgiveness of sins. {5} The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. {6} John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. {7} And this was his message: "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. {8} I BAPTIZE YOU WITH WATER, BUT HE WILL BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT."

JOHN PROCLAIMED THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE TRANSITION

(Luke 3:16-18 NIV)

{16} JOHN ANSWERED THEM ALL, "I BAPTIZE YOU WITH WATER. BUT ONE MORE POWERFUL THAN I WILL COME, THE THONGS OF WHOSE SANDALS I AM NOT WORTHY TO UNTIE. HE WILL BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND WITH FIRE.

JESUS COMMENTED ON THE DAYS OF JOHN

(Mat 11:10-17 NIV) "This is the one about whom it is written: "'I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' {11} I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. {12} From the days of John the Baptist until now, THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN HAS BEEN FORCEFULLY ADVANCING, and forceful men lay hold of it. {13} For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. {14} And if you are willing to accept it, HE IS THE ELIJAH WHO WAS TO COME. {15} He who has ears, let him hear. {16} "To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: {17} "'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.'"

OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECY ABOUT THE TRANSITIONAL GENERATION OF JOHN

(Mal 4:5-6 NIV) ""See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that GREAT AND DREADFUL DAY OF THE LORD COMES. {6} He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.""

NEW TESTAMENT CONFIRMATION OF JOHN

(Luke 1:17 NIV) "And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--TO MAKE READY A PEOPLE PREPARED FOR THE LORD.""

THOSE WHO ACCEPTED THE STRATEGY MADE THE TRANSITION

(Luke 7:29-35 NIV) "All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus' words, acknowledged that God's way was right, BECAUSE THEY HAD BEEN BAPTIZED BY JOHN. {30} But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God's purpose for themselves, BECAUSE THEY HAD NOT BEEN BAPTIZED BY JOHN.

THEN JESUS GIVES AN ILLUMINATING ILLUSTRATION…

{31} "To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? {32} They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other: "'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not cry.'

CHARACTARISTICS OF THE TRANSITIONAL GENERATION IN THE DAYS OF JOHN…

1. THE PEOPLE IN THE CULTURE HAD TURNED AWAY FROM GOD…

2. GOD FOUND A MAN (JOHN) WHO LOVED HIM (GOD FOUND FAVOR)..

3. GOD GAVE HIS PEOPLE THE COVENANT =“DIVINE STRATEGY”

a. REPENT

b. BE BAPTIZED

c. TURN AWAY FROM YOUR CORRUPT PATTERNS

4. SOME PEOPLE OBEYED THE COVENANT NO MATTER WHAT!

a. THIS COVENANT INVOLVES DYING TO SELF (REPENT – BAPTISM)

b. THIS COVENANT INVOLVES LAYING ASIDE OTHER “INTERESTS”

i. LYING, CHEATING, STEALING…

5. THIS “COVENANT” LOOKS/SOUNDS FOOLISH TO THE WORLD

a. NOT UNTIL JESUS COMES DOES THE “STRATEGY” MAKE SENSE

6. WHEN THE TRANSITION COMES..

a. ALL THOSE WHO ACCEPTED JOHNS COVENANT WERE READY FOR JESUS

b. ALL THOSE WHO DID NOT ACCEPT JOHNS COVENANT WERE LOST..

IT WAS ESSENTIAL IN THE TIME OF JOHN TO KNOW THE STRATEGY OF THE NEW COVENANT AND FOLLOW IT EXPLICITLY..

(REPENT, BAPTIZED, LIVE MORALLY/ETHICALLY)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THEN THE EVENT WE ARE ALL WAITING FOR!!

THE CURRENT GLOBAL TRANSITION

JEREMIAH’S DESCRIPTION

(Jer 31:33-34 NIV) ""This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I WILL PUT MY LAW IN THEIR MINDS AND WRITE IT ON THEIR HEARTS. I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY WILL BE MY PEOPLE. {34} NO LONGER WILL A MAN TEACH HIS NEIGHBOR, OR A MAN HIS BROTHER, SAYING, 'KNOW THE LORD,' BECAUSE THEY WILL ALL KNOW ME, FROM THE LEAST OF THEM TO THE GREATEST," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.""

JOELS DESCRIPTION

(Joel 2:28-32 NIV) "'And afterward, I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT ON ALL PEOPLE. Your sons and daughters will PROPHESY, your old men will dream DREAMS, your young men will see VISIONS. {29} Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. {30} I will show WONDERS IN THE HEAVENS and ON THE EARTH, blood and fire and billows of smoke. {31} The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. {32} And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, among the survivors whom the LORD calls." (Joel 3:1-2 NIV) "'In those days and at that time, WHEN I RESTORE THE FORTUNES OF JUDAH AND JERUSALEM, {2} I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land."

JESUS DESCRIPTION – (Mat 24:3-42 NIV)

- ALL OF THE SIGNS ARE THERE.. THE ONLY ONE THAT IS LEFT IS THAT THE GOSPEL BE PREACHED TO ALL ETHNIC GROUPS..

o THEN THE END WILL COME!

THE GOOD NEWS

1. ASIA

a. CHINA – largest church in the world… very faithful with signs & wonders

i. Over 1 million are coming to know Jesus per month

b. KOREA – 50% are believers (up from 15% in the 50’s)

i. The Prayer movement started in Seol

ii. Prayer mountain… the whole culture has changed

c. INDONESIA – government says 15% “other” and 85% Muslim

i. Revivals have been sweeping over

ii. Local officials say that in places 80% are believer

iii. Overall conservatively 40% are believers

2. AFRICA

a. GHANA – 2/3 are believers

b. UGANDA – The president gave the country to Jesus in 1991

c. Mozambique – rapidly becoming Christian… Heidi Baker 30% up from 3%

d. KENYA – 90% Christian (revivals in 80’s & 90’s)

e. NIGERIA – 70% and growing

3. AMERICA

a. COLUMBIA - Sweeping revivals in the late 80”s are starting again

b. BRAZIL – 80% are believers… signs and wonders… Miracles

c. GUATAMALA – Revivals in the 90”s are igniting again… after civil unrest

4. MUSLIM NATIONS

a. IRAN – 2 million young people in revival

b. Covert infiltrations in towns all through the 1040 window

SO… HERE WE ARE… IN A TRANSITIONAL GENERATION

CHARACTARISTICS OF THIS TRANSITIONAL GENERATION…

1. THE PEOPLE IN THIS CULTURE HAVE TURNED AWAY FROM GOD…

2. GOD IS LOOKING FOR A REMNANT WHO LOVE HIM.. (is that us??)

3. GOD HAS GIVEN US A “DIVINE STRATEGY” – A NEW COVENANT

a. WE MUST DISCOVER WHAT THE STRATEGY IS!

b. WE WILL DISCOVER THAT THIS STRATEGY INVOLVES DYING TO SELF

c. WE WILL DISCOVER THIS STRATEGY INVOLVES LAYING ASIDE OTHER “INTERESTS”

4. THIS “STRATEGY” WILL LOOK/SOUND FOOLISH TO THE WORLD

a. NOT UNTIL THE MOMENT THAT THE TRANSITION COMES WILL THE “STRATEGY” MAKE SENSE

5. WHEN THIS TRANSITION COMES..

a. ALL THOSE WHO HAVE MADE THE TRANSITION WILL BE READY

b. ALL THOSE WHO HAVE NOT ACCEPTED IT WILL BE LOST..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE STRATEGY FOR THIS GENERATION..

I WAS SEEKING THE LORD THIS WEEK FOR SPECIFIC INSTRUCTION FOR THIS TRANSITIONAL GENERATION…

SINCE WE LIVE IN THE MOST PROPHESIED GENERATION IN HISTORY – IT WASN’T DIFFICULT!

I BELIEVE THAT THE STRATEGY FOR THIS GENERATION IS FOUND IN:

JOHN 17:20-26

ACTS 2:41-47

REVELATION 2:1-3:22

THE IMPORTANCE OF JOHN 17…

1. IT IS THE PINNACLE OF NEW TESTAMENT SCRIPTURE

2. IT WAS WRITTEN BY AN EYE-WITNESS AND CLOSEST DISCIPLE OF JESUS

3. IT IS THE PRAYER OF JESUS

a. IF YOU WANT TO HEAR THE HEART OF SOMEONE – LISTEN TO THEM PRAY!

4. IT IS JESUS PRAYING FOR US..

a. WHAT JESUS PRAYS FOR US IS AT THE CENTER OF HIS HEART

b. WHAT JOHN RECORDED JESUS SAY ABOUT US IS CENTRAL

5. WHAT JESUS PRAYS FOR US IS AMAZING.. IT IS NOTHING YOU WOULD THINK!

JESUS PRAYS FOR US…(John 17:20-26 NIV)

THIS IS FOR US..

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also FOR THOSE WHO WILL BELIEVE IN ME THROUGH THEIR MESSAGE,

10. {21} THAT ALL OF THEM MAY BE ONE, FATHER, JUST AS YOU ARE IN ME AND I AM IN YOU. May they also be in us

11. SO THAT THE WORLD MAY BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE SENT ME.

12. {22} I HAVE GIVEN THEM THE GLORY THAT YOU GAVE ME, THAT THEY MAY BE ONE AS WE ARE ONE: {23} I in them and you in me. MAY THEY BE BROUGHT TO COMPLETE UNITY TO LET THE WORLD KNOW THAT YOU SENT ME AND HAVE LOVED THEM EVEN AS YOU HAVE LOVED ME.

13. {24} "Father, I WANT THOSE YOU HAVE GIVEN ME TO BE WITH ME WHERE I AM, AND

14. TO SEE MY GLORY, THE GLORY YOU HAVE GIVEN ME BECAUSE YOU LOVED ME BEFORE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD. {25} "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me.

15. {26} I HAVE MADE YOU KNOWN TO THEM, AND

16. WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE YOU KNOWN IN ORDER THAT

17. THE LOVE YOU HAVE FOR ME MAY BE IN THEM AND THAT

18. I MYSELF MAY BE IN THEM.""

THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH IS TO REVEAL THE GLORY OF GOD…

THE PRAYER OF JESUS REVEALS HIS HEART FOR OUR GENERATION

1. UNITY - GOD IS DELIVERING THE CHURCH FROM FRAGMENTATION

a. GOD IS BRINGING THE CHURCH OUT OF RELIGIOUS FORMS

i. GOD IS BRINGING THE CHURCH INTO CONNECTION BASED ON LOVE NOT DOCTRINE

b. GOD IS BRINGING THE CHURCH INTO COMPLETE RELEVENCE

i. NOT TRYING TO MAKE SINNERS BE GOOD

ii. BRINGING LIGHT INTO DARKNESS.. PRESENCE OF GOD INTO ABSENCE

c. GOD IS BRINGING US INTO REFORMATION

i. THIS IS NOT REVIVAL, RENEWAL OR AWAKENING

ii. THE VERY STRUCTURE & FUNCTION OF THE CHURCH IS CHANGING

iii. BUILDINGS ARE OPTIONAL

iv. PRAYER/WORSHIP IS PRIMARY

2. WITNESS – THE CHURCH WILL LOOK, ACT AND SMELL DIFFERENT THAN THE WORLD

a. BARNA STATISTICS – THE CHURCH IS NO MEASUREABLY DIFFERENT THAN THE WORLD

b. GOD IS SEPERATING US TO HIMSELF-

i. BY LOVE

ii. BY DEVOTION TO JESUS

iii. BY HONOR FOR GOD’S AUTHORITY

iv. BY OPENNESS TO THE GIFTS AND CALLINGS OF GOD

v. BY ABIDING IN HIM – TO BEAR MUCH FRUIT

3. GLORY OF GOD – GOD IS REVEALING HIS FULLNESS

a. THE FULLNESS OF JESUS

b. THE HOLY SPRIT REVEALING THE HEART OF JESUS (JOHN 16)

c. THE CHARACTAR OF JESUS – LOVE, GRACE & TRUTH

d. LIKE WE READ ABOUT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

i. MIRACLES

1. GOD IS REVEALING HIMSELF IN THE WORLD BY HEALING

ii. SIGNS & WONDERS

1. GOD IS REVEALING HIMSELF BY PHYSICAL/SUPERNATURAL SIGNS IN & ON THE EARTH

iii. GIFTS -

1. THE RELEASE OF THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT IN THE 60-70’S

iv. CALLINGS

1. REFORMATION OF THE CALLING OF PASTOR (1900-30’S)

a. THE LOCAL CHURCH WAS THE PLACE TO EXPERIENCE GOD

b. WATCHMAN NEE - PASTORS

2. REFORMATION OF THE CALLING OF EVANGELIST (40-50’S)

a. SWEEPING WORLDWIDE MISSIONARY MOVEMENT

b. BILLY GRAHAM & OTHERS IN THE US

3. REFORMATION OF THE CALLING OF THE TEACHER (60-70’S)

a. THE CHARISMATIC RENEWAL

b. BOB MUMFORD, DEREK PRINCE,

4. REFORMATION OF THE CALLING OF PROPHET (70 -80’S)

a. GREAT MINISTRY BY PROPHETIC PEOPLE

5. REFORMATION OF THE CALLING OF APOSTLE (80-2000)

a. TORONTO BLESSING

b. BROWNSVILLE

c. NEW APOSTOLIC CHURCHES (VINEYARD, IHOP, Cstone)

4. PRESENCE OF JESUS

a. JESUS PRESENCE – SEEK HIS FACE!

i. Not just his word, his actions, his mind…

b. WORSHIP FOCUS

i. Whole focus of worship is on intimate communication

c. PRAYER FOCUS

i. Whole focus of prayer is on hearing God

ii. Listening much more than speaking

5. REVELATION OF THE HEART OF GOD

a. GOD IN THE MIDST OF HIS CHURCH

b. SUPERNATURAL PRESENCE & MINISTRY

c. MINUTE BY MINUTE REVELATION OF GOD’S PRESENCE

i. RHEMA - WORD FOR THE MOMENT

ii. GOD SPEAKING THROUGH US

6. LOVE AS THE FOUNDATION OF ALL

a. ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN LOVE

b. THE LOVE OF GOD - LOVE, ACCEPTANCE, FORGIVENESS

FILLED WITH JESUS

c. JESUS IN US.. THE HOPE OF GLORY