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Kingdom shaking – One of the realities of living in the Kingdom is that we sign up for both great victories and great battles that are bigger than we are. Many Kings are tasting a level of resistance, warfare or testing way beyond anything we’ve experienced before. The first temptation is to assume that, because we’re having problems, we must be doing something wrong. Don’t take warfare personally. It’s not about you. If a soldier is shaken by a bomb blast, he doesn’t start an introspective review of his personal history looking for the cause. He just shoots the plane down.
And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN.” 27 This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; 29 for our God is a consuming fire. Heb 12:26-29 NASU
Who’s doing the shaking? – The second thing to notice in this verse is that God’s voice is behind the shaking. When He’s done, there will remain a Kingdom and some Kings who cannot be shaken.
We are not ignorant of enemy schemes. Warfare is real. God and the enemy both have plans, strategies and activities at any point in time. You can prophetically pick up on both… The glorious things God is doing and the fear of enemy tactics will both resonate in your spirit. What I appreciate about the best prophetic ministries is that they choose to focus on what God is doing. Prophetic activity that seizes on an enemy strategy and passes it off like it’s from God, just scares people. It does have an anointing in the sense that it can touch us, but we just have to discern which camp it’s coming from.
We need the same discernment on a personal level. Our theology has to acknowledge God’s Kingdom plans, enemy harassment and personal adjustments. Here’s the tricky part: all three can be going on at once! God is so wise, He can shake the Kingdom and use enemy activity to mature His people… even though our individual maturity is not the primary purpose. We are refined in fires.
Focus on your dream – When we’re going through a storm, we have two choices. We can focus on 1) the problems, enemy activity, our mental fear and worry, or 2) we can focus on the dream God put in our heart. The latter is really faith. In age, Abraham was “as good as dead.” Yet, in his heart and God’s heart, there was a dream and a desire to father many nations. Our situation and circumstance might be as dead as Abraham; it’s the dream of faith that resurrects us.
And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. Heb 11:12 NIV
Practically, faith is moving from hope to substance by finding the dream that resides in both God’s heart and my heart. When the Father and I start doing the same thing, the dream really does get more substantial and it feels like the wind is at our back… divine appointments, favor with God and man, financial breakthrough, signs following, authority, confidence, creativity… lots of things start coming together.
Yes, but how? – OK, I’m still about as dead as Abraham regarding my dream. What should I do?
1. Get the dream in writing as an act of faith. Have a heart plan and use the coaching module to get there. If you coast through life with no real definition of your dream, your destiny will just keep moving out in front of you, always just beyond your reach. Your heart has to have a good reason to achieve success. The best reason is that our individual dream is part of a larger Kingdom strategy that the Father is orchestrating. We’re seeking the Kingdom first (Matt 6:33) and thrilling our own heart at the same time. Religion is servants offering sacrificial obedience against their will. Kingdom is a friend of God working out of our own heart’s desire doing what the Father is doing.
2. Choose to focus on your dream, pray toward it and work toward it. We have to “guard our hearts” because the primary enemy tactic is to try to steal or discourage the desire of your heart. Your mind will also naturally gravitate toward examining all the failure scenarios. The goal is not to “lose heart.” You and I each have a specific “race marked out for us.” It’s the assignment within our mountain that ignites our passion. It’s the desire God wrote on our heart toward which we naturally gravitate.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Heb 12:1-3 NIV
Winners or whiners – All this leads somewhere. We learn to savor whatever life brings us and resurrect the good out of every storm and season. Paul wrote epistles from prison and volunteered for Rome knowing that it would lead to his death. The purpose behind the bigger picture usually extends far beyond us. We’re thankful to be part of the Kingdom. We count it a privilege… whether it’s abundant life, great victories, with signs following, or sharing His suffering, shame, and rejection. The dream and the Kingdom survive, unshaken, and we refuse to set up camp in the wilderness of trials and testing on the way to our land. In the Kingdom, the norm is cups running over; trials are always temporary. We are always and ultimately more than conquerors, able to do all things.
I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Phil 4:11-13 NASU
They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ. Acts 5:40-42 NIV (see also 1Pet 4:12-16)
