I want to encourage you today as you see all that is happening in the world, the natural disasters, that if you are part of the kingdom of God, you are part of a kingdom that cannot be shaken! My sense is as we see so much tragedy that God allows these things to point us to the things in life which are unshakable. I have had a number of opportunities in the past few days to speak to people in Christchurch about the gospel and people seem much more open that they have ever been. They have been so shaken they are willing to consider a kingdom that is unshakable.
I believe it is God saying that the only safe place to be and belong to is the unshakable Kingdom of God! I’m not saying God is directly responsible for natural disasters, but it is clear that when the storms of life come, if our life is built upon the rock, (the kingdom of God), it will stand. (Matthew 7:24-27) God shows up at these times to remind us the only safe place to be is in His Kingdom.
Hebrews 12:25-28 tells us
“See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicates the removing of what can be shaken–that is, created things–so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”
I believe we are seeing an intensity in the fire of the Holy Spirit at this time because God is shaking everything in our lives that can be shaken. We have been seeing an incredible shaking in the natural realm but I believe we will see and continue to see a shaking in the spiritual realm – God will shake not only the earth but also the heavens. God is turning up the heat spiritually. In this ministry we are seeing incredible manifestations of the power of the Holy Spirit.
There are many things we can look to in life for security and I believe we are living in times where it is only as we seek first the Kingdom of God we will find security. God is speaking at this time and everything in our lives that are not of God will be shaken. Demons will leave, sickness will leave, sin will leave, only the Kingdom of God will remain in our lives.
Verse 25 tells us “See that you do not refuse Him who speaks.” God is saying it is in your best interests to allow Him to shake your life. To rearrange it and bring it into alignment with God’s word. God is not some New Age force, or a figment of our imagination, the Scripture says He is a consuming fire! And because of His great love for us He wants to remove everything that is not of Him and His Kingdom.
Verse 26 says “Since we are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us receive grace by which we may serve God with reverence and holy fear.” I believe true revival is marked by repentance, reverence and the fear of the Lord! God is wanting to bring this kind of revival, one marked by the fire of the Holy Spirit, a great shaking, reverence for God and holy fear. True revival results in holiness and the fear of the Lord!
Verse 29 says “God is a consuming fire.” Fire is not just a characteristic of God, it is who He is! Spiritual fire brings holiness, reverence and godly fear. The fire of the Holy Spirit brings true revival! I believe God is speaking from heaven, we need to humble ourselves, He is shaking everything, and coming like fire. And sin is not pleasing to God He wants to come and consume it and purify our lives.
