The Narrow Road

There are many in the charismatic and Later Rain movement which believe that we have not witnessed the full outpouring of God’s spirit upon the earth like it was in the early church when true spiritual manifestations were commonplace and life empowering.  The future manifestations of the Holy Spirit will not just produce a revival (which so many have longed and hoped for) but something far greater. It will be unprecedented in its scope and flavor, and the organized church will have nothing to do with it,  why? 

This move of the Spirit will be more spiritual than organizational.  

It is people being awakened to the fact that Jesus has already empowered them and they already have all that they need inside of them for a life of power and Godliness. 

Let me elaborate further.

When the Holy Spirit came upon those who were gathered in the upper room as recorded in the 2^nd chapter of Acts, they weren’t organized theologians and scholars of the Talmud or Jewish law, they were ordinary people, families, fishermen, farmers, tradesmen, etc. who responded to the call of Jesus individually and collectively, they all waited in the upper room for the promise. (Acts 1:4-5) 

Their only requirement was to just gather and to wait, not to study and become proficient in the scriptures (that came later), but to just simply believe, wait, and receive the promise of the Holy Spirit.

When the Holy Spirit was revealed, something spiritual (supernatural) happened, not only did those who were gathered have the ability to praise and worship God in languages they had never learned, they were endowed with an uncanny ability to recall everything that they had been taught and commanded by Jesus when He was with them, they also had a clarity of revelation pertaining to Jesus’ life that was demonstrated before them with unparalleled understanding and wisdom, they also reflected and recalled what was written about Jesus in the Torah (Old Testament Law).  

This ability astounded the Jewish leaders of their day because they knew these people (of the way...as they came to be known) were not of the privileged Jewish class which was learned in the Holy Scriptures.  How could they have such knowledge?  The answer is simple...they couldn’t, not of themselves that is, this type of knowledge had to be spiritually (or supernaturally) imparted (or discerned).

These people who gathered in the upper room experienced something which they could not explain by way of human experience, it was totally a spiritual encounter (supernatural).  God chose a moment in time to reveal Himself in a way which was totally unique and absolute. 

Now obviously, we are not the early church, and we shouldn’t expect a repeat of what came then to re-emerge again in our time.  Nor am I saying that the manifestations have ceased and are not for our day, what I am saying is that these manifestations were designed to be partial (or temporary) until that which was perfect should come. 

1 Corinthians 13:8-10 Common English Version (CEV) 

⁸ Love never fails. As for prophecies, they will be brought to an end. As for tongues, they will stop. As for knowledge, it will be brought to an end. ⁹ We know in part and we prophesy in part; ¹⁰ but when the perfect comes, what is partial will be brought to an end.

God is not in the business of repeating the past as much as we are.  It is natural for us to look back and desire what we had in the past as being enough for our present.

That is like old manna (Exodus 16:20-21) 

We cannot dwell on the past and hope for a better outcome here in the present, past is past, and the present is now, that is the paradigm in which we live.  

God always moves forward, not backward. 

The early church studied the prophets and they foresaw a time when we would all be empowered by the Holy Spirit. 

We now have been given all that we need in Christ, and it is wrapped up within our spirit, our job is to appropriate it, and stand in it.

Having said that, I want to make it clear...I am not saying that God is progressive and changes His mind from what has already been established in the Word of God.  I would never say that. What I am saying that our desire for renewal or revival is not just about going back to the practices of the early church.  It is about recognizing that it renewal or revival is about Christ in us which has supplied us with everything we need for each and every encounter we face, it with His strength and power in us so that He may demonstrate His glory through us.  That is the message.

2 Peter 1:3 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

³ For His divine power has bestowed upon us all things that [are requisite and suited] to life and godliness, through the [full, personal] knowledge of Him Who called us by and to His own glory and excellence (virtue).

Our first job is to recognize that we have ALL that we need and it has already been provided to us and it's there been residing within us the whole time, and our job is unwrapping that package. In reality, the package is Jesus Himself, and all of His finished work that been done for us.  The end time purpose of Jesus isn’t for the masses to just “…accept Jesus Christ as Savior so they can get to heaven", which would be great if that was all there was, but salvation is more than a “fire escape”.  The real purpose of salvation is for many believers to have Christ residing within their hearts and minds that they may become Christ-like in their behavior, words, and actions through an abiding relationship with Jesus Himself.  

We are living epistles which have Christ residing within us, we must reach out to a fallen world and speak the truth of new life in Christ. We are a chosen people purchased through Jesus' sacrifice, a Priesthood serving our living God.

1 Peter 2:9 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

⁹ But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God’s] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

This leaves us with an awareness that we need to appropriate and proclaim the finished work of Jesus for ourselves and for others, and we need to stand in the victory that Jesus Christ has afforded us in ALL things.  We are called overcomers for a reason, as an overcomer, we overcome and master every area of our lives with Jesus’ victory as the beginning and end result.

1 John 5:5 Amplified Bible (AMP)

⁵ Who is the one who is victorious and overcomes the world? It is the one who believes and recognizes the fact that Jesus is the Son of God.

This is what the "the narrow gate” or narrow road really looks like.  (Matthew 7:13)

As always, God is good all the time, and all the time God is good!

         

Stephen Barnett

"The Road"
by Samuel Lane | from the album The Fire

It’s a long and narrow road
I’m on my way
With Your blood for my soul
I’ll be okay
Hold me close and keep me sure
That I won’t fall
To do Your will and to be pure
I hear the call

Lead me on Your path, Lord, lead me home
Guide me through the valley, the narrow road
Only You can save me, You broke the fall
Your spirit like a fire to my soul
It’s a long and broken road that leads to life
The rain will come, the cold wind blow, I’ll be alright
So I will rise for there is hope in the risen Son
To Your light and to Your home You lead me on

For your fire, for your soul
Jesus waits, Jesus calls