HE LOVES US
Cornelia Forsberg
SONSHIP
During the spring of 2015, I had an encounter with God that turned my life upside down. I had come to a point during that past year of thinking, “there has to be much more than this”. Long story short, the hunger for more of God increased. The hunger to see Him work, to see signs and wonders, to see the Bible’s promises be visible in and through my life. I decided to begin seeking more of Him. The Holy Spirit led me to begin praying with a friend, Sanna. We didn’t know each other well; we weren’t more than acquaintances, but the same hunger for more of God was in her too. We decided to just simply begin praying for more. We didn’t know exactly how, but we started to pray. Praying for more: more of Him, more of His power, more of His holiness. We didn’t meet with each other for very long periods of time, and only once a week. But after scarcely a month, something happened. During a church service, we received the answer to what we had been praying for – we got to experience more. It was as if God’s glory fell over us. It wasn’t an encounter that passed by like a gust of wind, but an encounter with His glory that came to somehow land. An encounter that wasn’t possible to get away from, that didn’t end. A glory that remained with us. Everything was different after that moment. Something happened with my days. Suddenly, I was so certain of His presence over me. Every second was spent in wonder of who He is, and what is possible with Him. I was marked with the certainty that there is more, much more. In the beginning of what was happening just over four years ago, I had a vision where I experienced Jesus showing me a buffet table – He welcomed us to eat from a buffet, his banquet table, which never ran out. On the contrary, the more we ate, the more the table seemed to be filled. This is who He is. He has opened the door to his royal treasuries. He has made a way to all of heaven’s blessings (Eph. 1:3). We get to have a good appetite – which is having great faith.
A month into this fantastic and completely revolutionary time, I had an encounter with God, my Father, in a way I hadn’t experienced before. I was on the way home after a church service in Lysekil. Just arriving at home, in the staircase on the way to our door, God decided to meet me. The revelation of Sonship crashed down over my life. I heard the Father’s voice over my life, saying, “You are my daughter. I love you. You are my daughter. I love you. You are my daughter. I love you.” The loveliest words our ears can hear – the Father’s affirmation over our lives. All we need is found in His voice, in Him himself. There was no, “go do this, and do this” in that moment, but it was Him and I. He overwhelmed me with His joy over my life. I am a daughter, I am chosen. My Father rejoices over me. My Dad is proud of me. He loves me. I am His and He is mine. With all of my being, I understood it, with every cell in my body. He loves me. I am His and that is enough. From that moment on, it became natural for me to call the Father, Dad. The nearest and most endearing word for “Father” that my vocabulary has. Because He is close, not far away. He’s closer than my very breath. He’s Abba! During the encounter with Him on my staircase, I felt Him speak about revival – that this, what I was in the middle of experiencing, is what the revival that’s breaking out looks like – a wave of love from God himself. A revival – an awakening – of the Father’s voice over His children; that He loves, that He is good and only good. An awakening that He is a God who equips sons and daughters to walk in great, great, yes, great faith and boldness because they know Who’s they are, and they know Who walks with them. An awakening to be unafraid, for perfect love casts out all fear (1 John 4:18). An awakening to be sons and daughters who demonstrate the Father’s love through healing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing those who have leprosy, and casting out demons (Matt 10:7). An awakening to be sons and daughters who get to know their God, and trust in Him without reservation, who dare to walk on the water, dare to go where none has gone, and can brush off the words of the world because they’ve heard the words of the Father. It’s a revival to a first love, to full trust in the Father; to say “I boldly move forward, because I’ve heard You call me by name.” God is waking up His church: “You are my beloved son, my beloved daughter. I have my joy in you.”
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. Nobody comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:7). Jesus opens the way to a life with a perfect Father. Jesus and the Father are one- Jesus only does what He sees the Father doing. Jesus demonstrates with His life what it means to fully be a Son. The cross demonstrates perfect love. The cross opens the way for us to live in the middle of that love, to live face to face with Him who created us, exactly as it was thought from the beginning (Heb.10:19-20, John 17:24-26). Let us boldly run straight into what Jesus died and rose to make available for each and every person who believes: an intimate fellowship with Him who created Heaven and Earth, and who has more for us than what we could ever dream of or imagine. John 20:17, “Go (instead) to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and Your God’” (NIV).
Our identity is to be children of God. We are chosen and predestined by God to Sonship (Eph. 1:5.) Sons and daughters of God! It’s the Father’s love that formed our bones and breathed life in us (Ps 139:15-18). The Father’s love for our lives is heard through all of history – from the very beginning. We are created for that Love. To always be His children. That is who I am. God’s love breathes life into dry bones – everything comes to life in His love. For all creation began right in it. The Father’s love wakes up all of creation up to its purpose.
Being children of God reveals our inheritance – because Sonship and inheritance go hand in hand. Romans 8:17, “Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of god and co-heirs with Christ…” Gal 4:4-7, “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to Sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into out hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’ So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir”(NIV). A child knows the right they have to their own inheritance. The children of God know the kingdom of God belongs to them. This is exactly why a son and a daughter can go forth with such great faith. We are called to inherit the world (Rom 4:13). We know all that is His is ours. I am a child in the house. Luke 12:32, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”
Being a child of God makes us unafraid and full of faith. Children of God, certain of who they are, bearing forth the Kingdom of God. They are unafraid because they know Him; they know their Father. They know He is for them, not against them (Rom 8:31). They go forth with great boldness and faith, because they know just one word from His mouth makes water like solid ground. When Peter heard Jesus say, “Come”, the water became possible to walk on (Matt 14:28-29). Faith came from the word Peter heard Him speak. Faith is falling into trust with a good Father – in complete confidence that His word bears, that He is who He says He is. Faith is living from the Father’s voice, and knowing what He says is solid to build a life upon. Faith is full confidence in the fact that, regardless of external circumstances, the Father’s whisper in our hearts bears the power to do everything He speaks – this is why we can go forth in great faith.
Being a child of God breaks every yoke of personal striving. Sonship breaks the yoke of comparison – because the Father’s voice stills the need for the confirmation of others alongside His. You know you are created perfectly in His gaze. Sonship breaks rivalry and competition – because I know I have a place from God that no one can take away from me. A place that is only for me and no one else, because I am chosen. Therefore, I don’t try to become someone else, or take someone else’s place, but instead fully step into what God has given me. You don’t want any other place than the one the Father gives only you, because you trust where He brings you. He is good and only good.
Being a child of God is complete trust and surrender. It is certainty that things can only occur by His power. It’s laying down every individual effort and instead letting His power rest upon us (2 Cor 12: 8-10). We yearn and cry for Him like newborn children (1 Pet. 2: 1). We live in full dependence on Him. We know that He is the one who “clothes me”. He provides for me - my daily bread comes from Him (Matthew 6: 25-33, John 15: 5).
To know you’re a son and a daughter is a key to biblical unity. We are called to one and the same family. We are sons and daughters. We have a Father who is the Father of all (Eph. 4: 6, John 17: 21-23). Then, church is about family, and not organization. Then, church is not about any mutual competition between each other, but about seeing the kingdom of God take over a world together, as a family. We love our sisters and brothers, no matter how we feel we may be different, because we experience the Father’s love and pride over our own lives and hear it over their lives as well. Being a child of God does not allow personal pride to remain - all of our pride is in Him (1 Cor 1:31).
Being a child of God is not childishness - it is fullness. We were created to be His children; it is our deepest identity. John 1:12, “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (NIV). In salvation, we are fully adopted with the full rights of a child into God's family. Jesus knew completely what it was to be a Son. He is the firstborn among many brothers (Rom. 8:29). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of adoption. Rom 8:14-16, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (NKJV). Before the foundation of the earth we were called to Sonship (Eph 1: 4-5). Revelation 21: 7 says, “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.”(NKJV)
In the glory - in the fullness – Sonship resounds. In the baptism of Jesus, heaven opens and the Father’s voice says, “This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased ” (Matt 3:17, NKJV). At the mountain of glory, where they see the Son of man coming in His kingdom, a cloud appears, the glory, and the voice of the Father is heard again, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”(Matt 17: 5). In the last days, the bridegroom who comes on the clouds of glory will meet a bride who knows what it is to be a child, a child of God. She will know what it is to deeply have her identity in Him. To be loved by her Father. Eph 1:5, “He predestined us for adoption to Sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will…” 1 John 3: 1, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (NIV). For all time, filled and covered by His glory, we’ll be children of He who created us (Heb 2: 10-13).
Being a child of God is not childishness – it is knowing your authority. Ps 8:2, “Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger” (NIV). God is raising up His children, His army, His bride, His people to fully know who they are and go forth with all that has been given to them. I believe we will see a generation of God’s children who know who they are, a generation of “revealed children” that come in power as we have never seen a generation do before. A final generation, who prepares the way for His arrival and who will meet Him who is coming. A generation who knows that the enemy belongs under their feet - in the authority given to them in Jesus’ name (Luke 10:20, Rom. 16:20). A generation who sees the enemy flee, demons cast out and the devil's works destroyed (1 John 3: 8). All of creation waits for His children to be fully revealed. Rom 8:19, “For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.”(NIV). God is raising up children in this time who know who they are, and are asking for what nobody has made a claim to earlier. God gives of His goodness in abundance!
Knowing that you are a son and a daughter opens up the depths of His Word, into the secrets. This is because we need to have a child’s expectation that there is more, much more. More to see, so much more. That He wants to show more, much more (1 Cor. 2: 9-12). A child’s conviction that there are treasures hidden to be discovered (Prov. 25: 2). A child’s belief that all knowledge and wisdom I find in Him (Col. 2: 3). Luke 10:21, “At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do’”(NIV). The simple truths about who God is and who we are reveal the great depths of His Word.
I believe that a love-encounter with Him - with a Father who loves without limits - is the wave of revival that is breaking forth. Meeting with God himself raises up a generation, a body, a church that can no longer be silent, but who boldly run forth in full power because they have met the deepest of love. My conviction is that God’s people will experience a profound revelation of the Father’s overwhelming love in the last times - because it takes us “to the beginning” again, to why we are, “back to Eden”. My conviction is that we are living in a time now - in the midst of a global awakening. Where the Father’s love is breathing life and awakening. When experience after experience testifies and will testify that God is a good, good, yes that good of a Father. I believe we are facing a time in world history when we will see a generation of His children taste what Romans calls “the glorious liberty of the children of God”. A time when creation will respond to the progression of God’s children (Rom. 8: 19-21). A time when the children of God will advance in the power of the Spirit in a way that no generation has experienced before - where the desert becomes like Eden in their steps, where the broken will be whole and ruins rebuilt (Isa. 58:12). A time when God is marking His children’s vision to see the new city come. A time when God marks gazes with the vision of Him Himself. A time when He marks gazes with the vision of seeing the King who’s returning, seeing the Bridegroom coming for his bride. A time when we shout, “He loves me. He loves me. He loves me. He is good, He is better than we could ever imagine.”
THE CONTOURS OF ZION
Eden was a place where God's presence rested, a place of close fellowship between man and God himself. It has always been the Father's heart to live amongst His people, to live in fellowship with His children, with those who are created in His image. We are created for this alone - Him! We are created to live in full fellowship with God Himself. Eden was such a place - a place that tells of the Father's heart, about God’s longing to live amongst His children. Adam and God walked in the garden together. Eden was a place of God's resting glory. The fall took us from there.
Through the Old Testament, we see then how the tabernacle, the temple, and the function of sacrifice testifies to this one purpose - testifying to God’s longing to dwell amongst his people, God’s desire to let his glory rest among his children (Ex. 25: 8). The function of the Tabernacle and Temple was precisely that - to be a place for God’s presence to rest, for Him to dwell in our midst.
The Tabernacle and the Temple are also foreshadows of Christ Himself (John 1:14, John 2:19, Rev 21:22, Col. 2:17). In Christ, we are grafted in, where through Him we become temples where God’s presence dwells, part of His own body - called to carry His own presence, called to be people the Holy Spirit can fill and rest upon. Called to be vessels for glory.
Jesus opens the way to the Father’s arms, into living in His presence again (Heb 6:19, John 14: 7). Jesus opens the way to what we lost in the fall. Jesus opens the way “back to Eden” - to no longer be separated from Him, not in the slightest (Eph 2: 17-18).
When Ezekiel prophesies of the new city of God, into a time ahead of us, he gives us its’ characteristics, “… and the name of the city from that time on shall be, ‘The Lord Is There’” (Ezekiel 48:35). Here in our midst. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.”
God is taking us back to Eden. Not to the same Eden that was then, but to an “Eden” as the first garden testifies. We see a time ahead of us where He will forever live in the midst of his children, to what the prophets prophesy about - when His presence takes over everything. He is taking us into what was His original longing - to live forever in our midst. Into when His glory not only rests in a garden or in a temple, but where His presence takes over, rests upon the earth, where we join in with the angels that the whole earth is full of His glory. The prophet Isaiah came to the throne room and hears the angels crying that the earth is full of His glory (Isaiah 6: 3). Habakkuk prophesies that, “The Earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Hab. 2:14). The word “knowledge” in this passage means, “to intimately know”. Thus, it’s not knowledge as in facts, but a knowledge that means the earth will know, experience, become one with and be “engulfed” by His glory. At the beginning of time, we were given a mission - to lay the earth under us, to let Eden become Eden everywhere (Genesis 1:28). The mission was to place the earth under God’s order, the kingdom of God, the Shalom of God, the presence of God. That mission still applies (1 John 3: 8, Rom. 4:13). Jesus, through His death and resurrection, takes back the keys that the enemy was given in the fall, and we have the same mission again - to lay the earth under us (Matthew 16: 18-19, Matthew 28: 18-20). The mission is to see heaven invade the earth, God’s presence take over. The prophet Joel prophesies of a time when the Spirit of God will be poured out on all flesh - yes, one day it will be (Joel 2:28). On the first day of Pentecost, Peter preaches that what happens when they see the Spirit poured out, concerns what Joel prophesied earlier (Acts 2: 16-18). On the day of Pentecost, the prophetic word in the book of Joel began, and we will see it completed. One day everything will be under His Spirit, permeated with His presence and a creation will be filled with His glory. The prophet Isaiah speaks the Word of God and says, “…I will make the place of my feet glorious.” (Isa. 60:13). Further on, Isaiah describes the earth as the footstool of God (Isa 66: 1). The earth will be filled of His glory. Everything should be placed under our King’s feet (Heb 1:13, 2: 8).
In the summer of 2016, I experienced God speaking. I heard Him say, “I have drawn the outlines of Zion.” In those words, what I understood was He had drawn the contours of Zion here on Earth. There and then, I didn't know exactly what He meant. I had no great insight into what the Bible calls Zion.
The Bible names Zion. The name Zion is used in various contexts in the word of God. To some extent, it speaks of Zion as a physical place, of a mountain, of the city of David (1 Kings 8: 1), of Jerusalem. The name is also used in a broader way for the people of Israel, for the people of God. But the Bible also mentions the name of Zion in the context of something we have not yet seen – “a coming Zion” - a place where the feet of God rests (Isa. 60:13, Isa. 66: 1, Ezekiel 43: 7, Matthew 5:34). It is spoken and prophesied of a restored Zion (Isa. 60) - a Zion that is no longer the name of just one specific city, area, or few people, but a kingdom of God invading and taking over the earth. A Zion that touches all the people of God, touching all creation - promises that Israel got to carry, to then through Christ, also becoming promises to all nations and to all peoples (Eph. 2: 12). A “Mountain of Zion” as the place where God’s order reigns, His Spirit being poured over all flesh and everything created. The desert into a garden, the dry into springs, where what has been dead comes to life. A “Mountain of Zion” - a place where His glory lives. A place where God’s teaching, peace, joy and righteousness flow from. A place where everything is laid under the King’s feet. It’s written about the place where peace is its authority - everything is subjected to His order (Isa. 60:17). “A City”, “Zion”, which is described in a similar way to the heavenly in Revelation (Revelation 21-22), similar to that of Ezekiel in his view of the coming city of God (Ezekiel 43, 47). It is the City of God coming down from heaven (Revelation 21: 2, 21: 9) - the kingdom of God that takes over. It is God who builds his throne in our midst. A place where sickness flees. It is God who comes to live forever amongst His children. It is when His glory takes over. It is a restored people of God who radiate in glory. It is the hope of glory.
I believe that we live in a time when we are going to see the contours of exactly this, “the contours of the mountain of Zion”. A time before Jesus comes back, where people will experience the kingdom of God invading the earth in greater power than any other generation has seen before. A time that prepares and paves the way for the King’s arrival. A global spiritual outpouring. A time when places, yes entire cities, may get a taste of what the Bible speaks of as promises to the people of God - seeing places experiencing His glory. Places and cities that become contours of “the coming Zion” - contours of heaven on earth. Places that get to taste of Isaiah 33:24, “No one living in Zion shall say, ‘I am ill’”. A time when the people of God will rise up in full power, in His glory, to testify and demonstrate for a world that “this is our God” (Isa. 60: 1-3). Our God will show Himself great in glory! He will let a world see who He is. He will be triumphant, and He loves to do it through His children. I also believe we are in a time now where we will see the events of God’s progress move quickly. Isaiah prophesies, “Who has heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children” (Isaiah 66: 8, NIV). A nation in a day. It is possible. The world will see the radiance of our God!
I believe we will see a global revival that is not just like a gust of wind that passes by, or a wave that crashes and retreats. I believe we will see how places and entire cities become resting places for His glory. Not for only a short meeting, a brief touch, but our God who is coming to stay. Let’s believe God to see nations laid down at His feet. My conviction is that Sweden is a nation that will get to experience this - experience the “outlines of Zion”, experience His glory, experience what it is when His glory falls over a nation. We live in very exciting days.
God is coming to establish and restore - this is the Father’s heart (Isa. 58:12). One day we will see creation and humanity become fully free from its oppression (Rom. 8: 18-21). The ground will rejoice, the trees will cry out for joy - yes, everything that breathes, all of creation, was created for and again will praise the Lord (Ps. 69: 12-13, 150: 6). Ezekiel speaks of the fountain that runs from the temple (Ezekiel 47: 1-12) - a stream that originates from the sanctuary of God and gives life to all. A joint stream that gives life to all things and makes what has been impure fresh, and the source of healing for the people. The stream is similarly described in the book of Revelation as the river of the water of life (Rev. 22: 1). His water is His Spirit. God pours out His presence, His Spirit upon all flesh, “... and everything will live wherever the river goes” (Ezekiel 47: 9). And desert becomes like Eden. Everything comes to life. God loves what He created and He will finish what He has started.
The kingdom of this world will not remain forever. His kingdom is taking over. Everything will be shaken. Everything that is not His will perish. Every part of His kingdom will be planted and fortified forever. Daniel 2:44, “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, not will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it itself will endure forever.”(NIV).
What is currently happening in Israel, what we see is being fulfilled in that place, within the country - it testifies to what God is doing globally. What we can see concretely happening in Israel - testifies to greater spiritual events throughout our earth. A restored Israel - an Israel prepared for the King’s Arrival - testifies of restored nations, nations being prepared. Winds of revival blowing in Israel speaks of global storm winds of revival. Jews coming back to their homeland, to Israel, testifies that the children of God are coming home, testifying of a great harvest being taken in. The people of Israel and its country have always had a call to testify. We’re in very exciting times.
MARKED VISION
God is preparing His bride, preparing His children, to rise in full power and to shine for the world to see (Isa. 60, Ps 67: 2-3). We are called to be the light of the world, a light on a hill that cannot be hidden. Zion, arise and shine! We will shine like never before - we are the light of the world because He who is the head over body is the light of the world (John 9: 5, Matthew 5:15). And all will see. See Him shine clearly through His body, His church, through children who represent their Father very well, through a bride rising in His power. They’ll see His glory shining through completely surrendered vessels.
It’s time for a bride to arise. Revelation 14 speaks of a crowd that appeared to stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion. The passage seems to be parallel to the previous chapter - the chapter on the beast and its mark. It’s about the seriousness of not receiving the mark of the beast, of not being misled, of being wise, of being awake. Chapter 14 speaks of another mark on the forehead, “... who had his name and his father’s name written on their foreheads.” Chapter 13 talks about a man’s number, about the world’s number, and on buying and selling. Chapter 14 speaks of a crowd marked by the Lamb and by his Father, a crowd redeemed from the earth and redeemed from people - who seek that which is above (Col. 3: 1-2) and follow the Lamb wherever he may go. And they are completely spotless. They sing a new song before the throne. In the last days, God will raise his bride in full power in the midst of the time chapter 13 is describing - a bride whose vision is marked with chapter 14, marked by the vision of Him Himself. It’s the same principle as, “You prepare a table in the presence of my enemies” (Ps 23: 5). Our God loves to triumph. The darker it may seem, the brighter it will become (Isaiah 30: 25-26, Isa. 59:19).
Isaiah 60: 1-3, “Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising” (NIV). When the world cries out that the night seems to be coming, God lights the torches - the torches that light up the darkest of places. And they will shine; shine so brightly! Our God will show Himself in triumph! His glory will dazzle a world. He is raising his bride in glory. In the same way God manifested who was God in the story of Elijah and the Baal prophets (1 Kings 18: 20-39) will we see an “Elijah generation”, a bride, who prepares the way for the King’s coming and who sees yet again how our God demonstrates who He is before the eyes of the powers of darkness, before the enemy himself.
The world’s vision will be tempted to remain on what the enemy does, on what may seem to be darkness taking over. But that’s not actually what is true. For the truth is, our God triumphs. And He’ll be visible - so visible that everyone sees! God’s people need to be marked with the vision of His glory, of His Kingdom’s advance, on what God does, our victory, Revelation chapter 14 - not what the enemy does. To have ones vision on “the Lamb wherever He goes” (Rev. 14: 4). In this way, we will “silence the mouth of evil”. For the kingdom of our God is superior. 2 Kings 6: 15-17, “When the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, ‘Alas, my master! What shall we do?’ So he answered, ‘Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, and said, ‘Lord, I pray, open his eyes so that he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”(NKJV).
And the people of God are singing a new song before the throne. A new song, the bride’s song, the wedding song. Because they know what time it is. Not a time when darkness triumphs, but a time when night will be day, when the morning star appears at dawn, when the table is set for the great feast, when the Groom comes, then we don’t hide in fear of darkness, but instead shout, “He is coming, He is coming”. It’s a time when we do not retreat but go running forth with palm branches and welcome our King to ride in. It’s already checkmate. My Dad has already won the victory. Jesus triumphed over the powers of darkness on the cross (Col. 2:15). And in the time when it may seem that our focus is tempted to look at chapter 13, on what the enemy does, on how evil seems to accelerate - know that there is a parallel chapter. God’s promises of a church, a church that radiates His glory and which kings come to the brightness of (Isaiah 60: 2), which speaks of places that get to taste of Isaiah 33, “... and the inhabitants shall not say, ‘I am ill’”. Places that get to experience a taste of “the whole earth is full of His glory”, which receive answers to prayer from Our Father - who get to experience what it is to have heaven on earth, experiencing when His kingdom takes over more and more. The promise that speaks of children who go forth in great revelation of who they are and who their Father is, and who demonstrate His kingdom and power in a way that is “…(they) will do the works that I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these...” (John 14:12). He is raising up His bride, His church, and His children. The song they sing, the bride’s song, the new song - is not a battle song in the way we may think. It is the most intimate song - a love song between a people and their God, a love song between a bride and her Bridegroom. A song about one love. About a love so big, so deep, so wide, so high that nothing else matters. A song between two. “I am His and He is mine” (Song of Songs 6:2). A song that is calling to the wedding feast. A song from mouths that are seeing the new Jerusalem. It is a song that welcomes the Groom, a song that welcomes the King to ride in. The song that rises from fully surrendered lives - which have given up everything to win everything. A song about the goodness of the Father. It’s the Song of Songs. It is the battle song of the kingdom of God.
A bride who is awakened is a people of God who are woken up to a first love - to love Him with all their might. Being awakened to follow just One voice (Rev. 2: 4). His glory, His burning presence, follows life that is surrendered to just One love. Let’s arise, follow in surrender and shine! It is a church that sees the deeds of the devil crushed beneath their feet.
HE IS GOOD
When a world sees who our God is - yes, when nations see who He is - they will see that He is good. David writes in Psalm 27:13, “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” (NIV). God is good! God is good! God is good! When Moses speaks to God in Exodus 33, he asks God to see His glory. God responds to his desire, and in verse 19 God Himself answers with the words, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you.” (NKJV). The glory of God and all His goodness is the same. The glory, the fullness of God, is also fully His goodness. His glory is His goodness. His goodness is His glory. “The whole earth is full of His glory” - The whole earth will see His goodness. His goodness will dazzle us; will take us to a place of wonder before who our God is. And He does it in front of the enemy. Hosea 3: 5 speaks about the last days, “They shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days.” (NKJV). God calls us to be a people of joy. His people should be known for it. A people of joy, because we know that our God is good and His mercy endures forever! (Ps 118: 1). Taste and see that the Lord is good! (Ps 34: 9).
The Bible says that mercy triumphs over judgment. (James 2:13) It is this grace that marks us, that fills us with wonder, that which causes us to fall down in adoration - for He is good, so good. The Father has set the Son of Man to judge - and the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, is the one who redeemed us, by whom we can say, “I am no longer under condemnation”. It is through Christ that the prophecy in Joel goes from describing the coming day of the Lord as “the great and dreadful” (Joel 2:31) to now use words like, “the great and glorious” (Acts 2:20). Jesus has paid the price - we are no longer on the outside, we are inside. God’s judgment is judgment over darkness, judgment over sin and all that is not in line with His kingdom. God’s judgments are lovely - they testify that He is good, that there is no shifting between darkness and light in Him. Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit as such, “When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment… about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned” (John 16: 8-11, NIV). Judgment: the prince of this world is condemned. God’s judgments testify that the prince of this world has once and for all been sentenced to eternal condemnation. God’s judgment is a joyous invitation. God’s judgments prove His love. We are redeemed by grace, while all darkness is to be judged and no longer remain existent. 1 John 4:18 speaks of this perfect love which casts out fear. It tells us that when this love is made complete in us, we will have boldness on the day of judgment. Boldness on the day of judgment. Further on, it is spoken about fear that is associated with punishment, and that a person who is afraid is not perfected in love. There’s no fear of judgment in His love, for mercy triumphs over judgment. You are covered by Him, hidden in Christ, redeemed. Life is lived from that place. No longer as a slave under law, fear and judgment, but as a bold son or daughter. It does not mean that there is no room for God’s leading and correction, God’s refining, shaping and forming in our lives. When we allow the Holy Spirit to have free roam in our lives, He will refine and form, forming us according to “His Son’s image” (Rom. 8:29). When we pray for the fire of God, we pray that the Holy Spirit should consume everything in our lives that is in opposition to His will. It can be a challenging process. But it’s a fantastic process - because it brings us to the fullness. Into what Jesus paid the price for us to live in. It allows us to carry out greater measures of His glory – to bear much fruit. John 15:2, “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will become even more fruitful” (NIV). God’s fire is God’s passion for His children. His passionate love that doesn’t let anything remain if it isn’t His perfect goodness and way. His passionate love takes us to the place where we see the One. See Him. Hear Him. His fire that judges darkness, sin and all that collides with His kingdom – doing this to take us fully near Him - where nothing is clouded anymore in the way we see Him, where we get to know His voice so well that we can discern what is and is not His voice. God loves us. God loves us. God loves us. He is for us. His fire is that – God’s love that goes so far, it doesn’t allow darkness to even whisper, it’s not His scolding or His dissatisfaction. We should know that the gentle and good voice of the Father is the one who is awakening His bride to follow Him with an undivided heart, and it’s not the voice of a strict, angry and unhappy father who causes us to follow in fear - for that is the accuser’s voice.
We need to expose when the accuser’s voice, the voice of the enemy, has become a voice we listen to. We need to know that our God and His voice are good. The accuser’s voice can come with correction, but not as a Father. The accuser’s voice can point to areas of bondage, but not to give freedom, only to accuse. The accuser’s voice will try to mask God’s judgments as His wrath, trying to put God’s people in a place of fear of God’s anger or actions, fear if we don’t… and so on. Fear of God’s judgments instead of joy. Fear of God’s acts in the last days, instead of rejoicing for the returning King. Fear of the Almighty, instead of admiration and wonder. Fear that God would suddenly change His way of speaking to us - from loving, to closed off and angry. And the enemy can try to make us believe that it’s a “godly fear”. That is a lie.
Rom 2: 4 says, “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” (NKJV). God’s goodness leads to repentance. The goodness of God reveals sin and leads to repentance. God’s love leads people close to Him. True fear of God draws us close - it knows the only place we have true freedom is in His presence. True fear of God does not scare us away from Him; it causes us to run to Him. Psalm 34:8, “Taste and see that the LORD is good. Blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.” (NIV). He is good!
We can read about when Peter is in the boat with Jesus, and about the miracle that takes place (Luke 5: 1-11). After not catching any fish, Peter now has a boat full of fish after one word from Jesus. Peter and Jesus don’t know each other well - this is how Jesus introduces Himself. Fish, in this case, are not only fish – they are Peter’s livelihood. Jesus overwhelms Peter with His goodness - that is God’s character. As a result, Peter falls to his knees, convinced of his sin, convinced he doesn’t really deserve this; that he does not deserve to be in Jesus’ presence. The gospel speaks of a trembling and godly fear that comes over Peter and those who were with him – God’s miracle and goodness causes knees to bow in trembling before who He is. Peter falls down in conviction. God’s goodness leads to his repentance. And not only to repentance but, “…they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.” Peter even left what he just received from God, his catch, to follow Him. The miracle itself was of less importance than the importance of knowing He who is doing the miracles. To know Him – it’s for that purpose we are here.
True fear of God for the people of God is falling down before Him when we see who He is, when we see that He is good, to realize that I cannot afford to not have all of Him, realizing that without Him we have nothing and with Him we have everything. It causes one to tremble and reverence, to fall down in admiration, to stand speechless before the Almighty, our good Father. Unafraid of Him. He is good!
Jeremiah describes an outpouring of God’s goodness and the city of God’s restoration, “...they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that I provide for it” (Jer. 33: 9, NKJV). Those who do not know our God will see His goodness and shake and tremble and say, “He is truly God. They are truly His people.” All the pride of this world will have to bow to Him (Isa. 2:12). Many, many, many will turn around and come to His light! God’s goodness will reveal sin and lead many people to repentance. We will see a great, great, great harvest brought in during the last days - the Father’s voice is calling his children home (John 6:65). It will be made clear to a world - with Him we have everything, without Him we have nothing.
In God there is no shifting between darkness and light (James 1:17). He is the same. God’s voice is mild. 1 Corinthians 13 - the chapter called “the law of love” - describes who He is. We often use this chapter to talk about the love between a man and a woman, and read it in connection with a wedding. But the love that chapter 13 speaks of is not between people, but the chapter speaks about “agape” – God’s love – the source in which all love between people should come from, in order for it to be true and genuine love. 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails” (NIV). This is how our God sounds. This is what His love is. We must get to know the voice of the Good Shepherd. The enemy tries to get God’s chosen ones to believe God’s voice is accusing - for the enemy has that very name: the accuser of our brothers (Rev. 12:10), while the Shepherd’s voice is described in 1 John 2: 1, “But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (NIV). His voice is for us. The Shepard’s voice does not push and does not lash out - His voice leads his sheep forward. The Father’s voice does not speak shame, but leads us to complete freedom and truth. The voice of God reveals sin, but always leads us to redemption. The enemy wants the people of God to believe being afraid of God is true fear of God. It’s time to fully expose the enemy voice; the enemy lies. It is time to fully expose the voice of the accuser, the voice of religion, the voice of the whip, the voice of what we can mistakenly think is God’s, showing dissatisfaction with a severe and strict tone – that is not the voice of God. The enemy speaks lies and opposes all that God has spoken – because that is who he is; he is the father of lies (John 8:44). The accuser tries to make God’s children timid, doubting their freedom, silent - while the Father’s voice leads us out on the waters, makes us fearless, saying “You are my beloved son / daughter. I have my joy in you”. For it is true that“(He) who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us” (Ephesians 3:20, NKJV).
The Father’s voice leads and corrects us. The Holy Spirit reveals sin. God is holy and all that is not good in our lives is consumed in His presence; as we allow Him to gain area after area in our lives, when we give Him everything. It is wonderful. Jesus is truth - that means in His care there is no compromise of what is true and pure. But His tone continues to be mild, and what continues to be heard is how “mercy triumphs over judgment” and leads us unafraid and boldly through correction, forming, trials and fire. Because we know He is good and His perfect love drives out fear, fear of condemnation. His voice gives us vision and His voice makes me fall into tears just thinking, “how can you even be this good?” His voice leads and corrects me because there is more to experience, depth in Him He wants to show me, a greater call than I had anticipated, a certainty that God will entrust me with more, a certainty that His love is a fire, which takes me closer and closer and closer - ready for more of Him, He who gives only good gifts to His children. His fiery love that takes me into a life of purity - because that’s where I have full freedom. Jesus, the lion of Judah, who is coming back to roar against darkness (Rev. 19:15), speaking with the same voice as Jesus, the Lamb, who came and was slaughtered for you, us, to receive abundant life. There is no shifting between light and darkness in Him. He loves us and His voice is good, so good, only good.
We live in a time when God is equipping His children to expose the voice of the enemy. The enemy should not have a say. We live in a time where we need to know that God is good. Let’s draw near to Him - we need to get to know His voice.
The people will see His goodness!
GLORY FALLING – WORSHIP IN SPIRIT & TRUTH
In April 2016, God showed me a vision of our country (Sweden). I saw our elongated land from above, like a map. In the middle of the country there was a battle between people. The vision continued, and I saw person one after the other leaving the battle to go out towards the country’s borders. They left with their backs to the battle and placed themselves one by one along the boarder. They looked out of the country. All who had left lifted their hands, both arms reaching toward the sky. I noticed something was written on each of the arms that were lifted. “Spirit” on one arm and “truth” on the other. One by one, they continued to leave the battle and took their place along the borders. In the end, the outline of the country was filled with people stretching their arms toward the sky. They became a unified chain, grasping each other’s hands, while their arms were lifted. When the chain of hands was completed, an orange-colored blanket fell over the country. It was God’s glory. The battle ended. The glory of God had fallen.
God’s glory will fall upon our land, our nation. Sweden will experience an outpouring of the Spirit that we have never experienced before. Sweden will experience His burning presence. In May 2016, I felt God speaking about our country again. The Holy Spirit again showed me our oblong land, as it would be on a map. I felt Him speaking and saying that it’s not a coincidence our country looks like a footprint. Our nation will become known as a nation where God set down His foot, His feet. My conviction is that it’s time for revival in our country now, that it is a new time. That Sweden will see God’s wave of glory sweep over our land in a powerful way. He has prepared the water over Sweden to be able to walk on. Our country will become holy ground. It will burn underneath our feet.
We will see a movement of true worship among His people. A movement of worship in Spirit and truth - life fully surrendered to Him. A people of God who see the One, who leave the battle to worship the One. We will see the people of God standing in unity - united to see a country experience the glory of God.
John 4:23-24, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks” (NIV). Each and every person is called to be worshiper - to lay down all they are to let their life arise in worship to Him. The Aramaic word for “worshiping” is to bow down, to surrender everything. Worship is to lift you voice, your life, and your song to the One who is worthy. Music, singing and dancing are not necessarily worship in themselves, but are an expression of it - an expression that heaven has laid out, a given response to who He is. All of heaven sings His praise. Revelation 4: 8-10, “And they do not rest day or night, saying: ‘Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!’ Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne…”(NKJV). Worship is to fall down in awe and wonder. Worship surrounds His throne. True worship is to lay down your crown before the throne, at His feet - all of me fully entrusted to Him. Everything that I could think of as my own honor, lay down before Him. The song that rises from a people who arise and lay down their lives - their mantles - to welcome their King to ride in – that is a song in Spirit and truth.
Worshipping in truth is a worship that can only happen through Jesus – He who is truth. It’s where no worship can take place outside of Him; nothing else is praised or set higher than Him. It’s a life that does not compromise, a life that says yes to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness...” Worshipping in truth is where the words, “the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32) resounds, and where every area of our lives is laid down to be illuminated by His light. Where everything the world may call freedom is replaced by His freedom - the only freedom that makes us truly free. It’s a worship so transparent - where nothing is kept away from His light. It is an adoration without facade, a completely genuine worship. Where nothing is done for the sake of people’s praise or attention, but where everything is done before Him, where everything is dedicated to Him - where He is our only audience.
Worshipping in Spirit. Where everything that happens is filled with His Spirit. Where spiritual songs rise, where He Himself leads our worship. Where we worship coming from the fact that we are new creations, born again, already seated in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2: 6), that the road is fully open between us and the Father (Heb 6: 19-20, 10: 19-20). Where we know that He is not far away, but He’s closer than my breath. Worship and a life lived face to face with the Father himself. Where we see and worship from what the Spirit shows us, the Spirit speaks, what the Spirit says is possible for those who believe. Where we join in, here and now, to heavenly praise and know that our worship pulls heaven down to earth. The Holy Spirit is a guarantee of just that - that the kingdom of heaven is available now. Worship in Spirit takes place in spiritual unity. It’s worship that arises from a united people of God.
Song of Songs 2:10-12, “My beloved spoke and said to me, ‘Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me. See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in out land’” (NIV).
A new song is rising. God is raising His people up in power, to sing a new song, a bride’s song. It’s all of creation that is shouting. It is time.
God’s glory falls over true worship. A few years ago, I heard the Holy Spirit speaking about how worship in Spirit and truth is connected to the rivers of His temple. Worship in Spirit and truth goes forth with just that, goes forth with His water, His very presence. Ezekiel speaks of the water flowing from the temple in the new city of God, from the throne of God, the waters of life (Rev 22: 1). Ezekiel 47: 5,9, “… it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed…And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live.” (NKJV). The rivers - they bring life wherever they run. A people of God worshiping in Spirit and truth will bring redeeming life wherever they go. Everything must come to life. The desert becomes like Eden in their tracks. For it’s His kingdom that is released in their footsteps, His glory coming and marking us, His presence that makes everything new. A church that gathers with their first priority as this - to worship Him - will see His life, power, and presence follow in its tracks. It’s that simple. Our task is to seek Him - His work is then what follows in our footsteps. Isaiah 58: 8 (NIV), “Your righteous one will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard” (Swedish translation: “…och Herrens härlighet följa i dina spår” - the glory of the Lord will follow in your footsteps).
David writes that God is enthroned in the praises of Israel (Ps 22: 3). God is enthroned in our praise. The word “enthroned” can also be translated as “to inhabit”. God inhabits our worship. God’s presence comes and fills our worship, our praise. Where worship to God arises, God’s glory falls down. Worship paves the way for His glory. He is enthroned in our worship. Thus, His throne, His kingdom, and His sovereignty become evident in the places where worship and praise increase. His rule is evident where true worship occurs. Bodies are healed in worship - for it is His will that the sick will be healthy. Demons flee and lose their grip - because when the kingdom of light takes over, darkness must go. Freedom is released in worship - because where truth is proclaimed and enthroned, lies must bow. We are shaped into whom we are intended to be when we worship - for we are created for that place, before His face. Psalm 100:4, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise”. Isaiah prophesies of a restored Zion, of the coming city of God, the place where His glory rests, the place of His kingdom’s reign. Isaiah 60:18, “No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise.” (NIV). The gate into His city, into His courts, into His constant presence, is praise. The kingdom of God, heaven on earth, the sampling taste of “the earth is filled with His glory” breaks out in the places where true worship rises - because the gate, the way into His city, is exactly that. True worship prepares and makes way for the King’s arrival, for the King’s kingdom and cries out, “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him” (Mark 1:3, NIV). His kingdom is built on the praise of His people. It’s as if the tones arise and building blocks fall down. The outlines of heaven on earth will be visible in places where the people of God have laid their crowns at His feet, where His people build churches on the basis that it revolves around Him alone, where true worship arises. King David demonstrates what it looks like to reign. He praises, he worships, he says, “one thing I desire”. Peter speaks of us as a royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2: 9). We reign from the place before His face. We are called into a priesthood, our first ministry is before God himself. To worship, to “praise God in His sanctuary.” From that place, God’s people reign and go forth in authority.
The glory of God falls upon unity. We can read throughout God’s word how God’s glory falls over unity. 2 Chronicles 5: 13-14, “indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying: ‘For He is good, For His mercy endures forever’ that the house, the house of the lord was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.”(NKJV). On the day of Pentecost, it mentions how they all had gathered. “When the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting” (NKJV). There is a “one accord” that God Himself responds to, that the glory of God, the Spirit of God, falls over. Jesus prays to His Father that we, we who believe in Him, shall be one as He and the Father are one. Jesus speaks of the glory that He himself has been given and which has been given to us so we can be one (John 17: 20-24). Glory and unity go hand in hand. We will be perfectly united as one. Jesus even says that then, when we are completely united as one, the world will understand who Jesus is – then, will we boundlessly represent Him for the whole world to see. And this demonstration will be of His Fatherly Love - for “... (you) have loved them as you have loved me.” (John 17:23).
Unity is not that everyone becomes the same – it is when each and every person becomes exactly who they were created to be. We are talking about unity of the Spirit - a unity that happens when the Spirit is fully allowed to do its work with us, within the church. Where the bonding love to our siblings in Christ is supernatural - because it is in Him and through Him we become one, become a family. Standing in full unity is letting each part, every limb, step fully into the gifts and callings that the Father has placed over each and every one. We are created in His image. We must not believe that we become like each other in the discipleship process - we become like Jesus. When I want to become as like Him as possible, I have to understand that I will be more myself than ever before. He loves me, He made me perfectly, I am chosen because He loves the person I am. In 2016, the Holy Spirit showed me something. I saw Jesus ride into Jerusalem on a puzzle of mantles of different colors. They were mantles, a puzzle of mantles, which fit perfectly with each other. He rides in on laid-down lives, on callings that have flourished, on unity in his body where one does not step into the other’s path. Where His children do not compete for each other’s place, but know that each one has been chosen to carry their unique part to the work that God predestined before the creation of the world.
The bride who is rising will be a people of God who stand unified together. We are His body - we are one body. A prepared bride is a people who say: one heart and one soul (Acts 4:32). Paul writes in Ephesians about unity in the body of Christ. He talks about how we, together with all the saints, will comprehend the height, breadth, length and depth and be fulfilled with the fullness (Ephesians 3: 18-19). He writes about how we are called to unity of the Spirit: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God (Ephesians 4: 4-6). Furthermore, he speaks of the purpose of the gifts of the Spirit - the purpose of building the body of Christ to reach unity of faith - a maturity that corresponds to the fullness of Christ (Eph. 4: 11-13). In His fullness there is perfect unity. His body that will be glorified - His bride who will appear with Him in glory (Col. 3: 4) - is a united body, a united people of God who bear His glory. Unity, to be one, is not an alternative – it is what we have been grafted into when we became part of God’s family. We’re sons and daughters of one and the same Father. Unity is saying “yes” to stand together, “yes” to come together as a family before the face of their Father.
My conviction is that it is completely possible to stand united, regardless of denomination and tradition. I fully believe God is uniting His church this time. It is possible, because the unity is supernatural - it is unity of the Spirit. No divisions exist in Christ (Ephesians 2: 14-18). Let us humble ourselves in what Jesus himself asked of his Father - one church, one body of Christ, that we should be one (John 17:21). When God has a group in full unity, a lot can happen - when we say yes to “one accord”.
Ps 133: 1-3, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.”(NIV).
A united people of God whose time is taken up with worshiping the One, who has their gaze and their love directed at the One, will see the glory of God fall over a nation. One united people of God will see His glory fall upon countries. United true worship splits heaven open.
RADICAL LOVERS OF GOD
Ps 24: 1-10, “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters. Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. They will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God their Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob. Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is he, this King of glory? The LORD Almighty, he is the King of glory.”(NIV)
God is awakening His people to be a generation that is asking for Him, a generation seeking His face - a generation like Jacob. It was Jacob who said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me” and who in that encounter with God was marked. He went from an identity of an impostor (Jacob) to one who ruled with God (Israel). God is raising up a bride in the last days to welcome the King to ride in - a bride of radical lovers of God. Who have fixed their eyes on the One. They get to “go up on the mountain of the Lord” and will see the King of glory ride in. It is an awakened church who know His voice and do not allow themselves to be deceived, because we know Him. A bride who knows her bridegroom’s voice so well, that every voice of deceit has no say. Matthew 24: 23-27, “At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you ahead of time. So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” (NIV). 1 Thessalonians 5: 2-6, “…for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a theif in the night…But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a theif… so then, let us not be like the others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.” (NIV).
I believe that Song of Songs and the book of Revelation go hand in hand. God is taking the church into an intimate love with Him, where all we live for is His voice (Song of Songs 2: 8). In the last days, this is what will be significant for His church – to gaze upon the One, surrendering to follow Him wherever He goes or calls.
The book of Revelation speaks about about seven letters to seven churches. Seven is the number of completion. It is a letter to a perfect bride, His bride, His church. All letters concern fidelity and looking to Him. They concern the invitation to let His fiery love clear away the world’s way of thinking and way of life, and exchange it for the mind of Christ and the life of His kingdom (Romans 12: 1-2). This purity comes from the intimacy of relationship with Him. We have all our wealth in Him alone (Rev. 3: 17-18). A remnant bride is such a church.
Unified worship - from all generations and nations - will rise from such a bride, such a people – it’s a bride’s song: the intimate song of praise calling for the groom and calling on the new Jerusalem.
It is a people who love their God more than anything else, and who seek His kingdom and His righteousness first. It is a bride, a church, who follows the Lamb wherever He goes. It is a people of God who cast their crowns before the throne, who put off all of their own career, wealth and pride for Him who is our only Prize. It is God’s people who rise up as the new temple and who welcome His glory, welcome Him to live in our midst. It is sons and daughters who know that their Dad loves them unconditionally. It’s an end time’s army.
He loves us. And everything will testify of the Father’s great love.
Cornelia Forsberg