Shaking Has A Purpose

I sense that the Holy Spirit is saying something, right here and right now, to His people. I'm not getting word-for-word dialogue from God that I can share word-for-word. However, I am having a consistent theme in my spirit. I'll try to put what I'm sensing into words that share that essence. At times like this, I'll continue to search the Holy Spirit and seek out better words, sometimes finding them. As that happens, I'll edit this post.

This message is parallel to what I've sensed off and on over the years, but now it is much more urgent.

In Hebrews 12:25-28, He says this to us:

See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.”

Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.  For our God is a consuming fire.  (NKJV)

These verses describe God's "Shaking Principle". There are two sides to His shaking: one is for the cleansing of those who are set for eternity with Him; the other is for the judgement of those who are not, hopefully waking them up in the process.

Eventually, He will shake all of creation to wrap things up. His shaking always has purpose.

Throughout mankind's existence, He has shaken individuals, families, cities, and nations to get their attention. No one will ever be able to say He didn't try to get through to them.

He shakes His people, too, not to judge us, but to refine us, to turn our attention to that which is eternal and away from that which is temporary. In our case, His shaking is for our blessing!

Here's the news I'm hearing from God: A great, sudden, and surprising shaking is about to happen. It's already started in realms invisible to our eyes. The shaking is in His purposes and is part of His refining, reconciliation, and "cleaning up" process. He will have things His way.

God's people should not be surprised, thinking that He is somehow no longer in command. He wants His people to be spiritually prepared by holding onto the eternal and letting go in our hearts of the temporary. He is doing us and Himself a favor by moving closer to fulfilling His dreams for this creation.

In a time of shaking, His children who are not prepared to trust Him no matter what will question God, will struggle with their faith, and will easily be led to think that God is unfaithful and is letting them down. 

 

The truth is this:

He is NEVER unfaithful. He is always true to His own heart that loves you so very much. I am grateful that His ways are beyond my comprehension, that His plans are of such scope that I understand only the smallest part.

His heart is full of love and good plans. We must decide ahead of time that we will trust His heart.  No matter what. Go ahead, decide that now.

I must trust Him to prepare me and His creation for eternity however He sees fit. Is there a better option? What a question! No, of course there's not a better option, none is even in the same ballpark. No other so-called option is even worthy of consideration.

Many of His people are not prepared for this shaking. This will be to their great discomfort.

I am sensing a great seriousness in the Holy Spirit. The bare truth is that all of us can do a better job of being sold out to the eternal and of looking for that City which is not made with hands. Remember that this world is not our home.

 

Work NOW with the Holy Spirit to deal with the sin and distractions in your life. Get rid of the things and stuff in your life and in your heart that can be shaken. Hold onto that which is beyond shaking. Set your heart on what is real. He wants to help you do this, so ask Him.

For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. 

 

That's found in I Corinthians 11:31-32. And 1 Peter 4:17 tell us

 

For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?

Do yourself a huge favor. Get ready. Be more ready than you have ever been. Then get even more ready.

 

Make the decision to trust Him to fulfill His purposes, no matter how it looks or feels in the here and now. The outcome I want the most is this: seeing the dreams and desires of His heart satisfied, however beyond my comprehension or my comfort zone getting there may be.

 

I choose to trust Him to make that happen. I choose to find rest and peace in that trust.

As a soldier prepares for battle by jettisoning all excess stuff, so we must perform personal inventory and prepare. Do it now. I cannot stress enough how big a deal this is.

I'm convinced that whatever level of faith, trust, and surrender got Believers through the previous years will not be enough to get us through what is coming. More than ever, His children desperately need all of the spiritual tools and gifts that He has provided. 

 

Don't let your traditions or pride tell you that you don't need more of the Holy Spirit or that you already have it all. That's hogwash.

One of our jobs is to pray His people into and through this. I am absolutely sure that I am not twisting God's arm when I pray like this; I am absolutely sure that I'm praying what is on His heart back to Him.

All of what I've written so far might come across as grim and pick-up-your-cross painful, but to be totally sold out Him, totally committed to trusting Him, well, it's really wildly exciting and incredibly captivating. It's the rich, delightful, fulfilling life we're intended to live.

It's a grand adventure, the grandest there is.