Four Markers of the Next Move of God

When it comes to an authentic move of God, what we need to look for is the same message the apostles preached, the same kind of lifestyle Jesus lived, and same kind of impact on society that we have seen in previous moves of God.  On that note, these "four markers of the next move of God" are what I believe we will see in the next great move of God, both in America and in the nations. As we move throughout this year, I'm going to dedicate all my teaching to restoring these foundations:

Marker #1--The Spirit of Truth

Look for people who hunger for the Holy Spirit to bring deeper conviction, increasing Wisdom, and weightier revelation.  The kind of community we need to build is one where we are eager--not only to receive revelation--but to respond to what the Spirit is saying and doing because we are hungry to become His resting place and His habitation.  This is why Jesus said:

"When He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come." — John 16:13

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you." — John 14:15-18

Jesus wants us to be filled with the Spirit of Truth, to have the Spirit of Truth living inside of us.  The fruit of this indwelling is that we are never alone and we never have to live "as orphans."  This is because the Spirit of Truth is the voice of our Father, giving conviction when we step off the path of Life, revelation of how to move forward, and Wisdom that will help us to overcome in every challenge we face.

Marker #2--The Apostolic Gospel

The message of the Apostolic Gospel is the primary message that the true end-times church will carry.  I include the word "apostolic" because the gospel I am referring to is the same gospel that the apostles preached: It is a gospel that releases great salvation, healing, and deliverance on many because it harnesses all of the power of Christ's death and resurrection.  The main purpose of this message is to apply the atonement of Christ's blood to our lives.

"For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.  I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power."--1 Corinthians 2:2-5

"God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of His blood--to be received by faith..."--Romans 3:25

Marker #3--The Father's Glory

Salvation, healing, deliverance, and personal transformation are all part of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  However, the real heart of the matter is restored fellowship with Father God.  This is why Jesus said to the Father:

"Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."--John 17:3

Everything else that happens in our lives flows from the renewed relationship we have with God, from our intimate knowledge of who the Father is.  This means that if we draw closer to God and build the kind of intimacy with the Father that Jesus enjoyed, we will see much more restoration in our own lives and in the lives of those we touch.  

First, we need to have the "spirit of adoption" that allows us to truly see and relate to God as our Father:

"The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”--Romans 8:15

When we really know the Father in this way, we will treat other people just like the Father would, which is with unconditional love:

"Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen."--1 John 4:20

Last, as our relationship with the Father grows in depth, we will have His heart towards others and begin to step out to "do what He is doing" and "say what He is saying," just like Jesus did:

“Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does."--John 5:19

Marker #4--Greater Works

The first three "markers" I have outlined allow us to reclaim the source of conviction, the message that brings transformation, and the lifestyle that will give us Christlikeness.  However, the last marker indicates the kind of fruit we can expect once these other foundations have been restored.  For the "greater works" of power--including creative miracles, resurrection, a vast increase in the number of souls saved, and a greater impact on society, will only come once the other foundations have been properly restored.

If you carefully study Bible prophecy and the words of trustworthy contemporary prophets, you will find that the "greater works" of power are one of the primary markers that we have crossed the threshold into the last and greatest move of God:

"Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."--John 14:12

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."--Matthew 24:14

Restoration Happens through Biblical Community
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The context in which these things will be restored is Biblical community.  We cannot afford to be isolated from each other because the restoration we need was handed to us like a boxed jigsaw puzzle.  All of us have been given only a "piece" of the restoration--and the bigger picture can only take shape when we meet together regularly.  Of course, this does not mean that every community will look the same.  For example, there are communities of prophets, where stewarding revelation from the Spirit of Truth is the primary mission.  There are small groups meeting in homes where applying the power of the gospel to the practical concerns of life and encouraging each other is the primary mission.  And there are evangelistic events where preaching the gospel and demonstrating the greater works are the primary mission.  So, our goal must also be to find where we fit in the Body, to know our mission, and to zero in on it like a laser beam.

As we continue to build our lives as a launchpad for the next move of God, may the Spirit of the Lord reveal to you where you fit in the picture!

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."--Romans 12:2