WHAT IS GOD DOING IN OUR GENERATION?
Imagine you’re in the ocean, a mile out from the shoreline. You squint toward land and can see the remnants of a 50-foot tsunami wave receding after flooding the beach, completing its course. You hear a low rumble and look behind you. There’s a 100-foot tsunami wave coming. If you’ve ever been under a tsunami warning, you know to get to higher ground as soon as possible. And you certainly know to avoid going for a leisurely swim in the ocean. But there’s no need to run from this wave. In fact, you’ll want to grab your surf board and get in position. This tsunami wave of love is coming upon us right now. It’s called the Agape Reformation, and if you position yourself, you can ride it as far as you’ll let it take you.
We’re in the middle of a transition right now. There’s positioning happening in both the physical and spiritual worlds, which reflect each other like a mirror. In this new reformation, the world is going to recognize us by our love. We’re going to love the world as God does, and it’s going to start something we’ve never seen before.
I’d like to walk you through some examples of what God is doing, what He’s about to do, and how it overlaps with what we see in the world.
Shifts Taking Place Today
The Church’s Definition of Ministry is Shifting. In years past, long-term missionaries and church employees were viewed as the only people truly preaching the Gospel to every nation. Everyone else could go to work and then do ministry by volunteering at church, going on short-term missions trips, and so on. But now, that old mindset is being replaced by the original intent of ministry: that every believer is a minister and wherever God has called you is your ministry. Work is worship.
The 2nddigital revolution started in 2001 and continues today. Massive advancements were made in nearly every field: technology, medicine, space exploration, education, etc. With every renaissance of creativity comes revival. Believers are receiving genius ideas in their fields of expertise. They’re speaking identity into their coworkers. They’re getting promoted to some of the highest positions in their industries. They’re becoming individuals of peace and love who can give peace and love away. This Kingdom economic worldview will expand in the church and revolutionize every industry in the world.
Unification is Expanding in the Church. God is bringing different denominations together in a way we’ve never seen before. He never wanted those divorces to take place. Denominationalism evolved out of the orphan heart. If you agree, say amen. If you disagree, get divorced and start another orphanage, and the process continued. A sense of belonging is only achieved if you learn to behave.
This tension has been mirrored in the secular world. From literal divorces to relational splits, little effort is spent on reconciling, healing, and growing. But the church is heading toward unification. We’re not competing with each other anymore; we’re completing one another, working in community. We’ll see more prayer meetings where hundreds of thousands of people come together from different denominations under the common ground of Jesus. And we will bring the unification the world needs.
Darkness is being Exposed. There’s a clear polarization growing particularly in the political world in America. Attempts are made to force everyone to think alike or else be demonized for having a different opinion. We see this with political parties and candidates, abortion, climate change, identity politics, etc—issues that have become marked by hatred. The enemy is trying to divide because God is trying to unify on every level: spiritually, racially, politically, economically.
Corruption and hatred are being exposed for what they are. It’s leaving a place for sons and daughters of glory to step in and speak identity and life into the world. People in every part of society are longing for this.
Superheroes are Rising Above Superstars. The 2000s have been, and continue to be, a time of great heroism but also a time of great sorrow. 9/11 was only the beginning of a time of proliferating terrorism. With that came a recession, worldwide refugee crisis, border crises, and the manipulation of technology for nefarious purposes. And since bad news sells, that’s basically all we see on the news today.
As a result, superstars are waning in popularity, because they thrive in an orphan system, and people are coming out of this. We’re seeing an increase in inspirational stories and heroes who are making positive change in our world. Ordinary sons and daughters are dreaming with God and touching people on earth.
Families are being restored. The element of family started to be questioned by society in the 90s—the same time that restoration of family became a key message in the Toronto outpouring and several other ministries and churches worldwide. More recently, gender roles are being not only questioned but enforced. And loneliness, depression, and a spirit of performance are reigning supreme as social media is transforming the way we interact and connect with each other.
It’s no surprise that this coming Agape reformation is all about restoring families and destroying the orphan spirit. This is what creation has been groaning for since the beginning of time. We’re seeing people desiring to gather under fathers and mothers rather than doctrines and degrees. It will bring community, hope, acceptance, and joy; and the world will seek you out for what you carry.
4 Ways to Thrive in the World Today
These are only a few of the trends we’re seeing today. God is doing so much in every life, every industry, and every nation. So how can you be part of it?
1. Watch for patterns and seasons. When you understand the cycles, patterns, and seasons of the world, you start to view the world through a hopeful lens. Instead of taking a fatalistic view and saying, “China is so bad! Did you hear what they’re doing now?” You say, “Wow, one of the biggest moves of God is coming out of China!” With any situation or world event, ask yourself what God is doing in the middle of it. Ask Him what your role is as a son or daughter. And rest in knowing that God is in control, and things are getting better!
2. Deal with the orphan heart. If you want to deal with corruption then you have to deal with the orphan heart, which is rooted in fear and control. Corruption emanates from people who feel lost, fatherless, and disinherited. Look at many dictators in Africa today—they can never get enough power, money, and resources; and they hoard their wealth rather than distributing it to their starving countries. Dealing with the orphan spirit will change the value system of individuals, cities, and nations. What would Russia, or your industry, or your family look like if the orphan heart was destroyed?
3. Start creating a Kingdom environment. Transformed people transform people, and free people set people free. Get rid of anything in your life that prevents you from releasing love to everyone around you. Start creating this Kingdom environment by reflecting His goodness, kindness, and love everywhere you go. It will make a huge difference. For more on how to do this, check out my e-courses.
4. Dream with God from a place of identity. Once you know who you are, you understand that God is good and every person is loved by Him. Sit with Him and focus on His plans for your life and area of influence. If you had no earthly limits, what would you do? How does God see that boss of yours that perhaps you can’t stand? What would Jesus say to him or her? If Jesus was the President of America, or China, or Nigeria, what would that look like?
It’s crucial to know what God is doing in the world so you don’t get distracted by what the enemy is doing. Many sources of input (news, movies, gossip) focus on what God is not doing and get your mind on fear and anger. But we are living in the generation of Jacob—the generation who seeks His presence and walks in holiness (Psalm 24). I believe God wants you to be a superhero—someone who understands His plans in the midst of darkness, acts as an ambassador of love, and changes the world.