Expect To Encounter God!

Joel 2:15, "Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: 16.Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. 17 Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?"

God’s instructions were to “blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly.” Joel’s responsibility was to alert the nation of Israel the fact that God wanted to meet with them. However, there were conditions to this meeting. The nation of Israel as a whole must prepare. They must cleanse themselves from all legal impurities by offering sacrifice for all transgressions of the Law. To be obedient was to be purged and made worthy to be presented before the Lord in His house.

My cry is that God would put us in a place of remorse where we can identify with the utter hopelessness and struggle of the present human condition. Just as Israel was to conclude that their situation was utterly hopeless without Divine intervention.

What about the Church, the Body of Christ? Joel's cry was to the elect, the chosen of God, His beloved. We must sound the alarm in Zion. Can we truly feel that we have obeyed God completely when there is such a great need in the Church. A need for our altars to be filled with saint and sinner alike seeking God for divine revelation and divine intervention. Haven't we realized by now that we cannot pilot this ship without Him. We need and must have a fresh wind of Holy Ghost power. We must return to Pentecost and receive anew the anointing power of the Holy Spirit. Then we can become actively engaged in the harvest of eternal souls.

Let us all cry out with the priests of God, "Spare the people, Oh Lord..." Joel's petition was to entreat God to deliver His people, not because they deserved it but for His own glory. Lord restore your reputation in your Church. Let it be said that the Lord of Glory dwells among His people.

God's presence among His people struck fear in the hearts of their enemies. They trembled in fear because they had learned that God secured the victory. They could not win against the Lord God of Israel. When Israel followed God they could not be defeated.

God's presence in the Church strikes fear into the heart of Satan. He trembles in fear in the presence of God. He is well acquainted with the power of almighty God. He knows when the Church follows God, we cannot be defeated. May God manifest Himself in the daily lives of each member of His Body. Through His abiding presence we will throw off the encumbrances that have silently crept in. Throw off the doubt that has slipped in due to a lack of seeing the manifest presence of Christ in the Church. Break the chains of oppression that have gripped us due to the lack of freedom in the Holy Ghost. Throw off the cloud of ignorance that has anesthetized us because of the lack of hearing a fresh Word from the Lord. Wake us O' Lord to the full measure of Your truth. We will not be content with only a similarity or resemblance of truth. We must receive and walk unshackled in Your TRUTH. Baptize us in Your TRUTH! Immerse us in Your whole person. Let us everyone put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

God wants to reveal Himself to this lost world. He wants to use His Church in the endeavor. The Church must understand and embrace that God wants to reveal Himself in us and through us. "Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:” Sound the alarm in Zion, the Church. We must prepare for what God has for the Church and what God has for the world through the Church. We must be purged and made worthy to be presented before the Lord in His house. Then we can expect to encounter God there and may the world testify that the Lord of Glory dwells among His people!