Speak out fearlessly

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

I first heard and saw this expression engraved around the edge of a British £2 coin. According to Wikipedia, “The best-known use of this phrase was by Isaac Newton”, but it predates even the great Newton by several hundreds of years. I have heard another expression that is very different yet nevertheless sums up the same sentiments. “Prophetically, we are on a trampoline. The higher we bounce or jump, the further we can see.”

So why did the Lord bring this phrase to mind and to what purpose? Many have been giving words about an outpouring of Holy Spirit to the churches. Many have been telling of fresh anointing. Many have been saying that there is coming a movement among the young people such as has never before been seen in the UK.

Yet, despite all my, and others, encouraging words, I have also been saying that the UK is not ripe for revival – nowhere even remotely close to being ripe at this time. We are never going to be ready, but there are a number of reasons for my reticence in this. There are three words that sum it all up – stubborn-ness, rebellion, and smugness.

Stubborn-ness is a trait that wilful children display in profusion. Yet the UK Church’s stubborn-ness is better summed up by an American expression – the Church is plain ornery. Ornery is deliberately doing the opposite of what is expected. The Church is, for the greater part, still displaying the ornery side of their character in profusion. The American Heritage Dictionary describes ‘ornery’ as “Mean-spirited, disagreeable, and contrary in disposition; cantankerous”, and that says it all.

Rebellion occurs when the Church sees what is happening elsewhere, understands what the Word of God says, yet still refuses to change one iota of its attitude.

Smugness is rampant in many UK churches. We are all right, we are successfully doing that which we have always done. We have no wish nor do we see any reason to change. We certainly do not want anything ‘new’ in our midst – thank you very much.

So, if the Church corporate and in general is not going to move, who will do so and in such a manner as to be the unstoppable force meeting the immoveable object? In short, “We, the people” must do the moving. Have you ever considered why mega-churches rise up? It is most likely to be the place where the power of God is being seen and the movement of the Holy Spirit is being demonstrated. So it will be in these last days. People will go to where the power of God is present.

We must make our prophetic voices heard. We must do as the Spirit leads us – regardless of consequences. If, after all our warnings, the Church fails to take notice, then the Lord will by-pass that church when revival comes but we will have done our job. Shades of Ezekiel 33 when Ezekiel was told to warn men of their sins, or the results would be his responsibility for not warning. If he warned them, however, then the responsibility was theirs for ignoring the Lord’s warning. So it is with revival – we warn – responsibility fulfilled. We don’t warn – responsibility ours.

That’s the responsibility of being a prophet. God speaks, we warn, the receiver listens or not – his decision and responsibility.

The Word says that we should all prophecy....maybe we should all pray for that gift to be manifest in all of us? As prophets, when we stand on the shoulders of giants, we can see much further than the end of our noses, as my granny used to say. Likewise, when we start using a trampoline. So whichever your preference – go for it.

“Just do it!”