IT’S COMING HOME
Many of you over the last month may have been following the World Cup football tournament which was broadcasted all over the world. Here in England, football is an extremely popular sport, it is almost religion for some and as you can imagine the nation was in high spirits as they were cheering on England to win.
The day after England played against Belgium in the group stages, I was heading to Belgium to attend a conference. I knew this wasn’t a coincidence and the Lord began to minister to my heart concerning several things that I’d like to share with you.
The first thing I heard the Lord say was, ‘It doesn’t matter who wins’. England and Belgium had both secured their place for the play offs so regardless of who won they were both going through to the next stage. Over the years I have witnessed the competitive spirit amongst the people of God become more and more prevalent. In this day and age, we see Churches on the same street unwilling to work together because of rivalry and contentions, we see individuals trying to outlive one another because of jealousy and this is displeasing to the Lord.
“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others”. (Philippians 2:3-4)
I believe the issue is found in our motive. We shouldn’t live our lives by how someone else is living theirs and our goal shouldn’t be to be better than someone else. Christ alone is our prize and our motive should be to please Him and to live for Him. When something else comes in between our love for Him, our hearts have been compromised and our love divided. James 4:6 says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble”. Staying low, allowing the presence of God to humble us and finding joy in Him will bring true purpose and contentment to our being. I believe God is bringing a refinement on the inside of us, as we spend time in His presence He is awakening purity in our hearts. There is no place for competition in God’s Kingdom, the King we serve has no rival, He is above all and everything. When we celebrate Him, we learn to celebrate the Christ in each of us.
The second thing that was highlighted to me during the tournament was that by the end of the quarter finals there were only European teams remaining. I literally felt a quickening inside of me and the Lord say, “It is Europe’s time”. Don’t get me wrong, I believe God’s heart beat is for the entire planet but I specifically believe there is a move of God coming over the European nations of the likes we have not yet seen. I sense a hunger for His presence increasing, both individually and corporately. This will be the foundation for everything, to let God flow into us through intimate fellowship and flow through us to reach the lost and broken. I believe with all my heart that there will be a revival over Europe and multitudes will encounter Jesus but at the same time God has invited us to walk with Him daily and experience a personal revival wherever we are.
“Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession”. (Psalm 2:8)
How precious is the lamb that was slain for our redemption. Much of the time we see through the lens of our natural eyes but when we look through the lens of eternity we begin to see that everything is centered on Jesus. Fixing our gaze on Him brings true perspective. Though He has given us His all, we now are all His. Our salvation belongs to Jesus, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:10)
Europe and all the nations of the world belong to Jesus, we are His inheritance. He purchased our salvation with His own blood and our lives belong to Him. There are only winners in His Kingdom, Jesus won for us so we can be satisfied with the giver of life, Himself.
In closing, I believe the World Cup was more than just a football tournament, God used it as a platform to minister to His people prophetically by which I am astounded. Over the last month we’ve been hearing the football chanters sing, “It’s coming home, it’s coming home”, what is there to come home when the King of Glory has made His home on the inside of us. I encourage you to go after Him this season with everything you have, as you seek Him you will surely find Him and as you open the door to your heart He will come in and dine with you. Learn from Jesus Himself, for He is gentle and lowly in heart (Mathew 11:29).
David Harris | Kingdom Encounter