I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family.
–Genesis 31:13, NKJV
Of the three patriarchs of Israel, Jacob is probably the least understood and certainly the least revered. Yet, out of his genetic pool were born the entire twelve tribes of the nation of Israel. More was produced from his life numerically in extending God’s Kingdom than in Abraham and Isaac’s lives combined. Abraham began the nation; Isaac continued the nation. However, it was through the life of Jacob that God’s desire for a people for Himself was advanced and increased.
We are in desperate need today for advancement in the grafted-in spiritual nation of Israel; the Church. We are in the midst of renewal, refreshing, and reviving of the body of Christ. It is badly needed. Thank God, He is pouring His Holy Spirit upon those who are thirsty. He promises to do this: “For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring” (Isaiah 44:3). However, as wonderful as this refreshing is, it is not advancement. It is only the preparation to advance or move forward and upward in God’s Kingdom.
Throughout the history of the church, there have been those like Abraham who have been chosen by God to begin new movements in the church. We have had those who caught the fire and continued the movement in their lifetime as did Isaac. Now, where are the Jacobs who will take this fire from the hand of God, run forward, and bring dramatic, world-wide extension of the Kingdom of God? I can tell you where they are! They are being prepared for the job. It is a long and difficult preparation. The promise has been given to them. The preparation is almost complete. The promotion will come and when it does, the Church will see a New Day in God.
We are right in the tail end of a prophetic move of God. That means, basically, what WILL BE is being declared and set in motion. This is being done by His creative prophetic Word through the mouths of His Prophets. Right on the heals of this movement will come the final culminating movement. It is not prophetic, but apostolic. The apostle is the SENT ONE. He is one like Jacob who extends or advances the Kingdom of God. “Apostolic” believers are not necessarily apostles, but are those who make it through the whole school of the Holy Spirit. They are those who are called, changed, and commissioned as the Apostle Paul was commissioned and sent to bear His name (Acts 9:15). Apostolic believers will be those, too, who bear the name of Jesus. Before we can bear His name, however, we must bear His image.
Christ’s very life must be formed within us. Then, His life through us will be raised and empowered to extend the Kingdom of God. We are standing on the threshold of the mightiest and largest outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the Ruach HaKodesh, that the world has ever known. This outpouring will bring in the last great harvest of souls. May we be like Jacob in being one who is chosen, changed, and then commissioned for this final harvest of God.
