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January 9, 2002
Fast Forward on God's Calendar
by Ron Wood
accelerating God's divine purpose through discerning the
times, praying and fasting
There are lots of ways you can fast. Ordinarily, fasting means
going without food for spiritual reasons. Married couples can abstain
from sex for a time. We can avoid worldly entertainment, meats,
wine, or even idle chatter. The goal is to draw near to God, to
obtain mercy. In Isaiah 58, God invites us to fast from being judgmental,
accusations, and hypocrisy, and to show mercy. Have you ever fasted
negative speech, especially criticism?
This is a season to seek things of the Spirit, not indulge the
flesh. Often, in God's fascinating ways, a season of individual
humiliation precedes a season of glory and power.
The corporate times and seasons of God, as seen historically and
biblically, seem to be connected to His dealings with Israel. Israel
is the only nation on earth whose calendar was originally set by
God under Moses. (Of course, Israel added some traditional dates
later on.) The rest of the nations have secular calendars.
Worldwide, many of us are fasting for an extended period at the
beginning of the New Year. This is good and worthwhile. But another
Fast Day is coming up and we need to know about it.
Why? Because God wants the Church of Jesus Christ to intercede
for mercy for His Old Covenant lost sheep, the Jews. It is time
for the Church to show mercy to the Jews, both with timely help
to natural Israel and with prayers for their national salvation,
a salvation that can only come through saving faith in their Messiah,
Jesus.
The fast I am talking about is not Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement,
which falls this year on September 16. That is a national day of
fasting for all Jews. That day was set by God. I am talking about
another day of fasting which began as a response to a crisis. It
was initiated by ordinary people in response to an awful situation,
but it was honored by God. When we truly humble ourselves, God truly
hears from heaven and acts to save. Can people see a need, then
pray and intercede and see God act? Yes! Israel's history confirms
this.
Those familiar with church history and Christian revival movements
know that the advent of Zionism (the movement that led to the re-establishment
of Israel as a nation) at the beginning of the 20th century was
coincidental with the global outpouring of the Holy Spirit, making
1901 to 2000 the "Century of the Holy Spirit." Church and Bible
scholars call this revival that began about 1900 the Pentecostal
Movement. It pre-dated the wider movement now called the Charismatic
Renewal, which has affected nearly half of all Christians worldwide
in every major denomination. This revival has partially restored
the church to its inheritance in Christ.
The restoration of Israel to its land of inheritance in a single
day (1948) coincided with the great Healing Movement, the outbreak
of signs and wonders displaying God's mercy through anointed evangelists
in the late forties and early fifties.
I am well aware of those days of power because during that time
my mother was healed of TB by a visitation of Jesus; my brother
was healed of a congenital heart defect as Oral Roberts prayed for
him; and I was called to preach under the mantle of a man from that
era who worked miracles and preached faith, evangelist Richard Vinyard.
Rev. Vinyard symbolized the powerful faith and mighty gifts that
God freely distributed in those days. I saw many miracles as a young
man as I sat at his feet.
This past Sunday, the first Lord's Day of the new year, Lana and
I encountered an aged preacher, 88 years old, who was a contemporary
of Smith Wigglesworth. Wigglesworth was known as The Apostle of
Faith. He worked many miracles in the name of Christ, even raising
many from the dead, to the glory of God. He preached during the
first half of the 20th century in Europe, Africa, and America. This
aged preacher's late wife, Alice, was Wigglesworth's grand-daughter.
This humble servant of God laid hands on Lana and I and blessed
us in the name of the Lord, speaking wonderful words of encouragement
for our labor in Africa. What a privilege! I am thankful that we
can trace our spiritual roots into the previous moves of God, that
we can honor what God has done in the past and build on it into
the future.
My wife and I were both born in 1948. We are the same age as the
re-born state of Israel. I have often wondered at that fact, but
never understood its significance. I am sure millions of people
were born in 1948.
On the Jewish Calendar, I have just discovered that the Feast of
Esther and Purim occur this year (2002) on February 25 and 26. Those
are the same dates as my birthday and my wife's birthday!
This feast celebrates the miraculous rescue of the Jews from Haman's
plot to destroy the whole Hebrew race. Here is how it happened:
Esther, urged by Mordecai to intercede with the king, fasted three
days with no food or water. God heard her entreaty and turned the
plot around on Haman, saving the Jews from annihilation.
For me and my wife, this calendar event coming up in about six
weeks now seems to be more than a coincidence. It is a wake up call
to God's agenda. It is an alert to us to discover more of God's
plan for our lives. While we certainly don't understand everything
yet, we believe we are in the flow of divine positioning and timing.
We have often prayed this prayer: "God, cause us to be in the right
place at the right time in order to bear the most fruit possible
for the kingdom of God."
God has now placed us for this season in Africa. Specifically,
we are in South Africa, the nation which is located on the southern
tip of the African continent. It is here where John G. Lake conducted
his great ministry in the Holy Spirit's fulness. His apostolic labor
decades ago brought healing and deliverance to multitudes. He left
a thriving work in this nation which goes on to this day. Later,
he moved to Seattle and established the famous Healing Schools.
Modern South Africa was a nation held hostage by racism institutionalized
as apartheid, but it is now seven years out of that system and has
gone through transformation, albeit with many struggles.
We received our commission to come here in stages. Exactly one
year ago in January, while among a gathering of leaders who are
part of a network we honor, a mature prophet of God precisely described
our task, "helping to equip emerging apostles in the developing
church" (a task no person can fulfill apart from God's grace). In
March, the Lord revealed the primary contact that led to the open
door to live and labor here, and with his invitation and blessing
we moved to South Africa. In October, our commission was confirmed
as hands were laid upon us by a respected ministry team and we were
sent out to this place.
Now, from this vantage point, another event suddenly seems to have
more significance than at first glance. Last March, I had just returned
from South Africa to our home in the United States. I awakened the
next morning with a spiritual dream fresh on my mind. In the dream,
I had received a letter from Derek Prince. (Those who are familiar
with his ministry know he now lives in Jerusalem. I have not had
any association with him for many years. To me, he represented something--
a man who faithfully obeyed God's call to take God's whole word
to the nations.) The letter in this dream served as a sign to me.
In this dream, the letter from Derek was addressed to me and it
said, "My late wife, Ruth, and I, after hearing of your impending
move to Africa, decided we wanted to support you, because we know
it will eventually take you to Israel." Then an offering check for
a thousand dollars fell out of the envelope.
At the time, I took this dream to signify that God was going to
financially undergird us for our new missions endeavor. I took it
as an indicator that our longing would be fulfilled, to minister
the riches of Christ to the poor of the earth. And we needed encouragement,
because we were facing a daunting challenge. Over the next six months,
we raised our own support, sold our house, gave away our possessions,
obtained work permits, and relocated to South Africa. We are finding
the door wide open for the ministry God has given us, and specifically
for helping encourage a new level of leadership development in the
Body of Christ.
But I have to admit, at the time of the dream, I had no particular
burden for Israel, except, like any Christian, I wanted to see Jews
saved. Indeed, I feel I have a specific call to the Gentiles (see
Romans 1:5). But that is gradually changing. I am beginning to see
that God wants African apostles to arise. And what is on the northern
end of Africa, just to the right of Egypt? Israel! That's where
the conflict of the ages is centered. That's where the gospel originated,
and that's where it will return, full circle, at the end of the
age.
An old scripture says, "out of Egypt have I called my son." Jesus,
as a child, spent time in Africa. The ancient way of thinking
made Egypt and Africa synonymous. Listen: I believe God is again
calling His son out of Africa. Why? In order to bring salvation
to Israel!
A new day is dawning in which mature sons and daughters in the
faith, kingdom seed grown in African soil, are going to be raised
up in the power and truth of the gospel. Africa's day is dawning!
This new generation of apostles will be like the first century
preachers of the gospel, like Paul. They will move in power and
humility, not in self-promotion or prideful ambition. They will
carry an awesome revelation of Jesus and will not fear death. They
will have kingdom authority in the heavenly realm.
They will be part of a new wave of revival that will move northward
up the continent, confronting Islamic strongholds, pagan sorcery,
ancient idols and iniquities from ancestor worship, liberating multitudes
and bringing radical revival and reformation to the church and blessings
from God to whole nations.
This revival will increase and spread until these evangelists are
knocking on Israel's door.
Since the 9-11 terrorist attack on America, I have prayed this
prayer: "God, for each life lost in the attacks on the Pentagon
and the World Trade Center (about 3,000 lives), I ask You to raise
up an apostle like Paul within the Arab nations."
African apostles, Arab apostles... and one day, (again!) Jewish
apostles. Life from the dead for Israel means salvation for the
world. When that day happens, the world-wide revival we all long
for will begin. Then our Lord Jesus can return triumphant as King
of Kings and Lord of Lords, with every knee bowing to worship the
Son of God and the nations bringing tribute to His throne in Jerusalem.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Pray for a fountain of repentance
for Israel and revelation of Jesus to be opened to the Jews, the
Palestinians, and all Arabs.
Set aside on your calendar February 24-26, the Feast of
Esther, as a three day fast specifically for Israel. Millions of
Christians need to join together in prayer on these dates. God is
about to intervene in human history again in a mighty way. Ask God
to open the floodgates for Jews to return to their homeland. Intercede
for the eyes of their hearts and minds to be opened to the true
identity of Jesus our Lord, who died for their sins and ours.
Thank you for your prayers for our ministry here. Also, remember
our personal needs and our children in the US. For this support,
we are very grateful. God is faithful, but He usually uses people
like you and me and ordinary means to achieve His extraordinary
purposes. Your faithful partnership means so much!
On a personal note, please pray for the word to be effective
as we minister this Sunday, January 13, with Jerome Liberty in Port
Elizabeth, South Africa, on the topic "Apostolic Function and Character."
Also, please pray for us to have an automobile or for funds for
that purpose to be released. This is a significant need in our lives
at this time. Airfare here costs the same as in America, and there
are no public transportation systems.
Ron and Lana Wood
For email contacts or for resource materials:
www.touchedbygrace.org
American address for contributions:
Touched by Grace, Inc.
P. O. Box 12749
Wilmington, NC 28405 USA
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