revelation_reformation

Revelation, Restoration & Reformation
by Dale Bastian

As I was praying, I received a vision. The first thing I saw was a weather vane that included not only the arrow to indicate the wind direction but also cups that would spin to show the wind speed. As the vision began, the wind was barely blowing. Then the wind began to pick up. Eventually it was blowing furiously. Then I heard the words “There’s a storm on the horizon, let the wind blow. There’s a storm on the horizon, let the wind blow.” I proceeded to look toward the horizon expecting to see a black storm cloud, but instead I saw a large ball of brilliant, intense light approaching with lightning flashes coming out on all sides. Also coming out of this “storm” and heading toward the ground were laser beams of light.

As I pondered what I had seen and asked the Lord what it meant, He explained the following: The ball of light represented the light of revelation. Preceding it, the Holy Spirit goes forth as a mighty wind to shake everything that can be shaken. After the shaking comes the light of divine revelation and illumination.

As the vision continued, I saw the ruins of a great cathedral that had been destroyed by the wind and the lightning. All that remained was a cement foundation. As I watched, an intense beam of laser light came from the ball of light and cut the foundation in two. There, buried beneath the cold, hard cement, was an old treasure chest. My first thought was that this chest would contain gold and silver coins as well as diamonds and precious jewels. But even as I was thinking this, the lid of the chest began to open. There inside were old and weathered brown parchments. Each one was rolled up and had a solid ring of gold placed over it so that it remained rolled up. On each gold ring there were words inscribed. I was able to read several of them. One said “Signs and Wonders,” another said “The Message of the Kingdom,” while still another said “Priesthood of the Believers.” It was at this point that the vision ended. I began to ask the Lord what this meant. He told me the cathedral represented the religion of man. Over the centuries religious man has buried the truths contained in the treasure chest — the very truths that were the foundational building blocks of the early church — beneath the cement of man’s philosophies and doctrines. So many of these foundational truths now lay buried beneath the cold, hard ways of men.

A New Re-Formation
In our day the Lord is in the process of restoring and reforming His Church into the design and destiny He has ordained for her. Even now the wind of the Holy Spirit is blowing with increased intensity. Anything built on lies and deception (which characterize man’s religion) and not established on truth is going to be destroyed. The light of revelation is going to expose the dark and hidden things. The Lord is sending a powerful concentration of revelatory light (the laser beams coming from the ball of light) to split open the hard, cold cement of religion. When this happens the Lord will once again restore the original documents of truth on which the Church was founded. He will use these truths to re-form His church into the glorious bride she was created to be. Then she will go forth in power and authority to reveal and demonstrate the love and beauty of the Lord Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!

In this hour the Lord wants to use individuals who are surrendered and sold out to Him as the lasers of light to cut through the hardness of the current religious system. Having broken through to the treasures of God, they will diligently seek to apply and establish them in order to reveal to this world more completely the dominion and authority of the kingdom of Almighty God.

Lessons from Hezekiah
Can we really believe that the Lord will do this? The answer is a resounding YES, and here is why. After I had received the vision, I began to think about an example in the Word of God from the life of Hezekiah.

There is so much we can glean as we look at the life of Hezekiah, whose story can be found in 2 Kings 18–20 and 2 Chronicles 29–32. When Hezekiah became king, Judah was in a sad state of affairs. Neither that nation nor the kingdom of Israel were following the Lord. The king of Assyria had deported the Israelites to Assyria. In their place the king had imported men from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sephar-vaim to live in the land of Samaria. Because they did not fear God, the Lord sent lions against them. A priest, who had been exiled, was brought back to teach them how to fear the Lord. Second Kings 17:33 tells us: “They feared the Lord and served their own gods according to the custom of the nations from among whom they had been carried away into exile.” In other words, they were trying to mix two religions. How often today do we see people who want to live their lives as they please, and just try to add God into the mix? But Jesus said you cannot serve two masters.

So, while this was taking place in Samaria, Judah had also forsaken the Lord. Then Hezekiah comes along and “He did right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done. He removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah. He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel burned incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan. He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. For he clung to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses. And the Lord was with him; wherever he went he prospered. And he rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him” (2 Kings 18:3–7). So the Lord used Hezekiah as a “wind” to shake things. It is interesting to note that Hezekiah’s name means: “strength of the Lord.”

Tearing Down All That’s Lifted Up
In verse 4, one of the things Hezekiah did was to destroy the bronze serpent that Moses had made. The people had taken an encounter with God, something which had brought healing and deliverance, and idolized and worshiped the means of deliverance instead of remembering and worshiping the God who had delivered them.

Hezekiah also “broke down the sacred pillars.” Are there any “sacred pillars” in your life that need to be broken down in order for you to experience re-formation? Perhaps it is an action or way of thinking that contradicts the Word of the Lord. Be willing to allow the “strength of the Lord” to break it down.

This verse also says that he “removed the high places.” In 2 Corinthians 10:5 Paul tells us to destroy speculations and every lofty thing raised against the knowledge of God. Isaiah, in talking about the king of Babylon in Isaiah 14:13–14, says the king thought in his heart “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds.” Many believe this is also a reference to Satan’s rebellion against God. In both cases, the sin is pride. Are we in a “high place” of pride? Are there any areas of pride in our hearts? If so, let us humble ourselves. Remember, Jesus said whoever exalts himself will be humbled but whoever humbles himself will be exalted (Luke 14:11).

Becoming One Unlike Any Other
Verse 5 is truly a remarkable verse. It says about Hezekiah “… after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him.” This is amazing when you consider that David and Solomon had preceded him. Truly this is an outstanding testimony of the heart and obedience of Hezekiah.

In verse 7, it continues by saying, “he rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him.” I believe it is time to no longer cower in fear and intimidation before the “king of Assyria,” that is Satan, but we must rise up and “rebel” and no longer serve him. In James 4:7–8 we are told to submit (surrender) to God and to resist (rebel against) the devil. Having done this, we are then free to draw near to God and He to us.

Be aware, however, that as we issue our ultimatum against the devil he will attempt to come against us with fear, lies, and discouragement. The consequence of Hezekiah’s decision was that the king of Assyria came against Judah with a large army and attempted to discourage the people by trying to get them to question God’s ability to deliver them (2 Kings 18:17–25). Hezekiah, however, turned to the Lord for strength and continued to trust Him for deliverance. As a result, the Lord supernaturally routed the enemy. We, like Hezekiah, must continue to trust in the Lord in the face of what may seem like incredible odds, knowing that “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty even to the pulling down of strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4).

As we stand on the promises of God, such as those that tell us that every weapon formed against us shall fail (Isaiah 54:17), we too will behold the mighty, supernatural hand of God bringing us deliverance and freedom.

Come Quickly
At the beginning of this year, my friend Randall Kittle shared a message in which he encouraged us to read through the Gospels and to take note of the places where the words “suddenly” and “immediately” were used. It is interesting to note that in 2 Chronicles 29:36 it says, “Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced over what God had prepared for the people, because the thing came about suddenly.” God can and will do a quick work. Let your hopes and expectations for God’s moving be increased and go about each day with an eager anticipation of the “suddenly’s” of God to be demonstrated. Let us believe for the Lord to do His work of revelation, restoration, and reformation quickly and to use us in the process.

Father, we come to You humbly, admitting our need for Your revelation wisdom to be released in our lives both individually and as Your corporate Body. We ask that in Your great mercy and grace You would pour out upon us the spirit of Hezekiah, that is, the strength of the Lord. Father, forgive us where we have lived in our own strength and wisdom and have not relied on You for strength and revelation wisdom. Lord, we confess our desire to be used of You to bring about restoration and reformation. Reveal to us the areas in our own hearts that need to be re-formed so that we are conformed to the image of Christ. Like Hezekiah of old, may we fulfill our calling to be Your “kings” upon the earth at this appointed hour to bring about the restoration that will ultimately usher in the return of the one true King, the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Dale Bastian is a part of Living Water Publications and attends Freeport Mennonite Church in Freeport, Illinois. With a solid biblical background, keen prophetic insight, and a compassionate heart, he brings clarity of vision and a call to become more Christ-like to the Church. Dale and his wife, Dana, live in Dakota, Illinois.