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June 27, 2006
Rick Joyner: "The Warrior
Nation--The New Sound of The Church"
 A
New Trumpet Sound
It will take the focus, discipline, and faith of true warriors to fight the
good fight of faith in our time, but the sound of the trumpet is now being
heard, and the gathering of the last-day army is now taking place. The church
will retreat no further before the enemies of the truth, but will be the
champion of truth, the true freedom fighter that she is called to be.
As stated, as the church begins to take on this resolve, they will start to be
thought of more as military bases, and they will begin to take on the
characteristics of military bases for training, equipping, and deploying
effective spiritual forces. In time, the church will actually be organized more
as a military force with an army, navy, air force, etc. These, too, will all
learn to function together in harmony, protecting one another and helping each
other exploit opportunities. Like these, we will begin to organize more around
function and purpose, than the doctrinal emphases that now often characterize
movements and groups within the church.
Along with the coming martial discipline and demeanor, as the time of trouble
increases, the soldiers of the cross will become known for their love and
unshakable peace in the midst of crisis. They will bring love, peace, and
stability wherever they go. They will be the true freedom fighters and the true
champions of the oppressed who fight to set men free from the most terrible
yokes of bondage of all--sin and all of its consequences.
The Transition
How is this going to happen practically? There are already many movements,
missionary organizations, and even some churches, which are beginning to make
this transition, even though they may not have thought about it in these terms.
Leaders are starting to gather around common purpose and function, rather than
just doctrinal emphases. As this happens, doctrines that once seemed to conflict
with each other will begin to be seen as complementary. For those who keep
the higher purpose of the Kingdom in their hearts and motives, this transition
will be easy.
For others, it will not be quite as easy, but it will be done. As the nations
mobilized for past World Wars, those who had been regular citizens became great
warriors when they realized the great evils that were seeking to dominate the
world. Likewise, Christians will soon awaken to the much greater evil and threat
that we face now, than the world faced in the last century.
Many will consider it better to pay any price, even death, than to give in to
the tyranny that now threatens the world. It is better to die standing for
truth, than to live under a lie.
The seriousness of our purpose as soldiers of the cross, will become much
more pronounced with all true Christians in the time ahead. Instead of the
pursuit of careers or material comforts being the primary goal of believers,
fighting for truth will become the main focus and goal of our lives.
Christ-likeness, and doing the works He called us to do, will become the true
measure of the success of our lives. Just as a soldier does not entangle himself
in the everyday affairs of this life, the true soldiers of the cross will live
the most simple lives, and give themselves to the things that are eternal, not
temporary.
Women and Children--the Emerging Soldiers and
Leaders
Women and children will be some of the principle soldiers and leaders in this
coming militarization of the church. As it has been said, "If men can be a part
of the bride of Christ, women can be a part of the army of God." From the time
of the resurrection of Christ, when the men hid in fear, women courageously went
to His grave to seek Him. Women will arise who will risk all for the sake of His
gospel. The women who went to His tomb remained faithful, even though it looked
as if truth had been completely defeated. They were therefore blessed with the
great honor to first take up the apostolic commission to be witnesses of His
resurrection. Courageous women have always been on the front line of the battle
between light and darkness, and will be so until the end.
However, women will not have to become masculine to take their rightful place in
His army. In fact, a big part of the initial battle that must be waged, is for
men to be restored as true men, and women to be restored as true women. When
this happens, the whole world will take notice, being strongly drawn to the true
men and true women who have thrown off the confusion, which has sought to blur
the distinctions between men and women. This blurring of the distinctions that
God made is a root of the great and increasing confusion now dominating the
world.
However, true men are secure enough not to have to dominate and be
controlling, but will always treat women and all other people, with the dignity
and respect that is due them. True men will soon arise, and true women with
them, will walk in all of the dignity and respect that the children of the King
of kings should conduct themselves, and show to one another. The world will
marvel and esteem them.
A New Sound
Even though the leadership of the church is presently almost 90 percent male,
there has been such a feminization of the church, that most men do not feel
comfortable in it, are bored with it, and do not want to be a part of it. If
they do, it is often done grudgingly out of religious duty because they simply
do not feel that they have a place in it. This is why such a majority of
churchgoers are women. Men, even those who love the Lord, and would love to be
used by God, often do not like church, and will do just about anything to keep
from going to church. In general, the church as it is today, does not speak to
many of the most basic needs of men. This is one reason for the remarkable
popularity of mens movements that rose up outside of the church.
To be the church we are called to be, we must have the faith to radically
change the present definition and organization, to be both feminine and
masculine, meeting the needs of, and speaking to, both men and women.
Both men and women should feel at home in the church, and know quickly how they
fit into it. Church should be the most exciting, exhilarating, and challenging
association that we could ever be a part of. It will be so again, soon.
Mega-Church Redefined
When the church embraces its true calling and begins to reflect its true nature,
it will become the most esteemed and desirable nation on earth. It will become
so strikingly different, that it will be thought of, and will in fact be, a
nation within the nations.
The churches which make the transition that is coming, will quickly swell in
numbers, and needs to be prepared by raising up captains of tens, hundreds, and
thousands.
We need to be prepared to serve and incorporate unprecedented numbers without
compromising the essence of who we are called to be. This will be no small
undertaking and can only be accomplished by the Holy Spirit. This is beyond any
human organization and leadership. The Lord will be the Head of His church, and
those who do not know or submit to His Headship, will not last long in the times
ahead.
With the meltdown of the family being one of the biggest problems of our time,
the church will become the family that it is called to be. Christian families
will then start to become what they are supposed to be. With the coming great
emphasis on discipline, there will also be a great emphasis on relationships,
especially to strengthen families and to resist every assault that is coming
against them.
The church will soon become all that she is called to be. When the church
does, she will be the most attractive and compelling society found on the earth,
a true reflection of the coming Kingdom.
Rick Joyner
MorningStar Ministries
www.morningstarministries.org
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Rick Joyner's Upcoming Itinerary:
August 16-20, 2006
Catch the Fire
Harvest Rock Church
Pasadena, CA
Contact: (626) 794-1190 or
www.harvestrockchurch.org
September 15-16, 2006
Hearing God During These Strategic Times
Dove Christian Fellowship International
Contact: (717) 627-1996, (800) 848-5892 or
www.dcfi.org
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