The heart of On the Move

“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea”. 
(Habakkuk, 1, 14)

How can we see the Lord’s redemption coming to a people we love, but who at the moment are lost and without hope?

Jesus did it – on the cross.  But we, the church, have to do something too, or the message stays behind closed doors and the people perish, against God’s declared will.

“The Lord is not slow at keeping his promises, as some understand slowness.  He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance”. 
(2 Peter 3,9).

In some ways, we wait for revival.  But in other ways, I believe God is waiting for us!  He wants the Gospel to move out from within the confines of our churches.

 What can we do?  What are we called to do?  Can the church truly respond to the words of Isaiah:

 “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” (Isaiah 60,1)?

 Certainly, these are difficult times, all over the world.  Spiritual darkness is hemming us in.  But Isaiah continues:

 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you”. 
(Isaiah 60, 2)

 There is something new arising in and through the church, all over the world.  We believe On the Move International is part of something that God is doing to cause a mighty army of ordinary believers to arise; to cause them (us – his church) to move out of our ‘comfort zones’ and minister to those who are broken, pour ourselves out on behalf of the needy and lonely – and bring his love, in the power of the Spirit, to many, many people who are ready to receive it.

 I believe we are headed for the biggest harvest of souls the world has known.

“Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets
so that a herald may run with it.
For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
it speaks of the end and will not prove false. (Habakkuk, 2, 2-3)

 On the Move is about mobilising the church – all denominations working together; it is about mobilising ordinary believers by the thousand to participate in a move of the Sprit which has already been released.  It is like a water wheel, made by man, but designed to take advantage of a flow that already exists.  That flow, of the Holy Spirit, towards the lost – reaching out in love and mercy – already exists.  The thing is to tap into what God is doing.  As we begin to “do what we see the Father doing”, there we begin to see the power of God, the love of God, the favour of God – and the church arising in majesty in a way that one could not possibly contrive.

Our contention is that God is ‘on the move’ and we must learn to move with him.  We believe that God has been showing us something of how to do this – that On the Move is a vision from the heart of God and that he is indeed raising up a mighty army of ordinary believers now, in nations across the globe, walking together in unity and responding in that unity to his call to reach out to those that don’t yet know him.

Conclusion

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
Because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted,
To proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners
To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God,
To comfort all who mourn, and to provide for those who grieve in Zion –To bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
The oil of gladness instead of mourning
And a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair”. 
(Isaiah 61, 1-3)

 We know this was about Jesus – but Jesus said “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (John 20, 21).  And it was his purpose that we all should move in the anointing of the Holy Spirit, to give hope to those who need it.  It was his purpose that the church as a whole should “arise” – and in these days God is fulfilling his purpose.

Martin Graham
7.11.07