Holy Boldness

prophet, you will receive a prophet’s reward.” (Matt. 10:41). What is a prophet’s reward? It’s the benefit of actually hearing, comprehending, and responding to his word and receiving the benefit of obedience. It is to be ready for what the prophet was trying to prepare you for. T hose who did embrace the ministry of John were prepared for the ministry of Jesus. There is an indication that some of John’s disciples later be came the disciples of Jesus. However, even as Jesus was praising the ministry of John, He also added a caution. His ministry was only a preliminary to the main event of the kingdom. John’s ministry, as highly significant as it was, ceased to be the primary move of God. It had to give way to the ministry of Jesus and the kingdom. Here again, is where the fear of the Lord must be understood and embraced as a constant reality and a governing principle. The fear of the Lord consists of the principle of staying current with God. Moving where He moves, doing what He does, staying in the fluid motion of His movements. The kingdom of God is an advancing kingdom, not only geographically but it advances into the very nature of civilization and all of creation. It will not retreat. It is obvious from all the teaching of Jesus that the kingdom was God’s will in operation and therefore it was also God’s passion. He will not compro mise it. The kingdom transforms everything. It is not only deep but wide. If the church is going to continue to advance with God, it must embrace each new move of the Spirit. The kingdom is not some popular new teaching that will help advance our vision or cause. The Kingdom is the substance of heaven invading the earth and it influences everything. Therefore, by its very nature, it can be disruptive. It challenges everything that does not align with God’s reign and rule including you and me. The fear of the Lord keeps a person current with God and His advancing kingdom of which there is no stopping or retreat. The continuous expansion of God’s kingdom keeps God’s people on their toes because it keeps revealing things that are incompatible with itself. Faith and repentance is the onramp to the kingdom but it is only the beginning. There must be a continuing adjustment as the kingdom grows and expands. Indeed, even John’s ministry and message gave way to the fullness that Christ proclaimed and demonstrated. A person can embrace John the baptist but inexplicably miss Christ. John was the greatest of the old but in the new move of the Kingdom, even the least is greater than he. What do you do with a move of God?

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