2015 is over. I know that it was different things for different people. For some of you it may have been a year of blessings and new beginnings (may you give God thanks.) For others it may have been a year of loss and heartbreak. (I pray that God gives you healing and peace.) For me personally, it was a year of God stirring up some things in my heart that I had allowed to grow somewhat dormant. In other words, 2015 was a year of personal revival for me. I thank God for what He's done in my heart this year; I truly feel like I'm not the same person I was before. I know others can probably say the same thing.
Which brings me to 2016.
If the Lord delays His return, and if I'm still alive, I hope that in January 2017 I can say the same thing with even more intensity. I believe that 2016 is going to be both an incredibly challenging and incredibly exciting year for those who are pursuing God and revival. I believe that we may be in for difficult times such as we haven't seen in this generation. I also believe that we're going to see an outpouring of the Holy Spirit that's going to shake everything that can be shaken. I believe that nominal, half-hearted Christians are going to be forced to decide where they stand with their relationship with Christ. I also believe that a powerful generation is rising up that will preach the truth without compromise or fear. I believe that we will see increased opposition to the things of God, but I also believe that we're going to see revival & outpourings in many places in the world. The thing is, those two things always seem to go together. When you read the book of Acts, every time you see a mighty move of the Holy Spirit there is always some kind of turmoil that accompanies it. The apostles were used by God to bring salvation and healing, but they also saw personal attacks and spiritual warfare as a result. I believe that this generation is about to see what that's like. So be it. I want everything that God wants to give me, and I want to do everything that He wants me to do. Regardless of what accompanies it, I know that His grace will be sufficient for me, and that His strength will be made perfect through my weakness. (II Corinthians 12:9)
God has truly been doing a work in my life, and how I thank Him for it. My personal prayer is that if I reach the end of 2016 that the fire that has been started in my heart and the hearts of many others will be fanned into a flame that burns with determination to honor Jesus with everything we have. Let's step up and step out - even if we don't know where we're going. (According to Hebrews 11:8 that turned out OK for Abraham.)
2016 is off to a good start. But I don't want to leave it like I found it. Let's jump into the River of God and see where the current takes us. May God make it a year to remember.
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