“He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for Him!’” Matthew 3:3 (NLT)
This morning, I was meditating upon Matthew 3:3 and specifically the work that John the Baptist did in preparing the way for the LORD! John stood in the gap between two eras. There is no record of any miracles that John performed. He did not operate in the power that was coming. God spent years preparing him that moment! But he prepared the way for Jesus. John was necessary for Jesus’ coming! In a sense, he operated in weakness so that the power and glory of God could come!
God has called us, the remnant, those who remain wholeheartedly passionate for Jesus and His kingdom, to play the role that John the Baptist did some 2000 years ago! We are called by God to cry out in today’s wilderness, to shout out with a thunderous voice in the face of darkness and evil, to prepare and make ready the way of the LORD. We are building a highway for the King, our King of glory to travel on. Remnant, please don’t underestimate your voice in this hour. Do not grow quiet! Do not grow weary in shouting! Let your voice become a thunderous echo through the valley of dry bones of religiosity across our city, nation and world. You may feel weak, ignored, and cancelled, but know this, God hears you, and your voice is making a difference. It is making a way for His power and glory to be revealed.
Consider (and meditate upon) these verses…
“Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to His Temple. The Messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” Malachi 3:1 (NLT)
“He was the fulfillment of this Scripture: See, I am sending My prophetic messenger who will go ahead of Me and prepare hearts to receive Me.” Matthew 11:10 (TPT)
“A thunderous voice cries out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way for Yahweh’s arrival! Make a highway straight through the desert for our God! Every valley will be raised up, every mountain brought low. The rugged terrain will become level ground and the rough places a plain. Then Yahweh’s radiant glory will be unveiled, and all humanity will experience it together. Believe it, for Yahweh has spoken His decree!’” Isaiah 40:3-5 (TPT)
“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” Habakkuk 2:14 (NIV)
Cry out for God to give you even more grace to stand as a forerunner in this hour. Recommit yourself to Him as one who will stand, even alone, as a thunderous voice in your community, in your church, in your circle of influence! Thank Him for allowing you to play a vital role in the preparation of the move of God that is already upon us. Ask for boldness to be clear and loud regarding issues that are important to Him. Pray for other forerunners you know, who may need encouragement, whose voice may be feeling weak and unnoticed, who may be feeling misunderstood and rejected, to be strengthened and unrelenting in their thunderous cry for Jesus to move in power in our city. Cry out for your pastor to not miss this day of opportunity to be a bridge, a church that has a forerunner’s voice, preparing for the power and glory of God to manifest among us. Pray that your church would not only welcome the Holy Spirit, but would completely submit to Him! Cry out for Athens Georgia, to indeed, be a city on the hill, shining brightly with the glory and power of God.
