BLOW THE TRUMPET IN ZION

6th May Eltham Baptist Church

No. 375

I have been wondering lately what more we could do as a Church to be effective here in Eltham. I personally feel that my life is already rich and meaningful, and like Paul I try to pursue Christ and in seeking Him all the other things are added unto me.
But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christthe righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:7-10

As a Baptist Church that has been around for nearly 24 years, we have always been charismatic and encourage the gifts of the Spirit. Personally I have a passion to teach the Church to develop a relationship with Christ and have always seen and experienced the power of the spoken word. I have sprayed these nuggets of truth from the pulpit over the years into peoples hearts but feel we need to focus in more on specific goals that we the Church can take as our own. When there are more people agreeing on the same thing there is power. When the ancient people of Babel all agreed on a specific goal (Building Babel) God said that nothing would be impossible for them and since it was evil He confused their plans.
But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And the Lord said, Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. Genesis 11:5-6.

If agreeing together was powerful in the case of evil, then how much more for good can agreement be? Something that I have noticed on Gods heart for the End Times is how He wants to raise up a people who speak out an anointed word in the earth. Not just Pastors but everyone and not just speaking inside the Church walls but in the kitchen, businesses, streets and in the countryside.
In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. Acts 2:17-18

Notice that the main emphasis and gifting upon these people in the last days is prophecy. Its speaking out Gods word, either spontaneously under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit or what has already been written in the word with conviction. Prophecy can be forth telling or foretelling. When Ezekiel was told to prophecy over the dry bones, he didnt launch out in faith and trust the Holy Spirit to give him life imparting words, but was told what to say. All he had to do was repeat it.
Then he said to me, Prophesy to these bones and say to them, Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord. So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feeta vast army. Ezekiel 37:4-10

When he spoke out the words, God began to move and the Spirit blew life into a dead situation. Those very dry bones became alive and formed into a great army. God has already said what He wants to do in our lives, in the Church and in the earth but needs a faith filled people who will speak out the word like Ezekiel did. We may not be Prophets with amazing words of prophecy to foretell the future, but we can be a people who tell forth His word. What words are you speaking forth? You may be praying for something to happen, but that is not the same as proclaiming, foretelling or prophesying Gods word. Ezekiel didnt pray that things would change but spoke out change. Hasnt God said that He is coming for a perfect Church without spot or wrinkle?

I feel the Lord is saying that we need to be like trumpets that proclaim a prophetic word over the Church, Taranaki and even New Zealand at this present time. The situation may be very dry but it can be changed by Gods word being spoken out over the dry bones. We need to stop floundering around; wishing things would change, praying things would change and get focused. Different churches have different missions, but who is the voice in the wilderness speaking to the dry bones? Why not us? Our mission is to turn wilderness situations into gardens. It may seem impossible but we do have the power, and we have the word to do it.
The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose; It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice, Even with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, The excellence of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, The excellency of our God. Strengthen the weak hands, And make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are fearful-hearted, Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, With the recompense of God; He will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert. Isaiah 35:1-6

Note that it says that the wilderness will be glad for them, and the them shall bring about healings and miracles, turning the desert into a garden with streams of water. When ancient Israel was in the wilderness God told the Priests to sound the trumpet to gather the people and give direction.
The Lord said to Moses: Make two trumpets of hammered silver, and use them for calling the community together and for having the camps set out. Numbers 10:1-2

The Trumpet is symbolic of Gods voice being spoken through His people. Isaiah said.
Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Isaiah 58:1

This voice can be prophetic or just proclaiming the word that is already written. This is the silver trumpet that calls Gods people together in preparation for a new move forward just like days of old. Not only does it signal that it is time to move forward but also it gives direction. It was the Priests who had the prerogative to blow the trumpet in days of old and it is the Church in the New Covenant order who do the same.
The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to blow the trumpets. Numbers 10:8 You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:5. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. verse 2:9.

It says that we are to proclaim the praises of God. This is the Greek word exangelo which means to tell out and proclaim abroad. When Ezekiel was told to proclaim the word of God there was no one there except God and a whole lot of very dead bones and it wasnt within the Church walls. As he spoke the word into the spirit realm directed to those dry bones, an army was formed by the Spirit of God. He wasnt doing it in the Church either but outside in a barren valley. You can do the same in your bedroom or down your city street or in the paddocks. I believe that God wants a band of people to speak out His word either as a prophecy or what is already written from the Bible, into the spirit realm here in our Church or over the town and region. Someone is meant to be doing it and I feel God is calling us to play a significant part. Each one of us has different concerns, passions and desires for the Church, the town and this region. God wants you to blow the trumpet and proclaim the word of the Lord with authority and conviction. Speak out what should be rather than what you already see with your eyes. We need to be speaking to the mountain, and calling those things that are not as though they were. This is not prayer but proclamation. Its not wishful thinking but forth telling and prophecy. We are creatures of light who are to proclaim the light.
Sing to the Lord a new song; Proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvellous deeds among all peoples. Psalm 96:1-3 http://ghotter.blogspot.com