The Church In Transition

By: Donna J. Kazenske

In a recent prayer meeting, I had a vision of a river flowing in one direction and suddenly the river made a U-turn and began flowing in the opposite direction. I then saw people who were previously in the river stepping out of the river at the turning point. I could see people discussing issues, complaining and resisting the time of transition that God was bringing to the church.

In this vision the U-turn represents a changing of direction, a time of transition for the body of Christ. We can continue to flow with the river making the U-turn and proceeding in the direction that God desires or we can resist the time of transition and follow in the footsteps of those who got out of the river and chose to remain on the river bank.

I believe this is a crucial time for the church. God desires to take us places in the realm of His Spirit where we have never been before. He is requiring change so that we can proceed into the next move of His Spirit.

As I continued to meditate on this vision, I began to focus on the direction the river was flowing after it made the U-turn. I saw all kinds of people in the river that had infirmities in their bodies. I saw one man with a bandage wrapped around his head and he was gloriously healed. The bandage was quickly removed. I saw many people in the river receiving healings and miracles.

I asked the Lord, "What does this part of the vision mean?" He spoke to me and said, "There is a healing revival coming."

Why would the church want to resist that which is to come? Why would the church want to miss out on a healing revival? Why would we want to resist the moving of the Holy Spirit in our lives? Is this not what we have been praying for? Has this not been the cry of our hearts?

Why are so many not willing to make the U-turn and move with God’s Spirit?

It’s one thing to say something with our mouths, but quite another thing to not follow through with what we have spoken. Talk is cheap. God is looking for those who will not only talk the talk, but walk the walk.

Many in the body of Christ are not willing to pay the price to go on with God. They still want to have church their way. They still want to hang on to their programs, schedules and traditions, while God is telling them to lay it all down and follow hard after Him.

People have a tendency to dislike change. They dislike anyone or anything that ruffles their feathers or disrupts their plans. They require God to move according to their agenda, not His. As a result, they limit God.

I received a prophetic word for my church a few weeks ago. The Lord said, "I will move in this church to the degree that you will allow me to move."

My church is currently at the U-turn as mentioned in the vision above. We can make the turn and flow with the Holy Spirit or we can resist Him completely and be content to do our own thing. If we choose the latter, we will miss our day of visitation.

We must be willing to lay down the old and walk into the new things of God.

In another recent time of prayer, an intercessor friend of mine had a vision of people trying to put on new clothes over their old clothes. The people were not willing to "take off" the old. They insisted on taking the old with them into this new move of God. Basically, the Lord spoke to her saying, "This will not work."

We cannot put new wine into an old wineskin. We cannot wear the old with the new.

It’s time for us to change our filthy garments and put on clean white garments so we can enter into His manifest presence.

Zechariah 3:3-5 - Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel. Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, "Take away the filthy garments from him." And to him He said, "See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes." And I said, "Let them put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the Lord stood by.

Sin must be dealt with. We will not be able to enter into that place that God has for us unless we submit to His dealings and allow Him to transform us from the inside out. God is requiring major change and a higher level of obedience.