“Behold I will make you into a new threshing sledge with sharp teeth; you shall thresh the mountains and beat them small, and make hills like chaff.” Is: 41:15.

I believe there is presently within our Nation a thirst for a fresh Godly reality that has not been experienced for at least forty years. It is obvious in the church and therefore must also be in the wider community. It always happens when we are at our weakest and distressed by the inhumanity of humans to one another. Time Magazine recently said this about British youth when it said; “A society is unhappy, unloved and out of control with an epidemic of violence, crime, drunkenness (which) has made Britain scared of its young. What is causing the crisis”? In simplistic terms it has to be a spiritual vacuum. God becomes the god of these folks own belly with everyone doing, and worshipping what is right in their own eyes. There’s nothing new here as this was the life of God’s people of old in Isaiah’s day who were prisoners and crushed by oppressive enemies. They felt little more than “worms” or insects”, (vs.14). Just like people today, wringing their hands and saying “What can we do”? Or, “Where do we go”? Such a cry is also the expression of a deep spiritual hunger and thirst.

For too long we have been growing through what God did over 40 years ago to the point now where it has stagnated into a regular style and type of religion. The songs we sing, the sermons we preach, the money we raise, the buildings we build, the causes and the ever present temptation to keep everything safe and popular, has nigh on exhausted us. Now our tongues are swollen and we long to spiritually drink from the pools the Lord has provided in this barren wilderness.(v.18). We need to be revived again and live the Gospel knowing that Jesus came to save sinners rather than train up another bunch of well intentioned social workers.

I believe a fresh outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit is so imminent that I can almost smell it! A new generation is rising up who are prepared to reach out to Christ and drink from the unattractive and unpopular “dry land springs of water”.(vs.18). They are hearing, amidst all the modern day hoo-ha, God speaking personally to them and saying “I am with you” (vs10) and “I will make you a new threshing instrument with sharp teeth”. (v15). God’s winnowing fork is in His hand and those who drink unashamedly of His Spirit will be this new, sharp threshing sledge in His hand. These will live lives in the opposite spirit to that of this sin sick and troubled world.

These mighty (mainly) young men and women in God’s hand will so attract unbelievers from every tribe and nation to the point where ten people at a time will grab their arms and say “let us go with you, we’ve heard that God is with you”. (Zech.8:23).

Heavenly Father, in Jesus’ name, I pray that You will bring it on!

In His Grip

+ Harry