Imagine for a moment that the church made a shift, that it turned a corner, and that instead of holiness being a marginal topic, one that is sometimes talked about, but seldom embraced, imagine that it was suddenly the norm for Christians again to expect holiness in their meetings, in their ministers, and in their people’s daily lives.

What if there was a dramatic shift in the body, only possible by God, of course, so that the whole of mainstream Christianity was revitalized, revived even, so that we had a living, active knowledge of God on a personal basis from God teaching us Himself?

Our services could change from being merely about singing some songs and listening to a message to times of communing with God, of worship, and of continuing to learn about Him.

Our youth meetings could suddenly change from being a focused on getting kids to steer away from negative choices and attempting to get them to embrace some of Christ to actually fanning the flames of an already burning fire.  Instead of bits and pieces of the Word, teenagers could be given whole messages, complete learning and understanding, and the truth and faith of the Gospel could boldly go out.

In many ways, this is where church should start.  The church has been here in the past, in measure, such as during the waves of the Puritans, but today, the church, for now, has paid little attention and much of the legacy of the Puritans has been purposely sidelined by those who would subvert the work of God and the church.

But, there is coming a “polar shift”.

There is coming upon the church an overtaking that will sweep across the world.  It will be by holiness; it will be by intercession and the prophetic;  it will be marked by extravagant giving.

The church will be turned upside-down, and inside-out, simply on the basis of the knowledge of God coming into a meeting, into a house, into a man, and into a church!

This holiness will mark the church, because it will not be as one taught by a man, but as taught by God Himself.  It will mark the church, and those who will not bow, pastor, elder, deacon, or pew-ist, will find themselves, by wholesale agreement of the body, on the outside looking in.  In a moment!  Many high will be brought low, and many who are low will be brought up very quickly.

People will worship, preach, and teach different.  They will preach from a knowing-faith, instead of a wanting-to-have-faith.  They will sing, still dependent upon the vine, but knowing they are attached, and not with an abandonment cry saying, “feed me, please feed me”, as if God does not want to.  They will pray from the heavens, and not merely to them.

In fact, the only right thinking about the shape and the nature of the church should be from this platform, for as it is written,

Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

2 Timothy 2:19

There should never be a church, that is a true church, that does not embrace holiness as a lifestyle.  We may be holy by the blood of Christ, but if we really were on the inside, while it may take a moment to manifest fully on the outside, it will show its true colors, for good or for evil.

There will come a day in the West, at least for a short time if not longer by our choice, that the church will stand holy.

As Jesus Himself says, unless you hate everyone, including yourself, you cannot be His disciple (Luke 14:26).  By interpretation, their old life, their flesh-based nature, and their non-Spirit-lived life, unless you hate that, which means your sin and their sin, including those questionable areas, you cannot be His disciple.

And, Paul gives us the instructions.  If someone is caught in a fault, you who are spiritual should restore such a one gently, but to do so in a spirit of meekness, lest you also be tempted.  But, the bottom line is, there is holiness in God’s church.

We can put great stock in a fiery preacher who denounces sin and stands for righteousness.  But, what if in a day, in an hour, this became the norm.  What would happen to the face of the church?

There will, of course, be copy-cats and imitators, the insincere.  There will be those who preach a holiness message without it worked out in their own lives, but the truth of Scripture should be understood today, before that day, to prepare for that coming.

For, as Jesus Himself said,

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Matthew 7:24-27

It is only those who have built themselves upon the Spirit that will stand.

There will also be those who do not let the Word go deep enough, so when the testing does come, and it will, they will wither away in their resolve for their holiness.  And, some, to be true to parable, will still not separate from the world, and hence will see no true fruit in their midst.

But, there is a coming revival, a shaking that can be seen, from the East to the West.  It is coming as sure as lightning, from the rising of the sun to its setting.

Think now, today, what will be the message to run with in that hour, and begin to run with it now.  Prepare in advance today, for the coming of that time, as to what could be its downfall?

People will hear the message, people will repent, but what will stand in the way of its fullness?  What would cause the Lord to turn back from the nation?  What would be its greatest downfall, even in the midst of the greatest revival of repentance ever?

Surely, the weight of the necessity of the hour is great, but with the true heart of the Gospel, the heart of Christ Jesus Himself, and His faith and Kingdom in our hands, nothing can stand in the way of the people wholly consecrated to Him.

Surely, the pattern is in the Word.  But, even as Israel came out of Egypt willingly, for they were fleeing their oppression, people volunteer willingly in the day of His power (Psalm 110:3).

But, when we come to our Jordan, and we must make the decision to willingly, at the command of the Lord, enter into the battle to possess our possessions, not escaping conflict but entering into it, will we choose Galatians 2:20, and out of sovereign and pure devotion, say, “It is no longer I that live, but it is Christ in me.  The life I life, I live by faith in the Son of Man, who loved me, and gave Himself up for me?”

This is the message of the hour.

Do you believe in Him?  Yes.  Do you love Him?  More than life, for I am lovesick.

Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.

Song of Songs 8:6

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Revelation 12:11