PLEDGED HEADS: REVIVAL OR REFORMATION?

PLEDGED HEADS: REVIVAL OR REFORMATION?

By Mary Ann Wray

Dr. Michael Brown recently stated the following on his Face Book Page: “One of my all-time favorite quotes, from Joseph Parker, a contemporary of Spurgeon was a quote, which Keith Green found in Leonard Ravenhill's classic book "Why Revival Tarries." This same quote, Dr. Brown stated, led Keith to write his famous song, "I Pledge My Head to Heaven." 

Here's the entire quote: "The man whose little sermon is ‘repent’ sets himself against his age, and will for the time being be battered mercilessly by the age whose moral tone he challenges. There is but one end for such a man -- ‘off with his head!’ You had better not try to preach repentance until you have pledged your head to Heaven."

What I believe the Holy Spirit showed me today, prior to reading this quote which served as a confirmation, is that the difference between a revivalist and a reformer is the first thunders for a move of the Spirit awakening men to God’s presence and gifts. The second thunders for a moral reformation awakening men to God’s righteousness resulting in the former as well as the latter. A moral reformation results in a move of the Holy Ghost affecting the next generation but a Holy Ghost revival without moral reformation fizzles out with the generation it visits. What we need today is a moral and spiritual reformation which will make an impact “cross generationally!” Acts 3: 17 and Malachi 4: 6. I believe it is in the works right now!

A moral reformation caused by prophetic voices thundering ancient truth results in a spiritual awakening that shakes men loose from the Spirit of the Age and arouses them to righteousness. In such an awakening, times of refreshing from the Spirit WILL come. What will happen next before Jesus’ return in this awakening, I believe, and is verified by scripture, is that the hearts of spiritual fathers will be awakened and return to their spiritual sons and spiritual sons will be awakened and return to their spiritual fathers! Malachi 4: 6; Acts 3: 17

There is great opposition against emerging voices today that decry the moral landslide we see happening in our nation and worse yet, in the church. However, I do believe that there are thousands of ‘heads’ who have pledged their allegiance to Heaven long ago, but been hidden in caves in deep preparation for decades until such a time as this. At the same time, there are existing voices who have stood as oaks and weathered tempestuous storms of blowing winds of doctrine yet remained unyielding to them all. Together these make up the breed of spiritual mothers and fathers God has been forming for NOW. Some of them are grandmothers and grandfathers, widows, widowers, divorcees, single adults, old men and aged women who have endured great trouble, disappointment and pain in their lives. Some have backslidden and returned to their first love. Others have been tossed to and fro in the crucible of witnessing wide and extreme ‘mood swings’ in the Body of Christ i.e. various teachings emphasizing prophesy, faith, healing and deliverance (to name just a few) with a shifting away from the centrality of the cross and the Supremacy of the Head of the Church. Yet these all have pressed on and endured times of great distress as well as joy in the midst of watching the Body of Christ develop on one hand but suffer great misuse and abuse on the other.

Past and recent moves of God over the last two to three decades, have produced great emphasis on self-development and personal giftings rather than spiritual maturity for the benefit of others’ progression. The call of discipleship with daily death to self while becoming more Christ like in character was pushed aside for more relevant ‘revelation’. Not that these moves and teachings were or are bad in and of themselves. They were and are definitely needed in the Body of Christ. Like any good gift the Father gives, the “gift” must be stewarded properly. That was and has been the challenge in sustaining and supervising these moves of the Spirit. Stewardship must be relegated to the more mature until the less mature can stand on their own and carry on the lessons learned from their predecessors. 

Since the days of the Great Reformation by Martin Luther, the Church has gradually become more and more aware of the full Gospel of Jesus Christ through coming out of the Dark Age via many different moves of God, particularly over the past two centuries. There is an inherent desire in all of us to “do” what our Father does and know what purpose He has for us in the earth. We’ve known it personally and we’ve witnessed it by history and testimony. All the way from Old Testament prophets like Elisha with Elijah to Jesus and His disciples, fast forwarding to the Wesley’s,  Azusa Street, then on to the Charismatic Renewal and the Faith Movement plus more…we’ve seen the Body of Christ take on a more developed form in present day truth. However, there has always been a lack of fathers.

As with any revived Biblical revelation in an existing generation, all eyes and ears tend to fall on that truth at the expense of others. Just like a teen ager learning to drive a car, all of their attention and energy is directed to the excitement of learning to drive. They know driving a car will give them greater independence and the ability to explore on their own. However, they don’t fully understand at the time, that getting behind a wheel has inherent responsibilities. Also, driving a car doesn’t exempt them from other responsibilities they’ve acquired and have on the home front. Even though they are able to reproduce and have the appearance of an adult, they still possess childlike characteristics which need the care and direction of a parent(s) to warn and guide them away from highway disasters. Any good parent will put restrictions on their teen driver: at least and until they’ve been proven mature enough to use the keys pretty much whenever they want. 

Additionally, the Fatherly voice of restriction and caution has been muffled out just enough by the voices of many teachers who do love God, but thundered over them unintentionally, I believe. It’s not because the ‘fathers’ didn’t or don’t speak; it’s because there have been so few of them (1 Corinthians 4: 15). These ‘new’ things tend to get all of our attention and focus any way, even though they aren’t new to God at all. While dad may reprimand Johnny for playing with the newest video game too much and tell him to get back to doing his homework, the boy is practically hypnotized by its allure and ignores the voice of correction until more drastic means need to be taken.  We have a tendency to become obsessed with something new, just like a child with a toy or a family enjoying the new car right off the lot. As a result, we can easily become overly pre-occupied with one thing at the expense of another. 

I believe God is raising up a ‘new’ breed of leadership which consists of old men as well as young men (Joel 2: 28). This next great awakening we are getting ready to experience at a greater level and has already begun, I believe, will be generational and affect the Body of Christ in such a way that she will become MORE glorious and ready for the Lord’s return. He said He’s coming back for a glorious church. We’re simply not there yet (Ephesians 5: 27). The glory Paul speaks of in 2 Corinthians 3: 18 is ever increasing and is the direct result of beholding Him and His truth. We’ve been so preoccupied with what He gives us rather than the Father Himself that we’ve lost focus. We’ve not seen things from the Father’s perspective like we need to. For the most part we’ve been enamored with ‘new’ truths which aren’t new to Him at all, as previously stated. Again, these truths were and are needed to grow us up. But I hear The Father saying, “Enough of that. Now, look at ME and see my HEART!” You see, we become what we behold! I believe God is saving the best glory for the latter and the best wine for last!

“The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,' says the LORD Almighty. 'And in this place I will grant peace,' declares the LORD Almighty." Haggai 2: 9

I believe, the new breed of spiritual leadership/ parenthood emerging from the shadows possess the Heart of the Father and are looking to re-engage. They’ve been in spiritual hibernation a long time, and are ready to pro-create despite their chronological ages. They are the Abrahams and Sarahs of the 21^st Century, the period of time for the next great awakening of God The Father.  They’re still hoping and looking for the promise of the Father for a son despite the barrenness they’ve experienced in their adult lives. They desire with all of their hearts to raise up the next generation of spiritual sons and daughters. They’re looking for a legacy because their dreams did not appear in the form they thought or imagined if at all. Some of them still have their Ishmaels to contend with but they’ve taken on a new resolve. They still dream, but it’s for the next generation, not what they’ve tried to produce in their own strength! They’ve experienced disappointment, disillusionment, and some ministry burn out. Yet, out of it all there are embers of faith and the Spirit burning in their hearts that are sparking and popping. Their hearts’ cry and echo to Heaven is, “God’s not finished with me yet! I’ve been through too much to sit idly by and waste away. I have wisdom and enough strength left in me to do something for God while I have breath in my body. I want to make an impact on this generation being swept away by moral decay! There’s a message for someone else in all of my mistakes, missteps and mess!”

The hearts of sons must be willing and able to recognize by the Spirit these fathers and mothers, glean from their wisdom and yes, submit to their authority. They’ll find them in a home-a local body/ church that has the vision for what this article speaks to. Both generations need healing from trust issues. One from disappointment, disuse and misuse and the other from abusive or absent parents creating an orphaned spirit. They both have needed healing and restoration from the Heart of The Father and it is happening now. Within this reformation is the need for intercessors who know the Word of God along with simultaneous prophetic voices sounding a clarion call for repentance and return to the Father through faith in Christ alone while calling others back to their first love. Together a symphony and synergy of pure resolve and holiness from both groups’ heart cry, will open the Heavens upon this earth like never before. They are a remnant bunch reserved for such a time as this, but God can save by many or He can save by few. The number is not what is important. The promise of the Father and His timing is.

Get ready! Get in the birth position old women and men-yes men too! It’s time to push forward into God’s next move for this generation. God has heard Hannah’s cry for a prophetic move that will usher in God’s righteous standard. Get ready young men, sons and daughters. Position yourself in a nest of viable church government and plant yourself in a local church where you see this heart manifested. There are mature eagles soaring above that can and will selflessly give you the meat you’ve been longing for. Feeding time has just begun and the strength and maturity coming out of it will be astounding!

“The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.” Psalms 145: 15