Initial calling and response to the Holy Spirit - raison d'être
The creation of Christian Spectrum was a direct response to the Holy Spirit impressing the following three realities or convictions on our hearts:
1. We've reached a significant point in human history
We do not live in anything akin to ordinary times. Unprecedented events taking place on earth today suggest that we’re beginning to experience the 'birth pangs' spoken of by Jesus in Matthew 24:8. We believe that we could be nearing the end of the age and in the not too distant future the earth-shattering events mentioned in books like Daniel, Matthew and Revelation will begin to unfold, leading eventually to the return of Jesus Christ.
We believe that Jesus could return within the lifetime of people alive today and so it's imperative that the Bride of Christ not only prepares herself spiritually for the coming Bridegroom King, but also prepares practically, materially and physically ahead of time in order to survive these events, whilst continuing to speak prophetically to the nations, warning them that we're about to experience God's final judgements.
On a practical and material level it’s certain that as these events unfold, we’ll not always have access to things we can currently take for granted - electricity, a clean water supply, food, heating, money, transport, physical safety, access to communication, medical help etc. As we’re led by the Holy Spirit, it’s possible to prepare in advance for many of these eventualities.
Many current events and signs, some linked to biblical prophecy, bear out the assertion that we're experiencing the 'birth pangs':
- Israel has been back in the promised land since 1948 (Eze 36:16-28)
- Jews returning to Israel (Eze 37:21)
- Anti-Semitism is increasing worldwide (Jer 29:18; Zec 12:2)
- Israel being partitioned by the nations (Joel 3:2)
- There are plans to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem
- Many prophets believe we have reached God's End-Game
- People mock talk of the End-Times (2 Pe 3:3-4)
- We have the capacity to destroy all life on earth (Mt 24:22)
- There's an explosion in knowledge through the internet (Da 12:4)
- Christians are being marginalised and persecuted (Mt 24:9-10)
- False prophets are rising in the Church (Mt 24:11; 2 Pe 2:1-2)
- There's growing apostasy in the Church (Mt 24:12)
- Believers are abandoning the true faith (Mt 24:12; 2 Pe 2:1-2)
- The influence of Occult, Paganism, New Age and Islam is growing
- Occult and New Age groups are predicting major shifts at this time
- There's a worldwide escalation in ethnic violence (Mt 24:6)
- There's a marked increase in famines and earthquakes (Mt 24:7)
- A global financial meltdown looms on the horizon
- Innocent babies are being murdered in their mother's womb (Rev 9:21)
- Judaeo-Christian values are being rejected
- An increase in unexplained phenomena in the skies (Lk 21:11)
- An explosion in ET/alien reports in recent years
- A New World Order, based on global governance, is emerging (Rev 13)
- A global economic system is emerging (Rev 13:16-17)
- A one world religious system based on the deification of man is emerging
- The stage is being set for the appearance of the Antichrist figure
- Transhumanism (superhumans) is sought through genetic manipulation
- All ethnic groups will soon be reached with the Gospel (Mt 24:14)
These things taken together, lead us to believe that we're rapidly reaching God's End-Game. Jesus took the Pharisees and Sadducees to task for not understanding the signs relating to his first coming to earth and so we do well to take heed:
You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times (Mt 16:3)
Above all, it's important that we study the Bible and seek to discern events in the light of biblical prophecy. Around a quarter to a third of the Bible is prophecy and more than 150 chapters have the End-Times and the return of Jesus as their main theme.
Jesus warned the Church ahead of time concerning these events (Mt 24:25) in order that we recognise the battle we face, prepare in advance, beware deception and are equipped to stand firm in the faith:
First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, ‘Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation’ (2 Pe 3:3-4)
He told us to stay alert and to keep watch for his return:
Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come (Mt 24:42)
2. Many within the institutional Church are asleep
Not all Christians look at life in this way however. Whilst storm clouds gather on the horizon and many signs point us towards the imminent return of Jesus, large sections of the Church are sound asleep, carrying on business as usual (Mt 24:37). They appear to be completely oblivious and untouched by the gathering tide of evil.
As the End-Time battle for the souls of men intensifies and all hell is beginning to break loose; when the Church should be experiencing her finest hour and sounding a clear trumpet call to the nations, many have abandoned their posts, gone absent without leave, and are hardly distinguishable from the rest of the world.
They give God a makeover in order to be culturally acceptable - the offence of the cross, the need for repentance, substitutionary atonement, sin, hell and judgement are being removed from the Gospel message. A new, softer, more palatable and culturally acceptable God, made in man's own image, is now on offer in many churches.
More and more Christians retreat from the public square, having given up the fight against the cruelties of abortion, the normalising of homosexuality and the rejection of our Judaeo-Christian heritage, whilst others embrace paganism, New Age teaching and Eastern mysticism. They inevitably drift toward the so-called New Spirituality of experience, relativism and tolerance.
Many align themselves with the liberal wing of the Emerging Church and reject the authority of the Bible, whilst embracing the values of Postmodernism. They ridicule and attack Christians who hold to biblical orthodoxy.
Thankfully, it's not all bad news! God has a faithful remnant in this generation as he has had in every other, and we still rejoice that many come to faith each day. We can point to faithful believers who still contend for the truth of the Gospel, to vibrant communities of faith and to societies experiencing transformation through the power of the cross.
Nevertheless, in taking an overview, one would have to conclude that the Church generally has ceased to be a prophetic, subversive and countercultural movement - the hallmarks of the Church birthed by the Holy Spirit in the first century. If the Church is ever to win the battle being waged against her, rediscover her true destiny, sound a clear trumpet call and be the catalyst for the great spiritual awakening we all long for, she first needs to be awakened!
3. The Lord is calling faithful belivers to speak to the Church and nations
The Lord is calling his faithful remnant to battle readiness - prophetic men and women with the anointing of the men of Issachar, the strategists in David’s army (1 Ch 12:32) of whom it’s said, ‘could understand the times and knew what Israel should do’ - in order to speak to the Church and the nations. Winston Churchill, used by God to deliver the world from the tyrannies of Nazi Germany, was such a man.
God is again looking for those who will stand in the gap. Men and women who not only understand the times and know what to do, but who also crucially understand the nature of the battle we face. As mentioned above, it’s not a battle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Eph 6:12).
They understand that unseen forces are at work behind every philosophy and ideology, involved in every political, economic and religious institution, and active in every global event. Like the prophet Elisha, to discern the unseen realm is as important to them as understanding the seen realm.
Though the days ahead will be filled with uncertainty, and no doubt the battle will be hard, they will refuse to take the easy path of appeasement and compromise. Neither will they give their allegiance to any human ruler or institution, nor passively submit to ungodly laws or let injustice go unchallenged. They have given their allegiance to Christ and declare that Jesus, and not Caesar, is Lord.
They will expose and challenge demonic and occult strategies, whether they are found to be operating in the Church, in the government, in global institutions and power structures, or in society generally. They will expose Satan's strategies wherever possible.
Like the prophets Amos and Wilberforce, they will take the fight into the public square. As Paul urged Timothy, they will pray that we may live peaceful and quiet lives (1 Ti 2:2) where the Gospel can be proclaimed in every street, without limitation, and without police interference.
They will empower those with the spirit of a Wesley or Booth, to go and preach the one true Gospel, while there is still time. They will issue a wake-up call to the sleeping Church to make herself ready as a warrior Bride, pure and spotless, clothed in white linen, for the coming Bridegroom King.
Every true believer in Jesus Christ has been called for such a time as this. It's a time to let our light shine and to push back the powers of darkness, so that once again, should the Lord tarry, the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ will cause an unstoppable fire to be lit in these islands. The warrior Bride of Christ will become more assertive and bold, even as the battle intensifies, and as the day of her Bridegroom King’s return draws ever nearer.
They are not numerous, indeed they are few in number. Like Gideon's army they are hand picked and receive battle strategies from the Holy Spirit. Their words and actions will inevitably be subversive to anything that sets itself up against the knowledge of God. They are fearless warriors.
They live as aliens and strangers, having an eschatological hope centred in their eternal destiny (Ro 8:22-25 & Heb11:13-16) and a belief in the imminent return of Jesus. Living day by day with the question: What kind of people ought we to be in order to speed the Lord’s return? (2Pt 3:11-12) they prepare spiritually in order to become a pure and holy Bride, ready for the coming Bridegroom King (Rev 22:17).
At the same time, they reach out to unsaved loved ones and neighbours, knowing the days are short (1Co 7:29) and aware also that until the Gospel is preached to every ethnic group, the Lord will not return (Mt 24:14). They pray, fast and brace themselves spiritually for the coming End-Time trials (Mt 24), whilst calling the sleeping Church and the nation to turn back to God (Joel 2:12-18).
Like John the Baptist, they prepare the way of the Lord's coming:
A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him’ (Matt 3:3)
We believe Christian Spectrum has been called to this!
Every true believer in Jesus Christ has been called for such a time as this. It's a time to let our light shine and to push back the powers of darkness, so that once again, should the Lord tarry, the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ will cause an unstoppable fire to be lit in these islands. The warrior Bride of Christ will become more assertive and bold, even as the battle intensifies, and as the day of her Bridegroom King’s return draws ever nearer . . .