This word is submitted by David Walters (kathiewalters@mindspring.com)
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GOD'S DESIRE
I arrived early for the Sunday service and sat in a local in church in Macon, Georgia, looking around at the sanctuary. Apart from one or two others, I was the only one there. I looked at the condition of the church and it was well maintained. I had visited this church a number of times over the years. I had even preached there on several occasions; the first time in the mid-eighties
The sanctuary was capable of seating about four hundred. I knew there would be far less in attendance than 400. Probably around seventy or eighty. I began to consider what would be needed to fill that church. I began to imagine what I would do to fill it, if I were the pastor. Make the platform larger? Take the front pews out? Get rid to the grand piano and install a key board? Look for lots of gifted musicians? Change the pulpit to a fiberglass see through podium? Put banners on the walls? Make the meetings more attractive and exciting, in order to draw in lots of young families with kids and lots of young single adults? "Yes Lord I know you want to fill this church, but I'm not quite sure how."
The Lord then answered me and said:
"I am not interested in filling church buildings. I have never been interested in filling church buildings, for it has never been on My agenda. My desire and My agenda is not fill church buildings, but to fill the whole earth with My glory. This has always been My agenda, to fill the heavens and the earth with My glory." He then told me to check it out in the scriptures.
"For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, As the waters cover the sea." (Hab.2:14.)
"Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous things! And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory Amen and Amen." (Ps.72:19)
He then went on to say, "There are many church buildings that are full today, but they have nothing to do with Me. I am not interested in filling church buildings, but many buildings will be filled, because of Me. But this will happen because of the moving of my Spirit upon the earth. When My Spirit moves you will not have enough buildings to contain the sinners and backsliders which will pour into my church. They will fill the streets, the market places, the places of business in the cities. Yes! every area of society will be affected by my mighty outpouring."
"For I am more concerned about nations, countries, cities and villages, than I am about church buildings. I am more concerned about nations, than church affiliations and denominations. For when my people become more concerned about their communities, their cities, their villages and their nations and pray and seek my face and give up their own agendas and come into unity and seek My agenda and My glory, then I will come upon their communities and their cities and their villages and their nations."
"When my people renounce the religious spirit, which has polluted much of My Body and caused division and has weakened My church and made her impotent, then I will hear and answer. When My church refuses to trust in the arm of the flesh, and in human talents, and renounces vain traditions, and casts out spirits of suspicion against herself, and calls upon My name, then I will come and visit her with My great power and presence."
"Expect to see a great sign and wonder which I am waiting to accomplish. Observe what I have already done and am doing in the nations across the world and know that there is nothing to hard for Me. For I am no respecter of persons, or countries, or nations, therefore humble yourselves, renounce the spirits of darkness and evil, repent of your sins and pray for a visitation of My Spirit upon your nation. When my people humble themselves, then I will humble the nations."
David Walters