It was a picture perfect day on the central coast in California. I was with some friends standing on a pier basking in the sunshine and watching their son master some good size waves. With ease he maneuvered into position and eyed each on coming wave knowing the right ride as well as when to paddle to harness its hurling force. He made it look easy but knowing from my puny past attempts there is an art to this exhilarating adventure that takes experience.

 

Recently in my spirit I sense God is preparing to send another move of His Spirit. Waves of His presence, that will demonstrate His glory and prepare His church for a new gospel season where a mighty harvest will take place around the world.

 

I affirm that God’s Spirit is Sovereign and yet as His children we still have a responsibility to position ourselves to catch the wave of grace just as they did in the book of Acts. For the next few weeks I want to focus on a few themes that prepare our hearts to catch the next move of God.

 

One of the reasons I sense a new wave is beginning to swell is because of what many in the body of Christ have been facing of late. Just last week two men shared with me about their season of “the dark night of the soul.” Where God seems distant and darkness seems to be their closet friend. Others have shared physical battles, marriage crisis, tragic deaths, and loss of jobs, major transitions, and intense spiritual battles in ministries.

 

From Scripture as well as history when a new wave is about to break forth there is a season of refining that seems to break over the people of God like pounding painful waves leaving you powerless. Our Father uses these test and trials to strip away self in order to make more room for the Spirit of Christ’s love to reign in our hearts. Paul affirms this refining work from our Father when he tells us to:

 

Rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit… (Rom. 5:3-5).

 

If you are going through a season of refining take heart and have hope that your Good Father is positioning you for a new wave of His Spirit and the harvest that will follow. Peter said as well to a people suffering:

 

These have come so that your faith of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him…and believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy… (I Peter 1:7-8).

 

Keep waiting with arms stretched high taking ahold of the hope of Heaven’s love- that the wave is on the way!