“Building a Visible Construction for an Invisible Event”
But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Matt 24:37-39
Many have viewed these passages of scripture within the scope of extreme darkness. At first read it’s apparent that the judgement of God was prompted by the increaseing upon the earth.
Due to an unrighteous spirit, which had taken over the vast majority of the earth’s population, the construction of the ark had been initiated for the purpose of preserving the righteousness of God, which according to scripture, was still resident in Noah and his family.
Thus, “Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” (Gen 6:8)
Right up until the day of the flood, grace was being offered to the entire human race, in spite of their corrupted nature. However, the time finally came when God looked upon humanity and could no longer see His image or likeness in them; only mere flesh.
“Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually and the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” (Gen 6:5-6)
Interesting enough, Noah had to build this enormous vessel purely by faith. Imagine the mockery of the people who watched as Noah continued to build this seemingly ridiculous architecture right in the middle of nowhere.
No doubt, Noah and his family told the people their reasons for being so motivated to complete such a huge task. Imagine the mental wars that Noah had to endure over the course of twenty years. Unlike today, there was no one to assure him that he had heard from God. There were no prophetic confirmations or encouraging seminars or conferences. Even his own family offered limited support; after all it was Noah alone who had heard from God. However, in spite of these enormous obstacles, history records that with grace and faith, Noah built a visible construction for an invisible event.
With out a doubt this depicts the prophetic mind and future works that God has been building in our day. The kingdom structures of the Spirit will take on unusual forms for generations to come. The Spirit of the Lord is currently releasing plans from heaven that do not fit the landscape of past understanding.
During the course of these last few years many leaders have been given extraordinary insight to build a hopeful future in God. Even today countless others are engaging with the glory of heaven, being filled with a profound wisdom and understanding of the ways of God. Some have cried out, “Lord I need more than what I have to overcome the obstacles that stand in my way.” However, like Paul, the Lord is saying, “My grace is sufficient for you.”
The trenches of your trials and tests can make you feel like what you have is not enough to make the journey, but this is a dark deception of the enemy. If very little faith is required to move a mountain, then how much more does it take to build an ark? How much does it take to stay in God? How much faith is required to fulfill the purposes of God in your life? You would have thought that if the entire earth’s population had given themselves over to the lust of their flesh, then God would’ve had to give Noah something extra special to counteract such over whelming odds. Yet history declares otherwise:
THE “ISSUES” OF LIFE
“By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” (Heb 11:7)
What an amazing revelation. The construction of the ark condemned the world, yet preserved the future for all mankind. The construction of the church condemns powers and principalities of the air, thus the preservation of God’s kingdom in the earth.
Arks in Noah’s day are like ministries today, they are just a means to an end. Even if the ark was a shadow and type of Christ, the man Christ was a means to an end, “for we no longer know Him according to the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (2Cor 5:16)
My point is; the ark was not the issue. Christ in the flesh was not the issue; the issue was their purpose. Both were revealed that the works of the enemy might be destroyed and that we might have life, life more abundantly. The man Christ came “to serve, not to be served.” “The word became flesh and dwelt among us so that we could behold His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father.” (Matt 20:28, Jn1:14)
The same holds true for the fivefold ministry. These ministerial functions are not the issue; the issue is their intended design. Yet today, we strive to make them the issue; the focal point of the church. I’m not saying they are insignificant, but their significance is only relevant to their purpose. The function of Noah was the apostle of grace in his day. It was a means to an end. Today, grace and apostleship are a means to an end; they are a means to obedience and faith.
Paul writes:
“Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name.” (Rom 1:5)
THE DAYS OF NOAH…
Once again,imagine the challenge that Noah faced in his day, trying to persuade others to help him build for an event they could not see. Not only was the event invisible, it was beyond anything they could think or imagine. The only way to consider such a challenge was through faith. Even in Noah’s day, “Faith was the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb 11:1)
This is still true today. One of the greatest challenges in the prophetic realm is getting people to build a visible construction for an invisible event. One of the most powerful mandates upon the body of Christ today is, “to walk by faith and not by sight.”
The kingdom of God has advanced into its next level of construction and the only way to participate with work of the Lord, in this hour, is through the spirit of revelation.
“As it was in the days of Noah, so also will the coming of the Son of man be.” Like Noah we must hear from heaven. We must see the invisible realm. Noah saw an ark. Moses saw a burning bush. Joseph saw men bowing before him. Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up. Ezekiel saw a wheel within a wheel. These events and more, through the spirit of revelation and faith made preparation for that which was to come.
SHIFTING GRACE
The grace of God appears to be shifting. Its not that grace itself is shifting; people are shifting in and out of divine grace. While a generalized grace has been afforded to the righteous and unrighteous alike, there’s a realm of grace that is becoming very visible upon those who have continued to walk with God. This is the same grace that enabled Noah to build for the future regardless of the spiritual climate of his day.
Noah witnessed in his time a sudden shift of grace. As a nation we are about to encounter a shift in grace. Not a shift of grace that condemns the world, but a shifting of grace that removes the obstacles of the enemy.
Recently during a Mountain Top gathering, under a strong prophetic anointing, I prophesied these words:
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“Now that which has been invisible will become visible even within the walls of the government of this nation. Many will say, “Oh no, not again. Not another disgrace.” But the spirit of the Lord says, I will take the disgrace and offer my grace. Once again I will heal this nation, and the eyes of other nations will be opened, and they will watch from afar and say, “The Lord is truly with them.”
“Watch those who have turned a deaf ear to the warnings of the nations who long for peace. I have given them grace, grace and more says the Lord; even those you call your enemies. Now watch, I will no longer stand by while the mockers mock at the peace of my kingdom that is destined to rule and reign in this nation and other nations across the world.”
“So I say, “Enough of this childish play! Enough of this mockery! For they are not mocking you, but they are mocking Me,” says the Lord. “Now they will mock no more. For suddenly in the night, the breath of life is taken away from leaders who have given themselves over to ancient spirits of death. Unlike Moses and Abraham, you will have no say in this matter, for it is done,” says the Lord.
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Over the last ten years I can count on one had when a word to this degree has come out of my mouth. Never have I spoken of grace in such a manner. Yet, while I know that the blessings of God rain on the just and unjust alike, the grace of God is truly shifting. On one hand it is abolishing disgrace, while on the other it is removing the obstacles to grace and peace.
A PERFECT GENERATION
This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. (Gen. 6:8)
Being perfect did not mean that Noah had arrived or was without mistakes. It meant that he retained the righteousness of God by not allowing himself to become defiled by the decay of humanity. Noah was a just man; he kept his faith in God, even though 99.9% of the earth’s population plundered into the pit of drunken pleasure. Talk about an intense atmosphere. Atmosphere is established through habitation; so needless to say, the atmosphere in Noah’s day couldn’t get any darker.
A large portion of the body of Christ is currently struggling with their relationship in God. Many are facing difficult decisions in life. Some have even pondered, “Do I stay in Christ or do I walk away?” These are the extreme realities of the day we are living in. Yet, in contrast to the extremities of the enemy, the body of Christ is entering into one of the most powerful times ever in the kingdom of God.
We are transitioning into the perfection of God. Its one thing to have the strength of God in our life, and it’s another thing to have that same strength “perfected” in us. This perfected realm often becomes apparent when you reach a point in your life when you feel like you just can’t go on outside of a divine intervention from the Lord.
In that moment, the invisible construction of the kingdom of God within you, takes your weakest parts and turns them into your greatest strengths. During this time of internal construction you must allow patience to have its perfect work. This same patience was demonstrated toward all mankind while Noah faithfully built an ark in the darkest of times. (1Peter 3:20)
The apostle Paul knew what it was like to be buffeted by the forces of darkness. During one of the weakest hours of his life, he cried out to the Lord for deliverance, and the Lord said,
"My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” 2Cor 2:19
Paul then made a crucial decision in his life to boast in his weaknesses so that the power of God would rest upon him. The end result was being caught into the third heaven; caught up into paradise, where he heard inexpressible words that no man could utter. In that moment, Paul witnessed the strength of God being perfected in his life. (2Cor 124-6)
So it was in the days of Noah. The floods of water finally came bringing with them the affirmation of the Lord. Now this same visible construction that had been resting on the ground of faith and promise was suddenly lifted up by the glory and power of God; the perfection of God had been reserved.
So, I declare to you, “Stay in faith. For the invisible work of God that has been working in you, will soon become visible for all to see. Do not listen to the taunting lies of the enemy when he says, “A hopeful future is nothing more than a figment of your imagination.”
Continue to walk in the humility and authority of the Lord, and at the right time, like Noah, and countless others throughout history, the rains will come, and He will exalt you. Let me encourage you not to grow weary in doing good, for in due season you will reap from the faith you have sown, if you do not give up. (1Peter 5:6-7, Gal 6:9)
“Lift up your heads, O you gates!
And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.” Ps 24:7
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