The 13th SEAPC Conference was not just about unity across national borders but also intergenerational ones. On the second night of the conference, a session was consecrated to dedicate the next generation as intercessory warriors in God’s Kingdom. A sowing of offering was given and the prayers of intercession by the children of this generation rose up to Heaven’s gates.
During the session, a message was shared by Pr Josh Yeoh about a God that transcends every border. God has always chosen people and people groups for His purpose. Those purposes are not confined to a solitary people but to nations. Pr Josh communicated that it is time for the Church to move with God and to shift from a posture of passive praying to one of preparation.
Whatever we pray for – every breakthrough for the Kingdom and every promise – we need to see them in the lens of the future already happening. There is a difference between merely hoping and waiting for things to happen, and actually living in that hope. When God answers our prayers, we must already be prepared and ready for the next step.
This posture of preparation can only take place through various shifts. Firstly, as the Body of Christ worldwide, there must be a shift of heart from independence to interdependence. Today, even the world thinks in terms of globalisation. As a united Body of Christ on the spiritual battlefront, we must also be progressing and not lag behind.
How do we know that God thinks in terms of nations? We see this in Genesis 12:1-3, in God’s calling to Abraham’s seed to be a blessing unto the nations. God deeply connects the destiny of people groups, and our calling depends on one another. From this one calling to Abraham and his seed, the nations become intertwined in their destinies.
Wherever we are, we are called to think in terms and with a vision that go beyond our shores. This is encapsulated in the Great Commission. There are few testimonies in Scripture with more power and relevance surrounding this call than that of Paul’s. From a hardcore Jew, persecuting Christians, he transformed to become the Apostle to not just the Jews, but also the Gentiles. At Antioch, he initiated what became the first of many missionary journeys, making numerous trips not just across land, but even across seas. Later, the Macedonian Call became a major model for today’s Church.
In order to heed the Macedonian Call, we are also called, as a people, to shift from an attitude of fear to that of courage. Courage is the ability to transcend challenges and push on despite trials and hostility. What brings courage?
Firstly, love. For it is written in Scripture, to our edification, that perfect love casts out all fear (1 John 4:18). In all that we do, we must be motivated by love; reaching out to the lost and destitute. Only love can help us to go beyond our circle of comfort zone and keep us pushing on in perseverance.
Secondly, see ourselves within God’s storyline. This is what will help us to keep our paths direct and undeviating. Be aware of what God is doing in this world and see where our part fits into it. Though times may become difficult, there is already a promise, and an assurance, that the glory of our God is greater than the darkness.
In this revelation, every generation has a part to play. For God is a God of generations, and the story of God’s fulfilment of Jesus coming depends on the generations. Throughout Scripture, we see this model. Moses was called to lead the people out of bondage, Joshua to lead them into the Promised Land. Elijah had great anointing, Elisha had double portion of that anointing. David had the vision for the Temple of God, Solomon’s role was to bring that vision to reality. In each case, the older men laid the foundation, the younger men build on that foundation and brought them to completion.
In Acts 2:17, a great promise was given to the Church. The younger generation will prophesy and see visions, the older generation will dream dreams. Dreams in this context are the hopeful anticipation of that which is good, vision something seen or perceived during such an experience.
Pr Josh shared that it is essential to the younger generation that they inherit dreams from the older generation. In Acts 13:36, we see an example of this generational mandate. Though it was Solomon who built the temple and brought it to reality, it was because David first had that hopeful expectancy. The verse states that David had done the will of God in his own generation.
The generations cannot exist in isolation. Just like the nations, the generations are intertwined within God’s destiny for His Church. This intergenerational calling is a divine mandate in God’s Kingdom. And if we heed this mandate, when the day comes, the troops will be willing on the day of battle, and the young will come prepared and our strength will be renewed like the dew from the morning’s womb (Psalm 110:3). In all of this, there is a call for unity, across multiple borders, to care for the widow and the orphan.
NOTE: All pictures from the conference kindly provided by the organisers of the conference.
|Share The Great News|
Jason Law
Leave a Reply