I call the next move of God "the seventh Glory Wave." Since I am a pilot, I would probably use the terminology, "the New Horizon," but I think "the Glory Wave" conveys a better application. I look at the spiritual waves like ocean waves coming in on the shores of the Church. Six of these waves have come in already since Martin Luther's time. I think all of us would agree on this if we have studied church history and examined it closely. How many know that as you look at the ocean that every seventh wave is the "big one"?
I want to share an experience with you that started the ball rolling on this glory wave, if I may put it that way. Sometimes the greatest revelations do not come to us in church or in a meeting of some kind. I understand that Martin Luther's revelation did not come as he was climbing the steps of the great cathedral, rather they culminated while he and his friend were riding in a horse and buggy. They both were struck by lightening, and his friend died. It was then, when Martin Luther was so disturbed, that he searched the scriptures diligently to see what the Word of God had to say about justification by faith.
The glory wave became a revelation to my own heart while in travels on a Greyhound bus. Having used my missionary plane since 1946 to get to places quickly, I found that travel by bus left me with little inspiration, especially when the bus stopped at every one-pump town. I had become very weary. I was riding the bus because I was returning with a part I had purchased for my aircraft and was anxious to get it repaired.
Considering the situation I was in, along with the fact that I seemed to be at my lowest ebb spiritually, I was not backslidden, just very discouraged. I do not often have these melancholy experiences, but this was one of the times that I did. I think discouragement is one of the devil's greatest weapons. He was whispering, "What is the use? You will never make it. Better quit preaching. The latter day message is not what it is cracked up to be," and on and on he went. I am sure you can relate. Anyway as we bumped along the road, truly I was in the spiritual back roads.
Suddenly I heard the voice of the Lord say in my ear, "Son, but I am going to send an excellent glory." I straightened up and became alive, for I knew the voice of the Lord from times past. I happened to have a large-print New Testament with me, and at that moment pulled it out of my pocket. When opened, my eyes fell on the verse where Jesus was asking the Father to give to Him the glory which He had had before the world was. This is in John 17:5, "And now, 0 Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." God has a way of getting our attention.
The thought came to me, "Did Jesus backslide and lose it?" Then it dawned on me, and for the first time I saw the significance of what Jesus was asking the Father. I believe Jesus was asking the Father to give Him the glory upon His humanity. Here I had been to Bible School and had the opportunity to hear many great preachers, but for some reason I had never realized the significance of the glory on our humanity. A great door of revelation opened to me. I could see that it was the glory, not only on Jesus's deity, but now on His humanity. The reason He was able to overcome every temptation of the devil and could go all the way to the cross was because of the glory of God enabling Him to do so.
From that moment to this, I have been able to see that, as God's people, we can come to the same source as He did and receive the same glory to overcome all the powers of darkness as He did. I do not think the Church in general has experienced the impact of this truth yet. I must say that the Greyhound bus turned into Elijah's chariot for me.
A scripture in Isaiah 30 has gripped me of late on the seventh glory wave; "Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wound" (verse 26). Some may say this passage only applies to Israel, but I am convinced that it applies just as much to the Zion of God and speaks of the seven-fold revival. In typology, the sun could mean the "Son of God," and the "moon," the "Church of God."
Before proceeding with the seventh glory wave, I think it would be helpful to briefly review what I believe to be the six different waves that have come upon the Church already.
The wave of justification by faith shook the Church and the world at that time. It began when Martin Luther nailed the 95 theses on the door of the Roman Catholic church in Wittenberg, Germany. It started a reaction that brought the other waves up to our present time.
John Wesley and his revelation was almost as reactionary, bringing in the wave of the doctrine of sanctification or holiness. The Bible says without holiness no man shall see God. We embrace these doctrines today and the need for holiness is apparent in ministries and Christians alike in our time.
A.B. Simpson was dying of an incurable disease, and in desperation, saw a revelation in the Word of God on healing, that "with his stripes we are healed" (Is. 53:5). This started a wave of healing that has swept around the world, and millions hold this revelation dear. Even when the doctors say there is no hope, the Bible says there is healing in the atonement.
At the turn of the century, God began to baptize people with the baptism of the Holy Ghost and speaking in other tongues. Not only at Azusa Street in Los Angeles and in Topeka, Kansas, but all around the world men and women were filled with the Spirit and speaking in other tongues as evidence.
In the 1948 revival God sent a wave that swept through the Church around the world. In the providence of God, I was in that great wave. It brought hope, revival and refreshment. It swept across Canada, the United States and around the world. The main doctrine and truth was that the Body of Christ should be one great identity, united in one Body. The main scripture then was John 17:21, "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." There were many fringe benefits. The effects of this wave are still being felt. I have seen it operate in more than twenty different countries.
The sixth wave was the charismatic wave. I do not believe anyone can doubt it was a move of God. Thousands were baptized in the Holy Ghost. It demonstrated that God is no respecter of persons as Roman Catholics, Baptists, Lutherans and many denominational people had their own Acts 2:4 experience. This was at the time of the Jesus movement; even many in the hippie generation received their portion, being saved and filled with the Spirit. Truly God was pouring out His Spirit upon all flesh.
We have briefly covered the six gigantic waves that have left imprints upon the Church and the world. In all honesty we must conclude that these were waves of God and we should embrace them. Now I come to "the seventh Glory Wave." I am overwhelmed as I think of it. I believe this great wave is coming at the appointed time. Habakkuk 2:3 says, "For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry."
In the end-time, the vision itself shall speak. Habakkuk says the glory of God will be revealed from heaven. The visible presence of God will move with the Church, even as the pillar of the cloud moved with Israel in the wilderness. As the time approaches for the ingathering, that sudden supernatural work of God will be done in the earth. "For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth" (Rom. 9:28).
Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard the full extent of the awesome supernatural visitations that the Church will yet experience. For the last-day Church must have the glory of the Old Covenant people, who lived and moved every day with the living, visible presence of God's almighty power and glory.
I see it as a great tidal wave coming in upon the Church, yet I find it hard to describe. I believe it to be a prophetic wave. I am not speaking of just the gift of prophecy, but a prophetic mantle that shall come upon all of God's people. I don't think Joel was speaking about any certain gift, but of an anointing poured upon God's hungry, thirsty people. He was speaking about a prophetic anointing, with prophetic praise and worship, prophetic preaching of the Word, prophetic deacons and elders, a prophetic mantle upon all of the ministries in the Body with the complimentary gifts in operation in power, and souls being added to the Church daily.
How shall I describe what I see in the Spirit? Sometimes I feel like John in the wilderness, a voice crying in the wilderness (John 1:23). Some people think it is too good to be true, but I still declare the message. When the real glory comes into the Church, when faith mixed with the power of God explodes, you will see a repetition of Mark 16:17,18, "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. It gives you a formula for a few things to expect, but there are also other things mentioned in the Bible. Our credentials will not be a piece of paper handed down by some bishop, but, as it was said of Jesus, "a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you" (Acts 2:22). These will be our credentials. Certainly the glory of the latter house will be greater than the former.
What the glory accomplished in Israel will be the same glory found in the Church. When the children of Israel walked under the fire by night and the cloud during the day, nothing could stand before them. Whether it was the Red Sea or the walls of Jericho, it made no difference. They were a threat to their enemies.
Speaking of consecration, when the real glory hits the Church, people will desire the glory more than oil wells, gold mines, sports cars, airplanes, houses or lands; more than popularity or self-aggrandizement. All will become second place. In the Acts of the Apostles, they were so fascinated with their new-found experiences in the Holy Ghost, it is said that they loved not their lives unto death.
At Pentecost when the fire fell, no opposition could stop them. When Peter was threatened not to preach, he refused to quit. On another occasion when the apostles were put in a common prison, an angel released them with directions to, "Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life" (Acts 5:20). Those who put them in jail wondered how they got out. Another time Peter was put in jail, and God dispatched an angel who delivered him from chains and took him through an iron gate out to the street.
As I am writing this my pen will not go fast enough. Am I writing a book or am I preaching? I hope as you read this that you will catch the spirit I feel.
Now let me deal with the purpose of it all. Truly God will take us up the mountain, just as Jesus went up the mountain. But remember, it was when Jesus came down that He met His tests. For instance, He had to cast out a devil from a man that the disciples had failed to deliver; this was right after Jesus had come down from the mountain. It was when Moses came down from the mountain that he also met his difficulties. It was the glory that solved his problems and it will be the same with us today. There is always this practical side of what God is doing through the Church, His people.