The other day the Lord was talking to me about the Manna Generation. These are those who were fed with manna when the Israelites wandered for forty years in the wilderness after disobeying the Lord. He fed them with manna which appeared on the ground in the mornings. It was miraculous, but it wasn't God's best for them. His best was for them to go into the Promised Land, conquer it, work the land, and live in it as He had called them to. Just like He told Adam and Eve to have dominion over the earth and placed them in a garden to dress and keep it, He wanted the Israelites to work the land He promised to them and live in it.
So the manna wasn't God's best for them. It was to bide time until that unbelieving generation passed away. They were a generation who didn't want to work hard for their food. They weren't willing to fight the giants. They didn't have the courage, perseverance or determination. In the same way, we have those today who want to feed off of other people's revelation. Those who do not take the time, energy or whatever is needed to receive fresh bread from heaven for themselves. Jesus is the fresh bread. There comes a point in time where it's not enough for us to live off of other people's revelation--the revelation that we haven't worked for. The revelation that comes as a result of us pressing in and seeking Him for ourselves.
The Lord doesn't want us to expect others to feed us forever. We can travel from place to place, church to church feeding off other messages, but that is not meant to replace the fresh bread we are to prepare ourselves. I'm not saying God doesn't want us to listen to others, He does at times. This is how babies get fed. They listen to good preaching and teaching and haven't learned a whole lot on their own yet. They need this milk, and it's a good thing. It's a good thing for us to continue to listen to the preachers, pastors, and prophets as we mature too. But this will not be able to replace the fresh bread. There comes a time when we have to chew our own food. We can't expect others to prepare our food and spoon feed us all the time.
The Word is always available to us. We need to take the time to read it and meditate on it while seeking the Lord. We need to be sure we're not allowing the giants to scare us off or distract us away from getting into the place where we prepare our own food. When we press in to Him, we will receive the revelation, the fresh bread. This is what Jesus said He would build His ekklesia, His church on.
Matthew 16:13-20
13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” 15 He *said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” 20 Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ.
Jesus is not building His church on Peter, but on the revelation that Jesus is the Christ. The revelation of who Jesus is. That is the rock--the revelation of who He is. All of us need to receive that revelation from the Father. The Father draws us and reveals to us who Jesus is. John 6:44. This is the revelation that the church will be built on.
Father God, in Jesus' name, I pray You stir up the hearts of the people in Waterford and surrounding communities so they desire and hunger to press in and seek Jesus as the living bread, and to get to know Him and receive revelation of who He is. We want revelation from You as to who Jesus is. We want the right, the true, and accurate revelation of Your Son. We don't want to see just who we've made Him out in our mind to be. We want the truth of who He really is. I pray this for all the churches, the Christians, Your people, and those not yet Your people, that they receive this fresh bread. That they hunger for it, not for a distorted view that they've carried in their mind, or a historical view of Jesus, or one that everyone else has told them about, we pray they hunger for an intimate knowledge of Jesus themselves that is real and true and current.
The seven sons of Sceva tried to cast out demons in the name of "Jesus whom Paul preaches." It didn't work and the demons did not recognize them or the authority of Jesus through them. We must have our own knowledge and revelation of the Lord. We must make a decision to have the courage, determination, and perseverance to go after it for ourselves and stand against any giants that would try and rob that from us. We declare this hunger and determination to come over Waterford, and all of God's people in southeast Michigan!
We cry out to You holy Father, and seek to receive this fresh revelation of who Jesus is. Let a wave of this hunger sweep through southeast Michigan. That people seek You for their own fresh bread. Build Your church, Your governing body upon this rock.
We thank You for answering our prayers, and moving amongst the people. We ask that the heavenly host of heaven work to bring this to pass in this area so as many as possible receive this revelation of Jesus. We release it into the region now--revelation from the Father--to those hearts who are seeking Him, and the truth of who Jesus is. We release the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the desire for it. We loose it into the region now. We give You thanks and praise in Jesus name.