Sun am 27 January 2019 – Steve Swart

Num. 13:27-30; Josh. 1:2-7; Ex. 18:21; Prov. 13:12; Josh. 3:14-16; Luke 4:18-19; Ex. 14:12-14; (1 Sam. 17:50); (Isa. 54:17); (Prov. 21:1); Prov. 29:2; (Isa. 59:19); (1 Chron. 12:32); Isa. 22:22; (Neh. 4); (Matt. 18:18-19); Jer. 6:16; Isa. 58:12

Is it not time for us to serve the Lord in every domain of our society including governance? It is time for Godly governance! The message that I want to share with you today is about possessing the land, possessing God’s promises. We are in a new season. If you come to Parliament you will see the carpet – there is blue and there is red. For me it is like the Red Sea, we came through the Red Sea in 1994. It was miraculous, we prayed! But where have we been for the last years? We have been in the wilderness. We are standing at the forefront of the Promised Land. It is so important for us to realise that the Lord delivered us in 1994. He delivered us! What did we do? We turned our back on the Lord. Do you know what today signifies? Today is Abortion Sunday; the abortion law that was passed on this day in 1997, resulted in 1.6 million babies having been murdered.

We need to understand where we are as a nation. The Lord is shaking us as a nation but He gives us the answer. One million people were praying together in Bloemfontein and in Pretoria, “Give us Godly governance; give us Godly people in government”. Our nation is in a critical phase but we are standing at the point of the Jordan’s flood in front of us. The river is in flood today, all the issues facing us: land, racism, crime; what is our response going to be? Let us look at some of the words of the Lord. They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit.  But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.” Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it” (Num. 13:27-30).

We have been in the wilderness – the spies have been sent into the Promised Land. What is the response of your spirit going to be? We have the richest wealth in the world: gold, platinum, diamonds; we have such wonderful people, but why are we struggling with poverty, inequality? What is the Lord saying to us? Do we have the spirit of the ten spies? What spirit do you have today for our nation? Caleb and Joshua stood up. They came back with that powerful spirit. Instead of trusting God who brought them through the Red Sea, the people started to murmur. How many of us trust God at this stage? “Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel” (Josh. 1:2). This is the Lord speaking to Joshua. He has given them the Land; He has given them the promises. What is our response when we see what is going on across the world? Are we fearful? Or are we strong as the army of God? No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.  Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go (Josh. 1:5-7). Church, receive that word today! It is such a beautiful promise for every individual here as you face the New Year. You might be facing challenges today, in your family, in your business; our nation is facing challenges, but our God is sovereign! It is time for us to cross over into the new season that the Lord has for this nation. I have been in Parliament for twenty years and I have never seen this; such an excitement as the Church of the Lord is standing up. It is time for the army of the Lord to arise and take up its position; standing for Godly principles. The Lord teaches us how we should elect leaders. Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens (Ex. 18:21). That is why it is an honour for me to be in Parliament to love one another but with boldness to hold one another accountable.

God has a purpose and destiny for this nation that goes back one hundred years. You have heard of it, the prophetic word of the fire revival starting from the tip of South Africa. What about the reformation of the spheres of society? Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But desire fulfilled is a tree of life (Prov. 13:12). We have hope in our nation; one with God is a majority! As we sit like Joshua and look at the prophetic word over this nation by Dr. Jonathan: ‘South Africa get ready for what is about to begin. The men I am going to choose are men set apart for rebuilding the nation. God says men have plundered the house, but God is going to dismantle the works of the enemy. I see people being healed, delivered and being set free. I see corrupt men fleeing the nation because the law is after them. South Africa will arise again. The economy will turn around and become stronger and the wealth of the nation will not be found in the pockets of wicked men but rather it will be shared as all communities rise. I am restoring hope to you South Africa.’ This is what God’s Word is, that was the prophetic word.

So when the people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant before the people,  and when those who carried the ark came into the Jordan, and the feet of the priests carrying the ark were dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the days of harvest),  the waters which were flowing down from above stood and rose up in one heap, a great distance away at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those which were flowing down toward the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. So the people crossed opposite Jericho (Josh. 3:14-16). Are we putting our toes in the water? What are we doing as a nation? Are we stepping out in faith? The children of Israel have been released from Egypt but they murmured and wandered for 40 years in the desert until that generation of unbelievers passed away.

A new leadership was emerging, Joshua and the Lord said it was time to cross over and possess everything they were promised. Remember each one of us has a promise! We are in a similar state, politically, individually, families. The enemy comes like a flood! (Isa. 59:19). The River Jordan was in a flood. There are accusations against you, deception, lies, depression, oppression, problems and situations. The enemy is trying to do this to stop you from crossing over into the Promised Land.

We, the Church have an Issachar anointing, we understand the times and how to respond (1 Chron. 12:32), we are watchmen on the wall! (Neh. 4) We understand the need for justice and restitution in this nation, but we as believers have a ministry of reconciliation and we are commanded to love one another and be peacemakers. It is important to have that voice in parliament. Let us just trust God as we step into the plots of the enemy, as we deal with his accusations against us, the sickness, disease, problems, and pains, curses that you might have through your bloodline and we see the deliverance of the Lord.

This prophetic word that was brought by Barry Maracle on the 1st of January is a word for the world: We stand at the precipice of what I believe will be the greatest move of God that the Kingdom has ever seen on this earth. That is where we are. That is why God is shaking us and moving us forward. We are going to experience God’s favour when you walk into that business deal or in your school, you will have the favour of the Lord. The very judgement of favour that the Lord gives you that was pronounced on your behalf in the courts of heaven, that at the same time announces the demise of the enemy and his plans against you, individually and as a nation (Luke 4:18-19). Church, we need to walk in God’s favour with the understanding that no weapon formed against us shall prosper (Isa. 54:17).

But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever.  The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent” (Ex. 14:13-14). Trust God that those issues that you are dealing with today you will see no more in this year. We trust in God as we take a stand for justice and righteousness, we trust God that we will not see this enemy again. We do not place our trust in men; we pray for the leaders but put our trust in God. God has the heart of the king in his hand (Prov. 21:1).

When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, But when a wicked man rules, people groan (Prov. 29:2). I am talking about Godly governance. We understand that our God is great and He is moving but it takes a remnant to arise, with humility and spiritual authority. Does He not say that He has given you the keys of the Kingdom? (Matt. 18:18-19). I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open (Isa. 22:22). The keys of the house of David; that is governance! He has given that to us as the Church. That is what we are experiencing at the moment as we stand at the threshold of crossing into the Promised Land. He has already given it to us (Josh 1:3). When He shakes the nations to bring us to our knees in repentance, He gives us a kingdom that will not be shaken. He gives us the keys of the kingdom!

We want to be obedient to His words so that they will be a blessing upon us. So we are in a process of going across the Jordan River so we can rebuild the walls of our nation. We are standing at the cross-roads of our nation. Choose the ancient paths! Thus says the Lord, “Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it; And you will find rest for your souls…” (Jer. 6:16). Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; You will raise up the age-old foundations; And you will be called the repairer of the breach, The restorer of the streets in which to dwell (Isa. 58:12). It is important that we understand Godly governance.