Preparing the Bride of Christ For His Return

“Are you ready?”

I heard a voice speak these powerful words while I was in a deep sleep. Startled by the words, I woke up. Who was speaking? My first thought suggested the man with whom my husband and I were staying in South Africa. I waited for a response, but saw no-one was there. Then I knew I’d heard the audible voice of the Lord.
This stirred my spirit deeply, as the Lord has been speaking to me about the end-time harvest. He’s asking us at this time: “Are you ready?”
People of God; we live in a strategic hour of history. The Lord is calling us to prepare for this time. We must align ourselves with God to receive His blessing and not His judgment. Our assignment will flow out of our intimate walk with God.
The Lord has many different assignments for His children. Each of us has different gifts, and the Lord gives us different callings. We read in Hosea 4:6: “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.” We need to search the heart of God. God asks a critical question in the book of Joel: “The Day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful, who can endure it?” (Joel 2:11b).
We are on a journey of understanding God’s heart and His plan for the end of the age. “Are you ready?”
We’re called to rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Though storms surround us, the glory of the Lord rises on us. We must lift our eyes, look around us, and understand the times in which we live. We’re called to witness to the glory of God and to “arise and shine.” The Lord wants our suffering to reveal His glory in us (Rom. 8:18). The Lord desires His glory to be released across our land.
His purpose is to raise up the name of Jesus, and for all people to know His glory, majesty, greatness, faithfulness, immeasurable love, long suffering and patience. As we get to know each of His attributes through the Holy Spirit within us, we comprehend who He is.
God wants us to know Him through our suffering, using even the most painful situations for His glory and our good. “But the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits” (Dan. 11:32 NKJV). God wants us to do great things for His kingdom. As we get to know Him through understanding how to deal with suffering, we can achieve great exploits for His glory. Then others will see the work of our great God and desire to serve Him.
When we’re young in Christ, God accepts us as babes. However, there comes a time, when He begins to deal with us as sons and daughters. As in the physical, so it is in the spiritual there is a process of maturing. The ultimate call is to be the mature, spotless bride.
During this time of preparation we’re led into battle, and the war is over the purity of our heart. Before Jesus was led to do wonders, He was led to do battle. The Father proved the character of His Son through conflict. He was tempted. Tempted actually means “tested” or “proven in adversity.” As we grasp this concept, we are able to endure and overcome through God’s empowering grace.
What is the urgent need? To pray for the Holy Spirit to come and fill our hearts, the hearts of our families, churches, cities, and our nations: that His Glory will cover our land. The forces of the enemy are gaining strength, but “greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). The war against the hordes of darkness is not won by using our own resources, but by releasing the light. Then darkness has to flee. As we release the light, God’s glory will cover our land.
God calls us into His kingdom and glory. He not only wants us in His kingdom but also filled with the glory of His kingdom. Then it can be released and cover our land from sea to sea, and fulfill the promises of His Word.
As we seek higher levels of God’s glory, it is essential to remain properly placed in His divine presence. Being properly placed means staying “hidden” in Christ. He covers us with His wings and hides us in Himself. In the secret place God reveals His secret plans and gives us strategies to overcome the enemy, and achieve victory. It is here we develop a passion to understand the mysteries of God. From this resting place we move from faith to faith, strength to strength, and glory to glory.
As we gain new levels of faith, God gives us strength for each new level and empowers us to embrace greater levels of His glory. As my faith grew, He empowered me to be an overcomer in the battle, and so I began to embrace the glory. As I came to experience greater levels, His glory hit me. I collapsed, groaning in His presence.
Overwhelmed with His love, I saw how Jesus is “conquered” by His bride’s extravagant love, how our devotion deeply touches His heart. Our minds cannot grasp how all the armies in hell cannot conquer Jesus, but the eyes of His bride “conquer” Him when they remain true to Him in testing. Jesus says in Song of Solomon 6:5: “Turn your eyes from me; they overwhelm me.” This is the love I felt coming from my Heavenly Bridegroom. When God allows the human spirit to see, if only a glimpse of the heavenly Bridegroom, it is the most powerful experience. The Lord is calling His bride to make herself ready!

Janet Van Hierden