Background
On the 27th June [2009] a Marketplace Transformation seminar was held in Perth featuring Barbara Chan from Hong Kong. Barbara focussed on how God had taught her various lessons over the years, including a new paradigm about the marketplace, the importance of intercession and the Father’s heart. Much of the teaching echoed the writings of Ed Silvoso, but the transformation theme is also familiar to those who saw the two series of this name produced by George Otis jnr. Having observed a repeated pattern in Perth over the years, initial enthusiasm about transformation followed by relapse to the status quo, I proceeded to ask the Lord what was holding back a lasting move of the Holy Spirit.
Repent of Cynicism
At the seminar coffee break I was chatting with someone from Singapore who started to list off the nations around the globe where real transformation seemed to be occurring. He then passed a comment on the “laid back” attitude of Australians and how that seemed to be impeding what God wanted to do in this nation.
Returning to the seminar, I could not help but notice that as Barbara was speaking a number of folk were literally “laying back” in their seats with their arms spread-eagled over their chairs. As I continue in prayer about this I felt the Lord communicated the following.
Mainstream Australian culture considers itself to be very “street-wise” in relation to judgement. We know how this nation was formed, how its roots go back to the negative judgement passed against those who were forced to come here as convicts 200 plus years ago. We “know” that our politicians don’t really love us and that most authority is self-serving. There is a deeply embedded cynicism about the role of judgement. Very few Australians (migrants do not initially think like this) believe that God is a God of unqualified or unconditional blessing. We believe in our hearts that God is like a “hard man” (Matt 25:24) rather than a Father who blesses his children before they do anything (Gen 1:28).
Our stubborn confidence that we know the ways of God in judgement must be repented of with humility (2 Chron 7:14), then we will be open to receive the blessings God already has for us. We need to repent of the cynical judgment we have passed against God as a Father. Since such matters begin with the household of God (1 Pet 4:17) I believe that this has the following implications for the people of God in the marketplace.
Give Judgement for Jesus
We are all seated with Christ in the heavenly places (Eph 1:20; 2:6). For Christ to be seated, is for him to be in a position from where judgement is given (2 Cor 5:10 cf. John 19:13). Australians are familiar with John 3:16, ““For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”, but they will never embrace John 3:16 until they can see the truth of John 3:17, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” Australians think that God is essentially a condemning God.
The people of God need to bring our nation through a spiritual climate of judgement into a zone where “judgement is taken away” (the work of the cross) then into the Father’s heart which is beyond all fear of judgement. “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” (John 5:24 cf. Lam 3:32-33). This alteration of the spiritual climate over the marketplace in Australia will come when the people of God have left behind their cynicism and “Give judgement for Jesus.” Let me explain what this expression means.
Being seated with Christ we have the authority to pass a positive judgement of blessing on those who are around us in our workplaces, streets, shops etc. Spiritually, we already have access to the court room of God and we need to vigorously embrace this and to start speaking words of grace and help over those in need (Heb 4:16). In this way the spiritual strongholds of negativity over the land will fall and there will be a widespread revelation that the highest of all courts is the heart of the Father and his verdict on Jesus is unconditional unlimited blessing. I see that when this happens people will race to be in relationship with Jesus and transformation will flood the marketplace.