Ferocious Warriors: a fellowship of groaning
Introduction
Whereas the godly of previous generations believed in the intense anger and mercy of the Lord (Num 25:4; Deut 13:17; Rom 2:8; 11:22; Heb 10:27 etc.), a deep sharing in such realities is extremely rare today inside the Church. And outside, they are treated as mere fantasies. Thankfully, the Lord has a strategy to reverse this deception.
Background
In our online Perth Prayer meeting Tuesday someone shared an extremely vivid prophetic dream. He saw two vast armies in confrontation, one representing the kingdom of God’s beloved Son the other the dominion of darkness (Col 1:13). As he watched some of the righteous combatants were suddenly and miraculously transformed into “ferocious warriors” whose glorious startling appearance terrified the host of evil. I saw this miraculous transformation for divine victory was already taking place amongst us. For a little earlier that morning, as at various other times, we had a brother break down loudly in weeping during prayer. For decades I have prophesied that when the men are heard crying in churches revival will have begun. (This is not sexist, just an observation that such lament is already much more common amongst females.) biblically, groaning powerfully initiates divine deliverances.
Old Testament Groaning
The exodus of enslaved Israel from Egypt is the outstanding old covenant example. “Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.” (Ex 2:23-25 ESV). What did “God know”? In entering into his people’s heaven directed laments the Lord knew exactly what he was going to do. “I have heard their cry and I know their sufferings and I have come down to deliver them…” (Ex 3:7-8). For us, the notion of “coming down” is prophetic of the greater exodus from enslavement that was to be achieved through the descent of Jesus from heaven (John 6:38).
Groaning in God
In the Old Testament it is afflicted Israel that groans in a way that proves irresistible to her Maker so that he moves to deliver her (Judges 2:18; Pss 5:1; 12:5; 79:11; 102:20; Mic 4:10). But in the New Testament it is God in Christ who groans.
We see this action of Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus, “he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled” (John 11:33, 38). The resurrection of Lazarus simply follows on from this great miracle of the anguish of God amidst human need. Pre-eminently however, the groans of Jesus are a part of the saving action of his Passion. Hebrews describes the conflict in Gethsemane, “In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.” (Heb 5:7). The Father was so honoured by his Son’s anguished cries in the Garden (Mark 14:36) that he necessarily raised him from death. Christ saw Psalm 22 as prophetic of his sufferings (Mark 15:34). It reads, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?” (Ps 22:1). However intense the momentary afflictions of the Son’s experience of abandonment on the cross, it could not be that he would be finally abandoned. Jesus’ resurrection was a certainty.
If this were not enough to move us, Paul testifies, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” (Rom 8:26). The Spirit’s holy groaning amidst a broken creation will issue in the great delivering action of the resurrection of our bodies (Rom 8:32). Groaning in the purposes of God’s kingdom always climaxes in a mighty saving act.
Groaning in Battle
Ezekiel offers us further insights into the strategic power of groaning. Angels are commanded to mark those who “sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed” in Jerusalem (9:4). In New Testament terms these groaning chosen ones have the mark of the Father and the Lamb on their heads (Rev 14:1). They powerfully resist “the mark of the beast” and receive authority to reign with Christ in the conquest of every evil power (Rev 20:4).
Ezekiel is also commanded to convey the horror of the Lord’s coming judgement upon sinful Jerusalem, “groan; with breaking heart and bitter grief, groan before their eyes” (21:6). These were unforgettable prophetic signs of the reality of the Lord’s pained love for Israel and what her estrangement meant to him. When the Spirit of God succeeds in moving the Church in Australia, inside and outside her buildings, to groan like Ezekiel groaned then a new spiritual day will have come. The notion of an indifferent and distant God will be banished from the hearts of many to the glory of Christ. Surprisingly, the Spirit has drawn my mind to something.
A Fellowship of Groaning
What were the Father’s purposes in having his Son crucified between two thieves? The three shared in physical sufferings, but only two saw the kingdom of God. In his recognition of Jesus as King, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42), the penitent thief showed himself to be a “born again” person (John 3:5). Amidst his groaning unto death this chosen one already knew the power of resurrection hope. His shared sufferings with Jesus and confession of faith were a prophetic sign of the vast multitudes who would across the millennia come to believe in Christ as King. Jesus was thus vastly comforted by his Father. Since we are not living in Ezekiel’s time, nor in the day of Jesus’ dying, what does this talk of suffering triumph mean for us.
Conclusion
Groanings in faith will bring the saving comfort of Christ to masses of lost Australians addicted to personal ease of life. This counter-cultural movement in the Church will release the “ferocious warriors” of my friend’s prophetic dream. Satan and his hosts will be put into disarray by the Spirit-filled groanings of God’s people. Instead of a spirituality that “splits Christ”, let’s accept that the “power of the resurrection” and “the fellowship of the sufferings” (Phil 3:10) are dual dimensions of sharing in the life of the one Lord. The wisdom of Christ’s cross never fails. To him be all honour and praise forever, Amen (1 Tim 1:17).