By Tom Hamon

With all that has been happening this last year and half we all are being challenged in new ways.  It feels like the enemy’s plan is working overtime to get the church to lay back and back down in so many ways.  In response to this God has been saturating the church with the powerful revelation of being the The Ekklesia that is called to operate in supernatural power and authority.  This is a true paradigm shift for many Christians.  It is requiring us to begin to move from a comfortable casual civilian mentality to a singular focused soldier’s calling.  This is enlisting Christians to rise up in a new way and believe to do something very strategic which I call ‘Living on a Mission’.  

The Lord illustrated this point to me out of understanding of how the large military community around us operates from day to day.  Our ministry base in Santa Rosa Beach, FL is surrounded by 3 very strategic military bases:  Hurlburt, Tyndall and Eglin Air Force Bases.  Within these bases are housed a very significant contingent of special ops forces.  The interesting truth about these men and women is that if you were to meet them in the community, they would not look much different then anyone else you might meet.  They have their families, their homes, their financial endeavors and stresses just like everyone else. 

The difference in these individuals is they live with an understanding that their life could be interrupted at a moment’s notice if a call has been sent for them to fulfill a mission for their nation. When that call comes they immediately kick into mission mode.  They set normal things aside and fully focus on the mission at hand. 

The difference between these individuals and the normal civilian is that they have devoted themselves to be prepared for times like this.  They’ve already signed up and committed themselves to answer the call.  They have been willing to give themselves to fully engage in preparation and training.  They have purposed to learn about how to work in team, and how to use their weapons and equipment.  They understand the strategies of warfare to win and the strategies of the enemy they are confronting.  Their eyes and lives focus keenly on one thing and one thing only…accomplishing the mission!  They are willing to fully engage their hearts, their gifts and their energies to accomplish the mission that they have been sent on to the point that they are willing to put their life on the line for that purpose. 

There is an interesting scripture in Isaiah 28:6 that speaks to this call.  It says ‘In that day the Lord of hosts will be for a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the remnant of His people, For a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, And for strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate’

God gives special strength to those who are willing to be special forces who will battle at the gates:  the gates of government, education, business, media, family, religion, arts and entertainment.  The battle for culture and our land is always at the gate.  God is looking for a people that are willing to be warriors for righteousness and run to the battle when God calls and shift the battle at the gates of influence! 

However, as a Christian, in order to move from having a civilian mentality to that of a soldier, you have to be willing to do a number of things, such as rise up early at the sound of the trumpet or the prophetic word, stay awake diligently, watch and pray, salute and say ‘Yes Sir’, or‘Yes, Lord’.  You must be trained and equipped by putting on your uniform of spiritual armor.  You must learn to walk in unity with others. You must employ your spiritual weapons of war and listen closely to the commander’s voice especially in the midst of the battle, engaging tirelessly with all your heart to see the battle’s won!

The deterrent to this call to shift culture at the gate is found in the next few verses following this encouragement to bring transformation which states,  “But they also have erred through wine, And through intoxicating drink are out of the way; The priest and the prophet have erred through intoxicating drink, They are swallowed up by wine, They are out of the way through intoxicating drink; They err in vision, they stumble in judgment. For all tables are full of vomit and filth; No place is clean.”

The indictment given by Jeremiah to his generation is a warning to us today as well, that if we become too intoxicated on the world’s opinions, principles and system then, if we are not careful, we will begin to erode our own influence and opportunity to advance the kingdom of God.  Unfortunately, many people work hard to rise to a position in the gate of government or education or entertainment or others only to become enticed and seduced by the spirit of the world and sadly don’t use their position of influence to bring the change God is looking for.  They compromise, lose their way or fall asleep at their post and as scripture describes, they are swallowed up, err in their vision, stumble in their judgment on issues and give way to an unclean spirit. 

Like Joseph, we will be tempted at the gate where God has called us to serve. If we have become drunk on the world’s ways and become conformed to the culture around us, instead of being the transformers we are called to be, then what was meant to be a great force for good (and God) can end up being something that defames the name of the Lord instead. God is looking for a purposeful, powerful, holy Ekklesia that knows what to do when they are positioned at the gate to battle for kingdom influence and advancement in their generation!

Pray with me…God we ask that in the darkness that pervades our times that you would cause a righteous remnant to arise that will be willing to let their light shine and battle at the gates to bring kingdom transformation in their generation!  Keep them focused on the kingdom cause and founded in the precepts of your word. Keep them pure and clean and unpolluted from the world’s influence. Most of all God, cause them to know that they are called each day to live on a mission for you to make a difference when their commander calls!

Our Decree

We Decree…that God will bring a shift in our culture toward righteousness as a nameless, faceless generation chooses to go to the gates of culture and fight for what is right!  We decree that you will raise up an army of special operators that will have the strength and the strategy to open up gates that the King of Glory will enter into gloriously and victoriously in our generation! Amen!