God has a plan for our lives, our families, our churches, our cities, the nations, and the world. But He doesn't just wing it and say, "I wonder what I'll do today?" God knows what He's doing. God has a plan, and it always comes to pass the same way.

In the book of beginnings, Genesis 1, God shows how He always accomplishes His plan on the earth.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, "Let there be light; and there was light."
(Gen. 1:1-3)

Notice that two things happened here. In verse 3, God said, "Let there be light." But something happened before He said that. Verse 2 says, "...the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters."

The first thing God showed us is that in order to accomplish what He wanted accomplished on the earth it took two things: God spoke the Word, and the Holy Spirit moved.

When God said, "Let there be light," the Spirit of God, who was already moving, hooked up with and confirmed the Word with signs following, and then there was light. This is God's way: He speaks His Word, and the Spirit of God confirms the Word.

The move of the Holy Spirit is not some wild, emotional kind of move. It is God putting forth His Word and then confirming that Word with signs following. Whatever Word we preach, God will confirm with signs following. It's not that we don't have to have preaching and teaching anymore. No, we need a combination of the Word and the Spirit.

The way God is going to move is to send forth His Word along with an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the latter rain, that will confirm everything that has been preached for the last 2000 years. We are right on the edge of this great outpouring. We are at the final hour! It is going to take a move of the Holy Spirit for God's plan to be fulfilled. But we have to be careful not to miss what God is doing.

Get Ready for Changes!
God never changes, but He emphasizes different things at different times in Church history. John the Baptist, for example, was sensitive to the fact that God was preparing him to point others to the next move of God - the ministry of Jesus.

John said, "There's one coming who is mightier than I. I'm not worthy to unloose His shoes. I'm what God is doing now - I have the message of the hour, but don't stay here, because there is Someone greater coming. I must decrease so He can increase."

He was trying to tell his followers that a change was coming, and when it came, they were to move with it. John 1:29 says, "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, 'Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.'"

John's disciples watched while he baptized Jesus. He was saying, "Look, I've been talking to you about one coming who is greater than I. There He is!" But only two disciples left John the Baptist and followed Jesus. They weren't disloyal; they just saw the next wave coming. Before long, John's ministry was complete.

And later Jesus said, "I must go, because it's more profitable for you if I do" (John 16:7). The disciples didn't want Him to go, but His leaving led to the next move - the coming of the Holy Ghost, who would deliver to mankind everything Jesus purchased at redemption.

Source: Blood, Fire and Vapor of Smoke by Mark Brazee
Excerpt permission granted by Mark Brazee Ministries