Word given by Rick Joyner on 5/31/02 for Germany Germany is one of the most strategic nations on earth, both spiritually and economically, and will again be a great military power. This is a nation of doers that must have a vision. Without a clear and noble vision, racism, national intolerance of others, anger, and cruelty will again sink its roots deep into the German culture and seek to direct its future. Steered with strong and noble leadership, Germany can become a powerful force for good in the world, healing the many ethnic conflicts within Europe and the Middle East. One thing that Germany will not be is neutral. There is a calling on Germany to continue spearheading the Reformation of the church. Because of this the enemy is seeking to raise the level of religious intolerance and suspicion of all but mainline religious groups to thwart this nation's ultimate purpose.

Spiritually and politically there are many leaders arising in Germany that are truly a new breed. These have been patiently waiting for their time, maturing in their vision and resolve. They will soon be ready to lead. However, there will be a great battle between the forces of liberty and those of intolerance and tyranny. The direction the government takes in relation to religious liberty will be the direction it takes in regard to political liberty as well. Germany will either have true freedom or again be subject to oppressors. If Germany chooses freedom, there is a strong enough moral center in the cultural heart of Germany that will not continue to tolerate the moral and spiritual pollution that is now the norm for much of Europe. Germany will then begin to set a separate course from the rest of Europe. Germany has one of the greatest potentials of any nation on earth to build a free society that is not overcome with moral corruption and pollution. Of all the people on earth who have a law in their hearts, Germans are near the top. They want to do what is right, and with the right spiritual and political leadership they can become one of the greatest moral nations on the earth.

The great danger for such a strong and resourceful people is that when the devil sees he cannot stop them in a matter, he will get behind them and push them too far. Becoming reactionary and extremists will always be a danger for this nation, but becoming a nation of noble and decisive action is its calling.

Even though Satan has tried to place his throne in the heart of Germany, Germans will be some of the first to respond to the gospel of the kingdom of God, and to bow before the throne of the King of kings. Germany is called to bring life and healing to all the places the devil has used them to bring destruction and death.

German leaders will one day join with the spiritual leaders of Britain and Russia to form a cord of three strands that will not be easily broken. Germany will also become one of the greatest friends of God's purpose for Israel and the Jewish people. Israel will love Germany and Germany will love Israel. These two nations are more alike than any two nations on earth at this time, and they will soon "discover" each other in a wonderful and powerful way.

Communism will continue to erode as the basis for life and government in China, even if at times it seems to swing back toward more hard-line communist policies. After the terrible confusion of the Cultural Revolution, the gradual way in which the leaders of China allowed the shift from communism to a market-based economy was done with wisdom. Had China tried to implement these changes as fast as the Soviet Union, it would have created another terrible human tragedy. A stable, prospering China is in the best interest of the world, and the gradual opening of China spiritually is also in the best interest of truth and the kingdom. If the door opens too fast, the sects and cults will swarm over China like they did the former Soviet Union. Even so, there are still hard-line communist elements in China that represent a threat to their continued development as an open society. These are also a major threat to world peace. There are long-range plans on the part of some in the leadership of China to possess the Middle East and its oil reserves. The gradual but unrelenting pursuit of this purpose is a major force contributing to the destabilization of the Middle East.

We were prophetically warned during the 1980s "communism will soon become commu-wasm" but that the "remnants of communism would combine with radical Islamic elements to create the worst danger that the world has ever faced." China is the largest remnant of communism, and they are working with and using Islamic extremist groups. If this course is continued, it will ultimately result in a greater and more dangerous destabilization of the world than experienced during the Cold War. Many in China see this destabilization as their national interest, and desire to make China into a superpower that can counter the United States just as the Soviets once did. There are also elements within the leadership of China that desire to develop as an economic superpower more than a military superpower, using economic power to steer world affairs toward China's interests. These are more noble-minded and have a vision for world peace and prosperity. These two different groups are counter-balancing powers within the Chinese leadership at this time, and the reason we seem to be dealing with two different faces in the Chinese leadership.

In the pendulum of world affairs, China is one of the most strategic nations in the world. The direction they take will be a major determining factor in how much time is left for the harvest. We need to pray for Chinese government leaders, and our own leaders in their dealings with China. Christians should be especially open to developing spiritual, cultural, and business relationships in China. We must always remember that we are not warring against flesh and blood, and the devil's intent on manipulating human politics is usually very different than the actual political ambitions of the people he uses. The enemy's main intent is to kill and destroy, especially the Jewish people and Christians.

His greatest victory is to get Christians fighting Christians, or Christians attacking the Jewish people. Like a chess master who stays focused on the real prize, the checkmate of the enemy's king, the devil, only uses human politics to facilitate his ultimate goal: thwarting the Lord's last day purposes that will be manifested through the church and Israel. It is because many of the great leaders of the last day church are going to come from both China and Russia that the enemy also has a major strategy to ignite a war between Russia and China, and to continue using both of these nations to destabilize the Middle East.

We must pray for the peace of these two countries, and not drop our guard when it appears that cooperation and peace are growing between them. As friends, they can become two of the strongest and most stable countries in the world. As enemies, they can sow discord and death throughout the world. Pray for the Lord to continue sending laborers for the great harvest in both of these countries.

Word given by Rick Joyner on 5/31/02 for New Zealand New Zealand is one of the great missionary nations on earth. If the size of a nation was based on the good it has done on the earth, New Zealand would be one of the largest nations on earth. In heaven, New Zealand is one of the most important nations, providing us with many leaders who are the true salt and light of the world.

It is because of the great missionary calling on New Zealand that it may seem hard to sustain spiritual advances at home. For New Zealanders, the world is their land of anointing, and because they are called to go forth, the fire and light that will burn in the churches at home will be related to their devotion to missions.

New Zealanders are called to be like the adrenaline of the body of Christ. They will be sent especially to the lukewarm to light fires of renewal and revival before they are lost. New Zealanders have had, and will continue to have, some of the most effective ministries to the youth and children. At the end, many nations will recognize their debt to New Zealand and her missionaries.

As racial reconciliation proceeds in New Zealand, the church will prosper in all ways and spread good will over the earth. Her greatest enemy is apathy. Her greatest strength is zeal.

May 20, 2002

Last week we discussed Ephesians 3:10, which explains our calling to be witnesses to principalities and powers. The next verse states that , "This (being a witness to principalities) was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord." Therefore, this is something we must take seriously. This also keeps us in touch with the perspective that our actions on earth have consequences in the heavenly realm. As we mature in Christ, the spiritual realm and the interaction between earth and heaven, should become more and more real to us. However, the most important aspect of this is stated in the next verse, Ephesians 3:12: in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. Boldness and confident access to the Father does not mean arrogant access. Our boldness and confidence is always in the blood of Jesus, not in our own righteousness or even who we are in Christ, but in Who He is in us. Whenever our boldness is based on our own actions or standing, we are in jeopardy of a terrible fall that is always the result of pride. However, when our boldness and confidence is in the cross, we will be bolder and more confident than we could ever be when we are trying to stand on our own righteousness or strength.

This is where we need to separate pride from faith, and true humility from false humility. Pride is focused on ourselves, what we have done, or who we think we are. Faith is always focused on God, what He has done and who He is. When God is the source of our boldness and confidence it will never be arrogant. This is why we are told in I Corinthians13:4-5, "Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own." This is why true Christian maturity is reflected by boldness and confidence in all things that cannot be experienced otherwise.

Yet, this boldness has all of the grace and dignity of true humility that is not self-seeking, arrogant, or presumptuous. How could anyone who has truly beheld the cross not be humbled before it, and before the One who left glory to pay such a price for our salvation. Because of that, we are perpetually humbled and emboldened. We are humbled because He truly is worthy of all honor, glory, and dominion. For us to presume that we are deserving of any in comparison is a terrible and base delusion, but we are emboldened because He loves us that much! We have boldness and confident access to the Father because we know that He loves us. This sounds elementary, but many Christians have a concept of the Father as being the God of the Old Testament who would smite us if it were not for the atonement of the cross. In this we forget that it was the Father who so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son for our salvation. Jesus perfectly reflected the Father while on the earth, and all the compassion He had for sinners and the oppressed is a direct reflection of the compassion that the Father has for us. God is love, and because of His love we can come boldly before Him and know that He will not only accept us, but desires for us to draw closer to Him. When we perceive His love, and the completeness of the atonement to cover our transgressions, we can come before the Lord with the same boldness regardless of how good or bad we have been. We are not coming on our own righteousness, and His sacrifice was enough to pay for even our worse sin.

Therefore, we should learn to run to Him when we sin, not away from Him. Only from Him can we receive the grace we need. The ultimate strength of all Christians will be determined by our willingness to use the access we have been given to the throne of God. It is here that the truth we believe becomes the life that we live. We begin by coming for the grace we need. As we grow we will start coming to Him just to be with Him. Remember, that we do not have to wait to be mature or perfect to come before Him, but we are mature and perfected by coming before Him.

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