Homepage | News & reports | Notes | Prayer groups | Prayer letter | Contact us

Special Racism Report A CHRISTIAN RESPONSE TO THE 'WORLD CONFERENCE AGAINST RACISM', DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA Meeting on the Mountain is a prophetic group of pastors and intercessors in Cape Town, South Africa, led by Johan Boot. Copyright © 2001 Propheticfire.com 30 August 2001 In this special report we hope to give a biblical and prophetic perspective regarding the Lord's call to His Church's regarding racism. Racism is the one issue which the Church far too easily ignores. Racism stands as the 'giants in Canaan' and few have the faith and conviction to cross the Jordan of 'death to self', in order to possess the promised land of a new identity, family and life in Christ. May God grant us vision and faith to become a united Body who truly carries the Ministry of Reconciliation, in love and humility to a broken world.   The Cross - The Birthing Of One New Man "For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility&ldots;. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility." (Eph 2:14-16 ) Racism stands absolutely opposed to the idea of the one new man in Christ. The Father's desire and purpose in Christ was to create a new people group called the 'sons of God'. Through Christ's death on the cross, He established a path of reconciliation, the end of hostility, the bringing of peace and then the creation of a new family in Him.   Reconciliation to God through the cross Reconciliation which leads to true spiritual unity does not start with reconciliation between racial groups. Instead it starts when different groups individually become reconciled to God first. Racial reconciliation with God means that I reject my own ‘rights’, and accept the responsibility as a son and daughter in the kingdom. A group’s racial ‘anger’ is really anger at God for what He has allowed in their lives. God desires for each group to become reconciled with Him, through the death and resurrection principle of the cross. He desires for us to surrender our ‘issues’ and ‘rights’ at the cross, allow it to die, in order that He might pour new life into us. As long as we hold onto our ‘natural rights’ for things such as restitution and revenge, we negate our spiritual rights as sons and daughters of the King. God wants us to make peace with Him, for He says, "Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. Therefore ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Rom 12:19-21   Peace through death Peace comes through the cross. True and lasting peace comes through death. God wants the ‘old things’ to die, for we are all of a ‘new species’ in Him. He has no regard for the former. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation." (II Cor 5:17-19)   One new man created in Christ Once the individual groups have been reconciled with God through death, Christ creates in Himself one new man. This is a sovereign work of God by His Spirit. We cannot manufacture this. We simply need to wait in Christ until he forms one new man in Himself from the different groups. Christ desires to bring forth a people who has His mind and heart and who sees things from His point of view. We need to become hidden in Christ, where the world cannot understand us, for we have rejected our ‘own’ and have embraced the kingdom of God. Today "we are ambassadors for Christ", called to represent our Father and Lord and the household of God, and are given the ministry of reconciliation in calling people to become reconciled with God and united together in the Body of Christ - His Church." (2 Cor 5:20)   Racism Racism has little to do with colour or language. It accepts you if you think and act like it. Racism is one of the many faces of pride. It is superior and self-sufficient. Racism is bold. It is independent. It values and seeks its own. Racism hides behind the mask of fallen mankind. It arguments according to the basic human principles of this world. Racism believes it is normal. Yet, Racism excludes those who are different. Racism justifies its own actions. Racism is cold - builds walls. Racism does not see the pain of ‘others’. The life of Racism springs from the love of its own. The power of Racism comes from pride in its own. Racism is simply an exclusive, self-seeking, puffed-up beast ready to overpower and if necessary devour all ‘others’. Racism knows no peace with ‘others’. Racism is always hostile to ‘others’. Racism loves its own. Yet, Christ loves all...   Statistics A Markinor study has shown that only 8% percent of people had a person of another racial group in his or her circle of close friends. Only 13% had a person of another racial group as a friend in their wider circle of friends. What does the church look like?   Breaking the stronghold of racism We need to respond to the call of unity, for there the Lord commands the blessing and life forevermore (Ps 133:3). We need to shake the dust from ourselves, boldly obey the word of the Lord and embrace the work of the cross. Here follows a few simple guidelines for the breaking of the stronghold of racism in our lives.  * Honesty. Allow the Holy Spirit to shine His light into your heart regarding superiority, pride and arrogance. Ask the Lord to show you the roots of fear, bitterness, vain imaginations and self-love in your own life in relation to racial prejudice.  * Accept God’s remedy. The key to freedom from racism is death. No amount of repentance, restitution, warfare or prayer can substitute the work of the cross. We need to die to our natural heritage, in order to truly enter our spiritual heritage. Many will gladly repent of yesterday’s ‘bad fruit’, but will find it really difficult to allow the root of pride to be completely destroyed in their lives. Racism is ugly, but it is also very ‘self-gratifying’ to the flesh at times. We need to hate this pride in our lives in order to be willing to surrender it unto death on the cross.  * Surrender your pride. Give your cultural and racial prejudice over to God. Surrender it into His hands and declare Him the Lord over it. This process of surrender may take some time, even weeks or months, as the Holy Spirit will continually bring issues to the surface. Simply repent and ‘cast it’ root and all unto the Lord. You will experience the liberating power of God setting you free, as things are allowed to die upon the cross. You need to continue to surrender an issue until you know in your heart that the ‘root’ has died.  * Surrender your pain. Many of you carry much pain regarding racism in your heart. You need to surrender your pain to the Lord and stop holding unto your ‘right’ for justification and restitution. Unless you let go, you will always remain a ‘victim’ of racism. By surrendering your natural ‘right’ you are really exchanging your ‘pain’ for the joy of the Lord.  * Look to the Lord. The Lord is your Redeemer and Helper. Focus upon Him. Do not focus on the evil that you see in the world, others or even yourself. Simply focus on following the Lord in obedience. Many times the enemy would want you to become focussed upon him, but do not be distracted. You cannot be delivered from the 'demon of racism', for racism is part the natural man. At the cross and through the work of the Spirit, we die to it, and are then rised up together with many 'others' to form the household of God. Follow the guidance of the Spirit and He will lead you to liberty and life, and will destroy all the power of the enemy in these areas.  * Share your liberty. Share your liberty from racism with those close to you. This will encourage them to do the same. But more importantly you need to share it with the previous ‘others’. You need to go to people and places that are not like ‘yours’ and share your liberty with them. Your joy will bless them and might also spark a flame of hunger in their hearts to be free from the bondage of pride.  * Share your love. "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." (I Jn 3:16) Love means to lay down your life in order that someone else might live. Today as sons and daughters of the family in Christ we have the responsibility to lay down our lives so that others might live. This is the commandment to love. Without stepping into laying down your life for ‘others’ your love remains natural and you are probably still bond by pride and racism. "But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them." (Luke 6:32)   Prophetic Word received at the Cape Christian Celebration, Newlands (March 2001) I saw a group of leaders in the church walking along a path. They were from different denominations, cultures and races. They came to huge gates. There was a sign on the gates: "The Gates of Unity." An angel came from the side and spoke to me. "These are the Gates of Unity. These gates will now be opened because men in authority have come together in unity. Yet before the blessings of the Lord will fill the church and Cape Town, there needs to come a unity in the Spirit. Today there is a unity of authority, but true unity comes when men lay down their own authority and serve one another in humility and love." I saw how the angel opened the gates and the men were allowed to pass through it. They came to a barren valley. I was surprised not to see blessing, but only a barren field. The Lord stood at the one side and said, "Before the rain of the blessing of God will fall, there needs to come the death of selfishness and pride. True unity and reconciliation can only come through the work of the cross, so that one new man in the Spirit might arise." The angel then gave to each of these men a book to eat. Upon each book was written, "The Ministry of Reconciliation." As they tasted it, each of these men ate it with great difficulty because it was bitter. Some of them paused from time to time, while others completely resisted. Those who ate the book were transformed. Slowly they became completly snow-white as the light of the Lord entered them. I saw how robes and cloaks of the flesh and human wisdom and traditions fell off, and the Lord clothed them with new garments. Those who resisted to eat of the book were taken to the one side by the angel. There they were given a cup to drink. There was an inscription upon the cup, "The Love of the Lord." Then the Lord spoke, "Unless you are touched by My love and allow Me to heal and restore you, you will not eat this book of the Ministry of Reconciliation." As these men drank of the cup of love, I saw how scales fell from their eyes, and they received a deep understanding of the love of the Lord. They were then again given the book to eat. I knew that the more a person ate of the book the sweeter it became. Some were completely unwilling to eat from the book and were taken back through the gates. Then the angel led the men to an altar. Upon this stone altar was an inscription: "The altar of love." Then the Lord said, "Unless each one of you are willing to lay down your life for your brother you will not see My redemption come upon this land." I saw how one by one these men laid down their lives upon the altar. As a person laid there it would disappear after a while and the next person would ascend the altar. "This is the death of the life of each of these groups. Through death I will be able to birth new life in this nation. The old order of pride and selfishness is being replaced by love and humility. Each one will live to bring life to another." I then saw how a new man arose from the altar. This man was completely transparent and radiated the glory of the Lord. He did not represent any of the old divisions, only the newness of Christ. Then I saw how the Lord poured His love into him. He became filled with radiating love and compassion, truth and righteousness. "When My love touches you and you allow Me to transform you through the work of the cross, you will become a vessel of My grace and glory. Without love you are nothing." The angel then gave a trumpet to this man. Upon the trumpet was an inscription: "The Rain of Restoration". I then saw how this man changed into 12 men, each with a trumpet in his hand. They split up and each went to a hilltop. They turned towards one another and started to blow their trumpets. As they blew, it started to rain. Yet it was not normal rain, but the rain of love. It rained continuously and the valley of barrenness was turned into the valley of plenty. I saw how a spirit of death and violence, abuse and strife departed from the land. The blood crying out from the land was silenced and the love of the Lord flowed into the ground. I saw multitudes coming to this place to see the life that has come forth. They all came to drink of the life that was in this valley. Received by Johan Boot   About Meeting on the Mountain Meeting on the Mountain is a prophetic group of pastors and intercessors in Cape Town, South Africa, led by Johan Boot.   Copyright © 2001 Propheticfire.com Please mail and distribute this bulletin as far and wide as possible. Permission is granted to publish the individual words in its totality only, together with the author's name and website address (www.propheticfire.com). Blessings!

Homepage | News & reports | Notes | Prayer groups | Prayer letter | Contact us

 

website designed & hosted by