Holiness Preparation for Gods Visitation

Until Holiness becomes a natural joy, it is not His Holiness. Until the world and worldliness is unwelcome because the heart has no kinship to it, it is only fleshly goodness. Our world has a host of good and decent people that talk freely of faith but still bear unclean roots. When a Sovereign visitation floods the church, the first converts will be the members and, in many cases, the pastor. If these words were only my words you could dismiss them. But, these are words from every Sovereign work of church history. It is the unconverted and unholy church world that forbids the visitation of the Holy Ghost. That is about to change.

One of the greatest passages of Scripture that projects God’s visitation is Isaiah 35. Every work of God has first been revealed, “as streams in the desert.” This passage shows us the wilderness created by sin and spiritual slothfulness. God’s visitation is not needed where the spiritual life is maintained and the fruits of righteousness grow naturally. It is in the time of backsliding and apostasy that the Father must reclaim that which is His.

He has never failed to reclaim the deserts of spiritual darkness if and when there were broken saints that gave themselves over to be His tears. Even Sodom and Gomorrah would have been spared if ten righteous souls could have been discovered. Those barren salt pillars of the ancient cities testify today of the absence of Godly men and women. Will your city be such a future barren place to testify that you failed?

The promise of visitation is spectacular. He promised, “It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God” (Isaiah 35:2). As this prophecy unfolded, He further said, “And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isaiah 35:7; 10).

Such a Divine work cannot pass through carnal lives or rest on drooping shoulders. This work must have a “highway” of such beauty that the beasts of the world fear and flee its purity. The prophet called it a “highway of holiness.” “And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:” (Isaiah 35:8-9).

If Biblical Holiness was not possible as some preach today, then we would be excused. The cheap doctrines of sinning religion have reduced God’s church to a club-like playground. Slowly, for most of my life, I have watched as the House of God has become “rich and increased with goods,” but poverty stricken and helpless. I have fancied myself standing tall against the compromise yet have found human strength so inadequate. It’s time to turn to righteousness, His righteousness wrought out by the grace of a smitten Christ. His righteousness does not simply produce externals of Biblical order but saints so pure and profoundly sanctifies that His presence rushes over the sacrifice.

The conviction of sin that will follow the flowing of anointed Holiness will be breathtaking. Sinners will find their brazen rebellion stumbling in “Godly Sorrow.” The wicked will resist but either flee or repent. Businesses of ill repute will be closed and crimes will diminish. Where this visitation is in full bloom, the cheap religion of our sin-friendly and rock-singing churches will repent or be judged with extinction. Even as the false prophets of Pharaoh could not defeat the rod of Moses, so will our false prophets be exposed as failures.

With all my heart I call you to the grand hope of a Divine visitation. I obey Habakkuk the prophet that said, “Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it” (Habakkuk 2:2b). Consider that “God is no respecter of persons” and that He will honor one and all that abandon themselves to this battle. He will give you a visitation as surely as He gave Duncan Campbell or Evans Roberts a visitation. The visitations on the island of Malta with Apostle Paul or the visitation on Samaria with Phillip are prime examples.

Consider your city the Sodom and Gomorrah of your life. Will you be thrust out as he was but leave a barren valley as a testimony of your slothfulness or will you become a saint drenched with tears and filled with Holiness? There is little time left to decide your destiny. God is waiting in the Heavenly temple for your decision.