Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Brian Simmons and Nick Padovani: 'A 'New Convergence' of Ideas, Prophetic Promises and Passions are Upon Us'

Brian Simmons and Nick Padovani: 'A 'New Convergence' of Ideas, Prophetic Promises and Passions are Upon Us'

 

Earlier this year, several members of our worship team were overcome by similar and interlocking revelations of a "vortex" hitting our church and the overall nation. To my surprise, a word from Thierry Nakoa regarding vortexes was released the next day through the Elijah List (March 16, 2015). I learned from this word that many prophetic voices had been declaring that this past year was a "year of the whirlwind", which is now wrapping up as we enter into a new season. Deeply touched by all of this, I began to seek the Lord for more understanding, which has built up the present time.
When I went to research more about "vortexes" in nature, the first thing I was led to had to do with vortexes in water – whirlpools – which are produced by the meeting of opposing currents. When I read this, the floodgates of revelation opened and I saw the beauty of God working things out and connecting some seemingly contradicting dots in our lives. (Photo via deviantart)
I saw that many of us have experienced both an individual and corporate "vortex" of opposing or conflicting ideas, passions, ministry styles, theological understandings, and more – but all of this is leading to a great convergence – a meeting together like in the formation of a whirlpool. Let me try and explain this more practically, because this "convergence" is going to bring immense and tangible change all around us.
First and foremost, this spiritual convergence will play itself out in the Church. Right now, there are different "streams" throughout Christianity, some moving in very different directions. But the streams are coming together in a new way and many sons and daughters of previous movements in the Church will join together like never before.
The Whirlwind and Convergence
The story of Elijah and Elisha is a beautiful picture of the convergence we are about to experience. The life of Elijah ultimately came to a climax with a whirlwind. Elijah can speak to us today of the prophetic movement, which is currently reaching a crescendo and a new beginning. When this vortex in the sky was formed, Elijah was lifted up into Heaven and his spiritual son Elisha received a double-portion of his anointing. The same thing is happening today. (Photo via flickr)
Again, Elijah can speak of the different streams of the prophetic movement from the last season. Like Elijah, these streams have done much to awaken the people of God and to challenge the spirit of Jezebel in this world. But in this whirlwind and convergence, a double-portion is being released to the spiritual sons and daughters of these movements.
It is interesting that Jezebel was never fully defeated under Elijah's ministry. She was only challenged and prophesied against (see 1 Kings 21:23). It was Elijah's spiritual son who saw the fruit of these prophetic promises. Elisha is the one who anointed a new king named Jehu who would take down Jezebel once and for all.
Elishas of all ages are being released and the same thing will happen in the convergence of this past whirlwind season. Everything about this past time is leading up to a new epoch of Church history. Elishas will take the prophetic ministry of Elijah and bring a new substance and application to it. They will take prophetic words from the past season and begin to align it with new apostolic leadership (what Jehu represents). The union between the prophetic (Elisha) and the apostolic (Jehu) will be unlike anything ever seen before.
The transition from Elijah to Elisha might be also related to the transition between John the Baptist and Jesus. John functioned as an Elijah, who prepared the way for the One to come (Matthew 11:14). When Jesus came onto the scene, John's message and his way of ministry took a backseat. A new wineskin had formed. The locust-eating, desert-dwelling, judgment-oriented movement of John made way for a new movement of grace and power.
A New Prayer Movement
The prayer movement over recent decades has been much like John the Baptist as a global forerunner ministry challenging Jezebel and declaring promises of harvest and judgment. But there is a shift happening and a move is occurring in the prayer movement. A new "Jesus movement" is on the rise and this will lead to a fresh wineskin of joyful and victorious Christianity. It is not that the prayer movement is stopping, but that it is going to reshape and reform into new symmetry and grace. In all of this, we need to be very careful not to judge the new wineskin that is forming.
Even John made the mistake of questioning Jesus at one point because it was so radically different from what he expected.
And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?" Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the Gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."(Matthew 11:2-6 NKJV)
Convergence in Every Realm of Society
In this convergence there are other opposing currents and streams that will come together in the near future. This convergence will affect the earth on a political, scientific, and theological level.
Regarding the political realm, there are two highly opposed political streams in the United States right now and the division has reached a boiling point. But in this heavy whirlwind time, a third stream is going to emerge. There have bits and pieces of this so far, but we've only seen the tip of the iceberg.
This new stream may or may not result in actual "parties" being formed, but it will be clear and visible nonetheless. It will be marked by a spirit of reconciliation and love. It will contain the best of both worlds with an intense pursuit of both righteousness and social justice. (But do not be surprised if this "third stream" highly offends those who are staunchly stuck to one particular party line). Also, the Lord will use prophetic Elishas to anoint the apostolic Jehus in this new governmental convergence. (Free photo Wikimedia)
This convergence will also affect the scientific world. Right now, there are two very opposing streams in the realm of physics. The quantum realm (that of subatomic particles) and the large-scale realities of the universe contain many paradoxes and contradictions. For decades, physicists have tried to find solutions to converge the two realms, but they always end up stuck in conflicting equations and experiments.
In this new season of convergence, revelation is going to come that will unite the quantum realm with the large-scale realm of our universe. A "third" perspective is going to open up that will actually end up giving more scientific evidence to the nature and glory of God. The joining of these two realms is going to greatly awaken the scientific community.
And so all of this is really about the glory of God being manifested more and more in these days. The number "three" ultimately speaks to the nature of God.Therefore, most importantly, this convergence will affect the earth and the Church on a theological level. A more Trinitarian Gospel will emerge in the midst of this convergence.We are coming into new heights of revelation concerning the intimate union between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This convergence will also affect our understanding of the judgments of God. (Photo via Pixabay)
We will not see God's love and justice in a dualistic fashion, instead, we will have greater grace to see that these attributes are really one force flowing together. His wrath is simply a fiery outflow of His love (which means it is an intense and fiery extension of 1 Corinthians 13 love, which contains everlasting patience, kindness, no record-keeping, constant believing, hoping, trusting, etc.).
God is the Triune King of the Universe and in Him all of our paradoxes and conflicts find a peace that passes understanding. And so the Triune God is opening up a "third perspective" – a heavenly perspective! A convergence of ideas, prophetic promises, and passions are upon us. All of the internal conflicts within us will come together to form a bright and swirling force of glory.
In the midst of this manifestation of His glory will be many Elishas who will carry the message of peace and reconciliation to the nations. As we are all realizing more and more, it is truly a wonderful day to be alive!
Nick Padovani , Senior Pastor
The Journey Church of the Highlands

Website: awakeNJ.com | nickpadovani.wordpress.com
Email: njpadovani@gmail.com
Nick Padovani is a husband, a father, a social worker, and a friend of Jesus. He is also the pastor of a beautiful and flourishing church in northern New Jersey – The Journey Church of the Highlands. It is his joy and passion to see God's children awaken to their full inheritance in the love of Christ. Nick has ministered the love of God in several different arenas, including secular college campuses, conferences, and a variety of different churches. He is also the author of The Song of the Ages, which gives a prophetic look at the journey of the Bride in Solomon's Song and declares the coming manifestation of the church's full identity in Christ.

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