One time, I was caught up in the spirit for a long time and the Lord showed me something that has had a profound impact on my heart and on my prayers.

He showed me the divine invasion that is coming to the earth.

I'd never seen anything like it. It was an invasion of the power and presence of God that none of us have ever experienced before. The impression of it is so strong in my soul that I cannot find words to describe it. All I can tell you is that I saw the might and glory of God storming the earth like a great army. It was awe-inspiring.

Since then, I have asked God to help me find utterance for what I saw so I can share it with others, and He has led me to the book of Habakkuk. We've often read the words from the second chapter of that book.

Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: thou it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
(Hab. 2:2-3)

What was it that Habakkuk saw? What was this vision we are to wait for so expectantly? He tells us in verse 14: "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."

I know we've quoted that verse a lot, but I want you to stop right now and think seriously about it for a moment. Think what would have to happen for God to so display His glory that the knowledge of it reached everyone on earth. No one—not one, single person—would be unaware of what God had done!

In Habakkuk 3, we find more about what it will be like when that glory comes.

A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth. O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy. God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah.

His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. And his brightness as the light; he had horns [or rays of light] coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.
(Hab. 3:1-4 KJV)

I'm telling you, almighty God is going to do something big! He is going to come down in such a way that every man, every woman, and every child will be able to see it. Can you imagine that? It's an amazing thought, isn't it?

But look again at the first verse there. It says that Habakkuk not only saw the vision, he prayed about it.

We must do the same. We must let God put this vision deep in our heart—not just so we can say, "Hallelujah, isn't that wonderful!" but so that we can bring that vision into the earth. So that we can agonize in prayer until it comes forth!

I believe we must be especially aware of the need for such prayer right now. We must be alert to keep ourselves, as pray-ers, stirred up because there is just enough spiritual rain falling in our churches, just enough of a refreshing taking place, that it would be easy for us to allow ourselves to settle down and be satisfied. It would be easy for us to just "park" here.

But we cannot afford to do that. We must press on. We must grab hold of the vision of this divine invasion. And we must refuse to stop praying until it comes.

Remember this: as wonderful as it is for us to experience the glory of God in our own devotional times or when we go to church, that in itself is not enough. Why?

Because there are millions of people outside our church walls who have never encountered that glory. Millions who will spend eternity in a devil's hell unless the power and glory of God moves beyond our churches and invades this earth!

It is our job to stand for those people. It is our job to pray until the earth is filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. For then and only then, will the Lord fully reap the precious fruit of the earth. Only then will we see the great endtime harvest!

First published in the January 2001 issue of Prayer Notes
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