12 Not 21
About a week and half ago I posted a blog entry titled Y.O.P.P. that has become rather explosive. In it Bound4LIFE featured a 12-year-old young lady named Lia that is currently caught up in a remarkable series of events that God is using to encounter countless people. With this story I wanted to take the opportunity to encourage everyone with what I believe God is restoring in the Church–for or children to be about their Father’s business at an early age.
Jesse, one of Lou Engle’s sons, had a very simple but profound dream when he was 12-years-old. In it he saw two rival gangs. In a very pure sense, one was God’s gang and the other was the devil’s gang. He approached the leader of God’s gang and asked him what must be done to join. The leader said, “The rules have changed. You used to have to be 21, but now it’s 12.” What an amazing dream for a 12-year-old to have. And encouraging! That dream was nothing less than the Lord’s personal invitation for Jesse to enter into his heart and purposes.
This is NOT a story of God doing a new thing. This is a story of restoration. God is tearing down petty mindsets and restoring something eternally valuable to his Church. Jesus was a mere 12-years-old when he stayed behind in Jerusalem during the Passover Feast. Something quickly shifted as the pupil unexpectedly became the teacher in that place. It says that Jesus was listening and asking questions, but after three days the teachers and everyone were amazed by his understanding and answers to the questions they were asking him! The Passover Lamb himself was setting a standard for all to follow.
The language in Jesse’s dream shatters the common mindset of “waiting until you’re older.” Lia’s video has received many critical comments falsely suggesting that she’s too young to even comprehend what she’s saying (Yet the liberal agenda would have us believe that graphic sex education in kindergarten is perfectly acceptable). Lia is simply responding to the same call that Jesse and countless others have received at a tender age.
Jesus is the leader of “God’s Gang.” He himself is inviting our young ones to join him in his Father’s house. We dare not do anything to hinder our children from entering into deep fellowship and communion with Jesus as early in life as possible. He is raising up a volunteer army that will suddenly appear like the dew of the morning in the beauties of holiness. This is one of the reasons the pro-life movement and adoption movement is so important right now–to usher in a new generation of prophets that emerge in power from the place of intimacy with the Lord.
Ps 8:2
Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have ordained strength,
Because of Your enemies,
That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.
God is wanting to ordain strength out of the mouths of children that will shake the kingdom of darkness. Whatever made us lose sight of that, clearly those rules have changed.
About the Author
Matt is a husband and proud father of four children. He's a full-time missionary serving as the Director of Bound4LIFE and the Justice House of Prayer DC. Formerly he had a career in advertising and marketing. Periodically he really wishes he had paid more attention in Government class.
