This phrase in Peter’s message is curious when the Holy Spirit had descended in Acts 2, now Peter is promising refreshing, revealing and restitution in the section of verses 19-21. These 3 R statements map out for us the roadmap in a time of crisis all over the globe.

When you consider that social media is full of eschatological implications we must steer away from some of the imagery and traditional interpretations. What we must be aware of is the fact that Jesus is coming to us, before He comes for us, so that He will come with us. That puts eschatology in a more simple context. So against this backdrop we can map the 3 R’s in the context of Jesus coming to us, for us, and with us.

Refreshing

 The first statement from Peter is times of refreshing from the Presence of the Lord. The word “times” appear twice, in this context it is the word here is kairos, which indicates SEASONS which are open ended times, which could last years, could last months or days. However when we come to times of restitution , the word in the Greek is no longer kairos but kronos, which indicates a fixed programme from Jesus. This is the first stage in God’s plan, and one the Church must seek for.

In a practical setting, we are seeing beyond all the data of the crisis with coronavirus, we are seeing chronic social issues appearing, family issues, employment issues, financial issues. Here the Church must understand whilst the Presence of the Lord is a constant, we must call upon Jesus for a special Kairos of refreshing which comes from that Presence. For many of us we may be accustomed and sensitive to the Presence of the Lord. Yet this refreshing is a special ministration from Jesus bringing us closer to Him via the Holy Spirit. It might seem technical to some, rather than inspirational, but once we grasp how things work, we can align our lives accordingly and flow with His plan, and see it operate in our lives, in our Churches, in our families, and businesses. Its crucial to deepen our understanding, it is theological but it is practical in that we make an application of the Greek text so we understand that spiritual things work to order and exact process.

The Church does not need just a refreshing as a spiritual experience but a refreshing of our perception to not be rigid in how we did ministry, how we did Church before 2020. Unless we grasp that the refreshing is something which brings some spiritual innovation into ministry, or Church, we will see Churches actually close and ministries close. Would that not be tragic? Would it not also teach us that the leaders, ministers did not have any spiritual perception that change is demanded, and that the Holy Spirit was to enable them to overcome the crisis and the different forces that come for confronting it. Some of those forces propagated the idea that Church is not an essential part of society, or that Church was a threat in that it had the potential to spread a virus. This perception of the Church forced governments to ban gatherings of any sort and has had the effect of freezing the love of many, the personal contact necessary for true fellowship. How do we respond to this? The internet has presented many opportunities. There are more that will open up as we seek for that refreshing that comes out from the Presence of the Lord. We must distinguish this as a special visitation from God for a specific season and it cannot be taken as a general principle or we miss a great spiritual opportunity.

Revealing

The revealing of Jesus in the midst of a crisis is key and Biblical. I have mentioned these two Scriptures in other posts, Ezekiel 1 and Revelation 1. It seems that if we study as an exercise, Genesis 1, Ezekiel 1, John 1, Hebrews 1, Revelation 1, we get the same message, God and Jesus are revealed in all of them. They represent a coming in the midst of chaos, of disorder, of crises, the Lord to bring His light, His Order and His Creation. We must really study Scripture and become mature in this season in readiness what is before us, because Hebrews 5:14 alerts us that milk will not be enough to discern the devil and his work across the world. Today as I walked along the Harbour in my home town, I really sensed the Word come to me, that it is important to fill the waterpots with the water of the Word, John 2. The waterpots must be full so that the new wine shall flow in revival, and that lack and crisis be broken. It seemed to fit in with what we have been perceiving concerning the changes with the Great Reset, which I mentioned in my last message. To discern the way that society is being shaped, it is determined to eliminate the need for a spiritual walk with God, and the only way we can discern this out is beyond the words our governments speak, to see their origin. They come from a Antichrist, who has always been here, and will come.

For the refreshing to do its work, it must result in the revealing of Jesus Christ the Messiah. It always does in the Scriptures I mentioned above. The Church is divided because it does not unify around the Person of Jesus. Just as Israel rejected Yeshua as its Messiah, we too have not unified around Christ, therefore we need that Jesus come to us in this season. John the Apostle knew the man Jesus, but in Revelation 1 he was not conversant with or acquainted with the Ascended Glorified Lord. So we have majored on the Gospel Jesus, and we have not met the Glorified One. John met Him and fell before His feet as a man dead. The Church must embrace this revealing because it is key to the Church’s authority and power. In Psalm 110 it is God the Father speaking to the Son, and He presents the via which the enemies will become His Footstool, and God’s people and His Ecclesia which is the vehicle of this process. We cannot execute this if our depth of knowing Jesus is based on our denominational filters, or personal preferences. We must pray and seek for Him to come to the Church.

Restitution

Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets ^usince the world began

The “times” here are set in the context of Kronos, which means that the restitution is set in various years, do not depend on the kairos, because Jesus Himself has determined to put in 2020 certain restitutions in our lives. Jesus is in Heaven these 2000 years for this purpose, to make 2020 count for Him. He has fixed purposes in this year. We must know what they are. What is Jesus wanting to restitute? He wants to restitute and restore faith, and power of the Gospel in our day. He desires to get rid of Mammon in His ministers, and get rid of political power in the Church. The Church must fulfil prophetic scripture.

In Luke 24 Jesus expounded to Simon and Cleopas the Scriptures and made them understand that the prophets saw all. They have also seen our day and have spoken concerning it.

Matthew 25 speaks of the oil which the wise virgins (those who are not given to impure unions, but given to Jesus alone) must welcome the Bridegroom. That oil is the Prophetic word preparing us for these days. The key is not to stumble nor slumber.

Hebrews 9 shows us the role of Jesus as our intercessor before the Father. He made no mistake concerning this generation. He made no mistake regarding 2020. This is His opportunity to bring His Glory, visit His Church and prepare us for His Marriage SUPPER.

Everything this year is to distract us with fear. Distract us with contrary circumstances. Jesus is coming to us, to bring refreshing, then He will come for us for inheriting our eternal estate, then coming with us that from our Celestial position we judge the earth and angels.

This is not some utopia, this is Scripture. Let us cry out “Come to us Lord Jesus, and come quickly!”

Shalom.