David Pawsons Burden for New Zealand (4)

God’s challenge to New Zealand was received in the 1980s, but it has not been acted on. People focussed on the economic crash, but missed the warning to be prepared. Many asked, "Is the crash coming now?" but few asked "What must I do to be part of the commando army?" People did not get ready, so God hand was restrained.

The economic crash could have been the 1987 share market crash, but it was not because God’s people were not ready, so he had to defer. The economic crash could have been triggered by the Asian financial crisis in 1997, but God’s people were not ready. The economic crash could have been triggered by the 2007 credit crunch, but it was not because God’s people were still not ready so he has deferred again.

The Lord seems to start an implement his strategy every 10 years, but because his people are not ready, he has been unable to bring his plans to fulfilment.

David Pawson shared his burden,
he also told us how to get ready.
People listened, but they did not hear
Crash, Crash, Amen, Amen! they said,
but no one got ready.
So God could do nothing,
he could not fulfil his word.
A word that is not heard,
cannot be fulfilled.

The church has had thirty years to prepare, but has done very little. Most Christians are still not a place where they could cope with a real economic crisis. Very few could be strong during a time of disaster.

Despite the advance warnings, we are not ready.

Pivotal Times
Very few Christians understand the critical times that we are living in. Most are looking around and see things falling apart. They are not worried, because they believe that Jesus is returning soon to rescue his people. They look forward to an economic crash, because that brings the second coming closer. They are not worried about difficult times, because they have blind faith that God will take care of them.

Rather than pondering signs and events and waiting for the second coming, Christians should be getting prepared to complete the task that God has called us to do. By warning his church that an economic crash is coming, God was giving us an enormous opportunity. Unfortunately we are not ready to take that opportunity. We are living in pivotal times, but the pivot is missing.

David Pawsons Burden for New Zealand (2)

During his visit to New Zealand, David Pawson was handed a vision about a Commando Army that had been received five years earlier. This vision confirmed his burden and explained how an economic crisis would bring revival. This vision described an economic crash that is not just another judgment on the world, but a key element in God’s strategy for accomplishing his purposes for this nation. This vision contained several keys to understanding God’s strategy.

• Most Christians would be shattered by an economic crisis. They have been blinded by wealth and drawn into a materialistic lifestyle. In an economic crash these people would be totally crushed.
• Christians have taken a worldly attitude into the church and starting running it like a business, paying their fees and leaving the professionals to do the work. Churches that are dependent on this money machine will grind to a halt during an economic crisis.
• The world forces will also be shattered. Satan has used the lure of money and material wealth to hold the people captive, so the crash will break his hold over many people.
• In difficult times, power flows to those who are prepared. The commando units are Christians who have prepared by learning to live simply without the trappings of the world. Their only motivation is love for Jesus and love for each other. They will have committed to serving each other and will know how to support each other through times of pressure. These Christians will know how to move in the power of God and will be able to minister to all people in all situations.
• The commando units will not be touched by the crisis. They would not be surprised by climactic events, so they will be strong at a time when everyone else is shattered and confused. Their powerful proclamation of the gospel will be welcomed by people looking for hope and peace in a sea of trouble.
• People of the world who gained meaning through wealth and consumer goods will be looking for a new meaning to life and will be ready to receive the gospel. The result will be a mighty victory for God.

God’s strategy is to economic crisis to shake up the worldly and loosen Satan’s hold on the nation. The problem is that he cannot shake the world system without also seriously shaking his church. His strategy will only work, if some Christians get into a place where they will not be touched by the economic crisis. The plan would succeed, if significant groups of Christians get prepared.

Timing is Critical
God did not send the flood until the ark was completed. If he had sent the flood sooner, Noah and all the animals would have been wiped out. This meant that the timing of the flood was partly in Noah’s hands. If he spent time preaching when he should have been building the ark he may have actually deferred the flood. In the same way, God could not send the economic crash until the commando armies were prepared. If he were to send a crash before they were ready, it would do too much harm to both the church and the world. The timing of this crash is not determined by economic events, but by what happens in the church.

When this commando army is ready God will drop the bomb.

God could not send this economic crash until his commando army ready.

David Pawsons Burden for New Zealand (1)

To understand the current economic situation in New Zealand, we must go back to a clear word that the English evangelist and bible teacher David Pawson delivered more than thirty years ago. Although he has never been called a prophet, he carried two burdens from God when he visited our nation in 1982.

One burden was as follows:

God wants New Zealand back.
He wants New Zealand back as
a nation that will be a model to the nations
of a people who are living under the government of God.
God intends New Zealand to be one of those nations
where he demonstrates his Kingdom.
God wants New Zealand back.
He is wanting his people to reign with him.
Don’t wait for eternity to begin to reign with him
He is looking for a queen to reign with him now,
because New Zealand has a king an his name is King Jesus.
This country needs a change of government.
New Zealand is a nation that could be brought
under the government of God
and be a light to the nations.

This burden was not understood; his second burden was very simple:

God wants to bring revival to New Zealand for the first time.
God will bring revival through economic ruin.
Who is willing to pray for economic ruin,
to make revival possible.

David Pawson was well known in New Zealand through the circulation of his Bible teaching tapes, so his authority was widely acknowledged. He took this message of “revival through economic ruin” around New Zealand, but it has mostly been misunderstood or forgotten. This is sad, because God was providing a wonderful strategy by which he could bring about a great victory. He was challenging and warning his people, so they could prepare in advance.

The burden of David Pawson contained four important points.

• God will establish his kingdom of God in New Zealand
• This will be a model that other nations can follow
• A great revival will advance the kingdom of God rapidly
• The revival will come through economic ruin.

Read these four bullet points slowly and let them sink in. This was one of the most awesome prophetic messages that a nation has received in recent years.

Not the Real Thing

The current recession will not bring repentance and revival. A lot of people will feel a lot of pain, but most will continue their borrowing and consumption. The recession will be painful and may drag on for a while, but it will not usher in revival, as some Christian commentators seem to be suggesting.

To bring a radical change of heart and crying out to God, the economy would have to plummet much deeper into depression. A slump on this scale would have to be prayed into being by the church. When David Pawson visited New Zealand in 1982, he gave this challenge.

God wants to bring revival to New Zealand for the first time.
God will bring revival through economic ruin.

He then asked,

Who is willing to pray for economic ruin,
to make revival possible?

The current recession is not the answer to this prayer. How do I know?

• Few Christians would be willing to pray such a daunting prayer.
• The church is not ready, because the spiritual commando armies have not been training.