Darlene Rose

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God’s power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek

Acts 1:8  but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

In 2006, (I was living in Florida at the time),  I had this conversation in intercession with the Lord.

“Use me, Father, to influence nations! Use me Lord to lead generations to come!

The Lord said:

“Come closer!”

Lord, I lift up America to you.  Open its eyes with salve to see You.

The Lord said:

“Come closer”

Lord, I lift up Florida to you!  May You cause us to be rooted and grounded in Your love.

The Lord said:

“Come closer”

“Lord, I life up Fort Pierce to you.  May this be a lightning rod for Your Spirit”

The Lord said:

“Come closer”

“Lord I lift up Myrtle Drive to you.  No longer will you give us thorns, but may there be myrtle trees.”

The Lord said:

“Come closer”

“Lord I lift up 5112 Myrtle Drive to you.  May there be peace resting upon this place.”

The Lord said:

“Come closer”

“Lord, I give you my heart, fully and completely, I am yours”

The Lord said:

“You are now closest to My Heart”

A nation is influenced and a generation is led beginning with your own heart change.  Your own heart change towards Him.   Your own ears hearing His heartbeat.  Your own eyes seeing His face.

That is what a witness is.  One who has seen and heard with their own eyes and ears.   One who can testify of His goodness in hardships.  One who can testify of His faithfulness to His word.  One who can speak the deeper things only revealed by an intimacy with Him.

Jacob was just a man who became the nation of Israel.

Joseph and each of his brothers became the twelve tribes of Israel.

First in Jerusalem.   The place where the Lord will set up His Kingdom.   The place where the Lord will set His Throne.   Your heart, is a type of Jerusalem.

And in all Judea.   The places of your community.   Your workplace. The places in your state.   These are those you come into contact with on a regular basis.

Then to the remotest parts of the earth.    Paul says “To the Jew first, then to the Greek.”  Here, “the Greek”  represents the remotest parts of the earth.    These are those we pray for, outside of our present sphere of influence.

You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation!   (1 Peter 2:9)

That’s right!

YOU!

How you lead YOU as a nation, will be how you influence nations and lead generations to come.

I am the first Christian in my family.  I remember getting the word

“You will lead your entire family in a new direction, changing the collision course it was on, and this will affect generations to come.”

Sounded awesome upon the hearing of it.  The Lord said to me “Don’t be afraid. I AM the Author and Finisher of your faith.”  Hebrews 12:2

He told me He knew my beginning and He knew my end. He knew all the parts in between. He created my story and He ordained my steps.  He created the comedy, the drama, the tragedy, the trauma.  He wrote my story.  I was excited.  He is my Author.

But there is a second part to that verse in Hebrews…”who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

There was a price to pay. Before I get to see it, there is the Cross, and my daily cross to bear.

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God’s power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

There is a reason Paul chose to use the words “not ashamed” when speaking about the gospel.   It means that after he saw his own guilt, he chose to lay it at the Cross.

There was therefore no shame to cover up.  He then was given authority to influence nations and lead generations.

Influencing Nations and Leading Generations comes only by way of the Cross.