Update August 1999 - Opportunity Passed
The vision of the commando army will not be fulfilled in the way that I first saw it. God is saying, "It's too late." The opportunity has passed, and it will not return.
God was offering the church an opportunity for a quick painless victory. The victory will still come, but it will now be a tougher battle and more painful.
God wanted to reach New Zealand before hearts became too hard. If Christians had been prepared, he could have given the nation a quick shake and it would have turned back to him (probably in 1987). That opportunity has passed and hearts are now much harder. Evil has penetrated much deeper into our culture.
The warning of the vision was received, but it was not generally acted upon. People focussed on the economic crash, but missed the point of the vision; that God wanted to form an army of commando units. Many asked, "Is the crash coming now?", but few asked, "What must I do to become a member of a commando army?" As a result, the commando units were not ready when required, so God could not drop the economic bomb; it would have destroyed too many of his people. The opportunity has passed. God now says, "It is too late!"
This does not mean that an economic crash is not coming. New Zealand is a nation under a curse (Deut 28). Until we turn back to God, we will continue to be under that curse. One effect of that curse is economic, so the economic depression is still inevitable. However, it may not come suddenly, and it may be more protracted. In fact, for many poorer people in New Zealand, it has already arrived.
Nor is God's call to establish command army units redundant. In fact, the call is more urgent than ever. Because the people of New Zealand have now hardened their hearts against God, the battle to win New Zealand back will be much more difficult and intense. Satan has established some new strongholds, so it will be harder to force him out. As God pours out his Spirit on the church, and calls his people into battle, the world will fight back with ferocity. We can expect persecution. The only way to survive and be victorious will be as part of a commando unit. For those who are not prepared, the future holds fear and terror. Therefore, the call to form commando units is even more urgent than ever.
When I received the commando vision, I was really excited, because I foresaw a great victory. Now, I am sad because although I still see the victory, many Christians will suffer, and some may fall away before we get back to where we might have been, if we had taken the opportunity God was offering. I am also sad because I now realise that I did not put enough commitment and energy into praying the commando units into being. Those who hear God speaking have a responsibility to pray.
Update November 2000 - Key to Revival
David Pawson shared the Commando prophecy during his tour of New Zealand in 1982. The reason that he was excited about this word was that it was a confirmation of one of two messages that God had given to him to bring to New Zealand. One of the burdens that God gave to David Pawson and which he shared in Wellington was as follows.
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". This is a tough question and it was not well received, so he asked God for confirmation. He received confirmation when a pastor in Dunedin gave him a copy of the vision of the Commando Army.
Many Christians are looking for revival today, but they do not understand that God has not changed his plan. He still intends to bring revival through economic ruin. However, there is still one problem.
If the New Zealand economy were to collapse now, too many Christians would be ruined. Therefore, God cannot bring revival because his church is not ready. This means that the call to form commando units is more urgent than ever if we want to prepare for revival.
Update 2007 - Wrong Focus
The Commando Vision was not primarily a warning of an economic crash, but a call to God's people to establish a commando army. Therefore, the timing of the fulfilment depends on how quickly people respond to that call.
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, the crash cannot come, until the commando armies are ready. If God were to send a crash now, it would do too much harm in both the church and the world. Therefore, the timing of this vision cannot be discerned from economic indicators, but only by watching what is happening in the church.
My observation, from a distance, is that many Christians have heard the call and started down this path, but the commando army is still far from complete. I sense that God maybe shaking the American economy to wake up the church, but I doubt that we are seeing the fulfilment of the vision. We are simply not ready for it.
Update 2010 - Spiritual Commando Army
This Commando Army vision described God's strategy for accomplishing his purposes for this nation.
God's strategy was to use an economic crisis to shake up the world system and loosen Satan's hold on the nation. The problem was that he could not shake the world without also seriously shaking his church. His strategy would only work if some Christians got into a place where they would not be touched by the economic crisis. He needed significant groups of Christians to get prepared.
In difficult times, power flows to those who are prepared in advance. The commando units are Christians who have prepared by learning how to move together in the power of God and being able to minister to all people in all situations. The commando units would not be touched by any future climactic events, so they would be strong at a time when everyone else is shattered and confused. They would proclaim the gospel powerfully at a time when people are looking for hope and peace in a sea of trouble.
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 would not be determined by economic events, but by what happened in the church.
Military Commandos
The following are the characteristics of military commandos.
The members of a commando army are totally committed to their task. They would be totally focused on their objective and will not let anything distract them. They would do what has to be done, even if it costs their lives.
Each member of the team is extremely fit, mentally alert and totally prepared for their part in any operation. Each commando will have a task to do. They will have trained for that task until they could do it with ease. Any challenge that comes their way would be handled effectively.
Each member of the commando team will be equipped with a different weapon. One will carry a machine gun, another will be expert with explosives and others will be skilled with small arms. Each one will be trained in the use of their weapons and backing each other up. If one member of the team takes an injury, another will quickly step into his place.
The commandos will have melded together into a team. Their strength comes from the way that they support each other. Each one can go into action, knowing that the rest of the team will back them and do their bit.
Commandos can operate with very limited backup and support. They carry all the equipment in the packs on their backs. Commandos are able to live off the land, so they can operate for a long period of time in hostile conditions without support.
Commandos understand the strengths and weaknesses of their enemy. They know how to strike where the enemy is vulnerable and they are strong.
Spiritual Commandos
These physical characteristics must be translated into spiritual terms to understand the nature of Spiritual Commando Units. Accordingly, Christians must do the following to become part of a spiritual commando unit.
Get out of debt.
Learn to live simply.
Share possessions.
Reduce dependence on motor vehicles for fellowship and work.
Make the spiritual gifts normal.
Take hold of Christian healing.
Build real relationships with other Christians.
Do God's work in pairs.
Learn to function as part of a team.
Learn to follow the voice of the Holy Spirit.
Reduce dependence on a few powerful leaders.
Understand spiritual protection.
Total dedication to Jesus.
Do the One Another Stuff.
Get a vision for the Kingdom of God.
Get out of debt.
Not Ready
God's challenge to New Zealand was received in the 1980s, but no one acted. 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's hand has been restrained.
The 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 crash could have been triggered by the Asian financial crisis in 1997, but God's people were not ready.
The 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 began to implement his strategy every ten years, but because his people never get ready, he has been unable to complete his plans.
People listened, but they did not hear
A word that is not heard,
cannot be fulfilled.
God shared his strategy,
and 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. Many 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.
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