Hallmarks of the Glory Generation by Glenda Rufus

I wanted to post an incredible series of "hallmarks" that Glenda Rufus preached on what she called the "Glory generation". When I heard her describing it, I could hardly keep my seat because I felt like she was describing my feelings and passions and desires and was saying "It is okay to feel these things". I wonder if I am alone in feeling guilty sometimes for feeling what I do and longing for more of the thing I have heard Rob describe. This section from Glenda's sermon makes it clear - it isn't unusual to feel this and it is perfectly healthy and normal! What an awesome encouragement!

Sunday 31st March - 2007

"What will distinguish between the average person who goes to church and the one who really goes after God? This is what I have written. I believe this generation of people that includes us are people who are not content to worship from afar. You might not be living in this and I am not - but I desire this, I have got a heart after this. God puts these desires into our hearts and they are;

A generation that will not be content to worship God from afar. They want to encounter Him, they want to touch Him, they want to feel Him. They want to be close to Him. They want to be caught up into the glory realm, they want to soar with Him. They don't want to just be down here, they want to soar, climb higher, go further. They don't just want to settle down - these people.

If we can love God like this, then there is nothing God will hold from us. His glory will fall on us. They want the genuine - these people. They want true church, true worship. They want to connect with God. The true purpose of worship is to connect with God, not to connect ourselves with ourselves! It's not about us - it's about Him! It is about meeting God, encountering God.

They don't want to be caged or boxed in. There is so much legalism in the church and the glory generation are breaking out. They are beginning to find each other and say "I am not weird - these are not strange desires! I can know God more intimately!". They want freedom and joy and vastness - they want the unlimitedness of the glory experience. They want liberty! They have a deep hunger for more of God. They don't just want the occasional touch! Wherever they are, they have a deep hunger and nothing else can cover up this hunger. The only thing that will satisfy that hunger is when we connect with God. Only He can satisfy because our hearts are made for Him and Him alone.

We come into Him by the Holy Spirit. It doesn't work like singing 3 fast songs and one slow one and then we are in! The Bible says "Enter His gates" - it isn't just Him coming down but us going up! We can enter in and God can come down! There is no technique - the main thing is a hunger, a heart after God! There is no technique. Sometimes God may say that He wants us to play instruments and dance around the room the whole meeting and He will come. Other times He says come in and be quiet and lie on our faces. There are different ways for God's glory to come.

They are people who make way for God. They have learnt in their private space of intimacy with Him. They have learned the ways of the Spirit - they have learnt to hear God's voice and that only comes through intimacy with Him on a private level. They have been trained by the Holy Spirit and have learned to read what God is doing in these days. I have been in meetings where I know we haven't hit that sweet spot of the Holy Spirit. God is teaching us to read what He is doing.

We need to release control. We have got to be people who are humble. Humility is a very attractive quality. Last year we were in Brighton last year and we were with Terry Virgo and after Bonnie said to me, "Mum that man is so humble and it is such an attractive feature". Humility is such a strong quality of the Holy Spirit and it goes beyond human ability. You can try and claim you are humble but people will very quickly pick up whether it is a performed humility or genuine humility. The Holy Spirit is attracted to genuine humility and it is like a magnet to Him and He says "I want to display My glory to them".

The glory generation want to see and do the acts of God - we don't want to just hear about! I want to see God healing people, I want to heal people. They will be a people who are not afraid of the manifestations of God! God did some strange things in the Bible and He will do strange things in our day. These people will not focus on the strange manifestations but on Him. Gold dust - oil pouring out of people's hands. What's the point? God does it - that is the point! They will be people not afraid of the manifestations!

They are people who want to touch and be intoxicated by the Holy Spirit - they will be addicted to the new wine.

If you read the Song of Solomon and read that - you think that book shouldn't be in the Bible. It is such an intimate book about two lovers and that book is a picture of the kind of relationship that God is wanting to have with His Bride - us the Church! It is not just the Church but with individual people - us - His people. There is such a depth of intimacy that God is wanting to pour out on us.

"I want to know You, I want to experience You, I want to know Your thoughts, I want You to know my thoughts". David had such a wonderful relationship with God and God knew everything about him and David wasn't ashamed!

These people want to be radical - they don't want to be contained. They want to know what God is doing in this hour. They want to be reformers and don't want to be contained by what God did in the past. They aren't status quo - they aren't nice little Christians. They are pioneers! They are area breakers! They are innovators! They are people who will see the prophetic increasing on their lives. It won't just be a nice prophetic word but they will see dates and times and specifics - they are weighty prophecy that will increase over this generation. They will be the modern day Moses, Elijah's, David's, Joshuas! We will be the modern day mighty men and women of God".

So let's get on desiring and longing for the glory to come down upon us! May this become our daily experience - encounters with God!