Entering a New Season
Wade E Taylor

I am experiencing, in relation to my desire to better know and serve our Lord, the deepest desire I have ever experienced, yet I feel dissatisfied, and yet satisfied.  I am satisfied in that I thank the Lord for His activity within my life, for all that He is doing.  I am dissatisfied, as I feel I am not responding and progressing as rapidly as I would like.  But, there is a present word of encouragement – we are entering a new season.

“For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone.”  Song of Solomon 2:11

The rain energizes the soil.  It reaches down and says, “Wake up, wake up!  It is time!”  As the warmth of the rain (the manifest presence of our Lord) touches the seed, a new expression of life will spring forth.

“The flowers appear on the earth.”  Song of Solomon 2:12a

This is you and I, the planting of the Lord that is born of the Spirit, the seed germinating and giving expression to its true identity - the flowers appearing, the image and likeness of our Lord formed within us.

“The rain is over and gone.”  The Son is beginning to shine as never before.  We are coming closer to the time of His appearing, as His presence precedes His person.  There is a fresh stirring of His desire toward us, to become all that He would have us to be.  We are hearing a new message, beyond anything we heard in the past.  Our part is to be spiritually open and receptive.

An open heaven is available to us, through which the Son can shine brightly, to release the potential that is buried within us, so the glory of the Lord can become manifest in our midst.  We must respond with anticipation and expectancy.

In the past, there were places in which there would be a substantial moving of the spirit and many came and responded to the presence of the Lord.  But, as soon as this presence lifted, they all left.  Their interest was in being blessed rather than in being changed.  Each time of visitation will be tested with what appears to be a drought - after the time of rain.  If we will stay and press through, the Lord will come and take us beyond anything we had experienced previously.  If we leave prematurely, the Lord also will go home.

“The time of the singing of birds is come.”  Song of Solomon 2:12b

This “singing” speaks of the melody of heaven.  As we harmonize in worship, an open heaven will result and lift us into realms of glory in the manifest presence of our Lord.  Here, we will find the satisfaction we have longed for.  True worship flows in prophetic harmony, as the early morning singing of birds.  This cannot happen in the atmosphere of rock like music within the present day Church.  In many, if the Lord were to come, He would have to wear ear plugs.

Like a songbird, there is something in the harmony of pure worship that satisfies the Lord and edifies us in the inner depth of our spirit.  This is beyond praise where all are shouting - it is a harmony in which divine adoration flows up to the Lord.  Once we have heard this, we will never be satisfied with less.  Many feel a sense of dissatisfaction because they sense that there is a level of worship available that we are not experiencing.

There is an eternal harmony in heaven which we can enter into as we blend with the worship of heaven.  The heavens will open and we will pass out of time into eternity.  Many have experienced touches of this, but the music of our day will not allow it, as it brings us down to praise, which is good, but it will not bring us into the higher realms of the Spirit that are increasingly becoming available to us.

“The voice of the turtle is heard in our land.”  Song of Solomon 2:12c

This “voice of the turtle” is prophetic revelation.  The Lord is beginning to unfold before us new levels of revelation as a “foretaste” of the age-to-come.  We are being taken beyond history lessons of the past, into a present living word.  As darkness increases in the world, the light of the glory and power of God is intensifying.  There is a remnant that will hear, comprehend, and understand.

There are those who are hearing and understanding beyond all that is presently available.  In the 1950’s, I know of several Bible teachers who were misunderstood, criticized, and judged because of what they were saying, as they saw and understood what we are just beginning to see and understand today.  Today, they would have been gladly accepted.

As there were forerunners in that day, so also, there are forerunners today who have reached ahead into the unknown, who also must pay the price of not being understood.  A forerunner is one who has a present experience in that which is yet to come.

“The fig tree puts forth her green figs” (Song of Solomon 2:13a).  This speaks of Israel.  All that is presently happening concerning Israel is an indication that we are living in the end-time.

“And the vines with the tender grape give a good smell” (Song of Solomon 2:13b).  This speaks of the present increase of the Lord’s presence in the Body of Christ.

“Arise, shine; for your light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.  For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon you, and His glory shall be seen upon you.  And the Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.  Lift up your eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to you.”  Isaiah 60:1-4a

This refers to us - the glory being seen as abiding upon “us.”  At the same time, there is increasing darkness that is covering the earth and the people.  This is happening, and many only see this darkness.  But there is another side of the coin.  The Lord shall arise upon us and His glory shall be seen, which speaks of visitation and an open heaven.

“When He shall come to be glorified in His saints.”  II Thessalonians 1:10

He will come when we make room and invite Jesus to come within.

“Behold, I stand at the door (the end of the Church Age), and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.”  Revelation 3:20

Mary brought Jesus into this world to bring redemption.  We, as a corporate body of overcomers, are to become as a corporate Mary to become the vessel of His glory, which will grow and expand until it becomes a beautiful flower - a light to lead multitudes into a redemptive relationship with Jesus.

Lord, we consecrate ourselves to become this end-time witness to the nations.  We present ourselves as being “willing in the day of your power” to be glorified, that the nations might come to this visitation of your glory.