THE GOD OF STRATEGY
(c) Morris E. Ruddick
"Then
David gave Solomon the plans for all that he had by the Spirit. 'All
this,' said David, 'the Lord made me understand in writing, by His hand
upon me, all the works of these plans.'" 1 Chronicles 28: 11,12,19
One
of the greatest virtues of God's game-changers has been the ability to
respond to current developments in a manner that resets the course of
the future.
When David
was made King and brought all Israel together, the clan of Issachar
served as his special advisors. Their gift was in understanding the
times in order to know what should be done. They were the planners and
forecasters. They evaluated and they made predictions.
The
tribe of Issachar served as the observers of the dynamics and trends
tied to the events of the day. Together with the prophetic insights and
David's abilities to discern the heart and intentions of the Lord, the
result combined as a gift to the community. The opening scripture then
describes how David captured in writing these matters he got from the
Lord for the next generation. All together, they combined as the
elements forming the strategies shaping Israel's future.
The Components
So
it is that in this time of global turbulence, we see the unfolding of
the restoration of the components of this cooperative effort between the
Lord and those who are called by His name. The Lord is the God of
strategy.
It includes
the restoration of the anointing of Issachar to discern the times and
advance change. It combines shrewd evaluation with prediction, but is
ultimately driven by the prophetic. It manifests with the actions of
game-changers.
When out
of balance it represents analysis that results in interim, albeit
man-made efforts. When properly enshrouded in the prophetic it becomes
revelation that predestines the future ordained by God.
This
grasp of anticipating the future, which merges forecasting and the
prophetic into God's plans for the future, is a vital differentiating
factor between God's game-changers and those whose impact of leadership
may simply be less than global in nature. It is encased by a big-picture
outlook that triggers the application of the diversity of gifts to
spawn the type of change that challenges the status quo.
The Gifts
Throughout
the history of God's people, the Lord has given gifts to men. These
gifts have combined natural "gifts" or abilities with spiritual ones.
For the game-changers, more often than not, they've been applied during
times of duress, enhancing their dependency on God. The application
then, guided by the God of strategy, eclipsed by the prophetic, has been
the catalyst for paving the direction of societal change.
It
represents the discipline of the process in reaching for God in concert
with the action needed to implement God's prophetic strategies. It
defines the heroes of faith. In viewing the primary feats of the heroes
of faith, we observe a progression of strategy.
Abraham
began the legacy by his sensitivity to God and radically obeying God's
voice. He honored God with his willingness to get out of the box by
leaving everything familiar to him. He established the community model
for God's people to live in self-sufficiency, as a people of God.
Isaac's response to God amid a time of famine unveiled the secret of
God's economy. He supernaturally prospered through God, gaining the
respect of the regional power-brokers observing him.
Joseph
demonstrated how stewardship and an identity and faith in God can
influence and release God's authority to harness the spiritual climate
and resources of a pagan society. Joseph then managed the largest wealth
transfer the world had ever seen.
Moses
outlined the framework for the Abrahamic model to inoculate God's own
from the subtle wickedness of the world and become a society of the
righteous, living for God. David demonstrated the leadership response to
God's guidance and then shaped a society of diverse factions into a
Kingdom of God's people, that would prompt awe for God and His people
from all those around them.
Each
involved strategies that changed the course of events for the people of
God. Jesus then raised the bar to the challenge of strategy and opened
the gates to the authority that governs cultures, economies and seats of
power. In so doing He set up the Kingdom standard for applying
righteous power in a corrupt world.
The Uniqueness
For
each it involved understanding the times and knowing what to do, not as
an analytical precept, but as a strategy discerned and acted on from
the heart of God.
When
game-changers such as these go into action, the change begins with a
shift in the spiritual climate. In each instance spiritual climate
change came as a result of the response of God's people interacting with
and obeying Him. The implementation of God's strategies then influences
a mix of the cultural, the economic and of power. Technology-advances
factor in as accelerators to the change. The status quo is both the
blind-spot and the resistance in the application of God's strategies for
change.
However, beyond
the role of the game-changing heroes of faith, there is another way to
look at the impact of the God of strategy. It is the change brought
about by the community of those known by His name. God's heart has
always sought for it to be His people who would respond to His path of
strategy, becoming as a light on a hill.
If
we fast-forward to the book of Revelation, in between the lines is the
story of the people of God, together with the angelic hosts experiencing
this pathway of oneness with Him. It is God's strategy triggering the
final face-off with and death-throes of the forces of darkness and its
minions.
The Tripping Point
What
has made the heroes of faith stand out from the crowd has been their
ability to determine and act on the tipping points rather than the
tripping points. They have been the ones unconstrained by the spiritual
myopia that has plagued far too many.
Today,
one of greatest challenges and sources of confusion is the Body's grasp
of the prophetic. Despite God's intention of the prophetic being the
tipping point, instead it too often has become wrought with clutter and
short-sighted prognostications.
The
prophetic is not an analysis or consensus. It is the heart of God acted
on that comprises the strategy of God. More often than not, it comes to
the forefront in the midst of times of turmoil. It is the foundation
for God's unfolding will that reshapes the economic, cultural and power
factors driving the course of events in the world.
However,
with the shift materializing that changes the spiritual climate, the
factors that should be the tipping point instead become the tripping
point: namely the dimensions of the cultural, the economic and of power.
In other words, there has been a tendency to major in the minor things
and miss the focus that ought to be given to major, big-picture things.
Within
the cultural is one's worldview. Across Christendom today there is a
subtle skewing of doctrinal precepts interpreted through the prism of a
Western worldview. This blended perspective not only dilutes the power
of God, but impedes the change intended within the cultural setting.
Within
the economic setting is much the same thing. Success and money create a
blinding to the realities of the economic infrastructures that hinders
the change needed to be acted on in those infrastructures. This Western
"overshadowing" is evidenced even in Israel. It influences believers on
all corners of the globe.
It
is the same in seats of power. As the changes in the world's framework
accelerates the manifestation of the age-old challenge to God and His
people is again rearing its head. The power shift underway is being
driven by distorted views of cultural or economic models that may have
shaped past exploits. This myopia and confusion has penetrated the ranks
of God's people, impeding the amassing of the prayers and the move of
God needed to precipitate the real shift of power and God's strategy.
The
root snares among the community of faith have long been and continue to
be the desire to be like everyone else. Among the leaders in Jesus'
day, it was the idols in their minds that came with the seduction of
power. For God's people both the identity and the strategy must be in
and from God.
The Tipping Point
The
need is for what makes the Lord to be the God of strategy in the
cultural, the economic and power structures. The call is for those known
by His name, in humility, crying out to Him for the hunger that will
bring forth His presence and intervention. Israel is the focal point,
with the people of God seeking His face with the right focus.
In
both 1948 and 1967, the crucible of the shift in the spiritual climate
has manifested with war in Israel, accompanied by significant moves of
God in the Body. These dynamics have changed the equilibrium of the
equation. These are a part of the birth pangs.
Yet
the carry-through to the tipping point ushering in the strategy
impacting the cultural, economic and that of power requires more. This
is where the way of the Kingdom, Jesus' central earthly message,
combined with maturity in the prophetic becomes critical to God's way of
strategy. It is where the premise of "he who loves his life will lose
it, but he who hates his life will gain it" becomes significant.
Times
of revival or renewal in the Lord are not driven by seeking ideals or
their conception of solutions, but rather the One who creates the ideals
and solutions. When we abandon our comfort zones and precepts, it
demands a humility and commitment to His pathways. This humility and
unreserved commitment to the God of strategy opens the gates and paves
the way for the new thing God seeks to release among us.
"Yet
once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth
and the sea and the dry land. I will shake the nations, so that they
will come with the wealth of the nations and fill this house with
glory." Haggai 2:6-7
It
is the simple things that confound the wise. A wall-hanger in my office
states: "Seek not after ministry, but after the fruits of a disciplined
life." When combined with the words of Jesus, "seek first the Kingdom
and His righteousness and all these other things will be added," it
incorporates the pathway needed for God's strategy of change.
We
have reached a climax in which the change needed will only come from
the God of strategy. God's change will shake up the status quo. It will
bring restoration of His ancient paths and release the power that raised
Jesus from the dead. It will trigger the mantle dormant within the
covenant descendents of Abraham.
"What will their acceptance be, but life from the dead." Romans 11:15
___________________________________________________
Morris
Ruddick has been a forerunner and spokesman for the call of God in the
marketplace since the mid-90s. As founder of Global Initiatives
Foundation and designer of the God's Economy Entrepreneurial Equippers
Program, Mr. Ruddick imparts hope and equips economic community builders
where God's light is dim in both the Western and non-Western world.
He
is author of "The Joseph-Daniel Calling;" "Gods Economy, Israel and the
Nations;" "The Heart of a King;" "Something More;" "Righteous Power in a
Corrupt World;" "Leadership by Anointing;" and "Mantle of Fire," which
address the mobilization of business and governmental leaders called to
impact their communities with God's blessings. They are available in
print and e-versions from www.Amazon.com, www.apple.com/ibooks and www.BarnesandNoble.com.
Global Initiatives Foundation (www.strategic-initiatives.org)
is a tax-exempt 501 (c) 3 non-profit whose efforts are enabled by the
generosity of a remnant of faithful friends and contributors whose
vision aligns with God's heart to mobilize the persecuted church to be
the head and not the tail. Checks on US banks should be made out to
Global Initiatives and mailed to PO Box 370291, Denver CO 80237 or by
credit card at http://strategicintercession.org/support/
Likewise,
email us to schedule a seminar for your congregation on the
Joseph-Daniel Calling or on anointing the creative in business.
2016 Copyright Morris Ruddick -- sign@strategicintercession.org
Reproduction
is prohibited unless permission is given by a SIGN advisor. Since early
1996, the Strategic Intercession Global Network (SIGN) has mobilized
prophetic intercessors and leaders committed to targeting
strategic-level issues impacting the Body on a global basis. For
previous posts or more information on SIGN, check: http://www.strategicintercession.org
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