Until Holiness becomes a natural joy, it is not His Holiness. Until the world and worldliness is unwelcome because the heart has no kinship to it, it is only fleshly goodness. Our world has a host of good and decent people that talk freely of faith but still bear unclean roots. When a Sovereign visitation floods the church, the first converts will be the members and, in many cases, the pastor. If these words were only my words you could dismiss them. But, these are words from every Sovereign work of church history. It is the unconverted and unholy church world that forbids the visitation of the Holy Ghost. That is about to change.

One of the greatest passages of Scripture that projects God’s visitation is Isaiah 35. Every work of God has first been revealed, “as streams in the desert.” This passage shows us the wilderness created by sin and spiritual slothfulness. God’s visitation is not needed where the spiritual life is maintained and the fruits of righteousness grow naturally. It is in the time of backsliding and apostasy that the Father must reclaim that which is His.

He has never failed to reclaim the deserts of spiritual darkness if and when there were broken saints that gave themselves over to be His tears. Even Sodom and Gomorrah would have been spared if ten righteous souls could have been discovered. Those barren salt pillars of the ancient cities testify today of the absence of Godly men and women. Will your city be such a future barren place to testify that you failed?

The promise of visitation is spectacular. He promised, “It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God” (Isaiah 35:2). As this prophecy unfolded, He further said, “And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isaiah 35:7; 10).

Such a Divine work cannot pass through carnal lives or rest on drooping shoulders. This work must have a “highway” of such beauty that the beasts of the world fear and flee its purity. The prophet called it a “highway of holiness.” “And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:” (Isaiah 35:8-9).

If Biblical Holiness was not possible as some preach today, then we would be excused. The cheap doctrines of sinning religion have reduced God’s church to a club-like playground. Slowly, for most of my life, I have watched as the House of God has become “rich and increased with goods,” but poverty stricken and helpless. I have fancied myself standing tall against the compromise yet have found human strength so inadequate. It’s time to turn to righteousness, His righteousness wrought out by the grace of a smitten Christ. His righteousness does not simply produce externals of Biblical order but saints so pure and profoundly sanctifies that His presence rushes over the sacrifice.

The conviction of sin that will follow the flowing of anointed Holiness will be breathtaking. Sinners will find their brazen rebellion stumbling in “Godly Sorrow.” The wicked will resist but either flee or repent. Businesses of ill repute will be closed and crimes will diminish. Where this visitation is in full bloom, the cheap religion of our sin-friendly and rock-singing churches will repent or be judged with extinction. Even as the false prophets of Pharaoh could not defeat the rod of Moses, so will our false prophets be exposed as failures.

With all my heart I call you to the grand hope of a Divine visitation. I obey Habakkuk the prophet that said, “Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it” (Habakkuk 2:2b). Consider that “God is no respecter of persons” and that He will honor one and all that abandon themselves to this battle. He will give you a visitation as surely as He gave Duncan Campbell or Evans Roberts a visitation. The visitations on the island of Malta with Apostle Paul or the visitation on Samaria with Phillip are prime examples.

Consider your city the Sodom and Gomorrah of your life. Will you be thrust out as he was but leave a barren valley as a testimony of your slothfulness or will you become a saint drenched with tears and filled with Holiness? There is little time left to decide your destiny. God is waiting in the Heavenly temple for your decision.

What kind of saint will God choose as a partner for a sovereign visitation? The church world is a spiritual desert because of spiritual weakness and religious facade. There is much show and form but almost no broken saints that have declared, “Revival or Death.” When a broken soul can get a vision of God’s Shekinah falling like rain on sin-sick lives and can see the joy of an army of the “Born Again,” nothing else is acceptable. A prophet cried out, “Where there is no vision, the people perish:” (Proverbs 29:18a). The path to the place where God literally comes down and mountains of grace flow down at His presence is not cheap. It must happen again and it pleases our Father to do it.

The Sovereign God is searching for the right vessels. LetÂ’s try to identify a few of the principles out of Holy Scripture. Our Lord needs some saints – just one or maybe a few – that have reached the place of Holy Boldness in prayer. This is not arrogance or loud flesh but a boldness and unwavering humility. Holiness of character and conduct that Calvary has wrought in the soul is the foundation. “All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6b). Works-oriented holiness will not suffice. His blood, by the Holy Spirit alone, can lay the foundation.

Faith and expectancy will grow out of that pure soul as a search is pursued for the will of God on earth. Until the Spirit can convince you that a sovereign visitation is God’s will, you cannot know “expectancy.” The Bible words for this expectancy is “hope” and hope means, “joyous expectancy.” It’s that calm inward certainty that God said it, wills it, and is in the process of doing it. For the first time in my life, I feel this “hope.”

The saints expecting this sovereign visitation must develop the right understanding of circumstances around them. It does not mean the end of conflict or to expect Satan to vanish. The opposite is true, the conflict will explode and the devil will take out all stops. General Booth was known to tell his workers, “Keep your eyes off the waves and fix them on the tide.” Charles Finney would often say, “Look, the tides are rising.” Watch for tears, little children often lead the way and the tender saints begin to cry and mourn. It may start like a sprinkle but let every sign of conviction and brokenness encourage your soul.

Repentance in the church will begin to break. Saints will begin to hunger after the Lord. “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?” (Psalm 42:1-3). Do not take this sign as proof that the battle is won. This is only the beginning and must be nurtured and backed up with strong praying. A breaking in God’s house can be stillborn if there are no saints of God that pursue this beginning with passion.

Consciousness of sin, carnality, and unfaithfulness will begin to produce confession and rededication, followed by restitution. Saints will begin to ask forgiveness, pleading for a ministry in GodÂ’s house and even catch up on back tithes. The pastor will be thrilled with a new respect that is manifest toward the preached word and a new anointing on the Gospel will be evident. The windows of Heaven will appear to be opening toward a downpour.

Tenderness for souls, the freedom from prejudice of color or class, and the excitement of rejoicing over the harvest will become visible. When God is preparing for a full display of His glory, there can be nothing but unity in the House of God. The power of prayer is ready to break, and the Spirit of God is preparing the saints and His vessels of honor.

Now, the boldness of Biblical praying can truly reach its zenith. Until the soul trembles to even consider entering God’s presence, little can come of prayer. We only have one door into the Holy place, that door is the veil of His flesh. “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;” (Hebrews 10:19-20). God has chosen that a broken and bold entrance into His presence must precede His revelation of Himself to His church. A sovereign visitation will never be manifest during this church age except in this “Ole Ship of Zion.” The world is full of religious row-boats, but they are sailing nowhere. They will vanish or fade into significance as God Himself visits His Holy Saints.

Prepare yourself for this “Shekinah Visitation.” I suggest living in Romans chapters six and eight for a few weeks. Pursue a deep-abiding purity by His blood. Wait on a filling of the Holy Spirit that will consume you. Seek the mind of God so you can feel what God is about to do in His church and earth. Let His faith become your faith instead of trying to make your faith His faith.

Anything that our Father has touched and established cannot be destroyed but will continue for eternity. The word Jerusalem is a classic word in the Holy Bible. The Father chose it as the name of His capitol city in the Heavenly realm, where He sits on His throne. When He chose an earthly city to establish a chosen people in order to give the world His Messiah, He named it after His Heavenly city. As His church was called out to provide a Bride for His Son, He called that church the Heavenly or Spiritual Jerusalem. Then, His Son said that He would prepare a city of mansions for His Bride and a New World Order. He named it New Jerusalem. No one can doubt the Heavenly FatherÂ’s love for Jerusalem.

His capitol city is in the northern part of His universe on the side of a great mountain. Its splendor is so breathtaking that Apostle Paul returned with a bated voice after being caught up to speak with its Creator. The Psalmist David was given a description of this city. “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King” (Psalm 48:1-2). This city is the jewel of the entire universe.

The great temple that sits at the center of this city was the prototype of a multi-billion dollar temple built by King Solomon in earthly Jerusalem. Melchizedek, who descended to serve Abraham communion, was the earlier high priest of this Heavenly temple. A company of angelic priests that serve that temple will be given privileged responsibilities in the Book of Revelation. “And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles” (Revelation 15:6).

Earthly Jerusalem, presently the capitol of the returning Jews to the nation of Israel, was chosen to provide redemption as the world awaited the God-man, Jesus Christ. The presence of God would actually descend at the designated time to dwell between the cherubim in the earthly temple. That location was called the holy of holies and GodÂ’s fire would appear to consume the blood offering placed there by the high priest. The divine order of God had married the two cities together to foreshadow the sacrifice that would die outside the walls of the earthly counterpart.

A Son was born to a virgin not far from Jerusalem. He was not just Mary’s Son; He was God’s Son. He came to fulfill the “lambs that were slain in the temple.” His death was heralded when an angel rent the veil that separated the most holy place and redemption was complete for all mankind. Jerusalem was the appointed witness for God’s gift to fallen man.

The new race of saints that was temporarily broken off from the nation of Israel would now constitute a spiritual Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit descended to birth a people for the King. His Spirit was come not just to save but to dwell in sanctified temples. They would be His witness of grace to the whole earth. For a season, Spiritual Jerusalem would touch the whole world instead of just a geographical location. It was GodÂ’s design to show Himself to the world. His church would be both Jews and Gentiles until a Bride was prepared.

Earthly Jerusalem is back in focus as the great God prepares the ending chapter. The Rapture, when His Bride ascends to the wedding chamber, will soon occur. That Bride will return to reign as His kings and priests for a Millennium of perfect peace. This Earthly Jerusalem will host the King of kings on King DavidÂ’s throne.

Then, the New Jerusalem — his final golden city — will descend upon a perfected new world. This city defies description. It will be fifteen hundred miles square and fifteen hundred miles high, and it will be twelve levels that are one hundred and twenty five miles apart. Jasper walls will rise for fifteen hundred miles at each level and will be enhanced by different and priceless arrays of jewels. It will consist of pearly gates and golden streets. The inner walls will be sealed with gold. This city is the LordÂ’s gift to His Bride, the exclusive saints of all human history.

Every religious entity that is attacked by the world today touches one of these four Jerusalems. Israel and the worldwide hatred for the Jews are intimate with Earthly Jerusalem. The attack against Bible-believing Christians is an attack on GodÂ’s Spiritual Jerusalem. The hatred for the Rapture and the one thousand years of ChristÂ’s reign on earth is an attack against New Jerusalem preparing to descend to the redeemed earth. The worldÂ’s hatred of the one Sovereign God of Holy Scripture is an attack against the Father that is seated on His throne in the Heavenly city of Jerusalem somewhere in the northern realm of His celestial universe.

God and his four Jerusalems will be indestructible for all eternity. When that which can be destroyed is history, the FatherÂ’s Heavenly Jerusalem will merge with His New Jerusalem. His saints — called Spiritual Jerusalem — will dwell in the Golden City with pearly gates. Even the ancient earthly city, Jerusalem, will be expanded and beautified beyond description and will occupy AbrahamÂ’s Promise Land for all eternity. Our God and His Jerusalems are eternal.