A Prophecy from Alex Buchanan - 1978

I have just posted a blog on "Life on Wings" looking forward to 2007 in the hope that it will be a year where God moves profoundly on our nation. My belief is that God in His grace will manifest this wave of anointing in a corporate setting where we all (as Dave Holden preached) are "ministers of the Spirit". Part of that longing involves a desire that I share with Jon Cressey among others to go onto maturity particularly in the gift of the prophetic. I do not have the benefit of maturity or experience to draw on in this. My tactic is to seek out and hunt out examples to ensure that they are not forgotten and I have attempted to do this thus far.

Alex Buchanan is a prophet of God that I feel a deep affinity with. He served as assistant pastor at my home church in Dunstable for some years and actually dedicated me when I was a baby. My parents said that he brought a prophecy of some sort over me but cannot remember what he said. Alex has been extremely influential also in Terry Virgo's life (read about it in "No Well Worn Paths") and has also been a great encouragement to Dr R T Kendall. So I was tremendously excited to find an out-of-print book of Alex's called "Bible Meditation" in a second hand bookshop. The book itself is great but at the back there are a number of powerful prophecies he brought. Here is one - given in 1978 - but more applicable now than ever;

Leaders Conference - Asburnham - 1978.

I believe God wants us to hear these words. Please evaluate them for me, brethren. Because you have drawn near to Me, I will draw near to those of you who are leaders of My people and I will lay My hands upon you with some weight. I will begin to enforce My government in every aspect of your lives. I share with you that I am so sickened by the state of My church, that I rise up in anger and say before all heaven that I will have My government within the lives of those who are called by My Name. Therefore I put My hands upon your shoulders to gain your attention, to restrain a little, to make you listen carefully to what I want to say to the people. How will you speak to them if you do not hear what I say to you?

I am examining your lives with My sharp eyes which miss nothing, and I will require great cleanness in your lives from this day; I have always desired it in you and I will now insist upon it. I will watch to see whether you devour My Word or whether you read it in a desultory fashion. I will listen closely to your conversation and your heart cries on behalf of others. I shall require you to pray concerning those who bring error into My church and who give a wrong example, so that a way is made for Me to judge them in severity. I will give them a chance to repent but if not I will begin to remove them from the earth.

Understand My beloved ones, and I do call you beloved, it is not beyond Me to remove even you from this scene if you will not adhere to My Word. I am tired of indiscipline, carelessness and messages; tired of desultory prayers and fluctuating obedience. I require these stringent standards from you because I want to show the world a picture of My church as it should be, and not the shameful testimony it is now. The powers of darkness mock and accuse because of My church's failure and I ask you to give them a clear and resounding answer through your pure lives. My dear people, My deep love is for you; My eternal purposes include you - make sure that you hear My words of love as well as the stern things I say. Make your hearts My throne room in which I can sit comfortably and from which I can govern your entire lives. Rise to the glory of your privilidges; do so now - do not leave it all until eternity. If you love Me, let it be seen through your obedience".

This phrase particularly pierced me like a dagger; "My church ... the shameful testimony it is now". Let 2007 be the year that we heed this prophetic call to rise up and make the Lord proud of His People!