I see an altar, and sitting before the Body of Christ on that altar is a large, beautiful box graced with a big, elegant bow. This box has a lid that can be easily removed in order to reveal the box’s contents, yet for years it has remained untouched and unopened. The box has been sitting there since the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, however, the fullness of time for its contents to be revealed has arrived, and it’s opening is necessary for such a time as this. For this reason, there is no dust on the box and it looks as beautiful, fresh, exciting and new as the day the Father sent it. However, we must now remove the lid and allow the Holy Spirit to pour out its contents, and we must press in for Him to unwrap every minute detail of the treasures it contains.

In the box is the fullness of Christ waiting to be poured out on each of His sons and daughters of every age; from the youngest to the oldest. In the box, however, there are no junior Holy Spirits. Too many in the church have viewed what God sees as weapons in His hands (Psalm 127:3-4) as the church of the future. News flash #1: We are living in the days that Jesus spoke of when quoting the prophet Joel, “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy” (Acts 2:17).

I am talking about the children and the youth because the gift is intended for them as much as it’s for the adults. Yes, we are to train His children up in the way they should go; yes, we are to teach them His Word when we are at home, when we walk along the road, when we lie down and when we get up; yes, we are to come along side them with the wisdom, experience and the training of our years. But…there are not years to waste waiting for them to be the church of the future; there are not years to waste waiting for them to become the prodigal sons and daughters that we pray will come home again at the appointed time; there are not years to waste waiting for them to wander around the mountain another 40 years! It is time in the course of God’s Kingdom timetable to go up that mountain; it’s time to conquer the giants in this land, and our children and youth are to be armed with the Word of God and the fullness of His Spirit, conquering and advancing the Kingdom of Heaven on earth right beside us; depending on the Lord’s leading, conquering in front of us. It’s time for signs and wonders to follow the children of God regardless of age. When the Lord uses a child to pray healing into a stranger filled with cancer in a Wal-Mart, and healing manifests, God gets the glory! When the Lord uses a youth to bring deliverance from drugs and addictions to a classmate at school, God gets the glory!

We are in the season that requires us to be training our children and youth to be pressing in to His presence on a daily basis. In that place the children and youth will know their God, they will know His voice, He will reveal His divine strategies, and this generation will do mighty exploits! The children and youth will hear His voice in their schools, in the shopping malls, the grocery stores and the gas stations. They will activate their faith and obey in the name of Jesus; people will get saved, healed and delivered and God will get the highest glory and honor! Jesus came as a child to save this world and He desires to use our children and youth for His Kingdom purposes on the earth today. If we will just open the gift and see what He sees this will become our journey as multigenerational families.

When I worship I see a mighty army linked arm-in-arm…invincible, unstoppable and passionately in love with and obedient to the One they are following…Jesus on a white horse, mighty in battle. This mighty army is filled with children and youth…the mighty army is multigenerational. Many have been faithful to train up their children in the Word, but it’s time to be faithful to train them up in the Spirit and release them to advance the Kingdom.

The world understands this; Satan understands this. It’s not a coincidence that Pharoah murdered the babies of Moses’ day (his fear tried to eliminate the prophetic deliverer of the Israelites). It’s not a coincidence that Herod murdered the babies of Jesus’ day (his fear tried to eliminate the fulfillment of the Deliver of all mankind). News flash #2: It’s not a coincidence that millions of babies are being aborted today (Fear again has eliminated and continues to eliminate an entire generation of children who were created with Kingdom destiny and purpose, and their blood cries out for their Deliver; fear of inconvenience, fear of commitment and responsibility, fear of consequences, fear of the unknown, etc. and Satan’s fear…*see below.).

Satan’s tactics are cleverly disguised. Why are all of the movies, sports activities, educational activities, media gadgets, etc. aimed at our kids, and even at maturing our kids, at younger and younger ages? It’s not because we continue to advance as a society, but rather that we continue to have to adjust as a society as he continues to weave his schemes. It seems perfectly acceptable and maybe even “cute” to expose our young children to the supernatural from a demonic standpoint (Harry Potter just for starters – another blog). Wake up America! The enemy is the master deceiver and he wants to steal and destroy our kids and their destinies. All of it is a complete distraction…a diversion…because *THE ENEMY KNOWS HOW POWERFUL GOD’S KIDS ARE WHEN THEY TAKE HOLD OF WHO THEY ARE IN CHRIST JESUS AND REALLY KNOW THEIR GOD, rather than just knowing about Him.

Our kids can sit in front of video games, television and or/play for hours and we think nothing of it. Why not sit for hours in the presence of the Lord as kids, youth and as families? Every gift of the Spirit that is available to all of His sons and daughters is available to every son and daughter, regardless of age…there is nothing in Scripture about a junior Holy Spirit or an age appropriate recommendation. Jesus didn’t send the children off to Sunday School or children’s church when He taught. He didn’t confine them to Wednesdays and Sundays. No, He said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14).

Read that Scripture again…and again…and again. It’s time to open the gift, Church! The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. The Kingdom of Heaven belongs to the children. The Kingdom of Heaven is advancing forcefully. Every child, youth and adult is called to step in to their destiny and purpose now…today! Let’s teach our kids to know their God, to know who they are in Christ as sons and daughters, AND to press into His presence, hear His voice and obey what He says. Watch what He will do. Study what He did with a shepherd boy (David), an altar boy (Samuel), an orphaned girl (Esther), a very young king (Josiah), a good student (Daniel), and a devoted teenage girl (Mary, the mother of Jesus)…every one of these individuals were kids and youth when they stepped into their calling…every one of them left an inspiring example of what the Lord can do with a yielded vessel at any age. Let’s activate those examples in our kids and youth today. It’s time to open the Gift!