2017: The Year of Acceleration by Lanny Swaim
Identity Network May 22, 2017
See that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16
One of the definitions of redeem is to fulfill. Another is to recover or take back.
Jesus said that Jerusalem would be trodden down by the Gentiles (nations), until the times of the Gentiles were fulfilled (see Luke 21:24). Obviously, the time that other nations controlled Jerusalem ended during the Six Day War in June of 1967, when Israel took back the old city of Jerusalem from Jordan. After hundreds of years, the ancient Biblical capital of Israel was once again under Israeli control.
This happened suddenly, just as did the rebirth of the nation of Israel in 1948, which I believe signified an acceleration of time, speeding us toward the fulfillment of many Bible prophecies.
These events took place during the same time period as the Charismatic Movement, which sped the Church toward its destiny, found in Paul's letter to the Church at Ephesus:
That he [Jesus] might sanctify and cleanse it [the Church] with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or an such thing: but that it should be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:26-27
Reintroduction of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit
The baptism with the Holy Spirit had been reintroduced to the Church around the mid-nineteenth century with the Welsh Revival of 1859. In 1904 believers in Wales were praying for another revival like the one in 1859. God answered their prayers by raising up a 26 year old coal miner, Evan Roberts, to spearhead a revival that lasted for over two years in Wales, which impacted not only the Church in Wales but society as well.
Then, by the time the Welsh Revival was winding down the Azusa Street Revival began in Los Angeles, California. Out of the Azusa Street Revival came Pentecostal denominations still in existence today.
However, the Charismatic Movement of the mid-twentieth century crossed all denominational boundaries, with Christians of all persuasions receiving the baptism with the Holy Spirit.
Initially, the baptism with the Spirit was accompanied by another baptism, which I think is often, if not most of the time overlooked: the baptism with fire.
I [John] indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. Matthew 3:11 (see also Luke 3:16)
The baptism with fire often translates in our lives as tests and trials (tribulation), designed to separate the dross from the gold within us, enabling us to not only operate in the gifts of the Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 12:8-10), but to possess the fruit of the Spirit as well (see Galatians 5:22-23).
It seems to me we have majored in the gifts of the Spirit and minored in the fruit of the Spirit for the most part during and since the Charismatic Movement.
Dying to Self
Since the beginning of this new day (millennium/see 2 Peter 3:8) on the timeline of history, God has been dealing rather severely with a remnant of believers, causing in them a more complete dying to self than experienced in the past.
This dying to self, brought about by suffering intense and severe tests and trials, is enabling those of this remnant to experience the fruit of the Spirit, better equipping them to operate in the gifts of the Spirit.
If you are part of this remnant, you know exactly what I am talking about. If not, you may be scratching your head about now, thinking I am going off on some tangent that is unnecessary.
But I can assure you, I am not only speaking of revealed knowledge I have received as I have studied the scriptures and formed doctrines of truth, I am speaking from experience.
Having been subjected to intense and severe tests and trials that literally lasted for years in my life, God has reduced me to nothing, so He can mold and make me into something that He can now use to redeem the time.
And, He has and continues to connect me with others of this remnant, positioning us as a first fruits company of many more to come, and as a corporate prophetic voice declaring that which is to come; a redemption of time unlike anything the Church or the world has ever known.
It appears that the last 6000 years of the history of mankind, and more specifically the last 2000 years of Church history, have been preparing and positioning us for the redemption of time we are now beginning to experience as we enter this new day (millennium), which is the seventh day of/since creation and the third day of the Church.
Jesus prophesied of this day when He said:
Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. Luke 13:32
The Third Day
Many think Jesus was prophesying His resurrection when He made this statement. But Jesus didn't walk out of the tomb with a perfected body. He still had the scars of the crucifixion in His body.
Rather, He was prophesying the third day (millennium) of the Church, when His body, the Body of Christ, will be perfected.
During this third day, a great acceleration of time will occur, causing a snowball effect of all the preparation and positioning that has taken place since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden 6000 years ago. That acceleration began with the birth of the Church 2000 years ago but will greatly increase during this third day of the Church.
Since the beginning of this millennium, a remnant has been experiencing this acceleration, but the Lord has been saying to me that 2017 will be a year of even greater acceleration, when many more will follow the remnant and begin to experience the redemption of time in their individual lives, greatly accelerating the redemption of time in the corporate Church, propelling the nations toward their destiny, which is Revelation 11:15:
The kingdoms [nations] of this world are become the kingdoms [Kingdom] of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever.
Surely we were born for such a time as this!
Lanny Swaim
