Raising up Forerunners: Preparing to Prepare Others
I. FORERUNNERS
A. The Spirit is raising up forerunners from many different streams in the Church worldwide.
What is a forerunner? Forerunners proclaim the coming of the Lord and the unique events directly related to it. These forerunners will
function in many different ways and with different ministry callings. They include those called as evangelists, pastors, teachers, prophets,
media missionaries, artists, singers, musicians, actors, writers, or those called to the marketplace.
B. In my opinion, we are in the early days of the generation in which Jesus will return. I believe that there are people alive today who
will see the return of Jesus. It may be the 20-year-olds or it could be the 2-year-olds who see His return. I do not know. No one can know
this with certainty.
C. When we look at the first-century forerunners, it gives us insight into the life and role of forerunners in the end times. John the
Baptist and the apostles were first-century forerunners; they went into various cities before Jesus in order to proclaim His coming to their
region.
52 [Jesus]…sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. (Lk. 9:52)
D. The angel Gabriel alluded to Isaiah 40 when he described John the Baptist as a forerunner who would prepare people to receive
Jesus at His first coming (Lk. 1:11-19). John was a voice crying in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord (Jn. 1:23).
17 It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and
the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous; so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. (Lk. 1:17, NAS)
3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. (Isa. 40:3)
E. These passages give us insight into the forerunner ministry as that of preparing people by announcing the coming of Christ. John
also ministered as an evangelist, calling multitudes to come to Jesus. He announced the coming of Jesus while winning souls to the
kingdom and making disciples by teaching them to pray, fast, and live righteously (Mt. 9:14; Lk. 3:3-18; 11:1).
F. Isaiah 62 describes forerunners in the generation in which the Lord returns: they will prepare people by building up the highway of
the Lord and by lifting a banner message to the ends of the earth that God’s salvation is surely coming. Forerunners proclaim the second
coming of Jesus and give insight into the reward that He will bring with Him (Rev. 22:12).
10 Prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the highway! Take out the stones, lift up a banner for the peoples! The Lord has
proclaimed to the end of the world: “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Surely your salvation is coming; behold, His reward is with Him...’” (Isa. 62:
10-11)
G. Just as the first-century forerunners proclaimed the first coming of Jesus ahead of time, so also the end-time forerunners will
proclaim the second coming of Jesus ahead of time.
H. Many will focus on making disciples by leading small groups in their church, university, or work place. Moms and dads are some of
the most effective forerunners as they teach their children about the coming of Jesus and its implications.
I. The forerunner ministry is not reserved for an elite group. It is a calling available to any who are willing to announce the coming of
Jesus and the events related to it.
II. FORERUNNERS PROCLAIM BOTH COMINGS OF THE LORD
A. Forerunners emphasize Jesus’ second coming at the same time as proclaiming the benefits of His first coming as they win the lost,
heal the sick, help the poor, and walk in love and holiness.
B. To understand the fullness of Jesus’ earthly ministry, we must consider the two time frames that are related to His two comings. The
first time frame started 3½ years before the cross and extends through church history. The second time frame starts 3½ years before His
second coming and extends through the Millennium. The second period is called the Day of the Lord.
C. Jesus’ earthly ministry in these two time frames is joined together in God’s plan to accomplish the fullness of His purposes. There is
a dynamic continuity between these two. We must not see them as separate realities but as the same glory of Jesus being manifest in two
periods of time.
D. What was fully accomplished at Jesus’ first coming will be fully manifest in all the nations in the unique events related to His second
coming. At His first coming He paid the price for our sin and sickness, defeated Satan, and released the power of the Spirit in and through
His people so that they might live in victory over sin and make a dynamic impact on the nations in this age.
E. At His second coming He takes it all a step further by openly manifesting the fullness of His victory in every sphere of life. He will
raise every believer from the dead, cast Satan into prison, fully transform every area of society in every nation, and remove the curse of sin
from creation by restoring all things, including the animals, atmosphere, and agriculture. All of these activities are aspects of Jesus’ earthly
ministry as described in various end-time scriptures.
F. Some only focus on the benefits of Jesus’ first coming as it relates to His salvation and power being manifest over the last 2,000
years of church history. Others focus on the benefits of Jesus’ first coming as it relates to the events of His second coming. These two
periods are joined together in God’s greater purposes. What God has joined together, let no man separate. We must proclaim the whole
counsel of God, which includes His saving power being manifest on earth in both time frames (Acts 5:20; 20:20, 27).
III. FORERUNNERS LIVE IN TWO TIME FRAMES
A. Forerunners live both in the now and in the future. They press into the kingdom in the now while also preparing for the unique
dynamics that will occur just before Jesus returns. They see the significance of the years leading up to His return, at which time extreme
and unique dynamics—both positive and negative—will be occurring. This will include the greatest outpouring of the Spirit in history. It will
also include Satan’s most intense rage against the human race and God’s most severe judgments being poured out against the Antichrist’s
empire.
B. Noah is an example of a forerunner who lived in two time frames, seeking to live in the fullness of God’s purposes in the now while
preparing for the fullness of God’s purpose in the future. He poured himself out in preaching to unbelievers while he was preparing an ark
for a future storm that would not occur for many decades (Heb. 11:7; 2 Pet. 2:5).
C. We do not need to choose between now and then. It is our inheritance to walk in the fullness of what God intended for both time
frames. End-time forerunners announce the second coming of Jesus while they win the lost, heal the sick, and make disciples.
IV. FORERUNNERS PREPARE THE UNPREPARED
A. Simply defined, the forerunner ministry announces the coming of the Lord and prepares the unprepared to receive the ministry of
Jesus in the midst of the unique dynamics of the end times. Not all ministries feel called to emphasize the second coming of Jesus and the
events related to it. However, those who do must prepare today by gaining deeper understanding of what the Scripture says about the end
times and its implications.
B. How will forerunners prepare the unprepared? By informing them that Jesus is returning to the earth as the King of kings and by
changing their expectation and interpretation of the unique events related to His coming. They will prepare people to respond rightly to
Jesus by giving them understanding of His end-time plans so that they will be able to understand. If people lack understanding of what is
happening in the end times, they will be more vulnerable to yield to fear, offense, confusion, compromise, and deception. Their ignorance
of what the Scripture says about the events in that hour will cause them to make wrong decisions.
C. As intense events unfold, many will lose their perspective and objectivity in seeing God’s love and wisdom. They will need to see
what is happening from a biblical perspective and understand the events as an expression of God’s love and wisdom. Forerunners will
bring this understanding of God’s love to the context of the unique end-time events.
D. Unbelievers will have a desperate need to understand what is happening (Mt. 24:37-39). Even some believers will struggle with
offense at Jesus for what He is allowing to happen (Mt. 11:6). In contrast, those who do understand what is happening will be far more likely
to grow in faith and love. By gaining understanding they will be able to discern the right things and, therefore, to resist the wrong ones.
Forerunners proclaim from the Bible what will happen before it occurs,
V. FORERUNNERS BRING UNDERSTANDING OF THE JUDGMENT OF GOD
A. The purpose of God’s judgments against the Antichrist’s empire is to remove all that hinders love. Those who misunderstand God’s
judgments will be offended and angry with Him. Forerunners will help people receive Jesus’ love instead of being offended at Him. People
must rightly interpret Jesus’ judgments in order to trust His leadership so that they may mature in love for Him. Forerunners will bring right
understanding about God’s judgments. It is not enough to make known the fact that God’s judgments are coming against the Antichrist’s
empire—we must give the reason for them. We are to give the why behind the what.
B. At the heart of God’s judgment is Jesus, intervening to deliver the oppressed and to stop oppressors. Think of the implications of a
God who would not intervene to stop oppressors. What would you think of a father who would not intervene to prevent a man kidnapping
his children? God’s judgments are an expression of His love for His children. In the midst of His judgments, God offers mercy to the
oppressors if they will only repent and receive it. When God’s judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness
(Isa. 26:9).
VI. PRAYING AGAINST THE JUDGMENT OF GOD IN THIS HOUR
A. In this hour, the saints are not to pray for judgment against ungodly nations. They are to cry out for God’s mercy to triumph over
judgment in the midst of ungodly nations (Jas. 2:13). We pray for their salvation and deliverance. At this time, we do not pray to release
God’s judgment, but to stop it. The message of the Old Testament prophets was that God’s people could stop the judgment of God through
intercession. We see this message throughout the entire book of Joel.
B. The saints are only to pray for judgment against the Antichrist’s empire in the final 3½ years of this age. God’s end-time judgments
are focused on the Antichrist’s reprobate empire. Reprobate people are so hardened in their hatred of God that they have no desire to
repent. As Moses prayed to release God’s judgments against a reprobate Pharaoh (Ex. 7-12), so the saints will pray to release His
judgment against the Antichrist’s empire that will oppress and kill the saints.
C. The greatest miracles of Jesus will be released through His Church during the final 3½ years of this age, when He releases signs
and wonders against the Antichrist that are similar to those He released through Moses (Mic. 7:15). In that day, the prayers of all the saints
from throughout history will be released against the Antichrist’s empire (Rev. 8:3-5; Ps. 149:6-9).
VII. FORERUNNERS PREPARE THEMSELVES IN THE WORD
A. Forerunners prepare themselves by going deep in God through studying the Scripture in the context of prayer with fasting, resisting
temptation, enduring difficulties, ministering to people, and learning to operate in the gifts of the Spirit. The ministry we do today glorifies
Jesus and helps people while at the same time preparing us for the future. The ministry we do today is an essential part of our preparation
for future ministry.
B. Forerunners must grow in their understanding of the Scripture. There are over 150 chapters in the Bible that focus on Jesus’
second coming and the end-time events that are associated with it. In comparison, the four gospels that give us a record of Jesus’ ministry
at His first coming total 89 chapters. The gospels give us a record of Jesus’ ministry related to His first coming when He redeemed us from
our sins.
C. The 150 chapters on the end times reveal Jesus ministry and the events related to His second coming when He will openly manifest
His rule over all the nations.
D. Many neglect these 150 chapters without considering that they come from the same Bible, reveal the same Jesus, and manifest the
same power of the Spirit as the four gospels. These 150 chapters focus on Jesus' end-time plan and the demonstration of His signs and
wonders in totally removing wickedness from the earth and fully establishing His peace and love in all nations.
E. Forerunners will take time to gain understanding of what the Scriptures say about the end times so that they may prophetically
declare it to others (Isa. 62:10-12; Jer. 23:20; 30:24; Dan. 11:33-35; 12:9-10; Joel 2:28-29; Mal. 4:5¬-6; Mt. 17:11; Acts 2:17-21; Rev. 11:3-
6; 13:18).
F. Jeremiah prophesied that in the last days God would give His people a supernatural ability to perceive His loving purposes in His
judgments. In the latter days they will understand this.
20 The anger of the LORD will not turn back until He has executed and performed the thoughts of His heart. In the latter days you will
understand it perfectly. (Jer. 23:20)
G. Jeremiah went on to prophesy that God’s messengers would consider, or search out, the Word of God to gain understanding of
God’s heart behind His end-time judgments (Jer. 30:24).
24 The fierce anger of the LORD will not return until He has done it, and until He has performed the intents of His heart. In the latter days
you will consider [study] it. (Jer. 30:24)
H. Daniel prophesied that people who have understanding in the end times shall instruct many:
33 Those of the people who understand shall instruct many…some of those of understanding shall fall [martyrdom], to refine them, purify
them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time. (Dan. 11:33-35)
I. God is raising up forerunners like John the Baptist who will be a voice with clarity, power, and boldness in the midst of confusion.
They will be a voice of things to come, not merely an echo.
23 He [John the Baptist] said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the LORD,”’ as the prophet Isaiah
said.” (Jn. 1:23)
J. Simply knowing a few Bible principles will not be enough; forerunners must grow in their understanding of the Scripture that they
might be a clear prophetic voice in that hour.
VIII. PARTNERSHIP WITH JESUS NOW AND THEN
A. Some spend time preparing to engage in partnership with Jesus now with no thought of preparing for partnership with Him in the
uniqueness of the end-time events. Their rationale is that we do not need to prepare because Jesus will just take care of things Himself at
that time. There is a fundamental contradiction in this mindset. Though they see Jesus as desiring partnership with His people now to
change the world, they are wrong in thinking that He will not seek the same partnership in the years just before He returns. The good news
is that Jesus wants full partnership with us now and then.
B. Jesus desires partnership with His Bride in every stage of His work in this age and the age to come, especially in the world-changing
events that will occur just before He returns. He will not suddenly turn a cold shoulder to His Bride in that hour to take everything into His
own hands, bypassing His joy in working through His people. As surely as He heals the sick and overcomes the oppressor through the
prayers of the saints now, He will do the same then. Jesus longs for deep partnership with His people in every stage of His work in this age
and the age to come.
C. We must be as intentional about preparing to partner with Jesus in the end times as we are in the now. The intensity of life at that
time will require preparation, especially in our understanding.
IX. THE END-TIME HOPE FOR ALL THE NATIONS
A. The return of Jesus is called the blessed hope. He will come to rule all the nations and His judgments will remove all oppression and
rebellion against God from the entire earth.
13 Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of…Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:13)
B. All nations will live in the joy of God’s manifest presence with unprecedented goodness, prosperity, and righteousness. The entire
earth will enjoy an open heaven. Even the hostility of certain animals toward humans will be removed (Rom. 8:19-23). The entire earth will
be healed as the land, water, and atmosphere are fully cleansed. The conditions of the garden of Eden will eventually fill the entire earth
(Isa. 35:1-8; 51:3; Ezek. 34:29; 36:35; 47:6-12).
C. We will experience great advancements of God’s kingdom on the earth even before Jesus returns but it will increase even more
dramatically after His return. There is a dynamic continuity between our labors and victories before He returns and the victories that He will
establish after He returns. It will all work together as one seamless plan. The Devil will be thrown into prison and all evil laws and leaders will
be replaced by those that are righteous and good (Rev. 20:1-6).
D. The earth will not end—Satan and the kingdom of darkness on earth will end. This is the greatest hope imaginable for our future
and the generations to come. We are agents of change who confront evil now with the love and power of Jesus.
E. There is no fear in love. The martyrs will overcome as they are victorious in love over Satan and all the ways of the Antichrist (Rev.
12:11; 15:2).