In God’s unfolding Kingdom, the focus isn’t only on timing, but also pace. The heavenly realm operates in a rhythm and cadence that’s different from patterns in modern American life.
Through my study of scripture and personal encounters, I've come to understand that the Lord is dynamic and active. When God moves, he does so with purpose and urgency. He does not linger.
Most of the time, the heavenly realm moves swiftly. In moments of deep prayer, I have caught glimpses of angelic activity and felt the intensity of the warfare surrounding me. The unseen realm is far more active than most of us realize.
During revival meetings in Smithton, Missouri, I witnessed God’s power sweep through the crowd. It was not a slow build-up; it was sudden and immediate. Waves of His glory rushed through the room, knocking people to the floor, leaving no time to process what was happening. One moment, we were worshiping; the next, we were caught in the overwhelming presence of God. We called these occasions “now moments,” where an immediate response was required. If you waited too long, you missed it.
I remember one powerful experience vividly. It was a night of fervent intercession, the kind that etches itself into your soul. The prayer meeting was intense—voices lifted in unison and electricity was surging through the room. I was fully engaged, pressing in with every ounce of my being, swaying side to side as I poured out my heart to the Lord. Inside, it felt as if something immense was being stirred, as if I was expanding from within.
Then, suddenly, it happened. Out of nowhere, I felt something sweep past me, like the brush of a heavy, unseen robe across my shoulders. In that moment, a shiver coursed through my entire body. It was as if every nerve woke up at once, alive with electricity. My skin tingled, and the hair on my arms and neck stood at attention, reacting as though a current had passed straight through me.
I stood there, bewildered, three feet away from anyone else, trying to make sense of what had just happened. I looked around, expecting to see someone or something—but there was nothing. Then, a man approached me with wide eyes and asked, “Did you feel that? Did you feel the angel rushing through?” Apparently, one of the heavenly hosts raced through the room.
Like the Speed of a Lightning Bolt
Scripture talks about the speed and velocity of the Spirit realm. The prophet Ezekiel provides a glimpse of the movements of heavenly beings: “The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning” (Ezekiel 1:14, NIV). This imagery captures the agility of the unseen realm. These beings were moving with the blinding speed of a lightning bolt.
As Daniel prayed with intensity, an awe-inspiring figure emerged before him—Gabriel. This was an angel he had witnessed in a previous vision. This time, however, the heavenly being appeared with remarkable speed. Daniel exclaimed: “While I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice” (Daniel 9:21, NIV). The purposes of God typically carry a sense of urgency and immediacy. When the Lord is at work, there is no time to wait.
As humans, we are often constrained by our limited understanding and imagination, making it difficult to fully grasp the workings of the unseen realm. Yet, there is an open invitation before us—to take a second look. In this invisible sphere, the heavenly hosts are never idle. They are continually in motion, advancing with God’s purposes.
Our worship and prayer should reflect this reality, at least at times. But too often, they do not. Instead, we cling to lifeless traditions, content with sluggishness and passivity. In many churches, people sit silently in pews, their voices barely rising, their hearts and bodies disengaged. This might align with a rational, Western mindset, but it could not be further from the vibrant, expansive world of Scripture. The Spirit calls us to awaken, to lift our voices, and to engage with the swift heavenly movement happening all around us.
The prophet Amos foresaw a time of accelerated spiritual activity, a revival where time itself seemed to speed up. He declared: “The days are coming,” says the LORD, “when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes” (Amos 9:13, NIV). Eugene Peterson’s Message translation beautifully captures this ethos: “Things are going to happen so fast your head will swim, one thing fast on the heels of the other. You won’t be able to keep up. Everywhere you look, blessings!”
We cannot expect God to slow down to our pace. Instead, we must align ourselves with His rhythm. As Paul exhorts, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25, NIV). If we lose pace, we risk being left behind. God is continually moving. The question is, can we keep up?
I have new book on personal revival coming out through Chosen Books. Check it out here.
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