“Reformation and Transformation – A Promise for Believers”
Dean Mitchum, Santa Rosa Beach, FL
This is it. That which you’ve been expecting and longing for is here. The answer to your riddle, the solution to your problem and the change that you’ve been desperately needing is now here. Recognize it.
Reformation is doing and transformation is being. Reforming is what I do, and transformed is who I am. Reformation relates to times, seasons and purposes. Transformation relates to people, cities and nations.
For This Reason, Season and Purpose
“…For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8)
This verse shows an identity and mission. Jesus, the Son of God (identity) destroying the works of the devil (mission). Reformation and transformation reveal identity and mission. This is the season for you to be who you’re supposed to be and to do what you’re supposed to do.
Why does God need you to recognize your season of reformation and transformation? Because He is doing a new thing and wants you to partner with Him.
Isaiah 43:19 declares that God is doing new thing. Seeing and perceiving are both directives in this scripture to help us recognize what God is doing. God wants us to recognize that we have a role in His plans. Colossians 1:26 tells us that the divine mystery is now being revealed. Recognize it and partner with God. (Photo via Unsplash)
Partner with God for Reformation
Within the global apostolic reformation is a worship reformation. Revelation 21:3 tells us to behold, look and see that the tabernacle of God is with man. This is the reformation of worship – to move from David’s tabernacle to God’s tabernacle. God’s is calling forth His partners by name like the army of stars in the sky (see Isaiah 40:26), to discover His glory in a new way and to see what we haven’t seen before (see Proverbs 25:2).
Partner with God by Elevating Your Praise
At one time, Bishop Hamon asked to see what the praise from man gives God that the praise from angels does not give Him. I came up with two examples: Praise from man gives God appreciation through the song of the redeemed, and praise from man also gives God access to His Kingdom on Earth. As Believers, we get to sing a song that the angels cannot sing, the song of the redeemed – the salvation song of God’s love (see Psalm 40:2-3).
Bill Johnson of Bethel Church in Redding, California has said that there is a song of worship which we can only offer on this side of Heaven – a song of praise in the midst of pain. I call it a song of trust.
Both of these songs are beautiful in the offering, but God also has songs for us to sing that elevate our praise. I believe they are the song of authority and the song of victory. When we worship according to Psalm 22:3, we actually give God access to His Kingdom here on Earth. He inhabits our praise.
We also enforce the power of God’s victories through the weapon of praise. We partner with God for reformation when we elevate praise by including songs of authority and victory, along with our songs of redemption and trust.
Partner with God by Elevating Your Victories
David went from killing a lion and a bear to killing a giant. He won personal battles so he could trust God to win national battles. The elevation of victories was David’s way of partnering with God. David killed both the lion and the bear to protect, but he killed the giant to defeat the enemy and clear the way for great victories. He shut the mouth of the lion, broke the claw of the bear and silenced the words of the giant. This is your season of elevation in victories for partnering with God’s reformation.
Partner with God for Transformation
There is a double portion when you combine doing and being; being and doing; reformation and transformation.
Elisha pursued Elijah so that he would get the double portion. He followed him through Bethel, where God changed the name of Jacob to Israel. God spoke to the identity of Jacob and brought him transformation through his name change. It was time for Jacob to become Israel.
Elisha followed Elijah through Jericho, the city of Benjamin. God also changed the identity of Benjamin through his father. His mother called him Benoni but his father intervened and called him Benjamin. He went from Son of My Sorrow to Son of My Right Hand (see Genesis 35:18). When God speaks to who you are, it affects what you do. Let God bring you a new identity today. (Photo via Unsplash)
Recognize your season of reformation and transformation. Partner with God for His plans of reformation and transformation. Write your decree of reformation and transformation. Write your declaration of identity and statement of mission:
For this reason/season was “______” made manifest, that they might “_________.”
God has promised every Believer reformation and transformation. We will see God in a new way through this season. We will have a greater recognition of Him, seeing Him for who He is and what He does, and who we area and what we do. Recognize your season of reformation and transformation. This is it!
Dean Mitchum, Worship Leader
Vision Church at Christian International
Email: dean@deanmitchum.com
Website: www.deanmitchum.com
Dean Mitchum serves as the director of Worship Ministries for Bishop Bill Hamon of Christian International and as the worship pastor for Apostles Tom and Jane Hamon of Vision Church at CI. He is a powerful, prophetic psalmist specializing in writing for the current moves of God, playing prophetically, and leading worship that changes the atmosphere. Dean is the author of Apostolic Kingdom Praise, The Tabernacle of God, and along with his wife Lisa, is the co-writer of more than 100 worship songs. Dean and his wife Lisa have been married 32 years and have five children and four grandchildren. They make their home near the beautiful emerald coast on the Florida panhandle.