We must all learn to pray and not make decisions too quickly concerning our going out for the Lord’s present move. If we make a quick decision without prayer, our decision may be without God, the Lord, and the Spirit. It may be merely in our self, like the decisions made by unbelievers. Politicians make decisions by themselves without praying to seek the Lord’s leading, but we have the Lord. We are not doing our own work; we are doing His will. Therefore, we must do nothing without adequate prayer. When we began the migrations in 1970, we prayed much concerning who should migrate, where they should go, when they should go, and in what way they should go. We should drop any decisions we have already made without adequate prayer and should have a new beginning. If some have already prayed, they should pray again to seek a confirmation. We should never follow merely an outward “flow.” Rather, we should ask the Lord to give us a clear leading. Any move or work done without adequate prayer is light and not valuable in the eyes of God. It may be counted as a work according to Matthew 7:21-23. Some will say to the Lord, “Lord, Lord, was it not in Your name that we prophesied, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name did many works of power?” But the Lord will declare, “I never knew you. Depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.” Our move and what we raise up may not be sinful, but if it is according to our preference, decision, and intention and not according to the Lord’s leading, it is considered lawless in His eyes.
We all need to pray. To pray is to deny ourselves. It is to say, “Lord, not my will but Your will be done.” We should pray much concerning who should go and when, where, and how they should move. Only then can we make a decision. To delay our decision one or two months is not too much. Everyone who will participate in the Lord’s move should be clear and not follow merely an outward “flow.” We must go with a burden and in a proper way, a way that is approved in the eyes of the Lord. This can be carried out only by much prayer. We need to pray for our future, our vision, our burden, our goal, and the proper way to go to the campuses.
We must also not neglect our environment under the Lord’s sovereignty. If the environment does not permit us to move, we should simply say, “Lord, I submit to Your sovereignty” and remain where we are. We must believe in the Lord’s sovereignty and submit to it. The Lord is in every kind of environment. If something is the Lord’s will and we desire to go along, He will eventually clear the way for us to go peacefully.
We should not make anything legal for others, claiming that whoever does not go out for the Lord’s move is not properly in the Lord’s recovery. This will create legalities, which produce problems, performances, falsehoods, disappointments, and weak consciences. Someone may have the heart and intention to move, but his situation may not allow it. Then he may feel that he is not faithful and not for the Lord’s recovery. This will weaken his conscience, create a leak in his conscience, and provide a subtle entrance for the enemy to come in to ensnare him and defeat him. Therefore, we must not make anything legal.
The Lord is sovereign. He may keep some saints in a certain church or a certain meeting hall for their entire life. They may say, “Lord, I do not like this, and I cannot take it,” but the Lord may say, “I like it, and My grace is sufficient for you.” It is not up to us. We should not think that if we remain where we are under the Lord’s sovereignty, we are shrinking back. We would never shrink back, but we need to go on in a proper way. For this reason, we must not make anything legal.
We must always move, work, walk, and do things not individualistically but in a coordinated way. This requires much learning. The Lord is truly merciful to us, and His grace is sufficient. I would ask you all to try your best to learn all these points. Then we will see not a movement with arrangements and organization but the move of the Lord in the spirit and with life.