A fascinating video on YouTube called “Piercing the Veil” by Lance Wallnau expresses this concept:
Certain kingdom truths are veiled—the enemy keeps them hidden from God’s people, who have a veil over their minds and spirits. If someone tries to break through, they hit a barrier. Finally a few pierce the veil, but at great personal price. Then it seems that God opens people’s eyes—gives them revelation from the Scriptures—and the floodgates open. Anyone can walk into the “new” truth. Whole movements begin.
Wallnau’s conclusion? Once you reach critical mass on a revelation, everyone gets access easily to what was once contested territory.
Here are some examples.
Justification by faith. Prior to Martin Luther, the church taught that people could “buy” their salvation—hence the sale of indulgences. Martin Luther knew this wasn’t the way to salvation, but he had many years of doubt and questions as he struggled to understand the truth. Finally God opened his eyes to “see” justification by faith.
At a similar point in time, others, like Zwingli, came into the same truth. The truth spread rapidly as the Scriptures were made available in the language of the common people. From that point onward, salvation by faith has been a truth open to all. It’s so obvious in the Scriptures that you wonder how people could have missed it.
Being filled with the Holy Spirit. The Pentecostal/charismatic movements began in Azusa Street in 1906. Prior to this, a few people, after days and weeks of tarrying, might have been filled with the Holy Spirit. Once God illumined the Scriptures, it became easy for people to experience. Now the reality of the Holy Spirit, including the spiritual gifts, is widely accepted and people are easily filled with the Holy Spirit.
I would put the simple, organic, house church movement into a similar bracket. When we first became involved in this movement nearly 20 years ago, the idea that it didn’t take specially trained clergy to start a church was revolutionary and controversial. But again, God illumined the Scriptures. Now the concept has become mainstream—according to the Pew Forum, 9 percent of Protestants meet this way—and it’s acceptable for ordinary people to gather in their homes to worship and to start churches working primarily with not-yet-believers.
I believe we are on the verge of the same thing happening with women. God is illumining the Scriptures. It may just be that I’m more aware of it, but it seems that everywhere I turn, people are interested in this topic. God is in the process of bringing this subject to the forefront. There’s a groundswell—a huge change of opinion, an awakening to its relevance to the kingdom.
God is in the process of piercing the veil, and women everywhere will be set free to co-labor alongside men in the kingdom.
What could happen as a result? Tell us on Facebook.
Adapted from Felicity Dale‘s blog, Kingdom Women. Felicity Dale is an author and an advocate for women in the church. She trains people to start simple, organic house churches around the world.
