Modern Day Mystics

Never has the need been greater for a clear prophetic word coming direct from God's heart. The Lord told us prophetically that 2005 would be a year of transition. We have now determined that 2006 will be a year of change.

Transition is defined as "the act of passing from one state or place into the next." Change is "the result of an alteration or modification." The transition of 2005 initiated a process while the change of 2006 will manifest the results of our responses to this process.

Genuine spiritual change only transpires with a visitation from God. The Great Reformation was launched with a clear prophetic word from the Lord's heart. A fullness-of-time moment had occurred in God's plan, and the ministry of restoration was set in motion. That movement has been progressively accelerating to this present hour. Another crossroad has been met and great change is imminent.

With a fresh word from the Lord, there is an equally important need for increase in our measure of discernment. History has proven that each major juncture in God's time-line is met with a deluge of voices. However, the Lord promised that His sheep will know His voice. He said,

When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers — John 10:4-5

Nevertheless, when we discern His Voice there must be a positive response, or we will be doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past. Dating all the way back to Israel's exodus from Egypt, a consistent pattern has developed following each visitation of God's Spirit. Biblical and natural history affirms that without the spirit of revelation resident in us, we will miss the day of our visitation. (Deuteronomy 29:2-4)

APPREHENDING THE MESSAGE

The Lord comes with miracles, signs and wonders to validate a message that is firmly rooted and grounded in the written word. God's people are often captivated by the signs and wonders but only a remnant captures the message. This trend must be reversed in this hour. The early Church model stipulated,

They went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed — Mark 16:20

The Holy Spirit worked with the early disciples with signs and wonders to confirm the message of God's Kingdom. To us a measure of grace is being allotted to quicken our spirits for receptivity to that message. A supernatural hunger is provoking us to move beyond cold formal religiosity to pursue relationship with Him. To even possess this desire is God's gift. We desperately need the validation of His Spirit with miracles and signs but we cannot allow that to become the end in itself. It is only a means to the end—that is, union with the Lord.

PURSUIT OF MATURITY

As someone once said, "change demands growth and growth warrants change." A legitimate and experiential encounter with the Living Word will kindle a fruitful and needy change. The greatest change will be for the Bride of Christ to move from adolescence into maturity (read Hebrews 5:12-14). That is what this juncture of church history will produce.

Many hearts have been prepared to encounter the Lord. Tremendous revelatory truth promised to us in God's Word is poised to be released in this exchange. The prophet Daniel was given panoramic visions of this time but was not permitted to relinquish the revelation. It was reserved for this specific moment in human history. That certainty alone ought to provoke us to rise above the spirit of this world to apprehend the divine destiny allotted for each of us individually.

The apostle Paul is another prophetic model for leadership to emulate today. His gospel came neither by the teaching of man nor by the reading of a book, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:12) His message was an absolute standard that the Lord was able to validate with the authenticity of Heaven.

GOD'S ABSOLUTE

The level of revelation granted to Paul is about to be released to the Church to present the "plumb-line" of God and establish a perfect standard. Our comprehension of God's Word will rocket to incredible heights when we eat the now "open book" of redemption that unveils the fullness of God's plan. It has been reserved in God from the days of Daniel until today. The treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden in Christ that will present the Bride without spot or wrinkle will be delegated to her.

There is something woven into the spiritual DNA of God's people today that propels us into this new place. It is "deep calling unto deep." God will respond to our desperation with a release from His throne. It will be the Voice of the Seven Thunders promised in Revelations 10.

The mysteries of God's Kingdom are prepared to be set in motion that will awaken and equip the Bride of Christ. That is our current purpose and our quest. Our greatest council is to participate in this plan by responding to the wooing of God's Spirit. This mobilization will cause us to lay aside every weight and encumbrance that has entangled us in our past. Today, if we hear His voice, we cannot harden our hearts to this fresh message.

For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you would hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness — Psalms 95:7-8.

For a season, the Lord has been restraining spiritual issues so that we can be prepared both spiritually and naturally. Likewise, our enemy has been attempting to escalate things before their time. This has been the contention that many have experienced over this season.

There is a first fruits harvest that is coming to maturity, so that God's plan can be set in motion. In the feasts of Israel, the first fruits came to a place of maturity early. They were gathered and dedicated to the Lord as an offering to assure God's favor for the great harvest.

This symbolism portrays the current season. Like the spies of Israel, there will be pioneers and forerunners who cross over into God's promise to apprehend its reality and introduce it to the body at large. They will experience Hebrews 6:5 and will have, "tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come." Their walk with the Lord and powerful ministry will be an introduction to the latter-day anointing that will bring in the greatest harvest of souls ever witnessed.

ANOTHER GREAT AWAKENING

During the early 16th century, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the church doors of Wittenberg, Germany. This act launched a spiritual transformation that changed the face of Christianity leading to the Great Awakening of the 18th century. Something equally as significant is prepared to transpire today.

The dealings of God being initiated in this day will produce another "great awakening." However, this Heavenly strategy will quicken individuals to their destinies and the awareness of God's provision for the harvest of the ages.

Like the first Great Awakening launched by Jonathan Edwards, Kingdom principles will be set in motion to bring us to this place. Edwards recognized, in his day, that human history has been a progressive journey perpetually leading to the Person of Jesus. He also understood that the revivals of his day were only a foretaste of something greater to come. His messages clearly defined God's standards that outlined various intervals of revival and spiritual awakening that produced both times of promotion and seasons of hiding. We are now broaching an opportunity for great advancement. Our mind-set is shifting from a defensive posture to an offensive one.

In "The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Volume One Part IV," Edwards concluded from his analysis of church history and God's dealings with mankind, that "time after time, when religion seemed to be almost gone, then God granted a revival, and sent some angel, or raised up some eminent person, to be an instrument of their reformation." We are overdue for such a visitation as that expressed by Edwards.

by Paul Keith Davis
White Dove Ministries
www.whitedoveministries.org

SHAWN BOLZ: "RIDERS OF JUSTICE"

While I was in the City of New Orleans with many Christian relief workers, I had a flash-back vision. It was a vision that I had seen before, when I was young. Jesus was on a white horse like in Revelations 19. He was riding up towards me and behind Him followed thousands and thousands of white horses with riders who were wearing white linen garments. One was a rider-less white horse that I knew was being offered to me. As they rode by, I had to mount the horse in motion, and something in my spirit knew how to do it. I jumped on bareback and held on for the ride of my life.

As I rode, I began to emulate Jesus. I began to identify with John's description of Him in Revelation 19:11-16. The One who is righteous and loves justice, with eyes blazing like fire with passion for those He loves, was leading an army who were all on white horses. They began to carry the virtue of what John saw Jesus carry and what I was seeing Jesus carry now. He turned around and looked at me and a sword was coming out of His mouth, and He said "Come and be a rider of My army of lovers. Ride forth for My justice."

A GENERATION TAKING A STAND FOR JUSTICE

It sounds like a really simple vision that is devotional in nature, but I knew that many people in the body of Christ at some point in their Christian journey have been marked by either a dream or a vision of horses. They have been riding them, seeing them run, seeing an army mounted on horses, etc. Maybe they even saw the riders of judgment.

In New Orleans, I had everyone who ever had a dream or a vision of this nature to come forward. I was surprised when many came up. Several of them had the vision years ago, but it marked them. I felt I was to put out a call to those in whom God is awakening these revelatory experiences again, and to put out a call for the many who have never even seen them but are about to see the horses of Heaven.

PREVAILING JUSTICE

I had another vision of a generation of people who had a primary cry in their hearts for justice to be administrated. They were crying out: "Awake my God, decree justice!" (Psalms 7:6)

I saw prophetic voices that were rising up, who had scales coming out of their mouths and the scales were balanced. With these scales, they could judge rightly with a Spirit of Truth over situations. I believe they were coming out of the mouths of chosen people representing those who will establish justice in complicated situations through their words.

An example of this was a vision of a young black man who was looking at the civil rights issue in America. He was completely color blind. I believe this represented that he wasn't favoring one race or another. As the Lord began to move, this young man could straighten out the injustice of false favor where one race was being preferred over another. People understood the integrity that was represented in his discernment. His words would establish a right thinking and action from one race to another.

There is going to be a prevailing justice released on a generation of people who cannot stand to live in the same way again. God is setting up in the hearts of His Kingdom people a certain attitude that is provoking His own heart. That attitude is this: His people are not just crying out for a Heavenly response, but their very lives have begun to demand a response from Heaven. That is saying that we are living so far outside of the price Jesus paid for us on the cross that our lives are demanding the virtues of healing, destiny, love, and His Kingdom manifestation.

DISCERNMENT IS THE BEGINNING OF HAVING BALANCED SCALES

I saw this generation of people who had scales in their mouth who had to go through a painful process of getting the scales balanced. I saw the Lord doing orthodontist work in their mouths so that he could plant the scales in properly. I believe many people are going through a cleansing in how they speak and think about others. One of the main imbalances that throw off discernment is exaggeration, whether good or bad. It causes people to see things outside of truth and then justice sometimes is not administrated correctly for one side or the other. Another major imbalance throwing off the scales was carrying someone else's offense. I believe this one is single-handedly making many good leaders ineffective in their pursuit of justice.

THE LORD IS EXALTED BY HIS JUSTICE

The last part of the vision showed all of humanity walking down the highway of life. Some were carrying heavy loads with them, and some were all alone with nothing. Everyone had to stop off at a weigh station to be weighed. As those who were poor or poor in spirit were weighed, He began to weigh their poverty of spirit. If they weighed heavy, He began to enact a plan to restore them in His justice. This became a demonstration to the world, of people who were given recompense because their lives demanded it. Their lives had been measured and found wanting for justice and the Lord showed, in one generation, a generous picture of His nature of Justice: He served it to the whole world all at once. I believe this will happen in my lifetime over some key areas. One is poverty in the world, the trafficking of children, and racial injustice. I believe God is going to display it by taking portions of the earth and giving the church a Kingdom reign for a season of time over certain issues so that the world can see the God of Justice demonstrated.

I know the ultimate fulfillment of this is in the final days, but there is going to be a worldwide revival sparked by the issue of the Lord exalting Himself in His justice.

I also believe that the Lord is reawakening many who were called even from their first day of salvation to be riders of justice. May He revisit visions, dreams, and encounters you have had about this precious issue so that He can exalt Himself in justice!

by Shawn Bolz

Never has the need been greater for a clear prophetic word coming direct from God's heart. The Lord told us prophetically that 2005 would be a year of transition. We have now determined that 2006 will be a year of change.

Transition is defined as "the act of passing from one state or place into the next." Change is "the result of an alteration or modification." The transition of 2005 initiated a process while the change of 2006 will manifest the results of our responses to this process.

Genuine spiritual change only transpires with a visitation from God. The Great Reformation was launched with a clear prophetic word from the Lord's heart. A fullness-of-time moment had occurred in God's plan, and the ministry of restoration was set in motion. That movement has been progressively accelerating to this present hour. Another crossroad has been met and great change is imminent.

With a fresh word from the Lord, there is an equally important need for increase in our measure of discernment. History has proven that each major juncture in God's time-line is met with a deluge of voices. However, the Lord promised that His sheep will know His voice. He said,

When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers — John 10:4-5

Nevertheless, when we discern His Voice there must be a positive response, or we will be doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past. Dating all the way back to Israel's exodus from Egypt, a consistent pattern has developed following each visitation of God's Spirit. Biblical and natural history affirms that without the spirit of revelation resident in us, we will miss the day of our visitation. (Deuteronomy 29:2-4)

APPREHENDING THE MESSAGE

The Lord comes with miracles, signs and wonders to validate a message that is firmly rooted and grounded in the written word. God's people are often captivated by the signs and wonders but only a remnant captures the message. This trend must be reversed in this hour. The early Church model stipulated,

They went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed — Mark 16:20

The Holy Spirit worked with the early disciples with signs and wonders to confirm the message of God's Kingdom. To us a measure of grace is being allotted to quicken our spirits for receptivity to that message. A supernatural hunger is provoking us to move beyond cold formal religiosity to pursue relationship with Him. To even possess this desire is God's gift. We desperately need the validation of His Spirit with miracles and signs but we cannot allow that to become the end in itself. It is only a means to the end—that is, union with the Lord.

PURSUIT OF MATURITY

As someone once said, "change demands growth and growth warrants change." A legitimate and experiential encounter with the Living Word will kindle a fruitful and needy change. The greatest change will be for the Bride of Christ to move from adolescence into maturity (read Hebrews 5:12-14). That is what this juncture of church history will produce.

Many hearts have been prepared to encounter the Lord. Tremendous revelatory truth promised to us in God's Word is poised to be released in this exchange. The prophet Daniel was given panoramic visions of this time but was not permitted to relinquish the revelation. It was reserved for this specific moment in human history. That certainty alone ought to provoke us to rise above the spirit of this world to apprehend the divine destiny allotted for each of us individually.

The apostle Paul is another prophetic model for leadership to emulate today. His gospel came neither by the teaching of man nor by the reading of a book, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:12) His message was an absolute standard that the Lord was able to validate with the authenticity of Heaven.

GOD'S ABSOLUTE

The level of revelation granted to Paul is about to be released to the Church to present the "plumb-line" of God and establish a perfect standard. Our comprehension of God's Word will rocket to incredible heights when we eat the now "open book" of redemption that unveils the fullness of God's plan. It has been reserved in God from the days of Daniel until today. The treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden in Christ that will present the Bride without spot or wrinkle will be delegated to her.

There is something woven into the spiritual DNA of God's people today that propels us into this new place. It is "deep calling unto deep." God will respond to our desperation with a release from His throne. It will be the Voice of the Seven Thunders promised in Revelations 10.

The mysteries of God's Kingdom are prepared to be set in motion that will awaken and equip the Bride of Christ. That is our current purpose and our quest. Our greatest council is to participate in this plan by responding to the wooing of God's Spirit. This mobilization will cause us to lay aside every weight and encumbrance that has entangled us in our past. Today, if we hear His voice, we cannot harden our hearts to this fresh message.

For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you would hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness — Psalms 95:7-8.

For a season, the Lord has been restraining spiritual issues so that we can be prepared both spiritually and naturally. Likewise, our enemy has been attempting to escalate things before their time. This has been the contention that many have experienced over this season.

There is a first fruits harvest that is coming to maturity, so that God's plan can be set in motion. In the feasts of Israel, the first fruits came to a place of maturity early. They were gathered and dedicated to the Lord as an offering to assure God's favor for the great harvest.

This symbolism portrays the current season. Like the spies of Israel, there will be pioneers and forerunners who cross over into God's promise to apprehend its reality and introduce it to the body at large. They will experience Hebrews 6:5 and will have, "tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come." Their walk with the Lord and powerful ministry will be an introduction to the latter-day anointing that will bring in the greatest harvest of souls ever witnessed.

ANOTHER GREAT AWAKENING

During the early 16th century, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the church doors of Wittenberg, Germany. This act launched a spiritual transformation that changed the face of Christianity leading to the Great Awakening of the 18th century. Something equally as significant is prepared to transpire today.

The dealings of God being initiated in this day will produce another "great awakening." However, this Heavenly strategy will quicken individuals to their destinies and the awareness of God's provision for the harvest of the ages.

Like the first Great Awakening launched by Jonathan Edwards, Kingdom principles will be set in motion to bring us to this place. Edwards recognized, in his day, that human history has been a progressive journey perpetually leading to the Person of Jesus. He also understood that the revivals of his day were only a foretaste of something greater to come. His messages clearly defined God's standards that outlined various intervals of revival and spiritual awakening that produced both times of promotion and seasons of hiding. We are now broaching an opportunity for great advancement. Our mind-set is shifting from a defensive posture to an offensive one.

In "The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Volume One Part IV," Edwards concluded from his analysis of church history and God's dealings with mankind, that "time after time, when religion seemed to be almost gone, then God granted a revival, and sent some angel, or raised up some eminent person, to be an instrument of their reformation." We are overdue for such a visitation as that expressed by Edwards.

by Paul Keith Davis
White Dove Ministries
www.whitedoveministries.org

SHAWN BOLZ: "RIDERS OF JUSTICE"

While I was in the City of New Orleans with many Christian relief workers, I had a flash-back vision. It was a vision that I had seen before, when I was young. Jesus was on a white horse like in Revelations 19. He was riding up towards me and behind Him followed thousands and thousands of white horses with riders who were wearing white linen garments. One was a rider-less white horse that I knew was being offered to me. As they rode by, I had to mount the horse in motion, and something in my spirit knew how to do it. I jumped on bareback and held on for the ride of my life.

As I rode, I began to emulate Jesus. I began to identify with John's description of Him in Revelation 19:11-16. The One who is righteous and loves justice, with eyes blazing like fire with passion for those He loves, was leading an army who were all on white horses. They began to carry the virtue of what John saw Jesus carry and what I was seeing Jesus carry now. He turned around and looked at me and a sword was coming out of His mouth, and He said "Come and be a rider of My army of lovers. Ride forth for My justice."

A GENERATION TAKING A STAND FOR JUSTICE

It sounds like a really simple vision that is devotional in nature, but I knew that many people in the body of Christ at some point in their Christian journey have been marked by either a dream or a vision of horses. They have been riding them, seeing them run, seeing an army mounted on horses, etc. Maybe they even saw the riders of judgment.

In New Orleans, I had everyone who ever had a dream or a vision of this nature to come forward. I was surprised when many came up. Several of them had the vision years ago, but it marked them. I felt I was to put out a call to those in whom God is awakening these revelatory experiences again, and to put out a call for the many who have never even seen them but are about to see the horses of Heaven.

PREVAILING JUSTICE

I had another vision of a generation of people who had a primary cry in their hearts for justice to be administrated. They were crying out: "Awake my God, decree justice!" (Psalms 7:6)

I saw prophetic voices that were rising up, who had scales coming out of their mouths and the scales were balanced. With these scales, they could judge rightly with a Spirit of Truth over situations. I believe they were coming out of the mouths of chosen people representing those who will establish justice in complicated situations through their words.

An example of this was a vision of a young black man who was looking at the civil rights issue in America. He was completely color blind. I believe this represented that he wasn't favoring one race or another. As the Lord began to move, this young man could straighten out the injustice of false favor where one race was being preferred over another. People understood the integrity that was represented in his discernment. His words would establish a right thinking and action from one race to another.

There is going to be a prevailing justice released on a generation of people who cannot stand to live in the same way again. God is setting up in the hearts of His Kingdom people a certain attitude that is provoking His own heart. That attitude is this: His people are not just crying out for a Heavenly response, but their very lives have begun to demand a response from Heaven. That is saying that we are living so far outside of the price Jesus paid for us on the cross that our lives are demanding the virtues of healing, destiny, love, and His Kingdom manifestation.

DISCERNMENT IS THE BEGINNING OF HAVING BALANCED SCALES

I saw this generation of people who had scales in their mouth who had to go through a painful process of getting the scales balanced. I saw the Lord doing orthodontist work in their mouths so that he could plant the scales in properly. I believe many people are going through a cleansing in how they speak and think about others. One of the main imbalances that throw off discernment is exaggeration, whether good or bad. It causes people to see things outside of truth and then justice sometimes is not administrated correctly for one side or the other. Another major imbalance throwing off the scales was carrying someone else's offense. I believe this one is single-handedly making many good leaders ineffective in their pursuit of justice.

THE LORD IS EXALTED BY HIS JUSTICE

The last part of the vision showed all of humanity walking down the highway of life. Some were carrying heavy loads with them, and some were all alone with nothing. Everyone had to stop off at a weigh station to be weighed. As those who were poor or poor in spirit were weighed, He began to weigh their poverty of spirit. If they weighed heavy, He began to enact a plan to restore them in His justice. This became a demonstration to the world, of people who were given recompense because their lives demanded it. Their lives had been measured and found wanting for justice and the Lord showed, in one generation, a generous picture of His nature of Justice: He served it to the whole world all at once. I believe this will happen in my lifetime over some key areas. One is poverty in the world, the trafficking of children, and racial injustice. I believe God is going to display it by taking portions of the earth and giving the church a Kingdom reign for a season of time over certain issues so that the world can see the God of Justice demonstrated.

I know the ultimate fulfillment of this is in the final days, but there is going to be a worldwide revival sparked by the issue of the Lord exalting Himself in His justice.

I also believe that the Lord is reawakening many who were called even from their first day of salvation to be riders of justice. May He revisit visions, dreams, and encounters you have had about this precious issue so that He can exalt Himself in justice!

by Shawn Bolz

Our Father in Heaven is good, and He is the Great Restorer. You should have high hopes about that and believe it, no matter what happens. Believe that God not only wants to restore what has been robbed and plundered in your life and in other people’s lives, but He also wants to add blessings to that which is restored. “Blessings are on the head of the righteous…” (Proverbs 10:6). That’s your head!

When God restores and blesses, He wants you to see His intervention as evidence of His love for you in a personal way. So let’s remember that one important aspect about restoration is that you would draw closer and closer into God’s heart of love. His biggest purpose for restoration is intimacy with you. He wants an intimate relationship with you. Wow!


RESTORATION IS LIKE A TWO-EDGED SWORD

If my body needs healing, not only does God want to heal and restore my body to health, but He also wants me to have divine health. And then I’m going to minister healing to the sick because I am getting a healing anointing in the process!

So, restoration is like a two-edged sword. One sharp edge reveals our own personal restoration victories and the other edge cuts off the plans of the enemy over other people’s lives. What a double blessing!

But we need to remember that in the process of restoration there is always a divine test. Before Joseph’s freedom was restored, and he took the throne in Egypt (second only to Pharaoh), he was taken into a great God-ordained time of testing (Gen. 37–50). Psalms 105:19 says: “Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the LORD tested him.” Joseph had the prophetic word of the Lord but until it actually came to pass, this word tested him.

Likewise, many of you have the prophetic word of the Lord concerning areas of restoration coming upon your lives; however, today, the fulfillment has not manifested--it’s still on its way. Stand your ground in the time of testing, the time of waiting. God will surely come and bring restoration exactly at the perfect moment.

Listen. I believe that God is going to stir up the gifts of the Spirit in your life. God is going to restore your anointing. For some of you, He is going to restore your vision and your purpose. For some of you, God is going to restore your marriage. Some of you today will experience God restoring your finances and giving you jubilee and supernatural cancellation of your debt. Say, “God, I want you to restore my soul. Anoint my head with fresh oil.” The anointing is going to restore your soul, your mind, your will, and your emotions.

“God’s blessing makes life rich; nothing we do can improve on God” (Proverbs 10:22). Hallelujah! Your restoration looks like a two-edged sword! You won’t only receive the blessing of restoration, you will be a minister of restoration!


THE MINISTRY OF RESTORATION TRANSFORMS

Walking in the ministry of restoration is like being a minister filled with a message of hope that transforms “what was” into the “reality” of what God desires. Look at what God says through Isaiah (the prophet).

“And they shall rebuild the old ruins, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations” (Isaiah 61:4).

It’s the rebuilding, it's the raising up, and it's the repairing of ruins and ruined cities and the desolations of many generations. It’s a transformation process into the reality of what God desires. This is no small thing!

Looking at Isaiah 61:1–4, it’s rare that Christians consider the part about “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me” in the context of not only being anointed to bring restoration, but also to contend for the increase. God wants to bring the increase, even a “seven-fold” blessing (Proverbs 6:31).

Listen. Without the prompting of the Holy Spirit we don’t think about restoring or about repairing “ruined cities.” We don’t think about repairing destinies. (There aren’t many believers ministering in restoration.) Most of the time we seem to focus on the first few verses of Isaiah 61, but there is a ministry called the ministry of restoration, beginning in verse 4. To paraphrase, it’s like God is saying, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because He wants me to rebuild the old ruins. God wants me to raise up former desolations.”

Do you know what the old ruins and former desolations are? Plans. Purposes. Destiny. Gifts. Promises. Some of these examples concern churches and ministries or positions you have operated in before. These areas can be likened to “ruined cities” and “former desolations.” God wants to restore and repair these ruins and desolations.

Look at the end of verse 4. God wants to restore to the church the desolations of many generations. I’m talking about past revivals that were cut short. Evangelism and healing ministries that ended with the death of the ministers—Charles Finney, Smith Wigglesworth, Jack Coe, and A.A. Allan. Some of these ministries became desolate. Some of them had their reputations ruined by things that may not even be true. But God wants to restore their legacies.


RESTORATION OF FAMILY INHERITANCES

This word is also to restore godly family heritages. Some of you need to apply this to your life in a personal way. You may have people in your family tree who loved the Lord, that were in the ministry even as prophets and evangelists. Believe and ask God for the spiritual destiny that your dad had, that your grandfather had (or whomever in your family line that the Holy Spirits brings to your attention). You have rights. They sowed, they labored, and they died probably not yet receiving their promise, or seeing everything they thought God was going to allow them to see. You need to see it.

God wants to bless and bring restoration to the children and the children’s children. Your blessing might go back three generations. You need to take it. There is an anointing to restore the desolations of many generations. What am I talking about? I am talking about restoring old wells. How is that going to happen? The anointing. You need to believe God and say: “My God, let their calling and ministry be restored in my generation.”

I believe that there is coming a generation that will receive the restoration of the desolations of many generations and that this will come in one last generation. Could it be us? Could we be that generation that receives much of what was lost in those former generations? Could we be that generation that digs up the wells of all those mighty men and women of God and all those great revivals?

by Todd Bentley

"Post a guard at my mouth, God, set a watch at the door of my lips." (Psalms 141:3)

I sense we have entered a critical space of time during the next 40 days as we repent and draw closer to the Lord. I sense during this time that the words that we speak, especially concerning our nation, will carry tremendous power in how the Lord responds to us. I sense it is as though our words will be amplified in the spirit realm during this time. God will be listening, but so will the enemy! Much of the battle and breakthroughs will be won by the words that we speak! Remember that the power of life and death is in our tongue!

I heard of a congregation who sensed the Lord challenging them to fast negative words and thoughts for thirty days. At the end of thirty days, there were tremendous testimonies of miracles, financial breakthroughs, and relationships reconciled!

ISRAEL'S MOUTH KEPT THEM OUT OF THEIR INHERITANCE.... THEY MURMURED AND COMPLAINED ABOUT THE LEADERSHIP OF THEIR NATION!

Murmuring and complaining against their leadership, Moses, became full-blown and rooted in unbelief, keeping the Israelites from entering into their promised land. I sense we need to be reminded, especially during these next 40 days, to be careful what we speak concerning the leadership of our nation, churches, and yes, the husbands and fathers of our families. Perhaps, if you are a Republican, it may be wise to pray more for the Democratic leaders and vice versa.

If you are a leader, remember that Moses also was kept out of his inheritance by getting angry with the people and striking the rock instead of speaking to it. We as leaders must be careful to speak encouragement and not provoke those under us to wrath.

IF OUR MOUTH CAN KEEP US OUT OF OUR INHERITANCE--OUR MOUTH CAN TAKE US IN!

It is interesting that even with all of the sin, the giants, and the evil in the land of Canaan, that God still called it a "good land flowing with milk and honey!" Even when the evil report came about how big the giants were, Joshua and Caleb responded, "If the giants are that big, imagine how big the fruit of that land is!" Both of them could only carry out one cluster of grapes on a pole.

"I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!" (Psalms 27:13)

I believe the Lord will open our eyes and ears as we close our mouths more during these next forty days. He will show us great and mighty things that we just never saw or heard before. We will begin to see the good of our land--the fruit instead of the giants and evil. We will then begin to pray and say what He says about our nation! I believe we will even begin speaking blessing to the ground beneath our feet!

SPEAK TO YOUR MOUNTAINS, SING INTO YOUR VALLEYS, AND BLESS YOUR OCEAN FRONT PROPERTIES.... "THIS LAND WAS MADE FOR YOU AND ME!"

I saw a violent wrestling in the heavenlies as a window of opportunity was opening up momentarily for a space of time for our nation to be redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb! I heard the voice of a strong angel, perhaps Gabriel himself, proclaiming and piercing through the powers of darkness over America...."We are giving up 'no ground!' This nation is not for sale, never!"

I heard the Rocky mountains, the Grand Canyon, and the ocean front properties crying out to Heaven, "Don't let go of me!" I heard the earth herself groaning--from California to the New York Highlands, and from the Redwood Forest to the Gulf Stream waters--she was travailing, as though crying out for the manifestation of the sons of God to come forth in power and might!

A VERBAL BLESSING IS SO POWERFUL IN REVERSING THE CURSE OF THE LAND!

Remember the old saying..."If you can't say anything good, don't say anything at all!" As I saw our words blessing the land of our nation, much of the land was beginning to come under the anointing and ownership of God's people as though it was responding to our love and kindness to it.

This time period is the perfect time to speak forth God's word and call those things in this nation that are not as though they were!

Let's bless America!

Bill Yount

CHUCK PIERCE: "RISE UP OUT OF YOUR VALLEY! YOU ARE ON THE VERGE OF OVERTHROWING THE ENEMY'S PLAN!"


You are on the verge of completing a major season in your life. Do NOT BACK UP! I wanted to write and encourage you to not give in to any of the enemy’s plans this month. This is a month of new conceptions. This is also a month of confronting and breaking word curses that have held you captive in the past. At the end of this message, I explain Purim. This is the month of Purim. Get ready to remove any noose the enemy has put around you to constrict you from moving into the future.

I sense that the Lord is raining mercy and grace on us. He is washing away the past season and refreshing us for the next season. He is releasing a new freedom in our hearts and giving us grace, so we let go of things that could hinder our futures. He is giving us new strength to grasp the best He has for us in days ahead. This is a season to speak faith and ask for new revelation.

The Lord spoke to me at the end of the year and said,
“Let Me rearrange your circumstances. Look deep in every circumstance around you for they are setting a new order for your life. Let Me remove your past. Do not strive to hear Me. Let your prayer life be one of asking in simple faith, and I will answer you. I will release favor so you can build your future. Let Me train your hands to prosper for building. Stake your claim on your future, and expect Me to do wondrous things on your behalf this year.”

Believe that you can be RESTORED! Restoration is the power of returning to any place where “God’s best covenant plan was deviated from.” Restoration includes reclaiming lost land, lost health, and lost joy. Restoration is linked with restitution. For instance, if a stone in your house was broken by a workman, it is substituted with another that is even better. I am declaring that every broken stone in your foundation will be replaced with new strength in the coming year.

Restoration also means the perfecting, mending, or fitting together of every detail of your life that will cause you to complete or end your race greater than how you began it. If the enemy tried to overtake you in the past, I am decreeing that you have new strength to outrun him and finish stronger in "Your Future."

This is a time to pray that what has been lost in past seasons and not recovered will be found. Thank Him for your times of discipline and days of preparation. They will be compensated with FAVOR! For every place of victory attained and every old cycle broken, expect a new mantle of favor and joy to be placed on you. Let Him become your rearguard, so the path ahead is secured for you.

YOUR PATH IS FORWARD AND NOT BACKWARD!

This is a time where we must allow God to show us the future, so we can advance. Time is not linear the way we think. Time is in the form of a circle. Therefore, if we move toward our futures, God will restore our pasts. He will also order our paths, so that we reconcile everything that would be a hindrance to what He has ahead for us.

Learn to rule in the midst of your “Babylon”, or the world around you will try to overtake you! When I say Babylon, I am talking about the world and religious system that aligns together. Babylon will attempt to make you submit emotionally, bodily, and intellectually. Babylon will also use a combination of persecution and seducing worldly mindsets to cause you to submit to its blueprint. Be like Daniel! Do not let dainties tempt; do not let lions produce fear; do not let other leaders cause you to change your spiritual focus; do not let visitations overwhelm you. Babylon has captured so many of us in the past. Rule in the midst of your Babylon!

On Sunday, February 26, during our Sunday service at Glory of Zion, I began to be impressed with the following:

This is a time when we must not allow mistrust to rule us. The first two months of this year have been so demanding already that some of you are saying, “The horses have run over me instead of me running faster than the horses.” Ask the Lord to give you new strength and new trust. Ask Him to fill you with His Spirit in a new way so you can move forward in the place and authority He has for you.

Then the Lord said, “In the valley that I have brought you to, there is a sound that is beginning to rise. As you release this sound, the stairs of entry will open up from the valley, and you will see the hill that will give you new vision for days ahead. Release the sound in you, sing songs of deliverance, and let the shout of victory arise. This will cause you to gain the next place where I will release vision to you. This is vision that will cause you to stand firm in days ahead."

"This new vision will release new provision. Do not let storms that are brewing frighten or overtake you. I will shine upon your path, and you will walk out of this valley. Watch the enemy fall on the right and the left and stand and say, ‘Lord, show me my future.’”

The Lord then had me lead the people in the following: "Decree a new road is forming over your life. Decree a new road is forming. Decree the sun is rising. Decree that you see the stairs out of your valley and into a new place of vision. Shout, ‘My road is rising! My road is rising!’"

Then Leann Squier began to sing:
“He will not be late. He will come with faith. Though weeping and darkness endure for the night, He will break forth like the morning light. He will establish my way and set my feet on the high highway, and establish my going forth like the morning sun and establish my path like His highway. For we are destined for the mountain. We are destined for the heights. We are destined for the Holy Hill of God. We aren’t made to stay in the valley. We aren’t made to live on the plain. We’ve been called to go to the mountain of our God.”

THIS IS THE LAST HEBRAIC MONTH BEFORE PASSOVER

We are entering the 12th month of the Hebraic Year. This is the month of Adar. This month has great significance. Here are some key points for this month:

There are things to conceive.

There are things to be redeemed.

God will wedge open your new beginning. This will allow many things to come to an end.

This month is the beginning of confrontations that will allow you to plunder the enemy’s camp.

Joy will come because of the overturning.

This is a month to do the opposite of... For instance, if you have anger then do the opposite.

This is not a season that we strive or manipulate any circumstance to try and see God’s will manifest in our lives and the things we are praying for. As a matter of fact, it says in (Jeremiah 33:3), “Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of or understand).”

I believe if we just cry out to the Lord and watch carefully, then we will see Him rearrange circumstances and bring supernatural revelation into our life. I am watching this happen. Don’t strive as you pray for your children this year. Don’t strive over your job. Ask God for wisdom–He will release to you what you are to say and do at any given moment. He will use others divinely on your behalf. He will penetrate your cells and mind during the night season. Get to know His presence this year.

THIS IS THE MONTH OF PURIM

The Biblical Feast of Purim (Esther 9:18-28) is celebrated on the 13th-15th day of the Hebrew calendar twelfth month, called Adar (which is March 13-15 in the Roman Calendar). It is a very joyous feast in remembrance of the deliverance of the Jewish people from the wicked plot of Haman--the plot to annihilate them during the reign of the Persian King Xerxes I. Since Passover is celebrated biblically (Leviticus 23:4-8), beginning on the 14th of Nisan (the Biblical Hebrew First month), Purim falls exactly one month before the beginning of Passover (which is April 13-19, 2006, this year). Therefore, we are in a month of confrontation and preparation.

The 13th of Adar was the date set by Haman by casting lots (pur) to murder all Jews in the kingdom. That day, because of the fasting and intercession of Queen Esther of Persia and the Jewish people, instead became a day of battle with great victory for the Jews, as their enemies were destroyed. In our day, Adar is a time of battle and victory, a time of voluntary fasting, called the Fast of Esther (Esther 4:14-17). Esther is a non-Jewish name. Her Jewish name was Hadassah, but her Jewish identity was a secret, means "something hidden" in the Semitic language. The prophetic reference to the Church as the Bride of the King, but with Jewish roots despite a Gentile appearance, is very obvious. Esther would not escape the fate of the Jews, just as the destiny of the Church is directly linked to the Jewish people (Israel).

At Haman's request, Ahasuerus caused his scribes to send into all the realm on the 13th day of the 1st month a decree that all Jews should be put to death on the 13th day of the 12th month (Esther 3:12 ff). As the narrative shows, the wisdom of Mordecai, Esther's heroism, and fasting and prayer availed to foil the dastardly scheme of Haman, who had already built the gallows on which his hated rival should be hanged. Haman was himself hanged on this gallows, while Mordecai was honored yet more (Esther 7:10; 8:1-2).

A second decree was issued on the 23rd day of the 3rd month that on the 13th day of the 12th month (Esther 8:9,12), the day appointed in the first decree for their extermination, the Jews should gather together and defend themselves against their foes. On that fateful day not only did the Jews successfully resist the malice of their enemies, but the public officials also, seeing that the royal favor was with the Jews, espoused their cause. In Shushan, the royal city, a second day, the 14th, was granted the Jews for vengeance on their foes (Esther 9:11-16). In view of so great a deliverance, "Mordecai wrote these things .... unto all the Jews .... to enjoin them that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly, as the days wherein the Jews had rest from their enemies (Esther 9:20-22).

PURIM IS A TIME TO OVERTHROW DESTRUCTIVE DECREES THAT THE ENEMY HAS PLACED ON YOUR LIFE

We are entering the season of Purim. Purim was a celebration of God’s supernatural deliverance of the Jewish people from Haman’s genocidal plot to destroy them in the time of Persia’s King Xerxes I. Now is a time to pray, read, and live out the book of Esther again. God is raising up new Mordecai’s and Esther’s to influence the world in days ahead. These individuals will do radical exploits in His name.

In the time of Esther we find that the enemy had entered in the gates and was planning to overthrow the covenant blessings that God had for this people. In the book of Esther, Mordecai had exposed the enemy’s plan and taken his authority at the gate. The Lord says in (Matthew 16:18) “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”

This is not a time for hell to prevail at your gate. Esther is a book about seeing the destiny of God’s covenant manifest by legislating authority at the gates. The gate of a city was where all business transactions and legal matters occurred. The city gate was also the place where entrance into the city was permitted or forbidden. A Biblical Gatekeeper was one who guarded access to a place. This included a city (2 Samuel 18:26 and 2 Kings 7:10-11), a residence (John 18:17), the sacred precincts of the ark (1 Chronicles 15:23-24), or the Temple (1 Chronicles 23:5).

Temple gatekeepers were charged with preventing anyone unclean from entering the Temple (2 Chronicles 23:19) and with guarding the Temple treasuries and storehouses (1 Chronicles 9:26; 26:20-22; Nehemiah 12:25). Mordecai was a good gatekeeper. He knew the enemy had a plot and plan. He also knew he had to have a connection to prevent the enemy’s plan from prevailing. Esther was his connection who had been positioned by God for “such a time as this.”

THIS IS A YEAR OF DIVINE CONNECTIONS

Many of you are positioned to see the plan of the enemy. This is also a year of divine connections. Others of you are being positioned to be the connecting point to overthrow the enemy. I am praying for you that any plot of the enemy to try and stop the covenant blessings of your inheritance from coming forth in your life would be revealed. Find your divine connections and overthrow the enemy’s plan!

This is time to overthrow decrees that have been set against God’s covenant people that would stop us from corporately advancing. Those anti-Semitic decrees hate God’s sovereign plan for the Jews, as well as Christians, that have been grafted into that plan. Nations that profess Christianity must rise up now.

Esther prayed and fasted three days prior to setting the wheels in motion to overthrow the enemy’s plan. I would suggest you begin this period with three days of fasting. Fast, as God leads you. This will prepare you for what you must face for your victory ahead.

Be sure to read Psalm 122 and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Decree that the gates of your city and our nation will become secure. Declare that no weapon formed against you will prosper (Isaiah 54:17).

by Chuck Pierce

March 6, 2006



The devil came to steal and he has stolen from us, but God has provided a remedy. He's given us keys for walking in the ministry of restoration in order to reverse and restore those situations devastated by the enemy.

HERE ARE THREE KEYS TO RESTORATION:

1) Christians are anointed to declare: "Restore!"

No one says, "Restore!"

(Isaiah 42:22) "But this is a people robbed and plundered; all of them are snared in holes, and they are hidden in prison houses; they are for prey, and no one delivers; for plunder, and no one says, ‘Restore!'"

God wants to raise up believers to bring deliverance and to declare: "Restore!"

It's like God is saying, "If somebody would have said, "Restore!", I would have delivered those people who were robbed. I would have taken them out of their prisons and the places that were plundered and I would have given them back sevenfold. If My children would have believed, they would have released jubilee anointing by "the rod of their mouth" just by speaking and proclaiming liberty for the captives. I need somebody to believe that I want to give the anointing for the ministry of restoration to repair people's lives and to rebuild what was ruined."

There is an unction inside of us--Holy Spirit words and decrees--that when spoken out in authority, will break the power of the enemy. The decree might be over a marriage or finances. Simply declaring: "Restore!" is powerful. Things change.

We need to stand in the gap and believe that with one prophetic word spoken into the heavens, a breakthrough will come to raise up the foundations again. A breakthrough will bring the foundations back in a better way than they were in their former state. And then God will bless this with an increase; it might be a double portion or more!

2) Stand in faith and be "Repairers" and "Restorers"

We need to believe that we can rebuild the ruins.

(Isaiah 58:12) "Those from among you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of Streets to Dwell In."

"Those from among you …" That's us!!

God calls us Repairers and Restorers. We need to restore people to their calling, their path, so that they can be planted and walk in it again. Here's what God said to me: "Todd, I want ‘repairers' in the body of Christ. I want Christians that operate in the anointing of restoration to put people back on their path so that the gifts of the Holy Spirit that are quenched will be stirred up again--restoration to their anointing."

3) Prepare ourselves for the ministry of restoration

Remembering God's goodness is vital. David knew this.

"When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice…" (Psalms 63:6, 7).

Like David, we too, can lie on our bed and think about God's faithfulness to us. We can think about all the prophetic words that have come to us; about all the ways that God has used us; and about the healings we have seen and experienced in our own body. We can ponder all the instances where we saw God's hand of intervention. We can think about the gifts of the Holy Spirit and stir up those gifts and remember what God has promised us.

He wants us to see ourselves walking in what He has promised us, dreaming again, and remembering God's faithfulness and the Father's love. We can remind God of His promises. "Remember the word to Your servant, upon which You have caused me to hope" (Psalms 119:49).

With our personal revelation about restoration, God's love, and His faithfulness, we are prepared to carry the anointing for restoration. Our personal breakthroughs will fuel our authority as ministers of restoration.

PERSONAL BREAKTHROUGHS

We have discussed hope—that God wants us to put our hope in Him. He will come as the Great Restorer bringing the personal breakthroughs that we are crying out for.

Still, I sense that some of you are burdened by fear, intimidation, and discouragement. It's like you are snared in a hole, and you can't get out, and you are in a prison, and you can't get restored. But having said that, you need to remember that God wants to give you hope; renew your hope in Him. He wants you to have the victory!

(So I say, why not pause here for a few minutes and determine within yourself to put your hope in God. The psalmist had to address his despair. Look at this scripture:

"Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance" (Psalms 42:5).

Take a few minutes and then we will go on and encourage ourselves in the Lord and we'll take a look at restoration from another angle).

Restoration can be likened to the year of Jubilee. In the context of Hebrew scriptures Jubilee was a year of rest; it was observed every 50th year by the Israelites. During this time certain slaves were set free, alienated property was restored to the former owners, and the soil rested, untilled. Freedom!!

God wants you to know that He will restore what has been plundered and robbed by the enemy. He wants you to taste freedom and restoration; to celebrate this in a "Jubilee way." Remember, to what the Lord is about to restore, He is going to add blessings. There's going to be increase and multiplication! Not only does He want to accomplish personal breakthroughs in your life and bring restoration to those devastated areas, He also wants to anoint you to minister restoration to others. It's the two-edged sword of restoration!

Look--no matter what place you are in spiritually today, whether it's a place of utter despair, a place of flickering hope, or a place of real trust and faith in God's ability to restore, I want to invite you to join with me in prayer. Prayer changes things because God answers prayer. And we're also going to make some declarations! Amen!! Here we go--

Prayer:

Father, we join together today to thank You, first of all, for wanting an intimate relationship with us.

Thank you for revealing to us that it's the desire of Your heart to restore to us what the enemy has robbed and plundered. We receive this revelation with open hearts and we give You our love in return. Your desire to bring restoration into our lives brings us such hope and joy. Again, thank You, Father!!

We want to do our part to be ministers of restoration. But we want to take responsibility for our own lives first, before we minister to others. Father, please anoint us with Your power to devastate the enemy's plans and to no longer tolerate his robbery and plundering.

We remember that Your heart is for us, as Christians, to take our position of authority and declare "Restore!" And so today we want to bring to You the different areas in our lives that need restoration. As we hold each one before you, we humble ourselves and bow down before you.

Therefore, we declare: "RESTORE!" Those foundations that need to be restored, we declare "RESTORE!" Over those ruined places, we declare, "RESTORE!" (Speak to the Lord about each matter in your life that needs restoration.) Thank You, Lord, for adding blessings to each area being restored!

Lord, as we begin to see the evidence of restoration in our lives, we want to be counted among those who bring hope and restoration to others that need this. We want to be ministers of restoration! Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you in this way Lord! In Jesus' name. Amen.

by Todd Bentley

February 20, 2006

"HEAVENLY COURT"
By Paul Cox

Aslan's Place
www.aslansplace.com


There are numerous, recent accounts of current-day prophets who have participated in councils before the Lord, actually going into court in heavenly places. This is a concept that is new to many, if not most of us. But, the Bible does say we are seated with Christ in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6), and there are a multitude of passages that speak of such councils. There is also evidence in the scriptures that the Lord is interested in hearing our complaints.

In 2005, I was speaking at a church in Hawaii. As wonderful as it was to be in that beautiful place, I had a problem—I didn’t have a message. Suddenly, I realized I was discerning every spiritual being the Lord has taught me to recognize over the last 10-plus years—angels, seraphim, cherubim, elders, powers, spiritual forces—all of them were there. And then I realized what I was supposed to do—it was time to go to a new level. It was the first time we participated in a heavenly court with a large number of people present. Let’s take a look at the Biblical foundation for such an action:

God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be held in reverence among all those around Him. (Psalms 89:7) I was taught to look ahead to a time and place “in the sky, by and by.” But it’s not “by and by”—it’s now. While we do not have a total awareness of the heavenly places, we are nevertheless allowed access to them.

For you have said in your heart: I will ascend into heaven, “I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north.” (Isaiah 14:13)

Of course this is talking about Lucifer, but notice that there’s a mount of the congregation.

Look closely at this—Daniel 7:7-10—Daniel is present at a heavenly court. And, we’ve actually discerned this stream (like the one in Daniel) when it has shown up in some of our meetings as a fiery river.

Then Micaiah said, “Therefore hear therefore the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the hosts of heaven standing by, on his right hand and on his left. And the Lord said, “Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?” So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, and said, “I will persuade him.” The Lord said to him, “In what way?” So he said, “I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.” And the Lord said, “You shall persuade him, and so also prevail. Go out and do so.” (1 Kings 22:19-22)

It’s important to understand this; the Lord is holding court, but there are unrighteous as well as righteous beings present. This is difficult to comprehend—the King of the universe is having a meeting, asking a question, and expecting a response. Even stranger is the presence of an unrighteous spirit who is agreeing to do what God says needs to be done. Notice that it says one spoke and another spoke; it was a discussion. This is an amazing thing—the Lord is interested in what we think.

In Revelation 20:4, thrones are set up and judgments are made, and we are told that we are going to judge the angels.

According to Psalms 82-83: 9,17,18, we have a petition being made to God for justice against his enemies.

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and satan also came along with them. (Job 1:6)

This is a perfect description of the King holding court.

Pay attention to the words in Psalms 1: 1-3, 5—man may choose the council of the ungodly, or he may delight in the Lord and be like a tree planted by rivers of water. Also, there is a righteous congregation and the ungodly man is not welcome there.

As it says in Genesis 18:25, the Lord is our judge.


God is Interested in Our Complaints

I believe that we are now coming into a position where we have the right to stand before Him, and in the blood of Jesus Christ, declare that it’s time for the attack against us to stop. We must declare that the enemy has no more right because of what Christ has done on the cross. In the book of Joshua, the Lord says, “Do not be discouraged,” but we often succumb to discouragement; so let’s be honest, even though we’re not necessarily used to being honest in the church. We do have complaints—not complaints of anger or frustration toward the Lord, but complaints directed to God against the enemy regarding things taking place in our lives that ought not to be happening—things that contradict the way the Word says it should be. Just look at Job—he certainly poured out his complaints to God—Job 10.

There are also many complaints recorded in the Psalms: Psalms 55:1-8; Psalms 64:1-6; Psalms 142:1-3.


There Needs to be a Connection Between Our Christian Life and Our Reality

Over and over, Biblical evidence confirms our need to deal honestly with our complaints. Why? Because we cannot go out as an army discouraged about the things that have not taken place in our lives. There needs to be a connection between our Christian life and our reality. Let me say that again, there needs to be a connection between our Christian life and our reality. Too often our reality is that we’re depressed, we’re unhappy, we’re financially in trouble, our marriages are not good, our kids have gone astray, we can’t get along with our grandparents, we don’t like our relatives, and on and on. Then we come to church, and we sing, and we smile, and we look nice. Let’s tell the truth—that’s right—tell the truth. The good news is that God is not surprised about any of this. I think He’s saying to us, “Why haven’t you come and complained to Me? Will not the King of the Universe do right?”

In late 2005, during the final session of a Releasing the Warriors Conference at Ontario, CA, the Lord once again led us to participate in a heavenly court. All of the spiritual beings arrived in our meeting, and the Lord took us as a group into the heavenly places. The following is an account of what transpired:

Since we were already seated in heavenly places, we called 12 (an apostolic number) individuals to the stage to be seated as members of the council in a half circle.

My words to the congregation were, “Be honest. Think about your personal life—your marriage, your family, your health, your finances. If there is a complaint against the enemy that you’d like to bring before the Lord, I’d like for you to stand up. Friends, this is the church. Now I have a righteous indignation that rises up within me against the enemy. And we’re going to bring this before the Lord. But see, He already knows, but He wants us to get involved. We’re just not waiting here to die—we’re just not waiting here to die. We have something to do and we need to take care of these issues. It is time to take a stand and say—enough is enough! Enough is enough.”

I then prayed, “Lord, we ask right now as king of Kings and as our Judge, Lord, that You would convene the council. Lord, by faith we ascend into the heavenly places where we are seated, and Lord I ask now that You will call the meeting to order.

Father, right now I’m here with Your children. These are the ones that You have redeemed by Your blood. These are the ones that You love and have predestined from the very beginning of time that they should be a part of Your Son’s church—His bride. And Lord, they’re not doing well. The enemy has come and assaulted, badgered, beat up, stilled, murdered, ruined, discouraged, depressed; he has brought insanity and hopelessness, and dread and fear, and anger and rage on these Your children.

And Lord we issue this complaint against the enemy. We say Lord that it’s time, according to our opinion that it’s enough. For Lord, we want to be a warring people that the world will look at and see that we’re victorious. Lord, Your Word says that because of the blessings that will come upon Your people the world will know that we belong to You. Now, Lord, that’s not happening right now. Now Lord, we’ve set up a council here of those that are living now. And Lord we just ask that You will speak to them and reveal to them Your ways, Your word.


"Lord, What Would You Say to Us During This
Time?”

I continued, “Now a very interesting thing has happened. The Lord has summoned all the evil that has contended against you, and it’s now present in the room. It’s standing there and not happy about being there. They’re very restless, they’re agitated, but they’ve come. Lord we would deal with everything in the generational line in every person here--so Lord, we believe You’ve issued a decree that they come. So Lord, if there’s any that refused to come.... Ok, now there’s more coming—they’re being summoned—they’re coming in by the hordes—all those that have oppressed you…. There is a lot of agitation now in the heavenly places. I think you can, in prayer, speak your complaint against the enemy, and bring it before the council and before the Lord. Just do that—just start listing all of the complaints that you have.”

Individuals were invited to share whatever they heard or saw from the Lord, and numerous complaints were raised; personal issues as well as concerns for our state, our nation, and Israel. Some people shared Scriptures that the Lord gave them. Others prayed, crying out to God for justice—crying out for a judgment against the enemy.

There was a discussion regarding the need for forgiveness and as the congregation entered into a time of forgiving others, one woman reported, “I wanted to share with you that when you were speaking forgiveness, this demonic thing that has been summoned to this place was writhing in pain. So you continue to forgive and cause a little pain here.”

Another woman told us, “Besides the array of spiritual beings, the elders are taking note of everything. It’s very important. The mood in the heavenly realm is extremely serious, as if you were in court. Everything is still—the angels are still—they’re not moving around—they’re not doing things—it’s very solemn and very serious.”

Finally, a prayer, “Lord Jesus, I now ask that You consider our cases and render judgment…Lord, will You now speak to someone in the council (present in the room) about the judgment that is being rendered.” And one of the council replied, “I can only tell you what I see. I don’t have the words. Just that the enemy is completely surrounded by the angels. They’re warrior angels, and they have their swords and the enemy is cornered—encircled. And the angels are waiting for the word of the Lord to be pronounced."


Then the Lord Issued a Decree, and the Decree was “Be Gone.”

And He caused a deliverance to come upon the congregation. I reported, “The Lord is removing the enemy. He has said, ‘Be gone.’ There it goes—there’s warfare. The warfare is just the hauling out of the trash.”

A seer shared, “The darkness is being sucked out. It’s like something is grabbing them and sucking them out of the room. It’s violent—it’s a violent act.”

The court session ended as we joined together in worship, and the power of God came upon us. We had entered into His presence—we had negotiated with God in the presence of the enemy—and our God was faithful to deliver us—He was faithful to His promises.

You also can appeal to the Lord. Bring your complaint before Him. It is time to wage war against the enemy.

Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of the earth do right? (Genesis 18:25)