The following are prophetic words, dreams or visions which I felt have implications for the entire church, given to those whom I consider to have proven prophetic gifts Each revelation is stated, and then I offer an interpretation and application. Please do keep in mind that the interpretations and applications did not come from those given the revelation, and in some cases their interpretations and/or applications may differ from what is written here. They are therefore offered for your judgment and consideration.
Rick Joyner
All Scripture References are NAS unless indicated
PROPHECY FROM BONNIE CHAVDA:Bonnie received Zechariah 9:13: "I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece."
INTERPRETATION: This Scripture is a prophecy that true believers are going to stand up and war against the influence of Greek philosophies such as humanism, which has made serious and destructive inroads into the doctrines of the church.
APPLICATION: This Scripture was literally fulfilled by the Maccabean Rebellion. This was a time of great apostasy in the nation of Israel, which took place almost two hundred years before Christ. Greek gods had been set up in the Temple of the Lord, swine's blood was being offered there, and its courts were being used for the most perverted pagan celebrations. The Maccabees were a family of extraordinary courage and faith, who determined that they would rather die than see the Temple of the Lord so defiled. Against impossible odds, they rose up and defeated the Greeks and their other oppressors, and drove the evil from their land. They cleansed and restored the Temple, and revived the worship of the true God of Israel. This great victory is still celebrated by the Jews as "The Feast of Dedication," or Hanukkah.
Even though this was literally fulfilled by the Maccabees, that which is fulfilled in the natural often has a spiritual application in the church (see I Corinthians 10:11). When the dews claimed to be "sons of Abraham," the Lord replied, "If you are Abraham's children, do the deeds of Abraham" (John 8:39).There will be spiritual "sons of the Maccabees" who will be raised up to do the deeds of the Maccabees in the church. They will fight against the evil perversions and apostasies that are being imposed on the church through humanism, and will bring about a restoration and cleansing of "the temple not made with hands" (see Hebrews 9: 11).
It should also be noted that it was during the Feast of Dedication that Jesus stood up in the Temple to assert His deity (see John 10:2-42). Because the Lord timed every message that He spoke to perfectly fit with the setting, we can know that it will be by the asserting of the deity of Jesus that the false gods and humanistic philosophies will be driven from the church.
WORD FROM ROBERT MARENS:The church has been like a cruise liner, addicted to comfort, convenience, and entertainment. The Lord wants to refit us as a
battleship.
INTERPRETATION: The church is not here for our own comfort, convenience, and entertainment. The affix -tain means to hold up or hinder, as in detain. Therefore entertain could be interpreted as to hinder from entering. Entertainment could be one of the biggest factors that keeps many Christians from entering into the purposes of the Lord. It almost seems as if we have interpreted the Lord's exhortation to "Occupy" until He returns as "Entertain" until He returns. This must change!
"The whole world lies in the power of the evil one" (I John 5:19);we are living in enemy territory. The Lord came to "destroy the works of the devil" (I John 3:8), and He said that He was sending us with the same purpose (see John 17:18). We are at war with the powers of darkness, and that war will not end until the kingdom comes. Christianity is not meant to be a luxury cruise; it is meant to be a battle. In war, cruise liners are the most easy targets of the enemy, and the "comfort and convenience" mentality that has captured much of the church is one reason why so many are falling away, or living in defeat.
APPLICATION: This is a call for a radical change in the way much of the church now approaches ministry. On cruise liners people may wander around until they find something interesting to do. On a battleship everyone has a specific duty, a battle station that they have been well trained for. We must all learn to use the divinely powerful weapons that we have been given. We must train every believer to be the warrior they have been called to be, and properly place them in their station.
In 1995 Bob Jones was given an extensive dream about the church crossing the Jordan and beginning to possess her promises. This dream began with the leaders of the church sailing up and down the Jordan on pleasure rides in the boats that the Lord had given them for carrying the people over. The Lord was angry and blew upon the boats, capsizing them all. He then instructed them to be salvaged and given to those who would use them properly. Such warnings are usually given in time for repentance by the guilty ones, but we believe that the fulfillment of this will be soon. There must be a radical change to the way many have approached ministry, especially in the West.
WORD FROM ROBERT MARENS:The church is now like a sailing vessel whose tackle is slack when the wind comes.
INTERPRETATION: "Tackle" on a sailing vessel are the ropes, sails, beams, etc., which are all designed to enable it to use the wind for propulsion. If the tackle is slack it can miss its opportunity to catch the wind when it comes. An experienced sailor knows that slack tackle can also be dangerous. Many people have been injured or knocked overboard by swinging beams and tackle that was not prepared for the wind when it came.
APPLICATION: The wind speaks of the Holy Spirit (see John 3:8). All of the gifts, ministries and spiritual resources we have been given in the church are meant to enable us to move with the Holy Spirit when He moves. Just as a good sailor learns to keep everything in its proper place, clean, neat and ready to be used, we must learn to keep the church the same way, always ready to move with Him. Otherwise, when He does move we can miss Him, or even be hurt by it.
PROPHECY FROM PAUL CAIN: A healing revival will begin this year.
INTERPRETATION: This is a word that we have heard from a number of different prophetic ministries. Revival implies bringing something back to life. The last true healing revival began in 1948 and had a sweeping world wide impact. Even though the Lord seldom moves in exactly the same way twice, we can expect healing to become a much greater emphasis in the times ahead.
APPLICATION: In harmony with the above exhortation to not be as a sailing vessel whose tackle is slack when the wind comes, we should be sensitive to anything that the Lord says about healing this year, seek the Lord for more authority for healing, and faithfully pray for the sick. We should study the Lord's healing ministry, and others who have moved, or are moving, effectively in this ministry.
WORD OF WISDOM FROM DAVID SAUNDERS:When men came back from the war, they had been used to having fellowship with other men, but the church had no place for this. This caused many men to gravitate toward such organizations as Free Masonry, etc. (exclusive men's organizations).
INTERPRETATION & APPLICATION: One of the primary assaults of the enemy in modern times is meant to blur the distinctions between men and women. They are different, and from the very beginning men have been used to spending a great deal of time together as they march to wars, or worked in the fields. Likewise, women had a great deal of time together without men. There is a camaraderie that both men and women have with each other in some things that is both healthy, and badly needed. This is one reason why men's meetings, such as Promise Keepers, became so popular, so fast. They filled a void that the church has neglected. If the church does not provide for this need the temptation will be great for some to find it outside of the church, and the devil has provided many places for it.
PROPHECY FROM BOB JONES:The Lord is about to raise up women's movements that will be like a balance to Promise Keepers.
INTERPRETATION & APPLICATION:"The women who proclaim the good tidings are a great host" (Psalm 68:11).Just as there is a special witness that has come from Promise Keepers, there will be one that comes from special women's groups that are raised up.
Also, Bob felt that one of these groups would be Women's AGLOW. I was shown the same thing about AGLOW a couple of years ago. Over the last few years, with very little fanfare, Women's AGLOW has become a powerful spiritual force, devoted to intercession and boldly confronting some of the greatest powers of darkness with the gospel. I am sure that there are others as well, but I am just not personally aware of them at this time.
Even though men's and women's movements are needed, there is a place for interchange. It is wonderful to behold what the Lord is doing through the men's movements, especially the evangelism and the confronting of spiritual strongholds like racism. There is a power in just getting that many men together that is wonderful
and is accomplishing something important.
Last year, while speaking at the International AGLOW conference, there were thousands of women present, but the power in that meeting did not come from the numbers of people present. I felt more spiritual authority present than I have ever felt in a single meeting. When I asked the Lord why there was so much spiritual authority present, He replied that it was because of their devotion to intercession. It is much better to have authority with God than with men, and some of the v. omen's groups are greatly surpassing the men's groups in this most crucial area. If the men's movements drew from some of the spiritual strengths that is now found in the women's movements, possibly enlisting them to intercede for their conferences and meetings, or help train men's intercessory groups, how much more effective could they be? Likewise, if the women's groups could draw from some of the gifts and strengths of the men's groups, they could accelerate their effectiveness. They need to remain distinct movements or they will each lose their purpose, but it could be very helpful to both to have bridges of trust and interchange established.
Women should not be intimidated by what the Lord is doing in men's movements, and men must not be intimidated by what the Lord does in women's movements. If both will reach out to serve the other, both will probably go to much higher levels.
DREAM FROM BOBBY CONNER:Bobby was jogging with the Commander in Chief, who was in a jogging suit. The Commander was in great shape, and Bobby was not, so he did not think that he could keep up with him. The Commander told Bobby that it would not be a problem. Bobby ran with him and it was easy. They ran into a large building like the White House. There were a lot of people who were formally dressed for something like a cocktail party. They were all trying to get the Commander to stop, but he wouldn't. They ran through all of the rooms until they came to one with strategic maps on the wall and on a table. They stopped there and the dream ended.
INTERPRETATION: Bobby knew that the Commander was the Lord. Running speaks of the pace that He is now setting. The White House speaks of the center of civil authority, and the cocktail party speaks of the "party spirit" with which the government is now being occupied. The Lord would not stop for this, even though they asked Him to, which speaks of the fact that He is no longer heeding their appeals. That the Lord showed Bobby the strategic plans in the White House speaks of the prophetic ministry (which Bobby is growing into) being shown the secret plans of the government.
APPLICATION: This has often been a function of the prophetic ministry (see II Kings 6:12). However, to be trusted with such knowledge it is important that we be found trustworthy. Divine knowledge of any kind must be handled with the utmost discretion. With such words of knowledge as this we must seek words of wisdom so that it is never misused. However, we are being given this knowledge to use it in the right way.
WORD FROM BOB JONES:Sarah was about ninety years old when she brought forth Isaac. The Pentecostal movement was about ninety years old when the "holy laughter" came forth.
INTERPRETATION: Isaac means "laughter." The birth of the modern Pentecostal Movement is often measured from the revival that began at Azusa Street, which took place about 90 years before the present renewal movements.
APPLICATION: Isaac was the promised son of Abraham and represents many things to the church, such as the church entering into the promises of God. It should not be interpreted that the laughter is the promise, but rather a sign of it. Even so, it is now almost universally believed that a spiritual generation that will walk in the promises of God has now been born and is maturing.
PROPHECY FROM ROBIN MCMILLAN:Robin kept hearing "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday." A ship is going down.
INTERPRETATION: When Robin shared this Bob Jones felt that it was The Titanic, and that this represented the titans of the church, who are thought to be unsinkable, but are about to sink. In dreams and visions ships often represent leaders (i.e. Ieader-ship). Also, over the last few months several prophetic people have told me that it was time to review the revelation that I had about The Titanic (which was written as a section of The Harvest).
APPLICATION No. 1:If this is in relation to "the titans of the church," I think that we should remember that the sinking of The Titanic was one of history's greatest tragedies. The sinking of this great ship was caused by her pride, which has been at the root of the downfall of the large ministries of our own times. It would be good for all large ministries to examine themselves for this leaven, and to see if they have been disregarding warnings of problems ahead just as The Titanic did. The bigger we are the more we tend to place our security in our size rather than in the Lord, and that is a potentially catastrophic deception.
Many people needlessly perished on The Titanic because the "maydays" that she sent out were not responded to. The main reason they were not responded to was because of the belief that she could not sink, and therefore no one believed that she could really be in serious danger. If the ship that was the closest by, The Californian, had responded, it is probable that every life on board could have been saved.
APPLICATION No. 2: Isaiah 33:21 says, "But there the majestic One, the Lord, shall be for us a place of rivers and wide canals, on which no boat with oars shall go, and on which no mighty ship shall pass." Boats with oars speak of those who are moving by human energy. "Mighty ship" could have been translated "large ship."The River of Life is just that, a river, not a pond, lake, or ocean. Large ships are not made for rivers. A large ship on a river is not only in danger itself, but it will be dangerous APPLICATION No. 3: to all of the smaller craft as well. We need to examine our concepts that large represents the favor of the Lord. One can become a large ministry by many different means entirely without the Holy Spirit. Decentralization may be a life saving word for the future.
If we are in a time of decentralization, and smaller, more efficient ministries and churches are what we should be building, we must be careful not to become judgmental in this. The word "large" will almost always be relative. A
large church in Austria would be considered a very small one in Argentina. Larger ships can navigate on larger rivers, and the greater the move of the Holy Spirit in an area the larger the churches and ministries will tend to be. I think the key word here is what is becoming too large for the conditions, or what is becoming too large to be effective.
Also, many who are called to small groups such as house groups, often fall into the trap of criticizing those who are called to larger works. Such criticism can disqualify us from receiving greater spiritual authority. It can also cause us to become stumbling blocks if we start to feel that it is our place to tear down the larger works. Paul had the authority to "tear down" with the Corinthians because he was the one God used to build them. We do not have authority to tear down anything that we were not used to build.
PROPHECY FROM PAUL CAIN:We must learn to bear the stigma of the anointing, and our calling. Jesus had to bear the stigma of the Jews believing that He was illegitimate, even though He was the Son of God. We must go to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. There must be a camp outside the camp. You can have an "outside the camp" experience while remaining in the camp, even though there will probably have to be a complete separation when the last move comes.
INTERPRETATION: Here a key word may be "camp." This may well have a different interpretation for different people or groups. If we look at the "camp" during the Lord's time, it was the religious establishment which had departed from following the Lord to become an organization that actually resisted Him.
APPLICATION: If we are in a religious institution that does resist the Lord, we should consider that it is time to leave it and not wait to be removed. Many are called with specific missions to those "in the camp," and need to be faithful to those callings. But those who are not so called, but remain within such "camps" beyond the time, will start to backslide spiritually. If this is happening to us we must be open to hearing the word to "come out."
PROPHECY FROM PAUL CAIN:We will have to choose between the anointing and respectability.
INTERPRETATION: This is a repeat of a message Paul gave five years ago, and is closely related to the word above. Possibly the main stumbling block that keeps ministries from receiving the anointing is being overly concerned about the approval of men. As the Lord Himself warned: You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God (see Luke 16:15). If we are going to be doing that which is acceptable to men, even religious men if they resist the Holy Spirit, we will be doing that which is detestable in God's sight.
APPLICATION: We are today making choices that will affect the level of anointing that the Lord can trust us with, and this is a major determining factor. When being faced with a decision, if our first consideration is how it will affect our relationship to other men, rather than simply what we need to do to be obedient, we are subject to the fear of man to the degree that it will affect our usefulness to the Lord. This is a
sin that we must repent of, and resist. As Paul the apostle said, "If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10).
PROPHECY FROM PAUL CAIN:We must remember how Michal reacted to David, and how she was cursed because of her criticism.
INTERPRETATION: Michal was offended by David's abandoned worship of the Lord, feeling that he had exposed himself improperly. This is because she cared more about what the people thought of her husband than what the Lord thought.
When I first began to see the coming of "a Davidic ministry," I was shown that abandoned worship would be a characteristic of it. I was also warned that those with a religious spirit would resist this by calling it "the worship of the golden calf," among other things. Why is it that abandonment at a sports event is tolerable, but the joyful abandonment in worship of our God is not? There is a big difference between the worship of the golden calf and exuberant worship of the Lord, which should be obvious to even the most immature believer, as it is obvious that there is no golden calf present. But this obvious discrepancy in their judgment will not be obvious to those with a religious spirit. A religious spirit makes us wary of anything that we do not understand, do ourselves, or can control in others.
APPLICATION: Abandoned worship will be a characteristic of the last day ministry. Beware of anything that arises in your heart that would cause you to criticize this in others. There is decency, and there is order, but God's decency and order is very different from what those with a religious spirit will tolerate. We must seek the Lord's wisdom for what is allowed in worship. That which is done in the flesh, or by the evil one, is obvious in its attempt to draw attention to itself That which really is being done in the joy of the Lord is also obvious. However, if we are overly zealous to prohibit what is of the flesh, we will overly inhibit true worship. Sometimes we must let the tares grow up with the wheat to preserve the wheat. However, let us be careful not to ridicule or judge wrongly like Michal. This will be one way in which many with a religious spirit will be disqualified from bearing fruit in what will be the greatest time ever to minister.
PROPHECY FROM RICK JOYNER:Psalm 132:1-5 will be a heart cry of the new breed of ministry that is coming.
INTERPRETATION: King David knew that he could not rest until the Lord had a place to rest. Building the Lord's dwelling place will be a much higher priority for the last day ministry than building their own estates.
APPLICATION: Just as the priests were commanded to not wear anything which made them sweat (see Ezekiel 44:18), as sweat speaks of seeking to bring forth fruit by our own strength, we must enter the rest of the Lord to bear true spiritual fruit. This means that we must abide in Him, and depend on His Spirit to do His work, not our own might and power (see Zechariah 4:6 and Hebrews 3:7-4:11). Entering the rest of the Lord is crucial for all true ministry, but the only way that we can enter His rest is, as David discerned, by devoting ourselves to building Him a place to rest.
One of the primary signs of the last days that the Lord gave was such anxiety that
men's hearts would actually fail them because of fear (see Luke 21:25-26). A few minutes of anxiety or fear can consume more energy than we would normally use in a whole day. That is why we are so tired when we have been anxious, or after we have experienced intense fear. Because increasing fear will be one of the hallmarks of the times ahead, it is increasingly imperative that we enter into the rest of the Lord, which is simply trust in Him in all things.
The Lord is trustworthy, He is able to deliver us from any problem, but He only works by faith, not worry. Anxiety is pride, because anxiety is an assumption that we must take care of ourselves, that He cannot do it. The greatest problems facing the whole earth will not even cause Him to break a sweat. He is not sitting in the heavens wringing His hands because of problems. As He comes to abide in us, and we in Him, there should be nothing that causes us to worry. Therefore:
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).
If we will obey this Scripture and use our energy in prayer instead of consuming it with worry, our lives would probably be far more fruitful than they are now. We must learn to quickly recognize worry, and use it for a call to prayer. It is the peace of God that "guards your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus," which is to keep us abiding in Him. It is also "the God of peace" who crushes Satan under our feet (see Romans 16:20). It is no accident that it was Jerusalem, which means "the city of peace," that the Lord chose as His dwelling place. To abide in His peace is to abide in the knowledge of who He is--GOD!
WORD FROM BOBBY CONNER:Satan's people are more willing to make sacrifices to gain his power than the church is to walk in the Lord's power.
INTERPRETATION: It is a basic spiritual principle that power is released through sacrifice, even evil power (see II Kings 3:27). Satanic worshipers understand this principle very well, but Christians are often ignorant of it.
APPLICATION: It is according to this principle that the cross has become the power of God to us. When we take up the cross to be crucified with Him, His power is also released in us. It is not a matter of earning His power, but abiding in His nature, which was to lay down His life for those in need of Him. True Christianity is a life of sacrifice, not consumption. The degree to which we sacrifice our own will to do His, we will know His power.
Every sacrifice that we make in our life for the sake of the gospel will bear fruit. It is a gross perversion to try to make sacrifices for the sake of our atonement, or to seek the approval of God, all of which was accomplished for us by the cross. However, it is our privilege to make sacrifices for the sake of the gospel. This is what Paul the apostle did when he refused to take advantage of certain "rights" that he had, such as taking with him a believing wife, or taking wages from the churches. He could have taken advantage of these, but he did not want to in order to devote himself even more thoroughly to the gospel. Such sacrifices enabled him to bear much more
fruit.
There are many practical ways that we can make sacrifices for the sake of the gospel, and for our own spiritual life, that could radically impact our lives and ministries. In Scripture, fasting was one way that people humbled themselves before the Lord. Every time they did this the Lord met them. There are many different fasts in Scripture, and it is well within our New Covenant liberty to be creative in this. For example, if the average Christian just fasted from television for a month, and used that time for prayer or studying the word, their lives would be radically different than they are now, and much more full of power. If we took that time to spend with our kids it could radically transform many families.
Even so, to impose abstinence from television on the church would not accomplish anything but putting people under the yoke of bondage, and most people would be watching television in secret, and it would be an even worse sin to them (the sin of deception added to the sin of not doing the Lord's will would only sow more deception in the church). But if we give up some television out of love, seeking the Lord and wanting to focus our hearts and minds on His purposes, it would result in a much greater release of power. Any such sacrifice that we make for love's sake will pay dividends.
Even if we gave up television for the rest of our lives, and it only resulted in one sinner being, or in one of our children being kept from stumbling, it would be worth it millions of times over. How many more would be coming to the Lord if we were closer to Him, or spent the time seeking Him or witnessing, that we now frivolously wasting. The Lord could give us all that we need without asking, but He requires us to ask, seek knock, because only those who care enough to seek Him will rightly handle the riches of the kingdom. Do we value the true riches of the kingdom enough to lay aside the temporary pleasures and gratifications of the flesh to seek them?
WORD FROM ROBIN MCMILLAN:We need to understand the receptivity of the Samaritans.
INTERPRETATION: The Samaritans were a people of mixture. Physically they were part Jew and part of almost every other nation around them. Spiritually they were the same, worshiping Jehovah and the gods from all of the other heathen nations. Even so, they had a remarkable receptivity to the gospel. When Jesus talked to the Samaritan woman at the well it resulted in the entire Samaritan city coming to believe in Him. When Philip preached in Samaria they all came to believe. Likewise, some of the sects and cults who we have believed accursed, and who do have a mixture in their doctrine, will also prove to be some of the most receptive to the gospel if we would preach to them.
APPLICATION: Like the Lord, Philip, Peter and John, we should not hesitate to preach the gospel to groups that I have a mixture in their doctrines at this time. Just as the leadership of the World Wide of God have shown extraordinary humility and a willingness to repent of some of their beliefs to embrace biblical Christianity, many other groups, such as the Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, and others are filled with people who really do want to walk in truth, and they will if it is shared with them in a right spirit. It is important for us to remember how the Lord and the apostles went to
the Samaritans. They did not go condemning and chastising them for their wrong beliefs, but simply preached the truth. The Lord allowed the woman at the well to bring up the question of how to worship, and then He answered her straightforwardly, but with grace, showing her dignity even though she was living in sin.
WORD FROM BOBBY CONNER:When someone wakes from a head trauma, the very first things a doctor will ask them is if they know who they are and where they are. When the church wakes up we must answer these same questions.
INTERPRETATION: Amazingly, many Christians cannot answer these questions accurately. In the last couple of years I have asked a number of audiences and congregations how many people knew their own calling or purpose in the church, and the result has been that less than 5 percent can affirmatively answer. When I ask how many are actually functioning in their calling, the number drops to less than 2 percent. What human body could possibly survive, much less function and accomplish anything, if only 2 percent of the organs were functioning? This is a dramatic sign that the overall ministry of the church is profoundly failing at her primary task of "equipping the saints for the work of the ministry." How much more effective would the church be if all of her members were properly functioning?
APPLICATION: Knowing the answer to these questions, especially in relation to revealing spiritual gifts and callings, is one of the primary responsibilities of prophetic ministry. We have been witnessing a dramatic growth of prophetic anointing over the last few years, especially with words of knowledge for everything from diseases and physical problems to the strategic will of God, but we must seek the Lord for more revelation about people's spiritual gifts and callings. These words have dramatic results in setting people free to move into their callings, which is a critical need in the whole body of Christ at this time. Along with such words of knowledge, we also need words of wisdom that can help set people on the course to receiving the proper equipping and preparation for walking in their calling. As Proverbs 24:3-4 states, knowledge will fill the house, but wisdom builds it.
WORD OF WISDOM FROM PAUL CAIN:Sounding forks will resonate at the same frequency if they are close enough to each other. If we are close to the Lord we will resonate at the same frequency that He is on. Is this not what the Lord meant when He said He did not do anything that He did not see the Father doing?
INTERPRETATION: The only way that we will "be on the same frequency" with the Lord is to stay close to Him. A tuning fork will resonate at the same frequency as any other tuning fork that is resonating close to it. There are many "tuning forks" sounding off, but we must be sure that we are staying close to the Lord if we are going to have His message.
APPLICATION: We must seek the Lord, not just gravitate to any message that is sounding forth. The essence to all true prophetic ministry, or prophetic messages, is simply being close to God. Above all things, this will always be the most important message that we need to hear, and it is good that the Lord is continually saying the same thing to us in different ways.
WORD FROM BOB JONES: Many saints are now dying before their time. It is because the church is not using the authority that He has given to us to bind, loose, and to heal. The centrality of the cross has been displaced. The cross is the power of God, and our hedge is the fear of the Lord, which we must recover.
INTERPRETATION: In 1989 Bob had a word that the Lord allowed Herod to kill James in order to teach the church to pray for her leaders. When Peter was likewise captured by Herod, the church prayed and Peter was delivered (see Acts 12). It is not the Lord's will for any of His children to die prematurely. Then why does He allow it? Because He has given us certain authority to use and He expects us to use it, otherwise there would have been no point in Him giving it to us. He could do everything without us, but He has chosen to work through us, and if we do not do it He will allow it to go undone.
APPLICATION: We must learn to take it personally whenever someone is afflicted by the devil, or dies prematurely. We must learn to pray, seek the Lord, return to the cross. We must seek the fear of the Lord, which the Scripture says is more valuable than gold or silver (see Proverbs 2:1-5). If we believe this we will search for the fear of the Lord like we would for treasure. What value could possibly be put on having the hedge of the Lord about us? The fear of the Lord is our hedge.
DREAM FROM BOB JONES:Bob had a dream in which a number of us were riding in a car and we were stopped by the "Higher-way Patrol." The patrolman was very strict and came to check us to see if we could go any further. He said that we were not speeding, but he was looking us over using a checklist that was Psalm 24. He was looking for contraband such as "drugs." He did not find any, but he said we had too much trash and too much excess baggage. He said that was okay because we were at the dump and could get rid of it. The trash and excess baggage was really good stuff in the past, but now it was trash. We must travel lighter to stay on the higher-way.
Bob told this patrolman that we were going to a revival, and he replied, "No you're not. There is not going to be a revival in America this year, but it will rain in different places, according to Amos 4:7, and we are to go where it is raining." The patrolman then said that we were not ready for revival yet, but this rain would help to get us ready for one. Then an angel of grace came and said not to get mad at the angel of the law, because if we kept on this higherway Psalm 21 would be our reward.
INTERPRETATIONS & APPLICATIONS:Bob was told that the Lord did not send this angel of the law, but He let him stop and check us. We are not to be under the law, but neither can we ever think that we are above the law. We can expect legalistic people to stop us occasionally, and even though they may have a wrong spirit, and even though they are not sent by the Lord, we need to listen to what they have to say. Sometimes our enemies will tell us what our friends won't, and they can help us to see things that we do need to get rid of. We should use Psalm 24 as our own checklist. As I Corinthians 11:31 states, "But if we judged ourselves rightly, we should not be judged." We will not get where we need to go without passing this checklist.
The contraband that the patrolman was looking for was drugs, which were actually doctrines that caused delusions. Drugs are used as a substitute for reality, or to make us feel better. We are called to be "pillars and supports of the truth," and truth is reality. We should not seek anything that would alter seeing ourselves the way that we really are, even if it makes us feel bad for a time. We must be willing to view everything else as it is, including our churches, ministries, families, etc., if we are going to walk in truth.
Bob said that the trash in our car was from what had contained food in the past. We are still holding onto some things from the past because it did contain good food at the time, but now they are just empty packages. We often try to hold onto what contained the blessing, even when the blessing has long since passed, and it only gets in the way, hindering future progress. The baggage also contained stuff that was still good, but it was not stuff that we needed for where we are going. We tend to carry too much and we need to travel much lighter if we are going to stay on the "higher-way." Some people have as much as 90 percent of their time occupied with clutter and things that are really not bearing any fruit in their life. We must get rid of excess baggage.
Bob was also told that we were at the dump and could get rid of our trash and excess baggage there. I would interpret "there" as this point in time. It is not lawful to throw trash out of a moving vehicle, but every time we stop, or have a reprieve spiritually, use that time to get rid of any trash that has accumulated, as well as the excess baggage. When we start moving again it will not be the time to do that, but to stay focused on the road.
So far this year it could be said that the Lord is raining in many places, and in some of them there is an abundance of rain, but it is true that we are not seeing anything that could really be considered an historic revival in America yet. That we were told to go "where it is raining," speaks of seeking the blessing where it is now found. Wise men throughout the ages have been willing to travel almost any distance to find that which God is bringing forth, even if it is still in its infancy. From the beginning of God's dealings with Abraham, there has been a quest, a sojourn, required of those who will receive the blessings. One of the special dynamics of the Day of Pentecost was that men had come from every nation to worship the Lord in Jerusalem. The mentality that we do not need to go to others, but that God will come to us, can be a form of pride, or jealousy, that keeps us from receiving the blessing.
Bob was also told that when we have our own opinions the Lord will just let us keep going in our error until we repent. The Lord's ways are not our ways, but His ways are a higher way (see Isaiah 55).
A PROPHETIC "EXPERIENCE" OF BOBBY CONNER, ROBIN MACMILLAN, STEVE THOMPSON AND BOB JONES:While on a retreat with a few prophetic friends to Moravian Falls, one morning I asked each of these as they came down for breakfast if the Lord had given them anything the night before. Without knowing what the others had said, they each replied that they had either smelled smoke, seen smoke, or dreamed about smoke, coming from the west.
Bobby Conner sensed it so strongly that he asked his wife to step into the hall to see
if the building was on fire. | There was no literal smoke, or the smell of smoke, in the lodge. It was a spiritual experience. Bob Jones was specifically told that this smoke was from a burning church, and he saw young children being ritually abused, especially young x. girls. He saw families being separated, and babies being bought (for ritual sacrifices). He said that those doing it were racists, but also Satanists. He was also told that what the enemy destroyed, the Lord would restore fourfold.
INTERPRETATION: This took place soon after the church in Knoxville that Reggie White attends was burned. I had not talked to any of those attending this retreat about this to see if the Lord would show them something. Because Knoxville was almost due west of where we were staying, I felt that it was a revelation that those who were responsible for this were satanic worshipers. A few months later, when a church in Charlotte was burned, it was allegedly started by a teenage girl who claimed to be a Satanist.
This is not to presume that all of these churches are being burned by Satanic worshipers, but the church must understand that these attacks are a major strategy of the enemy. We are told not to be ignorant of his schemes because we are called to stand up against the darkness with the light of the gospel. This is a wake-up call. We must view an attack on any part of the body of Christ as an attack on us personally. One part does not suffer without the whole body suffering.
Even so, there is another, even more specific purpose to these attacks. These attacks are meant to inflame racial tensions in America because Satan has a strategy to ignite a major racial conflict in this country. This is a part of his overall strategy to release the spirit of death in America. He knows very well that at this time anything that is released in America will impact the entire world. This is not just an American egocentric statement, but America does now have the greatest influence in the world, for good or for evil.
APPLICATION No. 1:Satan understands very well that spiritual authority is multiplied with unity (one can put a thousand to flight, but two can put ten thousand to flight). When the church comes into unity, his power will be broken. The greatest division in the church in America is between white and black churches. It is true that "Eleven o'clock Sunday morning is the most segregated hour of the week," and Satan is doing all that he can to keep it so. It is an obvious strategy of the enemy to use the burning of black churches for evil, so we must overcome this evil with good. When a black church is burned down we must seize this opportunity to build bridges of trust by helping them to rebuild something even better than what was destroyed. Reach out to those who have been targets of such attacks, and determine to be a part of what the Lord wants to do, which is to restore four fold.
It has been encouraging to see mostly white Christian groups, such as the Southern Baptists, repent of their racist past, and to seek to do something about present problems. It is also encouraging the way many of these have responded to the church burnings with a resolve to help their brothers rebuild what was lost. Repentance is just the first step of the process of reunion. Repentance must be followed by Reconciliation, and Restoration, and these church burnings are an opportunity for the white church to reach out and build bridges to the black church. If
every time the enemy strikes a brother, we rise up with the determination to strike him back at least four times, some of the most powerful evil strongholds will quickly fall before us.
APPLICATION No. 2:We need to build bridges of trust between whites and blacks by starting to understand each other better. Presently there is a greater difference between "white America" and "black America" than there is between the U.S. and different nations.
We have made some strides in overcoming racism, but in other ways it is getting worse. When the church in Knoxville was burned down, the pastors of this church actually became suspects, and members of the church felt that they were harassed by agents, even though the insurance on the church only covered a fraction of the damage. Later, Reggie White was even named as a suspect, and was told that he could not fly with President Clinton to visit black churches that had been burned because he was "under investigation." If lawmen would seek to intimidate someone with the visibility that Reggie White has, what do they do to the little guys? This is why many blacks do not even report crimes, because they know that they are likely to become the suspects. This is why blacks have a hard time believing evidence against one of their own when it is presented by white officers, especially proven racists, such as in the O.J. Simpson trial.
This is not to imply anyone's guilt or innocence, but it is very hard for white Americans to understand what most African Americans in this country still live under, and why it would be so hard for a black jury to believe the evidence presented by white law enforcement officers, especially when one collecting the evidence is an obvious racist. The justice system in America is not the same for blacks and whites, which numerous statistics overwhelmingly confirm. Almost anyone who becomes vocal about this problem becomes a target of intimidation, if not outright persecution. This may sound to those of us who live comfortably like paranoia, but it is the truth. It does not involve everyone in government, as there are many in both government and law enforcement who are aware of these problems and are trying to do something about them. Even so, it is a much bigger problem than many can imagine at this time. It forces many blacks to try to live outside of the system, giving even more power to the attraction of such things as drugs and crime.
Overall, The Nation of Islam is doing more to help the black community, and to give African Americans a sense. of worth and purpose, than the church is. The church must awaken to what is going on. The white church should have arisen with the message of Martin Luther King, Jr. long before he did. We are very late waking up to the evils of racism, and the reality of what our black brothers and sisters are today living under. Even with many in the government sincerely trying to help, this is not a problem that the government can solve by itself. This is a spiritual problem and the church must rise up to address it. The church is called to be "a pillar and support of the truth." As the Scriptures repeatedly say of the Lord, "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Thy throne" (Psalm 89:14). If we are going to represent the kingdom of God as His ambassadors, we must be devoted to righteousness and justice, for all.
The inner cities of America are a frontline in the spiritual battle for America. Like
nuclear material, the inner cities are approaching "critical mass." When they do power will be released. If that power is not directed properly into building, it will be used for destruction, and a spiritual meltdown of our whole society can be the result. The next riots in America will not be confined to the inner cities.
When the Lord was asked about the signs of the end, He responded by saying "Nation will rise against nation" (Luke 21:10). The Greek word translated "nation" in this text is ethnos, from which we derive the word "ethnic." The Lord was saying that ethnic conflict would be one of the primary problems, and signs of the end. It is growing dramatically, and even though it may be a sign of the end, we are not here to just let evil have its way, but to confront darkness with light until truth prevails. Even if it is your theology that the Lord will remove us before the great tribulation, we are here to stand against the darkness until that time comes.
It may seem far fetched, especially to those of us in comfortable suburban America, but Satan is doing all that he can to start a race war in America. One of Satan's main strategies in the last days is to incite racial conflicts, and America is a main target of this. Many black groups are being deceived into thinking that they can win a race war in America. The result of such a conflict will be an unimaginable disaster for the entire nation. The church has the authority to bind these powers, but only if we are in unity. If the church does not rise up to confront this evil we will have a catastrophe of epic proportions. The burning of black churches is just another part of the enemy's diabolical strategy, but it should be a loud wake up call to the church. The larger the fires of racism grow, the harder it will be to put them out, and the more destruction they will do.
The enemy has done all that he could over the last few centuries to destroy the Jewish people because he knows their destiny. He is now doing all that he can to destroy the black race because he knows their destiny. The black race was subjected to slavery for much the same reason that Israel was, they are called as a people to teach the world about the true liberty that is found in Christ. There is a special onslaught against black men, and black families, that is on the level of a holocaust, because of their destiny. The church must rise up against this onslaught, not only because if we don't we too will ultimately be victims of it, but because we are here to be a part of what the Lord is doing, and to work with Him in His purposes.
Only a handful of Christians realized the terrible evil that was rising in Nazi Germany, and stood against that evil, and for the Jewish people. Let us not be caught in such a deep sleep again. After the enemy releases his full attack against the blacks in America, it is his strategy to go after the Jews in America next. He then intends to have every race turning against every other race, even over the smallest of differences, just as he did in Rwanda.
We can see by Bible prophecy that this will happen at the end, but we can also see that there will be "cities of refuge," and maybe even nations of refuge. America, which is truly made up of those from every nation, has the opportunity to show the world the truth that we can all live together with respect and dignity for all, esteeming one another for the great gifts that every race brings to the whole of society. If we do not do this we will be the place of the greatest holocaust of all. If we do not seize the opportunity that we have in America, the enemy will.
SPECIAL NOTE: We ask those of you who are committed to pray for MorningStar to add Reggie White to your prayers. Reggie is a Board member of MorningStar, but we also believe that he has a destiny to be a major voice to the church in America, and to stand against racism, one of the ultimate enemies at the end of this age. We also ask you to reach out to any church that has been a special target of racism in any form, looking for any way possible to stand with them and help them. If there is not such a church in your community, and you would like to contribute to the rebuilding of the church in Knoxville, you can send your donations to Inner City Church, c/o Pastor Jerry Upton, 1503 E. Magnolia, Knoxville, TN 37917. These donations will not only be appreciated, they will be used for the kingdom of God. That little church in Knoxville has been doing as much to help the inner city as any other church that I have personally visited.