Five-Fold Today - Love That Is Not - Love That Is - Nakedness and Glory - The Kingdom is Up-side Down - Step Out - The Fire Burns - Prisons Holds God's Treasures - Mirror, Mirror - The Maximum Experience

December 23, 2001

Love That Is Not

Mary Lloyd

In my experience there is a lot that passes for love that is not. There are those who think what they are doing is loving, when in fact it is lusting in some form, or crying out for love themselves, or loving themselves and using others to adorn their company to reinforce their self-love, or other manifestation under the heading of love. Then there are others that hold themselves rather aloof, do a lot of talking about love but no doing, preach on it, speak on it, go all around the houses talking about it, anything other than do it. You know the kind, you have been there I'm sure, the fruit is a bit thin on the ground. Then there is the self-sacrificial love that we probably all agree Jesus requires of us, desires to see in us. Have you seen much of it? I haven't. I have never seen anything even approaching fervent love in the church, though recent experience outside the IC shows the most promise of all, both in terms of giving and receiving.

I can't see how we can love each other like the Lord wants us to love each other, without a growing intimacy, sharing the things that are in deep places so that we can know each other in a real way and be there for each other. I am saying there are dangers obviously in this. Working on my own I have found the only way I can go forward is to be deliberately blind to them, pray a lot, plough on, trusting the Lord. Even so there are misunderstandings. A sense of humour helps. The alternative is not to love. Not an option the way I read the Bible.

If I am passionate about Jesus, it follows there is a passion for the brethren who walk closely with the Lord. This might disturb some, but it seems quite clear to me that Jesus is passionate and wants us to be so with Him and each other, obviously not in any carnal sense, passion is the only word I can come up with at the moment. It is risky, I am sure you see what I mean, we invest a lot in our image which we have to relinquish if we are to have a real, spiritual relationship with each other that approaches the Biblical ideal.

Love from Mary

glyn.lloyd2@btinternet.com
to the APDiscussPanel@yahoogroups.com

Love That Is

Linda Evans

Oh what a breathe of fresh air! Yes and Amen! God is surely a PASSIONATE God and He redeems our passions -- He redeems our soul!

There ARE dangers in this walk of Love, yet our Good Shepherd will keep us safe!

It is His Greatest Desire to see Love birthed and overflowing from the hearts of all His children, for this Love is a Kingdom Love -- this is how it is in the Kingdom! As He fills our hearts with more and more Love, we become 'targets' for the perversion and lawlessness of evil .. yet we are to be gentle as doves and as wise as those ole serpents! Not afraid -- but wise to their ways.

Satan's tactics are not creative -- he uses the same wiley schemes over and over again -- so we need not fall prey to the attacks that come against the Love, for they are known -- and once known, they need not be given any place in our hearts.

Lawlessness is the primary weapon he will use -- declaring there is no law against Love (the antinomians)... using that particular Scripture to feed the mortal, carnal selfish-love of our old nature -- the 'evil hope' being to drag God's Agape down into the realm of our fallen flesh... taking what is Pure and Bright and Shining, and causing it to be darkened by the selfishness of uncrucified flesh.

What is our protection? He is of course! But the Scriptures are our food --we must feed upon them!! -- We must allow the Word to speak to us through them and keep our understanding grounded in the already revealed Will of God -- this will eliminate many tears and much heart-ache later on.

Never allow the Love to be compromised by human selfishness -- in whatever form that selfishness may assume. That is the wiley scheme of the enemy -but we don't have to fall for it!

I believe that part of the maturing in Love requires that our carnal-self-serving love be brought out into the Relentless Grace Light of the Beloved -- where the Beloved then will ask that this love, this carnal love -- this "need to be loved" -- be placed upon the altar of His Love -- a Living Sacrifice -- a burned offering -- that His Agape might then flow pure and uncontaminated through us.

So.. if you see this work taking place, don't worry -- He is just not done yet. He will complete what He has begun in each of us -- let us faint not, but press on in faith -- declaring that He is the Lord: Our Righteousness!

May God's Heart's Desire (His Will) be manifested in each of our lives.

Love, Linda levans@netw.com
to the APDiscussPanel@yahoogroups.com

Nakedness and Glory

Jo Spangler

When sin entered the garden the glory of the Lord departed. The glory was what had covered the nakedness of Adam and Eve. God's mercy was keeping them from knowing the awfulness of themselves. Adam and Eve did not change from what and who they were physically when sin came, their perception of what and who they were changed. Now that the glory was gone they knew they were naked. Before the glory departed, they did not know. The fact that they were naked was the same fact before and after. But before the glory departed the fullness of God covered them, when the glory departed they were left with themselves. Woe is me, woe is us!

When the angels of the Lord appeared at the birth of our Beloved Savior and Lord the glory of the Lord shown round about them. Notice what the response of men was to the glory. They were sore afraid. They were sore afraid! And the angels had to tell the men to fear not for they were bringing good news!

To the men's natural eyes the news was frightening. They were being exposed to the eye of Almighty God and they were afraid! They could not, with their natural eyes, possibly see that this was good news! They felt exposed to a blinding light and the insignificance of their own selves was blatantly obvious. But the angels comforted them, encouraging them to believe that it was indeed good news that the glory had descended upon them. And through their belief of good news, in spite of how it felt, they were able to obey and follow the angels to the Lord, where He lay wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

Are we willing to admit our nakedness before the Lord, before others? We keep asking for the glory of God to arise on us or descend on us (or whatever) and yet here we see that the glory of God is on us every time we feel naked and exposed. It is the glory of the Lord to cover our nakedness but if we cannot or will not admit to being naked how can the glory manifest?

The word angel means messenger and can apply to God's messengers today. Those messengers are sent to comfort the people when the glory exposes them. They are sent to reassure and hold up those who would fall headlong into despair at the sight of themselves were it not for God's mercy being administered. This ministry comes not from the messengers themselves but, as Paul says, God Himself makes us competent to ministers of the new covenant.

There are people all over the world experiencing varying aspects of the glory of God. We are meant to live in it constantly even as Adam and Eve did before the fall. But we are afraid. Some live in the glory in their ministry but in their personal life cannot receive its exposing power. Some live in the glory in relationships but cannot receive its exposing power in ministry. Some refuse its exposing power in all facets of their lives and are subsequently miserable all around. God will have us live in glory, in all aspects of our lives. The sooner we understand this and begin to cooperate the better for us individually and for the Body of Christ.

Let us stop looking for a glory that is self-centered in the way we feel or are moved. Let us stop pursuing the external manifestations that prove to our eyes that something is going on. The glory has infinite aspects but the aspect of glory we always run from is its exposing power. But if we do not receive this exposing power, admitting our lack and nakedness, then the glory recedes yet again, until we come to terms with its purpose.

We will live in the glory of God, it is written. We are a glorious church, the end from the beginning. But the ugly part is in the middle, the process we must go through to realize the promises of our Most High God. Let us open ourselves up to the Lord; freely admit our nakedness and lack. Let us allow Him to clothe us with Glory from On High by the process He desires. It may not look like good news to us but He says it is GOOD NEWS! Let us dare to believe!

jos@starband.net

Step Out

Kevin Dougherty

Why do you hesitate, why do you doubt oh child of God? Why do you question, seeing only your lack? Are not my resources enough? For I am a great God, there are no limits to me. I shall measure out all that you need, and my measure is not miserly, nor is my arm short. I have gone before you, and I have done battle on your behalf. The way is made ready, the resources are at hand, so step out my children, step out. Try me and see if I will not pour out all my resources. For they are full and abundant, and I shall pour them out full measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and you shall have more than you need, more than you can contain. Try me, and see that I am faithful to do all that I have promised. Step out, pour out, do my work, and I will pour out upon you and through you according to my abundance.

kevind@revivalconnections.org

The Fire Burns

Sam Buick

THE FIRE BURNS AND THE WIND OF MY SPIRIT BLOWS AND ANGELS ARE BRINGING THE EMBERS OF THE FATHER'S LOVE

"The fire burns, and the wind of My Spirit blows. Many prodigals and many wounded warriors who have sought refuge have hidden themselves. Their fires, their embers are dim, but My Spirit is blowing upon their embers! My Spirit is blowing upon their embers, and the fire, the passion is returning! My fire will burn in them and it will increase!

"O weak and weary Beloved, come to Me and I will renew the fire within you! I will stoke up the fire! Your passion will burn bright again! I long to restore the weak and the weary! There are many weary and weak within the Body who at this time of year are forlorn and hurting. Beloved, I long to heal you up and restore you. You need not remain in your anguish! I will renew you, says the Lord!

"The winds will come and attempt to extinguish what remains of the embers. But I shall cup with My hands the embers and I shall protect them from the fierce winds of opposition! I will hold them near to Me and I will shelter them. I will care for the flame, and even though it burns dimly, I shall protect and care for the embers.

"I shall stoke the fires, and I shall dispatch from heaven, angels who will come with the embers of the Father's love! The angels are traversing the earth and are riding the winds ready to give to all who need, the embers of the Father's love! O dear one, turn to Me, and ask of Me, and receive the embers of the Father's love!"

SAM BUICK
DWELLING PLACE PROPHETIC WORD
http://thedwellingplace.faithweb.com/
mailto:the_dwelling_place@hotmail.com

Prisons Holds God's Treasures

Bill Yount

It was late and I was tired, wanting to go to sleep, but God wanted to talk; It was about midnight, but it dawned on me that God does not sleep. His question made me restless. "Bill, where on earth does man keep his most priceless treasures and valuables?" I said, "Lord, usually these treasures like gold, silver, diamonds and precious jewels are kept locked up somewhere out of sight with usually guards and security to keep them under lock and key."

God spoke. Like man, My most valuable treasures on earth are also locked up."

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OUT FROM THESE WALLS WILL COME FORTH AN ARMY
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I then saw Jesus standing in front of seemingly thousands of prisons and jails. The Lord said, "These have almost been destroyed by the enemy, but these ones have the greatest potential to be used and to bring forth glory to my name. Tell MY people, I am going this hour to the prisons to activate the gifts and callings that lie dormant in these lives that were given before the foundation of the earth. Out from these walls will come forth an Army of spiritual giants who will have power to literally kick down the gates of Hell and overcome satanic powers that are holding many of My own people bound in My own house.

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FORGOTTEN VESSELS--MUST BE RESTORED
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Tell my people that great treasure is behind these walls in these forgotten vessels. My people must come forth and touch these ones, for a mighty anointing will be unleashed upon these for future victory in My kingdom. THEY MUST BE RESTORED." I then saw the Lord step up to the prison doors with a key. One key fit every lock and the gates began to open. I then heard and saw great explosions which sounded like dynamite going off behind the walls. It sounded like all-out spiritual warfare. Jesus turned and said, "Tell My people to go in now and pick up the spoil and rescue these." Jesus then began walking in and touching inmates who were thronging Him. Many being touched instantly began to have a golden glow come over them. God spoke to me, "THERE'S THE GOLD!" Others had a silver glow around them. God said, "THERE'S THE SILVER!"

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"NOW GO AND PULL DOWN THE STRONGHOLDS"
======================================

Like slow motion they began to grow into what appeared to be giant knights in armor-like warriors. They had on the entire armor of God and every piece was solid and pure gold! Even golden shields! When I saw the golden shields, I heard God say to these warriors: "Now go and take what Satan has taught you and use it against him. Go and pull down the strongholds coming against MY church." The spiritual giants then started stepping over the prison walls with no one to resist them, and they went immediately to the very front line of the battle with the enemy. I saw them walk right past the church as big-name ministers known for their power with God were surpassed by the giant warriors like David going after Goliath! They crossed the enemy's line and started delivering many of God's people from the clutches of Satan while demons trembled and fled out of sight at their presence.

======================
WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?
======================

No one, not even the church, seemed to know who these spiritual giants were or where they came from. All you could see was the armor, the golden armor of God, from head to foot, and the shields of gold were there. The shields were restored to God's House and there was great victory and rejoicing. I also saw silver, precious treasures, and vessels being brought in. Beneath the gold and silver were the people that nobody knew: REJECTS OF SOCIETY, STREET PEOPLE, THE OUTCASTS, THE POOR and the DESPISED. These were the treasures that were missing from His House.

In closing the Lord said, "If my people want to know where they are needed, tell them they are needed in the STREETS, the HOSPITALS, the MISSIONS, and PRISONS. When they come there they will find Me and the next move of my Spirit and they will be judged by My Word in Matthew 25:42. "For I was hungry and you gave me no meat: I was thirsty and you gave me no drink: I was a stranger and you took me not in: naked and you clothes me not: Sick and in prison and you visited me not."

blowtheshofar@juno.com

Mirror, Mirror

Debra Westbrook

While in intercession several days ago, God brought a distinct picture in front of me. I saw a man standing in front of a mirror. It was apparent that the man was intrigued by his own beauty and splendor, as he surveyed himself from every angle, looking and observing himself. He gazed upon the reflection of his own beauty and admired his facial features. He said, "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?" Suddenly, as the man was intent on gazing at himself, there appeared in the mirror an image of a witch.

The Lord would speak through this to all who walk with a measure of authority in the prophetic. The Lord has impressed upon my heart that we must repent. There is idolatry and witchcraft present within those who walk with a prophetic mantle, gifting, calling or any degree of this gifting from God operating within their lives. Let us search our hearts and the Lord will reveal the particulars to each one intent on walking in a purity and holiness before Him in the coming days.

I was impressed strongly from our Lord that the prophetic has built a platform of gazing upon itself, talking about itself, admiring itself, preaching and prophesying to itself, and holding conferences to idolize itself. Just as the man looked intently at himself in the mirror, so do we. Yet the Lord would ask "Where is the face of My Son illuminating the lives of those who profess to speak for me?"

The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy according to Revelation 19:10. Can we honestly say that the testimony of Jesus is apparent in what we say or proclaim?

Idolatry has arisen within the ranks when we idolize ourselves or our giftings! Idolatry places the messenger and the message on a platform before the people proving to be an obstacle in seeing the face of Christ or hearing a pure prophetic word which comes from the testimony of Jesus.

The witch in the mirror indicates that there is control and manipulation present within many words that come forth. We must check our hearts and repent to rid ourselves of impure motives, unholy agendas, and such. Manipulation and control result from woundedness within an individual. The prophetic must be healed so that the oracles of God can come forth from His heart once again.

We must look closely at ourselves in the mirror, allowing God to search us and purge us so that we can be a true reflection of His glory, transformed into His image to bring forth the testimony of Jesus. We must go before our God and repent so that God can heal and restore us once again. There should arise a strong prophetic voice from a broken spirit and a contrite heart, as we look upon His face, not ours. For when we measure ourselves by ourselves, and compare ourselves by ourselves, we shall always fall short, walking in idolatry. Yet, when we gaze upon Him we realize that in and of ourselves we are nothing but in Him we are everything. Our Lord must empower us again, refreshed and renewed with His words.

We can no longer deceive ourselves by elevating ourselves onto prophetic platforms that proclaim our agenda, our particular bent, or persuasion. Realizing that we speak forth only what we hear, we must be purged of any mixture or compromise that has arisen within the ranks of those who profess to speak for God. Our words are being weighed carefully by our Lord as He longs to establish prophetic forerunners that will sound forth with a strong voice of unity, restoration, and healing within the Body of Christ. Yes, even confrontation will arise as the prophetic picks up the mantle to passionately pursue the heart of the Father. Yet, every word that is spoken will be purified by God's holy fire before we profess to sound forth His heart. Each word will be formed on a foundation of love and compassion even in the midst of confrontation for that is the testimony of Jesus. Our lives, when purged, will be the message through which we will sound forth His heart.

Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your own doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow. Isaiah 1:16-17

He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

d.westbrook@att.net

The Maximum Experience

Undrai Fizer

The Spirit is leading those who are in the midst of pursuing Him into a place where their experience will be maximized. So, in this "heated transition," we must not lower the standard of our responsibility in destiny.

Have you ever bought a product that you were in a hurry to use, but didn't want to go through the process of reading the instructional manual? You "thought" you knew all you needed to know about the product, so the manual (when it's not in your heart to study it) becomes "foreign looking." So you begin to use the product, but only in the limited knowledge you possess towards it. You then "lower" your standards of responsibility and re-adjust the purpose of the product, and only experience a "limited usage" of something that is supposed to do more "than you are allowing it." You begin to excuse the full purpose of the product and live within the "limitations of your views" toward it, only because the process of becoming "maximized" was feared and denied.

We must not lower the "power of purpose," and cause it to fit within the parameters of our "personal fears of responsibility." When we re-adjust our experiences to a lower standard, we will tire easily and become bored with the product. We will become bored with the product because we have denied it's full function.

When you do not allow the Spirit's "full functions" to be maximized, it causes a deadness within life. It causes blindness and fear of God's full vision. It gives you a limited view of life and the Spirit. It depreciates the value of the Kingdom, and it will become a foundation of dead works and strained belief. We must allow the Holy Spirit to maximize our experiences so we can benefit the full joy of the Father and His Son.

Do not allow the responsibility of spiritual maturity to "re-adjust" your thinking into a realm of "it's not really necessary" and "it doesn't take all of that." Do not deny yourself the fullness of faith and the power of the Living God because the "manual seems unreadable." Sometimes, we desire to handle products without fully understanding it's purpose. Instead of understanding the full usage of the product, we "tinker with it and hit and miss." Then after awhile, we get tired of it.

The Spirit wants us to understand and fully know God. He wants us to understand and become aquainted with the Destiny of the Kingdom. He does not want us to be ignorant of the full benefits of God's Love and Power. We must understand the power and authority of His Word. When you discover the value of the kingdom, the revelations become a part of your life and the words will not seem so "fuzzy" and reduced to a "sleep aid." You will open your mind and heart to receive the fullness of whatever it is you inwardly value. Appreciation will increase revelation and produce manifestation.

The lazy can dream, but do not value the work involved to manifest the dream (It is not impossible for the "spiritually timid" to dream). Their standard of responsibility have been lowered so they can at least enjoy a "limited version" of glory. Do not become satisfied with a limited flow of God's Glory. You cannot stretch out "embraced" limitations by "just adding water." If you accept a limited vision, you will only be able to strive in the environment that make limitations comfortable.

As you actively pursue God, you will be led into "maximizing experiences." You will be led to receive the manual and the product as well. You will not be satisfied with limited anointing and limited vision. You will not be satisfied with a limited taste of destiny. You will also realize that "being dissatisfied is not enough". You will have to commit to a standard of purpose that will free you from "dissatisfaction."

Let's be moved to the maximum experience of the Spirit. It's not impossible and it's not unreachable.

----------------------------------------------------
Undrai and Bridget Fizer
www.exploringthevision.org
DominionTODAY@aol.com

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