Five-Fold Today The Valley of Weeping - Towards a Showdown With God - Speak It Forth! - Fire in the Field - The Banker and the Lie - When Becoming Nothing is an Improvement - The Great Image - Scriptural Foundation - Born In This Hour

August 3, 2001

The Valley of Weeping

Daniel Oliveria

Many of you who are reading this are on the brink of a major breakthrough in your lives and ministries. The promises that God invested into your hearts a long time ago are soon to mature. However, you find yourself perplexed and confused because the circumstances of your lives are contrary or even opposite of what God has said. You have wondered how the words God spoke to you can ever come to pass, because the “evidence” is stacked up against you.

At this time, God is taking you by the hand. He is beginning a journey of destiny in your life. Do not be afraid! He will lead you now through the Valley of Weeping. It will be there that the consuming fire of the Holy Spirit will surround you. This journey of healing and fruitfulness will begin with tears.

A certain sinful woman began her journey of tears at the feet of the Lord Jesus. Like you, the divine destiny of her life had been marred by the stain and reproach of her sins - sin’s destruction had built a wall of impossibility around her life. She was broken, beyond repair, beyond hope - at least in the eyes of man. Until Jesus came!

Undoubtedly, the time came when she had to face her shame, her past, her sins. The grip of destruction was strong in her life. In a desperate effort to deal with her pain, she pursued a series of choices that ensnared her into a life that only leads to death.

God knows your wounds! He has heard your cries for help and has not turned away from you! As the refining fire of Heaven is applied to your soul, all the impurities that hinder you, that keep you from knowing Him intimately, will be removed. He wants to be close to you now. Though the journey is one of pain and struggle, you will surely make it.

As the impure falls away, springs of refreshing will replace your tears. Blessings will fall like rain. Your tears will become a waterfall of praise and worship to the Lord. You will enter a haven of His rest! That which was birthed in your heart in the beginning, will spring forth and produce a harvest because now is the appointed time.

Daniel Scott Oliveria

warpone@hotmail.com

Towards a Showdown With God
-- and dealing with a spirit of offense

A Word through Ching Co

To God's People positioned all around the nations:

MALACHI: SPIRITUAL PARALLEL

The Holy Spirit has directed my attention to the book of Malachi and as I pondered upon the words spoken by the Lord to the prophet. I began to perceive events with parallel significance taking place in our midst this season.

HE WILL NEVER LEAVE US ALONE

As I share these impressions, I pray for a release of God's wisdom to abound in each one. May our hearts be filled with awe and amazement at the greatness of our God who never leaves His people alone but as He has promised, He does not do anything without revealing these to us, His people.

A LOOK BACK FROM HISTORY: [ MALACHI 3:13-17; 4:5 - 6]

"You have said harsh things against me," says the Lord.

"Yet you ask, 'What have we said against you?'

"You have said, ' It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like a mourners before the Lord Almighty? But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.'"

Malachi continues . . .

THE LORD HEARD THEIR CONVERSATIONS

"Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name."

"They will be mine," says the Lord Almighty, "in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not."

"See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse."

TODAY'S SPIRITUAL LANDSCAPES

The Lord began to direct my attention to a particular phenomenon taking place in our midst. We seem to be ascending a peak or reaching a crescendo as if we were watching a play or listening to an orchestra playing.

In every area that affects and influences our lives, be it in sports, science, technology, medical research, business , education, recreation and even ministry-- There seems to be a race to break the limit of human endurance and a determination to be set some new record.

A NEW TOWER OF BABEL?

These forces that drive and motivate us to move in this direction are not wrong by themselves, but if we are not discerning, we may end up building many modern day versions of the "towel of Babel"

Even in the realm of the supernatural and paranormal, things that many believers perceive as demonic have invaded our homes in greater intensity and with greater force. Through the various avenues that it offers, all of us from the youngest to the oldest, believer and non-believer alike-- are perpetually bombarded with endless sounds and images through media and print, through sound & music, even through our children's toys, books and games.

THE ENEMY'S ILLUSION

If today it may appear like the enemy holds the upper hand-- THIS WILL NOT LAST LONG! THIS IS AN ILLUSION THAT THE ENEMY WANTS US TO SEE AND BELIEVE. But our God is breaking that bubble and the day is coming when that position will be taken over by the children of God. (Malachi 4:3)

TOWARDS A SHOWDOWN WITH GOD

We understand as we read the word of God and see how God dealt with this matter in past generations, that He will not tolerate all these things, allowing them to go unabated, but there will come a day of judgment and reckoning. (Malachi 4:1)

THE SEALING OF GOD'S PEOPLE

As promised to the prophet Malachi, there is now a sealing that is taking place in the heavenlies. God is sealing His own and will be sparing them as He did the children of Israel during Moses' time. Once more the world will see how the Lord will deal with those who serve Him and those who do not. (Malachi 3:17-18)

NOT JUST SEALED BUT CHOSEN TO SHINE

The day will come when God's miracles and favors being exhibited in the lives of His people will be the center of every conversation and the subject on every person's lips.

HEIGHTENED BATTLES

As that day draws nearer, the power that is being unleashed against the church has become stronger. What is coming against us today is no longer being carried out solely by foot soldiers or by those from lower ranks but we are fighting principalities holding territorial titles,--- majors and generals in the heavenly realms.

Our God does not want us to be ignorant of the enemy's schemes. Like Daniel, our Heavenly Father wants us to be assured that from the first day that we set our minds to gain understanding and we humbled ourselves before Him, He heard us and has sent His angels to come to our aid bin response to our prayers. (Daniel 10:12)

TAKING PLACE IN OUR MIDST

Two areas were brought to my attention so I felt very strongly that these were the areas that are coming under heavy attack this season.

I heard in my spirit these words. . . "A spirit of offense has been unleashed against my people."

DISTRUSTING GOD

The enemy will bring many matters to our attention and he will used people's actions, words, and situations to bring offenses to our heart. His goal is to build up resentment in our hearts, to make us question God's faithfulness and take lightly and ignore the value and meaning of our service and sacrifice to God. (Malachi 3:14-15)

This is what we must be guarding against carefully. It is not a sin to have these feelings, but we must be careful how we respond to them. We must not suppress them , or ignore them hoping they will just go away or pretend that they don't exists. Instead we must quickly confess them and allow the Lord to wash away the stings that it has inflicted to our hearts.

PRODIGAL SON-- ELDER BROTHER SYNDROME

We must be careful that we don't develop the "heart attitude" of the prodigal son's elder brother. Outwardly he was serving his father, but inwardly he was full of resentment.

God is challenging us to clothes ourselves with the anointing and mantle of Elijah-- which is a ministry of reconciliation. (Malachi 4:5-6)

People who walk under that anointing will seek to become ministers of reconciliation. This does not mean that we do nothing in the face of injustice or wrong doing directed against us. But the heart of everything we do should be directed toward releasing blessings on the offenders, forgiving them from our heart without being resentful when we see them prospering before us-- even when we feel they don't deserve it.

THE EXAMPLE OF DAVID AND ABRAHAM

The Lord is molding into our lives the virtues which David exhibited towards Saul and the generosity which Abraham extended to Lot.

Beyond molding us, our obedience serves another purpose in spiritual warfare. We are weakening the power of the enemy, and reclaiming the territories that he illegally usurped-- and we are plundering his treasures.

SPIRITUAL ACTIVITIES

There will also be a greater flow in our ability to hear God speak to us.

Parallel to this however, some of us will also experience physical backlash . This will come to us in various forms of ailments, such as headaches, throbbing in the heads, sudden weakness and tiredness of body, drowsiness at very unusual hours, depressive thoughts, mood swings, and many other physical symptoms.

BUT BE WISE

We have to be discerning and wise, not ignoring these symptoms and not hesitating in seeking medical attention to help alleviate the symptoms. Taking these actions are not signs of lack of faith or weakness of character-- but rather they are an exercise of wisdom and prudence.

When nothing medically will seem to help us and when you feel in your hearts God speaking and assuring you about the spiritual roots of these.

SO . . . stand strong and press in to the battle, fully assured that you have the covering of God.

He will carry you in His wings and covered you under His pinions. He will cause your feet to be like the feet of a deer enabling you to go on the heights. (Malachi 4:2)

OUR GOD IS FAITHFUL AND HE IS WITH US.

Blessings,

Sis. Ching Co
Cebu City
Philippines
ching@gsilink.com

Speak It Forth!

David Apel

"For it is time to speak it forth! I have brought you into a place and a position that has been predestined from the beginning of time. It is time to take your place. The place I have planned for you. For it shall be a time of love, but it shall also be a time of My wrath. For I love and protect those that diligently seek me and serve me, and call themselves by my name. But for those that have been half hearted and unwilling to come into the place that I have for them, I shall have no part in them. I shall separate my servants, my true servants, from the chaff and I shall blow the chaff away, so that only the pure seed shall be made visible. And my seed shall come forth in much fruit and only pure fruit shall remain. To those that remain and are faithful, they shall see my full glory. And there shall be no question that I am with them. They shall see me in their comings in and goings out. I shall be visible in the daylight and at night. No more shall those question that I am with thee, for my full power shall be manifest in these days. But it is a power that is only reserved for a few. A few that are willing to pay the price. To humble themselves and seek my face. Those that are willing to do the battle to protect what I have given them. To face the forces of darkness head on without fear or apprehension. For I am with you for these days to come and no more shall you hunt for me and no more shall I hide from thee. I shall be manifest in full sight for all to see."

God Bless,
David Apel
apelexc@mcmsys.com

Fire in the Field

Cheri Henderson

My lamp is full! The flame is lit! And I am burning hot!
If none go with me, I don't care. It really matters not!
For there's a harvest awaiting me outside these four church walls.
I've been commissioned. I am consumed. And I'm burning for the lost!

My lamp is full of holy oil - Holy Ghost powered fuel.
Jesus touched me with His passion for souls, and I am burning with His zeal!
The harvest fields are ready, and for those fields He's readied me!
I will go forth and launch my lamp. I will ignite the fields!

For how many men does it take to start a fire?
Only one with a passion for Christ and His desire!
Fields past due for harvest - they are dry and growing dryer.
It's time to go forth with a holy blaze and set the fields on fire!

Yes, the fields are dry and thirsty - and the harvest is past due!
If we'd "toss the lamp", and shout "Jesus saves", we'd surely see Him move!
But frigid, cold, immobile - we stand within the four church walls,
while outside in the streets, the markets, the fields - that's where we're being called!

The dying need His words of life; the sick, His healing touch;
the bound, His delivering power; the hurting, His boundless love.
Where are the doers of the Word, going forth with the gospel to preach?
Who will beat the drum of the Father's heart throughout the city streets?

Set ablaze with a passion for Christ, let us burst forth upon the streets!
A blaze, unconfined, consumes all in its path and grows with lightening speed!
Let thousands and thousands be saved and freed! Let thousands and thousands be healed!
Our lamps are full. Our flames are lit. Let's see FIRE in the field!

--Cheri Henderson
Cheri144@aol.com

In truth I tell you, he who believes in Me shall do the works I do, and greater works shall he do, for I am going to the Father. John 14:12

The Banker and the Lie

Jim Grayson

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32

Once there were two, ol' Kentucky boys who didn't know much about the world of banking and finance. Fact was, they knew little about life. Because of this their banker, an evil man from birth, took advantage of them. The two men had been left an inheritance of many millions of dollars and yet, they were living in poverty because the evil banker didn't tell them what they had. He allowed them to have a check book a piece but didn't allow them to know how much money they had in the bank. He allowed them to have only a little of the truth, not all of it. So long as they remained ignorant of their rights, he had power over them. They could only write checks for just enough to get by, often going hungry in the process. This kept them subservient to him. You see, he didn't mind them having a little of the truth but more than that would set them free. They believed they were free because they had a little knowledge but sadly, they were not. They believed the lie.

Then one day another banker came to town. He was a good man, much more knowledgeable about the world of banking than even the evil banker. He was full of truth and grace. When he discovered what the evil banker had been doing to the two men, he became righteously angry and determined to visit the men separately to explain to them their rights and to let them know exactly how much money they had in the bank. When he came to the first man's house, he sat down at the kitchen table with him and laid out the papers before him, including the man's bank statement. He had written proof before him of his rights. It would be his choice to believe it, and accept it, or not.

"Look," the good banker said, "this guy's been lying to you boys about your rights and how much money you have in the bank, so he can keep it for himself and keep you under his thumb. You don't have to take that any longer. Look, here's how much money you have and you have every right to it. You need not live in poverty any longer. You are free of the evil banker. Fact is, you can fire him and I'll be your banker and will always tell you the truth, as I have now." The man rejoiced in his new found freedom.

"You betcha I'm gonna fire that lyin' rascal and have you be my banker," he exclaimed. "I'm not gonna starve any more...and I ain't gonna listen to his lies no more. He's through in my life!" The good banker smiled and handed the man the check book.

"Good. This is what you have in the bank. Whatever check you write within the confines of your account, I'll make sure it's backed up with my own authority." He smiled at the first man. "Now you know the truth, and it's made you free."

As soon as the good banker left, the evil banker, who had been skulking in the woods across the road, ran to the first man's house as fast as his skinny, wicked legs could carry him.

"That guy's not telling you the truth," he cried. "You can't write checks like that. You can only do a little, not a lot." The first man picked up a broom which was leaning against the wall of the porch and took a swing at the evil banker, popping him on the head and knocking off his crooked, evil hat.

"You git!" he hollered. "You've been lyin' to me all my life and I ain't gonna put up with it any more! Git off of my property and don't ever come back. If you do, I'll whup you good with this broom!" Whining and wringing his hands, the evil banker, after being resisted, fled into the woods to lick his wounds.

The good banker went to the second man's house and explained his rights to him exactly as he had the first but the man didn't embrace it like the first man did.

"I don't know, " he said uncertainly. "I've never written a check that big before. I don't think I can do it."

"Sure you can," the good banker said. "It's your bank account. You can do what you want with it." The second man looked over at the window and saw the evil banker looking in, shaking his head and frowning. This intimidated him.

"Naw...I don't believe I can," the second man said, closing the check book. "I got to stay the way I am. I got to stay the way I'm the most comfortable with. Besides, I been listenin' to the other banker for years and he sounds like he knows what he's talkin' about."

"But the evil banker's been lying to you," the good banker said. "He said you only had so much money but look, you have a fortune and you're not using it. Why don't you use it? It's here on paper, in black and white. You have full authority to do so." The second man, glancing toward the window again, shook his head. The evil banker was still there, looking rather foolish as he pressed his nose against the glass.

"Naw...it ain't for me to do that kinda thing. Maybe others can but I can't. I can only write little checks." Dismayed at the man's unbelief, the good banker left as the evil banker smiled.

As the next few weeks went by, the first man, who had been quite skinny, picked up weight, filling out. He bought some decent clothes to replace his rags and even helped out others who were poor. He invested his money and prospered.

Down the road, the second man grew thinner and thinner as he sat at his kitchen table with very little to eat, the check book lying there close by. His refusal to believe the good banker and use all his assets was killing him. Two weeks later, he fell over and died.

The moral? Never be satisfied with a little of God's power, when you can have it all.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear. Luke 14:35

You have my heart, beloved of God.
Strength and Honor,
Hail the Lamb!
Love,
Jim Grayson
A Freshening Wind
Lexington, Kentucky
USA
afresheningwind@AOL.com

When Becoming Nothing is an Improvement

Pastor Francis Frangipane

In the beginning, the earth was formless and void, but that did not deter the Almighty. He looked into the fathomless depth of its darkness and concluded, "All it needs is light!" Likewise, in the beginning of our spiritual lives, we also are "formless and void" and God, just as confidently, is still saying, "All they need is a little light!" Remember: it's the Lord's responsibility to create and our responsibility to submit to His creating.

The Lord only needs three things to fashion life. First, He needs a "nothing." The Almighty always begins His great, creative works with a "nothing" (this is very important because this is where we come in!). Then, His Spirit needs to be hovering over the "nothing." And, finally, He needs His Word, which is the "something" He's going to put in the "nothing's" place.

God has no difficulty at all creating something out of nothing. The only obstacle He faces is when the nothing doesn't know it is nothing, but instead thinks it's something. At that point God has to break it back down to nothing before it is good for anything. (Are you still following me?) Paul said this better than I when he wrote,
"If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself" (Gal 6:3).

Even as Christians, if we think we are something better than others or that our opinion is wiser or that we have "arrived" spiritually and become important in our own eyes, we are deceiving ourselves! The only Something there truly is, is God. Yet and, this is wonderful if we categorically know we are nothing without the Lord, and we simultaneously recognize whatever grace He has worked in us is so we can be a blessing to others, then there is no limit to how He can use us. Our knowing we are nothing is a great attainment in His eyes. For then our energies are no longer spent exalting ourselves, but in clinging to Christ and magnifying Him.

God is not offended by chaos

There will be times when, like the pre-creation universe, you discover your life seems "formless and void." Do not be over-concerned. When you discover there is "chaos" in the deepest part of you, do not fret. You are at a new beginning. It has taken the Lord quite a long time to help you to recognize your "nothingness."

So, let all who know they are nothings rejoice: you are miles ahead of those who think they are something! The proud, who consider themselves something special, do not deal with the lightless regions of chaos in their souls; they simply hide it. But, God is about to bring your life into order and set you free! All you need is to open up and confess your nothingness to the Holy Spirit.

For God, who said, 'Light shall shine out of darkness,' is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ (2 Cor 4:6).

This is the very way our great Creator creates. He causes light to shine out of darkness! The only thing He requires of us is to be honest about the darkness, to confess it instead of hiding it.

And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them . . . But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light (Eph 5:11,13).

When darkness is exposed to the light, it becomes light. In fact, the very reason our darkness becomes visible to us, is because God is exposing it to light. If you persevere, if you continually thrust your darkness into the light of God's grace and power, God's light will shine out of your darkness. Your darkness will actually become light.

Beloved, if you know you are nothing in yourself, you're a prime candidate to become something in God! Consider again what Paul wrote:

For we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh, although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ (Phil. 3:3-8).

Learning to put no confidence in the flesh, to become nothing in ourselves, is an ongoing process and an integral part of the Christian experience. Paul saw all his human attainments as obstacles. Certainly, the Lord used all of the elements of Paul's life, but not before Paul gave them up, surrendering them to the Lord. Such is the path into Oneness with Christ and, beloved, oneness with one another. As John the Baptist said, "He must increase and I must decrease." You see, though self-confidence dies, God-confidence comes to life!

So, do not fret; admit to yourself and others that you have areas within that are dead and dark. Romans 4:17 says, "God . . . gives life to the dead, and calls into being that which does not exist." God gives LIFE to the dead. Do you sometimes feel dead? Good. You're qualified to get God's life! Look to God. Trust Him as your Creator. Do not fear when you discover you are nothing. There is a time when becoming nothing is an improvement.

http://www.inchristsimage.org

The Great Image

by Doug Fortune

Those of us who preach the Kingdom message love the second chapter of Daniel. I refer to the Stone that becomes a Mountain and fills the whole earth often in my writings. I love the symbolism of the IMAGE and how it relates to the different world empires. Often however, prophetic passages can have different layers of meanings without negating the other interpretations. When I read verses concerning the ‘earth’, and having to do with ‘image’, my spiritual ears perk up... for I know that WE are ‘earthen vessels’, and that God is restoring His ‘image’ to us (2Cor.3:18 & 4:7). Without delving into a deep theological treatise, let us take another look at Daniel chapter two and perhaps glean a few things.

In verse 31, we read of a great image whose appearance was frightening. As I view the spiritual landscape today, I see a great corporate image whose appearance is rather frightening... the ‘image’ of the Adam nature. “As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy... And as we have borne the image of the earthy...”(I Cor. 15:49) Just like the ‘head of fine gold’ in Daniel chapter two, it has Deified (made a god of) the intellect and structure, which the head is symbolic of. Also note the breast and arms of silver... silver is symbolic of redemption, and by its own righteousness of heart and its own arm of the flesh it seeks to bring redemption.

Then there’s the belly and thighs of bronze... bronze and brass are symbolic of judgment, and the belly and thighs are symbolic of the womb-the inmost being and reproduction. Rather than love, the fruit of the womb of the ‘great image’ is critical judgment and religious pride; rather than begetting the merciful, the seed / offspring of its loins are judgmental. Legs and feet of iron and clay... feet are the foundation on which everything stands and the number ten (ten toes) is symbolic of government and law. The ‘great image’ is founded upon the ironclad ‘law’... ironically, the hardened dusty clay of the Adam nature cannot adhere to the law so well; “...for to will is present with me, but to do that which is good is not. For the good which I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I practice.”(Rom.7:18-19) Thus in the offspring of its loins we find pride in those who keep the law through willpower (a kingdom partly strong) and sin-conscious feelings of failure in others (a kingdom partly broken).

If we were to stop there, it would be very sad to note the resemblance between the ‘great image’ and much of Christendom today... thank God, the Scripture doesn’t stop there, for then it speaks of a Mountain that fills the earth. Unfortunately, there ARE those today that seem to stop there. It’s as if they seek to cast much of the Church aside, thinking that God has no use for her... that God is only interested in those who are moving in present-truth, cutting-edge so to speak. My friend, this thinking is anti-Christ, for it does not acknowledge the deposit of Christ (that Jesus Christ IS come in the flesh- 1John 4:2) even in those whom we deem to be of limited spiritual understanding. God’s purpose is not found in crushing the Church as we know it, His purpose is found in crushing the ‘great image’. I’ll explain further...

That Stone that becomes a Mountain is the REVEALation of Christ. Remember what Jesus said to Peter?...

for flesh and blood hath not REVEALED it unto thee, but My Father who is in heaven... and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. (Matt.6:17-18)
It is the Rock of Christ revealing Himself through a people that the Church is built upon. The Church, the Rock of revelation, the Mountain (Mt. Zion) is removed from her comfortable spot and cast into the sea of the unconverted multitudes (Is.17:12). As this happens, indeed the “...abundance of the sea shall be turned unto Thee”(Is.60:5) and the Mountain fills the whole earth which His glory, His nature.

You see, Christ is crushing the ‘feet’ of the great image... those mentalities which are law-based and sin-conscious are crumbling. As those MENTALITIES crumble, the rest of the great image crumbles and is blown away by the wind of the Spirit (Dan.2:35). God’s purpose is NOT to crush the Church and empty out the buildings where we meet (although sometimes that does happen in the process of crushing the image), His purpose is to crush the 'great image' (inaccurate MENTALITIES) so we can be transformed into HIS image as the Mountain that fills the earth. Often apostles and prophets have been wounded and rejected by the ‘great image’ of religiosity in the Church. Some have walked in forgiveness, but many have not... their wound has festered into bitterness and cynicism. Their cry is much like the cry of James and John “...they said, Lord, wilt thou that we bid fire to come down from heaven, and consume them?”(Luke 9:54), rather than the cry of another One who was wounded and rejected, “And Jesus said, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”(Luke 23:34) You may disagree with me, but I believe there are multitudes whom we perceive to be mired in religion that will be gloriously apprehended by the power of Christ. Impossible, you say?... consider the one who penned most of the New Testament Scriptures, the apostle Paul!

The Kingdom message, the glorious truth of Christ IN us, is NOT exclusive, just for those on the cutting edge, it is a promise of universal glory; “For the earth shall be FILLED with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea.”(Hab.2:14) “And they shall not teach every man his fellow-citizen, And every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: For ALL shall know Me, From the least to the greatest of them.”(Heb.8:11)

In reality, in a corporate sense, the feet of the ‘great image’ were shattered when Jesus Christ hung on the cross, for “Christ is the END of the law...”(Rom.10:4). I believe this also happens experientially on an individual basis as we are confronted with our own inability to truly keep the law (Rom.7:18-19). We must then turn to the righteousness of faith which is this, “But the righteousness which is of faith saith thus... The Word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that is, the Word of faith, which we preach.”(Rom.10:6-8), which is Christ (the Word) IN us. “Him who knew no sin He made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”(2Cor.5:21) As the feet, those inaccurate law-based, sin-conscious mentalities are crushed then the rest of the ‘great image’ of the Adam nature crumbles.

As I read through Daniel chapter two, I’m not losing any sleep over a re-organized Roman empire, rather I am rejoicing as the ‘great image’ is crumbling experientially in my own life and corporately in the Church. Let the Stone, Christ IN you, crush the law-based mentality of the ‘great image’ so that when you behold in the mirror, you see the image and likeness of Christ, who is the express image of the Father!(2Cor.3:18 Heb.1:3) Let us press toward the mark of manifesting the nature of Christ!

info@DougFortune.org

Scriptural Foundation

Brother Alan

And on the banks of the river on both its sides, there shall grow all kinds of trees for food; their leaf shall not fade, nor shall their fruit fail to meet the demand. Each tree shall bring forth new first fruits every month, these supernatural qualities being because their waters came from out of the sanctuary. And their fruit shall be for food, and their leaf for healing.
Ezekiel 47:12 (Amplified)

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? I Cor. 3:16

Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Eph 2:20-22

And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. Rev 22:1-3

He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. John 7:38

Dwelling Place

Ezekiel saw a sanctuary. It was a completed house - a completed temple. He saw the habitation, the dwelling place of the Lord (Ez. 47:1).

A river, with supernatural qualities, flowed out of the completed house (Ex. 47:12).

God is building a corporate house, a dwelling place in the earth.
His dwelling place will be an perfect representation of His character.

Finished at the Quarry

I King 6:7 And the temple, when it was being built, was built with stone finished at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built.

In times past, emphasis was placed on each individual lively stone maturing to reflect God's character and nature (Rom. 8:29; II Cor. 3:18).

While this is still of utmost importance, God's emphasis, in this hour, is on fitly joining these lively stones into a corporate house (I Peter 2:5, Eph. 2:21 - 22; 4:16). His house! His habitation His Dwelling Place!

Each individual lively stone must come to a personal revelation of present truth in order to supply their proper portion to the Body.

The days of leadership trying to mold people into their image and likeness must come to an end

As in the days of Solomon, the workers (The Spirit of Christ) finishes the lively stones (you and I) in the workplace, the home front, the schools and shops, the Spirit of Christ molds and fashions us into the image of Christ where the rubber hit's the road.

He works on our dedication, our relationships, our attitudes, our character. He chisels away everything that does not conform to the image of Christ. Then He places us into the temple, where He knows we will fill the greatest purpose and bring the greatest glory to God.

The days of individuals coasting on a leader's revelation and anointing are gone.

The days of simply basking in the glow of a corporate anointing without taking personal responsibility for receiving God's revelation and anointing are gone.

The dedication of Solomon's Temple was a display of corporate anointing (I Kings 8; II Chron. 5 - 7). The glory of God was evident. In order for the whole to function properly, each individual had to take accountability for personal preparation before the corporate gathering. Similarly, each lively stone must take accountability for growing and maturing in order for His corporate house to function properly in the area of the corporate anointing.

Our concept of God's house must shift from the religious idea of a physical building to that of His corporate body being His house. Even though we give mental ascent to this fact, our motions and actions speak otherwise. When Jesus drove the money changers from the physical temple, he declared, "My house is a house of prayer" (Luke 19:46).

The Greek word for house is "oikos" and means a dwelling place, a family.

The Greek word for prayer means worship.

His dwelling place in the earth today is His body, His corporate house (Eph2:21-22).

His corporate house will be a house engaged in the fullness of corporate anointing.

"CORPORATE" DEFINED

In order to understand corporate worship, it is imperative that the word "corporate" be defined. While the word "corporate" is not specifically found in scripture, the notion is clearly evident. Corporate [Latin-to be shaped into a body]

  1. United in a body, as a number of individuals, who are empowered to transact business as an individual; formed into a body.

  2. United; collectively one.

(Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary of the English Language) As indicated by Noah Webster's definition of "corporate" it is individuals united in a body that are empowered to transact business as an individual. His house is a many-membered body attending to His business as an individual.

FLOWING RIVER vs. FALLING RAIN

The house that Ezekial saw had a river flowing out of it. The house that Ezekiel saw did not have rain falling upon it. The river FLOWED OUT.

In Gen. 2:6 reference is made to a mist that went up to water the face of the earth.

Gen. 7:4 states that God would cause it to rain.

Looking at these two passages brings to light the fact that God's desire was that His creation would maintain the capacity for rivers to flow out of it. The first mention of rain is in reference to judgment rather than blessing. God now desires to flow out of His new creation corporate house in rivers of blessing and life. In Hosea 6:3 rain is referred to twice.

The first mention of rain, in this passage, is a Hebrew word that means to shower violently. The second mention, is in reference to the former and latter rain.

The second mention of rain is a Hebrew word that means to flow.

God is not calling a corporate house together that selfishly desires the Spirit of God to fall on them. In this hour God is calling forth a corporate house that He can flow out of in order to bring healing to the nations. Ezekiel saw the waters of the river flow from the completed house into the desert and the sea (Ex. 47: 9).

Note
Near my home are the shores of Lake Ontario, nearly every day my wife and I can be found walking along it's shore on a pathway called the "breezeway." Near the end of our walk along the pathway we come to a spot that seems to teem with natural beauty and life.
To the left is the Lake upon which can be seen giant ships coming in and out of the harbor.
To the right is a beautiful little area where there is a big pond or lagoon. Upon which you can see ducks and geese swimming around surrounded by massive old willow trees and oaks. (where the squirrels run up and down much to the enjoyment of our little dog Dachsie)
In the midst of the lagoon is the source of the refreshing waters, and is an artesian well springing up like the crippled man in the book of Acts

Leaping and shouting and praising God.

That spring is the source of refreshing to an area of land that brings rest and enjoyment to countless people that pass by and a place that the water fowl can raise their young.

All of this is right beside one of Southern Ontario's busiest highways where people go zooming along totally unaware of the beauty of God's handiwork.

This speaks to me of the people of God, while right next to and seemingly a part of the sea of humanity they are really set apart by God's right hand with the River of Life springing up from within them bringing "Glory to God in the Highest and on earth, peace to all men.

Num 21:17 Then Israel sang this song: "Spring up, O well! All of you sing to it--

2 Sam 6:16 Now as the ark of the LORD came into the City of David, Michal, Saul's daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.

Acts 3:8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them-- walking, leaping, and praising God.

242 hallomai (hal'-lom-ahee);
middle voice of apparently a primary verb; to jump; figuratively, to gush:
KJV-- leap, spring up.

John 17:6-11 "I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. "Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. "For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. "I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. "And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. "Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.

Dry and Barren.
Those that are dry and barren (the desert) in this hour are in need of the refreshing river. The lost masses of humanity (the sea and highway) must have the healing waters of the river to flow unto them in this hour. When the river flows from His corporate house, it will heal and bring life to all that it touches!

God is beckoning for His house to allow Him to flow out of them, as a river, or a springing fountain. (Ez. 47:12; John 3:38).

The river that Ezekiel saw flowing from the house caused the trees to bring forth fruit and provide healing. So it will be with God's trees of righteousness as rivers of Living Water flow from His house.

May everything we say and do bring Glory to God and healing to the nations.

Alan

Prepare the Way

George G. Delo

For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members (Romans 7:14-23).

Paul now explains to us why we must be delivered from the sin nature — it prevents us from obeying God. The Law isn't the problem but rather the sin within us. We are under the power of sin having been conceived in iniquity through the seed of Adam. So, Paul tells us that the Law is good, it is spiritual, but we are carnal in captivity to the power of sin. When we try to do what is right, our sin nature drives us to do what is wrong.

We have already discussed the fact that Paul is talking about a saved person in these verses but as further proof of this we have only to look at the struggle Paul is talking about. The war within us is due to the old man and the new man being at odds with each other. Remember, the carnal man cannot obey God and the new man only obeys God. Paul calls himself carnal rather than a word referring to the lost or unbeliever. He uses the same word (carnal) talking about the Corinthian believers who were being envious and jealous and factious.

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish (Galatians 5:16,17).

Notice what Paul tells us here: the battle is between the Spirit and the flesh. We don't have the Spirit until we are born again and without the Spirit there is no real war because before we are saved the flesh rules alone. Paul gives us the analogy of Ishmael and Isaac in Galatians:

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? ‘Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman' (Galatians 4:28-30).

Ishmael, born of the flesh, represents the old man. He was born first. As long as he was the only child, there was no battle going on. But when Isaac, the son of promise, was born according to the Spirit, then the battle began for control. He who was born of the flesh persecuted he who was born of the Spirit. And look what God's answer was — cast out the bondwoman and her son! In other words, circumcise the flesh, crucify the old man. Why? Because the man of the flesh will not be heir with the man of the Spirit. This goes back to Romans 7:1-4, where Paul uses the analogy of marriage to make the point that we cannot be married to Adam and Christ at the same time. Adam must die before we can be united to Christ who is our inheritance.

Paul makes his argument for being set free from the sin nature. As long as the Adamic nature is alive, we are blindly following a master of sin doing what we really don't want to do and being unable to do what we desire to do. We cannot serve God and obey God in our own strength. The flesh is a mighty power within us. Paul tells us both in Romans and Galatians that the flesh ultimately wins out and we end up sinning. The carnal man will not and cannot obey God and he gets the upper hand. So Paul likens this to a law in itself — the law of sin and death. It is like the law of gravity — what goes up must come down. The law of sin and death says that within each one of is evil in the form of this sin nature. This evil wars against the Spirit of God and brings us into captivity to the law of sin and the wages of sin is death.

So Paul contrasts these two natures. The new man, which was created in righteousness and holiness, seeks to lead us in righteousness and obedience trying to please God. But the old man wars against the new man to lead us into sin and death. Paul tells us there is no good in the flesh or old man. It is completely evil and full of darkness and gives power to Satan to manipulate our lives. He brings us into captivity to do his will rather than the will of God. When we understand this we can understand how so much sin goes on in the church, especially sins of division like gossip, backbiting, offense, jealousy, etc. The devil wins by dividing and conquering and he does it by manipulating carnal Christians to do his will. And as long as the flesh lives in us, Satan has legal right to operate through us because as Paul tells us the flesh has no good in it.

It is the truth that sets us free from captivity to sin and Satan. When we know that our old man was crucified with Christ two thousand years ago on the cross of Calvary and we reckon ourselves to be dead with Christ, we will be instantly delivered from the power of sin. Ishmael will be kicked out and Isaac and take his rightful inheritance. Jesus came to set the captives free.

In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ (Colossians 2:11).

When Jesus circumcises our hearts, the body of sin is put off so that it can no longer affect us to sin. When we put off the old man, we put on the new man. Now we can walk and live in righteousness and holiness glorifying God. This is the power of the New Covenant — God removes the power of the old heart and gives us a new heart of obedience and now we can dwell with our God in the land of promise. The battle is over and Christ has won. The new man can arise in victory and glorify God in the Holy Spirit. We can now walk in the liberty of the sons and daughters of God. Let the church arise!

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God (Ezekiel 36:26-28).

George G. Delo
Power For Today Prophetic Ministries
www.angelfire.com/va2/powerfortoday
gdelo@juno.com

Born In This Hour

Elvis D. Iverson

Deat Prophetic Gathering,

The Lord say in this hour in this generation many apostles are born into the world. God's hand is upon them. We need to pray for our eys to be open to see them, so we can help them to be establish in the earth. A great anointing to pray for them is coming forth upon the Body. We need to cry out for them. We need to pray that they will be gather unto His council.

I see three main Apostloic Activites. The first our those Apostles will be for Guideness and to be as fathers to the next. The next is those Young Apostles that God is raiseing up now. They will lay the foundation for the Last Day Apostles. The Third is the Last Day Apostles for the Last day Church.

Saints we need to Pray that the Apostles that are being raise up get all that is need it for there growth.

I see that the apostles that are coming forth in our time I see these levels in the Body of Christ. These levels are in times of there ministrys in the Body and the Earth.

Foundation: Foundation is first thing the Gobal Apostolic Movements will do in the Church. Like Apostle Peter.

Mentoring: Mentoring is the Next thing that the Apostles will do in the Body of Christ. Like with Apostle Barnabas.

Missions: Missions is the Next level that Apostle will forth in the outreach of the earth. Like with Apostle Paul.

Gathering: Gathering the Five Fold Ministry in the Body and Gathering the Church in unity. Like with Apostle James.

Revelation: Revelation will be given to the Body, to the Churches. Like with Apostle John.

Saints as you see the Book of Acts you can see these levels.

Grace and Peace,

Rev. Elvis D. Iverson,

http://sim.thechurchzone.com

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