I had a vision at the small group meeting last night. I saw a field of dead flowers. I had the impression that the dead flowers represented our churches, people, etc. They had been exposed to the environment (sin, work, the world) until they shriveled and looked completely dead. Then, I watched as the Lord began to take potted plants that were full of life with lush green leaves and plant then into the field. The dead flowers began to come back to life as the Lord planted more and more potted plants.
Everybody wants to talk about coming boldly before the throne of grace but nobody ever wants to think about what happens once you get there. To behold God in His glory on His throne means death (to self). That’s why Isaiah said, “I’m ruined!” Lord, raise up a generation that knows about this death but chooses to enter in anyway.
I’ve taken a miniature sermon and placed it over a hip hop beat with some basic keyboards in the background for a Corey Russell-esque type production. I think you’ll like it. The subject is “The Coming Prophetic Army,” and how I feel we stand in the area of readiness. Enjoy.
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.(Ephesians 2:6-7)
This world in which we currently live is headed for disaster. I don’t speak that word as a negative prophecy, but rather as an understanding of eschatology and the eventuality of all things. The world mourns the holocaust (and rightfully so) where millions of Jews were murdered, but doesn’t blink an eye at the murder of fifty million babies. We embrace sexual immorality and label it diversity. We glorify the logic of man as being “enlightened” and cast down the truth of the Lord to the streets where it is trampled underfoot. Some say we need a change.
This is a prophetic vision that I had while attending a prayer meeting at the Watchman Prayer Furnace in Gainesville, FL last Friday night. I was in a daydream-like trance when I saw the vision. It went a little something like this:
I saw a tribe of people (some of whom I recognized and with whom I have already shared this vision) dressed in grass skirts. They were wearing face paint and dancing around a fire pit full of logs (with no fire). There were spectators who were watching the dance. The spectators kept pouring glass after glass of water on the fire pit. The tribe paid no attention to the spectators, and simply kept praising their God and asking for fire from heaven.
Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm.
For love is as strong as death,
its jealousy as enduring as the grave.
Love flashes like fire,
the brightest kind of flame. (Song of Solomon 8:6)
I was praying this verse today and the Lord began to work on my heart with a word picture of sorts. He told me that His intention was for me to internalize the love that flashes like fire and produces the brightest kind of flame, His love. When He applies his seal over my heart with that flame locked inside, it produces a burning fiery furnace.
I’ve just been meditating on the words of Jesus from Mark 6:4:
Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and among his own relatives and in his own household.”
I’m not ready to go out on a limb and label myself a prophet. I think I am prophetic. I think the Lord gives me prophetic revelation. I think the prophetic grace is one of the primary ministry gifts on my life. I think I have more dreams, visions, unctions, and “seemed good” experiences (Acts 15:28) than most folks. But, despite these things, it clearly can’t be said that I occupy the “office” of prophet at this time.
“because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” (Romans 8:14)
I can think of nothing more valuable to an aspiring prophetic warrior than to be led by the Spirit of God at all times and in all things. I earnestly desire to live my life that way. I can’t say that I’ve honestly attained a walk that is 100% Spirit-led yet, but I’m contending for it.
A Spirit-led walk…
…focuses on “what” the Lord commands rather than “how” it can be accomplished.
…sees impossibilities as an opportunity to walk in the miraculous.
…values the Word of the Lord over the opinion of man.
…is doing only what we see the Father doing.
…is based in knowledge of sonship and acceptance/validation as a son of God.
There are many more tenets of a Spirit-led walk, but you get the idea. If you look at the very next verse, Romans 8:15, you see the polar opposite of the Spirit-led walk. This is the fear-led walk.
For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. (Romans 8:15)
The fear-led walk…
…focuses on “how” a mission can be accomplished before deciding whether to obey the Lord.
…sees impossibilties as a deterrant to following God.
…considers the opinion of man more valuable than the Word of the Lord.
…means doing only what seems plausible and expedient.
…is based in an orphan mentality of fear and acceptance dependant upon performance.
Many of our principles of combat power have, at their core, the compentency of being Spirit-led. Maneuver, for example, is solely about being available to respond to the proceeding Word of the Lord at a moments notice.
Spirit-led living is cultivated by intimacy with the Lord. It’s about knowing “Pappa” as our provider and trusting in His infinite knowledge and faultless plan. The Spirit within us actually testifies to us about our relationship with Him. If we can learn to listen to that voice, the voice of the Spirit within us, we can live a Spirit-led life.
And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. (Romans 8:16-17)
