Issue 4: Joy
Revelations: Prophetic Words & Teachings
"Our lives, our gifts, our talents are like fine colorful chords. When we as a body, work together in harmony, the finger of God weaves a beautiful tapestry that emanates from us, leaving behind the fingerprints of His presence, which is the expressed image of Christ." Bobby Jean Merck "A Great Love Overflow" Vol. 23. No. 6
Vision of the Throne Room and The Gold Thread " The Gift"
by Vaughan Granier, South Africa
[n this vision …] I arrived in Heaven, and was standing in a queue to face
the Lord. Around me were other people carrying gifts, beautifully wrapped and
carefully carried to prevent damage. Each person was careful to have their gift
ready for when their name was called. I looked at my empty hands, and wondered
what was happening. I did not understand why I did not have a gift everyone else
seemed to. It was not as if they collected their gifts from somewhere, and it
was not as if they arrived with them. Their gifts seemed to be part of them, one
with them.
OUR GIFTS TO THE LORD
I asked a few of them about their gifts, to try and understand what was different about me, but the answers were all the same. "We are sorry. We do not know about you. These gifts are the works we have accomplished for our Lord. They are the projects we did, the plans we had for our lives that we brought to fruition as Christians. This is what we are offering to the Lord we have waited our whole lives for this. We do not understand what the reason could be that you do not have such a gift for the Lord."
I became insecure in this and feared the Judgment of the Lord. I could only imagine standing before the Throne of Grace, gift-less, and being singled out by the Lord as the only one not bearing a gift. As far as I could see I was the only one who had no gift.
BEFORE THE THRONE
Before I knew it, my name had been called, and I walked slowly towards the Throne of the Lord. It was not that I feared Him not in that way, anyway, but I was imagining me stepping up to the Judgment seat and saying to God "I am sorry all these others have brought You gifts, big and small, and there has been such ceremony each time. Their life's work is before You and You have been pleased with it, I have no such gift to offer You. I do not have a significant thing that I have achieved which consumed me my whole life."
THE LORD SAID, "I'VE KEPT THESE THINGS TO SHOW YOU …"
He rose from His seat, smiled and said "Do not trouble yourself about offering Me a gift today. Come with me I have something to show you. I have been waiting, looking forward to the time when you will come before me. I received from you every day that you walked with Me, and I have kept these things, to show you."
GOLDEN THREADS
He took me to a room, the four walls of which contained a magnificent tapestry. As I looked at it, I saw familiar scenes and details from my life but not so much MY life being illustrated, as the lives of others and the Kingdom of God, where their lives and it's purposes have touched mine. At every point where my life and someone else's touched, there began two golden threads the one leading from my life into theirs, and the other leading from their life into mine. God looked at this Tapestry with deep affection, and began to trace the golden threads with His finger. Each one, from the start to the finish of that thread.
THE TAPESTRY
As I watched His finger, and looked at the expression on His face, I began to see the effect of the Golden threads on the tapestry. I saw
how they brightened certain sections that would have been very dark otherwise; how they drew together sometimes two, sometimes more
sections with a complexity and intricacy of design that left me astounded; how in certain places they formed a basket of sorts, a
support type structure that framed and held a scene from another's life; how sometimes the threads seemed to form a path between areas of the tapestry a path that enabled a flow and a progression from one scene to another with no chance of going astray.
After a long while, He turned to me and said "Do you see? Each golden thread you see before you, is an act of obedience done by you. Sometimes your obedience was taking My urging, and acting, speaking or interceding in another's life. Sometimes that obedience was your ear, tuned for My voice, and your hearing and doing what I asked. Sometimes it was others voices, or My voice, that you chose to hear and in humility, allowed My Spirit to change you.
JOYFULLY WOVEN IN SECRET
I know you could not possibly have seen this from your time on earth. This tapestry has been woven joyfully in secret, by my angels, who have watched and celebrated your life and your obedience to me. This has been a lifetimes work your lifetime, their joyful work. They stand in this audience behind you, honored to have woven this for you. You sent them such volumes and quality of material, that their work was easy. This tapestry has been made for this day, this time, and this place. It is revealed now, to be your gift to Me. These golden threads were your gift to Me every day of your life. This tapestry is the sum total of your gift to Me. You do not stand before Me empty handed, my little one. You stand before Me obedient, day by day, opportunity by opportunity, and the gift to Me that that obedience is, is so huge that you could not have carried it into My presence even if you had been aware of what it was. It is also more complicated and intricate than human hands could have woven. The beauty of a life poured out as a daily offering, and the beauty of a love expressed through the obedience that is detailed and remembered for all time here before Us, could not have been crafted by human hands. It is beyond human ability to do this thing. This work, I kept for My angels to do."
HIS JUDGMENT OVER MY LIFE!
Somehow, in listening to Him, I had not seen the room change, and while the tapestry remained, it was as if there were no longer walls. We were back before the Throne of Grace, and the Words He spoke were no longer a gentle conversation. They were His Judgment over my life. As with each life that had gone before me, Heaven broke into thunderous applause at the Judgment, and as I walked away from the Throne to the place reserved for me, I began to realize that my steps were taking me past and into a gallery of people who were familiar beyond all expectation. As I saw their faces, I saw reflected in them the golden threads that I had sowed in their life, and began to see in myself, the threads that they had sown in my life. These people were my inheritance… I was awed at the richness of it all.
The Little Foxes
by Bill Burns January 26, 2000 http://ft111.com
Last night as Marsha and I were coming home from church, we were surprised to see two foxes in our driveway. The two foxes were also surprised as their activity was revealed by the headlights of our car. They were somewhat confused and blinded by the light, and they went together in a little circle, almost as if their tails were tied together. They then broke apart and moved away from the headlights, leaping over a snow bank into deep snow, and disappearing into the darkness.
When the foxes hit the deep snow, they caused a cloud of spray to erupt from the white powder which reminded me of fields which are white for harvest with the wind blowing upon them. We went to bed, and several times in the night the Spirit of the Lord said, "Beware of the little foxes that spoil the vine." So, this morning I sat before the Lord to see what He would show me about these foxes and what they represent. The Lord said, "These two foxes which I have shown you were revealed by the light. Now, I will reveal to you the two-fold meaning of the little foxes. Tell this to My church that they might be forewarned, for the evil one comes to steal the harvest from My vineyard."
The first scripture that I thought of was Song of Solomon 2:15 "Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes." The Lord would have us to catch these little foxes before they spoil the vine and the tender grapes, which represent the fruit of our labor as we have worked to bring the harvest into the storehouse. The first fox represents that which has been sent by Satan to steal our individual fruit (of the Spirit). The second fox represents that which has been sent by Satan to steal the harvest of souls from the church. When these two foxes (Satan's purposes) are tied together, their destruction can produce unholy fire that will consume our personal and corporate harvests. We have a picture of this in the book of Judges when Samson tied the foxes together and put a torch between each pair of tails. Judges 15:4-5, "Then Samson went and caught three hundred foxes; and he took torches, turned the foxes tail to tail, and put a torch between each pair of tails. When he had set the torches on fire, he let the foxes go into the standing grain of the Philistines, and burned up both the shocks and the standing grain, as well as the vineyards and olive groves."
I am not equating Samson's action to that of the devil, but rather using this scripture to paint a picture of the destruction that the foxes produced to destroy the harvest. In Luke 13:31 some Pharisees came to Jesus and told Him that Herod wanted to kill Him. In verse 32 Jesus refers to Herod as a fox. Herod wanted to kill Jesus before His time. Of course, this was Satan's plan for Herod--to kill Jesus before the harvest of souls could be reaped. It is interesting to me that Jesus called Herod a "fox" and was most likely referring to the cunning and destructive traits of Herod which were like unto those who would try to destroy the Master's vineyard (the church).
The First Fox: As I said, the first fox represents Satan's plan to steal our individual fruitfulness, fruit of the Spirit. I also believe that Satan will now try to steal the blessings that the Lord is about to pour out on His people. Satan is after your joy and crown. The joy of the Lord is your strength, and the crown represents your position in the kingdom of God as His sons. As sons, you have been promised many blessings by your Father, among which is financial blessings.
Lamentations 5:15-18, "The joy of our heart has ceased; our dance has turned into mourning. The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned! Because of this our heart is faint; because of these things our eyes grow dim; because of Mount Zion which is desolate, with foxes walking about on it."
What is this sin that the little foxes represent? This is not gross sin; it is the little sin (foxes), the subtle sins that overtake us such as wrong attitudes, judgmentalism, criticism of others, gossip, jealousy, contention, etc. (Read Colossians chapter 3).
These are the sins of the mind, wrong thinking. These are the issues of life that flow out of wrong heart attitudes. We must catch these little foxes before they spoil our harvest of God's blessings.
Proverbs 4:23, "Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life."
Romans 12:1-2, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
2 Corinthians 10:4-6, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled."
The Second Fox: The second represents the voice of the prophets who are speaking out of their own spirits and those who have jealous spirits who are accusing God's true prophets of being false prophets.
Ezekiel 13:1-4, "And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy out of their own heart, 'Hear the word of the LORD!' Thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts."
The prophet, Ezekiel, goes on to rebuke those who have spoken nonsense and lies which could include nonsense and lies spoken about the prophets of God. Ezekiel 13:8-9, "Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have spoken nonsense and
envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you, says the Lord GOD. My hand will be against the
prophets who envision futility and who divine lies; they shall not be in the assembly of My people,
nor be written in the record of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter into the land of Israel. Then
you shall know that I am the Lord GOD." And, what about the smooth lips of those who are now saying peace and safety?
Ezekiel 13:10-16, "Because, indeed, because they have seduced My people, saying, 'Peace!' when there is no peace; and one builds a wall, and they plaster it with untempered mortar; say to those who plaster it with untempered mortar, that it will fall. There will be flooding rain, and you, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall tear it down. Surely, when the wall has fallen, will it not be said to you, Where is the mortar with which you plastered it? Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: I will cause a stormy wind to break forth in My fury; and there shall be a flooding rain in My anger, and great hailstones in fury to consume it. So I will break down the wall you have plastered with untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be uncovered; it will fall, and you shall be consumed in the midst of it. Then you shall know that I am the LORD. Thus will I accomplish My wrath on the wall and on those who have plastered it with untempered mortar; and I will say to you, The wall is no more, nor those who plastered it, that is, the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her when there is no peace, says the Lord GOD."
The voices of the false prophets who do these things will become little foxes (verse 4) that will spoil the vine and steal the harvest by leading many astray and ushering them into the kingdom of Babylon. The walls of Babylon will not stand, for they are plastered with untempered mortar, and they will fall before the Lord of Glory.
What shall we do to catch these foxes, brethren?
Ezekiel 13:17, "Likewise, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own heart; prophesy against them."
The fox is a master thief, and the thief has come to steal, kill and destroy the harvest. May we be awakened from our slumber and set our own traps for these little foxes that have come to spoil the vine.
Emerging From The Clouds
In a vision I saw the whole earth covered with a thick layer of white
cloud. As I looked I saw heads emerging through the clouds one by one. Then the Lord spoke:
"I am raising up" says the Lord "men and women upon whom My Spirit rests as in...
Isaiah 11, men and women who walk with joy in the fear of Me the Lord.
They have faced trials that only I know the depth of, they have been broken many times, until they have felt they are nothing. It is true, but for them that death is great gain, it will allow Me to make Myself known and My presence manifest through them as My Spirit rests powerfully upon them. The world cannot understand that a God of such power would stoop so low, but has it not been written...
"Look at the nations and watch - and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe even if you were told." (Hab.1:5).
The world and the church will be equally amazed, for the church has
thought they understood My ways - it is not so, they will be amazed! These I raise up will not be anything in the eyes of the world, but everything in the eyes of God."
The following day I had the same vision again, but this time heads and shoulders had emerged. This would seem to indicate that these people are currently coming forth and the Lord is moving quite quickly.
Women of Courage, Arise
by Catherine Brown, Scotland
On Sunday 6th February, the Lord gave me a vision, which I believe was for the women of Scotland, but also for women across the globe.
I saw a small group of women standing in a circle, holding hands. They stood extremely close together and I noticed that they were very different and I understood these women spanned the generations and the denominations. This first circle was a forerunner - a statement of unity in part that will come in full, to the Body of Christ. The circle enlarged as I watched, and many more women came and joined the original small circle. As the circle of unity was completed, the women held hands and each of them pushed back their heads and began to cry out to the Lord with all that was within them.
Immediately, a wall of fire surrounded the women. I heard the Lord say "I, myself, will be a wall of fire around my people." The wall of fire represented the holiness and fear of the Lord. As I gazed on, the women ascended to heaven, still holding on to each other's hands. An angelic escort received them in the heavenly places, with many angels and chariots surrounding them. The main host was a massive angel, whom I am certain was Michael. The sound of thunder was all around, and this spoke of the coming of the Presence of God. The sound became louder and louder, until it was almost deafening and the fear of God gripped the women.
In a flash, the Lord Himself appeared in the midst of the women. Each woman came before the Lord. Even although there were too many to number, the women had a personal and intimate encounter with Jesus. He cradled each woman's face in His hands and spoke "Well done, good and faithful servant". On each cheek, he planted a tender kiss. The favor of God was spoken forth over everyone. Not one woman was missed by the Savior; each was called forth and commissioned. To some women a beautiful garment was given. The garment shone with the Radiance of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Each of us receives the imputed Righteousness of Christ Jesus by faith at the moment of salvation, yet as we are conformed and changed into His image, as we walk the path of brokenness and sacrifice, I believe there comes a point when the Garment of Righteousness is imparted exponentially to us. This was the garment that I saw. There were some that had walked this path and these women received the garment from the Lord's hand.
Each woman was equipped for battle. The angels were giving out weaponry. The weaponry spoke of the nature and character of God. The women received fresh revelation of the grace, of the mercy and of the unchanging nature of God; the banner of Righteousness over them was without blemish. The women were then dispatched to the north, the south, the east and the west. They were equipped to wage war. There was a blinding light, which was the Glory of God; His Shekinah was their hiding place. The women entered the battle from a place of refreshing, hidden in the Glory, equipped with strong armor, with a new revelation of their authority in Christ Jesus. They had been called, commission and sent forth. I heard the sound of many horses, and the angels were released to fight alongside the women. The sound of war was all around.
"Women of God arise. Women of weeping arise. Women of courage and women of destiny come forth from thy hiding places, see thy hiding place is now in My Shekinah. Your labors of love have not been hidden from My sight. It is time to come out of your prayer closets and to link up and to link arms across this land. Region to region, My Spirit shall bring about divine connections and Holy alliances. Many of you have felt as though My Spirit and My Presence have departed from Your land, but see the season of bareness has come to and end and the wilderness shall come forth from desolation into fruitfulness. The spirit of Hannah shall release Samuel to the nations. The spirit of Miriam shall bring forth the new sound for revival. The spirit of Elizabeth shall birth many apostolic sons and daughters who will prepare a people for the Lord, and the spirit of Mary shall release faith and humble obedience as My Spirit overshadow my children, to bring forth apostolic anointing. I have not departed from you; I stepped back only in order that you might press in for more of Me. See the wilderness shall bloom and you shall go forth a mighty army in My Name. Women of courage arise, see your Saviour goes before you and the hosts of heaven war on your behalf. Take courage, humble yourself under My mighty hand and press forward in faith for your destinies." Amen.
"But Lord, Yesterday is Gone!"
While in prayer recently, the Lord spoke to me in a profound way. I know that what He said was for me personally and it is also a word for the entire body.
WILL YOU GIVE ME ALL YOUR TOMORROWS?
I was praying to be used of the Lord and He asked me "Will you give Me all of your tomorrows?" I pondered that question for a moment and He continued "Can you lay it all down and walk away from every plan you've made and every idea you've had… and totally depend on Me?" I was, of course, sure that I could do that. I replied "Yes, Lord. I give you all of my tomorrows." I saw myself standing at the foot of the cross, pledging my tomorrows." After all, I thought, I surely want my life to be led by the Lord and am willing to take my hands off of it in order for it to be free for His use.
WHAT ABOUT YOUR YESTERDAYS?
Then the Lord said "Now, will you give Me all of your yesterdays?" I said "Lord, yesterday is gone. There is nothing to give." He asked again "Will you give Me all of your yesterdays?" I thought of the past, with all of its mistakes, hurts, and disappointments… what a mess. There was nothing to offer the Lord out of those failures. Then I saw myself, standing at the cross again, this time wearing a huge backpack. It contained my yesterdays. It contained sin, the sin that I regret with every new day, the sin that I would give anything to take back. It contained my hurt and my disappointment. It was overflowing with my shame.
TOMORROW IS EASY
The Lord said "What is holding you back is not an unwillingness to trust Me for tomorrow, it is an unwillingness to trust Me for yesterday! It is easy to give your tomorrows. You are thinking of the glory to come and so wanting to be a part of it… everything else pales in comparison. Not so with the yesterdays… those burdens you carry have become a part of you. You cannot see who you are in Christ for looking at who you are in relation to past circumstances. You have become a product of your yesterdays. In order to go forward, you have to lay it down. You must cease striving to soothe your own hurts and die to the mindset that all these past circumstances have formed in you - guilt, shame, and disappointment must not be given a place in your heart. It is not enough to be ready to move forward - you must be ready to stop going backward. You know these sins and hurts are under the Blood, yet you continue to go back and drag them around with you, as if doing so will help your situation. It won't. The only thing that will help your situation is to lay it at the cross and walk away, not looking back and not ever coming to pick it up again. "
LAYING IT ALL DOWN
I saw myself approaching the cross and laying the backpack of the yesterdays at the foot of it. Due to constantly carrying it, I had become accustomed to it and no longer noticed how much it weighed. As I took it off, I realized how very heavy it had become. I felt so light and free once I was unencumbered by the yesterdays. I knew in my spirit that this was the beginning of a new season in my life - a time of living in the eternal "now" with my Lord. I pray that all those reading this would experience a release in the spirit from any "spiritual yesterdays" that are burdening us.
Take the cup and drink again
by Bill Burns
February 29, 2000: Come to Me, My children. Come all of you who are weary and heavy laden. Come, those of you who have been wounded in the battle and have become discouraged along the way. I say, come to My table and be refreshed, for is it not written that I prepare a table before you in the presence of your enemies; I anoint your head with oil; your cup runs over? Yes, in the very midst of your enemies this table is set. My table is a place of rest in the midst of the storm.
I say, though the enemy rails and hurls his accusations and lies at you, there is a place of rest prepared for you. Come, be seated, and I will anoint your head with oil, and My anointing will break the yoke of the oppressor. Take up the cup prepared for you, and drink of My goodness. From within the cup, the new wine flows forth and the stain of sin is removed. Drink again, and from My cup comes My joy--yes, it is joy unspeakable. Drink of My peace--that which passes all understanding. Taste and see that the Lord is good, and My love will consume you, and My virtue will heal you.
Because I AM your shepherd, you shall have no lack, for in Me abides the fullness of My Father's kingdom, and it is His good will to give unto you the things that pertain to life. Come and dine; the Master calls. Come and be restored for surely My goodness shall heal you, for My cup runs over, and to you it has been given. Come to the table that has been prepared for you, and I will come and dine with you and you with Me.
The waters of joy will break forth
by Bill Burns July 16, 2000
I come to you as the Captain of the Lord of Hosts to deliver My people, for it is ordained that My church must be
delivered. It is written that I have come to deliver every captive. I have
walked among you today in the anointing of repentance, to bring repentance to
your hearts. Then, I bring restoration. My purpose today has been to build
you up and edify you and to remove the burdens from you that you might walk in
freedom and liberty and that you might walk with much joy in your hearts. I say,
the joy of the Lord is your strength. I have wrapped you in My arms with
compassion, and I have touched you with My hands to release joy. I have come
to impart anointing that your spirits may be set free to move towards heaven on
wings of eagles that I might show you that which is yet to come and that you
might find an inward strength, a superior strength to that which you have had
because you KNOW Me today, for I have walked among you and touched you. Surely
the waters of joy shall break forth upon you, and they are living waters, and
they are waters that give My people life. I give unto you peace and joy and say,
enJOY Me in your walk. ENJOY My presence. ENJOY Me when I come to you. Then, you
shall receive that which I have for you. Thus saith the Lord, your Friend!
Rise up and smite the enemy with great Joy!
Small Straws in A Soft Wind
by Marsha Burns September 18, 2000
Remember when I brought you to your hearts to cause healing to come so that your souls could be set from from old bitterness and bondage? I say to those who yielded to this process, this has been accomplished. Now, I am releasing new Joy in your midst that will bring victory in warfare. For, I say in this day, your weapons of warfare will indeed not be carnal, but will be released in the power of My Spirit through joy, which is your strength against the enemy. Rise up and smite the enemy with great joy!
Women Beyond The Cave
by Melody Green, www.lastdaysministries.org
I can't shake
it. In my spirit I keep hearing God say, "Women arise! Women arise! With
open hands lifted up to heaven. With lips ready to give praise and speak truth.
With hearts soft and open, ready to receive My message. It's time to receive
your spiritual inheritance. To receive your personal marching orders for this
important hour."
As women we should be very encouraged. We may be soft on the outside, but we're strong and mighty in spirit. We are God's secret weapons and the enemy knows it. He takes us seriously, even when others don't. The enemy's strategy has been to keep us quiet and in hiding. But God is doing an end run. He is going to release so many of us at once that the enemy is not going to know what hit him!
I believe in this hour the Lord is saying to His women: "Now is the moment when I Myself am coming to release you. Too many of my people have turned a deaf ear to you. Only those who understand the big picture and full spectrum of My heart can hear the words, Women Arise! I am going to lay such an incredible anointing on women who are willing to step out. I am tired of fighting the war with only half of My army.
Where
are My women? Where are the ones I called to teach, to preach… To blaze those
trails even the bravest of men shudder to go. Where are my women? Where are
they? Have they not heard My call?" After hearing this from the Lord, in my
minds eye I saw a cave. I looked closer and many women were in it, too many. And
they were afraid to come out.
Some felt the cave was a safe place to stay-that only men were equipped to venture out and fight the battles beyond. Some felt content to stay, because the cave was indeed, their place of service. But many felt restless, unsettled Many felt called out but some of them had been told those feelings were wrong-so they stifled them. Stuffed them down. Poured guilt upon themselves. But for some, those feelings could not be ignored And this was right… because for some Their call could only be fulfilled beyond the cave.
Lets take a quick look at just of a few of the better known women who ventured out beyond the cave.
Think
of Deborah. She was a prophetess and a judge. She was a married woman who had a
day job outside her home. Deborah judged a nation. I don't know what kind of job
her husband had, but the nation came to his wife for rulings. Deborah carried a
governmental mantle and we could safely assume she also had the gift of wisdom
and discernment. She was trusted to disperse wisdom for the whole nation. When
she called for the army commander, Barak, and told him it was time to go to war,
Barak wouldn't go to battle unless Deborah went with him. Everyone knew that
Deborah heard from God.
Then
there was Esther. She was an orphan being raised by her uncle. When her story
began she was much younger than Deborah… and still single. But she knew how to
hear from God. She was abducted with many other beautiful young girls-and taken
to the castle of a heathen King who was having a contest for a new wife. Even
there, the Lord spoke to Esther. God told her to listen to her uncle and take
the advice of the man in charge of the girls. Esther hid the fact that she was
Jewish, and God gave her a strategy to become the queen. But that was only the
beginning, she also won the Kings heart. But little did Esther know all the Lord
had in mind. When the whole Jewish nation was in line for extermination Esther
fasted and prayed and God gave her intricate, day by day, wisdom with split
second timing. I believe God gave her wisdom as she went, and that she moved
very prophetically-giving time for the King to have a sleepless night and time
for Haman's gallows to be built. Only God could have orchestrated such an
incredible deliverance for the Jewish nation, and such a fascinating turn of
events to judge the bad guys. But it was a young Jewish orphan girl who
listened, heard,
and followed God's plan.
We
should be encouraged. If these women can lead prophetically, judge nations, and
save whole people groups-why can't God can use us too?
Esther and Deborah were on the front lines. One of the things I really like about their stories is the incredible teamwork that happened between them and the men God put in their lives. Mordecai was behind the scenes praying and sharing wisdom to Esther. And I would imagine Deborah's husband [along with the whole nation] prayed when she and Barak went off to war.
Many years later Jesus rose to prominence-and a young girl named Mary poured ointment His feet. Her act of worship was despised by the men around her. They thought it was wasteful. But Jesus pointed to her extravagant adoration as an example every believer should follow. The example of a simple, worshiping woman.
And
still many years after that, Joan of Arc, a young girl from a poor village in
France began to hear God speaking to her. Her faith and her visions took her
before her government, with a strategy and a plan. Joan of Arc became the only
teenager in all of history ever to lead the army of a nation. She was betrayed
and became a martyr-and she is still an inspiration to people around the world
today.
Hundreds of years later, four teenaged girls were sent to America from England on a mission. The Salvation Army was flourishing in England, but was unknown in America. Within months these teenagers started a movement in America that is still going strong today. Most people don't realize that it was teenage girls that launched the Salvation Army in America.
Then
there was that young Albanian woman who went to India as a schoolteacher. While
she was there she felt a call from God to help the poorest of the poor. She
walked out into the streets of India without any money in her pocket and simply
began to pick up the dying from the gutters and take care of them. She lived in
poverty and did menial tasks even when her name became known worldwide as the
byword for the embodiment of Christian love and compassion. She was Mother
Teresa. And she did all of her kindness in the name of Jesus, and as pauper and
a servant, she received the Nobel Peace Prize.
Jackie Pullinger left the UK on a freighter, believing God would tell her when to get off. When the ship docked in Hong Kong she disembarked. Knowing no one, she wandered into the "walled city" filled with heroin addicts, prostitutes, and violent gangs. It was so terrible in there that the police wouldn't even go in. But God found a young English girl who was willing to go and show the love of Jesus to these forgotten ones. Jackie, on her own, quietly and sacrificially won the trust of the worst of the worst. She learned God's secrets about the poor, she learned Chinese, and she learned the keys to praying people off of heroin addiction. Jackie is still in Hong Kong today, and because of her continued sacrifice there is a flourishing Chinese church filled with ex-addicts and countless people with new lives.
Today the mission field is filled women who are leading churches and pioneering works in remote tribes and villages. They are teaching, training, and raising up native pastors so God's work can grow.
There are also women serving God in the suburbs and the inner cities- in the pulpit, on their knees, and in the streets. Some are prominent Bible teachers and others are serving in relative obscurity. I've told just a few very brief stories. I obviously didn't do justice in telling the stories of the women I spoke about, but their lives in greater detail, along with many others will be profiled in this site. And so will the encouraging words of many many men who support and encourage the release of women into ministry.
Have you been encouraged? Maybe it's time for you to venture out of the safety of your cave and see how God wants to use you. There's always room for one more out there.
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