"A Commission to the Church" (December 2003)
This month's message is a little different from past ones. The Lord began to speak a word to me this morning that He wants to speak to the Body of Christ. It is a prophetic word for this time. He is calling His church back to their original purpose and His plan for them in the earth. When the Lord saved you, He had a purpose in mind for you to fulfill. If He had not, He would have taken you on home to be with Him at the moment of conversion. What is that purpose? You will discover it as you read this word that has come directly from the Lord today to His people. I wrote as He dictated it. My prayer for you, and myself, is that we would all have "ears to hear what the Spirit is saying". God is speaking distinctly in these last days and we have to hear and obey what He is saying so that we don't miss what He is doing and what He has called us, His church, to be a part of in these last days.
"Awake, awake, oh, thou, that sleepest." For the day is far spent the night is coming on. Blow the trumpet in Zion and sound the alarm from my holy mountain. Awake, oh, virgin daughters. It is time to cast off, it is time to arise from slumber and sleep. Set the trumpet to thy mouth and wake up my beloved. I am about to do that which will astound even the very hearers. I will astound those in the world and those in My church. Therefore, awake and be not as the five foolish virgins. Be not found without oil in your lamps. It is time to arise and shine for the light is come, and let the glory of the Lord your God arise on you. My return is at hand, be not found sleeping, be not found unprepared, be not found without and empty when the cry goes out, "Behold, the bridegroom cometh." I am calling you, My people, to set a trumpet to your mouth to sound an alarm, a clarion call to this world that is sleeping in darkness, but that sound will not be heard until My church arises from her slumbering bed. Until My people which are called by My name awake from slumber. The time for sleeping is over. It's time to awake and go into My harvest fields. For years you have prayed that the Lord of the harvest would send labors into His field. I am awaking you with the call to, "Go". You are the answer to your own prayer. It's time to go forth, to go into the highways, byways, hedges and fields, it's time to compel the lost to come to repentance; it's time to warn the wicked man of his wicked ways; it's time to let this world know that My return is at hand and those who are not ready to meet Me when I come will fall into the hands of the Living God- a God who is a consuming fire to those who don't know Him.
My people have lost their focus. You have lost your purpose for being. You have ceased to see the burden of My heart. When you look into My heart, there is one thing that you will see... People. People are My prized creation and the object of My affection. You were made in My image. You were made to have fellowship with Me. You were made to rule and reign with Me and have dominion in the earth. Sin took that away, but in My incomprehensible love for you (for mankind) I sent My only Son into the world to redeem your life from destruction, to reconcile you back to Myself, to bring restoration of those things which were lost to you at the fall. My Son succeeded in His task. The way has been made, the door is open, you have received access into My very presence. Now that you have received this, I commission you to go and freely give.
I have said in My word that My Spirit will not always strive with man. The time of striving will soon be over. There will come an end at which time the door will be shut and no one can enter in after that. "Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us'. But he answered and said, 'Verily I say unto you, I know you not'." (Matthew 25:11,12) This is the time that saddens Me beyond description. For it is not My will that any should perish, but that all will come to repentance. But once this time comes, and it will come as surely as I have said it will, it will be too late; therefore, you must get up, you must shake the garments of slumber off, you must shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace and go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Don't leave anyone out. Don't look upon the person, don't look upon their countenance, don't look at their position, their titles that man has given them, don't look at their degrees or Ph.D, don't look at their social status, don't look at the size of their wallets, look past the prestige and clout they have in the world, they are all lost and in need of a Savior. My Son came so that ALL men might be saved- the rich, the poor, the famous, the obscure, the outcast and the well to do. The wages of sin is death, and they will receive these wages no matter who they are, for I do not show respect of persons. But the gift, My gift, is eternal life, and there too I show no respect of persons- whosoever will may come and drink freely of the waters of life that I have so graciously provided. For I have said in my word, "He that comes to Me I will in no wise cast out." You must change your view and opinion of others, you must see humanity as I see them, you must reach out to all, you must share the gospel that is able to make those who hear it wise unto salvation with all men. Red and yellow, black and white, they are PRECIOUS in MY sight. I love them all. Therefore, you must go and preach that the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
For centuries, this world, and my church, has mocked saying, "Where is the sign of His coming?" Though My coming has not happened yet, rest assure I shall come. And woe into them that stand naked before me, woe unto them who on that day will try to cover up their own nakedness with their own devices- just as Adam and Eve tried to do. You must warn them that they are naked. You have garments to give them. The truth of the gospel will cover their nakedness as they receive it. They must not stand in My presence at My return without the proper wedding garments on or they will be cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Behold, I send you forth as sheep among wolves. But I have said that I will never leave you nor forsake you, and lo, I am with you always even until the end of the world. I have warned you in My word ahead of time that "they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; and you shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what you shall speak; for it shall be given you in that same hour what you shall speak. For it is not you that speaks, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you." (Matthew 10:17-20) Be not afraid, for I have not given you a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power and love and a sound mind. Rejoice when men say all manner of evil against you falsely for My sake, for great is your reward in heaven. And think it not strange that they don't accept you, they didn't accept Me either. And remember not to take it personally, it is not against you, but it is Me that they are rejecting and persecuting. Therefore, don't lash out, don't render evil for evil, don't revile when you are reviled, follow the example that My Son left for you when He was on the earth. He was as a lamb dumb before her shearers. Continue to walk in love, for love covers a multitude of sins. Walk in love toward those who are without- as you do it will help you to bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, and endure all things. You must also walk in forgiveness toward those who despitefuly use you and persecute you. Again, you must follow the example of My Son, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." While they all won't receive your message; while they all won't receive My gift of eternal life; while not all will choose the Way that I have provided; you must tell them anyway. If they refuse to receive, their blood will not be upon your hands- I will not require it of you.
While I am sending you forth as sheep among wolves, I am also sending you out as soldiers. I am not sending you out alone- My Spirit is with you guiding you into all truth and leading you every step of the way as you acknowledge Him in all your ways and will have a hearing ear to hear what He is saying. I am not sending you out unprepared. I have given you all things that you will need. I have equipped you with armor that is sufficient for the task that lies before you. These weapons are more powerful than anything known to man. They are able to cut to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, bone and marrow, and are able to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart. They can pull down strongholds, bind strongmen, cast out devils, heal the sick, raise the dead. They will protect your heart, spirit, and mind against the onslaught of the enemy. As I was with David when He stood before the mighty giant Goliath, so I will be with you. As the weapons that were in his hand brought victory, so they will bring victory in yours- because they are the weapons that I have chosen. But make sure you are fully dressed with MY armor. Don't try to go out in Saul's armor, in the arm of the flesh. You will not defeat enemies with it. Blow the trumpet and awaken my people to get into the battle fields. There is a war that is being raged for the souls of men. They will be lost if you don't get in the battle.
As soldiers, I warn you as I have already warned you in My word, "Do not become entangled with the cares of this life". "No man that warreth entangles himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier." (2 Timothy 2:4) Don't allow anything to distract you from the purpose at hand. There are lives being weighed in the balance and it is up to you to reach them or they will be found wanting. You are My workmanship created for good works in Christ Jesus. See that you don't let the cares of this life choke out these words that I am speaking to you this day. See that you don't allow anything to consume your time and attention that I have not called you to do. As a soldier be on guard for the traps and snares and pitfalls of the enemy that he has lying in wait for you. The enemy keeps you distracted with "self". He keeps you entangled in your own little world, with your own problems, with your own life, and as a result has kept you from looking outside yourself- outside your own house- and seeing your neighbor who is on their way to hell because they haven't received the free gift of eternal life through the shed blood of My Son Jesus Christ because no one has told them. My people, it's not about houses, lands, cars, money. It's not about material blessings, it's about reaching people and snatching them out of the flames. Stop being so consumed with "you". I have promised you that if you would seek Me first, My kingdom and My righteousness, then I would add all these things to you. You will never go lacking as long as you put My desires ahead of your desires; as long as you put My work ahead of your work; as long as you put My will ahead of your will. And My will is that none be lost.
