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And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness (Malachi 3:1-3 KJV).

I was then told that the coming volcanic activity near Bend, Oregon, would announce the beginning of one of the greatest healing revivals in history. This healing revival will start around Hamilton, Ontario, and then blaze across Canada to Vancouver. From there it will turn down the Northwest Coast of the U.S. and cross the Pacific to the Far East. I was then told to spell locomotive "local-motive." The Lord said that this local area in the Northwest was a seedbed of the healing anointing that was upon John G. Lake. The sign of volcanic activity around Bend, Oregon, is that the Lord is turning up the heat, but it will bring about a refining and purifying of His people so He can release healing in the earth in an unprecedented way.

The voice which was speaking then said to me, "Have you ever seen anything like this?" I looked and saw the very top of a mountain which was covered with pure white snow. I was carried to the rim so that I could look over into the large open top of the mountain. It was filled with beautiful, clear boiling water. I knew that this was the Word of God.

The last thing I saw was a light shining on a diamond, which brought out the brilliant colors that were within the diamond.

INTERPRETATION

(BY RICK JOYNER)

This vision began with Bobby seeing the two tracks named Truth and Spirit. These should both be given our attention in preparation for what is coming. It will take both of these to keep what is coming "on track."

He then saw the bend of the mountain pass. Mountains can have different meanings, but here I think they represent obstacles, and the pass represents a way through them. Although there are obstacles to what is coming, God wants us to know there is a way through them, on the twin tracks of Truth (the Word) and Spirit.

The next thing Bobby saw was a great "cloud of dust and steam." Steam is power that is released by heating water. This speaks of fire coming upon the Word of God to release the power to propel this train. That it is mixed with dust speaks of flesh being mixed in the steam when it first appears. (Dust often speaks of flesh, or humanity, because Adam was made from the dust.) There is usually quite a bit of flesh mixed in with moves of God when they first begin. This is because He usually has to begin with the immature who have not yet become "old wineskins," unable to contain the new wine. Movements usually become purer as they make progress, but those who have a religious spirit and refuse to be a part of anything that has "mixture" (which there always is) usually miss what God is doing altogether, and often become opposers of it. This is a warning to not be put off by the dust which is mixed in with the steam at first.

The train then made a "loud sound" as it came into view, and it caused a great disturbance. This movement will not leave things undisturbed or as they presently are. Controversy and commotion are sometimes needed just to wake people up, and we can expect a lot of it in the movement that this represents.


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When Bobby first saw the train, he saw a great light coming from the front of it, which had "Judgment" and "Mercy" written on it, alternating from top to bottom. We can expect both mercy and judgment to come, but His light will show the way through both of them. Though Paul exhorted us to "Behold then the kindness and severity of God" (Romans 11:22), many can only see God's kindness, and others can only see His severity. But if we are going to see the Lord the way He really is, we must behold both. We must not be thrown off track when suddenly His mercy is turned to judgment, or vice versa. Even in His most devastating judgments, He shows mercy. Even in His greatest kindness, there is a severity.

That Bobby found it hard to stand in front of this light because it was so bright speaks of light coming that will be hard for us to stand. But it is not only a part of the purpose of God, it is showing the way.

In dreams and visions, trains often speak of "equipping" (i.e., train-ing), and that is what Bobby felt this train stood for when he was having the vision. The cars in this train represent the different churches or groups that will link together to be a part of this great movement coming. The coal in them represents the people. You can burn coal and get a little heat and power, but burning coal releases many impurities into the air. If we are patient and allow the coal to be put under the proper pressure and heat, it will turn into diamonds that are far more valuable. This represents a choice. Are we going to consume the people with our projects and ambitions because we want heat and power now? Or are we willing to wait and allow the Lord to turn them into precious stones that will be much more valuable?

Bobby felt that the mountain he then saw was the Lord Himself. The fact that snow was at the top of this mountain speaks of mercy and purity being at the very top of His purpose. As He promised, "Come now, and let us reason together," says the LORD, "Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool" (Isaiah 1:18). God's entire plan for mankind in this age is based upon His removal of our sin by His mercy through the cross. The goal is that we would walk in a purity that He can inhabit, so that we are a worthy bride for His Son. True redemption always brings purity.

We must also understand that our God is a Consuming Fire (see Hebrews 12:29). If we look into Him we will find the pure living water, but it is hot! We often think of living water as being cool and refreshing, but it also may be very hot. We are washed by the water of His Word (Ephesians 5:26). Baths are usually hot, and it is hot water that He is using to cleanse His church. The pool of hot water Bobby saw within the mountain also indicates the release of a new level of revelation and illumination from the Scriptures.

The last thing Bobby saw was a light shining on a diamond, which brought out brilliant colors that were within the diamond. This speaks of the Lord's ultimate purpose, to take those who now appear as mere lumps of coal and make them into diamonds whose lives will reflect His glorious truth.

Source URL: http://www.morningstarministries.org/resources/prophetic-bulletins/1997/its-coming-down-track-and-around-bend

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Strategic Words Dreams & Visions

MorningStar Prophetic Bulletin No. 25 (1997) Rick Joyner

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The New American Standard Bible (NASB).

The following are strategic revelations that were received by those whose prophetic gifts we have come to trust. Even so, they are shared with the understanding that the Lord is doing different things in different places, and we do not expect these words to apply to everyone. Also, as most of the interpretations and applications are given by me, they may not be the same as what would be given by the one receiving the revelation.

– Rick Joyner

A DREAM FROM BOB JONES: Bob dreamed that he was in a doctor's office. A nurse was boasting that she had been able to heal him, but he was thinking that it was not she or the doctor but the Lord who had healed him. Then he went out into the waiting room and it was full of old nurses who were all boasting about their sons. They were waiting for their sons to come back to them, but Bob knew that none of them would.

INTERPRETATION: Bob was given the understanding that the old nurses represented old churches and denominations. They had been good nurses and had raised their children well, but now they did not have anything that could draw their sons back to them. When the nurses would die, there would be no one to take their places. One of the reasons why their sons would not come back to them was that they had attributed the works of God to themselves instead of seeking the presence of the Lord.

APPLICATION: This is a warning. Our children must be led to the Lord Himself, not to us or our gifts, or they will depart and not return to us.

A DREAM FROM KEITH DAVIS: On January 11, 1997, Keith Davis had a dream about our daughter Amber. They were at a carnival. Amber was her same size (she is now six years old), but she was talking like an adult. She told Keith that she was about to start college, for the Holy Spirit was her teacher and He was about to take her to His college.

INTERPRETATION: Amber is a prophetic child. Bob Jones prophesied her birth two years before she was born. He said that she would represent a new beginning, and would therefore be born on August 8 and weigh 8 pounds (8 is the number of new beginnings). This all came true exactly as foretold. Since her birth, many events in Amber's life have been important signs to us, especially as they relate to a new move that the Lord said He wanted to bring through us. That Amber was at a carnival in the dream speaks of worldly entertainment. This is a warning that entertainment will be a fundamental test for the new move. That Amber was already talking like an adult speaks of quick maturity. This is because the Holy Spirit is the teacher. We are already being called to the "higher learning" that college represents here.

APPLICATION: We have been holding back in many ways, because we haven't thought a new movement that is still so immature could move any faster. We must not hold back any longer. College


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represents the last step in preparation before entering our life's calling. We must embrace a level of teaching and instruction that is beyond what we may think we can take at this time.

A VISION FROM BOBBY CONNER: Bobby saw the Lord handing out pegs. They were in a brown leather bag, and the Lord was handing them out to those who would use them.

INTERPRETATION: Pegs refer to nailing things down. Brown often speaks of humble service. It will be out of a devotion to humble service that we will be able to nail down the purposes of the Lord. Pegs are also used for securing tents, which often represent the dwelling place of the Lord. It is humble service that secures His dwelling place among us. "But now for a brief moment grace has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us an escaped remnant and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our bondage.

"For we are slaves; yet in our bondage, our God has not forsaken us, but has extended lovingkindness to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us reviving to raise up the house of our God, to restore its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem" (Ezra 9:8-9 NAS).

APPLICATION: As the Lord was the one handing the pegs out from the brown bag, we can expect a great anointing to come upon the ministry of helps and all those who are devoted to humble service. We need to esteem these ministries as those which actually secure the dwelling place of the Lord among us.

A VISION FROM BOB JONES: Bob saw a mature eagle whose feet were tangled up in ticker tape so that it could | not fly.

INTERPRETATION: Ticker tape was used for reporting stock market share prices. That this had the eagle's feet so tangled up that it could not fly speaks of prophetic ministries being so tied up in the world's ways that they cannot soar to the place where they receive revelation.

APPLICATION: Prophetic ministries should especially beware of investing in such things as the stock market. Where your treasure is there will your heart be also, and it can keep you from soaring in the heavenly places where eagles are called to fly. Beware of how this can entangle you.

A DREAM FROM DON ROBERTSON: Don dreamed that we were in a large boiler room. A sheriff came and gave us Glock pistols. He said that they would shoot .39 caliber bullets. They were a 22-r model number. The sheriff said to carry them in the small of our backs, hidden.

INTERPRETATION: Boilers are used for generating power by heating water until it becomes steam. The steam is not just released into the air, but is controlled and directed so that its power is not wasted. This speaks of the Lord bringing us into a place where His word is heated to the point that it is released as power in our lives. Sheriffs still have authority to deputize common citizens when needed. This speaks of the weapons coming from those who will arm the "common citizens" of the church. This was done in a place where power was being generated. Glock pistols are unique. They are made in Austria and do not have a safety. They are made out of a hard plastic that is extremely durable and cannot be detected with scanners, so they can cross borders undetected. This speaks of our having to be very careful not to aim the weapons that we have been given until it is time to use them. That we were told by the sheriff to place the pistols in the small of our backs to keep them undetected speaks of not flaunting our spiritual weapons, but keeping them hidden until we are to use them. Thirty-nine is the number of punishment (Paul was beaten with thirty-nine lashes five times, II Corinthians 11:24), and that these pistols fired .39 caliber bullets speaks of being able to bring


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punishment or judgment on our enemies (see II Corinthians 10:5-6). That the model number was 22-r speaks of a repeating model. Isaiah 22:22 speaks of the keys of David.

APPLICATION: Glock pistols are high quality and potentially lethal weapons. Even so, pistols are still short-range weapons. You would not attack a tank with a pistol, so we must not try to attack principalities and powers that are beyond the power of our present authority. If we are faithful with these, the Lord will trust us with more powerful, long range weapons in due time.

VISION FROM BOBBY CONNER: Bobby saw a beautiful 103-year-old woman with red hair, and he was to chase her until he caught her and became intimate with her.

INTERPRETATION: Bobby knew that this woman represented Psalm 103. We must pursue and become intimate with the revelation contained in this psalm.

APPLICATION: To become intimate is to know well. Let us examine it verse by verse:

VERSE I: Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Is everything that we are doing blessing the Lord?

VERSE 2: Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; Have we been forgetting His benefits? Let us examine and remind ourselves and one another of all that He does for us.

VERSE 3: Who pardons all your iniquities; who heals all your diseases; These are certainly two of the greatest benefits of all. Let us pursue them, embracing both His forgiveness and His healing

VERSE 4: Who redeems your life from the pit; who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; It is good to be continually reminded of all that we have been redeemed from, and to know the mercy and compassion that we are now adorned with.

VERSE 5: Who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle. If we are satisfied with what the Lord is providing us, we will be continually refreshed and renewed. His yoke is easy and His burden is light, so that by taking it we find refreshment for our souls. If our lives are heavy and our strength being expended, we have somehow departed from what He called us to.

VERSE 6: The LORD performs righteous deeds, and judgments for all who are oppressed. If we are abiding in the Lord we should be continually witnessing righteous deeds, and should be siding with Him for the oppressed.

VERSE 7: He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel. Rather than being satisfied with just seeing His works, may we be like Moses, who was compelled to know Him much better--to know His ways.

VERSE 8: The LORD IS compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. If we are like Him, should these not also be our nature?

VERSE 9: He will not always strive with us; nor will He keep His anger forever. Let us not try the patience of the Lord.

VERSE 10: He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. Every one of us can be thankful for this!


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VERSE 11: For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. We know of no end to the height of the heavens. Such is His mercy to us if we fear Him.

VERSE 12: As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. If you go far enough north you will eventually start going south, but if you go east you never cross a point where you start going west. That is how far our transgressions have been removed!

VERSE 13: Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him. Again, a key phrase here is that this compassion is for those who fear Him. One reason why many do not experience the Lord's great compassion is that they do not properly fear Him.

VERSE 14: For He himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust. The Lord does not forget how frail we are. Neither should we!

VERSES 15-16: As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. When the wind has passed over it, it is no more; and its place acknowledges it no longer. Flowers can be beautiful, but they are all frail and temporary. So is the glory we receive on this earth. All human glory is also fleeting. The greatest fame here only lasts but a brief moment, so why not set our hearts on that which is eternal?

VERSES 17-18: But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children's children, To those who keep His covenant, and who remember His precepts to do them. If we know that this is true should we not pursue His mercy above all things?

VERSE 19: The LORD has established His throne in the heavens; and His sovereignty rules over all. If we know this why do we devote so much attention to seeking human help when we can come boldly before His throne of grace at any time and receive the grace from Him who is above all authority in both heaven and earth?

VERSES 20-21: Bless the LORD, YOU His angels, mighty in strength, who perform His word, obeying the voice of His word! Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, you who serve Him, doing His will. Angels are ministering spirits who are devoted to those who are the heirs of salvation. This seems to be the only place in the Scriptures where a man commands angels, and his command to them is to bless the Lord. There is no higher purpose for men or angels than to bless Him!

VERSE 22: Bless the LORD, all you works of His, in all places of His dominion; bless the LORD, O my soul! If we could be a blessing to the Lord for but one moment, if we could touch His heart in such a way that He is moved, it would be worth every endeavor of our life. What do we possibly have that is more important than seeking His pleasure? The highest accolade we could ever be given is that we were pleasing to the Lord. Let us live for that which is life indeed.

A WORD FROM WADE TAYLOR: The sin of Laodicea was that they did not think that they needed anything. The Lord had said, "Blessed are the poor," which implied abject poverty, the complete end of self. Chastening comes when we have done something wrong; scourging comes when we have done things right. We need chastening for our lukewarmness, and scourging so that we can be trusted with the authority to sit with Him on His throne. The lesson of the burning bush is that God's highest purpose is often not in front of us, but off to the side, requiring that we turn aside to meet with Him. When we think we have it all, we will not turn aside. Before Moses' failure he had too much


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going for him. In Revelation, John heard the voice of the Lord walking. Can we hear His footsteps through history? Through our own times? He walked by Azusa. He walked by Wales. Will He walk by us? If He does, will we turn aside and follow Him?

Source URL: http://www.morningstarministries.org/resources/prophetic-bulletins/1997/strategic-words-dreams-visions


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Strategic Prophetic Words



A vision by Bob Jones: In a prophetic experience, Bob was awakened by an attack of swarming flies. Because they kept him from being able to rest, he went to see where they were coming from. He found an open sewer. Christians had been dumping their garbage at the opening and not covering it up, so the flies were able to breed on it. He was told to seal the sewer with a round clay tile, which he was told was the tongue.

Interpretation. Satan is called Beelzebub, which means "Lord of the flies." All such titles in Scripture are meant to denote characteristics of the person. In prophetic dreams and visions flies usually represent lies. Satan is called the Lord of the flies because he is also "the father of lies." One of his main strategies is to breed lies that swarm around and harass the church so that she cannot enter into the Lord's rest. They also carry spiritual diseases. These lies "breed" on the garbage and waste that we fail to bury.

Application. In Deuteronomy 23:13-14 the Lord required the children of Israel to bury their waste outside the camp, so that He could walk among them. If they did not do this, He promised to turn away from them. We must do the same thing. This is one reason why the manifest presence of the Lord has departed from many churches and movements.

If we pass on slander or gossip, we are just as guilty as the one who originated it. The humanistic philosophy that people have a right to know everything is in direct conflict with Scripture. "Love covers a multitude of sins" (I Peter 4:8). It does not matter if we are a journalist or publisher; if we distribute such things to God's people, we are in jeopardy of being the worst thing the Lord said we could ever be--a stumbling block. When these things are not buried, they will breed and multiply lies that carry spiritual diseases and keep the people from being able to enter God's rest.

A word from Wade Taylor:The six days of creation were a prophecy of the six thousand years of man's history. After two of these prophetic days, a single voice arose, Abraham, to begin a great move of God on the earth. After two more of these prophetic days, another single voice arose, John the Baptist, who signaled the move of God Himself walking on the earth. After two more of these prophetic days, a single voice will again arise, the united body of Christ, as we see in Revelation 1:13-15: ...and in the middle of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His breast with a golden girdle.

And His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire;

and His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been caused to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters.


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Interpretation. Here we see that the voice of the Lord will be like "the sound of many waters," or many people. Because He was standing in the midst of the lampstands that represent the churches, we know that His voice will come from the church.

Application.Until the church was birthed, the Lord usually spoke through individual prophets that He raised up. Now He speaks through His whole church. We therefore should not look for the entire message of God to come from just one person or group. His voice will be the combination of all that He is speaking through all of His people. As Psalm 119:160 states,"The sum of Thy word is truth."

A word from Mahesh Chavda: Mahesh simply received the warning, "Beware of the Syrians."

Interpretation. Syrians mean "self-exalted ones."

Application. It is time for the church to discern and reject the ministry of those who exalt themselves. This is an example of the pride that caused Satan's fall, and most of the falls of people since. The Scripture is clear, "But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6). If God is resisting the proud, why do we follow them? If we want to receive from those who have the true grace of God, we must look to the humble.

It is likely that this has a literal meaning as well, with Syria being used to ignite a potentially devastating war in the Middle East. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

A word from Wade Taylor: The sin of the Laodiceans was that they did not think they needed anything. The Lord had said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit" (Matthew 5:3), which implied abject poverty, the complete end of self. Before Moses' failure, he had too much going for him. The church now seems to be in that same condition.

Interpretation. This fits with the word given by Mahesh Chavda. It is a terrible pride when we think that we do not need anything. Possibly one of the greatest manifestations of pride is for us to make major decisions by relying on our own wisdom, without even inquiring of the Lord. Many churches are run more like corporations than spiritual entities. If we are going to be the "body of Christ" we must get our directives from the Head.

If we have been redeemed, we are no longer our own, but we belong to Him. If we are His bondslaves, we do not own anything, but are merely stewards. How can we make decisions without seeking Him? How can leaders make decisions that may affect many of God's own children without hearing from Him? As the word to the Laodicean church implies, this kind of pride will be devastating in the end.

Application. God called King David "a man after My heart" (Acts 13:22). If there is one phrase that defines David, it is the one repeated over and over, "David inquired of the Lord." This may be the single characteristic that most distinguished the reign of David from the reign of Saul. Even though David was a great prophet himself, he at times called for the prophets so he could inquire of the word of the Lord. That is the kind of humility that draws God's grace.

A word from Wade Taylor: Chastening comes when we have done something wrong; scourging comes when we have done things right.

Interpretation. We need to distinguish between the Lord's chastening and His scourging. The highest form of suffering comes because we are doing what is right, not what is wrong. This kind of persecution or affliction comes to prepare us for even greater spiritual authority.


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Application. We should not accept all suffering as from the Lord, or the devil, but seek the Lord concerning the source and the purpose. We do not want to refuse what comes from God, nor receive what comes from the enemy.

A word from Wade Taylor: The lesson of the burning bush is that God's highest purpose is often not in front of us, but off to the side, requiring that we turn aside to meet with Him.

Interpretation. Some of God's calls do come obliquely and are not straight in front of us. Implicit in the call is the test of whether we are willing to change our own course, or interrupt our own plans, to turn aside and listen to Him.

Application. Be sensitive to the calls that may require a change in direction on your part. Many miss their ultimate purpose because they are too busy to turn aside when God calls them. As Brother Taylor also related to us in this conversation, "In Revelation, John heard the voice of the Lord walking. Can we hear His footsteps through history? Through our own times? He walked by Azusa. He walked by Wales. Where is He walking today?"

Tens of thousands were blessed when they heard that God was moving in Toronto, and they stopped what they were doing to go and see. Multitudes are now going to Pensacola because there is now a burning bush there, and they have been blessed. The leaders of these movements were arrested by something unusual, and were willing to turn aside and change their own plans. Do not miss Him when you are walking alone with your little flock and you catch the glimpse of a marvelous sight off to the side, or afar off. Your obedience could be the beginning of another great deliverance.

Source URL: http://www.morningstarministries.org/resources/prophetic-bulletins/1997/strategic-prophetic-words


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The Greatest Awakening And a Famine in the Land



America has experienced many great moves of God, but two of them were so powerful and far-reaching that "revival" was not an adequate word for them. These were so extraordinary in their social and spiritual impact that historians have called them "Great Awakenings." During these great moves of God it seemed as if the entire nation awakened from its spiritual slumber to the bright realities of the kingdom of God. Some cities and towns experienced almost universal conversion, and whole regions were swept into the truth of the gospel. Great social changes were made and morality increased--not with the passage of laws, but with the changing of hearts.

One of these awakenings preceded the Revolutionary War and the next proceeded the Civil War. Both Great Awakenings, and both of these wars, radically changed the spiritual and social fabric of America. Another "great awakening" is coming. It too will have the potential to profoundly change our country. The cross and righteousness are going to be popular again. The truth of creation will not only be taught in the schools, but it will be believed as the only logical answer to our existence. Prayer will not only be allowed in schools, but encouraged. The fear of God will sweep across the land like a tidal wave, crushing the frail humanistic ideologies that have so long exalted themselves as "reason."

If we are wise, we should examine the lessons that can be learned from the first Great Awakenings while there is still time. The same forces of darkness that were able to sidetrack those moves of God will seek to steer the coming awakening away from its purpose as well. Just as the truth of the gospel has never changed, the deception that opposes it hasn't either.

It could be argued that if the first two Great Awakenings had not been diverted from their courses, the wars that followed them would not have been necessary. What was accomplished by the wars was crucial for our country, but it seems that the Lord intended to use the awakenings to make these needed social changes. When the awakenings were diverted by political forces, the wars became inevitable. If these moves of God had been allowed to fully run their courses, we would have avoided the destruction and the deep, enduring scars that always result from war.

The next great awakening in America is also intended to cause sweeping spiritual and social changes that will make a future conflict unnecessary. When it comes, we must continually humble ourselves and pray for it to stay on its intended course. We must be vigilant to guard against the political forces that will seek to divert it for their own agendas. Although we may agree with the morality of these agendas, the strategies proposed for accomplishing them will be devastating to the awakening, and ultimately to the nation.

As King David understood when he was forced to choose his punishment after numbering the people (II Samuel 24), wars are the worst judgment that can fall upon a nation. In a previous Prophetic Bulletin, I wrote about a coming civil war in the church. While the civil war I was describing then was a spiritual war, what I am addressing here is a very literal one. It will be a war of the most devastating kind--a race war. We may think that this could not happen in our country, but we are actually very close to it right now.


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A House of All Nations

America is composed of people of every nationality. Because of this, we have a unique potential for demonstrating harmony and tolerance among those from different cultures and people groups. The Lord has called His church to be a "house of prayer for all the nations" (the word "nations" here in Mark 11:17 is translated from the Greek ethnos, or "ethnic"). America, in a similar way, truly is a house of all nations. While it is the Lord's intention to bless and use America because of this, the enemy's intention is to use a meltdown of the racial situation here to sow even more discord and distrust between racial groups throughout the world. We must not be ignorant of the enemy's schemes, but rather stand against them and turn them into opportunities for a great victory.

The enemy planned to use South Africa in this same way during its last election. His strategy was thwarted by the worldwide prayer offered up for that country. Yet, when Satan is thwarted in this way, he looks for somewhere else to unleash his wrath. When he was thwarted in South Africa, he turned with a vengeance on the closest opening he could find--Rwanda.

What happened in Rwanda was a spiritual attack of the magnitude Satan intended to release in South Africa. The people missionaries called the most peaceful in Africa awoke one morning with insanity filling the land. Neighbors who had good-naturedly waved good night to each other just hours before were suddenly beating down doors to kill entire families. After the carnage abated, some who had been involved in this ruthless slaughter said they had been in something like a trance, and could hardly even remember what they had done. Others seemed genuinely disbelieving that they had actually committed such atrocities.

Rwanda was considered the most "Christian" nation in Africa. Almost 90% of the population claim to be members of the faith. However, the popular definition of what it means to be a Christian is far from the biblical definition. Those who claim to be Christians, but do not have the Spirit of God, can be the most vulnerable to the powerful onslaughts of darkness now being released in the world. Those who do not know the true power of God will be increasingly subject to evil powers as we proceed toward the end of the age.

Of course Satan would rather use those who claim to be Christians for his most diabolical acts. Germany claimed to be a Christian nation before both world wars. Hitler claimed to be resurrecting the Holy Roman Empire to establish its one- thousand-year reign upon the earth. The majority of the "Christians" in Germany were swept up by this deceit, even though the Third Reich was established by ruthless murder and oppression. America, likewise, claims to be a Christian nation. Almost 85% of the population claim to be Christians, and over half claim to be born again. But where is the fruit? Just as the greatest evangelists truthfully acknowledge that fewer than 10% of the people who make decisions for Christ in their crusades go on to even become members of the church, it is likely that the rolls in heaven actually contain but a small percentage of the total population of America. The rest have been made to feel secure while remaining in a spiritual condition where their eternal lives are still in jeopardy. Likewise, those who think they have the light, but who still live in darkness, are the most susceptible to evil when it comes.

When Jesus was asked what signs would signal the end of the age, one of those he mentioned was, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom" (Luke 21:10). The Greek word translated "nation" here is ethnos, the same word we saw before in Mark 11:17. Jesus was not so much talking about countries fighting each other as He was referring to the increase of ethnic conflict.


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Nearly every major conflict in the world today is fundamentally an ethnic conflict rather than a political one. Amid the great onslaught of racially motivated destruction that will come at the end of the age, the church is called to be a house of prayer for all ethnos, or ethnic groups. Churches that do not confront and overcome the stronghold of racism will be overcome in the times ahead.

The "gates of hell" are the enemy's doorways into the world, and racism is possibly the biggest gate of hell that the enemy will use at the end of the age. Satan is going to release some of his greatest power in order to thwart our calling as a house of prayer for all nationalities. And, if he can, he will use America as an instrument for sending forth death and destruction on an unprecedented level.

However, there is hope. The Lord is going to send another great awakening to America! It will have the potential to make us a fortress against this great darkness which is coming at the end of the age.

Nations Have Callings

The Great Commission is to "make disciples of all the nations" (Matthew 28:19), and each nation has a unique calling. South Africa, for example, is called to be an example to the world of racial healing and harmony, and a fortress for righteousness to help stand against this great enemy of racism at the end of the age. But the enemy has a plan for South Africa too, and he has not yet given up. South Africa is still vulnerable and in desperate need of continued prayer. Without a tremendous spiritual advance, it will succumb to the great bitterness and rage that is still simmering beneath the surface. If South Africa does succumb to these hostile forces, the slaughter will be enormous. The resulting devastation to racial relations around the world will also be enormous.

The problems facing South Africa are beyond human wisdom or power to overcome. Only the grace of God can save it from the enemy's scheme, but the grace of God is what the Lord builds all of His works upon. However, South Africa is at such a crisis point that it will either become a great nation founded upon the grace of God, or one of history's great tragedies--a trophy of the enemy's hatred and deceit. Bitterness at present failures and resentment of past ones are the main threats to South Africa's future.

America, likewise, still has a great calling and destiny, but some of the enemy's most vile strategies will be released against us in the days ahead. Preceding the next great awakening, we will enter a period when the very integrity of the United States Constitution will be in jeopardy because of government scandals. Scandals will also strike highly visible church leaders, and in many places the civil war in the church will be raging. During this time, trust in authority and leadership will fall to its lowest level ever, preparing for the great lawlessness that will come upon the end of the age. Despite the dramatic increase of lawlessness, the spiritual thread that has been sown throughout the social fabric of America will prove much stronger than we might have thought.

The work done by our spiritual fathers was commendable, and the foundations they laid will stand in this great trial. In the midst of the confusion of the times, men and women of integrity and spiritual fortitude will arise and stand like great beacons. The ultimate result of the great trials that are coming will be an unprecedented spiritual awakening in America. But if that awakening is sidetracked by political forces, as were the last two, our ultimate end will be very dark.

The coming shaking of the foundations will erode the faith of many for a time, but ultimately it will drive men to seek that which has proven to be solid and stable. That is when there will be a popular demand not only to bring prayer back into public schools, but also to teach our nation's Judeo/Christian heritage.


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Soon many great black leaders will arise with prophetic authority to stand for truth, justice and liberty. They will stand with such resolve, eloquence and dignity that many nations which have been the hardest to reach with the gospel will throw their doors wide open to these men and women of great spiritual stature. America will proudly claim them as her sons and daughters. They will stand with such grace and influence that African-Americans will no longer want to be called that, but they will proudly call themselves Americans. The heritage and future of America will belong to people of every ethnic group, but great black leaders will become the spiritual conscience of the nation as they speak by the Holy Spirit.

Light Amid the Darkness

In preparation for the great move of God that is coming, an increasing number of revivals and renewal movements will break out in different parts of the country. Some will come with such impact that they will make headlines in secular newspapers and become feature stories on television news. Revival among Hispanics will burn like a great prairie fire, spreading to almost every major city. An army of Asian-American missionaries will be sent out from American shores as one of the great missionary forces in the last days. All of this will help to melt the ice off the cold remnants of European-American Christianity, creating the critical mass that will explode into the greatest awakening ever.

These streams flowing together from different ethnic groups will overflow to bring healing and reconciliation to the Native Americans. Then the entire church will give its attention to the ancient wounds the Jewish people suffered at the hands of historic, institutional Christianity. When we in the church have finally obtained the grace and humility needed to embrace those who are different from us, the truth of the gospel will be set free of the corruption and deception that has perverted it since the first century. Then there will be an outbreak of God's power like the world has not witnessed before. Those will be the days of the "greater works" (John 14:12).

Just as these positive developments are occurring, there will also be the rise of devastating racial and spiritual conflicts. These will be the enemy's attempt to drive wedges between people, so that the revival is thwarted. White supremacist groups will spread across the country like weeds in a field, and will present one of the greatest challenges to the awakening. However, all of these events are only the beginning of the birth pangs for what is coming. The light and the darkness will grow stronger together, just as Isaiah prophesied:

"Arise, shine; for your light has come, And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.

"For behold, darkness will cover the earth, And deep darkness the peoples; But the LORD will rise upon you, And His glory will appear upon you" (Isaiah 60:1-2).

Here we see that it is during the greatest times of darkness that the light will also rise upon God's people. His glory will begin to appear "upon" us, bringing about the time of the greatest move of God since God Himself walked the earth as a man. Isaiah continues in chapter 60 to describe what will unfold in these times:

"And nations will come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising.

"Lift up your eyes round about, and see; They all gather together, they come to you. Your sons will come from afar, And your daughters will be carried in the arms.

"Then you will see and be radiant, And your heart will thrill and rejoice; Because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you, The wealth of the nations will come to you.


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"A multitude of camels will cover you, The young camels of Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba will come; They will bring gold and frankincense, And will bear good news of the praises of the LORD.

"All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered together to you, The rams of Nebaioth will minister to you; They will go up with acceptance on My altar, And I shall glorify My glorious house.

"Who are these who fly like a cloud, And like the doves to their lattices?

"Surely the coastlands will wait for Me; And the ships of Tarshish will come first, To bring your sons from afar, Their silver and their gold with them, For the name of the LORD your God, And for the Holy One of Israel because He has glorified you.

"And foreigners will build up your walls, And their kings will minister to you; For in My wrath I struck you, And in My favor I have had compassion on you.

"And your gates will be open continually; They will not be closed day or night, So that men may bring to you the wealth of the nations, With their kings led in procession.

"For the nation and the kingdom which will not serve you will perish, And the nations will be utterly ruined" (Isaiah 60:3-12).

The Famine

One event that will help to spread the impact of this great awakening is a famine that will come upon the whole world. This will not be a famine for food, but for the word of the Lord. For a time it will seem as if all communication has been cut off between heaven and earth. This will have such a profound effect that everyone will realize it, even the heathen.

"Behold, days are coming," declares the Lord GOD, "When I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, But rather for hearing the words of the LORD.

"And people will stagger from sea to sea, And from the north even to the east; They will go to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, But they will not find it" (Amos 8:11-12).

All life on earth is dependent on the sun. If the sun did not give its light and heat for a single day, we would all perish. In this same way, God shines His light on every living being, both the just and the unjust (see Matthew 5:45). This light is what has been called "the common grace of God," the source of common wisdom and talents. If this were hidden even for a moment, everyone would know it and we all would be staggered by the confusion. This is what will happen during the famine of hearing the word of the Lord. It will have such an impact that everyone will realize that their wisdom for living (often called "common sense") was coming from beyond themselves.

When Jesus was tempted by the devil to turn stones into bread, He replied, "It is written, `Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God'" (Matthew 4:4). We do not live by the words that proceeded, past tense, but by those which proceed from the mouth of the Lord. We need this communication just as much as we need bread. Like the manna which Israel had to gather each day in the wilderness (Exodus 16:4), we too need a fresh word from Him each day. When the famine for hearing His word comes, we will begin to value it as it should be valued. When the continuing word of God is momentarily cut off, even the heathen will begin to seek it as if it were the very air they breathe.


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This famine will not last long, but it will get people's attention and cause multitudes to seek the Lord. After this famine for the word of the Lord comes, He will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh. It shall be just as Joel prophesied, and Peter affirmed on the Day of Pentecost:

"And it shall be in the last days," God says, "That I will pour forth of My Spirit upon all mankind; And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams;

Even upon My bondslaves, both men and women, I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit And they shall prophesy.

"And I will grant wonders in the sky above, And signs on the earth beneath, Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke.

"The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come.

"And it shall be, that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:17-21).

The sun turning into darkness is descriptive of the coming famine for the word of the Lord. The moon turning into blood speaks of bloodshed. These must come "before the great and glorious day of the Lord."

When the Lord pours out His Spirit, there will be a new level of prophecy, dreams and visions. In the impending awakening, prophetic revelation will be commonplace. Because of the prior famine for the hearing of the word of the Lord, these prophecies, dreams and visions will be held in the esteem every word from God deserves. They will be studied, meditated upon, and obeyed. A time is coming when people will rightfully esteem even a single word from God as more valuable than all the earth's treasures. An insatiable passion for the Bible will compel men and women to lay aside every frivolous entertainment in order to spend time studying it. Those who teach and give insight into the Scriptures will be honored above any other occupation. This will happen on such a wide scale that it really will seem that the knowledge of the Lord covers the earth like the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:9).

Preparation for Awakening

The coming awakening will be the result of widespread "grace for repentance" that is coming upon the body of Christ. A genuine humility and a godly remorse for our sins will be the final "renewal movement" that must work in the church in preparation for the awakening. The realization that "God...gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6) will become so widespread that humility will be sought like the treasure that it is. Then He will be able to give us His great grace.

When those who are lost witness the true grace of God upon His people, they will come to Him. His kindness will bring about true repentance and true humility. "Mercy triumphs over judgment" (James 2:13), and the Lord looks for every opportunity to show mercy rather than judgment, just as He revealed to Abraham (see Genesis 18).

Even so, the Lord's resolve in these days is incomprehensible to those who are given to any degree of compromise. He is not only kind, but He is also severe, as we are told in Romans 11:22. Compromise clouds our perspective of Him and often causes us to miss, or misunderstand, what He


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is doing. It is in His mercy that He will soon release His severity, convicting His people of their sin and compromise.

Our tendency is not to judge the world as it is, but as we are. We do not even judge the Lord as He is, but as we perceive Him to be, and our perception is often distorted. We like to assume that He is just like us, when in fact He is not. His ways are much higher than our ways. That is why we must behold Him with an unveiled face in order to be changed into His image (II Corinthians 3:18).

If such veils as culture, prejudice, spiritual wounds, and pet doctrines remain, they will distort the way we perceive Him. They will also distort our understanding of what He is doing. If we are going to be a prophetic generation, we must have the veils stripped away so we can see Him as He is, not as we are.

We must also be able to see His kindness and His severity equally. The Lord inhabited Solomon's temple for a time, and it was the most glorious building ever constructed. But He was also born in a stable, the most humble place He could have chosen. We must be able to find Him in either place. We must hear His voice, whether He is thundering from heaven or whispering in a still, small voice. And we must hear Him when He speaks through either seasoned prophets or young children.

In the days to come, we all will be either awakened or hardened. Opening our hearts to those who are different from us will be an important key to having a soft heart toward the Lord. Jesus taught that one of the characteristics distinguishing the sheep from the goats was that the sheep took Him in when He came to them as a foreigner (see Matthew 25:31-46). We will be judged on whether we are open to the foreigners and take them in. As we do to them, we do to Him.

When the Lord appeared to the two men on the road to Emmaus, they could not recognize Him because "He appeared in a different form" (Mark 16:12). Just as Israel did, we often miss Him because He does not come in the form we are expecting. Over and over He has tried to teach us this lesson. We must learn it if we are going to be a part of this next great move of God. Let us resolve to welcome Him in whatever form He comes.

Source URL: http://www.morningstarministries.org/resources/prophetic-bulletins/1997/greatest-

awakening-and-famine-land

morningstar prophetic bulletin-1997 by rick joyner

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