WHAT'

WHAT'S UP?

by Bill Burns

December 6, 1999: The following is a vision that my wife, Marsha Burns, received today--In a vision I saw a man on a unicycle carrying a red banner. As I didn't understand the vision, I watched as the man on the unicycle became a part of a three-ring circus under a big tent. There was also a death-defying, high-wire act and the ring master in the center ring announcing the next big event. As I watched, I saw Y2K written on the banner carried by the man on the unicycle. I was made aware that both the man on the unicycle and those on the high wire were doing a balancing act and that the high-wire act had been in process for some time before the cyclist's short performance. The spotlight was now beginning to highlight the middle ring. I asked the Lord the meaning of the vision, and I believe He revealed that the three rings of the circus represent spotlights of international attention. The high-wire act represents the economy and new highs on the stock market. That act will soon be over and the great performers will soon come down. The Y2K cyclist will be a balancing act, but will be short-lived despite all the media attention. As I watched and listened to the ring master, he announced the next event -- a wrestling match between a bear and a lion, which I believe is symbolic of war between Russia (the bear) and Israel (the Lion of the tribe of Judah), the beginning of the war outlined in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39. I did not see the beginning of the wrestling match, but only heard the announcement of it. I find it interesting that the first known circuses took place in the Circus Maximus in ancient Rome. Perhaps this vision also symbolizes and signals the beginning of the rule of the revised Roman Empire, the New World Order, and the revealing of the anti-christ. I also saw horses waiting in the shadows beyond the reach of the spotlight, ready to take their positions for their event following the wrestling match. Could they be the horses of Revelation chapter 6?

This is a very important vision as it reveals the coming events that will unfold on the world scene. The vision needs to be biblically expounded to explain in further detail that which is coming. It is, therefore, my purpose to enlarge this vision so that all may grasp the magnitude of that which is about to happen.

The High-Wire Act: This event represents the economy. It has taken a major balancing act to keep the economy high (high wire). The stock market has been at all-time highs for some time now. However, the wire tells us that there is very little holding it up, very little real substance for the market to stand on. In other words, it has been a circus act and is not based on reality (the true condition of the economy). This act is about over and will come down about the same time as the Y2K crisis is over.

The Y2K Situation: This event was short-lived despite all of the attention given to it. This does not mean that Y2K will not have any impact on the world. In the vision, the man on the unicycle was more of an attention getter before the next event could be announced. He was more of a distraction which would allow the high-wire performers to descend and allow the opportunity to move the new participants (lion and bear) to center stage. The Y2K event is the opportunity that the political opportunists will seize to begin to usher in the New World Order which will eventually come under the rule of the anti-christ.

UPDATE 1/9/2000: The political aspect of Y2K came with Yeltsin's resignation. Some have said this was the result of a silent coup. Saddam Hussein immediately began to establish a relationship with Mr. Putin. Herein we may have the beginning of the Russian-Muslim coalition that will become the bear of this vision.

The Wrestling Match: This event will be birthed out of the political alliances formed as a result of Y2K. I have always believed that the Ezekiel war (Gog and Magog) would be a forerunner to Armegeddon. This war could be the very reason for the seven-year peace treaty made by the anti-christ with Israel. Notice that Ezekiel 39:9 speaks of the burning of weapons for seven years. Interesting, to say the least that this number (7) corresponds to the 70th week (7 years) of Daniel 9:27.

Russia has been referred to as the "sleeping bear." Russia is also identified in Ezekiel 38 as the Prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal. Magog, Meshech and Tubal were sons of Japheth from whom came the Russians and Muscovites. Gomer is most likely Germany, and the rest of the nations listed in Ezekiel 38 are Muslim. We believe this assembly of nations that come with Russia to be the bear who comes to wrestle with the lion (of Judah). Ezekiel 38 and 39 tell us that the Gog alliance is supernaturally defeated by God's intervention.

The defeat of these nations will give the anti-christ who comes out of the revised Roman Empire (the E.U.) the opportunity to make a 7-year peace treaty with Israel. America's part in this could be spoken of in Ezekiel 38:13 as the merchants (trade nation) known as the Young Lions (young and powerful country). It seems as though they challenge Russia and company, but nothing more is said about these young lions. It is most likely though that America will be aligned with the E.U. and part of the New World Order.

With the establishment of the New World Order (kingdom of the anti-christ), the final events of human history will then take place before the kingdom of the King of kings is established here on earth. These events are outlined in Revelation chapters 6-18, and that takes us to the horses that were waiting in the shadows (of the vision) for their entrance into the middle ring (center stage).

The Horses: Revelation 6:1-8 reveals the unsealing of the works of the anti-christ and those things that come upon the earth. The following is a vision that I had on December 18, 1998: "THE HORSEMEN ARE COMING! Today, as I sit before the Lord of Hosts, I am aware of the coming storm. The wind is blowing, and upon the wind comes the sound of His voice. Over and over again these words keep coming, "The horsemen are coming. One has already come, but there are three yet to come."

"In the distance, I hear the sound of hoof beats thundering across the land. Dark and ominous clouds of death are gathering as though the sun is clothed with sackcloth. The moon has become red like blood, and through the sound of thunder comes the Master's voice. America, America, land of the free and the brave, have you heard this sound? Are you ready for the judgment to come? For, you would say to Me, Lord, Lord, we have endured the enemy, and we have won. But, I say, you have not yet run with these three horsemen which come. You have only run with the footmen, and they have wearied you. Then, how will you contend with horses? And if in this land of peace, in which you have trusted, they wearied you, then what will you do with the flood of destruction that comes?"

"Is it not written that you should pray that your flight may not be in the winter? And, have I not told you to find yourselves in safe habitations by the winter for tribulations are coming? You have heard it said that this is the time of My justice, and it is so, for the horsemen come! Now hear what the Spirit says. The white horse has been running to and fro across your land loosing the fiery darts of Antichrist, and your land has become defiled. This horse was loosed when you, a nation called one nation under God, took the voice of prayer from the mouths of My children. I have given you time to repent, but you would not. Not only did you take My voice from My children, but then you began to offer their blood to the rider of the white horse, and you took their lives in the womb, and their blood cries out from the ground."

"How long, O Lord, holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth? And, this is My answer to My children. Now come the three horses, the red horse comes to take peace from the earth, and war shall come. Then comes the black horse, and famine will come to the land of plenty. Then comes the pale horse and death shall cover the land. The winter is a time of preparation, a time for the birthing of faith, a pure faith, a strong faith, a holy faith. To those who are Mine I say, fear not. Though the enemy has been loosed, I have written a decree for the provision of My own. To those who are called by My name the oil and wine will be given, for it has been written, "Do not harm the oil and wine."

"As the Master's voice fades, I once again am aware of the sound of hooves...thundering through the spirit world, and again I hear, 'The horsemen are coming.' The still small voice of the Spirit calls, 'Come now and hide yourself until the indignation passes you by. Come and be found in Me.'"

And, the Spirit of the Lord says, it is time to awaken, people of the Lord. Have you noticed the holy hush that has come upon the prophets? It is much akin to the silence in heaven (Rev. 8:1) just before judgment comes upon the earth.

The prophets have been speaking for some time of the judgment to come. It seems as Y2K may just be the time of the final announcement, the banner of the cyclist. It now seems appropriate to remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Luke 21:27-28 "Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."

JACHIN AND BOAZ

October 28, 1999:

It is the hour of first light. The time of the bright and morning star and the voice of the Master beckons, "Come up here and I will show you that which is to come."

The call to come requires faith, and faith demands action, and so by faith I stepped into the Valley of Vision. In the valley I see pillars, large pillars that seem to connect heaven and earth--pillars of stone, pillars of cloud, pillars of fire, and pillars of bronze.

As I was marveling at the sight of these many pillars, the voice of the King of Glory thundered, "Jachin and Boaz, come forth! I am calling My pillars forth. I am building My temple. I have laid a sure foundation on which to set My pillars. Is it not written that I am both the cornerstone and the capstone? Now it shall be that My servants who have come out of Babylon will be both Jachin and Boaz to Me with shouts of truth and grace. They shall bring forth the capstone, and My temple will be complete. These are My two witnesses who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth. These are My men and women who will come forth as My pillars carrying the banner of truth. These are those who will worship in spirit and truth."

Images are very important. Images are the language of vision, and vision creates that which is spoken forth, calls those things which are not into being. The Master is now calling His pillars of truth into being, and they will become the support system of the house (temple) that He is now building.

He has already called His apostles and prophets to repair the foundational truths of His doctrine, but now He is calling His pillars to witness to the truth. The foundation is incomplete without the pillars and the capstone (Zechariah 4:7) and cannot become the crown of His glory (covering) over the temple (church) until the pillars are set in place and join together the whole building.

Ephesians 2:19-22, "Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."

The house of God can only come together and stand when the church is established in truth.

2 Pet 1:12 "Therefore I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know them, and are established in the present truth."

The church is the ground (foundation) and the pillar of truth on which the temple must be built. (1 Timothy 3:14-15) Those who choose to come out of Babylon will overcome deception and be bearers of the present truth (now being restored) by the Spirit of Truth. (John 14:16-17)

Listen to the promise of Jesus to those who overcome:

Revelation 3:12 "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name."

We must overcome the lies that the father of lies has established in the church. (1 Timothy 4:1)

When building the temple, wise King Solomon named the two bronze pillars that were set by the vestibule of the temple. (1 Kings 7:21) This presents an image for us to understand. The pillar on the right he called Jachin, which means "He shall establish." The Head of the church, our Lord Jesus, is at the right hand of the Father, and He is establishing (calling and setting) pillars of truth. The pillar on the left is named Boaz which means "it is strength." The image then is one of the Master, whose name is the Branch, building and establishing His temple by His authority (power and strength), and is now calling forth (preparing) pillars of truth.

Zechariah 6:12-13, "Then speak to him, saying, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, saying: "Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, And He shall build the temple of the LORD; Yes, He shall build the temple of the LORD. He shall bear the glory, And shall sit and rule on His throne; So He shall be a priest on His throne, And the counsel of peace shall be between them both."'

Jesus is the Truth: John 14:6, "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'"

Grace comes with Truth: John 1:14 "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:17, "For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."

The real church is a church who will worship in spirit (be led by the Spirit of Truth) and in truth (follow and worship the Word of Truth). John 4:23-24, "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

The result will be one of liberty because the truth will set the church free. John 8:31-32, "Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, 'If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.'"

Once again, my mind turns back to the images which I saw in the Valley of Vision. Pillars of stone which represent Christ the Solid Rock, the Living Word, the Cornerstone, the Rock from which flows living water.

The pillar of cloud which led Israel through the wilderness. A cloud provides shade (comfort) from the heat (trials) and brings the rain of the Spirit (anointing) which leads and guides us to our destiny.

The pillar of fire by night represents the fire of the Spirit who brings illumination (revelation) in the darkness of this present world.

The pillars of bronze represent the pillars of truth, those who are contending for the faith and the truth once delivered to the saints. The pillars that Solomon made measured 12 cubits in circumference. Twelve is the number of divine government. It will take the word of truth to establish the support system that will hold up the divine government of the Lord in the temple that He is now building.

2 Corinthians 6:7, "By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left."

The vision fades, but I can still hear the echo of the Master's words, "Jachin and Boaz, come forth! I am calling My pillars forth."

Will you answer the call? Will you lay aside your own agendas and say, "Here I am, Lord; make me a pillar in Your temple?"

A YEAR OF NEW BEGINNINGS (October 2, 1999)

Today is the eighth day of assembly known as the Feast of Conclusion which follows the seven days of Tabernacles (Succoth). It is a day of rejoicing over the word of the Lord. The number eight signifies new beginnings. On this, the eighth day, the old is passing away (in conclusion) and the new is springing forth.

Isaiah 42:9 "Behold, the former things have come to pass, And new things I declare; Before they spring forth I tell you of them."

The Lord has shown me seven things that will take place in the coming year. They are as follows:

1. A Year of New Beginnings: The year 2000 will witness the church entering a new millennium. The number two is the number of unity. It is also the number of the two witnesses. The Lord has brought about new relationships and has established covenant relationships among many of His people in these past few months. This work will continue as the year progresses.

Many glorious works for the kingdom will be accomplished by two witnesses in this coming year. These witnesses will be likened unto the witnesses of Revelation 11:1-7. They will be given power to accomplish the missions that the Master sends them on. In the beginning, Jesus sent them out two by two, and it shall again be so.

The three zero's found in the year 2000 signify that the church will be given a new beginning of days. A new calendar will be given; the old things will pass away, and all things will become new. This year for the church will be like unto that of Israel when God brought His people out of Egypt.

Exodus 12:1-2, "Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you."

Many of the Lord's people who are still bound in Egypt (the world) will have a revelation of the power of the blood of Jesus (the Passover), and old bondages will be broken.

We will now enter the third millennium since the birth of Christ, and the power of the third-day ministry will be found among His people. The ministry of the third day will be one of resurrection power, for it was on the third day that the Master conquered death, hell, and the grave.

It will be a year of release (into ministry) for those who have been in training (by His own hand) for the last three years (1996-1999). This will include a great army of youth who have been equipped for the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4:12).

2. A Year of Acceleration: On the Feast of Trumpets a new level of the glory of the Lord was released that will bring about an acceleration of the moving of the Spirit of God. This will bring about a quickening by the Holy Spirit that will amplify and magnify the workings of the gifts of the Spirit and bring them to new heights. This new level of anointing will come to those who ask and believe and are seeking to do the will of the Father. This is a year of acceleration. What used to take years will take months. What took months will take days. What took days will now only take hours when we are about the Father's business.

Quick answers to prayer, quick provision (transference of wealth). Quick deliverance and healing will become the norm. Eternal time will now invade natural time. The shadow on the sun dial will not longer stand still or move backwards. It will move speedily ahead by the command of the Most High.

This acceleration will bring in the harvest at a rapid rate, and the church will grow exceedingly. This acceleration will also be evident on the dark side as Satan accelerates his work to try to offset what the Lord is doing.

3. A Year Of Conquest: The church is spiritually at Gilgal. We have crossed the Jordan and are camped at Gilgal (Joshua chapter 4). The name Gilgal means a circle (of stones). Twelve stones from the Jordan River will become an altar of covenant promise, an altar of consecration (circumcision of the heart). These twelve stones represent the ancient foundations which were laid by the prophets and apostles. Once these foundations (pure doctrine) are uncovered and built upon by revelation knowledge, the church will be empowered for the conquest of it's promised inheritance.

Apostolic rule and power will then cause the walls of Jericho to come down, and the Lord of Hosts will give us the victory to possess the land (our inheritance). For seven days (seven church dispensations) the church has marched around Jericho. This year (for many) will be the seventh time around the walled city, and it is time to shout! Victory is assured because the battle belongs to the Lord. Let the conquest being! The northern army will be defeated.

Joel 2:20 "But I will remove far from you the northern army, And will drive him away into a barren and desolate land, With his face toward the eastern sea And his back toward the western sea; His stench will come up, And his foul odor will rise, Because he has done monstrous things."

Let us arise to the occasion and go forth into battle for it belongs to the Captain.

4. A Year Of Rain: The rains of the East Coast during the feast dates of 1999 are a sign of that which is spiritually coming. Jesus comes from the east to bring His glory to His temple.

Ezekiel 43:1-2, "Afterward he brought me to the gate, the gate that faces toward the east. And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory."

Hosea 6:3 "Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, Like the latter and former rain to the earth."

James 5:7 "Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain."

Now is the time to ask for this outpouring. We are in the third day (Hosea 6:2), and it is time to ask for the rain of the Spirit. The natural has come first; now comes the supernatural.

Zechariah 10:1, "Ask the LORD for rain In the time of the latter rain. The LORD will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, grass in the field for everyone."

The glory of the Lord comes with lightning and thunder , and the anointing of His power is now to come forth. This is the rain required to bring in the final harvest. The living water will begin to flow out of the temple, and a great harvest will come forth (Ezekiel 47:1-9).

Joel 2:23, "Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the LORD your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you; The former rain, And the latter rain in the first month. The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil."

5. The Year of Apostolic Formulation: Isaiah 4:5, "Then the LORD will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and above her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a covering."

His fire and cloud (glory) will be found over Zion (His church), for Zion has birthed the new manchild. His glory is now covering the new manchild which was birthed on the second day of Trumpets. Jesus was the first Manchild of Revelation 12:1-5. The prophets and apostles are now being birthed by the woman (church) to establish apostolic government in the church.

This birth of the new manchild will follow the pattern of the birth of the first Manchild (Jesus) but with acceleration. The first Manchild was born in obscurity and few knew that He was here. How many today truly know that the spiritual birth of the new manchild has taken place?

The scriptures give us a pattern. Luke chapter 2 tells us that some of the shepherds knew (Luke 2:8). Those with true shepherd's hearts will know. A prophet and a prophetess knew (Luke 2:25-38). This represents those who have been waiting for this sign (birth of a manchild), waiting for the restoration of apostolic power. Matthew 2:1 tells us that the wise men knew. They are those who have known the season of visitation and are willing to give their gifts to the King.

Matthew 2:16 tells us that Herod knew. Herod is a type of Satan who will also try to kill the new manchild. Luke 2:40 tells us that the child grew, but the growth of the new manchild will be one of acceleration. In Luke 2:42-46 we find Jesus as age 12 (number of divine government) in the temple and after three days (third-day ministry) sitting in the midst of His Father's house.

Acceleration will now do in twelve months what took twelve years in Jesus' day. The result will be that the new manchild will be about the Father's business of establishing apostolic authority in His house. Historically the Psalms have given us a prophetic insight into what will take place in the coming year. Last year we used Psalm 99, so in staying with the pattern, we will use Psalm 100 for the year 2000.

Psalm 100:1-5, "Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations."

This Psalm will be the result of those prophets and apostles (the manchild) now being caught up to the throne of God according to Hosea 6:2. It is the third day (2,000 years after His birth) as a day is to the Lord as a thousand years (2 Peter 3:8).

This is how the apostolic government will come to pass. The Master will catch His elect up to the third heaven and give instruction in the same manner as it was with the Apostle Paul.

Behold, a new manchild comes clothed in the glory of the Lord!

6. A Year of Decision: Joel 3:13-14, "Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; For the winepress is full, The vats overflow; For their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision."

The trumpets and the thunders have sounded, the warnings have been shouted from the mountain tops, and now it is required that a decision be made. The book of Joshua is relevant for the conquest that the church will begin to achieve this year. It is, therefore, relevant for the decision that many must now make.

Josh 24:15 "And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

Josh 24:22 So Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD for yourselves, to serve Him." And they said, "We are witnesses!"

Many will ignore the warnings and continue to serve themselves and will become witnesses against themselves.

If it is true that a new level of the glory of God was released with the birth of the manchild on the Feast of Trumpets, then the Feast of Trumpets set in motion the final events of the church age. That which follows then becomes very significant for the year ahead of us. The ten days from Trumpets to the Day of Atonement are known as the Days of Awe.

According to Jewish custom, three books are opened on the Feast of Trumpets. One is the Book of Life for the righteous . Second is the Book of Life for the unrighteous. The third is the Book of Life for those in-between. If a man is deemed righteous, his name is written in the Book of Life for the righteous at the Feast of Trumpets. If a man is unrighteous, his name is written in the Book of Life for the unrighteous, and he will not survive the year.

However, because we are under the New Covenant of grace, it may be that the unrighteous (those having heard the warnings but refused to change) will be given one more year to make a decision to repent and get right with God. Let us pray that it shall be so.

7. A Year of Continuation: Last year the Holy Spirit spoke that 1999 would be known as the year of His justice. That word has certainly come to pass here at Faith Tabernacle, and most likely it has also come to pass for many others in the Body of Christ around the world. His justice includes both judgment (for the unrighteous) and vindication for the righteous.

This work of the Master's justice will continue in this coming year, but it will become an accelerated work. His justice will also be accelerated in the work of separation--wheat from tares; sheep from goats.

Matthew 13:41 "The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness."

As this separation takes place, two churches will become more easily identified. Mystery Babylon, the harlot (Revelation chapter 7) and the Church of the First Born (Jesus). Those who worship in truth and in spirit will become more visible as the separation process takes place.

These are seven things that the Spirit says to the church. Today is the Feast of Conclusion, and seven is God's number of completion. The events of the past are completed (brought to conclusion) and now the new things spring forth.

May we be found rejoicing over the Master's words and may He give us ears to hear so that we are prepared for that which is now to come in this new year. Amen.

THE BIRTH OF A NEW MANCHILD (August 30, 1999)

I have recently received several e-mails that have indicated that September 11, 1999, Tishri 5760, could be the rapture date for the church. The writers of these articles examine all of the symbols that go with the number 5760.

The articles are quite convincing and very informative, and they do a good job of establishing the fact that September 11, 1999, must be significant.

In an article on the What's Up page of our website entitled "Prophet Insight 1996-1999" I wrote: I believe that it is likely that the rapture could take place on one of the two days of the Feast of Trumpets (no man knows the day or the hour), but if the rapture doesn't take place in 1999, then I believe that these 3 1/2 years (1996-1999) will have been for the distinct purpose of restoring the church to apostolic power, and then the church will walk in the Master's footsteps for another 3 1/2 years, and then the end shall come.

I no longer believe that it is likely that the rapture will take place September 11 of this year. However, something very significant will take place, and it will be the birth of a new manchild.

The following is a prophetic word given December 20, 1998, concerning this new manchild. I come to you, My children, for I have an announcement to make. There is to be the birth of a new manchild, a glorious manchild. One that will follow Me and preach as I preached, and walk as I walked, and cast out demons as I cast out demons, and lay hands on the sick as I laid hands on the sick. And, they shall rise and be healed, for I am now coming to live in you. Behold, I am indeed the first manchild, but now I come to you in a new dimension of time, a dimension of glory, and I call you forth to walk in the power that I walked in; to walk in the anointing that I walked in; to walk in the dominion that I walked in, and to do the works that I came to do upon this earth. I now call you forth. Some of you have glimpsed just an open window of the destiny that lies before you, but I say to you, in this coming year you shall come through that opening into a new place. Behold, a new manchild comes forth to live in power, to rule in glory. I extend to you today the staff of life, but not only the staff of life, for that you have understood. But, now I extend to you the rod of iron, the rod of My authority, the rod of My power, the rod of the governing powers of My kingdom. I come to you in the dimension and the dominion of My Spirit today to spark a new life within you. Behold it comes this day and will carry you through the trials which are before you. It will carry you forth in the power that I, Myself, walked in. For this is indeed that season and time. I say unto you, look up, for not only does your redemption draw nigh, but watch for the glory that is to come upon you. Pray that it would come to you quickly, receive it as a gift, for it has been given freely as the gift of My kingdom for those who have been faithful to walk with Me in this the end of the age. Open your hearts, My children, to receive fully the gift not only of salvation but that of glory and power and divine rule. I send it forth on the wind of My Spirit to touch your spirit. I say, receive!

On the day of Pentecost when the church was birthed, the Apostle Peter quoted the Prophet Joel:
Acts 2:19, "I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke."

Joel said that these signs would be given prior to the Day of the Lord (day of His return). Now read the following article published by Greg Killian: "From 1996 to 1999, precisely at the time of the Feast of Trumpets in Israel (September 11-12, 1999) there will be a sign in the heavens that has never occurred before and will never occur again. The new moon will be 'born' in the constellation of Bethulah (the Virgin) on this date during each of these four years, and will then move directly to the feet of the Virgin within 24 hours. The Sun is just below the horizon, so that Bethulah is 'clothed' with the Sun. Positioned over the Virgin's head is the constellation known as 'Bernice's Hair' -- this is the crown of twelve stars! And higher, above her legs, we find Draco, the Dragon, poised to devour her child when it is born." Greg Killian believes that the three-year period of this sign may represent the 'birth pangs' of the woman. In 1996 and also in 1999, this sign occurs on the Sabbath. His thought is that these birth pangs may have begun in 1996, with the actual birth taking place in 1999 (?). Please remember that this particular positioning of the constellation Bethulah (the Virgin) about to give 'birth' to Lavanah (the moon), has never occurred before, and will never occur again due to the procession of the equinoxes."

Please notice that this sign in the heavenlies is being given after the birth of Christ, in our generation, so it must be relevant for the church in 1999. In fact, this great sign being given in the heavenlies is also found in the scriptures.

Revelation 12:1-5, "Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne."

Let's apply the law of double reference to this scripture and see what we come up with. First, we shall see our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as the Manchild.

1. The woman clothed with the sun is Israel.

2. The twelve stars on her head represent Israel (12 tribes) who gave birth as a nation to Jesus.

3. The dragon is Satan who tries to destroy Christ at His birth through Herod who ordered the children to be put to death (see Matthew 2:16).

4. Jesus who is to rule all nations with a rod of iron (all authority) was caught up to God and to His throne. (see Acts 2:9-11)

Secondly, we see the new manchild as being the birth of the apostles and prophets who will establish divine government in the church in these last days. These apostles and prophets of the Lord have been being prepared since 1996, and their ministries will be birthed by the church in 1999 (September 11, 1999).

1. The woman (church) clothed with the Sun (Jesus) will give birth to the prophets and apostles.

2. The twelve stars represent apostolic government.

3. Satan (the dragon) has also tried to destroy those who have been prepared by Jesus to establish His divine rule in the church.

4. This divine government (apostles and prophets) will be given the rod of iron (Christ's authority) to establish His rule in His church, and these too will be caught up to the throne (the rapture).

The foundation of the church is established on the covenant relationships of the apostles and prophets (Ephesians 2:19-20). The prophetic ministries have been birthed (since 1996), and now the apostolic ministries are coming forth into covenant relationships with the prophetic.

In a letter dated November 21, 1998, I wrote: Apostolic-prophetic covenant relationship, instead of an authoritative structure, shall be formed. The covenant is a spiritual leading of the Lord in which He has joined people together by a silent but mutual consent, formulated by respect for the calling and gifting upon those relationships that He Himself has brought together. I am just at this moment realizing what an absolutely awesome work of the Spirit this will be. We see the same God who initiated a covenant with Abraham (based upon personal relationship) is about to bring His church into covenant relationship with each other and with Himself. I can at this moment see that this is the only authoritative structure that can work at this point in church history. Nothing else would have the potential of bringing His body together at this point in time. Hebrews 7:22, "By so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant." This will be the result of this better covenant at the end of the church age--the Body of Christ brought together into covenant relationship based on the finished work of the cross along with mutual respect rather than clamoring to see who will get the best seats of apostolic-prophetic rule in His house.

This new manchild is also known prophetically as the sons of glory, the two witnesses of Revelation 11:1-5, the two anointed ones of Zechariah 4:14, the Elijahs to come, Joel's and Gideon's armies, and the sons of thunder.

These are the types that the new human child will come after. God's anointed church, men and women, Jew and Gentile, those who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. And these will go forth in the power and authority of the Almighty to reap the final harvest, and John 14:12 will be fulfilled.
John 14:12 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father."

The Father's glory will now be released. Isaiah 60:1-3, "Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising."

THE CUP OF DEMONS (July 18, 1999)

One of the most surprising things that I have experienced in my Christian walk is how vehemently people will defend and justify their worldly attachments. Compromise is the key word as to why the church today is powerless.

I question if many really believe the Word of God. Consider, for instance, James 4:4 "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." The word "enmity" means hostility and yet we make ourselves the enemy of God by bringing worldly practices into the church and try to sanctify them by adding the word "Christian" to them.

In Revelation 3:14-22, Jesus is speaking about the characteristics of the end-time church. Rev 3:16 "So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth." A lukewarm church is a compromised church.

The church has become wealthy with worldly attachments, and they no longer find it necessary to come out from among them and be separated to God. The church can no longer say with Peter, "Silver and gold have I none," (Acts 3:6) but neither can it say, "Such as we do have, we give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk."

New Age practices are making their way into the church at an alarming rate. The attitude of much of the church seems to be that these practices are harmless. Of course, most of those don't believe that demons can trouble Christians.

I have heard all of the normal nonsense such as we don't want to give the devil glory by talking about his devices. Or, we don't want to be looking for devils behind every rock or hanging on every door knob.

The truth is door knobs open doors, and demon spirits have the right to come through doorways that are opened to them. New Age and worldly practices (the flesh) open spiritual doors that establish altars of sacrifice to demonic forces. Those who allow these sacrifices to take place in the church become partakers of demons. 1 Corinthians 10:18-22, "Observe Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons. Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?"

Would you agree with me that demons will defile the temple of God? All one has to do to identify altars of demons is to look at the root of the tree that we are feeding at. Where did New Age practices have their origin? Matthew 7:16-21, "You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."

We cannot change the fruit of the tree by adding the name "Christian" to it. New Age practices have their roots in Eastern mysticism, and they can't be changed. Luke 3:9 "And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

The Spirit of the Lord has been speaking through His prophets to the church to get ready for the coming judgment, the time of sifting and threshing and preparation is almost over. The Day of the Lord is coming, and much of the church has no oil for their lamps, and they are lost in the darkness of a lukewarm, apostate, backslidden generation of compromised Christianity. Many are wearing the Babylonian garments of the New Age. Many churches have become the habitation of demons. Revelation 18:1-4, "After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury." And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues."

The cry of the Spirit is "come out from among them; do not touch the unclean thing." Lay the ax to the root of every tree that has it's roots in the world, New Age, and satanic sources. Altars of demons must be torn down and thrown out. Is it not written that Jesus is coming for a bride without spot or wrinkle? (Ephesians 5:27) Doesn't the Word say that the bride has made herself ready? (Revelation 19:7-8) Isn't the wedding garment the righteous acts of the saints? It is written that you cannot drink of the cup of demons and also drink the cup of the Lord. Doesn't the scripture declare that you cannot serve two masters? Why, then, do you think you can serve mammon (the world) and also God? Have I not warned you of the coming apostasy (falling away)? Are you unable to discern the times and seasons in which you live? Are these not perilous times? Look around you and listen, for even the news has become prophetic.

Isaiah 26:20-21, "Come, my people, enter your chambers, And shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, Until the indignation is past. For behold, the LORD comes out of His place To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; the earth will also disclose her blood, And will no more cover her slain."

THE PLACE OF VICTORY! (April 25, 1999)

There is a tremendous unrest in the spirit world right now. Satan has unleashed an all-out attack to wear out the saints. His purpose is to try to get us to disqualify ourselves through doubt and discouragement.

The Father is about to release the third-day anointing of resurrection power upon His church, and Satan wants to disqualify you before this happens. The murder of the students in Littleton, CO was for the purpose of loosing a spirit of death and destruction over America. In other words, Satan has prepared a spiritual climate or atmosphere of death that will allow demonic attacks to come upon those who give in to his tactics.

Discouragement will open the door for this spirit of murder and death to come against you. Hindering spirits have been sent to trouble God's people, to get them to give in to discouragement so that spiritual death can smother the life of the Holy Spirit in them.

The secret of victory is in the understanding of this simple statement: The gates of hell will not prevail against the church if the church will fight from a place of victory instead of fighting to try to get the victory.

The victory has already been won on the cross by Jesus. Colossians 2:15, "Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it." Jesus has disarmed Satan's power triumphing over them in the cross. Now listen to 2 Corinthians 2:14, "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place."

Did you notice the word always? In other words, the gates of hell (authority of hell) will not prevail against God's servants. Oh, to be sure, we must fight the battles, but we must learn to fight with the knowledge that victory is assured instead of fighting hoping to get the victory!

This concept is clearly illustrated in 1 Samuel chapter 17 in David's victory over Goliath. All of the armies of Israel have given in to Goliath's curses which created a demonically charged atmosphere of fear and death. This is made clear in 1 Samuel 17:43, "So the Philistine said to David, 'Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?' And the Philistine cursed David by his gods."

However, David does not yield to the spiritual climate, but rather creates his own spiritual atmosphere in verse 26 when he says, "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the Living God?"

Please notice that David refers to Goliath as uncircumcised. In other words, David is saying that we are the circumcised of God, and we are in covenant with Him, and He has already guaranteed us the victory. Listen closely to David's words. 1 Samuel 17:36-37 "Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God." Moreover David said, "The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you!"

Now listen to David again, and you will see that he goes out to fight the giant from a place of victory. David has won the battle before he even goes out. 1 Samuel 17:44-47, And the Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!" Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. "This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. "Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands."

My brothers and sisters in Christ, the position that you fight from is part of the strategy of spiritual warfare. If you will fight from a position of victory, then the battle belongs to the Lord. If you are fighting to try to get the victory, then you will be doing it in your own strength. Do you see it? The authority of hell cannot have victory over the authority of the cross. It is finished! The victory has already been won!

Revelation knowledge of what I am telling you will allow you to go to the battle with tremendous faith in the outcome, for it is written that God always leads us in triumph in Christ, and the scriptures cannot be broken!

Listen to the Apostle Paul's testimony of this victory that I am talking about:
2 Timothy 3:11, "Persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me."
2 Timothy 4:18, "And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!"

Yes, it is true that Satan is a roaring lion seeking whom he might devour, but if we resist him steadfast in the faith, and with a knowledge that the victory has already been won, then we shall be delivered from the jaws of the lion.

Do not yield to discouragement, My people, for discouragement is the destroyer of faith, and without faith you will give up. This is the death that your adversary has designed for you. The spirit of death has been loosed in the land, but is it not written that whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven? Therefore, I say, bind the works of death and loose the power of resurrection life in your land. Declare the victory, and then rise up and take it. Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

Amen...so be it, Mighty God, for You shall provide the power for victory!

WHERE ARE WE NOW? (March 31, 1999)

Periodically I like to reflect upon the words from the Lord for the past few months so that I can identify the prophetic season in which we live. I believe the Lord speaks to us so that we can get in step with what the Holy Spirit is doing in the process of restoration of all things. It is much easier to cooperate with the work of the Spirit if we know what He is doing.

It is, therefore, my intention to prophetically identify that which has taken place this winter and what is yet ahead of us. When I say us, I mean those who have submitted to the threshing, sifting, pruning and refining of the last three months.

The Winter Sifting

For the most part the winter sifting is behind us. The Lord has been cleansing His people of the works of the flesh. Jesus has been cleansing His church.

Ephesians 5:27, "That He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish."

I believe the next three events will take place on consecutive stages, but also each event will overtake the next and continue through the whole as the plowman overtakes the reapers. The first takes place in the Outer Court, the second in the Holy Place, and the third in the Holy of Holies.

The Grinding of the Wheat

Once the wheat is sifted, it is then ground into fine flour. The hard husk is broken, and the heart of the grain is crushed and mixed together with the hearts of others that are being ground together. This speaks of the unity found within the covenant relationships which will now be formed by the Master for His end-time purposes.

This grinding process will also cause a separation of some existing relationships because they are not covenant relationships. These covenant relationships will be brought forth only for those who are in covenant with God to the extent that they can truthfully say, "Father, Your will, not mine, be accomplished in this the season of grinding."

Those who were unwilling to be sifted will also be unwilling to be crushed of self-serving attitudes and will be separated out and will remain in the Outer Court Ministry that they are presently involved in, and they will progress no further.

At this time, it is extremely important that we remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ as He told His disciples of the signs of the end in Matthew 24:10, "And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another." In this we must remain blameless.

Again, it will be as it was on the Day of Pentecost in the Upper Room where covenant relationships were birthed in the day of His power.

The Golden Oil (Zechariah 4:12):

Once the wheat is ground and mixed together, the golden oil (anointing) will be added to the flour and mixed together and bonded by the oil. This is the law of the grain offering. Leviticus 6:15, "He shall take from it his handful of the fine flour of the grain offering, with its oil, and all the frankincense which is on the grain offering, and shall burn it on the altar for a sweet aroma, as a memorial to the LORD."

The frankincense represents the sweet fragrance of the prayers of the saints who have been brought together in the Holy Place before the altar of incense.

At this point, the bread (table of shewbread) and the golden oil (candlestick), the Word and the anointing, will be mixed together and will become a sweet frangrance of unity and power, and we will be made ready to enter the Holy of Holies as His anointed priests.

This is the phase that we are now entering, and the Lord has given us signs in the natural to tell us what is coming spiritually.

1 Corinthians 15:37-38, "And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain; perhaps wheat or some other grain. But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body."

1 Cor 15:44, "It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body."

The Lord is bringing forth a spiritual body, of covenant bread anointed with the golden oil of His Spirit.

In the Holy Place everything is made of gold. Signs of gold and oil have been given--gold fillings in teeth, gold dust falling in meetings, and oil appearing in the hands of His people. These are the signs in the natural of that which the Lord is doing spiritually.

The grain offering is being prepared, ground together, and mixed with His oil prepared to become one loaf, baked in the oven of His covenant fire. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire, and the veil has been rent, and open is the way into the Holy of Holies.

The Third Day Ministry

Those who enter into the Holy of Holies will be brought into the resurrection power of third-day ministry. This season of ministry is identified in Hosea 6:1-3. Jesus is coming as the rain of His Spirit to lift us up into His presence. Now 2,000 years after His first coming, we are entering the third day. On the third day, the Lord Jesus Christ was raised up by the resurrection power of the Spirit. This is the power prophesied by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 1:18-20, "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places."

It is during the third-day ministry that the manifest presence of the sons of glory, those who have entered into the Holy of Holies, will be in evidence upon this earth. The Father's glory will be visible on His sons and daughters, the fire and cloud of His glory will be found upon those who have been brought to the ark of the covenant.

The blood has already been poured upon the mercy seat by our Savior, and those that have come into the Holy Place will walk in the covenant promise of that which is held within Abba's ark (His heart).

The tablets of stone, His word that has been written upon our hearts and is alive within our minds, will establish His doctrine in His church, and the false will not be found in His covenant people.

The golden pot of manna--fresh manna, revelation knowledge, will be given to those who feast daily at His table. Abba's strategies will be revealed at the table of the Lord, and His covenant sons and daughters will know His plans and be prepared for every good work.

Aaron's Rod--priestly authority will be given and great power will be demonstrated by the sons of His glory. The princes of darkness will fall before them, the captives will be set free, and the final harvest will be brought into the Master's barn.

Now, hear what the Spirit says to the church: Many of you have been wounded by the enemy, and you are discouraged even to the point of despair. I say, do not give up. Do not quit. Shake off the dust, for this is the day of My power. It is spoken of in My word that after two days I will revive you, I will heal you, I will bind you up, and I AM now doing this work. The days of glory are before you; they have been established, and the scriptures cannot be broken. Now is the hour of visitation. Rise up, you sons and daughters of My glory, for this is your finest hour, and the whole creation is waiting for the manifestation of the glorious liberty of the children of God. It is My intention to manifest My power through My anointed ones that the world itself will know that I am with My beloved. Be strong in the power of My might, renew your faith, be not cast down, but arise and shine for the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.

PROPHETIC ALERT 1999 (Satan's Three Moves) -- January 8, 1999:

The Lord has spoken that His people should be found in safe habitations for the winter months. Many are about to fall away from the faith by being seduced into the false prophetic movement that Satan is now releasing as he sends forth deceiving spirits.

The safe habitation of the Father's work right now is found on the threshing floor where His true servants are being winnowed by the hand of the Master and are being prepared for the final sifting. The final cleansing of the Bride is underway to bring her forth in His mighty power.

We could call this an upper room sifting where the final seeds of self-serving attitudes are removed, and then the true saints of God will be found in one accord and baptized together in the power of His fire, and they will go forth in the fullness of the Holy Spirit demonstrating the power of HIS kingdom.

Satan will attempt to abort this process by bringing his own prophetic revival to try to stop the present cleansing move of the Most Holy Spirit as God refines His church.

One of the elements of destruction that Satan has used in the past is extremism. This again will be his ploy and will manifest in three identifiable ways in this coming year. I am speaking here of a substantial increase in the intensity of these movements, which have already been promoted by some.

Satan's Three Moves:

1. The extremism of unscriptural grace. A grace will be preached that forsakes the necessity of obedience to the word. It will take such forms as: God will save everybody. Or, salvation cannot be lost. If anyone preaches or prophesies along these lines, it would be good to remember the word of God in Hebrews 10:26-30, "For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The LORD will judge His people."

2. The extremism of law keeping. A group of so-called prophetic ministers will join together and demand that the church return to a Saturday Sabbath-keeping doctrine. They will be like the Galatians who want to return to law keeping of the Sabbath according to the law of Moses. Galatians 3:1-3 "O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?"

Jesus has fulfilled the law on the Cross. Colossians 2:14-17, "Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ."

The issue of keeping the law of Moses was settled at the church council as recorded in the Book of Acts in chapter 15. The council's judgment was not made by the wisdom of man (as it is being done today), for Acts 15:28 says, "It seemed good to the Holy Spirit." Let us, therefore, remember the wisdom of the Apostle Paul as spoken forth in Galatians 5:1-8, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you."

3. Extremism of the party spirit. Satan will try to push this next move of the Holy Spirit into a party mentality where the people just want to have fun in the Holy Ghost. Those that are caught up in this move will forget about the harvest.

I am not stating that we should not continue in the joy of the Lord when it comes by the Spirit. What I am saying is that Satan will try to move people to become inordinate in pleasure seeking through a let's-party-in-the-Lord attitude.

The Lord, by His Spirit, tells us that we should not be ignorant of Satan's devices--his schemes against us. So as a watchman of the Lord, I am blowing the trumpet loud and clear. He who has ears to hear let him hear what the Spirit is saying. This three-fold cord of Satan will not be easily broken, and I believe that as a result of these three moves of Satan, the church will find herself in a civil war in 1999. Those who give in to these seducing spirits will condemn and persecute the true servants of the Most High who are now on the threshing floor being prepared to carry the mantle of true apostolic authority.

When the true servants come forth, you will have no problem recognizing them, for the glory of the Most High shall rest upon them, and they will be about their Father's business, while the deceived indulge themselves in deceptive extremes. Selah.

STREAMS FROM BABYLON--January 25, 1999:

In this season of sifting, I am preparing My children to contain My glory, and thus, they shall be called the sons of My glory. These I shall use to rebuild My temple of living ones.

As it was in the days of old, it shall be again. As it was in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, it shall unfold. The time of the sifting represents the removal of rubbish so that My temple can be rebuilt. Then, the foundation of My holy apostles and prophets will come forth, and it shall be that they shall restore the truth and purity of My word. For this is the time of the restoration of My word.

Now, hear what the Spirit says to the church -- BEWARE OF THE STREAMS FROM BABYLON! There are false prophetic words flowing among My people, and these are coming from those who are operating out of a Babylonian spirit of divination. This is the enemy's plan to pollute the living streams (prophetic words) and thereby hinder the restoration of My prophetic word. Stand against these streams, My people. I say, cut them off and give them no place to flow in your land (place of inheritance).

I find this a very interesting word because last week the Holy Spirit led me to some scriptures in Ezra.

"Ezra came up from Babylon; and he was a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given. The king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him."
Ezra was leaving Babylon (place of bondage), and he was a skilled scribe (one who knew the Word). Today this would represent the apostles and prophets who are under the hand of the Father to re-establish a pure doctrine. So Ezra went to gather the people who were to be used in the temple rebuilding and lead them out of Babylon.

Ezra 8:15, "Now I gathered them by the river that flows to Ahava, and we camped there three days. And I looked among the people and the priests, and found none of the sons of Levi there."
Ahava is a city in Babylon situated near a stream of the same name. Ahava means streams--thus the phrase, "streams from Babylon." In Revelation 17 Mystery Babylon (the harlot church) is identified and also controls or influences many people who drink polluted waters (the word defiled).

Revelation 17:15, "The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues."

Now, back to Ezra, by the river Ahava, taking dominion over the streams of Babylon (pollution which could follow them and hinder the work of rebuilding the temple).

Ezra 8:21-23, "Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions. For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, 'The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.' So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer."

It is also interesting to me that Nehemiah went out at night, in darkness, by the brook (Kidron) to survey the broken down walls of Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 2:15 KJV)

Kidron means gloomy and spiritually represents polluted waters. The events that took place at Kidron are indeed gloomy and represent the works of Satan against the living streams of the word of God and His anointing.

David crossed Kidron while fleeing from Absalom in 2 Samuel 15:23, 30. After David crossed Kidron, Shimei cursed David in 2 Samuel 16:5 & 6..

The streams from Babylon are intended to bring a curse against God's anointed by polluting the waters. Selah.

The prophets of God are those that are called to confront the false prophets as Elijah did the prophets of Baal and as Jesus did the scribes and Pharisees.

Living water represents the life of the Holy Spirit, and the streams of Babylon are designed to pollute the waters (destroy the anointing). Now, allow me to take you to the Jordan for a moment. The Jordan River represents the washing of the water by the word (Jesus) which releases the anointing. Elijah struck the Jordan with His mantle (authority and anointing), and Jesus went down bodily (in baptism) into Jordan to cleanse the waters of spiritual pollution; He didn't need cleansing. When He came up out of the water, the power of the Spirit was released.

When Jesus was getting ready to leave this world, He took His disciples to Caesarea Philippi to make a declaration in Matthew 16:13-18, but why there? And why this statement: Matthew 16:18-19 "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

Caesarea Philippi just happens to be situated at the head waters of the Jordan River, and as the crow flies, the Jordan is 120 miles long. Now I am sure that most would say that it is just a coincidence that there were 120 in the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit who came on Jesus in the Jordan came on the church.

Here is some background on Caesarea Philippi:
1. Caesarea Philippi was named by Herod's son, Philip, in honor of the deity of the Roman emperor, Augustus Caesar, to honor man as God.
2. The place was filled with pagan shrines built into caverns on Mount Herman. Before it was renamed, the city was named Paneas by the Greeks in honor of their god, Pan, the god which creates fear. This fear was called panic!
3. A common legend among the pagans was that at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, a great cry was heard by many that the "great Pan was dead."

This is the place that Jesus brought His church to declare the gates (we could say the head gates) of Hades shall not prevail against My church. The church must keep the living waters free from pollution, vexation and curses of the enemy.

Jude writes that we should "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." And he says in verse 12 that "they are spots (hidden reefs)...clouds without water (living water)...twice dead." In verse 19, "These are sensual persons, who cause division, having not the Spirit."

And the Spirit of the Lord says: The streams from Babylon have come to flood the plain of Jordan to pollute My living waters, and for this reason I now call forth My Elijah's to confront the enemy. Arise, My anointed, for it is now time to war against the Baal's. Have I not said that I would send Elijah before the dreadful day of the Lord? How will the hearts of the fathers and children be turned if you don't arise and declare the truth? How long will you halt between these two opinions, My people?

Bill Burns

home