TSGN05: LET JESUS BEAR THE WEIGHT!
DO/TS 3/95
--Prophecies for All Those Going Through Difficult Times--By Maria
1. Knowing that many of you have been going through some very big trials--and some of you have been battling heavily for extended periods--I felt burdened to share with you these beautiful words of instruction, comfort and love from the Lord which were given for one of our precious leaders after she poured out her heart to us about the battles she has been fighting, the burdens she has been carrying, and the strain that she has been feeling.
2. Jesus loves each one of you so much! --He sees your struggles, He knows the terrible waves of doubt and discouragement which threaten to overwhelm you. He knows that sometimes you just feel like you can't go on another day. He cares for you so deeply and His heart is touched more than you can imagine when He sees your agony. He says these precious words below to you too if you will but accept them and believe. Yes, Jesus does care when your heart is pained and you stagger beneath the load, and when your sad heart aches until it almost breaks. He is right there beside you!--You are not alone!
3. Maybe you have thought that your leaders have it a lot easier than you do and that they don't have to struggle nearly so much. This is not the case. The Lord makes us go through many battles and tests for the same reasons that you must go through these things. And in addition, He allows it so that we may "comfort with the comfort wherewith we have been comforted," and that we may lead you as we have been led, and that we may strengthen you as we have been strengthened by our dear Lord, the God of all comfort and guidance and strength.
4. To give you a little background on this dear leader's situation, she has made many sacrifices over the years and served the Lord faithfully in many difficult situations. She has poured out her heart and life in helping others and has been faithful in all her house--in spite of facing what seemed like a losing battle on a difficult field and vicious spiritual attacks on every hand, attempts by the Enemy to destroy the work and our Family there. On top of this, she faced many personal battles, and in the last few years the burdens have continued to mount and the responsibility to grow.
5. In the face of all this, the Lord is calling her teamworker and second mate to step aside from his duties for awhile. As you can imagine, this proposal has been quite difficult for them--not only the personal side, but workwise, as the great load that he had been carrying seemed now to fall on her shoulders.
6. First we will include excerpts from this leader's communications with us, followed by my prayer for her and the Lord's answers. Then after the first prophecy for this dear leader, more prayers and prophecies through Peter and others follow throughout this GN, which were given during the next nine or ten days. PTL!
Personal Letter to Mama, Peter and Gary:
7. Thank you all for the wonderful way you've been going before us in this new revolution that the Lord's Spirit is working to bring about in all of our lives. Your Letters, Mama, and your explanation, Peter, of what the Lord is doing in your life have been like a light going before me to help me to see the goal more clearly, as well as to have faith that even though the way seems pretty rocky sometimes, you're there ahead marking the way for us, in a sense, and it gives me a lot more faith to accept what I feel the Lord's doing in my life, as well as in the lives of others of our teamwork.
8. Basically it's been a tremendous struggle to find the balance between taking care of the very important, but nevertheless "tending tables" type of work which communications often involves (although much of it is shepherding too), and sitting at the Lord's feet and getting His instructions for the day, hearing His solutions to the situations around us, committing things to Him so He'll do more of the work for us and we'll have more rest in Him, and spending time loving and ministering the Word to people.
9. I am now in the same Home with some of my children, which I'm happy about after so many years of being apart from them for the work's sake. I feel they are very needy in different ways, and it has been like a tug-of-war on my heart and emotions and sense of priorities. I feel that I need to make my own children more of a personal priority than they have been, due to my leadership responsibilities.
10. I've had a difficult time communicating with my teen son for quite a few years now. His lack of real deep communication and my not really knowing what's going on inside of him has made me very concerned and desperate for him. And now he has just told me that he has made the decision to leave the Family, which of course is very heart-breaking. In addition to this, I feel very burdened for my JETT who I feel I need to spend some time with. I'm rarely with him and he's made some comments about how I barely know him, and even when I'm in the same Home, he feels I'm often too busy to spend time with him. I want him to know me as a mommy too, and do what I can to help prevent any bitterness or bad feelings building up about him not being with me.
11. Regarding my mate helping elsewhere for awhile, I would be very happy for him to have a time away like that. I feel it would make a new man out of him. However, there have been some changes on this end, which I feel I need to explain. Among them, there is a very big job to do here, both in shepherding, as well as in practical organization. Your message said that with the prospect of the changes brought about by the Charter and so forth, that you felt we could handle what needs to be done here. I'm sorry to have to say so, but I don't feel that way right now. Even before reading your message about my mate leaving, I was going to ask if there was anyone anywhere who could come to help us. I wonder if we're even just barely keeping our heads above water here.
12. Many of our previous pillars in the work here are either feeling the need to take some time off with their children, or else we're finding them in great need of training themselves. All are in need of strengthening, of the load being taken from them that they've been carrying for a long time, and of learning how to shepherd and help people in the right way. We feel now is the time to give this part of the work some attention, training and help, but I don't feel I can do it without someone to handle the more administrational side and some of the communications, nor without a counselor.
13. All that to say that I feel that my mate leaving would mean that much of the shepherding and business would be up to me, and I don't think I can do it.
14. And one more thing: I'm pregnant! --About two weeks over my period, just a little bit, but nevertheless pregnant. I know the Lord can strengthen me and I've been happy about it, accepting it as the Lord's will and even as part of His plan to help me to be more dependent on Him, to find a strength in weakness, maybe a little lesser degree of what you, Peter, and perhaps some others are going through physically. I've been desperate these last weeks, seeing how difficult it is for me to operate in the new way when the workload hasn't decreased, but rather it seems often increased, especially as we're now living full-time on the field here where the personal demands on our time and counsel are greater, yet our other responsibilities are the same. I've really been asking the Lord to do something which would help me to stop and spend the time with Him that I need.
15. Perhaps my mate leaving is a part of that too, and I know the Lord's ways aren't our ways. To my carnal mind it seems that his leaving, unless someone else were to come to replace him, would be like asking me to spend more time with the Lord and find a new role in my shepherding of our Family, while at the same time placing quite a bit more work on my shoulders. I certainly don't want to say no, especially to an offer which I know would be a tremendous blessing and really is much needed for my mate. However, unless someone comes in whom he can spend some time with to turn things over to, I feel his departure would greatly affect the work, and if I'm responsible for it, I feel I won't do too well, either at the responsibilities or personally. I know the Lord has a solution, and maybe there is someone else who can help. I'm sorry we're not such a strong teamwork, and I know we need to find others to work with, but the training will take time.
16. I love you very much, and in all this, I am very very thankful for your concern and love for us, and for my mate in offering him this opportunity. I really don't want to hold him back from it, but at the same time I want to be honest with you about all this.
17. Thank you for taking the time to pray for me and to hear from the Lord for me. I still would like to ask for prayer, though, as I feel I need it more than ever. I have never felt this way before, a part of me feeling rebellious to what the Lord's saying and doing in my life, and I feel like I need help and prayer. I don't think I have ever felt so far away or distant from the Lord.
18. I feel completely at the end of myself, dear Mama. Maybe this is what the Lord had to do, and if so, that's fine with me. I'd like to ask for prayer, though, that the Lord would take this bitter and resentful feeling away from me. I feel it towards the fact that my son is leaving, and towards quite a few things, LHM.
19. I'm sure this isn't the right way to go about things, but I pretty much feel like just quitting. I just don't know what to do. I can't go on business as usual, but that's all that's around me--business as usual. So maybe it's time for someone else to carry what I do too, and even to pray about how it should be carried. I've been here longer than anyone; I feel others lean on me and look to me and I've carried burdens that I shouldn't have. I feel something kind of went out of me these past few days since hearing the news about my mate and knowing how my son feels, and I just don't want to do anything.
Mama's Prayer:
20. Lord Jesus, please bless and comfort this dear one. She's been so strong and has leaned on You through all the physical afflictions she's suffered, the spiritual battles, her children's problems, forsaking her first mate years ago, as well as all the other things she's had to forsake, and the problems with the flock there. So many times it's looked so dark, but You've pulled her through. She's been such a blessing. Please comfort her and encourage her through this, another great time of testing. It looks to her like she just can't go another step and that everything is too much for her--the weight, the burden, the forsaking. She doesn't know how she can do it, Lord. You show her. Give her Your strength. Give her victory, give her Your encouragement.
21. Show them how to fill the hole that her mate will leave.--Or if You want him to stay longer and go later, You can show that too. You've been pretty specific about him needing to go, so You have to show us when. Help them all, Lord. Be with them. Help them to look to You and really ask for Your words of guidance, and specific words for the things that they're going through right now, the situations that they're in, the help that they need.
22. Help her dear son who is considering leaving the Family. Please, Jesus, help all our dear young people who are feeling the battle so hard-hitting, just threatening to tear them away from their moorings and get them derailed and destabilized. Please help them. All these young people that so much has been invested in and that You love so much, please help them, Jesus, and give them renewed vision and renewed challenge. Help them to determine that they're going to stick with You and not give up when there's so much coming, so many wonderful things that You have in store for them if they'll just stick.
23. We know they've been spoiled in some ways and haven't had the same kinds of tests and trials and experiences as our adults, and we probably sheltered and protected them too much. We were always there to answer their questions and meet their needs, and they didn't have to get desperate with You for their answers and even their very survival. But Lord, what's done is done, and we're sorry if we sheltered or protected them too much, and You'll have to forgive us for that. But You can get past all that, and whatever their present problems are.
24. You can help them through it, and You can help them to face the challenges, face the responsibilities, and face the hard things and the things they don't like. You can help them to determine that no matter how difficult it may be, they're going to say "yes" to You, no matter what. Their parents did, and they had it really rough; and a lot of them had come from spoiled lives, too, and having everything their own way and what they wanted and pretty much ruling their own lives. Our young people should be even stronger. So please help them, Jesus. Help them to yield to You no matter how difficult it may seem. Help them not to leave just as You're wanting to show them new and wonderful things ahead. Thank You Lord!
25. Keep them, Jesus. Even if they do decide they want to go out and see what everything is all about out there, please keep them and show them and bring them back quickly by helping them to realize the wonderful treasures they have in Your Family and the priceless privilege they have of being a part of it. If they go, Lord, don't let them go for long, and help them to get back quickly, just like dear YA Joe who was in the States, and others, who went out and realized right away and came back quickly. You know what's best and what will help them the most. It's not going to be the end of the world if they go out there and see how bad things are. You can keep them in that too, Lord. But if they can get the victory and You can help them without doing that, it sure would be good.
26. So Jesus, please do be with them. Help each one of them. Thank You Jesus! Help Thy Word to reach them. Help us to get out all the wonderful things You've given us as soon as we can, and help something to especially touch them and be the thing that will keep them in the way, and be a lamp unto their feet and a light unto their path. Thank You Jesus! Praise You Jesus!
27. So Lord, please speak to us while Peter and I are here, quiet before You, seeking You for Your answers. Please comfort our dear friend and co-worker, our precious loved one --and Your precious loved one. Instruct her, guide her, whatever You want to say, Lord. You know best.
Jesus Has All the Answers!
28. (Prophecy:) "Questions, questions! There are so many questions. Why must this one go now? How will we carry the load? Who will do the work? Where will the strength come from?
29. "Answers, answers! Yea, I have the answers, for the answers come of Me. For if this one [her mate] remained, would you be so desperate? Would you seek Me so diligently? Would this one find the rest and the peace that he needeth for his strengthening, that he may be a help in the days to come?--Or would he feel the burdens and the need to shoulder this heavy load in his own strength?
30. "I have been pruning the tree of your teamwork, and though there are less branches, this actually strengthens you, for My sap will flow more fully into those branches that remain. But you branches must look and find new ways to produce that which you need to produce. Search Me and seek Me, for I have ways to show you that you know not of. For My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts, and My means of accomplishment are much different than yours.
31. "Consider all that is before you, all that you must do, and ask yourself, `Must we do it? Must these things be done? Must we be the ones to do it? Are there other shoulders who can bear these things? And do they truly have to be done?' For I will not give you more to do than you are able to bear, for My yoke is easy and My burden is light. Search diligently and see if all that you think you must do, must be done. Search diligently and see if all that must be done, must be done by you.
32. "And as for thee, My dear one, be not afraid. Fear not that which is in store for thee, for I am He that comforteth, I am He that loveth, I am He that strengtheneth, and I have strength for thee. Though I take thy loved one for a time--to strengthen him, to encourage him, to help him, that he may be the strength and the encouragement and the help that thou needest--in his place I will put My shoulder that thou mayest lean upon Me.
33. "But this is not a time to seek to do more or to feel, `Oh, I must add, I must add, I must do this, I must do that, and now the load becomes heavier.' For I say unto thee, this is the time to lean heavily upon Me, to spend time with Me, trusting and knowing that as thou doest this, I will do the other things.
34. "Look up, for this is where thou wilt find the answers thou needest. This is where thou wilt find the strength that thou needest. Spend time with Me. Spend time hearing My voice together, bringing these questions that thou hast before Me and hearing My voice and having faith that I will speak and lead thee and guide thee.
35. "For I have taken from your tree the branches that seemed so strong, that seemed to be able to hold up much fruit. But I say that you other branches allowed them to bear too much, thinking `Oh, these can bear the weight.' But as I have trimmed these back, you see now that you must carry these things, and you fear. But I did not take them away so that you should bear the weight yourselves. I have taken them away to show you all that I must bear the weight.
36. "You say, `How can I do this? How can this be?' I say that I have given unto you the strength of weakness, and the strength and the power of My Word, and the strength and the power of My voice. If you will spend time with Me, together, and will seek Me diligently about these things and will hear My voice, I will guide and direct you and I will give you the answers that you so desperately need. For you know that the weight of the job is too much for you, and you fear to step under the weight, for it may crush you, and you are right.
37. "But I will carry the weight if you will stop and take time with Me, for these are the things that I have been teaching. These are the things that I so clearly said unto you when you were all together: that you must take time with Me, that you must find new strength to do these tasks. And this new strength is in Me, in My Words and in My voice.
38. "When you look at this job before you with the eyes of man, and when you think of all that there is to do and the weight that there is to carry, it is overwhelming. But when you look at it in the strength of God, in the strength of My voice, in the strength of My guidance and in the strength of My power, it is not too heavy; for I am God, and there is nothing too hard for Me. All that there is to do is beyond the capabilities of any man. For with man it is impossible, but with God all things are possible. All things are possible to him that believeth. Do you believe this? If you believe, come before Me and seek Me, and do those things that I show you. Bring your petitions before Me, and then stand back and see Me perform that which I will do.
39. "For I do not wish for you to be heavy laden and burdened and crushed, but I have put you in this position so that ye shall know it is impossible for you to do it, and you will seek Me, and I will teach you that your true strength is in Me. This you must learn, that you may teach others and that they may teach others.
40. "So come before My throne of grace and let Me carry the load, and I will show you the true power and the true strength--the power of prayer, the strength of listening. So though this looks like a very difficult and trying time, it is the time when I am calling you unto Me to show you that I have all that you need and I will give it freely unto you, if you seek Me." (End of prophecy.)
41. (Mama:) Thank You Jesus for that beautiful reassurance, that beautiful comfort! You're repeating it constantly so we will get the point. You're continuing to tell us that all of us who are weary and heavy laden just have to come to You, and that You will bear our burdens; that if we will cast our burdens on You, You will sustain us. You really mean it, and You really will do it.
42. Help us to get the point. Please help us to do it--to do what You say and see You do great and mighty things that we know not, as we obey You and leave our burdens at Your feet and ask for Your solutions. Lord, help all our folks to unite before Thee in prayer, seeking Thy divine guidance and leadings in prophecy, visions and verses. Thank You for Your promises and that they never fail. If we will do Your commandments, You will do exceeding abundantly above all that we could ask or think. Thank You Jesus!
43. Thank You for Your love, that You want to make it easy for us. You don't want us to be bowed beneath the burdens or crushed beneath the loads, as You said. Help us to believe You--each one of Your precious Family, from the youngest to the oldest--and to reach out and receive of You. Help us to prove You and try You and see if these things be so. Help each one to let go of their works and their old ways of doing things and their old attitudes, and decide to let You bear the full weight through Your Word and Your voice, so they won't be crushed by the weight of the burdens.
44. Help them to find their strength in You, as You said: "You must take time with Me. You must find new strength to do these tasks. And this new strength is in Me, in My Words, and in My voice." "Bring your petitions before Me and then stand back and see Me perform." "I have put you in this position that ye shall know it is impossible for you to do it, so that you will seek Me and I will teach you that your true strength is in Me."
45. The Lord again is telling us that He has all that we need, and that He will give it freely to us if we will seek Him. Thank You Jesus!
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Faint Not!
46. (Prophecy:) "This one is weary in well doing. She hath fought a good fight, but she hath begun to look at the waves and the wind and the storm and the condition of her vessel.--The condition of her children, the condition of the work, the condition of her husband, and all the things that she has thought that she should be able to carry and to help and to straighten out. It seemeth to her that she has failed, and that thus I have failed her. But I have not failed. I have allowed these things for My purposes, for My reasons. For My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.
47. "I wish to strengthen her, to strengthen her through defeat, for when she cometh to the end of herself and knoweth that it is not enough, she will begin to understand the strength of My might and My power.
48. "But she must set aside the carnal way of looking at these things that she considers to be failures, and thus her failures. She must realize that I am in control and that I do all things well. For that which seemeth to be defeat unto her is great victory for Me because it bringeth about My will. It bringeth about her desperation and calling out unto Me, and thus it draweth her close unto My bosom that I may strengthen her, and that I may help her to see the victories that are won through these seeming defeats. For she seeth not as God seeth, she seeth as man seeth; and the ways of man are enmity with God.
49. "So lift up your eyes unto the hills. From whence cometh your help? It cometh from Me. It cometh from seeking Me. It cometh from hearing Me. It cometh from having faith that I do all things well.
50. "She is weary and fainting in her mind. For as the waves rise and batter the ship, she hath lost faith to hold on to the helm and hath huddled down in fear, and thus the ship is blown about and battered. But she must once again hold on to the wheel in faith, the wheel of My Word, the wheel of My voice, the wheel of faith, the Halloween wheel of her anointing. Thus the ship can weather the storm and can be turned to face into the wind and can ride the waves without being battered, for it is being steered by My Word.
51. "But she saith, `I am weary and too tired to hold on.' But he that holdeth not on and holdeth not fast to the steering wheel of My Word can more easily be swept overboard. For there are times to rest and there are times to lie down and let go, but there are times to hold on. And this is the time to hold on in faith, nothing wavering, looking not at the size of the waves or your battered vessel. But just to hold on and do that which thou knowest thou must do. Thou must turn thy ship into the wind and ride through the storm and know that the storm will end, it will pass, and there will be sunshine and calm seas ahead.
52. "Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man steal thy crown. Hold that fast which thou hast; seek Me and I will be found. Hold that fast which thou hast; trust in Me and My Word. Hold that fast which thou hast, and know that I am thy Lord. Hold that fast which thou hast, and trust Me with all thine heart. Hold that fast which thou hast, and know that I will never depart. Hold that fast which thou hast, and know that I am thy King. Hold that fast which thou hast, and of the victory thou shalt sing.
53. "For Satan hath desired to have thee, but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not, and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. For thou shalt be able to comfort others with the comfort wherewith thou hast been comforted of God. And this shall give thee the compassion, the understanding and the knowledge of all that others will go through, that thou canst have a compassionate and loving heart, and that thou wilt have a depth of understanding to comfort and care for others as thou hast been comforted and cared for. So hold on and do not let go, and thou shalt see the glory of God." (End of prophecy.)
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The Lord's Compassion in Our "Crossing the Jordan"!
54. (Mama prays:) Lord, You know these battles that our dear folks are going through. You've said that the problem is that they're fainting in their minds. They certainly are bowed down under heavy burdens. If they can't give it to You, then they are going to collapse under it. You--and we--desperately need these folks to be strong in Your strength, in the power of Your might, and to find Your strength in their weakness. You really need them and You want to keep them going, and You're going to reward them at the end of these tests if they can just hang on a little bit longer.
55. Lord Jesus, please do something to give this dear one a sign or a miracle--something to show her that You're with her and that she can go on and that You are going to pull her through. Jesus, You'll have to help her, we can't do it. We don't know how to help her. With man it is impossible--with us it's impossible--but not with You. You're the only one who can change things in her life and get through to her and help her and give her the renewed determination and spark of faith to keep going for You, and help her not to faint or to collapse under the strain.
56. She has gone through many difficult things, through the fire and through the water and they haven't overwhelmed her because she has held Your hand and kept her eyes on You and Your Word. But this seems like the hardest and the heaviest test of all. Lord, please help her with this one, just as she's gone through the others and held on to You. Help her to do it again and to know that Your grace is sufficient, and that when she has come to the end of herself, that's when she can avail herself of Your full resources and Your full strength.
57. Help her to just let go now and let You carry her. Please help her, Lord, not only for her own sake, but for those who need her encouragement and who need to see her trusting You and full of faith during these very difficult times, when they too are having serious tests and great battles. They look to her to see what she is going to do and how she is going to handle things. They need to see Your strength made perfect in her weakness.
58. Please help her in some way, Lord. We can't tell her anything more or do more for her than we have, except to just ask for Your mercy and Your grace and Your miracles in her life, and to ask for Your Words to comfort her. We really need You desperately, and we plead for our dear folks who are getting hit so heavily with the Enemy's attacks.
59. Come through for them, help them to hang on, give them Your comfort and encouragement. Strengthen by Thy Spirit and renew and restore and recreate these tired bodies and spirits and hearts that are fainting and falling under the strain of it, and are crouching down in fear at the vicious storm all around them. They haven't been able to sufficiently rest in You and give their burdens to You. Like You said, there's always a battle between trying to do it in our own strength and giving it up to You for You to do it, because there's always so much to do, always so much knocking on our doors.
60. But we know You have the answer. We know it, Lord. We have seen the victories that You've won in others' lives, those who have also gone through heavy battles. Just as Peter also recently went through the deep waters of very heavy testings, both physical and spiritual, and You brought him out of that horrible pit and set his feet upon a rock, and have established his goings and put a song in his heart and praise to You.
61. So we know it's possible. We've seen it over and over in others' lives and we know You can do it if we'll just give You a chance and yield to what You are trying to do with us. I just ask, Lord, that if there's anything You can say that will help these dear folks to hang on and to not give up and to keep trusting, please do it.
62. (Prophecy:) "It is with great compassion that I look upon you that must first cross the Jordan.--The Jordan of affliction, the Jordan of forsaking, the Jordan of discouragement, the Jordan of defeat. For I understand the depths of the Jordan. And I understand the trying of men's hearts, the depths of despair, of discouragement, of desperation.
63. "I understand the depth of forsaking, for first I had to forsake My Father to go to earth. And then I had to forsake those that I loved so dearly to return unto My Father. I understand the depth of pain and affliction, for I screamed out in pain as the nails pierced My hands and My feet. And I understand the feeling of being forsaken by those that loved Me, yea, even My own Father, and thus I cried out, `My God! My God! Why hast Thou forsaken Me?'
64. "And I understand the depth of fear, fear of facing that which is ahead, for the pain and the sorrow that it shall bring. And so I said, `Father, let this cup pass from Me.'
65. "And I understand the depth of the feeling of loss when those who loved Me most forsook Me as I was carried away into captivity. And I know the depth of hurt to see one that you love betray you, even as Judas betrayed Me with a kiss.
66. "For am I not a High Priest that is touched with the feeling of thy infirmity? Thinkest thou that I do not understand these things, and that I do not have great compassion upon thee? My heart breaks for thee, to see thee in thy pain and in thy struggle, and in the fire of testing, of trying, of purging.--When thou feelest so hopeless, so lost, so forsaken, when thou graspest with all thy might and yet thou feelest as if there is nothing to grasp any more.
67. "And though My Father did not let this cup pass from Me, and though I saw My loved ones flee from My side in time of trouble, and this one that I loved betray Me, and though the nails pierced My hands and pierced My feet, and though with many stripes I was beaten, and though I felt as if My Father had forsaken Me, and though I had to pass through the deepest of Jordan, the Jordan of death, yet it all brought about such great victory, such great renewal, such great salvation.
68. "And what if I, when faced with this, had said, `Oh no, I can go no further. I have come to the end of Myself. I have come to the end of My faith, and I cannot believe that if I go through this pain and agony and this suffering that it will bring forth that which hath been promised.' Think of the loss. Think of the defeat. Think of the victory of the Enemy of our soul.
69. "It was not a pleasant thing for Me to forsake nor be forsaken. The hurt, the pain, the loneliness, the feeling of loss and of desperation were all very real unto Me. Yea, I had to pass through the depths of the Jordan to bring forth the promise of My Father.
70. "And now ye, My children, stand at the banks of the Jordan and I send you through. And who shall go through first? Shall not those that I have held up as an example unto My flocks? For goeth not the good shepherd before his sheep? And, yea, I have called one [Peter] through, through the Jordan of trial and through the Jordan of affliction. And though the depths were deep and the current swift, this one held on to Me and I brought him through unto great victory.
71. "And now I call thee and these, these who have been My pillars, these who have endured so much, these who have felt, `I have come to the end of my strength.' And now I say unto you, step into the water and walk through the depths, but know that I am there and that I will carry you through if your faith fail not.
72. "I cannot make this easier for you. I cannot make the depths of the Jordan more shallow, nor the current slower, for this would not be a true test. And I know the hurt and I understand the pain, and I love thee that thou wouldst even consider walking through this Jordan. Yea, My heart even breaks for thee, and I cry fountains of tears for that which thou goest through. And as My Father was pained and wept to see the sacrifice that I had to make, yet could not stop it, neither can I change the course of things that are required of thee, if thou wouldst make it through the Jordan and enter into the Promised Land of My rest and My peace, and into the glories that I have ahead.
73. "But I say unto thee, that thou art only among the first that must pass through this Jordan, for all My children must pass through the Jordan of faith and trust and belief. But when they reach the other side they shall be washed clean and shall know Me in a new and greater way. For there is much ahead, but it costs.
74. "There have been times in the past when thou hast stood at the edge of the precipice thinking, `My God! My God! Why hast Thou forsaken me?--For I can go no further.' And yet I carried thee, and I brought thee out from the desert place and into the cool waters. For all of these things require great faith.
75. "Did you think that I would allow you all to work on this Charter giving new responsibilities and new rights and great choice unto the children, and that I would not cause you to pass through the same way, and to make the same choices, and to show the same willingness, and to face and overcome the same fears? For everyone must make choices, everyone must come to the edge and decide, `Will I cross? Or will I remain? Will I keep going forward no matter what the cost? No matter how steep the climb? No matter how deep the water? Or is this as far as I will go?' But if I will send My sheep through the water, I must first send My shepherds to lead the way.
76. "But know this, that I love you from the depths of My heart. And though I know that you face pain and suffering, hardship and sorrow, you can face these things in great faith, trusting Me and trusting My Word and all that I have promised, for I will not fail you.
77. "For though it looked like a defeat for Me to be whipped and to be scourged, to be crowned with thorns, to be nailed to the cross, and even as I cried out, `My God! My God! Why hast Thou forsaken Me?' yet My Father kept Me and brought Me forth in a great resurrection that changed the course of history and that changed all eternity. And though all looks dark and thou canst not see, know that I have My arms around thee. And I ask thee to trust Me in the depths, trust Me in the despair, trust Me in thy heartache, trust Me in thy forsaking, for I do all things well, and I shape thee and I mold with My love.
78. "And if thou art willing to drink of this cup, if thou art willing to say, `Not my will, but Thine be done,' thou, too, shalt have a glorious resurrection that will far surpass anything that thou hast known. So trust Me for that which is ahead, even if thou must endure crucifixion and the sorrow and the pain and the loss and the hurt and the forsaking. But know that I will never forsake thee, if thou wilt cry out to Me, if thou wilt seek Me and My Word, and if thou wilt hold fast to that which thou hast, the crown that I have placed upon thy head. If thou wilt carry its weight, even through this Jordan, so shall I reward thee with great peace, great love, great understanding. And I will say unto thee, `Well done, My good and faithful servant. Enter thou into the arms of My love.'--As My Father said unto Me when He held Me in gratitude for the sacrifice that I made and the suffering that I endured.
79. "So come into My arms, My dear one, for great is My love for thee, and great is My love for all of you who pass through the Jordan." (End of prophecy.)
80. (From Mama:) Oh Jesus, what beautiful beautiful words of Thy love! How can we fail You, the one who's given so much for us and who promised to keep us and comfort us in all our tribulations and bring us through to glorious victory!
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The Apostle Paul's Afflictions!
81. (Peter prays:) Lord, we pray for each one of Your precious Family that is going through difficulties, whether it be physical afflictions or spiritual battles. You have said that now is a time for people to make choices, and they are battling with these choices. You are trying through all these things to stir them up and help them to fight in order to strengthen them. It's hard for You to see them go through these things, but they've got to, Lord, as a test to see if they want You above all things, if they want You most of all, if You will be the most important in their lives, and whether You are even more important than their lives.
82. Lord, You said that he who tries to save his life shall lose it, but he that loses his life for Your sake, the same shall save it (Mk.8:35). You said, "He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. He that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me" (Mat.10:37). Those are pretty tough sayings, but it's true. You just want us to love You first and foremost. You want us to love You with all of our heart and all of our soul and all of our mind and all of our body and strength--that's what You're after. But, Lord, taking those steps and coming to that stage is really difficult and it's agony to go through those Gethsemanes, to cross through the Jordan when it is so deep and so wide and so dark and so rough.
83. Lord, please help all Your dear ones who are going through it, each one of them. Help them to hold on to You. Help them to hold on, for You are always there and You are our solid rock, and we can hold on to You and find rest in You. Please help all these dear ones, Lord. They're so precious and they've come so far and they've sacrificed so much. We can see how some could think, "Lord, I have come so far, I have sacrificed so much, I have passed so many tests, why are You asking me to go any further? I can't understand why You're asking any more of me, when I'm already so weighed down and feeling at the end of my rope. Now it's like You've cut the rope and pulled the rug out from under me, and I feel like I'm falling and not knowing where I'm going to stop. I feel so lost and forsaken and in despair and tired. I feel so far away and distant."
84. Lord, in this hour of their greatest trial, help each one to cry out to You with all of their heart. Show Thy face to them, help them, strengthen them, give them courage, give them trust in Thee. If we don't change or keep growing and moving, we'll die. As Dad has said, "Cessation of movement is death." All things must change, but You never change. You want us to change and stay new and vibrant and alive, but there's such a price, it really is hard to pay it.
85. So please bless our precious loved ones. Help them, bless them, give them great faith in Thee, pull them through. You said, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee," and "Great peace have they which love Thy law and nothing shall offend them" (Isa.26:3; Psa.119:165).
86. Help them to cry out to Thee. Come to their rescue, Lord. We rebuke the Enemy who is trying to snuff them out, who is trying to destroy their service to You and who is trying to rob them of their happiness. He is trying to so discourage and defeat them that they will give up. Help them not to surrender, help them not to let go, help them not to say, "This is as far as I can go." They've been so faithful and accomplished Thy will and tried so hard to do all You wanted them to do. Lord, in Thy love and Thy mercy, please help them.
87. They've been through so much, all of the struggles and the persecutions and the personal battles, and now they feel like they have failed and that they're being ripped apart. It's so hard for them, Lord, it's really hard. But it was hard for You, too, when You were whipped and beaten and nailed to the cross; but You kept on going for our sakes. We look at all the saints of Hebrews 11 and see all that they went through; they had to give up their lands and their children, their lives. Help our folks, Jesus, to hold on and know that there is a glorious crown, a glorious reward at the end of the road, and that You will not fail them.
88. In fact, there's a reward coming very soon and they don't even need to wait until they get to their Heavenly Home. It's coming very soon if they can just hold on a little longer. We know You won't fail them, Lord. Even though it may seem like it now, we know You won't fail them, and that all things really do work together for good for each one who loves Thee and trusts Thee. Help them to trust. Help them not to look at the waves and the wind and the storms, the condition of their vessel. Help them just to fix their eyes on You and look full in Your wonderful face so that these things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of Your glory and grace. Give them great grace, great faith, great comfort. Help them to trust You with all of their hearts, in Jesus' name.
89. (Prophecy, the Apostle Paul speaking:) "In my time on Earth I saw many afflictions. For I was shipwrecked at sea and spent a day in the water. I saw the high waves crashing all around and it was very frightening. And I was not delivered out of it but I was kept through it. I was beaten and I was stoned and I suffered sickness.
90. "Many times I felt so discouraged that I felt like giving up, but I knew I had to keep going, that I was called and commissioned to spread the gospel far and wide. And had I given up, others would have taken the crown, but it would have taken much more time, for I was the instrument, the vessel that was chosen to do the task that was set before me.
91. "But I saw much hardship and many times I felt defeated physically, mentally and spiritually, and tired. And at times I would think, `I've endured so much, and I'm so tired.' But I knew I could not give up, for I knew there was a great crown of righteousness laid up for me. And I knew that others expected it of me, and that if I had laid down my righteous crown, it would have stumbled many.
92. "And so in my defeat, in my discouragement and in my despair I carried on faithfully. And as I did, these things came to pass, and I was brought through them. The storms did not always end when I wished them to. I had to go through the beatings and the stonings, but the Lord always gave me the grace, and afterwards comforted me and healed me and kept me and rewarded me.
93. "And though I went through these things, I had so many highlights and wonderful things that the Lord did for me and used me to accomplish. And when you compare the fruit of my life to the sufferings, there is no comparison. For Satan buffeted me and tempted me and discouraged me, and tried to defeat me; yea, he tried to kill me. But our Lord kept me and protected me, even through the storm, and even through the beating, and even through the stoning, and even through the persecutions, and even through the discouragement. He did not deliver me from these things, but He kept me through them.
94. "And what of the martyrs of all ages? They were not delivered out of their afflictions, they were kept through them and they were delivered unto their heavenly reward. And there are those who have suffered imprisonment year after year after year. They were not delivered out of these things, but they were kept through them.
95. "So when the storms come and beat high upon your ship, and it seems as if your vessel is breaking into pieces, trust. And even if your ship does break into pieces and you are cast into the waters and the waves are overwhelming you, trust. And if the stones of persecution are being cast at you, trust. And if the scourging of the Enemy's lies is being meted unto you, trust. For our Lord is always there, and He does not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able to bear, but He makes a way to escape.--Not always to escape from the affliction or the battle or the test, but you can escape through trusting.
96. "Hold fast that which thou hast, let no man, no, not even Satan steal that which thou hast, the crown of glory that is given unto thee. Hold it fast. Hold it through the storm. Hold it through the flood. Hold it through the fire. For there is laid up for you that are faithful, you that are trusting, an exceeding great reward.
97. "There are many, many, many here that died trusting, and theirs is an exceeding great reward. And there are many, many, many here that have endured, and theirs, too, is equally a great reward.
98. "So do not let go. Hold fast that crown, that crown of joy, that crown of life, that crown of service, that crown of reward. Set it not down. Hold it. For I can say it is well worth it to hold on through all the depths, for when you do, you have great reward there upon the earth, and abundant great reward here in the heavenlies. For we are watching and we are helping, but it is you that must make the choice.
99. "And once you choose to hold on, then we can spring into action and help even more. But you must choose, you must take the step of faith, that is for you alone to choose. So be not fearful to undergo whatever it is that is sent your way--your testings, your trials, your purgings. But know that He is faithful to keep you in all your tribulations, and through your tribulations and beyond your tribulations." (End of prophecy.)
100. (Mama:) Hallelujah! Thank You Jesus! Thank you, Paul! That was certainly inspiring! What a wonderful, beautiful gift of the Lord to let us hear His voice and one of His departed saints. What a privilege! What an honor! What a super blessing! What a marvelous sign of His love for us! They're trying to get things down to our level. They're trying to help us to see that they are real and they're human, they're not some storybook figures way back there, but they're alive and they went through the same things, the same temptations that we do --even greater--but they survived because they didn't give up and they clung to the Lord and His Word. And think how little they had of it compared to what we have today.
101. Like Dad always said, "What's better than a personal testimony?" What more can they do or say to help us than to tell us their own battles and how they came through victorious? That's the most powerful thing, their personal sample. Thank You Jesus! Thank you, Paul. That was so nice! Why not? If Jesus the King of kings talks to us, and Dad, our King David, talks to us, we shouldn't be surprised if others talk to us as well. Abrahim talked to Dad frequently.
102. Look at Dad and his testimony and how many times he went through it, and the Lord brought him through. Look at all the times he felt like giving up and wanted to die or was so discouraged and so afflicted. And what about all those years he couldn't eat and had to painfully try to swallow his liquid meals? The Lord didn't deliver him out of those things, but He brought him through them. Look at Moses. As a young man, Moses probably thought he was doing great, but then the next thing you know for 40 years he was doing nothing but tending sheep. And then he goes back to set the Hebrews free, and all they do is murmur and complain about it, just one thing after another. Look at all the hardships.
103. We have so much light and so much knowledge of the Lord. We know why things are happening and what's supposed to happen. We know all of that, and in a way we are so much more responsible because we do have so much light. The Lord has entrusted it into our care and we're His representatives to a lost world, and we must not fail Him.
* * *
Choosing to Cross Jordan! These Are the Days of Choices!
104. (Mama prays:) Lord, we thank You for Peter's willingness to go to be with these dear ones in their discouragement. It's a sacrifice to make such a trip, especially when he feels so physically weak and tired and sick and has been a semi-invalid. It's also a sacrifice for me to let him go, and we both sort of dread it. But thank You that You said You were going to comfort us and encourage us and bless us for it and give him good success because You want him to go, and You know that these dear ones need it. It really is going an extra mile--literally many miles--so we're sure it must be very important.
105. But these brethren have cried out to us for help and we cannot fail them. They're a part of us and we love them and You love them. Lord, You went so far for us, You've gone to the very nth degree for us, and You continue to pour out of Yourself and Your blessings to us, more than we can possibly contain. You give and You give and You give again. And Peter is part of Your love for them, and we're part of Your love for them, and You want to show them once again how greatly You love and care for them.
106. We know that what You want most is to get across Your love for them, that it's You and Your love. And that's why we're sending him and the main reason he is going, because You love them. Thank You for how we're learning over and over how much You love us, and how very great Your love is for each one of us, and how much You want to show it to us. Thank You Jesus! Hallelujah! So wonderful! You're so good to us, Lord! So speak to us, Lord, and tell us what You want to say. Thank You for the love You show in speaking to us. Such wonderful love!
107. (Prophecy:) "I send thee forth as a gift of My love unto these that must decide if they will serve Me above all else. For these are the days of choices. These are the days of testing. And these are the days that I bring these, the older generation, to the banks of the Jordan and say, `Will you cross?' And some say, `Oh, but there are giants in the land, and we will not be able to defeat them.'
108. "And each must make their choice. But My choice is for all to pass through into the Promised Land of My love and of My blessings. And all that it takes to pass through is faith and trust and belief in Me. Faith that I can carry you through, trust that I will carry you through, and belief that I love you enough to carry you through.
109. "So go forth unto these with a message of My love, saying unto them that there are great blessings ahead. And they know this because of the magnitude of the test. For I would not test them with such severity if there was not great blessing ahead. And I would not require such sacrifice if there was not great reward ahead.
110. "But thou canst only offer, thou canst only say, `Yea, I have been to the Promised Land and I have seen its fruits. You must fight the giants and you must overcome to get there, but, oh, it is well worth the struggle, for the blessings are manifold and many. And I see many other blessings on the horizon.'
111. "Tell them what you have seen, but tell them what it cost you, and then let them choose. Let them eat of the grapes and taste the sweetness of the honey and the refreshing of the nectar from the other side. And then let them choose.
112. "But in all things show them great love and great patience and great understanding and great compassion, for they do suffer. But much of what they suffer they suffer because they resist that which I wish for them to do, because they look at the waters instead of the shoreline. They look at what they are about to go through instead of the blessing. They know not what is on the other side, and they know not if it is worth it to take such a perilous journey. But since you have been there, you can tell them what is on the other side, and then they will have a clearer picture and thus be more accountable for their decision. For it is they that must decide. You cannot push them into the water, you cannot drag them into the water. You cannot say, `You must go into the water.' You can only say, `I have been there. Yea, I have been in the water, but I have also been to the other side.'
113. "Tell them the story of My love that they may understand the great blessings that are ahead, and then they may choose. For these are the days of choices, and many shall choose to cross but there will be those that choose to remain. And yea, I say unto you, those that choose Me above all else will be highly blessed and highly honored." (End of prophecy.)
114. (Mama:) Thank You Jesus again for Thy wonderful, beautiful, marvelous words of love and encouragement to each one of us! Help us to study these words and receive them into our hearts so that our choice will be Your choice. Help us to note well what You have said: That much of what we suffer we suffer because of our looking at the waves instead of looking into Your face--that if we would yield and say yes to You, things would be so much easier! Because Your yoke is easy and Your burden is light.
* * *
Man's Struggle Throughout the Ages!
115. (Mama prays:) Dear Lord, we want them to see You, Jesus, and not us! We want to decrease so that You can increase. We know we're not anything and that You're the one who is everything. We want You to shine, Lord! Shine through us, speak through us, love through us! Help us to know how to let You do that through us! Help us to be humble so that they can see Your humility! Help us to be loving, so that they can see Your love! Help us to be clear, so they can see Your clarity! Help us to be simple, so they can see Your simplicity.
116. Please help us to never draw attention away from You but always focus it on You. Help us to always make our focal point You, so that the attention will never remain on us unless it is for the purpose of reflecting You. Help us never to take any of the credit to ourselves. Even when You give us the script of exactly what to say, please help us to say it in Your Spirit and say it with love and reverence, not taking any credit for ourselves. You're making it so easy for us by pouring out all of these wonderful words that we can just pass on to Your Family, but we don't want to get lax. We don't want to fail to be desperate with You. We don't want to fail to see the battle that is being waged in the spirit.
117. When You do make it easy for us, we want to pray even harder that You'll come through and that we'll stay very very close to You. Help us to know what to do and what to say and what to be. Guide us and move us at Your command, at Your will. We're Your chess pieces, Your robots, Your channels, Your bodies that are crucified with You. Nevertheless we live, yet not we, but it's You who lives in us. You shine, Lord. You be the one who speaks. Help us to be dead to ourselves but alive to You, in Jesus' name.
118. We want more of You, Lord, so we'll give You more of us. Please help us to know how to do that. We need You! We really really need You! Like You said, we are little children without any wisdom, and the only way we have any is to get it from You. Thank You, Lord, that You have asked us to seek You and come before You with thanksgiving and with praise, seeking to hear what You have for us, seeking for Your Words, for Your treasures. Thank You Jesus! You're so good to us. So speak to us, Lord. We love to hear Your voice!
119. (Prophecy:) "Throughout all the ages of man the struggle has been between leaning upon the arm of the flesh and the strength of man, and leaning upon the power of God. All of My children from the beginning until now have struggled with leaning upon their own strength in their service unto Me, and leaning upon Me to perform their service. For they struggle, feeling that they must do this and they must do that, and they have not fully understood that I wish for their service to be done through My power and My strength and My might.
120. "Always in My service there is so much to do, for the harvest is plenteous but the laborers are few, and My Spirit compels them to do all that must be done. But they feel they must do it in their power and in their might, and they have not sought Me and My power, nor trusted Me and My power. They have not fully understood all My power can do through the power of prayer, through the power of My Word, through the power of My direction.
121. "And those few who have understood and who leaned upon My power in prayer and who sought Me in all things have accomplished more than any men, for they operated in the power of My Spirit. For the power and might of God is so strong, yet My children do not tap into it nearly as much as they could. And this has been the battle throughout the ages.
122. "When the children of Israel did not trust Me and did not lean upon My power, they turned to the armies of men for their protection. And in these days when My children trust Me not, they turn to the thoughts of men, whether they be the thoughts of other men or whether it be their own thoughts.
123. "But those that would perform in the power and in the might of God turn unto Me, and they seek Me and they follow that which I say unto them and that which I show them, and thus do they accomplish My will with effortless ease. For have I not shown you how much easier it is to seek Me and to ask Me? And how that which I show you accomplishes My purpose with very little effort on your part?
124. "And so would I have it for My children, that they be not so strained and burdened. When they have a problem with their children, they should pray and seek Me. And when they have a problem in their Home, they should pray and seek Me. And when they have a problem with their outreach, they should pray and seek Me. When they have a problem with their finances, they should pray and seek Me. And when they have a problem with those in their Home, they should pray and seek Me, for I do have answers. I do have the strength. I do have the power. It is there.
125. "And have I not said, `Pray without ceasing'? Have I not said, `Call unto Me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things that thou knowest not'? That `they that seek Me early shall find Me'? `When you call out to Me with a whole heart, I will answer.' `Ask and ye shall receive. Seek and ye shall find. Knock and it shall be opened unto you.' These are not mere words of man, My children, these are the promises of God. Avail yourselves of these, My promises, and believe, and ye shall have strength and might and power that ye know not of.
126. "But oh, you work so hard. And, oh, you toil and strain and struggle, but My yoke is easy and My burden is light. These burdens were not designed for you to carry, for they are My burdens. You are My children. For does not the father of the household take care of the heavy burdens of the household and carry the weights of the household? Does he not supply the needs of the household? Does he not supply the protection of the household? And does he not decide the weighty matters? For he doth not ask the children to decide these things or to defend the house or to supply for the house, for he loves his children, and he wishes to supply for them and protect them and keep them. He wishes to answer their questions and help them to grow, to teach them. So it is with Me.
127. "So let Me be your Father. Let Me carry the burden. Bring it unto Me. Ask of Me and seek Me, for I promise to show you and to give you those answers that ye seek, that you may find true rest in Me. And thus thou shalt understand My Word when I say, `Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord.' And so shall you understand when I say, `Stand back and see Me fight.' And ye shall know that ye have this treasure in earthen vessels that the power and excellency may be of God and not of man, that no flesh should glory in My presence.
128. "So let Me do the work, and seek Me, and hear My voice, and do those things that I show you, that ye shall know that it is by My Spirit that these things are accomplished, and thus shall I receive the praise and the honor and the glory that I deserve.
129. "And, yea, it is humbling to come before Me and admit that you need these answers. And it will be humbling for you to see My power in comparison to your own. But in humility is great peace. And in humility is great rest. So come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. I will give you the rest of My answers, and the rest of My strength, and the rest of My power, if ye will but seek Me, if ye will but hear My voice, and if ye will operate according to My plan.
130. "So rest in Me and be freed from the heavy burdens. For though the questions may not go away, the answers can come forth, flow forth in great abundance if ye will but tap into the source, My Spirit. For in Me is great power, and in Me is all that ye need, for I am all in all, and I am here for you." (End of prophecy.)
131. (Mama:) What wonderful answers You give, Lord.--So simple! You tell us over and over again the same thing, one time this way and another time that way, trying to get us to see it, trying to get us to believe it: That all we have to do is ask You and seek Your face about everything--our finances, our children, our outreach, our mates, our ministries, our battles. No matter how complex we feel the problems are, when we ask You, You will give such simple answers and melt all those mountains away by the voice of Your Word.
132. You even tell us that these burdens are not ours to carry; they belong to the father of the household, who doesn't burden his children with the heavy weights of the household. What a beautiful example You have made so that each of us can understand how You want us, Your children, to be with You, our Father. It's not just that You don't want us to be strained and burdened, although that's certainly a big part of it, but it's also that You want to get the glory for handling the problems and solving them. What a marvelous plan!
133. Help us, Lord, to fulfill our part by tapping into the Source and by resting in You and asking You the questions and receiving Your answers, which always work!
* * *
The Promised Land Beyond Jordan!
134. (Prophecy:) "The Promised Land is the land of My Spirit, the land of My power, the land of My strength, the land where My children no longer need to struggle in the arm of the flesh to do the things that they seek to do as they desire to accomplish My will, as they attempt to accomplish My will. For it is a place in the spirit where My children shall be empowered with a greater power and a greater anointing, where they shall have rest from their labors, where they will have tapped into the power of My Spirit and where they will operate in the power of My strength, and thus will receive My blessings. For they will operate in harmony and in unison with those in the Spirit, and thus will have a new power, a new strength and a new anointing. And this will bring forth a new joy and a new peace and a new rest, no longer struggling, no longer striving, no longer weary.
135. "For when the children of Israel crossed the Jordan, they still had much to do. They had to conquer the whole Promised Land. But as they stayed close to Me and cried out to Me, I defeated their enemies. Yea, they went forth to battle, they put in some effort, but they sought Me and I gave them instructions, and they always won as long as they stayed close to Me and sought Me. For they were assured of victory if they battled according to My plan. And I did miracles, yea, many miracles, and brought forth great victories. I even went ahead of them in My power and cleared the land of their enemies. I did things that they knew not of until later. For I sent forth hornets to drive out the inhabitants of the land so that the land would be free for My children.
136. "For I work in many ways, and if you will seek Me and cry out to Me, and if you will love Me and praise Me, and if you will grasp all that I am saying, My power and My Spirit will work in even greater and stronger ways than it did for the children of Israel in their Promised Land.
137. "And even as Moses was taken from the children of Israel right before they crossed the Jordan, so has your Moses been taken from you. For it was also a new day for them, a day to come out of the desert of hardship, the desert of famine into the land of plenty. And so it is with you.
138. "For as time marches closer to the End, so must My children be empowered by My Spirit in a new and greater way. But I can only empower those who make the decisions that they need to make, that make the decisions to put Me first, that make the decisions to trust Me with all of their hearts. And yea, now I put decisions before My children through the Charter, for I have designed it that they must decide what they will do. And for some, it will be a series of little decisions, of little choices whether to say `yes' unto Me, whether to yield--yield to My Spirit and yield to My Word and yield to the words of their queen. For others it is a big test. For everyone is different, but everyone must make their choices.
139. "Some may cross the Jordan now and some may cross the Jordan later, but all who wish to be empowered by My Spirit must cross. But I am taking My pillars across first, that they may be able to say, `Come, come! This new land, this land of the Spirit is a place of rest and joy and peace.' For I have taken this one (Peter) across through the tests of affliction and through the test of yieldedness. And I have taken thee, My queen, across through the test of saying `yes' and `yes' and `yes' again and again through the little decisions day by day, step by step, through the little yieldednesses, as an ensample unto you that all cross not the Jordan in the same way, but all must make decisions and all must say `yes' unto Me.
140. "So call unto the others and say, `Yes, come over! This is the way to go! This is the strength of the Spirit of God! This is where you will find rest to your souls, and this is where the blessings of God will be made manifest in a new and greater way. So come! Cross over to the power of the Spirit! Come! Cross over to the might of God! Come! Cross over to blessings and plenty! Come! Cross over where your David hath trod.'" (End of prophecy.)
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The Power of Saying "Yes!"
141. (Prophecy:) "Precious in My sight is the death of My saints--the death to self, the death to sin, the death to thine own ways. And man feareth death, but I say unto thee, fear it not; for from this death springs forth the beauty of life, the beauty of resurrection, the beauty of My Spirit. For this death to self and the decision to say, `Yes, I will go to the cross; yes, I will go to the flame; yes, I will go through the flood,' is what bringeth forth the beauty of the resurrection and of the life to come. Without this death there can be no resurrection. The laying down of thy life, thy will and thy desires--even though thou seest not what is beyond the grave--is the step of faith that bringeth forth the beauteous resurrection of My Spirit in thy life.
142. "For without faith it is impossible to please Me. And if thou canst see the way, or if thou knowest all that is ahead, then the decision is not one of faith, but one of knowledge and one of understanding and one of clarity. But when thou seest not what is ahead, when thou lookest forth and seest only darkness and knowest not where the light is or when it shall come or from whence it shall come, but thou sayest, `Yes, I will follow anyway, and I will take the step because Thou hast said this is what I must do, this is what Thou requirest of me,' this is great faith and it doth greatly please Me. And because I am well pleased with thee, so will I pour forth unto thee all that thou hast asked for. So shall I strengthen thee and so shall I lift thee up, and so shall I pour forth unto thee My Spirit and My love, My compassion and My understanding. And so shall I bring thee into the rest of My Spirit that thou seekest.
143. "For he that is willing to say `yes' unto Me will find that I will say `yes' unto him. And he that is willing to give his heart unto Me will find that I will give unto him his heart's desire. As thou hast laid down thy life and hast said, `Take me,' so will I take up thy life, and so will I strengthen thee, and so will I give thee the desires of thine heart. For he that pleaseth Me shall be pleased of Me, and shall receive of Me the blessings that I can pour forth, that I will pour forth, for thy step of faith.
144. "Though thou mayest not see it at this point, the time will come when thou wilt clearly see and will clearly understand and wilt glorify Me for the miracles that I have done, and thou shalt see the power of saying `yes' unto Me. For he that withholdeth not will find that I withhold not from him, and that I give faith in great abundance--a great abundance of love, of care, of compassion, of joy, of My Spirit, and the power of My might.
145. "For thou hast come unto Me with thy vessel completely empty, saying, `I have no more herein to succor myself. I have no more herein to strengthen myself. I have no more herein to feed myself.' Thou hast come unto Me and begged, so now I pour forth unto thy vessel and fill it full to overflowing. I will fill thy vessel with My strength and My succor and My food. And thou shalt be strengthened, encouraged and uplifted, and I shall restore thy faith unto thee in a new and greater way, for thou shalt have the faith of the faithless, of those who have come to the end of their own strength and have found that I am He that is the father of faith, the author and finisher of thy faith. And I will pour forth unto thee in great abundance. I shall lift thee up and comfort thee, and I shall heal thee. And thou shalt go forth in the power and strength of My might that thou mayest accomplish all that I have chosen for thee to do. Such is the power of saying `yes' unto Me." (End of prophecy.)
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Marching Forth to a New Day!
146. (Peter prays:) Lord, I come before You and ask if there's anything You have to say to Your precious people, anything at all. You are our lover, our shepherd, the one who is leading and guiding and trying to show us what to do. We don't know, I don't know, so we want to come before You and ask that You will please speak to us if there's anything You want to say about this situation. You said if we would acknowledge You, You would direct our paths.
147. You said to cry out unto You and call unto You and You would show us great and mighty things that we know not. We don't know what to do in this situation. I don't know how to shepherd these people, I don't know what they need, I don't know anything, but You know everything. You said that we were supposed to ask. You've been saying over and over again that we should ask, we should tap in to Your source and You would tell us. So that's what we're trying to do now, to seek You and have You speak to us and show us anything that You want to show us. If there's anything about the situation that we need to know or that would be helpful, please speak and tell us now.
148. I rebuke the Enemy and any distractions. Help us to be good clear channels, to filter out anything that is not of You. We don't want anything that's not of You. Help us to only hear Thy voice and just be good receivers, to put our antennas up and hear what You have to say, in Jesus' name. Thank You Lord! We love You and we need You! Hallelujah!
149. (Prophecy:) "These are weary in well doing, for they have fought a good fight, they have struggled against hardship, they have struggled in defeat. And yet they have not surrendered, and for this I am well pleased in these, My beloved, My precious ones whom I love so dearly.
150. "For many others would have surrendered, would have given up and said, `I can go no further, for I am fighting in defeat. And each thing I put my hand to do seemeth to end in defeat, therefore I must surrender, I must say the battle is lost.' But these have not been so, for they have been valiant soldiers, valiant generals who have carried on in spite of seeming defeat. But this has not been a defeat, for they have held the Enemy at bay. And now I pull them back from this front that they may face a new front, a front where they shall be victorious. And the lessons that they have learned through defeat shall be lessons that will bring them unto victory.
151. "And this is My message unto these ones, My darlings, My beloved, in whom I am well pleased. I say unto you, ye have not begun to see the victories that I am going to bring forth. And these days of struggle and these days of defeat shall be a thing of the past, and ye shall remember them no more, for the victories that are ahead. But before honor is humility. For as ye enter into this new day, ye shall do so with a greater anointing and a greater power and in greater faith, and in the days to come ye shall understand all that ye have been through.
152. "Therefore, lift up the hands that hang down and strengthen the feeble knees of these, your flock, and look ahead in real faith. Look ahead with encouragement. Look ahead, for the dawn cometh, and the night seasons of despair, of defeat and of discouragement are giving way to the brightness and the light of My coming. For I shall arise with healing in My wings, and I shall heal the spirits of these, My children, who have fought, who have suffered, and who have died--died to themselves.
153. "And as they march back in seeming retreat and onward into new fields, they shall come out of the night and into the day where the sun shall shine, and they shall receive the warmth of My love, and the light of My truth, and the strength of My might. For when they were in the strong countries, they were weak; but as they go to the weak countries, they shall become strong--strong in the power of My might, and strong in the spirit of My witness. And I will empower them and they shall help to fill the vacuum that the people in these countries have.
154. "And as they fill this vacuum and as they pour forth My Words unto the truly lost and the truly hungry and the needy, it shall revive them and revitalize them, and they shall forget the night season, for they shall be in the day. And that which was weak shall become strong; and that which was discouraged shall become encouraged; and that which fought the enemy within shall turn and fight the enemy without, and they shall be raised from defeat unto victory.
155. "And so shall ye be rewarded for your labors and for your love, and for the laying down of your lives for these, your brethren. For the dawn breaketh and the morning light begins to arise. So look up and see the darkness fade, as the sunshine of My love, of My power, of My strength and of My might begins to arise.
156. "And I shall wipe the tears from your eyes, and I shall wipe the hurt from your heart, and I shall wipe the strain from your bodies. Ye shall have rejoicing instead of sorrow, and ye shall have peace instead of turmoil, and ye shall have My power instead of your strength. For ye have been through the night, and now ye shall enter in to the daylight.
157. "So though ye are weary and though ye are weakened, ye are as those who have fought the good fight. When you have fought valiantly, and when you have fought hand to hand, you can only expect that ye would be weary and worn and wounded. But now I will heal you, and now I will sop your wounds and I will succor your spirit. And now I send you forth as an army no longer in defeat, but as well-seasoned soldiers who march forth into glorious victory ahead.
158. "So lift up your eyes, lift up your heads and gird yourselves about with faith. For ye shall now march forth victorious into the new day and into the sunlight of My love as shining lights, as soldiers of My realm, the realm of the King of all kings, and ye shall march unto victory. For in your weakness I shall make you strong, and ye shall have victory all the day long." (End of prophecy.)
159. (Peter:) Thank You, Lord! How encouraging for these who have fought so hard. I had a picture of the sunrise, when it's still dark around you, but when you look way off in the distance you can see the beginning of the glow of the morning where it's starting to get lighter. The sun isn't really up yet, but the light is starting and it is beginning to defeat the darkness. It's a slow process; the sun doesn't just pop right up. It slowly comes up as the Earth turns. It takes time before the sun is fully up. But it was as if you could already see the sun when it first starts to come up; that's the impression I had, that that's where it's at. All the problems aren't going to dissipate in one day, but it is moving in that direction and the sun is going to be rising soon.
160. (Fam:) Towards the beginning of the prophecy I had a vision. It wasn't in color, but was rather black-and-white. It was of the sun rising over the mountains, and all around was mist and darkness from the night. It seemed a bit gloomy as well. The sun's rays were beaming out over a far mountain peak, only the rays looked more like you see in a painting; they were distinct, not blended in. And because of the clouds and darkness from the night, some of the rays were obstructed. It was a slow sunrise and not everything became bright as quickly as you would think.
161. The impression was that you had to look up, but the sun and its rays didn't hurt your eyes. And as long as you looked up and realized the sun was always shining, though not necessarily brilliant, you were comforted. You weren't even affected by the difficult surroundings and the fact that they wouldn't change dramatically overnight. You had to just keep looking up toward the sun with the hope that things were going to brighten up and change. Also, I got a paraphrase of the verse we usually claim for physical healing: "I have heard thy sobs, I have seen thy tears; behold, I will heal them."
162. (Mama:) What glorious victories the Lord is promising for His children. After they have made the choice to trust Him and go ahead by faith, He is saying that He is going to richly reward them and strengthen them and heal their wounds. Although this prophecy was given specifically for one particular field, it can apply just as well to all who have been bruised and buffeted and battered, as they strike out by faith to new realms, to new fields, to new locations, to new Homes, with new co-workers, new friends and new ministries. He's going to strengthen you and cause you to see the sun once again.
* * *
Forever Young with the Fountain of Youth!
163. (Prophecy:) "And so do I stir the waters and dredge up all that is settled and bring it up and expose it, that it may be filtered through the sieve of testing and of trial, that it may be made pure and clean and fresh and re-aerated. For water that lieth still loses its sweetness. It becomes flat, for it is not filled with My air. But it must be stirred and it must be splashed about so that it can once again come to life. And so it is with these that I test and that I try, I stir the waters. And it dredgeth up some of the mud and some of the silt and some of the unsavory things, that these can be seen and filtered out.
164. "But this must needs be so that the water can be made fresh once again and alive and thirst quenching, and that it may be cleansed and filtered. And some say, `Oh, but I like the flat water, the water that is still, that moveth not, and I am comfortable with this. Do not stir me up.' But I say that without the stirring they receive not the life of the air of God that reinvigorates and re-aerates these still waters.
165. "So when you look upon one that is being tested and tried, pray for them and encourage them. Encourage them to hold on and to realize that I am breathing My air into them, My breath, My Spirit, that they may once again come alive. For My church must be made of those that have life and life abundant, life of the Spirit. And those that are sedate and immovable, I stir them up, I challenge them. And they must decide, `Yes, yes! I will go forth with this challenge!' Or, `No, I have had enough and I am so settled down.'
166. "For the old must make way for the new.--But who are the old? The old are only those who will not change, who will not allow themselves to be stirred up, who will not take the step of faith, who will not trust Me. And who are the new?--The new are those who drink in My new wine, who trust, who say, `Oh, yes, I will go forth! I know not what is there, but I will go forth.'
167. "And they that are old are not of a certain age, and they that are new and young are not of a certain age, for the newness or the oldness is a matter of the spirit. For those who will allow themselves to be stirred up, these are they that are new and young. And those that say, `No, no, stir me not up, for I am comfortable and I am happy with the way it is,' these are old. And it maketh no difference if they are old or young in flesh, for it is a matter of the spirit.
168. "But I raise up a new and young army, an army of those that are full of faith. Not those who are strong, not those who are mighty, not those who have done great exploits, but just those who have faith--faith to trust Me, faith to hold on, faith to say `yes' unto Me. And these are they that will partake of the fresh waters of My Spirit, and that shall have great rejoicing in these waters.
169. "But the road to the well of these waters is a difficult road, and those that climb it are those that must be young--young in spirit, young in willingness, young in yieldedness, young in obedience, young in desire for Me.
170. "But those who feel old and think, `No, but I am old, I am old in spirit and I find the changes hard and the new things difficult,' I say unto you that before you stands the fountain of youth. For the fountain of youth is the will of God, and to receive of it and to drink of it you must only say `yes'--`yes' to My will, `yes' to that which I bring your way, `yes' to My new words, `yes' to Me and all that I would ask of you. If ye will do this thing, ye shall be young in spirit all the days of your life, and ye shall have the fountain of youth.
171. "Even as your David, though old in flesh was young in spirit, so shall ye be. For he was yielded unto Me, and he said `yes' unto Me, and he was true and faithful unto Me. And so shall it be with you if ye will but say 'yes' unto Me.
172. "So come unto Me, young and old, and, lo, I will make you all young, even as those who enter into the heavenly realm are once again young and rejuvenated and revitalized because they are in the Spirit. And those of you who say `yes' unto Me and who follow Me and who yield to Me and who trust Me, ye are they that walk in the Spirit. And I say unto you, the Spirit of God is the fountain of youth. And you shall be as a new creature, as a young bottle, and as a young and radiant bride. And, yea, ye shall be forever young!" (End of prophecy.)
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Encouragement from Dad!
173. (Prophecy, Dad speaking:) "You've been a faithful soldier and I've always been really proud of you for all that you've done. I was always thankful that you helped me work on my words. You've been a blessing to me and to the work for so long. I know it's been hard. I think back on those times of your afflictions and when you had to leave and be out on the field. I know those times were hard, but you pulled through. I always knew that you would because I knew you were faithful, and I've admired you for that.
174. "We've all been here waiting with bated breath for you to decide. We've been praying for you, trying to help. And now we're all released to help you, and we will help you. It may still be hard, but we'll be there to help, as well as all those that are assigned to you. So don't worry, honey, it's going to be okay.
175. "There are even those assigned to your children who will help them and uphold them. But, honey, you have to keep looking forward, that's your job. That's what you've been called for. You can't look to the right or to the left or wonder about what's behind in the past. Just keep looking forward, honey. That's what you've always done and that's why you've gotten this far. I knew I could trust you, I knew that you'd make it through, and I said so when the decisions were being made to test you and to try you and to purge you and make you white. I said, `She'll make it. She always has. I know she will.'--And you have, honey.
176. "So keep holding on! Keep looking ahead! Keep forging ahead, just like I always had to, even though I had hurt and pain, and even though my own daughter turned against me. It was hard to go through those things, but I just had to keep looking forward and looking to the Lord, and He brought me through, just like He will you. And it's those heartbreaks that bring us closer to Him and help us to love Him more, because we have to get so desperate, and it helps us understand others, too.
177. "Don't worry, sometimes I felt like throwing in the towel too, you know. But I didn't, I just kept going, like you've done in the past. So keep going forward, honey! I'm so proud of you! Boy, I'm really proud of you and I'm telling everybody here, `See, I told you so!' So move ahead. Keep going forward.
178. (To her new mate:) "And, son, I know you're struggling too, but the struggle ends when you lay it all down and just say `Okay.'--When you really lay it down. And I know you can do it too. You know, son, I've been really proud of you. And don't forget that the fields I'm asking you to forsake were my burdens right from the beginning. I pushed for that area and I'm still pushin' for it! And I'm thankful that you feel that way about it! But you know, sometimes we just have to lay some of these things aside. I know you can do it.
179. "I've been so proud of you over the years too, son. I always knew I could depend on you way back. I knew I could depend on you and that you were faithful. Even when you went out on to the field, I knew you would make it. Even through the demotions and the rebukes and all the rest, I knew you could do it, and you have. Don't worry that you can't see everything and you can't understand everything. Goodness, nobody ever sees everything and understands everything! It wouldn't be faith if you did. Son, you've trusted the Lord before and I know you can trust Him now. Just do it, and I promise you it will be okay. It always is. It always will be.
180. "And all of you, let us help you. We're all here. You have a great company of great men and women, those who love your people, those who have given their lives to reach these people. You wouldn't believe how many you have and the power and the strength that is there, and the wisdom and the guidance that is there. But you've got to use it, folks. You've got to stop, you've got to look, you've got to listen. You've got to slow down, you've got to pull back, you've got to trust that people will do the right thing, even though maybe it doesn't look like it. Goodness, what do you think I had to do all those years? I kept looking and writing and listening, and I was disappointed a lot of times that people didn't do the things I said to do and the things I thought they ought to do. And in spite of everything, things went on pretty well and we've reached the world.
181. "I had to learn that I had to pull back and I couldn't be so involved with every little thing. I had to cut it free and cut it loose. And that's what you all have to do too. You have to step back, you have to lighten up. You've got to let them go free. Sure they'll make mistakes. Sure they'll stumble and fall. Sure some of them will leave--they always have and they always will. The new wine will always break some bottles. There will always be those who will say `no' and who will step back, even those you love, those who are closest to you.--But you've just got to keep going ahead and trusting the Lord.
182. "I saw my closest ones, my generals, my lovers, my friends, my daughter fall by the wayside, and it hurt. But I had to keep going. I just kept looking ahead. So step back a bit and listen, and let these that are here help you, the ones assembled to help you. Listen to them. Take the time. And trust the Lord.
183. "Stop thinking that you've got to do everything, and you've got to help every single one and comfort them and nurse them and feed them and figure things out for them. They've got the Word, they've got the Lord. They've got His Spirit. Teach them to pray. Teach them to hear from the Lord. Teach them to have faith. Lead them to the Lord and let them work together and find the way that seems right to them. You know, they do really love the Lord. They might not always do the right thing, but they love Jesus and they are trying to serve Him the best that they can.
184. "You've got to let the Spirit shepherd them a bit too. And you've got to let some of their experiences shepherd them a bit. You can't always be a buffer for them. Sometimes you have to let them get buffeted, because that's how they learn. I know it hurts to see that. I know you don't want them to have to go through that and make mistakes and get hurt and all the rest. But you know, sometimes that's the only way people can learn. Those are the lessons that they really remember. If they insist on going their own way, well, you've got to let them go.
185. "Which are the lessons you remember?--Aren't they the ones where you really screwed up and maybe hurt people and hurt yourself? You remember those lessons really well, even better than the lessons that you read in the Letters, or what someone else told you when they tried to protect you from something. Sure there are going to be mistakes, and things aren't going to work as well as you would like. But they'll grow, they'll be strengthened, and in time they will understand much better. And in time your job will be much less because they will all be stronger.
186. "So let them grow. Step out of the way. Do the things that only you can do. That will give you more time to take care of some of the business that you have to take care of, but a lot more time just to go and to love and to shepherd and to encourage, to sing to people, to comfort them, to love them, to instruct them, to pray with them, to give them counsel. And when they look at you, they won't see you so burdened.
187. "You know, it worries people when they look at their shepherds and see them so burdened. But it inspires them when they see you looking to Jesus and trusting Him and having faith. It's like kids and their parents. If they see their parents worried all the time and struggling or fighting or having a rough time, it really worries them. But if they see their parents are in love and joyful and happy and full of faith, it inspires them. And if they see you have faith for them to do something, then it gives them more faith to do it.
188. "But you're only going to have that kind of peace and joy and happiness and faith if you'll stop, if you'll pull back a bit, if you'll spend more time with the Lord, if you'll spend more time with those commissioned to help you, and you get those directions that are the right directions and that will inspire others. Just think now how inspired people are going to be when you say, `You know, you've got to go way out there.' They're going to be thrilled! They love to pioneer.
189. "But you don't get those answers in the midst of the muddle, folks, but when you pull back and spend time together fellowshipping and loving the Lord, singing unto Him and praising Him and seeking Him. Folks, that's where the strength lies. That's where the power is. Don't forget it, because you just can't do it any other way.
190. "Well, I didn't mean to give you a big lecture but since I had your ear I thought it was worthwhile. So just keep going ahead, keep praying. Keep listening, and realize you have a lot of power in prayer, a lot of power in listening, because you have the power of the spirit world. And if you think you have a burden to reach those people, and you think you have a burden to get them into Heaven, you ain't seen nuthin' compared to the burden that these have! And they are very desirous to help. So start lettin'm help you, and soon you'll be able to teach others how to let them help them. And let me tell you, there will be an explosion!
191. "Okay! So do the job! And listen to the Lord, and listen to your helpers. Listen to your queen, too, because she really loves you guys. And she has got a lot of new things coming because she has tapped into the spirit world, and there is excitement ahead! I'm thrilled! We're all thrilled! So hang on! There's lots comin'!
192. "--And know that we're praying for you. Know that we're helping you. And above all, know that I am really proud of you for the wonderful job you've been doing. It's been hard, I know. But you've just done great, so stop worrying about the past and the problems and the worries and the frets, and the people that have left, and the kids that are having a hard time, and the kids that have left. It's the past, folks. Just keep forging ahead! You'll have those hurts and they won't go away, but you can't let them weigh you down. Just keep looking ahead, keep looking to Jesus. Keep going for God. And He will keep going for you!" (End of prophecy.)
Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family