A prophecy from the Lord was given in the Hay River Chapel Sunday morning March 1, 2009. Some of things He said were: “I’m coming soon” (several times), “Everything that can be shaken will be shaken”, “There is a great work to be done”, and “Rejoice, Rejoice, Rejoice”.
It is encouraging to be told that Jesus is coming soon (Jesus said, “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." Luke 21:28) and that there is a great work to done, and (in spite of being difficult to rejoice when everything is being shaken) we can and should rejoice. We need the attitude that there is a great work to be done before Jesus returns and to rejoice in the midst of what appears horrible.
I was working on the church library and decided to read some of the books on prophecy. Rick Joyner’s “Visions of the Harvest” (Moring Star publications, last copyright 1977) was one I “happened” to choose. The whole book is worth reading, but I quote one paragraph: “The magnitude of these events cannot be expressed here, neither the chaos nor the move of the Holy Spirit. What I was allowed to foresee ended with increasing chaos and increasing revival.” p. 20
March 9, 2009 David Wilkerson, best-selling author and founder of Teen Challenge founder, and another prophet, wrote an article on an “earth-shattering calamity” about to happen’.
Seeing happenings on the economic and political scene progressing at an alarming rate toward calamity reinforce the certainty of these events. Other prophets have seen the banks collapsing and are more specific in their predictions. I don’t know these prophets but will consider what they say.
O course, the way to be prepared for these events is to make sure we are on the winning side. Get closer to the Lord and learn to hear His voice. He tells us not to worry because He will take care of us:
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?’ or `What shall we drink?’ or `What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:25-34(Luke 12:22-31)
We don’t even have to be concerned about what we will say:
“But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” Mark 10:19-20, 13:11 Luke 12:11, 21:14
Jesus tell us just to “be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning”, in other words, keep ourselves close to Him and be ready to do what He tells us to do:
"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to he poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." Luke 12:32-40
The Apostle Paul sums up what our attitude should be in his letter to the Philippians:
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7 We need to pray about everything with thankful hearts.
James, the brother of Jesus, tells us what it means to rejoice:
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.” James 1:2-8 James also warns against doubt. If God promises to give us wisdom, He will give us wisdom.
Thanks goodness that Jesus also tells His prophets what is coming so we will be ready.