A Different Kind of Warfare
June 16, 2001
Today, the Lord directed my mind to a particular group of people.
These were people of various giftings and talents. All had offered their
lives to the Lord to serve Him and His people, but somehow they are finding
themselves to be out instead of in. They are finding
circumstances coming
against them instead of for them. It seems the very thing they desire to do
for God is the farthest thing that they are able to do at this time, and the
opposite of what they have labored for seem to upon them in great force.
WHAT'S NOW IN THEIR/OUR HEARTS
I heard these questions and thoughts hovering on many hearts and minds.
"Have I missed the way?"
"Is the Lord angry with me?"
"Is there sin in my life?"
"Is the Lord punishing me?"
"Is this the work of the enemy?"
"Oh Lord, time is passing me by."
"Oh God, how many more years?"
"Oh God, when will you come for me? When will I see the fulfillment of Your
promises for me?"
"Are all these impressions and promises I'm holding on really from
the Lord
or are they just coming from my own imagination?"
COMMON GROUND
The circumstances are varied and different for each one, but a common place
that they are finding themselves in is STANDSTILL. Every plan, dream,
project, work seems to be frozen for now. Nothing seems to be moving as they
have perceived them in their hearts.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF WARFARE
The Lord impressed to me that people who are finding themselves in this
place are involved in a different kind of spiritual warfare. It is a warfare
with a prophetic tone and message.
This warfare may not be active, and it may look passive but IT IS POWERFUL TO
DESTROY
STRONGHOLDS and helpful and necessary to complement and support the works
of
those who are now actively laboring in God's field.
EXPOSING THE ENEMY
There is a spiritual onslaught that is coming upon God's people. I did not
receive any specific name but just perceived the nature of this attack.
I saw like a small snowball that the enemy threw down. As it began
to
move and roll, it picked up size and speed and became bigger and bigger
until it became so big that it toppled down everything that stood in its way.
TREADMILL STRATEGY
To help me understand better the nature of this attack, the Lord showed me
the vision of a person running a treadmill. No matter what the person was
doing, his feet was constantly running that treadmill. Whether eating,
reading, watching TV, talking with people, and even sleeping yet I see
the person's feet continually working on the treadmill. It was like this
treadmill had become his lifeline, and everything around him would crumble
if he stopped.
Another parallel picture given to me was that of a rat that was running
inside a circular wheel, the kind that we find in a pet shop. The rat was
running
nonstop inside that wheel.
NON STOP MOTION:
The enemy is using this strategy to weaken and trap God's people. In
everything that we do nowadays . We are being drawn to that need
to be doing something constantly.
There seems to be some force that wants to carry us into perpetual motion.
Even when we are not doing anything physical, our minds never stop
thinking or planning or strategizing.
This has created a lot of activities and movements (which are not bad by
themselves), but if we are not careful, they will become like the small
snowball that will roll over us, weary us and take us out of the race in the
end.
EZEKIEL'S INTERCESSION:
References: Ezekiel 3:24-27; 4:1-15
God has chosen a group of prophetic intercessors. Their lives will be like
that of Ezekiel. They will become God's spiritual weapon in stopping the
enemy's snowball from getting bigger and running over the body of Christ.
THEIR LIVES BECOME PROPHETIC SYMBOLS
By causing these people to stand in situations where their hands are
tied, or to stand in places where they are not able to move, they, like
Ezekiel,
have become symbols that the enemy's plans have been exposed and thwarted.
VIOLATING THE SABBATH REST
The enemy wants to set in motion something that will cause the body of
Christ to begin to overlook, ignore, and not take seriously the
importance of God's sabbath rest, the purpose for which God instituted
it and the effect it has upon your lives and the danger of violating it.
FOR THOSE IN THE MIDST OF THE ACTIONS
Even for those who are not in a place of standstill but are in the
forefront of God's work, there will be moments when you will sense the Lord
prompting you to break away from the flow of what's keeping you busy this
season. Heed these gentle nudgings from the Holy Spirit for they are meant
as protection.
This applies not just to ministry but to every area of our lives. Do not
fear taking those moments of break or rest.
I saw scenes where people went to sleep or took short walks in the middle
of
a busy meeting and planning sessions. I saw parents joking, laughing and
wrestling with their children in the middle of studies.
I saw women dropping unfinished household chores and just sitting
down to
take a cup of coffee or tea or just calling a friend and talk about nothing
serious in
particular.
Moments like these are promptings from the Holy Spirit and not human
weakness as the enemy would want us to believe. They are meant by the
Lord to be a method of spiritual warfare strategy to prevent the
enemy
from gaining inroad into our lives.
A WORD FOR THOSE WHO ARE ON STANDSTILL
Fear not for I have not abandoned you, nor have I forgotten my plans for
you. My recompense is with Me, and I will repay you for the years and the
things
that have been taken away from you.
You will find yourself like Elijah running with the power of the Lord
(1
Kings 18:46) coming to the very places where I want
you to be when this
season is over. You will not be left behind but will be
standing with the
others as if you had never left.
My Spirit is overshadowing you, and this has enabled you to stand in these
places. My Spirit will continue to overshadow and will carry you through.
Continue to focus upon all that I have revealed to you. They will not be in
vain but will come to pass in its time. Hold on to what I have revealed to
you for I Am adding more revelation to it.
As you continue to stand your ground, I Am preparing the groundwork for
you. Wait for it, for it will surely come upon you as I have promised.
PRAYER
"Heavenly Father, we know that Your ways are not our ways, but Yours are
better than ours. Thank You for helping us to understand the significance of
what is taking place in our midst. Thank You for restoring our eyes of
perceptions and aligning these with Yours. Thank You for exposing the plans
of the enemy and for not allowing it to take root and prosper in our lives.
"We give praise to You for all that You are doing in our midst. Great and
mighty are You. Awesome are Your deeds. As You have moved in the past, may
You renew them in our days. All these we speak by faith through Jesus
Christ, Your Son, Our Lord and Savior who strengthens us. Amen!"
Sis. Ching Co
Cebu City
Philippines