End Times Witnessing: How do the true worshippers worship God?

The watchman has an urgent message for churches today. Are you a true worshipper?


Jesus states that “true worshipers worship God in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship Him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23-24). Thus only the spiritual man who lives by the Spirit knows how to worship God according to God’s spiritual requirement.


Jesus also states that the Spirit alone gives eternal life, Human effort accomplishes nothing. His words are spirit and life. The Holy Spirit reveals God to us in God’s words (truth). Thus only the spiritual man who discerns and understands the truth in the Word of God know how to worship God according to the plumb line standard of God.


Someone may feel unfairly left behind. How can such a rule be set? But Jesus says, God is Spirit. God is the Word (John 1:1). This is the reason. How else do you think you can reach Him or His wave length unless you become like Him? if you believe in God you just have to follow His standard (plumb line). Otherwise you need not attempt to reach Him as He does not know you.


The watchman too had once been worshipping in his soul (mind and emotion) for a long time, until one day when his spirit man was waken as he submitted to the Holy Spirit. God does not want anyone left behind. He has given every believer of Jesus the Holy Spirit and a measure of faith.


2 Corinthians 5:7 “We live by faith, not by sight.” Indeed, by faith, you too can receive the benefits of the Holy Spirit just as any other believers who submit themselves to God. Many have lived by faith and worshipped God in the way He wants.


Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. Hebrews 11:27 By faith Moses left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible. 11:28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel. 11:29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned. 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.


Who would in his sane mind would leave his long established successful and prosperous home ground and want to go to a place which location he does not even know? Who would in his sane mind forego all the palace prestige and comfort as a prince and go into the desert as a fugitive? Who would in his sane mind would want to carry out the cumbersome rituals involving the passover lamb-sprinkling of blood? Who would in their sane mind would want to walk on the sudden appearance of land in the midst of roaring deep blue sea to the shore beyond? Who in their sane mind would want to march in silence seven times round a strong fortified city for seven days expecting the walls to fall by themselves amidst trumpet sound and people shouting?


No one with ‘sane’ mind (according to the natural standard of this world) would do any of the above acts. But they are all acts of faith by people of faith. They believe in a supernatural God wholeheartedly. They cannot see the Holy Spirit but they believe. They follow obediently and faithfully.


When acts of faith take shape in the physical realm, they in fact mirror supernatural actions in the spiritual realm.


God has given every believer of Jesus the same capacity to receive good gifts by faith. Galatians 3:14 He (Jesus) redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.


Yes, you can be the true worshipper God is looking for. Today, when you hear His voice, do not harden your heart. There may not be another opportunity. Open your heart and receive. Submit and let the Holy Spirit and the Word of God raise you to the faith level He has already given you.


There is no option but to worship the true God Almighty, because you need protection from all evil (more so in this end time). Ezra 8:22 “Our God’s hand of protection is on all who worship Him.” The priest teacher so declared to the alien king (who believed too). 8:23 “So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and He heard our prayer.” Thus, Ezra and company traveled for four months on foot and arrived safely with their children, their goods and above all the treasures that the priests were entrusted to carry to the temple of God in Jerusalem.


“And the gracious hand of our God protected us and saved us from enemies and bandits along the way.” (Ezra 8:31)


In spirit means in spirit, not in mind, not in emotion. Worship in spirit today! In truth means in the Word of God, not in your words, not in man’s words, not in words from your own mind. Worship in truth today! Otherwise, You have no effective protection.

End Times Witnessing: Overcome hard times, tap into God and Live!

The intercessor/watchman speaker says, “On the Last Day, if you don’t know how to tap into God, you won’t survive.”
This statement has the greatest impact on the watchman during a recent conference.On this journey in the Holy Spirit, the more he walked the narrow path, and watch, the more he knew, every word said by the Lord is true and real. No flesh can survive. If your spirit man does not wake up soon you will perish like the rest. Now that hard times are here to stay, how does a Christian expect to withstand the even harder times ahead? No option except being part of the body of Christ, living by faith and by the Holy Spirit.
On the other hand, if you tap into the living God just as Yeshua (Jesus) said, be the branches of His vine, you will not only survive, you will live supernaturally and above the world-wide crumbling systems and structures made by mortal men.Your supplies of resources will never run dry. Your barns will be always full. You will be a blessing to many. You will be the head and not the tail. You will be the lender and not the borrower. Apart from Jesus you can do nothing. (John 15:5)
Men are created to live supernaturally. When men fell into sin in the Garden of Eden, men lost the sensitivity to the spiritual realm and its reality, and could only rely on brute strength (flesh: i.e. body and mind) to survive. But Jesus came and changed that limitation. He brought men back to the spiritual realm and its power to overcome the mortal man’s limitations (in flesh).
John 1:12-13 “But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn-not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.”
There are however two spiritual realms: that of God and that of the devil. Choose the Jesus Gate and you will enter the right spiritual realm through having the Holy Spirit in you. Only the Holy Spirit in you can point you to the truth of God and the truth of God can set you free.
Choose the Jesus Gate and you will enter into God’s rest. Only by abiding in Christ Jesus, you will have security in this life and the next, i.e. in eternity. Through the Holy Spirit, you can tap into God and live the super-abundant life Jesus has promised to His believers and followers. (John 10:10)
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The following are relevant verses spoken by Jesus for His own people (Christians and Messianic Jews) to know and practice:
John 6:63 “The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”
John 16:13 “When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. he will not speak on His own but will tell you what He has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring Me glory by telling you whatever He receives from Me.”
John 15:7-8 ” But if you remain in Me and My words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted When you produce much fruit, you are My true disciples. This bring great glory to My Father! “
John 14:21 “Those who accept My commandments and obey them are the ones who love Me. And because they love Me, My Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal Myself to each of them.”
John 14:6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”
John 14:¹² “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. ¹³ You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. ¹⁴ Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!”
John 17:3 (Jesus’ prayer to the Father in heaven for His disciples and all believers) “And this is the way to eternal life-to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the One You sent to earth.” 17:11 “Holy Father, You have given Me Your name; now protect them by the power of Your name so that they will be united just as We are.”
John 17:¹⁷ Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. ¹⁸ Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. ¹⁹ And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.
²⁰ “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. ²¹ I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.
²² “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. ²³ I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.”
There are such depths and reality in these words of the Lord. Read them over and over and ask the Holy Spirit to burn them in your hearts, my brethren. Be the supernatural man the Lord has designed us to be!
In His prayer to the Father, Jesus promised that He will continue to reveal the Father to us. “Then Your love for Me will be in them, and I will be in them.” (John 17:26)

Clues and Keys for Christian End Times Survival:

1. Abide in Christ Yeshua (Jesus); let His Word abide in you.
2. Live supernaturally by the Spirit of Christ (the Holy Spirit)
3. Ask for supplies from heaven in the name of the Lord (Yeshua Christ)
4. Ask for revelations from the Holy Spirit.
5. Align with God through listening and obeying the Holy Spirit (in the Word of God)
6. Submit to and obey you Commander-in-Chief, the Holy Spirit.
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End Times Witnessing: three days of many visions for a watchman

The night of many (eight) visions could only happen to Zechariah, the watchman once thought. He had once seen about eight or nine visions on one sleepless night. Some of them related to family matters and some on matters pertaining to God. But he was young in the Spirit then and could not understand.

Recently he was given the same opportunity when he attended three-days conference for intercessors/watchmen. The number of visions and the frequency overwhelmed him. He tried to record some and most times he could only give thanks to the awesome God.

The  visions came as soon as he closed his eyes. There were so many and he just could not keep count or ask the Lord what they meant. However, some were clear and meant something so important that he had recalled and recorded them.

Vision One: Vision of Fiery Darts and Fishes

During the time when the name of Yeshua (Jesus) was lifted high (in songs) and the prayer leader (an elderly veteran grandma intercessor) led the group and cried out the name of the Lord over and over, while singing and praying in the Spirit, the watchman saw fiery darts like meteoric shower flying at lightning speed at a shield above the leader's head. They were coming at full force but were all quenched. Then he saw numerous fishes (countless like the meteoric shower) flowing toward the entrance of a large pipeline in the ocean, all being drawn and sucked into the entrance from all over the ocean. All these went on as the name of Yeshua was being lifted up.

Vision Two:  Vision of crosses and churches

The watchman asked the Lord to show him a cross. Then he saw a cross in shadow. So he asked the Lord what it meant. He was told that it was a sum total of the the crosses in the participants. The next day he saw a cross outline. The second day afternoon he saw a cross with bright light and one stained with spots. He was told the bright one was a sum total. But the one with spot was one stained with the blood of the Lamb of God (prior to that vision he was reading the verses of the Lord's shedding His blood to save us as he was concerned by the 'holy laughter' (the joy of the Holy Spirit manifesting) of some members. The lone cross (with the blood) was in answer to his concern.
He also asked to see his own cross: on the first day he saw half a cross. The second day he saw the whole cross (wooden with grains) and it was really close-up like a 3-D screen being scrolled showing parts of it stretching from top to bottom. But he could not see the foot of the cross as it reached down to further depth.

Vision Three: Different perspectives of church building and crosses

On the last day he saw two perspective of  church (individual and corporate body of Christ) buildings. In the first scene he saw a huge wall with a small gate. The wall is so huge and tall and he could not see its top. He was told that he is building this in his Bible class and for himself (and his family) too. The walls stretch heaven-ward and will totally separate them from the world (its system) and fulfill God's requirement.
In the second scene he saw an aerial view of churches. They are blocks of squarish buildings, all in darkness and have no details. Everyone looks the same, all lining up like factory buildings. But they all have a cross-shape empty courtyard space in the center. The cross is what the Lord sees from above. As the watchman looked, he saw one cross-shape starting to build a fire (altar?) and he could see golden flames sparkling and thin line of the top of it to reach upward to heaven (the flames are the prayers of the church like the altar of incense). In another church instead of bright golden flames, black smoke came out and also rose to the sky. It was really quite a frightful sight to see from the aerial view. Nothing matters except the sum total of what matters to the Lord.
None of the church stood out for their building structures and constructions or sizes (number of congregation). They were all the same square boxes, same dark colors, all line up like waiting to be inspected. Viewing from heaven, only the cross is visible. The rest is blurred and undistinguished.

Vision Four: Snow and Winter everywhere

It was the first time the watchman saw snow scenes occurring so often in his visions. Wilderness. Snow-covered  streets emptied of lives. Snow-covered landscapes. During the teaching by a speaker on end times, he saw her standing in the wilderness, half shielded by dark trees (or bushes), while an avalanche of snow rolled toward her and soon her leg were half covered in snow but she continued preaching.

Vision Five:  The Lord on His throne on eagle wings

This was a wonderful and beautiful vision.  The watchman saw the Lord Yeshua (the King of kings) sitting on His throne, in brilliant light and the throne was on a pair of eagles wings. The eagle wings stretched across the whole horizon and there was no end to its tips. The wings covered the whole ocean and the bright light was atop the wings. The ocean could not even stir a wave. It was totally subdued.

Vision Six: Crystal Sword of the Spirit

He saw a Crystal sword when a speaker was preaching the Words of God.  The beautiful transparent sword appeared behind and and he was astounded. He was told it is what the Sword of the Spirit look like, not like human sword but pure and sharp (like diamond) and cuts through every stronghold.

Vision Seven: Spirit Song Banner

While a person burst into a spirit song, it was soft and gentle, but indeed powerful. He saw a vision of a banner (sort of golden) above her. Then it began to suck in a long thick line of black cloud (or smoke), like a magnate and the dark thing was simply sucked in to the golden banner and vanished as soon as it touched the banner. Soon there was no darkness left!

Vision Eight:  The Vision of end times star war

It was a puzzle at first when the watchman saw an outer space shuttle scrolling over the screen of his vision. Then he realized it was because the songs and prayers for all nations were sung and prayed.  This is the first time he sees such high tech vision of how all nations are being covered. The earth is merely a tiny globe and it is a view from above that he has never seen before in the spiritual realm. Later when the song asking the Holy Spirit to pour down on all the world's nations, he saw another vision. This time he saw longish missile like shapes of lights in rolls flashing across the screen like scrolling over a vast outer space. Again, a very high tech presentation of how all nations are to receive the pouring of the Holy Spirit.

The watchman of course had other personal visions which he could not share. But he had learned his lessons too, indeed a very large one on the last day. The Lord was merciful and delivered him.

End Times Witnessing: Deliverance from Confusion

Your Word,  O Lord, is a lamp to my feet!

Watchman heard:  "You need to continue to walk in the Light, so you will not stumble like the people in the dark!"

Proverbs 4:18-27

¹⁸ But the path of the just is like the shining sun,
That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.
¹⁹ The way of the wicked is like darkness;
They do not know what makes them stumble.
²⁰ My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
²¹ Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart;
²² For they are life to those who find them,
And health to all their flesh.
²³ Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.
²⁴ Put away from you a deceitful mouth,
And put perverse lips far from you.
²⁵ Let your eyes look straight ahead,
And your eyelids look right before you.
²⁶ Ponder the path of your feet,
And let all your ways be established.
²⁷ Do not turn to the right or the left;
Remove your foot from evil.

Footnotes:

1. Proverbs 4:18 Literally light

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ONLY THE LORD GIVES LIGHT!

# 2 Samuel 22:29
“For You are my lamp, O LORD;The LORD shall enlighten my darkness.
# Ezra 9:8
And now for a little while grace has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage.
# Job 33:30
To bring back his soul from the Pit,That he may be enlightened with the light of life.
# Psalm 13:3
Consider and hear me, O LORD my God;Enlighten my eyes, Lest I sleep the sleep of death;
# Psalm 18:28
For You will light my lamp;The LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
# Psalm 19:8
The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;
# Ephesians 1:18

the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

# Hebrews 6:4
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,
# Job 37:15
Do you know when God dispatches them,And causes the light of His cloud to shine?
# Psalm 56:13
For You have delivered my soul from death.Have You not kept my feet from falling, That I may walk before God In the light of the living?
# Psalm 118:27
God is the LORD,And He has given us light; Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.
# Isaiah 24:15
Therefore glorify the LORD in the dawning light, The name of the LORD God of Israel in the coastlands of the sea.
# Isaiah 50:10
“ Who among you fears the LORD? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness And has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD And rely upon his God.
# Jeremiah 13:16
Give glory to the LORD your God Before He causes darkness, And before your feet stumble On the dark mountains, And while you are looking for light, He turns it into the shadow of death And makes it dense darkness.
# Ezekiel 32:8
All the bright lights of the heavens I will make dark over you, And bring darkness upon your land,’ Says the Lord GOD.
# Daniel 5:11
There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers.
Daniel 5:14
I have heard of you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.
# John 3:21
But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
# Acts 26:18
to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’
# 1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.
# 2 Corinthians 4:4

whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

# 2 Corinthians 4:6
⁶ For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
# Philippians 2:15

that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

# 1 John 1:5
[ Fellowship with Him and One Another ] This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.
# Isaiah 60:19
[ God the Glory of His People ] “ The sun shall no longer be your light by day, Nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; But the LORD will be to you an everlasting light, And your God your glory.
# Revelation 4:5
And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
# Revelation 11:19
Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.
# Revelation 21:11
having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
# Revelation 21:23

The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.

# Revelation 22:5

There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.

End Times Witnessing: Letter from an alien king

“For Ezra had set his heart to seek the law of the L-rd and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and ordinances.”
(Ezra 7:10)

Ezra 7:11-28

¹¹ This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest and teacher, a man learned in matters concerning the commands and decrees of the LORD for Israel:
^{12 [a]} Artaxerxes, king of kings,
To Ezra the priest, a teacher of the Law of the God of heaven:
Greetings.
¹³ Now I decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including priests and Levites, who wish to go to Jerusalem with you, may go. ¹⁴ You are sent by the king and his seven advisers to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem with regard to the Law of your God, which is in your hand. ¹⁵ Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his advisers have freely given to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, ¹⁶ together with all the silver and gold you may obtain from the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests for the temple of their God in Jerusalem. ¹⁷ With this money be sure to buy bulls, rams and male lambs, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and sacrifice them on the altar of the temple of your God in Jerusalem.
¹⁸ You and your brother Jews may then do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, in accordance with the will of your God. ¹⁹ Deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles entrusted to you for worship in the temple of your God. ²⁰ And anything else needed for the temple of your God that you may have occasion to supply, you may provide from the royal treasury.
²¹ Now I, King Artaxerxes, order all the treasurers of Trans-Euphrates to provide with diligence whatever Ezra the priest, a teacher of the Law of the God of heaven, may ask of you- ²² up to a hundred talents ^[b] of silver, a hundred cors ^[c] of wheat, a hundred baths ^[d] of wine, a hundred baths ^[e] of olive oil, and salt without limit. ²³ Whatever the God of heaven has prescribed, let it be done with diligence for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and of his sons? ²⁴ You are also to know that you have no authority to impose taxes, tribute or duty on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants or other workers at this house of God.
²⁵ And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God, which you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people of Trans-Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach any who do not know them. ²⁶ Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king must surely be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.
²⁷ Praise be to the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put it into the king’s heart to bring honor to the house of the LORD in Jerusalem in this way ²⁸ and who has extended his good favor to me before the king and his advisers and all the king’s powerful officials. Because the hand of the LORD my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.

End Times Witnessing: Today’s Prayer for All Churches

ALL CHURCHES WHO HAVE GONE BACK TO SLAVERY, CONFESS YOUR SINS! TURN AWAY FROM YOUR WICKED WAYS AND TURN BACK TO THE TRUE GOD!

^{NEHEMIAH: 1} On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and having dust on their heads. ² Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the wickedness of their fathers. ³ They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the LORD their God. ⁴ Standing on the stairs were the Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Kenani—who called with loud voices to the LORD their God. ⁵ And the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah—said:
“Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting. ^[a] “
“Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. ⁶ You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.
⁷ “You are the LORD God, who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and named him Abraham. ⁸ You found his heart faithful to you, and you made a covenant with him to give to his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites and Girgashites. You have kept your promise because you are righteous.
⁹ “You saw the suffering of our forefathers in Egypt; you heard their cry at the Red Sea. ^{[b] 10} You sent miraculous signs and wonders against Pharaoh, against all his officials and all the people of his land, for you knew how arrogantly the Egyptians treated them. You made a name for yourself, which remains to this day. ¹¹ You divided the sea before them, so that they passed through it on dry ground, but you hurled their pursuers into the depths, like a stone into mighty waters. ¹² By day you led them with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire to give them light on the way they were to take.
¹³ “You came down on Mount Sinai; you spoke to them from heaven. You gave them regulations and laws that are just and right, and decrees and commands that are good. ¹⁴ You made known to them your holy Sabbath and gave them commands, decrees and laws through your servant Moses. ¹⁵ In their hunger you gave them bread from heaven and in their thirst you brought them water from the rock; you told them to go in and take possession of the land you had sworn with uplifted hand to give them.
¹⁶ ” But they, our forefathers, became arrogant and stiff-necked, and did not obey your commands. ¹⁷ They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them.They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them, ¹⁸ even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, ‘This is your god, who brought you up out of Egypt,’ or when they committed awful blasphemies.
¹⁹ “Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert. By day the pillar of cloud did not cease to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take. ²⁰ You gave your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and you gave them water for their thirst. ²¹ For forty years you sustained them in the desert; they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen.
²² “You gave them kingdoms and nations, allotting to them even the remotest frontiers. They took over the country of Sihon ^[c] king of Heshbon and the country of Og king of Bashan. ²³ You made their sons as numerous as the stars in the sky, and you brought them into the land that you told their fathers to enter and possess. ²⁴ Their sons went in and took possession of the land. You subdued before them the Canaanites, who lived in the land; you handed the Canaanites over to them, along with their kings and the peoples of the land, to deal with them as they pleased. ²⁵ They captured fortified cities and fertile land; they took possession of houses filled with all kinds of good things, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves and fruit trees in abundance. They ate to the full and were well-nourished; they reveled in your great goodness.
²⁶ “But they were disobedient and rebelled against you; they put your law behind their backs. They killed your prophets, who had admonished them in order to turn them back to you; they committed awful blasphemies. ²⁷ So you handed them over to their enemies, who oppressed them. But when they were oppressed they cried out to you. From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion you gave them deliverers, who rescued them from the hand of their enemies.
²⁸ “But as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight. Then you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies so that they ruled over them. And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion you delivered them time after time.
²⁹ “You warned them to return to your law, but they became arrogant and disobeyed your commands. They sinned against your ordinances, by which a man will live if he obeys them. Stubbornly they turned their backs on you, became stiff-necked and refused to listen. ³⁰ For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you admonished them through your prophets. Yet they paid no attention, so you handed them over to the neighboring peoples. ³¹ But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.
³² “Now therefore, O our God, the great, mighty and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love, do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes—the hardship that has come upon us, upon our kings and leaders, upon our priests and prophets, upon our fathers and all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today. ³³ In all that has happened to us, you have been just; you have acted faithfully, while we did wrong. ³⁴ Our kings, our leaders, our priests and our fathers did not follow your law; they did not pay attention to your commands or the warnings you gave them. ³⁵ Even while they were in their kingdom, enjoying your great goodness to them in the spacious and fertile land you gave them, they did not serve you or turn from their evil ways.
³⁶ “But see, we are slaves today, slaves in the land you gave our forefathers so they could eat its fruit and the other good things it produces. ³⁷ Because of our sins, its abundant harvest goes to the kings you have placed over us. They rule over our bodies and our cattle as they please. We are in great distress.

The Agreement of the People

³⁸ “In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals to it.”
Nehemiah 10:29
²⁹ all these now join their brothers the nobles, and bind themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the LORD our Lord.

End Times Witnessing: Be a supernatural Spiritual Christian!

1. John 9:35
   [ Spiritual Blindness ] Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
   John 9:34-36 (in Context) John 9 (Whole Chapter)
2. Romans 1:11
   I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—
   Romans 1:10-12 (in Context) Romans 1 (Whole Chapter)
3. Romans 7:14
   We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.
   Romans 7:13-15 (in Context) Romans 7 (Whole Chapter)
4. Romans 12:1
   [ Living Sacrifices ] Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
   Romans 12:1-3 (in Context) Romans 12 (Whole Chapter)
5. Romans 12:11
   Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
   Romans 12:10-12 (in Context) Romans 12 (Whole Chapter)
6. Romans 15:27
   They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.
   Romans 15:26-28 (in Context) Romans 15 (Whole Chapter)
7. 1 Corinthians 1:7
   Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.
   1 Corinthians 1:6-8 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 1 (Whole Chapter)
8. 1 Corinthians 2:13
   This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.
   1 Corinthians 2:12-14 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 2 (Whole Chapter)
9. 1 Corinthians 2:14
   The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
   1 Corinthians 2:13-15 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 2 (Whole Chapter)
10. 1 Corinthians 2:15
    The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment:
    1 Corinthians 2:14-16 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 2 (Whole Chapter)
11. 1 Corinthians 3:1
    [ On Divisions in the Church ] Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ.
    1 Corinthians 3:1-3 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 3 (Whole Chapter)
12. 1 Corinthians 9:11
    If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?
    1 Corinthians 9:10-12 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 9 (Whole Chapter)
13. 1 Corinthians 10:3
    They all ate the same spiritual food
    1 Corinthians 10:2-4 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 10 (Whole Chapter)
14. 1 Corinthians 10:4
    and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
    1 Corinthians 10:3-5 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 10 (Whole Chapter)
15. 1 Corinthians 12:1
    [ Spiritual Gifts ] Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.
    1 Corinthians 12:1-3 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 12 (Whole Chapter)
16. 1 Corinthians 14:1
    [ Gifts of Prophecy and Tongues ] Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.
    1 Corinthians 14:1-3 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 14 (Whole Chapter)
17. 1 Corinthians 14:12
    So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.
    1 Corinthians 14:11-13 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 14 (Whole Chapter)
18. 1 Corinthians 14:37
    If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.
    1 Corinthians 14:36-38 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 14 (Whole Chapter)
19. 1 Corinthians 15:44
    it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
    1 Corinthians 15:43-45 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 15 (Whole Chapter)
20. 1 Corinthians 15:46
    The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.
    1 Corinthians 15:45-47 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 15 (Whole Chapter)
21. Galatians 6:1
    [ Doing Good to All ] Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
    Galatians 6:1-3 (in Context) Galatians 6 (Whole Chapter)
22. Ephesians 1:3
    [ Spiritual Blessings in Christ ] Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
    Ephesians 1:2-4 (in Context) Ephesians 1 (Whole Chapter)
23. Ephesians 5:19
    Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,
    Ephesians 5:18-20 (in Context) Ephesians 5 (Whole Chapter)
24. Ephesians 6:12
    For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
    Ephesians 6:11-13 (in Context) Ephesians 6 (Whole Chapter)
25. Colossians 1:9
    For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
    Colossians 1:8-10 (in Context) Colossians 1 (Whole Chapter)
26. Colossians 3:16
    Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
    Colossians 3:15-17 (in Context) Colossians 3 (Whole Chapter)
27. 1 Peter 2:2
    Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,
    1 Peter 2:1-3 (in Context) 1 Peter 2 (Whole Chapter)
28. 1 Peter 2:5
    you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
    1 Peter 2:4-6 (in Context) 1 Peter 2 (Whole Chapter)

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There is no short cut to survive end times. You just need to be spiritual in the Biblical sense. Be a supernatural Spiritual Christian!

Chapter ninety-nine: Seeing the big picture from the miniature

It was like walking in the desert and coming across a small patch of oasis. There were only two palm trees, a well and a tiny tent enough for one traveler. When Jack first started this travel blog (in the Holy Spirit), he had no idea what he would find each step of his way. After such a long (in his own perception) walk with the Lord all these years he had reached a point where he had to have a breakthrough. He only had one road map, the Bible. He knew the answer was there somewhere.
His daily journey after stepping out in faith was increasingly focused, as he allowed the Holy Spirit to lead him. There was never one clear road map with every details but the details provided were essential and clear enough for him. He was led step by step.
A number of things emerged and confirmed to him he was walking toward the right direction in his journey of faith.
As he had recorded previously, they came in the form of visions, dreams, verses, messages, words of knowledge and words of wisdom from others, and the fresh assignments given to him.
Prior to this journey, he had been given a variety of ministerial functions, including, teaching, preaching, serving in committees, training, exhorting, encouraging, helping, shepherding small groups etc. He did not know then whether he was anointed or not for any of them.
However, during this journey in the Holy Spirit, he was clearer about his anointing for specific assignments. At first he was unsure as he found that he was assigned a variety of functions with the relevant gift/anointing for that specific occasion. The assignment (and the anointing therein) was meant for just that occasion or a few of similar ones.
What was his calling? He had often asked God. Why was he given such a variety of tasks that demanded different gifts/anointing? Why was his audience so limited (in numbers and other natural aspects)?
After taking on each assignment by faith, he gradually saw the big picture.It finally dawned on him the calling and the answer to his questions.
He was not called to stand in the office of a pastor, nor an evangelist, nor a prophet, nor a preacher, nor an Apostle. He was called to be an ‘anointed type teacher’. A teacher of anointed ‘type’ to be exact. The Holy Spirit manifested in many different gifts during the respective assignments to give demonstrations to his lessons.
His lessons were to focus on showing examples of different anointed functions. There was no requirement for him to stand in the office of any of the anointed offices.
This revelation explains why he had been exposed to so many different offices and gifts.
Knowing this calling has cleared all his doubts. He is no longer under pressure to ensure a large turn out for any class. As the Lord Jesus promised in Matt. 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
To his amazement, he was the student learning and benefiting most from the lessons where the Anointed One conducted the teaching. Indeed, the lessons carried on outside the classroom, often when he was alone worshiping or just resting in the presence of the Almighty. Even the garden has become his personal classroom.
As for why he is required to learn to teach anointed ‘type’ teaching, he is still waiting for the next instruction from his Teacher. Meanwhile, he just continues to enjoy the role of a student himself.

Chapter Ninety-seven: "Urgent, go back to your original calling!"

He woke with time urgency on his heart. He knew time is running out fast. When he opened the Bible he was led to read Nehemiah 8-9.
Nehemiah Chapter 8 was all about Ezra the scribe reading the Book of the Law to the people (the children of Israel). The people gathered as one man in the open square in front of the Water Gate at Jerusalem. When Ezra opened the Book, all the people stood up. And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. Then all the people answered "Amen, Amen!" while lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. The priests and Levites also assisted by reading distinctly from the Book, gave the sense and helped the people understand the reading. All the people wept when they heard the words of the Law. (Nehemiah 8:1-9)
As Jack pondered on this powerful and touching passage, he wondered why the people responded with their whole hearts to the words of God. The answer was in Nehemiah Chapter 9, in the contents of a song sung by the singing Levites. The song narrated how God had chosen Abram (later renamed by God to Abraham) and made a covenant with him to also include his descendants (the Israelite). God remembered and kept the covenant. Despite His great mercy, deliverance and blessings upon them, the nation of Israel rebelled against God and turned to wicked ways. However, as God had promised, after seventy years of bondage in foreign land, they were again set free to return to their homeland.  God had never imposed any requirement on them except heeding His voice and carrying out His Book of the Law.
When the Book of the Law was read, the people wept. Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."
What sort of a man this Ezra was? When Jack read Ezra Chapter 7, he found that Ezra was thus described, "7:6 this Ezra came up from Babylon; and he was a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given. The king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him. 7:10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel".  7:11 "Ezra the priest, the scribe, expert in the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of His statutes to Israel."
Ezra was a captive just like other Israelite. But he maintained his original calling: a priest, a scribe, an expert of the words of God. He maintained his standing among his country men. He also established himself in that capacity among the foreign rulers. It was amazing how the foreign king could concede to his requests and gave him all the things he asked for. His trip back to Jerusalem was sponsored and financed by the foreign king!
What was his only goal? He just wanted to teach his people the Law of their God so that they know the true God and obey His words.
_____________________________
Reading this passage, Jack recalled his first vision about Jesus. In the vision, he saw in his spirit Jesus walked towards him in a hurry on a busy road, holding something in His hand. When he came near, He handed the thing to Jack. It was a rolled up scroll. In a subsequent vision, he saw Jesus handed him a quill pen. Much later he had another vision of Jesus holding an open scroll, reading the contents to him. Often in his visions, Jesus is teaching, demonstrating, showing to him or others as in a teaching and discipleship situation.
Last Sunday's sermon reminded him the passage in Matthew 13:12 "For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him." Indeed, he has been given a number of gifts and one which he has often been asked to utilize is teaching gift for which he has received confirmations. He also heeded the godly advice that God does not look at the numbers of how much/many we have accomplished. But He will want to see how faithful we have been using that gift and how we have improved our skill every time we use it to edify others.
Today he examined his blogs and found that he had been too engrossed in describing his experiences in the Holy Spirit to the neglect of teaching God's words!
This wake up call confirmed his previous day's discovery (led by the Holy Spirit) of the key role given to every Christian for end time living, "witnessing" God's Word.
To be continued...

Chapter ninety-three: An evening of Prophetic act and faith leaps!

On the evening Jack decided to carry our the prophetic act as lead by the Spirit, the sky was dark with thick clouds. It then started to pour when he was on his way driving. He had never seen such heavy rain since he attended this church. This rain was really heavy.
Prior to this event, he walked about in his own sunny garden and spraying water, praying for a cool evening for the class to carry out the prophetic act in the church compound. Towards the evening, the church technical assistant called him and told him that it looked like a ‘big’ rain was coming there. So he told the brother to prepare the water containers in the covered porch instead of the garden. On his way in the car he prayed that the rain would be delayed and that they could continue with the teaching plan as earlier decided when he was sure of the leading of the Holy Spirit.
By the time he reached his destination the heavy downpour was like torrents of mighty rivers from heaven. However his spirit was lifted up and he gave thanks and praised God for pouring down His blessings even before the class had started pouring out themselves in an act of faith to totally submit to God!
He started the teachings in the sanctuary and explained to the class what they would do and why. He read with them the Bible verses in 1 Samuel chapter 7. What they would enact by faith would be 7:6, “So they gathered together at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it out before the Lord. And they fasted that day, and said there, “We have sinned against the Lord.”
Then he took the class to the front porch where they carried out the prophetic act by faith. Amazingly the rain had suddenly stopped and the garden and driveway down slope looked washed and clean. The sky was still bright and it was indeed a refreshing, cool and very uplifting evening!
As they were doing this as a learning process, he asked them to let the Holy Spirit lead them to pray as they poured themselves out before the Lord. They could confess, repent, and renounce their sins, give supplications, petition and intercessions as led. He encouraged them to pray in the Spirit after they had prayed in understanding.
The class scattered and each one carried a small container of water up and down the garden path and driveway. As each poured out the water before the Lord each prayed and interceded as led by the Holy Spirit. It was quite a sight with people standing or walking and lifting up their hands towards God, pouring out themselves, crying out, making supplications and petitions, casting down their burdens at the foot of the Lord Jesus, singing, praising and worshiping God. There was a powerful anointing and prayers were answered.
A number of edifying testimonies were given after the class. For Jack, it was a worthwhile lesson. He learned the lesson of faith in action too. During the downpour of the torrential rain, he was not dejected or depressed. He persisted with the teaching and reading of the word of God. Then he took the step of faith by leading the class outside to carry out the prophetic act determined not to look at what can be seen, i.e. the heavy rain. Instead, he kept focusing on the unseen, i.e. the spiritual realm where his prayer had already been answered.
His faith was raised to a higher level when he witnessed the event being carried out and accomplished as led by the real teacher Himself, the Holy Spirit.
He prayed that all followers of the Lord Jesus who read this would have faith to carry out these acts of faith too. You will be blessed!

chapter sixty-seven: a watchman/disciple school?

As Jack ponders on the question of how one knows one is called by God to be a watchman, he realizes it is a big subject and not as simple as his mind would want him to think. In fact it is a spiritual issue and he does not know the answer. Lately he has these words, "school for the disciples of prophets" (translated into another language) entering his mind a number of times. He has no idea how this enters his mind at all as he has not been thinking of this. He has not read the parts of the Bible about the prophets for quite sometime.
He has thought about this subject and wondered if this is from the Holy Spirit. He does not even consider himself a prophet. How can he ever start a class (not to mention a school) for discipleship of prophets? Yes, he has taught Bible classes, led small Christian groups, trained adults and youth on both academic and practical matters of Biblical living in the past. But he has stopped doing that for a number of years. The more he seeks to live in the Holy Spirit the more he understands how one has to be called and empowered by the Holy Spirit to carry out such role.
He decided to put the idea aside. On the other hand he has obeyed the calling (when confirmed by Bible verses and also by several brethren) to teach the subject of how to be led by the Holy Spirit in Bible reading. His vision is to eventually train enough faithful men and women who will be able to train others too. He visualizes a place on a mountain, with living streams, lush green trees and garden, where such future trainers will be equipped in the Holy Spirit on God's word.
Indeed, the more he thinks of the multitude of Christians who want to know God but do not know how to be led by the Holy Spirit, the more he perceives the urgency.
He has been reading the Bible and listening to messages about the need to sow seeds for the kingdom of God. So he prayed for seeds one day. He was duly given one seed, an opening to speak to a group of elderly Christians. At the same time he met young brethren who thirst to know God more. These are seeds for the kingdom of God.
The word of God never fails to produce immediate materialization of its truth.
The more he believes in this truth the more Jack encounters the reality of God.
As for the school? He has decided to let the Holy Spirit continue to lead him into its reality.

CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR: WATCHMAN, WALLS OF MY HEART AND MORNING STAR

A time has come for Jack to take stock as a watchman.

He has gone on this journey in the Holy Spirit for almost a year during which he has experienced the reality of the spiritual and supernatural realm as described in the Bible. He has also discovered the ability of man to communicate with the Holy Spirit. He has encountered God.

The year can be compared to that of a class conducted by the Holy Spirit. Although he was not exactly the responsive and sensitive student, he has managed to see and hear important messages at random and responded accordingly. He knew that there had been times he failed as watchman and other watchmen must have stood in for him. He is grateful for that.

Even now he is still not sure of how he could receive the interpretations and explanations to some of his visions. He relies on others to interpret for him if possible. Otherwise he takes a long time to decipher the message by reading relevant passages in the Bible over and over again and asking for more signs from the Holy Spirit. He used to think that it would get easier as he continues his quest. He is wrong. When he first sought God in the Holy Spirit, he saw visions easily and had the related interpretations almost immediately. As the year went by he lost momentum and could not settle down to seek God’s presence quietly. He did not even enquire of God and he saw less and less visions. Lately when he resumed his quest he found that he saw visions without any clue to interpret them!

The recent events were good illustrations of how he had to go through a lot of channels before he understood the message the Holy Spirit was trying to pass to him. On this subject he still has promptings in his heart that the message is more than just a personal one for the young man who is seeking to become godly. He needs to look further beyond the walls of Nehemiah. He needs to search his heart and see if there are walls there to be pulled down as well. He needs to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal His greater purpose if any for making him read the book “Walls of my heart” after reading the book of Nehemiah.

Surely it was no coincidence that he was led to read both books. He has determined in his heart to find out more about this message which he is yet to decipher. Indeed, he has been listening to teachings about a Christian being the temple of the Holy Spirit and that the body of Christ consists of individual Christians together becomes a church. Church building is in fact body building for Christ. Each member of the body of Christ needs to be built up. The walls are made up of each brick (member of the body of Christ). Hence, re-building the ruined walls require regeneration and rebuilding each individual member of the church.

What is a watchman’s role in this rebuilding effort? He needs to really listen and watch. When he receives a message it is his role to pass it faithfully to the intended target. Like in the rebuilding project in Nehemiah, the job of a watchman is never completed until the walls are completed. But he dared not presume anything, knowing the serious consequences of human presumption.

Apostle Peter warned us of this, “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:19-21)

Carry on watching and praying!

2010-01-20

CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE: watchman saw visions of wolves, serpent and one young man

Something amazing happened. Jack found out lately how patient the Holy Spirit has been in trying to give him an important message. The following is a summary of the sequence of recent events illustrating this:


He attended Sunday morning worship and was filled with the Spirit.

The following Tuesday he was prompted by the Holy Spirit to read the Book of Nehemiah. He thought the book has something to do with church building. But he kept this thought to himself at the back of his mind.

After the above experience he was fired up to read the Bible, pray and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal more to him so he would know God’s will and obey.

He was reminded one day by his prayer partner that he was yet to read one little booklet about God’s creative power for finances. She gave him that booklet sometime ago and he forgot all about it. So he finally located it in an unused briefcase and read it.

While reading the booklet he said amen to the Bible verses and repented his past careless words about finances. He also asked the Holy Spirit to show him what seeds he should plant in accordance to the inspired teachings.

The minute he finished the booklet he received a phone call. Someone from a Christian organization invited him to give a talk on managing finances in two weeks time. He knew this was the seed he asked for, so he agreed without hesitation.

One morning he decided to do research on what the Bible says about finances. He spent the whole morning before God reading God’s words and meditating on God’s matters.

By the afternoon he was a bit tired and sleepy so he decided to rest by reading a book. He took one book at random from the shelf of some new books he bought about a month ago while travelling overseas. The book is “Walls of My Heart” by Dr. Bruce and Barbara Thompson.

When he had read a few pages he closed his eyes to rest. He saw a clear vision of a young man from his church. The young man was walking alone outdoor (with tall grass nearby and no building in sight). He was followed by a pack of wolves (or wild dogs). He seemed troubled but he was not aware of the presence of the wolves and the danger! Jack responded in surprise and opened his eyes. He had not been praying for the church and had no reason to see this young man at all. But he thought it would be better to wait for clearer instruction from the Holy Spirit before he told the young man or anyone.

He spent the whole afternoon reading the book in between doing his usual chores. By night time he almost finished reading the book. He felt tired and closed his eyes to rest for awhile. The minute he closed his eyes a second vision appeared. He saw the young man close up and there was a pole by the side of the young man. There was a serpent coiled round the pole and its mouth was open. Its head was at level with the young man’s ear as though it was speaking to the young man. Jack was stunned so he opened his eyes. He knew he should not delay and he called the leader of the church, who confirmed that he should communicate with the young man about the visions.

Later at night the young man (who was contacted by the church leader) called him. Jack thought the leader had already told him the visions so he asked the young man what he had been doing. The young man said he was concentrating on character building and wanted to learn to become a godly grown man. He said he was no longer a child. So he should learn to be a grown up from godly people. So Jack shared how he was led to read Nehemiah and later the book on “Walls of My Heart” which makes use of Nehemiah’s example for character building. He suggested that the young man read Nehemiah.

The next morning Jack re-read the introduction of the book and discovered that the writer in fact quoted a verse from Ephesians 4:13, “Till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” Verse 14 says, “That we should no longer be children…” So the answer to the young man’s quest is in the book of Ephesians!

The young man called and said Jack had not yet told him the visions so Jack told him accordingly. Jack also shared with him about his discovery and asked him to read the book of Ephesians chapter 4, which aptly ends with the verse, “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another even as God in Christ forgave you.” (By the way, the dangers of the enemy, the lying serpent and angry wolves were all described in that chapter too!)

The Holy Spirit summed up His instruction with this verse from Ephesians 5:1, “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.”

Imagine the long suffering the Holy Spirit must have gone through in order to accommodate Jack in his dull in hearing and seeing in the spirit. On the other hand Jack was elated that God has not given up in revealing to him important visions like this so that he can continue to learn to carry out the task of a watchman. The books of Nehemiah and Ephesians have benefitted him too. The book “Walls of My Heart” is a must-read for all hurting Christians, aspiring counselors and watchmen.

January 19, 2010

CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE: NEHEMIAH, PRAYERS, WATCHMAN AND WEAPONS

On the first Tuesday after the Sunday encounter with God the Holy Spirit, Jack decided to spend time doing the morning worship and Bible reading on his own. He started his praise and worship in the spirit while driving and by the time he reached home he continued to sing hymns and choruses. Then he read the Bible. The Book of Nehemiah came to his mind and he read the verses aloud. The reading continued and before he realized it was noon and he had spent the whole morning reading the Bible. The reading was different from his previous reading of the same Book. The whole Book brought to him a clear message about the church they are building right now.
The place was meant for prayers and intercessions and was used for that purpose for the past ten years. All the services were conducted in the evenings and focused on worship, healing and deliverance. People came and left as they wished. Many had been ministered to, received healings and deliverance but had not returned with gratitude. The Christians returned to their own churches. The non-believers maintained their distance. Only now a decision is made to start the Sunday morning worship like a church does.
Jack pondered on the task of re-building of a church. He could imagine how Nehemiah felt. It was a monumental task for Nehemiah, to rebuild the Jerusalem walls. Nehemiah started the project alone. With God. God was the master builder. Nehemiah merely listened and obeyed. He prayed every step of the way. He prayed and God answered immediately. He did not take things for granted. In fact, Nehemiah had followed the Holy Spirit all the way.
Nehemiah was a watchman. He watched and prayed and interceded. God answered and gave him the solutions. He obeyed and followed the instructions. His problems were thus solved.
Jack noted in Nehemiah the following spiritual truth applicable in the present re-building efforts:
1. Recognize that the war is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual principalities, rulers and wicked forces in the heavenly realm. (Ephesians 6)
2. Recognize the key role of the Holy Spirit (the power behind all re-building efforts) and the words of God (the sword of the Spirit).
3. Recognize the importance of regular prayers and intercessions (to switch on the power).
4. Recognize the rightful functions of the gates and the walls. The gates are to open and welcome the entrance of the King of kings, Lord of lords. The walls are for the defense against the enemies.
The strategy of Nehemiah is to: watch, pray, defend and build.
Jack was led to note that Nehemiah deployed half his men to build and half to be equipped with weapons and posted behind the workers/builders. Even the builders wore swords. The materials carriers worked with one hand and held a weapon in the other. Such caution and defense!
His conclusion is that we need to pray more and read the Bible more, much more than what we have been doing. Without the words of God (the swords of the Spirit), without the switch (prayer) that switches on the power of God in the spiritual realm, the battle will be lost. Above all, we must seek the presence of the Holy Spirit as He is the power source.
January 6, 2010

CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN: VISIONS OF COOKED PIG HEAD, NATIVE INDIANS WITH AX ON MULTI-STOREY CAR PARK SCAFFOLDING OF BIG CHURCH

Lately Jack had not been seeing much in his spirit. However, he has learned not to focus on seeing visions or trying to remember dreams. He had a lot of dreams in which he discussed matters with the Holy Spirit. But he could not remember them when he woke. He reminds himself daily he seeks God alone and not visions or signs and wonders or what God can do for him.


As he will embark on a journey to a distant land shortly he has been preparing himself physically and spiritually. He prayed for divine slimness and fitness so he would not feel cumbersome when required to walk a long distance which requires good stamina as well.

Soon after his prayer for divine slimness he saw one vision which revealed the humorous (though direct and even hurting to a man’s ego) side of the Holy Spirit. One day Jack was praying in tongue (in the Spirit) a lot as he knew he had lagged lately. He remembered the teaching that the more one feels unspiritual the more one should pray in the Spirit and let the Holy Spirit work into oneself. So he persisted. Then by the time he went to an evening service in the Prayer House, he saw a clear vision after worshipping awhile. He saw the head of a piglet in a ring like a cartoon. So he thought this could be an unclean spirit and he cast it out in Jesus’ name, though he did not grasp the meaning then. Immediately the picture changed. The piglet head became a cooked piglet head (with the word “cooked” and “cake” appearing in his mind), followed by a clear phrase in his mind “the spirit of gluttony”! It dawned on him that he had the spirit of gluttony so he repented and renounced and cast it out!

He felt good after that day and realized how fast the Holy Spirit acted in response to our crying out for help.

Another day he went to his former church to hand over some stuff to someone. When he wanted to leave a thought came to him to go and pray in the prayer room as it was a day of intercession for churches and nations. So he went. This was the first time he prayed there. He prayed in the Spirit for sometime and saw a vision. On that church’s construction scaffolding of the new multimillion dollars multi-storey car park, he saw two American Indian chiefs complete with headgears, carrying an ax and standing with legs apart.

He thought it was not a good sign so he prayed against whatever evils it could mean. When he went home he was troubled. He asked the Holy Spirit to reveal to him and confirm whatever report it means in a second time as God repeats twice to show things established by God and that He will shortly bring it to pass. (Gen. 41:32) No further revelations. So Jack read the Bible on interpretations on ax and native.

He found that John the Baptist warned the Pharisees of their arrogance and impending judgment, “And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Matt.3:10) Jesus warned of the fig tree that was barren for three years and agreed to give it one more chance before cutting it down. (Luke 13:7-9) He also read about how God warned the arrogant spirit of Assyria in Isaiah 10:12-19. In Isa. 10:15, “Should the ax boast itself against him who chops with it?” The verses that followed were frightening, “Therefore the Lord, the Lord of hosts, will send leanness among his fat ones; an under His glory He will kindle a burning like a burning of a fire…will consume the glory of his forest…then the rest of the trees of his forest will be so few in number that a child may write them.”

He was more troubled. That evening he attended an over midnight worship and prayer meeting. During the sharing of God’s words, the preacher spoke on the topic of “self-righteousness” (hypocrites and judgmental) which is a religious spirit of the Pharisees. He ended his sermon with the example of the Laodiceans which boasted, “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing” and the Lord rebuked them as those who “do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked”. Jesus called the Pharisees blind guides and hypocrites (Matt.23). He noted a frightening correlation between the Laodiceans church and the Pharisees.

Jack is in a dilemma. He does not know whether to share the vision about the Indians with ax on scaffolding of the multi-million car park he saw with the leaders of that church. Is he being judgmental? Is he the one who is self-righteous? Is he the Pharisee? He searches his heart. He finds that he has nothing of himself that he seeks to honor and/or thinks highly of. He does not covet big construction. (He tends to remember how God caused the downfall of the Tower of Babel and he shudders). He was a part of this big project in fact as he had financially supported the building with a considerable monetary donation and an interest free loan. He should have been proud and boasted of it if he was a Pharisee.

On the other hand, he is still looking to the Holy Spirit to raise another watchman to speak to that big church. (Sigh)

2009-12-14