Matthew 10:7-8

"And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give."

Monday, February 7, 2011

SHIPS, ICE AND GOD.

I hope today finds you well, my friend. I hope this day finds you excited about God. He is excited about you and ready to lead you into some pretty amazing adventures. You might even find yourself sailing on the seven seas. Ahoy!

If you haven't read "Breaking Ice for Open Waters," you really need to. I wrote it just about 2 weeks ago. This is pretty much a follow up to that post which is very significant and will help you understand better what I saw in church a few weeks ago. Today, however, is about what I saw in church yesterday which I think is huge for the body of Christ. In "Breaking Ice for Open Waters," (click on either link) I speak of seeing a large ship...... breaking the ice and opening up the waters for other vessels that will follow. That type of ship is, of course, called an ice breaker. Many of these ships are huge and powerful. They are not the fastest ships, but are steady and forceful. The bow of the ship is forced up onto the ice where it is then pushed down and crushed beneath the weight of the ship. That is just a quick review of what my previous writing was all about, but there is a whole lot more to it. The Holy Spirit was showing me God is looking for the ones who are willing to be 'ice breakers' during the unsettled times that are going on in the world around us. Please read it. This is one of the most significant visions the Lord has given me yet. It calls for action now..........not sometime later.

Yesterday during praise and worship my mind was reminded of that ship. When I looked up towards the front, I could see two sides going up from the bottom of the ship and WE WERE IN IT. We were IN the ship. I did not see any other detail about the ship other than we were in it, and the worship team was right in the front, which I also see as being very significant. I didn't even see an engine, but we were moving. We weren't doing anything in our own power to make the ship move, but it was moving. Somehow I knew that the power to run this ship was being generated by our praise. It was kind of like being at a sporting event where they put the crowd-o-meter on the jumbo-tron and the louder the crowd screams the more the power there is hopefully put a charge into the home team. Well, yesterday, the way we were lingering and desperately worshiping God, this ship, this ice breaker was completely fueled.

The spiritual significance of this is incredible. When I saw the first ice breaker a few weeks ago I saw it to mean that God was looking for each one of us to become like those ships. Calling for us to be steady, always ready to press in. Ready to cut, not so much through ice, but through places that have become darkened in order to allow the light of His glories to shine through places of confusion, despair and where people are just wandering around like they are lost.

Oh my dear God, as I just typed those last words the spoken words of Jesus lamenting over Jerusalem came back to me. (Luke 19:41-44); Matthew 23:37-39; Luke 13:34-35) Even now I am hearing the Lord say to us. "The time has come. The time has come to stop the play of keeping one foot in the world and wanting to hold onto her pleasures, while at the same time hoping to see the manifestations of My glories. That won't work. I need you completely walking in the ways of My kingdom. There is much work to be done. Night has settled upon the land. Darkness is all around her. Are you coming? The time has come to put an end to this darkness and evils. Are you coming? Are you boarding? Stay or go, the choice is yours, but you must decide for the time to push off is now. Are you in or are you not? The choice is yours. I desire you as a father desires to have his children at his side. The choice is yours."

I'm trying to collect my thoughts. I wasn't planning on that happening and I had to stop and walk away after writing the above paragraph. I feel that the Lord is now telling me to wrap this up quickly. To finish my thoughts about yesterday and go. To let my remaining words be few, so here they are:

God is wanting us to individually be willing to start breaking the 'ice' and each one of us carries within the ability to do much harm to the evil principalities of this world. However it is when we join together........in the belly of the ship........being surrounded with the holiness of God...........in praise and worship and pushing into spiritual places....working together as one, that we will move forward with such steadiness and force that strongholds will fall. I saw yesterday as a message not only for our church, but for churches as a whole. It is a message for churches to decide if they are in or not. Together great accomplishments are within our grasp. All for His glory. I found it also no coincidence that after I got home yesterday afternoon that I read on Face Book these words from a friend who attends another nearby church that has been desperate for more of God, "Gateway Church, holy smokes!!! Literally!!! Something incredible blew through there this morning! Off the hook God!!! Keep it coming!!
That led one of his friends to respond how that sounded like the way it was at her church yesterday morning.

God is moving..............now!

In closing, sometime this week I encourage you to read the account of how a great victory came to king Jehoshaphat and Judah because of obedience and seeking of the Lord. This will be in 2 Chronicles 20. I was going to write about this today, but I feel God is telling me no.....not now. I think He just wants you to stop and listen..............for Him.

......."Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever." (2 Chron. 20:21)

As always, treat everything I write with much prayer.

Go now with God.
Mark S.

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