Sunday, April 14, 2019

The Trying of the Heart


For if the trumpet gives an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?

So likewise you, except you utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken?

For you shall speak into the air. There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaks a barbarian, and he that speaks shall be a barbarian unto me.  [1Cor 14:8-11]

To Be Perfectly Clear

There are certain matters in the last post that must be addressed and made perfectly clear. I made an error which seriously needs correction. It is NO LIGHT THING when one gives a message, stating that it is from the Lord, and then mess up on the delivery of the message.

For all those who read the message of March 25, 2019 and became confused, I humble myself without excuse to say that in my hurry to finally get an article posted, I accidentally scrambled two sentences. Due to that oversight, the words were not easy to be understood when read. For that, I offer my deepest and sincerest apologies.

As I re-read the messages I had typed (after posting, regrettably) I realized that one part would be misinterpreted due to the error in the order in which the sentences were written. Therefore, that part will be expounded upon. It is important that a message is fully understood. God makes no mistakes. People do!

These messages came after (and sometimes during) prayers. For that reason, it was personally understood what the Lord was saying and speaking about. The fact remains in that the messenger gets the message first.

Therefore every messenger that states that a message came from the Lord will be responsible and held accountable before God. For that alone, I take these matters seriously. I learned that (about accountability) as I grew in the Lord and came to know more of his written Word.  

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that a everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad.  [2Cor 5:10] [see Rom 14:10]

Being filled with the Holy Ghost makes us even more accountable, for then we are without excuse. Jesus warned about false prophets and false teachers arising in the last days. [Matthew 24] Those are very sobering words. It should cause all of us to tread carefully. We must learn to take things to the Lord, whether it “sounds right” or not.  It is staggering the deception that surrounds us in today’s world!

It is written that if Satan is transformed (disguise/deception) as an “angel of light”, how much more can his “ministers” appear as ministers of righteousness? [2Cor 11:14] This is a bloody war, saints and the enemy is playing for keeps. He comes to steal, and to kill and to destroy.  [Jn 10:10]

Have you ever thought you heard from the Lord, only to discover you were wrong? I have. It taught me the seriousness of staying alert. I have heard sermons of godly men teaching about times they heard the wrong voice. Satan is a counterfeiter. Don’t think it could never happen to you.

The enemy can speak through a disciple of Christ or even a prophet of God. It may well be allowed as a test or trial of your faith or obedience. Don’t think so?  See where one prophet of God listened to the voice of another prophet of God, when he should not have. In listening to another prophet instead of obeying God, it cost him his life. Read the story in 1 Kings 13. If that does not convince you, think upon Peter when Jesus had to rebuke Satan who was speaking through the apostle. (See Mat 16:23)

The Message

Messages that are said to be of the Lord must at all times line up with the Holy Scriptures, as well as with God’s character. It upsets me to think I would give a wrong message to people. I fear the Lord. He is everything to me, and the last thing I would ever want to be responsible for is deceiving, or even misleading others, even if unintentional.

I pray earnestly against deception in this very dark hour of the “fake” and the “false”. I not only pray to be kept from deception, but more importantly that I speak only truth to others, especially now that I am saved and filled with the Holy Spirit.

My heart is to know and speak truth in all things and not be deceived, just as most people. God is still doing a work in me, as He is in all of us. We are in profound and astonishing days…the last of the last days written about in the Word of God. Strange thing is, few want to talk about the lateness of the hour. Even stranger are those who want to downplay all the signs being seen…just like in the days of Noah.

Ah, but before I go down a rabbit trail, I will get to the matter at hand. As stated, there are things that I must make clear. I have notebooks that I typically write in when I get a message deep within my spirit from the Lord. If I am to share the message, I will then type it out and post it. When I was typing out the text for March 25, 2019, two lines were scrambled up when I was transcribing them from my notebook to my computer.

Below I will put the erroneous paragraph that I posted online, followed by how it was originally written in my notebook.  The beginning of each of the sentences that were mixed up will be highlighted. We know that the order of things makes a noticeable difference in how a matter is perceived.

Posted paragraph:

“But there are those who have laid down their lives and daily STRIVE to carry their cross and do well. Though they may stumble, they do not fall. Then there are those who STRIVE to enter into the strait gate and are not able to [Lk13:24]; [because they will not let go of their sin!]. Though they may falter and stumble, they are quick to repent and continue on, often relying on Me for strength in their weaknesses.”

Original paragraph (Below is the proper order, as was written in my notebook):

“But there are those who have laid down their lives and daily STRIVE to carry their cross and do well. Though they may stumble, they do not fall. Though they may falter and stumble, they are quick to repent and continue on, often relying on Me for strength in their weaknesses. Then there are those who STRIVE to enter into the strait gate and are not able to [Lk13:24]; [because they will not let go of their sin!].”

The proper order does make a difference in the understanding. In the original writing, the Lord speaks of those who may falter and stumble, as many of us do or have done as we learn and grow in our walk with Jesus/Yeshua. I understood is that some acknowledge sin and repent [1Chron 7:14], thereby being forgiven. We rise back up and continue on, strengthened by Jesus.

However, there are some who will shrug their shoulders and justify why the sin is ‘okay’ to continue in, stating that God “understands”, believing that He will overlook it or that He already knew beforehand and therefore it is His will. This is a way of shifting the blame onto God. Sin is never okay and it is never God’s will.

Some are so close to overcoming, but heed the lies of the enemy or the doubts of the flesh and give up just before the victory comes. Giving into temptation yet again, they believe the lie that it is useless, hopeless and that there is no way out.  That is a lie; do not be deceived.

So I hope that the reader can clearly see the difference in the message now that the two sentences have been put in their proper order. Again, I offer my apologies. Greater care will be taken in the future.

Through the Strait Gate is Only through the Cross

The Lord told me recently that the only way through the strait and narrow gate is through the cross; not just through Jesus and what He accomplished upon his own cross, but through our own cross as well. We must die to “self”, our greatest challenge. The two crosses (that of Jesus’ and our own) blend and become ONE cross, when we become fully united with Christ.

As difficult as it is for our flesh, we must choose to die to self. Jesus helps us. The Word of God helps us. The Holy Spirit helps us. There is a way through. There is no other way around the strait gate than to die to self.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.  [Jn 10:1]

Besetting Sin

I also understood that in order to overcome certain besetting sins we have to first hate the sin. We need to believe God’s love for us: not just believe, but be fully convinced that his love is unshakable and that nothing and no one can separate us from his love. [Rom 8:31-39]

The Lord really had to drive home to me the fact that there are two things that hinder people from succeeding in overcoming besetting sin, two things that I myself was guilty of. Love and trust – fear is cast out by perfect love. 
[1Jn 4:18]  

It is one thing to know God loves you, but quite another to “receive” His love. And trust? Admittedly, some things seem too big to trust God for. (Satan’s lie = Why would God do that for you? = doubt) But Jesus said, “With man it is impossible, but with God, all things are possible.”  [Mat 19:26]

God will strengthen us, as surely as He did all those in the Bible that turned to him in their weakness. We need the wisdom and help of the Holy Spirit in every area. Even the strongest believer falters and stumbles in certain areas; wherever they are weak. The key is to cry out to Jesus Christ.

Look at Elijah when he ran from Jezebel. Yet in that dark hour and in his weakness, he talked with God. The Lord answered him and then strengthened Elijah. Look at Peter when he denied knowing Jesus three times. He wept bitterly and repented. The Lord forgave Peter and he went forward, strengthened.

Excerpt from one article on the World Challenge website:

Think of it! God pities me! He knows the agony of my battle. He is never far off.  He is always there with me, reassuring me that nothing can ever separate me from His love. He knows my battle is enough burden without forcing me to carry on with the added fear of wrath and judgment. I know His love for me will cause Him to withhold the rod while the battle is being fought. God will never hurt me, strike me or abandon me while I am in the process of hating my sin and seeking help and deliverance. While I am swimming against the tide, He is always on shore, ready to throw me a life line.
He [God] dispatches the Holy Spirit to me with clear direction on how to fight, when to run, where to strike next. This battle against principalities and powers is His war against the devil - not mine. I am just a soldier, fighting in His war. I may get weary, wounded and discouraged, but I can keep on fighting when I know He must give me the orders. I am a volunteer in His war. I am ready to do His will at all cost. I will wait for His orders on how to win. Those directions come slowly at times. The battle seems to go against me, but -in the end I know we win. God wants me to just believe in Him. Like Abraham, my faith is counted to me as righteousness. The only part I can play in this war is to believe God will bring me out of the battle victoriously.
Do you want victory over all your enemies? Then go at it the right way by dealing ferociously with your besetting sin. Remove the accursed thing in your life and you will become mighty in God.
"Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset (surround or harass) us..." (Hebrews 1 2:1).
Excerpts above come from an article written in July, 1979 by David Wilkerson.

To read the article, “Victory Over Your Besetting Sin” (a good article) in its entirety, go to – Source: World Challenge

In the March 25th message, the Lord made it clear that we are not victims, as Satan would have us believe. Our trials and tribulations can and will make us stronger, if we will just go through. These things can also train us in the area of spiritual warfare. God (Yhvh) will send his angels forth commanding them to guard us and at times, to intervene on our behalf. We are not to worship angels or even pray to them, but we should be grateful and thank God that they willingly obey the commands of our Creator.

About Seeking

Also in the March 25, 2019 message was the sentence below:

So many of those who call themselves by My name seek Me, they seek and seek and seek, but they will not obey and turn from their sinful ways. 
[see 2Chron 7:14, 15]

In my spirit I understood that the Lord speaks of those who are ever seeking God through people and other means, but not through fasting, praying or the Bible. They seem unaware of His righteousness, holiness or sovereignty. They will not humble themselves and seek Him in solitude, repenting if need be.

If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin, and heal their land.

Now Mine eyes shall be open, and Mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.  For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever: and Mine eyes and Mine heart shall be there perpetually. [1Chro 7:14-16]

God knows that every single believer has had dry seasons where we have not read the Bible, sometimes for days, sometimes for weeks, sometimes longer. We all go through times where we do not pray much, if at all. But the Lord gets us back on track when we stray, if our heart is truly for Him and if we will follow the lead of the Holy Spirit. Our flesh will fight us. The adversary will fight us.

God knows how to deal with us individually and corporately. Those who love him will receive correction. We rise back up and continue on to run the race, fighting the good fight and contending for the faith. What I understood when the Lord spoke of those seeking, ever-seeking in a negative way, pertains to those who are committed in word only, but not in their heart.

Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near Me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour Me, but have removed their heart far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the precept of men:  
[Is 29:13; Mat 15:8]

They reject parts of the Bible that are uncomfortable to their lifestyle. They do not want to turn from their sin and they will not repent, so they seek out parts of the Bible that brings no conviction. They find preachers with messages that are pleasing to their itching ears, and often end up being overcome by seducing spirits and embracing the doctrines of devils.

Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;  [1Tim 4:1]

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned into fables.  
[2Tim 4:3, 4]

Seducing Spirits – Doctrines of Demons

The Lord spoke of the spirit of Jezebel which is rampant in many churches and synagogues today because what is presented is a different ‘god’ and a different ‘Jesus’ than the one, true God of the Bible and His Son, Jesus the Christ. Seducing spirits lure the people to accept doctrines of demons.

Sincere but unaware believers are being deceived by preachers and teachers with charismatic personalities and charming dialogue. False teachers and false prophets are on the increase. I will be doing a section on witchcraft in the next chapter because in the past year, I have come face to face three times with witches (the first time was in a church I first attended in this town in February 2017; I left in January 2018).

Prosperity preaching pales in comparison to some of the doctrines beings postulated today. “Christian” tarot cards (destiny cards), grave soaking, denial of the Godhead, claiming Jesus committed suicide, toking the “holy ghost” (not capitalized because what such are saying and doing is blasphemy), false signs and wonders (angel dust, glory clouds, gems, gold etc), fire tunnels, kundalini spirit, snake handling; these are only the tip of the iceberg.  

Churches who worship God with pole-dancing (akin to stripper’s pole-dancing); worship dancers with provocative clothing, including see-thru garments and revealing undergarments, strobe and disco lighting, magic acts, lifting “apostles” up and having them “carried” by their ‘disciples’; bowing to bishops, prophets and apostles to “honour” their “high places” in the Body of Christ, and the list goes on, where the line is blurred between the church and the world.

And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God; as God has said, I will dwell in them and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

Wherefore come out from among them, and be you separate, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you  [2Cor 6:26, 27]

This is what I understood when the Lord spoke of the spirit of Jezebel and fornicating with the world. I will cover more on this in the next chapter, but not in great depth, as many others have already written on such things, sounding the trumpet to warn the people. I mention it here due to the message given on March 25, 2019 from the Lord.

Seeking God is the right thing to do, but when we do so, we must do so humbly, willing to hear and accept that which he speaks to us. We must repent when need be, and we must keep in the Word (Bible). The Bible is just a book, but the Words contained within the Bible are Spirit, truth and life. For that reason the Bible is a sacred book.

It is the spirit that quickens; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life. [Jn 6:63 – words of Jesus/Yeshua]

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without him was not anything made that was made.  [Jn 1:1-3]

The Places Specifically Mentioned

New York and Washington DC were two places that the Lord instructed to pray for. The Body of Christ (brothers and sisters in Jesus/Yeshua the Christ) is scattered throughout the globe, in every nation, all tribes and peoples and tongues, including in the places the Holy Spirit mentioned.

When the Lord says “fast approaching”, He has never given me a timeline, but what the Holy Spirit has quickened within the hearts of God’s people is the urgency of the time we are now living in.  

As a matter of fact, voices from all levels and in many arenas in the secular world are now sounding warnings of “something catastrophic” approaching. The famous Doomsday Clock, which symbolizes the amount of time left before a manmade global disaster happens, has been set at two minutes to midnight as of January 2019.

This is a personal opinion only, but I strongly sense that something in 2020 will bring this world to its knees, whether it is a plague, such as a global pandemic (incurable disease), famine (from natural disasters, whether fires, great waters, earthquakes, meteorites etc), war in North America (whether civil, or immigrant uprising, or invasion from international eastern countries, or even economic collapse.

I do believe 2020 is going to be a pivotal year in world history. This is not “thus saith the Lord”; it is “thus thinketh Bonita.”

 The signs are all around us. Yes, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, volcanoes, fires…these things have always occurred. We hear this said repeatedly by innumerable naysayers. But what the Lord said about seven years ago is that the intensity and frequency of these things is ramping up.  Jesus foretold (prophesied) this.

In 2012, immediately after Obama was voted in for his second term, the Lord said, “Now it begins.”  I understood that it did not pertain so much to Barak Obama as it did to the “time” we are in and the paradigm shift that occurred. Does the whole earth not seem to be convulsing like a woman in travail?

Deep within I sensed the Holy Spirit indicating that these things (earthquakes, floods, pestilences, skirmishes and small wars between nations rising up against each other) were all signs that the “beginning of sorrows” has begun. Many deny that time has begun, but I am fully convinced that it has and I am most definitely not alone in that summation!

The “beginning of sorrows” in the Greek pertains to “birth pangs”. In Matthew 24 verse 8, Jesus said that these all these are the beginning of sorrows.”

In 2010, in a vision that I saw over the course of three days during a time of fasting, I saw an “eye” off the east coast of North America, similar to the “Eye of Horus” that is consistently linked with the Illuminati, Freemasonry, the occult etc. It was sitting over the Atlantic Ocean, but looking towards North America.
Danger to New York, along with places in Canada (Maritimes region), and other places along the eastern coast of the United States and Canada were mentioned. Approximately 2012, I had a snapshot vision of the Capitol Hill dome in Washington, DC in ruins on the ground.

It was so long ago that I rarely think about it, but it came to mind when the Lord mentioned to pray for New York and Washington, DC. It was late 2012 or early 2013 that I saw three vessels off the east coast of the United States. One was a warship and two were Russian submarines. I also saw the Chinese off the west coast of California.

As others, I too have seen a great earthquake off the west coast that rips right up from California to the Cascadia subduction zone (Cape Mendocino, California, Oregon, Washington, Vancouver Island and Queen Charlotte Islands) to the St. Elias region (Yukon Territory, northwest British Columbia) up to Alaska.

As others, I have seen great tsunamis hitting both the west and east coastal lands. I have not thought of these things for some time either, until the Lord mentioned praying for those on coastal lands. However, I felt deep within that the Holy Spirit was NOT just speaking of the coastal lands of North America, but other coast lands in the eastern hemisphere, as well as Central and South America.

Gaza

When the Lord said to pray for the people of Israel, Damascus and Gaza, I remembered a scripture that I came across sometime in August 2018. I had underlined it in the Bible.

But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof:  [Amos 1:7]

The words ‘fire’ and ‘palaces’ stood out to me in the scripture. Sennacherib destroyed Gaza, as Amos prophesied. At other times, as Jeremiah prophesied, Pharaoh Necho, Hezekiah (against the Philistines) and Alexander the Great, all warred against Gaza.

So why I underlined the scripture that day (and only that one verse in chapter one) I did not know, but again, the remembrance of doing so came to mind when the Lord said to pray for the people of Gaza.

It seems that down throughout history, Gaza has been besieged several times. Understanding that “fire” as the Lord speaks of in that verse means ‘flame of war’ I decided to see what palaces there are in Gaza today. I came up with the Grand Palace Hotel and the newly reconstructed Palace of Justice in Gaza that officially reopened September 2018.

Citizens of Gaza were displeased, to say the least, at the $11 million spent on the reconstruction of the Justice Palace. Ambassador Mohammed Al Emadi, Chairman of the Qatari Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza cut the ribbon at the reopening ceremony.

Whether the Grand Palace Hotel would be a target in war is possible, but it is even more likely a target would be the Palace of Justice. Gaza is a hotspot right now and indeed prayers for the people do need to go forth.

Damascus

The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.  [Is 17:1]

[Concerning Damascus. (…)]

How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy! Therefore her young men shall fall I her streets, ad all the men of war shall be cut off in that day, says the Lord of hosts. And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall consume the palaces of Benhadad [Damascus].  [Jer49:1; 25-27]

Again, the words ‘fire’ and ‘palaces’ stand out to me in those scriptures. When the Lord says to pray for certain places or people, there is always good reason for it. The outskirts of Damascus, Jobar was destroyed. Yet many say that Isaiah spoke of the attack by Assyria, but the Bible says that Damascus will be taken away from being a city, a ruinous heap. It will no longer be a city; no longer habitable.

Again we see that the Lord says he will kindle ‘a fire’ (flame of war) in the wall of Damascus and it shall consume the palaces of [Damascus]. One palace in Damascus is the Qasr Al Azem Palace. There is the Azm Palace but it has been a museum since 1954. There is the elaborate Umayyad Mosque in Damascus.

Whenever the Lord speaks about destruction of any place, He would say the same to them as he spoke to Israel. His judgments are just and righteous. What is stated below could also be said of many nations and their peoples.

And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see you indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and convert, and be healed.
[Is 6:10]

A Shaking

See that you refuse not Him that speaks. For if they escaped not who refused him that spoke on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaks from heaven: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now He has promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

And this word, Yet once more, signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.  [Heb 12:25-27]

This shaking began for me back in mid-August 2018, but it was so slow I was aware that something was amiss, but did not realize that a test to top all previous tests was commencing. It began with what seemed like a blanket of heaviness that was trying to cover me. The weight of it slowed me down spiritually for a couple of weeks.

When I understood that the heaviness was spiritual, I put into practice what we are taught to do in Isaiah 61, verse three.  I knew to kick the blanket of heaviness off, which was actually a “spirit of heaviness” and replaced it with a garment of praise.  

In the weeks that followed, things were beginning to shake noticeably, not just in my life, but globally. In September, the Lord made it understood that a storm was gathering on the horizon. There was a pull to post the warning. I resisted the pull at first due to my uncertainty about whether the message was personal or corporate.

Would the shaking be physical or spiritual? I tend to think it will be both. It was around 2012 that the Lord first mentioned a serious “shaking” to me, and I posted it. Not then or even now do I believe that this is the shaking that is written in several books in the Bible by the God’s prophets.

I believe the great where God shakes heaven, earth, sea and land is yet to come. However, I do believe that there will be serious “shakings” taking place right up to and including the day of the Lord, spoken of in Joel 2:31 and in the second chapter of Acts.  

Isaiah prophesied of a great shaking in chapters 2, 13 and 53: Ezekiel prophesied in chapter 38; Haggai in chapter two and also in the book of Hebrews, the twelfth chapter. When God shakes his people it is either to awaken them and/or to bring them to repentance so that they will know obedience is necessary for our good, but for God’s glory!

A year or perhaps two after the 2012 warning, there was a repeat of the message that God’s people would be sifted as wheat; it would greatly shake them.  It would be allowed as a trial, a testing to see if we would remain in the Lord, if we would repent of anything that the Lord exposed in us that was not of Him, and to bring forth repentance and the dross (sin) so that it could be purged from us.

Back then, it was understood that it would bring about a separating in the Body of Christ. Several times since then, the Lord has brought up Ezekiel 34:17, the judging between cattle and cattle, and the rams and the he goats. The verse confirms a separating that will occur amongst the flocks and herds of God – the weak from the strong, the powerful and oppressive from the humble and submissive.

Heading toward the month of October 2018, whilst looking out over the lake and the mountains, I heard the still small voice say that I was like Jonah; then I was asked why I was running. I had not posted the warning and had not considered at all that I was running. I was dealing with spiritual matters that I did not understand. But when the Lord mentioned Jonah and running, I was surprised, yet paid attention.

After repenting of procrastination, I wrote the warning about a storm brewing on the horizon, and that (as time passed, I understood) the intensity of the storm and the darkness was increasing. Something was escalating and accelerating, some foreboding event was looming on the horizon.

Prayer was encouraged, even fasting. That was done by me, and likely others so led by the Spirit of Christ also. However, I had become aware of something going on spiritually in me, yet still not aware that a shaking, a trial, a test was taking place. I was soon going to hear that I was not alone in it.

In mid-October, I finally posted the message about the storm on the horizon that I had hesitated in writing.  By then it was also deep within my soul that there was an urgency to stay alert, an understanding that the storm was escalating, accelerating because those words kept coming before my eyes. I wrote about that also.  

Things are always shaken up in a considerable storm, always. What the storm was I did not know. Neither was it certain if the warning was a personal one or a corporate one. Since the Holy Spirit had mentioned Jonah, then I felt the warning was to be given publicly. My uncertainties were expressed.

It was a few years back (I would have to check the archives) that the Lord first spoke to me about a shaking that was coming. I am no one special, so others would have gotten the warning too. He also spoke of times where His people were going to be sifted as wheat. More recently I had posted that I understood that many (if not all) of the believers would be going through a trial, a severe and heavy trial, which was a trying of our heart that was going to test our faith and obedience.

Suddenly and Unexpectedly

Four days after the warning was posted about a storm on the horizon that was escalating, accelerating, something occurred in my personal life that utterly shook me. The day after that, which was Saturday, October 20, 2018, I had an accident. No one was hurt (praise God), but a pull-along shopping cart was destroyed, as well as four library books.  Was this the storm that had been brewing? Had the warning indeed been a personal one? Somehow I think it pertained or pertains to both, personal and corporate.

For the next couple of weeks after the accident, I kept in touch with the person who had been involved in the accident, the victim, so to speak. To recap the incident briefly for those who may not have read about it or who may have forgotten, the accident occurred on the very day that the Lord had been speaking to me about things happening “suddenly” and “unexpectedly”.

During prayer in the morning of the day of the accident, the Holy Spirit had led me to various scriptures where God (Yhvh) had moved suddenly and unexpectedly. One example was the flood in Noah’s day. Although the people had decades to repent, having been warned of a flood that would wipe everything and everyone out on earth, and having watched Noah build an ark to prepare for the impending judgment, life continued on as usual with the unrepentant sinners.

“The fountains of the great deep (oceans) and the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.” [Gen 7:11, 12] The people were unaware that morning when they awoke that the prophesied flood would happen that day, even though they had decades to prepare. To them, it happened suddenly and unexpectedly.

Jeremiah 4 speaks of destruction coming suddenly, and chapter 18 speaks of troops that suddenly come upon the people. Jeremiah prophesied that Babylon would fall suddenly and be destroyed (51:8).  In Luke chapter 2, it is written that a multitude of heavenly host appeared suddenly with the angel that was speaking to the shepherds about the birth of Jesus.

When the 120 disciples were gathered in the upper room, a rushing mighty wind came suddenly and filled the house. [Acts 2:2] When Paul and Silas were in prison, suddenly a great earthquake occurred and the doors of the prison were opened and everyone’s chains fell off. [Acts 16:26]

I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of My mouth, and I showed them; I did them SUDDENLY and they came to pass.  [Is 48:3] (Emphasis mine - BP)

These were some of the verses the Holy Spirit led me through to show me how God has always moved suddenly and unexpectedly throughout the course of history. God gives warnings to people several times, well in advance of His judgments, so that they may have opportunity to humbly repent and turn from their sins and turn back to the Creator.

The Counterfeiter

However, during that same prayer time, the Lord made it clear to me about the spiritual war we believers are in. Although many Christians believe Satan always asks God’s permission before he does something (see Job 1:6-12), he does not. Did he ask God’s permission before he seduced one-third of the holy angels to rebel with him against God?

We are in a spiritual battle with an invisible adversary who interferes in the physical realm. He works with the flesh and the world. His temptations are custom-made for each individual because we all have different areas of weakness and different strengths. We may have some in common, but we are all unique and individual.

It was understood that morning what the Lord was teaching me. Even though Satan does not always ask God’s permission to carry out a dastardly deed, he cannot do what God forbids. God is Sovereign. There was a lesson that followed later that day when the accident occurred.

I am absolutely convinced that it was the adversary who struck, seeking to steal, kill and destroy. In his loathsome and diabolical way, he likely planned to even kill or seriously injure one who followed after him – a woman who I would later find out is a witch (albeit she believes there are good witches).

God overruled the enemy.  Not even a hair on the woman was touched. The damage was done to four books and a pull-along backpack on wheels. It was a frightening lesson on the reality of the clash of the kingdoms. Satan, who is a counterfeiter, moves suddenly and unexpectedly because he knows that God does. Yet, never doubt that he cannot outdo or reign over God’s will. Never, and that is a fact!

The entire incident was already written about, so I will not go over it again. There are times I wonder if another reason it was allowed to occur was not just to teach me a lesson, but so the woman involved could sincerely be prayed for. God is good and His mercy endures forever. [Ps 100:5]

Faith Tried

After the accident on October 20, 2018, the shaking intensified. I did not consider the possibility of witchcraft being done or rituals that would be carried out on October 31/November 1, a day that is considered a sacred day, a Sabbat to those steeped in occult practices, such as Wiccans. Their holiday is called Samhain rather than Hallowe’en.  I will mention more in the next chapter when I discuss witchcraft.

That being said, on the day of the accident, the sun was directly on the horizon at 4:30 PM in October, with the brightness of it making it extremely difficult to see. Just as I had been blinded by the sun at the time of the accident, so was I blinded to the remembrance of the reality of heightened occult activities occurring at the time of the Samhain festival.

For the next six weeks it seemed that my faith was being shaken in such a violent way that I could not write an article for fear of being a hypocrite. It was a struggle to read the Bible, something I have always enjoyed doing since committing to Jesus in 2005. At times days passed without the Bible being opened.

It was hard to pray. Whenever I did manage to open the Bible, it was fleeting, and prayers were distant from my lips as well. I had no idea what was happening to me and God was not specifying. A million questions about my sanity, my faith and my walk with God flew through my mind.

I had been through times before when the fiery darts of the enemy came as an onslaught, but this was different, more intense, the battle of all battles. On the flip side, I was wrestling with stopping any thoughts that had to do with me and what could possibly be happening.  (“It’s not all about you…get “self” off the throne!”  That was just one of many thoughts.)

Some thoughts presented scriptures that seemed condemning, then, other scriptures would come to mind for warfare. Was I losing my mind? What was happening? During that same time period (weeks following the accident), a handyman had brought me a book he found from someone we both knew in the neighbourhood. It was a “Book of Shadows”, which contained spells, rituals, magic potions, coarse language (contained in some but not all spells), personal topics of interest and more.

Although I did look through the book, i did not want to keep it in my house, so the man who brought it ended up burning it. He was afraid because he had discovered it and feared witchcraft. He is not a Christian. I told him I would pray for him and the one who the book belonged to, which I did.

I had known the person and the spouse of the person were Wiccans, but I had been told by one of them that they were not into witchcraft. The book proved otherwise. I did pray for the deliverance, salvation and healing off those involved.

A few days later, I posted an article. Contained within it was a repost of an article from 2007, called Winds Are Changing - Great Darkness. I had been cleaning up an external hard drive that contains most of the articles I have written over the last decade or so (several writings were lost when a previous external became corrupted with a virus).

My eyes were drawn to the title because it had crossed my mind that every storm has winds, and I had sensed that the winds from the “storm on the horizon” would bring changes. There are a few hundred files on the external, yet that was the one that seemed to stand out amongst the other titles.

It is impossible for me to remember what I wrote in each article, so I opened up the file to read it. It amazed me how precise it was for the events going on then and even now. For that reason I reposted it.  It was the beginning of December 2018 and the first article that had been posted on the blog in a couple of months.

I believe the article still pertains to now on this 14th day of April, 2019 because a storm on the horizon, changing winds and a shaking are still very much in my spirit. We must not let our guard down. I am convinced that many believers are going through things within and without that they do not understand.

Trying times are also presenting themselves in the lives of believers around the world.  It is not the time to faint. The temptation to give up in your weariness is strong, but we must hold fast to our faith and keep enduring.

God will never forsake or leave us. It would be us that leaves or forsakes Jesus. That is what apostasy is about. The testing does not last forever, yet I do know that for me it seems to have been going on for nearly six months. There are others going through this challenging test also.

Back in 2007, when “Winds Are Changing” was written, I understood that although there were believers going through trials and tests, it was more a time of training and preparation for most. It had been brought to my attention that many in America thought a false flag was going to occur. I did pray about it at that time and received one word, “thwarted”. I shared that with my dear friend who had voiced the concern of some Americans with me. Nothing occurred at that time. Only God receives the glory!

The key words in December that were heavy on my heart were: “highway to holiness” and “the way of the cross” (dying to self). This is still for now. The Lord, as per usual, always gives fair warnings, but He also lets His people know what He is doing. We do not always know when we are being tried (tested), but there are times that the Holy Spirit does let us know.

If it seems that you are being shaken inwardly at this time, and if trials of varying degrees are presenting in your life, know that it is a trying of the heart to see if we love God with all we are (heart, soul and mind) as Jesus commanded in Mat 22:37.

Our faith and obedience will be challenged in the areas that are the most difficult for us individually. It will mean dying to self and complete surrender. It is necessary for what is coming. God knows if we can be trusted or not, but we need to know.

We might think we can be trusted, but what happens when the pressure is applied so tightly that there the only way of escape is either to trust God or to give up? This granddaddy of all tests (like one of the final exams) will reveal. Do not give up! If you fall, rise up quickly and strive to overcome the flesh and your will. Then, line it up through Jesus and be obedient to God’s will. Each one of us will know what we have not surrendered fully because God will reveal it to us by His Holy Spirit.

Led By the Holy Spirit

Due to the ongoing battle within and without, I had not posted in several weeks.  Two sisters in Christ, who are wholly dedicated to the Lord, obeyed the leading of the Holy Spirit (of this I am confident).  Within days of each other, I received two very encouraging emails.

Although I had not knowingly struggled with it before, I have found myself battling for the faith to believe God for an impossible promise that He gave me long ago. So many long years have passed. It is not just a challenge to my faith, but also to my trust in God because it is indeed one of those “impossible” promises.

We see examples of God giving promises to people in the Bible where they had to wait year after year, until finally the promise came into fruition. There are some who would say that God does not do such things today, but I strongly disagree.

Sometime during this ongoing battle (it has not yet ended for me) I confided the struggle to one sister but not the other. Yet undoubtedly, both these women heard the Holy Spirit and allowed Him to lead them. I am very grateful to both, and especially to the Lord for His love and faithfulness toward us!

I have been given permission by both women to post what they sent me. I post the parts that I believe will minister to others as well. The first one is from a sister named Joy. At the end of the email, Joy provided a link to a song that I had never heard before. I broke down in tears as I listened to it. I will include the link here also.

[Joy’s email]:  I pray all is well with you.  I pray you are fighting the good fight of faith.  It seems that faith is one of the primary focuses of the Enemy.  May the Lord strengthen His people.  I know that is His intention - imparting His Strength to, for, and through us.  Times are bizarre.  I think the intensity of the battles for a person who longs to serve the Lord and truly be Holy (because He is Holy) has increased to such high levels, Bonita.   

Do you see that too?  Are you experiencing those things?  I go to work to battle Satan. I go to the grocery store to battle him.  I come home and there he is.  God has been so good to feed me manna at the most necessary times.  But - those battles are so intense.  The Lord fed me this morning as I called out to Him - 

I have said to Him - some of these battles feel like I am in a vice grip -- there doesn't appear to be any wiggle room at all.  Yet - the Lord helps just when it is needed.  

I just wanted to check in on you, and let you know I have said a prayer for you today   -----   because I know the battles are real and the struggle is truly real.  I pray for you wherever you are in that -- in the valley, climbing the mountain, or up on the mountaintop.  May you always cling to the Lord, no matter what the serpent is attempting to convince you of -- wait on the LORD.  Keep your eyes steadfastly on Jesus.  He has a way of showing up just on time.  I have recently heard an old song -  it is about the Lord showing up 4 days late when Lazarus died, but always being on time.  May we never ever forget this.   May the Lord bless you and keep you, sis.  

Link to song (Four Days Late) - 

The email that followed a few days later is from a sister named Donna.
[Donna’s email]:  -  Hey my precious sister. Just wanted to tell you that while asking God to increase your faith for the great promises He has given to you, He reminded me of the scripture He gave me concerning my own promise (this part of the email not shared to public to protect and honour Donna’s privacy)

1cor 2:5 
That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

When I had read that scripture for my own situation the Lord asked me if my faith was based on my wisdom or His power. Afterwards I gave it all to Him and rested in His ability to bring it to pass. I've had such a peace since then. He can and WILL bring it to pass for you Bonita...Just saying

(When I sent an email to Joy asking permission, which she granted, she added some more words of wisdom.)

(2nd email from Joy): -

These days are tribulating for all who believe and follow Jesus.  Let us remember to pray for ALL in the Body because our lights must shine in this dark and dying world.  Satan is fighting to extinguish our lights -  but this I know: the darker the dark, the brighter the light.  Lord, help us to glow even under tremendous opposition.

Love you sister,
Fight the good fight and trust God to complete the work He has begun in us~  Joy

Thank you Joy and Donna! 

How precious the Body of Christ is and how much we all need each other. It is the perfect plan of God that we all work together harmoniously with Christ Jesus as the Head.

In between Joy’s two emails I posted Just One Stone – Trial Like Never Before  which I had planned to post anyway. It was a repost, but the emails from my two sisters in the Lord encouraged me to go ahead and not hesitate. It was February 2019 that I posted it.

In Closing

On April 1st and 3rd (2019), I finally posted again. It has been a long, hard time these past six months. It is not a complaint, just a reality. We must keep pressing in and not give up, just as the two sisters encouraged as well. I love the Lord and am determined that Satan will not have this victory. May God strengthen us all in these dark days.

A shaking is going on, but it is not the ‘great shaking’ the prophets of old wrote about. However, there are more shakings that are coming before the great one.
There is still a sense of urgency in my spirit, not of fear and panic, even though at first, in my confusion (back in October), those thoughts did fly through my mind like fiery darts. They were quenched.

Above all, taking the shield of faith, with which you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. [Eph 6:16]

It was last week that I saw a dark cloud literally on the horizon. As it moved, it grew darker. There was enough of a wind to hear it whistle through closed windows and the branches on the trees showed it had strength, but not enough to do damage.

Even the water on the look had a foreboding darkness to it underneath the cloud. The wind died down within several minutes. Rain fell, but it was only a sprinkling. The dark cloud moved through the valley over the lake. Behind it came large, puffy white clouds with hints of blue sky between them.

It seemed that the storm was passing and a promising breakthrough was seen. The sun appeared through the breaks in the clouds. After a time, another dark cloud moved in and hung on the horizon.

I looked away and pondered what I had seen. The only reason I paid attention was because of the message about a storm being on the horizon, and later on the escalation and accelerating. Winds are changing was added sometime throughout the past months.

What I understand is that we will be witnessing many dark events with breaks in-between. There will be effects from these events, but it is not yet the storm that sits on the horizon. I believe that we are to keep in prayer and stay very close to the Lord. If He calls for a fast, then do so. We all know that we are in very sobering and chaotic times, but the Lord is doing a work in us.

Yes, expect the testing. Each one of us will know precisely what the Lord is revealing to us individually that has not been surrendered. Those who truly love the Lord must pray for each other in the Body of Christ, as Joy stated in one of her emails. We need to support each other in prayer so that we can overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.  [Rev 12:12]

I will close with a word from someone named Kathy Mote that she posted on April 1, 2019. I do not know the person or even if she has a website.  It was sent as encouragement to me by my friend Donna.

Kathy Mote
April 1, 2019

The Lord said, It is time to gather strength you didn't know you had, time to move, time to surge forward and don't look back. Time to accomplish the impossible with your life. Nothing is lost that will not be given back, nothing was taken you won't reclaim. No part of your life given to Me has been wasted. Nothing of your past will remain your shame in your thinking. This one promise I make to you. I take nothing that I don't repay double.

for His glory alone

Bonita                          dovesofthevalleys4@gmail.com

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