Shift, Restructuring and New Construction
We are excited about the start of a new year, and we feel the zeal of the Lord being kindled afresh like a fire burning in our bones! We are just finishing a two-month period of pulling away from the road, for a season of meditation and writing. We expect to have a new book on Song of Solomon complete in the coming year. We are also resuming our itinerate schedule this week, and next month, we are kicking off our first local Sons of Thunder conference for 2007 – the Wildfire Gatherings, in Griffin, GA. We expect this to be a dangerous time of intense Glory and complete transformation for our lives, families, ministry and region. We would encourage you to come to this free conference expecting miracles and breakthrough!
2006 Year End
We are so grateful for the tremendous release of supernatural manifestation God has given throughout 2006. It is impossible to count how many creative miracles, healings, financial miracles and salvations we have seen during the course of the year. Just since sending out our last revival report in the fall, we have seen the Lord work some tremendous miracles, save many souls and bring us personally to seven nations in 2006. We traveled to the Maritimes late in the year, seeing dozens of healings: deaf ears opened; several people received back their lost sense of smell; many were healed over cell phones; and many recovered from problems with arthritis, feet, back and joint ailments.
At our Breaker Anointing conference in Georgia, metal plates and pins melted from many people’s bodies. One woman reported that she could no longer locate 11 screws in her leg! The Lord emphasized the paradoxical themes of resting in the Spirit, contrasted by the urgent need to press in for more of the Glory realm. The atmosphere for miracles carried over as we ministered at a Greater Atlanta Healing Rooms conference: more hearing was restored to the deaf; a metal rod melted from a man’s back; teeth were supernaturally filled with gold (one woman received two full gold teeth), and many were healed of arthritis, joint and back problems. A protruding tumor shrank and disappeared from a woman’s stomach before our eyes as the Lord dissolved it. Several responded to words of knowledge concerning diabetes and other internal illnesses.
In Marysville, Mich., we watched as many young people were ignited with fire as the Lord moved powerfully at a Joel’s Army conference. There were more creative miracles and salvations and lots of personal prophetic words.
Overcoming Warfare
It is important for us to understand the times and seasons in which we live. Just since the start of 2007, the Body of Christ is now experiencing a time of turbulence, shifting and restructuring in the Spirit. Many have felt that their spiritual eyes and ears have been cloudy in recent weeks. If you have been experiencing warfare and confusion, know that you are not alone. This is a time for endurance, pressing in and overcoming the adversary. This is not a time to lay down and give up. We would encourage you to read John’s words for 2007 which we posted at the start of the Hebraic new year. The Lord spoke to us about “going the distance,” and that He was pouring out a “Rocky” anointing to slug out the final rounds before moving us into a spirit of excellence. Despite a current state of warfare, the Lord is paradoxically releasing a peace and a rest in the midst of the current spiritual storm. This year, 2007, is also a Sabbath rest year. We must remember that the “God of peace will soon crush satan underneath your feet” (Rom. 16:20). In the midst of the whirlwind, peace is your friend at the eye of the storm.
The Tornado is Here
A couple weeks ago, we went to visit with Bob Jones, when an unexpected tornado zipped past our home, knocking over trees and blowing open the doors of our house. That day, the Lord gave another sign in the heavens, a large rainbow that stretched right over the city of Atlanta. Here is a photo captured by the Atlanta Journal newspaper:
We are excited about what the Lord is doing in the city, and we will discuss a few more Atlanta-specific words later. But across the church at large, the Lord is calling us to embrace the whirlwind in this hour. He is bringing a major overhaul to the way we do things. He is even restructuring the way we perceive the Kingdom, ministry and our life purpose. Many have been running the rat race of performance-driven Christianity, and God is blowing it all away with a spiritual tornado at this time. Allow Him to change your schedule, rearrange your plans and pull the rug out from under you if need be. Restoration is at hand. Although you may feel that spiritual famine is all around, you will be amazed to discover that breakthrough and abundance is right around the corner. The whirlwind is making way for the promise of the Father.
The Whirlwind Restructures
Many found at the turn of Dec. 31, that their plans and system of doing things almost immediately collapsed! God is restructuring things for a smoother alignment. My nine-year-old daughter, Maile, was given this prophetic word for 2007:
“I saw a whirlwind and a timer. A whirlwind means a retiming and people starting over, and the timer was God’s timing. Two-thousand seven is a new year and a starting over time.”
Do not let the shakings and swirlings cause you to look for safe harbor in religious structures! Often when our eyes get blurry, we look for a safe, static system to rest our heads, and that is when many turn to legalisms that have the appearance of safety. Instead, like Abraham, we should return to the last place of our visitation. We don’t want to camp in the past. However, during times of warfare, it is very appropriate to remember past victories, for such testimonies release an overcoming spirit. And remember the words spoken over you, because this contending precedes the fulfillment of promises given. Although, the voice of the Lord may not be clear, loud and blaring right now, you will hear his whisper in the place of rest and peace. My daughter was also given this for 2007:
“I saw the word, ‘whisper.’ I think that God wants us to be quiet and press for the thing that God has told us, and don’t just shout it out right away. I saw a river, and I think God just wants us to relax and drink and swim in His water.”
Crossing the Jordan
Bob told us to expect this difficult season to last another six months, but that in June, the Body of Christ is about to cross a spiritual river Jordan into a season of taking the promise land. For the past year, Bob noted that the prophets in particular have been undergoing a molting season. When eagles molt, this is a difficult time for them. They lose their feathers and become very vulnerable. It is a time of testing and turbulence. Expect this period to last another six months, but for breakthrough to come around June 6.
Nevertheless, amidst the storms and turbulence, there is a special grace and favor the Lord is imparting. For those who say “yes” to Him right now, there will truly be an explosion of the glory realm and an ability to access the things of heaven like never before. There are things coming around the corner which will be both very good and very bad. This is especially a time to be interceding against more acts of terrorism and natural disaster. But also, be expecting the Glory of the Lord to arise on His people like never before.
Increase in the Angelic
A strong increase is coming in angelic activity. Not just interpersonal communication with angels as we have known it, yet that will accelerate as well. There is a level of angelic encounter coming as was afforded to Abraham, Gideon and Jacob. In these encounters, there were actually “beings” who materialized and were able to eat with the patriarchs. Not just visionary spirit beings. Whenever these type of beings showed up, something major was about to happen. We are on the utter verge of a major shift in the church, as well as governmentally in the world. Remember that when such beings visited Lot, the time for the destruction Sodom and Gomorrah was at hand.
Shift of Authority
At the turn of 2007, we lost several major governmental leaders within a period of one week. Gerald Ford passed away, a political leader known for stepping in during the midst of a moral crisis in our nation. Also, Saddam Hussein was hanged at that time – a governmental leader known, on the contrary, for his wickedness. Unknown to many in the younger generation, a very powerful man of the Spirit died that same week: Harold Bredesen. Known as the “father of the charismatic movement,” Harold was a powerful leader in his day, influencing presidents, Middle East policy, and leading several prominent church leaders in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, such as Pat Robertson. He was featured on major television networks and secular magazines in his time, and even sparked a movement among Yale college students of speaking in tongues and moving in spiritual gifts.
With these deaths, there has been a vacuum in the spirit, and God is causing new leaders to emerge. The enemy is also poising to release new leaders of wickedness. Interestingly, one other major celebrity died that same week in the Atlanta area: James Brown, the “Godfather of Soul.” In the shift that is taking place today, God is circumcising the soul of His people, to purify us for the manifest glory to come. This is going to cause us to vastly accelerate in our authority and influence: and in favor both with God and man.
Jacob had a divine encounter, where he was reminded of a word from 20 years earlier in his life. There is something God is doing in terms of fulfilling promises made 20 years ago. Interestingly, 20 years ago, the church was marked by the fall of television minister Jim Bakker and the PTL network in 1987. Very often, in God’s timetable, prophetic mandates are fulfilled in 20-year cycles. In recent years, Morningstar Ministries and others have sought to restore the foundations laid through Bakker’s ministry – namely by rebuilding some of the facilities he constructed at his Heritage theme park near Charlotte. While many in the church wrote him off altogether for the obvious failures that were exposed in his ministry, few remembered the thousands upon thousands of souls he helped to lead into the Kingdom, or the vast benefit his ministry had on millions of people. We often turn on our leaders when their sin or weakness surfaces, and we also tend to throw the baby out with the bath water.
We need to learn to restore our leaders, and not judge the bulk of their work by their failures. At the start of 2006, I prophesied that some influential ministers would fall during the course of the year, which unfortunately happened. The church is no longer starry-eyed regarding the humanity of its leaders, and we are learning how to forgive and restore.
Now, 20 years after the fall of Bakker, the Lord spoke to me quite clearly that he is looking to restore the ministry of the gathering angels to the church, which were once assigned to Bakker’s ministry. We scarcely can imagine what this will look like. Prior to the televangelist failures of the late 1980s, Christian television was watched, to some degree, in almost every home nationwide – quite often by nonbelievers! Television ministry, though often scoffed at today, used to be enormously popular. Multitudes were disillusioned in 1987 and beyond, and Christianity became a byword in many circles where, before, there was at least some degree of respect for the faithful.
Setting the Sail
In a recent dream, the Lord instructed me to hand my ministry to Jim Bakker, and then I saw Jim releasing a massive, pure white sail into the air that was caught up by the wind. This was not literally Jim (and understand that this prophetic word is not about the restoration of his personal ministry) but it was symbolic of the broad platform and sphere of influence that was given to him in years past. The Lord is about to enlarge many, many ministries this year, giving them a huge sail, because he can entrust them for their purity (the sail was white), and because the harvest is coming in such massive proportions, our barns will scarcely hold the new believers coming into the Kingdom! Also, expect a powerful new anointing to come on “Christian television,” as crazy wonderworkers begin doing supernatural stuff in the streets, giving a whole new meaning to “reality TV.”
Remember that a new breed of leadership is arising, both good and wicked. God wants to restore what the church lost 20 years ago in terms of influence with the masses and ability to harvest souls wholesale. Get ready to see stadiums filled very soon. Bob told me that a materialized angelic being came to him in December, who had not been on the earth in 70 years. When he was last on the earth, in 1936, that was when Hitler, Mussolini and several other fascist dictators were just coming into power. More than ever, it is time for the sons of God to arise and be revealed, to displace the demonic authority satan is seeking to enthrone right now. God wants to restore Kingdom influence, and He will do it largely through displays of supernatural power.
Sonship
A very key element God is emphasizing at this time is sonship. He is raising up sons and daughters.
If you have been experiencing warfare, know that the enemy wants to strip your identity, which is his primary tactic. This was his methodology with Jesus, while tempting Him in the desert … if you are the Son of God. Continue to contend for the promises, and understand that you are a son and the beloved of the King. For many, this has been a season of fasting. Whether you are fasting or feasting, draw near to the Lord. Part of the current transition deals with the Lord wanting to reorder our houses this year. Fundamental shifts and changes in the way our lives and ministries are structured are here. There is a structure that is from God, but it is far more fluid and living than the structures of man.
Bob says that the molting eagle is getting new feathers, which will not be eagle feathers, but dove feathers. The dove represents sonship. It represents peace and gentleness. It represents a remembrance of the poor. It also represents a city-taking anointing! Jonah had an anointing to take an entire city, and his name means “dove.” The dove may not have the piercing eyesight of the eagle, but even more importantly, its gaze is single. It can only focus on one thing, with no peripheral vision. God is releasing a holy priesthood whose gaze will be fixed on Him and Him alone.
Strategy for Atlanta
While our vision is international in focus, the Lord has also called Sons of Thunder to build, plant and invest ourselves locally in the Atlanta area, which we believe is key to taking the south. In the Spirit, Bob saw 2x4’s as far as the eye could see, which were for building new construction here. We believe that the Lord is building something that is altogether new in this day. While we feel specifically that there is a city-taking anointing poised for Atlanta, this is something that is available for your city, too! God does move sovereignly on many cities and regions. He visited Toronto. He visited Pensacola. He visited Spokane and other places throughout history. But we do not have to wait for the dancing, sovereign hand of God to come before our cities can be taken. God responds to hunger. He does not just decide where to visit with a roulette wheel. If you build an altar for Him in the place of intimacy, purity and sacrifice, you can expect Him to respond and invade your region as well.
Our desire is to see the Atlanta area become a watering hole – a revival hub, not just for more of what we’ve seen in the past. This is something entirely new that God is releasing. It is outright revolution. It is out with the old, in with the new. This should be the vision for your city and region as well.
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