Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Sifting and Shaking

Early Sunday morning I received a text from my friend Stephanie of Daily Victories. There had been an earthquake in Oklahoma which was felt in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and down into Texas where she lives. It woke her up as her bed was being shaken. Even her bedroom door was shaking and banging in the door frame. Our Lord spoke to her in the midst of it to get up and pray. He urged her to share what He said to her, you can read it here: Many are sleeping.

God began speaking to me about the spiritual side of what is happening. His people are being sifted as wheat. God's shaking is going on all around us, not only in the physical realm, but also in the spiritual realm. His shaking is going on in His church. 1 Peter 4:17-For the time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

I have noticed how people are running from one church to the next and back again as if they are in a giant sieve. I feel our enemy, satan, sifting us. I am aware of his spiritual onslaught against God's children. And I've even sensed  the people of God "fall back" from the battle instead of pressing through.

During morning worship at church, I looked up at the ceiling. I try to avoid looking at the people's faces, it can be very discouraging. I had already observed that many were distracted by other things and their own conversations were more important than the worship of our Lord. As I looked up, I saw cracks running through the ceiling. A thought came, "The church is cracked and fragmented."  Fragmented means broken or detached from a bigger piece. Cracked means to break without complete separation of parts.This is the result of the shaking. God always has a remnant, which is a small remainder of what once was. This is all throughout the Bible and will occur again soon. 2 Thessalonians 2 and 1 Timothy 4 warns us there will be a falling away before Christ returns.

 When things are being shaken, something is going to break loose. Monday morning my Lord spoke to me as I was thinking of the church praying for a breakthrough. He asked me, "What do you think the breakthrough is?" Then it occurred to me, it's breaking through the enemy lines. We usually consider it something in the natural to obtain or overcome. Not so!! Our warfare is spiritual.

Jesus told Peter, "Simon, Simon, behold satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not..." (Luke22:31-32)  I couldn't help but think, our faith is the substance that remains.

In Hebrews12 we read (26)...Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. (27) 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. (28)Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved (shaken), let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: (29) For our God is a consuming fire.

The sifting process and the refining process are very similar in that, what is of value is separated from that which is not. In Numbers 16 we are told of Korah's rebellion against Moses and Aaron. Moses told Korah, "Tomorrow the Lord will show who are His..." And it happened that the earth opened up; Korah, all his family, and all they owned went down into the pit and the earth closed up. (Is it possible this was an earthquake?) Then a fire came out from the Lord and consumed those who had sided with Korah and had rebelled against God.

This is already long, but there is more God spoke to me. As I drove to work yesterday morning, I was praying for our church and pastor and those in need.. Then I began to cry and repent before God. When I had finished my Lord said to me, "I have reserved you unto that glorious day. You have only just begun to see what I have for you. Stand strong, do not be deceived. Your enemy the devil is very busy collecting souls for the final day. He shall not overcome (prevail). I am victorious already, as are you, for you are in Me and I am in you. Stand strong, wield the sword. Be brave. Fight the battle but remember it is Mine. Do not fear. Stand strong. Like-minded shall join like-minded all across this nation, of good and of evil. Stand strong IN ME. Do not fear. Speak the Word, be courageous. The end is soon, but not yet. Time is so short. Be aware, things are coming on the earth and will intensify; earthquakes and pestilence, signs and wonders. You have the truth, speak it forth and do not fear. I AM COMING! Guard your heart. The world will seek to fill it with lies and deception. The news will be full of falsehoods and deceptions. Keep My Word. NOTHING over-rides the truth of My Word. Dig deeper. Stand firm for the days are evil."

Things are already beginning to intensify. I read in one article on the Oklahoma quake that they have already gone from 50 earthquakes a year in 2009 to 1,047 last year.  (Fox News)

And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. Luke 21:28

2 comments:

  1. I started to read this yesterday, but decided to wait so I could do it when babies wouldn't distract me.

    It is so appropriate to me today! Don't want to go into detail on this "public" place... but thank you! Needed to hear this!

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  2. Hi Peggy, As you shared what God spoke to you about the SHAKING in the spiritual world, I recalled a dream I had dreamed, of a pair of hands holding an object that looked like a screen with edges built around it. The screen was being SHAKEN back and forth, and then the contents would be tossed into the air, where some of it was caught by the wind and carried away. As I looked closer, I saw that the contents being shaken was wheat, and that which was blown away was chaff. Not one grain of wheat blew away nor fell to the ground. All was saved except the chaff As you quoted, "FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE" that remains; it bore witness with the dream. The wheat didn't fall to the ground or blow away because it had SUBSTANCE (FAITH) but the chaff had nothing to keep it from blowing away. One of the definitions for CHAFF, in my dictionary, is WORTHLESS matter. Jesus said to pray that you would be counted WORTHY to escape ALL these things that are coming upon the earth.
    christ is the only one who can make us worthy. Keep sounding the alarm, little one, Jesus is soon coming to gather His wheat into His barns (take His people to heaven) Love, JaMomma

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