DREAM: GET READY FOR PERSECUTION

The Lord put it on my heart to pray for what we, as Christians, need to be warned about and prepared for regarding what is coming in the future. In light of that, I woke up from a dream today and dreamt of persecution that is coming to Christians because of our belief in God’s Word that says homosexuality is a sin. Because of this belief, in the dream law enforcement authorities set me up as a criminal and false evidence was planted against me in order to bring me down. I was framed, and was shown that this was

because of the gay pride movement.

It seems that many that stand by the Bible and all of its truth, including God’s view about homosexuality, will face this kind of persecution in the coming days. While authorities may not be able to charge and arrest Christians based off of their belief in homosexuality as a sin, they will try to make up charges against us by setting us up and making up evidence against us.

I am thankful that God loves all men, no matter how lost, and that this is the day predominantly of His grace. I am thankful that God came to love mankind (for God so loved the world that He sent His only Son!) and that God calls all of His people to love ALL mankind as well, no matter how sinful, as even Christians are sinners. But I am also thankful for God’s truth and the gospel, by which men might be saved through His love, conviction and new life! I’m also thankful that it is by truth that men see Jesus and also their own lost and evil state, and so are led to a heartfelt repentance of their old life and sins, and an acceptance as Christ as their Saviour. Now, as always, Christians must love the unsaved and that includes those that are homosexual. And that love for both the unsaved and the homosexual remains the same- we must not only be kind to them, but we must also show them (with our lives and words) and preach to them (with our lives and words) the gospel, which includes the whole truth about sin and the judgment of sin which we deserved but which was placed upon Christ in our place, and the grace and life that comes to those that repent and turn to Him. If that brings persecution, then so be it (and Christ will take care of us through that anyway). For our first concern must not be for ourselves, but for His Kingdom (seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness) and for His lost creation.

Now, more than ever, Christians need to stand for the truth in love, and speak the truth in love. Just like we preach about love, sin and forgiveness to the lost, so must we do to those that are homosexuals in their lost state- for both camps are in need of a Saviour. If we water down the gospel and water down the truth, we water down the very medicine that Christ has specifically chosen for lost mankind:

Romans 1v16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

Luke 5v29Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

31Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

So get ready, persecution is coming, but that doesn’t mean we should not shine His light before men:

Luke 11v33“No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light.

The light within us will shine anyway if we are living for God but we should make it shine in every way we can (not just by a life lived but by words spoken). Even if we are only Christians and never speak of homosexuality as a sin, it is very likely that when the world sees Christians as those that believe in what God says about it, that we will be persecuted anyway, as we will be seen as hateful and as those that are detrimental to society and its wellbeing. While this is sobering, we should not be afraid, for God is sovereign even over persecution, and will be with us in and through whatever we may go through because of what is coming. He will work His purposes through whatever persecution we go through, and as the Word says, Romans 8v28: ‘And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.’

VISION: TERROR

I had a brief vision of a terrified woman in pink yesterday morning. She was stricken with terror- pulling her mouth open wide with both hands. The look on her face was horrible as she was in great distress.Then in the evening there was the horrible news of the terrorist attack in France, and now today the three other terrorist attacks in three other nations. God warned of terrorist attacks that were coming to the world, and still is, because He is faithful in Shepherding His people.

I also believe the vision shows the part of the modern Church that is completely taken up with things to do with the senses and flesh (pink dress the woman had on), will experience great terror in the days ahead when the incredibly hard things that are coming take place (as they will not be spiritually minded but fleshly minded and their love will be for fleshy things rather than the things of God). It may also be showing that those that are sexually immoral will also experience this terror. As always, our safety lies in abiding in Christ (by grace) and following after the Spirit, as that is the path in which we follow the Lord- and if we are following Him, He will look after us by leading us.

Psalm 27v1:
The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
2When the wicked advance against me
to devoura me,
it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall.
3Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident.
4One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.
5For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
and set me high upon a rock.
6Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the Lord.

WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING

By the Spirit I feel to say that the time is nearly here where people will no longer be able to be mere spectators of the prophetic, but actual participants. There is a double meaning to this as well.
Firstly, the Spirit would say that those that feel as though prophecy never has any impact on their lives will soon see that change. They will actually see the prophetic things that have reached their ears impact their lives in a practical way. At certain times in human history the Lord has made use of the gifts He's given in specific and more prominent ways, as has been needed and beneficial for His people for the time that they live in, in order to live for and serve Him, and be kept in His will. Many times the prophetic has been backgrounded, but in the days ahead the Lord is going to use prophecy in accelerated, specific and practical and prominent ways. As this starts to happen, His people will realise how useful, beneficial and important the prophetic gift is, and how important prophetic revelations are to their lives they are living and the decisions they will need to make.

Secondly, the prophetic will become very important for His people in the days ahead, in a way that, up until this point, it hasn't been for many people who have heard prophecies. The Lord is going to use prophecy to make His people more serious and focused in the days ahead. Prophecy is going to make us evaluate how useful we are being to the Kingdom of God, and it is going to propel us into doing things for Him that previously we haven't done, or only done to a small degree or at certain points in our lives. He is going to use the prophetic to encourage us for the days ahead, but also to direct us in those days themselves. It will be extremely important that we heed what the Lord says to us prophetically, whether by His Word, prophetic utterance and messages through others, hearing His voice (whether by the Spirit or audibly), through dreams and visions, and even through angels if the Lord chooses to use them.

Prophecy is designed to encourage us, strengthen our faith and keep us on the right path. It is also used to focus us in a way in which our eyes are kept on Jesus. The revelations in the book of Revelation to the Churches, including the prophecies, were designed to cement people in their faith in Christ and to make them as useful as possible in it. Prophecy is meant to spur us on to make sure that the houses of our spiritual life and the foundations of our faith are as strong as they can be, especially for what is going to come. A great storm is coming in the future, so we need to heed what the Spirit is saying about prophecy, so that not only will we make sure our spiritual houses are strong and our lives focused for Him now, but also so that we'll be strengthened and encouraged to continue to do that in the future. By the Spirit I say that the Lord is wanting us to hear His voice via prophecy at this time, and that in the future He will feed us through the words He gives both now and then. In Acts 2v...16, the Apostle Peter once said, '...this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel…' When prophecies and the prophetic start impacting people practically, then His people will say, "This is that which was spoken about", and be greatly comforted that He is in control, and encouraged to continue following and serving Him, no matter the trouble and hardships that come. There is also a great work of His Spirit that is coming, and the Lord will use the prophetic to move His people to where they should be, both in terms of their service and in their spiritual lives. The Lord is going to bring great order and great unity to the body of Christ through the prophetic, in order for us to be as effective as possible for Him, as the body of Christ, and not simply as parts doing our own thing.