Authority and Rebellion

Hi Friends,

I hope you are well.  I am writing about three visions the Lord has given me recently.  But before I share them, I would like to describe what just happened this past Sunday. When I arrived at Church, it was very cold, and there was snow on the ground. I saw the Pastor outside, and greeted him. He told me, “Someone came and dumped asphalt all over the sidewalk.”  He thought it may have been someone allowing himself to be used by “the enemy,” to cause damage. We began to pray and bind any demonic activity against our church.

This seemed quite plausible since I had a vision not long ago, of two ladies (demons) sitting on a shelf in the sanctuary, just watching what was going on in the church.  I am sure God was giving us a heads up about the enemy, wanting to disrupt worship and cause strife and division in the body. The enemy wants to stop what God is doing in our church.  Lately, we have had many times in worship, where the Holy Spirit is manifesting his presence among us. As people become more engaged in worship to the Lord, we are bound to upset the forces against us.

Well, after spending  time cleaning the sticky black asphalt  off the sidewalk and steps, we went back into the church where we were greeted with ants!  This is early March, in New Jersey, when It seems too cold for ants to be very active, so we were quite surprised to see an invasion.  We found the Raid, and took to the task of ridding ourselves of the ants. Of course all the while praying against the plans of the wicked one.

Once we settled into prayer, I received a vision.  I didn’t share it, at the time, because I felt I need to pray about it first.  This is what I saw:

The Plan

I saw a large man pushing a kitchen cabinet, with several drawers, along the floor.  There was another cabinet just like it already installed against the wall. He pushed the cabinet so that it was to the right of the existing cabinet.  He was very careful to align the counter tops and cabinets so that they would be flush from every angle.

As I have prayed about this vision, I believe that the large man represents a demonic power.  This scripture came to mind: “You said in your heart, I will ascend to the heavens, I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”   Isaiah14:13-14

These are the proud words of the devil.  His intention was, and still is, to make himself like the Most High.  He covets worship for himself. He said he will raise his throne above the stars of God.  Basically saying that he will put his throne in the third heaven, where the Lord is enthroned.

In the vision, the man pushes his cabinet into a position alongside the existing cabinet.  I see the first cabinet as being the order of things as God has established, by his word. I see the second cabinet as a new order, that the devil would like to put in place.  He wants his order, or his ways to be considered equal with God’s so he takes great pains to make his look like that of the Lord’s.

He wants to be worshiped as God is worshiped.  He uses deceit and trickery to gain a foothold in people’s hearts.  He tempts us to sin, which gives him more power and control over our lives.   His desire is to operate and use us, as his instruments to gain more territory, influence and power.   He fancies the idea that he owns the kingdoms of the world. Speaking to Jesus he said, “‘All this I will give you,’ he said, ‘ If you will bow down and worship me.’”  Matthew 4:9-10

In the vision, the action of aligning the second cabinet directly adjacent to the first one, shows the devil’s intent to “move-in” on the Lord’s territory.  God is God alone. Satan is a copycat, and a liar. He leads people astray to take them off course. He places fear and doubt in our hearts to keep us from trusting God.  He entices us with thoughts of grandeur, of power and wealth.

The devil tempted Eve in the garden.  He introduced a thought which made her question whether God should be her ultimate authority.  Perhaps she reasoned that by eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, she would become equal with God, no longer having to submit to anyone.  Isn’t it remarkable that her rebellion matched Satan’s rebellion against God. And isn’t it equally remarkable that the curse that God pronounced over Eve was absolutely just.  “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, but he shall rule over you.”   Genesis 3:16  

Eve and all women from that moment on, would desire their husbands, and at the same time, their husbands would become the premier authority, to whom they must submit.

Truly amazing.  You can see this curse in effect today.  Few women are willing to submit in love to their husbands, they find submission intolerable, as if it were degrading.  So they do as Satan did, and choose to rebel. But God does not see things as we do. He said, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.   Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.” Ephesians 5:21-22

“Rebellion is as the sin of divination.  And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry.”   1 Samuel 15:23

Divination or witchcraft connects one to the power of the devil.  Rebellion is acting out and committing the same sin as the devil. They both bring bondage to the person engaging in these sins.  

Our nation is in grave danger of incurring the Lord’s anger, because of the men and women in our country who are in complete rebellion against God.   Many of our nation’s people are trying to throw off all restraint to wickedness:

Abortion is rebelling against God’s laws, “You shall not murder.”  Exodus 20:13

Idolatry is worshiping things or people rather than God.  This is rebellion as well.

Homosexuality is also an abomination to God, and it comes as a direct result of rebellion:  “Although they claimed to be wise, they become fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.  Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise!   Amen.”

“For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions.  Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.  Likewise, the men abandoned natural relations with women and burned with lust for one another.  Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.”  Romans 1:22-27

I would have stopped here for you to reflect on our times and our culture, but I must include the next two paragraphs of the word.  Look at what is going on in our nation right now, I am sure you will see the parallel:

“Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.  They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful.  They invent new forms of evil; they disobey their parents. They are senseless, faithless, heartless, merciless.”

“Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things are worthy of death, they not only continue to do these things, but also approve of those who practice them.”  Romans 1:28-32

We need to pray for our nation.  “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.  The authorities that exist have been established by God.” Romans 13:1

Our nation is in rebellion against the top authority that God has established.  This does not please him. In the New Testament, God did not put up with Ananias and Sapphira, who lied to the Holy Spirit.  They were struck down immediately upon their lying testimony. Herod allowed others to believe that he was God, and so the Lord struck him down and had him consumed  by worms. Simon the Sorcerer, wanted the power of the Holy Spirit, so he asked the apostles to sell him the power of God. For believing that the gift of God could be purchased with money, so as to bring himself glory, he was immediately struck blind.  I point out these examples to you so that you will understand that our nation is in a bad place with God.

I believe that we will see more and more natural disasters, until our nation repents.  We as the church can make a difference when we repent on behalf of our nation, and pray for revival.  We must pray that free speech, the right to bear arms, and religious freedom are protected. We must remember that God is the same today, yesterday and forever.  God is holy. We are his bride. We must love, honor and obey him.

So I would like to remind you of God’s promise to us:

“If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, I will forgive their sin, and heal their land.”  2 Chronicle 7:14

The Man with a Stainless Steel Bowl

This vision came just two days later.  I saw a man with dark curly hair hold an extra large stainless steel bowl (18” diameter) in his hands.  He immediately tipped the bowl towards his chest, and dumped its contents down the front of his button-down shirt and pants.  I thought to myself is that oil? Could it be water? The man did not looked surprised. He didn’t pull back or act like he might have, if it were cold water.  He showed no emotion. He intentionally poured the liquid over himself.

What does the water represent?  Water is essential for life, The Lord speaks of living water, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart shall flow living water.”  John 7:38

But water is also for purification, and cleansing.  When Naaman wanted to be healed of leprosy, “Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.”  2 Kings 5:10

Water is also for baptism.   “Paul said, ‘John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance.  He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is in Jesus.’  On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” Acts 19:4-5

Since the bowl in the vision might have held either water or oil, and the man purposefully dumped it on himself, I believe that it was an attempt to cleanse himself, or purify himself, for Paul points out that everyone will be held accountable for their actions, their speech, and their sins:

“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them.  For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities-- his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”  Romans 1:18-20

So in this passage, we are made aware that all mankind, is without excuse, “since what may be known about God is plain to them.” The man in the vision, sees that he has sinned, and he is aware of being accountable to God, so he makes the attempt to purify himself, but by the lack of emotion on his face, he was not convinced that what he was doing would make any difference.  

Now, If the bowl had contained oil, what would the oil represent?  Generally oil is used for anointing. Aaron, Moses’ brother was selected by God to serve as high priest in the tabernacle in the wilderness.  God instructed Moses to anoint Aaron with oil to prepare him for the Lord’s service. “He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him to consecrate him.”  Leviticus 8:12

Saul was anointed with oil when he was selected by God as king of the Israelites.  “Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, ‘The Lord has anointed you king over his inheritance, has he not?’”  1 Samuel 10:1

David was also anointed to be king.  “So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David.”  1 Samuel 16:13

And oil is used to anoint the sick to receive healing from the Lord.  “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer offered in faith will make him well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.” James 5:4-5

The man in the vision, might be seeking the Lord’s power in his life.  The power to heal or to be healed, the power to overcome trials, temptation and sin or the power to witness, all come from having a relationship with the Lord.  With the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, and the initial evidence of speaking in tongues comes a greater anointing and more power.

If the man represents all mankind, it is likely that he would not understand the Lord’s ways and would seek power by going to the wrong source, as many do.  Some people visit mediums or spiritists, to gain insight, to contact someone who has died, to have their future told, or to seek advice for making a decision.   Little do they realize that this power comes not from God, but from the devil. Seeking the dead or praying to the dead is called necromancy. In reality, when one attempts to contacting or pray to the dead, he actually speaks to demons, masquerading as the person with whom they  wish to contact. Seeking this supernatural power leads to bondage; it opens the door to the devil. “Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 19:31

The man was seeking either power to heal or to overcome his weaknesses, or to be cleansed of sin.  In any case, he also represents the lost. For it is the lost who do not have the Lord, his salvation, his healing, or his power.  

Through this vision, God is instructing us to be aware of all those around us, who need, or are seeking, reconciliation with God.  We must have discernment when it comes to people’s motives.

Yet, whether motives are good or evil, we must pray for everyone.  For God’s arm is not too short to save. No one is beyond his reach.  So we pray, we discern the truth and we share the gospel. God asks us to pray for those in authority and even for our enemies, for everyone needs salvation and to make their peace with him.  Let us make ourselves available to serve the Lord, because we want to see all people set free and living for him.

Dirty Snow

The third vision came immediately following the vision above.  In the vision I was standing outside. I looked down, just to the left of my feet, and saw the base of a telephone pole and snow covering the ground.  But there on top of the snow, were tiny pieces of trash, and bits of paper. It seemed as if someone decided to empty their car’s ashtray on the ground.

This vision reminded me of the asphalt that was thrown or scattered all over the sidewalk and on the steps of the church this past Sunday.  I believe that the vision was given as a call to pray for whoever did this. It is possible that a former member may having taken offense with someone in the church, and wanted to make trouble.  It could be a member of an organization that is against churches in general, and is making their presence known.

But as I see the three visions together, I see that the enemy is aware of our church beginning to grow, and the worship becoming more free.  As we dedicate ourselves to prayer and fasting, the enemy will take notice.

The man with the bowl, could represent those who will come to visit our church to be healed or set free. We hope to see more people come, for we are a church that believes in the power of God. We are praying for revival for our nation, and for God’s will in all our lives.  So it should not be surprising that we may be attracting the attention of the wicked one. The asphalt outside the church may simply be the enemy leaving his calling card.

But as we all know: “Greater is he who is in you than he that is in the world!”  1 John 4:4

I hope you will join me in praying for the salvation of the lost, to pray for revival for our nation, and for our nation’s leaders to align themselves with the will of God.

Be blessed!  I hope you will share this message with others of like mind.  Love you all! And God bless you and your family!

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