When the light of truth is given in the spirit of love, darkness cannot stay.

Note: The church is in transition to the next move of God. We have many pieces, but not the whole picture. I believe that what I have to share here is yet another small piece.

Isaiah chapters 42,43, and 44

What is truth and why must we seek it? Jesus said in John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me" He then goes on to say in verse 17 -18 that he will not leave us alone but will send the comforter, the Spirit of Truth who only believers can receive. 

Christians are to seek to become Christ like, to become like Jesus who is truth. To do this we must follow the example he set before us which is to WILLINGLY take up our cross and follow him. As Christ went to the cross to overcome death, so must we. 

Why must we seek truth? To transform us into the likeness and fullness of truth which is Christ. To do this we must first eliminate all untruths. This is done by the renewing of our minds from glory to glory or from cross experience to cross experience. 

Whenever you seek truth, the truth about yourself is always revealed first. It is not a pleasant process, but a necessary one, and should continue if we are serious about our Walk. Proverbs 23:23 says "Buy the truth, and sell it not: also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding." Truth comes at a high price as stated in Luke 14:26-33: 

" If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sits not down first , and counts the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, this man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what King, going to make war against another king, sits not down first, and consults whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an ambassage, and desires conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsakes not all that he has, he cannot be my disciple.

As an intercessor, the Lord often places things on my heart to pray for. I don't always understand why, but as I begin to see the results of the prayers I begin to understand. For the past several years I have been praying for truth to be revealed and that the hidden things be brought to the surface and exposed.  Little did I know what I was praying!

When we ask for truth to be revealed, God stirs things up and all kinds of stuff comes to the surface. We need to recognize this as an opportunity for cleansing and victory in those areas that surface. The first step to the cross is to look within. You must learn to go immediately to the cross when situations arise. There we must ask to be shown where I am wrong. We ALL have carnal natures, which means we all have untruths in us. 

There have been many prophetic words about this day and how God is restoring order and authority through the 5 fold ministries. This is wonderful! But we must also understand WHY He is doing this. This is a very important time of preparation and we are called to a very specific task for this time. I believe that task is to prepare people to receive the release of truth. We must also remember that as the truth is released, there will also be many other voices that rise up to confuse and deceive (counterfeits & impersonators). The closer you get to truth the more voices there will be. Spiritual (not natural) discernment is absolutely necessary and only comes by the Spirit of Truth through a humble teachable spirit. Once truth is heard, we then need to receive it and do it. We also need to remember that judgement will first come to the house of the Lord. We need to prepare His people to desire truth at all cost and to receive truth and do it! 

Since we are in what is called “The Third Day”, there is an important verse in 2 Thes. 2:4 concerning what must happen before the Lord can return. It states "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed..."  

We are all called to prepare for the return of the Lord and it clearly states in the above scripture that it will not happen until there is first a falling away and the man of sin is revealed. Truth will accomplish both of these things. When truth is spoken, the enemy will be exposed and then people have a choice to either be healed or to fall away. This is a time of choices. Many are called but few are chosen. Many take the broad path and few take the narrow path.

The falling away is cross-referenced to 1 Tim 4:1-2 "Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing (lying) spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron."

We are seeing that happen in this day. There are many versions of the truth but only the Spirit of Truth can lead us into the real truth. There is also the denying of the power of God to bring forth that which He said He would do (bring us into all truth). There is a lack of faith in the truth, and there is also unbelief. Many will give heed to the very subtle lies of the enemy that are often disguised in partial or twisted truths because they do not want to hear the whole truth and the whole counsel of God. 

In 2 Thes 2:7  it says that the works of the enemy are already present but there will be a time when he will be released to do what must be done before the Lord can return. It is important for us to prepare people for that time because the wicked one will come and sit as God in the temples with signs and lying wonders and many will be greatly deceived and will die because "they received not the love of truth(2 Thes 2:10)". 

Because they love not the truth, God will send strong delusion, that they might believe a lie (2 Thes. 2:11). Discernment is an absolute necessity in this day. John 16:13-15 "When he, the Spirit of Truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me for he shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father has are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine and shall show it to you."

Some will not want to hear truth and will give in to the lies. They want to hear the safe and smooth things as mentioned in Isaiah 30:10.  "...seers, see not, prophets, prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits."

The Bible warns us over and over about all the counterfeits speaking peace, peace when there is no peace (Jer 8:11). Jehu said it plainly to Joram who asked if he came in peace "What peace? As long as the whoredoms of your mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?" (2 Kings 9:22)

This thought is repeated in 2 Tim 4:2-4 "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 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 unto fables."

We must become lovers of Truth no matter how much it hurts or is uncomfortable for us. It is the truth that will set us free. It will set us free if and only if we will learn how to recognize and receive the whole truth and not just those things comfortable to us. 

The second thing that must happen before the Lord can return is "that man of sin be revealed". This statement was often taught that it meant when "that man of sin "appears"". I looked up the word "revealed" for this scripture. It is Strongs 601, which means: to take off the cover, to disclose or to expose. It is not Strongs 602, which means: to appear. God is going to expose the man of sin. And He will do it with Truth. And the truth will set us free and keep us from believing the lies! 

This is where I believe the prophetic must be very careful. The enemy knows that truth sets people free. He also knows the Word of God and knows he will be exposed by it. Therefore he will try to stop the mouths of the prophetic by causing them to compromise and give safe words to itching ears. Even if the word is heard and received, the enemy will try to steal the word from the people's hearts before it is able to manifest into total freedom. The enemy will even take the prophetic Word of God and twist it to look like God is a mean God and the enemy will try to make God's prophetic words look bad. 

These are just some examples of how the seducing lying spirits will operate. God does not give "negative" words. However, He does give "strong" words. He will expose lies and He always gives a way out (1 Cor 10:12-13). Usually the way out requires us to come to God asking if there be any of this in us. And if so, to take up our cross in that situation. 

This will require us to also repent from believing the lie and/or doubting God's power to deliver. The way out is to have a humble spirit that seeks the truth that sets us free. It is also learning to recognize that when our flesh rises up in offence to another's actions or words, or defense of our own actions or beliefs, it is a signal that God wants to set us free from that thing. Any kind of reaction on our part requires us to go to the cross.

There is a promise in Isaiah 55:8-11 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain comes down and the snow from heaven, and returns not, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater; So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."

It is dangerous for us to presume God's purpose for a prophetic word. It will accomplish what HE PLEASES, whether it is encouragement or an offence. We must not take God's words and try to make them accomplish what we please or what is acceptable to those receiving it. The prophetic gift is given by grace and operates in faith. We must trust that if God has given us something to speak, that it will accomplish what He pleases. We must step out in faith that as we open our mouths in obedience, He will fill it with words of life. These are not negative prophetic words. They are strong words intended to cause us to grow and mature. God knows His people and would not give a strong word to a babe. We need to teach people how to receive from the Lord through the Body of Christ judging the word and not the giver of the word. Only God can judge the giver of the word. 

Would you blindly believe everything preached or taught? I would hope not! Preachers and teachers are only human, right? It is the same with the prophetic. If we stop the mouths of the preachers and the teachers as we do the prophetic, we will have nothing left. It is the responsibility of EVERY individual Christian to prove all things by the scripture. If they are not doing this, they need to be encouraged and taught to do so.

The Lord allows offences to reveal areas of deception or lies we have believed, to bring conviction, repentance, and healing. He also allows offences to (hopefully) bring people closer to Him. Words of truth often offend the darkness in us. When truth encounters lies, the flesh will rise up and the enemy is then exposed. The problem is that the flesh always thinks it is the other guy. We need to learn to look within first when offended. God corrects and re-directs us because He loves us and wants us free from those things. The Spirit of Truth will convict to bring about repentance and healing. John 16:8 "...when he (the comforter) is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement." 

Think about this verse. We tend to overlook the last 2 on the list. The Spirit of Truth will reprove (correct) righteousness and judgement as well as sin. Do you judge other's beliefs? Do you think you are right and they are wrong? The Holy Spirit WILL correct these things, which are ALSO sins. 

When I hear people who disagree stand their ground, it saddens me because neither will ask God to show them where they might be wrong. It is always the other guy who is wrong. Both sides usually have a measure of truth. Always someone is wrong. Usually both are wrong in some way. Do not focus on the other guy but on yourself. 

When Jesus came to this earth he came as The Way, The Truth, and The Life. He also came to offend, to convict, to reveal and conquer the enemy, to release the captives, to heal the sick, to bind up the wounds, and to set people free. He did that with TRUTH. In the wilderness where He was tempted, He exposed the lies of the enemy and overcame temptations with truth.  If we give fluff in our prophecies and our teachings, are we helping or hindering the Kingdom? Balance is one of the keys. Allowing the Power of God to move on people is another. We are instructed in God's word to grow up and be no more like children tossed about by every wind of doctrine by men who come to deceive. Have we become comfortable with the smooth things? In 1 Peter 2, Jesus was described as the stone that was rejected and the cornerstone for those who believe, but He is the rock of offence to those who do not believe. Many professing Christians believe Christ died for them but often doubt the power of God's love to take care of present day problems. We want God to change the situation or to change the others involved, when in most cases God has put them in the situation to change US!!! 

Truth makes messes. But it is also a great opportunity. It is an opportunity for all the gifts to work hand in hand to bring people into the intended fullness of Christ. As truth is given, the lie is exposed, and way out is given. The various gifts would then take that exposed lie, help the person deal with it and assist in carrying the healing to completion. Thereby helping that person to become whole, equipping the saint and bringing them another step closer to the fullness of Christ. 

I believe an outpouring of Truth is about to be released on the earth and God is calling out those who He has prepared to speak truth. However, we must first prepare the way for truth to be released. 

1. This type of prophecy must only be given by those who have the anointing for it. The number one ingredient that this type of prophetic person must have is character that has been shaped by the hand of God (mainly operation in selfless love). You will know who they are by their fruit. They must also know the order of spiritual authority (not religious authority), have the maturity to know when and how to give a corrective or directive word and what to do after it has been given. They will also need to understand how to do personal spiritual warfare because they will be under constant attack. The enemy does not want to be exposed.

I Don't know about you, but I would rather receive warning, correction or direction in love from the prophetic, with a team of people available to help me through it, than to stumble or fall because nobody loved me enough to speak truth. I think if you did a survey you would find this to be true with most Christians. 

3. There needs to be a release from fears. Just as there is a false humility, which is actually pride, there is also a false fear of God, which is actually a fear of man. These are lies subtly veiled in twisted truths (seducing lying Jezebel  spirits). Prov 29:25-26 "The fear of man is a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord will be safe. Many seek the ruler's favor, but every man's judgment comes from the Lord." 

The fear of man causes us to try to make ourselves look good, make our ministry look good, and to make ourselves acceptable in man's eyes. This is often veiled in the semi-truth of courtesy for the sake of unity. Was Jesus courteous to the Pharisees and Sadducees?  Did He speak smooth things to the woman at the well or to Nicodemus, etc.? We cannot fear what man will do to us or think of us if we bring truth. We have to expect that we will be hated, despised, slandered, persecuted, called heretics, labeled as rebels and causing division, etc. Jesus endured this, so should we. We must allow the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth to work through the words He gives us to speak. I have had many prophetic words spoken over me and many I did not agree with. But I did not throw them out. What I found was that they were correct. It was just a matter of time before the spirit of God revealed it to me. 

4. These prophetic people will need good support. People who will pray for them, and with them, People who will hear them and encourage them. There also needs to be people who will follow up on the ones these prophetic people have ministered to. (healing, deliverance, counseling, fathers and mothers, teachers, etc.)

5. There must be a healing of those called to service for this day and this specific task. Old religious mindsets must be broken off and a Kingdom perspective needs to be established. Prayer is the first place to start. Individuals and Intercessors should be asking for the subtle lies in our thinking to be exposed so we can receive the Kingdom perspective for THIS day.

As I was writing the above steps I realized that it is a process that involves the 5 fold ministries and the church all working together to bring it about. 

1.      The Apostle recognizes and releases those with the anointing for this move of God.

2.      The Teacher teaches and prepares for what is to come, how to handle it when it comes, and how to see it through.

3.      The Evangelist exhorts to stand on truth and not fear man

4.      The Pastor provides support and covering.

5.      The Prophet brings forth the process of healing by the releasing of truth to break off old mindsets.

Then the Body ministers in the other gifts to bring the person to the next level of wholeness. 

I feel there will be another anointing that will come with the anointing to release truth. It is what I call EXTREME FAITH.

Extreme faith :

·        That God is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above and beyond all that we could ever imagine.

·        That the Kingdom will be established on earth as it is in Heaven. 

·        That if we are called to bring forth a strong word, it will accomplish what it was sent to do.

·        That the Lord will lead, protect and correct those who have a Kingdom perspective.

·        That it is God, by His Holy Spirit, working through us, who will bring it to pass if we are willing to hear Him and obey.

·        That it is God who will make the prophetic credible. 

How will God make the prophetic credible? He will do it with signs following. These signs will be the testimonies and witnesses of those who have been set free as a result of resurrection life words (truth) spoken in love to the dry bones.  They can then step into their call and pass it on to others.  

Resurrection can't happen unless we first die. When we have been through this process a few times, we begin to understand the power of the resurrection. As a result we WILLINGLY take up our cross to receive our next freedom. 

If the prophetic is not credible, perhaps we need to take a look at what we have been teaching and how we have been operating. Are there subtle lies we have believed concerning the prophetic?  Or is it a fear of not being received by man? We won't know unless we seek truth and ask God! 

We are called to be over-comers. Over-comers are more than conquerors (Rom. 8:37). I love Webster's definition of conquer: 

1. To acquire by force of arms (subjugate).

Subjugate is to bring under the yoke, to force to submit to control and governance, to bring to servitude.

2.  To gain mastery over or win by overcoming obstacles or opposition (Vanquish)

Vanquish is to overcome in battle, subdue completely, to defeat in a conflict or contest, to gain mastery over an emotion, passion or temptation. 

4. To overcome by mental or moral power (surmount).

Surmount is to surpass in quality, to rise superior, to get to the top, to stand at the top, to overcome. 

A conqueror is one who goes after something to take it over. He does not wait for it to come to him. He is on the offensive and takes it by force before it even has a chance to think about attack. And we are more than conquerors! We conquer our enemies by becoming lovers of the truth. Lovers of the truth WILLINGLY go to the cross DAILY to be purged of the lies that keep them in bondage. They take the land by force by constantly seeking to have their minds renewed. But if we love not the truth God will allow us to be deceived and even to bring deception, and this warning is even to the elect! 

And this is how you will know those who are lovers of truth.

John 3:16-21 (There is no condemnation - except for this)

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

If we love the light we will want to walk into the light. The light of truth reveals all hidden things. If we do not want to walk into the light we do not love truth. And if I am reading this passage correctly, if we do not want to come into the light, we are condemned. If we are condemned we have not believed. If we have not believed then we are not saved.  Because it is only those who believe in him that will not perish. Examine yourselves to see if you still be in the faith. Work out your own salvation. Walk into the light of truth.

Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. Luke 21:36 

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES FOR STUDY 

John 7:17 How to know if it is of God

1 John 4:6 How to know if the spirit of truth is with someone

Rev 2 & 3 Churches take notice

Neh 2:17 Why Nehemiah felt the call to rebuild the wall

Prov 9:10 Fear God and not man

1 Cor 2: 12-17 What spiritual discernment is

Matt 10:26-27 What we are to speak forth

Amos 3:7-8 What we are to speak forth

Eph 5:8-11What the fruit of the spirit is

2 Pet 3:11-12 How to hasten the day of the Lords return

Ps 51:6 He gives us the desires of our heart. What we are to desire.

Matt 13:18-23 Parable of the sower and the different types of soils that receive 

FINAL NOTE:

There is divine dissatisfaction in the land. This divine dissatisfaction was put on the hearts of many by God.  This divine dissatisfaction has brought forth the seekers, those who are searching for "the true church."

Many in the Body of Christ are in this transition. They have been called out from where they were by God and are not quite sure how to get from where they were to where they are to be. This could be because the place they are to be is not yet established. They cling to the leading of the Holy Spirit as if their life depended on it...and it does!

Along with the release of divine dissatisfaction, there is also a release of an anointing that I feel is specific for this time of transition. It is what I call the "Anointing for Truth". Those who have this Anointing have been in the place of divine dissatisfaction for quite some time. But unlike some, they did not turn back, give up, or give in. Instead they turned to God. Therefore, the Lord has revealed to them much of the lies that have kept His people in bondage and from reaching their destiny. However, many do not want to hear the truths these people have learned.

Since much of the church is in transition, it can get confusing at times and we tend to stumble over each other as God reorganizes things. This confusion comes from the old religious mindsets that have been in place for many years that the Lord wants to change. Many are hearing from God but it is contrary to much of what they have been taught. They often go to prophetic gatherings in hopes of receiving clarity, confirmation, and direction. There needs to be grace for each other in this move toward the place the Lord is leading us. There also needs to be a humbleness of spirit to be willing to listen to each other, to admit that we might have misunderstood something God was doing, and to make changes if needed.