For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

-Hebrews 4:12,13

The Lord arrested my attention in prayer this morning and spoke this verse to me. Then he said, “I am bringing down my Word as a sword to cut asunder the Church. Within 5 years I will divide out those who revere my Word from those who do not. Part of my Church will throw away the doctrines of man and preach the Word of God. Part of my Church will get offended, throw away my Word, and preach the doctrines of man. Woe to those who do not revere my Word. I tell you the truth, I will pour out my wrath full strength on those who lead my people astray.”

While He continued by giving a very positive prophecy regarding our church’s pastor, I was still gripped with the fear of the Lord at this word. There are many teachers and preachers in the Church that are paving the way for a great falling away because they have rejected the Word of God and instead teach and preach the doctrines of man. As I read the Word, I understand that these doctrines are actually doctrines taught by demons, and stir up the wrath of God. I beg you, please get in the Word and revere it as holy. The Bible is the only guidebook for life and godliness.

On Saturday night, the Lord was really speaking to me about the subject of suffering. He told me that many Christians in the West don’t really know His purpose for suffering and trials. The image he gave me was quite humorous:

I saw a sword being heated in the fire, then placed in cold water, and then hammered out. As I looked, I heard the voice of a Western Christian through the three stages of sharpening. As the sword was put in the fire, he yelled, “Lord, why have you forsaken me!? Why do you abandon me to the fire?” Then when he was taken out, he said, “Look, I’m glowing!” Then he was put in the water, and he cried out, “Lord, why have you brought this winter of the soul? What wrong have I caused you?” Then, as the Swordsmith took him out, he said, “Look, I’m hard. I can withstand anything!” Then the sword began to be hammered out. The Christian yelled, “Why do you beat me so? How can I withstand your wrath? I am afflicted of the Most High!” Then the Swordsmith held up the sword, and the Christian said, “Look how sharp I am. I can cut through anything with the least force!” Then the process started over.

A very humorous picture of the Christian life, indeed. Let’s have patience with our circumstances and understand that the Lord is refining us.

I’m gripped today with the fact that life will not always be the same as it is now. The Lord is moving in the earth, and is arranging a series of events that will play out in the greatest drama ever seen in the earth. I feel gripped by the fact that God is raising up for Himself a Bride that can contend in the Spirit with the greatest evil that the human race has ever seen. The Lord is speaking to my heart as I work. He keeps telling me that He is raising up a spirit of prayer in the earth. He tells me that He is placing in His Bride a hunger for His Word. He tells me that our generation is going to stand in the authority and anointing of the Spirit to proclaim the gospel to the nations.

It’s hard to get work done when the Lord swirls over me like this. I hope that releasing it in this manner brings some sort of relief. Believe me, friends, the time has passed when time can be idly spent. Rouse yourself. Dedicate yourself to prayer and to the Word of God. The time is near when the Lord will carry us away. Make the last few years of your life count.