Today, I had an accident with my car, the first one in 15 years.

It is NOT that I am such a great driver, but God in His Mercy has protected me over the years and I KNOW there are Angels watching over this driver.

Thus it was a surprise when I had put on my armor, to have this happen. I have mulled over it all day, as I felt The LORD was teaching something or showing me something.

I had made a faux-pas with answering the question of my son this morning, “I blew it…,” in other words!

Then tonight before sleep I could not sleep and was praying in tongues still trying to hear what wisdom The LORD would have in all this.

Then He showed me what is happening in Israel is what is reflected also in The Church. Civil war in Israel. Civil War in The Church.

This has been escalating for some time just as old tensions, old bitterness and hatred has led to an outburst of violence in Israel.

Something else happened today that was a disappointment and exclusivity was revealed in an appeal for a 3rd-World pastor. Suddenly all the pieces came together tonight.

Why is it, when we get blessed, financially, spiritually, emotionally, it becomes so easy to forget from whence we came? It gets easy to get prideful.

We forget, that we are not blessed because of how good we are, but because of His goodness and love. He is the ONLY One Who is GOOD.

Self has it’s way of creeping into even the best of revival churches, when we begin to be judgmental and suspicious of the motivations of others, watch out, as pride is at the door, testing us. And exclusivity is a demonic force, associated with pride and a religious spirit.

All of a sudden we need recommendations to go to a Conference. We need credentials or to be known to get love and consideration from a brother in Christ.

I have been blessed of late so I know what I speak of. It is easy to then forget those that helped you through the rough times.

It is easy to forget about all the pain and suffering you went through… A lot like childbirth. And that is the point. God is BIRTHING something; Christ in us, the hope of glory.

And we must remember, He is doing it, we are not attaining it by our frail human efforts and diligence. RELIGION assumes it is thus, but our righteousness is in Christ Jesus, not in our own goodness. SELF begins to rear it’s ugly head when self is dethroned.

It tries to come back and lure you away from the purposes of God. The OLD tries to destroy the new.

The old nature, tries to come back and gain ground from the new nature God is birthing in us which is HIS nature.

Even in renewal churches arrogance can set in, and we can become PROUD, that God chose us that WE are the epicenter, but if you maintain that attitude, you will not maintain revival for long; it will be extinguished.

God is about LOVE, not war. He is about HUMILITY not pride. Too much “carefulness” can be about suspicion and control, instead of being led of The Spirit of God.

We should be able to “know” each other by The Spirit of God, and not after the flesh. Just like my OLD car (cars represent ministry in dreams) hit the white newer car today, an older, more renowned ministry, made a hit on this newer ministry today, and it felt quite painful and sad.

When God is about to do a new thing the enemy will come in like a flood to try to stop the flow, to stop the birthing. But the word of God says, when the enemy comes in like a flood, The LORD will raise up a standard against him.

So in the ensuing Civil War, be careful HOW you choose sides; be on the side of The LORD. Listen to what He says, over what your mind may say.

God offends the mind to test the heart as John Wimber used to say. This old car, like the old movement, can get in the way of what God wants to do in the youth, if it doesn’t listen to GOD.

The youth who will come into The Church in this next move, are like no other generation before them.

Judgmentalism and pride will kill this generation being birthed if we don’t repent of it. The old wineskins must be cast off.

The ONLY way to do that is to listen for the VOICE of God, not your own opinions, not your own ways learned from man or tradition, and to maintain humility and love in our relationships.

God will do a new thing. So do not brandish your sword against your brother and sister; be ready to move and act in love and if you find yourself defensive, run to Him Who is the resource of all we need.

Get His Opinion! Do not make decisions based on what we have always done; that is method and tradition. Make decisions based on His Opinion. Anything less is flesh.

Prayer

God, grant us the grace to walk in Your love and to maintain loving relationship with You, so that we can love one another.

Do not allow us Father, to discard the basics in our relationship with You, through busyness.

Help us to lay aside the old wineskins Father, and to flow with You, in the newness of life You are giving and to walk according to The Spirit, and not according to the flesh.

Keep us Christ-minded. Protect us from all worldliness in our thinking and actions Father.

Show us when we are out of step with what YOU want.

Glorify Your name Father. Sanctify us with Your Glory. Pour out Your love in our hearts, that we may be One as You are One. In Jesus’ Name. Amen!

Received: October 13, 2000.

~ Priscilla Van Sutphin

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PRISCILLA VAN SUTPHIN is the founder of Upstream Ministries, California, online at www.upstreamca.org and blogtalkradio.com/ Upstream. Email: upstream.ca@me.com For Donations: send to ‘Priscilla Van Sutphin’ on envelope, but to Upstream if chk at 15660 Tustin Village Way #27, Tustin CA 92780 or https://www.paypal.me/UpstreamMinistries or Zelle thru using upstream.ca@me.com

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