Don’t Be Afraid to Swim Upstream
“And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house,” Ezekiel 2:6.
“Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against their foreheads,” Ezekiel 3:8.
There are many within The Body of Christ now who send out Words of Prophecy and most of The Church does not use an ounce of discernment to judge those words.
Or perhaps because of their popularity, they assume that all of that which they speak must be Truth, because of their status.
We stand at a juncture, at this critical time in history when we sorely need to be able to discern Truth from error, and as we should know, sometimes it is in being able to judge between Truth and half-truths.
I see so much lately that is about our present situation and how this US 2020 Election was ‘stolen’ from the president who now resides in The White House, and yet it is a proven fact that indeed it was not stolen.
And yet, notwithstanding the counting of ballots and how this entire process has caused deteroation in our Constitution, we should be able to judge the character of a man who continues to cause great division, even among believers.
It seems to me that the flesh rises up in bold disregard for the truth. It quickly defends that which is indefensible, rather than seeing these things through the lens of spiritual insight.
We become quite naïve in our inability to see how the enemy has clouded our vision and then instead, we create another image, other than the one that is right in front of us.
It’s time to put on new glasses.
It is time to throw away those things that have clouded our vision.
Cataracts have formed — but the Great Physician can extract those things and enable us to see what is plainly right in front of us.
I don’t expect all to agree with me, and actually I’m at the point when standing alone is quite alright for me. I’ve been able to walk this road with The LORD for some time now, and whether or not many choose to walk it with me, it is entirely up to them.
Indeed, we all have our own roads to walk with The LORD, and certainly those paths are determined for us to be on. Yet, even though the road ahead at times appears to be rocky, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t the right one to be upon.
I will tell you…. you had better expect to see the world around you turned upside down.
You better be prepared when the entire foundations of what you thought was secure, is shaken.
Everything that can be shaken will be shaken. Even though those religious institutions that you thought were firm and solid, may well be taken into question and in time, fracture and deteriorate.
Choose this day who you will follow, and choose this day what you will listen to.
Examine your heart and Belief System very carefully, and look intently at those things and truthfully see where perhaps you have chosen to believe a lie rather than the truth.
It doesn’t matter if a person is popular or not; I imagine that Jeremiah was not popular during his time. I doubt that many of those who spoke boldly against the religious leaders of the day were popular among the people, and certainly not among the priests and other leaders, especially the kings of whom they spoke of.
I’ve been thinking some lately, that there are a few among us who have, or are about to speak, bold words of Prophecy to The Church. These words don’t seem to fit into the norm that many have spoken.
Maybe you have felt like you are swimming upstream, because those Words that you have been given aren’t readily accepted by some. They aren’t readily accepted, because they have struck a deep place in the flesh, or they have gone against the grain of most of the Words that are given in this hour.
We aren’t told to follow the status quo. In fact, we are told to take the ‘narrow road’, and sometimes this ‘narrow road’ takes us places where only a few have gone before.
These are the roads which many have taken who have been called to the waste places, and the wildernesses.
These are the very roads which our LORD traveled upon two thousand years before. These are the roads which Amos, and Ezekiel and Jeremiah took. They knew that the road would be filled with briars and thorns, and yet they decided to go anyway.
They decided to go, because that was their calling — but they also knew that they would have sweet fellowship with the Father on that road.
You see or hear other Prophetic Voices which speak only of the pleasant and serene things. You hear the pleasantries and the words of the pillow prophets, and you know that they have their place, but they have shied away from the road that you are on now.
They have no desire to eat the bread that God would feed them here. Maybe God has told you to wait and not to speak or share those words, because many aren’t ready yet to receive them. Or perhaps you are just too afraid to face rejection.
But just know that like the salmon that swim upstream, you also have your place, and that place is going against the current.
True prophets are not only to build up, but to tear down, the complacence and the traditions of man.
Sometimes the foundation is filled full of cracks, because others from a different calling, have decided to become part of the foundation. And now, the building can’t be raised to its full potential, because some have built where they shouldn’t have.
“See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms to root out and to pull down, and to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant,” Jeremiah 1:10.
You may wonder why others haven’t been told the same things as you. Surely, it seems that God would have told them of these things that are to come. Surely, God would have told them not to trust in man alone.
Why can’t they see the deception of those who follow after a ‘chosen’ candidate, you ask? And yet, you know what is true, and you know the voice of the shepherd. And even those who used to swim upstream with you, have now left their journies.
They would rather swim in shallow water where it is much safer, and known to them. They may wonder where you had gone to, and why you aren’t joining in with them in their play. But if they had been more aware, they would have noticed that you left holding the hand of another, when you left. And that ONE is now guiding you up the rapids of the river.
Up ahead the river’s currents have grown stronger now. All around you are the rapids, and the spray of the water hits your face as you continue up stream.
The wind is blowing hard, as you travel up higher and higher into realms of The Spirit that you had not experienced before.
Continue the journey that you’re on oh son or daughter of the Most High. Keep your eyes focused ahead on the ONE that has gone before, and know that He is around, before, and in, and above you, as go.
What He began, He will bring to completion.
Selah,
~ Stephen Hanson
Stephen Hanson of In His Truth Ministries came to The LORD is a special way in 1975 and has prophesied regularly since. In these end-time birthing pangs we are reminded that judgment must first begin with the household of God. Will we be prepared and ready?
OH Lord We Need YOU!☝ Abba Father, Thank You that NOTHING takes you by surprise and help us to continue to LEAN into You and Trust in You, & LEAN NOT unto our own understanding, regardless of what is going on in this World. Our Father in Heaven, Please Help us Lord- In ALL of our Ways to Acknowledge You- Knowing that You will Direct our Paths. Make us Wise as a Serpent and Harmless as a Dove. While The enemy rejoices in strife and division- Oh Lord, Help us to be mindful to speak ‘your Truth in Love & if Possible to live Peaceably with all men. Teach us how to Love Your Way & Search our Hearts Oh Lord, as You tell us in Jeremiah 17:9 that “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it.” What’s in our hearts will Always come forth from our mouths and our actions…. Search our Hearts Oh Lord Because You Oh Lord know our thoughts, our motives and intentions. Have Mercy on Us. We pray that You will Complete the work that you started in us and do May we continue to pray your word and seek first Your Kingdom. LORD, Help us To TRULY Become ONE with YOU & ONE NATION UNDER GOD like NEVER BEFORE!!! Thank You for Loving us so Unconditionally! Let the World see our Love for You and our Love for each other as we Decree “LET God ARISE and ALL HIS enemies be scattered!”
Deception, Deception so much abounds! Let us turn to the Lord! Never before has an election brought so many different emotions to the surface, and I am speaking to Gods people. Christians.the world doesn’t know any better?? Let resolve in our hearts myself included to pray, and to not ever put a man, before God. Many have lost sight of the Lord in these days. All your focus is on this election, and who is the winner! Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding!
Trump will win this.
About his character, anybody who understands redemption even faintly will understand why we believers love trump, because most of us,if it were not for the Cross of Jesus are just like him. We have been redeemed. Washed clean. In my case, the things I used to do,who I really am makes trump look mild in comparison.
I believe that not only is Trump God’s choice and instrument for this time, but that the Lord will, by the prayers we pray for him, make a path for Trump to enter heaven born again.
An eye on the cross will leave us with a nice dose of humility. That essential ingredient humility only comes from the Cross.
God chose someone else Joe. It’s time to move on. Never in history has a sitting president continued to not admit that he lost. It may well be hard to admit that God has chosen to not let this man continue. Let’s wait and see what the new year shall bring; shall we? There comes a time and a place when it’s wise to move on. This man’s continued inability to realize these things only endangers our country and deepens the divide which is already so prevalent. It’s selfish, unamerican, foolish, unwise, and all of this actually opens our government and land to be unprotected and vulnerable to outside forces. Enough said!
Since I continue to received comments on messages like this, perhaps it’s good to look at some of the other qualities that many believers seem to gloss over, even though much of this article that I had written wasn’t centered around this man:
Here are 10 reasons, centered around ideas central to the Christian: character, relationships and values:
(Since this article is so long I decided to offer a link.)
https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2016/11/06/10-reasons-you-cant-be-a-christian-and-vote-for-donald-trump/
Excellent article. He doesn’t qualify just based on the character issues the article mentions. Out of the abundance of the mouth the heart speaks. There are Christians that believe every Word he says when he claims to be a Christian and claims to uphold the constitution but his actions don’t match what he professes to be. The constitution is trampled on daily by most politicians – left or right. So sad.
I don’t believe it’s the church’s job to respond in a civil capacity. Our job is the great commission, leading people to Christ. We are not supposed to be political. We are supposed to walk in the spirit. Everything is accomplished in the spirit realm. So we must pray that we will be counted worthy to escape the things that are coming upon the earth. And we must lead as many to Christ as possible. God only cares about souls and whether you love Him with all your heart. Jesus didn’t take on the political realm. He came to do the will of his Father.
Linda, consider where our nation would be if the founding fathers and those who came here for freedom to worship as they chose had stayed out of politics. What if William Wilberforce had stayed out of politics as he first thought was right. He fought a long war against slave trade and did it through politics as a member of Parliament. Not only was slave trade abolished but many other reforms were instituted in England because of WW staying in politics. I think that is a faulty belief that the church should stay out of politics. Yes we must work to lead as many people to Christ as we can, but we cooperate with the Lord in prayer, repentance, and action so the His agenda can move forward. We don’t just sit back and wait for Him to do it all. We walk in the Spirit so that at His direction we know when and how to fight spiritual forces coming against us, our families, and even our nation.
I believe in the end times (now) we should stay out of politics. Politics and all of its corruption is all part of the beast system which only Jesus will destroy when He returns.
When the country was first formed, yes, that was the time to do that. But once the level of sin and rejection of God had reached the point of no return, and the cup of iniquity is overflowing, judgement will come and what is written shall come to pass. We can cry, beg, run for office, march, protest sign petitions and hold community meetings but judgement will come regardless. Because God has had enough. Everything in the book of revelation will happen.
I have voted in every election except this one. I am not a cop out as the man below has called me. I don’t let anyone rule over me except God himself. I most certainly can make a decision and most certainly care about myself and the welfare of the nation. I did make a decision. I tried to stand for righteousness. You see Voting for the left was out of the question for me. And voting for Trump was no better. Other than the abortion issues, Trump has not kept any promise he made to the American people. He did not drain the swamp, he did not build the wall. He did not stop illegal immigration for the most part. He did not stop the chem trails and 5g launch which are both military grade weapons that are detrimental to human health. You would know this if you know anybody in the military. His first order of business when he took office was to start the division of Israel/peace plan which GOD said is not to be done. Apparently He doesn’t care what God says. He did not intervene when people were murdered, their buildings were burned and their stores were looted during the protests. No was was convicted for these crimes. Why? Due to Covid, the government was shut down, the economy was destroyed, jobs were lost and people’s lives and freedoms have been stolen from them due to the plannedemic. To this day no one knows what this virus really is and why it won’t die off like all other viruses eventually do. Yet he pushes for a vaccine that is untested on whether or not it can cure covid. Christian doctors and scientists say that the vaccine will change your DNA and probably be affiliated with the mark of the beast. Trump did nothing regarding the blocking of free speech on social media. So forgive me for not voting. No matter who wins we are in deep trouble.
I agree with you sir. But at the same time I believe there is fraud in every election. The system is corrupt. I could not find peace in my heart to vote for either candidate. This is just my opinion, but to vote for the lesser of two evils is still voting for evil. I could not bring myself to do that. I don’t trust either man. God will elevate whichever man will bring his plans and purposes to pass. His will be done. Everything that is written will come to pass. No matter who is president.
It is well said that “If you are not part of the solution – you are part of the problem!”
Non voters, are part of the problem. All talk – no action!
To say that you leave it up to the Lord, is just a cop out and a dereliction of your civic and Christian duties.
Are Christians not taught to lead by example?
If you are incapable of making a decision as to who will rule over you, why should anyone here care what you have to say, as you don’t even care for yourself.
Thank you for this word, sir.
I was given a dream approximately 9 months ago about a river dangerously rushing downwards. Suddenly, the current changed with a mighty force, struggling uphill against the downward destruction. It was, I think, a war over this land, perhaps the entire world.
I am very surprised at your stance against our current President. Many don’t like him and that’s fine, but we are voting for the one who will keep our country on the foundation of its start. I will never vote for a President who believes that late term abortions or who doesn’t support Israel. May our Father have mercy on our nation.