How We Respond: Determines Our Future!
The Cross has never been a popular message nor has the message of repentance. The Spirit of Elijah is here to restore if we are broken and repent of our own ways. God seeks for those who have a broken and contrite heart.
God often has to tear things down in our lives, in order to be able to build us back up so that we rise in true holiness. We each have gifts and a destiny from the LORD. God has to convict and tear down man-made agenda’s to be able to build up His plan in us.
Whatever is wood, hay or stubble will be burned up. But if you are a precious jewel in His hand, it does not matter how hot it gets, because gold, silver and precious stones become more refined and defined through the process. These are very valuable and unique and of much more worth.
These thrive in heat and gain much momentum through that process. They have learned instead of fighting against things they have learned by experience to yield to His sovereign plan.
Being a prophet is not some side-show event or name-in-lights type person. Their goals are all encompassing, because they identify so much with Christ. They literally are possessed by the Holy Spirit. The LORD’s goal is that everything in us develops into His likeness.
Are we building on His foundation or are we building on sinking sand? Many times we can be building on His foundation, but not building according to His commands. God allows storms and fire to blow and burn away our works, so that all that is left are His Works, His foundation.
How do we respond to God’s prophet? Be ye all clothed with humility, for God resists the proud but gives Grace to the humble. If we respond properly to God’s prophet, the blessings of the LORD and restoration in all areas will follow. Humility is a mark of a true prophet.
All through scripture you see examples of prophets who were kept hidden until sent on a mission by God. Prophets are ordained by God and not man. God’s true prophets and ministers are influenced by God and not man. Their walk is often lonely, they suffer, they must stand back, even in the midst of a crowd they are very alone. Yet God is with them.
People frequently misunderstand prophets. Prophets walk with God and are very familiar with many things, but purposely remain silent. Death and life are in the power of the tongue. They are secure in themselves knowing that God will make room for His gifts.
There are no gray areas, no straddled fences; you either are, or are not. Let your yes be yes, and your no be no.
Prophets have learned to keep God’s secrets, and when to release them in His timing. They don’t seek great things for themselves. They are silent until the LORD opens their mouth.
They have an innocence and a child-like faith and character with humility, because their greatest joy is knowing God. Those who have suffered so much through trials and tribulations, finally get to a place of absolute resolve that they “will not let him go until he blessed me,” just like Jacob prevailed and his name was changed to Israel.
This is the reward of the prophets. You my LORD are my shield and my exceeding great reward. See Genesis 32:24-28.
“After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward,” Genesis 15:1
Often God’s true prophets stand off from the crowd and their message is not popular. You will either love them or hate them.
To warn, correct and expose sin in the Church does not make you a popular person. However, the LORD sees the love and obedience you have for Him. He will build you up and plant you in the land. God wants to share so much with us. He only wants us to come to Him and spend time with Him as we learn to walk in the Spirit.
There are many lone voices out there crying in the wilderness saying, “prepare ye the way of the LORD, make His pathway straight.” John the Baptist did not come with charisma or flowery words. He came with a tough word! Repent!
Many ministers and prophets can use their titles and own natural gifts, abilities or charisma to cover up unconfessed sin in their own lives. Church, don’t judge by the gifts or charisma! Judge by the fruit of the spirit that is manifested in their personal lives!
What God sees in our lives, are our walls that are ever before Him. Especially when we are all alone and no one else sees us. That’s where the rubber meets the road. God knows all things and He wants our broken fellowships restored. Not only for our restoration, but for others also!
Do you know what the sin of bitterness does? Bitterness troubles us, and defiles us. However, it will spread like wild fire and will infect others with demonic influences. A person who ministers out of gaping wounds and bitterness can cause so much damage.
The Chief Shepherd is watching as He is making me lie down in green pastures. He is leading me beside still waters. He is restoring my soul.
Do you realize how the LORD cares for His sheep? Shepherds who leads us to still water have such wisdom. Had the water been rapid and rushing, the sheep could have gone to drink the water, but when they walked into the cool water, the wool would absorb the water and the weight would cause heaviness. Being too heavy, the stream current would pull at the sheep’s wool and the sheep would drown.
The work of the Shepherd is amazing. He restores our souls. How many of us want the LORD to restore our soul, mind, will, intellect and personality etc.? Man oh man, do I want the Chief Shepherd to restore my soul!.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for His own name’s sake. The Shepherd had already tested the path and He knew they would make it through. Though it feels like we are walking through a death experience, we need not fear.
His rod and staff comfort us. Wow, the rod of correction comforts us and the staff of leading, guiding and rescuing shows us so much love and concern for our welfare. Both correction and encouragement are balanced out as He is our perfect Father! He has got our best interests and concerns at heart.
There are so many wandering sheep crying out bleating as they go. These lost, lowly, weak and wounded sheep are crying out to the LORD of Shabbat who already sees and seeks His own, as a good shepherd. There are so many who wander on every hill and valley longing for the shepherd to find them and lead them into the care of the sheep fold.
I’m thanking you Great Shepherd for preparing a table even with my enemies around. I thank you for anointing our heads; our cups run over.
How amazing it is that the Shepherd declares that only goodness and mercy shall follows us all of our days. Who can’t help but melt into His embrace for His goodness to us? We truly dwell in the house of the LORD forever! See Psalms 23, 2 Peter 2.
I have heard this numerous times, but it is so true. “Hurt people, hurt people.” If you are wounded, you wound. Even a three-point message, with all the right words and scriptures, doing the religious twist and shouting “YES, bless God,” we will defy correction and we can minister with mixture with the poison mingled in.
Danger! Warning! Stop!
When we hold unto unforgiveness and bitterness, we actually open the door wide for demons to come into our lives and attack. If we don’t have some sort of intervention from some praying saints, nurses or doctors, we can really screw up our lives and others.
“Let not the sun go down on your wrath, give no place to the devil.” Ephesians 4:26.
As for me in these types of things, I do pull back and take a much needed sabbatical to do some serious resting and recovering in the LORD. God is most concerned with these major character issues of the heart and nature. As leaders, we must conquer, or we will go no further.
My prayer for myself is “keep me humble, gentle, broken, lowly of heart, innocent, child like.” Help me LORD, to always forgive, even if I don’t know how to pray. I will pray in the Spirit. I know I am human and loaded daily with all sorts of projects and sin that so easily beset me.
None of us are exempt from devil duty. I never thought I could ever be so callous and to think of actually murdering someone. I was just thinking about doing it, until I was put into some horrible conditions. I found out that any of us, when placed in the right circumstances, are capable of anything.
I really was shocked and struggled with it for some time. It took me to daily confess and forgive. As I continued, the LORD began to help me overcome those thoughts and bitterness met me daily, until I finally got some help dealing with the root causes. What another lesson from God, who helped me and taught me again, as I ate some more humble pie.
I want to stay just as close as I can to the LORD so He will deal with me. I am not saying it isn’t hard. I use to say pridefully, “I don’t have any trouble forgiving, or with bitterness!” But it wasn’t until I had an awful breakdown and meltdown, that I fell to such a level that I thought I would never recover from it.
We open the doors and let evil spirits in. These are very serious problems, and if we don’t allow the LORD to deal with us, especially if we are ministers, we can release some very bad spirits while ministering with mixture.
For major issues we need to put them to death in the flesh, because it spreads like an infection and if you hold on to it, it will consume you. It will cause a root that infiltrates into the very bone. Hurt people, hurt people. See Hebrews 12:3-15.
“Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled,” Hebrews 12:15.
Repentance isn’t just saying you’re sorry, to God. Repentance is acknowledging our sin before God with a humble heart, and asking Him to forgive us. Then we actively turn away from that sin – and you don’t go back into it.
God is forgiving and He will guide us to obtain help us when we need deliverance, “IF” we want deliverance.
“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” 2 Corinthians 13:5.
Christ wants to be formed in us. He wants His character and fruit to be made known in our lives. For we are to be living epistles seen and read of all men. Many today, even in prophetic circles, do not want to rock the boat, so they compromise. However, many say God does chasten and discipline us! It is for our own good, that we would be partakers of His Holiness!
Prophets are not popular, but they are a blessing to the body of Christ when they are received. If leaders receive the prophets, they will be blessed, the people will repent, restoration follows and revival.
How we respond to God’s prophets will determine if we have revival or revolt. There is no gray areas with God. You are either for Him or against Him.
There is a sealing work of the Spirit of God going on right now, and how we respond to prophetic words, will determine what is sealed in us.
Let us all be humble and broken and weigh every Word we hear. Do not openly reject a prophet because of a Word that may provoke us. Let us allow the LORD to provoke a reaction to a positive action!
We must all understand that God is sending prophets to bring shakings to entrenched religious houses. Do you know that when God sends a prophet, when they enter into a religious house, room or region, that demons tremble, and demons entrenched in religious houses, stagger? The prophet doesn’t have to say one word in that place, only show up.
The demons of hell recognize who the prophets are. “Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are you?” It is sad that no one seeks God enough for Him to give them such discernment to pray and war in the Spirit. Religious houses are war zones and the demons conspire to get rid of the prophet as soon as possible. See Acts 19:14-16.
Do you realize demons are more faithful to religious houses than are the people?
When Satan and the other fallen angels were cast out, they continually sought rest yet found none. So the enemy seeks a host with authority, to spread their demonic agenda. They seek the prominent positions in government, in every level.
Demons seek power and authority nationally, regionally and local arenas. They are especially interested in religious houses and sad to say, many of them get up and preach every Sunday, while going undetected by the majority.
While God in His Mercy continues to shake us, our families, our churches and our country, He is getting His bride ready for that wedding, through it all. Throughout all the shaking and revealing of our sin and our religious orders, we must understand that shaking must come to the Church. Shaking must come and extend way beyond strong, to violently shakings, to wake up His church.
There are cycles of shaking and we are coming into a season of violent shaking. There is no fear in love, for perfect love cast out all fear. This time, this cycle, is unlike any other time in History.
Look to Israel for our timing, especially look at the feasts and festivals. Rosh Hashanna, and Yom Kippur, this year. Much change and breakthrough for those who have watched and waited for the release. For the glory of the latter house is greater than the former. Each time there must be a return to our first love. We love Him because He first loved us. Amazing love, He is!
What will it take for the true Church of the living God to awaken out of her slumber?
Do we really want true revival?
Major shaking is coming folks. It is going to shake so hard that all hearts will be made known and they will be without excuse.
If the shaking produces repentance, it will be glorious!
However, we must know that the upheavals and shakings will cause people to choose. Will it be repentance in those who return to HIM? Or will it be rejection?
“There is a line of demarcation coming quickly. All will make a choice whom they will serve. If they reject the warnings of My prophets, they will have sealed their eternal choice.
The time is now! Now is the day of salvation!
When these things take place and a true hunger for God emerges, you will then see repentance preceding revival and it shall be most glorious.
For MY bride hath made herself ready and she shall be glorious without spot, wrinkle or any blemish.
For the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken it!”
For further study see: Jeremiah 1:6-12, Hebrews 12:3-15, Hebrews 12:15.
In HIS Grace and Mercy,
~ Sherry Edwards Mackey
Sherry Edwards Mackey
Please Note: Publications and or prophecy taken from this may be used to promote the gospel of Jesus Christ. The articles taken must be used according to it’s entirety with credits. Thank you kindly!
This article is so heartfelt. I can identify with some of your experiences. It is from a heart that hears and knows God, our Father. The anointing of the Holy Spirit abide upon you and your website. I will definitely use this as a place to come and to meditate on the words that the Holy Spirit has given to you.
Love and Blessings.
Thank you for these true words!
It is a serious time.