FLOODS, RIVERS AND STREAMS

FLOODS, RIVERS AND STREAMS - AUDIO LINK

I posted a devotional at the beginning of the year about floods.  I will repeat some of the information in this one, just as a refresher, but I believe Father is wanting to encourage His Bride in this last stretch, which is always the hardest in a race.  And we are running the race of our lives.  I am also reminded that the Most High woke me up about a month ago, with me feeling as if my heart will break of intense sorrow, saying, "My Bride is not ready for what it is to come on this earth before I take her away".  I have seen how the intensity of the birth pangs has grown much stronger in this past month all over the world.

This morning He reminded me of this previous post about floods and the significance of that devotional is so relevant, even more so than then.  In Revelation 12 we read about the woman that flees into the wilderness after giving birth to the man child. This woman does not represent the church, but she represents Israel that flees into the wilderness.  This is a reference to Psalm 90:10.  However, the relevance to our current circumstances cannot be denied. In fear she is driven into the wilderness after complete chaos and the dragon pursues her.  He runs after her.  How?  The word says the following:

REVELATION 12: 15

15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.

Father could have illustrated this in so many different ways.  He could have said that the serpent persecuted her with his mighty army of locusts.  Or he persecuted her with great wrath and breathed fire or something like that.  Who would choose "opening his mouth and water and flood"?  Well, our Father knows, being the Alpha and Omega.  In the Word, flood is often synonymous with a sea of people.  But the fact that it came out of the father of lies’ mouth, is showing us that the enemy persecutes the woman with a flood of words by the mouth of man.  These persecuting words are words that will come from this world and how they have been deceived by the enemy to believe all his lies.  They will be used by him to persecute her in the wilderness.  Even so, now His bride is being persecuted by a flood of words from this world through different media outlets, but also by those near to us.  Those whom we thought would never turn against us, now make no mystery of their disappointment in us for choosing not to go with the masses.  It is interesting to know that Yeshua said that if we want to be His disciples we have to forsake father, mother, brother and sister and even our own lives.  Could this be because He also said that at His coming neighbor would turn against neighbor and nation against nation?  He made it clear, "Do not think that I have come to bring peace, but I have come to bring a sword."  The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.  The enemy sure does know how to strike and hit where it hurts the most.  And yet, Yeshua made it clear that it is in fact He that is bringing this sword amongst families and friends.  Many of us did not see this coming from those we thought would never turn their backs on Him, and yet here we are where indeed the Bride is being sifted.  And truly nothing sifts quite as well as fear.  The enemy's mouth is wide open and he is screaming as loud as he can.  Lady Liberty is being very liberal with her intent to kill those who dare come against her laws.  No longer a lady, but Jezebel holding the torch of the Luciferian agenda high as she stands on the chains of the slaves she wishes to crush.  Whilst the masses are placed under mandate to where masks, the mask of the enemy is coming off.  And let’s face it, it is overwhelming, because the enemy is screaming threats and we see their wicked plans playing out right before our eyes, with the souls being dragged down the mire with it.  In fact, often the natural manifests that which is in the spirit realm, and the floods that has been rampant all over the world is telling of the flood in the spirit that is presently pursuing the Bride.  He is making his plans known and he is making it clear that he is coming after us. But I want to bring your attention today to Revelation 12:14.

REVELATION 12: 14

14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

The meaning of eagle in the Strong’s Concordance is breath and air.  She receives two wings that she may fly as an eagle into her place.  Not just any place, but a place prepared for her.  For one reason.  That she may be nourished.  That she may be taken care of and be renewed as we read in Isaiah 40.

ISAIAH 40: 31

31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

It says that she may be nourished and cared for from the face of the serpent.  This face in the Strong’s Concordance means to gaze upon.  To look at.  That she may in this place, prepared for her in the wilderness (not away from the wilderness), be away from the face of the serpent.  This face makes me think of the face of a television or our other technologies that have that has faces. That she may not look at him and be overwhelmed as he spews his bile of threats and fear.  Herein lies wisdom to us who make it our business to know the schemes of the enemy.  How much time do we spend researching and uncovering these schemes versus the time we spend in that secret place prepared for us?  And if it will be important when the flood of the enemy pursues the Revelation 12 woman to go to a place prepared, does it not stand to reason, that now we too in the time of great floods are to go to that place prepared for us?

I am quite aware that what I am saying may not necessarily be new revelation.  However, what is new is the vehemence and wave of words of persecution that is presently flooding this world.  This is going to increase. The enemy has one aim and that is to wear out the saints.  The threats are going to become more aggressive, and the separation more apparent.  We know this, but a contingency plan is not a bad idea.  The enemy wants to bring us to exhaustion, to kill and destroy.  It says in Revelation 12 that the enemy sends this flood that she may be carried away by this flood.  This carried away means to be clothed with a burden.  But our God has prepared a place for you.  Not just any place.  Just like the woman fleeing into the wilderness flees to her place, Father has prepared your place.  Your place where He will raise you up by His Spirit away from the face of the serpent. This is our only save place.  Not more information, not more exposure, not more knowledge of how the enemy is working now.  Do not get me wrong, there is a season and a time for all things under the sun. However, in this very time, a cool-head goes a long way.  The aim in fear, and trust me, having a daughter suffer from anxiety disorder for 16 years, I know what fear can do firsthand on a daily basis, is to paralyze.  It escalates. It weakens, it becomes toxic to your thinking like a poison slowly filling your peaceful mind without you even being aware of it.  But the Most High has given us not a spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind.  We can confess this all day long, but the proof is in the pudding.  Is your mind sound?  Are you in that place of the eye of the storm?  Are your eyes on the face of the serpent or are you hidden where He can feed you and nourish you for the time to come.  This world will soon be enveloped in a dark depressing blanket of fear.  The world will be clothed with a burden of fear that will be unbearable, just as the enemy planned.  What will you say to them if you yourself are enveloped in this blanket?  The spirit of this age is the spirit of Jezebel that rules by fear.  Whether I go to that place He has prepared for me and be nourished by Him, will determine how I deal with it when I come out from that place.  Will I be leaning on my Beloved? We all know the well-known Psalm 46, but let us read it with understanding of the relevance that it has for the time we are in.

PSALM 46

1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.

5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.

6 The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.

7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth.

9 He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.

10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Verse 4 reads...There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.  Where the enemy comes with his flood of threats, the Most High is saying, "Come away Beloved to that place that I have prepared for you...the holy place.  There My Spirit flows as a river to make glad the city of God. You are that city.  He is saying, come and cast your cares on Me, because I care for you”.  

I have such urgency in my heart to draw ever closer to that place like Elijah to be fed by the ravens. 

1 KINGS 17: 2 - 6

2 And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,

3 Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

5 So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.

There Elijah was fed by the ravens and the Most High provided bread and flesh.  He could drink of the brook.  This was a place prepared for Elijah where he would after a while receive his instructions from the Lord to go and tell Ahab of the coming drought.  It is here where He feeds us with His Word and gives us instructions as to what He needs us to do instead of being so focused on this world with our eyes wide open in fear.  Yeshua said that Elijah will come first.  We know this to be John the Baptist as well, the one who found himself living in the wilderness from honey and locusts.  He sends his Elijah company to the wilderness to be fed and nourished by Him so that they may receive strength and instruction for the time to come.  To come away from the face of the serpent and be fed by Him.  Jesus said that whosoever does not eat my flesh and drink My blood does not have life.  We must know that in this place prepared for us, we are to feast on Him.   He has prepared a table today for you in the presence of your enemy and He is that table prepared.  The victory of the cross.  We are to come into this place He has prepared for us by the renting of the veil, His flesh, and abide in the Holy of Holies, there where the river flows from His side that will renew and strengthen us.  In that still place.  The tent of meeting made by Moses was right in the middle of a wilderness.  In your wilderness, your Father has prepared a place where you can be fed.  Where you can receive instruction. 

We have seen the destruction of tsunamis and how everything is carried away with it…just like Revelation 12 says the enemy desires to do.  It will become overwhelming, unless you run to that place where He will strengthen you.  This is not a suggestion, but a clear instruction from Him as He said to Elijah, and now say to us…

3 Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith that is before Jordan.

One of the meanings of Cherith is to make covenant.  The essence of covenant is to become one.  Your enemies will be mine, and My enemies will be yours.  It is an exchanged life.  The Jordan is synonymous with death.  Saying, “Come drink of the brook of My death so that you may have life.  From out of My side flows this river of water and blood, so that you may have life.  This is the river of life that will make glad the city of God.  Drink so that you may be fed by My words.  Where I will speak to you, not as the enemy in a flood, but in a still small voice.”

1 KINGS 19: 11 - 13

11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:

12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

It is only in this place that you will hear His voice.  Where the enemy screams, our Father whispers.  But, it is in that hidden place, in the wilderness.  A place He has prepared for you.  Will you come? Even today?

In Matthew 7 Yeshua said that in the end it does not matter what miracles you did in His Name or how many demons are subject to you.  In the end what matters is, "Is your house built on the Rock?"  He said a storm would come.  Makes me think of Trump saying "the calm before the storm".  Indeed the storm is here, and probably just the beginning.  However, even at the beginning of this storm we see people being taken and the fall of their house is great.  He likens those who build their house on the Rock to those who hear His voice and obey His sayings.  Pretty clear cut.  May I add just as a reminder...He says, "Today, if you will hear My voice, do not harden your heart".  Obeying His sayings is not just obeying His commandments, but they also include the fact that He said that man shall not live from bread alone, resembling the written word of God, but from every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.  This is also His spoken word.  What is He saying to you today?  Is He calling you aside to come and feast at His table?  Not just today, but know that He will do this often in the time we are in.  Are  you listening and obeying?  He is saying to come and hide under the shadow of His wings. Not just in parroting the scripture, but actually to come and DO it.  This lies at the heart of building your house on the Rock...the building is the obeying.  What brick is in your hand?  The brick of anger and fear?  The brick of resentment and offence at this world?  Did He not say we will have tribulation?  Did He not say that all these things will happen?  Why are you dumbfounded by the audacity of the enemy?  Why are you so busy throwing "bricks" at the enemy when you should be building your house on the Rock in obedience to everything that He is saying to you?  The bricks that you are to build your house with is the Word of God and that in obedience.  It is the only way it will stand in the storm.  As Mary said to His disciples, "Whatever He tells you to do, do it".  Are you positioning yourself in that place where you hear His voice more than the enemy’s voice?  The only way your house will stand, is when it is built on the Rock.  The storm is here, but it seems as if some of us need to do some maintenance and make sure that certain "doors or windows" are closed.  We need to make sure that we have spiritual food in the pantry.

I was feeling a bit deflated yesterday morning and when I came to my prayer room to pray for the day, I had nothing.  And at that moment I started to pray pure word as that river started to slowly flow from my innermost being, the holy place.  I was acknowledging who He is in the light of who I am.  I was praying His word back to Him and nothing I said was from me.  It was just scripture.  The river that flowed through me revived me again as it always does.  It never fails.  The time we are in demands of us to seek His face more than what we have done before.  Nobody is immune to the onslaught of the enemy, no matter how much they profess so.  The only place of immunity is in Him.  Stepping out of this place of communion with Him where He can speak to us is dangerous now.  We have to remain in close proximity to Him, just like John on His breast.  We have to be close enough to hear His whisper.  It is not reciting His word that causes us to be still and know that He is God...it is faith.  He wants to speak to all of us and say "Peace, be still" to the storm raging within.  When that storm is still, no weapon formed against us shall prosper.

It is said that in Isaiah 59 where it talks about the enemy that comes in like a flood, the translators placed the comma at the wrong place.  That it is in fact to be read, "When the enemy comes in, like a flood the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.  The relevance to this is the Red Sea.  The waters stood up like a wall on both sides as they passed through.  The moment the enemy was in the middle of those two walls of waters, like a flood they were destroyed as the waters came down on them.  Many of us, including me, have received dreams about two tsunamis that will come from the east and west side of the USA.  This flood, this standard raised against the whore of Babylon that is presently pursuing His Bride like the Egyptians of old, will once again come and destroy their horseman and chariots.  The Most High will once again entrap the enemy between the two walls of a flood and destroy them utterly.  At the same time I believe the standard that He is raising now is on an individual basis.  The flood of God is His Word.  The enemy has words, but our God is THE WORD.  He is the standard and when we obey His Word, His sayings, we build our house on the Rock so that when the storm comes, a standard is not just raised against the enemy, but a standard is raised in us.  I much prefer the river of God to become a flood in me as the enemy comes against me.  

ISAIAH 59:19 - 21

19 So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in, like a flood the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.

20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord.

21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and forever.

May we meditate on His Word and allow Him to raise a standard in us amidst the words of the enemy flooding our lives daily.  Let us in this day seek His face and draw near unto Him in a time of need.  Let us abide under the shadow of His wings in reality and not just saying it.  The only safe place is a place of obedience.  Are you being obedient to that still small voice that is calling you to come into the cave, the holy place to be fed by Him and to drink from the river of life that flows from His side?  The burdens that we carry are becoming more heavier as we see the world crumble before our eyes.  Our thoughts go to what will be soon and our hearts break in despair over the lost.  His invitation stands and He is waiting for His children to take shelter in Him.  He longs to take us with eagle wings to soar above the storm.  Only those who wait on Him enjoy this privilege, but the invitation is to all His children.