THE HOUR OF SIFTING

 

THE HOUR OF SIFTING - AUDIO LINK

JEREMIAH 1: 4 - 10

⁴ Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

⁵ Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

⁶ Then said I, Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.

⁷ But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.

⁸ Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.

⁹ Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

¹⁰ 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.

The reality of the prophetic office, not the gift of prophecy, but one called to be a prophet, is that he lives his life before the audience of one…the Most High.  It is for this reason that Elijah said to Ahab’s servant, “As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand.”  This is not just a profound statement, but also the fixed disposition of the prophet.  What is required of the prophet, is not required of others.  The election of the prophet is a choice not subject to anything other but the sovereign will of the Most High.  He is to be the oracle of the Most High and to speak only that which is given to him to speak.  He is not to give his own spin on it or to try and sugarcoat it.  He is not to justify it.  He is called to an obedience of an ultimate kind.  The reason for this is that he has the responsibility to reveal to the people the way that the Most High is, as He in fact wants to be known.  Nobody wants to be a prophet, and in fact, the prophet’s call starts with the statement of “I think you have the wrong person here.”  As was the case with Moses and Jeremiah.  So the calling is not subject to the person’s character or particular strengths, but rather it is based on the Most High’s election.  The character and particular strengths serve its purpose in the prophetic function, but is not the basis for the call.  For this reason He says that we are not to touch His anointed, as they are anointed, which is to say, “Set apart” not unto man, but unto the Most High.  They stand in His counsel and have the responsibility to send His message across to the nations as one being sent.  They do not like platforms and they seek not recognition.

One of the important functions and abilities of the Spirit of Prophecy is to be able to discern the spiritual climate of the world in conjunction with the church.  This is because the Church is the called out ones, the ecclesia that is to be the prophetic entity in this world as it is built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets.  The responsibility is then to be able to hear what the Most High is saying and doing in this spiritual climate and not to have tunnel vision or be given to preconceived ideas.  Spiritual perception and discernment that sees from a broader view and then bringing that prophetic view and understanding to the Church.  The purpose is to support the scripture in the light of present circumstances through prophecy.  

As you now know, the prophet is called to utmost obedience, with the promise that there will be persecution and ridicule to the messages he gives, but that he is not to look at this.  Why is the Most High saying this?  He is saying this because of verse 10.

¹⁰ 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.

You will note that his words will first root out, pull down, destroy and throw down, before the word will build and plant.  The distinction therefore of a true word of God will always have the element of a call to repentance with the accompanying judgment if not.  The prophet who is faithful to proclaim exile and judgment will also be given the word of restoration and rebuilding.  One cannot just have restoration, rebuilding and revival.  In fact, every true revival came only after a period of true repentance. 

At this moment the promise of revival and restoration is loudly proclaimed all over this world, and I must confess that I have yet to find a word of judgment and repentance.  I must be looking in the wrong places.  There is no shortages of uplifting words and yes, the Church can surely use some uplifting and encouragment in the time we are in.  I have been asking a question of late that I am sure that some people may have asked by now.  “Why is the Church presently being subject to the virus and all the different variants, be it true or not?”  Surely this screams the end of the world and yet, here we are and many have family members and friends that have died.  The greatest turmoil now is the soon mandatory injection that people are being subjected to.  In some places already mandatory.  And yet, here we are.  We know the Bride is not subject to His wrath, so why are we experiencing this persecution?  These are questions that need to be asked. 

Taking the season we are in, the spiritual climate and persecution, many are already asking, “Has the Most High forsaken us?  Where is He?”  What I see presently is a church not united, but scattered.  Sheep without shepherds. 

The Most High gave me a word that in all honesty is not one I would have chosen.  In fact, the day He gave it to me was a day of torment and like Jeremiah, even my bones were affected by it.  And when a word comes of this caliber, one that strikes you in your deepest being, you do not give it lightly.  It has weight to it and a heft that lands in your gut and causes you to die a thousand deaths.  Not because you are the bearer of bad news, but because it is His words and you have to get it right.  Not because you have to answer to man, but to Him.  I asked Him why such a hard word when His Bride and children need to be encouraged.  His answer came, “Is not My word like a fire and a hammer?”  And this brings us back to the fact that before there can be restoration and planting, there has to be an uprooting and destroying. 

Did the Most High look away when the enemy has been scheming their malicious plan to persecute His children?  Was He caught off guard?  Did He quickly have to move to plan B?  No. Is He allowing it because it is supposed to happen, because of prophecy that needs to be fulfilled; and is now restfully sitting on His throne waiting for all to be fulfilled and then step in?  No.  Even though the enemy is doing what he has long before planned, we have to remember that the enemy is also the destroyer that the Most High created.  To do His bidding.  In His sovereignty He is allowing things to happen and in a lot of cases things are happening because those He has saved have broken covenant with Him and have in fact become like sheep without a shepherd.   What His purpose is through the enemy is to bring not only the world under judgment, but also the church.  For it is in judgment that He is causing her to repent.  This judgement serves His purpose of uprooting and destroying not only her idols, but as a means to chastise and discipline her to return to Him.  Never before has the spirit of rebellion been as rife as it is now, not only in the world, but also in the church.  You will remember a devotional I did called Laying the Axe to the Root.  This devotional came with a vision I saw of a skull of a bull, with an axe hitting it right between the eyes.  The word the Most High gave me then was, “I am laying the axe to the root.”  In this He revealed to me how Baal worship is linked to rebellion and witchcraft, but ultimately to bitterness.  I highly recommend you read it again in the light of the word I will give in this message.  The focus was not only that the axe was going to be laid to the Baal worship in this world, but in fact to a micro level in the church.  That is to say that He is laying the axe to the root of all our lives…to uproot the root of bitterness and rebellion.  This may seem almost small, as bitterness seems like just a bad attitude, but I submit to you that it is the very spirit that is gripping the hearts of men all over this world right now.  Father woke me up in this week at 5:13 and in the Strong’s Concordance it means axe and it is used only once, with reference to the scripture of laying the axe to the root.  This He gave me before He gave me the word that I will share later.  Then I went to my YouTube feed the next morning and saw a video called, “Destroying the Root”.  That same day I decided to replant my orchids into bigger pots and my mother sent me a tutorial on how to do this.  It was all about removing dead roots, rotting roots and dry roots.  Needless to say that I got the picture. 

About 6 months ago I woke up with the words Jeremiah 23.  I read it, but was not sure where it applied to in my life, but just kept it in the back of mind.  This morning I read it after the word the Most High gave me and realized just how relevant it is to the church. 

Let us first read Jeremiah 23 and I will give a brief explanation of it afterwards.  I know it is a long chapter, but in itself it is also the word that Father is giving.  Please listen with understanding.

JEREMIAH 23

¹Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord.

² Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord.

³ And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.

⁴ And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord.

⁵ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

⁶ In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord Our Righteousness.

⁷ Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;

⁸ But, The Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.

⁹ Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the Lord, and because of the words of his holiness.

¹⁰ For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is evil, and their force is not right.

¹¹ For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the Lord.

¹² Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the Lord.

¹³ And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.

¹⁴ I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness; they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.

¹⁵ Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.

¹⁶ Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord.

¹⁷ They say still unto them that despise me, The Lord hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.

¹⁸ For who hath stood in the counsel of the Lord, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?

¹⁹ Behold, a whirlwind of the Lord is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.

²⁰ The anger of the Lord shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly.

²¹ I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.

²² But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.

²³ Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off?

²⁴ Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.

²⁵ I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.

²⁶ How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart;

²⁷ Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.

²⁸ The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord.

²⁹ Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

³⁰ Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.

³¹ Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.

³² Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord.

³³ And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What is the burden of the Lord? thou shalt then say unto them, What burden? I will even forsake you, saith the Lord.

³⁴ And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that shall say, The burden of the Lord, I will even punish that man and his house.

³⁵ Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbour, and every one to his brother, What hath the Lord answered? and, What hath the Lord spoken?

³⁶ And the burden of the Lord shall ye mention no more: for every man's word shall be his burden; for ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the Lord of hosts our God.

³⁷ Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, What hath the Lord answered thee? and, What hath the Lord spoken?

³⁸ But since ye say, The burden of the Lord; therefore thus saith the Lord; Because ye say this word, The burden of the Lord, and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not say, The burden of the Lord;

³⁹ Therefore, behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you, and I will forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and cast you out of my presence:

⁴⁰ And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.

Jeremiah 22 is about judgment spoken over the kings and leaders and Jeremiah 23 judgment over the false prophets who speaks, “Peace,peace.”  It is interesting to note that many of the “kings” or “rulers” of this world have been brought to open shame and have been exposed, which is still happening.  Then the Most High’s focus went to exposing the false prophets and shepherds.  Jeremiah is told to let the people know that the Most High will bring His people back from where He has scattered them, but that He was first to deal with the false prophets who have not called on His people to repent.  They have not spoken the words that will uproot, throw down and destroy, but have rather spoken words of restoration and peace.  They have dreamed dreams and have laid greater weight on their dreams than on the word.  And therefore the Most High challenges them to tell the people their dreams, but let the prophet who hears His voice, and who have stood in His counsel speak the words given to Him.  The people ask Jeremiah what is the burden of the Lord.  It is not because they wanted to know, but rather this was because they felt that Jeremiah always prophesied judgment.  So the word that he gave was a burden.  To which the Most High told Jeremiah the next time they ask that, he is to tell them that they in fact are the burden.  The burden of the Lord is that they are the burden.  These are the hearers of the false prophets.  Those who rather want to hear a good word and an uplifting word.  In the light of what is presently happening in the spiritual dimension there has never been a greater need for repentance than where we are now at.  Never a greater need for the children of God to lament and weep before the altar of the Most High and cry out in the midst of judgment, “Son of David, have mercy upon me!”  Never a time as this, with the need to lay in dust in ashes for the destruction amongst us and soon to come. 

Is it wrong to look for His return and deliverance?  No.  Is it wrong to miss Him and His purpose for now?  Yes.  It is our business to know what the burden of the Lord is, and if we do not know it, it is only because the prophets who were supposed to speak this burden have in fact played to the pipes of the people, desiring their approval and not in fact living in fear before the One who called them.  Where the Most High’s focus have gone from the Kings of this world, then to the false prophets and shepherds, He is now letting His church know that the hour has come where the judgment will be used for His purposes once again, which is to show her, her idolatry, her unfaithfulness, and her rebellion and bitterness.  Let it be known by this writing that nobody is exempt from this judgment, but that His judgment now is in fact a mercy.  It is a mercy because in our hard heartedness He has to bring a word of fire and like a hammer to break down the strongholds in our lives so that we may cry out to Him.  He is stripping her from all her idolatry, lifting up her skirt so as to expose her nakedness, and calling her out on her rebellion.  Why?  So that He may draw her in His lovingkindness to Himself and have mercy upon her.  So that after He has broken down, uprooted, and destroy, He may restore and replant her. 

1 PETER 4. 17 - 19

¹⁷ For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

¹⁸ And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

¹⁹ Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Herewith the word of the Lord…

THE HOUR OF SIFTING

This week everything will escalate.  It will get worse.  Deaths will increase and so also floods and fires.  This you have seen.  But where you have seen it only from afar, it will now be in your town.  It will now come to your families and friends. 

Have I broken down My hedge around you?  Have I looked away in the hour of calamity?  No!

Job asked Me the same.  Why have I forsaken him?  But when he was at his lowest, he turned to me in dust and ashes. 

Why you ask?  Why are you allowing this?  Are we then not your children?  Are we then not walking in your ways?  To this I say, “You are My children and because you are I am chastising you.”  I am bringing My rod of authority down. 

For as My word states, “Nobody will see me unless they pursue peace with all men and holiness.”  Are you pursuing peace with all men?  Are you truly walking in holiness? 

Job who was righteous had to be chastised too.   It was in this chastisement, in this sifting that I divinely allowed, that his heart was revealed to him.  As long as it was afar, he could not see.  And because many have not asked and waited on Me to show them their hearts, rebellion and bitterness of heart have crept in, taking root, and thereby defiling many.  Many you will find in the time to come will have the same calamity as Job.  They will see loved ones fall and sickness come at their door in this hour of sifting. I will expose your heart so that you may see. 

Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but even more so of a father.  Because I love you, I have to cut deep.  For it is an incurable sickness of the heart and unless we uproot the bitterness of your heart, you will not see Me. 

Did I not say that I am laying the axe to the root?  Did I not say that I am seeking fruit amongst you?  The fruit in your life shows the root it feeds from.  Therefore, repent.  Repent and turn afresh to Me.  Rent your hearts and call out to Me.  Have I not said that judgment will start with the house of God whom you are? 

If the head is sick, so also the body.  The shepherds of the flock are scattered and the hirelings seeking only their own.  What then shall I do with the flock that is without a shepherd?  What then shall I do with those who have gone their own way?  Will I as the Good Shepherd not break your leg of rebellion and bind you up so that I may carry you? 

The travail will increase, but this travail serves My purposes, which is to bring you wholeheartedly to Me, because you have not sought My face, but have leaned on your own understanding, insisting on your way.  I will cause you to be ensnared so that you will cry out to Me.  Like Job, I will strip you so that you may stand naked before Me and cry in dust and ashes, because you have forsaken your first love and have allowed the bitterness of your heart to defile many.

I love you My children.  Like an earthly father it gives me no pleasure to chastise you.  But with everlasting love I will gather you into My arms.  I will draw you to Me in compassion and I will have mercy on you.

Empty you hearts unto Me and see if I will not cause rivers of life to flow down your streets again.

Scripture Ref:

Hebrews 12; Revelation 2: 1 - 7; Ephesians 3: 16 – 21; John 15; Job 1; Job 42: 4 - 6; Jeremiah 23; Lamentations 3: 47, Isaiah 58