The first of these visions began two Sundays ago, the week of the youth retreat. I saw what seem like a slow turning vortex turning in the center of the sanctuary gathering "wisps" of worship that seemed to be coming off of the hearts of people as they were singing. The vortex seemed to strenghthen and seemed as though it was going to become much stronger (I attended 2nd service.) This made sense later, when I saw all of the youth flooding the third service, where an intense worshiping took place. I imagine that vortex must have become much like an F5 tornado spiraling worship up to the throne of heaven!
This week, when I entered the sanctuary, again at second service, I saw the same thing, except instead of "wisps," I saw butterflies flying up from the hearts of the worshipers. How interesting that one of the symbols of the resurrection would show up in this particular vision, on Palm Sunday. The butterflies also amassed and turned in a spiral like a vortex in the center of the sanctuary, as in the same way as last week. There was a sense of worship building over the duration of the service, an "adding to" if you will. I would love to hear what happened in third service this week!
In addition to this, there was an additional, striking visual that caused my heart to open and my knees to buckle as I absorbed the obvious significance of it: When we were invited to come write our sins on the banner laid out between the two artists on the runway in front of the cross, during worship, I suddenly saw the red drape around the cross at the end of the platform run red like blood. The blood ran across the runway and flooded the banner, where all the sin had been written down. I didn't actually make it up there during that song, because I was overwhelmed by the visual. I did, however, go up during the invitation song, and when I wrote my own sin on that banner, and I thought about the blood spilt at my expense, I found myself weeping over that runway...not just in guilt..but in thankfulness...that Jesus would love me THAT much... that he would love YOU...THAT much.
How appropriate that the music being sung was Michael Liter's words:
Your blood...has washed away my sin,
Jesus thank you
The father's wrath... completely satisfied
Jesus thank you
Once your enemy... now seated at your table
Jesus...THANK YOU!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
A Beautiful Stirring
I wanted to say I am so very sorry for not publishing anything for so many months. It has been one of those seasons in my life where I have been so completely and utterly overwhelmed with, well, um...everything that I've just done my best to put one foot in front of the other. I have recorded many truly amazing visions that have occurred in our sanctuary over the past 6 months...and I'm debating whether I should go back and try to re-explain, or just pick up from here...maybe you could leave your thoughts on that in the comments section, or maybe the thought will just strike me... But I do know that lately I have seen a "rippling" during worship. It has started at the back of the sanctuary and it travels to the front where the worship team is. It gathers around the feet of the worshippers, like the Holy Spirit is pooling around us. When people pour out their hearts, the water rises up around us and we are surrounded, but it is not like a drowning feeling, more like a light, joyous uplifting presence.
There also has been a unique experience that I have seen take place over time with a particular song that has transformed into something quite beautiful. Deborah Liter sings a song that has the lyrics "I desire Jesus," in it. Now I will just let you know that I am terrible at quoting anything, so I don't know if that is the name, and I won't try to give you any more of the words, but it is a very sweet, sweet song where she sings most of the words without the rest of the worship team. The very first time I heard her sing it, was in practice and I saw an amazing spiritual connection. The song has been sung several times since in church and many people have begun to sing along with her. Last week, I saw the same connection, but this time it was a heart connection from her, to all the worshipers, and then the Holy Spirit tied into that connection. In the vision it looked liked a connection of lines from heart to heart, with one line pulling them up to heaven. As the spirit pulled the line upwards, it created a picture of a tent, our own sanctuary of praise. The lines became golden and there was an urgency on end of the Spirit to pull the praises to the throne of Jesus. As all the lines reached the Almighty, the water that had gathered around our feet in worship, rushed up and crashed around the throne of the Lord as our heart string of praise were raised to Him. What a beautiful stirring, offered through the sacrifice of volunteers who give up hours of their time to lead us in praise, and bring us to Him.
My heart leaps with joy!
There also has been a unique experience that I have seen take place over time with a particular song that has transformed into something quite beautiful. Deborah Liter sings a song that has the lyrics "I desire Jesus," in it. Now I will just let you know that I am terrible at quoting anything, so I don't know if that is the name, and I won't try to give you any more of the words, but it is a very sweet, sweet song where she sings most of the words without the rest of the worship team. The very first time I heard her sing it, was in practice and I saw an amazing spiritual connection. The song has been sung several times since in church and many people have begun to sing along with her. Last week, I saw the same connection, but this time it was a heart connection from her, to all the worshipers, and then the Holy Spirit tied into that connection. In the vision it looked liked a connection of lines from heart to heart, with one line pulling them up to heaven. As the spirit pulled the line upwards, it created a picture of a tent, our own sanctuary of praise. The lines became golden and there was an urgency on end of the Spirit to pull the praises to the throne of Jesus. As all the lines reached the Almighty, the water that had gathered around our feet in worship, rushed up and crashed around the throne of the Lord as our heart string of praise were raised to Him. What a beautiful stirring, offered through the sacrifice of volunteers who give up hours of their time to lead us in praise, and bring us to Him.
My heart leaps with joy!
Monday, October 15, 2012
The Firmament is Filled with the Glory
On Sunday morning, the praise team began singing "God Almighty Reigns." I saw angels approach the back of the church. In their arms they held what looked like thick golden rolls of carpet. They opened the back doors and with a flourish rolled out the presence of the Lord under the worshipper's feet. There was a thick spread that moved along everyone's ankles towards the front of the church.
Then I saw Jesus reach down and lower his hands above the aisles on either side at the front of the church, at the stairs to the stage. I saw him cut his wrists and his blood began to flow, bright red from the ceiling to the floor at the front of the the aisles. Before the blood hit the ground, however, it transformed from red into a golden flow, creating waterfalls on both sides of the front of the church. His glory was full of redemption and rushed to fill the front of the church and moved back to meet the golden carpet laid out by the angels.
The worshippers crowded to the front to move closer, crowded together, heads thrown back worshipping at the feet of Jesus. They sang halleluia over and over and the Spirit began to swell and the glory of the Lord filled the firmament created last week. It expanded the space created from worship the previous week, forcing it out and up in every direction. Again I saw fear and demons pushed out of the worship space leaving behind true sanctuary. I felt like the spirit filled firmament was like a picture of heaven as the worshippers called, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was and is and is to come," continuing to worship at the feet of the Lord.
Then I saw Jesus reach down and lower his hands above the aisles on either side at the front of the church, at the stairs to the stage. I saw him cut his wrists and his blood began to flow, bright red from the ceiling to the floor at the front of the the aisles. Before the blood hit the ground, however, it transformed from red into a golden flow, creating waterfalls on both sides of the front of the church. His glory was full of redemption and rushed to fill the front of the church and moved back to meet the golden carpet laid out by the angels.
The worshippers crowded to the front to move closer, crowded together, heads thrown back worshipping at the feet of Jesus. They sang halleluia over and over and the Spirit began to swell and the glory of the Lord filled the firmament created last week. It expanded the space created from worship the previous week, forcing it out and up in every direction. Again I saw fear and demons pushed out of the worship space leaving behind true sanctuary. I felt like the spirit filled firmament was like a picture of heaven as the worshippers called, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was and is and is to come," continuing to worship at the feet of the Lord.
The Presence
I love being in the pool, the feeling of weightlessness and pressure, the push and pull, the movement, the refreshment, it all brings a certain sense of freedom that I cannot seem to find on land. While I was swimming on Saturday, the Holy Spirit brought the back image of the firmament at the church (see previous post). I saw fear being pushed outside the firmament, as the demons had been earlier in the week. I could feel the Spirit's presence in every push and pull of the water, at the same time fear was being pushed out of the sanctuary. There seemed to be connection, or a reminder that the presence of the Lord doesn't always thrust itself upon us, there is a gentle pull or push, a gentle pressure, a guide, a swelling. We can quiet ourselves and let our spirit recognize the weight of His Spirit and guidance. I feel that the more attention we give to Him, the more in tuned we become with our God, our awesome God who was and is and is to come.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
The Firmament
During worship today, I saw a swelling above the worshipers. As worship began to build it pushed up towards heaven. I could see the spirit welling up from the floors during the song "Church Arise." During the song the next song it talked about ties of love and I saw Jesus lower golden cords that passed through the firmament and connected to the hearts of the worshipers, connecting to our hearts. I could see the glow of the Spirit resting on the top of the firmament, and begin to penetrate it to flow down on the worshipers, even as it rose from the floor. During "Waiting Here for You," the firmament began to swell even further, pushing out from all sides of the church and higher towards the heavens. Demons began being pushed outside on the left and right, those that were in the sanctuary, and those that were inside people. They could not stand the worship and were forced to leave. The atmosphere was thick with the presence of the Spirit. There was victory and action resulting from the fast on Thursday and the atmosphere laid by the worship team.
Friday, October 5, 2012
God's Dreamer
Tuesday of this week, I woke with a migraine that wouldn't stop. I loaded the kids into the van for our extended trip to school (we are currently in a hotel due to an extensive pipe leak at our house.) On the way to school, I asked if the kids had slept well. (They are all currently sleeping in the same hotel room with one bed and a blowup air mattress.) My daughter, Ashlyn, related that she had not slept well because of a nightmare that she had.
She began to describe how a terrifying bounty hunter had come to the school in her dream and threatened to cut off the heads of students. She continued to tell how he began to use the heads as volleyballs... it was at this point that I cut her off, wondering where she would come up with something so graphic. My head was splitting and I didn't want her brothers to have those images in their heads.
I truly forgot about the incident until Thursday morning. Ashlyn had a doctor's appointment at Duke Children's Hospital, and so I had taken the day off of teaching to take her. (At this point the Esther fast had already begun, and I am certain the Holy Spirit prompted this:) As we left the hotel, I asked her if she had slept any better the next night. She told me again that she had not, because she had the same nightmare. As we drove to the hospital, now that we were by ourselves, I asked her to describe it again. She went on to describe how the Bounty Hunter had come to her class at school and they were on lockdown. She said he was threatening to cut off the last person's head in every line. She described how he went upstairs in the school, to where her older brother, Braden was. The Bounty Hunter proceeded to cut off Braden's head. She said she was screaming in the hallway, when her younger brother, Caedmon came out in the hallway. She described how the Bounty Hunter taunted her and asked if Caed was her other brother. When she said yes, he cut off Caed's head. She then relayed how he went to my classroom to do the same to me. She said that before he came in, the Bounty Hunter cut off her head. She was able to relay the events that followed, even though in the dream, she was dead. She said the Bounty Hunter entered my room, but that I looked at him and said, "In Jesus' name, you are gone!" When I asked her what happened next, she said the Bounty Hunter disappeared. She said that I began praying and crying over my children, then suddenly Jesus came and reattached their heads. She said that I held my children and wept over them.
I immediately apologized to her for not hearing her dream out the first time around. I explained to her that when we had prayed over her dreams after the first one, how Jesus had revealed healing, protection and restoration to her. Without prompting, she said, "Mommy, the Bounty Hunter was Satan, wasn't he?" Ashlyn is eight years old. Her name means, "God's Dreamer." Out of the mouth of babes... this child didn't know I was fasting, praying for her protection, for our family's protection, for the protection of our church body. She had no idea that the fast this week was designed to pray specifically for protection from Satan.
It is at times like these that I am completely overwhelmed by His presence, His protection, His promises, His love, His grace, His salvation, His reality. Thank you Jesus for your confirmation and your spirit. May our children always recognize your presence and action.
She began to describe how a terrifying bounty hunter had come to the school in her dream and threatened to cut off the heads of students. She continued to tell how he began to use the heads as volleyballs... it was at this point that I cut her off, wondering where she would come up with something so graphic. My head was splitting and I didn't want her brothers to have those images in their heads.
I truly forgot about the incident until Thursday morning. Ashlyn had a doctor's appointment at Duke Children's Hospital, and so I had taken the day off of teaching to take her. (At this point the Esther fast had already begun, and I am certain the Holy Spirit prompted this:) As we left the hotel, I asked her if she had slept any better the next night. She told me again that she had not, because she had the same nightmare. As we drove to the hospital, now that we were by ourselves, I asked her to describe it again. She went on to describe how the Bounty Hunter had come to her class at school and they were on lockdown. She said he was threatening to cut off the last person's head in every line. She described how he went upstairs in the school, to where her older brother, Braden was. The Bounty Hunter proceeded to cut off Braden's head. She said she was screaming in the hallway, when her younger brother, Caedmon came out in the hallway. She described how the Bounty Hunter taunted her and asked if Caed was her other brother. When she said yes, he cut off Caed's head. She then relayed how he went to my classroom to do the same to me. She said that before he came in, the Bounty Hunter cut off her head. She was able to relay the events that followed, even though in the dream, she was dead. She said the Bounty Hunter entered my room, but that I looked at him and said, "In Jesus' name, you are gone!" When I asked her what happened next, she said the Bounty Hunter disappeared. She said that I began praying and crying over my children, then suddenly Jesus came and reattached their heads. She said that I held my children and wept over them.
I immediately apologized to her for not hearing her dream out the first time around. I explained to her that when we had prayed over her dreams after the first one, how Jesus had revealed healing, protection and restoration to her. Without prompting, she said, "Mommy, the Bounty Hunter was Satan, wasn't he?" Ashlyn is eight years old. Her name means, "God's Dreamer." Out of the mouth of babes... this child didn't know I was fasting, praying for her protection, for our family's protection, for the protection of our church body. She had no idea that the fast this week was designed to pray specifically for protection from Satan.
It is at times like these that I am completely overwhelmed by His presence, His protection, His promises, His love, His grace, His salvation, His reality. Thank you Jesus for your confirmation and your spirit. May our children always recognize your presence and action.
The Dragon
Yesterday, after having a very eye opening conversation with my daughter (see next post), my mind returned to the vision in the church from Wednesday. The church was empty, but the membrane was still in tact, holding the water of the the spirit. It continued to drip through the slits on the right and flow more steadily through the opening on the left. Suddenly a wild dragon burst through the back of the church. It's intent was total destruction. The dragon saw the membrane across the top of the church and was convinced that it would destroy the "atmosphere" God had created. Bent on madness and wrath, the dragon attacked the membrane, ripping it to shreds, completely convinced that it was gaining victory in its attack. Completely beyond the creature's understanding, the gashes and tears created by it's massive claws and wild thrashing caused the membrane to collapse. The result was like a dam being crushed, the water of the Holy Spirit came crashing down like a raging waterfall on the dragon. The bewildered creature disintegrated into a fine mist and was gone.
In this way, victory was released into the church. The entire sanctuary became flooded with the spirit. The call to fast this week was for protection from Satan. Although I had already been fasting, I had not gotten a chance at this point in the day to read the scripture attached to this fast:
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12
I believe the spiritual groundwork has been laid for people who will hear and see to walk in a better awareness of their relationship with our mighty, victorious King, Jesus.
In this way, victory was released into the church. The entire sanctuary became flooded with the spirit. The call to fast this week was for protection from Satan. Although I had already been fasting, I had not gotten a chance at this point in the day to read the scripture attached to this fast:
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12
I believe the spiritual groundwork has been laid for people who will hear and see to walk in a better awareness of their relationship with our mighty, victorious King, Jesus.
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