Maria
May 5, 2003
How to Stop, Look, Listen and Receive!Maria #512 CM/FM 3270 7/99
Required reading for all members 16 and up.
This GN does not have to be read straight through in one sitting. Although all the messages are related‚ each one stands on its own as a precious jewel, and, as the Lord put it, "When strung together they make up the beautiful adornment I am giving you, My beautiful bride!"
My dear Family,
1. Over the years the Lord has been trying to teach us more and more how to hear from Him, how to acknowledge Him, and how to bring Him more into our daily lives. He's repeatedly emphasized that in the days to come, the days of Great Tribulation, our very lives and survival will be dependent upon hearing from Him in prophecy. And even now if we want to be fruitful and in His highest will, we have to ask Him about things and follow His leading, even when it looks so contrary to what we would have thought.
2. The Lord has often emphasized hearing from Him in prophecy in the last few years because He knows that the time is drawing near when we literally won't be able to do without it, and He's trying to prepare us and help us to be ready.
3. Many of you have written us, sharing your personal testimonies of how you've grown in the area of hearing from the Lord in prophecy and what a wonderful addition to your lives it has been. Those of you who've made it a habit to ask Him about things regularly can testify that not only does it draw you closer to the Lord and give you more strength in the spirit, but in the physical things go so much better as well. When you're asking the Lord and getting His directions and obeying them, you don't miss the mark out of human error, and even when things seem to go "wrong" you're within His perfect will‚ and thus can have full faith that He's taking care of things and working them out to His glory.
4. When Peter and I were praying about this year's Feast, asking the Lord what He wanted to emphasize or what He wanted to speak to us about as a Family, the Lord said that He wanted to pour out an abundance of material along the lines of learning to hear from Him in prophecy about everything. He instructed us to ask our channels to come before Him with that simple question: "Lord, what do You want to tell us about learning to hear from You in prophecy about everything?" So we at our Home, as well as the other WS Homes, dedicated two of our prayer mornings to that topic, and our wonderful Husband poured out an abundance of counsel, which we are sharing with you in this series of GNs.
5. When you first hear the words "hearing from the Lord about everything," you might be tempted to cringe, feeling that you're already so busy you couldn't possibly fit in any more time for prayer and prophecy. Or maybe you haven't yet received the gift of prophecy and you're wondering how you're possibly going to get someone available to pray for you about everything. Or maybe you struggle with feeling that prophecy and having to ask the Lord about things takes away from your "individuality" or freedom of choice, or your decision-making power. Maybe you even feel like asking the Lord about everything turns you into some kind of a mindless robot who doesn't think any longer. Maybe you don't really see the need for so much prophecy, or feel that it's a waste of time. Some of you may wonder how you would go about implementing or presenting to others what the Lord speaks to you about in prophecy. You may worry that others might not be in agreement with what you receive. There could be other reasons as well.
6. If one of those feelings describes a question or difficulty you've had, then read on! The Lord addresses those concerns, as well as many others, in the following messages He poured out on the subject. He's such a caring, compassionate Husband. He doesn't want our burdens to be heavy, and He doesn't even want us to have to do things "just because He said so"—although He does appreciate our obedience even if we don't fully understand. But He tries to explain things to us as much as possible, answer our questions and put our hearts at peace. In order for His Words to do that‚ we have to read them with an attitude of faith. So if you're battling in the spirit, wondering if you're going to be able to do this, please stop right now and ask the Lord to give you faith, to help you read with a receptive attitude‚ so that the Word can have full effect in your life!
7. Before we get into the messages that the Lord gave‚ I want to clear up one question which might enter your minds. You might be thinking: "What about the other ways to hear from the Lord; don't they still work? Do we really have to hear from Him about everything specifically in prophecy? Isn't it sometimes good enough to simply demonstrate greater prayerfulness and openness to the checks of His Spirit, as we commit our ways to Him?" Both are goals the Lord has been trying to get us to move towards for a long time‚ but there's a difference between the two.
8. So I asked the Lord, "Can You please explain the differences between these ways of hearing from You and when and where it's okay to use them? When do You want us to hear from You 'in prophecy,' and when is it okay to be checking in with You more frequently and being more prayerful‚ generally committing our actions more to You? If You do want us to hear from You 'in prophecy,' then what about when we're on the go and we need an answer from You right away? What's the difference, and how can we differentiate between hearing from You 'in prophecy'—which will probably be pretty short sometimes—and the other ways You speak to us, like through checks of Your Spirit, or our knowledge of the Word which You're using to bring something to our remembrance, for example?
9. "We thank You, our wonderful Husband‚ for the way You're patiently teaching us and bringing us along, helping us draw closer and closer to You. Thank You for speaking to us now. We want to follow and be Your intimate brides. We want to hear from You about everything."
10. (Jesus speaking: ) I am asking you, My children, to hear My voice directly. I'm asking you to hear from Me about everything in prophecy. Prophecy is not the same as receiving a check or remembering something. Though this is often the voice of My Spirit in your heart‚ some people hesitate to obey these checks as readily as they would a prophecy, wondering if it's their own mind or desires getting in the way. By asking you to hear from Me about everything in prophecy, I am relieving you of the burden of having to wonder if a check is from Me or not‚ for through My voice of prophecy, I will speak to you plainly. The definition of prophecy is when you specifically ask Me to speak to you in prophecy and you receive an answer.
11. So in order to be sure of what you need to do, when you receive a check, when you have a feeling‚ a hunch, a premonition, a suspicion that something is not quite right or that you should be going a different direction, or you get a "witness" to go in a certain direction‚ you should just shoot up a question to Me, ask Me to speak to you in prophecy and expect an answer, and that answer that you will receive is prophecy. That's what I am asking of you in hearing from Me about everything—that you ask Me your questions and receive My direct answers.
12. I do not expect you to entirely lay aside other ways to know My will. Particularly in major matters of importance, it is good to seek out the many ways to know My will, through going to My Word, through seeking Godly counsel, through considering the circumstances and conditions, open and closed doors, and so forth. The other ways to know My will are also good and I also use them to speak to you. But in these days of new and more advanced spiritual warfare, they are not enough on their own. So when you feel in your heart that I am leading you through one of the other ways to know My will‚ stop for a double check. Turn your thoughts Heavenward, call My name, give Me your will and ask Me what I would have you do. Ask Me to confirm My will through prophecy‚ and I will. Then you can be sure, without a doubt, that you are doing My highest will.
13. I am making it as simple as possible. I am setting up safeguards in the spirit to guard your channels to Me. I am pouring out My New Wine in abundance, with all the counsel you need about how to become a clearer channel and how to keep your heart right with Me, and following this counsel ensures that your channel will be fully protected and guarded by Me. I am doing that to make it easy for you, so that when you need an answer, you can ask for one and get one quickly, and can rest assured that it's My voice speaking to you.
14. People sometimes tend to cringe when they think of prophecy, feeling that it takes so much time‚ that they have to stop and get in the spirit, that they have to record it, etc. But now I am telling you that when you are on the go and need an immediate answer, all you have to do is tell Me that you're willing to do whatever I want, and then ask Me what I would have you do. And you will receive an immediate answer through My voice of prophecy; that's My promise to you! (End of message from Jesus)
15. (Mama:) Thank You Jesus, our sweet Husband, for doing all You can to make it easy for us. The Lord has given us the gift of prophecy to make our lives easier and our burdens lighter, to help us conserve our time and energy and limited resources by guiding us so specifically that we can always hit the mark when we're asking Him. He's trying to relieve us of the struggle that it is sometimes in knowing what to do‚ by telling us that we can simply ask Him. It's the Enemy who would try to convince us that it's more complicated, more difficult and more work to ask the Lord.
16. One of the Enemy's favorite attacks on prophecy is trying to get you to think that it takes so much time to stop and ask the Lord about something. Since we're such busy people, if the Enemy can convince you of that, there's a good chance you'll want to put off hearing from the Lord, or not do it at all. The reality is that in the long run it's much more time–efficient to hear from the Lord, because you won't have to spend time trying to figure out what to do, or fooling around with trial-and-error methods or risk making mistakes. If you'll stop and ask the Lord, He'll lead you directly to the solution and what needs to be done the first time around, and this will save you lots of time.
17. Following are the messages the Lord poured out when we asked Him to give whatever He wanted to say on the topic of our hearing from Him about everything. I haven't added a lot of commentary, as the messages are pretty clear and straightforward and speak for themselves. I pray they're a blessing to you, dear Family. This is a major milestone in our history as a Family. It's something very important that the Lord is asking of us, and a great gift of His love for us, to help prepare us for the days ahead. Lord, as we read it, please give us faith—faith to obey and to move forward with this exciting new move of Your Spirit!
The More You Practice,
The Easier It Becomes!
18. (Jesus speaking:) My beloved children, I am your truest Friend! I'm the One that sticks closer than a brother. I'm always with you, always there for you. So it's to your advantage to use every opportunity you can to counsel with Me, to bring Me into every decision that needs to be made. That's one reason I'm there, so close to you, a part of your very thoughts—so you can ask Me about all aspects of your life and hear from Me in prophecy.
19. It can be the same as asking anyone else who's near you at the time if they have any ideas or any advice. It doesn't have to be a big ordeal or a long‚ drawn–out thing. It doesn't have to be something where you go into your closet every time to hear from Me in prophecy. There are times when it's good to set aside special times and ask Me for My counsel at length. But this isn't practical all the time, and it would be impossible to do this for every aspect of every situation that you want My help with.
20. Hearing from Me in prophecy can become a natural and easy thing for you to do by simply asking Me on the spot. Simply speak to Me as you would anyone else. Ask Me whatever you want to ask, whatever you have to make a decision about. I'm there, and I'll know what the decision is about. You can just ask Me for the answer, the solution‚ for the help that you need, the decision that needs to be made. You'll then just have to pause and wait for Me to answer you, let Me have time to speak to your heart in prophecy.
21. The wait which you undergo is determined by many things—by your receptivity to My voice, by the conditions or confusion around you, which create static, by the Enemy's attacks on My important messages, by your own yieldedness to the answer I would give‚ and how practiced you are at recognizing My voice. For those who are accustomed to hearing from Me in this way, the wait will normally be brief. This is why I spoke of it as a pause. I'll be there for you if you expect it of Me and you give Me the chance.
22. As you're working on something or contemplating something, always be aware that I'm there with you—there to help you, there to counsel with you, there to give the answers, to help you with the decisions you need to make, giving you the answers that you need. This can become a very natural part of your way of being. Know that I'm always there. Expect My help‚ and I will not fail you. When you ask, the answers will come. The more you practice, the easier it becomes.
23. Hearing from Me in prophecy doesn't have to be something that you dread doing because it takes so long‚ because it doesn't have to take long. It should be something that you're comfortable with, and actually something that you are very uncomfortable without! You need to become dependent upon it. As things wax worse and worse in the future, as I have told you, you'll need to be able to hear My direct Words in prophecy in an instant, and now is the time to practice.
24. Always be asking Me what you should do, how you should do it, when you should do it, where you should be, what you should be doing. Always ask Me everything, and as you receive My answers and obey them, you'll be able to walk down the center of My will, pleasing Me‚ being at peace with yourself, knowing you're doing your best and that you're doing what I want you to do.
25. The Enemy will fight your hearing from Me in prophecy. He'll fight it viciously. He'll bring up every excuse in the book why you shouldn't do it, why you can't, why you don't have the time to do it. But there really is no excuse for not doing it, and there's every reason in the world for doing it! If I am the Creator of the universe, and if I am the One Who ordained it all and keeps it all moving, I am the One Who can give you the instructions that you need to do your part to keep your little universe in tune and in line with Mine‚ to keep you going the direction that you need to go.
26. Make it easy on yourself and let Me do the guiding, let Me do the driving, let Me take over the controls as you sit back and relax. Let Me take the strain and the pressure off the situation. Let Me smooth out the rough spots. Let Me make the ride smooth, relaxing, comfortable, and easy for you.
27. Of course, not all things in life will be perfect and without difficulties, but use these things to let Me draw close to you, to put Me to the test, to see what I can do for you and how I can help you through. There will be times when things are more difficult. But if you do your part and seek Me, as you acknowledge Me in all your ways and hear from Me in prophecy‚ then I can direct your paths. I can give you specific direction and counsel to help you through the difficult situations, as I have promised in My Word. After you've done your part and heard from Me in prophecy, then you need to learn to relax and let Me take over. You must trust that I will perform what I have promised, even during those times when I may tell you that you must simply hold on to Me, have patience, and wait for Me to smooth out the difficulties and resolve the situation. This takes faith‚ and in some situations it takes great faith. But that's what I expect of you, My dear children who walk closely by Me, who know Me intimately, who desperately seek to do My will.
28. My main point here is to let you know that hearing from Me in prophecy is something that can be done easily. It doesn't have to be something that you work up or take a great deal of time doing. Just be open to what the situation indicates and needs. Think of Me, your Counselor, right there ready to answer your question if you will but ask.
29. Let your channel be always on and always open‚ and when the need arises I can come through for you. You can hear Me clearly and get My direction and My leading in the spur of the moment, in the twinkling of an eye. So expect it of Me and I will do it for you.
Your loving Counselor and Best Friend, Jesus (End of message from Jesus.)
Just Like a Conversation
30. (Jesus speaking: ) In the days to come, many of you will be in situations that will demand a close link with Me. Therefore, the importance of hearing from Me in prophecy step by step will be paramount. I give you this warning not to frighten you, but to motivate you and to help you to see the need, and to give you the will to want to practice while you have the chance, while things are relatively peaceful. I'll teach you how to use this new tool by trial and error—when you try it, you will see that it works, and when you don't, you will face error—which will help to show you the importance of hearing from Me in prophecy and the consequences of not doing so.
31. Talking to Me is like talking to anyone else—you just talk. When you have a conversation with someone, you don't always make it so flowery; sometimes you just get to the point. Sometimes you build up to it, but sometimes you don't. So it is in asking Me about everything.
32. For example, when you're in the kitchen and you ask someone a question, they just reply—maybe even in only one or two sentences. They don't usually tell you how much they love and appreciate you and thank you for asking them that question; they simply give you the information. But if you ask someone their opinion or the reason for something, then they go into detail about the whys and wherefores of it.
33. Sometimes people do come in and tell you how much they love and appreciate you, just like I sometimes tell you how much I love you. Or sometimes someone will ask you to do something. When this happens, maybe they give you all the reasons and maybe they don't. But if you ask them, they usually do. This is the same for Me. I'm willing to give you as much or as little information as you want. I don't always have to give you long prophecies, especially about whether you should serve rice or noodles, for example. But if you want Me to, I can explain why one would be better, and who's not feeling so well, or who really likes which one and needs extra encouragement today, so it would be better to serve such-and-such.
34. There's an invisible person standing right there with you all the time Who can see the future and the past and knows the outcome of things and the full scope of how it will affect everyone else. This invisible person is just as real as someone who's visible, and can talk to you in the same way‚ and that invisible person is Me. I'm there to guide you and to talk to you at all times. It's just as if someone was right with you whispering in your ear. If there's a lot of noise going on, you won't hear them so well, or if you're thinking of other things you won't hear them.
35. Asking Me to speak to you in prophecy about everything is hard for the flesh to do‚ for the flesh is so self-confident. But there's going to come a time when your life or the lives of others will depend on hearing from Me in prophecy and not making a move without asking. So now is the time to start fine-tuning your gift.
36. I've already been helping you to see the need and accept the gift of prophecy in your lives in general. But it's time to move on and go a step further in asking Me about everything. Here's how it works.
37. Let's take one little example. I remind you of one of your loved ones, and instead of just praying for them and leaving it at that, you shoot up a question to Me: "Lord, is there anything You want me to do for them?" I can give you an answer in prophecy and show you that I want to give them a message of encouragement, or that they need a hug‚ or that they could really use some help, or maybe I'll even tell you something special that they need your specific prayers for. Maybe you're busy right then and wonder if I want you to stop and get the prophecy of encouragement for them at that very moment, so just ask Me, "Lord, do You want me to do that right now, or later?" and again, I'll show you what's best. And it goes on and on all day long with every little thing, because I know all things.
38. Now here's where the battle comes in. Not all these things seem so important, and the consequences don't seem like they will be so grave if you don't take the time to ask Me. Often you may be right in your assumption; maybe that particular time it's not a life-or-death difference whether you ask Me or not. But the day is coming when it will be, and this is your time to learn to use this weapon and hone your channel of hearing from Me in prophecy on the spot. I am preparing you for the days ahead.
39. Time is short, so don't dawdle and take your time debating in your mind if hearing from Me in prophecy is necessary. It is! It'll be hard enough learning this with your full cooperation and your will on My side, because it's not something that comes naturally. In fact, it's the opposite. It'll take work, determination, and helping each other, because the flesh is lazy and it doesn't want to make the effort it will take.
40. You can help each other in a number of ways: by provoking each other to Godly jealousy, through your example‚ and through your faithfulness to stick to it, even when you don't feel like it. Here are a few tips on how you can accomplish this, but do not be bound to these alone:
41. It does take effort to ask Me about everything, so you'd better get started! But in the end you will see that it paid off, and every bit of effort was well worth it! I love you! (End of message from Jesus.)
Hear From Me First Thing in the
Morning, and Throughout the Day!
42. (Jesus speaking:) My dear love, you're already accustomed to seeking Me in the morning and taking some time to hear My voice, and that's good and very pleasing in My sight. But now I will take it a step further and ask you not only to hear from Me first thing, but all throughout the day.
43. Oh, My child‚ you labor and you struggle, you desire to love Me and serve Me and do what is right. But there's one thing in all of this that you're forgetting, and that is that you can't do any of this. You don't need to keep struggling in your own self to figure it out; what you need to do is give it to Me. You need to stop and realize right here and now that your work is My work. You're only a steward in My Kingdom‚ so you don't have to carry the weight of the job on your shoulders. I'm your King, and all you have to do is carry out My instructions; let Me worry about all the rest.
44. The problem that you're having with finding it difficult to remember to stop and take that time to get your instructions from Me is because you're taking on yourself what should only be on My shoulders! You think, "There's so much to get done, and if I don't do it‚ it won't get done. So I'd better hurry and start right away before it becomes too much to handle." That's where you're getting it wrong. You may be the only one in the physical who is there to do the job, but there are so many over Here in this dimension that are ready to help do what you consider the impossible, if you would only ask.
45. Your thoughts should be, "Lord, I'm Your servant. I come before You and ask You what You would have me to do. I don't presume to think that I know Your mind by running off and doing what I think You'd have me do, or even what I see needs to get done. I wait to hear Your bidding, and will do whatever it may be." In doing this‚ you'll prove yourself a faithful and wise servant in whom I am well pleased.
46. Now, there are different ways that you can receive My instructions for you, and they don't all have to necessarily come in the same manner. Does not the king pass out his instructions to his subjects in different ways? Some he will give from his own mouth, others he will do in writing and dispatch his commands to his subjects in that manner. So in like manner, you don't have to write down My Words in order to hear from Me and get My instruction; you just have to get quiet and ask Me to speak. If you're in a situation where you don't have the opportunity to write down, type out, or record My instructions to you, that shouldn't stop you from getting them. Just get quiet and receive them.
47. We're in a war, and when you can write out or otherwise record My instructions to you‚ you should. And in anything important that you'll need to refer to in the future, it's necessary to do so. But if you can't write down or record the message, don't let that stop you from hearing from Me before everything you do. There will be times throughout the day that you won't be able to record My Words to you, so in those times just ask Me to help you to remember My instructions and proceed to get them from Me. Under no circumstances should you proceed without hearing from Me.
48. But at least once in your day try to sit down and record My Words to you. They may not always be words of instruction, or work-related. Sometimes I'll just tell you how much I love you and how thankful I am for your faithful service to Me. Other times I'll tell you how much I appreciate your love, your kisses, and your desire for My seeds. Other times I'll put My arm around you and give you encouragement when you're down. Yet other times I'll speak to you and give you the instruction and guidance that you need and ask for. That will be your special time with Me‚ and it needs to be daily, for that's what will give you the power to do My work and the joy to walk that path of life.
49. The things you must remember are, first of all‚ start your day off right by hearing from Me in prophecy first thing. The first chance you get at the beginning of the day, hear from Me and allow Me to set the order of your day. Remember‚ how you do it isn't what matters as much as actually doing it. It's doing it that counts. Next, you can't just hear from Me once at the beginning of the day and then forget about Me the rest of the time; you've got to keep coming to Me every time something new comes up. And lastly, don't forget to spend some special personal time loving Me and communing with Me sometime during your day. I'm always here waiting for you; it's up to you to make the move. So please don't forget Me or be too busy for Me. I'm waiting for you!
Your Eternal Love (End of message from Jesus.)
What If You Feel You
Haven't Exercised Your
Gift of Prophecy Enough?
50. (Dad speaking:) The Lord will give you answers to everything and make things go so much smoother if you ask Him about everything and hear from Him in prophecy. If you haven't been doing that as much as you know you should, or if you don't even realize how important it is and how wonderfully it will transform your life‚ then you need to start today and ask the Lord about everything you do.
51. Even if at first you're sort of fumbling and stumbling along, just keep acknowledging the Lord and asking Him for His input, and He'll give you the checks you need to remember to stop and hear from Him. He's not upset at you because you haven't been hearing from Him enough, but He really does want you to make it a habit in your life. He knows that if you do, everything will become much easier for you and He'll be able to direct your path more clearly.
52. We all need to be more prayerful‚ ready to acknowledge the Lord, ready to pray and hear from Him in prophecy. It's human nature to be lazy, and because of that you tend to justify it and tell yourself that you've made it this far without all this prayer and prophecy business, so it's not really that important and you'll be okay. And up until now, maybe you have been okay. But the reason the Lord is asking you to hear from Him more is because He knows in the days to come you're not going to be okay without it. Even now, before the days of Great Tribulation, you'll be so much more fruitful, happy, productive and fulfilled if you learn to ask Him about everything‚ because you'll be in His perfect will. The Lord loves you and He wants to make your service for Him as easy as possible. That's the whole point and the reason why hearing from Him in prophecy is such an important habit to form, because the more you hear from Him about things, the easier things will be. You might be tempted to think it's going to be too difficult, but it's really going to make things much easier.
53. At first when you heard about the new weapon of prayer and prophecy, some of you thought this was way beyond your reach, that you could never pray about things and get prophecies. But now most people are hearing from the Lord and getting prophecies. People are listening to Heaven more and more, because they've learned that prophecies provide wonderfully liberating answers to their questions and needs. It's just become a way of life for most people.
54. So when you're tempted to think that you could never possibly hear from the Lord about everything, just remember you already have the gift and have already made it an important part of your life, and this is just one more step. First the Lord introduced you to prophecy, and now He's saying, "Now you know how good prophecy is and that you can do it, so let's take it one step further and get messages about everything!"
55. You're thinking, "What? I can't do that! What does the Lord mean 'about everything'? Like when I should go to the store or when I should have a date? Things like that?" Yes! The Lord wants to talk to you‚ He wants you to be connected to Him, and He wants to give His input about things. It's not as hard, as time-consuming or as complicated as you might be tempted to think; it's actually very easy. You just pray, "Lord, I'm thinking of driving the car to the other Home to pick up the provisioning. Is this okay with You? I just want Your confirmation on this; or if it's not a good idea, please show me." And He'll show you. He'll speak to you in prophecy on the spot and give you either His confirmation or whatever He wants to tell you.
56. The beautiful thing about it is that once you've heard from the Lord, you'll know what His will is and won't be swayed by circumstances. For example, say He tells you to go ahead and drive to the other Home, and along the way you have a flat tire or something; you'll know that this is somehow part of His will because He told you to go. You won't be tempted to feel condemned or that the Lord is punishing you‚ but you'll have peace of mind that this was part of His plan too. You won't have to worry that somehow you're off track and out of His will. Of course, you'll probably want to ask Him why He allowed you to have the flat tire, and He'll tell you that too.
57. So you see, there are a lot of good reasons to pray and hear from the Lord before you do things, no matter how big or how small. He'll be able to direct your paths and confirm His will and tell you exactly what He wants you to do. You'll avoid problems and mistakes along the way that were caused because you weren't in His perfect will at that time. You'll have more peace of mind. You'll have more faith for what you're doing. You'll form the habit of hearing from Him so that you'll be able to hear from Him anytime, anywhere, and it won't be a big deal. You'll strengthen your connection with Jesus so that in times of tests and trials it'll be much easier for you to get your encouragement and comfort directly from Him.
58. There are so many benefits to forming the good habit of hearing from Jesus in prophecy about everything you do! I could go on and on about it. It's really going to make a tremendous change in your life and the way you operate‚ because you'll be operating in His Spirit, under His anointing and power.
59. So all that to say, you can do it. You just have to start today! Don't worry if you forget sometimes; just keep working on it and the Lord will bless you for it and reward you with good fruits. (End of message from Dad)
60. (Mama: ) Isn't it wonderful that the Lord is preparing us now so that we'll be ready in the days to come? We should be so thankful that He's not just going to let the days of Tribulation hit us out of the blue, but He's been preparing us and arming us with exactly what we'll need for those times, not only to survive, but to come through victorious! Thank You Jesus!
61. In that last message from Dad and the previous one from Jesus, they say that this new revelation of learning to hear from the Lord about everything is just the next step, after practicing with the gift of prophecy. If you don't yet have the gift of prophecy or if you haven't been as faithful to use it as you should, you're probably feeling a bit concerned, wondering if you missed the boat or what you're supposed to do. Please don't worry, because the Lord gave a couple of messages just for you, which we've included later in this series of prophecies. I think they'll be very encouraging for you, and very motivating to keep moving forward! Praise the Lord! I love you!
More Promises from Jesus
That It Can Be Done!
62. Here are some more beautiful promises from Jesus which I pray help to encourage you and give you the faith to believe and ask. This message was originally given for one of our young people who was going through a difficult time in her life, but the Lord showed us that it applies to all‚ and that each of us can claim the promises in this message for our very own. This message from the Lord shoots holes in the lie that the Enemy often tries to tell us—that when we're feeling out of it or battling or know we need to do better in some area‚ that the Lord can't speak to us. He says that's the time He wants to talk to us the most, and knows that we need it the most! Isn't our precious Husband wonderful? He's so forgiving, loves us so unconditionally, and at every moment, any time, wants us to have the faith to reach up and receive exactly what we need from Him.
63. If you're still battling or wondering how you're going to be able to hear from the Lord in prophecy so clearly and quickly in order to hear from Him about everything, please don't just wonder about it—go to the Lord and ask Him to speak to you. Immerse yourself in His Words on the subject, and as you drink in His Word, He'll increase your faith and receptivity.
64. (Jesus speaking:) The Enemy really fights receiving prophecy‚ and that's the reason why it's difficult for you to receive prophecy. It's not because you can't, or I won't speak to you, or you won't receive the right things. I promise that I will speak and you'll receive something, even if it's just a few sentences. The Enemy is really fighting you and trying to make you think that prophecy is not for you. "It's for everybody else, but you're not spiritual enough. You've been too bad and you've got too many wrong attitudes to be able to hear from the Lord."
65. You might think that you're so messed up that you can't be sure that what you hear is My voice and the right thing, but that's exactly the time when I'll come through for you and show you things that you never knew before. It takes faith. I know you don't feel you have the faith to receive prophecies, but remember that faith is a gift of My Spirit. You don't have to work up the faith, you just have to open your channel and give whatever you receive.
66. It's a step of faith, but it's not too big or too hard for you to do; otherwise I wouldn't ask it of you. I know you think that's easy for Me to say‚ when you feel like you sit there and try to get something in prophecy, but nothing comes. Or if you get something you're not sure it's right, or what's going to come next. These are all natural thoughts of your carnal mind. Plus the Enemy is right there trying to discourage you from getting anything, from getting even one word in prophecy. The Enemy hates prophecy. That's the biggest reason people have a battle about receiving prophecy, doubting that what they hear is really My voice—because the Enemy fights it.
67. I know it's difficult for you to step out by faith and receive something, but this will be your lifesaver if you can just get over the hump and take that step. You already feel inferior, you compare with others, you feel less gifted and talented, you battle with negative thoughts and wrong attitudes, and all of these things make you feel less qualified to receive prophecy. You think, "Why would the Lord want to speak to me? I've made so many mistakes, I'm a mess! I've been pretty bad. I can't receive prophecy."
68. But this is not true, and I don't look at you this way! I love you and I don't look down on you, and I'm not mad at you for any mistakes you've made. I want to encourage you and help you through My voice of prophecy. I don't care about all these things. I don't care how bad you've been, how many mistakes you've made—I will speak to you in a personal way, between you and Me.
69. Often when people go through intense battles and are feeling really confused or emotional, they think they can't possibly hear from Me, but that's not true. That's the very time when hearing from Me will be the biggest encouragement. So you really have to fight to hear My voice in prophecy, especially when you're battling and feeling down, or when you're facing a big, life-changing decision. Even a few words from Heaven will be a huge encouragement to you and can lift the confusion and doubts of the Enemy.
70. Never belittle yourself and your channel, because I know what to say to you and how much to say, and all you have to do is have a little faith to open up and listen and receive. It only seems difficult at first, because you're not used to doing it, but the more you exercise your channel the easier it gets. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
71. I promise I will speak to you. You just have to open up and receive, even if you think you can't. I'll help you and I'll do it through you. I never think you're too bad, or that your battles or weaknesses are such a big problem that I don't want to talk to you. You're My child, and I love you and want to speak to you more than anything. I want you to know My love, to know how much I care about you and want to be a part of your life. It'll really change your life and give you a whole new perspective on My love for you if you'll just receive My Words.
72. Remember, you don't have to feel like you should be receiving long, flowing messages. Don't worry about the length; just get the one or two sentences that you have the faith for. That's all you need to do‚ and it'll be a victory and a step of progress. Just do it and you'll see the good fruits of it. You'll start to see that life will seem easier. Things won't be so overwhelming‚ because you'll be receiving encouragement and counsel from Me. I'll bless it and make it easy for you as you step out by faith. (End of message from Jesus.)
If You Love Me‚
Keep My Commandments!
73. (Jesus speaking: ) If you love Me, keep My commandments, and one of My commandments is to listen to My voice, to hear from Me, to stop‚ look‚ and listen. I know it's always a trial and a temptation to worry that you don't have the time. That's just the Enemy trying to stop you from hearing those little jewels that I'd like to pour out to you in prophecy. You do have the time. It only takes a moment. It doesn't take long at all for you to release your hold on what you're doing and stop and hear from Me—and go on, if that's what I want you to do; or turn and make a change, if that's what I want you to do. But unless you take that moment, those few seconds, the time of looking to Me‚ you won't know which way to go—whether you should turn, or whether you should keep going ahead.
74. So stop and listen to Me. It'll make a difference in your work, in your life, in your love, in your time, in everything you do. You'll have faith and confidence that what I'm instructing you to do will work out. But when you get going on a certain road, and you head off full steam and you don't check with Me if you should take any turns in the road, then you're left to your own devices. And that may not always work out for the best. I may have another plan for you, another way, a slight change, a slight variation; or I may want to encourage you that you're going the right way, to give you more faith for what you are doing. But I want to talk to you in prophecy; I want to be there with you, to accompany you. I want to be your Guide. I want to be your Mentor‚ your Counselor, the One Who helps you in each decision you make.
75. Yes, I want you to check with Me about every move you make. But sometimes it's not only the moves and changes that I want you to check with Me on. I want you to check with Me on whether you move or not, whether you turn or not, whether you don't make any changes, whether you keep going. I want you to check with Me on that‚ and hearing from Me in prophecy is simple. It won't usually take long at all. Sometimes more complicated things will take a little longer, but in the long run, the answers you receive from Me will always work out and will be well worth the time you took to receive them. I'll bless your yielding to listen to Me, your yielding to stop and ask Me to tell you in prophecy what's best instead of going on in your own wisdom and understanding, your yielding to My love, knowing that I have the master plan. Your yielding is what I will bless—your yielding to go the way that I want you to go.
76. If you ask Me for help, if you ask Me for guidance, if you ask Me to lead you, I will. Please‚ please, please give Me time to lead you. Set aside your plans. Set aside what you're doing for just a few moments to let Me lead you.
77. As always, love is the key. If you love Me, keep My commandments. Your loving Me, your wanting Me, your needing Me, is the key. Commit yourself to Me in the way the bride commits herself to her husband. Give yourself to Me. Let Me pour into you, pour through you, and lead you. Yield to Me moment by moment‚ step by step. Things will be far easier when you learn this special trick, this way of doing things: stopping and yielding and loving Me‚ praising Me, letting Me guide you and letting Me show you through prophecy.
Take Advantage of Those Little
Moments Throughout the Day
78. (Message from Jesus continues:) "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, sweetest Name I know! Fills my every longing, keeps me singing as I go." How can I do that? How can I keep you singing as you go if you don't stop to hear My voice, and let Me give you My directions, My counsel, My songs in your heart? Please look to Me. Please listen to Me. Please wait for the word, the counsel, the instruction that I have to give you.
79. My voice can speak to you in many ways. If you feel Me checking you about something, or you have a burden or leading‚ stop and ask Me to speak to you about it. It might be My voice trying to give you a signal that I have something to tell you in prophecy—something which will save you a lot of time and difficulty if you'll just stop and listen to Me. It doesn't have to take a long time; simply stop and check in with Me.
80. The secret is to stop and ask Me. Wait and get those words in prophecy from Me. Trust that I'm going to give you those words. Know that it's not in your strength that this work will be accomplished. Know that I am doing it. As you give your work over to Me, as you give your life over to Me‚ I'll lead and guide you. As you ask and listen to Me, I'll be there for you. Take a moment to hear My voice of prophecy, and again and again through the day as you reach a turn in the road, look to Me.
81. Ask Me even about the slightest little thing, like hopping in the car and going to the store to buy some milk. It seems a pretty normal thing to do. You need milk for the kids‚ the car's right there, the store's right there, you just go and get it. Seems very normal, doesn't it? No problem. But please stop and ask Me, get My confirmation in prophecy that, "Yes, that's a good idea"—that I want you to go‚ that it's fine to go.
82. Lots of times you like to try to override this need for My counsel, for My confirmation, because you think, "Well, of course this is what we need to do. This is normal. This is what needs to happen next." But does it? Does it really need to happen that way? Will it work out best that way? Are there any other factors involved that you don't know about? There's so much that you don't know, but I know it all, and I will lead you and show you how it can affect you, what changes may need to be made. So just ask. There are lots of little things every day that you can just ask Me about, and I'll confirm or help you through prophecy.
83. There are lots of things during the day that you just do as a matter of course. Perhaps in the morning you get up and wake up the kids and others to be on time for breakfast. That seems pretty normal, doesn't it? That's a pretty standard thing you do. The kids need their breakfast. They need to get dressed. They need to eat and then move along to devotions on time. It's all pretty standard and looks pretty normal. But again, it will only take a moment for you to tune in and ask Me to help you and to show you anything you may need to know that will make a difference on how you wake up the kids. Stop and ask Me. Say, "Jesus‚ I'm going to get the kids up now. Is there anything You want to show me about how to go about this today? Please show me."
84. Lift up your heart, your eyes, your mind, your hands to Me, and give Me a moment to show you, to speak to you in prophecy. If you forget to ask Me beforehand, you can even stop for a moment and seek My confirmation while you're doing it. Who knows? I may show you the smallest things that may make a big difference in one of the children's lives. Maybe I'll say‚ "Be sure to get this one up last, because he's very tired." Or, "When you get this one up, be sure to give him an extra hug and kiss, because he's had a bad dream and he needs some encouragement and cuddles." Maybe there's something I'll show you that will make life different for one of the kids, but you don't even think about it yourself, because you're into your standard operation of what you're going to do today and how you're going to do it. So in those little ways I can show you something. I can give you guidance if you take that moment to stop and ask Me.
85. Give and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down‚ and shaken together. If you give Me your time, I will give unto you. I will give you much. I'll give you the confidence, the encouragement, and the love that you need.
86. Another area you can improve in is hearing My specific guidance as you follow your daily schedule. Don't just take things for granted, but ask Me about everything because I may have further details to show you that will make things run more smoothly. For example, say you know that you're scheduled to go out witnessing this morning after devotions. Those responsible for organizing the teams have already prayed and counseled and assigned different people to be on the teams. But you personally can still take a moment to stop and check in with Me before leaving‚ asking Me if I have anything else to show you before you go for the day. Is there anything special you need to know about when you go or your mission?
87. These thoughts and this guidance I give you in prophecy can change your whole day. When you stop to ask Me about your witnessing team, maybe I'll remind you, "You forgot the tracts; be sure to get those." Or maybe I'll remind you, "Don't forget that you need to call so-and-so and stop in to see him if you can today." These little things will change your day, and may change the days of many other people. Maybe you forgot to pack some tracts; you only brought posters, tapes‚ CDs and videos. But perhaps I know that while you're out today, you'll meet a whole crowd of people for some reason. You'll be there with a crowd, this will be your opportunity to pass something out to those people‚ and you'll have the tracts handy. Those little reminders only take a short while, so ask and then wait for them.
88. If you're going out to take care of business, you're getting in the car and preparing to go—stop, confirm‚ and wait for a moment for My guidance. "Stop, look, and listen" doesn't just apply to times of getting long prophecies of detailed counsel. Compare it to a train. Sometimes a train going by is very short. You stop, look and listen, and, zoom, the train goes by and you can cross. Or sometimes you stop‚ look, and listen and the train's approaching, and you sit and you wait and you wait and you wait for the train to go by.
89. Just stop, look, and listen at every corner, at every move. You'll be continually tuning in to Me, looking to Me, acknowledging Me, yielding to My way, and this pleases Me greatly. I delight, I joy‚ I'm thrilled when this is happening, because then I can truly work through you! Your work will be My work every step of the way.
90. As you work on developing the habit of hearing from Me on everything, there will be times when you'll catch yourself already in full gear—having gone ahead with some activity without My confirmation. When this happens‚ the moment you catch yourself, stop right then and acknowledge Me. Ask Me right then and there for a confirmation and whether you should continue. If you do this, as time goes on, you will get more into the habit of checking in with Me and getting My confirmation before embarking on a new activity.
91. Sometimes it's hard to find the privacy or the opportunity to take the time to hear from Me in prophecy. Many times you're in the middle of a jumble, of a confusion, of lots of things happening. You're getting the kids ready to take them to the park. Or your team is getting ready to go out the door, and everybody's talking, getting their bags, and planning.
92. But if you don't have any other time to pray about these things, then take advantage of the natural times that I create: the times when you're in the bathroom for a few moments before you go out. That's a time to say‚ "Jesus, please show me. Please help me. Please confirm in prophecy that this is what I should be doing." Take those few moments to seek Me, if you haven't already done so. That's a good time. It's a natural time. Or maybe you're going to go get a drink of water before you go out the door. As you're getting the drink of water, take those few moments to say, "Jesus, please confirm and speak to me about this project today."
93. Or say you're working in hot weather and you really need a drink. You want to keep going until you finish‚ but maybe I'm letting you need that drink so you'll stop, go to the water, fill your cup and drink. And in those moments, you can be drinking from My fountain, My well of inspiration, My Words, My counsel.
94. Or perhaps you feel very tired. Your natural instinct might be to push on and continue with whatever it is you're doing. But maybe I know that you need a few minutes in the temple with Me, hearing My voice as you lie down to rest.
95. Can you think of other times during the day when you're doing things that are just pretty standard, and there's not a question of how or what you're doing? Perhaps you're nursing the baby. That's a perfect time to lift up your heart to Me with any burdens you may be carrying or questions you want to ask, and let Me speak to you. Or maybe you're with one of the kids, putting her down for a nap. You're sitting there, rubbing her back, waiting for her to go to sleep—a perfect time for you to ask Me if I have anything to tell you.
96. Perhaps you're cooking dinner, which sometimes requires a lot of thought and complicated planning and getting things ready. Your mind is usually pretty busy with actually getting it ready. But watch for times when you know there's a little break—when the potatoes are on, the meat's in the oven, and you just need to set the table—to take a moment with Me. It's quiet‚ nothing's happening, and you can take a moment to ask Me to whisper in your ear and give you any counsel I might have for you. You never know what I'll remind you of. Maybe I'll remind you that you forgot to make the gravy. Or maybe I'll just thank you and love you for doing such a good job of caring for My Family. Take a moment.
97. There are many times of the day when you're doing little things when you're on your own‚ or doing things that don't require a lot of thought and concentration about what to do—things that come naturally—and in the meantime you can be asking Me to speak to you about your next move. Take those moments during those things you do throughout the day, like going to the bathroom, taking out the trash, nursing the baby, getting a drink of water, straightening up the living room‚ walking, exercising or waiting for someone, to stop and hear from Me. It could be that I've even let that simple thing need to be done right then so that you would be alone for a moment and you could hear from Me in prophecy. You could look to Me and ask Me your questions. You could lift up your eyes and look on the hills and have that moment of peace with Me. Take advantage of those times with Me, even at night, as you lie upon your bed.
98. Take moments throughout the day, those moments when you yield to Me, when you give yourself to Me, when you admit that it's not your work, it's not your plan, and you must avail yourself of My wisdom in order to carry it out. Take those moments with Me, and I'll be happy and thrilled to see you through. (End of message from Jesus.)
To be continued