[ Previous Word ]--- [ Next Word ]---
5-25-00

This word is submitted by Robert Carter (bashan@winshop.com.au)

-----

As the heading suggests, I received this message several weeks ago and in all honesty sat on it, thinking this was just for me. On the evening of 3rd of March, I could not sleep and the Lord was impressing "This is not just for you Robert. The whole church must know this". The scene was refreshed in my memory and some parts not initially clear, became more vivid. For example, the people I initially saw were all dark skinned people, but they now became people of all colours and races. So at about 1:30 in the morning, I wrote this down, ready for transmission. It obviously had an impact one me. Perhaps it will do so for the church.

It's Time To Prepare For The Harvest

About two weeks ago, I had two almost identical dreams. In the dreams I found myself at the waters edge of either an enormous lake or an ocean (there were no waves whatsoever) and saw many groups of people getting ready for some fishing. There were boats of all sorts, shapes, sizes and colours and every one had some form of net or nets, which also varied in the same way. As I approached, I could see that some were machine driven. There were winches, which let huge nets out and pulled them back to the boat. Some of these winches were steam driven devices; almost ancient relics and some were modern state of the art devices. Other boats had nets manipulated by ropes and pulleys, which were deployed by hand. Others again were standing in their boats and throwing cast nets.

The methods employed were equally diverse. There were boats with one person only and others had a two-man crew. By standing in the stern, a cast net was thrown out for a catch. Some boats let their nets down over the side. Other larger boats with more crew members trawled in straight lines, dragging their nets behind them. Others let their nets out behind and circled around the fish before drawing the nets in. Even the nets differed extensively.

The whole scene indicated diversity and busy-ness, but it seemed to dwindle and the fishermen became either almost inactive, or the hauls diminished.

As I drew closer and engaged in conversation with the people, I was invited to join them and found myself going from boat to boat. The conversations became serious... about the methods and efficiencies of each method of fishing and at times almost got "heated" but in a very friendly way. They asked me to help and as I went from boat to boat, showed each in turn how to let down their nets and retrieve them. I saw myself there in the thick of it all, with my sleeves rolled up and grabbing hold of the nets and assisting everyone in pulling them aboard. It was hard work, and I could see that I was hot and sweaty from the exertions but it was very enjoyable and excited, so also seemed easy.

The catches were immense. There were all sorts of fish and crabs and lobsters and prawns and they were amazingly varied in all sorts of sizes, shapes and colours. Not one unwanted fish such as sharks, eels, stingrays etc. were in the nets. As we say here, not one rubbish fish was evident.

During these dreams, most of the people I saw were, to me, foreigners and nearly everyone seemed dark skinned.

This evening as I was trying to go to sleep, the scene was refreshed in my memory and I saw that the people were all races and colours and the Lord was sharing with me that what I saw was not for me alone as I initially thought. The words, "This was not just for you, this is for the church. The church must know this". As I stirred myself and went to my study, the Lord started saying to me to "Tell the church to start getting ready for harvest". The following is what was said.

"The church has laboured for too long, catching little harvests of souls here and there. There have been times when many men and women have been swept into the kingdom, but many have also slipped through the nets, or escaped capture. As with the various boats and the fishermen, the church has employed many means but has not yet hauled in the harvest of souls that is being prepared for the catch. The time has come for the church to learn how to catch fish. When that lesson has been learned, the hauls will be so vast and so extensive, the usual means, principles and methods hitherto used will no longer suffice.

Many people will be swept into the kingdom of God in supernatural means. Supermarkets will see people fall to their knees as the Holy Spirit descends on them. Football stadiums will feel the impact of the visitation and there will be people here and people there who have been schooled by the Holy Ghost, to haul in the nets. Busy office blocks and crowded elevators will be scenes of one-on-one evangelism with an impact. Hotels will become meeting places where strangers will embrace in prayer.

The time for catching and retaining fish, small and large is coming, but you, the church, must learn how to let down your nets for a draft. Your old methods will on longer work, neither will modernism "new methods". When the church begins to let down the nets on the right side of the boat, the Spirit of the Living God will summon the haul for the catch. Learn. Learn".