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Originally from: mmcclung@esper.com (Mike McClung)
Originally dated: Fri, 4 Jul 1997 18:39:34 -0400
Family in Christ,
The Lord has been speaking the same thing to many here in our East TN area.
During a pastors/leaders prayer meeting on 6/26/97, the Lord gave me a
vision of a much smaller than normal door that was open. On the other side
of the door was an incredibly brilliant light emanating from what appeared
to be a rolling ball of fire. I understood this to be the glory of the
Lord. To get to the glory one had to pass through the door. To get through
the door, no extra baggage or anything else would be able to fit through the
door with the person going through.
As the vision continued, the line of sight drew back from the door and I
could see a large cement-looking pad in front of the door. It looked like
the type of cement pad that would be poured for a foundation or patio. To
even get to the smaller-than-usual door you had to pass over this barren
area. I asked the Lord what this area was and He said it was the Threshing
Floor. Of course, we know that the threshing floor is the place where the
precious is saparated from the worthless (Jer. 15:16). The chaff is
separated from the wheat so the wheat can be used.
The Lord said that it was time for this separation to take place in the Body
of Christ to prepare His Bride for His manifest presence before He returns.
The Lord said that just as David purchased the threshing floor of Ornan (2
Sam. 24), we must be willing to pay the price to do the same to possess this
as a resting place for His glory and to stop the plague or curse blighting
the land.
The Lord also gave me Luke 22:31-32, where Satan is granted permission to
sift Peter, and contextually, all the disciples. For the past week, our
local Body has been having this literally fulfilled! Luke 19:41-44 was also
an applicable scripture where the Lord entered Jerusalem and warned them of
what was coming because they did not recognize the time of their visitation.
I decided to look up the word "visitation." It is the Greek word "episcope"
from where we get the word bishop, overseer, etc. If I understand this
correctly, this means it is like a supervisor who is coming to inspect those
who work under him. The Lord is inspecting His Church, and allowing the
areas of sin, wounds, carnality, and lack of discipline to be "sifted" or
tested. Before anyone cries "foul," this is good! God is not mad at us,
but wants to free us of those area of sin, bondage, carnality, and
immaturity that we have allowed to go undealt with. Things that have been
buried for years, decades, etc., are coming to light, tben judged in the
light, and are having the axe laid at the root so all the fruit (behavior)
will die. I believe everything that has been transpiring through renewal,
revival, etc., has been to prepare us for the depth of repentance and
deliverance the Lord is about to bring in the church so we can truly enter
His manifest glory and NOT DIE like Ananias and Saphira.
The last message I shared was on deliverance from rejection (a root) and
fear (its corresponding fruit and bondage). This week, as John Arnott has
so aptly put, the Lord has instructed me to minister on deliverance from
bitterness through the power of forgiveness. The message of forgiveness is
a central message to the Cross. If I have been decalred NOT GUILTY, by the
Lord, I must release those who have hurt, wounded, or offended me. I
personally believe this may be the single biggest sin and stumbling block
within the church that gives rise to resentment, bitterness, division, ad
infinitum, ad nauseum. In Mark 7, Jesus stated that there is nothing anyone
can do to me from "without" that can defile me. It is my reaction to what
is done that brings the defilement. We must repent of the "victimization"
mentality prevalent in the church.
The message of the Lord to me was He is anointing us for burial. As Jesus
disarmed the enemy through forgiving, we must be likeminded to be able to
continue on. The Threshing Floor is not something to be endured, it is
something to be possessed and have dominion over. It is one of those parts
of the promised land that the enemy has squatted on for too long. We must
take it back and take dominion over it! Our authority will come when we
submit to the threshing! To make it through sounds simple, although it will
cost us everything. Heb. 12:1-2, we must fix our eyes on Jesus, on the
goal, on the glory, and let nothing distract us. As Jesus fixed His heart
on the Father's will and plan, enduring the Cross, we must do the same
through this aspect of His sufferings. Here our wills will be fixed on the
Lord's, His will will become ours, and the will of the Lord will take
dominion over the flesh as it dies screaming! But the glory of His
unveiled, manifest presence awaits us just on the other side. I would say
it is worth it (Rom. 8:17-19).
May the Lord strengthen us for this journey with His joy and grace!
Grace & peace,
Mike McClung
Pastor, Lionheart Fellowship
Maryville, TN
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