“More and more, a sense of fear took hold of them. Their dark captors increased in their arrogance over what they had accomplished through the grasp of the river’s shame.
“As fear mounted, the river’s masses became even more frantic and watched us intently with agonized yearning. I watched them, too, wanting so much to help them but not knowing how. Our boat was moving faster than the current, however, and we soon passed by them.
“My heart was overwhelmed with the gravity of their plight, people being goaded along by demonic creatures bent on their destruction. I tried to scream at them and tell them that they should fight back and get away, but the shame hanging over them perverted my screams into accusations of anger. They looked terrified of me and tried to move away, but they were powerless.
“We traveled some distance on the river when the small boat we rode in stopped and raised itself at the Lord’s command to stand near the river’s edge and rest in the air over the river’s path.
“I watched the river of people as they continued to travel under the water’s control. At length, the river was overwhelmed by the magnitude of people in it, all wanting deliverance but not believing it was possible.
“My heart was heavy – I could see an empty hunger in each heart and could feel the horror overtaking them. As I looked across the sea of faces one by one, I was burdened by the emptiness in their eyes. Their life-stories all held similar burdens, with hopelessness running through them. Shame held them captive.
“In actuality, the dark creatures possessed no great power to hold the people captive. But the masses were bound by the shame they had experienced, and they felt helpless to fight it.
“I knew that if they could know Jesus as I did, they would be filled with His joyous love like I was. If they could understand the mysterious love of God, their lives would be full of His purpose for them and the shame would be vanquished. Every terror they’d endured would be used for the glory of the kingdom of heaven.
“As I tried to show them Jesus, in their despair they were frightened of Him. They thought He would hurt them; they could not look at Him without shame and remorse generating terrible pain.
“The chilling winds blowing through that wretched forest made it nearly impossible to help them because of the fear that hung in those damp, black branches. I could see the fear overtake them and freeze cold the sparks of love that flickered in their hearts.
“I cried out again to the Lord and asked, ‘Oh, Jesus, what can we do to help these people?’
“I was almost angry with Him now, because I didn’t understand why He’d brought me to this place if I could not help the people. I knew there must be a purpose and that He must want me to help them somehow, but how? ‘Why wasn’t He stopping and helping them,’ I wondered in my heart.
“The intensity of His countenance almost frightened me as He continued to stare toward the horizon. I felt that He was directing my attention to follow His gaze. I began to look ahead to see what He was seeing.
“I watched and as I did, my focus was urgently captivated by what I thought I saw up ahead. I stood paralyzed, unable to believe what my eyes were seeing.
“ ‘Noooo!’ I cried.
“My heart, once alive with willingness to help, was now drowning in a sense of overwhelming helpless panic – I saw the river’s end.
“The end of the river was much more shocking than the river itself. People, masses of people, were being hoarded together and shoved relentlessly over a massive cliff to a bloody, rocky ravine below. Death was the goal.
“It wasn’t enough that the enemy was stealing their lives from them, he wanted to assure their eternal death – he wanted their souls.
“Causing them to sin, then enslaving them to shame, he was able to imprison them in a cycle of fear and condemnation in which they were continually abused and ridiculed by those who held them captive and used them like playthings.
“Again and again they were unrelentingly violated until they were numb to the conditions they were living in and the dark forces that could do as they pleased with them, doing all, not just to steal their joy but their very souls. Eternal death was a game to them and they enjoyed playing it.
“I looked back at the river as those nearing the edge watched those at the edge plummet thousands of feet to their deaths. Panic gripped them when they realized there was no way they could escape the same fate. They were doomed to death without deliverance – terror striking yet another blow, without hope.
“Leaving the boat, I ran away from Jesus and back to the river’s edge to those I could reach. I began to scream at them – ‘Wake up! Stop! Get out!’ Anything I could think of to get their attention, but they turned from me frightened even more by my aggressive, panicked countenance.
“I panicked as I tried to think of what could be done for them. I looked to Jesus and He watched me with a look filled with thankful emotion.
“I saw a small crowd of people on the other side of the river. I thought maybe they could help me reach these people, so I hollered to them to get their attention. However, when they looked toward the river, they were filled with disgust at the sight of it. They seemed unconcerned by the condition of the people held captive and were angry with me and even cursed at me.
“Pious revulsion stood before helpless depravity and I watched in disbelief.
“Suddenly, I stepped back and my heart was filled with understanding. This was it! This was the reason Jesus brought me here, why He made me feel the river’s darkness and the forest’s deception. I knew then the only way I could help the people was to awaken His bride. Without that, there was very little I could do.
“The deep sleep had blinded the bride of Christ, catching them on a wheel of unending routine governed by the concerns of their own heart leading them nowhere.
“It was then that I heard an echo in the wind and felt the warmth of the Lion’s fire flow through me as I heard Him speak. ‘Awaken, My beautiful ones!’ He whispered in joy-filled relief.
“Again and again He spoke a word resounding through my being, ‘Awakening,’ again and again, just ‘Awakening,’ as if the universe joined Him in this historical exhortation.”
Joined by the prophetic host with her in the inner room of the mountain, Beloved spoke of the Lion’s cry to awaken His bride. As their voices echoed the emotional, heartfelt cry of the Lion, together they called out in earnest harmony again and again, “Awakening! Awakening! Awakening...”
The passion for the Lamb’s bride that had been imparted to them all had empowered them to bring deliverance to the sleeping bride. As the glorious host wept with the remembrance of the burden they were still facing, they were emboldened by the added newness of the urgency of their call.
He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.
—Psalm 23:2 NLT
THE INCOMPREHENSIBLE COMPASSION of the Lord, the Father’s relentless love for humanity, literally filled the inner room of the mountain as Beloved and her friends were now submerged in the transforming power of the Lord’s heart.
He spoke to them and flooded their hearts, “Dear ones,” the Lord began, “I have held you in reserve for this hour. You will experience the greatest outpouring of My presence on the earth to this day. It will be ignited by My love flowing through you. Guard this love with your whole being, for it is the greatest force on earth. It is the reality of heaven made manifest to the world through you, My dear friends.
“I commission you now to administrate My outpouring on the earth. It is for all men to experience. Although some will not respond well to My presence, they must have the opportunity to know who I Am and what they mean to Me.
“It is both your calling and your great responsibility that they would have the knowledge of who I Am revealed to them. Without the fulfillment of this call, we cannot be together as I wish.
“For some, it will be a time of great pain, but not for you, friends, for you have captivated My heart and will compel many to
turn to Me. I have kept the best wine for last, and this wine will complete My will – empowering you to carry out My commission and establishing My kingdom on the earth.
“For as I spoke through Joel, I will truly pour out My spirit on all flesh. I will come, I will release My kingdom and I will have My way – there is no truth to the lies that cause My children to become complacent and forget My commands. I am Lord and I will be Lord on the earth as I am in the heavens. You will share in the joys and victories of this historic season – we will fight together to restore the Father’s house and complete His great joy.
“When all is finished, I will reveal Myself to all mankind. They will know I Am who I have declared Myself to be and then the end will come.
“It is then we will enjoy the great wedding feast I have prepared for us. It will truly be a feast of great celebration and fulfillment.”
As the Savior gathered His friends and prayed, His body was transfixed and made radiant, emitting glory of unearthly power and force. The room was filled with a burning energy – the power of transmutation. The intense light seemed to explode from inside of Him like an atomic blast, hitting every person in the room with great force.
Empowering them for their mission, His light instantly engulfed them and they appeared as though they were limp human forms held in the grasp of the light’s intense power.
Burning and creating, the light transformed them. Working first in their hearts and then through their minds, the light of the Savior created brand new untainted memories out of the painful past events in their lives – transforming them into trophies of grace to be used to impact the children of the earth.
Then, gripping their necks and shooting down through the spine, it continued. The light enveloped each vertebra, penetrating the stomach cavity and shooting out from the arms and legs until it burst forth from their fingertips, even as a star reflects light from the inside out.
As the light rescinded, they returned to their conscious state. He gave each of them an impeccably pure white stone the size of their hand and told them all of the heavenly power it possessed. “This stone has the ability to release the faith of the Kingdom. Strong enough to crush doubt, it has the power to awaken faith, and My faith is the power of the kingdom released for such a time as this – the season of the kingdom.”
“One more thing before I release you,” Jesus said.
“I have given My life to receive My bride; she is the most treasured possession I have. I, alone will present her to the Father to complete His joy. Yet My great treasure and heaven’s anticipated delight has been treated with disdain by many. Brutally and heedlessly, liars have attacked My true followers and they have suffered cruelly.
“Without fear of reprisal, thinking they were for Me, they have slashed at My beautiful bride. Warn those who will repent of My displeasure for their cruel actions, for I will soon shower the unrepentant with terror – they loved to curse, so they will walk in their curses, chaining them to darkness. I have come to show mercy, I seek even those who would condemn My bride, but My love is accomplished through repentance.
“My dear friends,” He continued, “you must tell My bride that it was not I who abused her – I have come to restore her, to fill her with My glory – the glory she was destined to live in. She is My glory and I will restore her!
“Seekers, you must love My bride like I would love her. I am asking you to lay your lives down to see her restored to Me.”
Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.
—Matthew 10:16 NLT
AS THE PROPHETIC HOST left their comfortable subterranean meeting place, motivated by Time to hurry to those still asleep, they shared such a bond with each other that they did not want to be parted. They formed a kinship which only comes from truly understanding one another through the sharing of similar callings and burdens.
With one final embrace to last them for a long while, they left each other and began the long harrowing journey to the place of their calling. Their minds were filled with all they had shared together with the King, and it took great urging to send them on their way.
As Beloved started on her journey, her thoughts were filled with the life-changing joys she’d experienced in the mountain. The remembrances of the tranquility and harmony of the prophetic host she’d just left continued to flood her thoughts with the warmth of true friendship. Her heart wanted so much to stay, for she had found it to be a place of great safety and comfort.
She reflected on all they had shared together – of the power they’d experienced and, most of all, the treasured friendships that conveyed such powerful acceptance. Truly, it had been a supernatural acceptance which she had previously imagined could only be experienced in heaven.
Traveling past the sandy coast at the base of the mountain, she eyed again, in the distance, the sunny fields of grace she loved so dearly. But the longer she let her mind dwell on her memories of the mountain’s treasures, the more the loneliness of the fields of grace became an increasingly stark contrast to the joyous experiences she’d had with her friends.
Beloved longed for the companionship she’d left, and her reflection drifted toward the plight of her friends. It suddenly dawned on her she could travel at least some of the distance with her friends. “Yes,” she thought, “Why did we part ways so soon? I could travel with them and I would not have to be alone.”
Her mind was decided. She would leave the fields of grace and try to find her friends. Heading back up over the forest-covered hills tapering down the mountain, she ventured in her quest. “That’s not too far from the fields,” she reasoned to herself, “I could surely find my friends there.”
With this thought in mind, Beloved determined to give way to the impulse to leave the path that had become so familiar to her, where the Lord had revealed Himself to her in such marvelous ways.
Veering to the left of the fields, Beloved began her climb up a steep, rocky ridge and over a grass-covered bank. The twists and turns the hills took made her question her decision more than once as she regarded the nice level fields below.
After an exhausting climb, she reached the woods she had seen from below, but there was no one in sight. She was quite positive it was in this direction her friends had headed, but it had taken her too long to climb the rocky hillside.
She considered once more returning to the fields of grace, but reasoned her friends could not be far ahead and was determined to find them.
Her journey was growing more and more unfamiliar to her now, which made her unsure of the next direction to venture. Drawn in by the enchanting forest, she was captivated by the woods brimming over with the lush and awe-inspiring greenery she so enjoyed. Oh, how she loved their beauty, and the element of the unknown beguiled Beloved and captivated her yearning for adventure, drawing her deeper into the woods.
The passion she felt that propelled her toward the sleeping saints had dwindled and she was now becoming dismally sidetracked from her initial quest by her pursuit of her friends. Still, pressing on, she was unknowingly led more and more by the dreadful fear of being alone.
Alone though she was, she relished in the breathtaking scenery that brought her such enjoyment. All about her, the flowers filled the woods with a fresh, earthy fragrance.
Caught up in her thoughts, she contemplated how much longer she should continue her pursuit. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a large man and his wife came running to her. With large eyes and teethy grins they talked smoothly and gave her little time to react or think. They seemed nice, but Beloved felt uneasy. Yet the couple quickly overwhelmed her fears with the easy friendship she so desired.
They told her they’d been wandering alone in the woods in a quest to find blessedness. The couple seemed to have sacrificed a great deal as they sought the enlightenment they said they desired. A tale of continuous, painful struggles and rejection flowed from them, as a well rehearsed river eventually wears down rock. They said they w
ere longing to find the simple love and acceptance Beloved had found and believed God had miraculously sent her to them to show them His love.
“Beloved,” the man touted, “We’ve been waiting our whole lives to meet someone like you.” On and on, he gushed his flattery. With an overflowing deluge, he continued with his bombardment of flowery compliments. He and his wife repeatedly chimed their postulations, “You are what we need!” and “Only you can help us, Beloved!” They continued until they had worn down her uneasy resistance.
Before long, Beloved was easily consumed by their need; she felt such pity for them that she quickly lost sight of the reason and importance of her journey. As they talked with her, her mind grew foggy and she felt unsure of what her true purpose was.
Pressed by the seemingly desperate need of her new “friends,” she did not have time to think or reflect. Beloved continually gave of herself to the couple through prayer and endless hours of listening to their lifetime of unfortunate experiences.
However, unbeknownst to her, a good deal of time was passing in her efforts to assist her new companions. Their needs seemed to far exceed her capabilities and she began to feel inadequate in her attempts to help them.
The shifty couple had tapped into the weaknesses of her heart and placated her anxiety. Without thinking as to why, she felt a reactionary impulse to please them, but again and again she failed their expectations of her as each disappointment bruised her spirit. She didn’t want to let them down, yet she knew she was.
Her imperfections seemed to mount up before her. The tables abruptly turned on her and she realized that those who had originally needed her help and guidance were now instructing her.
They started with insignificant trifles, but quickly moved on to begin their overhaul of her entire personality and calling. The more “error” they found in her, the more she became their captive. Finally, they launched their greatest attack against her: false destiny.
Awakening: The Deep Sleep (The Deep Sleep Trilogy Book 1) Page 4
