It is important in our growth as a true believer in Jesus Christ, to seek God in Prayer and to ask Him to reveal the Vision to know our destiny and what is our purpose in this life.
One must realize we are not going to heaven only to escape this life and the flames of hell!
It is The LORD who wants us to rule and reign in this life and the life to come. No matter who you are in Christ your foundational ministry will always be to Him in Relationship and in Soul Winning for Christ.
It appears commonly that many people only want to escape hell’s flames and torment, but it goes so much deeper.
To be eternally separated from God our Father, is to be destined to eternal separation and degradation.
When someone rejects Jesus, and when they die, they lift their eyes in torment. This is a very real place that was prepared for Satan and the third of the angels that fell. Lucifer’s pride and rebellion erupted a coup attempt to dethrone God, which was and is, impossible.
There is heaven and there is hell — and there is nothing in between those destinies.
We choose with free will. We choose life or death, blessing or cursing. A person who does not choose life — has chosen death!
We were never meant to be separate from God, but because of the transgression of Adam, sin entered the world through him and death to all men, resulting from his sin.
“So, he told them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you.”” Luke 10:18-19 BSB
The Apostle Paul, throughout his life, taught that if in this life only that we have Hope, then of all men we are the most miserable. (1 Corinthians 15:19) That is to say, we must realize in this life The LORD’s Will is that we learn to rule and reign in this life, and in the life to come. We have an eternal purpose and God has the plan. (Revelation 20:6)
Avoiding and speaking about these matters has been a problem, especially since leaders in the Church are supposed to prepare the people of God for hell’s deceptions and hell’s eternity.
You can call us doom and gloom, you can call us fanatics, it matters not what man will say, because The LORD holds His Ministers accountable for the souls of men. Therefore, they cannot allow the fear of man to become a snare to shut them down.
Times have changed, and we have entered into a very volatile, chaotic, and explosive time as has never been seen before. We have truly entered transitional labor, and birthing souls and nations.
None of us are exempt in this hour. We are experiencing the pains of transitional pressure and we cannot run from them. We find no comfort in transitional pain.
Believers, as we learn to decrease in our flesh, He will increase in us, and in our circumstances. We must learn how to go with the flow of the pressure, and in the press, and in the PUSH as we will birth The Kingdom!
It is about birthing souls! For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children!
The LORD is preparing us for greater pressures that are coming on the horizon, and some en route and even others, coming to our very door.
“Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. Who hath heard such a thing? Who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? Saith The LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? Saith by God.” Isaiah 66 7-9 KJV.
We must learn to abide (go with the flow) in the furnace of affliction, and it is not comfortable!
That may sound like a contradiction in terms, to abide…. You may wonder, “How can I abide in a furnace of affliction?”
Daniel was given to the lions to be devoured, yet God shut the mouth of the lions. No lion touched that righteous man for he stood in the Council of The LORD God Almighty!
What about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? They were thrown in the midst of the fiery furnace, because they would not bow, bend, or burn in that furnace!
The testimony of the three Hebrew children spoke to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, that they would not and could not bow to the King’s image. (Daniel chapter 3)
The three Hebrew children were preserved from all harm and not even their clothes were singed or smelled of smoke.
King Nebuchadnezzar looked and was shocked as he saw three men walking in the flames, but then a fourth man was walking around like the appearance of the son of God!
What a testimony to a pagan king! We must pray and remain prepared! God wants to use us as a testimony of The True Kingdom of God, even amid our furnace of affliction, whose God is The LORD, even as King Nebuchadnezzar experienced with his own eyes.
“Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spoke, and said unto his counselors, did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have not hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spoke, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was a hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. Then Nebuchadnezzar spoke, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.” Daniel 3:24-28 KJV
Do you feel like you have been thrown into a fiery furnace? Beloved, your furnace will become your pulpit as you preach with your very life and as you abide in the furnace of affliction!
Everything in us that is as wood, hay, and stubble, or all earthly things will burn up so that what is left, is of eternal weight and value, like gold, silver, and precious stones. (1 Corinthians 3:12)
The hotter the furnace — the more glorious the value. We are supposed to abide under the shadow of the Almighty right? We must be prepared to be instant in season and out of season! We must be discerners of what season we are in.
In this hour, God is going to demonstrate His Power through those who love His Appearing. These lovers of God have learned to abide in whatever state or season they are in.
God Almighty is going to demonstrate The Church Triumphant, The Bride in all her radiant glory, prepared for her Groom as He eagerly awaits.
The abiding refining process teaches us great Patience, Faith, and absolute Assurance in God’s keeping power! There is no doubt or unbelief in The Fire, because it cannot exist there!
I know this to be true, because I have been living there. I have received notes from people this week and have noticed similar words concerning The Refining Processes, and how different the experience is, and how the warfare has changed and increased, unlike anything we have experienced before.
Does it not say that He makes His Angels winds and His Ministers, flames of fire? (Hebrews 1:7, Psalm 104:4)
Beloved, everything you are going through in this furnace of affliction, instead of running, resisting, or failing to push, begin to take control of your flesh!
You master it, or it will master you! Serious Fasting and Prayer is the quickest way to bring your body under subjection.
Take the reins and the bit — and yank it! Like a rebellious horse that must be bit and bridled before it comes, take that as your example.
Instead of running from the pressure, hiding, and doing your own thing to avoid it, make that flesh die — make your flesh run towards The Furnace of Affliction! You were made for this purpose! You were made to do exploits for God!
He prepared you for such a time as this! Do not doubt or have unbelief!
Remember who you are in Christ and realize you were created to be a Flame of Fire and do not limit yourself, no matter what you go through!
Take that Furnace Pulpit everywhere you go, no matter what you face, and seize the opportunity!
There are two ways of the flesh. You can either die in a long-drawn-out process and stink, or push into the very Flames and become Flames of Fire!
Choose your company wisely! The people you surround yourself with can make or break you. If you are serious with God, you need to be with serious people.
If you are around anyone for any length of time, listen to them, be silent, and as you listen, you will know their spiritual location and condition. And if it is God’s Will….. you can connect with them.
Contrary to what people may say or think, the Scriptures are clear, and they are the only thing we live our lives by or measure by. We are lively stones, being built up into a spiritual habitation with Jesus Christ, being The Chief Cornerstone.
I have learned that putting confidence and faith in spiritual encounters, spiritual manifestations, or any doctrine I hear, I base it all on God’s Word alone.
If we have no standard to measure and align to, we are in big trouble.
The Bible is our standard to live by and to measure against. Even as a plumb line among my people Israel, I will spare them no longer. (Amos 7:7-8)
The plumb line heralds the oncoming judgment upon Israel. Wherever in scripture mentions a plumb line, we see this referenced to oncoming judgment.
Our total life as a sold-out Believer must come into alignment with only God’s Word! If we have nothing to measure against, we will believe anything and everything! Now that is scary!
Look at the condition of the United States of America! There is no fear of God in our streets. It is crazy, it is chaotic, it is an evil, wicked, and a perverted generation!
What is right is wrong, what is wrong is right! The government is corrupt, everybody has their own god and their own idols! They want to legalize sin, so they can boast of it in parades, while they shake their fist at God!
I have not given up praying for America, but I pray vastly differently now. I know this may be redundant, but I cannot apologize to the so-called Church, because there is so much mixture, false doctrine, false prophets and teachers, antichrist spirits, and even such mess is found among these so called spirit-filled organizations and denominations, and all types of Churches and Ministries. None are exempt.
The LORD is going into denominations, organizations, so-called Churches and plucking out his beloved of things they cannot see.
I must say this about me; I can no longer start a Ministry and apply for 501©(3) Organization as I did in the past.
As a Christian Minister, my beliefs and liberties are not under rule of a Federal or Local Government. In world history, governments have had a history of evil against both Christ-centered believers’ ministries and Jews.
Even now, all over the world, the Jews and Christians alike are persecuted. The LORD has made it plain specifically, that I am no longer a 501c(3) organization.
I am under God’s authority as a Minister. I am accountable first to God, and then to other ministers for accountability purposes, for the spirit of the prophets are subject unto the prophets.
I acknowledge all Five-Fold Ministry Offices as guiding leaders that are being restored back to The Church for today. (Ephesians 4)
The LORD and His Angels are reaping in the righteous seeds that are existing like potted plants in wrong places.
Just as the Jewish people who were suddenly brought back to their nation on May 14, 1948 by promise, they came from all nations and migrated back to the country of their origin. So too the believers in Christ are coming back full circle to the truth of their roots in God’s Word.
The LORD may have to decree, declare, and close organizations, buildings, Church Houses, but He will take what is His.
Not every Christian can see what is happening. God holds them accountable for what they know, not what they do not know.
I thank God for the Scripture that speaks about how the very elect would be deceived “if it were possible.” (Matthew Chapter 24, especially verse 24)
“For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” Matthew 24:24 Emphasis added.
Upheavals, trials, tribulations of all sorts will continue to get worse, but for the believer that truly seeks God; this is an exciting time to be alive!
During all these upheavals, the pressure will mount up to such a boiling point that it exposes the motives of the heart and soul.
God knew what it would take, because He knows us through and through and nothing is hidden before Him.
Why is it since God knows everything about us? Why do we go through so many hoops and loops and such trials to prove our hearts?
The answer is simple; He wants us to know our own heart and learn to totally trust Him. He wants us to realize that “the heart is deceitfully wicked, who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:19)
The LORD wants us to humble ourselves and surrender fully to him and receive his love and trust him in faith.
He knows how many grains of sand on a seashore and how many hairs on our head, and has intimate knowledge of what we will face in life.
We can’t even experience conviction and repent properly until we face ourselves. Our greatest need is to KNOW HE is our greatest need in life!
For it is His lovingkindness which leads us to repentance! So love corresponds with correction.
For those in leadership are also enduring pressures, trials, and tribulations. Make no mistake, everyone is going through the furnace of affliction.
For the proper care of those under leadership, it is especially important to discern properly. We must ask God, what are the motives of the heart and soul of the person.
Is it truly the work of the Spirit or is it the work of the flesh. Then we must also discern if the responses are demonically inspired.
But as leaders, we must show great love as it corresponds with correction. All leaders need great Grace so they can pray properly and be capable counselors and caregivers that God can use.
To those who have submitted themselves under a leader as unto The LORD. It is a blessing to find a capable minister that you can receive from.
Just because you go to meetings doesn’t mean you are submitted under their God breathed authority.
Leadership isn’t something that is automatic, and you can quench The Spirit due to rebellion and stubborness.
The blessing of leadership comes to those who willingly and obediently serve and are submitted unto God on your behalf as one who must give and account unto God for their care of you! It isn’t easy. (Read and study Hebrews chapter 13)
Knowing the condition of hearts is a powerful prayer point of reference and how to aim at the enemy with precision.
We must realize especially now with the times we are living in that there are no shortcuts. So many who are all being bombarded with evil surmising indicative of an impure heart. It consists in the imaging of wicked motives, often hidden behind flowery words and actions.
If you find that you are reading something that hits your gut, The LORD is trying to help you understand you are in a spiritual battle.
The enemy’s plan is to get you off into rebellion, stubbornness, idolatry, false doctrine, delusion, and error. When the plot is revealed out of the mouth of 2 or 3 witnesses it can be broken!
We will feel the pressures and the testing of our faith. When we see this happening, we need to pray. For example, it is a hard thing to accept if you have found out that you have been an error for 20 years.
It is hard for people to come out of religion and tradition. We must pray for their release!
The Increased pressures in life will cause the backsliders to repent and turn back to God. True backsliders have the seed of righteousness in them but have lived in the pigsty for so long, they have not had any direction or motivation to change.
But The LORD will begin to enlighten you through the pressure and give direction to them, so that they may have a homing beacon within and find their way back home through all the wickedness, chaos and confusion. Continue to pray for Backsliders.
In this season many are falling away from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrine of devils and the love of many is growing cold.
People do not want to forgive and they hold bitterness and hatred in their hearts . If we cannot forgive neither will our heavenly father forgive us.
Regarding the signs of the times, you can read it daily in your Bible, and we read it in our newspapers, and can see it on the news.
It does not take much for a person with any Bible understanding to realize that we are living in the end times before The LORD returns.
This is the time to face us, each of us must live our own chosen destinies. Husband, you cannot trust in your wife, wife you cannot put your trust in your husband.
Brothers, you cannot put your trust in Grandma’s apron and ride upon her anointing. To think you can ride on someone else’s life and anointing is a fable and it is a lie.
It is also devilish in attempting to prostitute another person’s anointing. That is witchcraft and an open door to a Jezebel spirit. The bible says to test the spirits!
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.” 1 John 4:1-2.
How serious does the word of hell’s damnation have to be to give us the motivation, guidance, and direction in these most volatile times we live in?
God is going to do something very shocking. God is going to remove portions of his protected hand, to cause a deep shock to come to America, especially into religious churches, as to upset the normal religions apathy, passive, and nonexistent power, whom he said from such, turn away from these.
We must prepare the people for what is coming. It is time for the sin sick Church, that so-called Church, the harlot, the one that is supposed to be judged first.
Before judgment can come it must first come to the house of God. The Church allowed a deceptive chill to come, and it nearly has caused the light to be quenched and it has continued on for decades.
We must remember that Satan does things in small little steps and before too long, we find ourselves in the very place where The Church became apathetic and complacent, and we were told not to mix politics and religion and we were told that there is separation between Church and State.
For many years we were deceived as a Nation, because of it. We were supposed to change the world, not to be conformed to this world. Had The Church judged themselves, then we would not be judged.
It is for this case that I stand before God and beseech him for mercy. However, I cannot stand in the way of God’s Hand when he says to stand back, even though I see what is coming.
I intercede to God for people, although our personal relationship with Jesus must be maintained daily. We are called as Intercessors and we have experienced a new wave of Intercessions that our needs and spiritual strength has been severely attacked by the enemy.
He is coming at us bombarding us with such sickness, distractions, and hindrances, such things that have shaken us to our very core and worn us out.
This is the time that we should come close in spirit and practice the supper he commanded us to take of bread and the cup symbolic of the blood and the broken body of Jesus Christ.
Just as Jesus died, we also die to our flesh that we may rise into the newness of life! If we have died with Him in our confession and in our actions, the proof is in the fruit. We must identify with one another; those that God has brought into our lives and those that are close in spirit with us.
We must identify with that Last Supper Jesus had with his disciples and put it into practice, online, or over the phone or meeting, from house to house or wherever believers happen to gather, He is in the midst of them.
Practicing the washing of the feet of the believers may not be feasible with where you are, but what is important is that we identify with those feet which bring good news.
Having The Spirit of Humility and Servanthood identifies where we walk in our lives and in our ministry as we identify with “those feet” which bring good news.
It is in having that same type of realization, that makes servanthood so rewarding and so strengthening. In Jesus’ Name, I Decree and Declare it, In Jesus’ Name. Amen and Amen.
In HIS Grace and Mercy,
~ Sherry Edwards Mackey
New Beginning Christian Ministries International 