FIRE BY NIGHT
  
 
                                          "Reflections Upon Reflections" [of The Father's Heart]
  

        ...."You, in Your great compassion, did not forsake them in the wilderness; The pillar of cloud did not leave them by day, to guide them on their way, nor the pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they were to go".... Nehemiah 9:19 NASB



                                                                                                            FEBRUARY 12TH


                   THE "FEAR OF MAN" [IDOLATRY] AND REBELLION PRECLUDES "REVELATION KNOWLEDGE" AND TRUE DISCERNMENT

                               
Words of prophecy:

 
 *         If one "maintains" a fear of what others think then they shall surely "block" their own entrance into the "fullness" of  the ministry [true Kingdom-position] I have called them to!"....
 
*        One who is more concerned with what people think "unconsciously" places themselves in a position wherein they continually mistake [fail to discern] the difference between the conviction of My Spirit and a spirit of condemnation or accusation. And thus, because they have lost the power of understanding, they discern any anointed word spoken into their "sinful state" as the product of a critical or self-exaltive spirit - and, thus, they ignore both My words and the "messenger" I have sent to them. They have "allowed" themselves to become so bound by a "spirit of self-justification" [self-righteousness] that - in their "own" thinking - they must always set themselves apart from anyone or anything that does not conform perfectly to the "goals" and "motivations" of their own self-desire and, thus, they surround themselves with those they are "comfortable" with. Because of these things, they "allow" Satan - little by little, through his "wearing down" tactics - to harden their hearts to a continually greater degree against Me [My Will]. It is in this way that he is "enabled" - unless a deep and thorough repentance is forthcoming to, ultimately, "destroy" My people! [Hosea 4:6a]
 
*       "All" deception gives the "illusion" in the mind of the one being held captive that what they are doing is "right[eous]". It may be "right" for the fulfillment of Satan and his schemes and it may be "right" for the pursuit of selfish goals, but this "counterfeit righteousness" [fleshly activity] has nothing whatsoever to do with My true Church and My Kingdom! [John 6:63]


        ...."For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ".... Galatians 1:10 NASB

        ...."The person who has My commands and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I [too] will love him and will show (reveal, manifest) Myself to him. [I will let Myself be clearly seen by him and make Myself real to him.] Judas, not Iscariot, asked Him, Lord, how is it that You will reveal Yourself [make Yourself real] to us and not to the world? Jesus answered, If a person [really] loves Me, he will keep My word [obey My teaching]; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home (abode, special dwelling place) with him. Anyone who does not [really] love Me does not observe and obey My teaching. And the teaching which you hear and heed is not Mine, but [comes] from the Father Who sent Me. I have told you these things while I am still with you. But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you"....
                                                                                                                                                                                                  John 14:21-26 The Amplified Translation

 
            These are very dangerous days for those who do not have a close and intimate relationship with the Father and His Word - for, in not knowing [having a revelation of] "Who" Love IS they will have a "distorted and warped" picture and mind-set concerning how He moves and operates. The direct result of this will be that they will not be able to discern the highest purposes of the Father in this most critical hour and, thus, in the process of living out their lives and ministries in their "own" strength and understanding they will be used [unknowingly] as vessels of persecution and reviling against those who are truly serving God - those who are truly in "right relationship" with Him. In understanding that rebellion [a wilful and prideful departure from the Will of God] is the underlying principle of Satan [Isaiah 14:12-16], we can certainly see clearly why the Father can in NO way align Himself with rebelliousness - or with ANYONE who aligns themselves with it. We know that the first time that rebellion came on the scene was when Lucifer [the light-bearer] rebelled against God, was defeated and cast out of Heaven, as Satan [lit. eternal adversary; prince of darkness]. From this, we can say that ALL rebellion [self-will] has its beginning in that ultimate foolishness which Lucifer displayed when he rebelled against Almighty God and, thus, we see that anyone who in any way aligns themselves with the old nature [the mind of Satan - the "flesh"] through the believing of Satan's lies commits an act of rebellion against God and His most holy purposes. It must be clearly understood by every child of God that we are not an entity unto ourselves - although Satan most certainly delights in promoting that lie. We will, in any given moment, be found partaking of the Mind of Christ [through revelation] or the "mind of the flesh" [that has its origin in the "nature" Adam inherited when he was "born again" from life unto DEATH - and the darkness that is its spontaneous by-product]. Hence, the GREAT importance of bringing EVERY thought captive to a revelation of the Father's Will and the Mind of Christ [2 Corinthians 10:5].

        ...."Do you not know that if you continually surrender yourselves to anyone to do his will, you are the slaves of him whom you obey, whether that be to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience which leads to righteousness (right doing and right standing with God)? But thank God, though you were once slaves of sin, you have become obedient with all your heart to the standard of teaching in which you were instructed and to which you were committed. And having been set free from sin, you have become the servants of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in thought, purpose, and action)".... Romans 6:16-18 The Amplified Translation

THE ONLY THING THAT SHALL STAND IN THIS DAY OF INTENSE JUDGEMENT OF ALL THINGS THAT ARE APART FROM CHRIST IS THAT WHICH HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED THROUGH A REVELATION OF THE FATHER'S WILL [WORD]
 
          We need to explode the myth that children of God cannot be "held captive" by the Evil One to carry out his will [which, again, is rebellion against God and all of His purposes - lawlessness] [2 Timothy 2:26]! If one is not being obedient to [alignment with - in both word and deed] the "revealed" Word [Will] of God and to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit THEN they are aligning themselves, in some way, with the lies and schemes of the "Evil One - and this is precisely the way that the Father looks at it! This is in no way undermining the great love and mercy and patience that He pours out on all of His precious children - it is to drive home the point that, ultimately, ALL things that are apart from Christ through a "maintained" rebellion and idolatry MUST be judged by a holy God in the "fullness of time" - a time that ONLY He knows in each individual case. One can look at anything any way that they desire to, but unless they begin to seek to see "all" things through the eyes of the Father then their "opinions" [mind-sets and mental ascensions] are useless in this most critical hour concerning the establishment of both the Church and the Kingdom. One can most assuredly think that they are right in their dealings with God and their "idea" of how to carry out His Will [and even how to please Him] but the only thing that shall stand in this day of "intense" judgement of ALL things that are apart from Christ [1 Peter 4:17] is that which has been established through a "revelation" of the Father's Will [Word] - as administered by the Holy Spirit to the deepest fibre of one's being [Matthew 7:21-27]. It is ONLY from this place of faith in the "abiding" revelation of the Father's Will [Word] in their heart that one shall continually be found carrying out the "corresponding actions" and speaking the "corresponding words" [in faith, love and obedience] that are absolutely necessary for the fulfillment of the Father's highest purpose.
 
                                        OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY - INTIMATE FELLOWSHIP WITH THE FATHER AND HIS WORD
 
          And so, once again, our number one priority must ALWAYS be to spend time with the Father and His Word in the "inner chamber" [as He directs by His Spirit] for from this position of closeness and intimacy on a daily basis He will SURELY reveal the deepest thoughts and intentions of His heart [Psalm 25:12-14] where we are concerned - both individually and corporately. It is only as the child of God [through their continued diligence to the call to "seek first the Kingdom" and be righteously motivated in all things] takes a firm hold of the call to perfect obedience for their lives that they will forsake ENTIRELY the sin and rebellion that leads only to an ever increasing darkness, corruption and death for the true wages of righteousness - which are superabundant life and light [revelation]. To the degree that one remains in bondage to a "spirit of disobedience" [which is rooted in pride and rebellion], it is to that degree that they will see and experience only the barrenness and the darkness [desolation and torment] of the "wilderness" [the world] in this hour. But, on the other hand - as the child of God walks in faith [love] - keeping their eyes "fixed" on the Word [Will of God] - THEN, regardless of what circumstances they may find themselves in, they will ALWAYS be able to "see" clearly through the power of the Spirit of wisdom and revelation [in their inner man] every divinely inspired vision that He has blessed them with, and the greater promises of God [true Kingdom-position and service] that lay ahead of them in their remaining time in this dispensation.

        ...."But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future]. He will honor and glorify Me, because He will take of (receive, draw upon) what is Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you"....
                                                                                                                                                                                            John 16:13-14 The Amplified Translation