Prophetic word released on September 22, 2021:
I've been stuck on the theme of 'giant killers' for most of this year, unable to move from it – as if God has been trying to speak something to me about the Church and where we're headed. This will come as no surprise though. If we look around us right now, we'll see that there are indeed giants before us. Whether we choose to see them as our problem to defeat or not, they are there. In this next year, God is doing a massive work to engage the Church more than ever before to contest the assignments of these giants and serve them eviction notices going forward.
A 'Valley of Decision' Moment – The Wrestle at Elah
One morning in June of this year, as I was feeling the thread of this word beginning to come, I had a vision of the events recorded in 1 Samuel 17:40:
"Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine."
In the vision, I saw myself (representative of the Church) picking up the stones. I could feel a flurry of emotions in this moment (emotions I imagine even David semi-wrestled with in his moment). It was a struggle between righteous, fiery passion and raw, risky faith. I knew then that God wanted to have a longer conversation with me about the moment we are now in. As a Church, we are in the place of decision. Will we stand idly by and listen to the shouts of the giants in the land, or will we go and collect our stones?
The fact is, we, the Church, like the Israelites of that day, are at a crossroad. Our promise is straight ahead, but we are surrounded by obstacles, with seemingly menacing giants in our path. The decision we need to make is this: Will we cave in defeat, or will we take our inheritance? Just like when Goliath stood to defy God's people in the Valley of Elah, we too are in what looks like a low place – a narrow passage – but a place where we must pass through to further establish the Kingdom of God and advance.
Dream of the 'Reset Church'
As I was constantly facing daily news headlines that felt like the taunts of Goliath, I kept asking the Lord these two questions: "Where are we?" and "Where are we going?" But I didn't expect Him to show me what He showed me.
Seven weeks ago, I had a dream where the Lord showed me three scenes. He walked me through each of the scenes like a tour guide. I have personally wrestled with how to share this, but for the sake of revealing where God wants us to go, I need to share this dream very candidly.
In the first part of the dream, I was in a busy marketplace (or shopping mall) and the Lord was with me. At first, we just simply stood and watched people going in and out of different stores and vendors. "Who are these people?" I thought to myself. Knowing what I was asking, the Lord replied, "This is the Church."
I noticed them going into fashion stores, hair salons, nail salons, and other beautification services; and while none of those things were bad, I felt the grief on the Lord's heart and that something was amiss. As I tried to figure out what I was sensing, the word "comfort" came to me. This was the 'comfortable Church' who had created and chosen a lifestyle of comfort over the cause of Christ. This was the Church who couldn't hear the cries of the lost, or the broken, because they were distracted.
What happened next took me by surprise. Suddenly, one by one, each store shut their doors and asked their patrons to leave. These 'comfortable' Believers were instantly cut off from their comforts and unable to access them.
This part of the dream was sobering, but it spoke so loudly of the things which God is doing. This is what I believe God is bringing about, and where God is taking us:
• The Church is heading into a greater shaking and a separation from our dependency on earthly things.
• We are going to see doors shut in areas that have been a distraction to us and have made us numb to what is taking place around us.
• God is going to highlight more than ever before our need for dependency upon Him, rather than on the systems of man.
• There will be a RESET in the Church which will result in the RISING of the Church. This reset is the shutting of doors of commonality with the world, contractual fear, and comforts that keep us in apathy and inaction, as the world needs the children of God to arise and shine (Romans 8:19; Isaiah 60:1)!
The shutting of the doors is like the end of the grace period for toeing the line between loving both God and the world. The pews will no longer be a hiding place, a feeding place, or a fattening place, but a place of travail, prayer, and encounter – for the equipping of the saints.
This reset is a 'eyes wide open' moment.
The 'Emptying,' the Travail & the Resurrection
In the next scene of the dream, I heard the Lord audibly ask me, "Does My Church have to be empty before they will rise? Is it only in crisis and when all is removed that they will step up to the front lines?"
Then I saw a scene flash before me of bloodshed, cries, and screams in the streets. I saw murder, abortion, and injustice. I was grieved and I wanted to wake up but couldn't. I looked for the Church to come and help but they ignored the cries. "Go and help the babies in the street!" I yelled. Then I realized I was doing nothing either. I fell to my knees and cried until it felt like I couldn't cry anymore. When I opened my eyes, I was surrounded by the Church, who were also on their faces in travail. "Heal us and heal our land!" I heard them crying out.
Then I felt the ground beneath my feet begin to shake, as if the very earth was speaking. It reminded me of Romans 8:22 (TPT): "To this day we are aware of the universal agony and groaning of creation, as if it were in the contractions of labor for childbirth."
A mass move of repentance was taking place. People were taking their brands and idols and throwing them into a fire. They were taking their distractions and other loves and heaping them onto the altar. A true reformation was taking place. There was unity out of brokenness. Suddenly there was nothing to prove...nothing to throw at one another...no more 'chips on shoulders.' No longer were there any points of separation or demonic agendas to buy into. Veils had come off and eyes were opened...a true movement had begun.
The Lazarus Church Is Being Rebirthed!
This part of the dream was similar to a vision I had in Church that same week. I couldn't shake this intense grief and didn't know why. Then the Lord spoke to me so clearly: "Don't be sad. This isn't what you think it is. This is the new beginning!"
Then I went into a vision and saw people gathering around a tomb, mourning in sadness. Then I heard the words of Jesus from John 11:43: "Lazarus, come forth!"
Suddenly, I saw a man come out and stand at the opening of the tomb; bandages were unraveling from him. As the bandages came off, I could see/discern that they represented bandages from the world and demonic assignments that had sought to BURY the Church and send it to an early grave. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)
As the bandages continued to unravel, I began hearing words such as "defeat," "powerlessness," "unworthiness," "dreams unfulfilled" – even words and phrases like "culture," "progressive Christianity," and other evil blindfolds that the Church has had wrapped around her, choking the life from her.
As I witnessed this, I no longer felt sadness but relief. What had looked like death was actually brand new life and deliverance.
I could see the Church in all her beauty; she was radiant and glowing; full of love for Jesus and nothing else. She had no other lovers. This was not just an awakening that I had witnessed...this was a rebirth – a resurrection!
Sometimes we have to go through seasons where it feels like death, the dark night of the soul, and an 'emptying' in order to really be able to go where God is leading us. The pure Bride is in process right now and her best days are ahead!
Goliath's Brothers Are Going to Fall!
In the last scene of my dream, I felt the joy of the Lord all over me and around me. The Lord was still standing with me, and I could sense His excitement, like this was the part of the book He was waiting for. He then looked at me and said very nonchalantly, "Goliath's brothers are going to fall!"
Now those last few moments before I came out of the dream were very significant to me, and I'm still unpacking them with the Lord.
In my vision (which I shared at the beginning of this word), it was as if I was seeing the five stones of David – all the way back then – as a prophecy of current-day giants. "What is the connection?" I thought. "Are there five nations that would rise up? Are there five leaders in the earth that will be like the giants of old, whom we will see fall?"
This revelation is still unfolding, as I believe there are many layers to it; but what I did feel strongly was that the following five giants (which I will talk about below) are somehow linked as a prophetic snapshot of five demonic strongholds, or principalities, in the earth.
The Five Lords of the Philistines
Goliath's brothers were called "The Lords of the Philistines," meaning they were the elite of their people. The word "Philistine" reveals the root nature of the enemy's plan which these principalities are assigned to accomplish. I found these meanings:
• Destroyers and grievers
• Burrowers and weakeners
• Dividers and splitters
• Multipliers
These "lords," or principalities, have been tasked by the enemy to destroy and cause grief, burrowing and hiding themselves deep in cities and regions, weakening the Church, and causing mass division. Let's take a look at the giants as individuals, referencing the passages of 1 Samuel 17 and 2 Samuel 21:15-22.
Giant #1: Goliath
The name "Goliath" comes from the root word "galah," meaning "exposer" and "uncovered." Goliath, as a modern principality, would be likened to the assignment of the enemy to keep a victorious Church in captivity and bondage. As an exposer, Goliath is an accuser of the brethren. This is the cause of much of the mockery towards the Church which we see today – just as Goliath mocked the people of God back in David's day. Goliath is also what keeps the Church in fear, holding them back from pursuing the inheritance and territory God has given them.
On another note, the name "Goliath" represents both the uncovering of the mind and mental warfare, insinuating the opening or exposure of minds to sinful thoughts and beliefs. Goliath, today, is still standing, trying to obstruct the Church and keep us bound, but God is raising up a remnant who will say, like David:
"...'You are coming to fight against me with a sword, a spear and a javelin. But I'm coming against you in the name of the Lord who rules over all. He is the God of the armies of Israel. He's the One you have dared to fight against. This day the Lord will give me the victory over you. I'll strike you down. I'll cut your head off.'" (1 Samuel 17:45-46)
I also believe that those who took down each of these giants were not by random circumstance, but by design. Just as these giants represent some of the current giants we are facing in the earth today, the heroes who defeated them also represent the army that God is raising up in our current day.
Who defeated Goliath? Well, we know David did. His name is contrasted in its definition. It means "infirmity, sickness, and weakness," but it also means "beloved." It reminds me of the scripture in 2 Corinthians 12:10 that says, "...when I am weak, then I am strong." This speaks of a Church who feels weak, sick, and disabled, actually being beloved and approved of God to take down even the greatest and most menacing of enemies.
Giant #2: Ishbibenob
The name "Ishbibenob" comes from the Hebraic root words yashab and nob. There are a few parts to this, but the main conclusion is that this name essentially means to backslide, settle, retreat, detour from destiny, abandon, and be inactive. The second part of the name means to be from, or sit in, a high place called Nob. The city of Nob was not a Philistine city but a Benjaminite city. So, this name could actually be seen as a mockery of God's people, and also a counterfeit to our inheritance and occupation of the high places (as we are the 'Benjamin' generation, called to be seated with Christ in heavenly places).
This principality today can be seen in a myriad of ways. Firstly, it is the cultural pressure and influence on the Church to settle and retreat from the mission and calling to occupy until Jesus comes – which is a forward-moving and militant stance. Secondly, this principality is a counterfeit to the call of sons and daughters to occupy the high places of influence in the earth. In our absence, sadly, it empowers the wrong things to fill those seats. We can also see this principality in the elitists' agenda for power and control; they have occupied and usurped authority, taking the steering wheel from the Church.
Interestingly, the hero who defeated this giant was Abishai, whose name means "father of gifts." We are in a time where the Father is empowering the Church to rise up and take His Kingdom back from the usurping principalities. We need to know that we have authority and access to the 'King's domain' – the Father's house – and step into our roles once again.
The other significant thing to note is that this name speaks of "gifts." God the Father hands out many gifts to the Church so that they can occupy their unique roles in the many metros of influence across the earth. As we rise up and occupy these spaces again, we will see this elitist giant fall.
Giant #3: Saph
Goliath's brother, Saph, had a name which contained multiple-layered meanings such as: "a threshold, a gate, a post, and a desolation in thresholds" (which denotes a marked line or boundary being breached and destroyed).
To me, Saph, as a current demonic principality, would be the invasive demonic influence in nations and culture. It is violent, nasty, and bitter in nature; it will cut anything down that opposes it. We see this right now in so many evil narratives and ideologies. We see this in the media and in the censorship of platforms.
It's like a storm, or a tornado, and it will destroy and discredit anyone who stands in its path. It occupies a place it actually has no right to occupy, and it exerts its dominance and expects compliance. It's the principality of "me" – "my ways, my truth, my body, and my experience." It defends the borders of these lies ruthlessly. It will attack swiftly, secretly, and stealthily, hiding in plain sight. It inflicts witchcraft wounds by employing the twisted tongues of those caught up in the game.
The mighty hero who defeated Saph was David's warrior Sibbechai, whose name simply means "weaver." To me, this is indicative of the counter response of the Church – to be IN the world but not of it. We are called to be interwoven into the fabric of society but not in a handshake with evil. It's our role as the Church to be the 'yeast worked into the dough,' occupying all places of influence.
Also, from a militant perspective, the word "weaver" speaks to me of the skill of battle and clever strategies to outwit the enemy. There is a godly wisdom which we possess that carries the presence of Heaven on it; when it is 20spoken to these ideologies and narratives, it begins to disarm and destroy their fabric. We are the giant killers who will pull the 'loose thread' until it's all unraveled in a heap. (Photo via Pixabay)
Giant #4: Lahmi
The name "Lahmi" comes from the verb "lacham," meaning both to eat (bread) or to wage war. This giant (as a modern principality) is multi-purposed but with one goal in mind – to rob the Church. Bread is sustenance; it is supply; it's your means to accomplish the call of God on your life. The enemy wants to eat your 'bread,' drain your supply, and rob you of your inheritance. He wants to steal your seed so that you have no fruit to show for anything!
This giant, as a modern-day principality, is at war with the effective and thriving Church, and what we produce. It wants barrenness. It wants stillborns. It's after our babies in the womb so that we are robbed of a generation destined to bring in the end time harvest. It's after our finances – to own and manipulate the financial systems of the world. This giant's name also, mockingly, means "Bethlehemite," meaning a native of Bethlehem, which is where Jesus was born. It wants to rob the earth of the knowledge of the very Seed that died and became the bread of life to the world!
The hero that defeated this giant was Elhanan, whose name means "God is gracious" and "grace and favor." This name is the promise of God's favor and supply system. It's God's provision and manifestation of promises that will confound the wise and all those who think we are under their system. This giant will fall in Jesus' name!
Giant #5: The One with Six Fingers & Toes
Now the last giant had a name, but it was not recorded. The Bible simply says this:
"Yet again there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; and he also was born to the giant. So when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David's brother, killed him." (2 Samuel 21:20-21)
The little that we do know about this giant speaks volumes. Six is the number of man – man's ways, man's systems, and man's intellect. But to me, it also speaks of a perversion of God's design. This principality is responsible for every vile and perverted thing on the planet, and this giant must fall!
The hero that defeated this giant was Jonathan, whose name means "God has given." Firstly, this speaks directly into the humanistic mentality of this principality: "GOD gives...no one else – GOD." The name "Jonathan," to me, points back to God. Like a chiropractic adjustment, in order to see this principality fall, we must be a people that align ourselves with the heart of God and untangle ourselves from the mixture and perversion we see around us.
The main takeaway from this part of the dream is that God, right now, is preparing us to take down every giant in our path in the days to come. There has been a lie that has been damaging – that darkness is incontestable – but we are called to be the light! Church, you are anointed and appointed to take down the giants of this hour!
5782 & 2022: The Voice of the Church Unsilenced & Restored
As I was unpacking this with the Lord, the year 5782 of the Jewish calendar (which we have just stepped into) and the Gregorian calendar year 2022 came to mind. Firstly, what spoke to me the most came through simply breaking down each number individually, finding their meaning in the Hebraic alphabet, and then seeing what they where speaking to us as a whole:
5 = "Heh," meaning grace, redemption, speech, and action (this letter is a pictograph of man with raised arms).
7 = "Zayin," meaning crown, sustenance, and weapons (this letter is a pictograph of a sword).
8 = "Chet," meaning doorway, community, and life (this letter is a pictograph of a door and people linking arms).
2 = "Bet," meaning house of God, tent, family of God, covenant, and tabernacle (this letter is a pictograph of a house or tent).
So you could say that 5782 speaks of the grace to speak, act, and slay what stands in our way and keeps us from entering into a new season/rebirth – where the Church is baptized in the Spirit and reacquainted with Jesus. Wow!
As we moved into 5782, it's important to remember that 80 (which in Hebrew is "Pey"; representing the mouth, the voice, the roar, and our testimony) initiated what has been a major focus for the Church – to be a prophetic voice for the world, and to look to and see Jesus. Now in 5782 the focus is on "Pey" (80), but also on "Bet" (2). This reveals the voice of the Church, but in the context of the house, or the family of God, and personal revival. I believe this is what the Lord is wanting us to focus on in this new year:
• The Church coming back to the heart of worship
• God purifying the heart motives of the Church
• A new and pure sound of worship emerging from the Church – not the polished radio songs that don't carry the oil
• God dealing with the fear of man and where the Church has been silenced
• God dealing with the areas where we have rejected the prophetic in His house
• The tent of meeting being the focus again, as it's time for the Church to not just be a voice, but to HEAR and know the voice of Jesus in a new way
What will this accomplish? Well, mainly fresh intimacy and connection, but secondly, it's going to expose the counterfeit 'Christs' that have been accepted by the Church.
Regarding 2022, these are the scriptures that came to my spirit:
"As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated." (2 Chronicles 20:22)
"Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Tell the Israelites this: "You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from Heaven."'" (Exodus 20:22)
This will be a year of the revived and unadulterated voice of the Lord in our midst, reminding the Church of who we are so that we can defeat and scatter the enemy.
The Rise of Raw Worship Movements
This next part is in regard to the pure worship which I saw flowing from the Church:
In a dream, I saw a riot breaking out in a street, with millions of people in an uproar. But then my attention was drawn to a building, and I knew – instantly – it was Abbey Road studios in Westminster, UK, where some of the most famous albums of all time have been recorded. God has shown me visions of this place before, but this felt different. I felt like it represented the Church. They were hidden or separate from the chaos outside, insulated, and not really part of it or influencing it. It grieved me.
Inside, though, they were all busy and focused. As I listened to what the orchestras and bands in each studio were busy doing, I heard them say that they were wanting to write hit songs that would put them on the map...they needed the songs that would win them awards, believing that this would help the world see Jesus in this time. But then I said, "No, we need the raw cry for revival again!" As I said this, everyone fell on their faces and began crying out to the Lord, and soon a sound of messy intercession could be heard, with singing, tongues, and loud travail.
As they started singing and grabbing their instruments, all these many songs and cries began to form together in one powerful song. It was unlike anything I have ever heard, and the volume increased to the point where it seemed to break through the walls of the building. What I saw next was chilling...I was drawn, once again, to the streets and could hear the new sound of the Church beginning to disrupt the chaos outside. People stopped and listened, and then started singing the same tune. (Photo via Pixabay)
It was reviving cold, hard, and angry hearts. It was bringing peace to the fearful and anxious. It was restoring hope and a future to those who had only seen doom and gloom. But most of all, people were able to see the heart of the Father for them in this time. A fresh sound of worship and a new soundtrack for revival had been birthed; it was breaking out of the walls and disrupting the enemy's agenda, drawing the world to the feet of Jesus once again!
I believe that this is already happening. God is stirring up a raw cry in the Church to release the fresh sound of a Bride that is present, active, and a voice in these times. For the last four years there has been a cap, or a ceiling, that has prevented the most anointed songs from being written, bringing a creative block and frustration over the psalmists of the earth. They have felt stopped up, shut up, and shut down; yet they are bottling up the most anointed songs and prophetic anthems that we have yet to hear...but they are coming!
This dream also speaks to me of the Church breaking out of the four walls in a greater way, and being the public sound instead of the private symphony. I believe we are not only going see worship movements birthed, but movements of all types which simply carry the pure heart of worship and focus on Jesus. That is what the earth needs right now.
The Heavyweights & the Wildcards
Just as the mighty men of David rose up and defeated these giants in their day, now, today, pure-hearted warriors are rising up out of the fires of affliction. God is refreshing and readying them even now for what's ahead. They have only seen loss and defeat, but in this next chapter, they will ride the wave of triumph as God turns the page into this new chapter.
I kept hearing these two words: "heavyweights" and "wildcards."
Who are the heavyweights? They won't look like heavyweights on the outside, but they have been through the fires of Hell and the season of crushing. Now they are weighty glory carriers for this season.
The heavyweights of religion (aka Saul's armor) just won't cut it for this battle. We can't fight these giants with our man-made and institutionalized weapons. We can't fight them with our intellect and knowledge, but through engaging our spirits. These heavyweights will move offensively, using methods that will confront the stale and powerless methods of religion.
Heavyweights are weighty because they have been laying in the glory in heavenly realms. We have to fight in this next season from our position IN CHRIST in heavenly places, and quit battling personalities and flesh and blood. We have to come up higher.
Heavyweights don't rely on their own abilities but God's. They don't run from their posts but rest in the power that is inside of them. We have to stop evading and running from the reality of the enemy's plans and the things taking place in the earth. We have a role, and we can't hide from it.
From the painful process of the past few years, a remnant has risen up. They are the wildcards of Heaven – having zero filters and zero motivations outside of loving Jesus. When He says, "Go," they go...no questions asked. They are the ones the enemy is most afraid of, because where most see giants, they simply see another opportunity to hurl their stones into a problem.
They are wildcards because God will use them to torment the enemy in the years to come. Just when situations look bleak and hopeless, and the enemy begins to laugh, God will flick His wrist and send these wildcards into impossible situations and expose the enemy's hand.
The Full House, the Five Stones & the Shift of the Battle
As I end this word, I want to just paint one last picture. The last word I heard for the year was "full house"; which is the superior hand in the game of poker, but even more than that, it speaks to me of the Church moving into its greatest days. We are going to see a full house. This is revival. This is harvest. This is fruit.
What also came to me was that in this year, there will be an awakening of the five-fold like we have never seen before. The FULL expression of the house will be seen. The WHOLE Bride will begin to emerge.
God is looking for those who – despite the rapid darkness that's seeming to spread – will hear the laughter of Heaven booming in their spirits, because they know that regardless of the way the match seems to be going, it isn't a match for God Almighty. Right now He is pouring out His fiery Spirit upon a generation fed up with watching the narrative and story go the wrong way. They are rising up as bold as lions to see history written according to Heaven.
What if, when David went down to the stream that day, he wasn't just collecting stones for his battle, but inadvertently prophesying? He had five stones. Five is the number of grace. Five is the whole Bride in unity. Five is the five-fold Church arising.
What if it was God speaking through him into this hour of history, saying, "Church, the giants look huge, but you have got this...it isn't over. Pick up your stones and take the land!"
The cry of my heart for you and I is a resounding "Yes, we will!" Church, our best days are ahead!
Practical 'Giant Killing' Tips for the Hour
• Keep your knees in the throne room no matter what. That way you will be sharp, discerning, and connected. You won't buy into the lies around you.
• Be reacquainted with the voice of the Lord. Invest time with Him more than social media time.
• Refuse to stay still, inactive, or uninvolved in this hour. If you are unsure of what to do, then pray; ask the Holy Spirit to reveal His heart to you.
• Be in constant surrender.
• Let the Holy Spirit untangle you from the veils and webs of your dark tomb season.
• Let go of your disabling comforts and be desperate to know "the comforter," the Holy Spirit.
• Allow the world's events to make you feel grieved so that you can no longer stand back as a spectator but, like David, step up to your post.
• Desire to know how God feels about issues and injustices around the earth, but remain rooted in HIS solutions.
• Let go of the fear of man and pick up your courage. Stand up for righteousness. Bold lions, arise!
• Refuse to be a sheep that does what they are told without applying your own wisdom and processing with the Lord.
• Decide that you will be a voice for what matters, and know that this hour of history hinges on you and I.
• Know that you are more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus and that the victory is sure!
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Nate Johnston
Everyday Revivalists
Email:Â everydayrevivalists@gmail.com
Website:Â nateandchristy.co
Nate Johnston is a prophetic voice and worshiper who has a heart to see sons and daughters unleashed into passionate friendship with God and an effective supernatural lifestyle. Through his ministry school "Everyday Revivalists," he leads people from the basics of the Gospel through to being sent and released into their mission field, as well as championing and raising up emerging prophetic voices around the world. His burning cry and desire is to see the Body of Christ become a beacon for the lost by raising up a generation that walks in the love and power of God, representing Him well. Nate and his wife Christy have three daughters, Charlotte, Sophie, and Ava and live in Redding California.
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