Bill Yount: "I Saw God Striking a Match"

From the Desks of Steve Shultz and Julie A. Smith:

God is doing many things in our lives, and this fiery word (pun intended) will help guide you toward what God wants to accomplish – through you!

Bill Yount recently had this profound vision of what he saw the Lord doing:

I see the Lord striking a match to set His Church on fire. But first, this fire will burn up some precious things that are not of Him.

God loves us so much that He will burn up everything getting in the way of His plans for us, including anything that hinders our intimacy with Him...if we allow Him to.

Be encouraged in this NOW word by Bill, because in this process, you're becoming God's FIREBRANDS to do mighty things on the earth. (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)

In Christ,

Steve Shultz and Julie A. Smith, Co-Editors
Elijah List Publications

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That's Not Gold, That's Wood

As we are about our Father's business, He often comes, meddling in our business.

A few nights ago, I was awakened by the words "That's not gold, that's wood. That's not silver, that's hay. Those are not costly stones, they're straw and stubble." Often, what's gold to us is wood to God. I said to the Lord, "Are you messing with me again?"

"By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames." (1 Corinthians 3:10-15)

I see the Lord striking a match to set His Church on fire. But first, this fire will burn up some precious things that are not of Him.

The Shipwreck

There was a shipwreck at sea, and the sole survivor was a man who swam to a nearby deserted island. He took as much of the food from the wreckage that could be salvaged, put it in a pile and covered the food with the mast of the ship. He knew that when the food ran out, he would soon perish. (Photo via Unsplash)

One day, he took a walk to the other side of the island. As he was returning back, he saw huge flames shooting up out of the pile of food that was stored. He became extremely angry, and he began beating his fists into the sand and started cursing God. As he was cursing God, he heard a sound—mmmmm, mmmm!—a foghorn in the distance. He looked up, and there was a big ship on the horizon of the waters.

He watched as men began to climb down off of this huge ship into small boats and started rowing toward the shore. The first small boat to reach the shore had the captain of the big ship in it. The captain stepped out of the boat and walked up to the man on the island. The captain said, "Mister, if you hadn't lit that fire, we would never have found you! If you hadn't lit that fire..."

Sometimes what we lose becomes our rescue.

"What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ." (Philippians 3:8)

Paul counted his losses, not his victories, to win Christ.

I sense that in the lives of many of God's people right now, for some reason, the Father has allowed some precious things – relationships and things you thought you couldn't live without – to go up in smoke and flames. I sense many are bewildered and angry. Focus on what you are gaining, not what you are losing.

The enemy is trying to convince many of you to blame God for what you have lost and turn away from Him. Many are so angry and bitter that they cannot really hear God at all right now. But I hear something for you. Listen very carefully. This is what I hear: "Mmmmm, mmmm!" I hear a spiritual 'foghorn' in the distance... Jesus is very near!

The enemy is telling you to look at what you are losing. Jesus is saying, "Look at what you are about to gain!" If you have lost something that you believe is God's will for you to have, then He is able to bring it back in His timing. Things that we think we can't live without are often very frail and combustible. Is God bringing us to needing and loving one another much more than we currently are? (Photo via Unsplash)

Circle the Wagons

I heard the Lord say, "Circle the wagons for what is coming." I then saw this 'circling of the wagons' that looked like a defensive move in the spirit, but it was an offensive move. We got out of those wagons which held everything we were traveling with (you name it) and gathered around a campfire to warm ourselves and make s'mores. As we did, I noticed the wind blowing a spark of that campfire that was blessing us onto a covered wagon, catching it on fire. Then the wind blew that fire onto the next wagon and continued to burn the rest. Even the wagon wheels were burning. If it was the enemy doing this, the Lord seemed to allow it, because for some unknown reason, He wanted us to travel light.

I then saw us standing together, circling the campfire and holding hands while the campfire began to go out. We were discovering that hands were meant to be held. We may have not liked one another, but soon realized that we would need each other to survive. Often, survival comes before revival.

Then as we embraced one another and realized our need not only for God but each other, the fire of God blew upon us, and we began to burn as firebrands in the hands of God as the Lord began to do great things, new things and awesome things in the earth through us.

"He makes winds His messengers, flames of fire His servants." (Psalm 104:4)

Fire often helps us to surrender those things that we are unable to give up on our own. But God gives beauty for ashes (Isaiah 61:3).

I smell something precious burning...travel light.

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Bill Yount
Blowing the Shofar Ministry
Email: theshofarhasblown@juno.com
Website: www.billyount.com

Bill Yount has been a member of Bridge of Life Church in Hagerstown, Maryland for the past 40 years where he is in leadership. He faithfully served in Prison Ministry at Mount Hope Inc. for 23 years and now travels full-time, ministering in churches and Aglow circles. Bill's calling is to encourage the Body of Christ to move forward into God's destiny as they are sent into the harvest field. "Humility and Humor" characterize his ministry as he brings forth a fresh word that is "in season" proclaiming the Word of the Lord! The shofar or (ram's horn) is at times used in his meetings, breaking the powers of darkness over regions, churches and households. Many of God's messages which Bill ministers prophetically, come out of every day life with his family and friends.

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