Strategic Prophetic Words

A vision by Bob Jones: In a prophetic experience, Bob was awakened by an attack of swarming flies. Because they kept him from being able to rest, he went to see where they were coming from. He found an open sewer. Christians had been dumping their garbage at the opening and not covering it up, so the flies were able to breed on it. He was told to seal the sewer with a round clay tile, which he was told was the tongue.

Interpretation. Satan is called Beelzebub, which means "Lord of the flies." All such titles in Scripture are meant to denote characteristics of the person. In prophetic dreams and visions flies usually represent lies. Satan is called the Lord of the flies because he is also "the father of lies." One of his main strategies is to breed lies that swarm around and harass the church so that she cannot enter into the Lord’s rest. They also carry spiritual diseases. These lies "breed" on the garbage and waste that we fail to bury.

Application. In Deuteronomy 23:13-14 the Lord required the children of Israel to bury their waste outside the camp, so that He could walk among them. If they did not do this, He promised to turn away from them. We must do the same thing. This is one reason why the manifest presence of the Lord has departed from many churches and movements.

If we pass on slander or gossip, we are just as guilty as the one who originated it. The humanistic philosophy that people have a right to know everything is in direct conflict with Scripture. "Love covers a multitude of sins" (I Peter 4:8). It does not matter if we are a journalist or publisher; if we distribute such things to God’s people, we are in jeopardy of being the worst thing the Lord said we could ever be--a stumbling block. When these things are not buried, they will breed and multiply lies that carry spiritual diseases and keep the people from being able to enter God’s rest.

A word from Wade Taylor: The six days of creation were a prophecy of the six thousand years of man’s history. After two of these prophetic days, a single voice arose, Abraham, to begin a great move of God on the earth. After two more of these prophetic days, another single voice arose, John the Baptist, who signaled the move of God Himself walking on the earth. After two more of these prophetic days, a single voice will again arise, the united body of Christ, as we see in Revelation 1:13-15:

...and in the middle of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His breast with a golden girdle.

And His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire; and His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been caused to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters.

Interpretation. Here we see that the voice of the Lord will be like "the sound of many waters," or many people. Because He was standing in the midst of the lampstands that represent the churches, we know that His voice will come from the church.

Application. Until the church was birthed, the Lord usually spoke through individual prophets that He raised up. Now He speaks through His whole church. We therefore should not look for the entire message of God to come from just one person or group. His voice will be the combination of all that He is speaking through all of His people. As Psalm 119:160 states, "The sum of Thy word is truth."

A word from Mahesh Chavda: Mahesh simply received the warning, "Beware of the Syrians."

Interpretation. Syrians mean "self-exalted ones."

Application. It is time for the church to discern and reject the ministry of those who exalt themselves. This is an example of the pride that caused Satan’s fall, and most of the falls of people since. The Scripture is clear, "But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6). If God is resisting the proud, why do we follow them? If we want to receive from those who have the true grace of God, we must look to the humble.

It is likely that this has a literal meaning as well, with Syria being used to ignite a potentially devastating war in the Middle East. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

A word from Wade Taylor: The sin of the Laodiceans was that they did not think they needed anything. The Lord had said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit" (Matthew 5:3), which implied abject poverty, the complete end of self. Before Moses’ failure, he had too much going for him. The church now seems to be in that same condition.

Interpretation. This fits with the word given by Mahesh Chavda. It is a terrible pride when we think that we do not need anything. Possibly one of the greatest manifestations of pride is for us to make major decisions by relying on our own wisdom, without even inquiring of the Lord. Many churches are run more like corporations than spiritual entities. If we are going to be the "body of Christ" we must get our directives from the Head.

If we have been redeemed, we are no longer our own, but we belong to Him. If we are His bondslaves, we do not own anything, but are merely stewards. How can we make decisions without seeking Him? How can leaders make decisions that may affect many of God’s own children without hearing from Him? As the word to the Laodicean church implies, this kind of pride will be devastating in the end.

Application. God called King David "a man after My heart" (Acts 13:22). If there is one phrase that defines David, it is the one repeated over and over, "David inquired of the Lord." This may be the single characteristic that most distinguished the reign of David from the reign of Saul. Even though David was a great prophet himself, he at times called for the prophets so he could inquire of the word of the Lord. That is the kind of humility that draws God’s grace.

A word from Wade Taylor: Chastening comes when we have done something wrong; scourging comes when we have done things right.

Interpretation. We need to distinguish between the Lord’s chastening and His scourging. The highest form of suffering comes because we are doing what is right, not what is wrong. This kind of persecution or affliction comes to prepare us for even greater spiritual authority.

Application. We should not accept all suffering as from the Lord, or the devil, but seek the Lord concerning the source and the purpose. We do not want to refuse what comes from God, nor receive what comes from the enemy.

A word from Wade Taylor: The lesson of the burning bush is that God’s highest purpose is often not in front of us, but off to the side, requiring that we turn aside to meet with Him.

Interpretation. Some of God’s calls do come obliquely and are not straight in front of us. Implicit in the call is the test of whether we are willing to change our own course, or interrupt our own plans, to turn aside and listen to Him.

Application. Be sensitive to the calls that may require a change in direction on your part. Many miss their ultimate purpose because they are too busy to turn aside when God calls them. As Brother Taylor also related to us in this conversation, "In Revelation, John heard the voice of the Lord walking. Can we hear His footsteps through history? Through our own times? He walked by Azusa. He walked by Wales. Where is He walking today?"

Tens of thousands were blessed when they heard that God was moving in Toronto, and they stopped what they were doing to go and see. Multitudes are now going to Pensacola because there is now a burning bush there, and they have been blessed. The leaders of these movements were arrested by something unusual, and were willing to turn aside and change their own plans. Do not miss Him when you are walking alone with your little flock and you catch the glimpse of a marvelous sight off to the side, or afar off. Your obedience could be the beginning of another great deliverance.