From the desk of Steve Shultz:
This is an excellent word and encounter that Rich Oliver experienced. Rich is a new writer to the Elijah List and we thought his experience would be a great encouragement to many right now.
You CAN'T saddle the move of God... Read on.
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Rich and Lindy Oliver:
A Vision of a Thundering Hope: You Can't Saddle the Move of God
This open vision/trance was experienced by Rich Oliver early Thursday morning, on November 4, 2010, after the final evening service of "Leadership Advance" at Bethel Church in Redding, California. It was written down by his wife, Lindy, and submitted to the elders of The River.
Hope Has Returned
I woke up a few minutes before 2 AM to Rich's body violently shaking. And he began speaking and sharing what he was seeing:
"Did you feel that? The ground is trembling. Like an earthquake." And Richard's whole body would shake and shake.
"Did you feel that? There are horses, lots of horses, running!
And there are people riding the horses. People we know, and people we don't know. And they are riding bareback. It's difficult to ride bareback, but you can do it if you keep trying. And they are riding with buffalo. The buffalo are hope. And this great and powerful animal that was almost extinct is now thundering across the land. That which was almost extinct is extinct no more.
"There are some people that are on horses with saddles. And they are trying to chase the buffalo to the edge of the cliff to drive them over the side and get rid of them. But the people who are riding bareback are riding with the buffalo and are driving them away from the cliff – so that hope wouldn't disappear.
"I can feel the ground moving, vibrating...because hope creates a vibration. And the people who are riding the horses bareback are people of every color and nationality – men and women riding with the buffalo. They are shouting, 'Hope won't disappear. Don't you feel the vibration of hope?'
"There are people on a train nearby watching all that is taking place, and they are amazed. And they are going to carry the story all over about hope being on the move again. The people on the train are not as free as the ones riding the horses – but they are going everywhere the train tracks will take them, carrying the message: 'Hope has returned. Hope has returned. Hope has returned.'
"It is amazing that the buffalo are breaking up the ground, much like a plow. Looking up at the edge of the plateau, what do you see? Do you see it? The scarecrow. And the buffalo are branded by the scarecrow – branded with words like COURAGE, VISION, HOPE, FAITH, DESTINY. Lots of buffalo are branded with HOPE. Lots of buffalo are branded with FAITH. Lots with COURAGE. Lots with DESTINY and STRENGTH. And the scarecrow branded the buffalo. But it wasn't really branded. It was like a finger of fire wrote the words on them.
You Can't Saddle the Move of God
"And the people riding bareback – they are moving in different directions, going across the country, declaring hope is returning. Why are they bareback? It is because it is not manmade. Oh, it is because you can't saddle the move of God.
"We have tried to saddle the move of God with all of our fancy stuff with fancy saddles, and the world is trying to drive the buffalo off of the cliff, and they are the ones with the fancy saddles. But you can't saddle the move of God.
"And to people on the train, all of a sudden the luggage on the train isn't important. It was the message that they are carrying.
'Hope is coming back. Hope is coming back. It is raw, exciting, wild and untamed.' And the people of the train, all classes, boys, girls, women and men, people in uniform, all colors, start joining hands. Something starts happening. Stuff is broken off and they started saying, 'Faith, faith, hope, hope. Faith, faith, hope, hope.' You can't saddle the move of God. You have to move with it.
"The people riding bareback, they are getting muscles they didn't have before. They are sore from riding, but they are saying, 'Look – we are getting new strength in our legs. What a wild ride!' And the people on the train are saying, 'Faith, faith, hope, hope,' and in between they are cheering.
There is Great Treasure in Inconvenience
"The train is starting to move now. The people are going to spread the news everywhere the track goes. Some people are going to stay on the train, on the track – it is all they can do, it is OK. Others are going off the train, off the track, to spread the message everywhere, 'Hope has returned. Faith, faith, hope, hope.' And others are saying, 'We can ride the horses bareback also and develop the muscles needed.'
"Some people need to stand – need to stand for people. The thing about riding bareback is that it is inconvenient. The thing about standing for one another, taking people's hands, is that it is inconvenient. We have placed too high a value on convenience. But inconvenience is necessary if we are going to see the buffalo spread. There is a great treasure in inconvenience. So they join hands. You have to lock your fingers together, because it is not casual. And together they can feel the buffalo rolling, rolling, thundering across the land.
"All Aboard the Breadbasket Express!"
"The train has a number and a name. The conductor is calling – 'All aboard the 10-10-10!' (The number 10 is the number of testimony, responsibility and its reward.) People have gotten off the train to feel the vibration. They lay on the ground to feel the vibration. But it is time for the train to get moving. 'All aboard the 10-10-10! All aboard the 10-10-10!' The train has a funny name. The name of the train is Breadbasket. The Breadbasket Express – because it is going to feed the people hope, the bread of hope. It is a good meal. Washed down with the new wine." And Rich laughs.
"And the scarecrow, its arms are stretched out. It is like a point of reference. Like an anchor. The conductor says, 'Don't you know that there are scarecrows all across the land? It is the same scarecrow, but different scarecrows. And, isn't it strange that you can get help from the most unlikely places?' The scarecrow says, 'Don't worry, there is a horse for everybody. Every size and every age.'"
Rich and Lindy Oliver
Overseers, The River
Email: RiverFamily@msn.com
Rich and Lindy Oliver spread the fire of revival and the love and joy of Jesus Christ with prophetic insight and powerful anointing. Wherever they go, whether ministering individually or "in team," they impart a fresh revelation of Jesus which brings salvation, deliverance, and healing. People are set free!
Rich and Lindy have co-pastored Family Church in the Sacramento area for the past twenty years and have been partners in ministry for over thirty-five years.
The Olivers are also elders of and overseers for, "The River, a Gathering Place," a relational/credentialing fellowship for those in the five-fold ministry, and serve as part of the Apostolic team of Global Legacy.
The Oliver's have three married sons, all Spirit-filled and on fire for Jesus Christ.
