January | 2022 | Eternal Issues

You know that scene in the Lord of the Rings when Gandalf is telling Frodo he must leave with the ring because the Ringwraiths are after him and Samwise hears the conversation and Gandalf asks what he heard and Samwise says emphatically he didn’t hear anything, he wasn’t dropping any eaves, all he heard was a great deal about a ring and the end of the world? That’s kind of how I feel right now.

I’m pretty sure the outlook for 2022 in America (and probably the world) is grim.

So I have good news and bad news, and I’m going to deliver the bad news first because the good news is what we need to remember and adhere to.

First, the bad news….

The nutshell is some very difficult times are upon us, and they will be times that try men’s souls. A number of prophetic messages have been sent or forwarded to me that resonate, and they are messages of judgment and sifting, of exposure and trying. Phrases like: brace yourself, prepare for impact, and smoldering pressure leading to eruption… Judgment against wicked people and wicked schemes are prophesied.

I’ve been seeking the heart of God to substantiate and/or refute these prophecies/claims. Here are the three things God showed me:

Our money will become worthless.
Mortal danger, death and disaster have been decreed on a large scale.
China is in America and will wage war on America on American soil.

How any of these scenarios are going to play out, I do not know. I have best guesses and deductions, but I’m not sure that’s helpful. Timing has always been the tricky part for me, but I think the Spirit showed me they’re coming sooner than later.

Most of these words and others I have read indicate things that are coming are judgments on wickedness, disobedience, and hypocrisy (in both secular and sacred arenas). As judgments become meted out the vessels of evil (seemingly untouchable organizations and people groups, and very high profile people in very high positions) will retaliate in an effort to unleash their plans they feel are being thwarted. There will be innocent casualties. There will be pain and suffering.

Whether the “war” referenced in Barry’s word was literal or figurative, I do not know. I am quite certain the Spirit has shown me (and others) that Chinese military is a player here in America even now. How the U.S. Military will be used has not been revealed to me. [I know of a real person who accidentally found a real closet on a major college campus with .50 caliber ammo stacked from floor to ceiling. The enemy is within.]

With those scenarios comes a myriad of fallout…supply chains disrupted, crime unchecked, scarcity of necessities, power outages, etc. (Not to mention any bio warfare that may or may not be released.) I have no way of knowing what will impact what region. The Spirit of God is our best and only defense.

Let me be clear, fear will be one of our primary enemies. We must refuse the inclination to be paralyzed with fear. Because fear has been unleashed on our nation for the last two years, the spirit of fear is rampant in America. We must gird ourselves against this. We must resist and refuse the control of fear.

Last summer the Lord had me camp out in Psalm 91 and commit it to memory. On August 5^th last year, the Spirit undeniably arrested me with Isaiah 43:2. I didn’t understand its wide spread implications at the time but I felt an urgency. He has renewed that message to me with increased fervor these past few days.

Isaiah 43:2: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you.”

Trial and testing, judgment and exposure are coming to America in the coming days. There is only one real safe space.

Now the good news….

That safe place is under the shadow of the Almighty, in the shelter of the Most High. There is no one and nothing more powerful than the true God. If we are in obedience to Him, He will make our paths clear in times of chaos, one step at a time. He is our first and best defense. He is our protection, our strategy and our advocate.

I had a dream on Labor Day in 2003 that the Lord has shown me I can draw on for direction, wisdom and encouragement for these times. Here is the dream. What’s astounding to me is this dream is over seventeen years old and some of its parts make perfect sense for exactly right now.

Notice in the dream that there’s a place of refuge for believers during the fires of trial, testing and purification. Notice that instructions are given during the waiting period so we know what to do. And especially notice that Noah’s ark is a predominant fixture here.

When I was pursuing the Spirit on the recent prophetic words coming out, He said to me that I already knew much of it because He has already shown me, and He brought to my mind several dreams over the past two decades. This dream I had in 2003 is the one He reminded me of when I heard words about fires on the east coast. (Mind you I don’t know if those are literal fires or symbolic.) In my dream, the fire that was driving the believers was from the east.

I don’t have enough time to get into it, but on the same day I had the dream, a horrible tragedy happened on I-35 in Kansas that the Spirit began to speak to me through. The part I want to focus on is this part of Isaiah 35 that God highlighted, (which I am asking if it is for this time as well. I don’t have the answer on that yet.)

Really read the whole chapter; it’s only ten verses. But for the sake of our current topic, focus right now on verse four.

While the bad news may seem fearful, do not fear. “Encourage the exhausted, and strengthen the feeble. Say to those with anxious heart, ‘Take courage, fear not.’”

Sharpen your swords, don’t hide in the basement.

Hard times are coming, but a place of refuge is available. Draw on the encouragement from this dream and posit yourselves to be in that place of safety under the shadow of the Almighty, the shelter of the Most High. We have an enormous opportunity before us! The Spirit will take care of the goats. We just need to be positioned correctly.

It’s not what you look at; it’s what you see.

If you see darkness and despair, human tragedy and chaos, you will be inclined to fear. You will struggle with hope and purpose, and you’ll slip into survival mode. Survival is one thing, advancing the Kingdom is quite another. This is our opportunity to advance the kingdom. There will be ample opportunities to minister to family, friends and neighbors. There may be opportunities to speak to larger gatherings.

If supply lines are broken, if food is scarce, break your bread and ask God for the provision as you feed those who have none. He can multiply bread in 2022 just as easily as He did in Christ’s day on earth. I’ve driven two hundred miles on an empty tank of gas. He can even multiply gas.

Lay your hands on the sick so that they may recover. Do not fear the poisons they may be releasing. It’s our inheritance as a saint to be protected from deadly poison. Some of us will even raise the dead. It’s our inheritance. It’s Christ’s command. Do not go in to this season of testing in fear and anxiety. Look at it as opportunity to exhibit faith and share the amazing salvation of the One who saved us!

Turn the things of devastation into opportunities for hope. Teach people how to seek God, how to find God, how to walk with God. I don’t know how God is going to do what He’s going to do; I just know I want to be on His side, demonstrating His heart, an ambassador to a dying world.

Consider Dickens’ words, and realize the conundrum of two realities co-existing at the same point in time. Determine to take hold of the hand of God and not look back.

Recall the countless examples of God’s people over time. Some were spared great tragedy and others walked through the flames. Determine here and now to be the salt and light this nation so desperately needs. Remember that those who know their God shall be strong and do mighty exploits. [Daniel 11:32]

Remember that: “Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” [Daniel 12:3]

Do not miss that, “Many will be purged, purified and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.” [Daniel 12:10]

God is doing a work in the land, and we can join Him, learn the lessons we need to learn, let His fires refine us, or we can resist Him, call Him a hard or severe master (Luke 19:25) and let the fires burn us. We can be lights in the darkness and salt in the time of peril if we choose. Let us choose to encourage the brethren to keep the faith, and let us honor God with our words and deeds, for the Glory of His perfect Name.

September 1, 2003 dream

In the dream, Bill and I were in a van with our pastor and his wife. For some very odd reason, I was driving. We were out in the country, it seemed south of town. It felt like down in Osage county or maybe a bit more south. I was apparently familiar with the territory, and knew where we were going. I was headed east on a dirt road, and we were conversing as we were driving along.

I saw in the distance billowing smoke. I remember either thinking or saying that they must be burning pasture. We kept driving. As we traveled further east, the smoke grew larger. I thought it must be a very large pasture. Then we saw a stray cow or two on the road. I wondered if the smoke if the smoke had driven them out or if a gate or fence was down. We passed them as they were going down the road, westward.

After a short distance we saw several more cattle, and the smoke was getting denser. Then it was almost like a herd of cattle was being driven west down the road from the smoke and fire. We realized we would not be able to drive into it and I turned onto a road heading north.

After a short distance, I turned into a rather large homestead. There was a large home, though I didn’t pay attention to it. I parked the van, and we got out. We walked around the house to the back of the house. Around the back was a large patio, and then in a sort of semi-circle around that were three of four out buildings. The nearest one to us was a small house, which I immediately discerned as servant’s quarters. The other two or three buildings I did not pay attention to.

We stood there on the patio and looked at this large hot tub. It was so large I immediately sensed it could seat thirty people. It was unusual in size, rather oblong and oval in shape. It reminded me in a way of the pirate ships, as the back of it rose up like such ships. It was brown, and not made of wood. The material it was made of I didn’t necessarily recognize. As we stood there looking at it, we noticed it depicted a scene from Noah’s ark on it. There were three dimensional images of animals in pairs along the side. I’ve never seen anything like it. We commented on it, and how we may be able to relax in this hot tub that night while we were waiting (for the fire crisis to pass).

The hot tub was rounder than this, but one end went up like this. (no flags or sails)

Then we turned and walked into the servant’s quarters little house, as though we knew that’s where we were to be. A short period of time elapsed, and I had gone out to do something near the patio, though I don’t recall what. Then I went back into the house. It almost made me think of a shack of sorts. It was more of a one or two room building/house, with some cupboards and a stove/kitchenette area. There was a small round table along the west wall, with two chairs at it.

I crossed the room and sat in the furthest chair, which would have its back to the south. There was a small window without a screen, open, just above the table. The pastor was sitting in the opposite chair; Bill and the pastor’s wife were standing there in that area. This is the first I noticed the kids were with us and were playing games on the floor.

The door opened and an old couple walked in. The wife came in first with her husband behind her. It was as though they were expecting us. The woman was small and apparently very old with white hair, yet perfectly fit. She had kind eyes and a warm smile and began talking with us and giving us instructions on where to go to get things, wash up, etc. The man came in behind her, and was so tall I never saw his face. When I tried to see it, there was a shadow from how low the ceiling was compared to how tall he was.

As the woman was speaking, I looked out the window and saw these animals coming across the lawn from the south heading north. It was evident they were being driven by the fire. The best I can tell, they were goats, yet they had the stature of men. There was a goat in the lead, and then a large group following. The lead goat looked across and saw us in the window of the house. He seemed to talk or motion in some way to the rest of the goats, pointing to us. I knew they were furious that we were in shelter while they were in peril. I instantly knew this was trouble and they were inclined to harm us. I stood up to reach outside the window and pull the exterior shutters in to shut them. As I did, the goats began charging the window. The lead goats head butted through the window at me, and at that moment, I glanced over and the old woman was coming across the floor towards me, saying, “oh this will be no problem. I’ll take care of this.” She picked up an iron skillet and swung it, hitting the goat squarely in the head.

Interpretation notes:

This dream is for the church, (the called out Believers of Christ not an institution). (represented by us and our pastor) It also represents our families in this hour it symbolizes. (remember I saw our children only after we were on the property and in the servant’s quarters) The “hour” represented here is a time of fire upon our land.

Cattle represent “children of the Kingdom”. The fires of testing, purification and judgment drive the children of the Kingdom west. West symbolizes “end or last”.

While we were driving east, we were forced off the road to go north. North stands for spiritual, heavenly, and/or spiritual warfare.

The homestead was a spiritual haven, a refuge, a place of respite. The servant’s quarters behind it were allotted for us. There’s a place of refuge in the midst of the trials and warfare. Our place is not yet in the house, but in the servant’s quarters, as that is who we are on the earth: God’s servants.

The hot tub being in the shape of a ship and depicting Noah’s ark is the most profound part to me. This speaks of the provision of safety for the children of God, just as it was in Noah’s day. There’s a place reserved for us. Notice that we were driven there by the fires.

The woman in the dream represented the Holy Spirit and the man represented God. They have instructions for us in this waiting period, this time we’re driven off the thoroughfare to wait it out. They have a place of safety and also relaxation (hot tub).

Goats represent sinners, unbelievers, negative persons, strife and/or argumentative. Those in peril from the fires God is sending will be enraged by our place of safety and provision. They will want very much to attack us, but the Spirit will shield us and take care of the attackers.

Note there were no cattle in that last scene, only goats. There’s a separation between the children of God and the scorners, unbelievers.

Eternal Issues

Monthly Archives: January 2022

2022: the best and worst of times

The fires, the house, and the hot tub