The Flood

THE FLOOD

In 2017, I published a book entitled “The Elijah’s of God.” I related this experience:

“A number of years ago, I was ministering in the mountains of North Carolina. The church was at the base of a mountain, but my accommodations were on a lake at a higher elevation. There was such a difference in the elevation that it actually snowed where I was staying but did not snow down at the base of the mountain. Those of you who know me understand my preference for warm weather that doesn’t include snow!”

“The house on the lake was beautiful but because it was winter very few people were staying in the homes surrounding me. I have to admit, it was a bit creepy at night. My daughter said to me “daddy, do you know what happens at lake houses at night in the dark? That did not help my phobia! As a matter of fact, each evening after church I would check the house to make sure I was the only one staying there! I know- Don’t fear!”

“One evening I worked late into the early morning hours and did not retire until around four in the morning. Oddly, I had the sense to pray for provision for myself and the church I pastor. Somewhere between 4 and 8 am I had a dream of a terrible flood. It came from the east coast and made it all the way over to our location. I remember needing to quickly climb higher to escape the floodwaters but the higher I climbed the higher the floods waters would rise. All the foundations beneath me were collapsing until there was nothing left of the church. Then I woke up. As I was thinking about this dream a few days later, and what to tell the church, my eyes fell upon a passage of scripture in Isaiah chapter 3. I have to admit, I was a little concerned because I knew the dream was from the Lord to warn us of something coming in the future. As I pondered what it might mean, the Lord quickened my heart to Isaiah 3:10. The prior verses are warnings to Israel but then verse ten says;

“Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.”

The Lord was showing me that no matter what happens, those who walk with the Lord are secure.

I’ve often pondered how a flood from the East Coast could reach our location in the western part of the state. I can’t say for sure if this dream represented what is taking place right now, but the east coast is where the seat of our government is located and where national direction is coming from.

I realize when we talk about the government, people get very emotional and lean on personal opinion. It can be dangerous to do this as it can skew an objective opinion of being able to have a “wide-angle view” of what is happening. The scriptures are clear that all authority is placed by God and we are to honor them as long as they are not asking us to violate the truth of scripture. That would imply we need to stop looking at the person and begin looking at the God-ordained position.

Having said that, is there any significance who gets elected? Obviously, it’s important who we put into office as their world view affects decisions. For instance, the governor of Florida recently stated he doesn’t think government has the authority to close a church. That’s important, especially for those who don’t think it’s valid to participate in government or vote. For too long, the church has been AWOL from the public sector, hiding behind the four walls of our churches then yelling about culture and elections we have refused to get involved with. I personally believe we are living in an extremely prophetic time in history and we must not miss the moment. The scriptures prophetically remind us of the time we are living in right now:

Your roads are deserted; no one travels them anymore… (Isaiah 33:8.) In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, and in the days of Jael, people avoided the main roads… (Judges 5:6).

This is a vivid picture of what happens when a nation drifts away from the Lord but also an admonition to return to him. We cannot just hope to go back to normal as God is trying to get our attention, so we don’t slip back into life as usual.

After 911, churches were temporarily full, but the shock of that moment wore off and we were lulled back into sleep again. That cannot happen this time. We must personally ask ourselves what needs to permanently change in our lives and families. Churches must evaluate discipleship and evangelism methods, how to meet without social media or the internet in homes, stewardship, prayer and the things that are not preferences but principles.

At the risk of sounding conspiratorial and the criticism that comes with it, I had a dream about the President. Without going into detail, the dream showed me at the election, he was given a set of books with knowledge he did not previously have. That information included unseen things taking place in the government including surveillance and other things people had to do to avoid the scheme.

Now see the bigger picture; One of the reasons he is so hated by some is not political but spiritual as His election has begun to expose hidden things. I personally believe this will continue into the next term with his re-election as God is trying to clean up America but also trying to do the same in every sphere of life including the church. Again, the bigger picture of what we are seeing naturally is what God is trying to do spiritually. Judgment must begin at the House of God. There are unseen things the Lord is going to expose, not simply as an act of judgment only but as redemption to get us back to him. Sexual sin, greed, laziness, self-focus, lack of prayer, lover of pleasure instead of God must be replaced by a passionate love for Jesus that crucifies the flesh and brings us back to the presence of the Lord.

We are in the middle of a flood. When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do? Press into Jesus. What we are seeing could be a preview of things to come and we must not neglect this window of opportunity given to us by heaven.