Seven The Healing Of The Bride

Chapter Seven

The Healing Of The Bride

"Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us. He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day that we may live before Him. So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; and He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth." (Hosea 6:1-3/NAS)

Many of our friends and family had gathered in the family waiting room of the hospital during Shelley’s four hour surgery. At one point, I went into a room and had prayer with two brothers in the Lord. I have never cried out with every single fiber of my being as I did that day.

Through this extremely difficult situation with my wife, the Lord gave me the desire of His heart for His Bride. He revealed to me that though she presently appears in the majority of our nation as if she is about to die, through some very difficult circumstances we will enter, like my bride did, she too will be brought back to life. Praise the Lord for his immeasurable mercy and loving kindness toward those who are His. Even in judgment there can be mercy with the Lord. In fact, His mercy always precedes His judgments.

He is reaching out now as He did in John, chapter 13, where it says that He revealed the full extent of His love when He washed the feet of the disciples, including the one who was about to betray Him. The hand of the one who betrays Him is at the table even today, and Jesus is still saying to those of His disciples who will listen and obey;

“If I do not wash you, you have no part [“division or share, lot or destiny”] with Me.” (John 13:8/NASU) 39

Remember, these words were spoken to Peter, one of His followers.

Peace That Passes Understanding

About halfway through Shelley's operation, the Holy Spirit reminded me of a promise that He had recently given me. I was in prayer one morning on my way to work, about one month before Shelley's stroke. He suddenly spoke to me saying, “I'll be with you every step of the way.” I said, “Thank-you Lord,” not really sure what He meant.

At one point during Shelley’s surgery, while off to the side by myself in the family waiting room, the Holy Spirit reminded me of this previous promise. Suddenly, I had a wave of peace roll into my heart. I had this overwhelming sense that Shelley was going to live, and that she and I would have many more steps together with the Lord. What a Savior!

As I sat there alone praising the Lord, my oldest son Brandon came up to me and said, “Dad, you aren't going to believe what just happened to me. I was just praying in another part of the hospital and all of a sudden a great wave of peace came over me. Mom is going to be alright!” As the Bible says, let everything be confirmed by two or three witnesses.

I started proclaiming on the rooftops what the Lord had just whispered in my ear. The entire spirit in that waiting room immediately changed. There was a sense of great relief. The Master had just stood up in the boat, seemingly aroused from sleep, and said “Peace, be still.”

We finally received the no longer dreaded phone call from the operating room. They informed me that they were sewing up the incision, and that the doctor would soon come out and speak with us. Per the word of the Lord, Shelley was alive and well.

We all listened as the doctor explained what had happened in surgery, and what to expect next. He had removed a sizeable amount of tissue from Shelley's cerebellum, the lower portion of the brain, to make room for the swelling. When the brain is expanding, it only has so much room to go before it proceeds downward into the opening at the base of the head, near the neck which, I was told, almost always ends in death, if not significant nerve damage.

The doctor gave us very little hope for any considerable recovery. Not only were they surprised that Shelley survived the operation, but that she even survived being flipped over on her stomach at the beginning of her surgery. We were told that it took a great amount of time just to accomplish that maneuver.

We were then informed that if she did wake up, there was a good chance that she might not be in anything greater than a vegetable type state the rest of her life. The neurosurgeon never had anyone go as far as Shelley had with the

swelling of the brain and respond favorably. In fact, most had died.

I remember thinking to myself, “Lord, it does not matter what man says. I have heard Your word spoken to my heart.” I only heard a small portion of what the doctor said after that because the God of all hope had already informed me otherwise.

As he spoke, I was thanking Jesus for sparing my wife's life. When the Lord speaks, it is finished. I began to walk in the promise that was given, thanking the Lord for calming the storm.

There would be many times in the immediate days following her surgery that the Holy Spirit would need to remind me of His promise to be with us every step of the way. It would be a gradual recovery filled with ups and downs. Through it all He has faithfully fulfilled His word.

There would be many significant events while in rehab the next few weeks. For example, Shelley would cry in speech therapy when she heard her normal tone of voice for the first time. There would be more tears the day of her first step as she learned how to walk again.

I remember watching her at our son’s high school graduation party that Spring as she sat down off to the side, by herself, exhausted and a little shaky, but thankful to be alive. Each day truly is a gift from the Lord.

Shelley and I pray that the testimony of our personal journey will bring glory and honor to His name. Surely, our Lord Jesus Christ is worthy to be praised!

Chapter Eight

Unbelieving Believers

True faith isn't something that you have to work up. It isn't faith in my faith, which is birthed in the will of man's flesh. Romans 10:17 says; “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” When you have heard a word that is from the Lord, you still have the choice to act upon it in obedience or to reject it in unbelief. The writer of Hebrews warns believers about allowing an unbelieving heart to take hold of them, after turning to Christ, causing them to fall away from Him (Hebrews 3:12). When we do this, we become what I referred to earlier as “unbelieving believers.”

The author’s subject within Hebrews 3:1 is made very clear for us. He says; “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling... ” You will never hear of an unbeliever in the Scriptures being called “holy brethren,” or “partakers of a heavenly calling. ” Without question he is writing to his fellow Christian believers.

The Greek word we interpreted in English as “partakers” is metochos (met'-okh-os). It’s defined as “a participant, a sharing in, a partner or associate.” Clearly, these are not spectators but those who have entered as a participant of the race in Christ.

As anyone who has ever run in a race knows, a good start does not ensure a good finish. Endurance is the key, especially in a long distance race. Spiritually, this finishing characteristic is developed within us as we submit to the training of the Holy Spirit during our Christian experience. Without endurance in the very difficult days that lie ahead, you simply will not stand firm.

Many are jumping the restraining fences in the corral of God's dealings, refusing the work of the cross in their life for the open fields of least resistance. They would rather run free under the control of their own will then remain in submission to the will of God, believing that the Lord works all things, even a stroke, for the good of those who love Him, who are called 42

according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

I mentioned what I am about to say briefly in chapter two, but because of the crucial need to understand, and for the sake of clarity, I will say it again, with a little more depth of understanding. As you read the Bible you will see that the Lord, in His book, would often repeat Himself for the sake of emphasis so I’m not in bad company in that regard.

When the Israelites were released from the bondage of Egypt by the power of God, they believed in Him;

“When Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses.” (Exodus 14:31/NASU)

Further along in their journey their hearts had changed. After hearing the bad report of the spies who had sneaked into the Promised Land, they began to cry and complain against Moses and Aaron for leading them to this place where they would die. Not only did they want to appoint a new leader and return to Egypt, but they said to all the Israelites to stone them to death.

The glory of the Lord then appeared in the tent of meeting, breaking up their pity party. The Lord said to Moses;

“How long will this people spurn Me? And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst?” (Numbers 14:11/NIV)

They had now gone from believing to unbelieving. Their children would suffer with them for their unbelief, wandering in the desert for the next forty years until their parents died. Only Joshua and Caleb who gave a good report and believed God, along with the new generation, would enter in.

Their rebellion against the Lord and the consequences of not continuing in belief as a Christian is the main subject in the book of Jude. He warns us, saying;

“Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe.” (Jude 1:5/NASU)

Again as I stated earlier, the unbelieving believers who were saved and then destroyed were also described by Jude as being “twice dead.” Before believing in Christ we are said to be “dead in your trespasses and sins.” Once we repent we are then “made alive in Christ” (Ephesians 2:1-5). To then fall

away in unbelief as the Israelites did is to become dead again, or “twice dead.” They are our example to be careful how we walk with the Lord after receiving Him. Rebellion against His leading will cause us not to finish the race, but to be disqualified.

Running The Race

Without self-denial you will not be able to develop the spiritual stamina needed to finish. Paul wrote about this in his letter to the Christians in the city of Corinth. He said;

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27/NAS)

There are many who will read this and totally miss what Paul just said. He talked about HIMSELF being disqualified. Does your doctrine allow for what the Bible declares in this passage? If not, don't excuse it by saying, “Well, I know that it sounds like Paul is saying that you could be excluded from Christ after receiving Him as your Lord and Savior, but that's not really what he meant.” Paul would not make such a bold statement, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, without meaning exactly what he said. This is why he stresses the importance of buffeting his body, not allowing for the fleshly desires to rule over us and then say that we are safe and secure under grace.

Being under grace has become an excuse to continue in sin, not looking for the way of escape. All we, the church, have to do for proof is to look at the fruit of our labors over the last few years. The nation is getting darker by the second because the light of Christ is simply not being allowed to shine through His people. We are the problem.

The Lord is warning His people to consider their ways. In recent years we have sown much, but harvested little spiritual fruit (Haggai 1:5-7). Many have readily bought into doctrines that exalt self instead of Christ, thereby blinding them with a false sense of security.

A God Made Into Our Image

The church of today is guilty of making God into our likeness. The Lord has

said, “Enough!” The church in America is about to be severely judged for turning our backs on Him and foolishly wading even deeper into depravity. Many of God's people continue to act like those on the Titanic, partying while the ship is sinking. All the while our non-confrontive shepherds strengthen the hands of evildoers among us (Jeremiah 23:7).

We have become like Samson who, when his enemies came upon him, said in assumption, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free” (Judges 16:20). He, like many in the church, did not realize that the Lord had departed from him. This will happen in the coming days as our enemies cross our borders and we go out to engage them. Woe to all who will not repent, and do so quickly.

Don’t misunderstand me. As an American I am extremely grateful for what our Forefathers have established through God’s providential intervention, but you do not thumb your nose at the Lord God Almighty, legislating Him out of your society, and expect nothing to happen.

His patience toward us up until now has been to lead us to repentance. His window of opportunity will soon close, leaving all who reject the ark of His righteous covering unprotected from the biggest storm of heavenly judgment our land has ever witnessed. (See my book 911; God’s Last Offer To The Church for the warning God gave me for the church.)

The writer of Hebrews gives us a very stern warning, saying;

“Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today,’ lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end.” (Hebrews 3:12-14/NAS)

The word “if” in this passage makes the promise of being partakers of Christ conditional. Are you still holding fast to Christ like you did at the beginning of your Christian journey? If not, you must repent of the sin that has hardened your heart or you will be numbered with those who fall away from the assurance of faith in Christ at the end of this age, revealing yourself as a “son of destruction” (2 Thessalonians 2:3).

This is a hard word, and I will not make apologies for that. Many in this great nation have become like those in Titus 1:16 which says;

“They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient, and worthless for any good deed.”

It's been said that prosperity breeds apathy. As a whole, this defines the church in America. If you read any of our Founding Fathers writings, it will

be hard to get by the fact that many of them wrote of the necessity of Divine intervention as our nation was forming. From the beginning they recognized the need for His guiding hand in every decision.

Our nation’s foundational framework is filled with the influence of Christian thought and the basic assumption that man, apart from the control of a holy God, is at best a vicious beast. This is why they so wisely wrote our Constitution with the checks and balances of having three separate branches of government. It would take into account what the Puritans referred to as “the utter depravity of man.”

The Way Of Victory

The battle we are engaged in within this nation will only be won by those who choose the way of the cross of Jesus Christ in self-denial. Peter Marshall and David Manuel explain this way in their book The Light And The Glory. They ask the question;

“ …Why are so many Christians reluctant to move into a deeper relationship with Christ? Because the way to deepening in Christ is the Way of the cross: the way of self-denial, of unconditional surrender of one's own will to God's will, and of true covenant commitment to one another. This is the Way to which He has called all serious Christians (“If any man would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me” Luke 9:23), and from all that our Christian experience shows us, it is the only way to spiritual maturity.

It is also the only way that we Christians can yet fulfill our nation's call. Individually, and corporately, we need to re-enter the covenant relationship which our forefathers had with God and with one another.

As we have seen, the vertical aspect of the Covenant Way requires that we all consider ourselves to be soldiers in Christ's army, to be sent when and where He directs, for whatever purpose He might have, and to receive our orders cheerfully and without murmuring, setting our wills to carry them out to the best of our abilities...” (p.357)

The spiritual battle we are in will be won by those who are fully committed to the Lord. They will not bow to the spirit of this age. The soldiers of Christ that will be used to bring about victory will be the ones who, like Moses, have chosen by their own free will to be mistreated with God’s people. The Bible says;

“ …when he [Moses] had grown up, [he] refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin; considering the reproach

of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.” (Hebrews 11:24-26/NASU)

The present day army of God is being sifted through the heat of fiery trials and temptations. Those who pass the test of their Valley Forge experience by submitting to the discipline of the Lord will be forged together by the work of His hands into the special forces of the Kingdom. They will not stray from their objective until victory has been secured. This rod of iron in the hands of Almighty God will smash all other kingdoms in the great and terrible day of the Lord that is soon approaching.

The refining process of our Commander-In-Chief will separate the weakwilled and fearful from those who having done all will stand firm to the end, no matter how intense the battle becomes. They have become convinced of what they are fighting for, and of the One whose name’s sake they are willing to forsake all. They will not move out or settle down without the command of their Lord Jesus Christ in whom they have placed their entire confidence to lead them in His victory.

Without an understanding of the heavy burden He will lay upon you, you will soon fall under its weight. The grueling demands will be used to wear down and expose any fleshly, natural abilities that are being used. The joy of the Lord and the sense of His presence will be the only source of strength that will enable you to finish the race that is set before you.

Along the way you will be forced to put off the excess weight of self which will make you stumble, until you come to the loosing point where you say, “Not what self will, but what the Lord will!” It is at this point where we understand the Lord's words; “My yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). This happens as we come to the end of self-effort and work together with the Holy Spirit, following His lead.

Final-phase Fighting

The remnant of “Finishing Fathers” within the United States of America are being prepared for the battle of survival which will be fought on our soil. Those who stand on the spiritual ridge of indifference will not be used in this campaign. It will be “final-phase fighting” for the soldiers of Christ.

According to Bobby Welch, a former Green Beret who wrote You, The Warrior Leader;

“ …final-phase fighting means there is nothing left for you to do but go faceto-face and hand-to-hand with your enemy with a fixed bayonet, which serves as an extended knife blade. It is your last resort and final means of defeating your would-be killer in an assault... Final-phase fighting must be executed

aggressively; hesitation will result in your sudden and horrible death.”

In this type of fighting it is kill or be killed. The same can be said of the ever-increasing warfare within the spiritual realm in this world. Our enemy must be destroyed, within our hearts first and then without.

Paul made the following exhortation in his letter to the church in Ephesus, reminding them of the true identity of our enemy we face as believers. He said;

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” (Ephesians 6:12-13/NAS)

It is time for the body of Christ to suit up for war by putting on the Lord Jesus Christ as commanded in His word. This battle is His battle and can only be won through Him. His victory was secured by the cross at Calvary. It is ours, therefore, when we join Him in the crucified life.

Paul said to the church in Corinth;

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18/NIV)

There is no other way to obtain the power of God in our life except by choosing to follow Christ and submitting to His will.

We, the church, must engage our enemy through hand-to-hand combat in the prayer closets across America. To be sure, the fronts seem to be numerous and increasing daily, but we must remember that in Christ all things are possible. As we continue to stand firm in Him, we will overcome!