Rise up Strong! (Part 1)

“For the attack has come very, very strong, even more strongly than you realized, because you were not able to see into the realm of the spirit as I see,” saith the Lord. “But, if you could have seen just how close you came, if you could have seen, it would have caused great fear and great apprehension.”

“But,” saith the Lord, “because you had positioned yourself, I was able to come. Because of your willingness and your hunger for truth, I was able to come and to rescue. Do not think by any stretch of the imagination,” I hear the Lord saying, “that you’ve gotten past all of that attack or that you’ve gotten past all that was taken out of you. For the attack that was so strong did begin to sap some of your strength, but I have called you together for such a time as this, that I may prepare you now and that I may strengthen you, that I may restore all that the locust has eaten and all that the caterpillar has eaten, and all that has been lost shall be restored as you seek My face, as you minister to Me and as you wait upon Me; all that could have been accomplished shall be restored and nothing shall be lacking.”

“So, know that I’ve called you for such a time as this. Know that I’ve called you in this time and to this season. And know that I am here to meet with you. For I did not call you together to leave you alone, but I’ve called you together that I might meet with you and that I might fellowship with you on a whole new level, so that you might rise up strong in your spirit and shake yourself even as Samson would rise up and shake himself and all the bands and all the bonds that the enemy put upon him would all fall off.”

“So shall it be with you, for in this hour that you have answered the call and in this time when you have purposed to seek my face,” saith the Lord,” you shall come out strong. You shall rise up strong and some things shall be restored even this week in the process, not six weeks, six months, or six years down the road, but even this very week things shall change. There shall be a turning. There shall be a turning and some things that looked so hopeless and looked so helpless [will turn around]. Some of things that looked like they were totally lost [will be restored]. You felt so helpless that you didn’t know what to do, but there will be a renewal of your confidence and of your faith, for I shall move mightily. I shall move mightily. I shall move mightily,” saith the Lord, “and there shall be a restoration. And all that the enemy has come to steal, and even what he did steal and even what he did slow down, even what he did hinder, shall be restored. Not only shall you go that mile, but you’ll go another also.”

Hallelujah!

Prophecy given by Apostle David Coker

September 12, 2011

(end part one)

 

 

Get Up!!

“For I’ve said to you many times that there are places in My Spirit that I want to take you,” saith the Lord, “and I’ve taken you as far as you would allow Me to, and you’ve suffered, and suffered and suffered, partly because you would not surrender. But your spirit kept crying out, and you kept praying in other tongues and kept asking Me to bring you into that place, no matter what it would take, because you wanted to enter in.”

“So, I permitted certain things. I allowed certain emotions, circumstances and situations. I even gave you what your flesh desired for a season, so that you would realize that what you’re really hungry for is not in the flesh but in My Spirit. So therefore, I have brought you to a place by My Spirit, even to the threshold, this night. And those things that I’ve spoken and those things which I have promised, those things that I’ve said in order to give you vision and to encourage, edify, exhort and comfort you, yes all those things that I’ve said surely do belong to you.”

“Until now, you’ve seen them afar off. You’ve put it too far in the future. And you say within yourself ‘I am not worthy,’ and it is true: you’re not worthy in your strength, or your holiness, or your purity, or your works. But I have brought you to a place in which you’re not depending on your worthiness in the flesh, but you have to totally and completely lean on and trust in Me. For you see, My strength is made perfect in your weakness.”

“So fear not the circumstances, neither those things that would arise in your emotions and your mind. Don’t tarry and look at those things that have held you back. But behold Me,” saith the Lord. “Look at My Word. For I am not holding you back. I am not he that condemns; I am He that encourages and strengthens. Don’t you know that I knew you before I called you? Don’t you know that I knew your weaknesses? Don’t you know I already knew about the mistakes that you would make?”

“But know this:” saith the Lord, “I prepared a way by which you could arise and confess before Me so that you could walk totally and completely free. So, why don’t you go on? Why don’t you come on in? Why don’t you step on over? Quit listening to the accuser of the brethren, because his voice has been loud. His voice has been strong. But I’m bringing you to a place, even this night,” saith the Lord, “where his voice will pale in comparison to the voice of My Spirit that speaks within you and speaks through you.”

“So, I have a command for you this night,” saith the Lord. “Arise! Arise and shake yourself, and be strong in Me and in the power of My Might and you will begin to see My Glory and the manifestation of My Power. There will be transformation, not just in you, but even in the circumstances and in those places and in those regions and even in those territories where I have planted you. For don’t you know that this process that I’ve taught you concerning mortification had been an on-going process of dying. You think this is going to die and that’s going to die, and you’ve looked at this, that, and the other. But you see, what I have worked on are those things that have kept you from my purpose and from my assignment. So, as long as you’re in this flesh, you’ll never be perfected in every thought and word and deed. But I can tell you this: you can walk and will walk in everything that you need to walk in to fulfill my assignment. And hear this,” saith the Lord, “everything that would stand between you and the purpose for which you were given life, it shall die and I shall live in you!”

Stand Your Ground

“Stand your ground; don’t fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here.” – John Parker

Is it a pivotal moment in history that makes a man or woman great, or is it a great man or woman who brings about a pivotal moment in history?

In the predawn light of April 19, 1775, Captain John Parker called the roll of his militia company on Lexington Green in front of the town meetinghouse. He ordered his small group of about 60 men to charge their guns with powder and ball and stand ready for the British troops who were making their way towards town by the soft light of a waning moon. In the gray of the early morning, the scarlet-clad British soldiers appeared, and halting not far from the line of Minutemen on Lexington Common, loaded their muskets. The patriots stood firm. As the Minutemen did not immediately obey the command to lay down their arms, the British commander wheeled his horse, and waving his sword, shouted: “Press forward, men! Surround the rascals!” At the same moment some random shots were fired over the heads of the Americans by the British soldiers, but without effect. The Minutemen had scruples about firing until their own blood had been spilled. The British leader was irritated by their obstinacy, and drawing his pistol, discharged it, at the same moment shouting, “Fire!” A volley from the front rank followed the order with fatal effect. Some Americans fell dead or mortally wounded, and others were badly hurt. There was no longer hesitation on the part of the Minutemen. The conditions of their restraint were fulfilled. The blood of their comrades had been shed; and as the shrill fife of young Jonathan Harrington set the drum a-beating, the patriots returned the fire with spirit, but not with fatal effect. The blood of American citizens stained the green grass on Lexington Common.

So ended the opening act in the great drama of the American Revolution. The bells that were rung on that April morning tolled the end of British domination in the old thirteen colonies. When the firing began, Samuel Adams was lingering on a wooded hill nearby, and when the air was rent by the first volley on Lexington Common, he uttered these remarkable words: “What a glorious morning for America is this!” With the vision of an inspired seer at that moment, the sturdy patriot perceived in the future the realization of his cherished dreams of independence for his beloved country.

There’s something amazing about a man or a woman with a Reformer’s Spirit. Sam Adams, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Paul Revere, John Parker, and the handful of men whose names we have forgotten were all inspired by a desire to see true change and transformation in the government of their land. They were reformers, one and all; they possessed a different spirit.

Down through HIStory, God has anointed men and women “for such a time as this.” The Holy Spirit IS the Spirit of Transformation. He has kindled His fire in hearts inspiring His servants to activate change and bring about transformation in the Church, in governments, in education, in business, and in all the other realms impacting the daily lives of humankind. Like those few men who stood shivering with chill and anticipation on Lexington Green that fateful spring morning, those anointed with the Reformer’s Spirit understand that shifts in history come only through sacrifice and action. They are willing, inspired by Grace, to lay down their lives for a cause larger than themselves…the Cause of Christ. They’re not scared. They don’t run. They realize they are sent to take back all the enemy has stolen or caused to be withheld. They make History.

Consider this: Jesus is the ultimate Reformer. You have His spirit within you, if you are born again. That Reformer’s Spirit will challenge the status quo of religion and tradition and stand willing to bring about change for the sake of the Kingdom. That spirit causes HIStory to be made.

The bells are ringing, the enemy is on the march… shoulder the weapons of warfare you have been given and stand ready for the fight. God has called you into His Kingdom for such a time as this. You are a great man or woman who is destined to make HIStory!

~Linda Frederick

He said WHAT???

“…Who [is] this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” I Samuel 17:26

Goliath was a mighty warrior. He had been trained from his youth to be a man of war. His mere presence intimidated the armies of Israel and left them shaking in their shoes, unwilling to do battle against him.

The children of Israel had done battle in the land for many generations by the time Goliath showed up on the scene. They had conquered Canaan land and had defeated all of Goliath’s ancestors. God had given them a land to subdue, and they had exercised their faith in God by taking the land away from the enemy. Where was this same faith, years later, when the seed of the enemy returned to challenge their right and authority to possess the land? Why is it they were afraid of this one giant, when their forefathers had defeated armies of giants?

David was a youth with a call of God on his life. He knew from experience that God had equipped him to defeat any enemy that tried to hinder him. David didn’t sit in the wilderness, crying out to God to save his little sheep from harm. No! Instead, David was a man of action; he acted on his faith. He knew that the same God who gave him the job to protect the flock in the first place, was the same God who would give him the strength and wisdom to keep that flock from lions and bears.

When David heard Goliath, he thought, “What can this one enemy do to me, when my God has called and equipped me to possess this land?” In other words, David was saying, “He said WHAT?!!” So, he gave voice to that thought when he challenged Goliath. But he didn’t stop there. It wasn’t enough to say, “Oh, it’s only an attack of the enemy.” No, David did something. He followed his words up with an action. He took what was in his hands, having faith in God, remembering his past victories, and defeated the enemy. He fought…and it was a good fight of faith.

You have an enemy in your life, challenging you to prove that you have the right to continue possessing your land. Like the armies of Israel, so many of us have forgotten how to fight the good fight of faith. We have forgotten that God is the one who called and equipped us. That God is the one who helped us defeat past enemies. That this same God is the one who has given us tools to defeat this present enemy. After all, the enemy staring you in the face is only the seed. Jesus already defeated Satan and made an open show of him. You already overcame the enemy in your past by standing on the Word and using your faith to possess what Jesus provided for you. This present enemy is only doing what Goliath did – testing you to see if you really believe that this land is yours and that God has equipped you to continue to possess it.

So, look at the enemy in your life rather than cower in fear against it. Challenge that enemy by saying, “Who are you to think you can stop me, a child of God?” Don’t be content to sit by after you have made the challenge. Remind yourself of all the times He has led you in victory in your past. Look to see what the Lord has put in your hands today, and use this to overcome the enemy.

Fight the good fight of faith!

Q: After you declare your victory and act on your promises, you need to testify of the goodness of God. We want to hear testimonies of your victory over the enemy in your life!!!

RESToration

Do you ever need God to speak to you? I mean REALLY speak to you? It never ceases to amaze me how God speaks. Last year, the Lord spoke this word of encouragement to our church. It was a timely message, filled with the hope of restoration. The most awesome thing about a true Word from God is that is is ALWAYS fresh…it continues to speak. Well, this piece is speaking to me today…allow it to bring you a renewed hope in God’s plan for your life, as it has mine. With that hope, enter into the REST that comes when God restores peace to your heart.

“You haven’t seen anything yet,” says the Spirit of the Lord. “All of the building blocks that have been put in place up until this point have had a purpose. Even in those times when you tried things, and you did things, and you said, ‘it looks like it didn’t work.’ Know this,” saith the Lord, “be careful not to say that anymore.”

“For don’t you know that you were in training all this time? Don’t you know that I was working a plan all this time? Don’t you know that you have things in you right now that you have been preparing for, and that [they] are not just for this house and not just for this territory, but are for the nations? So understand and know that this is a place of training, it is a place of growth, and it is a place of maturity and preparation. For your schooling is taking place and your training is taking place and you will fulfill that which you were trained for,” saith the Lord.

“And for some of you,” I hear the spirit of God saying, “even those things that I showed you years ago that you had laid aside and thought, ‘Well it was foolish thinking; it was just something that was in my mind.’ No, no, no,” saith the Lord, “that was what I was giving you and it was for such a time as this.” And I also hear the spirit of God saying, “Don’t worry about the time that’s lost, because I can make sure that all is restored!” saith the Lord.

-A prophetic word given to Gateway Believers Fellowship by Apostle David Coker, July 27, 2008.