"Trailing behind these first divisions
were a vast multitude of other Christians who were prisoners of this army. They were all wounded, and were guarded
by little demons of Fear. There
seemed to be more prisoners than there were demons in the army. Surprisingly, these prisoners still had
their swords and shields, but they did not use them. It was shocking to see that so many could be kept captive by
so few of these little demons of Fear.
These could have easily been destroyed or driven off if the prisoners
had just used their weapons."
"To the spiritual children He is the
Lamb. To the maturing He is the
Lion. To the fully mature He is
both the Lion and the Lamb."
(People who stayed on the Salvation
level) "These are no less heroes than those who made it to the top. They brought great joy to heaven by
continually leading others to 'Salvation.' It was for this reason that all the
angels in heaven wanted to come to minister to them, but only the most honored were
permitted." Again I felt a terrible shame at my attitude toward these
great saints. Many of us scorned
them as we climbed to the higher levels.
They had made many mistakes during the battle, but they had also
displayed more of the Shepherd's heart than the rest of us. The Lord would leave the ninety-nine to go after the one who
was lost. These had stayed in the
place where they could still reach the lost, and they paid a dear price for
it. I, too, wanted to help but did
not know where to start."
"You are the dread champions, the
sons and daughters of the King. He
wore the same mantle when He walked on this earth. As long as you are clothed in that there is no power in
heaven or earth that can stand before you. Everyone in heaven and hell recognizes that mantle. We are His servants, but He abides in
you, and you are clothed in His grace."
"Again I felt a profound shame at
having scorned those who stayed on this level. They
had seemed so weak and foolish to
those of us who were ascending the mountain, but they had endured much more
than we had and remained faithful.
God had kept them and they loved Him with a great love."
"'Because they are now
whole,' he replied, indicating the wounded who were now all standing and
appeared to be in perfect condition. 'True worship can heal any wound,' he added."
"'Yes, it is right for you to
feel what you do,' the eagle finally said. 'We are not complete, and our worship is not complete,
until the whole body is restored.
Even in the most glorious worship, even in the very presence of the
King, we will all feel this emptiness until all are one, because our King also
feels it. We all grieve for our
brothers in bondage, but we grieve even more
for the heart of our King. Just as you love all of your children,
but would be grieved for the one that was sick or wounded, He too loves all of
His children, but the wounded and oppressed have most of His attention
now. For His sake we must not quit
until all have been recovered. As
long as any are wounded, He is wounded.'"
"'You are wise to doubt yourself. But true faith depends on God, not yourself, and not your
faith.'"
"As I walked, a great company of
angels followed me. I turned and
asked the leader why they were following. 'Because of the mantle,' he said. 'We have been given to you, to serve you here and in
the battle to come.'" (The mantle was a robe that symbolized humility)
(said the angel.) "'We know that
all of these stones are great treasures, and all of the revelations they
contain are priceless. We beheld
for a moment the agony of the Lord before His crucifixion, and we felt briefly
what He felt that terrible night.
It is hard for us to understand how our God could ever suffer like
that. It makes us appreciate much
more what an honor it is to serve you whom He did it for.'"
"'Sir,' the angel said
almost shyly. 'We understand
that no one is here because they deserve it. You are here because you were chosen before the foundation
of the world for a purpose.'"
"'But I did not finish this last
one,' I protested. 'Christ alone will ever finish that test,' he
replied. 'You have done well,
but you must go on now.'"
"Many love to know His kindness, but
very few are willing to know His severity. If you do not know both you will always be in danger of
deception and a fall from His great grace."
"The knowledge of good and evil makes
the true knowledge of God seem fearful, when in fact every truth from above
leads to an even greater peace and security. Even the judgments of God are to be desired, because all of
His ways are perfect."
"There are no greater fools than the ones who know the great salvation of
God, but then go on living for themselves."
"Had I not been so self-centered and
concerned with my own reputation I would be a king here. I was called to one of the highest
thrones. All that you have and
will accomplish would have been in my heavenly account as well. Instead, much of what I gave my
attention to was of very little true eternal significance. What looks good on earth looks very
different here. What will make you
a king on earth will often be a stumbling block to keep you from being a king
here. What will make you a king
here is lowly and unesteemed on earth."
"Do not try to teach others to
do what you are doing yourself.
Reformation is not just a doctrine. True reformation only comes from union with the Savior. When you are yoked with Christ,
carrying the burdens that He gives you, He will be with you and carry them for
you. You can only do His work when
you are doing it with Him, not just for Him. Only the Spirit can beget that which is Spirit. If you are yoked with Him you will do
nothing for the sake of politics or history. Anything that you do because of political pressures, or
opportunities, will only lead you to the end of your true ministry. The things that are done for the sake
of trying to make history will at best doom your accomplishments to history,
and you will fail to impact eternity.
If you do not live what you preach to others you disqualify yourself
from the high calling of God, just as we did. I will tell you what will keep you on the path of life-love
the Savior and seek His glory alone.
Everything that you do to exalt yourself will one day bring you the most
terrible humiliation. Everything
that you do out of true love for the Savior, to glorify His name, will extend
the limits of His eternal kingdom, and ultimately result in a much higher place
for yourself. Live for what is
recorded here. Care nothing for
what is recorded on earth."
"'Turn to the Son,' she said
emphatically. 'Your desire to
worship me, or anyone else at this time, is only an attempt to turn the
attention away from yourself, and justify yourself by serving what you are
not. I am pure now because I
turned to Him. You need to see the
corruption that is in your own soul, but then you must not dwell on yourself,
or seek to justify yourself with dead works, but turn to Him.'"
"'Study to show yourself approved
unto God, not men,' he replied as he walked back into the ranks. Before he disappeared he turned and
with the slightest smile, offered one last bit of advice: 'And do not
follow me'" (spoken about a famous Christian writer).
"They all gave me the same warning:
the higher the spiritual authority that you walk in, the further you can fall
if you depart from love and humility."
"Those who prevailed all did it the
same way-they did not deviate from their devotion to the first and greatest
commandment-loving the Lord. By
this their service was done unto Him, not men, not even for spiritual men. These were the ones who worshipped the
Lamb, and followed Him wherever He went."
"The Lord then looked at the galleries
and said, 'Those empty seats could have been filled in any
generation. I gave the invitation
to sit here to everyone who has called upon My name. They are still available. Now the last battle has come, and many who are last shall be
first. These seats will be filled
before the battle is over. Those
who will sit here you will know by two things: they will wear the mantle of
humility, and they will have My likeness.
You now have the mantle. If
you can keep it and do not lose it in the battle, when you return you will also
have My likeness. Then you will be
worthy to sit with these, because I will have made you worthy. All authority and power has been given
to Me, and I alone can wield it.
You will prevail, and you will be trusted with My authority only when
you have come to fully abide in Me.
Now turn and look at My household.'"
"I then looked back at the Lord and
was astonished to see tears in His eyes.
He had wiped the tears away from every eye here, but His own. As a tear ran down His cheek he caught
it in His hand. He then offered it
to me. 'This is My
cup. Will you drink it with Me?'"
There was no way that I could refuse
Him. As the Lord continued to look
at Me I began to feel His great love.
Even as foul as I was He still loved me. As undeserving as I was He wanted me to be close to
Him. Then He said:
'I love all of these with a love
that you cannot now understand. I
also love all who are supposed to be here but did not come. I have left the ninety nine to go after
the one who was lost. My shepherds
would not leave the one to go after the ninety nine who are still lost. I came to save the lost. Will you share My heart to go to save
the lost? Will you help to fill this room? Will you help to fill these thrones, and every
other seat in this hall? Will you take up this quest to bring joy to heaven, to
Me and to My Father? This judgment is for My own household, and My own house is
not full. The last battle will not
be over until My house is full.
Only then will it be time for us to redeem the earth, and remove the evil
from My creation. If you drink My
cup you will
love the lost the way that I loved
them.'"
"'Lord!' I shouted out,
forgetting everyone but Him. 'I now know that this throne of judgment is also the throne of
grace, and I ask You now for the grace to serve You. Above all things I ask You for grace! I ask You for the
grace to finish my course. I ask
You for the grace to love You like this so that I can be delivered from the
delusions and self-centeredness that so pervert my life. I call upon You for salvation from
myself and the evil of my own heart, and for this love that I now feel to flow
continually in my heart. I ask You
to give me Your heart, Your love.
I ask You for the grace of the Holy Spirit to convict me of my sin. I ask You for the grace of the Holy
Spirit to testify of You, as You really are. I ask for the grace to testify of all that You have prepared
for those who come to You. I ask
for the grace to be upon me to preach the reality of this judgment. I ask for the grace to share with those
who are called to occupy these empty thrones, to give them words of life that
will keep them on the path of life, that will impart to them the faith to do
what they have been called to do. Lord,
I beg You for this grace.'"
"'You are but one of many who
have been prepared for this hour.
Preach and write about all that you have seen here. What I have said to you say to My
brethren. Go and call My captains
to the last battle. Go and defend
the poor and the oppressed, the widows and the orphans. This is the commission of My captains,
and it is where you will find them.
My children are worth more to Me than the stars in the heavens. Feed My lambs. Watch over My little ones. Give the word of God to them that they
may live. Go to the battle. Go and do not retreat. Go quickly for I will come
quickly. Obey Me and hasten the
day of My coming.'" (God speaking).
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