Ezekiel was shown by the Spirit the river of God's presence flowing forth from the Temple. As the river began flowing from under the threshold of the house toward the east, it first came forth as a trickle. The guide, the Holy Spirit, led Ezekiel down the river a bit further and he was shown the depth of the water which reached the ankles. Again he was led through the waters to a place where the river's current reached the knees. Being urged to go still further, Ezekiel came to the place where the waters reached the loins. Once again, the faceless man took Ezekiel on. The trickle had now become a river that could not be contained. The level of the water had risen, enough water to swim in, a river that could not be forded. (paraphrase of Ezekiel 47: 1-5)
There is an invitation being sent out once again by the Holy Spirit, for man to step into the river of God's presence and purpose. Where are we in the river? Where is the river headed? As portrayed in Ezekiel 47, the river of God begins small and grows deeper and deeper the further we go. It starts out as a trickle gaining our attention and interest. It soon reaches our ankles as the waters of salvation flow in our lives. We are thrilled that we are "born again." But we are urged to go on. We find that the waters reaching the knees is our call to pray. This is our call to bending our knee to the Father in intercession. Beckoning us to continue, we are taken from prayer to the place of intimacy - waters reaching the loins. Oh, how we long to remain there. But there is yet much more. Finally, we come to the place where the depths of the river are so deep that only the head is seen. The body is no longer visible. It is no longer the focus of attention. All that can be seen is the head. The river is flowing to the place where only Jesus Christ, the Head of the church, can be seen. Here, we lose our control. Here we are swept up into a current that is unstoppable.
Every river has at least three things in common. It is a source of great life; it produces a mighty force; and it creates a course of direction. God's movements throughout church history are the same. They are a source of life to hundreds of thousands of individuals, as well as, entire geographic regions, as they are swept up into a divine course of direction by the river's force. Ezekiel 47:9b states, "so everything will live where the river goes."
STEERING DOWN THE RIVER
The prophetic is used as an instrument of direction. It is like the guide in the front of a canoe looking ahead and declaring which way to go. It points the way and says, "Turn to the right." "Watch out for the rocks!" "Get ready! Here comes a big wave." "Now, let's shoot the rapids!" This is part of the purpose of the prophetic. It sees at a distance, declares beforehand, and prepares the one with the steering instrument to make a commitment in the way to go.
With this in mind, I have felt directed to briefly share with you a few of the prophetic words, dreams and visions that I have received in recent days. Perhaps they will help give us some discernment in what direction the river is headed.
SUSTAINED PRESENCE
While in Austria this past August, ministering at a School of the Prophetic, I was awakened one morning by hearing the audible voice of the Lord externally in the room. I heard the following words, "For the next 38 1/2 months, I will light up one city per month with My sustained presence - like Toronto and Pensacola."
When I heard this word, along with it came what I call "knowings." This was a global word in scope. These cities will be distributed all over the world. I also knew that some of these centers of sustained presence will be in "out of the way places." I also became aware that the reports of these outpourings will not all be notarized and vastly publicized. I remember having names of cities in other countries come to my mind with which I was not greatly familiar. As I laid there in the bed, pondering these words, I realized that from the date this word came to its foretold fruition, would bring us to around the Day of Atonement in 1999.
My ministry assistant, Brian Fenimore, had told me before I had left on this month long ministry trip to Eastern and Central Europe, that the Lord was going to give me a "vision of the Harvest." I then realized that this encounter was revealing part of God's strategy for this global harvest.
GOD'S HEALING LIGHT
While in Bangkok, Thailand this past November, I was given a powerful dream. I saw brilliant white light come penetrating the glass house of Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship. It came suddenly and powerfully and filled a cylinder in the middle of the auditorium. This healing light was then held there. It then shot forth out this hour glass and hit different people and powerfully hit my body. I then began to prophesy in the dream with detailed words of knowledge of conditions of cancer, people's names etc. declaring "The healing light of the Lord has come to drive out bone marrow cancer." I was awakened out of this experience as I had been moved upon in my sleep in the ecstatic gift of prophesy and I was violently shaking in my bed. Later, I fell back to sleep only to be awakened a second time with a similar experience. I do not believe that this is a word for Toronto only. I believe that the seeds of the "healing and deliverance movement" of 50 years ago are about to come to maturity. Many vessels are going to be released with unusual accuracy in the gifts of a word of knowledge, gifts of healing and workings of miracles. May the healing light of the Lord come forth and drive sickness out! Amen!
APOSTOLIC TEAM MINISTRY
This summer I was given a very clear, but brief dream. In this dream, I am pointing to a pastor in Kansas City and I declared to him, "It's time for the A Team to come forth!" "It's time for the ATM." I then prophesied, "It will be apostolic - authentic, abandoned Christianity." "It will be telescopic - prophets looking down the telescope of time and evangelist telling the news." "And it will be microscopic - with pastors and administrators caring for the house."
I also knew that the promise was that these three ministries would cooperate together and not compete. My heart thought, "Now, that would be a dream." As I awakened from this dream, I then saw a vision. In this vision I saw a man using an ATM card at a bank machine and getting a withdrawal of funds. Perhaps the Lord was saying that Apostolic Team Ministry will be used to release great supplies from His storehouse for the last days ministry. New teams and new streams are going to be emerging. It is time for the prophetic to come into maturity and for true, authentic, humble apostolic ministry to emerge.
JUDGEMENT AND REVIVAL AT THE SAME TIME
Thanksgiving morning, I was again awakened 3 different times by hearing myself prophesy in dreams. I was releasing prophetic words to people in my dreams and would then be awakened as I was actually doing this out loud at that moment. One of those dreams-prophecies stated, "In '97 it will no longer be, 'Put the trumpet to your mouth.' But in '97 it will be, 'Blow the trumpet!' For the fires of judgement and revival shall begin to come forth at the same time." At this time I was particularly addressing New York City and Detroit, Michigan. I saw literal fires hitting entire blocks of buildings. It was clear that these were both revival fires of God's mercy, as well as, fires of His judgment.
That same morning, I also received and released the following word, "In '97 there will be the beginnings of a new youth movement. It will be birthed out of the belly of the Promise Keepers Movement and it will Rock the Nations." I then saw into the future when stadiums would be filled with wild, electric praise from large crowds of rowdy, young people. Light shows were filling the air as huge multi-media screens were depicting Christ's crucifixion. In this dream, Colorado seemed to be the birthing ground of this new youth extravaganza.
CLOSING WORDS
Many challenges are before us. Birth pangs will increase in both the political, economic and natural arenas of America. Things are beginning to escalate. Yet, do not dismay. In the midst of much upheaval, tetterings and conflicts in the Middle East, a fresh word will come forth. It will be simple and clear. So clear that anyone who has an ear could hear the Spirit's call. "It's time to seek His face." His promise to us is just as simple and clear. "My face I will let you see." Where is the river headed? >From refreshing to revival!
Let me close by sharing with you a word that came to me in Jerusalem, Israel in December, 1995. A voice like that of a trumpet came audibly to me in Jerusalem one night, "It is much later than most people think."
Let The River Flow, Jim W. Goll
COPYRIGHT (c) 1997 MINISTRY TO THE NATIONS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.