AUDIO VERSION HERE

Sometimes the Lord really makes me laugh. I had mentioned to you in my article 'Safe Transition' that I would send one more article and then withdraw to seek 'the King in the field' before Rosh Hashanah.  Two days ago, I was minding my own business, watering my garden, and the Lord said, "What makes you think seeking the King in the field doesn't involve you sending out words?" I was a bit startled by this question but replied that I didn't want to distract anyone from their focus during this time. "You will not be distracting their focus. You will be directing their focus," He said firmly and that was the end of the conversation. And then I understood that the things He had been showing me in the last few days were for the benefit of the rest of the remnant and not just myself.

In my 'Safe Transition' word, I mentioned the Transition Bridge and the different stages we go through during a time of transition. (You can access this article on the Storehouse page of Fresh Oil Releases). I also mentioned that the month of Elul would be a time of going through the steps of this transition bridge on a micro level, in order to be made ready for the next season on God's calendar. The Spirit of God has continued to speak into that topic at a deeper level and I would like to share with you what I see so far.

A few weeks ago, the Lord had shown me that just as John the Baptist ministered for 6 months before Jesus appeared on the scene, so too there would be 6 months of ministry of the Spirit of Elijah to the remnant before the chapter when the sons of God would be openly manifested. These six months would be a time of increased emphasis on holiness, surrender and getting your house in order. At the time, I wasn't sure if the Lord meant that the 6 months was still to come… and then this morning, He had me look back at the messages He had given me to share in the last 6 months (since the 'Sound of the Warrior Bride' conference on Feb 7th) and all the messages have had the theme of preparation to be a bondslave, pressing into holiness and surrender, learning to release a clear sound. And I saw clearly that the spirit of Elijah has already been preparing the remnant and we are at the end of that time.

Just as Elisha walked with Elijah and served him for a season; he learned from him before receiving his mantle and moving into a new season of carrying the double portion anointing. John the Baptist operated in the Spirit of Elijah and Malachi 4 says that the Spirit of Elijah is sent before the great and terrible Day of the Lord. Why? Because the Spirit of Elijah prepares the way; prepares the hearts of people for the coming of the Lord and the coming of the Day of the Lord.

Remember the 3 stages of the Transition Bridge?

Disorientation

Recalibration

Reorientation

The Spirit has shown me that in this month of Elul, the remnant will be transitioning from tutelage under the Spirit of Elijah to being taught by the Son Himself. We see this pattern lived out by the disciples of John during a 3 day period:

DISORIENTATION

Joh 1:29  The next day, John saw Jesus coming to him and said, Look! There is the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world! Joh 1:30  This is He of Whom I said, After me comes a Man Who has priority over me [Who takes rank above me] because He was before me and existed before I did.

For 6 months, the crowds had been listening to John and were baptised by him, bearing fruit in keeping with repentance. John kept telling them Someone greater was coming. He was the servant of God who ministered the now word from heaven that fed their spirits timely truth. Then te message changed its focus. John directed their gaze away from himself and towards Jesus - look, there is the Lamb of God. John was beginning the process of detaching them from himself and redirecting their gaze. They were experiencing disorientation.

In the same way, the true followers of God are disorienting themselves from a message that says 'it is coming, it is coming' to a message 'it is here'. The time of preparation for what is coming is drawing very rapidly to a close and we are no longer gazing into the far distance to see what is approaching. It is here!!

RECALIBRATION

Joh 1:35  Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples, Joh 1:36  And he looked at Jesus as He walked along, and said, Look! There is the Lamb of God! Joh 1:37  The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Him. Joh 1:38  But Jesus turned, and as He saw them following Him, He said to them, What are you looking for? [And what is it you wish?] And they answered Him, Rabbi--which translated is Teacher--where are You staying? Joh 1:39  He said to them, Come and see. So they went and saw where He was staying, and they remained with Him that day. It was then about the tenth hour (about four o'clock in the afternoon).

At this stage, John not only again redirects their focus, but the disciples FOLLOW Jesus. They are recalibrating. John moving in the Spirit of Elijah is no longer their sole source of input. They have made contact with the Bridegroom! And Jesus asks them to verbalize their intention. What are they looking for? Are they looking for entertainment? Or a feast? No, they call Him Rabbi, indicating they acknowledge their desire to learn from Him. They are also interested in dwelling with Him, not just encountering Him on the street. They seek intimate communion. They are moving to a different classroom and a different teacher. John's lessons were given in the desert where the Spirit kept him fixed in a small geographical location, talking to a large crowd. Jesus was led by the Spirit from the synagogue to the hillside, across the lake and a multitude of places, ministering to crowds but giving private counsel to His close disciples. Those who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God and you never know where they are going to show up next! Recalibration is necessary because this Teacher is very different to the previous one and there is a deeper level of consecration and separation AND flexibility required. .

In the same way, the remnant flock have now been connected to the Shepherd, in whose company, they shall suffer no lack. Instead of just hearing about His appearance and His coming, they have come to the day of face to face encounter and spend time with Him in the place where He is staying. It is halfway through the evening watch when they connect with Him and night is coming. They have said goodbye to the Spirit of Elijah chapter and are actively connecting themselves to the Head, that they might know the mind of Christ and follow Him alone. Not only that, but Jesus invites them to come and SEE. They are moving from the season of standing and hearing to the chapter of following and seeing.

REORIENTATION

Joh 1:43  The next day Jesus desired and decided to go into Galilee; and He found Philip and said to him, Join Me as My attendant and follow Me. ….Joh 1:51  Then He said to him, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you all, you shall see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man!

In this 3rd stage of the Transition Bridge, Jesus is choosing disciples and they are gathering others to Him who have a similar hunger. And these ones chosen have some days of intimate counsel and fellowship ahead of them. Jesus says to them that their spiritual eyes are going to be opened to see into the angelic realm; to observe the ministering spirits carrying out God's orders.

John the Baptist told his disciples that he was earthly and could only speak of that which was earthly but that Jesus would introduce that which was heavenly (John 3:26-34). This speaks of a different level of spiritual knowledge. John heard the voice of the Spirit, but Jesus saw what His Father was doing and heard what He was saying. Different dimensions of the spiritual realm are accessed when we move from the Spirit of Elijah chapter to tutelage by the One Who has the Spirit without measure. John knew that he was to decrease and Jesus was to increase. He understood the time of preparing the way stepped aside for the time of following Him Who is the Way to commence. The friend of the Bridegroom steps aside for the Bridegroom.

For the remnant company today, Jesus is calling us to follow Him as He has realms to show us that we have never seen. Just as HE grew in favour with God and man and came to the time of adoption – that time of being set in place and released with authority to fulfil His calling on earth and carry out His Father's business, so too, the manifestation or revealing of the sons of God is up ahead.

The time of forging gives way to the time of open display. One would expect after receiving the fullness of the Spirit, to step straight away into the Father's business, but as usual, Jesus demonstrates the pattern. In the book of John, the wedding at Cana is recorded straight after the selecting of the disciples. However, Luke puts things in perspective. The very next thing that happens after the baptism of Jesus actually is the 40 day proving period in the wilderness. I am not sure what happened to His new disciples during that time but when He reappeared, they were there to follow Him wherever He led them.

Luk 4:1  THEN JESUS, full of and controlled by the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led in [by] the [Holy] Spirit Luk 4:2  For (during) forty days in the wilderness (desert), where He was tempted (tried, tested exceedingly) by the devil.

Something very interesting I discovered this week is that Jesus began his 40 day proving time on the 1st Elul. That would mean that he emerged on Yom Kippur, as the Word puts it, 'in the power of the Spirit'.

Luk 4:14  And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. 

Let me emphasize this, He went from being full of the Spirit after baptism to operating in the power of the Spirit, a subtle difference that seemingly was triggered by His proving period in the wilderness. Satan probably thought he was delaying Jesus's ministry by his temptations. Little did he know he was only serving as a tool to build the reservoir of the power of the Spirit within the Son of God.

So, Beloved remnant of God, this month of Elul is a time of your proving, of testing your mettle. No weapon that has been forged is released on assignment without first being put through rigorous testing to make sure there are no manufacturing glitches. It may feel to you like you are going backwards, being tested in areas you thought you had overcome years ago, but this is merely the ascertaining of your calibre. And you are building up a reservoir of spiritual power for the assignments and exploits that await you.

 It is necessary for you to be able to rightly divide the Word of Truth. The enemy also knows the Word and if you do not possess the full council of God on a matter, you may be vulnerable to deception down the path. Jesus was tested on the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life by the enemy. During this time, He ate no earthly food. Perhaps that is a good indication to us to fast at least from soulish, earthly input. Put the TV aside. Leave Twitter and Instagram and Facebook and rather seek the Lamb of God's face at this time. He wants to show you heavenly things, discuss blueprints for Kingdom assignments and reveal hidden things to you.

Power can only be released when you are actively involved in the manifestation of a Kingdom plan. God does not waste His power. When Jesus came out of the wilderness in the power of the Spirit, He knew exactly what He had to do and where He had to go first. He went to Galilee and taught in their synagogues (Luke 4:15). He also knew exactly what was written in the volume of the Book concerning Him. He stood up and read it in the synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4:18). Beloved, you need to know what Heaven's blueprints have written for you to do. They have been kept hidden until this appointed time and God wants to counsel you with His eye upon you and show you where you are to go and where you fit in to His plan..

Joh 2:1  ON THE third day there was a wedding at Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.

This third day, I believe, refers to the 3rd day of Tabernacles, which is the feast following Yom Kippur, when Jesus had emerged from the wilderness. The water was turned into wine and John tells us that this was the beginning of the manifestation of His glory.

Joh 2:11  This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. 

The reason why we must move from tutelage under the Spirit of Elijah to being led by the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is that we are entering the season of the outpouring of the glory. As dense darkness is rolling out on the peoples of the earth, the glory of God is going to be poured out and manifested through surrendered bondslave vessels who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. You cannot follow the Lamb and still be scanning all the prophetic blogs for the latest word about the coming of the end-times from the Spirit of Elijah. The end-times are here! We are stepping over the threshold of that time when the people who know their God shall be strong and do exploits.

Let us keep in step with the Spirit as He moves us out of the preparing of the way across that bridge and reorienting us to heavenly things. Let us focus on the Lamb of God and the coming of His Kingdom and our part in bringing that to pass and leave the protesting, violence and the following of the fleshly outbursts on social media to those who are fleshly. Our aim is to please the one who enlisted us. We have so few days left to gather extra oil for our lamps. Let us forget what lies behind and reach forward to lay hold of what lies ahead! The Time of teaching and training by the Spirit of Elijah was wonderful but it is time for the Elisha's to take up their mantles and walk in their assignments. The transition Bridge is handover time. It is  time to see differently to focus differently, to be fully oriented to the Heavenly. As the Lord has instructed me, I am directing your focus to the face of the Lamb.

(pt 2 to follow)