Update Oct 2021:

This message was originally shared in June 2021, while we were still in the Hebrew year 5781. We are now in 5782, which means we are ALREADY in the second watch of the night and headed into the darkest part of the night of trial. Please refresh your memory as to what the Lord was stressing 5 months ago. It was surely intended to be a strong foundation for our feet for the days we now traverse!

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS SAYING, "TAKE NOTE!
THIS IS IMPORTANT!"

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Let me stress this – we are headed into even more difficult waters than we have waded through to this point. For those who have been reading my blog posts for a while, you will know that the Lord said to me that the year 5781 is the first watch of the night (6-9pm). I don't know about your part of the world, but here in South Africa, even in winter, it only really gets dark halfway through the first watch of the night. That would be around Passover 5781, not coincidentally exactly when the jabs started rolling out all over. The last 3 months have become increasingly disturbing on an earthly plane as the darkness really settled in and the light of the previous season vanished over the horizon. Some of us have lost friends and family through the virus and many of those who are determined not to get the jab have found themselves standing alone in the midst of their compliant families. Rifts have occurred between Christian friends who have walked together for many years in the Lord as one chooses to comply and persecutes the other for being 'difficult'.

Of course we have known persecution is coming but it hurts much more when it is unleashed from within the ranks of those who have called themselves the Bridal Company. So a great sifting and exposing of the heart is occurring at present amongst the remnant. It is a difficult time emotionally. Remember the Lord said to me, "You will be called the dissenters". Those who choose the narrow way of keeping their earthen vessel holy to the Lord will be numbered among the transgressors, just as Jesus was… and will, if they haven't already, need to come out of the ranks of official Christendom in order to follow the voice of the Holy Spirit. The greatest persecution we will face in the endtimes will be at the hands of the organized church. David cried out about this heartbreak:

Psa 41:9  Even my own familiar friend, in whom I trusted (relied on and was confident), who ate of my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.

And Jesus repeated these words at the last supper:

Joh 13:18  I do not speak of you all; I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture might be fulfilled, "He who eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me."

A servant is no greater than his Master and we will experience the same sorrow. We have been warned that children will hand over parents to authorities and basically the Body of Christ will turn upon itself.

Mat 24:10  And then many will be offended and repelled and will begin to distrust and desert [Him Whom they ought to trust and obey] and will stumble and fall away and betray one another and pursue one another with hatred.

Some of you have already experienced the foretaste of this and it is difficult to bear.  You have to walk in continual forgiveness and bless those who are cursing you and pull out the arrows of accusation that are shot at you before the poisoned tips take effect. That is the key! These people hurling insults at you are deceived. They do not know what they are doing and are of the opinion that they are in full possession of the facts – just like Saul who savagely persecuted the followers of the Way. So remember that and be swift to release forgiveness. It will be the guarding of your heart so that the purity of lifespring in you is not contaminated by bitterness.

The narrow gate is the hard gate; the one that costs if you choose it. Some friends and family will not go through it with you. BUT the narrow gate leads to life, and few there are that find it. The broad gate looks like the best one to choose. There seems to be no cost involved; no lifestyle change, no hard decisions, no discomfort or persecution up ahead, just go with the flow. After all, who wants to lose their friends? I heard of a high school Prom recently where they made the unvacksd get a number written on their arms and every few minutes, the music was stopped and they had to hold up their arms to have their positions checked to ensure they weren't infecting anybody. Such cruelty intimidates impressionable teenagers. Who wants to be a pariah at that age? In India, police are making unjabbed villagers wear skull and crossbones signs. Only someone strong in the Lord with full understanding of the times can endure the unkindness and vicious treatment that is increasingly being unleashed upon those wise enough to heed that still small Voice.

The broad road looks like the 'happy ever after' road. But the Word of God says 'there is a way that seems right unto man but it is the way of death'. Jesus also said that those who seek to save their lives – preserve their social standing, their lifestyle, their comfort, will lose them, but that those who lose their lives for His sake will save them for eternity.

Mat 16:24  Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. Mat 16:25  For whoever desires to save his life shall lose it, and whoever desires to lose his life for My sake shall find it. Mat 16:26  For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Mat 16:27  For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He shall reward each one according to his works.

This is why in Revelation 13:10 and 14:12, God calls for the saints to stay faithful and endure. It's not going to be easy.

Rev 14:12  Here [comes in a call for] the steadfastness of the saints [the patience, the endurance of the people of God], those who [habitually] keep God's commandments and [their] faith in Jesus.

This word in Greek 'hupomone' means 'cheerful or hopeful endurance, patient waiting'. We have a hope, Beloved, on which we can rest our full weight amongst the craziness that is unfolding in the earth. We are His and those who endure with Him will also reign with Him. But…. there are still two more watches of dense darkness in this night of trial ( 9-12am and 12-3am). In the night watches ahead, there are going to be times when you want to cave in because you crave human comfort or social interaction. Remember there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother! You may have children who call you stupid for standing your ground and accuse you of being unloving because you are not able to fly and see them without being jabbed. The enemy will whisper in your ear that you have made the wrong choice. Society in general will seem to conspire against you to make your daily life extremely difficult.

This is why it is imperative to pray in tongues as much as you can. Build yourself up praying in the Holy Spirit. Wear your spiritual armor daily. Pack yourself a portable communion kit and take communion and reaffirm your Bridal covenant whenever you feel the pressure getting unbearable (be it in a public toilet on your journey, if necessary!) Tell the Bridegroom that you say 'yes' to His proposal and accept the Bridal price He paid in Blood for you. The Father has commissioned angels to accompany you and help you on your way and, although your friendship circle may have been severely sifted, you will always at least one or two kindred spirits who are pressing ahead, shoulder to shoulder with you, and praying for you as the Holy Spirit alerts them you are struggling. And the times of group prayer and fellowship you are able to have will be powerful, with the manifest presence of God in your midst. He is with you and He will help you. Others may abandon you but He will NEVER leave you. NEVER!

I am constantly reminded in these days of the letter to the Church of Smyrna, meaning 'myrrh'. Remember myrrh is the oil with which a bride is anointed on her wedding day! It is also the oil used to embalm dead bodies. Those who have died to their own lives, have their lives hidden with Christ in God and fear nothing that they will suffer. Read these verses carefully, prayerfully:

Rev 2:8  And to the angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Smyrna write: These are the words of the First and the Last, Who died and came to life again: Rev 2:9  I know your affliction and distress and pressing trouble and your poverty--but you are rich! and how you are abused and reviled and slandered by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Rev 2:10  Fear nothing that you are about to suffer. [Dismiss your dread and your fears!] Behold, the devil is indeed about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested and proved and critically appraised, and for ten days you will have affliction. Be loyally faithful unto death [even if you must die for it], and I will give you the crown of life.

There is a time of affliction coming, which will follow the reviling of those who claim to be servants of God but who in fact serve satan himself. The truth of this will be uncovered more and more within church circles in the days ahead. It will be shocking just who hands their brothers over to be put in prison. The Spirit encourages us to be faithful in suffering, for you will receive the crown of life.

Someone said to me the other day, "Hopefully this will all blow over and we can get back to normal". I had nothing to say. I didn't know where to begin… It won't blow over. The night of trial has begun and must take its appointed course as it is written.

Let me encourage you – fill you with courage. Daniel tells us that the iron mixed with clay kingdom; this hybrid civilization that the fallen angels are determined to bring forth, will fail and there is coming a kingdom that will crush all other kingdoms and  reign forever. Hallelujah!

Dan 2:43  And as you saw the iron mixed with miry and earthen clay, so they shall mingle themselves in the seed of men [in marriage bonds]; but they will not hold together [for two such elements or ideologies can never harmonize], even as iron does not mingle itself with clay. Dan 2:44  And in the days of these [final ten] kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall its sovereignty be left to another people; but it shall break and crush and consume all these kingdoms and it shall stand forever.

Psalm 29 is the psalm which speaks in detail about the power and authority of the voice of the Lord. Beloved, we may be entering days of increasing persecution but the voice of the Lord is going to be released powerfully from the midst of His consecrated ones.

Those who have been in preparation for what is ahead have endured much. Revelation 3:10 addresses those who have kept the word of His patient endurance. In other words they have already been tried and tested and He says He will keep them safe in the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world. That word 'trial' means 'adversity', coming from a root word meaning 'to assay' which is about testing the purity of a metal. Beloved, in the midst of the unfolding adversity, he has promised to keep His tried and tested remnant safe.

Around you, others are having their hearts tested and many are falling away in the Body, choosing the things of this world rather than the love of the Father. For those overcoming there is the promise of becoming a permanent part of His temple, never to leave:

Rev 3:12  Him who overcomes I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will go out no more. And I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of Heaven from My God, and My new name.

YOU WILL BEAR HIS NAME, NOT THE NAME AND NUMBER OF THE BEAST KINGDOM. The night may get darker but the unquenchable light of Christ burns bright in you! Stand, precious saints. Let your light so shine before men that they may see and glorify your Father Who is in Heaven. Be strong in the power of His might. He will give you unyielding and impenetrable strength and bless you with peace as you trust Him fully.

Psa 18:2  The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my keen and firm Strength in Whom I will trust and take refuge, my Shield, and the Horn of my salvation, my High Tower.

Psa 29:11  The Lord will give [unyielding and impenetrable] strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.