Access to the Heavenly Armory
The revelations that we have been receiving over the last few weeks directly related to a extraordinarily vivid vision given to Bob last week. For that reason I have chosen to consolidate my article along with the “Fireside Chat with Bob Jones” section for this newsletter. We trust it is insightful and encouraging.
On the morning of February 17, Bob was given a vision in which he saw a spiritual armory being opened to the Church with an escalation in the release of spiritual provision for this notable hour. There is a present call to enter into our priestly ministry of Revelations 3:20 which allows us to be endowed with the virtue of one who overcomes. Those who experience heaven in this manner and share in the Lord’s victory will hear the invitation to “come up here” through the open door of Revelations 4:1.
From this place of Heavenly perspective, many things will be revealed. One such place of spiritual provision that is of vital importance for us to fulfill our Heavenly mandate for the harvest age is, the Heavenly armory. This storehouse contains weapons of our warfare and the spiritual provision needed for the divine encounters to come.
The LORD has opened His armory and has brought forth the weapons of His indignation, for it is a work of the Lord GOD of hosts in the land of the
Chaldeans. Jeremiah 50:25
The “storehouse” of Heaven to which we are now given greater access is a prophetic portrayal of the divinely powerful weapons that have been provided for us through the sufferings of Christ and more importantly His resurrection. It is resurrection life that He desires to delegate. In this spiritual armory are mantles of spiritual authority and power as well as great ministries of healing and creative miracles that will result in restored limbs and organs.
Our calling is to make a fortified stand and determine to carry prominent spiritual endowments as trustworthy stewards. When the Apostolic leaders of the early church encountered God in their upper room experience, they emerged in an extreme offensive posture that displaced ancient enemies of God in strategic regions.
In the revelatory experience, when God’s leadership made the decision to stand, they saw themselves confronted with a powerful spirit of divination that had been releasing much confusion and false prophetic proclamations in and through the Church. Surprisingly, with the fortitude that now emanated from this army, the victory was swift and sure in the battles assigned to us by the Holy Spirit.
When this army made the decision to take their stand it wasn’t even necessary for them to advance. It was as if they were standing in the gap and the enemy had to pass through them to get to the Church. Fortunately, because of the spiritually provided weapons, the enemy was unsuccessful in going around, over or through this anointed leadership. This is the call being placed upon God’s governmental design to confront spiritual influences that have plagued the body of Christ.
The now militant troops were not satisfied to simply severe the head from this spirit; (see Psalm 74:14) they insisted upon total annihilation and dismemberment of this enemy that had cultivated jealousy, envy and selfish ambition at every opportunity. This is a symbolic portrayal of the overcoming victory that is being released to those that have been prepared as spiritual warriors. Many of the adversaries that have kept the Church from taking spiritual ground will now be dealt with so that a first-fruits harvest can begin to be facilitated.
Defending Our Lentil Fields
The Lord is a Warrior and those who share in His warlike attributes will no longer run from the enemy or exist in a defensive mode. They have chosen to make a stand! One of the mighty men of David was Shammah a Haraite or “mountain dweller.” With boldness and courage he decided that he would not run from the Philistines as others had done. He made his stand to defend a lentil field against overwhelming odds and the Lord gave him a great victory. There are many who will dwell on the mountain of the Lord to be favored with the valor and heroism of Shammah.
Now after him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered into a troop where there was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the people fled from the Philistines. But he took his stand in the midst of the plot, defended it and struck the Philistines; and the LORD brought about a great victory. 2 Samuel 23:11-12
For many years now the Church has been in a progressive restoration of her biblical and Apostolic heritage. That reestablishment process began with the reformers and has escalated over the last century in the careful and meticulous unfolding of God’s Heavenly blueprint. Through numerous expressions of spiritual outpouring, great and valuable truth has been recovered to the Church as her legacy in Christ. As in the days of David’s mighty man, the spirit of the Philistines has attempted to steal or destroy the “lentil fields” of truth that have been planted by spiritual pioneers of the past.
Part of the strategy of the enemy in this ploy has been to undermine, destroy or discredit the messengers of the past in order to corrupt the message. Nonetheless the Truth lives on and will come to maturity and fruitfulness in this generation. Notice that an unknown farmer planted the field but Shammah defended the lentils with strength and good courage.
No Longer in Caves
For a season David and his militant band hid in caves from the oppression of Saul. The Bible declares that,
David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father’s household heard of it they went down there to him. 1 Samuel 21:15
This was temporarily necessary for survival. However, that was only for a season. When the appropriate time came, David emerged as an awesome leader and warrior to overcome the enemies of Israel. The time of hiding in the caves has come to an end!
The armory of God is now accessible through the open-door invitation presently set before us. The time has arrived. Spiritual confrontations with our adversary will substantially escalate. The Lord has made provision for our victory.
The armory depicted in Jeremiah 50:25 has dual qualities of both military armament as well as natural provision. It is defined as a treasury or storehouse; used for the storage of royal treasure and weaponry. There are a number of mature Christians who many years ago received the divine promise of seeing the “warehouse of God” manifested on the earth before their death. That day is imminent! The contents of the Heavenly storehouse containing our spiritual inheritance is about to be introduced.
The Weapon of Choice
The interesting aspect of this vision is that the Lord specifically chose the “battle-axe” from among the spiritual arsenal to be the weapon of choice for the approaching confrontation directly ahead of us. These will be the “axes” laid to the root of the Babylonian tree of confusion. In the vision, it was as if the Church had been in a defensive posture. It is now time to make the transition to turn and face our enemy with Heavenly provision now more readily available.
We were armed for battle in the armory of God. There are multiple layers of meaning to the choice of weapons initiated by the Lord. The battle-axe has a very specific use that highlights our commissioning to deal with precepts of man, confusion, counterfeit revelation and false teachings that have kept the Church from her high calling. The prophet David once declared,
Draw also the spear and the battle axe to meet those who pursue me; say to my soul, “I am your salvation.” Psalms 35:3
The battle-axe can also designate increased authority to deal with the evil spirits promoting terrorism in this nation, around the world and specifically Israel. The Church can begin to exercise authority over diabolical schemes to release dirty bombs in large cities like New York and San Francisco and Jerusalem. We can now pray with expanded influence that these things be uncovered and exterminated and take authority over influenza and other illnesses, financial devourers, tormenting spirits and shame.
The prince of Persia was able to withstand and hinder the Heavenly provision sent to Daniel. However, he was only able to do so for a limited season. In many ways the spiritual coverings placed around Osama bin Laden and other terrorist leaders can only provide that shroud for a season. The prayers, intercession and prophetic proclamations in agreement with Heaven will weaken demonic shields and uncover the works of darkness.
The “battle-axe” is also a symbolic play on words to designate increased “axe-cess” to the revelatory realm of Heaven. Things which our eyes have not seen and our ears have not heard are now being revealed to those chosen and prepared by the Holy Spirit for this commissioning.
In Bob’s vision there was a holy determination that was imparted to the Church for this season. A stalwart spirit prevailed in the people that overcame fear and timidity creating spiritual boldness that would not yield. This was not because of our strength but because of the Victorious One standing with us.
The spirit of Babylon has attempted to imprison the body of Christ in a dungeon of confusion, self-promotion, humanistic agendas and unbelief. A day of liberation has come but it will be a battle. In the vision, it was specifically noted that the warriors had a battle-axe in each hand. No shield was provided. The Lord emphasized that we will be each other’s shield.
This war will require unity and fraternal affection so that we can cover one another’s back in an all-out offensive maneuver. Our defensive implement is one another and the Spirit of God resident in our co-laborers. We are the Lord’s provision and shield for the ones to whom we are joined through the spirit of agreement. Furthermore, in the vision, the warriors wielded the battle-axes with such expertise and precision that it was difficult for the adversary to release his weapons against this army. The confrontation was violent but the victory was sure.
Overcoming the Nicolaitan Spirit
The book of Revelations depicts a snare of the adversary identified as the spirit of the Nicolaitans. (For more in the understanding of this spirit please refer to our article entitled Spirit of the Nicoclaitans.)
It will be part of the commission of this army to deal with the deeds and doctrines of the Nicolaitans that has attempted to steal the birthright of God’s people. This will produce an activation of the body of Christ to begin to do the work of the ministry. The ultimate call of God’s governmental design is to equip and prepare the people for their activation in ministry.
The attributes of this army will begin to clearly identify true Godly leadership. The Bible plainly portrays genuine leadership in the Church as well as those identified as false. It is the fruit of ministry that will make this distinction. Our calling is to have a thorough understanding of the biblical fruitfulness of genuine Apostolic leadership so that we would not be deceived by the false. The Apostle Paul admonishes us to,
Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh, although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: Philipians 3:2-4
The trees that do not bear good fruit will be dealt with in this season. It will also be and emphasis on the book of Acts and the actions of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles. It is the acts of the righteous; taking a righteous stand for God resulting in righteous “axe-tion.” Getting our “axe” together!