Insights from the Day of Atonement

Greetings friends,

Wanda, Natalie and I are just returning from a very fruitful series of meetings in Detroit, Michigan, Seoul, South Korea and Auckland, New Zealand. One thing we received from each of these meetings is the clear evidence of a remnant company of people who have positioned themselves for spiritual breakthrough and a season of fruitfulness. There is a tremendous stirring that is taking place among various leadership who have been prepared for this season and also a remnant company of God’s people who will begin to restore “desolate heritages.” According to Haggai 1:14:

The Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God.

This Scripture is a prophetic portrait of a season of supernatural restoration and the fulfillment of profound promises following Israel’s Babylonian captivity. Although the invitation was given to the masses, only a core remnant responded with faithfulness and determination. Daniel’s willingness to contend for the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy unleashed a spiritual visitation that provided a spiritual stirring that provoked the hearts of Zerubbabel, Joshua and the remnant of God’s people.

The word used for stirring in this context is “ur” meaning to awaken, arouse or provoke to excitement; to be stirred up. In contrast to sleep the idea is the opening of the eyes. This is a picture of what the Lord is doing today. Ezra confirmed this reality in his prophecies saying:

Then the heads of fathers’ households of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites arose, even everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up and rebuild the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem. – Ezra 1:5

On this past Day of Atonement, the Holy Spirit began to talk to us about promises we have held in our hearts for a number of years. These promises dealt with us personally and corporately as a generation. On that very day, Bob Jones phoned to share with us revelation he received on Atonement. Part of that dealt with the delay that we have experienced over the course of the last several years. In his revelations he was told that the 2008 Shepherds Rod that we jointly prepared will have much application in the season ahead. In fact, he said there has been a two-year delay in the initiation of these promises because of spiritual, political and economic circumstances we have endured.

Even so, I believe there is a remnant company prepared to move forward with a measure of stewardship of spiritual promises that will begin to provoke our generation to its place in destiny. We are seeing tokens of that in Mobile, Alabama and other regions experiencing spiritual awakening.

These are indeed the most profound days in Church History. The Lord will display His victory and He will have His harvest. Our cry should be that of Abraham in Genesis 18:3 saying, My Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight, please do not pass Your servant by

The following will include excerpts from the 2008 Shepherds Rod. We will follow-up later in the month with part two of these revelations. We pray the Lord’s richest blessings upon you during this season of transition and breakthrough.

Kindest regards and blessings,

Paul Keith & Wanda and the WhiteDove team

Introduction

The Holy Spirit’s refining work will continue until the Lord’s return. However, there are crossroads in human history marked by divine visitation and spiritual outpouring that generates a harvest of souls and greater measures of truth and understanding in God’s Word. This is accomplished through individuals who have yielded themselves to God and become trustworthy stewards of His revelation and power.

We have come to such a crossroad that presently stands before us. We must take every opportunity to allow the Holy Spirit to sift from our soul every potential hindrance and encumbrance. Like David we cry:

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. – Psalms 139:23-24

Breakthrough with the Young

The initial revelations given for this year’s Day of Atonement strategy started with a vision of young adults. Clearly, everything that God is doing today involves the entirety of His Church. Every age group, ethnic community, and demographic is called to their post of duty in this, perhaps the most crucial hour in Church history. Nevertheless, the revelatory insights once again emphasized God’s heart to mobilize an army of young people with radical faith and passion.

This is also evidenced by the emphasis given to this age group by our adversary in his attempt to divert and corrupt this young generation. There is presently a battle raging for our children. We must be mobilized to meet this challenge and call for the truest form of Christianity that is filled with both Spirit and power. That is the only answer we can offer to win this generation. As the prophet Joel predicted:

Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the LORD your God and there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame. And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions — Joel 2:27?28

Again, the Lord’s desire to emphasize the struggle for the young stresses its importance. The Lord intends to impart within us a form of faith that is saturated with joy unspeakable and full of glory. 1 Peter 1:7-8 declares:

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

Throughout Church history there have been crossroads where children and young adults were used to introduce an entire generation to the manifestation of God’s Spirit. One of the most well-known in our generation is the outpouring that took place under the leadership of H. A. Baker as recorded in his book, “Visions Beyond the Veil.”

This fascinating story highlights a group of young people visited by the Lord’s Spirit who experienced visions and revelations of the Lord that radically transformed them and their community. There have been other examples of this reality but this one seems to capture our attention and imagination as a prophetic model of God’s intent to pour His Spirit out upon all flesh.

Part of the introduction of “Vision Beyond the Veil” states:

“Visions?…In the 20th century? You might dismiss the visions of other people with a shrug. But somehow, when it’s a child, it makes you stop and think. Only in this case, it was not just one child— but many.

Children who had been street beggars before they arrived at the Adullam Rescue Mission asked God to reveal Himself to them. This book records the result of the faithful expectation of these young orphans. Unlearned and unschooled, they experienced revelations and visions of Heaven surprisingly accurate to the biblical account. A truly remarkable book about the truly remarkable God!”

The Visitation

The morning prayer meeting was lasting longer than usual. The older children left the room one by one to begin their studies in the school-room, while a few of the smaller boys remained on their knees, deep in prayer. The Lord was near; we all felt the presence of the Holy Spirit among us. Some who had gone out came back into the room.

Tears began to stream down the faces of all those present as they came under a strong conviction of sin – something we had been praying for a long time – and, with their arms in the air, they cried to the Lord for forgiveness. One person after another fell down under the mighty power of the Holy Spirit until more than twenty were lying flat on the floor. When I saw that the Lord was doing a really unusual thing among us, I slipped over to the school-room and told the boys that if they felt led to come and pray they might be excused from their school work.

In a short while the Chinese teacher was left sitting alone by the table. All his pupils had returned to the prayer room, and were now enthusiastically praying and praising the Lord. When the teacher realized there was nothing for him to do, he decided to go home. I had not invited him to come in with the children for, although he had been with us a long time, he did not seem at all interested in spiritual things. He went a short distance from the house but then turned back. When he entered the prayer room no one noticed him; everyone was too busy having their own dealings with the Lord. He went to a far corner of the room, and, for the first time in his life, knelt down and tried to pray.

The meeting went on hour after hour with the children showing no desire to leave. I had nothing to do or say; the Lord seemed in complete control; I just tried to keep out of His way

As the children saw, in their visions, the awfulness of hell, the despair of those who were lost, and the indescribable evil of the devil and his angels, their agonized crying was beyond anything I had ever experienced before. It was all incredibly real to them. In their visions many saw themselves in chains being dragged to the very edge of hell, which became an awful and terrible reality. As they realized they were sinners in the grip of the devil, who ought to be punished, they were terrified. But the grace of the Lord Jesus to bring freedom was just as real. The joy, laughter and peace they received and the knowledge of what they had been saved from was an experience which I am sure will never leave them…

In the first few days no one paid much attention to eating or sleeping. Whenever the young people began to pray the power of God would come, causing many to fall to the floor. It was impossible to have meals at regular hours without interfering with the work of the Holy Spirit. As the power of God lifted from them, various ones would go out for a time to rest or eat something, and then they would return to the prayer room soon to be under the power of the Holy Spirit again.

One thing is certain. All that was demanded of us missionaries during this move of the Holy Spirit was that we keep out of the way and did not interfere with His wonderful work. Our part was to open up our own hearts so that we too might have a deeper experience of the heavenly blessings that were being showered upon us.

From the very beginning our experience of the Holy Spirit at this time – the manifestations, the visions and revelations – was so beyond our own experience and knowledge that my wife and I said to one another that the only resource we had was to believe that God was bigger than the devil. We trusted in God´s promise:

Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!´ (Matthew 11:11-13)

There is an all out assault by the army of darkness against the young of this generation. Much of this war is fought in the realm of contemporary media. Nevertheless, where evil is abundant, grace will much more abound. (Romans 5:20) Light will always overcome darkness! Our present call as a body of believers is to become the light of this world and illuminated with present revelation. Daniel foresaw this generation and prophesied:

Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. —Daniel 12:3

Joy Unspeakable and Full of Glory

In Bob’s vision of this reality, the young people were very joyous as they were having personal encounters with the Lord. In the experience the youth were shouting, “joy unspeakable and full of glory,” emphasizing this Scripture and God’s intent to manifest this aspect of His plan during this next spiritual season.

In its truest form, joy is a sense of well-being despite circumstances. Those that maintain this position in their hearts, and recognize God’s sovereignty, will begin to experience measures of glory in the coming season.

College Campuses will continue to be visited by God’s Spirit to awaken this young generation to the reality of the true Christian life. Many of tomorrow’s champions will be identified in this environment and prepared to be used by the Holy Spirit, even in their youth. This will be part of the restoration of our inheritance that has become desolate. Isaiah prophesied:

In a favorable time I have answered you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you; and I will keep you and give you for a covenant of the people, to restore the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritages; Saying to those who are bound, “Go forth,’ to those who are in darkness, “Show yourselves.’ Along the roads they will feed, and their pasture will be on all bare heights. –  Isaiah 49:8-9

Many of America’s universities were initially formed as institutions to prepare people to carry the gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations of the earth. This mandate will be recaptured with modern-day missionaries being commissioned and empowered with end-time anointing. These individuals will not merely carry good theological understanding but an experiential encounter that has transformed them.

The youth of this generation are going to discover exuberance and joy in God for which the spirit of this world has no substitute. They will discover that the greatest journey of all is to walk with the Lord Jesus and know Him intimately. Drugs, alcohol and other addictions will then lose their captivation among this group.

Panel of Seven Judges

The next vision highlighted a panel of seven God ordained “judges” commissioned to begin judging prophecies to determine which are from the Lord and which are not. He saw six men and one-woman serving in this capacity. Presently, there is a flood of prophetic insight being distributed to the Church. Many of the things prophesied are from the Holy Spirit while others are born in the mind and imagination of people, while yet others may be a mixture of both.

During biblical times, the sounding of a trumpet was crucial. Their lives depended upon the clarity of the sound so that the people would know how to prepare themselves. There was a trumpet sound for war and another trumpet sound for a holy convocation. Our present call is for our trumpet to be clear, concise and accurate. This will begin to eliminate much of the confusion that now exists.

Our generation is desperate for a more sure word of prophecy. We must improve in this area. Thankfully, through these revelations, the Lord is emphasizing His desire to provide the spiritual insight we need to meet this challenge. In essence, the Lord desires to remove the leaven from our prophetic insight so that we see more clearly the path ahead and the necessary preparation to cooperate with Him.

During the prophetic ministry of Ezekiel there were many people prophesying false visions and utterances. The river had been polluted by the agendas of men. Even so, the Lord promised a time of restoration when gallant men and women would stand before God and say only what He is saying. Ezekiel recorded:

Son of man, what is this proverb you people have concerning the land of Israel, saying, “The days are long and every vision fails’? Therefore say to them, “Thus says the Lord GOD, “I will make this proverb cease so that they will no longer use it as a proverb in Israel.” But tell them, “The days draw near as well as the fulfillment of every vision.

For there will no longer be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel. “For I the LORD will speak, and whatever word I speak will be performed. It will no longer be delayed, for in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word and perform it,” declares the Lord GOD.”
— Ezekiel 12:22?25

The number seven is a number of completion and fullness. Seeing the seven “judges” does not necessarily imply that there will literally be seven people charged with this responsibility, although that is a possibility. Rather, we believe it is a commission being given to the Church and a complete release of grace to achieve it.

The entire body of Christ worldwide will experience this measure of wisdom and understanding to discern His voice and be separated from others. The Lord promised:

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand — John 10:27?28

The Spirit of revelation is fundamentally essential for the eradication of spiritual stupor that blinds our eyes and stops our ears from hearing clearly. Without God’s illumination, we are doomed to repeating past mistakes and failures. Moses’ generation missed their door of opportunity because they did not possess eyes to see, ears to hear and a heart to understand God’s purpose. (Deuteronomy 29:4)

The Living Word

Separating the clean from the unclean and the precious from the profane can only be achieved by the manifestation of the Living Word. Hebrews 4:12 states:

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two?edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart
— Hebrews 4:12

These days will see the Lord returning as the Living Word to separate spirit from soul and judge the thoughts and intentions of men’s hearts. Many of our prophetic utterances are determined by the sincerity of our hearts. We simply cannot allow selfish ambition or personal agendas to dictate the flow of prophetic insight.

The prophet Micaiah is a wonderful spiritual type of this ministry emerging today. This man of God lived during the days of Ahab and Jezebel. On one occasion Ahab invited righteous King Jehoshaphat to partner with him in war against Israel’s enemies. Interestingly, Ahab’s desire was to retake Ramoth-Gilead, a territory that rightfully belonged Israel. However, this fulfillment would not take place under his unrighteous leadership but at an appointed time.

Jehoshaphat purposed to inquire of the Lord to determine God’s will in this endeavor. Hence, Ahab paraded 400 of his prophets before the Kings. Everyone prophesied the wishes of Ahab. Something in the heart of Jehoshaphat was not content with this perspective. He asked if there was yet one more who could contact Heaven and declare God’s heart. Ahab said:

There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD, but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. He is Micaiah son of Imlah — I Kings 22:8

There was one prophet willing to say just what God was saying and his name was Micaiah. This courageous prophet withstood overwhelming pressure from the other prophetic camp in order to stand before Israel and Judah as a righteous prophetic voice. I Kings 22:13-14 records that:

Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, “Behold now, the words of the prophets are uniformly favorable to the king. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably. But Micaiah said, “As the LORD lives, what the LORD says to me, that I shall speak.”

Micaiah related to Ahab and Jehoshaphat his vision of seeing a deceiving spirit being commissioned from God’s Throne to rest upon Ahab’s prophets. It is important to understand that these voices were Hebrew prophets that were supposed to be trained and equipped to stand before Israel as God’s spokesmen. But because of wrong motivations, God allowed a spirit of deception to prevail leading to Ahab’s demise.

Micaiah went on to prophesy the failure of this mission and the ultimate downfall and death of Ahab. Clearly, this infuriated the king who vowed to reward Micaiah with incarceration saying:

Put this man in prison and feed him sparingly with bread and water until I return safely. “Micaiah said, “If you indeed return safely the LORD has not spoken by me.” — I Kings 22:27-28

The strength and fortitude of Micaiah is a prophetic model for the panel of “judges” that will bring separation in the coming days. All prophetic voices have the opportunity to allow this sifting and separation to take place within us so that our own voices would be pure and unadulterated.

The Number Seven

Seven seems to be the number with primary prophetic significance for this year. Seven is taken from a root word signifying completion or fullness. It is first used in Genesis 2:2 when God rested after the completion of His labors.

God rested on the seventh day because His work was entirely perfect and complete. Therefore, we can interpret this application to signify this year as a time of measurable completion of God’s preparatory dealings within our lives before the next installment of His plan.

God’s provision in and through the Lord Jesus is complete and perfect. The life that He demonstrated on earth and the power ministry that He conveyed is one that we can aspire to, but only through submission to the Holy Spirit. Seven is also a symbolic representation of the sevenfold Spirit of God that will rest upon the “sons of the Kingdom.” (Matthew 13:38)

In Zechariah 4:6 the prophet declared:

Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts. What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain; and he will bring forth the top stone with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”…The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will finish it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel?? these are the eyes of the LORD which range to and fro throughout the earth.”

The Seven Spirits of God will rejoice when they see a righteous “plumbline” being demonstrated among God’s people. That is the function of the seven judges who will begin to separate truth from the precepts of men. This work will begin to prepare the bride of Christ without spot or wrinkle so that she can become one with the Bridegroom. This season of the Spirit will initiate this process in greater measure.

When a time of completion has arrived, then a day of new beginnings will be birthed. The Lord has “fullness of time” junctures in human history when His Spirit flourishes with fresh understanding of His nature and character. The results will always be a harvest of souls and greater influence in Heavenly places. This time of completion will launch us into such a time as that.

Someone once said that time was created so that everything would not happen at once. Clearly, Church history validates that we have been in a progressive recovery of lost heritage and the maturation of a body of people to walk as “sons of the Kingdom.” We also have a biblical promise outlining God’s ability to redeem lost time and do quickly what we perceive would take a long time.

After 40 years, Israel’s wandering came to a completion and a new beginning surfaced. Likewise, our generation saw in 1967 the long foretold restoration of Jerusalem into the hands of the Jewish people. That has also run a complete cycle marking another day of new beginnings both for Israel and the Church.

This reality also has significant implications with the political environment and our involvement in the war on terrorism. The Lord has made it emphatically clear that if His people will pray for our President and our armies that He will do something miraculous that will allow us as a nation to withdraw from Iraq in victory and honor, not in defeat and shame.

A Harvest of Prophets

In the next series of revelations, Bob saw a harvest of individuals coming from the black community, especially the young, who will immediately be thrust into an accelerated training and equipping mode to function as prophets to the nations. God has ordained for significant leadership to emerge from our black brothers and sisters with an emphasis on the revelatory gifting and prophetic worship.

Our counsel is to recognize this spiritual emphasis and co-operate with the Holy Spirit in its fulfillment. I have repeatedly heard the Lord say this season will generate a harvest of harvesters. There is a grace to win souls into the Kingdom during this new beginning with an equal accentuation on training and equipping.

During March, 2007 while doing a conference in England, I received a wonderful confirmation of this truth through Surprise Sithole. Surprise is a black man from South Africa and works with Rolland and Heidi Baker and Iris Ministries. I wrote about this revelation in my book Angels That Gather. The following is an excerpt:

Harvesters Arise

One final confirmation concerning this generation’s promised harvest arrived only days before this book was scheduled to go to print. While in Dudley, England, to speak at a prophetic conference, I met Surprise Sithole, African director of Partners in Harvest. He helps oversee, with Rolland and Heidi Baker, over six thousand Churches birthed through Iris Ministries in Mozambique, Africa. Notable miracles the Lord performed through this man of God are on record. On my behalf the Lord used Surprise to offer the final affirmation that this is the season for a harvest of harvesters.

In my session, I began to speak about the revelation of the present mandate to entreat the Lord of the Harvest to gather laborers into the barn to be trained and mentored through a season of accelerated equipping for the great harvest. When I shared this revelation, Surprise grew very excited and mentioned that this was the first time a revelation given to him three years before had been confirmed.

He related to the group how in 2004 he had been in a service and found himself troubled by some of what had transpired. He immediately went to his hotel room and knelt on the floor to pray. When he did, he felt a sensation of ascending, similar to what one would experience in a very fast elevator.

When he opened his eyes, he realized he was having a Heavenly experience. There before him stood the Ancient of Days with millions of people prostrate before Him in adoration and worship. The transition from the natural to the spiritual realm had shifted so suddenly he was uncertain what had transpired. The Ancient of Days assured him he was experiencing a divine revelation with a strategic purpose.

Surprise then found himself holding Heavenly fruit. With this realization, he also saw Enoch and Elijah standing at a distance. His first inclination was to share this fruit with them. However, the Ancient of Days informed him that the fruit was not for them but for the people of the earth.

The Ancient of Days counseled, “Take this fruit and share it with your brethren in the earth, and tell the harvesters to arise.” Surprise was overwhelmed by that statement’s magnitude. “How?” he asked. The Lord answered, “The gifts are coming.” Finally, Surprise asked one more question: “When?” With that final question the millions who had been prostrate before the Lord stood to their feet and simultaneously shouted, “NOW!”

I was thrilled beyond description to hear Surprise share this testimony of his Heavenly experience. He heard directly from the Lord’s lips the directive for the “harvesters to arise.” This gave me the final confirmation of our entry into a season that will exhibit both the fruit of the Spirit and the power of God. The purpose of this impartation will be to gather a wave of harvest consisting primarily of harvesters to be used in the great harvest.

Embracing our Opportunity

We have reached a “fullness of time” juncture in Church history. God’s end-time plan is being catapulted in motion with a “breakthrough” anointing. Naturally, this is not all He is doing but certainly it is a vital part.

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

End Excerpt from Angels That Gather…

Much of the preparatory work that has been taking place within many of God’s people will be brought to a place of fullness or completion over this next season in preparation for “crossing over” into the land of fulfilled promises. Nevertheless, although a grooming mode will continue, these days will also be marked with divine visitation and personal impartation.