The Shepherd’s Rod 1995

A CALL TO INTERCESSION

The first thing Bob was shown by the Spirit was a call to intercession for the church. That call to supplication came in the form of two witnesses— Anna and Simeon.

Luke 2:25-37.

Anna whose name means ” favor” or “full of grace”, is a type of the intercessor with the revelatory gifting staying before the Lord day and night calling on the Lord for the promise of God. The scripture the Lord gave for this reference was Psalm 111:10 stating the prerequisite or foundation begins with the reverential fear and worship of the Lord.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments His praise endures forever. Ps 111:10

The name Simeon means “to hear” or “hearing with acceptance”. He represents the “Word–Priest” or the “anointed priest” with the scriptural promise yet to be fulfilled. Simeon had received a word from the Lord and believed that word to its fulfillment. The scriptures declare that he was a righteous and devout man…meaning that he cautiously and carefully observed the divine law looking for the fulfillment of God’s promise.

Simeon, who kept the lamp of prophesy burning when religion was at a low ebb in Israel, knew the voice speaking in the prophets of old, and obeyed the revelatory light he was able to comprehend for his generation.

By these two witnesses, we have Anna representing the “Spirit” and Simeon depicting the “anointed word”. These two will bear witness of a new release of the Spirit for a “double blessing” in the same way Jerusalem means double peace.

This is what some have referred to as the establishing of the “kingdom of God” or the “Rule of God.” in the earth— God’s power and authority beginning to be expressed through His Church. This year will denote the beginning of a new thing the Lord is going to do. It will be a year of the doubles – double trouble for those in the world and double peace for those who commit themselves to Christ.

THE COMING JUDGEMENTS

The next thing Bob was able to discern in the revelations, was a ship in which Jesus and His disciples were traveling while storms were raging all around. Oddly, not only were the Lord and His disciples in the boat, but somehow His Church was symbolically represented in the boat with storms howling about her as well. Even so, in the midst of these storms He is declaring to His people, “Peace-Peace” and calling us to stay in the boat. It is only in the boat with Him that we discover security from the storms. The Holy Spirit indicated this will be a year of extraordinary storms from many directions and He emphasized John 14:27 as our refuge.

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you, not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid.–John 14:27

The Lord said the storms will come against us in two ways. They will come against our spirit, soul, and body, – which is what we are. Secondly, the storms will come against us financially, socially, emotionally, and sexually, – which is what we do.

We are warned in I John 2:15-17 not to love the world nor the things in the world. If we love the world and the things of the world, then the love of the Father is not in us. During this year we must begin to ask the Holy Spirit to purge from us the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and boastful pride of life; for these are not from the Father but are a part of the world. These things in the world will come under judgement and will be openly displayed as futility and vanity of vanities.

A great variety of storms will rage against each of these realms of our lives. However, the Lord is conveying, if we will submit ourselves to Him, then we will escape the effect of the storms.

Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:7-8

The soon coming judgements will produce lunar storms in the heavens… storms on the earth…and storms in the earth. The disturbances address a cross spectrum of our existence— financial turbulence, military confrontations, winter storms, wind, hail, sleet, ice, tornadoes, famines, flood, pestilence, and inter-city uprisings, just to name a few.

This country will see double trouble this year, and the years to follow, in order to test the people on earth. However, the Lord is also offering double peace for those who will come to Him and hearken to His voice. Double-peace will produce wholeness, completeness, harmony, health, prosperity, rest, safety, welfare, and tranquility. Ultimately, the choice is ours. We must chose this day whom we shall serve…the spirit of the world or the Spirit of the Lord.

THE LORD’S CONSOLATION DURING JUDGEMENT

Following this description of the various judgements the earth will experience over the next several years, the Lord then gave the highest revelation that He brought during this Shepherd’s Rod. The audible voice of the Lord came to Bob, speaking in Spanish saying, “Como estas ustedes,”. Some of our Spanish speaking friends gave the interpretation to this phrase. It means “How are you, friends?”

This was the highest disclosure He gave this year and emphasizes the important message for this upcoming season. This spoken word along with “Peace-Peace” are the two areas of emphasis the Holy Spirit desires administered to His body.

The Lord is affectionately asking His people this question, “How are you doing, my friends?” Through this expression, Jesus is communicating His loving concern for His brethren…the purchase of His blood.

This shall be the year of accentuation on the intimate relationship afforded to those who know the Lord as “friend”. These will be disciples who are partakers of His divine nature. It is through His Holy character that divine power is granted to us, providing everything we need pertaining to life and Godliness.

The scriptures point out we have received His precious and magnificent promises by which we become partakers of His divine nature having escaped the corruption of this world and its lusts –

Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and Godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. 2 Peter 1:3-4

A friend is someone who is a close companion or comrade. Those having a reciprocal relationship or mutual exchange one with another. Exodus 33:11 states the Lord spoke to Moses face to face as a friend speaks to a friend.

A friend is also one the Lord loves and can trust. I Cor. 4:1-2 calls us not only to be stewards of the mysteries and power of God but to also be trustworthy stewards. The Lord must be able to trust His friends with His power and this divine message that is going to be delivered to the people. Those who are mature and virtuous will perceive this to be a season of visitation and camaraderie with the Lord.

The friend of the bride-groom is one who assists in the planning and arranging of the soon coming marriage. Even with storms raging all around us we can say, “all is well with my soul… as long as Jesus is my friend.” These will not care anything about the famine, the pestilence, and the storms as long as they have Jesus for their friend.

RESTORATION TO THE CHURCH

The friends of Christ will begin to restore that which has been stolen from the church.

Return to the stronghold, O prisoners who have the hope; this very day I am declaring that I will restore double to you. For I will bend Judah as My bow, I will fill the bow with Ephraim. And I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece; and I will make you like a warrior’s sword. Zech 9:12-13

The Lord is even going to begin to restore that which has been stolen from individuals. Past relationships that the devil has destroyed will begin to be reconciled. Friendships destroyed by rumors, gossip, and propaganda will supernaturally be mended by the Lord during this season of the Spirit.

The restorer of the breach will recondition us with the Spirit of Truth and a new wall of protection will be constructed to surround the true church. The Lord is the restorer of the breach and the repairer of the broken walls…He is the restorer of former streets and dwellings and the One who un-stops old wells.

And those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; you will raise up the age-old foundations; and you will be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of the streets in which to dwell. Isaiah 58:12

The Lord is indicating that it is His desire to restore and renew the breach between Heaven and earth through His church; Then carry the battle to the enemy gates and invade his cities, helping those who once failed to find their rightful place in the body of Christ. We will begin to find those of our brethren who have fallen and begin to rejuvenate them into a new walk with Christ.

TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, HARDEN NOT YOUR HEART

Psalm 95:7-10, Zechariah 1 and Hebrews 3 will be strongly emphasized during this season.

The Lord is preparing to speak and the Voice of God is about to be heralded. Those who hear His Voice of warning and preparation are warned not to harden their hearts as was done in the day of provocation.

Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you would hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness; “When your fathers tested me, they tried me, though they had seen My work. “For forty years I loathed {that} generation, and said they are a people who err in their heart, and they do not know My ways. “Therefore I swore in My anger, truly they shall not enter into My rest.” Ps 95: 6-11

Today if you hear His voice, harden not your heart. We are the sheep of His pasture and His sheep know His voice. We must circumcise ourselves to the Lord and remove the foreskin of our hearts – Jeremiah 4:4.

This nation saw the power and heard the voice of God in a mighty way during the late 40’s and early 50’s. He even sent prophetic voice across this country calling her to repentance and confirmed His word with mighty miracles signs and wonders.**

The Lord spoke to this nation calling her to reject manmade teachings and traditions that denied the Lordship and leadership of the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, the American church, as a corporate body, hardened her heart and would not receive His voice in the same way that Israel would not receive the guidance of God and insisted upon having a king.

And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief. Heb 3:18-19

It has now been forty years since the Lord’s prophetic voices announced His displeasure with that expression of revival in this country and pronounced as indictment against the American church. Now He is giving us Zechariah 1:4 and Psalms 95:8-9 as a double witness declaring, “today if you hear His voice do not harden your heart.” as was done in the prior generation.

Our earnest prayer and admonition is to learn from the “fathers” of old, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Return now from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.”‘ But they did not listen or give heed to Me,” declares the LORD. Zech 1:4 We must overcome the spirit of this world and escape it’s corruption.

EXAMINING THE PAST

A simple examination of the events that have taken place during the past forty years clearly demonstrate the Lord’s displeasure with this nation’s corporate church. It shall be forgiven if we will embrace His voice and the Spirit of Truth that is soon to be manifested.

Those who harden their hearts are said to be people who err in their heart and do not know His ways – Psalm 95:10. They draw near to Him with their words and honor Him with their lip service but they remove their hearts far from Him and their reverence consists of tradition learned by the mechanical repetition of words without regard to their meaning – Isaiah 29:13.

The Lord is saying for the wicked to forsake his ways and the unrighteous man his thoughts and return to the Lord for He is compassionate and gracious and will abundantly pardon – Isaiah 55:7.

This is the covenant that the Lord will make with us during these days. He will put His law in our hearts and will write His word upon our minds and our sins and lawless deeds He will remember no longer – Hebrews 10:16. In other words, our embracing of man-made doctrines and traditions will be forgiven and the teaching for doctrine the precepts of men shall be pardoned if we will receive His voice and the Spirit of Truth. Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness and he was called the friend of God – James 2:23.

THE ZADOK PRIESTHOOD

This year will begin the unveiling of the loyal priesthood as displayed in Ezekiel 44. Zadok was a priest – judge showing once again the impartation of the double anointing. Zadok represented the inspired Word of God, which is the only standard by which the people can be judged. This company exemplifies the remnant that remains true to the Word of God even when the multitudes were embracing the doctrines of men.

The priest-judge anointing will produce the cleansing light or “living light” teaching the people the difference between the common and the profane.. the clean from the unclean.

These priests will be like those found in Malachi 2:6-7. True instruction will be in their mouth and unrighteousness will not be found on their lips. They will turn many back from iniquity, the embracing of man-made doctrines, and will preserve knowledge. Instruction will resound from their mouth for they will be the messengers of the Lord.

The leaders with the priest anointing to proclaim the inspired Word of God, will teach many youths’ how to “hallow” themselves before the Lord and will pioneer a strong spiritual cleansing according to Jeremiah 33:8— I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned against Me and by which they have transgressed against Me.

CAMEL SKINNED PEOPLE

The Lord is conveying His desire to visit places He has visited previously and if He finds Himself welcome, He will remain. However, He said He is going to visit them in “camel skinned” people.

For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong. I Cor. 1:26-27.

These will be non-traditional, common people that must be identified according to the spirit and not according to the flesh – II Cor. 5:16— Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.

These bond-servants will not express persuasive words of mens wisdom but in the demonstration of the Spirit and in power begin extracting the precious from the profane. This unique group will instruct the body according to the Spirit of Truth – Leviticus 10:10.

THE SMITH’S OF THE LORD

The Holy Spirit announced, “See the smiths of the Lord at work— by My Spirit says the Lord”. These are the smiths or workmen found in Zechariah 1:20-21—

Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen. I said, “What are these coming to do?” And he said, “These are the horns which have scattered Judah so that no man lifts up his head; but these craftsmen have come to terrify them, to throw down the horns of the nations who have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah in order to scatter it.”

The faithful workmen symbolized by this passage will be forming new weapons and will be armed from the heavenly armory sent forth to beat down the horns or powers of the enemy. The “smiths” or workmen are soon emerging to terrorize the powers of the adversary and cause them to become panic stricken and begin casting out the powers of the nations that lifted up their strength against God’s people. We will begin to see this starting to take shape in this season of the Spirit.

This move of the Spirit will introduce a strong spirit of conviction that is coming to the body of Christ causing many to wash their garments or robes and prepare themselves for service. Their scripture will be Isaiah 62:3— You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

THE EMERGING OF THE FOUR WAR HORSES

The Lord then gave Acts 21:9 and Zechariah 1:8 and showed the coming forth of the four red war horses using Philip and his four virgin daughters as spiritual types of these war horses.

Now this man had four virgin daughters who were prophetesses.–Acts 21:9

I saw at night, and behold, a man was riding on a red horse, and he was standing among the myrtle trees which were in the ravine, with red, sorrel, and white horses behind him.– Zech 1:8

Philip’s name actually means “the lovers of horses.” We discover this notable disciple as a powerful evangelist whose ministry touched the nations as demonstrated through the Ethiopian eunuch. Jeremiah12:5 asserts, if footmen have wearied the world – how much more shall horsemen? Meaning, the power that the world has seen emerging from the church is nothing compared to that which is coming.

The red horse denotes war in the heavenlies by way of intercession or inspired prayer which will produce power evangelism. Philip’s four virgin daughter’s represent the red war horses of intercession and inspired prayer.

These virgin prophetesses had not been touched by the hands of man, implying the war horses have not embraced the doctrines and precepts of men.

The female intercessors will provide inspired prayer that will produce divinely granted repentance resulting in power evangelism, especially among the youth. A token of this truth can be seen in the recent meeting in California (1994) where Ricky Skaggs and others ministered to 144,000 young people resulting in 12,600 commitments to Christ. This call to intercession will produce more meetings like this in the coming years.

It is little wonder we see Philip in Acts 8 ministering in great power, evangelizing the territory. He had four daughters pulling down the gates of the enemy through intercession, producing repentance on the part of the people and power evangelism through Philip.

OPENING GATES TO THE CITIES

Bob was shown a vision of a company of warriors coming forth in the order of Samson, whose name means “little sun”. Samson had a little of the son in Him and lived at a time when the people did what was right in their own sight – (Judges 17:6). The spiritual law or the inspired Word of God was ignored during that period of time, much like it is today throughout our country.

Now Samson went to Gaza and saw a harlot there, and went in to her. When it was told to the Gazites, saying, “Samson has come here,” they surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the gate of the city. And they kept silent all night, saying, “Let us wait until the morning light, then we will kill him.” Now Samson lay until midnight, and at midnight he arose and took hold of the doors of the city gate and the two posts and pulled them up along with the bars; then he put them on his shoulders and carried them up to the top of the mountain which is opposite Hebron. (Judg 16:1-3)

The group of ministers prophetically displayed as “Samson’s,” were shown arising in power, carrying away the “gates of the city.” City gates spoken of in the Bible were symbols of power and authority. The term “Gaza” means “strong” or ” stronghold of the enemy”. In Genesis 22:17 God promised Abraham that his descendants would possess the gates of their enemies. From this symbolic pledge, we will see these leaders carrying away the “gates” of the enemy withstanding God’s purposes in various cities.

These specially commissioned and anointed leaders will uproot the “gates of the city” or the strongholds of the enemy and carry them to Hebron which is a place of communion or alliance and the place where God changed Abram’s name to Abraham. This is the location where Abraham received the promise of God for the chosen seed, Isaac.

Once the city gates have been destroyed, then the war horses can enter in to do battle against the strong enemy.

ES OF – AMBITION, COMPETITION, AND DIVISION

The vision illustrated the company depicted as “Samson’s” pulling up the gates of Gaza allowing the Lord to “ride” in on the backs of red war horses to do battle against our main enemies— ambition, competition, and division.

This is a prophetic portrayal of the ministry of Spirit led intercession waging war in the heavenlies against strongholds of the enemy keeping the Church from her promise.

Ambition is a spirit of strife and selfishness condemned by the apostle Paul in II Cor. 12:20
— For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps {there will be} strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances;

This type behavior is alien to the Spirit of Christ and inappropriate for Christian believers. Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing…But the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace – James 3:16-18.

where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

The apostle Paul identified the spirit of competition and jealousy among the Corinthian believers and called it fleshly immaturity and destructive to growth in Christ – (I Cor. 3:3). He reminded them that no foundation is laid but that which is Christ Jesus and each man’s work should build upon that groundwork by the Holy Spirit. Fleshly thoughts and motives result only in division.

Division is simply defined as dissension or schisms and is normally the result of strife and selfish ambition. The Lord calls for agreement without divisions among us so that we can be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgement – (I Cor. 1:10).

The Lord is identifying our main enemies as ambition and division and He is going to anoint His leaders to pull down these strongholds, allowing the war horses to enter into the cities producing Psalm 133.

The Bible declares that where brethren dwell together in unity, there the Lord will command the blessings and it will be as the anointing oil poured upon Aaron’s head.

The Lord is saying that we must be slow to anger and maintain control of our spirit— Proverbs 16:32 and Proverbs 25:28. The Holy Spirit is also emphasizing that we must not join ourselves with anyone who does not have a bridled tongue. We will become accountable for the words that we speak and for those that we allow ourselves to receive from others.

ERAL COMMENTS

This year we wil see sizeable job loss among women. Many of these women that have been waiting to start a family will now do so on their unemployment compensation. This will be a year of great insecurity among women resulting in much mental stress especially among women who do not know Christ. Their nature is to seek security and comfort yet the coming job upheaval will produce an open door for Satan to enter in with fear. If we see fear penetrating in among believer’s, we must quickly shut that door and not give opportunities to Satan.

Men on the other hand are gamblers by nature and will be willing to take a chance on Jesus, which is called faith. This will be the year of men and of faith. We are already beginning to see the effects of this through, “Promise Keeper’s” and other men’s meetings around the country that have drawn thousands of men to repentance and the restoration of their faith.

The Lord is indicating that our minds will be offended so that we can begin to listen to our spirit man. He is going to offend our minds to reveal our hearts this year. The Lord will use this method to awaken the spirits of men to become especially effective in evangelism through those that He anoints.

As an affirmation of this word, the Lord reminded Bob of 29 people who were saved on Labor Day in Panama City through unconventional methods that He anointed. These are the things that He is anointing so we must be careful not to judge them according to the flesh but by the Spirit – II Cor. 5:16.

COMING TERRORISM

Terrorism will begin to change shapes during this year and will become even more frightening than in the past. If a person does not know Jesus Christ this will be a year of “grin and bear it”. For those who do not know Christ, this will be a season characterized as “hell on earth.” A person without Christ will be doing all they can just to survive.

The Lord said there is going to be a strong move of the Spirit among the Spanish people. This is a welcome and long awaited promise and particularly important since the Lord spoke it audibly in the Spanish dialect. This seemed to emphasize the Lord’s interest and desire to move among the Spanish.

Psalms 75:10 says all the horns of the wicked He will cut off, but the righteous will be lifted up. This will be a time to embrace Christ and the Cross and begin to experience the full atonement that His precious blood purchased even in the midst of great storms that will cover this nation.

Last year the judgements began in three areas, political, geophysical, and financial. He is saying those judgements will continue through this year and will be amplified over the previous year.

When the kingdom of God came to this earth in the person of Jesus Christ, our Lord quoted Isaiah 61:1-2 proclaiming the acceptable year of the Lord. We will now begin to see in this coming of the Kingdom, the remaining fulfillment of verse 2— the day of vengeance of our God and to comfort those that mourn. In fact, we have already begun to see the coming of this kingdom in mid-July with the judgements that came to this nation and with the signs in the heavenlies that were highlighted.

The Lord also said to me to watch Santa Rosa. He did not say anything specific to watch for, only to watch.

** On January 16, 1956 in Chicago, Illinois, Bro. William Branham, at the direction of the Holy Spirit, announced, “America turns down her opportunity”. At that time the Lord instructed this prophet to communicate to this nation that she had been a great nation but she had turned down the gospel message and rejected the truth and now faced certain judgement as was shown to Bro. Branham in a vision. He went on to prophesy that America would eventually elect a president that would be a, “stylish, playboy type of a man, a real ladies man and because of the woman’s vote would be elected to office”. Only a few short years later a president was elected into office meeting these exact credentials.

When Israel rejected her opportunity to enter into God’s rest she was required to return to the wilderness to wander 40 years for the remainder of that generation. Yet while in the wilderness Israel continued to experience God’s manifested power by the pillar of fire by night and the cloud by day, eating manna from heaven and drinking water from the smitten rock. It was during this period of time that Moses supernaturally received the revelation of God’s word speaking with the Lord face to face as a friend. Yet they everyone died in the wilderness, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb, and the following generation had to return to Kadesh-Barnea under the leadership of Joshua in order to enter into God’s rest.