September 26, 2007 … JoAnn shares her dream and vision - a lesson for all of us:
(JoAnn wrote to Paul, House Of Prayer Development Administrator, after he had contacted her regarding beginning a CIC House of Prayer everywhere in her church … )
I especially feel a burden for the Church as a whole, the leadership of churches and those who literally lay their lives on the line just to be known as a Christian. Here in America we do not know what it is to be persecuted for our faith.
We may think we do in some of the ways the enemy is using now to come against our right to voice the truth in certain public places and government operated facilities. However, we do not know what it is like to have to meet in secret at 3:00 in the morning, after having walked several miles to join up with brothers and sisters in an underground house church. To be a marked person in a country where it is considered God’s will to kill them wherever found. To be hated for what they believe, even though all they have ever demonstrated is the love of God to those around them.
Last night I received some encouragement from the Lord through the reading I was doing.
In the past recent months, I’ve been questioning why Christians call themselves Christians. What exactly does it mean to be a “Christian” after all? I head up an intercession group at my church on Friday nights, and honestly, it is rare that we have more than two people (including me). Prayer just does not seem to be important for many, even though we give lip service to it, and send in our prayer requests. The Church has been on my heart, and in particular leadership of churches. The Lord has given me a special prayer purpose for these two areas.
As you know, many times when we intercede, the Holy Spirit will give visions, a word of knowledge or discernment for the Church’s admonition, encouragement and even correction. I would like to share something with you: two things.
The first one came in a dream; the second was a vision while awake.
The dream came about a year ago which I shared with my pastor and a small group at my church. I had gone to sleep for the night, and I dreamt that I was in my church, but it was filled with beds. All around the sanctuary were beds where benches used to be. Our church members were there in various conditions of going to sleep, sound asleep or struggling to stay awake. I heard a voice that came from the front of the church calling to us to “Wake up!” “Wake up!” It was the voice of the Holy Spirit. People were complaining, and crying out to “turn down the lights”, saying that it was too bright and they could not sleep.
I was sitting up in my own bed in church, and watched as a dark cloaked figure went in and out between the beds. Every time someone would awaken or begin to try to get up, he would come over to them with some warm milk and have them drink it, and quiet them back down. The figure was dressed in black, and wore a bright red banner across his chest. It read “FOR”. I ask anyone listening, “What does FOR mean?” “For what?” People told me to: “Be quiet and go back to sleep.” “Get some rest.” That we would find out tomorrow. Someone answered and said it meant “For us, not against us.” I remembering thinking, “Well, I guess that’s alright then.” However, as I began to relax myself, suddenly my whole vision was filled with a list of blazing words that read “FORM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS” ‘FORM OF RELIGION” “FORM OF TRUTH”. You see, I had been deceived by only reading the first three letters on the sash “F-O-R”. Had I looked closer I would have seen the “M”, and it would have alerted me that this was a FORM of something moving among our church members. I woke up out of my sleep at home and wrote the team.
The second thing occurred about three weeks ago during Friday night intercession there were four of us gathered. I had not received any type of agenda for the night from the Lord, and to tell you the truth it had not been that good a week (walks in desert places and dark caves never are). All of the sudden the most vivid vision came of the city of Jerusalem. I could not see clearly through this cloud of glory and power that engulfed it, but I knew it was the King’s city. The Lord spoke into my heart: “Fire!, Fire!, Fire! Fire is coming. Is coming. Is coming. First to the Church, then to my people, then to the world. You will hear of it. You will see it. You will experience it. The fire is to purify and prepare my people; to purge out what I am not pleased by and to ignite a fresh flame within the Church who has been asleep too long. For those who will yield themselves, it will be a fire that will purify and prepare them for the end time battle. Those that will hearken to the voice of the Spirit need not fear the fire, for it is the fire of His glory. But those who remain rebellious, stiff necked, and do not yield, will have those things they hold on to destroyed by the fire. If they continue to in their rebelliousness, they too will be destroyed.
Then I began to see something so powerful that I really could not take it in. God’s people in Jerusalem were turning their hearts back to God by the thousands, and God supernaturally shielded and protected them from destruction from their enemies. As the world witnessed this event, once and for all the world had to make a decision. They would either bow before the Lord and turn to Him, or they would curse Him and turn away forever.
This vision has burned in my heart, and I tremble before the Lord and cry out for His mercy. But He tells me it’s time for the Church to get ready. Those that will pray, seek His face, turn from their own ways of doing things will be healed and made into powerful instruments Hewill use. Those that will not, will face destruction.
Just for your edification of the dream that you shared of Hope Flinchbaugh; with respect to the person who lead the group into the house of prayer (the Church). That person is indeed a messenger or prophet. One of many who are being called forth in this end time to call the Church out of their slumbering sleep and selfish ways of doing things, to see that there is too much at stake to just sit around, lay around, and go about things in the old usual ways. Even our best intentions have to be examined and re-examined to make sure we are not letting first things become sidelined by keeping busy or doing programs. I am reminded that every great movement of God was birthed in prayer. Before the battles could be fought and won, first the prophets or king prayed for guidance and direction, power and protection. Then and only then, did they march into battle, knowing that God was giving them the victory. We know that Jesus prayed often. Even on the night He was betrayed, when He could have done any number of other things to avoid what was about to be done to Him, Jesus sought His father in deep intercessory prayer. If Jesus thought prayer was vital for Himself, should not that be our first choice of action now!
C. Hope Flinchbaugh adds:
One of the visions she saw beds in a dark room where Christians were sleeping and kept in that position by FORM.
Last week I had a dream I did not understand. I am gaining more understanding through Joann's vision. In my dream, my ten-year-old daughter and I were leaping from bunk bed to bunk bed. The beds were widely set apart and my daughter seemed to have greater ability to leap than I. We were leaping but the beds were empty, the room somewhat dark, and I think we were the only ones in there. I did not understand the dream and still wonder about it. However, it is so much like Joann's that I thought I'd mention it here.
The space between the bunk beds (and we leaped on the top bunks to other top bunks) was set widely apart and I was concerned we could not do it. My daughter seemed to do it with more ease than I even though she's shorter. Her jump gave me confidence to jump a couple of times.
I'm not sure what all this means, but respond because it seems to coincide w/ Joann's dream.
Pastor Wally Magdangal (Founder and President of Christians In Crisis) responds:
In Hope's dream I see the following:
* The empty bunk beds are church pews left empty for the most part because of Christians in slumber "mode"...
* Many Christians do not do one-on-one evangelism. This failure plus a weak prayer life results in too many empty pews.
* The empty bunk beds also represent the absentee Christian who give priority to other matters/issues of living than being active in Church life and witnessing.
* You and your daughter jumping from one bunk bed to another is representative of some followers of JESUS that are very much awake...in their zeal they are trying to awaken those that are sleeping...to warn them...challenge them...inspire them.
* Your daughter represents the energy of the younger generation that are on fire for JESUS.
* You represent those that are more mature...careful in their "step"...their "leaps"... And yet being careful to keep in step with the more energetic ones lest any should "fail"... But your being able to leap with Judah speaks of those in the Body that are of the "Moses" anointing...They are the ones that transfer and inspire "fiery" anointing to the young ones.
* The bunk beds set widely apart - this figure stands for the gaps within the Body of Christ.
* There are followers of JESUS that are so desiring and doing all they can to see Churches and the Body unite...to work hand in hand in advancing the cause of CHRIST. Some of these followers of Christ are making some progress... but very few churches are wanting to reach out to others due to doctrinal and denominational issues.
* Yes they know the challenge and the need to unite with others...but for the most part they are weak...they are scared...they fear what others may say and think...they have their own agenda...not willing to take on GOD's agenda...they hinder the advancement of GOD's Kingdom.
* The darkness stands for all manners of bondage within the Church due to "Slumber."
"I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches."
Pastor Wally
NOTE: If you would like more information on hosting a CIC House of Prayer everywhere, please click here