When praying with intercessor friends this week, I saw two images following on from each other. In the first, I saw the inside of a top-loading washing machine with many garments being washed. It seemed to be at the point in the cycle where the rinsing water had been pumped out, as the clothes were all pasted against the inside walls of the drum as they would be from the centrifugal force of the spinning motion. There was no water present. Also inside the drum, lying separate from the clothes, was an empty plastic ball, such as one uses to dispense washing liquid when placing it in amongst the dirty clothing at the beginning of the wash cycle.
These are represented by the empty round hollow ball. They are operating in the Spirit of Elijah, just as John the Baptist did, preparing the way for the coming of the Lord.
Those who have been appointed a long season designed to cleanse their priestly garments, as Malachi 3 describes. These are represented by the multiple different garments on the inside of the washing machine drum.
For both these groups, the agitation and tumbling circular motion with a confined space with no vision beyond the drum parameters has come to an end. Within this cleansing cycle, there have been seasons of total immersion in a Heaven=sent fuller’s soap word which has exposed, loosened and separated the dirt from the garments. The dirty washing water has covered and obscured the individual callings and giftings and the rotation of the drum has, at times, felt like it is unceasing. While this stage was in progress, there seemed to always be one more thing to repent of, one more piece of deeply lodged dirt to be freed from. Round and round the cycle continued until complete surrender had been achieved and the cleansing completed. It seemed there was no way out of this closed in place and no relenting in the agitation and discomfort of what was going on in the circumstances of their lives.
And the prophetic vessel has been right in the middle of the jumbled dirty water, although, in itself, there were no impurities that needed dislodging. These ones had made themselves available, like Isaiah, saying, “Here am I, Lord. Send me” and had found themselves plunged in over their heads in dirty stormy water as a result of faithfully sharing the words given from above. For this reason, many of these appointed prophetic vessels have looked at the filthiness of their surroundings and wondered at their own fitness to be vessels or mouthpieces of the Lord. There just seemed to be so much dirty water surrounding them and while they have been faithful in dispensing every single word of warning; every call to repentance and holiness which they have received from the Spirit, the amount of dirt around them had just progressively increased with each revolution, obscuring their vision and sense of direction. The dirtiness of the water swirling around them has made them lose perspective and wonder if it was their own lives which needed the deep cleansing, if they shouldn’t have shared the word they received. The truth of the matter is that the cleansing word they dispensed during the first stages of the cleansing cycle had accomplished the purpose for which it was sent and had loosened the stains and filth in the garments of the priestly Bride surrounding the prophetic messengers. One would think that a cleansing word would immediately produce a cleaner environment and spiritual atmosphere. However, the confined parameters of the appointed drum had served to loosen and make visible the hidden dirt first – and contain it for a short season. And in the agitated atmosphere of the drum which changed direction and jostled the garments in different directions, it had been impossible to ascertain any kind of progress, in spite of a willingness to repent.
Then came the rinsing cycle and a welcome deluge of clear clean water from above – bringing refreshing after times of repentance and yet, the prophetic vessel lies empty and fully spent in the midst of this appointed refreshing. He or she has been obedient to speak the words given, yet the downpour from above has just temporarily filled the vessel and been poured out afresh amongst the rinsed garments. There has been a feeling of progress for the priestly Bride as wonderful refreshing words have saturated their garments. Yet the prophetic vessel feels still strangely empty and cannot see or hear any direction from the Throne. All is dark and there seems to be no escape from this place. A feeling of not knowing one’s purpose or place in the scheme of Kingdom plans has enveloped the vessel. It is surrounded by clean garments and has nothing left to give. Before, the hand of God had held this vessel and the sense of the nearness of His presence had been comforting and undergirding. Yet now, no amount of striving in prayer or praise; no amount of pushing through had restored this sense of His presence. Before, there was turbulence but there was a word deep within to release. Now the water of the Word has ceased flowing. There is no motion. All is still. It seems there is a holy pause and no way to get out or see what lies ahead. It is a disconcerting place to find oneself. The agitated stormy dirty water was not pleasant and the rinsing refreshing water very welcome, but both these phases involved constant motion and as you drank in and cooperated with each washing of the water of the spoken Word, change came. The place of stillness and silence; this eerie pause, is unfamiliar. No more words bringing conviction and a desire to repent. NO movement at all. It is a place not experienced until now and both the prophetic vessel and those whose garments have been through a good scrubbing are disconcerted. Is there personal error? Why is nothing happening? Why is it so silent? Where has the Lord gone? Have I missed Him somehow? Have I failed the test?
I have good news for both groups. THE SEASON OF CLEANSING IS COMPLETE. Your garments are clean, priestly Bride. You have cooperated well with the convicting power of the Spirit-quickened word.
The time in the closed-in place is at an end. The time without vision and perspective is at an end. Now comes the lifting out. For the prophetic messenger, the assignment is over and a return to the Master’s hand is imminent. Separation is coming from the group which has been ministered to. You have been a good and faithful servant. God has fresh plans and new blueprints to reveal. The pause, the silence, the lack of motion all indicate a successful conclusion to the assignment; the end of a chapter and a new beginning. Nothing more is required of you at this juncture. Wait for the Lord to set in motion the next chapter. You cannot bring it about by your own efforts; your own prayers or your own decrees. Be at peace and rest. Do not mistake lack of motion around you as an indication of having taken a wrong turn in the path.
What lies ahead is exposure to the glory of God. There is appointed a lifting up and ministrations of the wind of the Spirit; a setting in place on the line, a season of light and wide open spaces and unobscured vision.
Isa 4:4 After the Lord has washed away the [moral] filth of the daughters of Zion [pride, vanity, haughtiness] and has purged the bloodstains of Jerusalem from the midst of it by the spirit and blast of judgment and by the spirit and blast of burning and sifting. Isa 4:5 And the Lord will create over the whole site, over every dwelling place of Mount Zion and over her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory shall be a canopy (a defense of divine love and protection).
We stand at the end of a cleaning cycle. The fuller soap has done its work. We now offer offerings in righteousness once again.
Mal 3:2 But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; Mal 3:3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He will purify the priests, the sons of Levi, and refine them like gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord offerings in righteousness.
The next cycle and chapter will be very different. This juncture marks a point of separation – from circumstances and locations, both from old companions-in-arms and vessels which have been sources of anointed piercing words from the throne, which have brought alignment and correction. Assignments are to be released as we bask in the glory and light of the Son of Righteousness and each will move into a tailor-made new journey as Kingdom purposes are downloaded and revealed. There has been fellowship in the cleansing cycle with other saints undergoing rigorous cleansing, but goodbyes must be said. Kingdom plans must be carried out. New assignments must be fulfilled. And the God of Glory must receive all the glory as His yielded vessels walk out the good works prepared for them before the foundation of the earth. Be ready for significant change.
Mal 3:17 And they shall be Mine, says the Lord of hosts, in that day when I publicly recognize and openly declare them to be My jewels (My special possession, My peculiar treasure). And I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him.
The place of stillness and silence; this eerie pause, is unfamiliar. No more words bringing conviction and a desire to repent. NO movement at all. It is a place not experienced until now and both the prophetic vessel and those whose garments have been through a good scrubbing are disconcerted. Is there personal error? Why is nothing happening? Why is it so silent? Where has the Lord gone? Have I missed Him somehow? Have I failed the test?
Have mercy on us O Lord. Encourage our hearts like only you can. Help us not to move from this place, help us to be quiet and wait for you. Thank-you for your love for us and for your plan for us. I fear you Lord. I do not wish to miss you.
The pause, the silence, the lack of motion all indicate a successful conclusion to the assignment; the end of a chapter and a new beginning. Nothing more is required of you at this juncture. Wait for the Lord to set in motion the next chapter. You cannot bring it about by your own efforts; your own prayers or your own decrees. Be at peace and rest. Do not mistake lack of motion around you as an indication of having taken a wrong turn in the path.
Indeed this has been that season! My husband and I put our farmhouse and a small amount of property for sale the end of April. We have written 3 contracts on the property, each one for some reason or another decided not to buy. We even had a young couple write a very nice note to us along with their offer to purchase, how perfect it was for them. (It is the most looked at property in our little county) I TRUST IN YOU LORD!
If we sold this property we would eliminate all debt. My husband is 62 in December and I am 58. We only desire to fulfill the pages of our lives book! No More No Less.
We have been “waiting on the Lord” we keep asking ourselves are we missing something very important with the Father? Does He not want us to sell this property? Is he holding it for someone? We continue to TRUST IN HIS PLANS….waiting for His voice……and even those words “Stand still and see the Salvation of God, and BE STILL and know that I AM GOD.
Thank-you for your obedience in scribing for the Spirit. Be encouraged. We appreciate you very much.
BLESS YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND FOR DESIRING ONLY TO WALK IN hIS PERFECT WILL!
Sometimes it is just about waiting for the synchronization of the ‘fullness of times’. And yes, I would say God has something very specific in mind concerning the transference of your property to another. For now, just praise Him for perfect timing and alignment and bless the buyer He has in mind with guidance and clear direction. Thanksgiving for Him fully bringing the sale to a successful conclusion in His perfect time and way will keep your heart in a place of rest. Patience is something we learn slowly but think of a member of the orchestra coming in with his part just a second or two early – what a discordant sound he would emit! No, we must all keep in step with the Spirit!!
And for now, just enjoy the days you have left here. You will not pass this way again.
I think perhaps God is putting some finishing touches on the circumstances of the next chapter before we step into it. Everything must dovetail nicely for us to flow in the Spirit according to Heaven’s blueprint. Remember He took 5 days to create the garden and then He put man in the garden He had made for him to enjoy!