Victory '97!--New Year's Message for 1998: Run the Race! CM/FM 3151 11/97
1. {\b \i (Vision:)} I see a giant stadium in Heaven! It's enormous, like a big oval-shaped sports stadium. The Heavenly host are in the grandstands--departed saints, angels, and Heavenly beings--all cheering and waving and shouting! As I look at the stadium from a distance, I can see amongst the crowds the words: "VICTORY '97!" The folks in the grandstands are spelling it out! You know how they do that sometimes in big sports events? You look from a distance at the crowds in the grandstands, and you'll see a word spelled out, or a picture. I don't know how they do it. Maybe they have designated people hold up a placard or wear a hat or clothes of the same color or whatever. But I can see these words that the Heavenly host are spelling out: "VICTORY '97!" So it seems this event taking place must be to celebrate the victory won in 1997!
2. Oh, now I can see how they're doing it--the people who are forming the letters and the numbers are glowing with different colored lights! It's like they're all lit up! That's why it's so spectacular--because the light they're projecting is so bright and alive and radiant! The background behind the letters is white light. The folks in the crowd who make up the background are shining with bright white light, and the folks who are making up the letters are shining with golden light. And then there's a beautiful blue thin edge on the golden letters. Those who're making up that part are shining with magnificent, glistening blue light. From a distance, it's gorgeous!--These big golden letters, edged in blue, on a white background, spelling out "VICTORY '97!"
3. Down below in the stadium there's a big platform in the middle where the Lord is, and He's surrounded by several angels assisting Him. It seems there's going to be some sort of a ceremony. I see now that some of the angels are holding awards in their hands--blue ribbons and gold medals and trophies.
4. There are two Heavenly beings on either side of the Lord. Oh, Jesus, I don't know what to call them. They're not really beasts in the hideous sense of the word, but they're some kind of special rare breed of big, strong animals, like big cats. They're awesome-looking, but really gorgeous and strong--like a cross between a lion and a tiger and a bear. They're beautiful and stately looking, and about the size of a large lion or tiger. They have the mouth and the roar of a lion, the front legs of a strong bear, and the fur, hind legs and feet of a beautiful tiger. They're on either side of the Lord. They look very tame, but they seem very powerful. I don't know why they're there, or what they have to do with these events that I'm seeing, except I have the feeling that they're there as mascots. It's as if they're standing at attention alongside the Lord, just to show His majesty and power.
5. {\b \i (Jesus speaking:)} Behold My wildcats of Heaven who stand guard, ready at all times to assist My children of David in battle!--These who are gentle and who eat from My hand in the Heavenlies, yet who I send when necessary to demonstrate great force and power on behalf of My children. Behold these, who when called upon do fight on behalf of Heaven against the wiles of Satan and his puny attacks on My children!
6. Behold My Heavenly cats who fight in spirit for My children of David with the bravery of the lion! None can stand against them, for at the mere sound of their mighty roar, the foe will back off. Behold their beauty as that of the tiger, and their feet which do run with the speed of the cheetah, that judgment may be executed swiftly against the dirty works of the Evil One! Behold My wildcats who possess the strength of the bear as they do endure, and fight through, and win each time!
7. Behold My wildcats of Heaven! In My Holy City they lie down with the lamb. Yet when I send them forth to fight on behalf of My children, they fight and win and conquer, for they are filled with the wild and free spirit of love's power! (End of message from Jesus.)
8. {\b \i (Vision continues:) }Wow, thank You Lord! That's some explanation about those cats! Below the platform where the Lord is, I see Family members. It's us--the Family! I don't know if the field of the stadium represents Earth, or if we've been translated to Heaven, or if this is happening in the spirit or what, but they're Family members from Earth!
9. Now I see what the ceremony is all about--the Family folks are taking turns going up to get their rewards! The Lord is rewarding each one individually for running the various races in 1997. That's why they're displaying the words "VICTORY '97," because it's a victory celebration for us, that we made it through another year! We won the victory! There are blue ribbons and medals and trophies of all sorts and shapes and sizes, and each Family member is going up to get his or hers. Jesus is handing them out Himself! Every time a ribbon or a medal is pinned on or a trophy is handed out, the crowds cheer! Everybody's praising the Lord and cheering for a job well done.
10. It looks like there's going to be a parade! Oh yes, after the rewards are passed out, each Family member takes their place on a float. There are several of these floats, all very elaborately decorated in some type of majestic light. It's like the floats are made out of swirls of light of all colors, and they're glowing and pulsating and vibrating with power! The Family members are riding on the floats, parading around the stadium, while the band is playing, the banners are flying and the crowd cheers!
11. There are cheerleaders, both male and female, jumping up and down and doing fancy cartwheels and acrobatic stunts and leaps in the air alongside the floats. It seems somewhat overwhelming, in a way, for the Family folks, so that all they can do is lift their arms in praise to the Lord and give Him all the credit as they ride around the stadium in the parade. The host of Heaven is cheering the Family on, and the feeling I get is that they're commending them for the victories won, and cheering them on to run more races up ahead. Everyone is praising the Lord and giving Him all the glory, really joining in and praising Him all together. There's so much praise to Jesus!
12. Wow! Now that's really awesome! Everyone in the grandstand is throwing out confetti of some sort. It's going all over the place! Confetti is everywhere and covering the Family on the field below. This is not ordinary confetti--it's sparkling with amazing, dazzling colors, and it's radiating some sort of vibrant energy, strength and power! It's covering the Family and filling them with incredible vigor, like it's recharging their batteries, filling them with energy and somehow strengthening their muscles--like a shower of strength or a soothing balm going all over them.
13. Each Family member has demonstrated skill and won some race, passed some test, and they have received their reward from the Lord, their commendation! And now the Heavens are cheering them on for what is to come. There seems to be more yet to come--more races to run! The victories of '97 are preliminary races that everyone has won, and although they are very, very important, it's not the finals--not quite yet!
14. Whatever that power in the confetti is, it seems that it's going to help the Family to keep going, to keep training, to keep working out, so they can move ahead to run future races. It's going to help them to keep running more races and keep moving forward, to improve their skill and their speed and help them to gain strength and stamina so that they can win greater victories and go on to win the final race!
15. Everyone in the grandstands is so excited, and they're singing and praising and shouting! I can hear them saying, "Hallelujah! The children of David are on their way! The children of David are on their way to finish the course and win the gold--the Endtime Olympic gold on behalf of Heaven! A little more training, a few more races, a few more laps, and final victory is ours! Praise the Lord! We cannot fail, and you cannot fail, as long as you keep on fighting and winning and don't quit!"
16. The cheerleaders are chanting a cute little cheer, saying:
Go, team, go! Fight, team, fight!
Stand up for the truth with all Heaven's might!
We're right here for you, you can bet we're a rootin'!
Come on, can you hear us?--The bugles are a tootin'!
So don't give up when the goin' gets rough,
Go, team, go, call that ol' Punk's bluff!
Just send up a call and we'll be there,
We'll come to your aid if ya shoot up a prayer!
You can count on us--be there quick as a flash,
So y'all keep on goin', keep runnin' that dash!
Oh, the day is comin', the day is near,
When we'll shout final victory--you've nothing to fear!
Keep runnin' that race--brave teammates down there,
Satan's shakin' in his boots; oh, whatta scare!
Just a few more races, come on if you dare,
And we'll shout glorious victory when we meet in the air!
17. Ha, ha! What a cute little jingle, and those cheerleaders are so full of pep! I see them fading out now, but everyone is waving and saying, "Hallelujah! We're in this together and we're all on our way! It'll be worth it all when we meet at Jesus' feet! All praise and glory and honor to our King of kings!" (End of vision.)
18. {\b \i (Jesus speaking:)} Ribbons, medals and trophies for the victors of '97! Step right up and receive your rewards for a job well done, My vibrant brides! Heavenly blue and gold for My children of David! For you've run the race, you've finished the course of '97, you've crossed those finish lines, and you didn't give up! Reach out and receive these gifts from My hand--showers of rewards, blessings, and gifts for a job well done and victories won! You've run the race, you've finished the course of another year, and I am well pleased with you, My faithful ones in the house of David, My all-star team!
19. You've had a good year--a year of victories, a year of more intense training, a year of accomplishment, a year of advancement--and the Heavens rejoice! You've gained momentum. You've gained the advantage. You've won in the local meets, the regionals, and some preliminary races. The Heavens shout and cheer for the races won and the goals accomplished, and the rewards of '97 are yours! Hallelujah! Let all Heaven shout, for you've made it across those finish lines!
20. So many races of '97 won!--From short-distance dashes to cross-country marathons!--Not to mention the relays and passing that baton. There've been high jumps and long jumps, hurdles and hurls, but you made it to the finish! Hallelujah! Let all Heaven shout! You've run the race of greater witnessing, greater distribution and greater winning! You've run the long-distance races, going farther than ever before, getting more message out and touching more lives with the power of My love. You've run those races and victory is yours--more countries pioneered, greater ministries, greater supply and protection, greater answers to prayer, greater healing, greater promises fulfilled!
21. Hallelujah! Let the Heavens shout! For the children of David have won in '97, and they take home the blue and gold! They met greater challenges and won personal victories--greater humility, greater believing, greater obedience, greater yieldedness, greater praise, that has brought on greater blessings! So step right up and take the stand and claim your Heavenly rewards--ribbons, medals and trophies designed especially for you, My beloved ones of the house of David, My winning team!
22. Ribbons, medals and trophies--let all Heaven see! Stand up and be counted! Give honor to whom honor is due! Cheer them on, O host of Heaven, for they've finished the course of '97 with greater faith, greater loyalty, greater dedication, greater love, and greater service to Me and to others. And because of this, I reward them with greater treasures of My Spirit!
23. And now, dear ones, you must not look down, but look up! Look up to the year ahead--to new races, new challenges, new hurdles and more finish lines to be crossed. Tire not and fear not for the races we have yet to win, for this is all a part of winning and making it to the finals, of crossing that final line when eternal victory will be yours. Fret not, dear ones, for you are destined to win!
24. Therefore be encouraged that you have run well in these preliminary races, and look forward with excitement, for there is more to come! For I do not train you by making you only run one long, continual, monotonous marathon. I know that would be too much, too hard and too difficult. In My wisdom I give you many and varied races so that you may receive the training necessary to develop all your talents, in order to be the well-rounded, highly-skilled players that will win in the finals.
25. I train you by leading you to run many races, that as you gain one victory, as you reach one goal line, you may then move on to another, then another and another, building victory upon victory as you train in these days of preparation, developing all your muscles and finely tuning your coordination and skills. Each race you run, each preliminary event, all adds up to the final score. Yes, all these add up and contribute to your preparation for the final run, the final race. All are for your benefit and for your training as you forge ahead.
26. Therefore, look up and look onward to the challenges ahead, for the Endtime Olympics are underway! And as in any world series, there are many races--many preliminary games, playoffs and semifinals--yet they all point toward the final goal! Each player is important and each talent will be used as I make of you a tight-knit team, well-coordinated and balanced, highly trained professionals, My top players of the End!
27. Know that I, your Master Trainer, am always by your side, and I'm preparing you for the final obstacle course, the final race, that final victory line! I'm training each of you in many and varied ways, that you might become well-rounded and able to partake of many and varied events--not only as individuals, but as a team. I'm training and coaching you, My children of David, to be the final winners, My all-star team, well-rounded and well-adjusted, those who are able to take part in many events and run many courses in the final day when our Heavenly team will win!--Victors of the Endtime Olympics!
28. Oh, the excitement, the thrill, as we train and build up for that glorious day! Your performance of '97 has been splendid, but now you must look ahead to '98 and the challenges and goals that lie ahead. There will be varied and assorted races and feats for all, that will help you move along with your training. I will design each race and each course carefully for each of you in the coming year according to the need, as you each strengthen various areas. Some races and events will help to build muscles, while others are designed to tone them. Others will help to improve your speed, while others will be exercises to improve your balance and flexibility.
29. 1998 promises workouts of all sorts--races, jumping events, and other field events, where you will have to demonstrate your grace, skill, poise and coordination. Yes, there'll be something for everybody, for I cannot do without all the members of the Endtime team--My all-star players!
30. There'll be walking and running races of varied kinds, some short-distance and others long-distance. Some will take place on smooth terrain and others will take you over rugged, mountainous terrain. But you must not let this scare you, for it is this preparation, this invaluable training, that will sharpen your skills, heighten your versatility, and build your stamina, which will enable you to run and win in the finals. There will be races of all kinds, for all are part of My highly skilled training course. All are needed and necessary to bring about the desired results.
31. Don't forget that I am the Master Strategist and you must keep your eyes fixed on Me to receive the right signals, to know when to push on and when to pull back, and what skills to apply to what race or event.
32. Some races will require a brisk pace, lifting your knees high and swinging your arms freely as you move forward to cross the finish line of that particular event. In others you will have to carefully watch your pace so as not to overdo and reach a point of fatigue too early, and thereby lag behind and drop out of the race. There will be times when it's best to stick to taking short, swift strides, paying attention to keeping one foot firmly planted on the ground at all times. In other events, a more relaxed, long stride will help you coast along and give you a needed time to relax, allowing the momentum to carry you along. In some cases, it will be necessary to change speeds often, yet in others I will lead you to run at an even, steady pace. There will be different tactics and different methods needed to run and win the various races. Some races will be short, some will be medium, and others will be long-distance runs.
33. For those who are able and ready to reach even greater heights, I will guide you through the steeplechase race!* This will be for those who I know are ready to move through the obstacle course of high jumps and water traps, through sand pits and past decoys. And although this will require dedication, faith, determination and sharp attention, the thrill and the excitement of these races will keep you alive and vibrant as they sharpen your skills, keeping you agile and quick, able to move at a moment's notice. *({\ul \i Steeplechase race}: A foot race of usually 3,000 meters over a closed track with four hurdles and a water obstacle. Also signifies a course of action containing many obstacles. [EDITED: "From the use of church steeples as landmarks."])
34. But as you keep your eyes on Me and look to Me for the signals, I will guide you and coach you safely through. Then you will rejoice and rest assured that through this training your skills will be sharpened and your muscles will be strengthened and toned, so that you will be ready to run with confidence the final race set before you.
35. And should I also require that some of you run a handicap race, where weights are applied to build those muscles, in this be glad! For when the weights are removed, you will fly with the greatest of ease to your final destination, across that line!
36. Therefore let us celebrate this new season ahead--a new year, with new challenges, new goals, new events, and new races to be won! And know, My children, that you have only to keep your minds and hearts and eyes fixed solely on Me, your Master Trainer. For only I am able to give you the clear signals that are needed to win as you run each race, until that day when you will cross the final finish line!
37. Therefore keep your hearts fixed and your eyes steady on Me. For in order to win each preliminary race and make it to the finals in this last, great Endtime Olympics, you must stay finely attuned to the Head Trainer, for there is much more to winning than sheer muscle and brawn. It takes skill, precision, coordination and balance. It takes knowing when to speed up and when to slow down. It takes flexibility. It takes knowing when to push and when to pull back; when to coast and conserve your energy, and when to cut loose at top speed. It takes staying in step, in rhythm, and working in teamwork. It takes unity and team effort. It takes versatility, stamina, and hard work! But the end results are worth it!
38. It takes all this, My children. Yet first and foremost it will take the strategy of Heaven and the proper training that comes only from Me. Therefore you must stay finely attuned, following Me moment by moment, step by step, as I whisper in your ear the plan of action, the strategy, the plays and the commands that will win each race.
39. And know that there are many conditions and many factors that alter the race--some from outside and some from within. Many circumstances and conditions need to be taken into account--what turf you're playing on, the weather conditions without, your condition and how diligently you train--all these conditions will alter the race.
40. To you, My faithful ones, My children of David, I give the utmost care and attention, for I know that your hearts are with Me. I have chosen you, handpicked you to join My all-star team. I know that you are able, because I am able--and together we will win the race as you look to Me. I will never leave you nor forsake you in your times of training. I will always be there for you--to give you a pat on the back, to wipe the sweat from your brow, to cheer you on, to spot you, to break your falls, to massage your muscles when they're sore, to hold your hand, and to support you in every way.
41. I will always be there to whisper the strategy in your ear, the signals you will need to always be able to keep the right pace, never going too far ahead nor lagging too far behind. I will be there to guide you through the steeplechase races, over the hurdles, and through the water traps and other obstacles.
42. I will be there to lift you up to greater heights and to carry you over, so that you can reach for higher goals and attain to greater skills that will be needed to win the Endtime race. I will be there to move you along to win greater victories, so that when you finish one race, you will then be able to go on to another, and another!--Until that final race, that final hour when you run with the greatest of ease and poise and precision over the final finish line in this last great Endtime Olympics!
43. This is it! This is the greatest show on Earth, the biggest event the world will ever know! And as all the world and all the Heavens watch, all will know that you've received your training from Me. For every eye will see, and they will know the Master Trainer, and that you belong to Me--that you are of My breed, My school, and on the Heavenly team! In that great and wonderful day, all the world will wonder and will stand in awe, as you, My all-star team of the End, reach that finish line in the strength and power and might of Heaven to take the blue and gold!
44. So rejoice and be glad for all the races that lie ahead, and let this encourage your hearts. For I give you many races. Each has a starting line and a finish line, so that when you complete each race, each goal, you may be encouraged as you see the progress and receive the reward for that race run.
45. Remember as you move along, as the series progresses and the Endtime Olympics unfold, that you must finish each race before you begin the next. With each race, with each victory won, you will then be able to progress and move along to run other races, winning more victories, and gaining greater ground each time. The sooner you cross each finish line, the sooner you will be able to prepare and move along to run another race, to gain a greater victory, as you grow stronger, more skilled, able to jump over higher hurdles and leap to greater heights in preparation for that final title, that final race, the final finish when I will crown you victors of the End!
46. In that day you will look back with great satisfaction and contentment of heart, knowing it was worth it all! You fought and won, you finished the race, you attained the goal, and you won the crown! There's no greater thrill, no greater satisfaction, no greater rush, no greater excitement than crossing that final finish line! And from there, together we will move forward and up and on to the next race--to the heights and thrills I have prepared for you in that new day when you will rule and reign with Me forever!
47. So keep on training, My loves! Keep on fighting, climbing, and winning--and don't quit! Keep looking to Me, keep listening to Me and receiving My strategy, My plan, My signals and My plays. For I am way out here in front. I can see the big picture, and I will never let you down. You're on the winning team that cannot lose--My all-stars of the End! Okay now--one, two, three, let's go! (End of message from Jesus.)
Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family