maria
February 4, 2005
GN 1121 FD/MM/FM
Weathering A Media Storm
By Maria FD/MM/FM 3531 1/05
Dearest Family,
1. I love you, and you are in Peter's and my daily prayers. Thanks for your wonderful faithfulness to Jesus and His lost sheep. You're doing a tremendous job for Him! He's proud of you—and so are we!
2. As you know, we have had quite a bit of less than favorable media coverage lately, and there will likely be more. It was at first limited to the U.S., but has since spread to a few countries in Europe and some parts of Latin America, and might spread more. These articles and TV programs about us haven't been good, for the most part. They have mostly been filled with old allegations and accusations, ones we have answered many times before, and that courts of law have acquitted us of in a number of countries around the world.
3. I'm sure you've all been praying for the media and the Lord's will in this situation, especially since Peter's recent notice‚ "The Next Focus in the Battle," so I want to share with you some of the Lord's encouragement about why He allows even negative media coverage, as well as messages about what we can expect in the near future. This counsel will help you to be prepared, and should also encourage you that just because the articles haven't been positive, it doesn't mean that the Lord isn't answering our prayers or that we aren't doing our part. There are many other factors involved and reasons why He allows it, and will continue to allow it in the future. In fact, Peter and I expect that we will have more negative media in the days and weeks ahead. It's going to be difficult, but it will pass.
4. Here are a few things to keep in mind about media battles, which we have learned from experience, and also from our wise and loving Husband's counsel:
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5. God is in control, and He is able to use every situation—even negative media coverage—for our good. In fact, later in this GN I'll share with you some reasons why He allows it and how we can benefit from it.
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6. Our job when faced with a media storm is to get the truth out as fast and as effectively as we can. We don't expect it to be published wholesale, but it's our job to give the other side as much as we can so that people can make an educated choice. If all they hear is the slander, they don't really have an opportunity to choose. So we have to get them the truth in whatever ways we can‚ through whatever means we can, as much as we can. That's our job!
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7. Television and print media are big business. In order to stay in business, they need to sell their show or papers. Ratings and circulation are the most important factors to them, as that's what brings advertising revenue and subscriptions. Unfortunately‚ this fact often plays into what is printed or broadcast and how stories are reported. Sensationalism sells—every journalist understands this. They need to write stories that will help sell or promote the papers or shows they work for, which often results in reporting that is sensational but inaccurate.
8. Every now and then you'll get a reporter, editor, or producer who is personally interested in you, either for you or against you, and they'll take that stance in putting together their story. However, most reporters, editors, and producers are not that interested in doing in-depth reporting or reporting on the "boring" truth, because that doesn't sell. They want quick sound bites, surface information that will grab the interest of their readers or viewers. They will interview someone for an hour or two, getting explanations, facts, information, and will then use the one sentence that is most controversial, because that sells, while ignoring everything else that was said. Sometimes journalists will include more information only to have it edited out by their newspaper editors or TV producers. Understanding that for the most part journalists are just trying to do their job of selling their paper or show will help you to be more compassionate and forgiving when things don't come out in the way that we'd like them to.
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9. Most of the big media outlets, at least in the U.S., are not favorable toward us or other active Christians or small new religious movements. So even if you get a reporter who is sympathetic and unbiased‚ it's very likely that the article will still come out negative in the long run, or not come out at all, if those who have the final say are not favorable toward Christians and if the truth about us doesn't fit in with the message they want to give the public. We know we're going to suffer persecution for righteousness' sake—this is just one form of it. We can expect more in the future.
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10. As Peter was pointing out the other day, "bad" is relative when it comes to media coverage. As much as we'd like the media to broadcast about our message, our lifestyle‚ and the good we do in the world, that's not going to happen, at least not all that often‚ especially in the U.S. And as terrible as some of these articles and shows may sound, and as much negative as there is in some of them, they have at least published statements from our spokespersons which allow us a small window to tell the truth or to refute the negative. It's not much, but it's something‚ and for discerning readers or viewers, that is often enough to make them question the truth of the accusations being made.
11. In situations like this, we have to be content with the fact that at least the press is giving some space to the points our media spokespersons give them. Those points stick with people and do some good. We will probably never become popular or the "good guys" in the eyes of the world—at least not when the news about us is funneled through the Western media. That might sound discouraging, but it's actually encouraging if you can accept that, because then you don't see each negative thing that comes out as a failure, but you realize it's simply par for the course.
12. We consider it a win if even some of the truth gets included in the article or show. A win is if they do things like tone down the language and rhetoric they use about us and call us a "church" or "group" instead of the pejorative, an "abusive cult." It's a win if they actually quote a Family spokesperson, or put out part of one of our statements, even if it's just a sentence or two. Any bit of truth or balance getting out to the world is a win.
13. So we shouldn't expect to win media wars, but we do have to fight them—and the way we fight them is by getting out as much truth as possible, through every means possible. The Lord gives more counsel about how we can do that, which I will share with you later in this GN.
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14. Media battles can be very intense. You have to go on the attack to get out the truth, and do so as quickly as possible—immediately if possible. But, for the most part, media battles are short–lived compared to other longer battles of persecution. Take, for example, the court cases that we've been in, some of which went on for months or years. It's all over the papers for the first few weeks or months, but after that, because it's an ongoing thing, it rarely receives such intense coverage. The public gets bored if they keep hearing the same news over and over again.
15. So media battles are difficult and very intense, but they're relatively short. And in the end the damage is often less than from other attacks. After a while, no matter how scandalously the media portrayed us at the time, we're replaced in people's minds by other more interesting and up-to-date scandals.
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16. No matter what accusations are thrown at us, no matter how they are spun, no matter what truth is mixed with what lies, the goal of the Devil, working through our detractors who are using the media, is twofold: To turn the public against us and discredit the Family in the eyes of the world so that they are not receptive to the Lord's love and message that we have to give them; and secondly, to discredit Family leadership—especially Peter and me—and the Word in your eyes, so as to disillusion you. They want to hurt your faith so that you are weakened, and possibly even, in time, leave the Family. The ultimate goal for the Enemy would be that eventually the Family is no more.
17. We asked the Lord to give us some of the reasons He allows media coverage‚ even though it usually isn't positive.
18. (Jesus:) The reasons that I allow media coverage are many.
19. —To help even more of My Word get out. Any publicity puts you in the limelight and forces you to get out more truth—through your personal witness, your statements, your explanations and classes to friends and contacts, or through getting out some truth even through the media. You're forced to give out the meat of the Word, address the questions the controversy stirs up, and make your testimony and witness more public. The end result is that you get out more of My answers and truth!
20. —To stir you up! When publicity hits, a fire is lit under you. You're on the spot, and it helps you solidify your commitment to Me and the Family and be sure of what you're doing. Or it makes you start seriously looking elsewhere‚ if this way of life isn't up your alley.
21. —To help separate you from the System, from the status quo. Having your controversial beliefs aired by the media—even if they don't really get it right and actually twist it terribly—helps separate you from the world. It causes you to stand out as different. Your controversial beliefs get attention, and even through negative coverage, My sheep hear My voice calling and become hungry to find out more. It also brings many to a point of decision, as they must make a choice as to what they will believe about you, and whether they will stand with you or pull away from you. There is increasingly less fence to sit on, and less neutral ground in which to hide.
22. —To clearly expose the state of the world today and how they are given over to their lord and controller, the Devil. There will come a day when you will be outlawed for the truths you preach, but before that day, you will be gradually rejected and increasingly cast out in the eyes of the System.
23. The world will never fully accept you, and from now on will gradually reject and hate you more and more. I'm not just referring to the news media, but others will also take this up and persecute you. The Devil prepares the masses to reject you more and more through the media. He tries to get them in the habit of believing his lies and hating those in the minority or those who stand out as odd or controversial. Of course, in the end he only succeeds in helping more of the message to get out, and as always, My sheep will hear My voice.
24. You will not be rejected by My sheep‚ My lost and hungry ones, but will instead become their leaders and those they look to for guidance, instruction, and counsel. But the Evil One is blind to that, and can see only his vicious hatred for Me, and for you, My bride, and so he wishes to put a stop to all that you stand for, to cut you short and make your work and lives impossible. He will never win, but he will continue to fight you hard.
25. —As a sign of the times. In any war, the first campaign is of propaganda against the enemy. So the Devil has begun—in earnest‚ he hopes—his campaign against you, which will culminate in more serious persecution and rejection. But that plan will not go as planned. I will interfere and give you both time and space to shine brightly for Me, to get out a good measure of witness‚ and you will even achieve a good measure of popularity in certain times and circles before that night comes.
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26. (Jesus:) Sometimes it's hard to have clear and definite convictions about such things as the level of separation from the System I'm requiring of My disciples. But in the Endtime, there will be no middle ground—you will be white and the System will be black. As that time approaches‚ the gray is slowly disappearing, being engulfed by either white or black—much of the time the black.
27. The Devil is always trying to paint everything gray, to confuse and muddle the difference, hoping to trap the white and eventually cover it in blackness. But even his gray has become increasingly darker, and is now quite near black. This is the essence of My message in Letters such as "Conviction vs. Compromise" or "Shooting Straight"—there cannot be negotiations between good and evil; there can be no truce or acceptance or tolerance, simply because there is none! (2Cor.6:15).
28. The world is out to swallow or destroy you, so you must put distance between yourself and the world, and you must do so with conviction. Media coverage—which is almost exclusively negative—helps wake you up to this fact, and is a clear reminder that you'll never be part of the world. You'll never be accepted by the masses. To individuals who are looking for truth and My answers, you will always be good, respected, sought after and appreciated‚ but never to the establishment.
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29. (Jesus:) Even negative coverage accomplishes so much good. I consider it beneficial overall, because it helps put things in perspective; it gives you conviction and stirs you up; it divides the sheep from the goats and forces decisions. There are many reasons why such fires purge and make you stronger. This is My perspective on it, it's My outlook.
30. I see it as a precious thing that you are willing to endure the slander of men and the resultant suffering for My sake. Meanwhile‚ the wicked are filling their cup of iniquity, and the neutrals are having to decide for Me or against Me.
31. So praise and thank Me for the media, for the good and the bad. Praise Me, not that they're doing a good thing, but that they are helping bring about My coming, because it is a sign of the times when your good is ill-spoken of. You can praise Me for all the good I will bring from it. Let praise be your victory! And on the practical side, fight‚ like everything depends on it, to get out the truth. It makes a difference!
32. (Mama:) In another place the Lord also explained how He uses the twisting of the truth by the media and our detractors to expose the propaganda war to His sheep and help them to be better prepared for the Endtime. When they know us and the truth, and then see how the media twists it, it opens their eyes to realize that all is not usually the way it is portrayed by the media. This is a valuable realization, and helps prepare more people to stand up to the AC and be willing to buck the System in order to make the right decisions in the days to come.
33. So that's another way the Lord uses bad publicity to accomplish His purpose. But in order for this to be accomplished, we have to do our part and be open and active with our witness and testimony and getting out the truth and the Word, so that people have the opportunity to make an informed choice.
34. Dear Family, the Lord has told us that the attacks of some of our detractors through the media or other avenues will only increase, and even become more vicious and more personal. Up until now they've been pulling out pretty much the same old accusations which we have not only answered many, many times, but which have also been proven false in courts of law in many countries. So even though they can make a big fuss in the media, it's nothing new‚ nothing recent, nothing you don't know the answers to. In the future our detractors will likely come up with new accusations and "proof" of how evil we are, how unsafe our Family Homes are, how sinister the Family is, how "damaged" people are who have been with us. They will attack Peter and me personally. They will attack some of you personally‚ our faithful co-workers and friends.
35. They are trying very hard to paint Peter and me as terrible people. They want to convince you that we are evil so that you will lose faith in us so that you will lose faith in the Word. Over and over again they are calling for us to resign as heads of the Family. It's their latest attack and it's aimed at you. Your hearts and minds are the battlefield.
36. Since Peter and I are not going to resign, nor are we going to disband the Family, we wanted to prepare you for the eventuality that more negative accusations will probably come out about us personally, and there will probably be a more concerted effort by some of our detractors to find Peter and me and "bring us to justice." We're not happy about this, and we wish we could spare you from having to go through it. But it all boils down to persecution—they're trying to stop our work of winning souls. And the Lord is going to allow it to test your faith too, and to strengthen you as you go to Him and determine to stand strong no matter what they say about us.
37. If—though I should probably say "when," as it's inevitable that it will happen at some point—new accusations against the Family, against your leadership, against the Word, against Peter and me come out, it will be a test of faith, similar to how it was when James Penn sent around his "no regrets" letter, with so much supposed "inside information" about WS. Peter and I will try to explain as much as we can to you when that happens, not only for your sake so that you can understand, but also so you can know how to answer your friends and sheep who depend on you to give them the truth.
38. When you hear outrageous allegations, no matter how bad they sound, you just have to remember what they said about Jesus, what they have said about you and your loved ones in the Family who you know well, the ways they have twisted our Family beliefs, have taken them out of the loving context they were given in and intended for, and made them sound so evil. You know how the Enemy can distort the truth, mix it with lies‚ and then present it in a very bad light so that everything looks sinister, evil and creepy. But you know it isn't that way in reality.
39. Also remember that some of our detractors have proven that they are not above telling outright lies when it suits their purpose. We have experienced having "quotes" from us put up on the Web which we never wrote—letters we had sent to former members with whole paragraphs added that were not from us. They were trying to "prove" us to be hateful, hurtful, and perverted, but only wound up proving themselves to be liars and forgers.
40. I'm just reminding you of these various factors so that you can be aware, if and when other allegations against us surface—which I am sure they will at some point—that hardly anything is as they would make it out to be.
41. The Lord has shown us to prepare you for that eventuality, so that when it comes, you can recognize it for what it is—an attempt to discredit the Family in the eyes of the world so that our work for Jesus and winning eternal souls for His Kingdom is hampered or made more difficult, and an attempt to hurt the faith of you, our dear co-workers and fellow laborers, to discredit Peter and me and the Word, and disillusion you about your place of service and calling from God. So you can be prepared for that, expecting it, and not surprised or shaken when it comes.
42. We have entered the year of strengthening, and the Lord says that this is all part of the strengthening process—the tests of faith, the exercise of rising to defend our beliefs and make them known, standing up for our convictions, weathering the persecution—it's all part of the Lord's plan for the year of strengthening. The Devil is our helper in this respect, and through his attacks he is only helping us to become stronger!
43. The Lord said that if the wartime we've now entered wasn't so intense, or if it ended too quickly, we wouldn't get the strengthening we need. Our having to fight harder and more desperately, and having to stretch our faith a little more and depend more on Him and His key-empowered promises will make us much stronger than if victory came too easily or quickly. This persecution we're facing at present isn't the type of battle that a single prayer, or even just a few prayers for a couple of days‚ will win!—And it won't be back to business as usual when this is over, either.
44. The Lord is making fighters out of us. He's strengthening our faith. Like the oft–used analogy of the caterpillar and the cocoon, we're entering a new time. If He would clip the cocoon to let us through too quickly or too easily, we wouldn't be nearly as capable of handling the future He has in store for us—not necessarily a future of constant battle and negative publicity‚ but one of power and protection and miracles! This future will be the result of our strengthened faith, our unwavering conviction, and our firm belief that He can and will do anything through those who trust unconditionally and implicitly in Him.
45. In fact‚ our Husband says in the following messages that it suits His plan to not deliver us too quickly or easily. It's important that we understand that. He has promised that we will come forth victorious. It's just that He has a way and a plan in mind, and it's for our good if the battle is longer and harder, rather than being too short or easy. He says that this battle is a training ground to learn to be the fighters He needs us to be—extreme fighters with extreme faith—and He's using it to prepare us for what's ahead.
46. He's also going to teach us more about how to win these battles through prayer. We may have thought that we were pretty good prayer warriors before, but He wants to take us to a new level of fight and to new levels of faith and prayer that can only be gained by complete, unhindered trust in Him—trust that's unwavering in the face of any battle to come, let alone this one now.
47. When someone was praying about this promise of more and heavier attacks yet to come, the Lord said:
48. (Jesus: ) My love is from everlasting to everlasting, and My truth will always win out. The Devil is making another attempt to stop the Family before you go over the top and attack the forces and fortresses of Satan. You didn't think he would take restructuring and strengthening lying down, did you?
49. This persecution is another of the Enemy's efforts to convince the Family that their leaders are evil and liars and deceivers. The Devil always tries to discredit the leadership to the rank and file, because he knows if he can succeed in that, he will be able to cause uncertainty and disunity and greatly hinder the forward movement of the Family.
50. It's going to be a battle, and a purging. But persecution is always for shaking My tree to see who is firmly attached and can stand the battle—and the battles that will follow. It will be messy before it's all over‚ but you will come forth with the army that I have chosen to fight on through the Endtime—My Gideon's band.
51. So continue to follow your king and queen, as they are your shepherds. They love you and care for you and will lead you on to victory. They love you and are very close to Me, and therefore will never lead My army astray; they will always be there for you and for the Family. They have given their lives to care for My soldiers‚ and will do so until I come.
52. Continue to cleanse your spirit from the garbage, half-truths, lies, innuendoes, insinuations, distortions, and history rewritten that you are forced to read or hear from time to time during this battle. Avoid it when you can, but when it's unavoidable and you have to read it in order to prepare and answer, then cleanse your spirit of it afterwards. Now you are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you. Do not neglect this daily cleansing or else these barbs from the Devil will begin to find chinks in your armor.
53. Continue to look toward the future and forget the past; let it not distract you from the many battles and victories that are to come. This is a war of words to try to pull you all off the wall, now that you have made commitments and have gone on the attack. You and I will be victorious in the end, and your detractors will be brought low.
54. (Mama: ) Here is some encouragement from our Husband about the strengthening that He wants to bring into your lives and the Family as a whole through this attack.
55. (Jesus: ) It's not easy to go through these things (media battles, persecution, tests of faith), but in the long run it helps you to be better prepared as individuals and as a Family.
56. You are entering your "great tribulation" that will purge and make you white. I do this because then, in the days of Great Tribulation that will come upon all the world, you will be ready to be the leaders I have destined you to be. You will have that pure faith to call down the miracles that are needed—not merely for your own survival, but to help many, many others. You will be strong and unshakable‚ and will be the testimony to the world that I need you to be.
57. Purging isn't easy to go through, but in your case, My loves, I know it is the easier way. It's better for you to go through it now when you have more freedom to fellowship and communicate and witness openly and support one another in faith, and can receive the written Word with relative ease. You must be prepared for when the great darkness falls upon all the world. How else will you be able to shine in the ways that I have promised, unless you are prepared and strengthened and your faith is tested and proven true? How else will you be the testimony that will draw many to Me and reap the final great harvest?
58. Think it not strange‚ My darlings. This is the year of strengthening, and it has begun. Your faith is being tested‚ you're being faced with intense battles, lots to do, and heavy attacks. That's the way to get strengthened—to work through these things. This is the way you're going to be strengthened right down to the core of your being—not just in theory, but trying and proving My promises personally; not just in knowing the Word, but in applying it; not just in fighting for yourself, but fighting for the Family.
59. So take up your swords and fight! Fight for your faith! Fight for the Family! Fight for your future! You are destined to be My shining lights in the midst of darkness‚ the bearers of My truth through the darkest days this world has ever known, a living testimony to My power, if you will but hold on.
60. (Jesus:) The Enemy's tactics are nothing new; they're as old as history. And here again, just as in Nehemiah's day, you have your Sanballats and Tobiahs—the Enemy's emissaries—voicing their doubts and accusations‚ slinging mud at you in yet another attempt to attack your faith and pull you down, off the wall.
61. Just as the Enemy attempted to get at Nehemiah, the leader of the day, so is he attempting to get at My anointed leadership of today and discredit My Word. He wants to destroy your faith and stop My work through you, My Endtime army. That's his ultimate goal—his ongoing agenda—and although it's a futile attempt, he will still use whatever means and whatever people he has available in order to delay, hinder, and slow down My work through you.
62. He knows he cannot stop Me, but he's always seeking ways to delay and hinder My wheels of progress, and through this media storm he's attempting to throw a monkey wrench in this very important year of strengthening ahead. He knows that once you‚ My Family, have passed through this year of strengthening, you will be a force to be reckoned with—one he has not had to contend with up until this point.
63. I have allowed and even planned this persecution to be part of your strengthening, but the Enemy's goal is to weaken you through it, and weaken your resolve to keep fighting and keep building. What he's trying to do now is bury you under the rubble of his lies, accusations, and negative input to the point that you lose sight of the goal and you take your eyes off the great work I have called you to do. He'll even tempt you to lose heart, to lose faith, and to lose the inner conviction to keep going, to keep building, to keep laying those stones.
64. It's no surprise that he's regurgitating and launching these old worn-out accusations against you‚ My army of the future, and even coming up with some new ones. Just as he did with Nehemiah and his people after they "came back" renewed in spirit and ready to work on the wall, he's doing the same with you—mocking and taunting you, attempting to pull you down off the wall, right after you, My loves, have all "come back" to Me as My cleansed and purified brides.
65. The Enemy is furious—seething mad—that you have once again established your right and destiny as My Endtime army‚ and his attacks are now turned in the direction of attempting to hinder this very important year of strengthening, when you will be a purer and more powerful testimony and witness to the world than ever before. But even through his attacks you will be made stronger‚ if you make the right choices.
66. He doesn't want you to believe and claim My promises for this year and the future and what I am about to do through you. He's attempting to confuse, to convince you that you aren't strong enough to make it through the coming days. He'll tempt you to believe you're not strong—that you're weak. He wants you to swallow the lie that your so-called "tainted past" will forever hold you back from moving into the future. But that's only because he's terrified of what you are becoming through this strengthening. Just as Nehemiah prayed for Me to strengthen them as they set about building up the wall in spite of their enemies below, so must you call on the keys of strength and resolve as you tackle this year and the challenges before you with greater determination than ever.
67. You, My attacking warriors, can't afford to be sidetracked or to let your attention be diverted. Just like Nehemiah‚ you have entered the year of building up your walls—of being built up spiritually and strengthened in the faith.
68. That is what the Enemy is afraid of. And you will win and come out on top in this battle by refusing to be deterred or pulled away from your position on the wall through fear or any other of the Enemy's slimy, evil tactics and wiles. This is effective proactive warfare; this is going on the attack and refusing to be put on the defensive—standing firm on the wall. Like Nehemiah, you'll not be afraid of the Enemy or those used by him, but you'll set your minds on Me—your great Deliverer—and you'll fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your Homes! You'll fight in prayer, you'll fight in faith‚ and you'll fight with your spiritual weapons. You'll set a 24/7 watch in spirit against the Enemy without being pulled away from your position.
69. Remember, if this work was of man, it would come to naught; but because your work is of Me, no one—no detractor, apostate, vehement enemy, or the Devil himself—can stand against it. You prove to the world that your work is ordained of Me by standing your ground and refusing to be pulled down from your great calling and commission of winning the lost of the world. By this you show the world that you are My disciples, that you are called and chosen‚ that you are called to a mission, and come hell or high water—even the flood of false and malicious accusations—nothing will deter you from that calling‚ nothing will faze you.
70. When Nehemiah had finished his work and the walls of the city had once again been built up, there was one resounding final witness that went across the land to Nehemiah's enemies and even the heathen: No one could deny that his work was wrought by Me. So will this be your witness to those of the world, that even in the midst of the regurgitation of false accusations and malicious and false testimony, you will still hold fast to your calling—this being dearer and more precious to you than anything else.
71. Just like dear Nehemiah, you, My warriors of the faith, are going to have to set your faces like flint and refuse to be moved by these accusations. Yes, I have called you to stand up for your faith and to deliver My truth, but having done that, I call you to don the spirit of Nehemiah—keeping your eyes and focus steadfastly on your work of winning the lost for Me.
72. Nehemiah was My example to you of unflinching faith. He refused to be lured, coaxed, tricked, taunted, or moved by the Enemy, even though the Enemy was working overtime to pull him down from the wall. Nehemiah cried unto Me—he desperately prayed—and asked Me to take care of his tormentors, so that he could go about his work. He and his men stayed on guard—they didn't lay down their weapons, and in fact they worked with one hand and in the other hand they held their weapon—but they kept working‚ they kept doing the job.
73. This is what I call you to do, My warriors of the faith. I want you to keep your spiritual weaponry at your sides at all times—prayer, the keys, faith, praise, the Word—using and availing yourself of all My spiritual power, and with the other hand keep busy for Me and keep rising to the challenges of this year of strengthening. Your work on the wall—the work of winning souls and winning the world—is what the Enemy fears more than anything else. He's more petrified of you than ever now that you have cleared away the rubble, sealed the breaches, and are beginning to fortify and strengthen the spiritual walls of the Family.
74. So I call you to keep on keeping on for Me! Keep forging ahead. Keep making the advances I've called you to make. And in doing so, you will totally rout and defeat the Enemy and his emissaries. The Enemy has absolutely no power against such determination and resolve. It totally defeats his purpose and goal. So use this time of battle as a catalyst to catapult you into greater works for Me, into being more on-fire and instant witnesses and getting out My message to the world as never before!
75. (Mama: ) We asked our Husband for further instruction on what more you can do, dear Family, to fight this battle of media and persecution that we're now facing. He gave good counsel about how to get out the truth to the world, and also how to be strengthened personally through these attacks.
76. Remember that the Enemy's attacks are twofold: to destroy our witness and testimony to the world, and to hurt or destroy your faith in the Word‚ your leadership‚ and your calling in the Family. So we must counter his attacks by getting out more truth and message than ever to our sheep, friends, and the waiting world. We must also make the effort to be strengthened and cleansed personally, and encourage our co-workers and fellow laborers‚ as they are also being attacked. You're already being wonderful witnesses and weathering the storm well. You're doing well at being your brother's keeper by supporting one another in the spirit and through your camaraderie. I think the Lord's further instruction will be very helpful to you, as the battle has the potential to heat up even more.
77. (Jesus:) Strong spiritual forces are behind this warfare, and at this point in the battle your Enemy is mostly using psychological tactics. It is a war of words‚ a war for the minds, hearts, souls and loyalty of many individuals, both in and out of the Family. Satan seeks to sow fear, doubt, discouragement, and an attitude of retreat among Family members. Among relatives, friends, former members and others who know you, he seeks to sow doubt, fear, feelings of betrayal, or division, or even hatred, bitterness, and a desire for revenge. Among those in the world who don't know you personally, he seeks to sow distrust, suspicion, and resistance to your message and testimony.
78. How do you counter these attacks? The answer is simple, really. If the war is being waged through words, you start by coming to Me to hear My personal words of strength‚ faith, and comfort to you in this trying time. You follow that with filling your mind, heart, and spirit with My Word by reading‚ studying, memorizing, and striving to focus on My Word and promises at all times as you go about your day.
79. You follow that up by taking action with your words—speaking faith and praising Me. Praise is the voice of faith, and as you praise and testify of your love for Me out loud, along with your brothers, sisters, friends, mates, and children, you are strengthening both the faith and unity of the Family, which are two very key elements to your strengthening and your ability to win this battle.
80. Along with praise, you should speak faith and share with others the promises you are finding in My Word‚ or the personal words I give you that help you to see things from My viewpoint, or gain faith, strength, or comfort. Words are real things, and by speaking and voicing the right words—My Words‚ words of faith, love, praise, victory, and positiveness—you strengthen your spirit and the spirits of those around you.
81. You also, of course‚ cut yourself off from being fed the Enemy's lies and poisonous words‚ whether in the form of reading the words of your enemies, or talking about your doubts, fears, and questions with anyone other than your shepherds or others who are spiritually strong and are going to be able to help you to overcome them and strengthen your faith.
82. By taking a stand not only in your mind and heart, but with your words‚ to stand up for the right, to be a lover of truth‚ and a defender of the faith, you effectively strengthen the troops of the Family and empower your army with strength to win the battles.
83. You must also use your words to witness more passionately than ever, to bring into My fold as many as you can. You can use your words to rescue, save, and bring salvation to all who will listen and receive them.
84. You can also use your written words to write about and advertise your personal stand of faith to your friends, and former members if you need to, or are already in close communication with them. Stand up and be counted a fighter for and upholder of the truth, a defender of the faith, and a testimony and witness for Me by taking great care to use your words to build, to strengthen, to comfort, to witness, and to spread the voice of truth.
85. The Enemy is using words to attack everything you stand for in living for Me, trying to discredit and ruin everything you hold dear. You've got to fight back with My Words—and yours! You've got to work on becoming the living Word by having My Words coming out of your mouth whenever you open it.
86. Claim the keys of witness, conviction, discipleship, love for Me, revolution, truth, boldness and empowerment to enhance your words. I will then cause them to be powerful and to cut through the lies of Satan. Don't think that you're just one little voice, and that what you say isn't powerful and won't make a difference. That's not true.
87. The fact of the matter is that you can and will make a difference and be a bright light in the midst of gross darkness‚ if you will take up the challenge to be a vocal disciple, a "live one," one who is not afraid to stand up and refute and attack the lies with My Words and truth.
88. There are only a small number of vicious enemies and former members spreading lies, yet look how far their words have gone. Of course‚ the media and the world want to hear the dark, the ugly, and the sensational, and are for the most part not interested in the truth. That means that those of you who are in My Family and doing your best to be disciples need to stand up and counterattack all the more with your words.
89. You need to witness the truth to each other, the lost, your younger brothers and sisters, and even the former members at times (prayerfully, and in counsel with Me and your shepherds). You need to go on an all-out campaign to flood yourself and everyone around you, and everyone else you possibly can, with My Words and message.
90. My Word is the greatest force in the world, for My Word‚ My love, My person and the keys of the Kingdom are one. You need to use My Word, speak it, spread it, proclaim it, and witness it loudly and boldly. You need to take a public stand for Me, and be vocal and full of conviction. Stand up for Me! Be a fighter for the faith, and win this war of words.
91. You would do well to study up on the power of words, both written and spoken. Then come to Me for personal instruction on how I want to raise you up as a voice for the truth, for Me, and for all that is good and godly.
92. Win the war through spreading My message, standing up for the truth, and proclaiming it boldly! Don't let the Enemy scare you or cause you to become shy. Take hold of the keys of boldness and make a conscious effort to let your light shine more brightly for Me than you ever have before.
93. (Jesus:) Your greatest strength lies in your prayer power and in your personal preparations to build your faith and strengthen your connection to Me. Anything that you can do to strengthen your faith is of utmost importance. Anything that you can do to strengthen the faith of your loved ones and friends is equally important. You don't want to go around dwelling on the negative‚ on the actions of your former members‚ on the lies and accusations. What you do want to be doing is sharing the quotes that have encouraged you, the jewels that I have given you in your personal times of hearing from Me‚ and the promises that have helped to strengthen you.
94. Each one of you, My brides, is being hit in a different area. For some it's fear—for yourselves or your loved ones or what this could lead to; for others it's feeling inadequate to face the challenge ahead; for others it's feeling inexperienced in such matters. Yet all the attacks are attempts to weaken your assault on the Enemy and his deeds.
95. If each one of you could see the part that you play‚ if you each understood the importance that I place on your obedience and faithfulness, and your prayers for those who are on the front lines of this battle, you would see that you play an important role.
96. Right now your media people, the PR board‚ your frontline witnessers who are answering questions of the public, are standing in the breach, stemming the tide of the attack, just like the force of 300 Greek soldiers who held back a million Persian soldiers at the Battle of Thermopylae. You‚ My loves, are all a part of that force in some way through your labors and your prayers, and although you may feel that your efforts aren't enough to destroy the evil force that is before you, every day you attack and defeat the Enemy brings you one day closer to victory.
97. Be encouraged that the main allure and attraction of such sensational stories is usually short-lived. The public is like a spoiled child who always wants something new and interesting, and once they've heard the same story a few times, the media usually gives up and changes the story to keep their audience.
98. Right now you're in the middle of this wave of persecution. Although it will rise higher, you are moving with it and are riding this wave. You're out in front and you won't be caught unaware or unprepared by it. The Enemy had hoped to hit so hard and fast that you wouldn't have had time to react. He hoped that the sheer magnitude of the attack would cause you to not know what to do. But I have been preparing you for this time of persecution, so you were not caught unaware.
99. As a good commander who has trained his men well, and who rests assured in their ability to carry out his orders and in their steadfastness and their resoluteness to stand their ground‚ so do I believe in you and your ability to fight this war. Man your posts and stand guard. Do not allow yourself the luxury of letting down your guard or standing idle, but take each moment to train, to strengthen your skills, and to prepare for the day when the Enemy knocks at your door.
100. Right now you're on the wall and you can see the forces below marching up toward your fortress. You're not going to say to the others you're with, "Wake me up when the fighting starts!" No, you're going to be right there preparing, readying your weapons, and setting the battlements in order.
101. You want to be in prime fighting condition! And one thing that you need to realize is that the Enemy will not just attack with outside attacks, like the negative media‚ but he will try to go about on the walls sowing discouragement, doubt, fear, contention, and disunity‚ anything that he can do to weaken your forces from within.
102. It's like in the movie "The Lord of the Rings," when the city of Gondor was under attack and the Nazgul were flying around striking fear into the hearts of the soldiers and causing the will to fight to go out of them. So too is your Enemy. He is trying to use this persecution and revival of the accusations against you to weaken many of you who are already battle-weary, who have been fighting personal battles, and who thought that now you would have a break and a chance to be strengthened during the year of strengthening.
103. I promised that 2005 would be a year of strengthening, but I did not promise that it would be a year of rest. So each of you, My brides, must encourage one another and be a strength and support when you see that one is weak or shaking. Do not look to your own needs‚ or feel that you're so weak there is no way you could possibly strengthen someone else‚ for you will find that in helping another, you will also be strengthened.
104. It's when you get your eyes off yourself and your own problems and weaknesses that you will truly be strengthened. Just as a soldier who is wounded fights on, so too must you! This is not to say that you should ignore your wounds, but you should fight on in spite of them and not allow the Enemy to incapacitate you because of them. If you get focused on your own problems, then you won't be able to truly focus on the greater needs of those around you.
105. So be a strength; be a support to your loved ones, co-workers, and mates. Uphold one another in the faith and do those things which promote unity and camaraderie, for this is important preparation for the battles ahead, and will help you to stand strong in the face of the opposition that will come against you. This is what will make your line invincible and what will thwart the Enemy and his plans.
106. (Mama: ) I know that you, dear Family, are eager to be a witness for truth in the face of this persecution. But some of you might feel that while you're more than willing‚ you don't really know what to say, and you fear that you aren't eloquent enough or that you're not gifted in writing or speaking, and you don't want to come across poorly. Following is some encouragement the Lord gave for one of the SGAs in WS who was writing her relatives with an explanation of the recent events and felt a similar way.
107. (Jesus:) My sweet love, I want to thank you for your willingness to be in the forefront of this battle. When you thought about persecution‚ you never thought it would be exactly like this. But that's okay, because even though you weren't prepared for this specifically‚ all the general preparations you've given your spirit have helped prepare you for this. And now that you're in the battle too, I'm standing by with reinforcements, ready to be released the minute you call on them. Now that you're in the battle you know more of what you need, and we're here ready to provide it for you. So please don't worry.
108. I wanted to give you a bit of encouragement about the letter you're writing. I know you dislike writing as it is, and you don't feel very good at it. And then the subject matter makes it even less pleasant. But I want to let you know that it doesn't have to be what you would consider "great" or eloquent or profound. All you have to be is honest.
109. In almost every situation the truth is simple. That's the way I am. My Spirit is one of simplicity and humility, not airs or complexities. In a situation like this one‚ where there's so much complexity and profound lies floating around, you can be tempted to feel that in order to counter it, you have to attain to some level of profoundness or super convincing language. But just the opposite is true. The simple truth will cut through anything, because the truth is powerful. And I will also anoint your words and make them very powerful and a great testimony, for they will carry My Spirit—no matter how simple they seem to you.
110. You can write intellectually if you want, but that's not needed in this situation. All that's needed is for you to speak the simple truth, and the truth is what will go to war against the Devil's lies and defeat them. If people close their ears to the truth, that's their problem. All you have to do is give it.
111. So don't worry if what you write seems very plain or lacking in power or intellectual basis to you. Because all that's needed is to share the simple truth in this situation. All you have to be is honest. You don't have to make it sound any better than you feel. You don't have to put on any airs.
112. Does that make you feel better? The truth will set them free. That's all you have to share. And then if they choose to reject the truth, there's nothing you can do about that. Many people rejected Me. But that didn't make them right or "smart." So just share your heart honestly. The truth will set them free. That's My promise to you.
113. (Mama: ) Even when we do fight to get out the truth, it's not always quoted accurately. There's nothing we can do about that. Our job is just to get our side out there and present it as wisely as possible.
114. The Lord gave some encouragement to one of our media teams that I want to share with you, as in the future more of you may possibly be called on to give interviews or answer accusations. I think probably everyone who has to do interviews or speak on TV feels bad afterwards, thinking you could have done better, or you should have answered better‚ you should have been less nervous, found a better balance‚ or whatever the Enemy tries to use to condemn you. And, of course, it can also be frustrating if you're trying to get across important points or shed light on key issues, and the interviewer cuts you off or hardly lets you get a word in edgewise. No one is perfect, and all you can do is be prayed up beforehand‚ get as much instruction and counsel from the Lord in advance as possible so that you're prepared, be full of the Word and the spirit, and then speak the truth from your heart, trusting that the Lord will use it in one way or another.
115. (Jesus:) Dear loves, you have to remember that an interview is an interview is an interview, and it's simply that. Not every interview is going to go the way you want it to go, and you're not always going to say just exactly what you want to say. Questions will be posed that will catch you off guard, regardless of how thoroughly you might prepare. You have to understand that you are only human and you really can't expect perfection of yourselves.
116. You have to stand on My promises and the counsel I gave you about going on this show. I let you know that yes, there were pitfalls, there were cons to going on, but that in spite of that‚ it was still My highest will for you to do so. This you must know and this you must carry into every battle—that I never send My children into a battle unless I supply their every need to perform My highest and My best. Even though you may sustain an injury or you may fall during the battle, I will not allow the Enemy to overpower you or to use your testimony in a way that would hinder or hurt.
117. I am your Commander in Chief, but I am also your ever-protective Husband Who watches over you as His most beloved brides, Who will let no evil befall you and will keep you unto the end. Reflect on the picture on the cover of the GN that your David wrote about how I see persecution—that of My Father standing there, holding you, My Bride‚ ever so close, keeping you ever near, holding the belt in His other hand, prepared to give your enemies—our enemies—a good lashing in order to protect you. (See "Persecution—As God Sees It," ML #2828‚ Vol.20.)
118. So don't worry or concern yourselves with any weaknesses, shortcomings, failures, or mistakes that you feel you have made, or will make. I know, I see‚ and I care, and even though you stumble, I will pick you up in My arms and set you back on your feet. You will be made stronger and more capable through each experience, each test, and each trial.
119. Is this not the way of life? Is this not how an athlete grows better and stronger, through the experience he's gained, the practice he's undergone? And a warrior on the battlefield gains a greater understanding of his enemy through experience fighting him, and thereby becomes a seasoned warrior‚ one who knows how to adapt to whatever situation the enemy may present, and thereby defeat his enemy on the field of battle.
120. Be encouraged‚ and take courage into your heart. Call on the keys of courage, the keys of perseverance, the keys of resistance against all evil. Allow Arcothon and Tola and Tor to impart to you their strength, for this is why I created them‚ and this is what I gave them to you for—for such a time as this—for they will teach your hands to war and your fingers to fight, and in so doing, bring defeat to My enemies.
121. Look up, My loves, look up! For I look down upon you with great love and great admiration. Resist‚ rebuke, and bind the lies and power of the Enemy, for he knows that if he can disable or dissuade the tip of the spear that I have sent his way, he will have won a victory. You must not allow him to deflect the tip‚ for I have created you to be the tip of that spear, the one that will penetrate his heart.
122. Carry on in the fight, with your heads held high, and I will guide My spear in the direction and in the way that I would have it to go.
123. (Dad: ) Good for you! Keep up the fight and keep letting'm have it! I'm proud of you for going right in the face of your enemies, into their very camp, to speak the truth and to defend your loved ones. The Lord is going to strengthen you and empower you, and the truth will shine! You just have to keep socking away, trusting Him for the outcome. It's not by might, by fleshly gifts‚ or by saying just the right thing, but by the Lord's Spirit that the battle will be won.
124. Your ministry, as the Lord said from day one, is a ministry of truth, and the truth will make you free. Even if these folks take on board the lies of your enemies and try to wrest your truth and make it look evil, nevertheless your ministry is truth, and you must be honest, forthright, and fight back, throwing the truth at them.
125. The System and its acolytes have a lot of nerve accusing God's children. The System is rampant with problems of abuse, crime, drugs, hatred, and all the rest. It's just like the System to try to present itself as squeaky clean, when in fact there is so much filth and death within.
126. So fight back! Tell the truth! Don't let them put you on the defensive. I know it's hard, because in most of these cases, the assumption of guilt is pretty strong. In the minds of these folks, you are already guilty.
127. You're on a pretty slanted playing field right now, but don't worry about it. Just be faithful to the ministry of truth and trust in the Lord that the tide of the battle will be turned as you all pray‚ do battle in the spirit, and do your part to get the message out one by one to those who need to hear.
128. Make sure, as well, to keep your friends very updated, so that when the time does come—and it will come—for them to enter the fray, they are prepared, up to speed, and on the same page. They will be called to give an answer. It may not be the media; it may be authorities whose hands are forced to investigate‚ or it may even be behind-the–scenes interviews that don't go public but that help to turn the tide and give these events a different spin. So preparing your friends is vital.
129. So keep socking away wherever you can‚ and wherever the Lord leads you to. And don't worry if for a time it looks like you're on the bottom, because the victory goes to those who persevere, to those who fight even in the face of defeat and refuse to give in, refuse to back down, and refuse to budge even an inch at the Devil's boos! The Lord has promised victory, so fight, fight, fight! Hit the Devil back, and be faithful to the ministry of truth the Lord has given you.
130. You'll come through to victory in His perfect time‚ and it will be the result of desperate prayer, fighting in spirit, speaking the truth and trusting in Him. Then the tide will be turned.
131. (Mama: ) Another thing we must do, besides going on the attack to get out the truth as never before, is pray! Prayer is powerful! While it might not turn most articles into positive ones—we don't expect that it will—it gives the Lord room to work in the ways He knows best, and makes it possible for more message to get out, which is the goal! Prayer can also help to minimize any negative fallout.
132. We asked the Lord how we should be praying for the media and interviews, since we know that they probably won't come out entirely positive, but the Lord still expects us to pray. Here's what He said.
133. (Jesus: ) When interceding in prayer for media coverage, pray that My perfect plan will be accomplished through whatever is published or aired about you. This is the essence of what you should pray for, the main direction in which to focus your intercessory pleas.
134. Pray for the reporters to be open to the truth and to see the truth clearly. Then, even if the truth doesn't make it into the article or TV show, at least that individual's life has been touched or changed‚ or at the very least they have had the opportunity to make a knowledgeable choice.
135. Pray for the editors of the article or the producers of the show, that they will allow as much as possible of the truth and the positive in the final product.
136. Pray that no matter what is published, the truth will shine through.
137. Pray that the reading or viewing audience will see through the sensationalism and be hungry for the truth.
138. Pray that what is published will cause the public to wake up in spirit and take notice and make a decision. Pray that they will hear the voice of My Spirit calling them and telling them that all is not as it seems. Pray that they will get the message.
139. Pray that I will protect those whose minds are too weak to discern right from wrong. Pray that they will have time to be strengthened or see the truth for themselves.
140. Pray for wisdom and anointing in dealing with the repercussions of negative media coverage at every level, from Family spokespersons to those who are questioned by friends or strangers.
141. Pray for boldness and conviction for those answering questions, so that each answer will get out as much message and truth and light as possible.
142. Pray for your media spokespeople, that I will speak clearly to them and empower their efforts. Rebuke and bind the Devil's attacks on them, for he focuses a lot of firepower on them in many ways when they're most needed.
143. Pray for the strengthening and protection of your contacts and friends. In some cases I might lead you to pray that they are protected from hearing the lies. But in most cases I will lead you to pray that they can stand strong against the lies and be strengthened in the Word and in faith, regardless of what the Enemy tries to throw at them. This is an opportunity for tremendous spiritual growth, and will prepare them to be beacons of light and faith and truth in the days of darkness and deception that are coming upon the world.
144. Pray for the protection and safekeeping of your children, Homes‚ work, former Family members and loved ones, sheep, friends and contacts.
145. Pray for the authorities who are responsible to keep the peace, that they will not be goaded into taking action against you by the lies and accusations.
146. Pray that I will mete out justice to those who knowingly seek to harm you. Pray that I will stop them. Release My hand of recompense and retribution against those who poke their finger in My eye.
147. Pray for Me to stop those who aren't entirely aware of what they're doing, who are blinded by hatred or revenge, or just duped by the Enemy. Pray that they will see the error of their ways and repent.
148. Pray that I will confound your detractors and cause their plans to backfire and frustrate their evil intentions.
149. Pray that I will judge and duly recompense those who knowingly publish untruths in an attempt to smear you and harm My work.
150. Pray against fear‚ doubts, or any other attack of the Enemy, and that your faith will stand strong. Claim the keys of faith‚ full possession, and of heavenly perspective for this.
151. Pray for your wisdom in handling things at every step‚ so you'll be faithful to ask Me everything and always be in My perfect will, so that I can fully protect you.
152. Pray that the right people will see and remember the articles or coverage, and that I will keep it from anyone who shouldn't see it.
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153. (Jesus:) Through your prayers you release My power to work in every way. Only I know exactly how I will do it, but I need your prayers and your specific requests in order to gain as complete and smashing a victory as I want to. In every case, it's important to come to Me and ask what you should pray for specifically, in addition to what you generally cover in these situations.
154. Don't be afraid to pray for My judgment on those who want to harm you; just don't let it become personal. You're not to hate them—in fact‚ you are to love them with My love. You can hate only their evil works. While I must often judge and punish the individual in order to stop their wickedness, that is something I do in My wisdom. Your part is to pray and put these individuals in My hands‚ and ask Me to stop their evil deeds in the way I know best.
155. Stir yourselves up, yes. Let these requests move you to righteous anger and to getting serious with Me, commanding Me to work on your behalf. But then leave it all in My hands. I will deal with every person and every case. Not one who harms you will go unpunished or be forgotten.
156. So don't be afraid to add a little fire to your prayers! That's good. And with the measure you stir yourself, I am able to work on your behalf. But don't allow yourself to be filled with the same hatred and bitterness that has consumed those who are fighting you. Love them with My love, and pray for an end to their evil works and for them to be brought to repentance.
157. Remember that when you pray, you're releasing Me to work, you're asking Me to work; you're not indiscriminately hurting people. I won't do anything unloving or wrong, so don't be afraid to release My hand by your prayers.
158. (Mama: ) Thank you, our dear friends and co-workers, for praying desperately every day. I know you are, and I'm proud of you for doing your part to win this war.
159. Remember, all things work together for good, and our Husband does all things well. We want good publicity and the message to get out‚ and we'll fight with all we've got to get out as much truth as possible. But in the end our only responsibility is to give the truth, to be the messengers, and to pray desperately so that the Lord has as much room as possible to influence people's hearts and give them an opportunity to make the right decisions. Then the rest is His job. It's also up to the people who read the articles and see the shows to choose what they want to accept and believe. If we are faithful to give the truth and to pray‚ then we are doing our job and the Lord will take care of the rest.
160. Another very important factor in surviving and coming through victorious in any persecution or media storm is being faithful to be cleansed and strengthened in the Word every single day. It's vital not just for media teams or those who have to answer on TV, but for all of you.
161. The Enemy's war is a propaganda war above all. So please take it seriously, dear loves. You are not impervious to the Devil's attacks! You cannot read the lies and doubts without being affected by them. You're not strong enough to stand up to the Devil's barrage of propaganda and distortions of the truth—no human is! But our wonderful Husband is. And through spending intimate time with Him‚ wielding the weapon of praise‚ being faithful with our times in the Word, and praying for protection, we can stand strong through any attack, because all of that is our armor and weaponry that the Devil cannot stand against!
162. So please, please take it seriously and take sufficient time every day with the Lord. Don't let yourself get duped into thinking you can "take it." If you have to read something negative or draining, get cleansed immediately, and really pray and claim the keys. You can't work up that protection in the physical. It's not a mental effort. It's a spiritual principle‚ and the only thing that works is Word time, praise, calling on the keys and spending extra time with our Husband. There's no substitute!
163. (Jesus:) If you read negative articles or watch any of the programs filled with the Enemy's propaganda‚ then you need to be vigilant about cleansing your spirit afterwards. Words are real things that can either lift you up or knock you down. The Enemy's words are powerful and have an effect on your spirit whether you realize it or not. That's why you need to be sure to go on the attack, even preemptively in many cases, to set him back and keep your mind and spirit free from his dirt and spiritual grime.
164. One of the Enemy's favorite weapons in times of persecution is to make you think that taking in negative input doesn't affect you. He loves to make you feel like you're strong enough, that you can handle it, and that you don't even believe the lies, so what's the big worry. He knows that if he can convince you to think that you don't need the Word and positive input to counter anything negative, and get you to believe that you can weather it on your own, then he's won a major victory. Then he can begin the process of weakening you spiritually and draining you of your energy and light and power.
165. So it doesn't matter whether you feel like it or not, countering the Enemy's negativity is a must! Getting good‚ solid, undisturbed and feeding daily Word is essential! Hearing from Me daily, and especially after taking in negative input—either avoidable or unavoidable—is your protection and security! You might think you're strong enough to fight the battles on your own, but you're not. You need the power of the Word. You must fill up your mind and heart and spirit with faith-building thoughts, promises, and praises.
166. The Enemy's words are his ammunition. That's what he uses to defeat and destroy and devour. So don't think you're automatically immune to them. You're not. You are only immune if you keep drinking deeply of the Word and stay ever so close to Me. You would also do well to regularly employ the power of prayer and praise. Pray for My cleansing and praise Me in all things. These things will help you to remain on My positive wavelength, and not to be pulled down or discouraged by the lies of the Enemy.
167. (Jesus: ) No matter what your enemies say they are going to do, I am in control. As the tides of the sea move in and out by the immutable laws of nature, so do I in My great power and omniscience control the hearts and minds and actions of men, and they are unable to do anything unless I let them for some reason of My Own volition and plan.
168. So do not let these tidings disquiet you, but only look steadfastly to Me and lean wholly on My Word and the power of the keys‚ and you will be able to meet any challenge that comes your way. The plans that some of your enemies imagine in their hearts will actually blow up in their faces, and they will be brought low by how I will deal with them.
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169. (Jesus:) My dear loves, you have heard the Enemy's attacks and accusations before. They might just be wrapped in a different package and their contents might be more difficult to handle than the previous packages in which these issues were wrapped.
170. But remember, as My dear apostle Paul so courageously stated, "None of these things moved me" (Acts 20:24). You've come this far by faith, trusting each step of the way. Continue to keep your feet planted firmly upon the Rock, knowing that the good work that I have begun, I will perfect even unto the very end.
171. The storm clouds are upon you, the wind is blowing, the tempest is raging, and the Enemy knows that he must take advantage of every opportunity at his disposal. The window of opportunity will only be open for a time and then will close, so he is pulling out everything he can in order to bring you down before you get too far into the year of strengthening. But I have allowed all this at the beginning of the year to separate those who will follow, even into the dark days ahead, regardless of the buffeting of the Enemy. The result will be a toned‚ exercised, efficient team that I will use mightily in the days to come.
172. So be not weary in well doing, My loves; continue on in the fight, and you will see the victory. This is the victory that overcomes the world, even your faith.
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173. (Jesus:) These are troublous times‚ My loves. The sea is raging, the wind is blowing, and in the midst of this storm, it seems that all Hell has broken loose. You can't help but wonder if your boat can stand the beating, and you look in dismay at your tattered sails and your feeble attempts to keep the boat afloat. As you go through these times, it is difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and things grow darker—and they may grow darker still, for this is a time of storms that I allow for My good purpose.
174. But as the winds blow and the storm rages, if you will stand tall and strong, with your roots deeply planted in My soil, you will never be moved. I have called you to be ministers of My truth, and this is all that I will ask of you.
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175. (Spirit helper: ) The Enemy is coming against you in great force‚ for he knows that he has but a short time. He is looking for every avenue, every possible way he can to take advantage of this situation. He will cause those whose bitterness and hatred have lain dormant, to be kindled and brought to a white-hot heat in an effort to singe you with the heat of his hatred and bitterness.
176. Just as it was with your dear comrades, Shadrach, Meshach‚ and Abednego, you will come forth, passing through the flame without even the smell of smoke on you. Although it seems almost impossible for this to take place, as your dear Lord and Love kept these three in and through the fire, as well as His dearly beloved servant Daniel, even in the den of lions, so shall He keep you through all that lies ahead.
177. So fear not, dear ones, for greater works will your Husband perform for you in this day than He has performed in the past. You will come forth strengthened and prepared for the dark days ahead, in which you will shine as the anointed light to the world that He has ordained you to be.
178. So count it all joy that you have been considered worthy to suffer for your dear Love's Name. March into battle with your heads held high, turning the keys of the Kingdom, for it is through these keys that you will see the exploits wrought, the miracles happen, and the signs following. This is the promise of your Lord and Love, Who is with you‚ and will bring all His might and power to bear against those who fight against His truth and His love and His messengers of the same.
179. (Mama:) No matter how intensely the Devil fights us, no matter how it looks now as we fight battles one at a time, no matter how messy it gets, we're winning the war, because we are Jesus' Bride, and anyone that messes with us, messes with Him! As we know from history and from His many promises, "He that touches you, touches the apple of Mine eye" (Zech.2:8). Our Husband gave a very beautiful message of encouragement about what the days ahead will bring—not the immediate days, because we do have to go through these battles first—but what we can look forward to in the near future as we stay close to Him.
180. (Jesus:) I have said in My Word that he that touches you touches the apple of Mine eye. You have been touched, and think not for a moment that I will not repay with just vengeance. Many of you would like Me to drop fire from the sky to make a swift end of your enemies, but that isn't always the way I work. My judgments are not always immediate, but they always come—that you can count on and be assured of.
181. I know it may be a little disheartening to hear of the attacks against you. But remember this: "Though they fall, they shall not be utterly cast down, for they shall be helped with a little help." It is only going to take a little help from Me and you will be saved.
182. I'm in control; I have the future plotted and planned out. I know exactly where I need each of you, and I know exactly what you're able to do for Me and what would be "more than you could bear." Don't think for a moment that I've forgotten about you and your needs and your loved ones' needs. I know each one of you. I'm personally involved in your care, and I will take care of you personally.
183. You must wait and see the reward of the wicked. You must stand back and watch Me fight for you, for when My wheels of justice begin to turn, there is no stopping them. Right now the Enemy may look like he has the upper hand, but he will be crushed in the end! And not just swatted, but I use the very strong term "crushed," for their judgment will be so complete that they will fall beneath My sword and be cast down.
184. You may fall, but you are not entirely cast down, because you get help from Me to rise again. They, on the other hand, have none to save them, for they have abandoned Me.
185. I will mete out justice, that all may say‚ "It is right!" before the throne of Heaven. All will be in fear of you in that day. And though they may still hate you (as I promised there would always be those who hate you, because they hated Me)‚ they will be terrified of you.
186. Fear not, for the timetable is set. The events have been set in motion, and the first move has been made. I have warned for years that persecution was coming, and you're ready for it. You're strong, purged, white, and cleansed, and you are ready for a greater anointing of power than you have seen till now. You wanted those miracles spoken of in My Word? In order to receive the power for those miracles, the world has to be bad enough that you need them, right? This is another step in the path of the world growing cold and wickedness being increased.
187. What you have seen on the surface of the political powers of the world is not what has been happening underneath. This world is being flooded by Satan's demons. Their numbers multiply by the day‚ by the hour, and by the minute. They are being bound to Earth. And so it is that the world will rapidly grow darker and more evil. But because of this darkness, you will shine brighter, and the power I make available to you will be manifested in greater and more miraculous ways.
188. While you may not appreciate the fact that these demons seem to be concentrating their negative effects on Earth, it is in fact aiding in the final victory. Satan's demons are bound to Earth, where My legions of angels and spirit helpers are able to enclose them. Satan's demons focus their attention on you, but My forces also focus their attention on you, and aid you in blocking their plans and hindering their efforts. My forces are bound to you, to hold Satan's demons in check at your command.
189. Do not think I have been training you for nothing‚ My dear ones. I have had you in training, because what is coming will require your 100% obedience and being in tune with Me—knowing where to walk‚ when to say something, and who to talk to. You will need an extra measure of My Spirit to survive in these Last Days, and I have given it to you. I have prepared you for the coming times.
190. Fear not. Let not your heart be troubled. This should excite you, stir you up, and make you enthusiastic about the days to come! You are trained, and you are even wearied with the training. Soon you will turn your sights outwards and you will fight for souls in an increasingly powerful way. You will do signs and wonders! You will call down Heaven's forces of protection and vengeance! You will call down My power and be My presence on this Earth!
191. You will be My representatives to this last generation. You, the Family‚ have been chosen from the foundation of this world to undo Satan and cast down his power forever. You are the ones destined and called for this task. Satan almost won over you; he almost got the victory, but through your obedience to Me, you have defeated him. So now he launches this new persecution attack in an attempt to defeat you again, but through your closeness to Me and your faith‚ you will overcome him in every attack that he launches against you.
192. Don't be dismayed, however, if you see greater attacks of the Enemy, for what you are seeing is what must come. Times must grow darker and evil must abound. It is destined to be this way, for only then can the light shine brighter than ever. I say to you, and in these words I entrust to you My full promises of every power necessary to overcome: In every battle you face you will have My power, and in every skirmish you will have My advantage. You are unbeatable! You are more than conquerors through Me. No matter what happens, no matter what battle you find yourself in, you will receive all the power you need for that moment if you have been faithful to obey Me and do as I have asked you to do.
193. The time is at hand, the game is in play, the last stage is set. Upon this Earth falls a blanket of darkness and sin like never before, so that the fire of My Spirit can brightly shine forth and save many. The contrast between you and those who hate you will be evident‚ and it will be as a bright light in the midst of darkness. The darkness cannot squelch or quench the light; it causes it to be brighter, because the greater the darkness, the greater the light.
194. And I'll let you in on a secret: Every attempt to touch you or squelch your light will be met by unimaginable results! In the future, you may even think I'm going overboard in the ways I protect you. Well, that's My business, isn't it? I will always be just and I will always be right, but I assure you that the time will come when you will even feel sorry for your persecutors when they meet their fates; you will even beg and plead for mercy for them as they are chastised and begin to repent and return to the light.
195. You will even intercede for those who have most bitterly fought against you and sought to do you harm, as they are crushed beneath the full weight of an angry God's fist! You will plead for their lives in return for their repentance, and you will come before My throne to beseech Me for their sakes. That is how righteously you will be avenged of every attack against you. I will withdraw all blessings from anyone who attacks you‚ and all that will remain with them is a "fearful looking for of judgment," which is sure to fall upon them (Heb.10:27).
[Text box:]
196. (Question: ) You said that if these enemies fight us, You will withdraw all their blessings. Does that mean they'll lose such blessings as all their money and friends and jobs‚ etc.?
197. (Jesus:) I said their blessings. I, in My mercy, shield even the wayward and the lost from the worst of Satan's attacks. Remember, Satan's plan is to destroy all of creation. Every man, woman, and child, even those who worship him‚ would ultimately be destroyed if his plan were to succeed. That is all he knows—destruction.
198. When I lift My blessings‚ your enemies may still in some cases have their money, which is a curse upon them, or their jobs which enslave them, but I will withdraw any shield of protection, and the torments of Hell will be waiting at their door. When I lift My blessings from those who fight you‚ they will suffer far more than if someone merely removed their wealth, job, or other material possessions.
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199. (Jesus continues: ) So when you see the Enemy fighting against you, when he rears his ugly head, using someone you may have once been friends with and stood shoulder to shoulder with, pray for them. Any attack against you, no matter how great or small, will be avenged as I swat the "finger" away from My eyes and cause the accusers to regret their vile actions.
200. Evil abounds and is rapidly multiplying‚ but righteousness also abounds and grows in power day by day. Even in the darkest moments the light will never die; there will always be a witness and a testimony. And even if you are called Home as a martyr for the cause, I will raise up in your stead thousands of souls saved to take your place on Earth. I will not be defeated!
201. Even death is not a bad thing to those who love Me. You have nothing to fear. Should you fall on Earth, you will be lifted up to fight for your loved ones from beyond and to continue to torment the Enemy.
202. If you've got the fighter's itch, now's your moment! Now is the time to stand up and be stronger than ever, and rebuke all the doubts of the Enemy. Now you will begin to believe all that I have said as you see it come to pass. Now you will understand what you have had to take by faith for so many years. As a reward of your faith you will see power unleashed to you like never before.
203. Advance! The night falls and your greatest moments await you! Be strong and of good courage, for the Lord your God will not forsake you nor leave you comfortless. I will come to you, and I will come to the wicked with all the wrath of an angry and jealous God!
204. Today they may seem to have the upper hand, just as Haman did when he tried to destroy My people of old. Yet those who dig a pit that others might fall therein often stumble into it themselves‚ as Haman did.
205. You will come to pity those who are stupid enough to attack you, having seen what has befallen and what will yet befall those who fight against you. The justice will be so swift and complete that you will even beg Me to be merciful to them.
206. The harvest will be great! Oh yes, I know you've heard that, and many of you have ceased believing that I can do this. But just you wait! Those who you have poured into‚ those who I have trained will not be wasted; they will come to your aid and defense. Did you ever think of that? They are not all against you. There are many more with you than there are with them. They will defend you, provide for you, and be My hand of love for you.
207. Even when times are so dark, when you see the reign of Satan on Earth in the form of the Antichrist‚ even then I will not forsake you. I will come through for you, be there for you, and always provide for you. I promise that you will never lack for My blessings, as you stay close to Me.
208. There will be suffering, as there is in any war, but those who endure to the End will be saved. I'm not painting a rosy picture of no trials for you, but I am holding a banner of victory high, which you will be able to see. Even if Satan seems to triumph over you in this life, he will defeat himself in setting you free to be far more powerful against him than you could have been on Earth.
209. You will see spirits of angels walk among you! You will have your eyes opened to see those who stand beside you in spirit. You will walk with them, talk with them, and be one with them on this Earth. I promise you that even if you find yourself alone and cut off from your brethren‚ you will never be alone. You will see the supernatural realm as if it were as physical and tangible as this world. I will open the veil sufficiently for you, so that you might see and live in the spirit while you are yet on Earth.
210. It is in this realm that you will receive strength and supernatural power to face any battle, overcome any conflict, and always be the winner. You cannot lose! No matter what the fight may be‚ you are unbeatable. You will receive power to do exploits! You will experience supernatural healings. Death will have no meaning for you, and in some cases you will call back the souls of them that have departed and raise the dead.
211. Healing will be a minor miracle compared to the major miracles and power you will have available to you. Healing will be like the doorknob to open many doors and win you friends and converts in the highest levels of power on Earth. Just as I raised up protectors for Martin Luther and Jeremiah and many others of My servants through the ages, so will I raise up those who will defend you and provide for you from the upper echelons of society.
212. Prepare yourselves, for what you will see will be supernatural! You will see My promises fulfilled—My promises of becoming a financial power, of seeing miracles, of being leaders of the church, of being feared and reverenced by all. These are all about to be fulfilled. No longer will you doubt and wonder at My promises, for in your hands will be the very answers you seek. You will see with your eyes the manifestations and fulfillment of My promises to you.
213. The Earth will tremble and shake, the mountains will be removed‚ and powers will be cast down! Prepare yourselves to see cataclysmic changes on this Earth, both physical and political. The Earth—the world and its inhabitants—will undergo drastic and monumental changes in the months and years to come. You will see power such as you've never seen before! You will see answers such as you've never seen before. The stories you've read of My power throughout the ages will be as a child's bedtime story compared to what I'm going to do through you.
214. If you feel weary or faint in spirit, hold on, for very soon you will begin to see the answers and proof you need. If you will only hold on and trust Me, I will prove My promises to you personally. If you feel weak, ask Me for My miracle-working power to be manifested in your life, and watch Me fulfill My Words to you.
215. This is the era of the fulfillment of My Words about the Family! Because you have sacrificed and obeyed‚ you've made great progress. Now, as you continue to do your part in obedience to Me, I will begin to pour out My manifestations of the promises I have given from the beginning about you. You will know that I am your God. You will know that I am your Husband. You will know without a shadow of a doubt that you are on the right side.
216. Fear not. Only believe, and there will be magnificent performances of My power in your life! Now is the time to stand strong‚ for now is the time of action. A change has come. You have seen it; the times have changed. You can feel it, can't you? With this year you will begin to see that which you have always wanted to see, feel what you've always wanted to feel, and understand what you've always wanted to understand.
217. I have promises to keep, and I will keep every one of them in the best way possible. You won't doubt Me anymore. You will come to depend on Me for your every move. I'm happy with the way you've turned out! I'm ready to use you! Are you ready to let Me? I need you!
218. If you're in this army, you're here for a reason. Training is over; you're all being reassigned to the battlefront. Up until now, your comrades of the spirit world have been holding back the tide of evil, but in order for My will to progress, it is time for them to be taken out of the way so that My Spirit might be let loose within you to slice and sear the darkness, as the most powerful manifestation of My Spirit on Earth that there has ever been! As this historic era will become known as the darkest era in history, so will you become known to My Kingdom as the brightest lights in heavenly history.
219. Shine bright! Shine strong! Now is your hour. The moment you've waited for is at hand. Be brave and bold and unafraid. Step into the fray with the knowledge that behind you is all the power you need to win, and that you know how to wield that power.
220. Have faith‚ because nothing can overcome you! Nothing can defeat you! You are destined to win in this fight! Be strong in Me and in the power of My might! Gird up your loins and take up your armor, for now is the hour you have waited for. Rejoice, for your redemption draws nigh!
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221. (Jesus:) What more can I say than I have already said? Many who have rejected you in their pride or their closed-mindedness will see you as their only hope. Many who now are so concerned about petty things, when they see the terrors coming upon them, will cling to you as the only ones able to stand. What seems important to them now will be meaningless in the desperation that is coming.
222. Those who scoff and rail now, those who wag the finger and condemn now will be groveling at your feet‚ begging you to save them when the days of darkness hit! The opinions of man are as fickle and vacillating as the wind. Remember all that your David has taught you about fame and power, riches and glory. They come and go. Those who condemn you today will praise you tomorrow, and condemn you again the next day.
223. It doesn't matter what man's carnal mind thinks—when they are faced with what is coming upon them, any sliver of hope will become the most valuable thing imaginable to them. In that day you will look at their wealth and the gold they will cast at your feet in hopes of winning your favor and protection‚ and you will feel like saying what Peter said to Simon when he tried to buy the Holy Spirit's power: "Your money perish with you!" (Act 8:20). It will be worthless compared to the riches of Heaven.
224. Yet your love for them will cause you to give them the true riches. Today's heroes are often tomorrow's villains, and vice versa, in the foolish realm of man's understanding. Just trust in Me.
225. Pray desperately, and not one jot of all I have promised will fail. Right now it looks like a defeat from your earthly perspective, but when you look back at this time and see all that came to pass, all that was triggered by this catalyst, you'll feel like praising Me for even the difficult events that were the trigger that started the motion, that began the movement, that will soon become the powerful, unstoppable, driving force that will roll right through, flattening Satan and his minions, as you turn the greatest days of evil into the greatest days of testimony and victory!
226. Nothing and no one can stop what has begun. The time of waiting is over and the gears are now turning. You are moving and you'd better hang onto your seats. It will be rough at times‚ but thrilling! Although at times you won't be able to look with your eyes or carnal mind, but will have to keep your focus on Me and your arms raised in praise and trust, I guarantee you will make it through what to you now seems impossible.
227. (Vision: ) With the last part of this message, I kept seeing what almost looked like a roller coaster. The pulleys had caught the front car and we were all being pulled forward, higher and higher. There was no way to stop it or turn back‚ and some were beginning to feel a bit queasy at the incredible heights we were climbing to.
228. Then as we reached the top and began the descent, everyone just closed their eyes and threw their arms in the air praising the Lord, as we swept through a long series of loops and twirls, doing flips and twists that seemed impossible. But this roller coaster seemed to be heading somewhere, and each loop and flip seemed to have a purpose, to get us to where we needed to be.
229. Finally as we completed ever bigger and more impossible things, you could see everyone's faces, and where before many were fearful, now they all seemed to glow with such faith and joy, as if they were ready for anything.
230. Then we came to a big hill, and at the end we just took right off into midair and kept climbing right up into the sky. It was so amazing, and at the end I could still hear their praises echoing everywhere, even after they were out of sight.
231. (Mama:) Praise the Lord! Isn't that inspiring? What a different picture from the way things seem if we look at them in the natural!
232. Peter and I love you, dear Family, and you are in our prayers. Thank you for your prayers for us too, as this is a very busy and intense time, and we really need the Lord's supernatural strength. He has told us that no matter what happens, we are going to be victorious in this war, as long as we keep fighting. Keep claiming His promises of victory!
Proud to be counted with such a wonderful bunch of disciples,
Mama
233. Fear not, nor be dismayed at the Devil's attacks. For I, the Lord, and the keys of courage do go with you, as you claim them in full faith. March on with Me to full victory!
234. Praise is a powerful weapon of deliverance from the hand of the Destroyer. Use it and watch Me deliver you from every evil work.
235. There's nothing stopping you as you claim the keys of battle and go on the attack against the Devil. You will be victorious every time!
236. (Jesus: ) You have heard the drums of war. You have seen the enemy stand in array, vaunting themselves before you, challenging you. Yes‚ it is the era of war, and I have called you to be My soldiers in this battle. War is never pleasant, but how invigorating it is when you see the victory within your grasp, when you see the enemy turn and start to flee before your charge, when you see My standard held high and the forces of David, the mighty men and women of David, rally to the standard and to the fight!
237. Victory is yours; it is assured, if you keep up the fight. Though sometimes the odds might seem very much against you in the natural, in the supernatural they are all on your side. You are a million-to-one bet; that is, a million bets on you and only one on the Enemy, and he's the only one betting on himself. He's doomed, he's a goner‚ he's dead. You just have to keep fighting the battle to the end, that's all.
238. So don't fear or worry; let not your hearts be troubled‚ neither be afraid. Remember how I said that just a few hours before I was crucified? Look at what a defeat that must have seemed like to those who were My closest friends. And yet in only a short while, thousands were joining the ranks of My disciples and true believers.
239. Yes, you have hardly even begun to fight. But I assure you that as you fight through this in the strength that I give you, in the power that I bestow upon you, using the weapons that I have placed in your hands, using all these new tools in this desperate situation, I guarantee you that victory is yours. It is assured. There's no doubt about it!
Copyright © 2005 by The Family International.
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