LESSONS FROM JOHN THE BAPTIST…JOHN SPEAKING FROM BEYOND with lessons on doubts and conviction
October 18, 2024…Prophecy
I’ve been giving some thought to what Thomas once said about the noisy factory next door…”It is your grinding.” Now there is a whole lot in that statement, because when you think about it, our whole life as brides-in-waiting is about grinding. We all know the story of the diamond in the rough and how much grinding, cutting and polishing it takes to get it to the point where it can be worn on the finger or in the crown of a king, much less the King of kings, which is where He promised we would be if we can only stay true to Him. We all know the story of Esther and her life in the house of women before she was chosen to be queen. The Bible is full of stories of men and women whose lives had to be twisted and molded into position in order to fit into that one spot God needed them to be in for His will to be performed. Look at how many revolutions God had to squeeze the COG through before the Gideon’s band of the End were born. The whole organization had to be burned to the ground, not once but twice, just so His will could be performed.
Chess is a good analogy that is often used. God needs chess pieces before the game can be played, and it goes without saying that those chess pieces must be yielded and willing to do His will; otherwise He has to find new pieces to replace those that won’t or don’t yield. I guess that would be like having a rematch with a whole set of new pieces. Or the game just continues on and those pawns that successfully pass through the fires of testing receive a new lease on life or what could be called a new anointing which then gives them the power to move more easily around the board. Like for example when the pawn receives power to become a queen by getting through enemy territory to the other end of the board. It’s all very interesting and can be representative of a disciple’s path through life, but what is the analogy saying? It is about being a yielded chess piece, and that for me is about that factory next door, and that factory is about the grinding. It is not even really about reaching that promotional square on the board but rather the passing through enemy territory; that is the part that we don’t take to so willingly. When I look back at the time that factory first started making noise, I now realize I didn’t clearly see what Jesus was doing in my life. Thomas placed his finger on the sore spot and said “It’s a grinding”…It was then left up to me to find the cure for that irritation. Jesus through Thomas diagnosed the problem, but I had to do something about it or else it wouldn’t be healed. That factory is still there and like a noisesome, pestilent sore, it’s getting louder and more pronounced. I’m beginning to understand that the victory isn’t necessarily about blowing the factory away but rising above the factory, and it was my Blue Angel that helped me see this point more clearly. If you can remember, the other day she called John the Baptist to class and John shared with us his lesson on what it meant to be “offended by Jesus.” Here is an excerpt from that class. By the way, the class was called Learning to Fly.
Matthew 11:2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,:3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?:4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: 5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.:6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
Prophecy continues: What happened to John? What was going through his mind when it seemed to him that he had lost the protection he had enjoyed right up to the point of arrest? Was it at that time that fear and carnal mindedness took a grip? What is evident in that crucial moment is that John lost sight of the Word and what he had been taught; he was offended. Perhaps he felt Jesus should have saved him from prison; perhaps he thought he was being unfairly treated? Jesus patiently told John’s disciples to show him again that what scripture had taught him was being fulfilled. Is that not what we have been doing all these years with you? We have been showing you again and again, with infallible proof from the Word that what was promised in the Words of David is being fulfilled. Now we are directing you how to not only make your faith firm, but also how to avoid the pitfall that dear John fell into when put under extreme duress. As scripture points out, John went on to become the first martyr. By the time he landed in prison, he was committed. He was where you are now, except for one difference: physically, you can go back down that mountain, whereas John could not physically undo all that had been said in order to get out of jail and execution. John flew that day, but not physically. Your time to fly is very close now; your choice will place your life in our hands. And once in our hands, the only way to stay in them is to trust fully and unequivocally in the weapons you have strapped to your spiritual body. John is right beside me, and he wants to share one of your very own Key promises with you:
John the Baptist speaking:
The Keys of Heavenly thought power, of knowing My Mind and letting My thoughts freely and fully flow through you is vital in helping you make it through these last days.
Doubts are insidious. They begin in the carnal mind, and if not very quickly arrested, they can send you right down to the bottom of that mountain, with or without your consent. I should have seen it coming, that my doubts were bordering on denial. It can happen to anyone, so do all you can now to erect barriers in your heart and mind by soaking in Jesus, the Word, and imbibing those Keys in your promise book. (End of excerpt)
MB: Now that we are up to speed, John is here again to expound on his lesson. He has been knocking on my door for a couple of days. What patience our spirit helpers exercise whilst waiting to teach us a lesson. Perhaps if I’d spend more time in the spirit, I’d be much more appreciative of who they are that wait for me to pick up their call.
John speaking: A disciple can sit in the class of life and not listen to the teacher at all. His mind is elsewhere, floating hither and yon, not really concentrating on anything of great importance; until the bell rings and class and that opportunity is over. What many people don’t realize is their life is one big classroom, and yes, occasionally a teacher may drop in on the student’s consciousness to point out a lesson or two from the book on the student’s desk, but it is always the student’s duty to apply the lesson at hand. So three things have to happen before progress is made, the student must read the book, the student must listen to the teacher and the student must apply the lesson at hand. Teachers are an easier way to learning, but listening is something that must be learned, and doing is the part that requires the will of the student.
Okay, I’m the teacher today, and I’m going to teach you by sharing a lesson I learned when I was on Earth. As Jesus said, I am the least in the Kingdom of God, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t listen to what I’m about to tell you. Because I can turn what Jesus said of me around and say to you, “He that is greatest among you shall be servant of all,” and the servant is often looked upon as the least in the household.
Okay, are you ready? All of you have been introduced to the phrase extravagant entitlement. Boiled down, that phrase basically means a person feels they deserve to be treated better. It is not a good attitude to have in life, but as a disciple, it really is a “no-no” because disciples are followers of God and only want His will to be done in their life. This means that they should understand that what is happening in their life is God’s will. He allowed it to happen and therefore He has a very good reason for allowing it. There is a lesson He wants you to learn or perhaps He is testing the student on the lesson that the student is studying. Are we good so far? Now here’s my lesson. I was offended that day in the prison because I thought I deserved better treatment. I was “John the Baptist” and up until that time had enjoyed “diplomatic immunity.” No matter what I said, no one was permitted to touch me. Then came the day of my arrest; my life collapsed around me as I was dragged off to jail and certain execution. Prophet or no, treason was a capital offense. Because of extravagant entitlement, I expected Jesus to come and save me. He was, after all, going around the countryside doing all sorts of miracles and healings, so surely He would do some miracle and save me, or at least He would go and have a word to Herod and get me out of the mess I’d gotten myself into. Well, neither of those things happened, and I was left in that dark, dingy, depressing wilderness with nothing to comfort me but my fears and doubts, which by the way grew stronger and stronger each day Jesus left me there waiting for deliverance. Well, as everyone knows, I was delivered, but not the way my mind was telling me. You see my mind was thinking the way man thinks and not the way God thinks, and Jesus was thinking God’s thoughts not His own. So why was I blaming Jesus for not saving me? I was offended that day because of pride and carnal mindedness. Let me tell you; it isn’t easy to sort out your thoughts when under pressure. But in God’s book, pressure and persecution is not an excuse for doubting and betrayal. God tests everyone on that one. He sends all sorts of trials along the path of life in order to test His subjects –fortune, fear, boredom. He has lots of ways to test His own, and He uses the Devil as the examiner.
Okay, now to bring my lesson to home base. That factory over there is allowed space in your lives as a test, just like any other thing or event that happens in your life; Jesus has allowed it for a very, very good reason, so don’t get offended. Don’t allow the Devil to pamper you with thoughts of entitlement just because you’ve been told by Jesus that you are His lover, bride and future queen, not to mention all the other endearing words Jesus tells you on an almost daily basis. Remind yourself of the contract, the marriage contract…Yes, that’s right, the stipulations and requirements. What is your part again? Yes, to be faithful, to be loyal, to be willing to do anything He asks of you, and that could include living with that factory, learning to abase physically, being alone without an earthly love, giving up your youth or forsaking all those other things that your mind tells you that you are entitled to and the Devil says you should really be offended over. That factory over there is to teach you important lessons that a queen and ruler needs to learn. Don’t ever forget that. If you are having difficulty understanding or accepting the lesson, then use the Keys, call on your teacher, make the effort, do your part. And always remember, just because your mind is telling you that you deserve better, the reality is, that although Jesus says all those nice things about you, they will only become reality if you pass the grade. Don’t misunderstand me, His love and His forgiveness is boundless, but the fact remains, He gives the very best to those who give their very best to Him. Never forget, this is the earth life, the proving ground, the growing-of-your-soul time, the time of GRINDING.