By Aaron Hermann ( Revelation of Babylon blog )
Some of you have been experiencing an intense weight and heavy burden over the course of the last few weeks. Some of you may find yourselves going through a season of conviction characterized by a deep and troubling feeling when you contemplate your standing before the Lord. If you have been going through such a season then rejoice, for the Lord is doing an essential work in you, dear saint!
Bob and I shared an email correspondence with one another last night on this very matter, and those of you who have been following his revisions to the Sign of the Bride series know that he has been very focused on this for a prolonged season now. In a response to my email, Bob wrote the following,
It's also focused on the theme of qualification. Being good enough. It must be raised to the necessary level of importance in our minds and hearts. That's what counts, to not be deceived, sure, but beyond that the reason why, to be found worthy of reward, and that greatest reward of being accepted by and joined with the Bridegroom.
Now is the time for an honest self-assessment. I write to you not as one who is exempt from such things, but one who is called to walk out the very things that the Lord calls me to write about. With that being said, I would like to share my recent experience with you.
Very recently I went through an extremely difficult season of a very necessary humbling as the Lord revealed to me I was operating with a false sense of security pertaining to my standing, a fleshly over-confidence pertaining to my ability to deal with what lies ahead, and a deceitful notion of entitlement.
Not very pretty, is it?
The Lord brought all of this to the surface by directing me to read Foxes Book of Martyrs. As I was reading He showed me in those powerful pages that I am ready and able to handle absolutely nothing in and of my own strength.
The Lord convicted me of my foolish arrogance which caused me to allow myself to be deceived with false confidence and unwarranted optimism predicated on my own ability. A more stinging conviction came when the Lord showed me that I was operating with a sense of entitlement. As embarrassing as it is to admit, I had allowed myself to believe I was entitled because of my suffering. Quite frankly, I fell into the trap of thinking that God owed me something.
I am not ashamed to tell you that when the Lord showed me these very unflattering things about myself I was absolutely crushed to the point I could barely breathe. The only thing I could do was weep and pray for forgiveness and ask the Lord to help me not repeat these mistakes. The Lord comforted me and forgave me. The Lord's forgiveness and comfort was given not because of who I am but because of who He is, and He is so overwhelmingly good!
He brought me to the place of a full awareness of my complete dependence upon Him. I thought I had already come to a deep understanding of that, but He showed me that it was not yet deep enough. The Lord being faithful to His word was so good as to provide exactly what I needed at precisely the moment I needed it.
In our correspondence, Bob wrote the following to me pertaining to this very matter.
Israel has a legitimate entitlement. We do not. Coming to a place of awareness of our full dependence is something very special that only He can bring us to, in His time and way. Coming to a position in the Lord is something to be desired, and even that desire is from Him. To realize that does not deny how we ourselves have choices to make that matter, but a mature understanding of who we are in Him is beyond my ability to express. How awesome and amazing it is, the mercy, the grace, the glory. What love!
I am sharing these things with you in the hope that it speaks to those of you who find yourselves going through very similar experiences in this late hour. I know that most folks will simply carry on as confidently as ever, secure in their doctrinal positions and feeling no conviction or call to lay themselves bare before the Lord. This message is not for them, but it is for you who are being overcome with the desire to be of the Lord's Bride and be found worthy of that most blessed distinction.
This message is for those of you who are now feeling the weight of the Lord's conviction and are willing to humble yourselves before the Lord, confess your sins, and seek Him for forgiveness as He draws you into repentance so that you may be washed clean in the water of His word! Coming to understand our place in the Lord is such a wonderful and freeing experience, and it is one that is far beyond my ability to express.
After the Lord revealed these things to me the Lord gave me the following Word.
“Tell my people now is the time to forsake all else and seek Me with renewed zeal and vigor. Do not allow yourselves to be lulled into a false sense of security and fall asleep in the last hour. I am your strength and your hope and apart from Me you have no hope in the days ahead.
Steel your hearts and your minds against the attack of the enemy and look to Me for your strength and endurance.
Now is the time to lay yourselves bare before Me and confess all that you have tried to keep hidden. Nothing will remain hidden and all will be revealed in due time, so confess to Me now while I may still be found.
Do not grow weary for the days of your affliction are numbered. Do not lose hope, for I am the Rewarder of those who overcome and endure to the end. Call upon Me and I will answer you. Seek Me and you shall find Me. I will strengthen you and guide you through all that lies ahead, but you must trust Me and lay down your own thoughts and desires about where you think you are headed.
Soon things will change in a manner that will defy all belief, and you will find yourself in a world in which you know not. Do not be afraid when this happens for I will be with you and shall be your provision when all else has failed.
Now is the time to turn to Me and lay down all that is not of Me. Time is short and soon the dark one will have his hour and the darkness will reign. This is as it must be, but My light will shine in the darkness and when the end of all things has come the darkness shall be no more.
Love one another and comfort one another as I have told you from the beginning.
I love you and I will not fail you.”
I woke up this morning with these words still fresh in my heart and mind and engaged in an intense season of weeping, prayer, and repentance. The Lord washed me clean and comforted me as only He can. I so strongly wish for you to do the same. He is there waiting for you with open arms, dear saint!
I pray that this Word reaches all those for whom it is intended, and that Y'shua's loving embrace will comfort all those who are willing to repent and come to Him with a sincere and broken heart seeking forgiveness. If this message is speaking to you and you understand the conviction of which I speak and are seeking encouragement, take great comfort and encouragement in knowing that the Lord is continuing His precious work in you in this late hour!
The conviction is the encouragement, dear saint! He loves us and will not fail us, what could possibly be more encouraging than that?
By Aaron Hermann ( Revelation of Babylon blog )
Please feel free to contact me through my Gmail account. (theultimateplan@)
I tried to leave a comment several days ago. Maybe it got caught in the junk folder. Anyway, I had a quick question. What exactly do you mean by 'Israel has a legitimate entitlement'? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteAs a people descended from Jacob, they have a covenant. They are a people of promise, and that means entitlement. Abraham had a covenant and promise apart from his grandson, but that's independent of lineage. - Bob
DeleteThanks for your reply Bob. I understand that the Israelites, that is the people that are descended from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob have a covenant and promise. Where I sense we may differ is the idea that the present day country of Israel or even the majority of its inhabitants, are the heirs to that covenant and promise.
ReplyDeleteAre you reading into what I've written? Be careful with that.
DeleteI apologise if I've read it incorrectly it's just that I've found that the House of Israel, or to be more specific the Israelites, are all too often conflated with the modern day Middle Eastern country of the same name. Could you clarify your position regarding who or what you consider 'Israel' to be in the modern era? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThe Lord knows who His people are, and where. That's enough for me to know.Tares masquerade as the church and tares masquerade as Israel. But not all are tares.
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