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February 16,
2006
VISION OF JESUS
AND THE WHITE
STONES
By Catherine
Brown
Gatekeepers
Ministries
admin@gatekeepers.org.uk
 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit
says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some
of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a
new name written on it, known only to him who receives it."
(Revelations 2:17)
On Sunday 5, February 2006, I had a
beautiful vision of Jesus, during which He was sorting and
counting white stones. The stones were smooth and were of the
purest white, and each one had a name etched onto it. The Lord
smiled at me and said, "I have given each one of my children a
new name." The vision ended, and I meditated upon its meaning.
There are many things that the Holy Spirit spoke of during
this time. The first was that He reminded me of a recent
experience during which God gave me a new name.
In
December of 2005, I had the privilege of ministering at the
House of David, Oklahoma, with Christian Rabbi Curt Landry and
Pastor Tim Alsbaugh. I preached from Psalm 23 about the beauty
of God's provision for us, and the Lord poured out a profound
healing anointing with a particular emphasis on healing for
ladies and some of the children.
CATHERINE BROWN WITH (CHRISTIAN) RABBI CURT
LANDRY
After I had finished ministering,
Rabbi Curt and Pastor Tim blessed me beyond words when they
prayed and prophesied over me. My right ear lobe, thumb, and
toe were anointed (Exodus
29:20), and God gave me a new name. Rabbi Curt
began to prophesy that God was giving me a new name. He said,
"Previously you have been known as a ‘Deborah' (which is
absolutely true) but now you will be known as …" and before he
could finish speaking the Holy Spirit whispered to my heart,
"Your new name is Esther." And seconds later Rabbi said,
…"Esther". What joy! As I was wrapped in the tallit and handed
the rod (symbolic of God's authority) to hold, waves of
anointing flooded my being in the presence of the Lord.
AT THE
HOUSE OF DAVID, GOD GAVE ME A NEW NAME--ESTHER
I have enjoyed my time serving the Lord as a
‘Deborah', but for a few months I had a sense that a new
season was coming upon me. Please understand that I have not
officially changed my name-–it is still Catherine Margaret
(meaning pure pearl). However, in the Spirit I believe I have
received a fresh mantle--that of an Esther. What does the
mantle of Esther look like today for the church? For the sake
of time perhaps we can sum it up in seven simple
words:
FATHERHOOD
"Mordecai had a
cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she
had neither father nor mother. This girl who was also known
as Esther, was lovely in form and features, and Mordecai had
taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother
died." (Esther 2:7)
Esther found a father figure in her
uncle Mordecai and in so doing, no longer needed to struggle
with feeling orphaned or abandoned. Jesus has made provision
for every believer through His death on the Cross to become a
son or daughter and heir of glory. Through Christ we are
accepted as legitimate children. Esther's relationship with
Mordecai reminds us of the infinite care and tender grace of
the Fatherhood of God in our lives.
FRAGRANCE
"Before a girl's turn
came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve
months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six
months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and
cosmetics. And this is how she would go to the king:
Anything was given her to take with her from the harem to
the king's palace." (Esther
2:12,13)
Esther was prepared for quite some time
prior to being released with favor into the kings courts and
prior to appearing in the public forum. Her preparation
produced maturity and an ability to carry responsibility. She
wore the fragrance of her preparation with humility and
integrity. May the Bride of Christ embrace her time of
preparation as readily as the release into the full potential
of Kingdom destiny and emulate the virtue and purity of the
heart of Queen Esther.
FAVOR
"Esther won the
favor of everyone who saw her." (Esther 2:15)
"Now
the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the
other women, and she won his favor and approval more than
any of the other virgins." (Esther
2:17)
Without a doubt Esther knew favor with
her father figure (Mordecai would willingly have given his
life for his beloved Esther), and her contemporaries (the
others in the king's harem exhibited no jealousy towards
Esther that we are made aware of). She knew favor with
authority figures (Esther won the favor of the king's eunuch Hegai), and her husband/king (who was always willing to listen
and respond favorably to his queen). She knew favor with her
team (her attendants were willing to follow through all the
way to victory), and her people (the nation responded to her
call to prayer and fasting). It is crucial that we receive
favor by faith and walk in the blessings of authority, power,
and compassion that accompany this heavenly gift.
Jesus
is seated on His Throne and reigns with justice and
righteousness. We, too, can approach our King with confidence
and see His favor outworked in our lives as we share the Good
News of His glorious love and mercy. This does not mean we
will not endure persecution, suffering or hardships, but
rather we will know the Lord's favor demonstrated in His
compassion and power in those situations.
FRIENDSHIP
Spending time with someone
usually indicates close friendship. Esther knew intimacy with
her king, and enjoyed the privilege of friendship with the
most important dignitary in the land. There is no greater
power or name than that of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
who calls us to holy friendship. Intimacy with the King of
Kings enables us to enter the corrupt domain of the kingdom
of darkness and deliver His glorious light and decree God's will.
We are robed in white garments and made worthy because of the
King of Kings and the costly dowry Christ paid at the Cross through His
atoning blood sacrifice.
FREEDOM
Esther found true freedom in
living her life without façade or being entangled in feelings
of failure. When she revealed her true identity as a Jew, she
came fully into her destiny. There is no greater freedom than
to simply be the person Messiah created us to be. A life thus
surrendered is hidden in God, and one in whom the Holy Spirit
is wholly able to release the Father's will and way. Esther
was a Jewish heroine. God is still looking for Holy Spirit
"freedom fighters"-–modern day heroes--to win the nations for
Christ!
FAITHFULNESS
"Esther again
pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She
begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the
Agatite, which he had devised against the Jews. Then the
king extended the golden sceptre to Esther and she arose and
stood before him." (Esther 8:3,4)
God proved Himself faithful to Esther
and to His people. Over and over the Scriptures undergird the
truth of our Father's faithfulness to His covenant children.
We can rest in the Lord's supremacy and in His wonder-working
power to lead us in Grace. God is faithful to command our
destinies!
FULLNESS
"For the Jews it was
a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor." (Esther
8:16)
God wants to bring us into fullness and
abundance of life here on earth. His desire is that the very
atmosphere of heaven would invade our day-to-day activities
and that the realm of the miraculous would become like
"ordinary" oxygen to all believers! Fullness and favor are
designed to embrace every facet of our lives--our spiritual,
physical, and emotional health and well-being. And fullness
and favor are designed for our families, our churches, our
calling, our ministries, and our wealth/resources.
May
the mantle of Esther rest on the church today, and may we rise
up to receive the seven-fold blessing outlined above with
great determination and with tremendous joy! Father, I pray
for a release and impartation of faith, freedom, and fullness
to every believer who reads this article in the mighty name of
Jesus Christ our Faithful Friend, our Father and the One who
is the fragrance of the Universe.
Lord we receive the manna of Your
presence and our new name. Amen
Catherine
Brown
Gatekeepers Ministry
admin@gatekeepers.org.uk
~~~~~~
Catherine's
Itinerary:
February 18
Bethany
Hall on New Street
Stevenston, Ayrshire
February
19
St Andrew's on Main Street
West Kilbride,
Ayrshire
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