Paulette Reed: "A TIME TO BE BORN AND A TIME TO DIE--EMBRACING THE CROSS AND LIVING AT THE TREE OF LIFE"

"May we not focus on death to self, but rather on the miracle of new life that is being formed in the silent, dark womb of God."

Prophetic Vision

Recently, the Lord brought to my recall a vision He had given me while attending a womens apostolic/prophetic conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 2002. As my friends and I worshiped our King, I remember the vision taking my breath away. I was shaken by what I saw in the Spirit. There was my body (perhaps the Body of Christ), wearing a white gown, floating facedown in a river. Now, at first glance, that didn't seem terribly odd. Perhaps I was just taking a wild, adventurous swim. However, the floating seemed to go on and on and suddenly, I gasped, taking in air as if I'd been holding my breath. I inquired of the Holy Spirit, "Lord, if I'm floating that long, facedown, I must be dead!" God filled me with a powerful, silent "Amen."

As I chose to look into the vision and believe, I noticed three things. First, this wasn't an ordinary stream, but the river of God. Second, I was clothed in garments of salvation and arrayed in a robe of righteousness as a bride (see Isaiah 61:10). And third, my arms were locked straight out in front of me, holding a scepter that seemed to act as a breaker in the waters, making a way for man.

Pray Without Ceasing

Beloved, often our Heavenly Father gives us dreams or visions so we can be prayed up and be prepared for seasons of life. But, perhaps when people are actually living the vision, they forget forewarnings to forearm--until the Holy Spirit whispers, "I tried to prepare your spirit, my son, my daughter. I'm trying to protect you, but I must also perfect you." As King Solomon teaches in Ecclesiastes 3, "to everything there is a season." There is a time to be silent, a time to speak, a time to plant, a time to uproot. There is a time to weep, a time to laugh and there is "a time to be born and a time to die" (Ecclesiastes 3:2).

Sometimes, it seems we keep bumping into obstacles in the river of God, slowing down our path to destiny. We bind and loose, shout and cry, pushing hindrances aside--often, rightly so. However, there are other times, if we get really quiet and let the Almighty interrupt our prayers and warfare, that we can hear Him whisper, "Listen, dear one, this is not a hindrance from the enemy that you're hitting--it's a tree. I died on that tree, and as you flow in the river of God you keep bumping into it until you are dead, too."

Embrace the Cross

"The Tree of Life costs everything within us that is not of Jesus."

Each time we run into that old rugged cross, it rocks our world a bit. Painfully, it prunes branches that bear no fruit. Pride must flee; arrogance must go. Lust, sin, jealousy, doubt, ambition, greed--all flesh must be crucified. Branches are broken off of us, only to be as driftwood floating into oblivion, never to be attached again. The Tree of Life costs everything within us that is not of Jesus. But, alleluia, the tree that crucifies is the same one from which the power flows. Paul wrote, "That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead" (Philippians 3:10–11).

As the river of God continues to increase in cubits (see Ezekiel 47), it gets so deep that no man can cross it. Yet wherever it flows, everything will live. We must get out of God's way, friends, so that He can show Himself mighty! We must not resist bumping into the tree that brings death in order to produce life. May we be able to witness as our brother Paul, "Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4).

Of course, it hurts bumping into "the tree," for certainly there must be pain between death and resurrection. But, it helps to be prayed up and prepared, knowing that to everything there is a season and this too, shall pass. We can rejoice and take note as God changes us from glory to glory, remembering that change is rarely easy and often creates tension. Beloved, the hard thing is usually the right thing. May we not focus on death to self, but rather on the miracle of new life that is being formed in the silent, dark womb of God.

Be comforted, friends, knowing that when we admit our fear to our Heavenly Father, it seems to release faith instantaneously in the same sentence. We see this with Jesus in Matthew 26:39, "Going a little farther, He fell with His face to the ground and prayed, 'My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.'"

Rest assured, as we flow in the River of Life, God never gives us more than we can bear. He's bringing His Church to full stature but promises, "'My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness.' So now, I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

God uses the good, the bad, and the ugly to conform us to Christ's Image, dear ones. Some may cry out, "Lord, I have enough character now! Please let me wake up from this bad dream." But, the Lord may say, "Not quite yet, precious one. Let me complete the process of sanctification and crucifixion of self, so you may be one with Me." For, "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the Tree of Life and may go through the gates into the city" (Revelation 22:14).

Trials: Our Right to Learn Right

The right to the Tree of Life is really the only right we have, you know. For we have been bought and paid for by the Blood of Jesus and are not our own (1 Corinthians 6:19). Oh, may we never be like some of the Lord's followers who forgot His power and turned away when things got tough. Sometimes long trials may seem cruel and unloving from our Heavenly Father, but they are not.

"Help us consider when times are good, we are happy; but when times are bad, God has made the one as well as the other" (Ecclesiastes 7:14). He can use hard times as His boot camps, training His army and teaching us that we do not have to be right in the eyes of man, but must be meek in the eyes of God. We learn not to be distracted from Kingdom advancement by slander, flagrant social insensitivities, continuous disdain, or even human praise, for that matter. There is no time to be offended or puffed up as we prepare for the second coming of Christ.

Sometimes it seems the powerful river is raging and causes too much pain as the crossing keeps interrupting our lives. As intercessors, there may be times we experience a grieving during prayer, for when followers are hurt or mistreated, so is Jesus, for He has occupied the house. But, Praise God--God never wastes pain. He did not waste the pain of His Son and He will not waste ours.

His mercies are new every morning, and we continue to flow in the river, knowing that rapids are temporary and there are calm waters and a serene, breathtaking view just around the bend. Remember that "hope deferred makes a heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a Tree of Life" (Proverbs 13:12). We march on each day, knowing we must protect the territory He has assigned us, only growing stronger in the face of adversity like a mighty oak.

Listen, God allows people to experience issues until they are no longer issues. For example, we may experience rejection until rejection no longer makes us flinch. We may go through huge injustices until we learn to be silent, realizing that God is our vindicator! Dear ones, if we protect ourselves, He cannot. In other words, in accordance with the mighty Word of God, He turns the enemy against himself.

We learn that other people's choices, poor or wise, can actually draw us into more intimacy with Jesus. For He is the Comforter and He sticks closer than a brother. We learn not to react but to respond only as Christ would, with grace, turning the other cheek even when it stings. We can administrate mercy. It's when we learn the ways of Christ that the last shall be first. It's when we're obedient that we learn human words may demote, but only the true Word promotes.

On the Job Training

"As we're crucified with Christ, we no longer slow down the flow of power, but we let it flow through us."

Friends, God uses our environment to force us to rise up and become overcomers in accordance with His Word. He gives us life as we overcome, proclaiming, "Arise from the dead" (Ephesians 5:14). "For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh" (2 Corinthians 4:11).

How mighty is the God of resurrection who displays Himself in splendor! He allows seasons of death to the outside shell, so the inner man becomes full of life and believes, allowing streams of living water to flow from within (John 7:38), so everything will live where the river goes. As we're crucified with Christ, we no longer slow down the flow of power, but we let it flow through us. In essence, we become one with the river of life.

Let's Pray:

"Dear Jesus, You never said that, 'Follow Me' would lead to an easy path, but you did say the journey would all be worth it. For, if we suffer with You, we shall also be glorified with You (Romans 8:17). We know that "unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit" (John 12:24). So, as seeds die and branches are pruned, we thank You for Your grace...You are Grace.

As You train the Bride of Christ, may we flow with You, dressed and prepared, floating in the river of life that comes from the Throne. May we be pleasing to You, King of Majesty, so we can touch the scepter, and partake with you in Your Kingdom and lay at Your feet.

And, when we are trained, Heavenly Father, use us to help lead others through the valley of the shadow of death. Thank You for teaching us all things well, Master. Thank You for showing us that to everything there is a season--a time to shout, a time to sing, a time to tear down, a time to build, and a time simply to show others how to die."

Paulette Reed
Daughters of the Morning Ministries
Email: info@dotmm.org

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