From: "Mark Fountain"

Steve, Thought this might be of interest to the List. The following article appears in the Fall edition of "Engage" that I received today. It's a quarterly publication of Ministry To The Nations, a ministry began by Jim and Michal Ann Goll. For those with web access, they also have a new website where this and other articles focussed on intercession and the prophetic appear.
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STORM WARNINGS By Jim Goll

Jesus said - "When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.' "And in the morning, 'There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times?" Matthew 16: 2, 3

We are in process of crossing a historical threshold in the history of the United States of America. We are in the midst of going from one room in the Spirit to the next in God's dealings with the nations. God's plumbline has been dropped into the midst of the nations to see what character of building materials we have been using. Evaluation time has come. As we round the corner to the strategic, pivotal year 2000, the cracks in our personal, family, church and nation will show forth to determine if our present foundation needs jack hammered, torn up and repoured, or if they are solid enough for God's Last Days House to be built upon.

A time of pressure is upon us. These will be "days of hardship and days of hope". Times of shock and quaking change are imminent! For the past five years certain sectors of the body of Christ have been experiencing "times of refreshing". But the purpose of these times of refreshing are about to be revealed - refreshed to be strengthened for what lies ahead. We have been experiencing a Gentle Awakening; next it will be the Rude Awakening; and then, if the Lord has the fullness of His will accomplished, this will be followed by a Great Awakening.

Discerning the Times

What time is it anyway? What is the prophetic pulse indicating? Recently, at meetings where I speak or have attended, fire alarms go off in the buildings. One night, when I was on the road in California, the fire alarm went off right outside my hotel room long and loud two times in the middle of the night. Once here in Nashville, TN, right at the close of my message, the fire alarm went off in the rented school building. While in Sunderland, England, at the close of the last nights session, the fire alarm went off! What is God trying to say to us?!

Wake Up calls are being sent through the Body of Christ. Storm Warnings are being issued to the church. The voice of the Lord is beginning to rumble, but soon it will begin to thunder! It's time to build storm cellars of prayer (Psalms 91 and 57) where we will be protected under the shadow of His wings.

A Word of Warning

In April of 1998 the city of Nashville, TN was struck by two tornadoes. It was an alarming and shocking experience with much devastation. The morning after the storms, the voice of the Holy Spirit came to me and said, "If Nashville does not repent, another storm will come." There was an urgency in the message.

Later in the summer the voice of the Holy Spirit came to me again and described three things that Nashville needed cleansing of that all started with the letter "I". He spoke to me that there was mixture in the worship - it is called idolatry. Secondly, He spoke to me concerning the historic place of the independent spirit of pride. Thirdly, I heard a strange phrase that stuck with me, increase for capital gain. (My understanding is that this deals with taking the blessings and prosperity of God just for the sake of selfish pursuits.)

Many of us in Nashville, believe that was simply a "Word of Warning" to our city. A dear friend and co-laborer of mine named David Fitzpatrick, has written an entire prophetic interpretation related to the day the storms hit Nashville called 'The Voice of God on Deaf Ears' that you can look at for detail on this matter. Clearly, the Lord is sending warnings ahead of time! Many other regions, cities and nations are receiving similar wake up calls. But will we respond?

Exposing the Enemies Schemes

While God is using pressure to test our foundations, the enemy attempts to toss in his two cents worth and create confusion and muddy the waters. In recent weeks, a demonic "spirit of anxiety" has been unleashed against the saints. When this goes undetected and not cleansed, it brings in it's bigger brother named "panic attack". After this is released the door is open to it's big cousin named "terror". There is a confrontation with this "spirit of fear" in it's various forms being waged at this very hour. In these hours, we will need true discernment like never before!

But the Lord has the antidote! Call 911! Yes, I said call 911. Psalms 91:1 promises, "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty." The Lord is our defense - call on His name! Let's agree with Psalms 94: 1, 2, "O Lord, God of vengeance; God of vengeance, shine forth! Rise up, O Judge of the earth."

The prophet Nahum said it this way, "The Lord is slow is anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. In whirlwind and storm is His way, and clouds are the dust beneath His feet." (1:3) But his admonishment does not stop there, it continues with a promise in verse seven, "The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him."

Days of Hardship - Days of Hope

Will we be prepared? Whether it is adverse, strange weather patterns, Year 2000 Computer Bug, global economic recession, or the U. S. materialistic Titanic Ship going under, these times of hardship can become great days of hope. Isaiah said, "For behold, darkness will cover the earth, and deep darkness the peoples; but the Lord will rise upon you, and His glory will appear upon you." (Isaiah 60: 2)

Yes, let's receive the wake up call and get ready! Let's put on our gospel shoes and be ready to tell others of the hope that resides within us. Let us overcome anxiety by a revelation of the Father's great love. Let the Storm Warnings be heard loud and clear. But let us also rejoice - for the Days of Hardship will lead to Days of a Great Awakening!

NOTE - For more on this subject, get the tape Storm Warnings from the MTTN Resource Center given by Jim Goll in Nashville, TN this past July, '98.

By Jim Goll

It's time to Return to Antioch in the body of Christ. A little over a year ago, we moved from our life time home in Kansas City area to Antioch, TN. We knew that this was a prophetic act. A little over a year later year later, we are beginning to grasp the symbolic significance of this move.

The Lord is going take us back to the lifestyle of Acts 13: 1 - 3. We are returning to Antioch as an act of retrieving and restoring that which was lost over time and once again raise up apostolic sending centers. Like when antique furniture restored, the old layers of religious veneers will be pealed away to restore God's furniture back to it's original beauty.

As it was at Pentecost in Acts 2, there again will be the Holy Spirit's supernatural activity of fire, wind and wine to empower, cleanse, and restore that which was intended. It was in Antioch that God brought apostles and prophets together to release a worldwide impact.

The Lord gave me a vision and in it I saw an ATM Machine. I was given a key card to make a heavenly withdrawal of huge proportions of that which had been stored up to equip the saints. It is time for the A-Team to come forth - God's Apostolic Team Ministries. His hit team of holy, abandoned, itinerant terrorists; a wandering band of warriors to establish God's work. But first we must Return to Antioch.

In Returning To Antioch there are 10 points I wish to unfold taken from Acts 13: 1 - 3 in birthing the purposes of God for this next generation. In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manean and Saul of Tarus. While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me, Barnabas and Saul for the Work to which I have called them."

1.) DIVERSITY IN UNITY There were five men listed here in Acts 13. Barnabas who was first called Joseph - the son of encouragement or the son of prophecy who was a Jew. There was Simeon from Niger - meaning black man. There was Manean who grew up in the house of Herod who was a Greek. There was Lucius from Syrain of Northern Africa and lastly there was Saul from Tarsus - a man from modern Turkey. Today, God is bringing the different ethnic groups together where there will be unity and reconciliation, and there will arise a multi-colored, multi-cultured, multi-sound in the Church. Diversity in Unity!

2.) THE WEDDING OF THE SPIRIT & THE WORD The wedding of the School of the Word (Teachers) and the School of the Spirit (Prophets) will bring forth offspring called Apostolic Team Ministries. It will be the joining of those who hold the string of a kite and the kites themselves to once again see the church catch sail and flow in the winds of God.

3.) AUTHENTIC TEAM MINISTRY There will arise a new networking as ministries and places of equipping and sending arise not in competition but in divine cooperation with Jesus leading the way. He will be the head of the body!

4.) PRIMARY PURPOSE: TO WORSHIP & MINISTER TO THE LORD The primary purpose of ministry will be restored: ministering to the Lord! We will come together in worship with abandonment to give to our King the praise He is due. Pavilions of praise will spring up in many places.

5.)PRAYER & FASTING Prayer and fasting is being restored to it's proper place of importance. Today we have the ever growing Prayer Movement with Praying Through the 10/40 Window Campaigns, the call for two million Americans by Bill Bright to pray and fast for America, the Watch of the Lord vigil with Mahesh and Bonnie Chavda and much more is yet to come!

6.) THE HOLY SPIRIT SAID In Acts 13, it doesn't say how the Holy Spirit spoke. Was it an audible voice? An angel? A gift of prophecy? Maybe it was the finger of God writing upon the wall? Perhaps it was an impression or a vision or even a dream? One thing we know, man didn't receive the acclaim as no man's name was accredited to what was proclaimed. The Holy Spirit is going to get all the credit! We will find our identity and security not in our giftings but in Jesus Himself.

7.) SEPARATE UNTO "ME AND THE WORK" He desperately wants us to get the horse ahead of the cart this time! First we are the Lord's, then we are given to the ministry. First things first! Be separated unto the Lord! The work was never intended to be purpose driven, but person driven. But when we get Jesus first, out of that intimacy and union with Him, callings and commissioning come forth.

8.) BARNABAS & SAUL In the verses and chapters that follow, we see a change from "Barnabas and Saul" to "Paul and Barnabas". This will test relationships and our very security when another gets an anointing greater than your own. Be sensitive to changes in leadership positions.

9.) FROM THE GENTILES TO THE JEWS As we Return to Antioch, another transition will occur. The emphasis will gradually turn from the Gentile Church being self absorbed into caring for and watching their older brother the Jews come back to the Messiah and walk in unusual authority and power. The "One New Man" will truly emerge!

10.) THEY WERE FIRST CALLED CHRISTIANS Acts 11:26 declares, "The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch." Authentic, abandoned Christianity will arise across the face of the earth once again as we Return to Antioch!

NOTE: For more teaching on this subject get the tape The Return to Antioch from the MTTN Resource Center.