From: Ching Co, Cebu City, The Philippines email: ching@gsilink.com Sunday, June 17, 2001

June 16, 2001

Today, the Lord directed my mind to a particular group of people.

These were people of various giftings and talents---All have offered their lives to the Lord to serve Him and His people.

But somehow they are finding themselves to be "out" instead of "in." They are finding circumstances coming against them instead of for them. It seems the very things they desire to do for God are the farthest thing from what they are able to do this time--And the opposite of what they have labored for seems to [come against them] and upon them in great force.

WHAT'S NOW IN THEIR/OUR HEARTS

I heard these questions and thoughts hovering on many hearts and minds.

"Have I missed the way?" "Is the Lord angry with me?" "Is there sin in my life?" "Is the Lord punishing me?" "Is this the work of the enemy?" "Oh Lord, time is passing me by. "Oh God, how many more years? "Oh God, when will you come for me? When will I see the fulfillment of Your promises for me? "Are all these impressions and promises I'm holding on to really from the Lord or are they just coming from my own imagination?

COMMON GROUND

The circumstances are varied and different for each one, but a common place that they are finding themselves in is "STANDSTILL".

All plans, dreams, projects, works seem to be frozen for now. Nothing seems to be moving--- as they have perceived them in their hearts [that things would].

A DIFFERENT KIND OF WARFARE

The Lord impressed to me that people who are finding themselves in this place are involved in a different kind of spiritual warfare. It is a warfare with a prophetic tone and message.

It may not be active and may look passive but IT IS POWERFUL TO DESTROY STRONGHOLDS and helpful and necessary to complement and support the works of those who are now actively laboring in God's field.

EXPOSING THE ENEMY

There is a spiritual onslaught that is coming upon God's people. I did not receive any specific name but just perceived the nature of this attack.

I saw something like a small snowball that the enemy had thrown down and as it began to move and roll, it picked up size and speed and became bigger and bigger until it became so big that it toppled down everything that stood in it's way.

TREADMILL STRATEGY

To help me understand better the nature of this attack, The Lord showed me the vision of a person running on a treadmill. No matter what the person was doing, his feet were constancy running that treadmill.

Whether eating, reading, watching TV, talking with people, and even sleeping. Yet I saw the person's feet continually working on the treadmill. It was like this treadmill had become his life-line and everything around him "will crumple" if he stops.

Another parallel picture given to me was that of a rat that was running inside a circular wheel like what is seen in pet shop. The rat was running non-stop inside that wheel.

NON-STOP MOTION

The enemy is using this strategy to weaken and trap God's people. In everything that we do now-adays, we are being drawn to that need to be doing something constantly.

There seem to be some force that wants to carry us into perpetual motion---Even when we are not doing anything physically, our minds never stop thinking or planning or strategizing.

This has created a lot of activities and movements (which are not bad by themselves) but if we are not careful, they will become like the small snowball that will roll over us, weary us and take us out of the race in the end.

EZEKIEL'S INTERCESSION:

References:Ezekiel 3:24-27; 4:1-15

God has chosen a group of prophetic intercessors. Their lives will be like that of Ezekiel. They will become God's spiritual weapons in stopping the enemy's "snowball" from getting bigger and running over the body of Christ.

THEIR LIVES BECOMES PROPHETIC SYMBOLS

By causing these people to be standing in situations where their hands are tied, or standing in places of not being able to move, they, like Ezekiel have become symbols that the enemy's plan have been exposed and thwarted.

VIOLATING THE SABBATH REST

The enemy wants to set in motion something that will cause the body of Christ to begin to overlook , ignore, and not to take seriously the importance of God's Sabbath rest and the purpose for which God instituted this type of rest and the effect it has upon your lives and the danger of violating it.

FOR THOSE IN THE MIDST OF THE ACTION

Even for those who are not in a place of standstill but are in the forefront of God's work, there will be moments when you will sense the Lord prompting you to break away from the flow of what's keeping you busy this season. Heed these gentle nudgings from the Holy Spirit --for they are meant as your protection.

This applies not just to ministry but to every area of our lives. Do not fear taking those moments of break or rest.

JUST STOPPING TO REST

I saw scenes where people went to sleep or took short walks in the middle of a busy meeting and planning sessions.

I saw parents joking, laughing and wrestling with their children in the middle of their studies.

I saw women dropping unfinished household chores and just sitting down to take a cup of coffee or tea or just calling a friend and talking about nothing serious in particular.

Moments like these are promptings from the Holy Spirit and not human weakness as the enemy would want us to believe. But they are meant by the Lord to be a method of spiritual warfare strategy to prevent the enemy from gaining inroad into our lives.

A WORD FOR THOSE WHO ARE ON "STANDSTILL"

Fear not for I have not abandoned you. Nor have I forgotten my plans for you.

My recompense is with Me and I will repay you for the years and the things that have been taken away from you.

You will find yourself like Elijah running with the power of the Lord (1 Kings 18:46) coming to the very places where I want you to be when this season is over. You will not be left behind but will be standing with the others as if you have never left.

My Spirit is overshadowing you and this has enabled you to stand in these places. My Spirit will continue to overshadow and will carry you through.

Continue to focus upon all that I have revealed to you. They will not be in vain but will come to pass in it's time. Hold on to what I've revealed to you for I Am adding more revelation to it.

As you continue to stand your ground. I Am preparing the groundwork for you. Wait-- for it for it will surely come upon you as I've promised.

PRAYER

"Heavenly Father, we know that Your ways are not our ways, but Yours is better than ours. Thank You for helping us to understand the significance of what is taking place in our midst. Thank You for restoring our eyes of perception and aligning them with Yours. Thank You for exposing the plans of the enemy and for not allowing it to take root and prosper in our lives.

"We give praise to You for all that You are doing in our midst. Great and mighty are You. Awesome are Your deeds. As You have move in the past, may You renew them in our days. All these we speak by faith through Jesus Christ, Your Son, Our Lord and Savior who strengthen us. Amen!"

Sis. Ching Co Cebu City Philippines