From the desk of Steve Shultz:
I love John Mark Pool's heart. He has such a "lion's heart" for the Kingdom and God's plans for our lives. He's a bold encourager, I'd say, which you'll read about below. He is one who likes to expose the enemy's plans and speak prophetic truth over peoples' lives. Sometimes, we need to be encouraged in such a radical way because it gets us fired up for the things of the Kingdom and to press in and pursue God even more so.
There's so much that John Mark writes about here, and I'd encourage you to read it a few times to take it all in. AND I encourage you to order John Mark's book here Path of a Prophet as well as this great teaching Driving Fear, Lack & Loss
OUT of Your Life NOW! by Myles Munroe and Rick Joyner:
John Mark Pool:
Catastrophic Horror is Coming...To the Devil's Plans!
"For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."—Jeremiah 29:11 NLT
No human is an accident. Never forget you are "fearfully and wonderfully made" by Abba Father. When God made man in His image He did not make a mistake, even knowing that much of humanity would resemble the devil's fallen plans. God's plans never fail. Humanity is high on the list of God's Kingdom plans!
However, we must know that the Bible has mentioned cataclysmic events will only increase as the end times of this world come into focus—earth's eventual and final transformation into God's eternal Kingdom. Note these words of assurance for God's eternal Kingdom found in Matthew:
And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.—Matthew 24:6
We have been hearing so much lately of the horrific upcoming events, as if they are news to the followers of Christ! Understand that God is not waiting to react to some disastrous events that people say are attacks from satan. God did not develop "Plan B" in case it is too dangerous for His creation. But we have been and forever will be at the top of God's Kingdom plans! We are made to be a blessing!
"Peace in the Middle of All Storms"
Shalom! This word correctly known for peace is derived from an earlier word, shalem, which actually represents full completeness, as in a completed or finished work.
I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid.—John 14:27 NLT
Friends, in the faith of our Lord, do not be dismayed nor overwhelmed at the shaking that must come over this earth, as it was formed in part as God shook all of creation to create our existence, into eternal glory with Him, before the foundations were laid! Knowing the Maker of Heaven and earth has great plans far beyond this short life on this present earth, and we'll adjust our hearts to understand "peace in the middle of all storms"!
That should cause the devil of this current universe to be regularly rattled—when satan realizes we understand God's purpose for our lives. We are made in the express image of the all-existent God, who created us to have intimate fellowship with Himself!
This is God's Earth, His Family's—Not the Devil's!
The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.—Psalm 24:1 KJV
Since the very day God breathed everlasting life into man's nostrils, we are made eternal. Those making a choice to not have God in the equation will assure themselves an eternity of horrific magnitude, which the devil knows they are headed to, and wants to secure all that he can take as he goes. Not one human was created to spend time in the eternal sentence made for satan and his followers, known as Hell. However, the condemnation is for any person who does not accept God's plan. Jesus explained this very well in John 3:16-19 (KJV):
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
God knew we would mess up as we did in the very beginning. He is never caught off guard, wondering if we will make Him pull out "Plan B" when man messes up! However, God did put into His own creation a will to decide to choose Him or not. In that choice, we all have the power to choose or not to choose to increase God's Kingdom.
It is not simply that man is made to take all God's great gifts for himself, soak up the wealth of a kingdom of earth, yet not engage in the increase of God's Kingdom. As Christians come nearer to God, we find He has had our best interest in His heart all the time! He knows the plans for every one of His creation, and as we each come deeper into that revelation—that God wants the very best for His own—then we have all Heaven backing our assignments to transform this earth into God's Kingdom now, beginning when we receive His Son as our Lord and Savior.
Dominion, Not "Dormant!"
And God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth."—Genesis 1:26 KJV
We are first born of God's Spirit, then made flesh with God's exhale of anointed Spirit-Breath—for His plan, not man's and not the enemy's! God has made all provision to have a people who love Him and take complete domination of this earth. We are made to co-partner with our Creator-God, to transform this earth into His Kingdom. We are formed in His image, and the plan was made before the foundations of the earth.
Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is He that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: that bringeth the princes to nothing; He maketh the judges of the earth as vanity...But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.—Isaiah 40:21-23, 31 KJV
As we grow in the stature and the fullness of the Lord, we begin to understand the value of being in God's Kingdom, as opposed to the enemy's plans to subvert our Creator's design. What is born of the Spirit of God is His wonderful creation to do His will forever.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, "You must be born again."—John 3:6, 7 NASB
All creation is groaning in hopes we will understand the difference between the Kingdom of God and man. We can build an eternal Kingdom or earthly ones that will one day be shaken to pieces and burned up. Then, after that final "oven of transformation," what remains is God's. Our action to build God's Kingdom, presently furthering His culture upon earth now as it is in Heaven, assures the shaking must increase!
Mankind is not the upper order of the animal kingdom! As Christians begin to demonstrate to the others in this earth that we humans are very unique and significant in Father God's exclusive design for Kingdom greatness, we will encourage others to exchange hopelessness for eternal abode with God's glory.
As others observe our lives revealing God's peace and goodness, many will become eager to hear regenerative words prophesy God's greatness into their troubled hearts. We can prophesy peace in the midst of all storms to those desperately waiting for real answers!
Prophesy Kingdom Prosperity Culture—
Not a Counterfeit Cult
Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.—3 John 1:2 NASB
Since God told us through the prophet Jeremiah that Father knew the plans for us, then we must understand what that means. Amazingly, just like a good Father, our God has overlaps from words like the above one in Third John for prosper: it is euodoo (pronounced yoo-od-o'-o), from an original word meaning to help on the road, or to succeed in reaching all affairs of life. It also means to have a "successful journey."
Bridging both prosperity and knowing from God for our plans is the word know or yada.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD...—Jeremiah 29:11 NASB
The word know here is a Hebrew word, yada, meaning many things, but certainly includes having relations as well as chosen. Among a long list of other contextual meanings, yada certainly represents God's plans to place us in a direct intimacy with Him, that we are fully aware of our value in view of His eternal design for greatness. Remember, that greatness was assured from design by God, yet was validated when we received Jesus Christ as our assurance for eternal increase—both now and forever!
God's Kingdom is Always Relationship over Religious Regulations
God did not need something to do when He knew us before the foundations of this earth.
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.—Jeremiah 1:5 NASB
The word knew here in Jeremiah is the same word, yada, from Jeremiah's description of our plans from God in Jeremiah 29:11, as illustrated in the previous section.
I must tell you that no matter what people, circumstances, feelings, and many other present environmental occurrences express, we must begin to prophesy from our yada intimacy—our knowing relationship with Abba Father—into all our surroundings that God has great plans for us here and forever!
As we understand, begin to dwell in the secret place with God, abiding under the blessings of the shadow of His protective wings, we are giving the devil's plans an absolute panic attack of utter horror! Our assurance of salvation in Christ must be a constant reminder to the devil of how horrible his future must be! This is not our goal, yet an attribute of living in the fullness of the measure of Christ: As we increase God's Kingdom, it has a "cause and effect" to decrease the enemy's ground!
Lion's Transformation
The Lord recently gave me a powerful, prophetic dream where young lions were surrounding me and trying to devour me as an older lion. As I continued in the dream, God assured me the other older lions (my associations with the other "generals" of God's prophetic company) would assist me to see the young ones transformed and placed into their "preserves" that had strong fences, to protect others as well as the trainers. These were not cages, yet like different-sized game parks with progressive levels of fenced areas. This encouraged me as I did not view the young ones as demonic, yet they were attacking older leaders because no one was training, "corralling," nor protecting them from harm. This was a profound dream and inspired this word to be taught, while protecting both the innocent people and prophetic messengers alike.
The Lord showed me a new meaning of the below verses that includes saving, not destroying, the young lions! We must know God's heart is to save, as Israel, yet all His creation!
How horrible it will be for those who go to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who depend on many chariots, who depend on very strong war horses. They don't look to the Holy One of Israel. They don't seek the LORD. He is wise and can bring about disaster. He doesn't take back His words. He rises against wicked people and against those who help troublemakers. The Egyptians are humans, not gods. Their horses are flesh and blood, not spirit. When the LORD uses His powerful hand, the one who gives help will stumble, and the one who receives help will fall. Both will die together.
This is what the LORD said to me: A lion, even a young lion, growls over its prey when a crowd of shepherds is called to fight it. It isn't frightened by their voices or disturbed by the noise they make. So the LORD of Armies will come to fight for Mount Zion and its hill. The LORD of Armies will defend Jerusalem like a hovering bird. He will defend it and rescue it. He will pass over it and protect it.—Isaiah 31:1-5
God will oppose the help sought from workers of iniquity. Sinners may be convicted of recklessness by plain and self-evident truths which they cannot deny, but many will not believe. There is no escaping the judgments of God; and yes, evil pursues sinners.
However, the Lord of hosts will come down to fight for Mount Zion. The Lion of the tribe of Judah will appear for the defense of His Kingdom. And as birds perched over their young ones to protect them, with such compassion the Lord of hosts defends His own—which certainly includes Jerusalem! Just as God will so defend Israel, He will for sure secure the safety of the young prophetic lions with the Lion of the Tribe of Judah! God wants us to seek and to save that which was lost! No devil will ever win!
This prophetic word came as a result of that "lion dream." We simply cannot grab young prophetic messengers and send them as young lions that "growl over their prey." When we understand the significance of relationship with God and His Kingdom, everyone is better prepared. People always respond to love, not growling over their mistakes! It is easy to build fences, yet the purpose for which they are used is critical for God's Kingdom! The same fence can be used as either protection or prison! The fence, just like the young lions, are not the enemy. It is the motives of the hearts of the young and old.
Our plans are always good in God, and the Father indeed knows what greatness is in store for everyone, not just a few, in His family. As we increase His Kingdom, it is essential to grow the "relationship" before the gift. It is vital to increase the validation and affirmation of the Fathers to the Sons and Daughters of God, to yada or know God more intimately. Every person is extremely important to our Creator; He wants every person to come into the fullness of the value of our identity in Abba Father God.
God is Up to Something Big
God has been up to something huge for His Kingdom since its inception, and that is just why He formed us in His image, to come into the "knowing" relationship, so we can first and always yada with Father to further His plans. Upon this growth, we will have all the keys to the Kingdom to prophesy God's greatness into all those whom we are called to influence out of the kingdom of darkness and into the Kingdom of His dear Son, Jesus Christ!
Now, begin to prophesy this Word of God into your atmosphere daily; it is also what causes the devil to go into anxiety attacks:
The kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever.—Revelation 11:15 KJV
Yes, I must confess, my title for this word was worded in such a way to get our attention, but knowing that we have all authority to prophesy into existence God's Kingdom come now into earth as is in Heaven has to be a real catastrophic event of horror to the devil. Think about it, our Kingdom of God must always destroy his darkness, reminding the devil of his future as we bring others out of his wicked and deceitful plans!
My goal is never to alone be destroying the devil's plans, but as we prophesy God's Kingdom plans into others' lives, we must be tearing down the devil's strongholds as we do God's will. Yes, indeed, great plans are for your future with God, but that means satan knows catastrophic horror is coming to his plans to destroy you and God's Kingdom! Rest assured, God has greater plans for His own, no matter the enemy's attacks; never ever forget—God's family wins!
Always a voice for God,
John Mark Pool
Word to the World Ministries
Email: MarkandSandyPool@aol.com
