Prophecy

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On this particular Monday, I had parked on the 6th level in the parking garage of the Central Baptist Hospital in Lexington, Ky. I had decided against the elevator and took the stairs to the first level, figuring the exercise would be good. As I started off, my concentration was fixed on getting to my doctor’s appointment on time so I was kind of quiet in spirit.

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COMING FROM BEHIND:
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After I had come off the stairs, I began walking behind two ladies in front of me. Shortly, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, “Lengthen your stride.” I only had to think about His Word’s for a second before I responded with, “Okay. I can do that.” My response may seem as though it was flippant but I felt more like a child, who’s Father had just told them a secret about something He wanted them to do.

Actually, my response was based on what God has been instilling in me for a long time now, “I can do all things that God calls me to do through Christ (the Anointed One and through His Anointing) which strengthens me to do SUPERnaturally what I can’t naturally do on my own” (John 15:5--Phil.4:13). So, based on this word in my heart already, my response was automatic faith and agreement. Does this happen quite as easily all the time? No. Sometimes, it takes me a little while to get the ‘but God’ out of the way before I respond. I’m striving though to get to the place of quick response just as it was for me on this day.

Response should be quick and this easy for all of us everytime in whatever God asks of us; because what He ask’s us to do is going to ultimately work for our benefit. It’s going to work for our good and though we might not like the necessary steps we have to take, we’re going to really like the outcome. Not only do we have the honor and privilege of blessing other’s in the name of Jesus but we get blessed in the process as well. What a deal. That’s the goodness of God.

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STEPPING UP AND STEPPING OUT:
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The amazing thing to me as I began stepping it up and stepping out was how easy I found it to stretch out my legs and lengthen my stride. I discovered that it was comfortable when it shouldn‘t have been because I wasn‘t accustomed to walking this way. My walk just seemed to flow with ease and I took special note of this, knowing it was the anointing making it so. I also knew the Holy Spirit was showing and teaching me something very important through this act of lengthening your stride.

I had started out behind these two ladies but in no time, I began gaining on them until at one point, I was walking right along side them. I felt myself wanting to pass them because this place was not comfortable. I continued at the same pace I sensed the Holy Spirit had set for me. It seems that I only walked beside these ladies very briefly until I was passing them and going on to leave them behind like they were standing still. I didn’t look back to see where they were (Phil.3:14-15). In fact, I never had a desire to look back behind me. I was too busy experiencing the now and looking out ahead to see where I was going.

So, I never noticed those two ladies anymore at all. I had gone on and left them way behind me and there was nothing else in front of me to hinder and break my stride. Therefore, I kept picking ‘em up and putting ‘em down with ease. Praise God! I was thoroughly enjoying the presence of the Lord. Plus, I made my appointment on time too. Yes, indeed. When you walk in step with the Holy Spirit, He’ll always get you where you need to be, right on time. Not a minute too early, or a minute too late.

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RECEIVING THE REVELATION:
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As much as I wanted to know all of what the Holy Spirit was teaching me with the prophetic act in the garage, I had to get finished with the doctor first. But it hovered in my thoughts and spirit the whole time. Forget the doctor, I wanted to talk to the Lord and have Him reveal to me what all of this meant. I also knew in my spirit that the message of lengthening your stride was not just for me. I knew it was for the rest of the body as well. At least, the part of the body that I could reach. In light of that, lets look at the revelation.

I know we’ve all been taught from God’s Word, and we know that no one who prophesy’s ever gets the whole Word. No one ever receives the whole picture of what God wants to say to His people. “We know (prophesy) in part” (I Cor.13:12). That is to say, that I may receive a part, A Word but that's just it, I only have A Word. I don’t have the whole word. I have a part. You may have a part and by putting our parts together, it helps us to see a little more of what we didn‘t before. We gain more revelation and understanding of what God is saying about where He wants to take us.

It’s like looking at a puzzle piece to a giant puzzle. I might have some revelation of what my piece means and even where it might fit, but I need your part so my piece of the puzzle will expand the revelation. This way, we can all have more understanding of what God is trying to communicate to His people. Thus, God created need in each of us that we would have to not only look to Him first of all but look to each other as His extensions---people that He uses to speak through and into your life and into my life.

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HITTING YOUR STRIDE:
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You’ve heard the expression I’m sure, maybe you’ve even said it---”I’ve hit my stride.” What does this mean? I’m also sure that there are several meanings to this expression but the one’s that came into my mind are these meanings.

One meaning is to say: “I’ve come into that place where it just fits like a hand and glove.”
“Nothing can stop me now. I’ve got momentum.”
“I’m on a roll.” (make sure you’re on God’s roll and rolling His way).

Okay, lets give some word definitions. Everybody like’s word definitions. Well, at least, a little bit.
Momentum: Impetus, push, thrust, force, drive, vigor, propulsion, energy. (strength and power
of the leg’s that carries the body where it needs to go). Praise God! Did you catch that?
Impetus: The force or energy of a moving body, go towards (advance), attack.
Lengthen: Stretch, draw, reach, increase, grow, extend.
Stride: To walk with long steps. Advance forward.

Does this not describe what the “leg’s” of the body of Christ is supposed to be doing? Yes, it does and the “legs” receives it’s power only after they’ve bent the knees in prayer. Thats where the power is received in order to be that moving body that’s stretching and growing into a mighty Army. A body of united believer’s who is advancing and breaking--through enemy lines to conquer in victory and pick up the spoils. PraiseGod!

On this day when the Holy Spirit told me to lengthen my stride, not only did I feel an exhilaration in my spirit but I felt a strength arise on the inside of me. I felt stirred with boldness and confidence as I took those long steps. What I would have thought to be hard I found out it wasn’t hard after all. I felt good inside. I had passed those two ladies who represented that place of opposition that I didn’t like. I didn’t want to become stuck there. It also represented making the transition to come up to a new level of faith, supernaturally experiencing the gift of faith, whereby you feel as if you could leap over walls.

Still beside the ladies, I momentarily felt impatience to hurry up and pass them but I sensed I was to control that impulse and just relax. Although I was moving physically, in my spirit, I felt myself slipping into that place of rest where I knew the Holy Spirit was leading me. I found I could control that impatient impulse to go on and not run the risk of getting out of step with the Holy Spirit. I knew that I knew, He was guiding the whole thing from beginning to end. Because I maintained my pace, I gained ground without undue effort. The Anointing makes things flow easier and without struggle like machinery that’s well oiled with fresh oil. Without the Anointing, things are dry and hard to do with much struggle.

When I finally passed those ladies and left them behind, I felt joy bubble up inside of me. What a day that was. What a great God, our Father is. Hallelujah! I didn’t want anything to get in my way and cause me to have to break my stride. I wanted to keep going. Let us pursue and overtake the enemy without looking back at the things we’ve broken free of. Let us go on to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Phil.4:13). And let us go forward in the boldness of faith, walking in love, walking in power, walking in the Spirit (Gal.5:16).

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“WALK BEFORE ME”:
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In Genesis 13:17-18, God spoke to Abram and said to him, “Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto you.”

What was God saying here to Abram? “Lengthen your stride, Abram and walk through this land that I’m going to give you.”(paraphrase). And what was Abram’s response to God’s command? See, when the Holy Spirit spoke to me that day, He didn’t ask me if I’d like to lengthen my stride. He didn’t say, would you mind doing this, that is if you feel like it?

He actually gave me a command, plain (as day) and simple---“Lengthen your stride.” When He did, I had a choice to obey His command or disobey it. I chose to obey and was blessed because I did. Lets see how Abram responded in Genesis 13:18, “Then, Abram removed his tent (there was no ‘but God‘), and came and dwelt in the plain of Mam’-re, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord.” He built an altar of sacrifice and worshiped the Lord instead without arguing with God and complaining. What does that say to us? It says that we should follow Abraham’s example and do likewise.

Abram who later became Abraham was obedient without question and he stepped up and stepped out to do as God commanded him. See, that’s one thing we need to finally understand if we don’t already. Anytime God gives you a Rhema word through a prophetic voice or gives it to you personally or speaks to you through the Logos written word, He’s not asking you if you’d like to do what He’s requiring of you. He’s not saying, ‘pretty please with sugar on it, will you, huh, huh?’

Sometimes, we call it a condition that has to be met toward the coming to pass of any prophecy we receive. While that’s certainly true, there’s another word for it that actually gets the message across even stronger. It’s the word, “Command” and it’s a word that we don’t usually like. God has given an order with authority. He’s spoken a decree that can’t be altered once it’s gone forth out of His mouth. He’s given precise direction that we either obey or we disobey with the appropriate results following each choice. And not heeding the command, or the condition is one of the main reasons that a lot of people don’t see their prophecies fulfilled. It’s why there is delay often times.

It’s not always the devil who causes the delay and it’s not always God who causes the delay in our prophecies not coming to pass. More times than not, we are the reason just simply because we don’t want to obey the command included in the prophecy. We want God to do everything for us but He says, ‘As for Me, I’ve got My part that I will do and I give you a part to do also.’ That’s partnership. That’s covenant relationship.

Abraham obeyed the command of the Lord and moved out in faith and action. Faith without action is dead faith (be a hearer and doer of the Word, James 1:22). It’s like riding a dead horse--no life and you’re not going anywhere. It’s time to get off those dead horses of offenses and bury them, amen? Yes indeed. In Genesis 17:1 it says, “And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, walk before Me and be perfect (upright).”

God went on to talk about making covenant with him and in the process he received a name change. God gave him the name Abraham, saying, He had made Abraham the father of many nations. What did Abraham do at hearing this prophetic word from the mouth of God Himself? He fell on His face and God just kept right on talking to him. Praise the Lord! I like that.

Genesis 15:6 says, “And he (Abraham) believed in the Lord; and He (God) counted it to him for righteousness.” A righteous act is an act of faith and it pleases God (Heb.11:6), thus we’re blessed.

To lengthen your stride (your walk) is to have your God-given abilities, giftings and talents stretched like a rubber band in whatever area God is presenting challenge to you. Abraham was
faced with this same kind of stretching. But it is to stretch your faith and get you moving out
from a relaxed, comfortable state to a place of intensity of the Spirit you haven‘t been before. A place of peace and power and spiritual growth (maturity). A place of living on the cutting edge whereby you develop a sensitive ear to the voice of the Spirit who will reveal to you the things God wants to do in the earth and what your part is in His great plan. Isn’t this what He did with Abraham? Yes, He did and He’s doing the same thing today with you and me.
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TALK’S CHEAP:
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To lengthen your stride is to come to that place of agreement with the Holy Spirit, pressing and straining your whole self, spirit, soul and body to attain the prize set before you---that place of coming up higher in God. Going after that high calling of God in Christ Jesus, just as Paul did. This is not a place where you just merely talk like the just living by faith, that is, a people who are suppose to live by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. What it is, is to be (action) the just living by faith, dependent daily upon God’s every Word and being quick to obey it.

The truth is, we’re not all here at this place but we must sincerely decide to make it our goal and trust that the grace of God can get us there. It’s not enough to sing about it on Sunday morning and then go home and do the very opposite of what we declared through song. We must be doer’s because I believe we’re being moved into greater levels of faith now in preparation for the coming days ahead when we’re going to need to be the just living by faith (by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God).

Just talking or singing like the just who’s living by faith doesn’t mean that you’ve “Put on the Lord Jesus” (the Word). Talk’s cheap and we all do a lot of that. Therefore, we need to be speaking powerful life words that bless others and ourselves, plus speak powerful words that curse the darkness of evil. God says, “They praise me with their lips (they talk like the just living by faith) but their hearts are far from Me.” If that be the case, and God is not a man that He should lie, then a lot of people are living by fear and unbelief, listening to another foreign voice who only speaks lies. Lies that are meant to deceive, to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10).

We’re to be the Just living by faith, that is, living our every day practical life by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God (Gal.3:11, Romans 10:17). To do this says, ‘This is who I am (following the example of Jesus). This is what I’m about.’ This is who I am regardless of whats going on around me. Or even when I hear the voice of Jesus say, “Come children, step out of your comfort zone.”

This is when we come out from behind the eight ball, if you will, that’s been constantly in our way and we go on to press. We set our face like flint and we persevere to get around and pass the hindrances, the weights of sin that so easily besets us. We leave it behind in our yesterday and we keep on lengthening our stride---stretching our faith and going as far as the Lord says, go. This is a must for the whole body of Christ. Not yesterday or even tomorrow but for this present day.

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STRETCHED TO THE MAX:
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You might feel like you’re stretched to the max already and think you’re going to snap into at
any moment. God is our Creator and Father, Who loves us. He knows our limits. Psalm 104 says He knows our frame, that we’re made out of dust. God will never take you anywhere that He doesn’t first prepare you to go and yes, you know it, that’s going to mean lengthening your stride---stretching in faith.

A rubber band can be stretched taut but still have the ability to remain flexible (humility, a willingness) enough to stretch just a little more if this is what God requires. And when He does, and He will---what should our response be? A quick response of faith and obedience, “Okay. I can do that.” Then, do so while praising God for His ‘Can-Do’ that makes you ‘Able-to.’
God says, “I’m well able to keep that (your faith, your whole self) which you’ve committed to Me against that day.” He’s well able to keep you, to give you the grace that’s sufficient enough to say, “No!” to the temptation to complain that nothing is happening and relax your stride. You can’t afford to do that. You’ve already gone too far now and you‘re too close to realizing the dreams and visions God has dropped into your spirit. You’ve already stretched your faith enough to step out of the boat and walk on water, whereby you’re catching the deeper revelation of your destiny and calling---fellowship with the Son, Jesus Christ. All else will flow out of that relationship.

You’ve got to keep the momentum going now, picking ‘em up and putting ‘em down in faith because as God told Joshua in Joshua 1:2-3 (paraphrase), “Lengthen your stride, Joshua and go over this Jordan, you and the people.” See, it’s not all about you but you’re going to be taking others with you as you cross over. ‘Be bold and courageous,’ God told Joshua; ‘because every place that the sole (you walk) of your foot shall tread upon, the land is yours. I give it to you as I said unto Moses.”

What did Joshua do? What was his response to God’s command? He repeated what God had said to him. Verse 10 of chapter 1 says, “Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people saying---(paraphrase) “prepare to lengthen your stride!” Why did God tell Joshua more than once to be strong, bold and courageous? When you read through the next few chapters and come to chapter 6 where they marched around the walls of Jericho, you begin to understand that God was encouraging them Himself for what He knew lay ahead of them.

He was like a Coach saying, ‘you can do this and here’s how, and I’m with you every step of the way.’ He’s Coaching you and I in this present hour of the Church in the same way because He see‘s what lays ahead of the Church. And what He sees is glorious! Hallelujah! We must catch His vision and see our future glory through His eyes. The glory of the latter house shall be greater than the glory of the former house” (Haggai 2:9).

For the Israelite’s to believe what God said they could do it would require a stretch of their faith because they were about to go where they had not been before, and to do what they had not done before. If they did as God commanded them, they would succeed. They would be victorious winners! Did they hear the voice of the Lord? Yes, through Joshua. Were they obedient to prepare themselves to act on the word and stretch their faith in God? Yes, they did this. Were
they victorious winners? Praise the Lord! Yes, they were. Well, this sounds like a plan to me that has God‘s approval.

A plan for the Church today to move out in faith on His Word and in the power of His Spirit to do the same kind of mighty exploits that will bring glory to God. On this day, the Israelites had one of the greatest victories over the enemy they had experienced when the walls of Jericho, the city of opposition came tumbling down.

Have you identified what the city (the wall) of opposition is in your life? That thing that’s been constantly in your way of going on over to your Jordan and possessing your land? That thing that always seems to be right in your face? Defeating Jericho was a big hurdle that the children of Israel had to overcome before they could go on to the next level in God’s good plans for them.

It’s no different for you and me today individually and as part of the body of Christ. Therefore, we must heed the voice of the Holy Spirit and “lengthen your stride” so we can walk over, as it were, the enemy and keep going, never looking back to see what happened to him. Never breaking rank with the others and never breaking our stride. Dump the garbage of yesterday and set your focus straight ahead, looking fully in the face of Jesus and keep the momentum going.

Put yesterday behind you and tomorrow, if God be willing, before you because all your tomorrows are wrapped up in your abiding in Jesus and His Word and His Word abiding in you. Put another way, put the world behind you and the cross of Jesus Christ before you as your
anchor of hope (Gal.6:14). It will always keep you right on course with God. Too simple? It really is that simple. We are the one’s who make it all difficult and harder than it needs to be because we don’t want to give up our will and do things God‘s way.

In our own over-inflated pride, we have the absurd notion sometimes that our way of doing things is better than God’s way. It’s better to humble ourselves and repent of that sin lest we take a great fall. James 4:6, “God gives grace to the humble; but He resists the proud.” Pride causes Him to withdraw His presence from you and when He goes, so goes His grace. And when this happens, the proverbial “rug” is pulled out from under you causing you to fall to the level of humility. He gives grace to the humble in mind and spirit.

The struggle we encounter when God gives us a word is within ourselves, not with God because as far as He’s concerned, the matter is already settled (His Word is established in heaven forever, its final authority). He also says, “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life that both you and your seed may live” (Deut.30:19).

Like natural kids who’s parents have told them something to do that will require effort and sacrifice but will be for their good, they will stomp their feet in protest or dig their heels in and have to be dragged almost to the task. Why? Because it’s going to cost them. And like most kids, and even God’s grown kid’s, we will often fuss and fume and argue and struggle to try and get out of having to do what is being required of us. Jesus said, “If a man love Me, he will keep My Words; and My Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (John 14:23). That says it all, folks.

Sometimes, we look at the challenges and opportunities God sets before us as one big hard task and we struggle and try to get out of the cost. And what is that cost to us? It’s the surrendering of our will, our whole self to God. It’s the “I” decreasing so that He, Jesus might increase on the inside of our spirit’s and people see more of Him shining through our lives than they see us. I had the Lord to tell me just today as I was coming home visiting some people that He’d told me to go see. He said, “Your life is not your own.” I thought about that for a second then I answered quietly, “I know.” I was acknowledging His ownership and agreeing.

We need these reminder’s sometimes to keep us humble don’t we? Being reminded that we live and move and have our being in Him. Even our very breath belongs to Him. The Bible says “we’re bought with a price.” We’re bought back out of the kingdom of darkness by the precious blood Jesus shed on the cross and we‘ve been translated into the Kingdom of His dear Son, Jesus (Col.1:13).

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BEING IN UNITY:
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The book of Proverbs says that the steps of a righteous man are ordered of the Lord. God literally and verbally ordered my steps on this Monday July 1, 2002 as I started walking through the parking garage in town. It was His faith I tapped into on the inside of me the moment I said, “Okay” because He’s given to one and all the measure of faith (Romans 12:3). When we use this seed of faith, it has the potential already built into it to grow and produce fruit. And so, on this day I stuck my faith out there and when I did, His Super came upon my natural and enabled me to stretch and begin taking giant steps toward the fulfillment of my destiny, as well as getting to my appointment right on time.

The Church has to begin taking bigger gaint steps of faith in order to move into the position of becoming the glorious Church Jesus says He’s coming back for. In order for this to happen, we not only have to get in step with the Holy Spirit but we’ve got to get in step with the rest of the body who have had and do have “ears” to hear the word of the Lord. Those who are in the process of lengthening their stride and who are helping the rest of us to do the same so we can catch up and not lag behind in the things God is doing now. We have to keep the momentum going and that requires unity.

I want to say something that just might twist your hat around backward on your head. It’s not so much that we need to get into unity with each other. We’ve already been brought into unity, not only with Christ Jesus through His finished work on the cross but with each other as His body. And the Holy Spirit confirms and anoints what the blood has been applied to. In the spirit realm, it’s already been done but this unity by the Holy Spirit is yet to fully manifest throughout the body of Christ where it’s active and ever increasing in love, power and holiness.

I won’t take the time to write out the whole Scripture’s here that I’m about to give you, but I encourage you to read them for yourself. Romans 6:3-6. Take note of the words, ‘us’ ‘we’ and ‘together’ that Paul uses in these verses. We are buried with Christ... We also should walk in newness of life... We have been planted together... That sounds like unity to me, how about you?

II Cor.5:14-20. Has committed unto us (as a body of believers) the word of reconciliation... We are ambassadors for Christ... Eph.2:4-7, Has quickened us together with Christ... Has raised us up together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus... 7- “That in the ages to come He might show (demonstrate) the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” Of course, we all know that God works in the hearts of people individually but Paul is speaking about the corporate body in these Scriptures.

We’ve already been brought into unity and now, instead of getting into unity, it’s more a matter of accepting it, settling into it and being (putting into practice) in unity. That is, manifesting outwardly what's already been done in our hearts through the blood of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. It’s releasing that seed of the agape love of God that's been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit to our brother’s and sister’s in Christ.

It’s time to really get the concept that we are family. It’s time to begin being just that in every sense of the Word that God has spelled out and made plain (as day) for us. It’s dealing with any fear or any issues of unforgiveness, etc. that you might have toward someone in the body. It’s releasing the fruit of the Spirit when we come together as well as releasing it in our private prayer time for one another, or in our thoughts about each other.

It’s releasing to others love, peace, joy, longsuffering, temperance, gentleness, kindness, goodness and faith, against such there is no law. Through the power of the cross of Christ, we’re free to be a loving family that is actively bringing glory to God, our heavenly Father. He’s glorified when we‘re demonstrating His Character and attributes everywhere we go. And first and foremost, God is love (1 John 4:8).

The moment you were born in the natural, you were automatically in unity with the other members of your family. You became a part of a family unit. The same thing occurs when you’re born into the family of God. You’re born into God’s family unit. While this is true, it’s only a part of the whole picture. What do I mean? Simply this, just because you’re a part of a family unit, natural and spiritual, it doesn’t automatically create relationship with the other members of the family.

For a great portion of the body of Christ, we are yet to lengthen our stride and walk in the agape love of God toward our siblings. For a lot of people, it’s a new way of walking and most uncomfortable because to have relationship with your brothers and sisters, it’s not going to cost something, it’s going to cost you. Jesus said, “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”(John 15:13). This takes the grace of God to enable us to let go and stretch ourselves by faith to give out of His love that knows no limits, except the limits we put upon Him.

Love, faith, trust and acceptance is the fertile ground from which relationships are birthed within a family and thrives to bear precious fruit. It’s to give your self to others. It’s the giving of your time, your attention, your acceptance, your forgiveness, your encouragement---whatever is needed for you to give. When we reach this place, not only are we reaching another level of maturity but we’re in unity and moving toward establishing anointed relationships with members of the body.

Relationships where we can take off the persona’s we all hide behind and without fear, just be who God created each of us to be. Assuring each other that, “You’re beautiful. God made you beautiful.” And you’re not necessarily saying that because the person is actually beautiful on the outside. You’re saying this in appreciation of the beautiful spirit of the person you see who’s created in the image of God and who is alive in Christ Jesus.

Just think, as God’s love and anointing is released by faith, what healing and restoration it can and will bring to others. And it’s all brought into manifestation by the Holy Spirit working through a ‘crucified body, speaking the Word and who are fitly joined together in love, faith and acceptance.’ What a beautiful sight in Father God’s eyes as He see’s the “family” operating in His agape love toward each other and to all people.

(to be continued)

Plain As Day Ministries

Shirley Williams

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