This post is directed to DCC Church of Grand Rapid, Mi however it pertains to the body of Christ as a whole as well. Apologies always for typos 🙂
We highly ENCOURAGE you to print it out and mediate, asking Holy Spirit what your role is in this End Time Epic move of God upon us. YOU have made it through!!!
We Have Made It Through – Original Version June 2023 Nan Schut
This has been a season of spiritual turmoil and turbulence. Of emotional upset and upheaval, relational discouragement, and disappointment but God has brought us through.
Many feel battered and bruised, tattered, and torn but we are still here. The Lord has been so incredibly faithful to us. He has kept us, protected us, preserved, and provided for us. At times you didn’t know if you could take any more, but He strengthened you. He calmed you with His presence. We have been developed, equipped stripped back and prepared for what’s to come.
Sure, the next season will have sharp turns and more shaking, but it will also be full of suddenlies and surprises. We have made it through.
The Lord is strategically moving His people into new paths, assignments, roles, relationships, ministries, even physical locations. He is resetting the chess board for what He is about to do.
You are going to come alive again. Fresh breath will blow over those weary bones. You will rise with new vigor and intention. Where things were blurry you will see with clarity.
We have entered a season where we will go beyond where we have been before. Beyond where you have gone in the last battles and the victories that resulted or those that didn’t. We will go beyond our last level of strength, beyond our last level of the presence of God in our lives, beyond the last place where God moved in our finances providing new provision, new business deals, maybe a new business or even maybe vocation.
We will go beyond what we see, what we know, and operate in concerning healing, miracles, setting captives free, signs and wonders. We will go beyond the place where DCC has been into the new He has prepared for us. From your mouth will come a new anointing to create what’s not been seen or done before as we reach into the powers of the age to come referenced in Heb 6:5
To get HERE we must see and move past the cave we found ourself in while searching for identity. Past the anointing of the previous season into the position as Kings and Priests. Into the position as representatives of the King and Kingdom. It is time to come past the Brazen Altar – time to come face to face.
The day has come to step over into there. We have entered a time where the demonstration of His power, revelation of His majesty and unveiling of His glory through the revealing of Jesus as King and the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. His eyes are searching day and night for those who truly know and understand, those who have been tried by fire and now are vessels prepared to rule and reign with Him.
We are embracing the refiners fire refiner’s fire is embraced as we are purified, prepared, and positioned to be an answer for those around us for what is coming. This is why He has positioned us as a city on the hill in West Michigan Remember the word He gave us at the strategy meeting last year? Wait for it, we are right on track, we are a City on a Hill and here we are.
We will begin to function like a weapon in the hands of God that will shatter the strongholds of the enemy and release captives from the grips of darkness into the harvest of His great love and compassion. Jeremiah 23:29. An army commissioned to open the eyes of the people bringing them out of darkness into light and from the dominion of satan into the dominion of the Father who is waiting on that hill for them. Luke 15:11
Surely, we have been pressed on every side, cast down, spit upon, forsaken by those close to us, words were spoken that cut deep, we were crushed, embarrassed, so many times unable to find the way out and driven to despair. 2 Cor 4:6-9 We are Called to set the captive’s free, heal the sick, conquer mountains yet here we are, sitting, waiting, even appearing to be going backwards at times.
Paul said in these light afflictions we rejoice I am Not saying what you are going through is light or not difficult what I am saying is we need to put this in perspective, like David did in the cave. Anointed of God as King of Israel yet waiting 15 years for His identity to reveal itself.
Sitting in a dark, wet, oil lamp lit cave David says The Lord is my light and my salvation, who am I going to fear? As he sat there the Lord revealed himself to him and surrounded David with the mighty army chosen for him. GOD chose the army; He sent them there. Now I don’t know about you but when I pick a team, I want the strongest most battle experienced soldiers I can find. Ones with communication skills, problem solving, critical thinking skills. A diverse bunch who balances out the whole with different perspectives and ideas. People with a positive attitude, motivated, enthusiastic, and driven toward a common goal. Accountable to one another. God picking our army, this is surely going to be amazing.
But Who did God send to David? Everyone who was in debt. Those in distress, now that is a strong word. It literally means anguish. Someone who feels confined to a space where the very life is being strangled out of them. It can also be translated here as disability; the anguish had become so intense it was literally disabling them from coping in the world around them. They were bitter in soul, desperate.
While hiding in that cave David said I’m glad you are an enemy to my enemies cause that one is trying to finish me off, referring to Saul, and while we are on the subject you could have sent me a real army these guys are a mess TPT uses the word terrorists when describing David’s army– Ps 37 Ex 23:22
I said that to the Father once, I looked around at the end time army rising up and cried saying, Lord if this is your end time army rising up we are in real trouble. Needless to say, I was strongly rebuked. He said, “When I am finished, I will have the greatest fighting force that ever lived they will leap over walls and cut through troops in battle until they can’t hold the sword anymore. The greatest fighting force the earth has ever seen is about to be released.
I said all that to get to this There is a Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold. They take a vessel of clay, which has been broken and no longer useful, and fill in the cracks of that vessel with gold making them stronger than before.
In our search for identity, our earthly clay vessel was tested in the furnace of God and as He moved us through as vessels, clay vessels whose very wounds became filled with gold by the master’s hand. The body of Jesus was broken so we would not have to be yet there is a breaking a cleansing a purifying which takes place in our search for identity, identity in him We have become broken, wounded hurt rejected. Phil 3:10
We have been pressed on every side, cast down, spit upon, forsaken by those close to us, words were spoken that cut deep, we were crushed, embarrassed, so many times unable to find the way out and driven to despair. 2 Cor 4:6-9 We are Called to set the captive’s free, heal the sick, conquer mountains.
At first, we fill those broken places with religion, formulas, and perfectionism. Hoping to fix all the external problems around us, and in others, so attention is changed from inward to what is surrounding us.
To be moved by the occurrence in the natural realm shows we are still earthly minded and therefore spiritually immature. We must break free of these cares and concerns to be truly led by the Spirit of God. When we focus on the earthly, the tests, the trials, the pains we can never move past that brazen altar into the Holy of Holies. Flesh cannot enter His presence. The trial produced endurance which led us to maturity where we are separated from the natural carnal mind. James 1:2-4
Matthew West has a song called Mended When you see broken beyond repair – I see healing beyond belief. When you see wounded, I see mended. You see your worst mistake, but I see the price I paid. You see the scars from when you fell but I see the stories they will tell. You see the worthless, but I see the priceless.
Not only are we purified in the fires of God, but we are also forged creating something strong, enduring, and successful. Gold symbolizes the nature and character of God, and the mature sons are reflecting the image of the Father through Jesus Christ. Is 48
We are moving toward kingdom motivated instead of being self-driven and earthly minded and it is painful. Courage is rising. Strength and clarity of mind. Doors will open, some might not appear attractive at first, take a second look. Don’t immediately rule things out. Press into him. There is so much more waiting for us.
Eph 2:20 – 22 TPT You are rising like the perfectly fitted stones of the temple; and your lives have been built up together upon the foundation laid by the apostles and prophets, and best of all, you are connected to the Head Cornerstone of the building, the Anointed One, Jesus Christ himself!
This entire building is under construction and is continually growing under his supervision until it rises up completed as the holy temple of the Lord himself. This means that God is transforming each one of you into the Holy of Holies, his dwelling place, through the power of the Holy Spirit living in you! Behold – I have refined you.
As we watch, lead, guide and empower the mighty army God is raising up here, let us reflect on how each one of us, like the bowl, are broken vessels now filled with a power and strength that comes from our identity being co-mingled with the King’s.
Lori Craymer 7/16/2023
We are about to reach a whole new place of identity. We are leaving behind the land of limbo and in-between. YES, we are about to enter into the FULLNESS of who HE has made us to be. HIS PURE, MATURE Bride. RADIANT. For His Kingdom and for His glory.
This is an EXCITING time. A culmination of things. A full circle moment. And every battle we have faced along the way. Every enemy that’s been defeated on the road to get here–think of all the battles we’ve won in this very room- these are the stories we will tell to change a generation–We will see how NONE of it was for naught. NONE of what we walked out here will be wasted. All For His Kingdom and for His glory.
JESUS has LOVED DCC so well. DCC is a garden of HIS delight. A special diadem in His Hand. Special. Beloved. Holy. Set Apart. Cultivated for a reason and on purpose. Our story will be that even when we went through the FIRE HE was with us. Even when the waters rushed over us…HE carried us through. That all of these light, momentary afflictions have achieved for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.
For a city set upon a hill cannot be hidden.
All will see just how GOOD, how WIDE, how DEEP is the love of God…
Who is this coming up out of the wilderness leaning on her beloved? She is Bold. She is strong. And READY.
HE has made us ready for this transition.
Invite us to prepare our hearts as we transition and anticipate this move. You alone have brought us this far. You alone will complete Your good work and bring us the rest of the way…. Hallelujah!
Kelly Nickerson gave a word a few months ago and here is the link for her Word.
