The Lanterns

I am standing on the beach in the middle of the east coast watching a massive storm come our way. It goes up the northern coast to Maine and down to the Keys. The storm is moving landward with a vengeance, “That’s key,” I hear a voice whisper in my ear. I look down and an iron key is in my hand.

I am not alone on the beach. There are people that I know who are flanking me and people that are unknown to me, but have been called to the beach. I looked out and watched the storm. It was charcoal gray with different colors of lightning striking through it. The seas churned at its feet; you could feel the vibration of the storm in the sand beneath our feet. The thunder was like a drum, a war drum.

I turned around and saw a rustic palisade. The wall was made of sharpened poles to discourage the enemy from climbing over the wall. The gate was open facing the storm. Many people in the village were moving about like it was a normal day.

I looked back at the storm. An angel of the Lord appeared next to me and handed me a lantern. “Shine it towards the village.” I did as I was instructed. As I turned back towards the village it was as if I was seeing with a new perspective; like I had been given a new prescription. I saw gray cloaked figures climbing over the walls and some walking through the gates. How strange and bold, I thought. This was a chosen village. I turned back to the storm and saw a battle.

Angels of the Lord and princes of darkness were in battle. The colored streaks of lightning were the Angels battling the princes on black horses. “Different spirits have different assignments,” the Angel said. “You have been warned about the storm on the horizon, but now I’ve come to warn you about the assassins within your walls.”

I turned back to the village. The spirits were handing out eyeglasses and jackets. I started walking toward the people and as I did; the spirit’s cloaks turned from gray to black and their offerings showed themselves for what they were. The eyeglasses were moldy and broken- division. The jackets were tattered and smelled of decay, offense. “Now what?” I thought.

I looked back to the Angel, “What do I do?...” “What are you called to do?” He asked. “Say what He says to say.” I held my lantern back up and once again they transformed into their true color with their intended gifts.

“Don’t take the gifts,” I heard myself say to the people. “There is a storm coming and it’s attacking from all sides. Externally and from within. We can already see pieces falling into place; War: Nations battling Nations. Shortages: gas, food, supplies. There is a lullaby coming from the storm that is saying, “This is the new normal. It’ll be okay, just follow the path.” We cannot! If we don’t see that we are not battling flesh and blood, but principalities and unclean spirits then we will fall as a people and a Nation. We must navigate this decade well or we will end up looking like China and become a broken and divided Nation.”

I looked back at the gifts and then at the people. “Vengeance is on the wind and it comes with anger that can be justified until you shine your lantern.” I moved the lantern over the key and it transformed into moments that were wrong and hurt us. “Justify it,” they whisper in our ears.

Before us, a scene played out like a movie. The whisper began to laugh in our ears; a finger began to point at people; the people began to turn on each other, and then the scene froze. In the scene, angry faces are yelling at one another, in another fists raised, some physically attacking while others kept it verbal.

“This is the ‘in-house’ war. The civil war is not over. If we put on the jacket of offense and the glasses of division we will not be able to see clearly the plan God is calling us to. We were born at this point in history for such a time as this. We can not step into the Esther anointing, the Ezekiel calling, and the Elijah boldness if we do not guard our hearts! Brother can not turn against brother and sister against sister. I am not talking about physical families, but the body of Christ.”

I turned back to the storm on the horizon and raised my lantern. The village people saw the storm for the first time and the line of people on the sand. “This is what we are called to. We are called to hold the line and fight when God says to fight and stand when He calls us to stand. We cannot if we are in conflict with each other.”

The Angel of the Lord reached for a basket that had been brought to him. He held out the basket and inside were lanterns. I reached for one and began to pass them out to the people. “You must see,” I said. “Pass the light over your heart and mouth first. Do you speak gossip and division? Do you hold offense in your heart? Let it go. Give it to Jesus. Bless those who curse you. Now turn the lantern outward. Once you’ve dealt with yourself, be on guard to what is being offered to you. The enemy is sneaky and will offer an opinion or thought that seems plausible. Be careful.”

The Angel held up the iron key. “The word vengeance is a clue on the tactics of the enemy. Honor is how you combat it. Obey and Honor God, love and honor each other like Jesus. Show grace and mercy towards each other the way Christ did. Holy Spirit will guide you in humility because you will need it to hold the lantern up to see the truth.”

I looked back at the palisade. “We need to close the gate.” I looked at the line facing the storm. “We have been standing facing the storm, but we are being called to watch each other’s backs and hold up our weapon, our lantern. Guard yourself so you can guard those to whom you have been assigned. You have been called for such a time as this.”