The Lion of Judah has Triumphed!

By Hazel Holland

"Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed." Revelation 5:5

I was compelled to paint this picture of Jesus Christ’s triumph over death after discovering that He wasn’t in soul sleep while He was dead in the grave... After a lifetime of believing error, I was overwhelmed with joy and many tears as I discovered the length and depth that Jesus Christ went to for you and me. He literally left no stone unturned! His powerful words from the cross reverberated throughout His creation causing even the rocks to be torn apart when He cried out, “It is finished!”

Unfortunately, the KJV translates both the words Sheol and Hades as grave, death and hell, but this can be shown to be incorrect as it does not accurately represent their meaning. Prior to Jesus Christ’s ascension to Heaven biblical writers tell us that both believers and unbelievers alike entered Sheol (Hebrew) or Hades (Greek)—the destination of the spirit and soul at death.

Apparently Sheol was divided into two separate sections, an upper part and a lower part, denoting the differences of where the righteous and wicked dwelt. In the Talmud the wicked were in torment, while the righteous were in bliss. This is probably what Christ was referring to when he told the story of the rich man and Lazarus…

So while Christ’s body was laid in the tomb, His spirit/soul went to Hades (the lower parts of the earth), because he died under the conditions of those living prior to the resurrection. That is why the Scriptures make several references to Christ’s entry into Hades that are distinct from being in the tomb.

“Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying, ‘He was not abandoned to Hades (where souls are in the lowest parts of the Earth), nor did His flesh experience corruption (in the grave)’” (Acts 2:31; NRSV; See also Psalm 16:10). Since Christ was not abandoned in Hades, this can only mean that He was actually there, but not left there! "I will ransom them from the power of Sheol; I will redeem them from death: O death, where are thy plagues? O Sheol, where is thy destruction?" (Hosea 13:14; ASV).

There’s an interesting Scripture in 1 Peter 3:18-22 where it seems that Jesus went into Hades while His body was resting in the tomb in order to announce the completion of His atonement. “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that he might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison…” (1 Peter 3:18-19; NASB).

In the next chapter Peter says, “For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they may be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit” (1 Peter 4:6; NIV). It seems to suggest that after all things were accomplished by Christ, He went to Hades to reveal the rest of the story of salvation and to announce to them that “It is finished!” “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross (Colossians 2:15).

After the resurrection we see in Ephesians 4:8-9, “Therefore it says, ‘When He ascended on high. He led captive a host of captives, and gave gifts to men’ (Now this expression, ‘He ascended,’ what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth (Hades)?" This could not be referring to His grave because His tomb was above ground as were the other graves of that day.

Now that Christ has ascended to heaven and taken a train of captives with Him we know that it is clear that believers now go directly to be with Christ in heaven when they die. Paul says, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain… But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better…” (Phil. 1:21-22; NASB). Paul continues, “Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord—for we walk by faith, not by sight—we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; NASB).

The author of Hebrews clearly states where the spirits of righteous men made perfect in Christ go after they die when he says, “You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire…But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God… You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant…” (Hebrews 12:18-24; NIV).

Now the Scriptures that used to be so confusing make perfect sense… Speaking of the Second Coming of Christ, Paul says, “Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14).

Paul is saying that when Jesus comes back the second time He will bring back the spirits of the righteous (those who have died in Christ) to be united with their new glorified bodies, and we who are alive will also be changed and receive glorified bodies, and be caught up with them to meet the Lord in the air (See 1 Thessalonians 3:15-18).

Surely, the Lion of the tribe of Judah has triumphed! (Revelation 5:5). By faith we enter into His triumph!
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Go here to read further details about the painting.
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(I want to give credit to Dr. Cherry Brandstater for many of the thoughts I have expressed in this post. I also want to publicly thank her for her labor of love in making the "Shadow or Substance?"-- State of the Dead Studies under Spirit available for those eager to know truth. My life has been changed forever by His Truth!)

Midnight Call to Intercession

By Hazel Holland

About a year after God miraculously healed me from painful childhood memories, He spoke very clearly to me one weekend while I was attending a Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Women's Retreat in Flagstaff, Arizona. Not only was this experience another turning point in my spiritual journey, but it also demonstrates for us how God determines the gifts we will receive. Through this spiritual encounter, the Spirit began to place within the womb of my heart the passionate love of the Father's heart for His children, especially those within the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

In May of 1995 I was part of a team of people from Celebration Center (CC) who presented “A Wedding Drama” at the Arizona Seventh-day Adventist Women's Conference. After the Saturday evening program some of us were relaxing in the hotel Jacuzzi, sharing our thoughts about God's presence in the events of the evening. In the course of conversation I learned that Myrna, the fourth lady in our room who had not been with us Friday night, would be joining us shortly. Quietly I excused myself and hurried up to my room ahead of the others, hoping to be asleep before they arrived. I had heard that Myrna snored loudly, and because I sleep lightly, it seemed in my best interest to fall asleep first.

As much as I tried, sleep would not come. Although I was tired from the intense evening schedule, my mind insisted on recounting each scene in the wedding drama we had just put on. I wondered how many of the people watching it had been touched by the Spirit’s presence as I had been.

All too soon the women returned from the Jacuzzi. Seeing I was already in bed and appeared to be asleep, they moved about in hushed tones. Soon the lights were out, and everyone was quiet. But not for long. My snoring sister was in good form. As her snoring began, I pulled the covers over my head. When that didn't muffle the sound, I tried the pillow. Feeling exhausted and helpless, I began complaining to God. Immediately, I heard a very clear internal command. "PRAY!" Perhaps that would take my mind off my own selfish desire for sleep. As I began to pray, I received another strong urging; this time it was to lift up my hands as I prayed. I obeyed.

Never before had I lain in bed with my hands raised up in prayer to God. And now God was compelling me to do this in a hotel room with three others to witness my strange behavior. To my amazement the snoring stopped. I continued praying, thanking the Lord for a few minutes, before slowly lowering my hands. As I turned over on my side, planning to quickly fall asleep, the snoring resumed with greater intensity than before. Quickly, I raised my hands again in prayer, and the snoring ceased.

"Lord, what is going on?" I complained. “It's midnight! I can't keep my hands up all night. I'm tired. I need to get some sleep. You know I’ve got a long drive tomorrow.”

As I lay there facing the wall opposite from the snoring, I felt Debbie (my bedmate), who was nearer to Myrna than I, reach across to the other bed and gently give her a little shake. Immediately the snoring stopped—for a minute. Then it started up again.

This scenario was repeated several times. As soon as I lowered my arms, the snoring would return. Then Debbie would reach over and shake Myrna, and the snoring would cease for a time. As it started up again, I would lift up my hands in prayer and the snoring would stop. To make matters worse, a gnawing pain in my right leg began to bother me, the late result of a pinched nerve in my thigh that I had received months earlier. Knowing I had some pain pills in the bathroom, I climbed out of bed, hoping I could at least do something to alleviate that problem.

On my way back from the bathroom I had to walk by the foot of Myrna's bed. Again came the strong urge to lift up my hands and pray. I obeyed. Again the snoring stopped.

“Lord, I know you're trying to teach me something.” I was getting nervous. “But please don't let Myrna wake up, or anyone else for that matter, and see me standing like this at the foot of the bed. I'll scare them to death!”

I hurried back to my bed, hoping to fall asleep while everything was quiet. But after a couple of minutes the snoring resumed again. Debbie sprang into action. She gave Myrna one last bold shake that shook both of our beds. Instantly Myrna stopped snoring and quietly slipped out of bed. I heard a door close. Now is my chance, I thought. "Lord, please let her stay long enough in the bathroom for Debbie and me to get some sleep!"

Some time later in the early morning I woke up. Everything was quiet. Then I heard God's voice speak clearly in my mind. "You asked Me earlier what is going on. Let Me explain... Myrna is My child. She represents the church—the SDA church that is asleep. She not only must be shaken awake, but hands must be lifted up in continual intercession1on her behalf."

I lay there in bed with tears streaming down my face as I pondered those weighty words, and felt the deep, deep love of the Father's heart for the SDA church. I don’t know for how long I wept and prayed. But I do know that God’s heart of love is so deep and so wide and so high that it encompasses the whole world, and yet He has room in His heart for you and me. He has room in His heart for the leadership of the SDA church who has so misrepresented and distorted the new covenant gospel of Jesus Christ. (Even though I was still an SDA at this time I was beginning to realize that the church's teachings didn't line up with the new covenant gospel that was becoming more and more precious to me).

Several hours later I woke up again as I heard the bedroom door creak open. Myrna crept apologetically into the room. It was then I realized that she had not gone to the bathroom earlier as I had supposed, but had gone to another room to sleep.

"Don't apologize!" I insisted as I held up my hand. "God used you last night in a powerful way!"

"What? He did? How?" she challenged.

Excitedly, I recounted to her and the other women the "events" of the night, and what the Lord had revealed to me. Debbie was surprised to hear of my strange behavior because she never saw a thing.

Soon the women were up and about, hurrying to get bathed and dressed so they would be on time for breakfast. Hoping to catch a few more minutes’ rest, I decided to skip the meal, and volunteered to be last in the bathroom. When the room was quiet, I reluctantly got out of bed, hoping I still had enough time to make it to the last morning session.

Audible Voice of the Lord

I was in the bathroom drying my hair. Suddenly, above the din of the hair dryer, I heard a clear, audible voice from above me say, "I want to give you a double portion of My Spirit!" Unlike the earlier inner message that had been spoken to my heart by the Holy Spirit in the early morning hours, this voice was unmistakably real, audible, and outside of me. It also was the voice of God!

I spun around. No one was there. Immediately the story of Elisha flashed through my mind. I remembered how he had asked Elijah for a double portion of His Spirit before he was taken to heaven in a fiery chariot. It was years since I had read or even thought about that story. I was awed by the possibility that God wanted to give me a blessing like that. To my mind at that time, such giftings were reserved for rare, special people—like prophets in the Old Testament—not for single, divorced women like me.

As soon as I shared my incredible experience with my friend Margo, she understood the word she had received from the Lord earlier that weekend. Together, she and another friend, Donna, obediently laid hands on me and prayed for me to receive whatever gifts the Holy Spirit wanted to give me.

My request from the Lord at that time was to receive more of His unconditional love so I would have a greater capacity to love His children—particularly the learning-handicapped students that I taught in public elementary school at that time. As my Adventist friends laid hands on me and prayed I felt a certain amount of discomfort because Margo’s hands began to shake uncontrollably as she poured out her heart to God on my behalf. This was something I wasn’t used to and hadn’t witnessed before, so I felt a little cautious and amazed.

However, since that May morning over eleven years ago now, my life in the Lord has not been the same. I have become consumed with an insatiable hunger to know Him intimately. As I have chosen to spend more time lingering in His presence He has faithfully made Himself known to me through His Spirit and His Word. Intimate communication with the Father throughout the day has become my greatest joy and source of delight. To know Jesus is to love Him passionately. I desire to obey His voice more than the clamoring of my own heart. He has become my life.

Receiving a Double Portion

As I began to review how God called various people throughout history to do a specific work, I realized that I had also been called and set apart for God’s purposes. Since I had responded with a “Yes, Lord!” when God had told me He wanted to give me a double portion of His Spirit, I had received that blessing by faith. Although no precious oil had been poured over my head like Aaron and other biblical characters had experienced, I was lovingly anointed2 by God and inducted into His service. I knew by faith that I had received a double portion of God’s Spirit even though I had no special feeling or physical evidence of it at the time. Like Elisha who grabbed hold of Elijah’s mantle as it fell from the heavens, I grabbed hold of God’s promise and held it close to my heart, knowing that He would reveal what His purposes were for me in His time.

Ever since that day when hands were laid upon me and friends prayed that I might receive whatever gifts the Holy Spirit wanted to give me, I have been experiencing a growing and deepening awareness of the passionate love in the Father’s heart for His children. I didn’t realize until many months later that during my midnight encounter with the Lord, He had planted a seed in me. As the months and years have gone by I am able to look back to that time in my life and trace that experience to the birthing of God’s heart in me for prophetic intercession. This was the beginning of the call upon my life to “stand in the gap” and cry out to God for those who did not know the Father’s love.

God didn’t have to speak to me in an audible voice in order to get my attention. He already had my attention. I had already committed my life to loving and serving Him. But from that moment to this He has had my undivided attention.

Undivided Attention

God has a plan to get your undivided attention also. I am reminded of a story I read recently that illustrates how God sometimes has to get our attention by using unconventional methods. In this story it was a brick. What will He use to get your attention?

A young executive was driving his brand new Jaguar in an area where there were usually several children playing in the street. He thought he saw something darting out from between parked cars and slowed down.

As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's passenger door! He slammed on the brakes and spun the Jag back to the spot from where the brick had been thrown. He jumped out of the car, grabbed some kid and pushed him up against a parked car, shouting, "What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing?" Building up a head of steam he went on. "That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?"

"Please, mister, please. I'm sorry, I didn't know what else to do!" pleaded the youngster. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop..." tears were dripping down the boy’s chin as he pointed around the parked car. "It's my brother," he said. "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up."

Sobbing, the boy asked the executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me."

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapes and cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be okay.

"Thank you and God bless you," the grateful child said to him.

The man then watched the little boy push his brother down the sidewalk toward their home. It was a long walk back to his Jaguar—a long, slow walk. He never did repair the passenger door. He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone had to throw a brick at him in order to get his attention.

God whispers in our ears and speaks to our hearts through His Spirit all the time. But sometimes when we don't take the time to listen, He has to throw a "brick" at us. It's our choice. Will we listen for the whisper of His voice—or wait for the brick?

As you read some of the words that I have received from the Lord, and posted on my blogs, you may recognize that God has thrown a “brick” at you in order to get your attention. Others of you will perhaps see that the Adventist church is like the crippled little boy in this story who fell out of his wheelchair. Others may see that the Adventist church is more like the executive driving the brand new Jaguar, and that fixing the dent in the passenger door is going to cost the church a lot of money. Still others may see that the dent in the “door” should be left alone. Perhaps some will say that God can use it for His glory if the corporate leadership of the SDA church publicly repents of covering up its unbiblical teachings, confesses its deceptive practices, and changes its foundational beliefs to be in line with the new covenant gospel.

One thing becomes very clear to me in the above analogy. We can’t lift our handicapped “brother” back into his wheelchair. We need a Good Samaritan to come along who will pour healing oil into the scrapes and cuts and bandage up his wounds. Only in Christ is there healing from this kind of a fall!

I am reminded of how God set a bush on fire out in the middle of the desert, because He wanted to get Moses undivided attention? When the Lord saw that He had caught Moses’ attention (Exodus 3:4), He began to share with Moses His plan to use him to free a nation crying out to God because of the oppressor. Moses was being called to be their deliverer after dwelling in the desert for forty years. Gone was the proud and independent spirit of the former prince of Egypt. As a broken and repentant man, he humbled himself before the Lord and felt totally inadequate for the job God was calling him to do. It was in this place of weakness, brokenness and submission that God could now use him. It will be the same with us. It will be the same for the corporate leadership of the Adventist church. Repentance is the key that opens the door for God to rebuild upon our ruins.

Why did God choose to get Moses undivided attention through a burning bush? Perhaps because one of God’s attributes is that He is a consuming fire. Although He is a consuming fire, the bush was not consumed. Although He is a consuming fire, we are not consumed. The refining fire of His presence consumes only the dross in our lives, but the gold remains. If we submit to His loving discipline the remaining gold will be polished until we become transparent vessels, able to reflect His glory—the glory of His finished work.

If the Lord has now got your undivided attention, remember—He is the Relentless Pursuer! He will do whatever it takes to capture your heart so that you have only eyes for Him!

Notes:
1 Definition of “intercession” [Webster’s Dictionary]: to come or go between, mediation between conflicting parties with a view to reconciliation, prayer or pleading on behalf of another or others.
2 “anoint” means to rub or smear with oil

A Spirit of Lawlessness

By Hazel Holland

I painted this watercolor this afternoon to illustrate something I saw in the Spirit about twelve years ago. It was something that I didn't really begin to understand until today.

The Vision

In this vision I saw someone dressed up like Robin Hood, holding his bow and arrow, getting ready to take aim. All of a sudden he pulled back on the bow string, and an arrow went flying through the air beyond my line of vision.

Immediately, a large group of "spectators"who had been watching this "sports" event off to the right began to loudly cheer with seditious laughter as "Robin Hood" hit his target. Having successfully "hit" his intended victim, the marksman reached around to get another arrow out of his bag.

Just as he was about to release the second arrow, I heard the Spirit say, "Lift up the shield of faith!" Again the crowd of "spectators" applauded their "hero" as his second arrow hit its mark again.

I knew by the sound of the ugly laughter that this crowd of "spectators" was not human, but rather a gathering from the hordes of hell. I shuddered as I saw that they were unable to contain their demonic glee and their foul appreciation of seeing another human being fall prey to their trickery and lies.

But I was stumped as to why God was using "Robin Hood" as the archer, and his "merry men" as the hordes from hell in this vision. Although I'm well acquainted with the story of this character in English history, I will briefly share the gist of it in case some readers are not. That way you will get a better grasp of what the Lord may be saying through this word.

Robin Hood

Robin Hood was a man who lived in Nottinghamshire, England. He was discouraged that the forests near the king no longer belonged to the people. King Richard was away at the Crusades and his brother, Prince John, forbid hunting on his land and taxed the poor heavily. Land was stolen from rightful owners. Murders were committed, including Robin's own father.

So he fled to Sherwood Forest, and he and his band of "merry men" vowed to help the less fortunate who were Prince John's and the Sheriff of Nottingham's victims. To survive in the woods they would "relieve" rich travelers of their valuables, and they made suits to blend in with the forest.1

In a nutshell, Robin Hood, stole from the rich to give to the poor. He took the law of the land into his own hands in order to try and right the wrongs of a government with unjust laws.

Misuse of Law

I read an article to day that emphasized the facts that throughout history tyrants have used an extensive legal system to control their people. It has been through the instrumentality of the law that these rulers gained inordinate control over the lives and "loyalty" of their people. They held them in subjection and bondage through threats of punishment or death, and used the law to establish their dictatorship, event to the point of passing additional laws that outlawed opposition parties.

In essence, dictators demand a godlike obedience that not even God requires of his subjects. The irony is that tyrants use the laws of the land to justify their lawless behaviors. In other words, the law, or the power of law, is misused by tyrants to cloak evil behaviors. It is this misuse of the law, to make what is evil appear to be good, that is at the very heart of lawlessness.2

In a similar way the old covenant law, as well as the power of that law to condemn people, has been misused by the church down through the centuries. It is this abuse of the law, to make what is evil appear to be good, that is at the very heart of lawlessness. Since Paul says, "...the secret power of lawlessness is already at work..." doesn't that make legalism a trademark of a lawless spirit?

(To be continued...)
Notes:
1. http://www.robinhood.ltd.uk/society/members/Jessica%20Dodson%20and%20Richard%20Baker.html.
2. http://www.scholarscorner.com/eschaton/manlaws.html

*  You can scroll down to the bottom of this page to see a larger copy of this painting.

Prisoners of the Law

By Hazel Holland

"...Only in Christ is it (the veil of the old covenant) taken away" ( 2 Corinthians 3:14).

I painted this watercolor painting several days ago to illustrate a scene I had seen in a vision several months ago. Why is this "army" on all fours? Why are they not able to get up, stand, walk and fight?

To find the answers to these questions, read about the vision and its interpretation at the following links:

Vision: An Army in Disarray (Vision).
Interpretation: An Army in Disarray (Interpretation to Vision).

* Scroll down to the bottom of the page to see a larger copy of this painting, "Prisoners of the Law".

I AM will Calm your Sea

by Hazel Holland

When the situation looked the most impossible to the disciples, that's when Jesus came walking on the water...stepping through the whitecaps

towards them as if the angry sea were mere asphalt. Can you hear His welcome voice as it thundered with power and authority in the midst of that storm?

"It is I... don't be afraid!

Just as Jesus, the great "I AM",calmed the sea that stormy night and brought the disciples safely to the shore, so He comes striding across the turbulent sea of your life. With a voice more powerful than any wind of adversity, He says to you right now:

"I am Yahweh! Don't be afraid! I AM with you! I will calm the sea of your troubled heart. I will go deeper than the deepest ocean and heal the source of your fear and pain."

"I AM the Word by whom all things were made, and My Word will not return to Me void. It will accomplish that which I have purposed in My heart for you, My beloved!"

"Two thousand years ago I would not let the crowds make Me a King, but today I will let you make Me King of your heart. Let Me step into the restless sea of your anxious thoughts and emotions and quiet your spirit with My love."

"Let Me hold you as I sing over you. Let Me lead you as we dance over the whitecaps on this turbulent sea of life together. Let Me bring you safely to the shore on the other side..."

___________________________

After writing this word from His heart this morning I was inspired to paint this water color this afternoon as I thought about Sara, a young friend of mine, who is going through a difficult time in her life right now.

Also see this link: Great Raging Love, I AM 

Vision of the Trees

By Hazel Holland

About twelve years ago a group of us from the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) church I use to attend were on a weekend prayer retreat up at Cedar Falls, because we wanted to hear the Spirit speak more clearly in our lives. So I decided to go out on a solitary walk to listen to what He might want to say to me…

I ended up lying on my back on the floor of an old, broken down and discarded wagon. It was part of the set-up that contributed to the pioneer spirit of Wagon Camp at Cedar Falls. As I stretched out on the weathered floor of the wagon, I was immediately struck with the beauty of a white fir towering above me. Sunlight was pouring down on each individual needle, causing the evergreen to sparkle like glistening dew. The reflection of the soft rays of sunlight made the fir look like it was wearing a crown of diamonds.

Immediately I was reminded of a similar scene I had seen of a white fir in a vision five months earlier on December 15, 1995. The pastor had been preaching on our need to renounce our arrogant spirit of individualism, our spiritual pride and superiority. As he began to pray, I began seeing a series of pictures (back then I had a hard time calling it a “vision”) of stately evergreen trees in a forest…

The Vision

Out of the darkness of the night a pine tree appeared, perfect in symmetry and beautifully decorated with sparkling white lights. The miniature white Christmas lights were clear as crystal and perfectly spaced throughout the tree’s branches. But the many artificial lights only lit up the tree, not the darkness around it. After thirty seconds the pine tree faded and was replaced by a second pine, a little bigger than the first.

The second pine tree that appeared was covered with blue Christmas lights that were evenly spaced, and perfectly placed throughout its branches. Like the first pine tree it had perfect symmetry, but only magnified itself. It gave off no light to the darkness around it. After thirty seconds it too faded, and was replaced by an even bigger pine.

Like the other two pines before it, this third evergreen was also perfect in symmetry and decorated with multicolored lights that were evenly spaced throughout its branches. However, even though each successive tree was bigger and decorated with more lights, each seemed to give off less light. After another thirty seconds this third pine tree also faded and was replaced by a dense forest of artificially lit trees.

Then quite unexpectedly, a long string of unlit multicolored Christmas lights (like the ones I had seen on the last tree pine tree), appeared from the right and began to circle the forest of trees. I saw the long strand of unlit multicolored lights pass before my eyes a couple of times as it bound the forest of trees securely together. Gradually the forest faded from view and its artificial lights disappeared just like I had seen the others do.

Immediately a ray of Light pierced the darkness of the night and revealed a white fir standing with such beauty and grace. Every needle on every branch glistened like the morning dew. Although no artificial lights decorated its branches, it sparkled and shone brighter than all the other trees had done as it beautifully reflected the Source of Light that shone upon it. All of a sudden the tree was bathed in breath taking colors of every kind as a rainbow of promise rested on each needle. Its glory and splendor surpassed the grandeur of a mighty cathedral. As it beautifully reflected the Source of the Light that continued to shine upon it, it illuminated the darkness of the forest around it.

Interpretation

As I continued to lay on the old wagon floor looking up into the trees, meditating on what God was saying through this vision, I noticed that there were a number of trees that were totally dead standing beside living trees. I also noticed that surrounding the white fir that stood in front of me were many dead branches among the living trees that needed to be pruned.

Had these dead trees and branches failed to receive the necessary Son-light? Is that why they had died? I wanted to remove the ugly dead wood because it marred the beauty of the surrounding forest, but I knew that was the job of the Master Pruner. He would eventually separate the dead wood from the living branches. Until then the “dead” and the “living” stood together waiting for the Pruner…

In a similar way God wants to prune the dead wood in our lives. He wants to lop off the dead branches and make room for new growth so that we can continue to grow and flourish as we sink our roots down deep into Him… For apart from Him we have no Life.

As I continued to lay there on the bed of the wagon, God brought the following passage of Scripture to my mind. “Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of his servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God. But now, all of you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches, go walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze. This is what you shall receive from my hand: You will lie down in torment” (Isaiah 50:10-11).

God is saying, “I am the Light. I am the Source of Light. You were created to reflect My light; not to make your own light. Any light that you create will eventually go out in darkness. I am the Light and in Me there is no darkness” (Isaiah 50:10-11).

Later that day after I got home from Cedar Falls the Lord began giving me more Scriptures that seemed to confirm what He had earlier revealed as I lay on the broken down wagon. Just as He confronted ancient Israel with her spiritual pride and idolatry, He is confronting the church today with our spiritual pride and idolatry. “Open your doors, O Lebanon, so that fire may devour your cedars!”Wail, O pine tree, for the cedar has fallen; the stately trees are ruined! Wail, oaks of Bashan; the dense forest has been cut down” (Zechariah 11:1-2).

"Once you were a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful branches overshadowing the forest. You towered on high, your top among the thick foliage... Your branches grew long, spreading because of abundant waters. You were majestic and beautiful because I made you beautiful... Because you became proud of your height and your thick foliage, I handed you over to the ruler of the nations to deal with your wickedness... You are destined for death… “(Ez.31:3-14).

“Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord. “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, "when I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh…even the whole house of Israel in uncircumcised in heart” (Jeremiah 9:23-26).

Although the Lord was originally confronting unfaithful Jerusalem in this allegory given in Ezekiel 16, He is also confronting spiritual Israel (the church) as He sees that many of us have fallen into the same spiritual condition. “I made you grow like a plant of the field. You grew up and developed and became the most beautiful of jewels… But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute” (Ezekiel 16:6-15).

Ezekiel goes on to say in the rest of chapter sixteen that Jerusalem preferred strangers to her own Husband because she engaged in "prostitution" with the nations around therby breaking the covenant with the Lord. Although Israel broke the covenant time and time again, the Lord remembered His covenant with Israel and established an everlasting covenant--the new covenant that is built on better promises--God's promises --not ours.

Not Connected to the Source

Several years later I began to understand more fully that the only way we can remain faithful to our Husband and not run after other lovers is if we stay connected to Him--the True Vine. We must stay connected to the Source of Love, Jesus Christ, and receive the Holy Spirit (Sap) if we are going to “stand firm” and not be among those whose “love grows cold”.

In the church I believe there are two kinds of branches holding on to the True Vine. One kind of branch is on the Vine but not tapped into the Source (the Holy Spirit), and is therefore cut off because it bears no fruit. The other kind of branch is connected to the Source, and is therefore pruned so that it will bear even more fruit.

A professed Christian who is on the Vine, but not connected to the Vine (the Holy Spirit Sap) is weak and unable to bear fruit. Remember the fig tree that Jesus cursed? It had leaves but no fruit. That was because the sap went straight to the leaves. The sap was not supposed to go to the leaves but to the fruit. Remember we’re not called to produce fruit—we’re called to bear fruit? We’re called to reflect Him!

A branch only gets its strength from being connected to the Sap in the Vine. When we receive our strength and nourishment from Him alone there’s no effort in “abiding”—in “resting” in Him. In that way we show ourselves to be His disciples when the Sap is running through us, because then as we are pruned by Him we will bear much fruit that will last.

Trees Already Dead

Seven years ago as I stood with the rest of the congregation in a particular church for closing prayer, I was slain in the Spirit as God brought upon me His heart of travailing intercession for those who were superficially attached to the Vine, but not connected to the Source.

As I lay on the floor of the church I saw what I had failed to see seven years earlier regarding the pine trees in this vision. The trees that I had seen artificially decorated with man’s light were already dead. As God “showed me” the vision of the pine trees for the second time I realized that the artificial lights were actually exposing the dead branches, but I had failed to see that earlier. My attention had been focused on the perfect form and shape of the trees, along with the perfect placement of artificial lighting instead of recognizing the true condition of the “trees”.

I became overcome with travailing intercession for the church as I realized with greater clarity what God is saying to us through this vision. Those who are on the Vine, but not connected to the Sap in the Vine are eventually going to be cut off from Him, because they are already dead. Uncontrollable weeping and wailing overcame me as I found myself interceding and repenting for those who were physically alive but spiritually dead—for those who have a profession of godliness, but have no Holy Spirit power in their lives.

But nothing is impossible with God! He can make dead bones live! His love can demolish all the idols that we have set up in our hearts to replace Him! He’s calling us now to repent of our pride and idolatry, and turn to Him. Only when we turn to Christ is the veil taken away. When we see Him in His beauty, we will be transformed into His likeness, and reflect only Him (1Corinthians 3:16-18).

Forgive us, dear Lord, for what we have done.
We repent of our pride,
We submit to Your Son.
Break the chords of our bondage,
And we will be free.
Bring us back from captivity.
We renounce our own light.
We receive Your fire.
You are our Light,
Our heart's desire.

The Fish Tank

By Hazel Holland


About 12 years ago (1996) I received this vision one night as I was praying for a friend of mine just before we attended a Cleansing Streams Weekend Retreat. After sharing with her what I had seen, she confirmed that the visual portrayal of her in a fish tank clinging to the air filter was exactly how she felt at times as a worship leader within the church. She felt restricted and controlled by man-made rules while at the same time struggling to let go of her own need to be in control of everything.

Often she felt like she would die at times if she didn’t get some fresh air soon. She wanted to receive the gift of the Spirit, but was afraid that God might send her a “stone” instead of “Living Bread”. Consequently, she found herself resisting the work of the Spirit by telling God how to do His job. Finally, the wall of fear that she had erected collapsed, and she was freed to venture beyond the confining walls of the “fish tank” and discover an ocean of clear Living Water where there were no restrictions to Life in the Spirit…

Recently the Lord brought back the imagery of this vision as He urged me to paint what He had originally shown me! I had never painted it or even thought about writing about it before, because I thought it had no further purpose. However, when I started to write down what I had seen, God began to download His heart about what the symbolism in the scene meant. The message He had originally given me twelve years ago was not just for my friend, but it was for all of us in the larger body of Christ. I hadn't recognized the broader message back then, because although I knew the Spirit I was still holding on to the "air fliter" in the "fish tank".

Moreover, after sharing the vision with Ramone (my friend in Japan), I was encouraged to proceed with writing it out after Ramone shared with me further insight He had gained from the Lord about the meaning of the symbolism in this vision. Since his interpretation supported the clear message that I had already received from the Lord through these vivid images, I have gathered together his thoughts along with mine and presented them in the interpretation that follows the vision.

The Vision

I saw a very beautiful and extremely large fish tank with all kinds of live plants in it. They were very green, and very real as they swayed back and forth in the blue water. As the Lord took me closer to the fish tank so that I was looking at it as if my nose was up against the glass, I would not have been able to tell it was a fish tank. From that perspective it looked more like an underwater ocean scene, except there appeared to be no fish swimming around, just all kinds of living plants.

In the vision I was taken through the fish tank very slowly so that I could observe that there were no fish in this tank at all. Light from above was shining into the tank making everything look beautiful, but I noticed that the water in the tank was becoming cloudy, like it needed to be changed pretty soon. Having had a fish tank in my classroom years ago, I know if the water isn’t changed regularly the fish will die.

As I came through some dense underwater plants suddenly I saw my friend who I was praying for! She seemed very insignificant and small compared to this very large fish tank. She was near the top of the tank, dressed in a modest, one-piece bathing suit, holding on to the filtering system that brings oxygen into the water. I saw that she was concentrating on trying to swallow the tiny air bubbles that came out of the filter into the water.

Visible Speaks of Invisible

In this vision God is using the visible and natural things of this world that we are all familiar with to speak to us to us of the invisible and supernatural things of His Spirit. In the natural world, the water in the ocean is in constant motion and circulation. Because it has no limit, it does not stagnate or die—it lives! In that way the ocean resembles the supernatural free flowing of the Spirit.


However, if you were to take the ocean water out of the ocean and put it in a fish tank, it would begin to die. So in order to slow down that process the water in the tank must be frequently changed. Not only that, the tank must also be regularly cleaned and the filter scrubbed, because the water inside the tank has to be in constant motion and circulation or the decaying process will proceed faster. The filtering and changing process is done precisely in order to slow down the process of death and decay in the tank. This is what I sense the Lord is saying to us through this object lesson…

An Object lesson

“My Beloved children, some of you have taken the Living Water that flows from Me, and you are trying to control and manage the flow of it by placing it into very large and beautiful “holding tanks”. From the “holding tanks” you re-distribute it so that it can be purchased by those who need water to live. But the water you are “selling” is not always Living Water, but is made to look like Living Water. The plants that you see in the fish tank swaying in the gentle current look like they are growing in the ocean, but they are not. You planted them in a fish tank in order to make the “tank” look authentic, attractive, and like the real thing”.

“My Beloved children, as you look at the cloudy water in the “tank”, you must know that the process of death and decay is already at work. By nature the “tank” itself brings death. Water that was once alive in the “tank” will surely die. The whole setup in the “fish tank” is designed to mimic the reality of the ocean. In the ocean the water cannot stagnate or die, because it is in constant motion. But in this very large “fish tank” there is no free-flowing water. Instead, water is being “recycled” through a “filtering system” that produces tiny air bubbles that is supposed to bring “life” to the tank environment”.

“My Beloved children, My heart is filled with deep sorrow as I see you putting forth every effort to stay alive in such restrictive surroundings. Because of the outward beauty of the “tank”, it is hard for some of you to admit that the water is “cloudy”. But I see you clinging desperately to the “air filtering system” trying to swallow tiny air bubbles that come out from the end of the “air filter” in order to stay alive in the “tank”. For some of you it seems wrong to dare to say that you feel like you are dying as you struggle to breathe… After all shouldn’t you be grateful for this “air filter” that supplies you with much needed oxygen?”

“My Beloved children, I know that you feel very small and insignificant compared to the large and beautiful “plants” in the “tank”. I know you believe that the “air filter” that you so tightly cling to is necessary in order to control and preserve your Life in the “tank”. But just the opposite is true. The “air filter” is gradually cutting you off from your true Air Supply. The “air filter” is preventing you from knowing that there isn’t true Life in the “tank”. Many of you don’t realize that you are living in a “fish tank” instead of My “ocean!” Why are you willing to settle for a substitute instead of the real thing?

The Interpretation

Although the symbol of the “fish tank” can apply to many things, (particularly the spirit of control), I am reminded of the traditional meaning of the word, “church“. For most of us when we say “church” we mentally see a building that we go to in order to worship God. But that is not the New Testament understanding of “church”. The body of Christ is the church, not a building that we assemble in for worship. We don’t go to church. We are the church… and we gather together regularly, usually in a building, for corporate worship.

Yet the tradition of “going to church” or being “in a church” has been a “tank” to Christians for too long. In fact the "church" today has become like the synagogue in Christ's day. The synagogue was not commanded by God, but He did use it, and many were blessed there. However, it was not law. When people came to freedom in Christ, they were under no obligation to attend the synagogue. However, many did go, but they understood that their life was in Christ. Today, the synagogue is called, "church". For many it has become a visible institution—a “tank” instead of a living body that flows like the ocean…

The Filter

The "filtering" system that many church leaders have set up in order to "protect" the members of the body from harm is actually control, controlling how much of the "air" comes in ("spirit" in Greek is pneuma, which also means "wind" or "breath"). Sadly, when the Life is choked out of the body by leadership’s control, it causes the members of the body to cling to the leadership “filter” for dear life!

Members of the body often do not know what is truly going on. They often feel too "insignificant" to dare to say anything, or even see that anything is wrong. Since the church structure has made the leaders the filter, and the only source of air, timid and obedient members in the body cling to the leaders (the filter) all the harder because they need the breath of life, and that's the only place they can get it in this “tank” of dying water and diminishing air. They concentrate as hard as possible on listening to the words and receiving the anointing of the leaders, because they have no Life of their own.

Then when someone really does connect with Jesus Christ and gets passionate for Him, leaders and well-meaning church members often want to hold that person up for everyone to see. In some way that person’s passion and real experience with Jesus Christ becomes a kind of "validation" of the church or the ministry. At times people start to feed off the passion and experience of someone else instead of going directly to God for themselves. As a result that “someone else” becomes the display model that is held up for others to try and emulate.

This truth is revealed through the symbolism in the vision of someone clinging to the “air filter” in the “tank”. When someone becomes passionate about God and is “up there” for all to see clinging to the filter (leadership) for "air" (Spirit and Life), it then becomes a lesson to the rest of the church (in the tank). Often the person who has found Life is brought up front for display and testimony—giving further credit to the blessings that come through submitting to the “air filtering system” within the “tank” (church). "See how passionate and alive so-and-so is? That is because they are under leadership’s authority and 'covering'. The blessings that they have received can be yours too if you do the same!”

The Plants

Although the “well” is dry in some churches and ministries, leadership will sometimes take someone who has found Life and try to “implant” them. Could that be what the plants mean in the “tank”? Although the plants in the “fish tank” are beautiful, the “tank” is definitely overcrowded with too many plants. Have so many been "implanted" into the church in order to cover up the death that the “tank” is bringing to all life inside of it? Have so many colorful and lively-looking plants been “implanted” into the “tank” in order to dazzle our senses so that no one will notice the clouding of the water and the lack of air, or even the lack of living fish?

The analogy comes to mind of trying to transplant a living branch onto a dead root. Eventually the life in the branch will die because the root and soil have no life in them. In this case, a fish tank has no connection with the real life underground. A plant in a pot cannot be nourished from the underground streams—the things that make life in the desert grow!

Since a plant in a pot cannot be nourished from underground streams it must be watered constantly. Do we as members in the body of Christ sometimes expect constant weekly “watering” from the leadership of the church? Could it be that our roots are shallow, because we have not tapped into the "well" that will keep us flourishing in all seasons? Didn't Jesus say that His salvation in us would be like a well springing up to eternal life? Doesn't this come from sinking our roots deep into Him?

Could it be that God is going to stop the overhead "watering" and "dry up" the "rain" in some churches in order to force us to sink our roots deep into His Son, tapping into the underground well… the underground River that is not always seen manifested in "Spirit-filled" churches? Could it be that He will bring us into the "desert" in order to restore us to life?

“Lord, if you are breaking us so that our roots will sink deeply into You, then take us to the desert. You seem to be doing this to people individually more and more in recent years. Are the individual removals to the desert precursors to a more massive church removal to the desert? Are you going to expose us to the hot sun (Son) in order to dry up our dead works, so that we will produce fruit in keeping with our faith?”

Works of Death

Is God showing us how He really sees things? Although we may feel insignificant ourselves, have we been pointing to the beauty of our "life" and "plants" within our “tank” (church) instead of pointing people to Him? Have we been more impressed by the beauty of our “tanks” (churches) than the beauty of His heart? Has God given us this vivid picture of a “fish tank” to illustrate the same thing that He spoke about in the old Temple in Jerusalem? Are our dead works and controlling patterns (works of death) just as fated to be torn down as were the dead stones of the old Jerusalem Temple?”

Remember how the disciples called Jesus' attention to the beautiful stones and work of the Temple in Jerusalem? We know that Jesus response took them by surprise when He told them that the Temple would be destroyed. All the stones would be taken down, because not one of those stones was a Living stone! Just like the works of the leaders of that age, and the life in them was not life but death, and their works were dead works! So the Temple had to be torn down, and the tearing down was violent and painful. Those who clung to the dead stones perhaps mourned the most…

Although we know that God no longer dwells in a physical temple made with human hands because He has chosen to come and live in us by His Spirit, I believe the message of this vision is revealing that many of us continue to build an Old Covenant “Temple” instead of a New Covenant Living Temple. Although in theory many of us have already left the man-made temples of brick and wood for one made of Living Stones, in reality we continue to build according to the Old Testament Model. We continue to build according to the Old Covenant Laws, because we continue to have “priests” who weekly distribute life and Spirit to us as members of the body. If we’re honest aren’t pastors modern-day priests in many churches, and isn’t the “priesthood of all believers” just a mere name only?

By re-building an “Old Covenant Temple” aren’t we making people into dead “stones” in order to make impressive-looking “temples”—impressive looking “fish tanks”? Have we been teaching people to contribute to the “building” and “ministry” that is focused inward to the “church” instead of outward to the needy? If this is true then we have been teaching the members of the body to build dead works! Then it follows that we have been erecting a building of death—a building that God will eventually tear down just as He did the Old Covenant Temple. The only temple that will stand is one that is built with Living Stones. Aren’t we called to become the Living Stones that He is joining together?

God's Sovereign Rule

As I was pondering the seriousness of what God is revealing through the symbolism in this vision, I asked Him why He waited twelve years before He brought this vision back to me. Then I remembered that twelve is a perfect number in God’s economy, signifying governmental perfection. The number twelve in the Bible is found as a multiple in all that has to do with "rule".

First I was reminded of the Scripture in Genesis 1:16 that supports the significance of this idea of “rule” when it says, “God made two great lights—the greater light to govern (rule) the day and the lesser light to govern (rule) the night.” We know today that the sun and the moon in their passage through the great circle of the heavens (360=12x30) govern the year.

Furthermore, there are many examples in the Bible of twelve being the predominating factor in anything that has to do with “government” and “rule”. For instance, there were twelve patriarchs, twelve sons of Israel, twelve apostles (disciples), twelve foundations of the heavenly Jerusalem, twelve gates, twelve pearls, twelve angels, twelve tribes of Israel, the 144,000 (12 x 12) representing the “great multitude of the saved" in Revelation, and many more individual examples could be added to this list.

Since God is Sovereign and His timing and rule in all things is flawless, what might He be saying to us at this time regarding the timing of this word for the body of Christ? I believe NOW is the time He is bringing His order and His rule back to His church! He is calling out those who have His name and His Father’s name written on their hearts to stand in the gap so that the church can be restored to Life! He is exposing our “dead works” so that we will choose to repent and turn away from this “body of death”. He is restoring the church back to Life in Himself!

Perhaps it is hard for some of us to believe that the church (especially here in the West) in such a state that it is actually necessary for the Lord to take us into the desert in order to restore us to Himself? Lord, open our eyes to see what is really going on! Open our eyes to see that you are looking at our hearts, and that our hearts have been in fish tanks! Open our eyes to see the deep longing inside of us for Your life that has not been met, because we have quenched Your ability to fulfill our needs. Lord, release us from fish tank living into the Ocean of your amazing grace where we can drink daily of Your River of Delights. Lord, You are the air we breathe! We’re tired of being bound to man-made “filtering systems” that keep your Holy Spirit from breathing His true Life-giving energy into us. Lord, we want the quality of Life that comes from living in You with no filters, because You came to give us Life to the fullest!

(Scroll down to the bottom of this page to see a larger copy of this painting!)