In prayer on March 21, 2020, I was given a “scroll” by the Spirit of the Lord. Its title was RESTORATION. I wrote the words He gave me and kept them “sealed,” knowing that the understanding of its contents would be revealed at a later time. That time, I've discovered, is this week. The scroll begins: “You are looking into timeless truths; things that are SELF-EVIDENT because they endure throughout the generations. RESTORATION always comes! I am the God of restoration - the restorer of every breach, and the hope for ALL of salvation! "There is no shipwreck I cannot salvage, no disaster I cannot redeem. On every level, this truth stands, whether for personal restoration, family restoration, corporate restoration or national restoration. I LOVE to RESTORE and REFURBISH My church! The stories contained in just one portion of the past are precious to Me. "As I restored Paul and his companions even through the broken debris of a storm-tossed ship, SO I WOULD NOW BRING RESTORATION TO MY CHURCH, MY BRIDE. For I have seen the torment and the tossing she has endured and there is an end to these trials coming because her endurance has been made perfect.” It wasn’t until this week, on January 6th, that I was shown the connection between the fourteen days of storms leading to the shipwreck as described in Acts, and the fourteen days of national chaos we can expect between the January 6, 2020 electoral vote and the January 20 inauguration. I am shocked. By way of confirmation, the Lord reminded me that in December I had published a prophetic word entitled “By Faith: Prophetic Word for 2021.” In this word, the Lord clearly showed me that the Body of Christ is living in a “3-2-1-liftoff” moment. This, too, is connected to the “Restoration” scroll. When I looked at the date on which I received the scroll, it was 3/21/20, or “3-2-1.” Only God! When the Lord spoke to me about 2021, I saw a vision of an airplane taking off. There was a demarcation point where once the plane had accelerated to full speed on the ground, it HAD to take off into the air or it would crash into the approaching tree line. (The “3-2-1-liftoff moment.) Throughout this vision, the Lord was revealing the importance of REPENTANCE and REST for the Body of Christ, along with the separation of unrighteousness and holiness. (To read that word or listen to the podcast, click here.) I feel strongly in the Spirit that those who do not turn away from the “dead works” and old ways of trying to make things happen in the flesh will not enter into God’s promised rest for this season. The message is that it is so important for us to SIT DOWN (as passengers on God’s “plane”) and enter this time of deep rest that He has granted us. COVID-19 and even what seems to be a definitive defeat for our nation's President are no match for our Sovereign world ruler! SHIPWRECK!The scroll highlighted the Bible story of Paul’s shipwreck in Acts 27-28. I believe this passage corresponds exactly to what will happen from January 6 - 20th, 2020. Here’s why: Paul’s ship to Italy was battered by storms for 14 days. The sailors were praying and fasting for survival, even after having fasted for the Day of Atonement. The church of God has never in my lifetime prayed and fasted as we have this year; and the timeframe of 14 days, given what we are seeing today, is uncanny! Although Paul was a prisoner on the ship, he prophetically warned the crew that it was unwise to continue sailing, as the voyage would “certainly be a disaster” and was “headed toward damage and heavy loss, not only of the cargo and ship but also of our lives.” (Acts 27:10) Like Jeremiah, Paul, and countless other godly men and women in the Bible, today's prophets and intercessors are subject (and sometimes "captive" to) authorities - both good and bad - yet bring a clear prophetic voice to every difficult situation. While the outcomes are not always what we expect, we must continue to prophesy hope! The officer on board ignored Paul, heeding the captain of the ship instead, and decided to keep sailing to a better port. A northeaster caught the ship and drove it out of control, causing the men on board to jettison their cargo. On the third day, they threw the ship’s gear overboard “with their own hands.” All hope of salvation was disappearing, yet at last, Paul was informed by an angel of God that there would be no loss of life, but only of the ship. “God has graciously granted you all those who are sailing with you.” In several dreams recently, I have seen that even in the midst of explosions of evil, God will rescue believers and those they pray for; by our faith, we will overcome tumultuous times! On the 14th night, the sailors took a sounding and found they were at 120 feet deep (a nod to the upper room story in Acts 1:15). The ship was approaching land and Paul prophesied again that none of them would lose a hair from their heads. They threw all man-made provisions overboard. What a picture of a SHIFT from relying on man to relying only on God - yet it took a disaster to bring the men to that point! Our one essential need right now is to remain in places of prayer, worship, and rest before God. It should not take a crisis for God's people to pray! At dawn, Paul’s ship ran aground and was broken up by the battering of the waves. Only favor with the centurion (the commanding officer) kept Paul from being killed as a common prisoner. All the men jumped overboard, USING THE PLANKS AND DEBRIS FROM THE BROKEN SHIP ITSELF to safely reach the shore. This passage is a clear picture of what is happening nationally. Just as Paul was rescued from prison by an angel, so our nation must rely on God's strength, not man's, for supernatural deliverance in this tumultuous time. Here is another portion of the “Restoration” scroll: "Seasons of storms will yield to seasons of peace and prosperity. Those who do not know Me will find all their “wisdom” useless in this hour, but those who know Me will emerge to do great exploits. THEY WILL USE EVEN THE MOMENTUM OF A BREAKING SHIP AND A SHATTERED STRUCTURE TO PROPEL THEMSELVES BACK ONTO LAND, to the mountain of My eternal Presence, to a place where My honor and glory is restored. They will live through it; yes, but they will display My goodness and mercy in this RESTORATION. To suffer trials is not a sin; to use them to build the next great move of My power on the earth is their purpose. "Lean into Me; take hold of the pieces of broken debris you see around you and prophesy LIFE, HOPE, and RESTORATION to them! Out of the ashes, out of this brokenness that I HAVE ALLOWED will come new ministries, new hope, and new life.” It is time for us to BELIEVE in a supernatural deliverance, to REST and TRUST GOD, and to PROPHESY hope into the darkness! DIVISION OR GLORY?Watching the national events unfold this week, my heart is grieved on two counts: first, for the violence and corruption surrounding our government in Washington, DC; and second, for the division happening among Christian believers who are taking sides both politically and religiously. The same apostle Paul warns against this kind of behavior in 1 Corinthians 3: Brothers and sisters, I could not talk to you as a spiritual people, but (only) as to worldly people (dominated by human nature), mere infants (in the new life) in Christ!... You are still worldly (controlled by ordinary impulses, the sinful capacity.) For as long as there is jealousy and strife and discord among you, are you not unspiritual?... For when one of you says, “I am a disciple of Paul,” and another, “I am a disciple of Apollos,” are you not… just ordinary people? What is Apollos? What is Paul? Just servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord appointed to each his task. 1 Corinthians 3:1-5, AMP I am concerned that because of the recent emphasis of the religious right to support a leader who seems to have taken a hard and possibly irredeemable fall, the division we see in politics is spilling over into religion as well, especially among the more Charismatic and prophetic denominations. It ought to be the other way around! The glory, unity, and peace that we access as believers - along with the love of God for an unredeemed world - should be flooding the public sector right now. Instead, the church’s spiritual “plumbing” is clogged with accusations and unbelief in a time when pure wisdom, forgiveness, and HOPE should be flowing through our pipes. We are filled with salt water, not pure springs! (See James 3:9-11) Isaiah 30:15 tells us that repentance and rest are the roots of our salvation, while quietness and confident trust are the sources of our strength. I encourage you to find a place of rest and peace in the Lord where you remain “seated” with Him in heavenly places. Repent of that which has polluted your own stream and rest in HIS ability to bring a turnaround. This is not a time to doubt, but to believe God for the impossible! A SECOND SCROLL: "ACCESS GRANTED!"On 5.12.20, I was given second scroll which I knew was for the future. In prayer the next day (5.13.20), I heard a voice calling for the "Restorers of the Breach." (Isaiah 58:12.) The words from this scroll are reprinted here: "That which has been impossible to cross will now be opened up: a way in the Spirit that will allow the masses to enter in even to the Holy of Holies. "Stand between the doorposts and call out, proclaiming My goodness, for I will again draw people into My heart. I am removing every barrier to My Throne, opening up a pathway of Holiness so that those who long for Me may tread on it. Access that has been denied will become "Access Granted" as I reopen ways that the enemy has barricaded to My people. Jealousy in My heart will destroy the pride in his. "This pathway- an ancient one - has been covered up by the enemy of your souls for decades. Yet I will tear down the structures he has built on top of this path, and you will see the path again in the midst of the rubble. "Stand at that pathway and proclaim a restoration of all things; cry out to the returning ones, whose hearts I will have already prepared and sanctified, that they, too, might hear the sound of My voice through you. "Every movement has a voice, and this move of God will be no less vocal. Lift up your voices in unity with Mine, proclaim the way and prophesy restoration to those whose hearts were severed from Mine by the enemy's obstructions." Even as the Lord spoke these words to me, I had the sense that we could not decree restoration or be "restorers of the breach" until people SAW and ACKNOWLEDGED the breach and devastation for themselves. The cross has no redemptive power for the one who denies their need for it! In the midst of the chaos and rubble of these cataclysmic events, when we lift up the cross of Christ by repenting ourselves, we become perfectly positioned to cry out on behalf of the Lord for RESTORATION. Again, I was given a confirming sign in the natural: as I took a walk yesterday in a national park I had never visited before, I saw a sign at the head of the walking path. It read: “Beach Access.” There is still hope that we'll make it to shore! A CALL TO REST AND PRAYFriends, events of recent days have confirmed for me the messages in these scrolls, and I am crying out for restoration, not just of good government, but of ALL THINGS! The time of God’s glory is here. I urge you, don’t miss this movement by falling prey to the darkness yourself! Let’s remain united and prayerful, repentant and restful in GOD’S PERFECT PLAN to right every wrong and bring justice, whatever it looks like and however HE chooses to do it. Prophets and intercessors in particular, I urge you to refrain from judgment, doubt, and despair - at least until January 20th! There must be a breaking apart of the old ship in order for restoration to occur, whether we’re speaking of governments, churches, nations, or individuals. New wine will not flow from old wineskins! Jesus - not man - is the Author and Finisher of our faith. We are now in a time where we cannot deny the depth of destruction in our families, churches, cultures, and nation. Until we acknowledge Jesus as Healer, Restorer, and KING, we will not see God’s promises come to pass. I am praying that the way of the cross, that ancient path to life and restoration, will be revealed once again to those who have eyes to see. ~Deborah |
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October 2024
AuthorA severe hearing loss from childhood caused Deborah Perkins to develop what she now calls her secret weapon: tuning in to God's voice. A Wellesley College graduate and an award-winning writer, Deborah is now a wife and mother of 3 boys. Deborah has devoted over 25 years to professional and lay Christian ministry in New England and beyond. Her passion is inspiring people to cultivate greater intimacy with God. |