I am sitting down tonite to write for one reason: I am an obedient son. Almost two months
ago, The Lord spoke to me and directed me to write every day for my web site. He promised
me that He would speak to me every day.
Since that time, He has spoken to me every day. I might go out of town and have to post
three days of words on a single day, but He has been speaking something to me every day.
Tonite, He has really said nothing, at least up to this point. This is an obedience test.
Will I continue to write, by faith, trusting that He will speak. I know that He will.
There was the interesting discovery that I made today: I don't quite know what to make of
it. The word Syria is apparently derived from the Hebrew pronunciation of "Tyre", which
is pronounced "tsoree". A citizen of Tyre was called a "Tsorean". That was very eye
opening to me when I saw it this afternoon, especially given the fact that the Lord has given
me other revelation concerning Tyre and Asher, and also that Syria and Jordan will enter
a war with Israel, prior to the Ezekiel 38/39 war.
The vast conglomeration of peoples knowns as Syrian were originally known as the Arameans.
But somewhere around the time of the LXX, they began to be referred to as Syrians. Since
the LXX was published within a few hundred years of the fall of Tyre to Alexander in 333 BC,
it may have some connection to the fact that Tyre was returned to some prominence not
too long after the conquest by Alexander.
Tyre was on my mind in another way, as I think about it today, and perhaps, this is where the
Lord is "kicking in". Daniel 7:25 describes a fourth beast that shall devour the whole earth.
He shall speak great words against the most High, and shall WEAR OUT the saints of the
most high. Given my previous discovery that the English word "tire" originated from the
word "Tyre", I found myself thinking about that scripture.
Satan is personified by Ezekiel as the King of Tyre. The very name, in language, suggests
the wearing out of someone or something. Indeed, as I have discussed before, Nebuchadnezzar
greatly tired of Tyre, conducting a 13 year unsuccessful siege against that city. It took Alexander
seven months to defeat Tyre. It is then interesting that Satans tactic, working through that
fourth beast, will be to WEAR OUT the saints.
The Hebrew lexicon for this word which is translated "wear out", indicates that it refers to a
wearing out in the mental sense. Does this not ring true? When we get discouraged or
frustrated, is it not because we are getting mentally worn out. The bible indicates that we
did not get this way on our own: we had help. Satan, through this fourth beast, will have
the ability to wear us out.
Look around. Do we not see this everywhere today, even in the world. From what I read, sleep
disorder and insomnia is a terrible problem in our world today. Even people who are getting
enough sleep are complaining of "chronic fatigue syndrome". I put it to you: this is a plan
and attack of the enemy. We had plenty of energy to party all night, but we get to yawning
when church stretches beyond 10 pm or if we pick up our bibles in the evening. In a general
sense, we are being worn out: and we know who is doing it.
Other things wear us out. We grow so frustrated and tired hearing of the confusion and evil
that is happening in our world today, particularly with all of the legal machinations regarding
this election, that we are simply getting worn out and we want to tune out. We don't want
to see one more TV legal analysis of another court case. It has gotten to the point where we
don't even care who wins: just let it end!
All I can say at this point is, praise be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is the Prince
Of Peace. I often remind myself that the peace that passes understanding is mine. That I
am strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. That I have been commissioned in this
hour to be strong and courageous and to do great exploits. Sweet sleep belongs to the
righteous, and I won't let the devil steal it from me. If he wakes me up, I go to my bible and
begin to pray and confess God's word. He lets me go back to sleep very quickly after I do
that.
More and more, it is becoming quite evident that we are in the hour spoken of by Paul in
his letter to Timothy. 2 Timothy 3:1 is the scripture that convinced me that the bible was
a true book of prophecy back in 1987. I began to realize that it had been written by God,
and not man, when I read this scripture. I read it tonite, in the NIV, as I first saw it 13 years
ago:
"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves,
lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,
treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God--having a form of
godliness but denying it's power. Have nothing to do with them."
And now, this is why I sat down to write tonite, for the Lord wants to speak through me to you.
This is what the Lord says to you, Oh saints of the most high God:
I know my children that you are tired, nigh unto worn out. Many of you have given up...you
have thrown in the towel. You have walked away from your churches because it became too
difficult.
People hurt you, the pastor hurt you, people tried to destroy you and stab you in the back.
People gossiped about you and
slandered you...in My church. They tried to abort the call I had on your life, and you have
given up, many of you. You don't think it is going to come to pass. Those visions and
dreams that I have given you of ministry...you don't think they are possible anymore....Ahhhh,
but I have not had the last word yet.
My word to you is that I, the Lord, am STRONG. I am able to keep
you from falling. I am able to raise you up. I know where you are.
In this hour, I am going to raise you up. I will speak to your feeble ankles that cannot hold you
up. I say, rise up and walk, and walk you shall. I will say to the the ministries and the giftings
within you, come forth, and they shall come forth. My will is going to be done in your life.
I am going to do it. Now, says the Lord. I am speaking to YOU! Rise
up in your spirit and call out to me. Ask me to touch you before the end of this year. Ask for
my presence, says the Lord. Ask that I would make you my servant. Ask me to change your
heart. Ask me to give you the desire to repent. I will do it, says God. I am ready! I am
moving in my church! Have I not promised you that I would never leave you nor forsake you.
I am STRONG. I have never let you go. You may have been faithless, but I am faithful. I
am preparing to keep my word and my promises to you.
You are as Zebulon and Naphtali....you are as Nazareth..you are a despised thing....but out
of your darkness shall come forth a great light. I can use you for my Holy purposes in this hour,
and I shall use you. Choose life, and choose me, says the Lord. Come to me, for my burden
is light and my yoke is easy, and I will lead you unto Zion, to my Holy hill, to the tabernacle
of David, and you shall be made strong, as I am strong, says the Lord.
As this word of prophecy ended, the Lord spoke to me from Amos 5:4-6:
"Seek me and live; do not seek Bethel, do not go to Gilgal, do not journey to Beersheba.
For Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will be reduced to nothing. Seek the LORD
and Live, or he will sweep through the house of Joseph like a fire; it will devour, and Bethel
will have no one to quench it."
Stephen L. Bening
a servant and prophet of our Lord Jesus Christ