11/6/13

The Lord recently spoke that we are soon to enter a time of sheep shearing.  The Lord is the Shepherd (Psalm 23:1; John 10:1-21).  Sheep shearing is considered a time or form of harvesting and is usually done in the springtime and annually.  Since the Lord is the Shepherd, then that means He is going to do the shearing. In this time, His true people will be released of some of the stress that has been put upon  them; they will be liberated (Isaiah 10:20-27; Numbers 11:16-17; 2 Chronicles 35:3; Isaiah 9:4; Isaiah 10:27; Isaiah 22:25).   This is a time to replace the heavy fleece that has become dirty and has drug along the ground due to the false accusations from the enemy of God.  The Lord will rebuke His enemies and will prove He has plucked you for Himself, chosen from the fire; peculiar (Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 14:2; Deuteronomy 26:18; Psalm 135:4; Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 2:9).  The filthy garments will be replaced with His own, chosen of Him (Zechariah 3:1-10).  This new garment will no longer be mixed with the garment of old, only to be muddied and contaminated again (Revelation 21:27).  When He frees you of this burden, you will be free to move easily.  No more restrictions.  Just as a bulky fleece on a sheep can make it hard to move, this release will cause an effortless movement when it is manifested because it is His Spirit (Matthew 10:20; John 8:36) that moves you and nothing else.

This shearing is also an exposure for all, to see what truly is underneath the ‘coat of wool.’  Oftentimes when sheep are sheared, the shepherd will use that time to see if there is anything wrong with the sheep (as he would be able to see underneath the wool, the condition of the sheep, Matthew 7:15; 1 Kings 13:18; Jeremiah 23:16; Ezekiel 22:27).   The Lord is about to shear the sheep to reveal what’s underneath their coat of wool.  He is about to deal with those that trample upon the weak sheep and spread their filth because they are fat and unsatisfied with what God has given them (grace, 2 Corinthians 12:9).  His grace should have been enough but these have used it as an excuse to sin and indulge in the flesh and use His grace for their own vain motives, which they were warned not to (2 Corinthians 6:1; Galatians 5:13-21).

He is about to give the crown of glory to those that have not lorded over those that He has entrusted to you, but instead being true examples to the flock in holiness and righteousness through complete obedience (1 Peter 5:2-4).  These will be the ones that will walk in His glory as a reward to their faithfulness.  These are the ones that have truly laid their lives down for their sheep in obedience to God in all things.  These are the ones that have not run and abandoned the call due to confrontation or because they may become a ‘victim to the prey’ for a time, a time the Lord has allowed, so that they may learn to trust Him and know Him as their Deliverer.  These ‘victims’ will now rise up and be seen not as victims, but as sons that have been bruised by the Father in order to be healed and strengthened in His glory, for all to see that their God reigns; that He is the One that judges all things (Isaiah 53:10)!  These are the ones that understand God’s judgment because they have learned of His judgments in the secret place, by His Spirit’s leading and understand them to be right (Psalm 75:7; John 16:8-14; Psalm 119:37; Psalm 145:17).  They have studied to show themselves approved (2 Timothy 2:15), meaning they have examined themselves or studied themselves thoroughly under the Holy Spirit’s leading, in order to be cleansed and walk rightly before Him in all things.  They are NOT approved by how much Bible knowledge they have, but by how they have submitted under the Holy Spirit’s leading.  They have truly exercised or have exerted themselves under disciplined leading by the Spirit of the Lord, not swaying to the right or to the left (Proverbs 4:26-27).  These are the ones that have endured the discipline of the Father, in order to learn of His ways, so that they may be continuous in turning from evil; knowing the ways of true righteousness (Romans 14:17).  They know the joy of the Lord.  This is not a feeling, but an understanding of what pleases the Lord most of all, obedience.  The joy of the Lord IS their strength.  Meaning, the obedience unto the Lord has become their strength because it’s HIS JOY to bruise His sons.  It’s HIS JOY to see His children walk in complete obedience unto Him, like His own Son Jesus.  This strength will cause them to mount up in due time.

Also during this shearing, the Lord will be calling to His sheep that are lost.  He wants them to reason together WITH HIM, with His Holy Spirit; in knowing what is right and wrong in God’s eyes, learning of His ways.  He says, “even though you are covered in blood by your sins, I will make them like wool.” He warns that you too can eat of the good of the land, but IF you refuse to obey Him, you will be devoured by the sword (Isaiah 1:18-20).

The time of sheep shearing of the Lord is a time of God judging between sheep and sheep.  God will take care of His true sheep.  There will be One Shepherd.  And through this One Shepherd, He will work by His Spirit through His chosen people, and THEY IN HIM will feed His lambs, tend His sheep, and feed His sheep; all because they truly love the Lord with all their heart.  They have come to learn to die the death God asked of them, that is, to not lean upon themselves anymore and their own ways of understanding but they have learned to reach out to God and be taken care of by Him alone, being led into places they DID NOT want to go, but did.  And for the greater purpose, to follow Christ only; to come to the mature understanding that they are but men, that need help, no longer thinking they do not (as someone immature spiritually would think).  They have recognized their poor state and have truly humbled themselves in it (Isaiah 6:5).

John 21:15-19

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” 
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” 
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” 
16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” 
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” 
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” 
17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” 
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” 
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then He said to him, “Follow me!”

*See further what the Lord is saying for the upcoming season:

Ezekiel 34:11-24 (In red, the Lord had me give further revelation as to what He’s speaking of)

“For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I Myself will search for My sheep and will seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out My sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. 13 And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them[Revelation 2:17—they will eat the hidden manna, Exodus 16:10-17] on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 I will feed them with good pasture [this is the promised land from the Lord, Genesis 26:3-4; Genesis 28:13; Genesis 50:24; Exodus 32:13; symbolic of rich and good land or a place in God’s heart where one prospers in His Life, His Spirit and the righteousness of the Lord is made good, 1 Chronicles 4:40; Mark 4:8; Matthew 13:8], and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land [Isaiah 40:31—His people will soar like eagles in the spiritual high places with the Lord; Isaiah 56:7; Isaiah 65:9]. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. 15 I Myself will be the Shepherd of My sheep, and I Myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. 16 I will seek the lost,and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.

17 “As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and male goats. 18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet? 19 And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet?

20 “Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: Behold, I, I Myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21 Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad, 22 I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. 23 And I will set up over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. 24 And I, the Lord, will be their God, and My servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken.

Hear what the Spirit is saying…