Re: Minnesota Meetings
Posted by: bgrogan <bgrogan@...>
Bill Grogan
A SPY'S REPORT FROM MINNESOTA
Diane Bahler
June 13, 2000
[email protected]
I have seen the "Promised Land" and I'm back to report that it is a
GOOD
LAND! There may be giants there but the only thing I could see was
Jesus so
they should not keep us from "crossing over." Once you have tasted the
milk
and honey you will never want to go back to Egypt!
The Lord told me a couple of months ago to be in northern Minnesota
during
Pentecost/Shavuot this year. I have a friend there named Dennis Meyer
([email protected]). Last summer the Lord put me together with
Denny and three
other people to pray at the headwaters of the Mississippi River. The
Lord
has been speaking to Denny for many years about northern Minnesota
being a
"sheep gate" - a place of revival and rebuilding the body of Christ. I told
Denny I was coming up (I live in Indiana) and about two weeks ago he
felt led
to put out the word that there was going to be a meeting at Big Sandy
Lake.
I think there were about 80 people there from as far away as North
Dakota,
South Dakota and Indiana. I'm not sure how they heard about it but one
thing
is for sure, they were there because the Spirit of the Lord had drawn
them
there. There were no "names" to draw them and the only "agenda" was
to wait
on the Lord and to seek His face. I think we were all "cave dwellers"
who
heard in our spirit that our king was going to be there so we went down
to
him there.
David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers
and
his father's household heard about it, they went down to him there. All
those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around
him,
and he became their leader. (1Samuel: 22:1-2)
I arrived at Big Sandy Friday afternoon (June 9) and some of the first to
arrive that evening were The Firestarters - a worship band consisting of
young Davids (male and female) ranging in age from about 14 to 19 I
think.
Pete Thiel and his wife Pam were their mentors. Since there was no one
running the show so to speak, other than the Lord we got off to a slow
start
but by 11 p.m. we were worshipping and praising the Lord. I mention
the slow
start because I think the Lord was teaching us new ways of doing things
and
one of those things is to not get stressed out when things don't seem to be
completely organized and efficient. The Lord was in charge and HE had
a
plan. We need to learn to relax and wait on HIM to put things together.
It was worth the wait because the Lord's Presence showed up and spoke
many
things to us. One of the things He said was that this weekend was a
spark
and that He was going to blow a hot, dry wind on it and turn it into a
raging
fire that would spread outward. We have seen in our spirits fire
spreading
down the Mississippi River but later someone said that Minnesota is the
only
state where all the rivers flow outward. We believe the Lord is going to
send His fire out from Minnesota just like the rivers flow outwardly. The
rest of the evening was spent praying for the Firestarters and the other
young people. The Lord seemed to be saying that each one had an
aspect of
David and that together they would have the authority of David against
powers
and principalities in worship and warfare. Another thing I saw that
evening
in my spirit was the Lord dancing. He was whirling around and there was
a
look of such joy and delight on His face. He was there and He was
having a
GREAT time.
The next day more of the "discontented and distressed" started showing
up.
We were supposed to start around 1 p.m. but I think it was closer to
around 2
p.m. when we finally started assembling. The Firestarters led us in
worship
and the Lord just began to move in His people. An intercessory cry
came out
for HIS PRESENCE and nothing else. We weren't there to wait for
teaching or
ministry time. We there to wait on HIM and nothing else was going to
satisfy. Different people were led to share prophetic words or words of
encouragement. Prophetic songs came forth. The morning was summed
up with a
word of wisdom from Pastor Bill Grogan from Pengilly. He talked about
the
"lively stones" and that was exactly what we were seeing the Lord doing.
We
were all lively stones because Jesus was living in each of us and moving in
each of us. No stone looked like another. Each had it's own place in the
body but as we allowed Jesus to live in us, each one contributing the
piece
He had given us, we began to come together as a solid wall.
I thought about it later and the stones for Solomon's temple were chiseled
in
the quarry and there was no sound of the hammer when they were fitted
together. I think all these "stones" that had come together had already
had
plenty of hammering done on them. They had already been chiseled by
hardships and persecutions, by the religious hammers of the current
church
structure, by the Spirit of the Lord. When they came together they were
ready to be fit together. They didn't need to beat each other up with envy
or fear or control. They just wanted to BE who they are in the Lord and
were
able to let others just BE what they are in the Lord. With the grace to
just
BE, the Lord was able to let HIS life move through them and fit them
together
in unity.
This meeting would have looked like their worse nightmare to someone
from the
religious community. They would have thought it was chaotic and
disorderly,
lacking in leadership and accountability. But the amazing thing was there
was perfect order. Everything fit together in a divine harmony that could
have been orchestrated only by the Spirit. Jesus was the head of His
body,
the Spirit was the electricity connecting the synapses.. We were just
responding to His leading - one with a dance, one with a song, one with a
word, etc. And there were leaders there - elders by virtue of their battle
scars - overseers who mostly stayed in the background and let the Spirit
move, occasionally giving a word of wisdom or direction, but never
lording
over the people or usurping the leadership of the Spirit.
We took a break in the afternoon and the Lord spontaneously put
together a
"war council" while we sat in the cafeteria munching on candy bars.
People
who had never met each other before that day found themselves sitting at
the
same table sharing pieces of information the Lord had given them over the
years about a strategic location for spiritual warfare. Information, timing
and strategies came together effortlessly as they prayed together and the
Spirit just put the pieces together. It was amazing.
Later in the afternoon we gathered for worship again. The worship team
was
from a variety of places. Many who had never played and sang together
before.
Things began to flow. After a lengthy time of worship the worship leader
felt
she was an empty vessel, with nothing more to give. There was a period
of
waiting---uncomfortable in many places. Then a beautiful song of the
Lord
came forth. Then more prophetic words. Then the worship started again
and the
"empty" vessel was filled again.
That session finished with a drum circle where everyone got in a circle
and
we started making music together in beats of four. Pretty soon the Spirit
took over and there was harmonious music coming forth. Then the Spirit
added
songs and then dancing. One man came into the circle and began to
dance in a
whirling motion and he looked exactly like I had seen the Lord dancing in
my
spirit the night before. One of the differences between this meeting and
other "church" meetings I have been in was that the LORD was actually
invited
to PARTICIPATE in this one. He wasn't just some abstract concept we
were
worshipping and learning about. He was THERE. It was Him dancing and
singing
and teaching and prophesying THROUGH us. It's hard to explain
without being
there to experience it, but there was just something different about His
Presence. It was so tangible.
When we got back together for more worship that evening I think people
were
beginning to see that God was birthing before our very eyes the "Third
Day
Church" that so many prophecies have spoken of recently. The hallmark
of
this Church, I think, is going to be RESTING in the Lord, WAITING on
the
Lord, BEING in the Lord. The emphasis is going to be on BEING
instead of
DOING. It is going to be a Church that is going to "waste" itself on HIM.
As we waited on Him, worshipped Him, rested in Him, HE SHOWED
UP and
inhabited the praises of His people. He was a PARTICIPANT. He was
moving in
us and through us. We didn't have to do anything except be available to
Him.
I remember a few years ago there was a prophecy out that the glory of
the
Lord was going to descend on a certain day. People were kind of
waiting and
wondering if some huge tidal wave was going to come down from heaven
in an
instant and take us away on some glory cloud. People have expectations
about
what the glory of the Lord is going to look like and I think that if we are
looking for something big and dramatic we may miss it. The glory of the
Lord
that we have all been waiting for is HERE. It is the Presence of the Lord
living through His people. It is as simple as that. And I believe it is
like a tidal wave that is building.
One of the words that came forth that evening was from a young man
who knows
about surfing. He told us that experienced surfers don't jump on just any
wave. They paddle out into the deep water and wait for the "BIG ONE."
Inexperienced surfers will jump on whatever wave comes by but the
experienced
surfer knows that the big one is worth waiting for. The inexperienced
surfer
can't discern the big one but the experienced surfer can. When he sees it
coming he begins to paddle like mad and it doesn't seem like he is making
any
progress because the wave is drawing the water from the shore, but
before he
knows it he is riding the crest and having the time of his life. I believe
the glory of the Lord is like that. It is building right now and most people
can't see it yet. But there are some who have been out in the deep water
waiting and watching and they can see it coming. Now is the time to start
paddling because pretty soon it is going to be such a big wave that it will
either crash down on us or we will ride it for the time of our lives.
Once I had a vision of different people coming into a house. Each one
had
light inside them and they glowed. As more came in the house their lights
came together and began to shine through the windows. Then more came
and the
light began to burst through the cracks in the walls and out the chimney.
Then more came together and the light burst through the walls and the
whole
house was light and it radiated everywhere. Several years ago I had a
dream
where there were body cells and they began to come together. Soon
they
formed one giant warrior/man that covered the whole earth.
I am betting that there are other "cells" out there that are experiencing the
same move of the Lord we experienced in Minnesota and that other "spy
reports" will soon be coming in. I think the Lord will begin to connect the
cells and as we are drawn together by the unity of the Spirit the light - the
GLORY - of the Lord is going to grow. His Presence will increase in His
people as we "waste" our lives on Him and come together in the unity of
the
Spirit. And as His Presence increases so will signs and wonders and
healings
and deliverances and all the other things that happen when Jesus is in the
house.
The priests then withdrew from the Holy Place. All the priests who were
there had consecrated themselves, regardless of their divisions. All the
Levites who were musicians - Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons
and
relatives - stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and
playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120
priests
sounding trumpets. The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with
one
voice, to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets,
cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the
Lord
and sang: "He is good; his love endures forever."
Then the temple of the Lord was filled with a cloud, and the priests could
not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord
filled the temple of God. (2Chronicles 5: 11-14)
That night after another brief break we got back together and it turned
into
a big love fest. There were people drunk in the Spirit, joy and new wine
were flowing. Fourteen-year-olds were ministering and I'll bet they have
never taken a long seminar on "How to Minister 101." They just did what
the
Spirit told them to do. Us "old folks" were dancing and acting like 14
year
olds. It was a Holy Ghost party. In one day God had turned us into
family
and we were having a great reunion.
Sunday morning, a bit bleary eyed, those who were still there wondered
into
the cafeteria and we began to share what we had experienced and why
we felt
this was different from other meetings we had been to. We felt that
FREEDOM
was one of the hallmarks of this move of God. This weekend had been
about
freedom - not just for us but for the Lord too. HE was set free to move
among His people. Our agendas or expectations hadn't boxed Him in.
This is a
REVOLUTIONARY concept and we felt we were in on the ground floor
of a
revolution. We also felt we were being called to be "minutemen" - ready
to
respond to the Lord's voice at any minute - not just at artificially fixed
times like Sunday mornings. The Lord wants us to respond when he calls
just
like the disciples did. We need to be ready to go with him the minute He
says, "Come, follow me."
A man who had started around a dozen churches had an excellent word
of
wisdom. I'll bet this man has never been addressed or recognized as
"Apostle
So and So" but he spoke with the authority and wisdom of a man who
has gained
apostleship through the survival of many battles. He spoke about living
through the Jesus movement and about watching many brothers die in
battle
beside him over the years. This move of God is going to require
HUMILITY.
This move of God, to survive, is going to have to be totally God's. One
of
the biggest mistakes the church has made throughout history is to jump in
and
try to take over when God starts doing something new. We've got to lay
down
our "truths", our expectations, our agendas, our images of what we think
God
should do and what it should all look like. We have got to resist the
temptation to jump in and start DOING. We've got to learn to just BE
and let
Him live in us. Denny Meyer spoke of this being the realm of the LIFE -
learning to live in the Holy of Holies where all that matters is HIS
PRESENCE.
Pete Thiel spoke a word that summed up the entire weekend in two
words. He
said that God is building a HEART KINGDOM. It is not a kingdom that
we are
going to build ourselves out of our own minds, wills and emotions. It is
going to be built BY Him, FOR Him, out of hearts that want nothing but
HIM.
He has always built His kingdom in hearts but we have always looked for
it
outside of ourselves somehow. But this move will be built with living
stones, hearts purified by the fire of His judgment and unified by His
Spirit. God looks at the heart and not the outward form and if we don't
do
likewise, we may miss Him.
It was hard to break away and leave that afternoon. We ended by
sharing
communion together, understanding in a deeper way that we are His body
and it
is His blood running through us, binding us all together, making us one
with
each other and with Him. Communion. Awesome.
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship,
to
the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe and
many
wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the
believers
were together and they had everything in common. Selling their
possessions
and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they
continued to
meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and
ate
together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor
of
all the people. (Acts 2: 42-47)
This is just my report. There were many others there who could report
other
aspects and insights but I think we would all agree that it was an
awesome
time, filled with the Presence of God and the beginning of a new day. I
would
just like to say: Paul Cain, wherever you are, the "Nameless, Faceless
Generation" has been born!
Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge
in
him. Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.
The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack
no good
thing. Psalm 34: 8-10
On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud
voice, "If a man is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever
believes
in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from
within him." John 7: 37-38