Psalm 91: Jesus’ Longing for DC
Jolene here. I haven’t written in a while, mostly because I have been pondering and praying through a revelation that I was given almost a month ago on Jeremiah 6. I know many may find what I am about to say hard to hear, but I felt that I should release the to the broader body the “download” that I received.
Yesterday I found myself utilizing Jon’s style of pacing and praying, more out of “semi-nervous energy” than anything else. It felt very heavy in the spirit, and I was brooding in prayer over the city from my window, kind of like Jesus did as described in Matthew 23:37:
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. 38“Behold, your house is being left to you desolate!…
FYI I am also trying to not play the part of the prophet that gets stoned because they brought the message lol. That part remains to be seen….
The Lord is addressing Jerusalem, and telling this capital city that He is longing to have her be guarded and protected by the “Psalm 91” promise of resting under the shadow of His wing. Jesus longed for Jerusalem to choose Him as their Refuge, as their Savior, and He is lamenting over their wrong choices.
I do feel a warning is being conveyed for Washington DC like it was for Jerusalem. The Lord has in many previous experiences connected Washington DC to Jerusalem in the scriptures. And that’s exactly what the Lord was conveying during this recent experience.
God Thundered Jeremiah 6 as a Warning for DC
When I awoke the Lord was speaking to me about my ministry and what I was called to do, and then He spoke “Jeremiah 6.” All I can say is that to say “the Lord spoke it” isn’t strong enough language. He thundered it to me in a way that shook my bed and my spirit. Jeremiah 6 begins with:
“O you children of Benjamin, Gather yourselves to flee FROM THE MIDST OF JERUSALEM!” Blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a signal-fire in Beth Haccerem…(Jer. 6:1).
God caught my attention from the opening line. Because previous to this experience the Lord had shown me how He had moved many of the ministries we were involved with from downtown Washington DC to a new location. Some relocated just outside of the city, some to the borders of Maryland and Virginia and some simply moved away from downtown—all within a year or so. Then He instructed us to move from Capitol Hill. We packed our bags and went as commanded, sensing there was a reason beyond our understanding.
As you’ll see, the rest of the passage warns about calamity coming to Jerusalem. I am sounding an alarm today, with this posting. I am sending up a signal fire. I believe God is warning about potential shakings in Washington DC. Our hope and dedication is for prayer to avert, or at least lessen, these shakings.
Hard Word—For Myself First
And the interesting thing about Jeremiah 6 is that the Lord is rebuking the people throughout because they do not want to hear a hard word. They want the prophet to speak peace when there is no peace. I want you to know, before I could give a hard word I felt I had to be willing to receive it for myself. So I have poured over Jeremiah 6 with great humility this past month, searching myself in repentance and prayer. I have worked on correcting the things in my heart. I also am guilty of not wanting to hear the word and trying to believe that all is well, when the Spirit is clearly conveying that all is not well.
Are We Living in This Day?
For disaster appears out of the north. And great destruction. I have likened the daughter of Zion to a lovely and delicate woman. “Prepare war against her; Arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe to us, for the day goes away. For the shadows of the evening are lengthening. Arise and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces” (Jer. 6:4-5).
If any scripture describes the day we are living in, it seems to be this one, don’t you agree? The shadows of the evening are lengthening. The darkness is getting darker and darker, and even the threat of war is increasing.
Psalm 91 is so specific related to this. As Jesus referenced, Psalm 91 describes how God desires to protect His people and His city. An offer we ought not refuse!
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday (Psalm 91:5).
All the hours of the day and every tactic of the enemy is covered in those verses. Jon and I are making it a daily practice to receive communion over the city and hide ourselves in this refuge of Psalm 91. We strongly suggest you consider this too. Jesus longs to hide us under His wings, and we long to be there!
Lest My Soul Depart
For again, Jeremiah 6:6 may actually be upon us:
For thus has the Lord of hosts said: “Cut down trees, and build a mound against Jerusalem. This is the city to be punished. She is full of oppression in her midst. As a fountain wells up with water, so she wells up with her wickedness. Violence and plundering are heard in her. Before Me continually are grief and wounds. Be instructed, O Jerusalem, lest My soul depart from you; lest I make you desolate, a land not inhabited” (Jer. 6:6-8).
Please hear God’s heart in this warning to Jerusalem. His soul is tied to the city, and He in no way wants to give up on her! But the choices she is making are absolutely contrary to His heart and His justice. Verse 10 continues with:
To whom shall I speak and give warning, That they may hear? Indeed their ear is uncircumcised, And they cannot give heed. Behold, the word of the Lord is a reproach to them; They have no delight in it. Therefore I am full of the fury of the Lord. I am weary of holding it in… For I will stretch out My hand Against the inhabitants of the land,” says the Lord.
“Because from the least of them even to the greatest of them, Everyone is given to covetousness; And from the prophet even to the priest, Everyone deals falsely. They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No!
They were not at all ashamed; Nor did they know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; At the time I punish them, They shall be cast down,” says the Lord (Jer. 6:10-15).
Receiving God’s Instruction
To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? Because our ears are uncircumcised. Not “their” ears, but ours! So many have been deceived into following a grace message when it is not truth. One of the hardest parts about being prophetic is understanding God’s timing and perceiving whether warnings have been heeded and repented of. Because we move into stronger consequences when His warnings are ignored.
My prayer is that we as the body of Christ will understand the Lord’s ways and recognize that He only resorts to stronger judgements in a redemptive plan. We in essence choose the severity of the discipline by our actions or lack of action towards His warnings—if the word of the Lord is a reproach to us.
Our wisdom is based on heeding the word of the Lord. All else is really futility. All of Jeremiah’s warning is based on a people not heeding the word of the Lord. Let us not be guilty of not sounding the alarm or receiving His alarm because we do not like the sound the instrument is taking on.
I will continue in a future posting with more insights that the Lord led me to. For now please read the passage and absorb prayerfully what He is speaking to us in this hour. I pray that the Lord circumcise the ears of His followers so we can hear the word of the Lord and sound the alarm as commissioned!
Thanks Prayin God give us tears Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2014 19:28:58 +0000 To: pamfurbay@hotmail.com
Dear Jon and Jolene,
First of all, I am pleased to let you know that my husband and I will be joining you in Philadelphia for the Glory Procession. Although we live in Michigan, I at one point in my life lived in PA and it is a state I still hold dear in my heart. More importantly, however, I understand how the Keystone state” is a key state for holding our country together spiritually, due to the godly covenant upon which William Penn founded Pennsylvania.
Secondly, I just finished reading the last chapter – chapter 16 – of Crown and Thorn and was thrilled and excited to read your spiritual insight to the “Star Spangled Banner”. I for one agree positively that Francis Scott Key wrote prophetically, for God has spoken to me the same thing concerning it! I had written to you previously that God put me and the prayer team that I lead here in Michigan on a long term prayer assignment that He has entitled The Spiritual Redo of the War of 1812.” We have now completed 2 full years of the assignment and have one more year to go. The goal of the assignment is just as you wrote in your book about preserving our country as it has been founded by our forefathers on Christianity and the freedom that comes with it. Therefore, as a part of this prayer assignment, in August, my husband and I will be in Washington D.C. and Fort McHenry for the 200th anniversary of the burning of Washington D.C. and the writing of the Star Spangled Banner during the War of 1812.
Now with Jolene’s posting today, we will definitely be taking what has been written here to heart and be praying about it before we arrive in Washington D.C. as well as when we arrive there!
Third – I have read with much interest your experiences and and information concerning Lowville and Father Nash. This September we will be taking a prayer journey through New York and will be praying for the Third Great Awakening. In fact, we will be praying at Charles Finney Christian School over the original pulpit he preached from in the Rochester New York territory! Here is a thought to consider: since the Second Great Awakening reached its peak shortly after the War of 1812, will the Third Great Awakening likewise occur after the completion of the “Spiritual Redo of the War of 1812”? That’s what we are praying!!!
Lastly, although I don’t always announce myself, I am usually on the Wednesday night phone calls and I am the one who announces myself as “Cindy from Michigan”. I would be highly honored to meet you both in person when my husband and I join the procession in Philadelphia. However, if it is turns out that it does not happen, just know that I highly regard where you come from spiritually, prophetically, and your strategies of prayer for our country. I really relate!
God bless you, and we will be there in Philadelphia!
Cindy and Duncan Carswell
Cynthia Carswell
ccarswell123@comcast.net
Hm. (586)566-5692
I concur with this word of warning. What I have sensed in my spirit is in agreement. God bless you. Judith Grominger
Thanks for sharing the word Jolene. Certainly needed in this hour. I recently received a word of warning as well.
“It breaks My heart that this nation has turned from Me. For I love this nation, but they are as wayward children. And I will yet punish that this nation may turn to Me and live. Continue not in your wicked ways, oh children. Return to Me and find rest. For I love you and call out to you in this hour, and I warn you that you are on the brink of destruction.” I asked the Lord what He meant by destruction. I sensed Him say, “Riots in the cities, riots in the streets, unrest and upheaval, martial law, communism taking a firm hold.”
Blessings,
I read Jeremiah 6 this morning. Very fitting for this hour. I was struck by verse 14 where they say “peace, peace” when there is not peace. The Lord brought a verse to me recently, I think it’s in Isaiah, that says, “There is no peace for the wicked.”
Last night I had an interesting dream. I saw the White House and outside it was a dog. The dog seemed to be mean. I knew it belonged there (was welcomed by, belonged to, the people there). I got the impression it was an outside dog, but was also a pet and was allowed at times to go inside.
I’ve been praying into it. Dogs, of course, are representative of unclean spirits, especially lust.