…I strongly felt that the Lord was pointing his finger straight at me. “You are fleeing from it—the snake that is in the rod! A snake that must be cast to the ground, so we can pick up our rod of authority and rule with it!”—from the posting.
We all struggle with balancing priorities and busy schedules. God has been dealing with me about choosing well—in life and ministry. Several warning dreams conveyed to me how the enemy is seeking to derail the destinies of many people. It’s time to defeat his work!
Candy-Coated Poison
Last night on the call we prayed a lot about this related to Israel. Tensions between Obama and Netanyahu escalated even more. Former Obama campaign directors have actually been hired by an Israeli campaign to politically derail Netanyahu’s re-election bid. Administration officials are mad at Netanyahu because he is warning against Iran’s true intentions, even as these officials seek to lift sanctions to encourage a nuclear deal.
Meanwhile Iran is threatening war against Israel even now.
As we prayed last night, Holy Spirit spoke very clearly spoke the phrase, “candy-coated, with poison inside.” Persuasive words and promises are being carefully constructed to be enticing and sweet, but they are actually full of poison.
This level of deceit is how the enemy intends to derail nations and leaders in the above situation. And it’s how the enemy strives to derail each one of us as well, so that we do not fulfill our destiny. He’s actually been doing this since Adam and Eve.
YES! And a Sign from God in the Vegetable Aisle
God’s dealings with me on this began when we went to see Patricia King at a conference in Fairfax, Virginia. It was a very impacting time, and one session in particular sticks out in my mind. She talked about one of the most important keys in fulfilling our destiny. She said it wasn’t complicated. We make it harder than we have to. It is as simple as saying yes to the Lord.
Our “yes” when He asks us for each decision propels us into our destiny, head-first.
For weeks after the Lord has been highlighting a sign that hangs in our grocery store. That sign is in the frozen vegetable section and it says two simple words—choose well. I think it is a play on words for choosing wellness over sickness by choosing the right vegetables. Sounds weird, but the Lord used it to impact my heart!
Choosing Well
That is what the grocery store is promoting, but the Holy Spirit has been alerting me to a personal decision where I must choose well also.
Very simply, He has been asking me to choose to fulfill my full ministry calling no matter what sacrifice is required. Let me in advance let you know that the choice I am making is certainly not a simple one. It is life-changing and an unpopular one to some. And in many ways pulls at every heart-string within me.
Because speaking the truth prophetically can be very difficult and unpopular at times. It hurts when perceptions and warnings are rejected. And it hurts even more when unheeded warnings come to pass in peoples’ lives.
Sometimes it seems easier just to shut down the gifting and go about my business. OK, I know what you’re going to tell me. That’s the easy way, but it’s actually candy with poison inside!
The Snake That is in the Rod
So while I have been wrestling with God over this I have been up every night on a 3-6 am watch. I never set out to do that watch. It just seems that is when the Lord desires to wake me up and talk to me. Don’t get me wrong, I am not complaining. It has been the sweetest time of intimacy and reading the Word uninterrupted. I want to share with you from the scripture what the Lord is saying in this hour.
He began to speak to me from Exodus 4.
Then Moses answered and said, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘ The Lord has not appeared to you.’”
So the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.” And He said, “Cast it on the ground.” So he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it.
I strongly felt that the Lord was pointing his finger straight at me. “You are fleeing from it—the snake that is in the rod! A snake that must be cast to the ground, so we can pick up our rod of authority and rule with it.”
If we are going to declare that the scepter of the wicked must no longer rule over the land allotted to the righteous (Ps 125:3), we must have a cleansed rod of authority in which to rule with.
Confronting Fear
The uncleanness in the rod for Moses, and for many of us, is fear. We are running in fear from an enemy, real or perceived, who seems capable of poisoning everything with one bite.
It’s so ironic that compromising due to fear is actually what poisons us. That’s where we ingest the candy-coated poison. Meanwhile, responding in faith may at first seem threatening. But just like the sign in the vegetable aisle, when we “choose well” we become healthier and stronger. And we please the Lord.
Pick Up the Rod
The most important part of the story comes next. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail” and Moses did it.
Pick it up—say what?
I don’t know about you but for me, this is where the true faith comes in. Questions about our own ability to handle the situation instinctively come. Am I hearing you right, Lord? Why don’t you in your supernaturalness just reach out your hand and take it by the tail? Not me… I am outta here!
But as Moses caught it, the serpent then became a rod in his hand! There are things in our lives that are scary and require faith in our hearing from the Lord but also a faith in our ability to do what He is asking of us. But remember this. Jesus never sets us up for failure! If He is asking for it, we have the capability to fulfill it every time.
One step at a time, the Lord required Moses to say yes to each of the things required of him. If you read the story to the end we find out that this is the same rod that performed the miracles when Moses encountered Pharaoh. And it was and the same rod that led the children of Israel out of captivity!
You Will See His Reward!
The snake-turned-rod was an important tool in Moses’ hand. An important tool in the Lord’s hand for deliverance of an entire people! Who knows, but that may be exactly what the Lord has in mind to accomplish through your next step of obedience.
Many of us have no problem believing how supernatural the Lord is, but where we get hung up is knowing how “natural” we are. We know our weaknesses all too well. We are most fearful that our weaknesses will interfere with the supernatural things the Lord wants to do.
Each step requires saying of yes to the Lord in our hearts. Each step brings us closer and closer to fulfilling our destiny. To the supernaturalness needed to fulfill your assignment.
So the Lord is saying to us all, choose well. Reject the candy-coated poison. Say YES and pick up the rod! And watch what the Lord does, naturally and supernaturally, with your simple obedience. You are guaranteed to see His reward.
Jon and Jolene, I have to tell you,( now mind you i did not participate in the call last night as I was praying and working on something with John and Vickie Cooper from Remnant). Last night as I was going to sleep the Holy Spirit said to me”take up the rod of Moses with the bronze serpent”! So I made the gesture of holding my rod up. I got up and read Numbers 21. I just now read the post by Jolene, oh my my!! This is uncanny! now I am reading the post again, Last week on Wed night He showed me a small wooden communion cup sitting on a wall in Jerusalem. I knew he wanted me to drink it but I said ” Oh baby, let me make sure I want to do that and I will take it at Sabbath. So I did, I said “yes” and drank the cup on Friday night. Now this rod of moses………oh Lord, give me understanding to how to apply this all and walk in this destiny! Joy Griffeth (And Get There By The Fourth)
Wonderful word, Jolene. I say “yes” and I will pick up my rod, the snake, and trust you, Lord. The call last night was super as well as sobering.
Interesting post! A few hours ago I was thinking about a snake I had found in my basement this past summer. It was curled up and lying between me and where I wanted to get to. I was thinking about how it’d been nice for someone to have come over and gotten rid of the snake for me. That snake at the time was a sign/symbol in the natural of some dirt the enemy was trying to stir up in my life. These past few weeks I’ve been trying to stand in authority without wavering since my faith is weak in that area. Thank you, Jolene, for posting this as I find it’s letting me know I’m not alone and is a confirmation that I’m on the right track.
Reject the candy-coated poison. Say YES and pick up the rod! And watch what the Lord does, naturally and supernaturally, with your simple obedience! YES! YES! YES!
OBEDIENCE is the key. Sometimes it is very difficult to be obedient though, especially when we ‘know’ in the natural what to expect. In God’s reality it is quite different. He can do anything and even the impossible, so it is a matter of knowing HIS powers, being obedient and then watching His amazing work!
Great writing. Thank you.