PRAYER CALL WEDNESDAY! 9pm EST. Conference call number: 641-715-3605 access code 552-690. Use *6 to mute/unmute. Invite your friends to join us!

PLEASE PRAY! At the word of the Lord, Jolene and I have taken March to pray, plan and focus on Washington DC. We are seeing amazing breakthroughs already. THE NEXT FEW DAYS ARE KEY. Please keep us covered! 

To sow financially CLICK HERE TO GIVE. 

RICK RIDINGS CALL TO FAST, PRAY— Prayer for these priorities will continue through the 21 day “Now Therefore Arise” prayer project. YOUTUBE VIDEO CLICK HERE. 

DEAR MIDNIGHT ASCENDERS,
FIRST—Thank you for praying. As most of you know, Jolene and I felt strongly to clear our schedule for late February and March—to seek the Lord, receive from Him, write, pray and plan. Above all else to keep watch here in DC. It is extraordinary what is transpiring 

OK… in honesty, it was Jolene who heard the Lord speak to clear the schedule—just as I was beginning to plan an amazing ministry tour for March. I really wrestled with cancelling the schedule.

Confession is good for the soul, right? After two prophetic friends confirmed the direction, I finally decided to align with Holy Spirit and my bride. And I have to say, obedience brought immediate results. As you know we were able to dive into the baptism revival in Brunswick GA, birthed on 2-22. Immediately upon returning to Washington DC, a few last-minute meetings transpired which are absolutely game-changing. I remain in absolute awe of God. 

Such a good thing Jolene and I both heard so clearly from the Lord to clear our schedule for March… 

Two points here. First, we would have missed all of this if I had insisted on my original plans. So important to follow Holy Spirit! Second, consider this your trumpet call to cover us these next few days in prayer. With all that is transpiring, please keep us and our small team in prayer, especially over these next few days. We are arising! 

Dream—Summoned to the Summit
The next few postings will be focusing on various aspects of God’s mandate to arise. Today’s “arise” posting is precious to me. I have taken great care in writing it for you, and ask that you take great care in receiving the substance of this word. 

One morning during the baptismal revival I had a very lucid dream which I’m still pondering. But prophetically the dream conveyed two aspects of arising to secure God’s Kingdom on your mountain.

In the dream Jolene and I were sleeping in a room of an old factory building which was being transformed into an apostolic ministry center. It was a ground-up renovation. So much work to accomplish! And the neighborhood was dangerous. Mentors and friends were sleeping in other rooms nearby. 

I made my way down a darkened hall for a midnight restroom break. Seeking to get some light on the hall, I found a bank of light switches connected to lights for the entire wing of the factory. The chart which accompanied the switches was faded and confusing. Choosing the wrong switch could bring a rude awakening to our sleeping colleagues! Not a good idea. 

So I chose to make my way to the restroom in the dim light available. 

Cleansing and Arising by the Spirit
The restroom was large, and looked like it had already been renovated. A window by a mirror was open. Suddenly a gust of wind blew through. When the wind hit me I began to arise—to literally float up towards the ceiling! I found in the weightlessness I could maneuver around. Easy but awkward, with lots of starts and stops. In the dream I was moving vertically above the floor, but shifted horizontally to kind of fly. Then I began to descend.

Astute dream interpreters among us know that bathrooms often represent cleansing. I believe it is significant that as the cleansing process culminated, I began to arise! Many of us are going to experience soaring with Holy Spirit in this season. A baptism of cleansing is first required. Can I say—it’s worth it!

The Mountain Sojourner
When my feet touched the floor I thought about exploring outside of the factory—and found myself immediately outside in the courtyard. Above the factory was a small mountain. On top of the mountain was a very large, old structure which I knew was tied to government and the security of our nation. Like the factory it seemed to be under renovation. A few of the many windows on the building were lit.

From my vantage point I could make out a statue near the structure, just below the crest of the hill. Lit with floodlights, the statue was actually the brightest subject in my dream. But it was too far away to make out. 

As I strained to see, almost immediately I was “there.” Hovering like a bird, parallel with the illuminated statue so I could really get a good look.

The statue was made of high quality marble. A muscled man in a robe strained under the unimaginable weight being borne on his shoulder. He was clearly agonized. Yet his sculpted face projected fierce strength and resolve to bring his summit journey to victory. 

You probably guessed the subject of this sculpture, the Sojourner illuminated against the darkened mountain. Jesus Christ was carrying His cross. 

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). 

In a flash I was back inside the building, looking at the statue of Jesus ascending the summit of the mountain. I looked behind me. Another window, too high up to see out of, caught my attention. Blue and red lights were projecting through the window on to a wall. They were flashing rhythmically, visual echoes showing apparent police activity nearby. 

I made my way back to my bride, tucked myself in, and awoke. 

Keys to the Dream
Fascinating, right? The dream seemed so real. It was was vivid but visually very dark. Which I guess is to be expected when conveying a midnight ascension and a factory under renovation. Revelation came quickly, especially regarding cleansing and soaring. But details within the rest of the dream were honestly puzzling. My processing skills were of little use. Over the past few weeks I have really leaned into Holy Spirit for revelation. Here are some keys.

The Mountain. The mountain near the factory seemed so ominous. Was it an actual geographic location? Did it represent a “high place?” Spiritual mapping theories raced through my mind. 

And then the Spirit of the Lord demystified the meaning. The mountain actually represents the mountain of government. In a midnight hour, we as the body of Christ are being summoned to the summit!

The Factory and the Government Structure. It’s important to note both the factory and the governmental structure were both under renovation at the same time. Both were dark. Both needed an extreme makeover. And the Lord is moving to accomplish both renovations simultaneously.

A factory produces products engineered to be exactly the same in quality, quantity and structure. A factory refurbished into an apostolic center is called to bring forth the unique gifts and graces God has entrusted to each person. Not made into man’s image, but His. 

The good news is that a few of the lights in the building were on, even at midnight. When the factory lights of the apostolic center were out. God is saying something here!

The Statue. Above all else, I was puzzled by the illuminated statue of Jesus carrying His cross just below the governmental structure on the summit. Why was it there? What event did it commemorate? A statue… Did it represent idolatry? A religious spirit? Why was it the brightest subject of my entire dream? 

More pondering, more processing, more prayer. Then suddenly I knew. When the revelation from the Lord came, the conspiratorial complexities I had been considering actually proved embarrassing. I was the one in the dark.

OK are you ready for the revelation? It’s deep. Genuinely. The statue of Christ carrying His cross actually represented… Jesus carrying His cross. 

Remember Isaiah’s admonition. The government is on His shoulders. Jesus bore the cross to free us personally. He proved His endless worth to rule over spheres of authority by laying down His life for those He rules. 

No Cross, No Crown!
I heard the Spirit of God say immediately, “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:27). It was immediately clear that embracing the cross was God’s mandate for believers to ascend the summit and “conquer” the mountain of government. This pertains both to believers in government and those who pray for government. 

Beloved, this is honestly not talked about much. But it’s time to get back to focusing on Jesus! Following Jesus. Becoming a disciple of Jesus. Walking in His footsteps, growing in resolve and above all integrity. 

Remember, the cross is the ultimate representation of the government on His shoulders. This revelation is by no means new. In fact, 337 years ago, when founding father William Penn founded Pennsylvania, he articulated two overarching principles. 

First, no King but Jesus. Second, no cross, no crown. 

Only those willing to lay down their lives to serve their constituents are worthy of receiving the crown of governmental rulership. Lets all take this advice to heart!

Two Facets of Arising
Finally, I want you to see that there are two facets of arising conveyed through this dream. Both facets are being emphasized at the same time for this season. 

The first facet is learning to move supernaturally by His Spirit. The invitation to soar is predicated on responding to His call to a fresh cleansing by His Spirit. Your invitation awaits!

The second facet of arising is your summons to the summit. This is so exciting. Jesus redeemed mankind through His covenant on the mountain, and we are called to see His covenant established on the summits of our spheres.

That said, please don’t leave the cross behind. Carrying the cross—not being religious, but simply laying down your life in love for God and others—is not an option. That’s a real temptation the closer we get to the summit. Especially when it comes to self-promotion, etc. 

I’ve discovered the hard way that my rhetoric is a poor substitute for my character. Lets instead let our light genuinely shine.

Beloved there’s a mountain to conquer. You are being summoned to the summit, to establish His covenant on the mountain! The cross is your key. NOW THEREFORE ARISE.