Interceding over the last few weeks I get the clear sense that it is a time of intense battle in the spirit realm. Angels and demons are at war. Angels who were previously ministering grace, love and peace as a gift of mercy from God have now moved out of these positions to fight satanic attack, so there is a call for the people (each of us as individuals) who have been in a state of slumber to wake up and join the battle against the principalities. How?

1) Each person needs to pray and ask for more angels. Fill our homes, offices, schools, neighborhoods, churches — every place we gather — with angels. There is no lack of angels but we need to do our bit and ask.

2) Seek the Lord for key scriptures that He will reveal to each of us as individuals — these are our swords — our weapons of war that we must receive and then use. Write them down. Place them where we will see them often, confess them, pray them, meditate on them, declare them, do battle with them.

God is moving in our lives as individuals in this hour. He is challenging and convicting us. He wants to do it to set us free. We want it done to be free. From leadership right down to new believers even ... we’ve all been praying for the Lord to burn away within us what is not of Him. It’s the Holy Spirit praying a very precious and life-giving prayer and I really believe that I sense the joy of the Lord over this, and He is moving to answer — but we need wisdom and understanding to go through this time in peace.

When God is dealing with us, we need space and time as individuals to listen, comprehend, realize, repent, forgive, be forgiven etc. and that is what is going on with most of God’s people in this season.

However, it is not like we can all crawl into our personal little caves for a time, to allow this to happen in private — No, it’s going to happen as we do everyday life. As we hang around our families, go to work, go to school, go to church, spend time with friends ... it’s going to happen in places where we’re going to feel a bit vulnerable and exposed.

Angels Reassigned

Angels of mercy and grace have moved out of position — Why?

Because those who have hidden sins will now begin to see them clearly.

Pride, anger, false religion, control, manipulation, selfishness, man’s ways, old ways etc, will show clearly.

Also... pain, hurt, abuse, oppression etc. will show clearly.

Individuals involved will submit to God to have Him deliver them — to have Him heal them and this is a beautiful work ... but this will only appear beautiful if we see it with our spiritual eyes.

With our physical eyes this probably won’t be a pretty sight : ) ... in fact it might even look rather ugly and if we are walking in the flesh, we’ll react to any of the above negative manifestations in a negative manner. It’s natural and unavoidable ... unless we do one thing, which is the valuable ‘tip’ that our Lord has given us that causes us to pass these exams with flying colors and that is found in this remarkable phrase that I pray the Body of Christ will embrace with all our hearts in this season: “... but the greatest of these is LOVE.”

While the angels do battle, while God moves through us to burn away the chaff, we are asked (and equipped) to do one thing — LOVE.

In terms of prayer, I believe we need to ask God for the tools to walk in love with each other. When people pray for themselves, we need to pray for patience, peace, trust and grace. When we pray for those around us we need to pray for wisdom, mercy, understanding, and joy that gives strength.

God is going to be with us during this time of giving birth whether we see Him or not. It will be a lot better for us if we see Him. We will if we choose to love one another during this time. He is present in POWER in this season in LOVE.

In every gentle word — He will turn away wrath.

In every smile — He will wipe out tears.

In every sincere prayer to bless and guide and show mercy — He will move mountains into the sea.

In every act of patience — He will cause blind eyes to see and deaf ears to hear.

As we give birth we need to remember that we are not a wife without a husband.

We are not a wife under the curse who blames her husband for the pain of childbirth.

No — we are a wife redeemed from the curse. Redeemed by a husband who loves her with an everlasting love so great that He took/takes upon Himself all the pain so that she can give birth with ease.

Isaiah 66: 7-9

⁷ “Before she goes into labor,
       she gives birth;
       before the pains come upon her,
       she delivers a son.
⁸ Who has ever heard of such a thing?
       Who has ever seen such things?
       Can a country be born in a day
       or a nation be brought forth
       in a moment?
       Yet no sooner is Zion in labor
       than she gives birth to her children.
⁹Do I bring to the moment of birth
       and not give delivery?”
       says the LORD.
       “Do I close up the womb
       when I bring to delivery?”
       says your God.

My prayer is that we all embrace the love of God during this time and let it flow.

A Time of Giving Birth

Also, we’re giving birth ... we’re on the verge of breakthrough, we’re in a storm, a whirlwind is coming, a wave is hitting ... these are some of the ways this season is being described in the prophetic.

In a nut shell, I believe the wave is either very close or is hitting us already. Some will go through this entire time in peace — these are those who have intimate relationships with the Father who know Him enough to trust Him like Jesus did in the storm (they will be like the woman in the verses above). They will sleep through this storm — they will give birth without the pain.

Others who’ve missed previous opportunities to develop such a level of trust in God will find that it’s a bit late to learn this trust without some stretching, which will cause some discomfort. All God is asking for, however, is to open our eyes and see that He is indeed with us and we can freely let Him burn away the stuff that has kept us from drawing close to Him before.

For others (dealing with stuff like pride and selfishness) this trust will come with a lot of stretching and quite a bit of pain and this season won’t be nice at all ... but in the end they’ll get it.

I wonder if there are a few who risk not getting there at all ... who will fall away. I believe with all my heart that even though in the Bible there are always those who just don’t get it right until the end ... Jesus died for ALL ... I do believe that our Father’s desire is that NONE shall perish. I also believe that at such times, He’s got his eye on the lost sheep and the prodigal son a lot more than on those who already have the relationship to keep them strong. In other words, He wants us to show the most love to those who don’t seem to be getting it. We need to stand in the gap and pray for them.

I really believe that agape love will be easier for us to embrace in this season, and as we put on a cloak of humility, I believe a precious promise will unfold.

Cheryl Johnson, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it