At Willow we believe God still speaks today. One of our values as a body of believers is “Hearing and Following God”:
God speaks to His people.
As His sheep, we can hear Him (John 10.27).
His words bring life and healing (John 6.63).
His voice is heard clearly through His Word.
The Scriptures also record that He communicates through many other means, such as prayer, circumstances, dreams, the spiritual gifts of the word of knowledge, wisdom, and prophecy.
All revelation is evaluated according to Scripture.
God will reveal Himself to anyone, regardless of age, who will seek after Him.
Our desire, as individuals and a body of Christ, is to hear His voice.
By obeying the Word and the Spirit, we will make necessary changes to follow God and reach our community.
We highly value the revelatory gifts (words of knowledge, wisdom, prophecies & tongues). When properly used, these gifts have a profound and positive impact on individuals and congregations.
On occasion the Lord gives us insights that we believe to be for the entire body of Christ. We have posted current insights for your prayerful consideration.
"Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil." 1 Thessalonians 5:19-2
Vision, March 5, 2009 am - 3 Ways to Deal With an Intruder
* I am in my house - doing daily work - cleaning, folding clothes, straightening things up. All the windows and doors are open. The sun is shining in and the wind is blowing through the house. All is bright and open. I can see everything - all the way to the edge of my property. As I turn around, I see a man sitting at my table who does not belong in my house or on my property. He says, "Could I have a word with you?" I moved toward him, pointed to the door and with a loud voice commanded him "OUTSIDE." Immediately he got up and went out the door but he kept trying to get closer to me as I follow him out of the house. He had a long stick - like Moses. He wanted my territory. I continued to follow him outside and order him "Back off! Don't get too close to me!" I kept moving toward him, staying in an offensive position, following him to the edge of my property, commandinghim to stay away from me.
* I am seated in a small cubicle reporting the intruder to the police. As I am talking, the intruder comes up behind me and, without a sound, pierces through a glass window with a long tentacle and wraps it around my head. The moment the intruder touches me I am engulfed with intense euphoria - nothing matters. Even though I complained to the police, they didn’t stop him – it changed nothing.
* In the third part of the dream, I am sitting in a cluttered, messy room on a couch in front of a television/computer screen. There are children with me and we are watching scenes of horrific, violent behavior- real life events of people running over others with cars, shooting people, fighting and wounding others. As we watch, there is no emotion, no compassion, no response – our senses are completely dulled as the intruder has his tentacle wrapped around our heads.
How will we choose to deal with the enemy?
As believers in Christ - children of the King, we have an assignment. We are to take dominion and release the Kingdom in the time and place where we live. In order to walk in our destiny as Christ’s Church, we must actively guard and protect our gates – our eyes, our ears and our minds. We must be aware that what comes into our territory affects what flows out of it. We must choose to stay in proper alignment with God and His plan for our lives – continually being filled with and walking in the Spirit. As we walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, our spiritual senses are heightened so that we can recognize, reject and overpower the enemy. When we compromise, our spiritual senses become dulled. Unlike our Father, God, the enemy has no mercy. If we give him a little he will take a lot!
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. His purpose is to steal kill and destroy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him and be strong in your faith. (1Peter 5.8,9a; Jn.10.10a)
"MARRIAGES UNDER ATTACK!" Includes Article and Prophetic Word February 26, 2009
A number of years ago, I had a vision of a demonic counsel in the second heaven. They were conferring with one another and planning a strategic attack on Christian marriages. They were deeply threatened by the potential of such unity – if one can put a thousand to flight, two can put ten thousand to flight. The encounter was very jarring and heavy, catapulting me into a season of intercession in which we saw many marriages rescued and restored.
The Bar Has Been Lowered
Last summer, the Lord revealed that a demonic floodgate had been opened and many marriages would be assaulted and destroyed if we did not rise and fight. He said that many would easily give up on relationships. I was made aware by the Lord that the bar had now been lowered on covenant relationships, specifically marriage relationships. There are many reasons for this that I will not touch on right now, except to say that every individual's choices affect the whole Body and ultimately influences the spiritual climate of the entire world.
We are in a massive battle for marriage and family, and we must win. People are hurting. Children are hurting. The Body is hurting. Marriage failures are love failures and love failures hurt everyone involved. Love is to be our greatest aim. We must fight for love's sake. We must raise the bar again.
I am not suggesting that there are not legitimate terms for separation and divorce. If someone is not safe in a marriage due to the level of abuse and maltreatment or painful marital unfaithfulness, then it is often important for them to find a place of safety in order for healing and alignment to take place. Sometimes such a separation is temporary but, unfortunately, sometimes it requires a permanent decision.
With this in mind, I say, in great sobriety, that too many are jumping ship instead of fighting the love war. Too many are breaking covenant not only in marriage but in family, friendships, and in the Body of Christ. Large battles bring large victories when finally won, and we CAN win if we persist in love and faith. God always leads us in triumph; love never fails (see 2 Corinthians 2:14 and 1 Corinthians 13:8). Love is not selfish but always fights for the freedom and well-being of another. Love lays itself down for others.
Fight with Love as a Weapon
I have seen individuals in very difficult situations in their marriages. These scenarios affected their emotional and sometimes even their physical well-being. Instead of jumping ship, they decided to fight with love as their weapon. They humbled themselves and found a safe place to stand in Christ. In faith and humility, they went to war with LOVE.
Their situation did not change right away, but they did. They were committed to their marriage vows: for better or worse; for richer or poorer; in sickness and in health. They have a depth of character now that I have seen in few others. It is refreshing and rare. They are believing for their spouse to come all the way through, but in the meantime they have their place to stand... to fight... to live.
Recently, I received a prophetic word in prayer when I was interceding for a particular individual who was struggling in their marriage. I believe it might be for many others who are struggling at this time. May it encourage you! Breakthrough is on its way! All things are possible to those who believe. Let us believe for miracles of restoration! I know that God never usurps a person's will, and sometimes you cannot do anything about the choices of another, but there is a place for you to stand that is safe and pure.
For those of you who fought, stood, and kept love and faith in your battle, yet did not see your partner make right choices that provided restoration, I want to bless you and commend you for your walk. A reward of honor is yours. Wear it well. Even though you might not have seen a victorious outcome in the marriage itself, you are victorious in your journey in Christ. Move on and experience the goodness of the Lord as He leads you in new beginnings.
Word From the Lord for Those in Marriage Battles
The word of the Lord is for you to pass all your love tests in this season. This is your time to sow love, and you WILL reap...beyond your wildest dreams. This is your personal opportunity to go deep into understanding "love" as Jesus loved.
This is your time to find your place to stand in Christ and live in the heavenly realm that He pours out around you – the realm that you will be hidden in, the realm that you will be safe in, the realm in which you will find your protection, provision, and covering. This realm IS Christ and He is all you need.
During this season, you will be perfected in love and in faith. Do not allow love or faith to weaken, but strengthen that which remains. Love perfectly now. Sow love bountifully now and you will reap bountifully, and you will be loved perfectly by MANY, not just a few, in the days to come.
Right now you see through a glass dimly, but soon you will see clearly. A day will come when you will fully understand. In that day, you will rejoice in the goodness of your God and thank Him for the way He has led you.
I had a dream Friday morning 5/16/08 that I spent all day yesterday trying to convince myself it wasn't from the Lord, but today I feel this word must be received so that it might produce good fruit.
Here it is:
"Scott McKay is praying for me that God would give me a word. I feel it coming immediately. Something is being drawn - it is the outline of a cows head. I think this is odd but immediatly recalls the cows of Bashan in Amos 4:1. As soon as this image comes to mind I immediatly begin to gag. As I gag three times the Laodicea passage (Rev 3:15-20) is before me."
15I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
When I wake up I am sick with this message. I spend the rest of the night trying to convince myself that this is not the word of the Lord.
Today however, I am reading Luke 12. Somehow the Lord is speaking to me in this whole chapter. In verse 13 and 14 the Lord tells the rich brother who has the estate and the poor one who does not to "Watch out, be on your guard against all kinds of greed" From the women in Amos who indulged themselves rather giving to the poor, to the message of the church of Laodicea that thought it was rich and had it all, but it was missing out on true riches, to the invitation in Luke 13:32-34 to give to the poor and provide purses for ourselves that do not wear out, it seems there is a message that must be heard. Rev 3:19 "Those whom I love I rebuke and dicipline. So be earnest, and repent". Lord, give me ears to hear and a heart to obey!
Prepare Quickly 3.8.07
Over the last several weeks, six people have stated that we must prepare quickly for what the Lord is about to do. Whenever six people get the same idea you can be sure the Lord is speaking. Quick preparation is needed to advance into God’s purposes.
Quick preparation means we jettison all sinful habits and beliefs and we relinquish the “lesser things”. I think we understand turning from sinful habits and beliefs, but letting go of “lesser things” may be more ambiguous.
“Lesser things” include those activities which have little or no redeeming value. It is activity we do ever day, which can either drain or stifle God’s work in our life. For instance, I listen to almost an hour of news radio every morning. There’s nothing filthy or evil about the news, but it can clutter my soul with information and anxiety. “Lesser things” keep us earthbound so the voice of the Lord is but a murmur.
Within this word there is also a call to remove sin. We must not compromise with the world and sinful tendencies. They are doorways that open our lives to demonic oppression and spiritual strongholds. The mixture of sin and the Spirit is a formula for spiritual lethargy.
Another side of preparation is to be filled with the Spirit continually. The empowered Christian life is absolutely essential for victorious living in good and challenging times ahead. Here’s a simple, but profound equation for the Spirit filled life. It encompasses both turning from sin and the fullness of the Spirit
Separation from sin and “lesser things”;
Dedication to God and His kingdom;
Appropriation of the Holy Spirit by faith
Why do we need to be prepared? God hasn’t clearly stated why. It may be that something very positive or negative or both are headed our way. In part, I think the Lord wants to release a greater measure of His presence or His glory among us. The word “glory” means weightiness. In order to carry the weightiness of God, we must be spiritually fit. We can only bear as much of His presence that we are spiritually ready to handle.
Please pray this back to the Lord and quickly respond to his call for preparation.
Israel
We sense an ongoing need to pray that our President and other national leaders have a clear, God-honoring perspective about the Jews and the land of Israel. The Lord seems to be highlighting the need for those in authority to have a "black and white" understanding of Israel. We don't claim to know what that is, but we do know that due to political and spiritual influences there is too much gray. This is leading to both poor political decision making, and potentially may position America for greater discipline from the Lord.
