It is 2:45 A.M. on Sunday June 3rd, 2007. The Lord has captured my attention yet again as I read a headline while doing the news. But before He will allow me to share it, He would have me speak forth the following.
As a Christian…what is your confidence?
In Whom do you place your hope and trust?
When going through the valley of the shadow of death, when being led through the wilderness…what keeps you going?
What makes you not give up and instead press in and onward?
To ALL of the above the only response is JESUS.
JESUS is our confidence.
In JESUS do we place all of our hope and our trust.
When going through the valley of the shadow of death – WE FEAR NO EVIL – for JESUS is with us.
When He is leading us through each and every wilderness, shaping and molding us, killing our flesh, HE WALKS WITH US…He sustains us.
JESUS keeps us going.
JESUS urges us to never give up, to press in and to carry on.
So as I read the headline that breaks the Lord’s heart (and my heart for His heart is my heart and I minister unto His heart)….
Experts: Katrina Death Toll Still Rising
And further read the article which proclaims:
The bodies are no longer being dragged from houses and buildings toppled by the hurricane, but nearly 2 years later, many medical experts think the storm is still killing. Storm survivors are dying from the effects of both psychological and physical stress, from dust and mold still in dwellings, from financial problems, from crime. "There is no doubt in my mind that Katrina is still killing our residents", Orleans Parish coroner Dr. Frank Minyard said this week.
“I HOLD MY CHURCH RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS.”
Since the day Hurricane Katrina hit until this day, the Lord has NOT stopped speaking of this place, and He has NOT stopped sending judgments. His most demanding, compelling ORDER (for it was not merely an invitation to heed at your leisure) but instead was a mandate to the church immediately and since:
But MANY MANY MANY Christians ignored His plea.
These people are DEVASTATED.
They have been through a judgment of God that most could not even imagine.
They lost their loved ones, their homes, their livelihoods, their EVERYTHING.
God swept in and swept out the demonic stronghold. And then He said “GO, and replace that which is evil with MY SPIRIT and MY GLORY”. For the Bible CLEARLY STATES that if you do NOT fill that vacant spot with God, the enemy shall return 7 times stronger. If you have kept up with the news at all you will know that New Orleans is unsafe due to crime and non-stop murders; and even more devastating is that people are emotionally destroyed.
Much of this is their own fault – returning to their former ways instead of clinging to God.
How do you think these people - who do not have Jesus - were supposed to cope?
Can YOU imagine facing a judgment of Almighty God WITHOUT HIM?
I’m sure the strongest of Christians there were ROCKED TO THEIR CORE.
And those without Him?
IS IT ANY WONDER THAT THE ENEMY HAS INFILTRATED THEIR MINDS? THEIR EMOTIONS? THEIR SOULS?
IN NEED OF THEIR SAVIOR…then and still…BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE FOR THEM TOO
IMMEDIATELY after Hurricane Katrina hit, the Lord spoke forth the following (publicly):
HOW LONG, NEW ORLEANS?
NEW ORLEANS:
"IT IS A NEW DAY.... COME"
....SAITH THE LORD
August 29th, 2005
In the early morning hours (between 2:00 and 3:00 a.m. in Indiana 08/29/05) as everyone was waiting for the hurricane to hit New Orleans, the Lord spoke to me at length about what was going on. He talked to me about their sin: the occult, sexual perversion, witchcraft, voodoo, etc. And yet He gave me absolutely no sense of the "catastrophic" that the experts were calling for (which is originally what caught my eye about this event because I am always aware of what God is doing in the earth...things with the "potential to be" or declared to be "the first/worst in history" - this time a major hurricane/storm... signs of the last days that we are in).
Holy Spirit did not lead me to stay awake to pray with any great fervor but instead had me decree:
"THE WILL OF ALMIGHTY GOD BE DONE".
Later the same day (still this day - 08-29-05) the Lord showed me how the storm, projected to go one way - which would have been worse for Louisiana, instead turned in the other direction at the very last moment. This, He proclaimed, was due to the prayers of the saints in New Orleans - His remnant of faithful believers, standing fast in the promises of God.
He then spoke this to me on their behalf:
"Yes, the water came...yes, My winds blew", saith God, but you were not destroyed. Even man's chosen shelter for safe haven (note: Superdome) was NOT as safe as "man" had hoped. I AM your shelter in the midst of the storm. I AM your safety. I AM your strong tower", says the Lord. "My light outshines the darkness and will judge all areas of darkness throughout the earth. For nothing secret shall remain hidden in this hour. Even the sinful ways on such a grand scale in New Orleans is thought to go unnoticed," says the Lord. "But, O, how I see. NEVER believe that wicked deceiver who slithers in and out of your garden. He comes to destroy but I come to offer you new hope, new life. It is a new day for New Orleans - embrace Your Saviour! Embrace Your Redeemer! I wish that NONE would perish," saith God. "Come all who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest. Let me wash you with the water of My Word. Let me clothe you in bright new rainment. This is a new day," saith the Lord God of Hosts. "COME".
This same evening (08-29-05) around 10:00 p.m., the Lord had me go to the Elijah List website – there was something there He wanted me to see. When there I found the following prophetic word also about New Orleans which confirmed what the Lord said to me (as mine confirms what the Lord said to them - and I was also instructed of the Lord to email what the Lord said to me to this prophetic couple). Here is what the Lord said to them:
August 29, 2005 "'New Clothes' for New Orleans!"
by Undrai & Bridget Fizer
Undrai & Bridget Fizer International
Louisiana is my native homeland. My personal history is found in the Cajun-speaking regions of Louisiana. Louisiana is also the birthplace of my incredible experiences with God, birthed in the fields when I was a little boy. In my walks in the fields that my grandparents owned, I would take a sack lunch for God and myself and sit and talk with Him for hours. From this "kingdomic" simplicity, He opened my eyes to see incredible visitations, as well as, fed me things that my former denomination could not believe, especially from someone so young.
Louisiana is, indeed, on the verge of an Incredible Awakening. A new twist and turn has come upon it. Lives in Louisiana are about to experience an eye-opening depth in the realms of the Spirit, as it pertains to the Kingdom and its endeavors.
New Identity for New Orleans
I felt compelled to look up the meaning of the term "Orleans." There were various definitions of this term, but one in particular caught my eye! Orleans, by definition, means "apparel, cloth, cotton, and wearing." Also, it means cloth made with worsted and cotton. The winds of the Lord will bring forth a new covering for New Orleans. A new identity comes as a result of a new nature, which in turn, requires new clothes. God is providing New Orleans with new clothes. This is the reason for a sudden shift and turn from Hurricane Katrina -- a shift that occurred as a result of the prayers of those with Global Vision, as well as, those with a caring and merciful heart! The winds of change will, indeed, provide New Orleans with a new covering of the Spirit. The city has been known as a haven of sin, witchcraft, voodoo, and perversion. But in that city is a people of God, shining forth as a light that sits upon a hill. A hill has been raised in the city. The Kingdom of God has, indeed, been established in the midst of what many consider darkness.
He Has Us Looking Within
He is, indeed, providing a new apparel for the city of New Orleans. Ecclesiastes 7:14 says, "When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider. . ." In the days of adversity, look within. The prophetic words that are being released during seasons of transitions, shifts, and global unrest, are not a result of a hub of spiritual buzz words. It is the time in which the Father's insight is divinely released. During times of adversity, the Spirit causes us to look within. As He has us look within, He reveals the establishing of a new covering of a glorious apparel for New Orleans. He is removing a hardened covering that has hovered above the city for years, and replacing it with the flowing apparel of His Heart!
Amongst the destruction, the winds, and floods, the hearts of the mighty believers in Louisiana will rise as never before. And those who are in the city, in whom the heart of the Lord is revealed, are becoming a Church that cannot be shaken, in spite of the winds of Katrina!
by Undrai & Bridget Fizer
TWO DAYS LATER the Lord gave me a word to release to His Body – our MARCHING ORDERS TO GO TO NEW ORLEANS:
SAINTS OF ALMIGHTY GOD:
"NOW IS THE TIME....
REPRESENT ME"
....SAITH THE LORD
August 31st, 2005
The Lord had me watch a 6:00 PM national broadcast news (CBS) and I wept when I saw the devastation from Hurricane Katrina.
The Lord spoke to me about His two natures: His mercy and His judgment. He was speaking to me about how this indeed was judgment...and even though I truly love His righteous judgment, for I am called to stand for the Father and the coming Kingdom of Jesus Christ, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, still, I cried when I saw the many images of need, desperation, destruction.
He told me to blow the shofar in the Spirit - to call and rally His saints on His behalf.
The Lord would say unto you:
"With all of the wealth and affluence in America there is NO REASON FOR THESE PEOPLE TO HAVE TO SUFFER
for long. For My own children - even those without the wealth and affluence of the world - ALL YOU DO HAVE IS
STILL MINE - ALL THAT YOU HAVE I HAVE GIVEN UNTO YOU...from your time to your wallet....GO AND
REPRESENT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. GO ON MY BEHALF. FOR SURELY THERE IS NO "THING" THAT
ANY OF YOU WILL TAKE INTO ETERNITY...THERE IS NO "THING" TOO VALUABLE THAT YOU CANNOT
DO WITHOUT.
"Won't you go for Me? Be My hands...be My feet...show them My heart and My love and My mercy...."
saith the Lord.
After that, except for comments in the Signs Of The Times section whenever there were stories about New Orleans, He did not give me a lengthy specific prophetic word until over one year later:
“HOW LONG, NEW ORLEANS?”
Saith The Lord
Prophetic Word via His Messenger
In His Unfailing Love Ministries
February 2nd, 2006 @ 8:00 p.m.
Today, tornadoes ravaged New Orleans neighborhoods still not yet recovered from Hurricane Katrina. Both the airport and houses were damaged, a radio tower came down, utility poles fell, roofs were ripped off, windows blown out. The actual headline read, "Twisters Add Insult to New Orleans' Injury"; one resident proclaimed, "Don't ever ask the question, 'What ELSE can happen...'; another said, "I cannot believe this - it's not bad enough we got 11 feet of water...."
The Word of the Lord for New Orleans on August 29th, immediately after Hurricane Katrina hit was as follows:
"Yes, the water came...yes, My winds blew", saith God, but you were not destroyed. Even man's chosen shelter for safe haven (note: Superdome) was NOT as safe as "man" had hoped. I AM Your shelter in the midst of the storm. I AM your strong tower", says the Lord. "My light outshines the darkness and will judge all areas of darkness throughout the earth. For nothing secret shall remain hidden in this hour. Even the sinful ways on such a grand scale in New Orleans is thought to go unnoticed," says the Lord. "But, O, how I see. NEVER believe that wicked deceiver who slithers in and out of your garden. He comes to destroy but I come to offer you new hope, new life. It is a new day for New Orleans - embrace Your Saviour! Embrace Your Redeemer! I wish that NONE would perish," saith God. "Come all who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest. Let me wash you with the water of My Word. Let me clothe you in bright new rainment. This is a new day," saith the Lord God of Hosts. "COME". Who hath ears to hear, let him hear...Spoken to His Messenger 08/29/05 @ 2:00 a.m.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This was an invitation...an opportunity to change, to repent, and to see a mighty move of God in their city. But repent means to not only say, "I'm sorry", it means to TURN FROM and never do it again. Remember all the times in the Word when Our Lord Jesus spoke those words? "Go your way...and sin no more".
Sin....no....more.
So what has New Orleans been up to? The mayor realizes the hand of God upon that city. A bit over-zealous and without true depth of understanding, he has somehow had his eyes opened to the fact that the Lord allowed this to happen for a reason. The wise who hear, however, then must dig deeper into that and find out what it means when God blows His breath upon a city....because the next step (when you don't already know) is to find out, "Ok...what does God want us to do next? Where does He want us to go from here?" The question is sort of an answer....for the first thing they needed to do is to seek God! And not just asking Him for direction, but first saying, "We're SORRY we never asked You before! We don't want to do things our way any more so what is YOUR plan?"
Therefore, repent. Surrender. Submit. Then don't make any plans until you hear from heaven. They also need to rejoice... to thank Him for His great love and mercy toward them...because truly in the days of the Bible, when God brought judgment, He brought JUDGMENT. Sometimes you could find the rubble, but then there were other times when those walking in rebellion were just swallowed up in the earth with a one-way ticket to hell. God was MERCIFUL toward New Orleans. And, He offered His invitation to start fresh...ridding the city of its demons and strongholds, issuing forth a BRAND NEW DAY.
After the Hurricane, there were four shops that went undamaged (and mentioned on the nightly news)...one was a tavern...one a gentleman's club...one a voodoo shop...one a parade-float shop that made those big pagan things to be displayed along the parade route during Mardi Gras. 'Why were THOSE types of things left standing?', you might wonder. Wouldn't God's judgment wipe all evil away? In His infinite love for us, God gave us free will. We are to CHOOSE right, CHOOSE light over darkness. He cannot make us love Him, just as He will not MAKE us follow after Him (for what kind of love would that be?). These shop owners, even grander - the city, if they had turned from their wicked ways right away, and sought God's face, would have known not to keep these shops even though they were spared. There will always be test of our faith, tests of our commitment unto God. We have to be willing to CHOOSE to do right before Him. But He will not make us.
The latest news from New Orleans also has been that they are once again preparing for Mardi Gras. A celebration of sex, perversion, sodomy, transsexualism, and other abominations before Almighty God. This is NOT a turning from their wicked ways..., as the Lord says, "....'turn from your wicked ways and THEN I shall HEAL YOUR LAND' (paraphrased). It can no longer be 'business as usual', or 'doing that which we've always done'. A NEW DAY MEANS A NEW DAY...NEW...forgetting former things...a re-birth if you will. Submitting to God...allowing Him to change and transform and reconstruct for HIS glory!
This cannot happen, however, if there is no turning from evil.
And so two twisters blew threw town today. It wasn't as bad as it could have been...minimal damage truly, although 'on top of damage', it can make it seem much worse. But the Lord is lovingly asking New Orleans, "Don't you WANT to live? Don't you WANT to do things the right way?" Look what happened to the stubborn Jews when He set them free from Egypt - with their murmuring, moaning, complaining, grumbling against God and God's servant, not submitting, not surrendering, not humbling themselves...God caused their 11 day journey to last 40 YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS!
"DO YOU HAVE EARS TO HEAR, NEW ORLEANS???
HOW LONG DO YOU WISH TO WANDER IN YOUR WILDERNESS???"
saith the Lord.
The Lord spoke forth in His word for 2006:
"...to those areas where I have released judgment in 2005, I will be watching to see how You respond - will you respond with repentance or will you respond with hardness of heart and a returning to your old ways???"
WILL YOU HEAR HIM THIS DAY, NEW ORLEANS?
There was minimal damage this day. He is once again answering the prayers of His saints, praying for New Orleans, asking for God's mercy. For the sake of how many righteous will He stay His hand next time? Does there have to BE a next time?
You decide, New Orleans.
Who hath ears to hear, let him hear...
Spoken to His Messenger
February 2nd, 2006 @ 8:00 p.m.
In the meantime, His word that HIS CHURCH IS TO GO AND MAKE THIS RIGHT FOR HIS GLORY has not expired. Seek His face about going. Sometimes He will just speak His commands via HIS PROPHET and expect you to go immediately. Obedience is vital.
Will they, as the article suggested, continue to die?
WITHOUT JESUS?
His Messenger
June 03, 2007 4:01 A.M.
The Lord had me watch the CBS Evening news for a moment this evening (06-04-2007) (He never has me watch CBS)...they had a story about the increase in crime in the United states...and they mentioned New Orleans and said:
They also had a link on their web page to a 2006 crime report made to law enforcement agencies.
Violent crime: 2,255
Murders: 162
Forcible Rape: 87
Robbery: 761
Aggravated Assault: 1,245
Property crime: 12,178
Burglary: 4,087
Larceny: 5,228
Motor vehicle theft: 2,863
SOURCE:
2006 Crime In The United States
Preliminary Annual Uniform Crime Report
Department of Justice
FBI
January through December
Offenses Reported to Law Enforcement
by State by City 100,000 and over in Population
January-December 2006
http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/06prelim/ucrtable4index.htm