LIGHTNING: LET IT FLOW THROUGH YOU
INTRODUCTION
Lightning struck the U.S. Capitol and Washington Monument on New Year’s Eve. Was this a sign from God? Because of past dreams given to prophetic leaders, I believe it was. For the past two days, I have shared three of those dreams regarding the lightning of God coming to America. Today I want to share with you from my book Intercessory Prayer, regarding God linking the subject of lightning to intercession.
FROM THE BOOK
“This was about the coolest thing I had discovered since baseball. I was in the fifth grade, had recently procured my first magnifying glass, and discovered I could hold it at just the right angle to the sun and create fire. I burned a piece of paper on the playground; then, a brilliant idea leaped up from my fallen Adamic psyche. I called my friends over, assuring them I had a really cool demonstration. Looking at Duncan, one of the bullies in the class, I said to him in my best ‘You’re the lucky guy’ tone of voice, ‘Duncan, hold your hand out. I want to show you something.’
“Duncan didn’t leave his hand there very long. He chased me all around that playground! Some guys just can’t take a joke.
“Is there a picture of intercession hidden anywhere in this? Yes. Paga, the Hebrew word for intercession, is also translated as ‘strike the mark.’ The reference is Job 36:32: ‘He covers His hands with the lightning, and commands it to strike the mark.’ When God releases His light, causing it to flash forth from His presence like lightning, its striking the desired target is likened to intercession.
“Habakkuk 3:4 (AMP) also speaks of light flashing forth from the hand of God: ‘And His brightness was like the sunlight; rays streamed from His hand, and there [in the sunlike splendor] was the hiding place of His power.’
“We are like a magnifying glass in one sense; no, we don’t add to or magnify God’s power — but we do let the ‘Son’ shine forth through us, directing His light to desired situations, allowing it to ‘strike the mark.’
“Have you ever seen a tree struck by lightning? If so, you’ve seen a picture of intercession. Lightning is so hot it literally changes the molecular structure of pine trees and twists the trunks until they look like the stripes on a candy cane. The temperature in a lightning bolt can reach 45,000 degrees Fahrenheit, hotter than the surface of the sun. That’s hot stuff! And God uses this to picture His judgments against evil. No wonder the Scriptures say, ‘As wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish before God... The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the Lord. ... He raised His voice, the earth melted’ (Ps. 68:21, 97:5; 46:6).
GOD IS LIGHT
“Numerous Scriptures associate God with light or lightning.
“1 John 1:5 tells us: ‘And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.’
“At times, His light, or the release of it, is associated with His glory. Luke 9:29, 32 tells us: ‘And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming... Now Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him.’ (We read in the margin of the NASB that the word ‘gleaming’ means literally ‘flashing like lightning.’ Wuest also translates it this way.)
“Sometimes, this light, lightning, or glory of God is released in His mouth and often called a sword:
“Ephesians 6:17: ‘And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.’
“Revelation 2:16: ‘Repent therefore, or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.’
“The following Scriptures speak of God’s light in the context of Him dealing with His enemies:
“Psalm 97:3-4: ‘Fire goes before Him, and burns up His adversaries round about. His lightnings lit up the world; the earth saw and trembled.’
“Revelation 8:5: ‘And the angel took the censer; and he filled it with the fire of the altar and threw it to the earth; and there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake.’
“These last two Scriptures associate the release of God’s light with the context of deliverance for His people:
“Psalm 18:14: ‘And He sent out His arrows, and scattered them, and lightning flashes in abundance, and routed them.’
“Psalm 144:6: ‘Flash forth lightning and scatter them; send out Your arrows and confuse them.’
“According to these and many other Scriptures, God is light, and at times, this light or glory flashes forth from Him as bolts of lightning. Many times the Bible says that in order to deal with His enemies – whether for Himself or His people – God simply releases this glory or light into the situation. It flashes forth like lightning, and PAGA HAPPENS! God’s power ‘strikes the mark.’
“And He releases this lightning through our intercession! We must boldly release the power of the Most High into situations, allowing the victory of Christ to manifest. He has given us His sword; He has given us His name. We must use them!
“Position yourself toward the Son and allow Him to shine through you, striking the mark! Wield the laser sword of the Spirit. We often forget how powerful Holy Spirit in us is – how destructive to darkness is His lightning sword. It has supernatural power to overcome the works of darkness – when we release it with confidence.”(1)
Pray with me:
Father, we are amazed when we consider that You have made us Your heirs, co-heirs with Christ. We also marvel that You allow us to partner with You in releasing Your Kingdom, Your power, on Earth. We have accepted Your love, and have embraced Your plan.
We thank You for exposing the works of darkness in America. You are cleansing and healing, for which we are very grateful, but we ask for more. We intercede for our nation, asking for Your lightning to flash forth, striking and tearing down the strongholds of the enemy. Consume the plans and works of darkness, liberating our land. And may Your glory fall on every inch of America, saving and delivering millions of people. We ask for this in Jesus’ name.
Our decree:
We decree that the lightning of God is coming to our nation, destroying the works of darkness.
TRIBUTE TO OUR DEAR FRIEND
I want to end today’s post by paying homage to a great friend and mentor, Quin Sherrer, who graduated to heaven Monday night. She was 91.
Quin has written over 30 books, and I have read from her writings multiple times on Give Him 15. It was Quin who, for years, prodded me to begin writing. I was very hesitant to do so because I did not believe I possessed any writing skills. Quin believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. Not only did she urge me to write, but she also prayed for several years that I would do so. I have always believed that God used her to birth the writing I have done over the past 30 years.
Quin was a devoted wife and mother, a faithful intercessor, a great writer, a wise mentor, a friend to many, and most importantly, a lover of God. She will be greatly missed. While we, along with many, grieve our loss, we also rejoice for her gain.
On the flyleaf of Quin’s Bible are the words:
“He that formed me in the womb, He shall guide me to the tomb;
All my times shall ever be, ordered by His wise decree.”
—John Ryland (1753-1825)
Click on the link below to watch the full video.
Dutch Sheets, Intercessory Prayer (Bethany House Publishers: Bloomington, MN), 1996.
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GOD Bless Quin, may she Rest in Peace. I always enjoyed hearing the posts you shared from her, Dutch. I even remember her doing a post at least once!