A Pitcher of Water
Hi Friends,
I hope all is going well for you today. I wanted to share a vision about God’s desire to bring a revival to our churches throughout the country. This has always been the Lord’s heart to effect a change, to created in us hearts that are not divided, but hearts that are steadfast and faithful to him. He wants to pour out his Spirit on his people, so that we would be instruments of change. Our nation is experiencing quite a bit of turbulence, in the social and political arenas. This is a time to call everyone to prayer.
“If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven. I will forgive their sin, and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14
The Vision
First I saw a bowling ball carrying case. It was a retro style, reminiscent of the sixties and seventies, with tapering sides and two handles on top.
Then I saw myself carrying a “Brita,” a filtering pitcher, filled with water.
Then I saw a dog and cat side by side, as if attached, swimming together in the water. The dog seemed to be giving guidance to the cat. He being the larger of the two animals, guided the cat to change course slightly. They moved in unison.
What the vision means.
The Bowling Ball Bag
Bowling is a pastime, something we do in our leisure. Anytime I think of bowling, I cannot help but remember a scene out of “The Flintstones” cartoon. Fred who loved to bowl, found himself buying a bowling ball for his wife’s birthday. He bought it for her, knowing that she would not want it, so that he was effectively buying it for himself. It was a devious plan to get something he wanted for himself, and at the same time fulfill his obligation to buy her a gift. This is the epitome of selfishness. He was only deceiving himself - his wife knew his heart. She knew he never really intended for her to keep it.
God is aware of our motives: “‘Bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three years. Burn leavened bread as a thank offering and brag about your freewill offerings---boast about them, you Israelites, for this is what you love to do.’ declares the Sovereign Lord.” Amos 4:4-5
Jesus saw through hypocrisy: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.” Matthew 23:23
God wants us to look at our motives. The Holy Spirit has a way of checking our hearts, and showing us when we are motivated to do something to gain others’ approval, rather than seeking approval from God. In regards to giving, the Lord says, “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:2-4
The Pitcher of Water
In the vision I was carrying a pitcher of filtered water. A pitcher is for the purpose of carrying water from the source to the destination, and to make it convenient for pouring from one container to another. This pitcher has the added ability to purify the water. In the vision, the water represents the Holy Spirit and what Jesus refers to as “living water.”
“‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within him.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.” John 7:37-39
Jesus also spoke of “living water” to the Samaritan woman at the well. “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water….Everyone who drinks this water will be thirst again, but the whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:10 and 13-14
The prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel and Joel spoke of an outpouring of the Holy Spirit which came to pass upon the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem.
“For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.” Isaiah 44:3
“‘I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the people of Israel,’ declares the Sovereign Lord.” Ezekiel 39:29
“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.” Joel 2:28-29
The Lord gave me a vision perhaps 10 years ago, asking me to pray for revival to come to our nation. This was after the Brownsville Revival and the Toronto Blessing, both of which I was very fortunate to experience, as well as a renewal at our own church. When the Spirit of the Lord is poured out in a revival, there are signs, wonders, and miracles everywhere. It is truly heaven touching earth.
In this vision, I saw a young attractive woman standing in front of a map of the Eastern half of the United States. It seemed as if she were a meteorologist giving a weather report. Suddenly flames shot out of the map around the area of Toronto. While still in the vision, I was excited and asked the Lord, “Do you want me to go to Toronto?” Then came his response, “No--I want you to pray that revival comes here.”
The Lord wants to pour out his Spirit, wherever there is a genuine thirst for his presence. There are so many problems and difficult situations in our lives and in our nation, that the Lord’s presence and interventions are needed. We can see that in our culture, and in our every day situations there are strong attractions and enticements from the enemy. His desire is to lure the unsuspecting, and the unprotected into his traps. We need the Lord’s covering, and the Lord’s shield to protect our loved ones and those who are easy prey. We must pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit because wickedness is increasing in our land. There seems to be little, to no restraint in lying. Corruption in government can no longer be tolerated. The rule of law and the respect for authorities must be maintained for us to live in peace and unity.
Please pray with me for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit because it is key in the empowerment of more and more people to live for the Lord. Remember it is the Holy Spirit that convicts of us sin. If the Holy Spirit is not operating in people’s lives, they will be uninterested in doing anything but living to please themselves.
The Dog and Cat
The vision of the dog and cat swimming together represents a union. They were so close to each other as they swam, that you would think they were attached. A cat is not a water loving animal. Generally speaking a cat hates the water, as much as a duck enjoys it. The cat is really fearful of drowning, and fearful of being in a situation where it has no control. A cat is a predator - it wants to be in control. Yet we use the term “fraidy cat” or “scaredy cat” because when a visitor comes to call, the cat will always run away and hide under the bed. In the vision, the cat represents the average believer.
Remember that before the disciples were Baptized with fire and the Holy Spirit, they were scattered. They were afraid of the authorities. But after being baptized in the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, everything changed. They were empowered to speak boldly and miracles became a normal phenomenon wherever they went. They were no longer bound by fear, but were fearless in peaching the gospel. “Do not leave Jerusalem but wait for the gift my Father promised, of which you have heard me speak, for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now….But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:4-5 and 8
In the vision, the dog is quite at home in the water. I have a friend who has a dog that truly loves the water. Nearly every time she opens the back door to let the dog out, the dog makes a beeline for the pond. He jumps in with no hesitation, simply happy to be swimming.
The dog in the vision represents the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is often referred to as the paraclete. “Paraclete” comes from the Koine Greek word παράκλητος (paráklētos) that can signify "called to one's aid in a court of justice," a "legal assistant," an "assistant," or an "intercessor."[1] The Holy Spirit is the one who comes alongside us to help us.
The dog was swimming alongside the cat. It was giving guidance, and support to the cat. This is exactly what the Holy Spirit does with us. He comes along side us to “cheer us on.” In all our difficulties, and trials, he is there. Jesus said, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live….But the helper, (paraclete), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” John 14:18-19 and 26
About 24 years ago, I was saved, delivered, and Baptized in the Holy Spirit. My world changed in one day. I became an intercessor immediately following deliverance. Upon leaving the weekend retreat, on the drive home, the demonic spirit came into the car, pressed on my left upper arm and said to me, “You’ve got to invite me back!”
The Holy Spirit was there with me. He prompted me to say, “Lord send your Holy Spirit!” And immediately, I started speaking in tongues. The demon left instantly, and I prayed in tongues, and sang in tongues all the way home. The Lord flooded my mind with pictures of people, faces and faces - some of whom I remember as a child, but most of the hundreds of faces, I had never seen before. But God used me that very night to intercede for people. I cried so much out of sheer gratefulness to the Lord, so over whelmed for his love for me, that it spilled over into love for everyone.
That night I stayed up all night praying for people. I would place one person in my right hand and lift my arm as if bringing them before the Lord. Then I would see another person, place them in my left hand and raise them up as well. This went on all night long. From that day on and for the next year, I just wanted to pray and read my Bible. Everyday I would feel the Lord’s presence, I would pray and cry tears of thankfulness. I promised the Lord that I would never, ever forget what he did for me. I was in love with God and I still am to this day. His name is Jesus!
Paraclete also means intercessor. The Holy Spirit moves and directs our hearts. He changes our very nature, placing his nature within us, giving us a desire to intercede for others. “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” 1 John 4:20
There are many different gifts that the Holy Spirit gives to each of us. You may have the gift of teaching and another may have the gift of evangelizing or the gift of hospitality. But all of us are called to pray. Through prayer we draw closer to God. Through prayer we can effect change. Through prayer people are filled with the Spirit, healed, delivered and born again. Prayer is everything; it is our lifeline to God. Call to him - he will answer you!
“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and wonderful things you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3
Thanks for reading, and praying and sharing this message with others. God bless you!
