The River is HERE!

"I see a waterfall. It is very weak. It is uninspiring. At first if pours out weakly and little water forms a thin line falling down at the side of the mountain. But soon the waters begin to double in volume and in intensity. The waterfall swells and pours out more.

Then it doubles again in volume and in intensity, and swells and pours out even more, until the puny waterfall becomes a rushing, raging white waterfall raining down on the land.

As the raging waters make its way down, it runs through the path of the river but then redefining its course and changing the terrain and everything on its way. It is cleansing, washing away the face of the land.

Then the river leads to a deep ravine. The water falls to a steep edge and the bottom is unseen. I see people, who have been following and flowing in the river, jump into the ravine – following the raging white waters into the unknown.



REVIVAL is HERE!!! "



from a nameless, faceless prophet

Heart of Revival

During our time of soaking with our worship team the Lord showed me a vision of the globe with the Philippine archipelago on the horizon. Then I saw a big white arrow point down on the Philippines.

As the Lord brought me closer, I saw that the arrow was pointed towards Cebu island. As the arrow points on the island, a shockwave spreads from Cebu, to the Philippine islands, then to the rest of the world.

Then as the Lord brought me closer I see the words "PERPETUAL BRIGHTNESS" labeled on Cebu island. Then the Lord brings me closer and I see that the tip of the arrow rests above Cebu City and He says to me this is the center of true worship.

As the Lord brings me even closer I see that the tip of the arrow is pointing at a heart -- it was my heart; it was the heart of every Cebuano worshiper. And then the Lord says, "THIS IS WHERE IT STARTS!"

Cry Out

“Cry out for desperation. Cry out for this land. Cry out for rain to fall down. Cry out for mercy and grace. Cry out for justice over this land. Cry out for forgiveness. Cry out for repentance. Cry out for healing and restoration. Cry out for purity. Cry out for righteousness. Cry out for those who cannot cry out for themselves. Cry out for the orphans and the widows. Cry out for truth in the inward parts. Cry out for holiness. Cry out for righteousness. Cry out for all who are lost. Cry out for salvation. Cry out for My Kingdom to come and for My will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Cry out for My presence. Cry out for My glory. Cry out for more of me! Come up and find grace and mercy in My throne room. Come up and dwell in My presence. Come up any time. Come up all the time. My arms are wide open to receive you.”


from a nameless, faceless prophet

Overflow

During this morning’s devotional time with my discipleship training classmates (Kuya Henry, Ate Ruby, Venus, Fiel and Edsel), the Lord showed me an image of a glass that was being filled to overflowing with water poured out from a pitcher. I got the impression that God was filling us up with the Holy Spirit in that time of worship and praise, as His presence was with us.

As the word was shared by Ate Ruby – reading from the prophet Isaiah (chapter 55) where it talks about the power of God’s word and that it never goes back to Him void but accomplishes His purposes – the Lord just began to expound the meaning of the pitcher-water-glass image He gave me.

“The Lord is filling us up with His word so that His word will effortlessly overflow from us unto others.”

Edsel also shared what the Lord impressed on Him with the reading of the passage in Isaiah and during the worship time. Edsel pointed out that sometimes we tend to get used to our comfort zones that we hinder the miracles of God and the power of His word from manifesting in our lives. Like the Israelites of old who preferred to go back to the comforts of Egypt – even though they were enslaved there – we sometimes want to maintain status quo in our lives.

Though we know there is so much more God can give us and do through us if we just boldly step out of our comfort zones and step out in faith, we allow ourselves to get held back by fear and intimidation of the unknowns in our lives. This also further clarified what the Lord meant in the water-filling vision. The Lord impressed upon me that He can only fill us when we are willing to first empty ourselves.

“Are you willing to empty yourself so that the Lord can fill you to overflowing? Your degree of emptiness determines the depth of the in-filling and the amount of the overflow!”

The Holy Spirit also revealed to me that the students in our discipleship class are being equipped with the Word so that we can make prophetic declarations and decrees over this nation.

“The Lord is filling us up with His word so that we can make prophetic decrees that come from an overflow of His word in us; decrees and declarations over the Philippines that will come to pass because His word does not return to Him void but fulfill its every purpose.”

Hearts of the Children Back to the Fathers

Almighty God, I pray that You would turn the hearts of the children back to the fathers; that respect and love for the fathers would be restored in the hearts of the children of this nation. Father, let obedience be the language children speak to their parents; that it becomes a tangible sign of an intangible character. Let there be not only an outward turning back of children's hearts to the fathers and leaders of our nation, but let there be a genuine change from within, from our hearts, because that is where it should begin.

Father God, I pray that the people of this nation would learn to respect their leaders; that we as citizens of the Philippines would learn to respect and submit to the delegated authority You have placed above us, as You have allowed them to be there for a purpose. Teach us Holy Spirit to intercede for our government officials -- from our President to our barangay tanods -- so that they will be guided and led by You in everything they do. Help us, Filipinos, to lift our politicians up to You Lord in prayer; that instead of calling them names, bad mouthing them and heaping curses on them, we would bless them, speak words of life and encouragement to them, and cover them in prayer. Enable us, God, to see beyond who they are in the natural; open our spiritual eyes to see them the way You see them -- they, too, are precious in Your sight.

Lord, I pray that the hearts of the people in the Philippines would turn their hearts first and foremost to You, our Heavenly Father, because we need to set our hearts to will of the King if we are to live under Your rule, Your reign, You Kingdom; because once our hearts are turned to You, Father, submission, respect and obedience to our earthly fathers, leaders and delegated authority will become an overflow of our submission, respect and obedience to You. I pray, Father, that You would let this start within the hearts of every single Filipino. Let it start in mine.

In Jesus' mighty name I pray.

Hearts of the Fathers to the Children

Father God, I pray that You turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children; the hearts of politicians to the people; the heart of the governors to their constituents; the heart of the mayors to their citizens. I pray for Your righteousness to reign in the hearts of men in the land and that Your righteousness would become a way of life for us Filipinos.

God, give this nation the heart of the Father. Give us a heart that loves unconditionally, the way You love unconditionally. Let the fathers of this nation rise up; let the men of this nation be the leaders that You've made them to be; let them be teachers, mentors, friends, preachers, pastors, captains, commanders, tutors, peacemakers and example-setters to their children first of all -- because it has to start at home before it sweeps the whole country.

Father, raise up godly and God-fearing men and fathers in the Philippines. Men who will put the interest of other before their own. Men who will put You first before themselves. Men who are not afraid to give up the things they want in life to give way to the things that You want in their lives. Men who will have the heart of the Heavenly Father -- willing to bless others, willing to give good things, willing to sacrifice for the greater good, willing to always set their hearts on the needs of others.

God, give us a revelation of Your heart, Father, so that we will know unconditional love at its highest form, for only when our hearts are turned to Yours can there be a true turning of the hearts of the fathers back to the children.

This I pray in the name of Your Son Jesus. Amen.

Prophetic Word for the Philippines

This is the full text of the prophecy spoken by Cindy Jacobs over the Philippines...

The Lord would say to the Philippines... I am shaking everything that can be shaken so that no man can glory in what I will do. For I have waited for a generation that I could raise up a purity and a holiness in. And I am raising up firebrands! There is a forerunner anointing coming upon the youth of the Philippines that will prepare the way of the Lord, even into the Middle East . Look and see what I will do in Mindanao . For I am going to visit in a way that you cannot imagine! I am coming to Mindanao, says the Lord, as God and the Lord of Hosts, and I am going to start appearing. As a sign that I am going to truly change the nation, I am going to show Myself to the guerilla leaders. I am going to come, says the Lord, and I am going to begin at the places in the Philippines that have been the bloodiest, the places where the guerillas, insurrection have been the strongest.

And I am going to come with signs and wonders and miracles! I am getting ready to pour out a miracle anointing upon the Philippines such as the earth has never seen! For Indonesia , they had a mighty rushing wind. But in the Philippines they will have the fire from heaven that will begin to fall! And this will be a purging fire! And I will say, I will visit even as if in a day, says God. Do not think that I am not able to come in a day and begin to unravel the iniquities of the nation, says the Lord! I am going to visit the military. I am getting ready to come among the young in the military. And the Lord says, there's going to be a revolution of righteousness that comes within the military. I'm getting ready to dethrone everything that needs to be dethroned, for even the bowls of heaven are full. Oh, I see the bowls in heaven are just getting ready to be tipped over the Philippines and I am going to spill out my glory!

And the Lord says, I will remove the shame that Satan has tried to put upon this nation! And the Lord says, look and see, for even the blood of the martyrs cries out from Saudi Arabia! The blood of the martyrs cries out from those Islamic nations, and my Filipino people that have laid their lives down. Do not think I haven't seen it! Do not think I am looking away! Do not think I do not see you! Do not think I do not see you, Philippines , for I see you! You are the apple of my eye! You are a treasure unto me! This is the day and this is the hour when I begin to change everything, says the Lord! I'm going to change the judicial system. I'm going to dethrone corrupt judges. I'm getting ready to deal with the police force. I'm going to expose, expose, expose, expose!

And the Lord says, look and see what I will do! For I will open up my treasure chest from the Philippines ! And I am going to release finances for the Philippines that will surprise and shake even Hong Kong ! For I am getting ready to move a distribution of wealth, says God. And I am getting ready to open the oil! I am getting ready to open that which is in the ocean! I'm getting ready to bring forth a revolution even in the economic systems, in the finance systems!

Look to the university in Manila , says God. For I am going to bring a revival that the... Oh my Lord!... the Lord says, not hundreds, but thousands and thousands and thousands are going to get saved! The Lord says, can I touch a whole university? Yes, I can touch a whole university! I can come with My glory and I can come with My power in ways that you cannot imagine! For I am coming, says God! I am coming and I will remain, says the Lord.

My Seasons in the River

I've been with the Maranatha Christian Fellowship in Cebu for four years now and looking back, the Lord has brought me through many seasons with the congregation and in my personal life.

I joined MCF in 2003, in the time when the congregation went through a season of shifting. During this season, I got swept into the river and began my flow -- my journey -- into true spiritual growth. This was also the time when I started my involvement with the MCF New Life Sounds Choir. 2003 will always be a big spiritual touchstone for me as I consider it my spiritual birth year. I really felt welcomed into the river during the September 2003 Let the River Flow prophetic conference. I literally felt growth in my spirit beginning here.

As the years passed and as I began to grow more in the river, God also brought me through a season of testing and waiting. There was this dream of mine that I have had for such a long time and I thought it had been answered in 2003. I have been seeking the Lord about the fulfillment of this dream and for two years -- 2004 and 2005 -- I had been in a season of waiting on Him. It was one of the most trying times in my life. The things I thought I knew and claimed were put through the fire. But the Lord's assurance to me was through the prophet Isaiah: they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. And renew my strength He did! Looking back at that time I can say those waiting periods really molded me and trained me in pursuit of the King.

I was also brought through a season of labor and more responsibilities -- particularly in the choir. The Lord gave me some seemingly unsurmountable stuff back in 2006 pertaining to our cantata presentations and I felt thoroughly overwhelmed. But it was God's way of training my hands for war and for more. The bigger the load I got, the more dependent I became on Him. This season taught me to do the best that I can, to trust God to do the rest and rest in Him when I've done my best. He is in control after all. Not me.

Finally, the changing of seasons in the last month has brought me and my congregation -- and presumably, the nation -- to a season of war. It's now time to contend for the lost of this nation. It's time to take back by force what belongs to the Lord. It's time to stand on the authority that God has given us over this nation and over the oppressing spirits in this nation.

The preaching in the church lately has been focusing on recognizing the seasons, knowing the proper response for the season, and learning to flow with the Spirit this season. I liked Pastor Nap's word of encouragement during the revival service last night: God is drawing the men of this house (MCF) to Him and giving them the heart of Jesus so that they will care for the things God cares for; this is a season for men to become more sensitive to the things of God and the presence of God. I believe this. I feel it. God is calling the men of MCF to a deeper intimacy with Him and that intimacy will result in a heart of stone being traded for a heart of flesh -- a heart that always longs for more of the Lord.

It is an exciting season here in the Philippines and -- based on the prophecies on Elijah List -- all over the world. There is just so much more that God can do that we have not even begun to imagine or think. Ha! He's just about to blow the Philippines away! I KNOW IT!

Let the River Flow 2007: Day Three

November 25, 2007 / Sunday

Morning Session
The worship time was really powerful and God's presence was unmistakable. Pastor Joe DiSarno came up to the pulpit and sensed the Spirit asking, "Where are the watchmen? Where are they?"

Because the glory of God was so great in the hall, one of the giants in the land came crashing down -- Jezebel! Stacey Campbell called on the men to rise up and take our place of leadership, as watchmen of the Philippines, and as gatekeepers of our families. It was really amazing. I believe the men coming forward to the altar and declaring victory over the Jezebel (controlling) spirit in the nation was really symbolic of what was happening in the spiritual. Whoa! Jesus has given us the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions, and to overcome "ALL" the power of the enemy! Hooooooooooooooooooooo! Hallelujah! Freedom!!!

I'm telling you it was a great way to "anoint the warriors" of Cebu! Haha! Daddy!!!

The Lord's reassurance to the body was that He loves us no matter what. Therefore, we don't have to strive as children of the Father. We don't have to fall under the performance trap. We don't have to prove anything to anyone. WE ARE LOVED BY THE KING! WE ARE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE ALMIGHT GOD! PERIOD. Haha! The God who holds the universe in His hands has His eyes locked on us. Whoa!

Rise up, men of God! Rise up, WARRIORS! "Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weakling say, 'I am strong!'" Rise up, sons of God! PREPARE FOR WAR!!! Haha!


Afternoon Session
The afternoon meeting was more of a time of instruction as to where our "war efforts" were to be concentrated. Stacey said she felt Cebu is going to be a place of training and instruction for the Kingdom, and that she sees the city as a spiritual refreshing station for the nation. Wow! I live in Cebu. I am so blessed! Haha!

Later on, Stacey shared part of what she and her husband, Wesley, were doing in their ministry. She shared about the need to reach out the women and children of the world, emphasizing that children at the most at risk today. She also pointed out the spirit of poverty as one of the major enemies of the Church. Looks like we've got our work cut out for us. Hehehe. Thank You, Lord.

Stacey used the parable of the good Samaritan to drive home her point. In the passage, an expert of the law asks Jesus, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Then Jesus tells him the story of the traveler who fell into the hands of robbers, and how a priest and a Levite who were passing by didn't do anything to help the poor guy on the ditch. Instead, it was the most unlikely -- the Samaritan -- who extended a helping hand to the beaten man. Stacey challenged us, as Christ did in this scripture, that if we want to go to Heaven, we should "Go and do likewise" -- or as I summed it up in my notes: "Love God. Love people."


Evening Session
The last session of the conference was really something else. It was as different and as unique as the other sessions the came before it. Stacey shared to us part of what she does during her personal devotional time. We were reading passages of scripture, and singing the Word as a way of praying the Bible. It was intense. Everyone was on their feet and singing the Bible to God, singing prophetic words to the nation. It was really great. I got a lot of tips from this evening's session.


- - - - -


Let the River Flow 2007 was incredible, to say the least. With the changing of season in the Philippines, it was timely to hear what the Spirit of God had to say. I believed we got what we needed in preparation for the new season. I believe the men in this city, in this nation are hearing the call of God to take their place of leadership, and are rising up. I really believe things are starting to change in the spiritual atmosphere in my nation.

I am excited about what God will do next.

"Maranatha!"


- - - - -


To Pastor Benjun and Ate Malou: I hope these notes gave you an idea of what took place during the conference. God bless you guys. ;o)

Let the River Flow 2007: Day One

November 23, 2007 / Friday

Harp & Bowl
Before the 10am assembly started, we had a worship, prayer and intercession session. The spirit of intercession for the nation was heavy as it came down upon the Upper Room of the Maranatha World Outreach Center (in Manalili, Cebu).

There was a cry for the children of the nation, for the fatherless generation; that Father God would father them; that the Lord would send them father figures to train them and raise them up so they can fulfill their destiny in the Lord.

A prayer for the schools in the nation was also spoken. It was a prayer for the teachers to become the leaders and instruments that the Lord would use to raise up the students in righteousness.

There was also a cry for the Filipino church, the body of Christ in the Philippines, to rise up and stand in the gap for the nation.


Morning Session
The main emphasis during the morning session was a changing of seasons. Pastor Jerome pointed out that recognizing the seasons in our lives is one of the most prophetic things we can do. There is a new season that has already begun in the Philippines and we can either be part of it or just be bystanders. Pastor Jerome said it this way: "We could either be forerunners or drifters."

There was a call to revolutionalize our way of thinking, to have a mindset of serving God and fighting for the Lord as the Philippines has now entered a spiritual season of WAR! "We must have a wartime mindset," said Pastor Jerome. He also emphasized that Satan wants to lure us to a peacetime mindset in order for us to not be on the watch. "WE ARE AT WAR!"

The challenge toward the end of Pastor Jerome's preaching was to bring the focus back to God, and to put our wartime mentality on. We were encouraged to find joy in this season of war and to be confident in the fire of God to burn inside of us.

The question that lingers in my mind is: "Are you willing to lay down your today for your country's future?"


Afternoon Session
Stacey Campbell came in for the afternoon session and confirmed the prophetic word spoken by Pastor Jerome -- the season is changing in the Philippines; it is a season of WAR! Stacey pointed out that on her way to Cebu, on the plane, she sensed the strong presence of witchcraft and demonic spirits in the land; that these spirits are oppressing and opposing Christians in the nation. She called for us to fight against these spirits for GREATER is He in us than he that is in the world.

Stacey also encouraged us to turn passive faith into aggressive faith, and to not let the enemy's design (to make us quit) take over us. Instead, we should hold on to the fact that God wants -- and enables -- us to be successful overcomers.

She also said that God is training us for this new season and that even in our trials we can be happy because there is joy in serving Him -- this is also a confirmation of what Pastor Jerome said in the morning session that God doesn't want us to live a miserable life.


Evening Session
The evening session was a build-up of what had been shared by Pastor Jerome and Stacey during the day. Stacey felt that she was in Cebu to anoint the warriors and prophesied over Pastor Joe (DiSarno) saying he's a general who's gonna be getting battle strategies from the Lord and lead the army to war.

Then Stacey read from the book of Joel (chapter 3), which is call to war, to rouse the warriors. She highlighted the importance of becoming intimate with God in relation to going into battle: "You can't go to war if you don't know you're loved!" Intimacy is the key to victorious warfare! And acts of war does not have to be big and bold all the time. Stacey shared that during her times with the Lord, He told her that "it is enough that you die to yourself daily."

Another point of emphasis that night was the importance of how we pray and live our lives, because according to Stacey, "it matters to the nation." As we stand in the gap and pray for those who cannot pray for themselves in the Philippines, we also need to show God's love and righteousness by the way we act and live. And there was also the reminder to keep praying and fasting for this nation to bring in the prophets, prophetic words and prophecies.

It is time to get serious about the weapons of warfare God gave to us -- FAITH, HUMILITY, PRAYER AND FASTING (among others, of course). Because of John 3:16 -- because God so loved the WORLD -- we need to be in warfare for the world, for the lost, and bring them into the Kingdom of God.

- - - - -

Day Two to follow.

A New Season

During last night’s revival service, I got confirmation of many things that have been swimming in my head. It felt good to know that despite my shortcomings the Lord has graciously led me to the path that He wants me to walk on. Those confirmations were also assurances that my desire to be able to clearly hear God speak to me has been granted in ever increasing measure.

My pastor, Joseph DiSarno (my friends fondly call him Joe Di), mentioned in the midst of the service that he sees a changing of seasons. He sees it in the spiritual: a new season is coming. This confirmed what I have been sensing in my spirit: that the Lord is bringing me into a different season. I also sensed this changing of seasons in Maranatha Christian Fellowship (my congregation), the New Life Sounds Choir (one of the ministries I am involved in) and the Philippines (my beloved nation).

Another word I received last night was a confirmation of my decision to totally lay down something that I had been holding on to for quite some time. When one lays something down before the Lord, it has to die. And when something is dead, it has to stay dead... until God decides to resurrect it, or use it as a seed to grow more Christ-like qualities in one's character. Either way, the decision has already been made. This particular season in my life has ended. The rest is now up to God.

Thirdly, Pastor Nap, who shared the word last night, spoke on the need for change in the Philippines; that there needs to be a turning of the fathers' (the Elijahs') hearts to the children and the children's (the Elishas') hearts to the fathers. This one confirmed the Lord's recent reminder to me to pray for my nation, and to continue fasting and praying with my congregation until God pours out His justice on the Philippines.

- - - - -

A few days from now the Let the River Flow Prophetic Conference will take place here in Cebu. Stacey Campbell is coming and so is Pastor Jerome (Ocampo). Things are stirring up in the spiritual atmosphere in the Philippines, particularly in Cebu. I believe, along with my congregation, that God will unleash a prophetic word and anointing for the body of Christ in this nation. New oil that will bring the church -- and the country -- to a new level of faith and dependence on the Almighty God.

A new sesason is coming. The prophets are rising. And a new Philippines is just a matter of time.

Five Lessons of Purpose

2003 is a touchstone year for me. I would say it is the hinge of my spiritual maturity. The Lord has spoken to me through many ways in that year. One of the ways He spoke to me was through the Purpose-Driven Life, by Rick Warren. I received wisdom from the Lord then that I still am living out and living with right now.

Lesson #1 – I am not in control!
Control is an illusion. God is the creator of the universe, the solar system, the earth, and me. Everything is under His power, including my finite, insignificant life. He made me and chose me before I was born, before I knew Him. He is the God who orders my steps and who wrote the days of my life in His book even before any one of those days came to be. He’s got it all planned out and he’s got it all under control. My purpose is to seek Him and find out what His best for me is, and walk in it.

Lesson #2 – Please God, not men!
This is one of the lessons the Lord has been hammering in on me in the past few years. “Let the people pleaser die, Mike! And do what pleases Me!” my Daddy said. So, up to today, the people pleaser is gradually digging its own bunker, six feet under. And the best thing about pleasing God is that He is the only One that really matters and deserves pleasing.

Lesson #3 – Pray for everyone!
A tall order when I first received this from the Lord. I used to have a problem keeping awake or attentive when I pray. But over the years, my prayer life has evolved. I’m not saying I’ve made it, but only that I get better with each passing day. It’s a challenge to pray for everyone because everyone is such a great number. Nevertheless, the Lord is wise, being a God of order, so He reminds me to pray for the people in my life in an orderly fashion. Lately, God has been reminding me to pick up my call to pray for MY NATION [capitalized because I need to take ownership of the Philippines and bring it before the presence of God in prayer]. I’m working on it. With all the other believers praying for this country, it’s only a matter of time before God SHOWS UP!

Lesson #4 – Not feelings; not sight!
Faith is one of the things the Lord has been growing in me since my 2003 turning point. Learning to transition from depending on what I see in the natural to relying on what I see in the spiritual is one of the disciplines I have had to undergo in the last four years of my life. I praise God from brining me from glory to glory in this aspect of my life and for giving the increase in my faith. After all, the Christian life is walk of faith, not by sight.

Lesson #5 – Rely on the Lord and be victorious!
God is looking for people who are solely dependent on Him. People who will seek His face to worship Him, and His will to obey Him. These types of people get to be the victorious ones. People who have a wholehearted determination to find God are the most likely to succeed and get more of Him. Me? A work in progress. I’ve got the whole dependence-on-God part down pat (who am I without Him anyway). But I still work on the wholehearted-determination part. And I’m glad I still have lots of room for improvement.

I am so blessed to have read the Purpose-Driven Life. Other people may have different responses to the book, but for me it was life-changing.

And now, I’m moving onward to my next touchstone.