Under the Foundation

“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”  

These words in Ephesians 2:19-22 have been read by me many times, quoted by my colleagues and friends, and shared from the pulpit by my Pastors. Of course, intellectually I understood what Paul was saying to the church in Ephesus and the thought of being part of the unity in Christ Jesus grabbed my heart from the first time I heard/read it. Then one day years ago, the Lord unexpectedly expanded this verse for me. He gave me a picture, actually a dreamy vision upon waking, about the building of His Kingdom and its foundation.  Since I received the dream quite awhile ago, for the most part I had forgotten about it, until this week. During my prayer and meditation time, Holy Spirit brought forth a powerful memory of what He had shared with me all those years ago. He repeated it, expanded it and overwhelmed me with it.  The reliving of the dream was so powerful that there is no doubt in my heart I am to share the dream and His commentary/interpretation as an encouragement. It is particularly for His intercessors and the praying church, but truly a message to all.

In the dream the Lord showed me His apostolic people, the builders of His Kingdom, with a particular focus on the foundation. We always talk about the foundation of church (the Ecclesia) being the Apostles and Prophets. I had been taught they were the builders, fuel and catalyst for expansion of the Kingdom of God. And, that these two anointed groups of leaders build upon the foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, they do all that, but there is more!

In the dream I saw a huge building. It was sprawling and construction was happening all over and around it.  It was alive with activity. I could see it was wide and deep, strong and sturdy. As we approached the building I could see that it was made up of many “living stones” – many people of every color, shape and size.

The scene changed quickly and we (Holy Spirit and I) zoomed in from the top of the building sailing through layer after layer of it very quickly. The movement toward the foundation abruptly stopped for a moment and we hovered on one of the floors so that I could see clearly where we were. Then we slowly proceeded. As we went lower and lower, floor after floor, there were fewer and fewer living stones. The bustling activity and construction appearance of the upper and outer portions of the building were far different than the atmosphere on the lower floors. The living stone here were larger and stronger, Rock-solid, able to bear great weight. There was a sense of joyful abiding, steadfast dependence upon God, stalwart faith and perseverance. When we reached what I perceived as the foundation we stopped. It was thick and very strong, but full of cracks. Though the cracks were there, it was still strong as every crack was filled by many stones.

While we tarried there, Holy Spirit spoke to me: “Your position is the foundation under the foundation.”   I have to say that stunned me. It never occurred to me there could be a place under the foundation, but of course for every building in the natural realms there is something under it…. the earth!  So, I asked to see that place under the foundation.

We punched through that last apostolic layer of the Kingdom building and under it was a thick bed of what I can only describe as “river rock,” rock that one might use as a decorative edge in gardening. The activity here was indeed like a mighty rushing river. A flood of prayer, intercession and supplication, praise, thanksgiving, travail and worship poured out of that place in all directions. All the time of the dream I thought we were going down into the foundation, I suddenly understood we were actually travelling upward toward Jesus.  To us here on earth the Kingdom of God is “upside down” when in actuality our view is the one that is up side down!  The further “down” in the Kingdom building we went in the dream, the closer we were going to to the true foundation of the Ecclesia. That is the Head, our Lord Jesus, seated at the right hand of the Father and from Him flows the Kingdom of God into the natural realms.

This layer of River Rock is where the intercessors and praying church dwell right next to Jesus. These strong, electrically alive stones, support the entire structure that is flowing from Jesus to earth as they stand in the gaps (cracks) in the apostolic foundation and cry out for the things of God to manifest or to be built or established in the earth.  They are recognized , yet hidden.  They rest upon the Chief Cornerstone, the Rock of our Salvation hearing His heartbeat and praying His prayers.  Upon the intercessions and supplications of these praying saints the Apostles, Prophets and the whole rest of Ecclesia and body of Christ are supported and build.

Nothing happens to build God’s Kingdom until it has been prayed by the intercessors/praying church and answered by God through our Lord Jesus Christ who then pours out His Spirit through His Ecclesia to accomplish the plans of the Father.  Colossians 4:3, Ephesians 6:18-20, Acts 10:3-5, Romans 8:25-27

Holy Spirit made it abundantly clear to me that prayer is the power that fuels everything we do to share the Good News and minister to His people.  Intercessors (those with the gift of intercession or who stand in the Office of Intercessor) and the praying church (those in the body of Christ that understand the importance of prayer) are VITAL to the health and well-being and growth of God’s Kingdom.

Yes, every layer of the Kingdom that I saw in the dream there is prayer happening and that is what holds the whole structure together.  As well, some who are intercessors or who pray regularly are also key people in the fabric of other parts of the Kingdom.  This dream is for all who pray, but was released especially to encourage those whose assignment and calling is intercession.  Holy Spirit says to all intercessors: Don’t give up! Keep pressing in!

We who dwell in the foundation under the foundation are about to see an outpouring of answered prayers. Yes, we have had answers all along, but recently the assignment has been very hard. Many are growing weary.  The Lord spoke to me: Hang on! In this season coming quickly there will be an avalanche of answered prayers! Ministers and ministries are about to be accelerated and multiplied. Souls are about to come in by the hundreds then thousands and millions.  Keep on praying and believing! Our God is answering and He is about to answer BIG TIME!

With love to you all,
Rev. Cheryl

Rejoice! And again I say Rejoice!

These past weeks, while walking though a particularly stressful time, I have been hearing from the Lord about the remarkable power of JOY in Him. In fact, the overcoming resilience, fortitude and stalwartness of faith that is needed for this time in history is only found in a foundation of the abounding JOY we have in our Lord Jesus.

He spoke to me: Child, reading  and studying My word is excellent. Praying is excellent. Gathering in fellowship with your brothers and sisters in Me is excellent. Participating in community outreaches is excellent. Blessing others and helping others is excellent. Yet, you do all this in little power and strength of fleeting happiness and do not draw fully upon the well of power packed overflowing and abounding JOY that is found only in Me. Let’s talk together just to talk. Let’s laugh and dance and be silly together. Let Me make your heart merry as you spend time with Me; as My love washes away the heavy load of life and ministry. Yes! Let’s laugh and rejoice together, even in the midst of tears and challenges, because all things are in My hands and you can trust Me no matter your circumstances. 

It was true when I heard these words that life had weighed me down. There were deaths of people I loved and admired. Illness had struck too many in my group of friends and close to home in my life and family. Ministry, while so fulfilling and good, was busy and feeling heavy. Decisions came upon me that seemed insurmountable but needed to be made and then, as if He had no idea that I was overwhelmed, the Lord called me to make a giant step into the unknown with Him. He asked me to give up something I love. Of course, I said yes, but the sacrifice of it was very painful. As I took the pain to Him, He gave me supernatural Joy in exchange. I was able to overcome and do all I needed to do because of that JOY! I received it because I went to the Father and asked for help.

First, He poured it out upon me and then He taught me how to walk constantly in His abounding JOY.

Paul and the church at Philippi were in dire circumstances when he instructed them out of the abounding JOY he had in Christ Jesus to: REJOICE in the Lord always! Knowing that those words would fall on overwhelmed hearts and not penetrate he added: And again, I will say REJOICE!  That admonition was followed by instructions in Philippians 4:5-9

Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Holy Spirit’s revelation to me as He taught me about these passages of scripture was that