Old Dog IV
The Storm Has Come
Bob Neumann
I was sound asleep after a long hard night. Suddenly I found myself awake and standing in my bedroom looking from side to side in search of a “target”. I was in an adrenaline rush with my breathing rapid and shallow, my heart pounding. As I tried to figure out what had brought me awake and “pumped” the “red flags” of my spiritman suddenly exploded and I realized this was beyond anything I had ever experienced. Seeing that whatever was going on was taking place in both realms of the First and Second Heaven I fell back into the pattern I had been keeping for over two weeks in this final season…. THE LORD IS MY LIGHT AND MY SALVATION….
By the time I came to the words that David had proclaimed….For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
I had reached into that place of quiet and was aware of HIS PRESENCE. Once again it was time to be still and wait. So I continued to recite Psalm 27 and came to…….
6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.
7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.
And there HE WAS. No longer was I in my bedroom, but in that place between.
Once again I looked upon THE LAMB OF GOD, THE KING OF GLORY.
“THE STORM IS HERE”, HE SAID. And I walked over to where HE STOOD.
“HOW IS YOUR NIGHT VISION DOG?”, HE ASKED.
Immediately I thought of military night vision goggles and the motto of another military unit came to mind….”WE RULE THE NIGHT”….as do all SOLDIERS OF THE CROSS. And once again we were at the RIVER. It was still at flood and I was suddenly aware…I was on the “wrong side”.
With this awareness THE KING CHUCKLED….and that inner sense of HOLY HUMOR filled me once again.
“THAT IS A MATTER OF OPINION, OLD DOG. TO THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS YOU ARE DEFINITIVELY ON THE WRONG SIDE. AS FOR HERE AND NOW YOU HAVE CROSSED OVER INTO THE LAND OF THE NEPHALIM. IT IS THE PORTION PROMISED LONG AGO TO MY SERVANT CALEB. THE CITY WHERE THE GIANTS RULE.”
It was then I realized I was once again in BLACK ARMOR and in my right hand was a ROD OF IRON. I knew it was time not for battle….but for a “war of extermination”…..and a cold chill went down my spine.
“NOW YOU KNOW THE HEART OF MY FATHER, OLD DOG. THIS IS NO LONGER A SIMPLE TIME OF PRAYER AND INTERCESSION. THE DESIRE OF MY FATHER IS TO SEE HIS CHILDREN SAFE AND SECURE. THE DEEP DARKNESS HAS LONG COVERED YOUR LAND AND CLOUDED THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF MANY WHO SEEK NOT MY KINGDOM AHEAD OF THEIR OWN. THE PROBLEM OF THE LAODICEANS IS NOT SIMPLY LUKEWARMNESS, BUT SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS. THEY FAIL TO SEE THE DARKNESS UPON THEM BECAUSE THEY LOOK AT THE LIGHT OF THEIR OWN IMAGINATIONS.”
Suddenly a line of a song came through my spirit ”AND THE PEOPLE BOW AND PRAY….TO THE NEON GOD THEY MADE…”……..and I stared at HIM….I was simply blown away…..
“THAT’S WHY I ASKED YOU ABOUT YOUR NIGHT VISION, DOG. YOU WONDERED WHY YOU WERE NOT TO GO TO COLORADO…OR ALASKA…OR SOUTH CAROLINA. YOU WONDERED WHY EVERYPLACE YOU “VISITED” FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS WAS NOT A PLACE FOR YOU TO “BECOME A MEMBER”.
HE slowly turned and started to walk and I stayed at HIS LEFT SHOULDER. “THERE ARE SO MANY PRAYER WARRIORS WHO MARCH TOO AND FRO IN THE LIGHT. THERE ARE A FEW WHO CHANCE THE SHADOWS OCCASIONALLY AS THE MOST HOLY SPIRIT LEADS TO SERVE THE WILL OF MY FATHER. FEW STALK THE
SHADOWS AND SEARCH FOR THE DARKNESS, DOG. BUT THEY, LIKE YOU, FIND PECULIAR ENJOYMENT IN DOING SO.”
With that we stepped “out” and were on that hillside we have stood many times. Once again I wondered if there was a real place on this earth with the same outcroppings where we have sat so often. With those thoughts HE TURNED AND LOOKED AT ME WITH LAUGHTER IN HIS EYES. HIS LOOK stopped me in my tracks.
“WHEN YOU FIND THIS PLACE DOG, WE WILL LAUGH TOGETHER. BUT FOR NOW, SIT AND TALK WITH ME AWHILE.”
I sat down and looked down into “the valley”.
“THE JOKE, MY FRIEND, IS THE BATTLES ALWAYS TAKE PLACE IN THE VALLEYS.
SIEGES ALWAYS SURROUND CITIES THAT ARE USUALLY BUILT ON HIGH GROUND. THE LOST AND HURTING OF MY FLOCK ARE NEVER IN THE SHEEPFOLD BUT OUT IN THE BARREN PLACES. THE WOUNDED AND HURTING ARE NOT IN THE HOSPITALS, DOG. BUT OUT IN THE TRENCHES AND THE PITS. YES THERE ARE MANY IN PAIN AND FEAR EVEN IN THE BEST OF CLINICAL CONDITIONS, BUT THEY ARE UNDER CARE AND BEING TREATED.”
“BUT IT IS OUT IN THE DEEP DARKNESS WHERE THE GREATEST SUFFERING OCCURS, AND ABBA WANTS IT TO END. NOW IS THAT TIME. THE STORM IS NO LONGER COMING. IT IS HERE. THE FIRST GUSTS OF WIND ARE BEING FELT. THE FIRST TREMORS ARE BEING FELT.”
“THE ENEMY HAS ONLY ONE DESIRE, TO DESTROY THE SEED. TO BRUTALIZE THE INNOCENT AND THE HELPLESS. TO WEAR DOWN AND FRUSTRATE MY PEOPLE. TO INTIMIDATE THE SAINTS. TO CONFUSE THE ELECT. THESE ARE THE MOST USEFUL STRATEGIES BECAUSE MY KINGDOM HAS SUFFERED AT THE HAND OF THE NICOLAOTINS FOR SO LONG. TOO FEW HAVE SINCERELY SOUGHT MY RIGHTEOUSNESS WHEN EASIER ALTERNATIVES WERE PLACED BEFORE THEM.”
“So that is what that song meant, LORD”, I asked?
“GO AHEAD, DOG.”
“The “neon god they made” is nothing more than false religion.”
“ALL RELIGION IS FALSE DOG, WHEN RELIGION IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN GETTING TO MY FATHER”.
I understood.
“AS A TRUE SERVANT THERE IS NO OBSTACLE IN THE DARK. THE DARKNESS HAS NO HOLD ON YOU FOR YOU ARE OF THE LIGHT. REMEMBER I TOLD YOU TO GO HAVE FUN, DOG. WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM?”
“You gave me no specific targets, LORD?”, I replied. “And my own house was not in order.”
“IS THAT IMPORTANT?” HE ASKED IN A VERY SERIOUS VOICE.
“Would YOU dwell in a pig sty MASTER?”, I asked. “And YOU told me long ago I am only to fight the battles YOU PLAN….when and where YOU DECIDE?”
“THEN WHY ARE ALL THESE PRAYER REQUESTS ABOUT ISRAEL, THE TALIBAN, AND STUFF LIKE “THE BURNING MAN” AND THE “NWO”?”
“I have no clue BOSS.” was the only honest answer I had.
“FEW HAVE THEIR HOUSES IN ORDER, DOG. FEWER YET BUILT ON MY FOUNDATION. AS FOR PICKING BATTLES THAT ARE RIGHT IN THEIR OWN EYES, THAT HAS GOTTEN TOO MANY MAULED FOR NO REASON FOR TOO LONG. I THINK IT IS THE PERFECT TIME TO TAKE THE TACTICS OF THE ENEMY RIGHT INTO THE HEART OF HIS TERRITORY. TO RELEASE THE SPIRIT OF THE DESTROYER AGAINST THOSE WHO COME SEEKING TO ROB, KILL AND DESTROY.”
“Time to devour the ‘devourer’ “, I remembered from long ago.
“START WITH THE SERPENT’S SEED FOR NOW, AND THEN BURN HIS BONES.”
And another chill went down my spine….
“I TAUGHT YOU TO BE A DOG, CALEB, MY FRIEND. BUT INSIDE THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A WOLF. MAYBE IT IS TIME TO FALL BACK ON THAT NATURE.” as I stared HE STOOD UP AND LAUGHED.
AS HE/ WE WALKED AWAY I BEGAN TO HEAR HIM HUM A SONG….
And suddenly I was in my bedroom with cold sweat covering me….and I felt an intense hunger and thirst….
And I remembered that song….and shuddered in memory….
”And another one bites the dust…”
selah
old dog