It was such a blessing to be part and present at yesterday’s Connect Conference in Grantham with Jonathan Conrathe of Mission 24 and his team on the 2/7/22.
It is true that the word of God will always locate you . Whilst it was touch and go whether I would have attended the event , I can say with all assurance that I was meant to be there and our Father confirmed his word with signs following. That I was able to attend with my youngest , born again, Holy Ghost filled, daughter, was a testament of the restoration and work that the Lord has done in our lives – some of you know my personal story of how the enemy sought to disrupt and destroy, but the Lord turned all things round for my good.
I am hoping that you reader will access the full messages of both speakers (James Aladarin and Stephen Derbyshire), yourselves via M24 owns site and in your own time.
Here, I will try to precise what those messages meant to me personally and how I see things in this season for ministries and for kingdom. I will always indicate direct quotes where relevant . I may edit and update or an add on over time and as the Lord leads.
When I write , I write by instruction and commission and also with my many years experience of safeguarding and working strategically across diverse communities . It is my view that so much more needs to be done in the area of diversity. The work we do for kingdom can never be about ‘us’ or ‘our ministries’. We need to be careful of cliques, the formation of same , and also ensure that we are representative in terms of the communities we serve, at every level.
Some of us sweat the small stuff , continue to be busy and officious and miss the small important relational things right under our very noses, including safeguarding our relationships with each other and with Father. I include myself in this. It has been said before , that we can be so heavenly minded that we miss the simple good things, we can be doing on earth with, and to each other.
I have heard many preachers in my time and moved and touched by the word in them and flowing through them – but I hear the crystal clear of Father’s heart when I hear Jonathan Conrathe teach and minister and pray and it brings tears to my eyes. I have never been about ‘bigging up ministers either, but I speak as I find. May God continue to bless Jonathan and give him more wisdom to direct this vehicle , M24 (God has clearly placed in his hands ) and into this next season.
Again, I can never do justice to the word and prophetic messages uttered by both James Aladarin and Stephen Derbyshire. That is not my purpose in writing . Paul plants, Apollos waters and it is God who gives the increase. I am cascading and doing my part. As Stephen D opined ‘enlarging our tent is a command, not a promise’. We have to do something with what we are given. We also need to know who we are in Christ.
I have heard James many times before and he remains a sharp threshing instrument in Father’s hands. It was the first time hearing Stephen Derbyshire . That Stephen, confirmed the word above and from Isaiah and elsewhere that the Lord had given me , and in such a beautiful way, was very special.
The church needs to rise up and sing and rejoice for the Lord has done and will continue to do it… He has done it in my life and He is faithful. He is no respecter of persons and He wants to do it in yours. More are the children of the unmarried woman, than the children of the married, because the Lord himself, is her husband – that was the essential message coming from Stephen and the instruction to “Sing’. On reflection, some of us struggle with singing because we have lost our first love. We have become weighed down. We are here to ‘reverse the curse’ – we are ‘reverse of the curse agents…’ !!!! One tool we use is our voice and our hearts and in singing – emptying our cups, breaking off the heaviness and the spirit of timidity and fear.
Most profound was the message from one the ministers (either Stephen or James – there was such an interlink and interchange in the messages) , that it is our lack of prayer that causes the delay in revival. Using the story of Moses and expounding on the time sequences and the 30 year delay ….. (I think I got that right ) in the children of Israel stepping into their destiny . This was as a result of the prayerlessness and not crying out and triggering our angels to carry out divine assignments. I am oh so guilty . James would say that ‘Prayers leaving earth allows things to be released from heaven’ . I know that I am not where I am supposed to be. We need to pray more and strategize more in the area of prayer, before seeking ‘to do’ the many ministry stuff that we are so good at.
That James was able to share his special message on passing the baton – ie the real meaning of discipleship with his own son Justice, spoke volumes to me and identity in the journey I am on with my own special seed, my youngest daughter. This does not come by might or power, but by the working of the Holy Spirit and if we provide the environment for the seed to grow.
Prayer, remains the key and more importantly ensuring we include our Father in what we do or plan to do. James spoke about the anointing upon and within us. How the anointing upon us can crush a man or or a woman, who has internal soul issues, not yet dealt with. An individual can be seen to be doing great things for God but in truth left God out of the picture, a long time ago. The fall eventually comes and can be seen, but not before a lot of damage done along the way. Don’t always judge by outward appearance, or gifting , or ability, or can I say ‘bums on seats’. Judge the heart and the actions of a man or a woman and the fruit. By the fruit, one is known.
What does it profit a man or a woman , if you spearhead or are part of a public international ministry, doing , doing, going going, breaking your neck to touch the lives of foreigners elsewhere, yet find it difficult to stop and hug or greet your foreign brother or sister or look them in the eye, right under your nose?
First things first and it is about love. Father is giving us many opportunities to get it right.
I was convicted during the middle of Covid, that I was praying for the whole world… but had not given much attention to my own birth family…. I am one of nine. Our extended family prayer altar is now 2 years old and growing… horizontally and vertically . It has not been easy and there have been attacks , but we have a baptism next month, not my doing, but by the working of the Holy Spirit, blessed be his Holy name.
Stephen Derbyshire gave us a picture of the ministry he spearheads in Ilford and the important of diversity and representation at leadership level. Secular institutions have been working over the years on this, seeking to get it right (and where I have been pivotal ). It is imperative that the church of Jesus Christ is representative and that we continue to review and examine whether our ministries fall short in this regard.
For sure , there is still a divide between black and white churches, black and white Christians (sadly , I see it… ) and divide across doctrine and denominational lines and as the ministers opined, revival is stymied until we begin to tear down those walls and begin to build better together. It begins with openness, honesty , genuineness and love. This is my view and added emphasis.
What I love about Jonathan Conrathe, is the welcome and warmth and hug with open arms – just like Father..
I had two open visions /impressions as the word was being shared by the different ministers throughout the day. I don’t know how other people get visions or revelation in the day, but I see pictures, they just pop up …. and then I see the word or get the meaning.
First vision I received as Stephen Derbyshire was ministering on Jeremiah 18, was a picture of a man made metallic structure like the Eiffel Tower in shape with a couple of astronauts in big headed helmeted suits, hanging by their hands from the sides of the scaffold. I don’t fully understand what this vision means yet (it will come) but a couple of things jump out right now – the scaffold was man made, they were fully dressed, silver white suited and booted with black visors (that was a play on words and related to visa… ) looked like they got it together, but not going anywhere. They were dangling from the scaffold , couldn’t ascend…. and appeared “Hung out to dry”.
It was Stephen who spoke on the reason the burying place of the body of Moses was never disclosed . It was very interesting and more importantly , the message of the danger of raising up monuments to men or women, when God is on the move and wanting to do a new thing and through new individuals and a new generation. We cannot step into the new when we are hanging onto the old.
Stephen spoke about the dangers of settlers and people bedding down in positions preventing new and dynamic change to come in.
The second vision I had, as James spoke about separating from our past, was a picture of two exhaust pipes – and the word was ‘firing from both cylinders’. This is a good picture and a good word….. Glory to God. I receive it for myself. Who doesn’t want to be firing from both cylinders?
My daughter and I had been praying in the spirit through Derby and Nottingham as we drove down towards Grantham . It is our practice. We drove past the area where she had been ‘taken to live’ many years ago and she was able to remark on the restorative work that even she knew God had done in our lives. We prayed for the significant individuals who had played a necessary part in birthing Father’s plan for our lives . Despite the earlier pain of separation and loss, it was all working out for our good. The ministers in the conference had later spoken about incubation, separation and pruning and it being a necessary, vital and divine work.
The healing anointing and the word bright was released as we drove and prayed and ‘it is time’. The first prophetic utterance I ever uttered as a street evangelist and on the corner of Cemetry junction ,Reading, Berkshire was 7/7/2007 and the word was ‘it is time’. James’ earlier message on what causes delay has significance here – the Lord is waiting on us… !!!! Help us Lord to step up and step in.
The word ‘it is time’ was repeated at points throughout the day including by Jonathan, as he spoke. It is time to ‘think and behave differently, pray differently and be filled with the spirit ‘. It is time for the the word of God to become more alive in us – we need to practice what we preach.
The kings business requires haste, hence this quick reprise this morning. We need not compromise on the truth ,nor fear the faces of men (or women) but speak clearly on the basis of our calling. We need to know who we are in Christ and not to apologize.
The Lord’s heart, eyes and hands are on the UK and there is much work for us to do here. I saw both the faces of the current prime minister, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (William and Catherine) in the spirit and as the day went on. Regardless of your political point of view, we need to continue to cover them in prayer . They are positioned for this hour and by God. As James said, ‘we need to be connected with the urgency of this moment (for the UK) and carry the heart of Jesus in prayer’ . Having stared death in face many times, and fought with the beast at Ephesus (the latter so to speak ) the time for me is now and it is not a dress rehearsal.
We need to always be careful how we listen and how we hear and what we do with what we hear. Mine is about changing my own heart and ensuring I don’t miss it and that I continue to hold true to the assignment that has been given to me.
There may be many lumps and bumps acquired on and in our vessel along the way, but God is willing to start again with us, to restore and remake akin to the remodeling of the clay in Jeremiah 18 – Stephen’s word. If we are to ascend and do great things in this hour , we need to work on self , pride , our own achievements, and man made structures, and let God remake and fashion us. I think this is the message hidden in the revelation and vision of the astronauts and Eiffel – shared above – (see I get greater revelation as I write…). The Eiffel is synonymous with the issue of pride. I am not a physicist, but when one explores further about the space suit that an astronaut wears, one will find that along with the need for a back pack , the suits have tubing which has to be connected to a life source to help the astronaut to live & breathe. In the open vision I received it appears there was a disconnect from the life source (who is God) affecting proper placing, positioning , ascendency and survival.
My assignment is one of prophetic prayer and evangelism, raising and nurturing seed and speaking the truth in love. My tongue is the pen of a ready writer , Glory to God.
God bless , Jon, James and Stephen….. God bless you all as we continue to tryst together for the good of the kingdom.
I am ,
Evangelist Linda J UK
3/7/2022
One response to “Reviewing and Redeeming the time – 2 7 22”
Beautiful, rich written word.