A celebration was taking place in a traditional village; proabably a wedding. There were tables laden with food and people were singing and dancing. It was late in the evening and getting dark, but lanterns were lighting up the village square. Everybody was happy.

The people were so busy singing and dancing that they forgot that a battle was going on in their land. Suddenly, armed men galloped in on horses and began to strike people with their swords. Women and children began to scream in terror and many of the men tried to hide. Many were injured. Tables were smashed and lanterns crashed to the ground as the horsemen careered around the village.

A few of those who had been celebrating were prepared. They drew swords from under their garments and began to defend themselves. They formed a circle around those who were not armed and defended them too. The defenceless people were still screaming and cringing in the middle of the circle, when the horsemen rode off.

The Holy Spirit said something like this,

I want you to know, my people, that you live in desperate times.
You live in a time when darkness is sweeping across the earth.
Darkness is sweeping across the land.

I want you to be ready but many of you are not prepared.
As you are at present, I fear that many of you will fall.
Many of you will not be able to stand.

Some of you are still entangled in the world.
Some of you are trusting in the strength of the flesh.
Some of you have an independent spirit and will not share your burdens with others.

I want you to walk through this time in victory.
I want you to be a light shining in the darkness.
I want you to be a people who are totally dedicated to me.

You must learn to walk in total obedience:
To hear my voice and follow exactly.
You must learn to draw on the full strength of my Spirit.
You must learn to be victorious in spiritual warfare.
You must learn to stand in unity, because those who stand alone will fall.

I want you to know that you are living in desperate times.
You must use the time that you have to prepare.
I want to do glorious things in these times.
I want a people whom I can lead on to victory.

November 1985

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