Dear Believer,

In recent days I have had recurring visions of a lampstand. One time was during worship at the church where my husband and I pastor in Bedford, Texas, and the other times were during my private prayer times. Each time I had the visions, I was completely aware that the lampstand (also commonly known as a candlestick) was The Lampstand, a manifestation of the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the True Light of the world.

In each vision, The Lampstand was completely engulfed by what I would describe as an all-consuming fire (similar to what Moses might describe with the burning bush), and, at the same time, still maintained its seven different branches and cups fully lit and shining brightly. It appeared that all seven wicks were filled with oil and were burning brilliantly. One of the purposes for its dazzling appearance was to release more oil to God's people so they could continue to burn for His glory.

It was clear to me that God desired for us to "trim our wicks," i.e. be prepared for fresh visitations, so that when He came into our midst (at anytime!) we would be ready for a fresh outpouring of oil. I was reminded during the visions of the ten virgins who took their lamps to meet the Bridegroom. I felt such an urgency to know Him more intimately. I thought to myself during the one of the visions that one of the translations for the word "anointing" means "to look into the face of oil!" I was looking into the face of Jesus, the Anointed One! He was confirming that a fresh anointing was being released. But, there was more – much more – that He was saying and doing.

Dear one, keep reading. I believe that God is preparing all of us for a greater anointing and an encouragement.

The Eyes of the Lord

In one of the visions I noticed that there were eyes peering out from the Lampstand. While still involved in this particular vision, I immediately recalled the passage in Zechariah 4:10 which states that the "eyes of the Lord...run to and fro through the whole earth." The eyes were not seeking to pinpoint shame or the lack of God's people measuring up to some type of "holy standard"; nor did the eyes reflect any form of condemnation. In other words, The Lampstand was, again, a Person and seemed to be communicating a message of love to the people.

There was no judgment, condemnation, or pressure to repent because we had sinned or fallen short of an expectation. There was clearly a message of love, compassion, and forgiveness that was being released from the presence of the all-consuming fire. The eyes that were within The Lampstand were compassionate, yet pure, and were attempting to draw us closer.

Each time I saw The Lampstand a mouth would form out of the fire and then change into a type of trumpet from which the Voice would begin to speak. Each time The Lampstand spoke it was a clear sound, compassionate, yet at the same time it was very declarative, resounding with immense authority.

God Is Watching

As the trumpet spoke, I heard the Lord speak to me about His eyes that were searching the earth. In this vision, three things were made clear to me concerning the eyes of the Lord. First, He is watching over us – all the time – as our Protector and Provider. Secondly, as He also told Jeremiah concerning his own destiny and calling, He is watching over His words so that they will be fulfilled (see Jeremiah 1:12). It was clear that His eyes were upon His people. And thirdly, that He is watching over foundations. He is promising to build His Church, watch over it, and move mountains on our behalf. It is time to speak to the mountains and see them removed! Yet, it will not be by our own might, strength or power, but by His Spirit!

"I Am Equipping My People with Great Faith and Expectation for the Miraculous"

I heard the Lord then say, "I have been preparing a people who will embrace and celebrate My presence. Just as when I called the ten virgins, I am calling My Church. Five of them were prepared and ready. Five were not ready for My visitation.
"Tell My people that I have a supply of grace that is released with a fresh outpouring of anointing. I will empower My people with great demonstration. I am also laying the axe to the root of every hindrance and limitation that has held them captive. I am doing a new thing among My people, and there will be a tangible presence of My Spirit upon the congregation, and the demonstration of My power will be witnessed as never before. I am equipping My people with great faith and expectation for the miraculous, and I am touching their mouths so they are empowered to speak to the mountains of unbelief and see the mountains of doubt removed.
"This is a season that you will seek My face, and when you do so, I will visit you with fire. This fire has originated from Me and was demonstrated in the Old Covenant in various ways. But, I have established a New Covenant with My people – a covenant based upon the eternal sacrifice of My Son and not dead works. For I am setting fire to dead works and releasing a fiery passion to do the works that are represented through heart-felt desire and their 'first works.'
"I will purify the hearts of My children and will set their hearts ablaze for the season ahead. Many are worn out due to the spirit of the antichrist who has made war against the saints. Others have suffered with hope deferred due to delay. However, I am opening up the Heavens and dispatching My mighty army to war against many principalities over territories. And, in addition, I will expose false principles that have also become principalities, represented as religious mindsets and doctrines of man passed down through the generations.
"But yet, know that I am the Mercy Seat and I will extend mercy and great grace for the season ahead. I have plans of success and prosperity for My people. For I am not a God Who punishes His children. I am a God Who loves them as a Father. My heart is to bless them as Sons. Therefore, I will shine forth as the True Light and I will sound My trumpet alarm and gather those to Me that will repent, shift, and transform so that they also become an extension of the Light."

He Is Knocking At the Door of Your Heart

Then I saw the Lord knocking at the doors of the hearts of His people. I knew that it involved the message concerning the ten virgins that Jesus gave to the people (and also to us today).

Matthew 25:1-12 gives us the account of the ten virgins who went to meet with the Bridegroom. There were five virgins who were foolish and five who were prudent. The foolish ones took their lamps, but had no oil. The other five were ready and took the necessary oil with them. When the Bridegroom tarried, the five foolish virgins trimmed their wicks but had not taken the oil for their lamps with them. The diligent virgins had prepared themselves with wicks trimmed and plenty of oil. The five who were foolish sought out to "buy" the oil necessary to meet with the Bridegroom. If you have heard this parable before, continue to read – it's new revelation!

Dear Believer, maybe you have been like me, believing that you might "miss out" on His return, or "miss out" on something great God has for you because you believed that you would never have it all together – like trimming the wicks of your candle and forgetting to have the necessary amount of oil available for use. It is as if I had to anoint myself and it was up to me to remain anointed! Goodness, I have believed almost all of my Christian life that it was up to me to prepare myself as good enough to meet with Jesus! Yet, during these visitations, God was compassionate and was willing to saturate me with oil!

Dear one, He Himself will qualify us if we will let Him! Problem is – we believe it's up to our own goodness, holiness, and religious works that make us ready. Allow me to continue explaining this vision. Precious one, you are about to be set free from any religious performance, legalism, or dead works. Hallelujah!

Five – The Number For "Grace!"

After praying over these visions, I was reminded that the number five represents "grace." This is important to understand as we look at the parable of the ten virgins with a different set of lenses. When I read the passage of Matthew 25:1-12 through the lenses of God's divine grace, the entire parable gives us fresh revelation as to how we are prepared by the hand of God, through His care and love, to embrace His presence!

If you recall the Biblical account, all ten virgins rose up and had their wicks trimmed. In Biblical times, it was often necessary to trim the wicks of a lamp at least once – maybe twice – during the night so that there was always light. The five who were ready stood righteous and properly prepared because of divine grace. It was not their "works" that made them ready – it was His grace that prepared each of them and empowered them to be ready for His visitation. The other five virgins had grace available to them but didn't understand how to completely access it. These five were left with no oil and felt as if they had to go and buy their way into the Kingdom.

Please remember that Jesus said that the Kingdom of God was like these ten virgins. Therefore, the Kingdom of God involves us receiving His grace to demonstrate His light to the earth. I believe God is knocking at the door of our hearts so that we can re-examine our wicks and the oil. Are we relying on God's grace to prepare us or are we believing we have to purchase or work for the anointing and the manifestation of His presence?

Yet, there is more to this powerful parable. Remembering that oil is symbolic of the anointing, the five who ran out of oil desired to burn from someone else's anointing! Remember, they asked the other five for some of their oil! For us today it means that we cannot depend on someone else's anointing – we must have our own.

We each have an anointing, and it is time for us to become a light due to our own, individual relationship with Christ, the Anointed One. As we develop intimacy with the Bridegroom, He will empower each of us with the grace needed to continue to develop the anointing and be used for His glory on this earth.

Dear ones, it is my belief that it is only because of His grace that we are righteous and ready. The part we play as Believers is simply to believe that we are in the grace of God and to follow Acts 13:43: "Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God."
As each of us continue to learn of God's glorious grace and what it means for us (what it has provided), we find ourselves desiring to spend time with Him because in His presence is where He reveals more of His grace, which continues to open and expand our hearts in love for Him. We seek out what pleases Him out of a desire to be drawn even nearer to Him. It is not a duty and it is not an effort (works) – it is all love and grace motivated!

First John 5:3 explains this well:

"For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome."

I love the fact that it is the goodness of God that draws people to repentance. For years I believed that I was never, ever good enough for God to love me. I repented over, and over, and over again out of shame, believing I would never measure up to a holy standard. My righteousness was all wrapped up in my performance. However, I now understand that God is a good God and that He loves me – unconditionally! That revelation causes me to run to Him rather than away from His presence.

Wow! Is it any wonder that we are experiencing a fresh visitation from The Lampstand? His eyes of compassion and love will empower us for our future. The oil that flows from remaining in His presence will empower and equip us for the season ahead. Yes, His truth will surely set us free!

Dr. Sandie Freed
Zion Ministries