Lion
Of
THE ALTAR
October 10, 2004
By Rosie Lovejoy
This vision happened during a very anointed time of praise and worship at the local church I attend.
I saw a cross standing by itself, tall and strong. It was in a deserted place with large boulders and a scattering of high desert plants. The still air was permeated with a soft pulsating love. It enveloped the landscape, seeking out the dry and lonely crevices and gullies. Love literally wrapped everything in its tender arms.
Then I saw the head of the LION OF ZION, sitting before the cross. His love lit up His beautiful amber eyes, and a gentle, sweet love looked out at me through His gentle eyes. A crown of gold appeared on His head, sparkling with large, multi-colored, exquisite jewels.
I saw a gravel road wind its way to the cross, and instinctively I knew I was to walk the road towards my King and His cross. As I approached the road He spoke:
"MOST OF MY CHILDREN DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THE JOURNEY BEGINS WITH THE CROSS-THERE IS NO OTHER WAY. EACH OF THEM MUST DIE TO SELF SO THAT I CAN LIVE THROUGH THEM.
THIS IS NOT OPTIONAL.
I AM NOT A FEEL GOOD GOD.
I AM A RIGHTEOUS AND LOVING GOD.
I AM HOLY.
Then a stone altar appeared under the cross, made of boulders and rocks piled on top of each other. He asked me to climb onto the altar and let my flesh die, to willingly sacrifice my life and my desires so that He might live through me.
I climbed onto the altar and prayed that my flesh would die upon this altar, that my will would be obedient to His will, that my tongue would somehow die and be silenced of all things that were not of and from Him.
As I was praying and repenting the LION walked over and looked at me lying on the altar. His face was level with my face, His eyes pierced into the depths of my soul.
"COME!" He commanded.
I found my Spirit rising from my flesh body. My flesh still lay on the altar, my Spirit Being was dressed in a gorgeous purple gown. On my head was a gold princess hat (or conical hat) with a white veil, like those worn by ladies in medieval times. I approached the LION and climbed onto His back. I looked back and saw my flesh lying lifelessly on the altar at the foot of the cross.
Again He spoke, "THE JOURNEY BEGINS AT THE CROSS, IT DOES NOT END THERE."
He turned and began striding down the gravel path. Again He spoke:
"WHEN YOU HAVE DIED TO SELF, THEN I CAN SEND YOU BACK TO A SICK AND DYING WORLD. YOU CAN BE MY HANDS AND MY FEET-MY EXTENSIONS OF MERCY.
OH MY CHILDREN, COME TO THE CROSS AND DIE, SO THAT YOU MAY EXTEND MY KINDNESS AND COMPASSION TO THE LOST AND LONELY.
YOU HAVE BEEN SOOOO DISTRACTED OF LATE. COME! COME!
I HAVE GREAT NEED OF SURRENDERED SERVANTS WHO WILL BE KNOWN FOR THEIR LOVE AND KINDNESS AND MERCY.
I NEED GENTLE ONES WHOSE TONGUES HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED AND REFINED IN THE FIRE-WHOSE WORDS ARE WORDS OF LIFE TO THOSE WHO ARE DYING AND LOST."
As I road down the path on His back, we came to a place that overlooked a city. Smoke was rising from multiple places within the city.
He spoke again, "I AM NOT TAKING YOU OUT OF THIS WORLD.
I NEED YOU IN THE WORLD TO CARRY MY GLORY, TO CARRY MY MERCY, AND TO CARRY MY GRACE."
He continued carrying me towards the smoke and confusion as the vision faded away.
Legal Stuff: Copyright © 2003 by Rosie Lovejoy. Permission to distribute this material via e-mail, or individual copies, is automatically granted on the condition it will be used for non-commercial purposes and will not be sold