The latter-day net

"I am building My Church; an army--a net that will hold many"
December 2, 2004

I received a vision from the Lord recently. He showed me 'The Net'. Receiving the vision and the revelation of its meaning came to me simultaneously. 

The vision is especially meaningful to me, as it pertains to my call from the Lord into the ministry that I received several years ago. A main emphasis of the ministry call was that I was to help ministers and all Christians to work together more effectively.

In the vision, there is a large, oval-shaped net. Many Christian ministers are standing around the outer edge of the net. They are holding the net as if they are using it to catch fish. The Christians holding the net signify that they are working together to evangelize and reach out to the lost with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Next, God pours out His Spirit and a large wave full of people comes in towards the Christians. The ministers catch all the people in the net. In the vision, God doesn't just bring in one wave. He keeps pouring out His Spirit, bringing in wave after wave full of people towards the ministers. This shows what God is able to do; and what He desires to do. The reason He decides to pour out His Spirit in such magnitude, bringing wave after wave, is because all the Christians know how to cooperate with Him in the work of the ministry. 

The vision then shows how the ministers are cooperating with God, so that the results of the move of His Spirit do not go to waste. The Christians holding the net were able to unload the net quickly in order to have a ready net for the next wave of people that the Spirit brings in.

The Holy Spirit explained to me why they were able to unload the net and be ready for the next wave so quickly. After catching the people in the net, all the Christians knew how to work together efficiently in order to disciple all the new converts who came into their church. Not only were the new Christians discipled to become spiritually mature; they were trained and equipped for ministry.

The vision showed that something else was happening. As the new people were trained for ministry, the net grew larger so that the new ministers would have room to find just the right place to help hold it. With more people holding the net that kept growing larger and stronger; God was able to pour out His Spirit upon the land in greater measure. The waves kept getting bigger and bigger; one right after another, filled with people.

This was a beautiful picture of God and His people cooperating together! A healthy Church, strong and mature; with each member in their place. Christ's Body functioning properly; with each joint supplying. God is ready. His Spirit is moving. Nothing is impossible for Him. He desires to bring a new move which will grow stronger. He is building a new wineskin that will hold His new wine. The dynamic nature and quality of this next new move of God will require a different church structure, and a new way of relating between Christian leaders and those in the churches. 

There will be a new appreciation for the necessity for each Christian to be loyal, committed, and disciplined. There will be a new realization that everyone must share the awesome responsibility of cooperating with God in bringing in the 'Great Harvest'. There will be a new respect for the freedom that Christ has won for each person. There will be a new focus for our time, finances, and energy. There will be a new understanding for what true Christian ministry really involves. The will be a new acceptance that the privilege and honor of ministry is for each of us; not just for a professional clergy. There will be a new structure and a new way of relating between Christians and their leaders. These new changes will enable Christ's Body to grow mature and strong.

Why is it necessary for Christ's Church to grow mature and strong? We must be able to cooperate with what God is planning to do. How do I know that all of these things will happen? Christ's Church will become what He is building it to be. How is He building it? He's building it into an army. A few days after receiving the vision of 'The Net', the Holy Spirit reminded me that God had mentioned this 'Net' in a prophecy that He gave me several years ago. Written below is that part of the prophecy; where God says that the army He is building is a net. It is a net that will hold the many people that He will bring into His Church. Keep in mind that He is building an army. This means that the Church He is building will make soldiers who will become fit for His army. His army will be capable of warfare. It will go forth and conquer, in His Name! Hallelujah! Thank You, Jesus!

For I am building My Church!
I am building an army!
A net that will hold many;
That I will bring, and call,
And hearken to My Name,
Through My love!

Charles D. Chalson
www.ministry-impossible.org