Prophetic word for today
Terri Schiavo

First posted: March 30, 2005
Word received: March 2005
Received by: Shamah-Elim Bible Studies

As you may already know, America and the world has been paying close attention to the case of Theresa Marie Schiavo, a woman who has been in what some call a "Permanent Vegetative State" for 15 years. Her disability was caused by a massive heart attack in 1990 that caused permanent damage to her brain due to oxygen depletion. A 1996 CAT-scan (shown on the Fox News Channel) reveals that 80% of her brain had been "liquefied".

Michael Schiavo, Terri Schiavo's husband, says that Terri would not have wanted to live in the state she is in, but her parents have fought him tooth and nail in an effort to keep their daughter alive at all costs. As you all may know, Terri Schiavo's feeding tube was removed on March 18, 2005, and her parents have used every legal recourse available to have the tube reinserted, but all the judges who have heard the case have decided to uphold the initial court order to remove the feeding tube so that she may starve to death.

The Republican majority in the U.S. Congress, President George W. Bush, and Florida Governor Jeb Bush, have all tried to use their executive and legislative power in an effort to overturn the judicial decision so that the tube may be reinserted, all to no avail.

Meanwhile, pro-life Christian activists have been protesting in front of the hospice in Pinellas, Florida where Terri Schiavo has been, demanding that the tube be reinserted. Millions of believers have been in prayer in an effort to get God to convince the judges and politicians to insert the tube. The franciscan monk who acts as the "spiritual counselor" for Terri's catholic parents has repeatedly pleaded for mercy, asking the powers that be to stop what he considers to be a "cruel" and unfair treatment against Theresa.

Two days ago (Monday, March 28, 2005), an 8.7 earthquake on the Richter scale hit Indonesia once again. The powerful quake shook the Banda Aceh province, near the epicenter of the December 26 tsunami that killed a quarter of a million people. According to Fox News reports, some 2,000 seem to have died in Indonesia as a result of the March 28 earthquake.

This is the prophetic interpretation:

WWIWJD?

Many of you might be familiar with the popular evangelical bumper stickers that say "WWJD?", which is an acronym for the question "What would Jesus do?". While many believers proudly display these bumper stickers on their cars, it seems as if the Church in general has changed the question to "WWIWJD?", in other words, to 

Why? Because no one seems to go to the Source in order to ask Him what He wants us to do. Under the Spirit's anointing, brother Paul wrote the following:

"Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:1)

The word "follower" is a mistranslation of the Greek word mimetes, which literally means "imitator", and is the word from which the English word "mimic" is derived. Therefore, the verse above should really say,

"Be ye mimickers of me, even as I also am of Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:1)

The question "What would Jesus do?" implicitly expresses a desire to "mimic Jesus", and the verse above declares that one of the ways to "mimic Jesus" is by emulating what those who are obedient to Him have done and are doing. As we study someone's behavior in the Spirit, the Holy Spirit will give us testimony as to whether or not that person is a "mimicker of Jesus". This is why Jesus said the following:

"36But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. 37And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. 38And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not." (John 5:36-38)

"10Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 11Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake." (John 14:10-11)

In order to truly know what Jesus would do in the Terri Schiavo situation, let us see what the believers who lived around Jesus' days on Earth did in a somewhat similar situation, and let us see how God responded to their behavior...

Escape from Herodtraz

In Acts chapter 12, the Holy Spirit inspired Luke the physician to write the following:

"1Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. 2And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) 4And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people." (Acts 12:1-4)

[The word "Easter" in verse 4 is a mistranslation of the Greek word pascha, which is derived from the Hebrew word pasach meaning "to pass over". In other words, verse 4 should say "Passover" instead of "Easter". The name "Easter" is derived from "Ishtar", the Assyrian version of "Ashtoreth", the principal female deity of the Phoenicians; "Ashtoreth" was the goddess of war and fertility. The "Easter bunny" and the "Easter eggs" are derived from a pagan ritual in honor of this goddess of fertility. As spring approached, the pagan cultures would celebrate the fertility of the land with ceremonies that involved this bunny and the eggs. The post-Primitive Church, as always, decided to mingle these traditions with Passover Week in order to make Christianity more palatable to the pagans. Therefore, every time you say "Easter", you are actually uttering the name of a pagan goddess.]

Notice that brother James was killed and was not saved from death, while Peter was imprisoned. This shows a spiritual principle: under intense spiritual attack from Amorites like Herod, some are meant by God to die while others are meant to be imprisoned:

"Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:" (Luke 11:49)

[As we have said before, this verse illustrates that the prophetic anointing causes us to be "killed" while the apostolic anointing causes us to be "persecuted". In a sense, a person under "persecution" is an "imprisoned" person, because he or she is constantly forced to hide in dark and uncomfortable places in order to escape his or her persecutors (1 Samuel 22:1-7).]

"He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints" (Revelation 13:10)

When Peter was imprisoned, notice what the believers' reaction was:

"Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him." (Acts 12:5)

Notice that the believers did not decide to go out on the streets and demand that Peter's case be heard by the "federal Roman judge" in Jerusalem. The believers did not demand that the Roman Senate pass a law prohibiting such unfair imprisonments. They did not even pray for God to touch the hearts of the Roman Senators or judges so that Peter would be let go!!! They were praying to God, asking GOD, not man, not Congress, not the 11th district federal court, to act on behalf of Peter!!!

Were the believers of Peter's day right in acting like this? To know the answer, we have to read what God did in response to the prayer mentioned in verse 5:

"6And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. 7And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. 8And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. 9And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. 10When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. 11And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews." (Acts 12:6-11)

This passage is a prophetic figure of how those with the Spirit of Philadelphia will be liberated in these latter days from the imprisonment imposed on them by the religious structures. God willing, we will study the many powerful spiritual principles in this passage in a future article. For now, let us list the physical hurdles that Peter had to overcome in order to be free:

All of these very real hurdles were overcome as God intervened supernaturally to get Peter physically out of the prison. The events were so surreal and unfamiliar to Peter's soul that he thought that he was having a vision. It was only until the angel departed and he was completely out of the prison that he realized it had not been a "vision" (v9, 11). Notice that Peter was obedient in following the angel, even when the whole incident was foreign to his natural understanding. Did he ask the angel for some ID before following him? Obviously not, because Peter's spirit immediately recognized the angel's spirit, even when his soul did not know what was going on.

When Peter was finally all the way out, notice what he said (v11). He didn't say, "I want to thank the Roman legal system for getting me out of hot water!" or "I want to thank the brothers and sisters who protested non-stop outside my jail so that I could be free". He said, "Surely I know that the Lord has sent His angel and that He has delivered me out of the hand of Herod and from the religious leaders among my people".

Knock, knock; he is there?

Peter's liberation was so unfamiliar to the natural soul that even those who were praying for him did not expect God to respond to them in such a way:

"12And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying. 13And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda. 14And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate. 15And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel. 16But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished. 17But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place." (Acts 12:12-17)

Notice that sister Rhoda did not have to see who was knocking at the door in order to know who it was. By just hearing him, she knew that it was Peter. This shows that Rhoda recognized Peter in her spirit. She did not need "natural-soul" evidence to know that it was Peter. Obviously, the natural soul would have considered it impossible for Peter to be the one knocking. Yet, she didn't even bother to open the door to make sure that it really was Peter!!! She was so overcome with joy that she ran in to tell the others, while Peter continued waiting at the door.

Ironically, all the brothers and sisters who had gathered for the explicit purpose of praying for brother Peter did not believe that it was Peter who was knocking at the door. Why? Because they were expecting God to liberate Peter in some way that was familiar to their natural soul. They found Peter's presence at the door to be so unfamiliar that they even began to sing Patsy Cline's song "Crazy" at sister Rhoda (v15).

Notice how the Holy Spirit points out in verse 13 that Rhoda was a "damsel". The word "damsel" was translated from the Greek word paidiske, which is the diminutive of the word pais meaning "child (boy or girl)" or "servant". In other words, paidiske could be translated as "little girl" or "little servant". Rhoda was obviously a very young lady, possibly in her teens, who did not belong to society's ruling class. Here, we have another example of how people who are supposed to move in the spirit are unwilling to accept the message because they refuse to discern the spiritual authority inside the messenger. In a sense, Rhoda was the "angel" that God sent to them in order to inform them of Peter's freedom. However, they did not receive the young "angel", and even called her "crazy", just as Jehu's fellow captains called the young prophet "crazy" in 2 Kings chapter 9.

Angel Peter

The fact that Peter was forced to stand at the door while the crowd of believers inside continued with their faithlessness is once again a prophetic figure of how natural-soul believers are inhospitable to angels. Notice how they even said, "It can't be Peter; it must be his angel" (v15), but, interestingly enough, even the possibility that it was "Peter's angel" did not induce them to go open the door!!! Peter had to keep on knocking until they finally opened.

Notice that when Peter entered, he emphasized that it was the Lord who brought him out of prison (v17). The Holy Spirit did not even bother to report any "thanksgiving" to the brethren on Peter's part. Peter did not say, "I want to thank you all for having prayed for me. It was through your prayers that I was released". Why? Because Peter was at that moment in "angel mode". As we have said before, angels are like "soulless spirits" who do not engage in "soul communion". Angels don't visit you to have a "chat" with you. Angels are messengers who have a specific message to give. Angels are like the pizza delivery guy, who visits you for the specific purpose of delivering a pizza; he does not go in and eat a slice of pizza with you and strike up a long, warm conversation. This is why the angel who liberated Peter did not stick around to chat with Peter. Once Peter was completely out of the prison, the angel simply departed (v10). In the same way, once Peter finished confronting the "believers' unbelief" over his liberation, he did not stick around to eat a celebration dinner with the brethren. The Lord clearly declares that Peter simply "departed, and went into another place" (v17). Peter could not let down his "spirit guard" and have soul communion with people who were still hesitant to believe in the strange acts of the spirit, even when they had invested of their own time to pray for him.

Notice also how Peter charged them to tell James about the matter (v17). There is a hidden message in this. The name of the brother who was killed by Herod prior to Peter's arrest was also "James" (v1). The James who died was "the brother of John", and, as we have said before, the name "John" is spiritually related to the prophetic ministry. As we have also said before, prophets are the kamikaze squad in God's army who are not afraid to lay down their lives. This is why James, the brother of John, was called by God to lay down his life in sacrifice. God did not rescue James from death, because that is what God called him to do. By sending the brethren to tell the other "James" that Peter had been rescued, God was saying the following:

"There are Jameses whom I will rescue, and there other Jameses whom I will not rescue. I am the One who makes the call. Even if you had prayed until you were blue in the face, I would not have rescued James the brother of John, because I had decreed that he would die, and even when I did want you to pray for Peter, I rescued him in a way that your stubborn souls had not expected. I am the Lord your God".

It is useless to pray for the "Jameses, brothers of John", and those who do are opposing God and do not know God. The question is not, "What would I want Jesus to do?" The question is "What would Jesus do?". A similar question we should ask is "What would Jesus have me do?"

Powerless fools

My heart is filled with anger as I watch preacher after preacher parading on TV demanding that Terri Schiavo's tube be reinserted. My heart is filled with anger as I watch believers on TV who are kneeling and intensely praying to God so that He may touch the judges' hearts. I even heard a minister angrily shouting to the supporters in front of the hospice that the Republican politicians who refused to save Terri Schiavo were going to pay in the next elections. He said that they would "feel the wrath" of the people. How pathetic!!! How nonsensical!!! When I heard such a comment, I said to myself, "What are you all going to do now? Vote for the liberal, pro-abortion, pro-homosexuality Democrats in the next elections?" Talk about shooting blanks!!! All that this "reverend" could threaten the politicians with was the "wrath of the people in the voting booths". If this man sincerely believes that God wants Terri to live, why didn't he threaten them with the "wrath of God"? Why didn't he speak of God's spiritual judgments coming down upon these politicians in a supernatural way? He didn't do any of this because he does not believe that such things would come to pass. He is afraid to assert that God would strike these people with mortal diseases and accidents because his faith does not reach that far. Besides, he does not really know in his heart if God really considers these men worthy of such treatment, even though the claim that these men are "mercilessly murdering" Terri Schiavo would definitely make them worthy of such a treatment from God.

Why doesn't any of these hotshot ministers stand up in front of the hospice and pray for Terri Schiavo to be supernaturally healed? Why don't they pray for Terri's 80%-liquefied brain to suddenly be healed and for her to suddenly begin talking and recognizing people? Why doesn't any of these men ask police to let them in in order to pray for Terri and heal her? Wouldn't that end all the controversy? Wouldn't that glorify God more than a court decision ordering the tube to be reinserted? Any well-organized activist group without supernatural power can work in the flesh in order to get a court order reversed. There would be nothing "awesome" or "miraculous" about that!!! Yet, these hotshot fools persist in dragging God's name through the Girgashite mud,  making claims in His Name that God never called them to make, making a mockery out of God's Name in the eyes of unbelievers with an inherent fear of what they call "zealous, religious radicals" who want to impose their faith on others through legislation.

We have seen what the Primitive Church did when Peter was imprisoned. None of them tried to organize a "special operations squad" that would storm the prison and snatch Peter out. None of them tried to take Peter's case through the Roman court system in an effort to get the Romans to release Peter (by the way, the court system used throughout the Western Hemisphere was built on the model implanted by the Romans; the Romans were very law-and-order oriented, as can be seen from multiple passages in the New Testament). The believers did not paint signs and storm the streets in a massive effort to get Peter liberated. They simply gathered inside the house of Mary, mother of John Mark (and possibly in other houses) to pray for God to do something. When Peter came out of prison, there was no one who could take the credit but God. No court injunction could take the credit, no attorney could take the credit, no federal judge could take the credit, no state governor could take the credit, no Congress could take the credit, no president could take the credit. It became obvious that God and God alone had done this, and no one could deny it, even the "unbelieving believers" who called Rhoda "crazy".

If people want to know what Jesus would have done, all they have to do is see what the Jesus inside the Primitive-Church believers did.

Pathetic victors

I can most definitely assure you, fellow believer, that the crowds of "prayer warriors" in front of the Florida hospice would have shouted "Mission accomplished!!" the minute after the tube had been reinserted. They would have leapt for joy and would have gone on TV saying that the tube's reinsertion was "proof" that God does answer prayer! They would have then returned to their regularly-scheduled, religiously-dead lives. How pathetic! How shameful! How lame!

When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, Lazarus did not wake up in a semi-vegetative state, unable to walk, unable to talk, unable to think for himself. Can you imagine Yeshua saying, "Yes, he is a vegetable, but I brought him back to life, didn't I?"

"9Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. 10But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; 11Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus." (John 12:9-11)

Do you think that people would have praised God and "believed on Jesus" (v11) had they seen a semi-comatose Lazarus who had to be carried around on a stretcher? Lazarus had been dead for 4 days, and all of you know what happens to a dead body after 4 days. Wouldn't 4 days of decomposition be a "bigger challenge" to overcome than what happened to Terri Schiavo? Reinserting the feeding tube would have been an embarrassment to God more than a victory, but I can assure you that most believers would have been more than satisfied with such a result.

If I were living around Pinellas Park, Florida, and I knew in my knower that God wanted Terri Schiavo to live, I would not leave that place until the woman could stand up and say, "Jesus healed me and made me whole", even if the tube had been reinserted!!! Where are the tenacious Elishahs and Peters who just wouldn't let "well enough" alone? Where are they, I ask? Where are they?

"31And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked. 32And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed. 33He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD. 34And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. 35Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. 36And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son. 37Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out." (2 Kings 4:31-37)

"38And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them. 39Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them. 40But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive. 42And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord." (Acts 9:38-42)

[Notice how Peter kicked everyone out of the room (v40). No amount of soap-opera sentimentalism and weeping was going to bring Tabitha back!! The work had to be done in the Spirit, not in the soul.]

The "Jesus" treatment?

Notice that Peter's imprisonment and liberation in Acts chapter 12 happened around Passover. God made sure that the Terri Schiavo "incident" would reach its climax around Passover as well for a reason: to reveal the Church's non-understanding of what He did at Golgotha!!!

I have heard and read believer after believer equating Terri's situation with what Jesus suffered at Calvary. One religious minister who is closely involved in the case said on TV that the police force surrounding the hospice were keeping Terri's supporters away from Terri, just as the Roman soldiers had kept Jesus' supporters away from Jesus. Such a comparison between Terri's case and Jesus sounds very "poetic" and "convincing", yet there are two major problems with it. One of the problems is that Jesus did not want the disciples near Him when He was arrested and crucified. He was not longing for Peter, James, John, and all the others to be by His side, giving Him "moral support" as He suffered. The Scriptures make that very, very clear:

"8Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: 9That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none. 10Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. 11Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? 12Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him," (John 18:8-12)

"Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence" (John 18:36)

Does it sound like Jesus wanted "His supporters" to stand outside the courthouse, shouting and demanding for Jesus to be liberated? Did Yeshua congratulate Simon Peter for his heroic effort to save Him from His suffering? No, because Simon Peter was brave enough to fight using human means, but not brave enough to battle in the Spirit. Had Simon been in the Spirit, he would have understood that it was God's will for Jesus to suffer and die. He wanted Jesus to live, and he was willing to fight using earthly means in order to see his personal wish concerning Jesus fulfilled. He never sat down to ask God, "God, do you really want Jesus to die? That doesn't make sense to me. I thought He was supposed to become king and rule over Israel? How is He going to do that if you allow Him to die?" Even when Jesus called Simon Peter "satan" (Matthew 16:23) on the day when he was trying to convince Jesus that He shouldn't die, Simon Peter refused to accept Jesus' death.

The second problem with the comparison to Jesus' suffering is the fact that Jesus wanted to die. The people who claim that Terri wants to live are contradicting themselves when they compare her case to Jesus!!! If they want to make sense, they should compare her to someone who fought to stay alive, not to a man who did not fear death and who had the power to save Himself but chose not to:

"52Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. 53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? 54But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?" (Matthew 26:52-54)

Stupid arguments like the Jesus comparison make it very, very evident that these "ministers" are not speaking in the Anointing of the Spirit.

Ministerial arrogance

I have heard protestors angrily complaining that Florida governor Jeb Bush should simply send troops to storm the hospice and take Terri away. Doesn't that sound like what Simon Peter was trying to do when he cut off Malchus' ear? Besides a clear dependence on the arm of flesh (Jeremiah 17:5), such comments reveal a very deep and sinister spirit that has ruled the "Christian" Church for centuries.

Judge after judge (including Christian judges) who reviewed the case said that the legal evidence pointed towards Terri Schiavo not wanting to live in her current condition. The fact that the judicial branch proved to be so "uncooperative" with Terri's parents prompted them to demand that the politicians in the executive and legislative branches intervene to stop the "judicial madness". As all of you may know, judges in the U.S. government system are removed from political maneuvering. The people who are appointed as judges are people who have studied law and whose interest is geared towards the application of law, not towards political notoriety and greatness. Therefore, the judges in this case represent the people of God who pay attention to the Law of God in the Spirit and whose sole interest is to see God's justice fulfilled.

On the other hand, the desire for executive and legislative branch intervention represents the people in the Church who attribute "superpowers" to full-time "ministers" and who see in them "kingly authority". As you may know, kings in ancient times could easily override any court verdict and impose their wills, using military strength if necessary. Why? Because, as "kings", they were "sovereign" and were not accountable to any other human being for their actions. In a sense, kings, especially the "nastier" ones, were above the law, and could do whatever they felt like doing. Many believers see "ministers" inside the Church in a similar way.

Many "ministers" do not really see themselves as accountable to God's Laws. What evidence is there to say such a thing? Well, just look at their reaction when an "average" believer takes out the book of spiritual laws (the Bible) and starts confronting them about all the spiritual laws that they are breaking! Their first reaction is:

"How dare you, plebeian, talk to me like that? Who are you to interpret the book of spiritual laws, anyway? Who do you think you are? I am Mr. Minister. What title do you hold?"

In America, any average citizen can sue a high-ranking politician and even send him to jail if it can be proven that he broke any law. The high-ranking politician would be forced to go through a trial and would be judged by a jury made up of 12 "average" citizens. If the jury of "average folks" finds the politician "guilty", he would not be able to "get off the hook" on account of his political position, even if he was the President of the United States!!! The fact that all citizens are accountable before the law in America is precisely one of the reasons why America can call itself the "land of the free" and the "home of the brave".

The Church, however, cannot say that about herself. The Church is divided into two camps: the kingly, full-time ministers and the plebeian, "non-ministerial" churchgoer. The carnal, Girgashite churchgoer is used to seeing the full-time ministers wielding their "spiritual authority" at will, and they do not "dare" hold the "ministers" accountable to God's spiritual laws. It is as if the carnal, Girgashite believer gives "ministers" some sort of "ministerial immunity" that allows them to stand above the spiritual Law of God. The demands in the Terri Schiavo case to have the politicians supersede the established law is a physical reflection of this.

"That's you in there"

God is releasing His apostolic judgments against His Church, and His judgments always expose the hidden roots of sin and iniquity:

"12Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword. 13And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness. 14And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds: for he shall uncover the cedar work. 15This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand." (Zephaniah 2:12-15)

[According to Zechariah 11:1-3, the "cedar work" in verse 14 is a prophetic reference to the "work of pastors". The reference to "Assyria" and to "Nineveh" (Assyria's capital) is a reference to the spirit of Assyria which promotes a left-handed Gospel of happiness and blessings.]

"Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah." (Habakkuk 3:13)

"16Moreover the LORD saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet: 17Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will discover their secret parts." (Isaiah 3:16-17)

[As we have said before, "woman" in Scripture is a figure of the soul while "man" is a figure of the spirit. Therefore, since "mount Zion" refers to the Temple of Jerusalem, the "daughters of Zion" are a prophetic figure of the religious leaders of the Church who rule her in the soul and who do not allow the Spirit to rule. This is confirmed by Isaiah 3:11, where Isaiah declares that "women rule over God's people", and, it is evident (both historically and in the Spirit) that he was not referring to literal "females".]

God has allowed the Terri Schiavo spectacle in order to expose the Church's utter spiritual impotence. The Church has shown itself to be spiritually incapable of manifesting God's supernatural power. It has shown itself to be full of believers who are at the mercy of others. If the judges don't do something, nothing can be done. If the Congressmen don't do something, nothing can be done. If the governor doesn't do something, nothing can be done. The Church has shown itself to be as spiritually impaired as Terri Schiavo is physically impaired. The Church is full of Terri Schiavos who can go nowhere if no one takes them, can say nothing if no one else says it for them, and can think nothing if no one else thinks it for them. Without realizing it, all the believers who are standing in front of the Pinellas Park hospice are standing in front of a mirror. That is you, in there, stubborn believers. You are as spiritually dependent as Terri is physically. You are as spiritually impaired as Terri is physically. The sad thing is that you don't realize it, and when you do, you refuse to accept it!!! If you accepted it, stubborn Girgashites, God would heal you, but you are set in your ways, stubborn as a mule (I say that without meaning to offend the mules).

The woman with the issue of blood spent all her money on natural means to cure her problem (Luke 8:43), but she at least came to the realization that her ways reached a dead end. When she humbled herself and was willing to die to her earthly methods, she found the true solution that not only dealt with her physical problem but also dealt with the spiritual roots of the problem. On the contrary, you, stubborn Girgashites, are too proud to admit your wrongdoing. You are too proud to die to your ways. Your effort to keep Terri Schiavo alive is a reflection of that unwillingness to die.

Like Cain, you continue bringing vegetables as sacrifice, even when all the evidence points against you. Eventually, you become what you offer in sacrifice, and that's what you are, spiritual vegetables, just as Terri's condition has left her a physical vegetable.

You are comfortable living out a mediocre, religious existence. You have no zeal to manifest the full potential of your calling. As long as you have a spiritual feeding tube that allows you to maintain your basic "vital signs", you are satisfied. You don't care to walk in the authority and dominion of the Spirit. You don't care to speak in the Anointing of the Spirit. You don't care to think in the judging authority of the Spirit. As long as you are the member of some lame congregation (and I mean "lame" in a spiritual sense), and as long as you perform a few "good works" at church every week, you are satisfied. As long as you have "daddy minister" to take care of your "spiritual needs", you don't care to grow in the Spirit yourself. That's why you wouldn't mind that Terri Schiavo continue living in a dependent, vegetative state for years on end. You have done it in your spiritual life. Why shouldn't Terri do it in her physical life?

"Don't take my life"

If you have read through other articles where we share on the Girgashite spirit, you may have already concluded by now that the Terri Schiavo case is exposing the Girgashite spirit of earthliness inside the Church. As we have said before, Girgashites are so attached to temporality that they develop a terrible fear of death. Even though Girgashite believers may say with their mouth that they believe in "resurrection" and an after-life, they act as if they don't, and they literally "hold on for dear life". Contrast this zeal for physical existence to what the Scriptures reveal:

"21For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. 23For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: 24Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you." (Philippians 1:21-24)

The only reason Paul saw for "sticking around" was to impart to others in the Spirit. Paul would never hold on for dear life. He knew this was not "it", but most believers, especially the pro-feeding-tube believers, are spiritually unaware of the hope of resurrection:

"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope" (1 Thessalonians 4:13)

As we have said before, Girgashites are like pigs who would rather drown with their blood inside of them before shedding it in sacrifice. Terri's parents see Terri as an extension of their life. I have even heard her mother saying, "She is my life". Therefore, their effort to maintain Terri in her vegetative state is a selfish effort to save their own life, not Terri's life. Again, this is evidence of a Girgashite spirit, since Girgashites are very self-centered by nature.

If Terri's mother truly believes in Christ, how can she say that her daughter is "her life". No one, absolutely no one under the Anointing would ever, ever, ever say such a thing:

"2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." (Colossians 3:2-4)

Obviously, we can have a deep, abiding affection for certain people, but it should never reach the point where we feel comfortable with calling the other person "our life". Verse 4 above clearly declares that Christ is "our life", and, when we start calling other people "our life", we are saying to God that someone else has taken His place in our hearts, and our God is a Jealous God (Exodus 20:5, Exodus 34:14, Deuteronomy 4:24).

The catholic connection

The strong influence of the Girgashite spirit that is revealed by the Terri Schiavo spectacle correlates with the fact that Terri's parents are catholic. As we have shared in previous articles, the catholic church is known for its rigid ceremoniousness, religiosity, focus on tradition, and focus on religious hierarchies, all of which points to the Girgashite spirit.

As we have also said before, the catholic church also has a strong influence of the Jebusite spirit, which, according to Leviticus 18:21-22, opens the door for the spirit of homosexuality because it erodes people's "spiritual manhood". This explains why the franciscan monk who is acting as the "spiritual counselor" for Terri's parents speaks with such a soft, effeminate tone. If I heard this man speaking on the phone for the first time without knowing who he was, his voice inflections and tone would make me think that he is a homosexual, not an anointed man of God. He might or might not be homosexual, but his effeminate voice clearly reveals how the Jebusite spirit has slowly but steadily eroded this man's spiritual authority.

The catholic church is a matriarchal church, i.e.- a church ruled by the pastoral matriarchy. From what we have seen before, this means a strong influence of the Canaanite spirit; the catholic church is ruled by a Canaanite atmosphere, but under very rigid Girgashite and Jebusite structures. As we have said before, the Canaanite spirit leads "ministers" to "adulterous possession" of the sheep; they become like "serpents" who long to swallow people up in order to possess them forever, even at the price of the people's calling in life. This explains the obsessive desire by Terri's mother to "possess" her daughter's life forever. She does not care about God's purposes for Terri. Even if God audibly told her to let Terri go, she would not let go. She would simply deny that it was God's voice. Her maternal zeal to possess Terri is simply too strong.

The schi-sm

As I meditated and asked the Lord about the Terri Schiavo case, He brought to my attention the fact that both the Schiavo and the Schindler last names begin with the letters "Schi" ("Schindler" is Terri Schiavo's maiden name). As I thought about this, the Holy Spirit placed the word "Schism" in my mind, which then brought this passage to my heart:

"19There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence." (Luke 16:19-26)

The word "gulf" in verse 26 was translated from the Greek word chasma, and is the word from which the English word "schism" is derived. Notice how this passage speaks of a beggar who led a pretty miserable life, but who went to "Abraham's bosom" when he died, where he was "comforted" from all his suffering (v25). This is exactly what God wants to have happen to Terri Schiavo. Remember, she has been in her vegetative state for 15 years, and, to this moment, I have not heard any man or woman under the Anointing of the Spirit who would boldly declare that God wants to physically restore her, and I, in my private time with God, have not heard the same thing either. All the believers who speak in favor of reinserting the tube show no manifestation of speaking under the Anointing. When one ponders the things they say, it becomes evident that their words and attitudes contradict the Spirit of Scripture.

The passage above clearly shows how different this life can be in comparison to the after-life. The rich man represents the people who placed their faith on temporal existence, while the beggar represents the people who placed their faith on resurrection life. There are many other things to consider in this passage, but, for now, it is worth considering the name of the beggar. The fact that his name was "Lazarus" is no coincidence. The only other "Lazarus" in the New Testament is the man whom the Lord resurrected from the dead. This goes to show that some Lazarus are physically resurrected in this life, while others are called to experience resurrection only after they die.

To this moment, I have not heard a single pro-feeding-tube believer voicing his or her concerns over Terri's eternal destiny. Have they for a moment given consideration to this question? They are so concerned about the feeding tube that they have forgotten the most important issue of all. Terri will eventually die, and she will definitely be dead within 3 days. Even if the tube had been reinserted, she would always have to die some day. Why hasn't any of the public characters in this melodrama asked about her eternal destiny? I have an inkling in my heart as to where she is going when she dies, and I do not believe that this flesh-driven effort to prolong her life will do anything to change that. The decision about her eternal destiny happened in anonymity, in a private moment between God and this woman's soul, even while her body was in a vegetative state, and I believe that it was the God of Israel who set in motion the events that are leading to her eventual death because it is time for Terri to rest from her sorrows. All these foolish believers are not fighting the U.S. court system. They are fighting God! 

I feel sorry for the young men and women who have gotten arrested for following their parents' undiscerning footsteps in this situation. They can at least claim "naiveté" in the matter, but their parents will not get off as easily before God!!! It is utterly foolish to oppose God, especially when you should be mature enough to know better!!!

The hospice of lameness

I am getting goose bumps as I am writing these words, because I am awed at God's timing and purposes. As you may have noticed from our recent words, the Lord has had us writing a great deal on "spiritual hospitality" and on "angels". Therefore, it is not surprising to me that the word "hospice" has been floating around so much as a result of this case.

As we have said in previous words, the Lord intended the Church to be a military camp with a hospital to treat those wounded in spiritual battle, but man has turned the Church into a full-blown hospital that gives comfort to spiritually indolent believers who never "go out" to engage in spiritual battle. "Ministers" don't mind turning the Church into a hospice full of believers whose spiritual condition is equivalent to Terri's physical condition. They invest a great number of material and soul resources in maintaining these believers in a vegetative spiritual state while those in whom they should really be investing get thrown by the wayside.

The Woodside hospice where Terri is slowly dying has been forced to pay part of the cost of maintaining the police force that is holding all the flesh-trusting "believers" at bay outside the hospice. Policemen are being paid overtime in order to guard the hospice 24 hours a day, and the small community of Pinellas Park has been forced to pay the remaining cost that is not being covered by the hospice. Pro-life activists have invested a great amount of money in order to finance all the futile legal motions. Instead of using all this money to provide a better care for the non-vegetative patients at the hospice or to pay for orphanages that might help deter a future mother from committing an abortion, believers have thrown their resources into a cause God did not call them to fight. This is typical of the Church. The faithful warrior believers who need support and encouragement are ignored, while the irremediably lame and indolent believers who do not need that support and encouragement receive it, all "in the name of love".

The death of injustice

In a stroke of poetic justice, God took the life of Johnny Cochran yesterday (Tuesday, March 29, 2005). As most of you may recall, Johnny Cochran was the lead attorney who helped O.J. Simpson escape justice after murdering his wife. Some days ago, I saw the image of Johnny Cochran on TV, and the Lord prompted me to once again pronounce death judgments against him for having used his God-given mental abilities to carry out such a blatant injustice. Therefore, I was overjoyed to find out that he died yesterday of a tumor in his brain. How appropriate that a man who used his brilliant brain to promote injustice and to make himself rich and famous died of a tumor to his brain. It is also appropriate that Terri's vegetative state was caused by brain damage and that Johnny Cochran died of a problem in his brain. Hallelujah! Johnny Cochran is the rich man in the Lazarus story, and Terri Schiavo is the beggar.

I still remember how the "renowned" minister Rosie Grier went out of his way to support O.J. Simpson during his trial (simply because O.J. is black). I remember how O.J. Simpson even pretended to be a "Christian" for a few months. In the presence of Rosie Grier, he would mention the name of "Jesus" and would play the role of "innocent martyr" under persecution from the "enemy". Once he was acquitted, he apparently forgot about "Jesus" altogether, and he wakes up laughing every morning, thinking about how he was able to defeat the judicial system. Rosie Grier is a typical example of ministers who allow their Canaanite emotions to cloud their judgment. God's judgments are upon you, Rosie Grier, and God's judgments are upon you, O.J. Simpson!

It is interesting to consider that the judge who is getting death threats and is being hated by all the pro-feeding-tube believers is called George Greer. As some of you may know, Mr. Greer was kicked out of his Baptist church for having upheld the written law in the Terri Schiavo case. Mr. Grier, on the other hand, continued with his pathetic Saturday morning program on TBN long after his public support for O.J. Simpson. While the law-defending Greer is kicked out, the injustice-supporting Grier is well-received.

While Michael Schiavo is being called a "wife murderer" by "believers", O.J. Simpson, a true wife-murderer, roams the streets in total freedom without being condemned by a single religious evangelical. Where were all these believers when O.J. was acquitted? If they have such a zeal for justice and such a bitter hatred against "wife-murderers", why wasn't any of them pronouncing spiritual judgments against Johnny Cochran, Rosie Grier and other supporters of a blatant and arrogant wife murderer?

God is tired of the perverted sense of justice in His Church. God is tired of the "good" being called "bad" and the "bad" being called "good". The judgments will continue to intensify as the days go by.

I just found out that Jerry Falwell is on a respirator and is in critical condition in a hospital. Hallelujah! One of the biggest promoters of legislated morality is being judged by God! How appropriate for him to be on a respirator at a time when believers are mobilizing so strongly in an effort to impose "life for Terri" through legislative efforts. The Lord prompted me to pray for judgments against this man once again when I recently saw him on the "Hannity & Colmes" program that is aired on the Fox News Channel. God is sentencing those who are being called "righteous", and He is vindicating those who are being called "unrighteous".

Michael

The fact that the husband's name is Michael also has spiritual significance. As you all know, Michael is the name of an "archangel", and, as we have been saying in recent words, "angels" are unfamiliar and contrary to the natural soul. This explains why all the natural-soul believers are so mad at this man. He has been willing to be hated and reviled by millions of people in order to uphold the decision to terminate Terri's life. He has created a "schism", a "chasm" that has divided America and the world, much like red-horse riders like Michael the angel are called to do.

Theresa

It is not a coincidence that Terri's first name is "Theresa". As we share in a previous word, mother Theresa is a figure of a Girgashite-Canaanite spirit that believes that the Lord's work is advanced through useless "works of human mercy" that do nothing to change the spiritual atmosphere of the Earth. People's desire to see Terri "live" is a manifestation of "human mercy", not Godly mercy, and all the tireless human efforts to "save" her are indicative of the "mother Theresa" spirit.

Therefore, it is only appropriate that God hit Indonesia with another massive and deadly earthquake two days ago (Monday, March 28, 2005). God is saying, 

All your humanitarian work will never be enough to keep up with My destruction, for I am coming against the Girgashite spirit of human effort. Cursed are those who uphold and support the unrighteous but who forget about My righteous remnant. Cursed are those who do "humanitarian" work in My name without considering My zeal for Righteousness. For every drop of human mercy, I will unleash a tidal wave of judgment destruction. Cursed are the humanitarians who dare to "keep up" with Me.