In this vision, I saw first of all a large parade ground, and on this parade ground there were about a dozen companies of soldiers. And they were out there doing what we used to call short order drill. They were marching back and forth. And so as they marched, each one of them was under his own separate commander. And so this one over here was commanding his little group. His little company of soldiers. And they'd be going this way and that way and the other way, as they marched back and forth. And the other groups were all marching under their own commanders but each little group was doing their own thing. Each little company was moving according to what their individual leader was telling.
Then I noticed another interesting thing happening. I noticed that sometimes the officer would say in one group: "To the right, March!". And so they'd go to the right and there would be one that wouldn't go to the right. He'd keep going straight. And he'd march right off the field and disappear. And I thought that's strange.
Now in the next segment of the vision I saw all these same companies. And they were all out there marching but this time although they were all under individual leaders, they were all marching in coordination - in unity. Say when one company moved to the right, they all moved to the right, simultaneously. When they moved forward not just one moved forward but all of them moved forward. And still while they were doing that, occasionally, there would be one, when an order was given to go a certain direction, that one in the group wouldn't go in that direction. And he'd just march off the field and go out of sight.
Now I began to see as they continued to march. And this time they came all together. And they were all as one big company. And they marched together in perfect order. And as they went in various directions back and forth. I began to look to see if anybody was gonna march out of ranks. And there wasn't anybody that marched out of rank. They were all together. Not one left but every time the command was given they all went in perfect unity, under their leader.
Then I began to see another section of the vision. As all of these were marching forward, together, in unity. And as they went forward, the first row, which would be about 50 men in that first row, that row just ascended up into the heavens, up into the clouds. And then the next row would just ascend, up into the clouds. And the third row. And so this is where the vision ended as these were just going row by row these soldiers were just going up into the clouds.
Now I said now Lord, you didn't get all of these soldiers all ready to rapture them out. And the Lord said no that wasn't the rapture.
This is what God gave me, the interpretation of that vision. He was showing me what is happening in the church, in the world today. See there are companies of soldiers. We have a company here; we have a company back in Texas. There are companies that are meeting today all over the world. And each of them are under their own leader And so they're doing their thing, They're going this way and they're going that way. They're learning to come under their leadership. They're learning to come under their authority, They're learning to submit. But once in a while, there would be one when the command was given to go this way, he marched out of rank. See he was lost to the ranks of God. He was the independent, he was the self-willed. He was the rebellious. He couldn't march with the others, and he had to go his own way. So he marched out yonder, not to have a part in what God was doing.
Then in the next section, you see where they were all marching, they were doing it in unity. Even though they were still together in separate bodies, separate companies, they were till now moving together in unity. And I see this. I see that this is happening right now. I see that what God is teaching, what is coming forth in this body is the same, exactly the same that God is bringing forth in other bodies. See if you're not out traveling around, you don't see this. But I've been privileged to be able to travel around. Recently I was up in Indiana. There are a couple of bodies that I was with up there and they are receiving the same basic teaching. They are worshipping, and serving God, and operating in the Spirit of God just like you are. Well they ought to! If it's the same spirit leading there ought not to be division; there ought not to be confusion. And there's not!
Now God, in the next part of the vision, they were all brought together. They were really bonded together as one. And when they came together in this condition. There was no lone ranger, There was no one leaving the ranks. Hallelujah! For that day. Praise God for when we'll see that day …. When we can all move together, the whole body of Christ. All of us really united in the spirit, hearing God, following God's direction and moving together as one army of the Lord!
Now what was this all about? These that were entering up into the heavens. God said that's not the rapture. I'm not taking them out. But I'm preparing the Church to enter against the principalities and powers in high heavenly places. God is training us and God is preparing us. Because there are things ahead of us in which the Church must participate, in which the Church must be involved. You know you've heard the saying 'You can't see the forest for the trees'. You know sometimes we as Christians get like that. We can't see the overall picture of what God is doing because we just see a little bit. And we get so concerned looking at one tree; we can't see all the rest of the trees. God wants our vision lifted. This vision that God gave me was for the purpose of lifting our vision, of lifting our understanding. So that we can have a broader perspective, and see what God is doing.
Now God is dealing with Churches and he is dealing with individual lives. God, today, is intently busy pouring out certain truths that He want's to work into our lives. Now listen to me people. These things that God is saying, and these things that God is doing; they are not to be taken lightly. They're not to be treated with indifference. These things are from the throne of God. And they are being given to get us ready; to prepare us for things that are coming. It's like line upon line and precept upon precept. It's like stories being built on a multi-story building. You don't lay the first and second story, and then skip up here and put on floor number 15. You put them in order. You have to do it 1, 2, 3 and you have to come up to 15. You can't skip; you can't jump. And folks this is what God is doing in the body of Christ today. He is bringing forth truth; and it's laid layer upon layer. God teaches us something and it becomes the foundation for something else. And that becomes the foundation for something else. And some people look at something God brings forth and say well I don't like that one, let's go on to the next one. We'll skip that one and go on to the next one. You can't do it. There's something missing. If you don't have the foundation for this other one up here until the one next to that is laid. And if you'll watch, you'll see that God is doing that in the Body of Christ....