The Inward Journey

By Douglas B. Clark

When I was fifteen years old I was full of spit and vinegar and determined to turn the world upside down for God. I was so confident that I had all the answers that I made an appointment with a Baptist pastor so I could enlighten him that his doctrine and belief of “once saved always saved” was not correct. He invited me into his office and offered me a chair across from him. I didn’t waste any time in directing his attention to the words of Jesus regarding the vine and the branches. I told him that if we didn’t abide in the vine that we would be like a branch that is pruned from the vine and cast into the fire.

The pastor gently smiled and pointed to a picture on his wall of Jesus holding a lamb on his shoulders. He then told me what Jesus said about the ninety-nine.

“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?” MT 18:12 NIV

When I left his office that day neither of us changed our minds. The truth of the matter was that we were both correct, but viewing things from different vantage points.

As a young boy I could read verses in the Bible that the Baptist pastor pointed out, but I interpreted them in the light of my own understanding and limited experience. Actually, what I believed was not based on experience, but what I had been taught in the church system as I sat under the ministry of the church pastor and Sunday school teachers. This was where God placed me to learn the basic principles of Christianity.

What I have learned in the past thirty-four years since meeting with that pastor is that he was correct and I was too.

Let me explain.

As I continued in my journey to know the Lord there were times when I got off track and was in the flesh. I couldn’t see it at the time because I was blinded by my own desires and carnal mind. I was not bearing the fruit of the vine, so like a dead branch I was cast into the fire. It was there I experienced the agony that often comes from “self” fulfillment and getting off track. The heavens became brass and I was parched in a dry land. I experienced first hand what I knew to be true — a branch that does not bear fruit is cut off from the vine and cast into the fire.

After the wood, hay and stubble were consumed in the fire, the Shepherd of the sheep found me. He then broke me and carried me upon His shoulders back to the ninety-nine.

Truth has an ironic way of revealing itself. What I have found is that truth is always revealed in the fire. It is the fire that reveals what is inside each of us. Fortunately, we serve a merciful God who has began a good work in us and will continue to perform it until there is no flesh (carnal mind) within us that would try and glory in His presence.

Because of the complexities involved in growing up in the Lord, much of our time is spent alone in the wilderness. The carnal heart of man is so deceitful that it takes the concept of fellowship and body life and corrupts it in an attempt to build something for God with self-effort much like those who set out to build a tower to reach the heavens. However, it is God who confounds the languages, which makes it difficult for us to communicate with each other as he purges from us the spirit of Babylon.
Can you see that? GOD CONFOUNDS THE LANGUAGES!

Since the day the church began carnal minds have sought ways to rebuild the temple — not the temple of God, for His temple is made without hands. The temple that man continues to try and erect is the tower of self-effort — the golden calf of Egypt. I assure you that every attempt by man to establish or build something for God will fail, b]or God has confounded our communication with each other to bring an end to the efforts of the carnal mind in offering a SUBSTITUTE for the House that WILL BE MADE WITHOUT HANDS![/b] This is why our fellowship is few and far between.

What is often called fellowship is a facsimile of true body life and not the real thing. In order for me to have fellowship with the many instead of the few I would have to keep a tight lip regarding the precious truths that the Holy Spirit is speaking to me. On the other hand, I have learned to be a servant wherever He places me. If I am in the nursery I am not going to serve T-bones for dinner. I am comfortable wherever the Spirit leads, but it is rarely what I would call that intimate fellowship.

I have always desired intimate fellowship with my brothers and sisters in Christ, but it has eluded me ever since I decided to follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. There have been few and far between over the past thirty years who God has allowed to know me after the spirit rather than the earthly realm. I thank Him for those he has allowed me to fellowship with and I cherish the love of Christ I share with them. There is an intimacy we share in Christ that is very life giving when God allows us to connect. However, the fact remains that within each of us is the potential to “burn down the church” when someone expresses a truth that we do not see. Oh, how arrogant the carnal mind is!

It was less than a year ago the Holy Spirit spoke the following words to me:

Hidden Ones and The Coming Battle March 6, 2006
“There is a battle approaching. The enemy has already drawn his sword and is running with a vengeance to destroy you, thinking he is doing God a service. Wait on me! Do not engage the enemy until I release you. For when the time comes that I release you to do battle I will send the arrows of my anointing and none shall miss their mark.

My sons will rise up with great strength and courage and do battle with the giants who have kept my people in servitude. My sons will defeat the giant of tradition whose purpose is to make my word of no effect. This strong man will be bound and those who have been kept in slavery to this giant will flee in great numbers.

Next the giant of legalism will draw his sword. This giant has struck fear into the hearts of My people causing them to be afraid to hear My voice. The people are afraid of being deceived so they have gathered behind this giant seeking protection. My soldiers will draw a sword called love. They will pierce the heart of this giant with my love and he will vanish in a puff of smoke.

The third giant is no giant at all but a river. This river follows the same path of the river of living water, hovering just above, covering the river of life. This is the false anointing placed upon those who have escaped tradition and legalism but have not been totally delivered into my truth. These are those who have been filled with My spirit and have heard My voice but have not followed me. They have tasted heavenly things but they have covered with a covering that is not of my Spirit.” (End of prophesy)

Though the way is often hard I am filled with hope. For the Holy Spirit is raising up a people who will display a unity of the Spirit unlike ever seen in this Earth. This corporate expression that is coming will not be a geographical gathering. It will not be anything that man can hold in his hands. It will not be the result of a great outpouring upon a conference or a zealous army of young people. It will be those who have the mind of Christ and who do nothing but what they hear from their Father.

When Solomon’s temple was assembled there was not the sound of the hammer as each block was put in place. All the chisel work took place in the quarry. Brethren, we are still in the quarry. The hammer blows upon us are many as the Holy Spirit removes the edges that prevent us from fitting together properly.

In the meantime let us thank Him for whatever fellowship He allows and brings together. If you are one in the midst of rich fellowship with the saints you are very blessed and God has allowed this in your life for a purpose. If you are one who is walking alone except for those moments He allows you to come together with others in the body than you too are blessed and God has allowed this in your life for a purpose. Let us thank Him for the diversity of all that He is doing!

Douglas B. Clark