CHECK POINT

A Leadership and Intercessory Letter written to those who desire Integrity in the Inward Parts  (Psalm 51:6)

Where Heaven Kissed Earth 

A tribute to Brownsville Assembly of God

On their Father’s Day Celebration,

And

 All of those that drew a spark from their fire.

Written by Esther Dummer

Eleventh Edition - June 5, 2002

“Some through the waters, some through the flood.

Some through the fire, but all through the blood.

Some through great sorrows, but God gives a song,

In the night season and all the day long.”

The turning of the millennium had come and gone, seemingly without much to do, although many had thought that this time in history might hold some extra dynamics.  He had been watching all the time to see what might happen. 

Keeping up with the end times was beginning to be a difficult job for Satan. 

He had been sweating it because he knew that his time was short.  There was still much to do.

He reflected back upon the last several years.  It had been a hard time for him, as he had to watch the renewal begin to take place right before his eyes.

Several places in the world, some known and some remote had experienced the waves of this revival that was sweeping the world. 

There was only one thing left to do before it all got out of hand.  He had to destroy it or be destroyed. 

 He would have to pervert it, lie about it, blame it on “the devil,” and divide it, in order to conquer this movement.

 He had kept up with scriptural prophecies, even listened in on the day that they were transcribed by the elders of old.  They had appeared to lay dormant for quite a number of centuries until Peter began to quote again that prophet Joel, about an outpouring of the Spirit of God.

 It had happened initially at Pentecost and the Church had grown by leaps and bounds, in spite of the persecution.  It had been agitating him to see this Church continue down through the centuries, but now, this new wave had a distinct feel to it, one that was very uncomfortable for him. 

It wasn’t just a spot or two, but seemed to be sparking all over the world, regardless of the people groups.     

 One place, in particular, had been fairly easy to discredit.  It had come in with manifestations of laughter and joy that could be mistaken for foolishness if he worked it right.  The church would miss this one all together, if he had anything to say about it. 

 But, much to his dismay, other hot spots began to send their emissaries to visit.  The laughter was not all there was to it.  There was a presence in the place that had been overlooked by many, but to those who came with expectations, they were being changed, picking up the baton and running back home with it. 

They were taking tools of the revival, patterns and an impartation of the Spirit that was in the place.

He did continue to discredit, as much as he could, using the unbelieving and cold church to declare, “this is not God.”

Well, it was not “all” God.  He had sent, as was his practice, those he could use to infiltrate.  They could go in, visit, and then go out to report to everyone that this was a charlatan movement, a sham.  They would tell of how they were mistreated, yelled at, overlooked or hurt by the leadership and the people. 

The tongue would always serve his purpose well. 

Or, another scheme was to have some of those who went to begin other moves that would prostitute the renewal, lining people up like pawns to pervert with their warped vision of what they felt it was all about. 

By the time he got done with the seekers, they would be burned out on the revival before an extensive move of God ever got established.

The best that he could find to do his job would, as usual, be found within the established church.  Most of them had long since quit moving in “The Spirit” anyway.  They had traded religion for God a long time ago.  So he pooled his resources from every place he could and began to cause a great uproar at, “this movement not being God.” 

Just as he expected they spread their “message” of how God would and would not move.

But there was trouble now, things that He had not counted on.  The elements of hunger and desire to be close to God had long since escaped him.  But, there were people on this lousy planet that were actually praying for God to come down and walk into their midst and “dwell with them.”  They had such desperation that it scared him. 

“There always had to be a remnant”

Some modern-day prophecies were troublesome when he had heard them, but he felt that he had time to stop what was trying to come into the next major spot of revival.

The prayers had gone up out of this place for so long that he was tired of hearing their “whining to God about Him moving.”  It really grated on his nerves when they did that.  All those banners made him sick.  They seemed so focused. 

He knew that he would have to work fast because things here were simply getting out of hand. 

So he planned an uprising among the “pillars of the assembly.”  It had worked in David’s kingdom and it would work here too.  It was to be initiated at just the right moment.

He would take the closest and the dearest to thrust the fatal blow to this church. 

“All this change was ridiculous,” they would say. 

“Why do you have to take away Sunday nights and do all that praying, anyway?” 

“We liked it just like it was.” 

“You have really lost it now, going and messing with the Church like this.” 

“We think that it is time for you to move on to another place.”  “Take a vacation and gain some perspective in this.”

He knew! - He would get the leadership discouraged and have him leave before “it” happened.  That had worked a number of times down through history. 

So, in that place on the east coast, he troubled a pastor with grief and despair, so much so that he was contemplating just walking off and starting over elsewhere.

But God had a man! 

He always has His people everywhere, ready to do whatever He calls them to do.  This man was full of the zeal of the Lord, burning with messages of repentance for the Church. 

It seemed to be just like any other Sunday morning service, the typical visiting speaker. 

It was Father’s Day.

The usual crowd had gathered with a few visitors in the house. 

No one expected what happened next, although it was what they had been asking God for. 

The Wind of the Holy Spirit blew into the place, releasing a wave of the River of God that filled the House of God with His presence. 

It caught everyone off guard, but those who had been taking so much time getting to know the heart of God instantly recognized it as God.  Great excitement swelled up in the place as this Church received the torrential rain of God’s visitation.

Unfortunately for Satan, this Church would never be the same again! 

Once the people got it, they didn’t want to lose it.

Throngs heard of the event and began to send people - by the busloads they came or by plane, flying in for a week or so. Many from foreign fields were flocking in by the hundreds and going away with the power and glory of God’s move in their personal lives. They went home to their land with great zeal to share what God had done in their lives and what He wanted to do in their nations.

Satan watched from his perch at the small fires igniting all over the world.  There were not enough fire extinguishers in the universe to put this out. 

He was doomed!

2 Chronicles 6:18-20

“But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth?

Behold heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!

Have Respect therefore to the prayer of they servant, and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to hearken unto the cry and the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee: 

That thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night, upon the place whereof thou hast said that thou wouldest put they name there; to hearken unto the prayer which servant prayeth toward this place.”

2 Chronicles 2:39-41

“Then hear thou from the heavens, even from they dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee.  Now, my God, let, I beseech thee, thine eyes be open, and let thine ear be attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.  Now therefore arise, O Lord God, into they resting place, thou, and the ark of they strength: 

Let thy priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and let they saints rejoice in goodness.”

2 Chronicles7: 14-16

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways;

 Then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 

Now, mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. 

For now have I chosen and sanctified this house,

That  my name may be there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.”

Out of Brownsville Assembly of God, an army has gone forth.  They have left that house, which was built to host the move of God, radically changed.  The testimonials are, for the most part, recorded in heaven’s journals. 

Since the day that God broke in upon the place, man has tried to stop the move of God; the religious world has attempted to discredit the Church and members. The media, on occasion, has tried to slander and bring shame upon the ministers, and even people within the rank and file of the trusted have dealt a blow to this Church.

In spite of all the storms and enemy fire, this Church has had victories upon victories as their glorious King has led them into the battle for the souls of the nations. 

God has been faithful through it all, just as they knew He would be.

They have paved, through sacrifice and tears, a way upon which many have walked. 

They have placed the baton of revival in the hands of untold thousands.

 They have prepared ground filled with the conviction of the Holy Ghost to empower a radical change in many lives of bona fide Christians and leaders within the Church. 

Tears of repentance have run deep in their altars.

The ordinary folk of revival have laid hands upon thousands and seen the power of God made manifest in those times of prayer for the power of God to fall. 

The ground has been littered with bodies of the slain. 

If one could look behind the scenes and see the pain and hardship that has been faced while serving the nations and by their example teaching a deeper relationship with Jesus, you would wonder how they could have done it.  Did they stand and say, “We just barely made it, Praise God?” 

The guests of Brownsville heard not one word of complaint.

The youth of this revival and the revival school have literally set their world on fire as they have gone from this place.  Even amongst the confusion of division, they rallied to keep on going. 

Well, who said it was going to be easy?

They would be the first to tell you that the growing pains were intense at times as God stretched them further than they thought possible. 

They would be the first to tell you that some of the price that they have had to pay was very uncomfortable at times and costly in ways other than dollars and cents.

They would be the first to tell you that there has been some heartache that was almost unbearable, as friends and loved ones walked away. 

They would be the first to tell you that, if they had it to do again, they would immediately say a resounding, “Yes!” 

Why? 

For exactly the same reasons that many of you know. 

For, see, this is also your story to some degree. 

You, who visited this Church, went back home and faced seemingly insurmountable obstacles. 

You wondered why it came so easy to others and you were getting no place. 

But now you know that the road you travel is by now, well- navigated by multitudes of others who walk just as you walk. 

You are also not willing to adjust anything to compromise the move of God in your Church.

You have decided that you will build a House that God would be pleased to dwell in, but the materials have been difficult to acquire. 

You really have to give up the old stuff and buy everything new.  You have come to realize that shabby materials are not fit for the King of Heaven. 

So you also pay the price. 

Now, you too, have become enemy #1 of the devil and his hordes in your area. 

He has no choice but to stop you. 

You stand in his way and he really doesn’t like you. 

You have imitated Jesus too much and you are a constant reminder to him of something called “an overcomer.” 

It is certain that the enemy has had more trouble with this revival crowd than he knows what to do with, but the tricks are still up his sleeve. 

Unfortunately for him though, you are fully armed with spiritual weapons that always win, hands down. 

Your dedication, he hates.

Your love for God, he despises.

Your faithfulness to your call, reminds him of his unfaithfulness.

Your vision reminds him that he is blind.

Your worship irritates him a lot, since he doesn’t have it.

All over the world there are true hearts that have made up their mind. 

They are beginning to resemble the early Church.

This is the Church that has sold everything to follow Jesus.

This is the Church that has laid down their lives and picked up their crosses to go all the way with Him.

This is the Church that will win the victory and will not take, “no” for an answer.

This is the Church that is certain of the promises of God and are praying them and continually believing for them to be fulfilled.

This is the Worshipping Church from whom sweet incense rises to the Throne Room.

This is the Church that is saturated with the Word of God.

This is a Church that has entered the fray, fully armored and ready to fight the battles as the Lord of Hosts calls her forth.

This is the Church that has captured the vision and kept it alive, refusing to be detoured from that which the Holy Spirit has birthed in Her.

This is the repentant Church who has taken great care to turn in their garments for Jesus’ robes of righteousness.

This is the Church that has faced the fact that they are in desperate need of Jesus and His Blood.

This is the Church that will gather the harvest, because they are going after it with tears and weeping until the precious seed that they have sown bears fruit.

This is the Church that understands that She lives to please Her Master.

She knows that she has been bought with a price and is not longer Her own.

She is a true bondservant of the Most High God!

Congratulations Brownsville Assembly of God on your Father’s Day Anniversary!

You have been faithful.

You are loved.

God Bless the Faithful Watchman on the Walls of the Church!

This newsletter is dedicated and written as an instruction and encouragement to a powerful and focused group of people who have devoted their life to a life of prayer for the Church.  It is written to incite them to move forward with decisiveness and purity.  It is written to stabilize and align the errant things that are occurring in intercessory and church circles.  It is written to break new ground in understanding our own hearts.

I would also like to take this time to say thank you to those who have subscribed, those who have forwarded these messages or photo copied and passed them on to others. Also, thank you to those who have written encouraging words to me.  They are greatly appreciated. 

NOTE: This material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed an interest in receiving this information for non-profit use only.

"Check Point" is an online newsletter published by: "Esther Dummer." Permission is hereby granted to copy and distribute for non-commercial purposes. Consider duplicating, in its entirety, as published, and distributing to friends, relatives, pastors or your church congregation, or forward via email.  It is my delight to have those who desire to use these messages to further God’s move to do so. 

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