We have treasured this prophecy for many years, if not decades, ourselves. Our recollection is that it we first read it when it was published in an issue of the Morningstar Journal sometime in the late '90s.
There is a terrific operation of the Spirit going on today to bring the children of God into an absolute obedience to His perfect will. This is the day of preparation, for He is preparing the channel through which He will pour forth His glory for all the world to see: This channel is His body on the earth, the glorious company of people who are being conformed through many fiery tests into the image of the Son of God.
But before God can commit this glorious ministry into our hands, we must submit ourselves to His discipline, letting Him truly be the Lord of every area of our lives. For many of us, God has long since dealt with the question of open sin, but now He is dealing with the inward rebellion of our own wills. Some Christians are not presently being dealt with concerning this, but none of those who pursue the high calling of God will escape it altogether. This is the work of the Refiner's fire. To those who are going through it, some of its aspects seem horrible. Yet such dealings are very necessary, and the end result is glorious.
During a minister's conference in Tulsa, God gave me a vision concerning this harnessing of our wills. The Lord was mightily present to deal with us, and there was such a stern dealing in the Spirit that no one could even go to the pulpit to minister. There was a reluctance among the ministers to say anything except that which was directly ordered by the Spirit. As we sat there in the awesome presence of Almighty God, I was impressed by the way these seasoned servants of God responded to the discipline of the Spirit. It was in the midst of this overwhelming dealing of God with our spirits that the Holy Spirit gave me a vision…
The King's Carriage
On a dirt road in the middle of a wide field stood a beautiful carriage, something on the order of a stagecoach, but edged in gold, with beautiful carvings. It was pulled by six large chestnut horses, two in the lead, two in the middle and two in the rear. Yet they were not moving, not pulling the carriage, and I wondered why.
Then I noticed the driver underneath the carriage, on the ground on his back, just, behind the last two horses' heels, working on something between the front wheels of the carriage. I thought, "My, he is in a dangerous place, for if one of those horses kicked or stepped back, they could kill him, or if they decided to go forward, or somehow got frightened, they would pull the carriage right over him and kill him." But he didn't seem afraid, for he knew that the horses were disciplined and would not move till he told them to move.
The horses were not stamping their feet nor acting restless, and though there were bells on their feet, the bells were not tinkling. There were pom-poms on their harnesses over their heads, but the pom-poms were not moving. They simply were standing quietly and still, waiting for the voice of the Master.
Two Colts In the Field
As I watched the harnessed horses, I noticed two young colts in the open field. They approached the carriage and seemed to speak to the harnessed horses: "Come play with us! We have many fine games and will race with you. Come catch us."
With that, the colts kicked up their heels, flicked their tails, and raced across the open field. But when they looked back and saw the horses were not following, they were puzzled. They knew nothing of harnesses and did not understand why the horses did not want to play. So they called to them: "Why don't you race with us? Are you tired? Are you too weak? Don't you have strength to run? You are much too solemn; you need more joy in life."
But the horses answered not a word, nor did they stamp their feet or toss their heads. Instead, they stood, quiet and still, waiting for the voice of the Master.
Again the colts called to them: "Why do you stand in the hot sun? Come over here in the shade of this nice tree. See how green the grass is? It is so green and tasty. You must be hungry; come and feed with us. You look thirsty, too. Come drink of one of our many streams of cool, clear water." The horses answered them not so much as a glance, but stood still, waiting for the command to go forward with the King.
Colts in the Master's Corral
Then the scene changed: I saw lariat nooses fall around the necks of the two colts, and they were led off to the Master's corral for training and discipline. How sad they were as the lovely green fields disappeared and they were put into the confinement of the corral, with its brown dirt and high fence. The colts ran from fence to fence, seeking freedom, but found they were confined to this place of training: And then the Trainer began to work on them, with His whip and His bridle.
What a death for those who had been all their lives accustomed to such a freedom! They could not understand the reason for this torture, this terrible discipline. What crime had they done to deserve this? Little did they know of the responsibility that was to be theirs when they had submitted to the discipline, learned to perfectly obey the Master, and finished their training. All they knew was that this process was the most horrible thing they had ever known.
Submission and Rebellion
One of the colts rebelled under the training, and said, "This is not for me. I like my freedom, my green hills, my flowing streams of fresh water. I will not take any more of this confinement, this terrible training." So he found a way out, jumped the fence and ran happily back to the meadows of grass.
I was astonished that the Master let him go and did not go after him. Instead, He devoted His attention to the remaining colt. This colt, though he had the same opportunity to escape, decided to submit his own will and learn the ways of the Master. The training got harder than ever, but he was rapidly learning more and more how to obey the slightest wish of the Master, and to respond to even the quietness of His voice. And I saw that had there been no training, no testing, there would have been neither submission nor rebellion from either of the colts.
In the field they did not have the choice of rebelling or submitting; they were sinless in their innocence. But when brought to the place of testing and training and discipline, the obedience of one was manifested, and the rebellion of the other. And though it seemed safer to avoid this place of discipline, I saw that without this there could be no sharing of His glory, no experiencing of true sonship.
Into the Harness
Finally this period of training was over. Was he now rewarded with his freedom, and sent back to the fields? No. He was brought into a confinement even greater than before, as a harness dropped around his shoulders. Now he found there was not even the freedom to runabout the small corral, for in the harness he could only move where--and when--his Master spoke. Unless the Master spoke, he stood still.
The scene changed again, and I saw the other colt standing on the side of a hill, nibbling at some grass. As he gazed across the fields, he saw the King's carriage coming down the road, drawn by six horses. With amazement he realized that in the lead, on the right side, was his brother colt, now made strong and mature on the good corn in the Master's stable. He saw the lovely pom-poms shaking in the wind, noticed the glittering gold-bordered harness about his brother, heard the beautiful tinkling of the bells on his feet-and envy came into his heart.
The unharnessed colt complained to himself: "Why has my brother been so honored, while I am neglected? They have not put bells on my feet, nor pom-poms on my head. The Master has not given me the wonderful responsibility of pulling His carriage, nor put a gold harness on me. Why have they chosen my brother instead of me?" And by the Spirit the answer came to me as I watched: "Because one submitted to the discipline of the Master and one rebelled, thus has one been chosen and the other set aside."
A Famine In the Land
Then I saw a great drought sweep across the countryside, and the green grass became dead, dry, brown and brittle. The little streams of water stopped flowing and dried up, and there was only a small, muddy puddle here and there. I saw the little colt (I was amazed that he never seemed to grow or mature) as he ran to and fro across the fields looking for fresh streams and green pastures, finding none. Still he ran, seemingly in circles, always looking for something to feed his famished spirit. But there was famine in the land, and the rich green pastures and flowing streams of yesterday were not to be had.
One day the colt stood on the hillside on weak and wobbly legs, wondering where to go next to find food and struggling to find strength even to continue his search. It seemed there was no use, for good food and flowing streams were a thing of the past, and all the efforts to find more only taxed his waning strength.
Suddenly he saw the King's carriage coming down the road, pulled by six majestic horses. And he saw his brother, fat and strong, muscles rippling, sleek and beautiful from much grooming. The colt's heart was amazed and perplexed, and he cried out: "My brother, where do you find the food to keep you strong and fat in these days of famine? I have run everywhere in my freedom, searching for food, and I have found none. Where do you, in your awful confinement, find food in this time of drought? Tell me, please, for I must know!"
And the answer came back from a voice filled with victory and praise: "In my Master's house, there is a secret place in the confining limitations of His stables where He feeds me by His own hand. His granaries never run empty, and His well never runs dry."
With this, the Lord gave me an insight for the day when people are weak and famished in their spirits, in the time of spiritual famine. Those who have come into the secret place of the Most High, into utter confinement in His perfect will, shall have plenty of the corn of heaven and a never ending flow of fresh streams of revelation from His Spirit. Here the vision ended.
Interpretation of the Vision
"Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run that reads it," (Habakkuk 2:2). "Harness the horses, and mount up, you horsemen," (Jeremiah 46:4). I am sure that many of you can already see what the Spirit was showing in the vision, but let me make it plain.
Being born into the family of God, feeding in the green pastures and drinking of the many streams of the unfolding revelation of His purpose is fine and wonderful. But it is not enough. While we were children, we were limited only by the outer fence of the Law that ran around the edges of the pastures, a fence that kept us from getting into the dark pastures of poisonous weeds: God was content to watch us develop and grow into young manhood or womanhood, spiritually speaking. Yet the time came when we who fed in His pastures and drank at His streams were brought into the discipline or "child-training" necessary to make us mature.
Many today cannot understand why those who have put on the harness of God cannot get excited by the religious games and the playful antics of the immature. They wonder
why the disciplined ones don't run after every new revelation or feed on every opportunity m engage in seemingly good and profitable religious activities. They wonder why some will not race with them in their frantic efforts to build great works and notable ministries. They cannot understand the simple fact that this company of saints is waiting for the voice of the Master, and they do not hear God in all this outward activity.
The harnessed ones will move in their time, when the Master speaks. But they will not move before that, though many temptations come from the playful colts. The colts cannot understand why those who seemingly have great strength and abilities are not putting them to good use. "Get the carriage on the road," they say. But the disciplined ones, those in God's harness, know better than to move before they hear the voice of the Master. They will move in their time, with purpose and great responsibility
The Lord impressed on me that there were many whom He had brought into training who had rebelled against the discipline, the chastising of the Father. They could not be trusted with the great responsibility of mature sons and daughters, so He let them go back to their freedom, back to their religious activities and revelations and gifts. They are still His people, still feeding in His pastures, but He has set them aside from His great purposes for the end of the age. So they revel in their freedom, feeling that they were the chosen ones with the many streams of living water, not knowing that they have been set aside as unfit for this great end-time work.
He showed me that though the chastising seems grievous for the time, and the discipline hard to endure, yet the resulting glory is worth it all, and the glory to follow far exceeds the suffering we endure. And though some lose even their lives in this training, yet they will share alike in the glory of His eternal purposes.
So faint not, saints of God, for it is the Lord who will bring you into confinement, and not your enemy. It is for your good and for His glory, so endure all things with praise and thanksgiving that He has counted you worthy to share His glory! Fear not the whip in His hand, for it is not to punish you, but to correct and train you, that you might come into submission to His will and be found in His likeness in that hour. Rejoice in your trials. Glory in His cross and in the confining limitations of His harness, for He has chosen you and taken upon Himself the responsibility of keeping you strong and well fed.
So lean upon Him, and trust not in your own ability and your own understanding. So shall you be fed, and His glory will overshadow you and flow through you as it goes forth to cover the earth. The Lord is wonderful! Let Him be Lord of your life, and don't complain about that which He brings to pass in your life.
Plenty In a Time of Famine
In the hour when famine sweeps the land, He shall feed by His own hand those who are submitted to His will and who dwell in the secret place of the Most High. When terror stalks the land, those in His harness shall not be afraid; for they will feel His bit and bridle and know the guidance of His Spirit. When others are weak and frail and fearful, they shall be strong in the power of His might and shall not lack any good thing. In the hour when the traditions of the religious systems have proven false, and their streams have dried up, then His chosen ones shall speak forth with the true Word of the Lord.
So rejoice that you have been chosen by His grace for this great work in this last hour. The fence that kept the colts in their own meadows and pastures means nothing to the team in the harness; for the gates open to them and they go forth, pulling the King's carriage into many strange and wonderful places. They do not stop to eat the poison weeds of sin, for they feed only in the Master's stable. These fields they trample under their feet as they go forth on the King's business.
And so to those who are brought into absolute subjection to His will, there is no Law. For they move in the grace of God, led only by His Spirit, where all things are lawful but not all things are expedient. This is a dangerous realm for the undisciplined, and many have perished in sin as they leaped over the fence without His harness and His bridle. Some have thought of themselves as being completely harnessed and submissive to Him, only to find that in some venue of their life there swelled rebellion and self-will.
Let us wait before Him until He puts His noose around us and draws us to His place of training. And let us learn of the dealings of God and the movings of His Spirit, until at last we feel His harness drop around us and hear His voice guiding us. Then there will be safety from the traps and pitfalls of sin, and we will abide in His house forever!
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