SUMMIT AT JOY MOUNTAIN
SUMMIT AT JOY MOUNTAIN
September 15, 2015, the Year of Our Lord
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Bro. Van Tanner opened the gathering with a question to each of us, “Why did you come to this gathering?” My response was immediate and clear. I knew exactly why I came.
“A call has come forth to bring forth the “elect” through a sifting and shaking to test and prepare leaders for a greater wave of glory. In order to be operating in the realm of the Third Heaven i.e. Holy of Holies, I knew each person at this summit would have gone through many previous callings and shakings. I knew that our congregation had been pulled through a “knothole backwards”. I have been through other siftings and shakings in my life. I also stated that I felt our congregation had broken through and we had come into that wider place. I was eager to hear where each one of them were on this narrow path and what the Lord was revealing to them as we are being called from faith to faith and glory to glory.”
On Sunday morning Bro. Van made a profound statement that must become a clarion call:
“We will be given one last great test before the next wave of glory. During the test will be your chance to bow out. If you do not bow out of your calling during this test, there will be no turning back.”
In the past two years, I could have bowed out with grace and dignity; no one would have blamed me and many would be very happy to see me go. However, in the moments when the devil tried to tempt me, I knew the Lord who hired me had not retired me. With eyes of faith and love, I kept my heart focused on the leading of the Holy Spirit fully knowing some were being led into a greater weight of glory.
As each minister graciously and faithfully took their turn around the room, they were transparent with their heart and personal battle to press through allowing the Lord to burn and sift away anything that would be a stumbling block to the “call”.
On Friday afternoon, a group of us took the 30-minute drive to Max Summit. This is a 4600 ft. mountain (not the tallest) which gives a view of the Great Smokey Mountains, the Black Mountains and Tennessee.
When I visit a region, I like to go to the tallest spot because the strongest spirit over a region will always be in the tallest building, mountain, hill, etc.
We hiked the mile + old wagon trail up to the summit. As we chatted in sweet fellowship encouraging one another as we made the hike, no comment was made that anyone thought it might be a stretch for me. However, when I reached the top, at least two and maybe three of my new found friends congratulated me on reaching the top. I later busted them and told them that would be the first thing I would tell my church. Everyone in my church knew I would have climbed that mountain! (Smile) --- no boasting intended---just very grateful.
I walked away to be alone with the Lord. As I stood with the gentle cool wind in my face and tears in my eyes that I was again standing before the Lord beholding His Glorious creation and breathing the breathe of life, I said to Him. “Lord through the journey of life I have stood on other summits with a burden in my heart and worshiped you. I prayed for my family of birth. Later I prayed for my husband and children. When I was in Wales, I carried the dream and vision of Little White Church before you as I climbed those high places. Today I carry no pain or burden before you except for the soul of our nation and the chosen sheep nations of the world. Lord my Soul and Spirit are free. Thank you for this awesome journey of life and the awesome privilege of serving you. Thank you for a blessed life and the blessing of life and breath.”
Before leaving the Summit, we joined hands in prayer and the Lord spoke a prophetic word that we were brought there by divine appointment and from that place we would be given the authority that wherever we step our foot, we are to apprehend that place for the Kingdom of God. We stationed angels on that mountain top and claimed the souls for all eternity for all who would pass through those trails. By vision Prophet Stephen saw the angels stationing banners all around the summit.
The Appalachian Trail crosses the Max Patch. Trails intersect at the summit in all directions. Hikers were coming up the trails. Intersections are places where roads, lines or ideas connect at a central location. The Appalachian Trail intersection on the summit of the Max Patch was another confirmation of what had been previously shared.
Pastor David Skinner (West Palm Beach, Florida) shared with us that he felt the gathering was to be a Divine intersection for him to connect with God and the gathering ministries in a real and personal way; as well as a paradigm shift.
Brother Duane Stewart (Paris, Texas) released a Word that we are coming into a season when our faith will become substance. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
I interjected, “Christ in us is the Hope of Glory but when we are “in Christ” then Faith becomes a Fact; Hope becomes a Certainty; and Love becomes a reality.”
Brother Van clearly stated the purpose of the gathering was to hear the voice of the Lord, whose voice would be revealed through each of us and together as part of the Body of Christ, the One Voice in harmony and symphony will reveal the whole.
There were no agendas, no preaching, no advice, no criticism, no condemnation, etc.
That the “voice of many waters” flowing from the different steams would became a river of life.”
Each minister brought a deposit of Christ, their personal struggles, and even their stumbling blocks. There was no self-righteousness, last word, trump cards, or overbearing steamrollers.
Our hosts at Joy Mountain were David and Margie McCrum. Their hospitality and graciousness was from a spirit of the love of Christ and the Excellency of Christ. Brother David was scheduled for a major surgery yesterday. Both David and Margie humbled me with their willingness to serve the Lord with a retreat center as a place of the gathering of the saints.
On Saturday evening, Brother Duane brought forth a Word from Hosea about the bride. 2: 14-16: “I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness and speak comfortably to her. I will give her vineyards from there, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope, and she shall sing there, as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. It shall be at that day says the Lord, that you shall call me Ishi; and shall call me no more Baali”.
The point of his message using this scripture was three steps into the Kingdom which was excellent. However, when he reminded us that Ishi means husband and Baali means Lord. He pointed out that the Lord has elevated us as His Bride into the intimacy of the husband and wife.
A light bulb came on and I began to exhort remembering what you have heard from me many times before, but in a new light.
When I married Don, I had to learn how to please him. On a bad day in our marriage, I could comfort myself that the Lord was my husband. However, in reality, I had a husband who loved me in spite of any difference we may have had. When Don passed to Heaven, I had a new learning curve; I realized I didn’t know how to please the Lord as my husband.
So I began a new spiritual journey, but as in the marriage with my husband, I had a lot to learn. As everyone knows, I am an overcoming workaholic. Because work is enjoyable to me, I filled my days from morning to night with studying, teaching, prayer meetings, talking to the Lord all day, praying for the family, church members, nation, etc. At night, I would collapse in my bed exhausted from being about the Lord’s business.
One day the Lord rebuked me that He wanted me to set aside time in the evenings just to be with Him, not praying for anything, not seeking Him for a message, or for anyone, just “our time”. No reason except to be in His Presence. Of course, I am not one to seek His Hand. I have always sought His Face, but this was different. In the place of intimacy with the husband and wife, no one should be included in that time. Of course, this does not have sexual implications and I don’t want anyone to read anything into this to make it weird. This call that in the wilderness we shall know him as Ishi (husband) and no more Baali (Lord) is a “calling” of the highest level of love to His Beloved. When a man chooses his wife to spend the rest of His life with her, to love her, cherish her, and support her, which is the highest honor a man can give to a woman.
2:19-20: “I will betroth you to Me forever; yea, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving kindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth you to Me in faithfulness; and you shall know the Lord. It shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, says the Lord, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth.”
Of course, this is where the Lord is gathering His Beloved into the Bride Groom’s Chamber. He had to lead all of us into the wilderness. It is the place where we will slow down and listen, just to be, and resting in Him.
Pastor Oscar Bowling (West Chester, Ohio) then read this poem written by him 1/30/12:
INTIMACY WITH GOD
Come away my love into an intimate place
Where I’ll show you the depths of my amazing grace
As you are wrapped in the warmth of my enfolding love
In the quietness and stillness you will rise above
And sit with me in that heavenly place
Where you will begin to see me face to face
And a change will happen as I give you my life
And a change of names as you become my wife
And my glory and love will break forth from your heart
Bringing all to repentance and even a new start
For surely as you spend precious time with me
I will show you my plan for eternity
For my Father expressed his wondrous love
When He sent Me his Song from above
For I have redeemed mankind from the wages of sin
That he might come into being, instead of to an end.
Oscar Bowling.
I can’t share the wonderful deposits each minister brought forth today, but I will in the coming days.
Pastor Rob Goyette pointed out that as we gathered in a circle, that each one of us would see Jesus in a different dimension. I was reminded though I didn’t share it that Ezekiel, Isaiah and John were all given a vision of the throne of God. One saw it from below; another from above and the other from around. As each one of us shares our experience, there will be different views of the experience.
I would not close without mentioning Prophet Stephen Andrew Bundra. Brother Bundra like all prophetic people is cut from a different cloth. During the meetings, he gave each ministry a “deep word of the Lord”. However, he saved me to the last and told me that it was intentional because he wanted to give the word to me in private. He gave it to minutes before we left the gathering to go to the airport.
I have the word hidden in my heart. He discerned my heart. He told me that what I am getting ready to walk into is so magnificent I couldn’t dream it. It will be a place of intimacy and the authority of the voice of the Lord. He said we have had many visitations in our fellowship of the great cloud of witnesses. He also named names of saints who have gone on before who have visited our services.
He said there will be an established location which will be our ministry base. I am never to travel alone, but someone or more than one is always to travel with me. He said those who have been called to walk with me have been hand selected by the Lord and these will be faithful.
There will also be divine assignments where I will be sent to the source of “war” and conflict and be able to speak into the seat of that conflict and the voice of the Lord will change and stop the war. (Example Baltimore or Ferguson –knowing the seat behind the conflict comes from the Administration).
He said I will go into the Court of Heaven and given strategies and mysteries for the days to come.
There was more, but that is all I want to share now. As always, I am humbled, but know the cost and will not be presumptuous.
Brother John Sielski as always was a delight and blessing. He shared about the changing the filthy garments of the High Priest Joshua in Zechariah 3: 1-4. The Angel of the Lord told those who stood before him to change the filthy garments and set on him a fair MITRE and new garments. This he used to emphasize how we need one another within the Body of Christ to be whole and to change each other’s filthy garments.
In one of our conversations, Brother Van and I were talking. I told him that I had every confidence that each one of the ministers attending the Summit would not faint or fall away from their calling because everyone of them was duke-ing it out with the Lord. As long as they don’t stop duke-ing until the Lord wins, they will make it through.
Brother Van mentioned to me before we left that he hoped that I received what I came for. I did! We are not alone on this mountain called Zion. The Sons of God are coming forth! Those who endure will overcome. There is a choosing going on. Rejoice if you have been sifted and shaken. You have been called out from amongst them and being prepared.
For those who are being pressed, we are pressing into Heaven to bring the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in Heaven. Hos. 2:21: “In that day, I will hear, says the Lord, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth.” Yes, the great cloud of witnesses show up in our meetings and we join with them to worship before the throne of God.
I count it all joy!
Carolyn Sissom
Honored to be called Pastor
Eastgate Ministries Church