PASS UNDER THE ROD
PASS UNDER THE ROD
(Ez. 20: 37)
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Sunday, May 16, 2021, the Year of Our Lord
On Tuesday, Tammy Vasek, handed me a 2021 copy of The Shepherd’s Rod by Prophet Bobby Conner. I was reminded of a vision I had in 1999 of the Shepherd’s Rod:
(1999) I had recently started the church in Texas. In the vision, I saw the Lord Jesus standing at the gate in a red robe with an out-stretched rod. He was standing under the big oak tree. Through the gate, sheep were coming in passing under the rod. Just down the road, there was a broken place in the fence. The sheep coming in through there were lost.
At the time, I interpreted the vision to mean we would have two kinds of people coming into the church, the “elect” and the “lost”.
Ezekiel 20: 37-38: I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me; I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn (K.J.V.).
As I consider the vision and visitation 22-years later, we are building a new church. Lord as many have passed under your rod for all these many-years, and we who you called to build your Kingdom-church have passed under that rod through many trials, tests, and trouble, have we been faithful to the bond of your covenant?
I have read in years past Bobby Conner’s annual publication of the Shepherd’s Rod, but it has been a few years since I read the last copy.
For the past twenty-six years, he has received a visitation from Christ Jesus on the Day of Atonement. Before his death, Bob Jones also received a visitation on the same day. Both men in agreement published their revelation for the year, and without communication of the content, both messages were similar.
The term “Shepherd’s Rod” comes from Ezekiel 20: 37. “This scripture symbolically portrays a shepherd extending his rod as the sheep pass under his staff for evaluation. In this same way, we, as the Lord’ sheep, pass under His staff during this season, as further described in Jeremiah 33:13:‘In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the lowland, in the cities of the South, in the land of Benjamin, in the places around Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, the flocks shall again pass under the hands of him who counts them,’ says the LORD. (N.K.J.V.)
Leviticus 27:32: Concerning the tithe of the herd or the flock, of whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the LORD.
I will attempt to pull out a few nuggets from the 2021 visitation and revelation given to Brother Conner.
In 2019 Shepherd’s Rod, Brother Conner prophesied of the coming pandemic. In 2020, of the shaking of nations and everything that could be shaken will be shaken.
“God does not shake you to torment you. He shakes you to awaken you…WARNING! WARNING! Make sure you don’t attempt to rebuild what God has shaken down in your life. He wants to rebuild everything in you so that your only life source is in Him. It is time to submit to God’s truth so that you may experience His true freedom. Though God is shaking you, He is giving you an unshakeable kingdom. Our response should be a thankful heart, know God loves us far more than anyone.
Hebrews 12: 28-29: Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. (NIV)
We must set our heart and soul to come into alinement with God’s plans and purposes to bring us into greater glory. In 2020, God clearly warned us of the coming shake-up to produce a desperately needed wake-up.
In this Shepherd’s Rod season, the Body of Christ must answer these three very challenging, arduous questions:
1. Where are we now? We are in a time of judgment.
2. How did we get here? We have not obeyed God.
3. How do we get back to where we need to be? We must truly repent.
All of this aligns with our study of the Book of Jeremiah. Israel was in judgment because they had not obeyed God. The Lord gave them warning after warning through the prophet Jeremiah that if they would repent, He would remove His hand of judgment.
Scripture states: They are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind. Both will fall into a pit. (Mt. 15:14 ESV)
Our greatest need is to repent and return to our first love. James 1:8: Their loyalty is divided between God and the world. They are unstable in everything they do (NLT).
We have permitted the “cancel culture” to arrogantly and boldly get a foothold in our government, churches, media and education system. The majority of Americans succumbed in one day to the masks, social distancing, shutting down the economy, churches, weddings, funerals, schools, etc. Today, the government has repealed the mask mandates, etc., but even in Texas, stores and restaurants are still requiring employees to wear masks.
We as a culture have succumbed to fear, compromise and a lack of genuine commitment to obey the Word of God. We have become double-minded. Even certain church sects seek political correctness over the Word of God. The popularity of ministers to gain followings have become about pleasing people rather than pleasing God.
Because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. We have lost our burning zeal for the Lord and the establishing of His glorious kingdom. Father God has promised that if we genuinely repent and turn away from our sinful, wicked ways, He will forgive and heal.
The Spirit of God is saying to the Saints of God, “Repent! Restore! Reestablish! Reinstate the platform of truth! Truth has fallen in the street. We must rescue truth so that truth can rescue us.
Isaiah 59:14: Justice is turned away backward, and righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God) stands far off; for truth has fallen in the street (the city’s forum), and uprightness cannot enter (the courts of justice) AMPC.
AWAKE THE WARRIORS!
Bobby Conner: “I was commanded to awake the warriors. The command was not a suggestion, but a bold, strong, and stirring command, given with such force that it shook we deeply. In the same tone, I was told, “Sound the alarm! Awaken the warriors!
Beloved we are being called to contend for change that transforms our culture…We have no armistice with the workers of darkness!
A non-confrontational attitude is not the rule and the responsibility of God’s end-time warriors! We must awake. Now is the time to shake yourself and rise to the occasion (see Joshua 1:7).
We are called to be a history maker to change the world. These are not empty phrases but powerful prophetic promises. Our destiny and the destiny of the coming generations demand that we do our very best—now! Indeed, the fate of nations depend upon our actions.”
Prov. 11:3: The integrity of the upright shall guide them, but the willful contrariness and crookedness of the treacherous shall destroy them. (AMPC)
Father God is calling us to Himself. He promises that if we indeed return to Him, then He will return to us.
Jeremiah 15:19: Thus says the Lord, if you will return, then I will restore you---Before Me you will stand. If you extract the precious from the worthless, you will become My spokesman. They, for their part, may turn to you, but as for you, you must not turn to them. (NASB)
Brother Conner states: “Each year God highlights the Psalm that corresponds with the year. This year is Psalm 121. These precious truths are revealing to us how we can live victorious as we look to Almighty God as our source of help and guidance.
Where does our help come from?
Psalm 121: 1-8: I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand. he sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life. The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Bobby Conner: Prophetic Perspectives:
1. Fight for faith ---vindicate---justify---defend—uphold.
2. Arise oil your shields. Prepare for war!
3. Time for the Saints to mobilize.
4. The deadly foe is at the door. Jezebel is at the door. There is a raging battle in the heavens that will soon manifest on earth. The dragon and the bear have joined forces, attempting to consume the flying eagle. This image speaks of the bear being Russia. The dragon being China. Our nation, America, is the flying eagle.
5. Prepare put on the whole armor of God.
6. Because God is with us, we are victorious.
Brother Conner wrote in 2020 of the coming shake-ups. The shake-up is to produce a wake-up. In 2021, we will be able to come into alinement with God’s greater purpose and embrace a greater glory.
2 Co. 3;18: All of us as with unveiled face (because we) continued to behold (in the Word of God) as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever-increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; (for this comes) from the Lord (who is) the Spirit. (AMPC)
We must make sure every hindering veil (or mask) is removed so that with an unveiled face, we are focusing our gaze upon the Lord. We are to mature and move from glory to glory. As every hindrance standing in our way is removed. We genuinely behold the Lord face to face. We are being transformed more and more into the image of Christ, the Lord. We are literally transfigured into the same image.
Mark 9:2: Jesus took with Him Peter, James and John. He led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves. He was transfigured before them and became resplendent with divine brightness (AMPC).
God’s Holy Word is directing and pleading us to become more like Christ Jesus. In our life on earth, we will either be transformed into the image of Christ, or we will be conformed into the world’s image. The choice is ours to make.
Romans 12:2: Do not be conformed to this world (kosmos), (fashioned after and adopted to its external, superficial customs), but be transformed (changed) by the (entire) renewal of your mind (by its new ideals and its new attitude), so that you may prove (for yourselves) what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect (in His sight for you). (AMPC)
Scripture states it is Father God’s perfect plan for each of us to be molded transformed into the image of His Son.
Romans 8:29: For those whom He foreknew (of whom he was aware and loved beforehand), He also destined from the beginning (foreordaining them) to be molded into the image of His Son (and share inwardly His likeness), that He might become the firstborn among many brethren.
As we gaze with our face unveiled, on that mirror, a change comes over us. The image of the old evil Adam-nature becomes less distinct, and the image of the new man, after the likeness of Christ, takes its place.
1 Co. 15:49: Just as we have borne the image (of the man) of dust, so shall we and so let us also bear the image (of the Man) of heaven. (AMPC)
This verse is the invitation the Lord makes to all Christians, to have our lives radically transformed here and now by opening our eyes to see the glorious journey. He is taking us on “from glory to glory.” As we behold Him with unveiled faces, we are transformed from one realm to the next. This greater glory will begin to manifest as we seek the Lord with all our heart. As we genuinely walk before Him with purity and passion, as we seek to honor Christ in everything we say and do. Our goal is to be full pleasing to Him; not as some may think, that He exists to please us.
Jer. 33:3: Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand. (AMPC)
There is nothing more powerful and productive in the whole earth than the prayers of the saints. Prayer moves the hand of God. When the hand of Almighty God moves, nothing and no one can stop Him.
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Eastgate Ministries Church, www.eastgateministries.com
Scripture from KJV; NKJV and AMPC – I entered into the labors of Shepherd’s Rod, Vol. XXVI by Bobby Conner. Vision of sheep passing under the rod was given to Carolyn Sissom, comments and conclusions are my own and not meant to reflect the views of Prophet Bobby Conner.