Sep 14
Encountering the Four Pillars of Deity
Our Father who is in Heaven Hallowed be your name. Your Kingdom come Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the power of the evil one, for Yours is the Kingdom, Power and Golory forever. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer stated by Jesus in Matthew 6, is a completion of all five foundations of Prayer - Adoration, Devotion, Intercession, Supplication, and Contemplation. However, these five prayer points are not a mantra that is vainly repeated, but an outline of subjects to be considered, weighed, measured, expounded upon and dialogued through with your Heavenly Father with whom you now have access. The atmosphere you are in is now getting pretty charged with the Presence of the Holy Spirit permeating everything in this room - including you.
SUBORDINATING THE SOUL
As you get up from kneeling and breathing your prayer before Him, you are preparing and being prepared to leave the Holy Place and its Dark Night of the Soul; which is what you will do as you exit this room and enter the next. Please remember, you do not want to kill your soul. You merely want it to submit to your spirit. You cannot love the things God loves without the passion of the Soul.
You cannot understand God’s ways without the intelligence of the Soul, and you cannot persevere in your faith without will power found in your Soul. No, the Soul is quit valuable - in the right place. It enables the Body to carry out the desires of God. The soul is one half of what will enter Paradise (Spirit & Soul) because flesh cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Your new body will catch up with you later at the resurrection.
TWO MORE LAYERS
Before you enter the Holy of Holies, you must encounter two more layers of obstacles that will cement your Spiritual life. The first layer is the four Golden Pillars that stand before you, just on this side of the Veil.
They are different from the five pillars you encountered before you entered into this first Room of Mystery, the room you are in now, the Holy Place. The five pillars, you encountered just before you entered into the room where you stand, are the five elements of Grace and those five elements of Grace are:
- Favor, which is God allowing you to do something that you are totally unqualified to do - like build an Ark;
- Patience, which is God giving you time to mature;
- Steadfast Love, which is God giving His Son for the forgiveness of your sins;
- Purpose, which is God having a good plan for your life in spite of your failure; and
- Anointing or Influence, which is God allowing us to touch and change others as He flows through us.
BE ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING
But now, here you stand about three feet in front of the Veil and four Golden Pillars. This is all that separates you from the next Room of Mystery - the Holy of Holies. Your heart is beating a little faster now - but you must not sweat. Interestingly enough heart rates that increase due to fear and anxiety will cause you to sweat, but heart rate increases in anticipation of wonder and AWE do not cause you to sweat … hummmm, which one are you? Unrepentant sin will bread fear, but a contrite heart will breed inner peace.
THE FOUR PILLARS
The four golden pillars you now stand before represent the four attributes of Deity and we will deal much more with them later:
Omniscience or all-knowing,
Omnipotence or all power,
Omnipresence or always present, and
Immutability or unchanging in any way.
In order to understand more of God’s ways and why God chose to place you here on this Earth for such a time as this, you need to understand what these four golden Pillars represent and what they mean to your destiny. This understanding will greatly, and I do mean greatly, aid you in the Holy of Holies where you will soon enter a much more formidable Dark Night of the Spirit. It is the last of the Dark Nights - it is also one that you will feel you have never completely left.
As a reminder, in the Outercourt you traversed through the Dark Night of the Wilderness where God dealt with sin in your life. In the journey through the Holy Place, and the Dark Night of the Soul, God dealt with your ambition and self-sufficiency. Here in this next Room, as you enter the Dark Night of the Spirit, God will deal with your confidence that you can actually do what He has called you to do.
Blessings,
John Paul
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You encountered the deity when i did not initiate anything.
is my confidence that I can actually do what he has called me to do a good thing or a futile thing
As a reminder, in the Outercourt you traversed through the Dark Night of the Wilderness where God dealt with sin in your life. In the journey through the Holy Place, and the Dark Night of the Soul, God dealt with your ambition and self-sufficiency. Here in this next Room, as you enter the Dark Night of the Spirit, God will deal with your confidence that you can actually do what He has called you to do.
Are the things that are dealt with in the Dark Night of the Soul and the Dark Night of the Spirit just two different aspects, or layers, of pride?
Cameron - “Are the things that are dealt with in the Dark Night of the Soul and the Dark Night of the Spirit just two different aspects, or layers, of pride?” Yes, is so much as human dependency on human ability negates dependency on God and His ability to do through you what you absolutely cannot do for yourself.
John Paul wrote:
Here in this next Room, as you enter the Dark Night of the Spirit, God will deal with your confidence that you can actually do what He has called you to do.
My Question’s concerning “confidence”:
Is this confidence that we acquire in this room of mystery, God’s confidence combined with our self confidence, or does our self confidence die as we die to our self independency/self sufficiency?
Is our self confidence replaced with “God’s Confidence” working through our surrendered will once we say yes to His preparation for us in this room?
If it is it seems that here we need to know ourselves, weaknesses, strengths and all to understand what God is doing within us and how He is doing it in order that we may recognize His work within us and others.
Shirley C.
Pastor Jackson,
….It is the last of the Dark Nights - it is also one that you will feel you have never completely left…I look forward into your teachings on this more. The Lord has led me to your website, your teachings, and as soon as I write words down in my journal, you have them posted on this teaching series. Thank you. Blessings to you. I am so awed on the timeliness of where your teachings are and where I am right now. I look forward more teaching on Dark Nights of the Spirit….with great anticipation.
Jinnea
This confidence is the type will result in pride when we accomplish that which God called us to do. It is self-confidence, not confidence in God and who He is.
John Paul,
Is it possible that whilst one is going through either the dark night of the soul or the dark night of the spirit, the zeal for abiding in God’s word and in His presence through meditation and prayer may diminish quite considerably? Is it possible to feel like where there previously was anointing, direction and a clear sense of purpose, there is now a sense of having lost that wonderful connection with the Holy Spirit, that ability to hear and see, that sense of being in tune with the Spirit? The lights have gone out, there is no point of reference and you feel scared to move forward in any direction for fear of following your own or someone else’s lead as opposed to that of the Holy Spirit?
Does this sound like anything which may take place during the dark night of the soul or the spirit or are these signs of a completely different stage in the journey?
Thank you for your inspired teaching as always.
Blessings
Mercedes
When I think of or see pillars, I think of their massive strength and how they support weight.
We can’t even begin to understand the strength of GOD and how HE supports us through that power that is solid and changes not. HE doesn’t gain strength–He does not lose strength. HE is unchangeable.
I got out my Strong’s Concordance and read all the verses with “strength” this morning—My ‘finite’
mind can’t even begin to understand the “infinite” and “eternal” mind and power of GOD.
Yet this all powerful–all knowing–always present–unchanging GOD renews us with HIS strength. What a shot that is!!!
I need Your strength,
Linda
In our weakness He is our strength as we go through the dark night. Another question that I have; Is it God that wills the dark night of the soul or spirit or is it partly because we have made certain choices that puts us into them?
Just before the September 14th posting, I had another recurring dream regarding a big white victorian house, this time I was on the outside looking in, and it was broad daylight, however, there was a man that was likened unto a tow trucker man, he had his eyes fixed on the open cellar door in the back yard. It was very dark in the cellar. I was wondering why this man was concerned about the cellar, and then another person commented and informed me that when the inhabitants moved out, they left their vehicle in the cellar and the tow truckers were called to take the car out of the cellar. I wondered how on earth, they got it in the cellar in the first place and then the person that was telling me all of this said to me, that they need to take the car out of the cellar before I move in. I think that this has to do with something that needs to be removed in the dark night of the soul and that God is going after something very deep within our soul and spirit before He releases us to the next phase of ministry. This is going to require the assistance of the angelic realm too. Does anyone else have any other explanations regarding this. I get a feeling that it is related to this blog. Yes, Lord we need your strength to endure this next Dark night and we need the assistance of your angel.
Peace
Shirley C.
If, heart rates increase in anticipation of wonder and AWE do not cause you to sweat, Why are so many, while Preaching, constantly wiping the sweat off their face?
A Poem - Wait & Listen
How gentle the voice of my Father, so dear
As He calls to me quietly, to sit with Him here
Wait and Listen say not a word
How can I speak, if My voice can’t be heard?
Sometimes I have spoken, your mind far away;
Yet you heard not one word that I tried to say.
Then came the moment, something went wrong,
I heard you cry; “God where have you gone?”
Many times I’ve watched, walking silently along
For it’s in your weakness; that I’ll make you strong.
I long for you to seek Me with all of your heart;
The ways that I showed you - from them don’t depart.
My child when you called Me, upon bended knee
Believe all My Son told you and you will receive.
For in the quiet moments when we are alone;
Is when, my child - My truth I’ll make known.
So much I long to tell you, to make your way clear;
To guide and protect you - for I hold you so dear.
So come and rest in the warmth of My arms,
I promise to hold you and all of your fears calm.
I see your tears and hear the praise from your lips
It’s My hands that gently touch, your fingertips.
So when you cry; “Father, where have you gone?”
Remember my child - I was there all along.
Listen… Wait… Listen my child, say not a word;
For then, only then… can My voice be heard.
Note: I requested permission to post this, as it is one of my favorite poems. I thought someone here - my extended blogger family - might enjoy reading this message from God’s heart.
Author – Priscilla Van Sutphin
The new day starts at midnight……..Daylight is birthed out of darkness.
GOD knows our human frame and that in HIS OMNISCIENCE, HE knows we need time to adjust to the increasing amount of “light” and “illumination” coming through the darkness.
Our human eyes would be blinded with HIS noon day brightness hitting us all at once.
Enlighten our path in the dark places!
Linda
Thanks for article. Everytime like to read you.
Cameron - “Are the things that are dealt with in the Dark Night of the Soul and the Dark Night of the Spirit just two different aspects, or layers, of pride?” Yes, is so much as human dependency on human ability negates dependency on God and His ability to do through you what you absolutely cannot do for yourself.
I was listening to one of your teachings recently, where you told a story of a man who was in your church, where one day he was on the floor for 45 minutes, and God repeated one line to him over and over: “I am God and you are not.” Sometimes it is too easy to simply gloss over a simple statement, completely missing the profoundness that is hidden in its depths.
i dont know if it is just me…..each time i have read this teaching the presence of the Lord is so strong, i can hardly utter words in earthly language nor spiritual…..there is such an Awe of His Power….it is too enormouse for my comprehension.
Aloha - “If, heart rates increase in anticipation of wonder and AWE do not cause you to sweat, Why are so many, while Preaching, constantly wiping the sweat off their face?” Sweat can also be produced by movement, yelling, etc.
(Eze 44:18) They shall have linen bonnets upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves with any thing that causeth sweat.
(Luk 22:44) And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
It can get hot under the anointing.
Many years ago I woke from sleep and realized a “presence” was in my bedroom. As I put my hand on the light switch–a hand covered my hand. I heard no audio voice, but I felt I was told to leave the light off and go back to bed. I had no fear.
Later as I awoke in the morning light, my attention was drawn to the cover on my bed. The cover was as smooth as a piece of glass. I then realized I was looking at my sheet draped over me. As I folded back the sheet, the blanket was in the middle and my bedspread was on the bottom touching me. The sheet and bedspread had been reversed……..
As I’m sitting up in bed astonished the LORD informed me that HE had sent an angel to reverse my covering.
My mother was not going to be my covering (I lived at home) and HE was going to change the order by bringing a husband to cover me…
I wondered why GOD did this. All through the years I had kept myself pure for the LORD and for whoever the LORD planned for me to marry. Most likely HE knew I would need a “dramatic” sign about a new covering on the near horizon for me–because HE was going to bring a widower with four children into my life and I needed to know “this thing” was from HIM…ha!ha!
This took place at night. It would not have had the impact on my life, had it happened in the daytime.
We have to learn to trust GOD in the dark nights. HE
has special ways that HE desires to communicate with us and methods that will make sense in the light, but it took the time in the dark to develop.
If you all think about it–you will recall HIM teaching you something “special” in the dark of the night. Learn not to fear the night but embrace it.
Continue to awaken me at night LORD!!!
Linda
Dark Nights feel terrible. I didn’t know what I was going through until I had a dream I was fighting Batman (The Dark Knight) and I finally beat him after some time. I know without God it is impossible for me to accomplish what he has called me to do. I must say over the past 10 years i’ve gone through a Dark Knight crash course. This means the time is short.
Later guys/gals.
Shaun Brehm
I have finally got something. I am learning how to let go and just hold on to God. I’ve developed claustraphobia from being stuck on planes, trains and in elevators that have had mechanical failings - I think statistically I am off the charts on the odds of this happening to 1 person so many times. I think I’ve been given an object lesson. I wish I could say I was further along and I learned something ‘deeper’.
However the last time I experienced this overwhelming sense of panic I told God, after whining for a while, that I can’t handle it any more and I was tired of it. If He didn’t help me I guess the cards would fall where they may because I was absolutely tired. My fear…I was going to just flip out on that plane.
The Lord spoke to me. He said relax and go to sleep and I did.
Before my traveling experiences I was considered a rock…a strong person. I have walked through many difficult times. I asked God what in the world are you preparing me for because it has been so difficult. What I have learned is that I am not strong, smart nor clever. I have experienced great fear just stepping on a simple plane. What I know is that what ever I am called to do, God will have to do it. I am not in control and I am a pretty weak individual. I am not who I thought I was nor who I was told I am. I think from this point, God will have to tell me these things.
During this time I have seen the greatness of God and have more awe for Him than I did before; despite my experiences. If I have not gone through the Dark Night of the Spirit yet, it is with fear and trembling that I face it. I am not going to stop in my pursuit of God. However, I am not going without the Lord. He is going to have to pretty much carry me through. I don’t know ‘much else’ any more.
To heart2hear who left a comment above
I don’t know who you are but I wanted to say thank you for posting that poem.
The person that needed to read it and breath it was me.
Bless you for answering my heart’s cry.
“The soul is one half of what will enter Paradise (Spirit & Soul) because flesh cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Your new body will catch up with you later at the resurrection.”
If the Spiritual is more substantioal than the Material - then surely your new body has already caught up with you at the Resurrection and if the Lord’s Prayer is to be treated as Prophecy, when we say your Kingdom Come, your will be done on Earth as it has already been done in Heaven - then surely what we experience of the Powers of the Age to Come in terms of Healing etc. flows from our new bodies which already exist in Heaven…..if you really want to wait to the ‘Final Summing up of all things’ in terms of theology, you will need to dust down theologies on intemediate states like the Roman Catholic Doctrine of Purgatory and I know you are too much of a ‘Proddy’ [Protestant] for that….
“As a reminder, in the Outercourt you traversed through the Dark Night of the Wilderness where God dealt with sin in your life. In the journey through the Holy Place, and the Dark Night of the Soul, God dealt with your ambition and self-sufficiency. Here in this next Room, as you enter the Dark Night of the Spirit, God will deal with your confidence that you can actually do what He has called you to do.”
There seem to be more stations and stops in this journey through the Temple from the Outer Courts to the Holy of Holies, than the Stations of the Cross……this has always been the difference between living under the Law and Living under Grace.
David from Louisiana….thank you for the scripture; that gave me more understanding of my position and expectations.
To Mark Downham:
“There seem to be more stations and stops in this journey through the Temple from the Outer Courts to the Holy of Holies, than the Stations of the Cross……this has always been the difference between living under the Law and Living under Grace.”
Mark, there is seven stops in each, but there were several turns and encounters.
John Paul,
How did GOD download this whole series going from the outer court and advancing towards the Holy of Holies?
Did you have one dream, several dreams, a vision, visions, etc. How did GOD birth this through you?
For many months you have labored to get us through these rooms and turns. You have studied over all these details and it shows.
I think all of us are amazed and appreciate your obedience in bringing this to us.
Eagerly waiting for the next installment,
Linda
I’m getting to understand beter and better, what David meant when he said that he would dwell in the house of the Lord forever. The desire that he had to stay there and comtemplate God…
I’m getting to understand better what you explained JP of the 7th stage where you now abide in…and God that abides in you…Thank you!
This is massive!
By the way, Aloha, many preachers also sweat a lot, because of all the hot projector lights blazing on them. Without them, you wouldn’t be able to see them clearly, neither in church and especially on camera. Cameras need a lot of good lighting to be able to record or relay good imaging…and if they move around a lot, be very expressive, especially in hot suits, they will sweat, a lot…
God bless!
Not the cameras, but the preachers, will sweat a lot…
Thank you for this. Along with the Declaratory prayer, it’s a double whammy! I am new here. At the first reading, I was very weak. My faith very low; circumstances were overpowering. To enter the Holy of Holies seemed impossible. Thank you for urging us to seek. Our Lord is altogether lovely… blessings on you all.
John Paul,
Excellent. Keeping cool under pressure. We’ll make a [4th Century] Desert Father of you yet! You make me smile.
Mark
Dan. 12
And at that time shall Michail stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased…..
Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand…
My heart is fluttering in anticipation and I am very happy to say NO SWEAT! But the work continues and off I go building confidence along the way. Bye, JP and others for now.
Love, Holly
Today on Facebook you released a statement talking about being on the cutting edge…
As we move towards the Holy of Holies on this journey you are leading us on, the path is becoming narrower and narrower. It is like we are walking on the sharp ridge/edge of a knife. As we are going higher and higher—we are also going deeper and deeper in HIM.
Only GOD gives us the perfect “balance” to walk through and climb the steepness of this path. We can’t carry any baggage with us. Our hands and lives must be unencumbered as we allow HIM free reign to take us forward, higher and deeper into GOD’S glorious Presence.
I have been contemplating the dark nights and a few human reactions. I am often faced wondering how long my daughter will live and am even asked that question by strangers. After another 5 hour stint at the emergency room with her again tonight I was thinking about stability in God.
This entry is entitled “Encountering the Four Pillars of Deity” which indicate something firm and supportive. When a slew of things started going wrong in my life all at one time nothing felt firm or supportive. Even today as I headed to the emergency room for the umpteenth time I wondered what God would do or not do with her life.
It seems the dark nights throw off our perception of God. Recently, I learned that the King James Version interprets the Greek wrong when it says “deliver us from evil.” It is actually saying “deliver us from the evil ONE.” The theology is different. We experience evil and He does not always keep us from experiencing horrible things.
I have been wondering how we do not fear while standing in the midst of a swarm of killer bees? Isn’t it natural to anticipate or fear a sting? We may not be protected from the bees. Likewise, God has allowed my life to take a very painful and difficult direction. It is hard not to fear what is next.
I know the soul must be subordinate to the spirit. However, it’s almost impossible to not ‘kill’ the soul when the thing the soul must let go of seems to be one of the most important treasures. Letting go the desires of the soul in the areas that are the most important, or difficult to let go of, and submitting to the Lord’s will is immeasurably difficult…to the degree that the thing is important to the soul. So, it is hard to stand next to the One you know can smoke away the bees from your life and trust Him after the bees have stung you.
I am curious how these 4 pillars interact with the human reactions during the dark nights. It appears to me that dark nights are full of difficult circumstances. How does knowing God allowed them in our lives fit with the security and stability we can find in Him being Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and Immutable?
One of Those
Something that I have been wondering about off/on when coming to this blog for quite some time, but I haven’t had enough nerve to ask about it until such a time as this. Is it God’s will to assist Him in bringing people to experience the Dark Nights of the soul/spirit or is it totally up to God when He wills for this to happen individually and a complete leap of faith on our part as we surrender and put our trust in Him. Because there are times when some are in the Dark Night of the Soul or Spirit where others are not. In other words different seasons. And there are times when others are on the mountain top and others are in the valley. Is there such a thing as the Body of Christ going through a collective Dark Night or have I missed the point entirely? I think we need clarification of individual walk vs collective walk (Body of Christ) as it relates to the Dark Night of the Soul or Spirit? Just food for thought, without making waves.
Shirley C.
One of Those,
I can relate to what you are saying. There are times I live in absolute terror of what God is putting on my plate. Mostly of how long all this is taking. And the Word says, “in much patience proving ourselves the ministers of God…”. Also “have you considered the patience of Job?”. “in looooonnnnngggggg-ssssuuuffffeeerrrriiinnngggggg!!!!!!!!!”. This is Christ being formed in us. In our weakness, he is made strong!
“I look up to the mountains from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord who made heaven and earth.”
“Consider it not strange the fiery trials that have come to test you, that your faith, being much more precious than gold, may be found to the praise of his glory at his appearing.”
You can trust Jesus, One of Those. He is Pure Love, and Pure Light. In the Spirit where all this has already taken place before the foundation of the world, you are incapsulated in his Pure Love. And your daughter is there in her spirit right now. Do you really think that Jesus would allow his creation to suffer. I know it feels real and looks real but reality is that we are spirits just visiting earth for a brief moment in light of eternity. We are here to be sorry for having eaten of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. But in the Spirit we have never left heaven and are soon to return to be with him forever. And the present sufferings are not worthy to be compared to the glory that will be revealed in us at his appearing. But I do appreciate your honesty and can relate to your feelings. Hold on to your faith. Blessings, Holly
One of Those,
Your daughter is in this condition in order to heal from the inside-out. And when God is ready she will come out of her coma. Just believe in the Lord and pray cause she will hear your prayers. Even though she is in a coma because it has happened to another child. And God is always with her. Keep your faith and God will answer your prayers. And the blessing will be upon you.
God promises in his word to heal us from ALL our dis-eases and to deliver us from ALL our fears. ALL means ALL. No greek translation needed. Keep it simple. He made it simple enough for a child to understand. Plain and Simple!!!!!
One of Those,
This afternoon as I was reading on Coffee Talk I clicked on your highlighted name and your website about your precious daughter, Emily, came up.
I don’t understand why there is so much suffering in the world or why some people carry heavier burdens and fight harder….
As I looked at Emily’s photos, I thought about her being a princess and a daughter in GOD’S Kingdom. She will rule and reign with a whole glorified body one day.
One of Those, you are stronger than you think… You are taking these Master of Divinity classes, but alongside of that the MASTER HOLY SPIRIT is teaching and training you with knowledge that does not come from man.
GOD is developing and releasing in you HIS mercy–HIS compassion–HIS faith to believe the impossible.
Your life is an inspiration to many. Someday–someone will come up to you and ask you to pray for their “hopeless” situation. You will be able to pray effectively and with GOD’S power backing you. Through the trials and testings— you’ve let GOD make you into a woman of faith that can release CHRIST’S healing to those impossible situations.
Hang unto the LORD’S hand sister!!! HE’S holding on to you, Emily and your family tighter than you know.
DADDY GOD we ask you to release to this family, and to those others who are reading this and are in need of a miracle and sign from Heaven, that you release mighty acts on their behalf. For YOUR kingdom’s sake and in JESUS name we ask this!!!
Love,
Linda
JP,
This teaching is really good. I was sooo disappointed to find my feet on the ground but saw the awesomeness of God that this is still the life of faith no matter how much of a peek he is giving us. But I am still confused about the whole thing. And maybe you could shed some light on my experiences. Am I psychotic? I’ve had some unusual visits from the world beyond this one. I don’t feel like talking about it here but really need someone to talk to who has some understanding. And the thing about angels I don’t understand either. I was with them too and they are in human form. Were they born of parents here on earth? There are just a lot of questions that I am getting impatient about. And everything I own is in a $30.00 tent from Wal-Mart. I know I have to hold on to the Word of the Lord given to me and my heart is full of excitement, anticipation, and some fear but if you can help me it would be very good. Love, Holly
Answers are coming to my questions. And the Lord is showing me the work. Thanks for being my sounding board when the insanity sets in. Its his way of keeping us on our toes. He can’t let all of his tricks out of the bag all at once. Our finite mind would explode. God is AWESOME! Have a good day! Love, Holly