First published in 1997

I saw a rushing River that was the move of the Spirit headed toward the front doors of a single-story, picturesque church. I was able to see the pastor talking with church leaders about what they saw coming.  The pastor and the leaders then decided they did not want the River to come in.  The moment that decision was made, the River diverted its course to the left side of the building. As it did, the power of the river began to erode the dirt on that side of the church. It weakened the foundation of the church, resulting in the entire outside wall of the church being swept away in the water.

Immediately, the pastor was terrified and was then pulled into the current of the River. All of the leaders in the church attempted to hold on to him and pull him out of the rushing river, but to no avail. His face was filled with horror as he was swept away backward in the River.  I then heard the Spirit say, “Change or perish.” 

Interpretive Comments: Whenever we talk about prophecy, we need to use the Scripture as the standard to judge. Any prophetic word needs to line up with what is revealed in the Word of God. When we look at the Bible, it reveals a loving Father who calls us into relationship with Him and to obedience. Jesus said that if we abide in Him we will bear much fruit.

John 15:1-11 (NASB)

1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.

3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.

5 I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.

7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.

9 Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.

10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

11 These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”

The Bible demonstrates that at different times of His choosing, the Lord moves in different ways with different people. One example is when the Lord called Noah to build the ark because He intended to release a flood upon the earth. If Noah hadn’t aligned himself and his family with what the Lord had revealed, all of them would have perished. Walking outside of the will of the Lord is disobedience that can ultimately result in death.

This vision has to do with the River of God which is an outpouring of the Spirit that will bring tremendous change in people’s lives and to His Church. We see in church history that there are special seasons of the Lord’s visitation.  This vision speaks of the need for church leaders to align themselves with the Lord’s plan. For us to be aligned we need to prepare, and to prepare we must seek Him to better understand what He is saying.

Many of the specifics of how He will move and what He will do have not been revealed to me. I Corinthians 13:9 says, “For we know in part and we prophesy in part.”  The prophecies the Lord gave to me are no exception. I do not claim to have all the answers. The vision may cause you to have more questions than I, or anyone else for that matter, can answer. What I can say is that the visions speak consistently of the enormity of the coming move of the Spirit—a flood of His presence that will change people’s lives.

This vision also speaks about choosing to flow with what the Lord’s will is. The power of His visitation will be at such a level that leaders will be called upon to choose and recognize the Spirit, what He is doing and partner with Him in His ministry. If they do not embrace what He is doing they will find themselves walking in disobedience to their own peril.

Moses spoke to the people of Israel in Deuteronomy 30:15-20 (NASB)—

15 “See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity;

16 in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it.

17 But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them,

18 I declare to you today that you shall surely perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess it.

19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants,

20 by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”

Closing Comments

 My concern is that the Church will not be intentional to secure the promise of revival and that Christians will pray for revival, without repenting. His promise to fill those that are hungry and thirsty for Him is still true. The believer does not need to wait for this epic move of the Holy Spirit. Each of us can make a decision now to become desperate to experience the living God in a deeper way. Behold, now is “THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,” behold, now is “THE DAY OF SALVATION”.  It’s time to move. Let us press on to know the Lord. (Hosea 6:3a)

Mark C. Biteler