In January of this year, on the night of the “Stop the Steal Rally”, after the nation realized that there would be no turn around, that there would be no overturning of the election results, and that Joe Biden was going to be the President, I heard the voice of the Lord very clearly. As I was sitting up in bed, just reading my bible with only the lamp next to my bed illuminating the pages, I heard the voice of the Lord say, “Many will fail the Trump test”.
Immediately upon hearing this I emailed a ministry friend of mine to tell him what the Lord had said to me. To my shock He replied and told me that He had just released a book with the title “Evangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test?”. I was amazed at the confirmation that night, and I determined as I woke up the next day to dig into the scriptures and pray into this word which God had clearly given me. In this article I wish to share some of those insights I gained earlier this year from the Spirit of Revelation, as well as some fresh understanding which I’ve just recently come into. I pray this is a blessing to you.
THE DISTRESSING SPIRIT WHICH HAS COME UPON THE NATIONS
In my studies I found myself meditating the words of Jesus in his olivet discourse in (Luke 21):
(Lk.21:25-28)
“25 “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring;
26 men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.â€
I saw that night on January 6th, as the sea and the “waves of humanity” roared in Washington D.C., as the sea of humanity swept over the barriers at the Capitol building, flooding the building, that this was a nation in distress. Why was the nation in distress? People’s hearts were failing them as they were provoked to do things out of character that day, but why were people’s hearts failing them? I believe it is because of the Spirit of Fear that has gripped the nations since Covid and its affiliate evils have begun their reign. It’s because of fear and “expectation” of those things which are coming on the earth (Lk.21:26). Just the fear and expectation of someone like Joe Biden coming to power and Trump no longer being in the White House sent millions of people into a frenzy. Just the fear of what these marxist democrats will do to our nation has sent many into a debilitating spiral of fear and anger. These are the last days, saints. Everything that can be shaken will be shaken. The powers in the heavens will be shaken and that old serpent the Devil, the dragon from (Rev.12) will come down in his wrath to release his flood upon the earth. There is only one refuge for the faithful, and that is the presence and person of God.
THE DISTRESSING SPIRIT DURING TIMES OF MAJOR KINGDOM TRANSITION
We are in distressing times, even upon the face of the entire earth, because we are in what I call a “major time of kingdom transition”. The whole earth is reacting and responding to the imminent return of the Lord, even though many do not cognitively recognize the response as being linked to the imminent coming of Messiah. But notice how in (Lk.21:25-28) Jesus connects the distress of nations, the perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring, and hearts failing to his imminent return; to him coming in the clouds with great power. These things are indeed connected. They cannot be separated, even in our hearts, because eternity has been placed within our hearts (Ecc.3:11). Every human being can sense the shifts which take place in the earth for eternity, but not everyone responds with joy and elated expectation like the bride of Christ.
The muslims are reacting with doubled down deception, in expectation of their Messiah which they call the “Madi”. The Madi is actually the evil principality that is responsible for their idol worship. Billions of muslims are preparing to accept this false Messiah, this Madi, who will be the Antichrist in the flesh. Their only hope for escape and deliverance is in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The jews are preparing for the coming of their Messiah, who they do not identify as Jesus like Christians do. They reject Jesus as the Messiah and are expecting another to come in great power and great glory to restore the ancient kingdom of Israel to all of its magnificence. They too will be offered another who is indeed beautiful, powerful, and glorious, yet He will not be the one they are looking for. They too can only find hope and deliverance in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, to lose them from the chains of deception that the Antichrist spirit already has upon them.
Even the Christian community is looking for another, someone other than the Lord Jesus Christ, because much of the Church has come to accept “another Christ” that Paul warned of (2 Cor.11:4), that looks and acts like them in their backslidden and compromised state. Much of the church has come to reject the true Messiah, just like the Jews and the Muslims have, and that’s why it has become increasingly easy for them all to mingle and worship together over the past few decades. There is a spirit of error and deception at work in all the world religions to bring them all together for the unification of the global church under the person of Antichrist, not the true Christ. These are the days that we are living in, and the whole earth is responding to the political and religious ramifications of the coming of both Messiah and Antichrist. The responses include fear, anger, animosity, increased hostility toward other races, an increase in wickedness, an increase in immorality, a clear loss of moral sanity, and a sharp increase in deception and delusion world-wide. This is the gross darkness covering the earth which Isaiah saw prior to the coming of the Lord (Is.60:1-2).
THE DISTRESSING SPIRIT DURING THE KINGDOM TRANSITION OF SAUL TO DAVID
In the days of Israel's first installment of their earthly kingdom, a man named Saul was chosen to be anointed by God to lead the people of God as the first king of that land (1 Sam.9). As it is throughout the entire bible, we see yet again a story and lesson here which points to Jesus Christ and how the whole world will transition into his manifest reign and earthly kingdom. Stories like these are given for types and symbols to prophetically declare future events. I see a prophetic message in the transition from Saul to David for our time, as the entire world is transitioning into the Day of the Lord Jesus Christ; the time of his imminent return to the earth in great glory and power!
As the story goes the Lord wanted the people of God to wait and be patient for the coming of their true king David (1 Sam.8:1-7). In similar manner the Lord has asked his disciples and followers to be patient and wait for his coming, even his second coming and return as king, in which He will finally once and for all deal with the ultimate enemies of God and righteousness (Phil.3:20). But like Israel before us we struggle with waiting. In the void of time, as the days begin to blend more and more together with each passing generation, with each passing decade, the cries for Saul… the cries for another whom we can take and make our king, whom we can take and make our Messiah are heard louder and louder coming from the hearts of the people, for those who have ears to hear.
The Lord wanted the people to wait, but they could not, so God gave them Saul. Saul is a type and shadow of what the people of God produce prematurely in their carnal impatience. Saul’s reign only lasted for about two years before Samuel came to him and announced that the kingdom had been torn from him and given to another who was after God’s own heart (1 Sam.15:28). Coincidentally, in the church, our revivals and moves of God have rarely lasted more than a few years, usually because leaders and gatekeepers of revival often get into the flesh and into sin, just like Israel before us.
Even though God took the anointing from Saul and put it on David He still remained in power, upon the throne, for many years in a senior leadership role if you will. Saul continued to occupy the office of the king even though He no longer had the anointing to stand in that office. The same has happened in the church. Most of the power structures, the conferences, the circuits, the denominations, and the apostolic networks that have maintained senior leadership and influential roles in the church have done so now for many years in the power of the flesh and not by the anointing of the Spirit, and as it was with Saul and Israel so has it been with us. We have been increasingly opened up to a distressing and tormenting spirit within the church, even within the ranks of the apostolic and prophetic movement, just as Saul was opened to this spirit because He remained in power without the pure anointing upon his life.
AS THE SPIRIT LIFTS OFF OF ONE, THE ANOINTING COMES UPON ANOTHER
(1 Sam.16:13-14)
13 “Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
14 But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him.â€
The very moment that the oil hit the head of David and began to empower him to stand in the office of king is the very moment that the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and a “distressing spirit” came from the Lord to trouble Saul. Notice the similarity in verbiage between (1 Sam.16:14) and (Lk.21:25). A “distressing spirit” came upon Saul during the kingdom transition, when it was time to shake the powers that be to see a new king emerge. Today we’re seeing the “distress of nations” as the powers in the earth and the powers in the heavenlies are being shaken to make way for a new king!
There is a commonality in the spirit between what was happening at the time of kingdom transition in Israel when Saul’s kingdom was becoming David’s, and at the end of this age when the nations of this earth are becoming the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Rev.11:15). As it was then, so will it be today. The spirit is presently lifting off of some, but it is clothing others at the same time mightily to rise up and stand in the mantle of David; to stand with the coming Messiah and King, in the midst of a world that has gone wholeheartedly after the witch of Endor.
If you remember, at the time of Saul’s rebuke from Samuel He was cited as operating in rebellion, which Samuel identified as the sin of witchcraft (1 Sam.15:23). At the end of his life He ended up consulting face to face with a real witch. What He had once outlawed, according to the righteous precepts of God, He was now shaking hands with, paying for divination revelation, and receiving food and sustenance from (1 Sam.28:23-25). Saul died the next day with the witch’s food still being processed in his body.
What would have never been tolerated in the church a few years ago is now being partnered with at every turn, and when people look and when people listen they cannot discern the difference between the voice of Samuel (the voice of a true prophet, the voice of God) and that of the witch, that of Jezebel, because the witch is summoning Samuel in the services of our churches. If you recall, this is what happened when Saul went to consult with the witch of Endor. He asked her to summon Samuel, God’s prophet, and somehow she was able to (1 Sam.28:11-12). This represents the mixture at the end of the age prior to the coming of the King, the Son of David, the Messiah. True prophets and true witches will speak and many will not be able to tell the difference between the two; many will not be able to discern who’s summoning who. This is why Jesus specifically warned of deception, false prophets, and false christs in the last days (Matt.24:11,24; Lk.21:8).
THE SPIRIT CAME UPON DAVID FROM THAT DAY FORWARD
(1 Sam.16:13)
“Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
Notice the language used here, “and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward”. Was the Spirit of God not already with David? Was the Spirit of God not already upon him, at least to a degree? We know that it was, for without the Spirit of God being upon him He would not have been able to defeat the bear and the lion before this day (1 Sam.17:34). But when the scripture says that the Spirit of the Lord God came upon him from that day forward, it is talking about a new “expression” or “manifestation” of the Spirit of God coming upon him that was not present until this moment. This was the Spirit and the anointing coming upon him to stand in the office of the king. The Spirit was already upon him to be a psalmist, a poet, and skilled and anointed in the arts. The Spirit was already upon him to be a mighty man of valor and strength, to be a warrior, but the Spirit had not until this point come upon him to stand in the office of the king and to lead the nation. From that day forward the Spirit was upon him in this capacity. This was a shade of the Messiah’s own mantle, to rule and to reign in the earth. David foreshadowed the Messiah’s own coming reign. Amazing!
SPIRITS DON’T DISAPPEAR, THEY JUST MOVE AROUND
Remember the words of Jesus in (Lk.11:24-26) when He talks about what happens when a spirit leaves a man. The spirit goes out, Jesus said, into “dry places”, seeking rest and finding none. And the spirit says, “I will return to my house from which I came”, and when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order, and then goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that man is worse than the first.
There are many truths to draw from this teaching of Jesus, but I wish to focus on a very easy law of the spirit realm which is revealed in this text: spirits don’t disappear, they just move around.
Similar to the law of physics which states that energy cannot be destroyed, it can only be converted from one state to another, eternal spirits convert to different spaces, different states, and different domains. Like when you take solid wood and you put it on fire, the wood does not ultimately disappear, it simply changes its state from a solid to a gas in the form of smoke. Similarly when the Spirit of God is taken from an individual because of sin, rebellion, and the sin of witchcraft (as in Saul’s case), this spiritual law dictates that the space which was once occupied by the Spirit of the Lord and the anointing must be filled; it must be converted to another spiritual state. In Saul’s case, his spiritual state converted from being anointed with the Spirit of God to being tormented by a distressing spirit day and night, especially at night when He tried to rest. From that day forward He could only get rest when David played his harp under the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
I want to tell you today that the anointing is lifting off of some and at the same time is resting mightily upon others during this major kingdom transition in the earth. I also want to tell you that you cannot remain in two spiritual states. You will either rest in the Lord, in the presence of the Lord, under the shadow of the Almighty in the Secret Place, or you will give into this distressing spirit that has come upon the nations. You will either lie down next to the Lord and rest, or you will get up with the rest of the disciples as the storm intensifies and freak out with them, talking about how you’re going to die. It’s your choice. And just a little tip: social media, youtube videos, videos that focus on facts but give you no life-giving truth... these are a the perfect breeding ground for the distressing spirit.
CONCLUSION
When you see the distressing spirit coming upon nations, when you see it coming upon the body of Christ and people’s hearts failing them for fear and expectation of what’s coming, it shows me that they are not resting under the Spirit of God. It shows me they have traded the oil of the spirit for the spirit of this world and of this age, and are at the whims of a world gone mad.
In these last days, as it was with David, we can abide under the shadow of the Almighty, in the Secret Place of the Most High (Ps.91:1). We can say of the Lord that He is our refuge and He is our strength (Ps.46:1), and under the shadow of his wings will we find protection. We can be a part of a rising Davidic company of kings and priests who will not be drawn into further cooperation with witchcraft like the “Saul Church” is. We can be a part of a priestly and kingly company of people who are overwhelmed at the vision we hold in our hearts of the coming king, not being overwhelmed by the Spirit of Fear which seeks to control and manipulate masses to one end.
Let us arise and come away with our Lord and King. Let us arise and come away into the Secret place with our lover and receive grace and mercy to help during these great times of need (Heb.4:16). Come under the oil of worship, the oil of the secret place at this time, and prepare for the kingly oil to hit your life to overcome everything that Covid and it’s affiliate evils; everything that Goliath and his brothers have in store to try to intimidate the people of God and make cowards out of the army of God. We are the army of God, we are the blood bought, the redeemed, but we must come under that fresh oil that is flowing from the Lord’s horn in the secret place of his power. We must say no to the domain of the distressing spirit that has gone out into all the world during this global time of kingdom transition.
In His Service,
Stephen Powell