Thick-Headed Or Thick-Skinned
Tim Meredith
May 29, 2004
“Don’t let today’s refreshing become tomorrow’s tradition!”
It was nine some years ago when the Lord first spoke those words to my spirit. I was at the height of my own personal Renewal experience. Life was exciting in those days, though terribly difficult, and my zeal for the Lord was at an all time high. It much resembled this famous quote from Charles Dickens in his novel The Tale of Two Cities.
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven . . .”
Charles Dickens also said, “Minds, like bodies, will often fall into a pimpled, ill-conditioned state from mere excess of comfort.” Thank God He’s not allowing that to happen to us!
I can still see myself back then, getting crazy at some charismaniac blow out, hopped up on caffeine and the Holy Ghost, grooving on every manifestation the good Lord was willing to throw my way. But what He said stopped me in my tracks. “Don’t let today’s refreshing become tomorrow’s tradition.” The realization that this season of refreshing wouldn’t last forever sobered me out of my Holy Spirit stupor (give me another drink . . . thank you Scott Underwood).
Then the Lord asked an unsettling question.
“When this new wineskin becomes old, will you be willing to let Me give you yet another wineskin? Will you allow me to stretch you and shape you and make you ready for what’s coming next?” Somehow I knew that what was coming next wouldn’t be the standard charismatic party.
You see something is coming next. Something big. I don’t know if it’s next week, next month, next year, or the year 2929. But I know something big is coming and the Lord is in the process of outfitting us with a new wineskin. Ouch!
My good friend Jacob Ray recently shared a vision (for this experience see below) he had of the new wineskin. The Lord spoke to me through the picture Jake shared and said, “I expect my people to be `thick-skinned’”. I would like to share some thoughts with you on why this is important and hopefully encourage you in whatever situation the Lord has you placed.
Yes, there is new outpouring on its way. And those of us who want to participate in it will experience a lot of criticism from several camps. This is one reason we must be “thick-skinned.” Many will think we are simply “thick-headed.”
One more thing . . . I don’t profess to know what the next outpouring will specifically look like. But I do feel the Lord has revealed some of its characteristics.
1. The next great outpouring will not be like anything this generation has experienced before. Though accompanied by signs & wonders, miracles & healing, there will be aspects of this move that many will find offensive. Even more offensive than what we called Renewal. We must be thick-skinned.
2. The next great outpouring will offend the Religious. That probably goes without saying, because every great outpouring in history offended the religious. Those with religious spirits will attack us without mercy. We must be thick-skinned.
3. The next great outpouring will offend the World system. Yes, many will come to the Lord because of it, but the system will rebel. Expect persecution from the government, in the workplace, and from the media. We must be thick-skinned.
4. The next great outpouring will offend the practitioners of “old-time renewal.” This too is consistent with Kingdom history. Those who are unwilling to leave the past move of God will resist the next move. They will not realize their manna has become moldy and full of worms. Some of our biggest attacks will come from this camp. We must be thick-skinned.
Most will think we are just “thick-headed.” When we put on the helmet of salvation we’ll be considered thick-headed. When we take on the mind of Christ we’ll be considered thick-headed. When we set our face like flint we’ll be considered thick-headed.
Have you recently been offended? Are you struggling to forgive? Is the Lord challenging the man-pleasing spirit that still resides within you? Does it seem that no matter how hard you try, no one seems to understand your intention? Have you recently been betrayed? Does life seem unfair? Has the Lord placed you in an uncomfortable position, a place you’ve never been before?
Hang on. You’re just being fitted with your new wineskin. And boy is that skin thick! The good news is that the training ground is usually more difficult then the actual event.
Remember this . . . one common characteristic that will be shared by all of us who participate in the next great move of God is the unwillingness to quit. Press on! Push through! Never quit!
Living In The Desert and Learning To Love It, Tim Meredith
Shaking, Stretching And The Renewed Wineskin.
Jacob Ray
windwords7@yahoo.com
This is the word as I submitted to the leadership of our local body. I left it unchanged so as to preserve the way it came to me. Though I won’t say that everything in this word applies to the larger body of Christ (specifically the date portion of this word), I humbly submit this to you all, being convinced that much of what is contained in here is for many more than our local body only.
“I received this word Saturday night and shared it with Don Pike after the service in Albany. Please check the date and time with him if you want to. Considering all the emphasis on “shaking” that came forth Sunday morning I feel that I should submit this to you for your consideration.
I heard the lord clearly say that there was going to be 3 months of shaking, stretching, and pounding mixed with oil and water in order to attempt to prepare the wineskin of our body for His new wine. He said it would be hard but that it was necessary. In order to take an old wineskin and prepare it to receive new wine there is a process that must be done that includes oil and water being saturated into the skin and then you pound (which produces shaking) and stretch the skin into a pliable condition that is once again ready to receive new wine and not see it lost by a bursting (let’s not even go there!! :-0 ).
I felt like I was to look at my phone for the date and do the math. 3 months from Saturday is July 17th.
I also felt that the Lord is going to do Supernaturally to our “wineskin” what is not possible in the natural and that is to add “new leather” to the existing skin in order to produce some changes that He has in mind. He did not elaborate much but I do believe that this speaks more directly to the Leadership team and I am expecting some “additions” as the Lord sees fit.
At first I was a little disheartened when I saw how much “shaking” was coming, but the Lord assured me that even though this will be hard (working leather is a very demanding, physical endeavor in the natural) that it’s goal was of great benefit to us if we will yield to the full measure of what He is doing, not stopping short. I believe in your leadership my friend and I do not believe that you will let us stop short.
The up side to the shaking/stretching is of course the water and the oil!!! We get to be saturated in it WHILE the pounding/shaking and stretching is taking place. Yahoo!!!
Come saturate and permeate our lives Lord and go to work!! Make us ready to receive that what you have laid in reserve for us. Let us walk the path of Love, Forgiveness and Rest resulting in beholding the Glory of the Lord with unveiled sight in ever increasing clarity, thereby transforming us into your very image revealing the son’s of God on the earth. All of creation is waiting for YOU in me!! So be it Lord Jesus!!”