Lamentations 2:14 – “Your prophets saw visions for you that were worthless whitewash.  They failed to expose your sin so as to restore your fortunes.   They saw oracles for you that were worthless lies.”

Today, and for several years, I have heard (prophets) give words, dreams, and visions that are described in Lamentations 2:14 – “Worthless Whitewash.”  They had no redemptive value but seemed motivated by personal preference.  They moved no one from wickedness.  That has troubled my heart and made me cautious in voicing what I believe I hear in the Spirit.

In the early chapters of Ezekiel, he uses the word “wind” in an interesting way.   In Ezekiel 2:2 – “As He spoke to me, a wind came INTO me and stood me on my feet, and I heard the one speaking to me.”  Two things leaped out at me: the wind coming INTO  him was the Holy Spirit, and the hearing was the result of that anointing. It was a channel of communication from heaven opened by the infilling of the wind (Holy Spirit).

In Ezekiel 3:12, the wind (Holy Spirit) lifted him up and caused him to hear.    In (v 14), the wind (Holy Spirit moved him to act.  In that anointing, he heard a neglected commandment.

Ezekiel 2:16-22 is largely ignored or misapplied today.  It is still valid because it is redemptive.   We have no justification to fail to warn of sin in the lives we have an influence.   They will either receive and repent or reject and resist.  They may even become estranged from us by choice.   We are to give the word by the Spirit’s anointing in love and for redemptive purposes, not judgment.

We need the infilling and empowering of the Holy Spirit.  We have a mission. We need the Holy Spirit to enable us to live in purity and fulfill our purpose.

A final thing I saw was the power of perseverance.   Victory comes to those who persevere.   If we quit, we lose, even if we quit two steps from the finish line. Hebrews 6:15 is fascinating and challenging. “And so, by persevering, Abraham inherited the promise.”   Hebrews 5:8: “Although He (Jesus) was a son, he learned obedience through the things He suffered.” He persevered.  He is the picture and example of Ultimate Perseverance.

If we are filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit, become saturated with the Living Word of God, and persevere, we will overcome and live victoriously NOW!  We will be salt and light.   Light to draw, salt to preserve.

We have this anchor – God’s Oath (Promise) and the assurance that God not only does not but cannot lie!   Our confidence in God’s Integrity provides the ability and determination to persevere to the end!

LORD, help us to be valuable, not worthless whitewash!