Posted: 05/20/2014 at 7:57am | IP Logged

The Castle Vision

by Mitt Jeffords

The Lord had just corrected me of my faith, showing me that my faith should stand in his power and not in my own. The Lord had said to me, “If I am not working in your heart, then your faith is dead”. Then I received this word from the Lord, “If you will give to me your heart, then I will make it beautiful in my sight”. I really did not know what work the Lord wanted to do in my heart to make it beautiful in his sight, but I just trusted the Lord and started asking him to do whatever he desired to do to make my heart pleasing to him. I was praying one morning when the Lord spoke to me and again and said, “Mitt, did you know that I do not desire anything in the heart of my bride other than that which you desire to have in the heart of your bride? Just as you, I desire for my bride to be faithful and truthful with me, that she trusts me, that she honors me, that she believes on me, that she be honest and loyal to me, that she be willing to be my bride, and that she loves me with all of her heart, all of her mind, and all of her soul.” I then realized that the Lord had just revealed to me the nature of the heart that is beautiful in his sight; and the issues of this beautiful heart are truth, honesty, trust, belief, faithfulness, loyalty, honor, willingness, sincerity, and love. At that moment, I could only image how great such a relationship would be after the Lord had perfected all of these principals in me. I also remembered that which is written that says that God does not look for beauty in the outward appearances of men, but in the heart. “Lord, make my heart beautiful in your sight.”

I Samuel 16:7 "But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look not on his appearance or on the height of his stature because I have refused him: for the Lord does not see as a man sees; for a man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart."

Matthew 23:27,28 NASB "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. So you too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness."

Then the Lord gave me a vision where I saw two R’s (RR), and my first thought was that the Lord was going to show me something about a railroad. But the Lord then said, "Today, I am giving you a choice between religion or relationship. I did not come into this world to bring religion, but I did come to restore a relationship between Father and his children. I truly realized then that this walk is not really about religion, but it is all about a people, a bride that God is preparing to spend all of eternity with by beautifying their hearts. The Lord then allowed for me to understand that all of these issues of the heart, they are the principals that are needful and necessary for the relationship, the communication, the friendship, and the marriage that the Lord desires to have with each one of us. It was then that I understood why Satan attacks the church with the weapons of lies that do nothing but sow unbelief, distrust, pride, unwillingness, rebellion, doubts, fear, whoredoms, as well as all of the lies of self-righteousness; for these are the very principals that will break up any relationship. My eyes were also open to see how the hypocrisies of religion are able to break up this relationship that Father desires to have with his people because they dictate that a man should keep his focus on himself, to try to make himself to be the best Christian he can make of himself, which does not allow for men to draw near to God asking for him to make them to be his children. It was then that I finally felt like I understood why I had felt so far from God when I had tried to play-act my Christianity through my "best efforts" and "good intentions". What else needed to be said but, "Lord, create in me a new heart; the heart of your bride."

Matthew 15:7-9 Jesus said, "You hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy about you saying, "This people draw near to me with their mouths and honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me."

Psalm 51:10 NLT “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.”

I really had no clue as to how the Lord was going to create this new heart in me, and I was wondering what I might need to be doing to allow for him to finish this work that he had started in me. I was riding down the interstate one afternoon when the Lord gave this vision to me: I saw a castle that was an exact replica of your typical medieval castle, except that this castle was much, much smaller. Its walls were only about 10 feet high and 10 feet long, yet, it still somehow was able to possess all of the intricate features that you would expect to find on one of those large castles in England. It was a beautiful castle that seemed so alive with activity, and there were banners, and tapestries, and linen curtains everywhere that were flapping in the winds. I then observed that each wall had a door, and on both sides of each door was a guard. Each guard was completely outfitted with a full suit of armor, from head to toe, exactly fashioned in the same way as the castle guards in medieval times. Each guard was holding in one hand a sword, and in the other hand he was holding a battle ax that was mounted on the end of an 8 foot long staff. I was able to observe this castle for quite some time, and I was amazed at how a castle so small could have all of the details of much larger castles. There did not seem to be any detail missing. Even with all of its beauty and glory, the thing that still stood out the most was why would a castle so small need to be guarded with these eight men.

So I then asked, "Lord, what is in this castle that it needs to be so heavily guarded?"

The Lord answered, "Your righteousness; that is, everything that your heart believes and trusts to be right and true. For all that which a man treasures in his heart is rooted and grounded in those things that he believes and trust in. Such things as your own religion, your opinions, your abilities, your money, your own will, your loyalties, your doctrines, your politics, your self-respect, your traditions, your own understanding, your feelings and emotions, your self-confidence, your relationships, your job, your name, your own interpretation of the scriptures, your judgments of other men, as well as all of your own judgments of what you believe to be good & evil, right & wrong, and truth & lies. These are the precious treasures that every man values in his heart; and he will guard them above all things, even with his life. Does not every man protect those things that he values to be precious to him? Do you not know that every man lives his entire life according to the things that he believes to be right and true? It is this standard that men use to set the course of their lives.

Would a man treasure anything other than that which his heart trusts to be right and true? Do not all men treasure these same things? Do not all men treasure those things that they accomplish for themselves? Do not all men treasure their own reputations, that is, the name that they make for themselves? Do not all men believe and trust that the image that they have of God is that right and true image? Do not all men treasure their own opinions, that which they have formed for themselves? Do not all men treasure the judgment of their own decisions and counsels? Do not all men treasure their judgments and opinions of other men? Is it not written that every way of man, or rather, every decision or judgment that a man makes, that it seems right in his own eyes? Do not men believe and trust things to be right and true that agree with their own consciousness or their natural senses? Is it that which is natural that is right and true, or is it that which is spiritual that is right and true? Is it not also written that the Lord, he who looks on the hearts of men, that he sees that there are none who are right? Who then is blind in their seeing, man on earth or the Lord God above? It was at that moment that the word righteousness took on a much broader definition for me, going far beyond that which I had only associated with religion, but to be that which reaches into every part of man’s life, defining for him how he should live his life. 

Proverbs 21:2 NASB "Every man's way is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the hearts."

Then I asked, "Lord, what then do these castle guards represent?" The Lord answered and said, "Your pride! Pride is your personal bodyguard that is always ready to defend and protect all things that your heart treasures to be right and true. These guards of pride will count all to be adversaries and enemies that oppose or contradict any of these things that the heart treasures to be right and true. When any counsel, or correction, or word, or instruction, or deed, or any opinion is heard that opposes or contradicts that which is believed to be right and true, then pride will come forth to fight against it as an enemy that is trying to overthrow that which has been trusted and believed in. Pride will either seek to defend and protect your treasures by either closing the door of your ears so that you will not hear, or by hardening your heart so that you will not believe, or by arguing against, or by scoffing, or by making light of, or by contending with, or by mocking, or by getting offended, or by fighting with. From where comes all of your arguments, your divisions, your anger, your offences, your divorces, your disagreements, your hatred and malice, your unforgiveness, your dissolved friendships, your revenge, your strivings, your fighting’s, as well as all of the wounds in your hurt feelings except from the words spoken that transgress that which you have treasured to be right and true? Does not the world say, "It is the principal of the matter"; that is, that you should always fight against all that which your heart treasures to be right and true? All these things will pride do to defend and protect that which has been believed on to be right and true. All this will a man do to keep from suffering any loss to that which his heart treasures. Now do you see and understand why the castle of your heart needs to be so heavily guarded, to save the righteousness that you live your life according to? Do you see how well your pride has equipped itself so that it may defend and protect your life?

Proverbs 16:5 AMP. "Everyone proud and arrogant in heart is disgusting, hateful, and exceedingly offensive to the Lord; be assured [I pledge it] they will not go unpunished."

Pride takes great pleasure in the exalting and glorifying itself in all that it believes to be right and true. Pride is that spirit that only loves the entity of "self", and it hates all things that are opposed to "self". Pride works feverishly to keep "self" protected from all things that would bring harm, or injury, or offense, or any kind of blemish to its "self" image. Pride is only conscious of "self", and is always mindful of those things which it considers to be beneficial to "self". Anything that pride sees or hears that is beneficial or pleasing to "self", or that seems to satisfy any of the desires of "self", then it will gladly open the door to the castle of your heart and allow it entrance in", says the Lord. "If it sees or hears anything that agrees with that which your heart treasures, then it shall also gladly allow entrance also. If pride sees or hears anything that agrees with its feelings, or with its emotions, or with its "self" desires, then it shall be esteemed as a friend, and it shall be allowed to enter into the precious treasury of the heart. So do you see, that by pride, anything that agrees with "self", it shall be called a friend and allowed entrance in; while anything that opposes or disagrees with "self" shall be called an enemy and an adversary?

Philippians 2:21 NKJ "For they all seek their own, not the things which are of Jesus Christ."

Pride only loves for "self" to be in control, and it always resists in submitting itself to any authority, or power, or flesh, or spirit, or even God himself. These guards of pride will also allow entrance to those things which seem to be able to provide "self" with a sense of security, or with power, or with strength, or with authority, or with any ability that will profit or help "self". It is by pride that a man will even make himself to be Lord and God over his own Christianity. Pride only desires for "self" to be in control over all of the circumstances and situations that may arise. These proud guards will also swing the doors of your castle wide open so as to allow in the gifts of praise, of honor, of esteem, of respect, of glory to enter in that comes to exalt "self". Does not the heart of man greatly treasure all these and such-like words? Did you not know that there is no easier way for an enemy and an adversary to enter into the castle of your heart than by bringing with him the gifts of flattery; especially those lying words that exalt a man for his "best efforts" and his "good intentions". Oh, Mr. Christian, what a big, beautiful heart you have", said the wolf dressed in sheep’s clothing. Pride only loves the beauty of its own castle, and it will always be envious and jealous of another man’s castle when it appears to be bigger, or more prosperous, or more beautiful than its own?" Can you now see the purpose of pride, and why it is pride that seeks to guard and protect the treasures of your own righteousness?"

Luke 16:15 AMP "But He said to them, You are the ones who declare yourselves just and upright before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted and highly thought of among men is detestable and abhorrent (an abomination) in the sight of God."

Proverbs 16:5 NASB Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; Assuredly, he will not be unpunished.

After I had meditated on these words, I then asked, "Lord, do these castle walls represent anything that you want me to know about?" The Lord then answered and said, "These are the walls of self-justification; for it is through the work of self-justification that a man is able to make all things to be right and true that he desires to have as a part of his life. There is no desire that burns greater in the hearts of men than the desire to be right in all that he does, all that he thinks, and all that he speaks. Therefore, there is no place in the heart that is any busier than in the workshop that cunningly crafts out the works of self-justification. It is through these works that a man is able to make all of his ways, all of his decisions, all of his works and efforts, all of his reasons, all of his religion, all of his lusts and desires, all of his relationships, all of his opinions, all of his politics, all his judgments, all of his traditions, all of his emotions and feelings, all of his excuses, and all of the blame that he places elsewhere, to be right and true in his own eyes. This is the idolatry of natural man, to make "self" to be righteous, even more righteous that God. The more that he is able to make right and true, the more of "self" there will be to esteem, to honor, to respect, to praise, and to glorify. Now do you see how once a thing has been justified, it then becomes that which is believed on and trusted in to be right and true; and once a thing is believed on and trusted in to be right and true, then shall it be stored with all of the other treasures in the heart.  Do you now see and understand what pride defends and protects, and what is hiding behind the walls of self-justification? For as pride loves "self", so also does "self"-justification love being right. What could possibly have a stronger hold over a man’s heart and over his thinking than those things which he has justified to be right and believed on to be truth? In the natural realm, the works of "self-justification" seem like that which is right and true.

Job 40:7,8 "Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. Will thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?

Matthew 6:21 NKJ "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Proverbs 21:16 "There is a way that seems right unto man, but the end thereof is way of death."

Luke 16:15 NKJ "And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God."

The Lord continued, "Does not my word testify that I, the Lord your God, sees that the heart of man is deceitful above all things? Is there anything that can be more deceitful than for a man to have the ability in his heart to take that which is wrong, or that which is false, or that which is evil, and then through the works of self-justification, he is able to make his decisions, or his judgments, or his opinions, or his deeds, or his words to appear as that which seems right, or true, or good?" Then the Lord said this, "Mitt, if you can understand the deceitfulness of self-justification, then you will be able to understand all of the power that Satan uses to deceive all men. When the lies of Satan and the wisdom of man are joined together, then comes forth illusions of self-justification that seem real and true. It is in these illusions that make wrong ways seem right, that make lies to appear as the truth, that makes the works of iniquity to appear as righteousness, and that make darkness to appear as the light. Satan speaks the lies that the wisdom of man desires to hear, and it is this wisdom that then goes to work to justify his lies. Has not my word instructed you not to be wise in your own eyes? Have I not said that I would freely and liberally give my wisdom to whoever lacked it? Do not men feel comfortable and justified in their own reasoning’s and excuses? Have you seen any shame in the heart of a man that thinks that he is right in what he believes and trusts in? Have you seen in godly sorrow in the hearts and minds of those who delight in the works of their own righteousness? This is the power of darkness; the power that deceives men into believing that things are as they appear in the sight of men. This is also that lie that says, "If it is right in my sight, then surely it must be right in the sight of God."

Jeremiah 17:9 NKJ "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, Who can know it."

Proverbs 16:25 NASB "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death."

Luke 11:35 "Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness."

Luke 18:9-14 NASB "And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: "God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector, "I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get". But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, "God, be merciful to me, the sinner!" I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."

You know that it is written that when I came into this world, my own people could not see any beauty in me that they should desire for themselves. Is it not also written that those who loved to justify themselves then rejected, despised, blasphemed, scorned, and hated me so much that they spit on me, mocked me, tortured me and crucified me? Is your righteousness so precious to you that you would also reject me? Did they not crucify me for the sake of self-preservation, so that they could hold fast to their treasured possessions? Would you reject me if I do not honor you, or praise you, or glorify you, or flatter you so as to not contribute to the beauty of your own castle? Are you going to be like many who I have called, but then they make light of their calling because of their ignorance of my calling? Have I not called all of you to come into the righteousness of abundant life? I see all of those illusions that disguise and fashion themselves with appearance of righteousness. I see all those things which are hidden in the dark places of a man’s heart and mind that he does not want to be made known. I do not look on the appearances of the castle of your heart, but I look deep into the castle to see that which are your treasures. The castle that you see, this is how you see the castle of your heart, all arrayed in the beauty of your own goodness and decked out in your own righteousness.

I Kings 8:38-40 NASB "Whatever prayer or supplication is made by any man or by all Your people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart, and spreading his hands toward this house; then hear in heaven, Your dwelling place, and forgive and act and render to each according to all his ways, whose heart You know, for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men, that they may fear You all the days that they live in the land which You have given to our fathers."

Then the Lord asked, "Mitt, would you allow for me to show you how I see your castle; the truth about that which some of those things your heart has been treasuring?" I then immediately froze for a moment, fearful that if the Lord had to ask me such a question, then it could only mean that he did not see the beauty and splendor of my castle as I did. Even so, I knew from past experiences that the Lord has never brought anything into the light that he was not ready to change or redeem with his Spirit. I also knew from my past experiences with him that everything that the Lord has ever brought into the light for me, that which was once treasured in my eyes, I would suddenly see it to be the foolishness or the vanity that he saw it to be. I remembered how I had treasured my own righteous works until the Lord told me that it is his righteous works that are to accompany my faith; and all of the works that he had done for me since have simply been awesome. And there was one more thing that I remembered, and that is that I have come to learn that when the Lord comes to correct or to change something within me, then it does not come by punishment, but by his Spirit; and his Spirit brings forth that good life. In fact, because all of his works have been such a blessing to me, it has allowed for him to win my trust, my loyalty, my faith, my belief, and my love. I then gave him permission to open my eyes so that I could see the castle of my heart as he saw it.

I Samuel 16:7 NAS "But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

Suddenly my eyes were opened and what I saw did not at all resemble the castle that I had previously seen, but rather it looked like one of the most terrifying haunted castles that I have ever seen, whether in a movie, or on any TV show, or any that I have seen pictured in a book. There were no banners, or tapestries, or linen curtains blowing in the wind, and neither did I see any beautiful or lively colors anywhere in this castle. All of the rooms were filled with darkness inside, and it looked as though the entire castle was completely void of life. This castle had none of the glory as I had seen in the first castle. In fact, it was as if this castle was only a habitation of decay, death, and darkness. I then saw different kinds of dark spirits floating around as though they were ghosts; and they just seemed to freely drift in and out of the windows and the broken down doors. This entire castle appeared to be in a total state of disrepair, and decay, and neglect. I was really shocked to see this haunted castle because I really had not been expecting to see anything like this.

I Corinthians 4:5 NIV "Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God."

Isaiah 57:12 "I will declare your righteousness and your works (of darkness), for they shall not profit."

The vision of this haunted castle really took me by surprise. I then asked, "Lord, is this some kind of sin that may have been hidden in my heart? Is this truly how you see my heart because this haunted castle is so contrary to how I see my heart." Then the Lord said, "If you have believed my word, then you would know that what I am showing you is true. Do not be afraid of what you see because the grace of my love always covers you. Is it not written that there are none who are righteous in the sight of God? Is it not also written that there are none who are good in the sight of God?" I knew that these words were true, but I had never really seen why they were written. I then answered, "Yes Lord. But what are the things within me that are haunting my castle?" The Lord answered, "The spirit of FEAR." Then the Lord began to open my eyes so that I could see that all these ghost-like spirits that I had seen drifting around were nothing but spirits of fear. Then the Lord said, "All that which has been haunting your castle are these spirits of fear that have been haunting you in your own thoughts. This is the death that rules over the thoughts of the carnal mind."

Romans 8:6 NKJ "For to be carnally minded is death…"

Psalm 94:11 "The Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are vanity."

Isaiah 65:2 "I have spread out my hands all day long to a rebellious (will not listen or trust) people, which walk in a way that is not good, after their own thoughts."

Then the Lord opened my eyes to see that all of these ghosts were spirits of fear, and they all had different natures. I then saw that there were names written across each one’s chests that identified exactly what the nature of fear that fearful spirit was. These are just a few of the names of these spirits that I saw: the fear of dying; the fear of man; the fear of not being in control; the fear of loss, the fear of making a mistake; the fear of being judged by others; the fear of suffering; the fear of hearing the truth; the fear of insecurity; the fear of not being right; the fear of getting sick; the fear of failure; the fear of being different; the fear of abuse; the fear of poverty; the fear of being accused; the fear of heights; the fear of being used by others; the fear of not being able to justify mistakes or faults; the fear of losing; the fear of adversity; the fear of appearing foolish; the fear of shame; the fear of not measuring up; the fear of not understanding; the fear of the future; the fear of being deceived; the fear of the loss of possessions; the fear of growing old; the fear of being embarrassed, the fear of the loss of a job; the fear of being condemned; the fear of being late; the fear of not being accepted; the fear of change; the fear of being left out; the fear of weaknesses or sins being exposed; the fear that you will not get your will; the fear of the unknown; the fear of what others think; the fear of being asked to do something that you cannot possibly do; the fear of failing health; and the fears that one has for the safety and security for his children, or his family, or his friends, or for his brethren. I perceived that I was seeing one spirit of fear, but that this one spirit had a legion of different personalities.

Luke 8:28-31 AMP "And when he saw Jesus, he raised a deep (terrible) cry [from the depths of his throat] and fell down before Him [in terror] and shouted loudly, What have You [to do] with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? What have we in common?] I beg You, do not torment me! For Jesus was already commanding the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For many times it had snatched and held him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and fetters, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilderness (desert). Jesus then asked him, What is your name? And he answered, Legion; for many demons had entered him. And they begged [Jesus] not to command them to depart into the Abyss (bottomless pit)."

Romans 8:14,15 AMP "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For [the Spirit which] you have now received [is] not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear…"

As haunting as these groups of fears were, it was the next group of haunting spirits that really frightened me. These were the spirits whose only nature and purpose for being was to try and haunt us in our relationship, our communion, and our fellowship with God. These were those spirits that by nature are fearful to believe God; fearful that God has lied to them; fearful to draw near to God; fearful to be corrected by God; fearful to trust God; fearful to confess sins; fearful to ask anything of God; fearful that God will not heal; fearful that God will not forgive; fearful that God would not be there when needed; fearful that God will not answer that which is asked of him; fearful of lack or coming up short; fearful of being persecuted for the name of Christ; fearful that God does not care; fearful because of its ignorance of God; fearful to surrender all to God; fearful that God was going to bring its shame into the light; fearful that God would forsake me; fearful that God would not be faithful to his word for me; fearful that I was not good enough for God; fearful that God does not love me; fearful that God will not do for me that which he has done for others; fearful that God would limit his mercy and grace towards me; fearful that I was going to be rejected; fearful of being condemned by God; and fears that did nothing but doubt God. I saw that it was impossible for any of these unclean spirits to act in any other nature other than what its name was. In other words, the spirit of fear that believes that God is going to reject it, to those who have surrendered their hearts to believe that its lying counsel is right and true, then they have no choice but to be in bondage to the belief that God is going to reject them also. As the spirit is, so is the nature of the soul that believes it; for they are one in agreement.

Revelation 21:7,8 "He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful and unbelieving….shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone; which is the second death."

Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man brings a snare: but whoever puts his trust in the Lord shall be safe.

Psalm 34:4 "I sought the Lord and he heard me, and he delivered me from "all" my fears."

Then the Spirit of the Lord opened my understanding so that I could see that though all of these spirits of fear were of different natures, they all had the same purpose, to haunt me with troubling and tormenting thoughts. Because each spirit had a different nature, they could only haunt me when a situation or circumstance arose that agreed with their nature. That is, the fear of heights could only trouble and torment a man when he was in a high place; but for him to haunt that man, that man had to first believe that its counsels were right and true. The fear of man could only trouble a man when a circumstance or situation arose where that man perceived some kind of threat that might come against him from other men. I saw that each fear was limited to where he could only trouble or torment a man when the circumstance or situation arose that matched that spirits nature; and of course, a man first had to believe that the counsels of these unclean spirits was right before he could believe them. Once a man believed any of their counsels, then these spirits could be seen by the fruits of their works that were manifested in either stress, or despair, or uncertainly, or confusion, or terror, or unwillingness, or dread, or hesitation, or fret,  or insecurity, or evil suspicions, or distress, or rebellion, or self-condemnation, or worry, or hopelessness, or impatience, or panic, or disappointments, or anxiety, as well as in the thoughts that doubt God, that do not believe God, and that distrust God.

I John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

I then saw another group of spirits that did not appear in the same form as any of these spirits of fear, but I perceived that they were somehow or another all related. When these spirits were present they were just as troubling to a man’s thoughts as any of these spirits of fear were because when they are present in a man’s thoughts, there is then no peace or rest in that man’s mind. These unclean spirits were named envy, malice, depression, jealousy, unforgiveness, confusion, rage, frustration, contention, bitterness, covetousness, vengefulness, strife, hatred, lusts, and anger. It was here that for the first time I began to understand why the Lord says that death rules over the thoughts of the carnal mind. Up until this time, I just thought the death of the carnal mind only had to do with man’s "separation from God", but now I could see that the very nature of these troubling, and miserable, and tormenting thoughts was death itself. I even saw that if a man had no fear of dying, then he would never be troubled with any worries or stress about dying. I could now see that there was no peace or life in any of the counsels of these spirits that haunted the castle of my heart. The Lord also opened my eyes to see that death is not only a separation from God, but it is also this actual thinking that is separate from God’s thoughts.

Jeremiah 6:16 "Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it."

Proverbs 1:30,31 "They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices (thoughts, counsels,)."

I then saw two more spirits that seemed to travel side by side, working hand in hand with each other to haunt my castle. One had the words "What If" written across his chest area, and the other had the words "Worst Case Scenario" written on his chest. I can only speak for myself in saying that I clearly recognized both of these spirits, and how they had infected my thinking. I saw how the "What If" seemed to always lead me to into the hands of the "Worst Case Scenario" spirit. The "What If" spirit would come and try to paint many pictures in my thinking that tried to dictate to me how I should fearfully respond or react to situations or circumstances before any of these events even happened. If I have ever met a false prophet, then my eyes were opened to see how these two spirits were nothing but false prophets sent to trouble and torment with their fears about events before they even happen.

I then said, "Lord, now I see how it was these two spirits that many times in my past have had me tossing and turning in my bed, or that have kept me awake most of the night with thoughts of stress, anxiety, and worry. Now Lord I see that all of these thoughts are birthed out of the prophesies that the "What If" or "Worst Case Scenario" spirits bring forth in my imaginations. No wonder your word has instructed us to take no thought for tomorrow, because so many of the thoughts about tomorrow do nothing but open the door for these two spirits to come in "now" to trouble and torment us about tomorrow. As I thought more on how much these two unclean spirits have corrupted so much of my thinking, the Spirit of the Lord then quickened to me that which is written Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them who love God, to them who are called according to his purpose." Then the Lord said, "My word is true. This is the only prophesy that you need to be mindful of. No matter how bad a circumstance or situation looks, I am well able to bring forth good out of every one of them. I can part the seas; I can calm the winds; or I can cast out your fears. If you will take up your cross and die to the words of these two unclean spirits, declaring before me that none of their counsels is the right way for you to follow after, then I will come and redeem you from these haunting spirits. I will send forth the Spirit of Life that will set you free from the death that troubles and torments the carnal mind. If you will disown these lies, and not longer esteem their words to be right and true, then I will redeem the "What Ifs" and "Worst Case Scenarios" with the "All things will work together for good".  Then the Lord said to me that no matter the circumstance or situation that I could be in, that there is only one worst case scenario that is true, and that is I could lose him.

Luke 9:24 NASB "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it."

Matthew 16:26 "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

The vision had ended, and many days went by when the Lord again took me right back into the same Castle Vision, but directly to the haunted castle part of the vision. This time he took me directly to two places in the castle that I had not previously seen. The first place that the Lord showed to me was the courtyard of the castle. In the first vision that I had of this haunted castle, all of the spirits that I saw were rather small faceless spirits that just seemed to drift about or hover in the air, but these spirits that I saw in courtyard walked upright on two feet. Other than being very dark black, these spirits had no other features that resembled any other spirits that I had previously seen. These spirits seemed to be anywhere from ten to fourteen feet tall while all of the other spirits seemed to be anywhere from one to three feet tall. These spirits were not only much taller but they were also much larger in stature also, having very broad shoulders. Even though they were much taller and larger than the other spirits, what really separated these spirits from the other spirits was that they had faces; and their faces appeared like extremely vicious bulldogs. They not only looked like, but they carried themselves about as an extremely intimidating bully. I observed that these spirits walked about the courtyard as though they were on some kind of guard patrol, even though they were walking about in aimless and random fashion. I could not see at that moment what it was that they were guarding, but I perceived that these spirits were the elite, like they were the strongest, the most skilled, and most powerful of all the spirits; something like the Nazi SS or the elite U.S. Army Special Forces.

Then the Lord said, "These are the spirits of Dread; the spirits of fear that guard and protect all of the other fears. These are the spirits that mock and scoff at anything that they do not understand or comprehend; and they do not understand or comprehend anything about the love or power of God. These are the spirits that continually scorn and make light of all things that are of God. As there is no fear in love, and no love in fear, so also are there no blessings in dread, or any dread in blessings. Any man who sets his heart to come to know the height, the length, the width, and the depth of the love of God, he will certainly encounter these unclean spirits. These are the spirits that are always on the watch, seeking to find that opportunity to march right into that man’s thoughts to mock, or to intimidate, or to bully him around in his thinking with such counsels as "No way"; or "That is Impossible": or, "That is just illogical"; or, "That is unreasonable"; or, "That is Ridiculous"; or, "That is irrational"; or, "That is foolishness"; or "Can’t happen"; or "Unbelievable". It is impossible for these spirits of Dread to react to the love of God in any other manner than with scorn or mockery. What is impossible is for any of these unclean spirits to understand the grace of God; or, the faithfulness of God; or, the love of God; or, the power of God because the darkness cannot comprehend the things that are of God.

I Corinthians 2:14 NIV "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned."

II Peter 2:12 NIV But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish.…20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud."

Jude 17 NKJ "But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit."

II Peter 3:3,4 NASB "Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation."

Every single thought that does not believe that God will work all things together for good, it is a thought that comes forth from these spirits of Dread. Every thought that reasons against the love of God, and the mercy, or the help, or the forgiveness, or any of the wonderful works that Father’s love desires to do for us, it is a thought that comes forth from these spirits of Dread. Every thought that does not believe that the power of God is able to perform "all" that which is impossible for men to do, it is a thought that comes forth from these spirits of Dread. Every thought that doubts the faithfulness of God, it is a thought that comes forth from these spirits of Dread. Every thought that cannot believe that the grace of God is sufficient enough in times of sin, it is a thought that comes forth from these spirits of Dread; Every thought that says that good can only come to those who do good for themselves, it is a thought that comes forth from these spirits of Dread. Every thought that says, "Why bother with your prayers because God will not be bothered with listening to you", it is a thought that comes forth from these spirits of Dread. It is impossible for any of these spirits of Dread to comprehend, or understand, or to believe, or to hope that God is able to do, or that he will bless, or that he will perform his words and promises. These spirits are enmity against God, and they watch at all times to resist any move of the Spirit of God. Everyone that agrees to surrender his heart to believe that these wicked and ungodly thoughts are right and true, he then is made like unto that unclean spirit; for a man is like unto the thoughts that he thinks. It is from these hopeless spirits that come forth the lies that say that God will reward a man for his "best efforts" and "good intentions".

DREAD: to greatly fear; to be in extreme apprehension; to regard or look forward to with terrific apprehension; fearful expectation or anticipation

Proverbs 23:7 NASB "For as he thinks within himself, so he is…."
 

The consciousness of the spiritual mind is belief; the belief that God is always going to do good and to bless, no matter what the circumstance or situation may seem to dictate. You shall find not find any such belief among the thoughts where the spirits of Dread dwell. It is of these spirits of Dread that came the voices that cried out at the Red Sea, "God brought us out here to kill us". It is these spirits of Dread that came the voices that cried out, "God brought us into this wilderness to kill us with famine". It is of these spirits of Dread that came the voices that said, "We cannot take this land because there are giants in the land". It is of these same spirits that came the voices that cried out, "Lord, do you not care that we are perishing". In not one of these instances did these spirits allow for any faith to come forth that believed that God was going to do good or perform that which he had promised to his people. Even when good does come forth from above to do good and bless, the spirits of Dread cannot perceive or see that it has come forth from God because these spirits of darkness cannot know or understand the goodness of God; for light shined in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend. 

Ephesians 5:8 NIV "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light."

John 1:5 NIV "The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it."

It is the work of these spirits of Dread to speak the lies that pervert the image of Satan, to make it appear as though it is the counsel of Satan’s words that are right and true; while also working to pervert the image of God, to make it appear as though God’s words are false and perverse. God loves all men, and he desires to do good and to bless all men at all times, but the spirits of Dread would not have any man to see or to believe that this is the way of God. It is these spirits that work to deceive men into believing that Satan is a god that should be dreaded, and that all should suffer who do not bow their hearts to believe the counsel of his demons. It is also these fears that deceive men into believing that God should be dreaded in the same manner as Satan; that is, that man should be brought into obedience to God through threats, control, fears, and intimidation. It is these spirits of dread that work to deceive men into believing that God would treat men in the same manner as Satan treats them, as a liar that cannot be trusted to do what he says. It is also these vile spirits that would have a man to believe that God looks and waits for a man to make just one error so that he can pounce on him with accusations, condemnation, and that evil is going to come upon him. Yet, in truth, it is the darkness that fears the light because the nature of fear only allows for it to fear; and the darkness cannot change. Remember that which I told you, that fear has no greater protector than fear itself. Those who worship these spirits are those who believe that their fears and dreads are real and true; and as the nature of these lying spirits are, so also will their nature also be because that is what they are in agreement with.

Isaiah 8:12,13 NASB "You are not to say, "It is a conspiracy!" In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy, and you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it. It is the LORD of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, and He shall be your dread."

Hebrews 6:16-19 NASB "For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute. In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil."

John 8:44 NASB "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

These dreadful spirits work to deceive men into believing that Satan is as sovereign as God; that he is able to exercise power and authority at the leisure of his own will to kill, to steal, and to destroy the lives of men as though there were no boundaries or limitations to contain that which he desires to do. Again, let me remind you that the only power that Satan has over a man is the power that comes when his words are believed to be right and true; If a man believes the counsels that come forth from these unclean spirits of fear, then those spirits shall receive power and authority to rule over that man’s thinking; to be the righteousness that he lives his life according to. It is for this reason that these vile spirits continuously work to bully and intimidate men into believing that their words are right and true, that Satan should be feared and dreaded. Satan, that old Devil, loves to exercise his lust to judge, to accuse, to threaten, and to condemn men when he sees their mistakes, their sins, and their weaknesses because it allows for these spirits of Dread to keep fearing that any of their mistakes, or sins, or weaknesses to be manifest, lest they suffer the judgment, the accusations, or condemnation that comes forth from the children of darkness. How great, might you ask, have these spirits of Dread blinded the eyes of men? Consider how many men you know that count it joy to confess their sins, or their mistakes, or their weaknesses. This is the power of darkness, the work of the spirits of Dread, to keep all mistakes, sins, faults, and weaknesses hidden from the eyes of others.

John 8:10-12 AMP "When Jesus raised Himself up, He said to her (the woman caught in the act of adultery), "Woman, where are your accusers? Has no man condemned you? She answered, No one, Lord! And Jesus said, I do not condemn you either. Go on your way and from now on sin no more. Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life."

Revelation 12:10 "Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death."

It is also the work of these same vile spirits that work to deceive men into believing that God is going to recompense their sins, or their mistakes, or their weaknesses or their faults with the same evil consequence as the darkness recompenses to them; with judgment, or with accusations, or with condemnation , or with severe punishment, or with a curse, or with anger, or with suffering, or with destruction, or with sickness, or with affliction, or with disappointment, or with abandonment, or with death, or with ridicule, or with infirmity, or with some form of banishment, or with rejection. It is the work of these spirits of Dread to keep many tormented and troubled with the expectation that God is going to render evil unto them for the evil they do. It is impossible for the spirits of Dread to think that God will recompense to a man for his sins and weaknesses with mercy, or with compassion, or with forgiveness, or with grace, or any other work that comes forth from love. These spirits, as well as all those who are possessed by these spirits, are not able to see or to believe that God works all things together for good for those who love him, to even see that the goodness of God leads a man into repentance for his weaknesses and sins rather than into condemnation, or into evil, or into destruction. But these spirits of Dread would not have any man to see it this way. Who are those led into evil, or destruction, or condemnation, or rejection but those who believe the lies that say that this is how God deals with sins and weaknesses.

I Thessalonians 5:14,15 NASB "We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people."

I Peter 3:8,9 ASV "Finally, be ye all likeminded, compassionate, loving as brethren, tenderhearted, humble-minded: not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but contrariwise blessing; for hereunto were ye called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

Romans 2:4 NKJ "Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?"

Just like with the woman that was caught in the act of adultery, these spirits of Dread will not hesitate to use laws written in stone or the doctrines of men to exercise their desires to keep men fearful of judgment and condemnation. The more these spirits can exercise their threats and intimidation by perverting the use of laws and doctrines, the more control they are able to gain over the thinking of men. The woman that was caught in the very act of adultery, did she have any expectation or hope that she was going to see any of the goodness of mercy and grace to come to her by the hand of those who came against her with the law of Moses? The words that I spoke to her, did they bring any kind of threat or intimidation to her? If my people, who are called by name, will humble themselves, turn from their wicked ways, and seek my face, then what will I do for them? If my people will confess their sins before me, then what does my word testify that I will do for them? The consequences that God brings to a man for his sins and weaknesses are not like the consequences that the darkness brings with it. Those who are fearful to even see their sins and weaknesses are greatly oppressed by these spirits of Dread. Again, the more these bullying spirits are able to pervert the use of laws and doctrines, then the more my people will be haunted with their intimidations and threats of condemnation, or sickness, or judgment, or some manner of evil is going to come unto them for their sin instead of the grace of my love. The mouth of these spirits of Dread delight in bringing forth the words that will stone a man with intimidation and threats for his transgressions.

I Timothy 1:5-8 NKJ "Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm. But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully."

Romans 5:20 "The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more."

I John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Do you really believe that which the scriptures testify of me, that it is real and true? If a man were to confess his sins before me, that grace, and compassion, and forgiveness, and mercy would be the only consequence he would see coming from me? Do you really believe that my goodness would only lead him into repentance, and not into hell? And even if he kept committing the same sins over and over, but he kept bringing his sins to me; do you really believe that I would be able to forgive him seven times seventy, or even seventy times seven hundred? Would I ask you to treat your brother in any other manner than that which my heart delights in treating him with, even when he sins? When his sin, or your sins, abound, do you really believe that the grace of my love will abound even more and more? If you believe on me, then what habitation could these spirits of Dread find to dwell in? 

Matthew 18:21,22 NKJ Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven."

James 1:12,13 NKJ "So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment."

Romans 2:4-9 NKJ "Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each one according to his deeds: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness: indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil (believes their fears and dreads), of the Jew first and also of the Greek."

Again I want to remind you that these wicked spirits could have no power at all over you unless you first believe them to be right and true. This is that strong delusion that deceives men into believing that it is God standing in the temple of their hearts, ruling over them with the threats and intimidations that evil consequences are going to come upon them for their mistakes, their sins, and their weaknesses. In truth, it is only the adversary, that accuser of the brethren, who abuses men with his fears and dreads. No man can have two masters in his temple; for he will either believe that one is right and true while he scoffs and rejects the counsels of the other. Either he will account the lies of Satan’s fears and dreads to be his righteousness, or he will account the truth of God’s love to be his righteousness. The one will receive the wrath and the anger that he expects to come to him, while the other shall receive the grace of Father’s love. Every man’s reward shall be according to that which he believes.

II Thessalonians 2:3-12 NKJ "Let no one deceive you by any means; for that day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

Did not my apostle Paul say that in time of his weaknesses, the only consequence that he witnessed was seeing the power of God coming to strengthen him? Did not Paul also testify that he took pleasure in his weaknesses? Is it possible for a man to take pleasure in anything when he is only expecting for dread to come? Did I afflict Paul with sickness, or with condemnation, or with any kind of disappointment when he asked for my strength? Would a loving father give a stone to his son when he asks for bread? Dread is only fulfilled in those who believe dread is coming, while good comes to those who believe that I will perform my words for them. Is it not also written that I said that if you would pray for each others faults, then I would come and heal each one of you of your faults? So what do you believe; would I bring healing or would I bring condemnation on those who believe my words and confess their faults? For by reason of these bullying dreads, many are intimidated into believing that they should keep their faults hidden in the darkness of their hearts for fear that condemnation or evil will come upon them.

II Corinthians 12:9,10 NKJ "And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

James 5:16 "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."

It is only these spirits of Dread that would keep a man oppressed with blindness so that he is not able to believe or see into the grace of my Father’s love. Those who are oppressed with this darkness are never able to see themselves worthy to receive any of Father’s goodness, or faithfulness, or blessings, or kindness, or love, or to be the recipient of any of his wonderful works because they only expect for evil to come. Do not let the spirits of Dread keep you in bondage to their filthy fears. I have come to set you free. Did I not move freely, and eat, and drink with sinners, with drunkards, with outcasts, with tax collectors, and with prostitutes? Did my Father bring any evil consequences on me for showing his mercy and spreading his love? To those who look for evil, evil will find them; those who look for good, God will find them. Let not these dreadful spirits deceive you into believing that God renders consequences to you for your evil deeds, for God renders good for evil. And do not let any of these spirits of Dread deceive you into looking for any kind of evil consequence to come from above; for that which comes from above is love, and love never thinks to do any evil. Take heed what you choose to believe about God, that it is not that which any of these spirits of Dread would have you to believe. Also take heed to whose words you choose to believe, lest the same terrifying fear and dread that these demons have of God also become the fear and dread that makes you terrified of God. That which you believe will surely become your truth and your reality. As a man believes, so let it be done unto him; either the truth of Father’s love or the consequences of fear and dread.

Job 42:7,8 NIV After the LORD had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has."

James 2:19 AMP "You believe that God is one; you do well. So do the demons believe and shudder [in terror and horror such as make a man's hair stand on end and contract the surface of his skin]!"

When the Lord finished speaking these words to me, the spirit of the Lord brought back into my remembrance an instance that happened about 15 years ago concerning my father-n-law. My wife had gotten a phone call whereby she was informed that her dad had just been admitted to the hospital in very serious condition. Before my wife left to drive the 75 miles to that hospital, she prayed and acknowledged the Lord and asked for him to direct her. The Lord spoke to her and said, "Do not fear their fears or dread their dreads." This was the first time that the Lord had ever spoken anything to either my wife or I concerning any fears or dreads, and we did not even know at that moment that the word of this instruction was also scriptural. My wife arrived at the hospital and several of her aunts and uncles were there, and they all, including the doctors that were also there, were filled with nothing but fears and dreads about my father-in-law’s condition. In fact, every word that my wife heard spoken in that hospital room was filled with nothing fear and dread; so much so that she also began to be overcome by their words, and she began to fearfully dread what her father’s outcome might be. But then the Spirit of the Lord brought back into her remembrance the word that had been spoken to her, and she went down to the hospital chapel and began to pray. She just asked the Lord to help her not to believe any more of these fears and dreads, and to deliver her from the fears and dreads that she had begun to believe. The Lord came to her and took away from her all of these fears and the dreads, and then filled her with his peace; that peace that passes all understanding. He calmed the storm of fears and dreads that had been strongly blowing in the thoughts of her mind. After this, she went back to her father’s room, and she said that she then felt like a complete stranger or alien there because she no longer being  affected, or afflicted, by any of the fears or dreads that were being spoken there. To make a long story short, contrary to the words that these spirits of fear had been prophesying about the future health of my father-in-law, none of the came to pass because he recovered and was soon discharged from the hospital and went home.

Proverbs 18:21 "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit."

II Timothy 4:18 NASB "The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen."

One thing that we have observed in other instances is that when the Lord delivers you from these fears or dreads, then those that are still subject to these unclean spirits do not know how to interpret you in the times that distress men; that is, they cannot understand why you are not worried or stressed out as they are. In fact, some have even gotten angry because this peace of God is so alien and strange to them that this peace of mind appears to them as if you do not care. We have certainly been the recipient of some evil looks that tried to intimidate us into believing their fears and dreads; looks that greatly resembled the countenance I saw on the face of these spirits of Dread that appeared as these intimidating bulldogs. I now know that these are those intimidating spirits of Dread that would bully us into believing that it is impossible for God to do any good in the situations and circumstances of life that daily confront us. Satan would only have us to focus on the evil that his spirits of Dread prophesy unto us, always trying to take the love and the goodness of Abba, Father out of the outcome.

Philippians 3:2,3 NASB "Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision, for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh."

The Lord then opened my eyes to see what these spirits of dread were guarding. Right there in the middle of the courtyard was this eerie and frightful looking entrance into the castle dungeon. Then almost immediately I found myself down inside this dungeon; and I also became aware that what I was seeing was also what was in the deep places of my heart. I then thought, "Who should be afraid to see what exists in the depths of his own heart?"  But once my eyes adjusted to where I could begin to see, what I saw was not desirable, and certainly nothing that should be accounted as the treasures of my heart. The first thing that I became aware of was that this dungeon appeared to have never been cleansed in any manner, and the stench from the smell there was unbearable. I then saw that in the middle of the room was what appeared to be a giant pile of dung, but after some observation I realized that what appeared as dung was nothing but a shapeless spirit of Darkness. I was really surprised to find that I was not at all frightened by what I was seeing. I then observed as several of the spirits that I had previously seen haunting the castle come flying into the dungeon in the same manner that bats return to their caves when the light comes. I then observed several other spirits departing from the dungeon just as bats depart from a cave when night falls, and I knew that they were going to haunt the castle with some worries, or anxieties, or whatever it might take to trouble and torment a man in his thoughts. I saw that when these spirits returned to the dungeon, they would fly straight over to and land on this giant spirit of Darkness; and then it was as if they would be absorbed into that spirit. The spirits that I saw departing from the dungeon, they all came out from this giant spirit also. It was as if this spirit was the mother ship or something like that. I do not know how I knew, but I was able to discern at that moment that this giant spirit was not actually one big spirit, but rather a mass of many, many small spirits in one big mass. It was like when Jesus asked that unclean spirit what his name was, and he answered saying, "Legion; for we are many".

I Corinthians 4:5 NASB "Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God."

Nahum 1:11-13 "There is one come out of thee, that imagines evil against the LORD, a wicked counselor. Thus saith the LORD; Though they be quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more. For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder."

I then discerned that it was from this dungeon that all these unclean spirits received their power to deceive: to make the darkness to appear as the light; to make the ways of death seem like the right way; to make lies to appear as the truth; to make evil to appear as good; to make the works of iniquity to appear as the righteousness of God; and to even make the miseries of death (the carnal mind) to be an acceptable form of life. I observed that these spirits would go in and out of this dungeon as the circumstances and situations changed. For example, I saw that the fear of heights could only haunt the castle of a man’s heart when that man that believed it’s counsel was in a high place; but once that man’s feet were back on the ground, (so to speak) then that spirit of fear would return to the dungeon and remain quiet there until the circumstance would arise again that would allow for it to return to haunt the castle some more. I saw that this was the way it was with all of these unclean spirits of fear, that they all remained quiet in the dungeon until the right situation or circumstance arose that would allow for them to come forth to torment and trouble a man in his imaginations. This is the hidden place of darkness, that place in the heart that no man is able to look into; the place that only the light of God is able to see into. 

Genesis 6:5 NASB "Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."

Wow! Talk about a haunted castle; I saw so many types of fears that I wondered if there was any circumstance or situation that a man could face where he would not encounter at least one or more of these fears coming forth to trouble and torment him with some kind of dread, or anxiety, or uncertainty, or worry. Then the Lord said, "Do you believe me now? Do you believe me when I say to you that your thoughts are not my thoughts? Do you think for one moment that I would allow for any of these filthy, vile spirits to enter into my thinking to torment and haunt me? In this fallen world of darkness, death rules over the carnal thoughts of men through deceit. Death only rules in the darkness where fears and dreads are believed on to be right and true; for death is the reality of darkness. It is not possible for any of these thoughts to dwell in my kingdom because the darkness cannot dwell where the light of life reigns; neither now, or forever. Can death reign with life?" says the Lord.

Isaiah 55:7,8 NIV "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Isaiah 65:2 "I have spread out my hands all day long to a rebellious (will not listen or trust) people, which walk in a way that is not good, after their own thoughts."

Proverbs 8:36 "But he that sins against me wronged his own soul; for all that hate me (the wisdom of life) love death (the carnal mind)."

As I sat meditating on all that I had seen and heard in this vision, the Spirit of the Lord again brought into my remembrance that which the Lord had said to me, that the treasures in a man’s heart consist of those things that he believes and trusts to be right and true. Then I suddenly realized that the dungeon that I had seen was also the treasury of my own heart; and that it was I who had allowed for these vile and unclean spirits to dwell within me. I had been treasuring these lies to be right and true, whether I was doing this consciously or unconsciously, I do not know, but now the Lord had surely brought them into the light. I saw clearly how I could make myself to be one with anyone of these unclean spirits when I had bowed my heart to agree that their instructions were right counsels for me to live according to. I saw that I was so accustomed to living my life with worry and anxiety that I was blind to see that I was doing any evil by following their counsels. I was in bondage to a bondage that I could not see. For the first time since the Lord had called me, I began to realize the magnitude of the bondage that a carnally minded man, whether a Christian or not, is captive to when these fears and dreads are the thoughts that he thinks upon. Truly, nothing can have any power over our thinking except that which we first believe to be right and true. 

Romans 6:16,17 NKJ "Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?"

I was still meditating on this when the Lord spoke and said, "Mitt, do you want to see how well Satan has deceived you?" Yes, Lord, please show me if that is what it is going to take to set me free from all of these troubling fears and dread. Then the Lord asked, "Who is guarding and defending the treasures in your castle; the fears and the dreads that dwell in your heart?" With a sudden shock of realization, and feeling extremely foolish, I answered, "I suppose I am, Lord". Then the Lord said, "Well, this is how well Satan has deceived you, in that he has you guarding and defending the very fears and dreads that have been oppressing you. Never forget that I have told you that nothing could have power over you unless you first believe it to be right and true. Neither Satan or any of these haunting spirits could have power to take the castle of your heart by force. It is for this reason that they disguise their words so that they appear as counsels that can be received to help or to guide you. Otherwise, they could not gain entrance into the treasury of your heart or make your mind their dwelling place. Neither Satan, nor any of these spirits of fear and dread, have any power of themselves, but they receive power the moment their words are received and believed. Then once they have gained entrance, they go to work to haunt a man in his thoughts with anxiety, confusion, worry, loneliness, uncertainty, strife, unforgiveness, bitterness, stress, hatred, depression, envy, and every other miserable thought that robs you of peace and life that I created man to be partakers of. I have given you power that the world does not have, and that is the power to choose not to believe that which seeks to oppress you. If you do not choose to use this power, then the forces of darkness will laugh and mock at you when they deceive you with the lies that haunt you. Would you account a man to be wise or to be foolish who defends and protects the very counsels that torment and oppress him?"

Jeremiah 4:14 "O Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart and be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts?"

Isaiah 53:13,14 NKJ "All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children. In righteousness you shall be established; You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you."

Then I asked the Lord the only other question that I could think to ask at that moment, "Lord, what can I do now about all of these fears and dreads?" The Lord then answered and said, "I am standing and knocking at the door of your heart, but unless you are first willing to open the door and ask for me to come in, then I will not be able to enter in.  I have not come to the door of your heart to fight against your pride, to force myself in. I will never force myself upon you, or any man. But if you will humble yourself and open the door to your heart, asking for me to come in, then I will come in. I am the light of the world. I am the light that reveals the hidden things of darkness and the secret counsels of the heart. I see the thoughts of the heart with all of its intents and purposes. I stand at the door of your heart willing and ready to come in to set you free from all these lying spirits that have oppressed and tormented you. I am willing to come in and be the truth of what to believe; for I am the truth that makes you free. I am the truth that cast out lies. I am the love that cast out fear. I have showed to you how these fears and dreads have come only to haunt you, to destroy and rob you of the abundant life that I desire for all of you to be partakers of. My love is standing at the door of your heart, ready to fill you with the joy and with the peace that is able to rule over your heart. I love you, and if you ask for me to come in, then my love will come in to judge and to cast out all of these fears. I am standing at the door of your heart ready to fill your treasuries with the blessings and riches of abundant life.

Revelation 2:20,21 NASB "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

Malachi 3:9-11 NASB "You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you! Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes," says the LORD of hosts.

I Am the Lord your God; and I alone am to be worshipped and served. How can you call me Lord and then bow your knee to serve the counsels of these unclean spirits of fear and dread? My love is jealous for you, and my love yearns for you to allow for me to cast out these lying spirits that oppress and haunt you. I am asking you to trust me, to open your heart to me, to allow for me to come in. I am asking you not to surrender your heart any longer to any of these fears and dreads, to account any of their lies to be right or true. I am here to cleanse and sanctify this haunted castle, to cast out all of these filthy and unclean spirits. I am here to tear down this haunted castle, this temple full of unclean and false idols. I am here to tear down this temple that has been built on the lies that you have believed. I am here to build me a glorious temple that I will fill with all of the riches of life. I have given to you the power that enables you to choose what you are going to believe. Will you choose me? Will you have the righteousness of my love to rule over your heart and mind, or will you continue to choose to allow these fears and dreads to be the righteousness that you live by? Will you have peace or will you have torment to rule in your heart? As Darkness cannot have any fellowship with light, so neither can death have any fellowship with life. So I give to you this day a choice between the life and death, blessing and cursing. You choose who you are going to open the door of your heart to believe, whether it be to my love that loves you, or to the fears and dreads that oppress and haunt you. 

Romans 6:16 NKJ "Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?"

Hebrews 9:14 NASB "How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

I Samuel 12:20 "Fear not; though you have done all of this wickedness, see that you do not turn aside from serving the Lord with all your heart."

Psalm 127:1 NASB "Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain."

II Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

I John 4:18 "There is no fear in love…."

I John 4:8 "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."

Then the Spirit of the Lord quickened to me that which is written in I Samuel 16:7 NAS "But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." With this word, I knew that it would be vain for me to try and discern the fears of my own heart, as though I could prove to God that I am able to cast out these fears and dreads that have been haunting me. So I surrendered to the Lord, and simply stood before the Lord and acknowledged to him that I choose life and blessings. "Lord, is it really that simple, that all that you are asking for me to do is to choose?" Then I asked for him to come in and do whatever he needed to do so that life and peace would rule over my heart and mind. This was a really easy choice for me to make seeing that left alone to myself, I had freely chosen to allow many fears and dreads to enter into the treasury of my heart; I had chosen my own poison to haunt me. If that was not shameful enough for me to see, then seeing that I was also allowing for my pride to defend and protect my own poison was doubly foolish. Surely, the wisdom of man is foolishness in the sight of God.

Psalm 139:23 "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts."

Mitt Jeffords

catsmittiv@gmail.com