The Lord spoke to the Prophet Jeremiah saying, Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it (Jeremiah 18:2-4).

This is not just a lesson for Jeremiah but for all of us. You may say you’re yielded to God’s will, but have you gone to the Potter’s house? Your tongue can say many things that your heart doesn’t really mean, and that has hindered God’s people from being the blessing He wants them to be. You may say you’re willing for the Lord to have His way in your life, but do you really mean it? Do you put those words into action?

Only when you are truly willing for the Lord to have His way in your life will you truly win the victory over everything that comes against you. Nothing can hold you down; no one can hinder you, and nothing can destroy you. You are marching ever onward to increasing faith and increasing love.

You must be able to say with all your heart, “Not my will, Lord, but thine be done. I will walk in your divine will, and you can use me at any time.” Yet so many people say that, and the Lord cannot really use them. They allow other duties and responsibilities to get in the way. Then when God calls on them, they won’t say, “Lord, here am I.” Instead, they make excuses thinking they are real reasons when they are not, and they cheat themselves out of so many blessings.

There is a big difference between what you say and what you do. Jesus said, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men (Matthew 4:19). You may say you are following Him, but have you caught any souls for the Lord? Are you even trying to? If you think you are too busy, then you don’t realize the poor spiritual condition you are in.

Be a Vessel of Honor

You may think that when a person gets saved, that’s it; but that is just the beginning of a life in Christ. We are all vessels of clay, and the Lord has to mold and make us again and again. When people first get saved, they love Jesus above everything else; and they are willing to do anything for Him. They are excited to tell others about Jesus and how wonderful He is, and they take advantage of every door that opens for them to share Jesus. You always have to keep that first love for the Lord that you received at Calvary.

When things in life don’t go as planned, some people decide that the Lord is against them or that He doesn’t care about them or love them anymore. They cry, “Lord, why did this happen to me? Other people who are not living as close to you as I am are not going through nearly as much as I am.”

Oh, Neighbor, don’t you want to be a vessel of honor? Maybe some of those other people don’t want to be vessels of honor, and the Lord’s just letting them be. Maybe they are stubborn clay in the Potter’s hand, and He can’t work with them. He may try to do something with that clay once or twice, but He is not going to keep trying if the clay will not yield. He will reach out for some more yielding clay and form it into the vessel of honor He wants.

If you truly want to be what the Lord wants you to be, then you will have to let Him make you over and over again. The Lord needs His children to be different vessels at different times in our lives. Yes, it will hurt at times, but it is for your good and for the good of the Kingdom.

The Remolding Never Ends

There may be times when you think, “I’m really getting somewhere with the Lord. I must be almost perfected.” But just then, the Lord’s hand comes down on you; and the molding starts all over. Perhaps He saw a blemish or a spot that didn’t need to be there, so He decided to make you over again.

When the molding begins, some think, “Lord, why are you letting this happen to me? I give up. There is no need for me to try anymore.” Why don’t you stop your crying and say, “Lord, go ahead and make me a vessel that will be pleasing in your sight.”

People grow up deciding what they would like to be and things they would like to do; but when you are serving the Lord, you must be willing to be any kind of special vessel the Lord needs you to be. You must be willing to do whatever He wants you to do no matter how much suffering is involved.

I used to think that a few times on the Potter’s wheel was all I would need, but I learned that is not so. Just when you think all is well, God will put you back on the wheel because there is another vessel He needs you to be. The Lord told the children of Israel, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand (Jeremiah 18:6).

Are you living in the divine will of the Lord? Are you a blessing to the Lord and His work? Are you reaching out for souls? If you can’t answer yes to these questions, then you need to get busy and seek the Lord with all your heart; but if you are satisfied with the way you are, you will never be yielded clay in the Potter’s hands. God will never be able to make anything good out of you unless you yield yourself to Him.

A Tough Place to Be

Being on the Potter’s wheel is hard; and as the wheel begins to turn, we cry. Sometimes that wheel includes awful persecution, but it will take out the spots and blemishes. There will be times when you think you’d rather stay the way you are because you don’t think you can take any more. You may say, “Lord, that crack in my vessel is so small. Surely, it’s not going to hurt anything." But don’t you dare take yourself off that wheel because the Bible says, Let us go on unto perfection (Hebrews 6:1).

Only God knows how many trials and persecutions you can stand; so when you say, “Lord, here I am. Make me what you want me to be,” you better mean it because the Lord will take you up on it.

There are some people the Lord can just gently touch, and they move. With others, He has to let it thunder before they move. The Lord can move some people with love, and others He has to move with fear. Then there are yet other people who will not move at all no matter what the Lord does. They don’t fear God, man or the devil; so the Lord has to let them be.

If you are following hard after the Lord and things are getting rough, just look to the Lord and say, “I’m clay in the Potter’s hands, and the wheel is really spinning today. That means I’ll be a better vessel tomorrow.” If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work (II Timothy 2:21).

Hold to Your Blessings

There are different kinds of vessels physically and spiritually. Some of you are leaky vessels. The Lord fills you up and blesses you, but you don’t keep those blessings. You have a crack somewhere, and they leak out. Then they can’t help you through your trials and temptations.

What causes a crack? One big thing is dis-obedience. In the Old Testament, the Israelites were full of disobedience, and it was awful. God did so many things for them, but they didn’t appreciate them. They just thought it was His duty to help them, and many children today think the same way about their parents. They are ungrateful and hardly ever say thank you. You can’t be that way with God.

Yes, God is there to watch out for and protect His children, but you have to walk with Him like He tells you to. The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way (Psalm 37:23). For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps (I Peter 2:21).

When you walk like the Bible tells you to, no matter how dark the hour is, God will be with you; and things will work out. He’ll comfort your heart in times of trouble. He’ll give you strength to climb every mountain and peace in every storm. You will have a calmness about you that people won’t understand.

Yielded Every Day

It’s time to go down to the Potter’s house and say, “Lord, here I am. I’m the clay. You’re the Potter. Make me; mold me; do whatever you want to do with me. Lord, I won’t rebel, and I won’t draw back. Use me for your honor and glory and give me a soft heart.” And it may take some extra troubles and trials to keep your heart like God wants it to be.

To be a vessel of honor also takes prayer, but some of you won’t pray like you ought to when the sun is shining. There has to be a storm to get you to feel the need of prayer. Only then will you begin to cry out to the Lord from the bottom of your heart.

The Lord calls His children into the prayer closet day after day so He can make plain paths for their feet, let them know His will for them and anoint them to fulfill that will. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:5,6). You have to know what paths God wants you to take. You don’t have to walk in darkness, not knowing which way to go.

Are you yielded completely to the Lord? Can you say with your whole heart, “Have thine own way, Lord, no matter what I have to go through. I’m yours at all times”? You have to be determined to walk close to Jesus every day. There is nothing better than walking hand in hand with Him and knowing He is right by your side. Jesus said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee (Hebrews 13:5). The Bible says, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1).

Some people think the Lord can never make them into a vessel of honor because they aren’t educated enough, important enough, outgoing enough, and the list of the devil’s thoughts goes on. But the truth is that every soul that trusts in God and yields to Him can amount to something for Him no matter what a person’s limitations may be. As long as they are yielded to the Lord, the Holy Spirit will be able to use them in ways that He can’t use others.

The Crushing Is for Your Good

When God puts your clay on the Potter’s wheel, He crushes it; and that is hard to take. No one likes to be crushed, but that is the only way the Lord can keep your heart soft; and the only way the Lord can crush you is with troubles and trials. He allows the devil to attack you; but when you are a child of God, the divine blood of Jesus seals and protects your soul. The devil can come at you in your mind and in your body, but he can’t get into your soul.

The only way the devil can get into your soul after it has been washed and cleansed is for you to commit willful sin. That means you know something is a sin, but you do it anyway. The Bible says, For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins (Hebrews 10:26).

Job was put on the Potter’s wheel when the Lord allowed Satan to afflict him. It wasn’t because Job had sinned or because God did not love him; it was because God loved him so much. This one thing God told Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life (Job 2:6). When the trial was over, God gave Job more than he had ever had before; and He will do the same for you. And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before (Job 42:10).

Our afflictions of today are just minor com-pared to the eternal glory that is to come for God’s true children. Paul was crushed on the Potter’s wheel again and again; and he said, For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (II Corinthians 4:17). Paul was tried and persecuted more than anyone else, but he considered them to be nothing in comparison to what was to come in the Lord for him. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Romans 8:18). You have to look at your times on the Potter’s wheel the same way.

Let the Spirit Guide You

You must willingly give yourself into the hands of the Potter; but when the Lord puts some of you on His potter’s wheel, you think He has forgotten you; but as you spend time in the presence of the Lord and receive more and more of His anointing, you will understand what God wants of you and learn to hold on to Him as the Potter’s wheel spins.

The Holy Ghost within you will move for you just like the Holy Ghost moved for the disciples in the Early Church. They were persecuted greatly; but once they received that power from On High, they were willing to do anything for the Lord, and the Lord was with them all the way. The mighty arm of the Lord will be with you too, and He will stay the hand of the enemy for you again and again; but you will have to suffer persecutions and trials. And all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (II Timothy 3:12).

As a child of God, the Lord will hold you up with a mighty hand and give you divine courage and strength. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might (Ephesians 6:10). You must go forth wearing the whole armor of God and be clothed in His power and glory so you can walk boldly before God and man. You must be well acquainted with the Holy Spirit so He can anoint your mind and direct your paths as you walk in God’s presence. And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left (Isaiah 30:21).

Don’t Be Deceived

We are now living in the most deceiving hour that has ever been on the Earth, and even many Christians no longer walk very close to God. They don’t pray or fast like they should, and they think they are getting along just fine; but that’s because the Lord is no longer putting them on the Potter’s wheel. They see no need for the Lord to crush them so the fragrance of the Spirit of God can be brought out in their life, and they can be made a vessel of honor for all eternity.

The Lord is offering His greatness to all who want it in this last hour, but so many are too wrapped up in the cares of life to spend quality time with the Lord. They are too busy with their jobs, families and homes; and God only gets whatever time, if any, that is left over.

You think you have to make a life for yourself down here when the Bible says in Hebrews 11:13 that we are just pilgrims and strangers on this Earth. Our journey in this world is about over; but until then, our times on the Potter’s wheel will continue, and some of them will be terrible. You will find yourself in difficult and unexpected circumstances. People and even some of your own family members may turn against you, but such trials and tribulations will bring out the greatness of God in your life; and they will keep you humble before God. In fact, the glory of the Lord may begin to shine so brightly in your life that you may decide you actually like the Potter’s wheel.

Endure for Christ’s Sake

You have to decide that you want the favor of God no matter what it takes. We sing a song at church that says, “Take the whole world but give me Jesus.” I’d rather be crushed by God today than to be crushed by my wrongdoing later, and many people do crush themselves. They stop seeking God for His will as they should. They disobey Him and then fail Him again and again.

Some people can’t separate being on the Potter’s wheel for Christ’s sake from falling on hard times due to their own negligence or wrongdoing, and that is sad. When you really walk with God, the molding and making comes from Him; and He will use anything that comes against you for His honor and glory. When the hard times are your fault, your trials won’t bring God any glory; and He cannot help you unless you decide to yield yourself to Him. Then He will have to try to straighten out the mess you have made.

God put Paul on the Potter’s wheel many times. People lied about him, said he was crazy, put him in prison and beat him. His family disowned him and friends wouldn’t have anything to do with him. False brethren brought false accusations against him and claimed he said and did things he never did.

No matter what Paul faced, he walked the highway of holiness; so God was able to use all that Paul endured for His honor and glory. Paul said, But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel (Philippians 1:12). Paul was only interested in spreading the Gospel to as many people as he could no matter what it took. You too have to come to that place in the Lord where you will endure anything for Him.

Some people think that when they say, “Lord, use me,” He is going to lift them up into a cloud of glory and let them float around to be used by Him. That’s ridiculous! When you say, “Lord, use me,” it means you are willing to do the hard and dirty jobs that others don’t want to do. Think about that the next time you ask the Lord to use you, and decide in your heart right now that you’re going to do more for the Lord and have a greater anointing than ever before. Decide that you will yield to the Word of God and to the Holy Spirit.

Jesus Saves and Heals

The Potter’s wheel will never be for you unless you are a child of God. If you are unsaved today, come to Jesus. He went to Calvary for you, and He is ready to save you right now. Say this prayer with me: Oh, God, I am so lost. I have sinned against you, and I am so sorry. I am just as sorry for my sins as you are that I committed them, and you said godly sorrow would work repentance. I give my life to you, and I believe the blood of Jesus washes away all my sins. Come into my heart, Jesus. Come on in, Jesus. Amen. If you meant that prayer, Jesus has come.

Now, if you are sick or afflicted, get ready for your miracle. It doesn’t matter what is wrong with you or what the doctors have said; the God of miracles heals all manner of sicknesses and diseases, but you have to give Him all the glory for what He does in your life. God cannot work for you as He would like to if you fail to give Him the glory.

If you need a miracle, raise your hand as a point of contact. Lord, I bring these people to you in the name of Jesus, and I’m agreeing with you for them to be healed. Flow your miracle power into these people right now. Heal! in the all-powerful, blood name of Jesus. Cleanse their bodies completely and make them whole. Amen.

Now, watch yourself get well, and remember that nobody’s ever loved you like Jesus loves you. Nobody’s ever cared like He cares.

A Message from the Lord Through the Holy Spirit

Thus saith the Lord, many of you don’t really know the Spirit of the Lord. You have received the baptism of the Spirit, but you are not really acquainted with Him. He lives and dwells within you, saith the Lord, but you really don’t know His power or strength. You don’t know the greatness of Him. You don’t know when He is working or when He is directing you. You don’t know when He is helping you, and you don’t know when He is fighting your battles. You do not even know when He is calling you to prayer. You just don’t know Him, saith the Spirit.

There is a fearful spirit coming upon the Earth, and there will be more of it, saith the Lord. This spirit will cover the face of the Earth and choke out the boldness of people, and they will be afraid to rise up and speak against the evils that are in the land; but my people will rise up and stand against all persecutions and trials with my anointing. My people will speak with courage, and their words will flow like the waters of the rivers and the oceans of the land until they cover the whole face of the Earth because it’s thus saith the Lord. I said that this Gospel would be preached to all the inhabitants of the Earth, and then shall the end come. It shall go forth with the power and deliverance of the greatness of the Lord.

The Lord will rise up and fight the battles for His people, and the people shall see the glory of the Lord and rejoice; but the scales must all fall from their eyes. Then they will see the greatness of the great I Am.

Jesus is with you, but you don’t know the sweetness of Him and the fragrance of Him until you have gone through more valleys, more trials and more persecutions. I mold you and make you in the valleys. Then you come to the mountain peaks and you stand there, not alone, but because you know that I brought you there. Then you move as I tell you to move, and you speak as I tell you to speak.

You must see yourself as you really are—completely nothing without me, saith the Lord. But through me, you know that you can do all things.

When your mind is anointed by the Spirit, you arise with my strength and my grace. Oh, my children, kneel humbly in my presence today, and be willing to go to the Potter’s house again and again because there you will find my greatness; and there you will find my hand at work. There is where I am doing my greatest work in this hour, saith the Spirit of the Lord unto this people.

The Potter’s house is cruel and ugly, but it has to be to mold and make my people like I want them to be. Then on that day, they will see the hand of grace that moved for them as they take one look back on the path they have traveled. I will light up that path, and they will understand why I brought them that way and why they had to go to the Potter’s house those many, many times.

I will mold you, and I will make you a vessel of honor. Do not give up in despair. I will make you what I want you to be, and you will be used by my hand. I seek the hand of my children so I might use it. As they seek my face, I will use their hands for my honor and my glory.

Oh, my little children, let not your heart be troubled at the things that are coming upon the Earth. There’s much more to come, and more dangers lurk. There will be much happen in this final hour. I told you of nations rising against nations and kingdoms against kingdoms. I told you of how homes would be divided, and yet my people are not aware of what I have told them; but as you come into the closet of consecration, I will open up your mind with my Holy Spirit, and I will reveal my truths unto you.

The hour has come, saith the Lord, that my people must understand my Word. Heretofore, you have not fully understood my Word, but you must understand my Word as my people of long ago understood it when the Holy Ghost came upon them and led them into all truths and taught them my way.

I opened up their minds and their hearts, and my people were purified with my grace; and they rejoiced even in persecutions and trials. My power was with them; they were directed by my Spirit, and my work was accomplished. No power could stand before them because I stayed the hand of the enemy again and again.

I move with my anointing; and if my people who are called by my name will seek my face, I will anoint them with my Spirit. Remember, my children, the greatest need of this hour for you is my anointing. It’s more important to you now than anything else.

Seek my face and know my way. Then I will rise up, and I will bless thee. Then you will accomplish much in the short time you have to work. You will indeed mount up in a mighty way, and you will be amazed and shocked at my greatness. I will shake homes, and many things will happen that will cause you to cry and shed many tears; but remember, it’s the only way I can do my work.

Oh, children of God, look unto the Lord today. You may be crushed, cast down, despised and rejected; but wasn’t Jesus despised and rejected? He came with armfuls of miracles. He came with help for the blind and to set the captives free.

Some of you will be passed by, saith the Lord, and not even realize it. Some of you are used to living on such a small amount of the Spirit that you’re not even conscious that you need more. The Lord has called you again and again, but there is no answer. You pray a little prayer when you get ready, but it isn’t enough; and oh, how weak you are.