Draw me, we will run after thee (Song of Solomon 1:4).

The Spirit of the Lord is drawing us—the Bride of Christ—and we are running the last mile. Who is the Bride of Christ? That group of people—saved, Holy Spirit-filled, totally obedient to the Lord—who will be caught away in the air with Jesus at His second coming. All our energy, all our strength, everything that God has equipped us with will be used for God in this final hour. We, the Bride, have put on the whole armor of God; nothing can stop us; the fiery darts of the enemy cannot pierce us. We have God’s faith, God’s love, God’s peace and help. Endowed with the marvelous gift of the baptism in the Holy Ghost, we are ready to do battle. Not discouraged over those who have turned back, we, like Gideon’s courageous three hundred, are fully prepared with what God has ordained us to have. Our vision clear, our hearing sharp, our feet swift to run, we speak and move by the grace of God in this our final hour.

Jesus, the Word made flesh, dwelt in a tabernacle of clay; now the Living Word of God is dwelling in many tabernacles, drawing them on into the greatness of God. Elevated into the realm of the miraculous, caught up into the greatness of the Living Word, we speak the Word with confidence; we speak it because He lives within us, because He draws us to Him. The Holy Spirit has taught us. We have been given the knowledge of God, the wisdom of God; and it’s ever onward into God’s glorious morn for the children of God—the second coming of Jesus. A mighty army of Holy Spirit-filled people make up the Bride of Christ today—what an honor, what a privilege!

Let Us Run the Race

Paul advises us in Hebrews: Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and LET US RUN WITH PATIENCE THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US (Hebrews 12:1). The race is set before us. We know the way, for the Holy Spirit is drawing us. Surrounded by so many witnesses to the faith of God—witnesses described in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews—we too, must lay aside all the weights and yield completely to God so that nothing can prevent us from responding to His drawing, from doing His divine will. Die completely to self.

Running the race. Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13,14). Put the past behind; there is no need to pine about it. If you have failed God, put it behind you. If you fell into the nets of Satan, forget about it now that you have been redeemed. There may be consequences of your actions you must deal with, but after salvation you are no longer shut out of the sunlight of God’s love; you’re in a place where God can use you, where God can move for you and draw you into unity with the Bride of Christ.

The soul of a born-again Christian belongs only to its Maker. No one but God has a say over your soul—unless you have sold it to the devil. Your soul was purchased with a price. Christ bought it back from the devil. If you are in doubt about the state of your soul, tell the Lord: I place my soul back into your hands, and no one will ever have control of it again but you, oh Lord. My soul will listen to its Maker, heeding the words of the Psalmist: Be still, and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10).

Be quiet, oh soul within me, and feel the greatness of the drawing of the great I-Am. Know that He is real, mighty and wonderful, that He is reaching out a hand to help you, to bless you, to lift you up above the darkness of the night as you run this last mile.

A Fluttering of Wings

As I entered my garage one morning, I heard a fluttering of wings. In the window was a large bird. More fluttering…and in the other window another big bird helplessly beat its wings against the window pane. They seemed to be trapped behind the flimsy curtains. I thought, “I’ll open the garage door; it will make a large opening for them to escape.” I was hoping I wouldn’t have to frighten them even more by capturing them, and so I just opened the garage door and went back into the house. “Surely they will have sense enough to fly out,” I thought to myself. I forgot about them for a little but later went to check whether they had taken advantage of their way of escape. There they were, still fluttering at the windows. I said to them, “You’re just like Christians! A great big door leading to deliverance is right in front of you, trying to draw you to freedom, and you don’t even see it. You keep searching for your freedom the wrong way just because it looks easy.” Many Christians take the way self picks rather than trusting the drawing of God and walking His paths.

I had to frighten the birds to get them back on course, and God has to frighten some Christians to draw them onto the right road. He opens the big door that represents Jesus, their way of escape; but some people resist His drawing, become more frightened and more determined to walk their own path. If they would just calm down and trust God, He could lead them His way.

I took one of the birds, patted it on the head a little and told it, “Now God intended you to be free.” As soon as I turned him loose he flew away without even saying thank you. Christians don’t always thank God for delivering them, either.

You have a great door drawing you into the joy of the Lord. Are you still trying to reach God through a closed window? Like the flimsy curtains obscured the vision of the birds, the veil of doubt and unbelief clouds the vision of many, and they fail to see the greatness of this hour that God is seeking to draw them into.

The birds had a way of escape, but in their panic they ignored it. God said that He would make a way of escape for you. He has given you this wonderful promise: There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it (I Corinthians 10:13). When I’m in a close place thinking I can’t take any more, I search carefully. I tell the Lord, “You would not allow me to be tempted above that which I am able to bear. Since there is no way of escape, I will be able to endure a little longer; for your promises are true.” I tell myself I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me (Philippians 4:13).

God begins blessing as soon as I claim His promises; He said, I will hasten my word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12). When you claim and use the promises of God, God makes haste to bring them to pass. God will look after His promises even if He has to send every angel in Heaven to fulfill them. He is eager to draw everyone to Him that He can in this last and final hour.

I Went to Death’s Door

The devil can’t rob you of any of God’s promises that you hide in your heart in unwavering faith. I learned this to never forget it when I was in my early twenties, at death’s door. I had sought the Lord over a year for healing; like the Psalmist, I longed for Him in a dry and thirsty land (Psalm 63). I finally reached the point of knowing that if He didn’t move soon, I would be dead. Then He came to me. It was wonderful, glorious—but I had more pain. I could be at perfect ease, then begin to tell someone about my miracle, and the hurting began anew. The devil whispered that if I would keep my mouth shut, I might get well—but he had already told me I wasn’t healed. He, in fact, told one lie after another. His lies went unheeded, for I had taken hold of the promises of God and refused to let them go. He let me experience what it was like to go to death’s door so I would know how others felt in the same situation. I learned how people sometimes have to battle to keep their miracles, and with that knowledge I can help many, many people keep their miracles and not let the devil rob them. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy (John 10:10).

I wanted to live and work for the Lord. I wanted to preach His Gospel. God had made Himself real; out of the darkness He answered my prayer to live; He drew me back into the land of the living. And then He told me I was to go on a long fast. Would He have told me to go on a long fast if I weren’t healed? Would He have told me about my future? It was either trust God’s promise completely or turn back. I launched way out into the deep, claiming the promises of God. I said, “Lord, if I go down, your promises will go with me. Lord, I’m saying that you healed me. If I die, the embarrassment is going to be on you.”

I told everyone that I had my miracle. No one argued. I looked people straight in the eyes and said, “I am healed. The Lord healed me.” And He had. God was taking me onto a miracle path I had to walk by naked faith. That naked faith would live in my heart with God’s love and God’s help and draw me into the all-out miracle realm for this last and final hour.

Draw Us, Lord!

Many have been fluttering at the windows, and then Jesus opened a door for them into the greatness of God. “Come in out of the storm,” He invited, drawing them into His arms.

The Spirit is drawing us. Remember the first time you felt the drawing power of Calvary in your heart? No one can come unto Jesus unless the Father draws him—and what an irresistible drawing force He is! He draws like a mighty magnet, but you have the choice to be drawn by Him or to withdraw. There is another mighty force, this one of evil, pulling on you, also; and God has given you freedom to choose whom you will serve.

Some of you feel the drawing power of the Lord but are confused by this other force drawing you. Mental spirits are seeking to pull you into their channel, to trouble you as much as possible and to take over your mind. But the Holy Spirit is anointing you and blessing you, trying to elevate you out of that stage, trying to get your eyes upon your Groom. Either the open door of God’s greatness or the door into the destruction of hell stands before you. It is time to yield to the power of the Holy Spirit in this pouring out time if you want to see Heaven. Ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13).

Waters to Swim In

Ezekiel saw a mighty vision of our end-time hour, of the dispensation of Pentecost. It was a river…waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over (Ezekiel 47:5). Ezekiel’s waters represent the Spirit of God. In Ezekiel’s vision, the water flowed out ankle deep, then waters to the knees, the loins and finally waters to swim in. So has it been in the dispensation of the Pentecostal Age which began when the Holy Ghost descended on the Early Church in the first century. During the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost, the waters increased until they became waters to swim in. Over the ages, there have been long, dry periods of lukewarmness as the Holy Spirit was continually rejected; but once again, in this last and final hour the waters became waist deep, and, finally, waters to swim in. Walking on out into the Holy Spirit, many thought they were at the top of the mountain. They didn’t realize that the greatness of the gifts and the works of the Holy Spirit were to operate once again as they had in the Early Church. Jesus said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father (John 14:12). These works can be done only through the power of the Holy Ghost. We have waters to swim in, waters that draw us ever deeper into the greatness of God in this last and final hour.

Many, many have missed the great pouring out of the Spirit in this hour, even Pentecostal people. The very Holy Ghost that God sent to draw them, they have rejected. Backing into shallow, chilling waters, people are fighting God’s power and Spirit. Some of the same workers, some of the same ministries who once complained about churches that fought the baptism of the Holy Ghost are now themselves fighting the gifts of the Spirit. But in these wonderful waters, swim we must.

We are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses—a mighty cloud of witnesses—and we cannot afford to do anything but the whole will of God.

Into the Secret Place of the Most High

Into the innermost chambers of God we journey, to places most men never have gone before. The Apostles Paul, Simon, John and a few others entered the innermost place of God under the wings of the Almighty to understand all the nine gifts, to understand the workings of the Spirit; they yielded so completely to the drawing power of the Lord that He was able to speak to them anytime, anyplace, anywhere, any hour. In the past, not very many have reached that Secret Place of the Most High. Now it’s a big open door and the Lord is saying, “Come on in, Children; come on in! I am the door. I am life. Why look at death when I am life? Because I live, you live also. A crown, a prize awaits everyone!”

In this great pouring out of the Holy Spirit, in this marvelous fantastic hour, much is being done for God—and more will be done. We’re in an hour when the mercies of God are reaching out to us to bring us into His greatness more and more every day. The Lord is leading us into green pastures—not desolate lands—and beside still waters. He is feeding us, loading us down daily with His blessings; and we must never forget all the benefits of the Lord. The Psalmist said, Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits (Psalm 68:19). As we remember the benefits of the Lord, our mouths will be filled with praise and glory for Him.

Too many Christians have tried to force themselves into the place with God they thought they ought to be, and it could not be done. The Holy Spirit draws you; you are not to lead yourself.

We are drawn by the Spirit. Yield to God every time He opens the door to draw you into more of His greatness. Let the Holy Spirit cleanse you of selfishness. Yield every member of your body completely to the glory of God in this final hour. You must not let your family be nettles in your life or loved ones thorns in your side. If they cause you to fail God, even those you love most are thorns in your side. You can’t listen to them, only to God. When they accuse you of lacking in love, let them mock on. You have fallen in love with Jesus.

Enter into the Joy of the Lord

The Lord has placed rules and regulations in this life. In order to abide by them, self must be disciplined, brought under subjection, made to fast and stay in the presence of God whether self wants to or not. Pay any price.

We have tried, struggled to reach those higher elevations in God. It seemed at times we couldn’t make them, but finally we got there. Now God is seeking to draw us into another marvelous place, a place where you can have an anointing of His joy, the joy of His strength for this final hour. It’s the joy that the three Hebrew boys felt in the fiery furnace, the joy of Daniel in the den of lions, the joy Simon found as he walked the waters, and the joy that thrilled him in the Upper Room when the Holy Ghost descended. Amazing joy filled Peter on the day of Pentecost, the day he preached the fantastic sermon that brought so many, many souls to God. That same joy was with him when he said to the man who had been crippled all his life, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk (Acts 3:6).

Joy shook the old jail house when Paul and Silas were delivered. The Early Church was filled with joy and jubilation, joy in battle, joy in temptation, joy in distress, joy, joy, the joy of the Lord. For the joy of the LORD is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

The yoke is easy, the burden light because the joy of the Lord is your strength, the joy of the Lord is great and mighty to help you. He sends more and more joy to you as you ask, “Lord, I need more joy, more peace. I am not peaceful enough on the inside, Lord, there is a storm raging inside. Lord, send that peace that will cast out the storm.” The Lord will send that peace. Take it; fill your heart with it.

There is a limit to how much your heart can hold. If you fill it with peace, there is no room for anything else, no room for hate, bitterness. Your heart is filled with love, and the Lord is flowing Himself out to you—not in a trickle, but like a mighty river. He is coming to you. His drawing power is upon you, and the glory of the Lord overshadows you. Our souls, our minds are being conditioned to carry the mighty fragrance of our Lord in this final hour. We are so close to Him we can feel the sweetness of Him, the love, the peace, the strength—we feel Him. He is the Groom; we are His Bride. A closeness between us binds us to Him as never before; the closeness of this final hour. Such a drawing power, such a drawing force of the Spirit upon this human race has never been experienced by so many. Jesus said, As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you (John 15:9). This is the same love, the same peace that was in the Garden of Eden before the fall. His love is upon you to draw you; He seeks to draw you closer to Him, to draw you into His mind, into His greatness that you might be all He wants you to be to help bring in the lost in this, your final hour.

Fair as the Moon, Clear as the Sun

The greatness of the great I-Am is walking your waters today, coming to you, trampling demons, troubles underfoot, unafraid of anything. Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners (Song of Solomon 6:10)? Who is she? Oh, look upon her! She is the Bride. See the brightness of her eyes, her fairness. Her body is holy as well as her soul. We who make up the Bride are a part of that brightness, that fairness, that clearness of eye. We are a part of it all. Look at her, how she is adorned with gifts from God, with His love, His faith, His knowledge, and wisdom. What a Bride she is! And we are a part of the bridal company.

It’s almost time for the Bride to go home, almost time for us to leave this old world. Jesus is calling, Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away (Song of Solomon 2:13). We are running the last mile now. We cannot afford to look at those who are failing God, those who are not giving all to Him in this final hour. If you refuse when you are called on to work for God, the Bride will pass you by. You’ll feel the vibration of her like one sitting in a sidecar on a railroad track, thinking he is moving as he sees the train rush past. The time will come when you suddenly realize you are not on the main line, for the Rapture will have taken place and you are left.

There is a difference between feeling the vibration of the Spirit of God and responding to the real drawing power of the Spirit. The real drawing of the Spirit is so direct it reaches out to possess you who yield until you lose sight of the world. Father, Jesus said, I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil (John 17:15).

Gifts Flowing to the Bride

Feel the drawing of the mighty Spirit of God! Know the Lord is drawing you into arms of love, into green pastures, into the waters of peace. Your soul must have the things of God in living reality. Many conflicts are yet ahead, but your soul—your soul shut away in that innermost chamber with Him—knows the sweetness, the greatness, the peace of Him. That’s the real you. His grace will flow out to you; the Lord is ready to give you precious gifts because the courtship between Christ and the Bride is on now, the wedding nigh.

Jesus loves the Bride with all His heart. I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine (Song of Solomon 6:3). He is ready to adorn her with His precious gifts, ready to give her so very much. He is not waiting for the wedding day to arrive before He gives gifts. He loves the Bride and His mind is forever on what He can give her.

The finishing touches are being put on, and the Holy Spirit draws us day and night right into the greatness of the Lord as we lay aside all weights and hindrances. Much is being offered. Take His anointing for your mind.

The bride in love thinks constantly about the groom. She is almost in a dream world, walking on clouds. Every thought is about him. Will he like this; will he like that? We feel much the same way about the Lord as He prepares us for the great catching-away hour. Will Jesus like this? Will He want me to be in this condition? We are thinking about what He likes, not what our families or friends like. What does He want of me in these final few moments that I have left? What does He require? What would He have me to do?

Come Quickly, Lord Jesus!

That glorious morn is almost here. Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!

Draw on us, Lord, and we will run after you. Draw on us, Lord! We’ll not crawl, grumble, complain and look to others. Draw on us Lord, and we will love with your love. We have no time for hate or bitterness. Thinking about the race that you’ve chosen us to run is paramount. To do your holy will we have laid aside all the weights and everything that would hinder us. It isn’t the gifts we are looking for, it isn’t the rewards, it is you, Lord. We just want you.

As you draw us, Lord, our souls cry out: Give us Jesus! Give us Jesus! Give us more of Jesus! We want all of Him, all His faith, His love. We want the fragrance of Him, the glory of God. Lord, keep drawing us so we will pray more, fast more. Draw on us so we will work for you, Lord. Just draw on us, Lord, and help us run the rest of the way.

His love will defeat the powers of evil for the Bride of Christ in this her final hour; His love will cause her to be obedient in all things. And through His love, the Bride will be changed in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, caught away to be with the Lord forever.

Draw on us, Lord, and we will run after you; we will run with all our strength and more: We will run in the might of your power this last mile before the rapture of the Bride of Christ. Draw, draw on us precious Jesus. We will bring in your harvest. We will please you in all things. We will be watching and ready for your glorious appearance. Even so come quickly, Lord Jesus.