"In the Harness
of the Lord"
THE HARNESS
OF THE LORD
by Bill
Britton
There
is a terrific operation of the Spirit going on today to bring the Sons
of God into
an absolute confinement to the perfect will of God. This is the Day
of His Preparation, the day in which He is preparing the channel through
which He shall pour forth His Glory for all the world to see. This
channel is His Body in the earth, that glorious company of people who are
being conformed through much tribulation and fiery tests to the image of
the Son of God. This is His "battle axe and weapons of war" with
which He shall subdue kingdoms and overcome all His enemies. This
is His "mighty and strong One" to whom He shall commit the work of judging
this world. This is His Overcomer, His "great army" with which He
shall bring the nations into submission.
The weapons
of their warfare are not carnal, natural weapons, but they are mighty weapons,
mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. These are
those who shall "be strong and do exploits".
But
before God can commit this great and tremendous ministry into their
hands, they
must submit themselves to the discipline of the Lord, letting Him truly
be the Lord of their entire lives. We have long since dealt with
the question of open sin, but now God is dealing with the inward rebellion
of our own wills. Some good Christians are not now being so dealt
with, for they are not in this Firstfruits Company, but nevertheless there
is a real dealing of God going on within those who are called into the
High Calling of God. This is a very real thing, and is the work of
the Refiner's Fire. To those who are going through it, some of its
aspects are horrible,
but very
necessary, and the end result thereof is glorious as we are brought into
absolute and complete submission to the will of our Lord.
It was
in a minister's conference and convention in Tulsa, Oklahoma that
God gave
me a vision which I want to share with you concerning this harnessing of
our own wills. There were more than 30 ministers present in this
particular Thursday morning service, and God, the Father of spirits, was
present to deal with His sons, to correct them and discipline them to absolute
obedience to His will. There was such a stern dealing in the Spirit
that no one could go to the pulpit and minister; there was a reluctance
among the ministers to say anything except that which was directly ordered
by the Spirit. And those men of God sat there in the awesome presence
of Almighty God, some of them having many years of ministry, somemissionaries,
all of them capable of getting up and preaching a powerful sermon.
I was impressed
by the way they responded to the discipline of the Spirit. And in
the midst of this terrific dealing of God with our spirits, the Holy Ghost
gave me a vision...
I SAW THE
KING'S CARRIAGE
On a
dirt road in the middle of a wide field stood a beautiful carriage,
something
on the order of a stagecoach, but all edged in gold, and with beautiful
carvings. It was pulled by six large chestnut horses, two in the
lead, two in the middle and two in the rear. But they were not moving,
they were not pulling the carriage, and I wondered why. Then I saw
the driver underneath the carriage, on the ground on his back, just behind
the last two horses' heels, working on something between the front wheels
of the carriage. I thought, "My, he is in a dangerous place; for
if one of those horses kicked or stepped back, they could kill him, or
if they decided to go forward, or got frightened somehow, they would pull
the carriage right over him." But he didn't seem afraid, for he knew
that those horses
were disciplined
and would not move till he told them to move. The horses were not
stamping their feet nor acting restless, and though there were bells on
their feet, the bells were not tinkling. There were pom-poms on their
harness over their heads, but the pom-poms were not moving. They
were simply standing still and quiet, waiting for the voice of the Master.
THERE WERE
TWO YOUNG COLTS IN THE FIELD
As I
watched the harnessed horses, I noticed two young colts coming out
of the open
field, and they approached the carriage and seemed to say to the horses:
"Come and play with us, we have many fine games, we will race with you,
come catch us." And with that the colts kicked up their heels, flicked
their tails and raced across the open field. But when they looked
back and saw the horses were not following, they were puzzled. They
knew nothing of the harnesses, and could not understand why the horses
did not want to play. So they called to them: "Why do you not
race with us? Are you tired? Are you too weak? Do you
not have strength to run? You are much too solemn, you need more
joy in life." But the horses answered them not a word, nor did they
stamp their feet or toss their heads. But they stood, quiet and still,
waiting for the voice of the Master.
Again
the colts called to them: "Why do you stand so in the hot sun?
Come over
here in the shade of this nice tree. See how green the grass is?
You must be hungry, come and feed with us, it is so green and so good.
You look thirsty, come drink of one of our many streams of cool clear water."
But the horses answered them with not so much as a glance, but stood still,
waiting for the command to go forward with the King.
COLTS IN THE
MASTER'S CORRAL
And
then the scene changed, and I saw lariat nooses fall around the
necks of
the two colts, and they were led off to the Master's Corral for
training
and discipline. How sad they were as the lovely green fields dis-
appeared,
and they were put into the confinement of the Corral with its brown dirt
and high fence. The colts ran from fence to fence, seeking freedom,
but found that they were confined to this place of training. And
then the Trainer began to work on them, with his Whip and His Bridle.
What a death for those who had been all their lives accustomed to such
a freedom! They could not understand the reason for this torture,
this terrible discipline. What crime had they done to deserve this?
Little did they know of the responsibility that was to be theirs when they
had submitted to the discipline, learned to perfectly obey the Master,
and finished their training. All they knew was that this processing
was the most horrible thing they had ever known.
SUBMISSION
AND REBELLION
One
of the colts rebelled under the training, and said, "This is not for me.
I like my freedom, my green hills, my flowing streams of fresh water.
I will not take any more of this confinement, this terrible training."
So he found a way out, jumped the fence and ran happily back to the meadows
of grass. And I was astonished that the Master let him go, and went
not after him. But He devoted His attention to the remaining colt.
This colt, though he had the same opportunity to escape, decided to submit
his own will, and learn the ways of the Master. And the training
got harder than ever, but he was rapidly learning more and more how to
obey the slightest wish of the Master, and to respond to even the quietness
of His voice.
And I saw
that had there been no training, no testing, there would have been neither
submission nor rebellion from either of the colts. For in the field
they did not have the choice to rebel or submit. They were sinless
in their innocence. But when brought to the place of testing and
training and discipline, then was made manifest the obedience of one and
the rebellion of the other. And though it seemed safer not to come
to the place of discipline because of the risk of being found rebellious,
yet I saw that without this there could be no sharing of His glory, no
Sonship.
INTO THE HARNESS
Finally this
period of training was over. Was he now rewarded with his
freedom,
and sent back to the fields? Oh no. But a greater confinement
than ever now took place, as a harness dropped about his shoulders.
Now he found there was not even the freedom to run about the small Corral,
for in the harness he could only move where and when his Master spoke.
And unless the Master spoke, he stood still.
The scene
changed, and I saw the other colt standing on the side of a hill,
nibbling
at some grass. Then across the fields, down the road came the King's
carriage, drawn by six horses. With amazement he saw that in the
lead, on the right side, was his brother colt, now made strong and mature
on the good corn in the Master's Stable. He saw the lovely pom-poms
shaking in the wind, noticed the glittering gold bordered harness about
his brother, heard the beautiful tinkling of the bells on his feet....and
envy came into his heart. Thus he complained to himself: "Why
has my brother been so honored, and I am neglected? They have not
put bells on MY feet, nor pom-poms on MY head. The Master has not
given ME the
wonderful
responsibility of pulling His carriage, nor put about me the golden harness.
Why have they chosen my brother instead of me?" And by the Spirit
the answer came back to me as I watched. "Because one submitted to
the will and discipline of the Master, and one rebelled, thus one has been
chosen and the other set aside."
A FAMINE IN
THE LAND
Then
I saw a great drought sweep across the countryside, and the green
grass became
dead, dry, brown and brittle. The little streams of water dried up,
stopped flowing, and there was only a small muddy puddle here and there.
I saw the little colt [I was amazed that it never seemed to grow mature]
as he ran here and there across the fields looking for fresh streams and
green pastures, finding none. Still he ran, seemingly in circles,
always looking for something to feed his famished spirit. But there
was a famine in the land and the rich green pastures and flowing streams
of yesterday were not to be had. And one day the colt stood on the
hillside on weak and wobbly legs, wondering where to go next to find food
and how
to get strength to go on. Seemed like there was no use, for good
food and flowing streams were a thing of the past and all the efforts to
find more only taxed his waning strength.
Suddenly he saw the King's carriage coming down the road, pulled by six great horses. And he saw his brother fat and strong, muscles rippling, sleek and beautiful with much grooming. His heart was amazed and perplexed, and he cried out: "My brother, where do you find the food to keep you strong and fat in these days of famine? I have run everywhere in my freedom, searching for food, and I find none. Where do you, in your awful confinement, find food in this time of drought? Tell me, please, for I must know!" And then the answer came back from a voice filled with victory and praise: "In my Master's House, there is a secret place in the confining limitations of His Stables where He feeds me by His own Hand, and His Granaries never run empty, and His Well never runs dry."
And with this
the Lord made me to know that in the day when people are weak and famished
in their spirits in the time of spiritual famine, those who have lost their
own wills and have come into the secret place of the Most High, into the
utter confinement of His perfect will, shall have plenty of the corn of
Heaven, and a never ending flow of fresh streams of revelation by His Spirit.
Thus the vision ended
INTERPRETATION
OF THE VISION
"Write the
vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that
readeth it."
[Hab. 2:2] "Harness the horses: and get up, ye horsemen."
[Jer. 46:4].
I'm sure that
many of you who can hear what the Spirit saith to the Church have already
seen what God was showing in the vision. But let me make it plain.
Being born into the Family of God, feeding in the green pastures and drinking
of the many streams of the unfolding revelation of His purposes is fine
and wonderful. But it is not enough.
While we were
children, young and undisciplined, limited only by the outer fence of the
Law that ran around the limits of the pastures, [that kept us from getting
into the dark pastures of poison weeds], He was content to watch us develop
and grow into young manhood, spiritually speaking.
But the time
came to those who fed in His pastures, who drank at His streams, when they
were to be brought into discipline or "child-training" for the purpose
of making them mature Sons. Many of the children today cannot understand
why some of those who have put on the Harness of God cannot get excited
by the many religious games and the playful antics of the immature.
They wonder why the disciplined ones run not after every new revelation
or feed on every opportunity to engage in seemingly "good and profitable"
religious activities. They wonder why some will not race with them
in their frantic efforts to build great works and great and noble ministries.
They cannot understand the simple fact that this Company of saints is waiting
for the voice of the Master, and they do not hear God speaking to them
in all this outward activity. They move in their time, when the Master
speaks.
But not before, though many temptations come from the playful
colts.
And the colts
cannot understand why those who seemingly appear to have great abilities
and strength are not putting it to good use. "Get the carriage on
the road", they say, but the disciplined ones, those in God's Harness,
know better than to move before they hear the voice of the Master.
They will move in their time, with purpose and great responsibility.
And the Lord
made me to know that there were many whom He had brought into training
who had rebelled against the discipline, the chastizing of the Father.
And they could not be trusted with the great responsibility of mature Sonship,
so He let them go back to their freedom, back to their religious activities
and revelations and gifts. They are still His people, still feeding
in His pastures, but He has set them aside from the great purposes for
this end of the age. So they revel in their freedom, feeling that
they are the Chosen ones with the many streams of living water, not knowing
that they have been set aside as unfit for His great work in this end of
the Age.
And He showed
me that though the chastizing seemeth grievous for the time and the discipline
hard to endure, yet the result with all the glory of Sonship is worth it
all, and the glory to follow far exceeds the suffering we endure.
And though some lose even their lives in this training, yet they will share
alike in the glory of His eternal purposes. So faint not, saints
of God, for it is the Lord that doth bring thee into confinement, not thine
enemy. It is for thy good and for His glory, so endure all things
with praises and thanksgiving that He hath counted thee worthy to share
His glory!
Fear thou not the whip in His hand, for it is not to punish thee, but to correct and train thee that thou mightest come into submission to His will and be found in His likeness in that Hour. Rejoice thou in thy trials, in all thy tribulations, and glory thou in His cross, and in the confining limitations of His harness, for He hath chosen thee, and He hath taken upon Himself the responsibility of keeping thee strong and well fed; so lean thou upon Him, and trust not in thine own ability and thine own understanding. So shalt thou be fed, and His hand shall be upon thee, and His glory shall overshadow thee and shall flow through thee as it goes forth to cover the earth. Glory to God! Bless the Lord, He's wonderful! Let Him be Lord of your life, friends, and complain not at that which He bringeth to pass in your life.
PLENTY IN
THE TIME OF FAMINE
For in the
hour when famine sweeps the land, He shall feed by His own
hand those
who are submitted to His perfect will, who dwell in the secret place of
the Most High. When terror stalks the land, those in His Harness
shall not be afraid, for they shall feel His bit and bridle and know the
guidance of His Spirit. When others are weak and frail and fearful,
there shall be those who shall be strong in the power of His might and
shall lack for no good thing. In the hour when the traditions of
the religious systems have proven false and their streams have dried up,
His Chosen ones shall speak forth with the true Word of the Lord.
So rejoice, Sons of God, that you have been chosen by His grace for this
great work in this last hour.
The fence
which kept the colts in their own meadows and their own pastures mean nothing
to the team in the Harness, for the gates open to them and they go forth
pulling the King's carriage into many strange and wonderful places.
They do not stop to eat the poison weeds of sin, for they feed only in
the Master's stable. These fields they trample under their feet as
they go forth on the King's business. And so to those who are brought
into absolute subjection to His will, there is no Law. For they move
in the Grace of God, led only by His Spirit where all things are lawful
but not all things are expedient. This is a dangerous realm for the
undisciplined, and many have perished in sin as they leaped over the fence
without His
Harness and His Bridle. Some have thought of themselves as being
completely harnessed and submissive to Him, only to find that in some avenue
of their life there dwelled rebellion and self-will.
Let us wait
before Him until He puts His noose around us and draws us to His place
of training. And let us learn of the dealings of God and the movings
of His Spirit until at last we feel His Harness drop about us and hear
His voice guiding us. Then there is safety from the traps and pitfalls
of sin, and then shall we abide in His House forever!
For TEXT ONLY: purpose.html