In the middle of the night, I heard a loud command to “Man the ship,” followed by the words “Mordecai manned!” The same question always enters my mind when I ponder the words the Lord gives me that I don’t have a clue about: “Where are we going with this, Lord?” I ask and don’t usually get an answer right away, but surprisingly this time, one came: “To pull out the prisoners in hell,” the Spirit boomed. I took it to mean the hell on earth of people’s own making and thought of King David saying: “Even if I make my bed in hell, you are there.” (Psalms 139: 8) Yes, God is in that burning fire, but He’s wanting people delivered out of it and has a plan. I love the scripture that lets us know what it is: Psalm 93: 10 states: “You turn men to destruction, and say “RETURN ye children of men!” Yay! It’s time for the Mordecais of this generation to help them return and deliver them from their destruction, but we’ve got to man the ship first.

Jude 1:20-23 relays that it can be done by “building up ourselves on our most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keeping ourselves in the love of God, and looking for the mercy of our Lord.” In manning relationSHIPS the following verses are of the greatest importance: “Of some have compassion, making a difference: and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” Since God has told us to do this, it means it can be done,… it must be done!

So now, all you Mordecai-like brethren, look at the different kinds of ships in which we are to be victorious as we man the “Ship of Faith”: rulership, courtship, sonship, ownership, internship, friendship, leadership, fellowship, membership, penmanship, showmanship, stewardship, comradeship, sponsorship, citizenship, scholarship, partnership, discipleship, guardianship, and championship through WORSHIP in spirit and in truth.

Ah, let’s raise our “United States of Being” flag up and get our ships in a row, even in “Union”’s divine line headed toward love’s throne. “Man the ship” is a call to come together as “One” to fight the battle of the ages. This ship that we’ll be manning is a warship, even the greatest battleship of all time to conquer the nations which rage against us. No enemy will be able to plunder our goods when our banner of “Love” is raised high and we all stand strong. Yay, the nations that come against us will tremble and wave white flags of surrender because love never fails. And because the Lord, our great captain is at the helm, we’ll be running a tight ship that will move steadily and securely along toward its holy destination.

I believe the Spirit of God specifically instructed that the ship be “Mordecai manned,” because Mordecai’s like-nature must be ours in order to accomplish the kind of victory he had. Those God is calling to come on board must be humble, seeking only to do God’s will…. They are ones who have known severe hardships and have been crushed which are aspects of the name Mordecai. “Mor” means “myrrh” (the aromatic resin used in incense) and the last half of his name has to do with crushing. Truly only those who have suffered much have the fragrance of the Lord in them and have had their weaknesses turned into strengths. Yay, these are the “true” ones called to championSHIP for the “Battle of the Ages” to be won.

I heard the word “holocaust” today and also the word “parousia” which means the presence of the Lord. The etymology of “holocaust” is a “burnt offering,” which we know our Lord became for the world, and now it’s time for us to come forth as a burnt offering, too. But my first thought about the word “holocaust” was not of the offering, but of what took place in Nazi Germany along with forebodings of it happening to us. The persecution and plans of wicked men to extinguish the people of God is evident now in every country of the world and is picking up in memento.

When I was filled with the Holy Ghost in 1970, the Lord gave a word of prophecy back then, that there would be martyrdoms in our country. I know some brethren here in the United States who have been told the same thing, so to arm ourselves with the mind of Christ in this matter is of utmost importance. The word “parousia” is very comforting to me because God’s manifest presence is what is going to carry us through and keep us in peace no matter what we face. May we encourage ourselves with this thought in the days ahead knowing that those who have gone on before us look forward to our day with great expectation.

So it’s time to get on board my brethren, armed to the teeth with God’s power, strength and might and know that as we’re shipped out to fulfill our mission to reach the lost, all of heaven will be cheering us on. And when our battles are won and the last of the prisoners are set free, our ship will finally come in. THEN, there’ll be no more hardSHIP or censorSHIP, because all will be worSHIPing the Lord in spirit and in truth.

Oh what a “Champion Ship” our ship will be on that day!