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 His ene­mies. This is His "mighty and strong one" to whom He shall commit the work of judging all the 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. Now God is dealing with the inward rebellion of our own wills.

 

Some good Christians are not now being so dealt with because they are not in the firstfruits company. 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 the 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 Holy Spirit.

 

As those men of God sat there in the awesome presence of Almighty God—some having many years of ministry, some missionaries, 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. He knew 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 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 the strength to run?  You are much too solemn, you need more joy in life." But the horses answered not a word, nor did they stamp their feet or toss their heads. 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 green and so good. You look thirsty. Come and drink of one of the many streams of cool clear water." But the horses answered them with not so much as a glance. They stood still, waiting for the command to go forward with the King.

 

 

COLTS IN THE MASTER'S CORRAL

 

And then the scene changed. 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 disappeared, 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.

 

Then the Trainer began to work them with His whip and His bridle. What a death for those who had been all their lives accustomed to 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 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. He said, "This is not for me. I like my freedom, my green hills, my flowing streams of fresh water. I will not take this confinement, this terrible thing." So he found a way out, jumped the fence and ran happily back to the meadows of grass. I was amazed that the Master let him go and went not after him. Rather, He devoted His attention to the remaining colt who had had the same opportunity to escape, but decided to submit his own will and learn the ways of the Master.

 

The training got harder than ever, but he was rapidly learning more and more 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. Though it seemed safer not to come to the place of discipline because of the risk of being found rebellious, 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 the colt now rewarded with his freedom and sent back to the green fields?  No! An even greater confinement than ever now took place, as a harness dropped about his shoulders. Now he found there was not even the freedom of the small corral, for in his harness he could only move where and when his Master spoke; and unless the Master spoke, he stood still.

 

The scene changed again. I saw the other colt standing on the side of a hill, nibbling on some grass. Then, across the fields and 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 of the Master's stable. He saw the lovely pom-poms shaking in the wind, noticed the glittering gold bor­dered 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 responsibility of pulling His carriage, nor put me in 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 other rebelled; thus has the one 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 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 or mature) as he ran here and there, across the field looking for fresh streams and green pastures, but finding none. Still he ran, seem­ingly in circles, always looking to feed his famished spirit. But there was 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. 

 

It seemed like there was no use. 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 sleek, fat and strong, muscles rippling, elegant and beautiful with much grooming.

 

His heart was amazed and perplexed, and he cried: "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!" 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 showed me that in the day when people are weak and famished in their spirits in the time of spiritual famine, that 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 am 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 on the green pastures and drinking from the many streams of the unfolding revelation of His purposes is fine and wonderful. But that 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 the poison weeds), He was content to watch us develop and grow into young manhood, spiritually speaking. 

 

But the time came to those who feed in His pastures and drank from 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 and notable ministries.

 

They cannot grasp the simple fact that this company of saints is waiting for the voice of the Master; and they do not hear God in all this outward activity. They will move in their time, when the Master speaks, but not before—though many temptations come from the playful colts. 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 who are 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 and the chastening of the Father. They could not be trusted with the great responsibility of mature Sonship, so He let them go back to their freedom. He let them go back to their religious activi­ties, revelations and gifts. They are still His peo­ple. They are still feeding in His pastures, but He has set them aside from the great purposes for the end of this age.

 

He showed me that though the chastising seemeth grievous for a 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 are to endure. Though some lose even their lives in this training, yet they will share alike the glory of His eternal purposes. So faint not, saints of God, for it is the Lord that doth bring thee into confinement, and 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 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. Lean upon Him and trust not in thine own ability and understanding. Thus 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 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, and 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 no good thing. In the hour when the traditions of the religious system have been proven false, and their streams have dried up, then His chosen ones shall speak forth with the true Word of the Lord. Rejoice ye sons of God, that you have been chosen by His grace for this great work.

 

The fence which kept the colts in their own meadows and their own pastures means 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 at the Master's table.  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 (external) law. For they move in the grace of God, led only by His Spirit, where all things are lawful but all things are not 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 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. Therein is safety from the traps and pitfalls of sin, and then shall we abide in His House forever!