Phases of Ministry ~ The Vision of the Servant’s Field of Labor

Have you ever seen your work for God (and we are all called to work for Him) as a progression or periods of ministries?  According to John and Paula Sandford, The Elijah Task: “There are four basic periods in the life of a servant of God. The third begins with the vision of the servant’s field of labor. The servant must wait for that vision.”

I have often wondered why the Lord stopped the wonderful gift of prophecy (I operated in) to others through His letters.  That ministry was in my formative years and spanned almost ten years.  I now know that to be my first period of service and He was testing my ‘hearing’ ability and faithfulness.

It was a pleasure to be given such a gift from the Lord and I grieved when God stopped the gift around 2007.  I look back marveling at how many letters He gave and how many wonderful stories I have to remember.  

The second phase of God’s service for me overlapped with the letters from the Lord but extended another seven years.  That was the prophetic intercession assignment for my former church which also lasted ten years.  I know this second phase of service tested my ‘hearing’ ability, faithfulness, courage and taught me spiritual warfare.  This labor was harder than the previous field of labor.

After the prayer assignment ended, the Lord started showing me the vision of my future field of labor, vaguely.  He began telling me I would ‘Prepare the way of the Lord’; then, it was confirmed by my mentor and my sister Sherry independently of each other.  Neither of which I told of His words prior…confirmation received.

This could be the third period the Sanford’s talk about in their book, The Elijah Task, quoted above when God reveals the servant’s field of labor.  In addition, the third phase of ministry is when the Sanford’s received the most opposition, frustration and confusion (as I have) before the vision is clarified.  The third period being vague could be why I have seen more angelic activity in my dreams than I ever had before…to keep me going.

Behold I send an angel before you to keep you in the way and bring you into the place which I have prepared.  (Exodus 23:20).

It was during the time between 2014 to 2020 when dreams pointing to the end-times and revival were received.  In fact, the dreams indicated a strong connection to the progression of time.  The phenomena which pointed to this future period of time started in 2007 (when my first period of ministry ended).  It was the 10:10 mystery that followed me until its fulfillment in 2020.

During this time, I was given three progressive dreams each containing a time element, but they also contained the three periods of ministry.  I believe the Holy Spirit was showing me the timing and the phase of ministry I was in though I knew it not. 

For instance, in 2016 a dream had me putting together three clothing outfits (three periods of ministry).  I only remember the color of the third suit, bright red (symbolizing passion, suffering).  It was 9:10 a.m. and I had to be somewhere by 9:30.

The verse upon waking matched the 2014 vision of my field of labor:   Matthew 3:3 … “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.’”

I had to be ready by 9:30 a.m.   First, that’s the morning…a new day, a new work.  The number 9 means harvest/fruitful; the ninth morning hour was also when the Holy Spirit fell on the disciples in the upper room on the feast day of Pentecost.  30 means the beginning of ministry, God’s work and the marking of the right moment for the fulfilled promise. 

Three years later in 2019 another dream was given indicating the movement of time. I found myself in a white stairwell, where I unlocked three consecutive doors each door leading to a hallway path of increasing importance which I walked through.  

Starting with the first door (a servants’ door); next a middle management door and then, a 3rd door which went to executive suites and a board room.  It was 9:40 a.m. and I thought it’s nearly 10:00!  Interesting, I had finished my first book in 2019 and it was in the process of being published after I had this dream.

Thought-provoking because the red suit dream in 2016, it was 9:10 and I had to be somewhere at 9:30 (30 means ministry…to start a ministry, to write the book) and complete it at 9:40 (me walking down each hallway).

The next time progression dream arrived in early 2020.  In the dream, I walked through a doorway where I found my friend Pastor Vincent sitting on my left.  I turned to look at the clock on the wall and it said 10:10!  Remember, the 10:10 phenomenon has followed me since 2007?  God was telling me the time on His prophetic clock had arrived in 2020.  

It was in 2020 (10 + 10 = 20) when the book was released.  But more importantly, was the date of 10/10/20, the mystery was solved in combination with days of national prayer for revival (The Return, Prayer March 2020 and Revival4Survival) between September and October 2020.

I believe all of this related to a predictive time on Gods calendar.  2020 saw my book released during the world’s pandemic when life as we know it changed.  Our national judgment stepped up pace as seen by the traumatic election and aftermath.  It continues with our national humiliation as seen in our government and their decisions.

But all of this is in God’s plan to bring revival though we have to go through difficult times so He can prepare His church for the great gathering.  The Lord cannot take His people unprepared into the end-times.  I sense that’s why He’s calling His Elijah prophets to ‘Prepare the Way of the Lord’ before the great Day of the Lord.

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful Day of the Lord.  (Malachi 4:5).

From this story, I hope you can see how the Lord moves through time to ready servants for service.  If He used this type of progression with me and the Sanford’s, then perhaps you have a similar experience.  Ask the Lord to show you the vision for your field of labor.  Our God is the same yesterday, today and forever! 

Therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.  (Matthew 9:38).