This post is in NO WAY written to bring offense to those people who are salesmen. As with all levels of employment, there are people who do not walk in integrity. As a prophet, Father often makes analogies based on things I connect with the releasing His Word through me. This is one of those such times. The phrase, traveling salesmen, captured what He was conveying to His people in this hour. Released respectfully, Theresa Harvard Johnson
This Word was released in 2011. Since that time a number of churches have fallen to “The Traveling Salesman.” Father released me to share a few of these incidents here within this Word of the Lord. This is not to shame anyone or throw blame, as I DO NOT KNOW the out come of these situations. However, these examples are to reveal exactly what this God released through this Word. It is to keep the Body vigilent against the schemes of the enemy.
Here Goes:
- Former New Birth Members Sue Bishop Eddie Long
- Ponzi Scheme Targeted Church Members
- Michael Winans Jr. To Serve 14 Years for Scheming Church Members
- Father & Son convicted of $100 million scheme to Church of Latter Day Saints
Thank you for your in reading through this section. Here’s the message below.
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“Father placed this Word in my spirit to release today. For the past few months, I’ve been bombarded by people with ideas on how to make money; grow your ministry and even ideas about what God is doing and how we can “catch” that next move. I was very concerned because these things were coming at me and other believers that I know with increased frequency. As I prayed, Father began to show me that this was indeed another strategy to undermine the work of the ministry.
WORD OF THE LORD:
I heard the Lord say: “Don’t fall prey to the hype. The traveling salesmen are coming.”
DEFINITION:
A “Traveling Salesman” can be defined as a studied, expert business representative or businessman who travels from one assigned territory to the next to “make a sales.” Their goal is to convince you by whatever means are necessary that you “need whatever it is that they are selling” or that what “they are offering” is an opportunity you cannot afford to miss. Their eyes are focused on the next best thing, the next great move and this need to do whatever it is as quickly as possible before this “once in a lifetime opportunity” passes by. The entire time, they have underlining motives to prosper themselves at your expense.
Characteristics to look for: (1) Incessant talking, (2) constant flattery, (3) speaking into your area of need or weakness, (4) constantly sharing how others have been “blessed,” and (5) rushing YOU to make a decision outside of prayer and counsel. In some circumstances, they will do whatever is necessary to impress the natural/needy nature of man.
THE VISION
I saw a large field full of tall, green, healthy looking grass. The blades were high and strong, and seemed to be receiving the light well. But upon closer inspection, there were random, deep pits (large enough to swallow a man) scattered throughout the deepness and thickness of the field.
On one side of the field there were believers. On the other side of the field there was the appearance of prosperity, along with “these salesmen” that were unceasingly talking and presenting their sales enticingly across the field as the believers listened. Immediately, I thought of a carrot dangling on the stick for a rabbit to notice. Suddenly, small pockets of these believers began to tred across the field. Others began running. As they did, many began tripping over the pits and ultimately falling in.
I could hear their cries as some struggled to climb out — realizing they’d fallen into a snare, a trap set by the enemy.
THE REVELATION
People of God, BEWARE!
Luke 6:38 CJB says, “He also told them a parable: “Can one blind man lead another blind man? Won’t they both fall into a pit?”
In this vision, the large field represents an illusion of prosperity and the illusion of answered prayer. The Lord was showing me that a number of His people are DESPERATELY SEEKING BREAKTHROUGH — in multiple areas of their lives. Many of them are waiting impatiently. Many are waiting angrily. Many are waiting in places of frustration and the adversary is waiting for them to weaken so he can sneak right in.
His plan of attack: “Meeting you at your point of greatest need or secret desire.”
James 1:14 CJB says, “Rather, each person is being tempted whenever he is being dragged off and enticed by the bait of his own desire.”
These salesman are agents of darkness — who are attempting to infiltrate the lives of the people of God with ideas, plots, plans, schemes and schisms that SOUND GOOD AND LOOK GOOD and have the appearance of Kingdom vision and strategy — BUT… they are in fact intricate webs of deceit.
1 Timothy 6:9 CJB says, “Furthermore, those whose goal is to be rich fall into temptation; they get trapped in many foolish and hurtful ambitions which plunge them into ruin and destruction.”
The random holes in the ground or the pits represent varying kinds of traps. The traveling salesmen (agents of darkness) clearly dug the pits; but it is the believer in this vision that ran toward them. These traveling salesmen are working diligently to exploit the people of God and demolish their purpose by designing plots and schemes to (1) throw them off focus, (2) change their focus and direction completely; and (3) inject all manner of perversion into their lives and ministries.
They seek to assimilate God’s people into a mixed doctrine.
These salesmen talk incessantly and with urgency — in efforts to “close the deal.” They know the terminology and are masters at manipulating scriptures to a point where many are deceived — even the mature/elect. While some manage to crawl out of the pit, others remain …. completely taking on the mindset and methodology of the salesman.
FATHER IS SAYING: BEWARE OF THE TRAVELING SALESMAN… that is moving through the body of Christ. They are coming with the next big thing, the next great idea, the next move, the next great revelation, and so forth — and many will think that these are avenues that I have has opened. WAKE UP AND OPEN YOUR EYES, says the Lord.
Watch. Pray. Listen.
Watch. Pray. Listen.
Watch. Pray. Listen.
MOVE SLOWLY. MOVE DELIBERATELY. MOVE WHEN I SAY MOVE.
DO NOT QUICKLY ALIGN WITH OTHERS. DO NOT BE SWIFT TO MAKE COVENANT.
WATCH.
WATCH.
WATCH AND PRAY.
WORD OF WISDOM:
Not everything that comes your way is an answer to a prayer. It is imperative that we wait on God before jumping on the band wagon — no matter how small or how big that wagon might be. When we LABOR with people in ministry, we must first KNOW THEM BY THEIR FRUIT. (Matthew 7:16)
