In the fall of 1975, I moved to Anchorage, Alaska. I quickly became familiar with a unique aspect of Anchorage – earth tremors. These tremors happened regularly, yet for a group of longtime Alaska residents, these tremors were anything but routine.

Nine years earlier, Anchorage had experienced a 9.2 earthquake, the second largest quake on record. The devastation was severe and a subsequent tsunami destroyed the town of Valdez. For Alaskans who had experienced this 1964 quake, new tremors awakened horrible memories.

Thirty years later in 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck. I was part of a large company of people sent to give relief to the residents of Mississippi and Louisiana. I noticed a similarity between the reactions of the Alaskans who endured the 1964 earthquake and those who endured the horrors of Katrina. It became apparent that those providing relief were woefully unprepared to deal with the emotional trauma.

Today, a vast number in the body of Christ have endured relationally traumatic events within the church. They are wounded warriors, many of whom have been in leadership positions in the church. They are forever marked by tragic events while sincerely serving the Lord. The trauma is real, and although these events may have occurred years ago, their experiences still shape their actions today. God wants to deliver this group from the memory of the trauma and restore the lost years of wilderness wandering.  

A number of years ago, I had an open vision of an army of wounded soldiers. This was one of the most vivid encounters I have had with the Lord. I am convinced this message is for today. 

The Vision. I was taken in the Spirit to a military parade field. The field was enormous, the size of thirty football fields, and filled with wounded people in military tents. The cry of their pain was deafening.

The Lord approached me with a serious look on His face, and I leaned forward to listen. He said, “I want you to help these wounded.” I felt a contradiction in my heart. I wanted to obey, but this was not a job I desired. I responded, “No, Lord, I don’t want this job.” The Lord persisted. With compassion in His voice, He said, “I want you to help these wounded.” Once again I said, “No, Lord, I don’t want this job.” As soon as I said this, I knew I had grieved Him. Immediately, and without much conviction, I said, “I’ll take the job.” I then had a sense that I wasn’t the first to have been offered this position, nor was I the first to turn down His request. With my final response, the Lord left me alone to assist this massive group of wounded warriors. 

Stunned by His sudden departure, I gathered myself and thought about how to help this vast army of wounded. I surveyed the field and noticed that there were no real leaders in this camp. As I moved around the field, I observed some superficial wounds, but because no attention was given to these wounds, they had become gangrenous. The severely wounded were dying.

The Medical Tent.  Hope rose in my heart when I located the medical tent. Surely the wounded could get assistance here. Yet to my horror, I found upon entering that the medical tools used were extremely outdated, more like weapons of torture than instruments of healing. The tools had not been cleaned in a long time, and I could only imagine how many infections were passed from one patient to the next. No medical personnel were present. There would be no assistance from this aged and dangerous medical facility. 

Exiting the tent, I sensed a spirit of hopelessness resting over the camp. If I didn’t resist it, I too would be subjected to the same despair. I looked for anyone who would help me gather information, but person after person denied me the help. The wounded were getting worse. All focused on their wounds, and the prognosis was dire. 

A Desperate Cry for Help.  As I considered the desperate condition of the people, I gave way to a desperate cry that bellowed from the depths of my soul: “Lord, You can’t leave me like this!” Immediately the Lord appeared and gestured toward a small group seated in a remote part of the camp. I instantly knew three things. First, this was a Revolutionary Army, like the army that fought to liberate America in 1776. Secondly, this small group was the fife and drum corps.  Thirdly, the answer was directly related to this corps. 

The Lord said, “Get the fife and drum corps up and marching.” Finally, I had direction! The fife and drum corps were wounded like everyone else. Their blood stained bandages covered wounds from previous battles, but they appeared healthy enough to rise and march. Without introducing myself I said, “You need to get up and march.” I was met with predictable resistance: “You must be kidding. We’re too wounded to march.” Yet I knew they were capable of marching—there was still some fight left in this group. So I urged them, “You need to rise and march.” At last, they struggled to their feet. 

My Biggest Surprise. As the fife and drum corps rose, their obedience mingled with complaints. I thought to myself, “This group is pathetic. How can they have any positive effect on this massive camp?” As they moved forward it was obvious they were in pain, but what happened next was my biggest surprise. This little group began to play instruments and march forward, and their music became the most melodious sound I ever heard. I couldn’t believe that such a glorious sound came from this wounded group. I was captured by the glory and understood why this army was portrayed as a revolutionary army. This fight, in which so many were wounded, was a battle for liberty and freedom. This battle was a battle to release an army of people from oppression.

The Restoration of Strength and Hope.  As the fife and drum corps moved forward,  their marching improved. With each step, their strength was restored and their music grew louder and filtered into the camp. Suddenly, there was a stirring in the tents. The wounded were drawn to the music. One by one, the wounded fell in formation behind them. Working through their pain was challenging, but as the wounded fell in formation, they were healed. 

With this, the vision diminished. I knew this vision contained messages for both church leaders and those who are wounded. Here is what I believe are the core messages: 

1)The Revolutionary Army. For a number of years, there has been a great revolution for freedom occurring in the church. This revolution has the potential to bring about needed change, but it has also brought deep and painful divisions among companions in ministry. Many have voiced their desire for change in an unfriendly spiritual environment and found themselves misunderstood, rejected, and labeled as enemies by their spiritual families. These rejected individuals have found themselves adrift in the vast sea of the eighteen million born-again Christians that no longer attend church on a regular basis.  Church leaders have also found themselves alienated.

   

2)   The Camp of the Wounded. Most of the wounded in the camp were focused on their own wounds and complained about how the wounds were received. The spirit of hopelessness resting over the camp was emboldened by this attitude. Unless this “victim” mentality can be overcome, the wounded will remain prisoners of their wounds. Wounds are prone to infection, and this camp was a breeding ground for dangerous diseases. The less time one spends in the camp, the greater the chance of making a full recovery.  

There are wounded in any battle. Jesus’ wounds are great scars of honor that remain on His glorified body throughout eternity. Likewise, the wounds we overcome in this life become badges that bring us and Him honor in eternity. It is critical to remember that in this vision, it was the ones healed that had the greatest capacity to bring forth the powerful sound of liberty and freedom. 

      3)   The Great Draw of the Fife and Drum Corps. The sound of this group’s music had the power to awaken and inspire individuals who had been unable to move. This sound, coupled with the great drawing power of the Spirit of God, did in a few moments what a small army of physicians could never do. This sound overcame the strong grip that the spirit of hopelessness had over the camp. In ministry, we must be aware that it is “not by might nor by power but by the Spirit of the Lord” that great obstacles are overcome.   

4)The Role and Responsibility of Leaders. When the Lord left me alone on the field, I was overwhelmed with the massive task of helping the wounded. My initial thought was that it was my responsibility to assist every wounded person in the camp. How could one individual undertake such a massive task? The solution for ministering to the wounded came through revelation. This is the heart and nature of the Lord. His burden is easy, His yoke is light. The Lord directed me to simply, “get the fife and drum corps up and marching.”

Looking back, I was relieved by the simplicity of this assignment. With this direction, my responsibility shifted. The Lord hadn’t directed me to lay hands on each wounded person nor counsel them through their individual difficulties. He simply directed me to create an environment of liberty and freedom. In so doing, I fulfilled my responsibility to the wounded. If they responded to the powerful draw of the music and kept moving forward, they would be healed in time.

This atmosphere is determined by local leadership teams. The most important step leaders can take in assisting the wounded is to provide an atmosphere of liberty and freedom. In this environment, great healings take place.  

5)The Lord chooses His method for Healing.  In the Old Testament, Elisha directed leprous Naaman to wash in the Jordan River seven times to be healed. Only after Naaman obeyed in faith was he completely healed. There are several accounts of the Lord directing individuals to act on faith to receive their healing. Jesus healed in a variety of ways, and in one incident, He took mud and placed it on a man’s eyes to restore his sight. In this vision, the Lord provided the music of freedom and by His Spirit, He drew individuals to the sound. The wounded responded, broke free from the wound’s hold, and took initial steps of faith. Only then were they healed. This  next powerful army of God will be comprised largely of overcomers. They will be greatly used by Him to usher in His glory.

God is a God of restoration. Many have experienced loss and trauma, and some still react negatively when they encounter similar circumstances. Yet God wants to heal lingering wounds and release people into new levels of freedom. This is the same God who said to the rebellious nation of Israel, “I will restore the years that have been stolen.”

2017 is the year of reversals. God will give hope and restore lost vision. While God sets the atmosphere for restoration, we must still fight to possess our land of promise. Just as “the people had a mind to work” during the time of Nehemiah and the restoration of Jerusalem, God is raising up an army of overcomers who will enter the Promised Land.