Steven L. Shelley: The Eagles and the Dove

Exodus 19:4 ...and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto Myself.
I have found myself lately revisiting a trance vision that I had some years ago. Perhaps we are moving into the season where it will have significance and application among us. A narrative of this vision follows:
I remember going very deep into the realm of the Spirit. My body was stationary, but my spirit was moving forward on a journey toward something beautiful. The first thing I saw was a crystal clear river flowing from a huge throne in the distance. The throne was so large it appeared to have many levels.
The river was very deep and flowing swiftly. I knew somehow that, in these waters, there was deliverance, freedom, and full provision for all that would be needed by the Bride in the last days. There was a tangible anointing and glory released by the swirling of the water.

An Eagle Brings a Message

I then saw a golden brown eagle flying in from the west and I knew he was coming with a message. An eagle often represents the prophet or prophetic seer anointing. I discerned that this eagle was bringing a word of revelation for the Bride. As I watched, a white dove flying in over the churning waters joined the eagle. The little dove flew faster and faster, following the eagle.
A voice then spoke and said, "First comes the prophet with a hat and then the little dove following." I recognized this prophetic riddle. It had been spoken to me in prior visions. The phrase "prophet with a hat" had been used to identify William Branham. Brother Branham was often seen and photographed in a hat, as was the custom of a gentleman in his generation. The voice continued to explain that the dove represented a true and genuine baptism of the Holy Ghost.

The Bride Wades Out Into Deeper Revelation

Looking down again, I saw a beautiful bride dressed in fine linen. She stepped into the river but was quickly moving away from the safety of the shoreline into deeper water. I understood that the deep waters beckoning her represented the profound revelations and mysteries that the Bride of Christ had been called to walk in. His Word was being revealed to her in more intimate ways as the waters coursed over her.
As I looked up again, I saw the eagle beginning to circle a large blue ball. I could see the shapes of the continents and realized that I was seeing the Earth. As the eagle continued to circle the globe, the little white dove was following closely behind.
Suddenly there appeared another bird, also white in color, but much larger than the dove. It had the same body structure as the eagle, but his feathers were pure white. Loudly I exclaimed, "It's a white eagle!"

The Angel of the Lord Appears

Then an angel stepped into view dressed in white linen. I discerned that he was not an ordinary angel but carried a high level of authority.
I need to explain a bit about the nature of these trance visions. I am sometimes able to communicate with those in the room while not breaking free from the spiritual realm. At this point in the trance, a friend asked me who this angel was. I answered him saying, "He's the Angel of the Lord."
The Angel then asked me if I was familiar with this white eagle. I remembered hearing something about him but had no real understanding of what he represented. The Angel explained that it was more important for now that I see and hear him than understand him.
The Angel then began to teach me with the patience and simplicity one would use in interacting with a small child, carefully repeating the details of what I had seen thus far. He reminded me that first the eagle came leading the dove, a type of the prophet leading the way for the true infilling of the Holy Spirit.

The Earnest Gives Way to Fullness

Ephesians 1:13-14 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory.
He said that the advent of the prophet had already taken place. As to the true infilling, I knew in my spirit he was describing more than just another Pentecostal blessing, feeling, or sensation. This baptism would not produce another man-made denomination or religious system, but a genuine change in the life of the Believer. He added, "This time will be much different."

Dove Leads the Eagle

The Angel of the Lord explained that the true baptism of the Holy Spirit would prepare the way for the white eagle. He said the white eagle represented a revelation of the fullness of Jesus Christ; not just a greater knowledge of Him, but an infilling and indwelling of the very character and virtues of Jesus.
This revelation would produce the living Word made flesh again, not just in one man as in the days of the Lord Jesus Christ, but in a whole company of Believers. This message would act as a plumb line, a measuring device to gauge the uprightness of all words given to the end time Bride of Jesus Christ.
I spoke out to those in the room, "The world has never seen what it will see in the Bride. Fools will mock and reject it, some religious leaders will scorn it, but His true Bride will receive it with gladness."

A New Thing – The Bride's Revival

I believe these words were referring to the Lord doing a new thing that will not follow historical revival patterns but will have a distinct model and administration. It will be an expansion of the ministry model of the Lord Jesus Christ as seen in the Gospels. It will be authority and power functioning and flowing in a corporate Body of Believers especially chosen for this purpose, even before the foundation of the world.
I then heard Him say something odd, "Things are stuck on Mount Zion. The saints are stuck; they have climbed as far as they can, and it seems they cannot move any higher into the virtues and attributes of Jesus." He added that I should not give in to worry.

Mount Zion – The Backside of the Throne

Suddenly before me was this beautiful, pyramid-shaped Mount Zion. It was the third time I had seen this massive mountain in vision. As I looked closer, I could see the saints climbing among its cliffs, scattered along the sides of the mountain. Some had reached higher places than others, but all were moving slowly toward the top. I was getting a closer look than I ever had before, and now I could see the roughness of the slopes and the rocky, jagged terrain. Small rocks tumbled off the ledges, loosened by the climbers. There were also large, unstable boulders that could become dislodged and crush the climbers in their paths.
Some had climbed to places where they were unable to navigate obstacles up ahead. Some had to stop because there was no place to get a foothold or even dig in with their hands and pull themselves higher. I was blessed to see their progress but started feeling sad that more and more were becoming stalled with no way around the hindrances. It appeared that most of them would be forced to retreat and re-navigate their ascent. The Angel of the Lord startled my sad contemplation when He again reminded me, "Don't worry."

The Dove Releases New Strength to Climb

I saw a flash of movement overhead. It was the little white dove circling the top of the mountain. A fresh anointing began showering down, and I knew it was being released by the presence of the dove.
The Angel then reminded me of a day when Brother Branham was climbing in Sabino Canyon and he had stopped to rest. I saw this scene unfold just as Brother Branham had described it in a sermon. He was leaning against the side of a cliff, using his shirt to wipe the sweat from his face and neck.
He then took his hat off and reverently held it against his chest as though sensing God's presence. Suddenly, I saw clearly the word "eagle" embedded in the stone face in white quartz letters. Brother Branham bowed his head as though receiving a divine message. I heard him say, "I have taken you as far as I can."
I heard the saints begin to shout and rejoice as the fresh anointing fell on them like a blanket. They started shouting to those below, "We can make it, keep on climbing!" Someone replied, "How do you know?" "Look up!"
Everyone could see the dove still circling the mountain, and in the distance something else was approaching. We watched as it drew closer. Someone shouted, "It's the white eagle!"
I was deeply concerned about the saints standing at the bottom of the mountain. I felt that the lateness of the hour would make it impossible for them to make it to the top.
I asked aloud, "How will they ever make it to the top before the headstone comes to cap the pyramid?"
I was familiar that, in 1962, William Branham preached a sermon from 2 Peter chapter 1, entitled The Stature of a Perfect Man. He used a pyramid chart to show how attributes listed in these verses bring us into the fullness of the stature of Jesus Christ. He also mentioned that one of the pyramids never received its capstone.
When the chart was drawn he left a gap between the top of the pyramid and the capstone. In the gap he wrote, "The Holy Ghost," and on the capstone he wrote, "Perfect Love." From the bottom they were listed, "Faith, Virtue, Knowledge, Temperance, Patience, Godliness and Brotherly Kindness."

Carried To the Top On the Wings of the Eagle

Suddenly, the white eagle came swooping down low on the side of the mountain and then up near the top again. He drew in close, nudging the saints, encouraging them to climb higher and not to give up.
I heard the eagle scream out with a natural call, and then suddenly he began to cry out in a powerful voice, "When you have climbed as high as you can, I will bear you on My wings to the top of Zion. My Bride will make it to the top; I will give her My virtues, I'll carry her the rest of the way. Even as I bore Israel out of Egypt on My wings, so will I carry you to the top of Mt. Zion."
I joined the other saints in screaming, "Great White Eagle, come and take us on Your wings."
I knew in my spirit that this would in no way constitute a short cut; we would not be able to bypass any of the lessons, preparations or impartations. This bearing up would only happen in the hour when we could not climb any higher on our own. It also spoke of an end to all of our human striving to be qualified as overcomers, and a new place where we would finally emerge totally dependent on the Lord Jesus.
I pray that we are now entering into the season of revelation that will lift us to the top of Mount Zion, and cause us to be seated with our beloved Bridegroom in His throne.
Steven L. Shelley
New Hope Revival Ministries
Email: pastorsteven@revival.org