Time for oppression in nations to give way to freedom
The first door was opened through a missionary’s Holy Spirit-inspired dream. As a result a lost musical instrument was found, an undocumented tribe was saved, and God’s word is being translated into their language. The Spirit is ready to open more ancient doors to the coming of the King — a revelation captured in the painting above — ‘Open The Ancient Door’ — by Johannesburg artist Lisa Crumpton.
This is a story about a painting — a painting with a remarkable story around it.
It is also another chapter in missionary Caleb Byerly’s story — an inspiring, supernatural story that sounds like it jumped out of the Book of Acts.
The double-edge to the tale presents a certain challenge in telling you the whole story briefly but without denying you its full impact. My suggestion is that you read on and then watch Caleb’s youtube testimony at the bottom of the page. That way you will get the painting story in context. And you can watch Caleb’s incredible 1 hour and 11 minutes testimony at your leisure.
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We pick up the painting story in late October when a group of 35 South African church leaders were visiting the United States to study revival culture models in churches ( You can read some of their interesting impressions here ). While at The Mission church in Vaccaville the group heard Caleb, an American missionary to the Philippines, share his testimony.
In brief he told how God gave him a dream of a tribe called the Tigwahanon ( pronounced ti-na-nu-nun ) and a blueprint for building a musical instrument like none he had ever seen. His dream led to the discovery of the tribe, who until then were completely undocumented. He also built the musical instrument, which turned out to be the tribe’s long lost instrument for worship to the God of all gods. These experiences led to an open door for proclaiming the gospel and for translating the Bible into the tribe’s language.
While sharing his testimony in Vaccaville Caleb spoke prophetically of the Lord opening ancient doors that had become rusted shut through the oppression of people. He said the Lord was wanting to lift off the oppression so that the King of Glory might come in.
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Deeply stirred
Lisa Crumpton, artist and wife of John Crumpton of Breakthru Life Church who was leading the SA tour group, was deeply stirred in her heart for other ancient doors to be opened to the coming King. She had been invited to paint on the stage during an upcoming Leaders Advance conference at Bethel Church in Redding. She decided she would paint ‘The Ancient Door’ at the conference, which happened to be during the week of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation when Martin Luther nailed his theses to a church door, ushering in a significant advance of the kingdom.
The painting above is what she created during the Leaders Advance, and in a note about the painting she wrote: “The kingdom of God will move forward when the ancient doors are unlocked by this generation.
“The hinges are rusted and the doors are locked because of the oppression in our nation. But FREEDOM is on the way!!!
“We need the Spirit-revealed keys to unlock the ancient doors that will advance the kingdom of God in this season of acceleration.
“Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter, the one that remains faithful. –Isaiah 26:2
“Lift up your heads, O gates, And be lifted up, O ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in! — Psalm 24:7″
The Ancient Door painting profoundly impacted some of the people at the conference, said John Crumpton. In addition to the many Americans present there were groups from many nations, including about 100 people from Russia, about 60 from China and Taiwan, and the 35 from South Africa.
He said: “A lady who is part of the house church movement in China had had a visions of the Lord opening doors, so the picture spoke very much to her of the Lord opening doors to the Church — to His glory coming in.
“And one of the leading intercessors at Bethel — Mary Lu Konkel — had written a book called Releasing Heaven’s Blueprint — and her son had been involved in mission work into the Russian region. She felt there was a huge significance in this opening of the ancient doors.
“The Lord had released a prophetic word through [Prophet] Bob Jones years ago that there was an angel called Door who was going to open up the doors to revival in Russia as part of the billion soul harvest.
“The painting reawakened something in her. Her son had died of a heart attack at 45 — and she felt there was something of ‘unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies…it won’t bear fruit’ and asked to purchase it so she could pray through it.
“She was having significant encounters with the Lord through the painting. Her grandson, who was the son of the missionary, and was born in Russia, was there when Lisa handed over the painting.”
And now….watch Caleb Byerly’s amazing testimony:
And watch him play the salimbaa:
Thank you, your testimony and story are so encouraging. We serve an amazing God who truly does work in strange and wonderful ways. I cannot paint but i find so many paintings, (prophetic paintings) so moving and stirring. Bless you.