I believe the Lord Jesus desires to move powerfully in Sewanee, Tennessee. He is highlighting cities and regions where He wants to gather and build His church. I believe Sewanee is being highlighted as an area of refuge in which the Lord will make a bride ready for His return. The Lord’s will can be fulfilled when we agree with His purposes and pursue them by spiritual means of prayer and working together as the church.
The Mountain
Local residents refer to Sewanee as “The Mountain.” This has prophetic significance because the Lord Jesus is returning to establish His Kingdom (the mountain of the Lord), and it will cover the earth.
”Now it will come to pass that In the last days The mountain of the house of the Lord Will be [firmly] established as the highest of the mountains, And will be exalted above the hills; And all the nations will stream to it. And many peoples shall come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house (temple) of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us His ways And that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go out from Zion And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.“ (Isaiah 2:2-3 AMP)
The above scripture is an obvious reference to King Jesus establishing His Kingdom at His coming. However, the Lord desires to establish locations where His church is being built together, conformed to His image, and radiating His pure light prior to His coming. He is looking for people who will say yes to following Him fully and becoming His own special possession.
The Lord wants His house built on the mountain at Sewanee, TN. He desires to establish His spiritual house built from living stones (believers) who are fully committed to Him as disciples. When the Lord has a dedicated royal priesthood that has committed to following Him at any cost, His light and glory will arise upon that spiritual house and draw others to His Kingdom. People will desire to go up to the mountain of the house of the Lord in Sewanee to abide in the glory of the Lord and be taught of His ways, which will be revealed through the Lord’s messengers.
The Domain
Local residents also refer to Sewanee as “The Domain.” The definition of domain is “a field of action, thought, or influence; territory governed by a single ruler or government; realm; realm or range of personal knowledge or responsibility; and land to which there is superior title and absolute ownership.”
I feel that the Lord is claiming Sewanee as His domain. The domain of the great King. The Lord’s desire is that His people would decree, “This is Your domain, oh great King! Rule over it! Govern your land and let Your Kingdom be established here in Sewanee as it is in Heaven! Take dominion of this mountain, oh God!”
The land is currently called “The Domain” but we must ask ourselves, “Whose domain is it, or what exactly does that statement mean?” Is it the people’s domain, the domain of the University of the South, or Almighty God’s domain? Once enough believers humble themselves and decree that Sewanee is the domain of Jesus Christ, the Lord will rule over the territory, and His government will be released. The Holy Spirit will be poured out from on high and rain on the hearts of believers. He will turn their spiritual wilderness-like conditions into lush forests. His presence will inhabit the mountain.
”Until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high, And the wilderness becomes a fertile field, And the fertile field is valued as a forest.“ (Isaiah 32:15 AMP)
Solomon’s Temple
There is a trail and cave on Sewanee Mountain called Solomon’s Temple. This again speaks prophetically of the Lord’s desire to build His spiritual house out of living stones on the mountain in His kingdom domain.
”But it was Solomon who built a house for Him. [I Kings 6.] However, the Most High does not dwell in houses and temples made with hands; as the prophet says, [Isa. 66:1, 2.]“ (Acts 7:47-48 AMPC)
The Cross
The Sewanee Memorial Cross stands 60 feet tall and sits on the campus of the University of the South. This massive cross is another prophetic indicator that the church in Sewanee is called to pick up their crosses and follow Jesus as disciples. This is a major key to the will and purposes of the Lord being released on the mountain of the house of the Lord.
”And Jesus called [to Him] the throng with His disciples and said to them, If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself [forget, ignore, disown, and lose sight of himself and his own interests] and take up his cross, and [joining Me as a disciple and siding with My party] follow with Me [continually, cleaving steadfastly to Me].“ (Mark 8:34 AMPC)
Picking up your cross and following Jesus means He must become your first love. Any idol in your heart that eclipses your love and devotion for Christ must be cast aside. Any allegiance to an organization, denomination, or university that is greater than that of your commitment to Christ must be laid at Jesus’ feet. The cross-life entails losing your own will, desire, destiny, and plans so that He can fill you with His purpose, will, and plans. His plans are eternal, and ours are temporal and fleeting. His purposes, which are fulfilled through us, will stand the test of fire. Our own dead works that we thought would be a good idea to do for God will be burned up with judgment fire when we stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
Man’s systems and the traditions of men will keep us bound to dead works. The cross of Jesus Christ will set us free and empower us to complete the works of God that will last eternally. When our self-life is crucified by picking up our crosses and following our Master, then Christ begins to live in us and do His works through us. King Jesus starts taking His domain and building the house on the mountain when He has possession of our hearts. Possession of our hearts is impossible without the cross of Christ. Jesus may not be asking students to quit college; He is asking them to make following Christ as a disciple their first priority.
The Sewanee Memorial Cross must serve as a reminder to the church on The Mountain that we must pick up our crosses of suffering and afflictions as true disciples of Jesus Christ, so Christ can have His domain on the mountain in Sewanee. He is after people who will choose to be made ready as His bride.
Bridal Veil Falls
There is a waterfall on The Domain that points to the bride of Christ and the Lord’s purpose on the mountain. The Lord desires to wash His church with the pure and holy water of His word. Not simply the reading of the scriptures, but His Living Word taking root in our hearts by divine revelation and transforming us inwardly. The Living Word, Jesus, must be permitted to have His domain in our hearts to the point where we are completely yeilded to Him. He wants to wash our hearts inwardly with His pure waters and make us into a bride without spots or wrinkles. In order for the church to become Christ’s bride, she must be made ready.
”Let’s rejoice and be exceedingly glad, and let’s give the glory to him. For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready.” It was given to her that she would array herself in bright, pure, fine linen, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. He said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb.’” He said to me, “These are true words of God.”“ (Revelation 19:7-9 WEBUS)
Remember, this book was written to the church, not unbelievers. Those who are to marry the Lamb as His bride must be made ready. How many believers don’t even spend time with the Lord or take Him seriously? The wife of the Lamb has white garments, meaning she allowed Jesus to overcome sin and the world through her and abided in His grace to be made pure and clean. Then she allowed Jesus to do acts of righteousness through her. Therefore, she was awarded white garments of righteousness that allowed her to be made ready to marry the Lamb. Blessed are those, out of the church, who are called or invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb (meaning not all of the church will be invited or called and therefore will not be blessed to become the bride).
The Lord is calling to us and saying that we must become bridal. The Lord divorced Israel for unrepentant spiritual adultery (Jeremiah 3:6-8). Those in the church who think they can live however they want and still become the bride will find out the hard way that they will not be allowed into the wedding (although they may be allowed in Heaven):
”“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who didn’t have on wedding clothing, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here not wearing wedding clothing?’ He was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and throw him into the outer darkness. That is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.’ For many are called, but few chosen.”“ (Matthew 22:11-14 WEBUS)
How many people in the church are like this man who took a wedding invitation but did nothing to prepare for the wedding? This man simply lived an unclean and sinful life, never allowing Christ to transform him and live a holy life through him. He just assumed he could live however he wanted during his life on earth and still be a part of the bride. However, the man found out very quickly that he was operating on presumption. He did not have a clean and white wedding garment because he had believed the false teaching that all will become the bride of Christ. A proper response to the wedding invitation and white garments are needed to be a part of the bride. I pray for ears to hear what the Spirit is saying.
The Mountain Messenger
There is a newspaper in Sewanee with the above name. The Lord is going to send His messengers to the mountain to establish His house. These mountain messengers will function apostolicly and prophetically to lay the foundation of Jesus Christ. Revealing Christ inwardly and seeing Him formed in the hearts of believers can only be done by apostolic and prophetic ministries. They have the grace from the Lord Jesus Christ (as the scriptures state) to do so.
The Lord’s messengers must be welcomed and received in order for the Lord’s house on the mountain to be established. Just as Israel rejected the messenger ministry of Jesus, so can the church in Sewanee reject the Lord’s messengers, which in effect will prevent the will of the Lord from coming to pass in Sewanee.
”“He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. He who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.“ (Matthew 10:40-41 WEBUS)
The messengers will carry a "warring" anointing. The Lord will be with them as a mighty warrior (Exodus 15:3) to war against the religious system, imaginations of men, traditions of men, and any other lofty thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.
”But the Lord is with me as a mighty and terrible One; therefore my persecutors will stumble, and they will not overcome [me]. They will be utterly put to shame, for they will not deal wisely or prosper [in their schemes]; their eternal dishonor will never be forgotten.“ (Jeremiah 20:11 AMPC)
The Lord desires all religious systems of man that keep His people from having an intimate relationship with Him to be brought down. In the book of John, Jesus confronts the religious leaders in chapters five through 11. The tension builds with every confrontation. Jesus, the apostle and prophet, was warring against the system that was holding His people in bondage. This same system is enslaving many of God’s people all throughout America, just as Pharaoh enslaved the people of God. The messengers of the Lord will be released and sent to this religious system to set God’s people free.
Just as the Civil War was fought in and around Sewanee over slavery, a second civil war will be fought in Sewanee, Tennessee over slavery. This war will not be fought based on an outward skin color, but it will be fought over the inward condition of the hearts of men. The messengers of the Lord will strike at the shackles of the institutions of men that are holding God’s people in slavery. Many will see the truth and come out of their plantations to the mountain of the house of the Lord.
”THE SPIRIT of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed and qualified me to preach the Gospel of good tidings to the meek, the poor, and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound, [Rom. 10:15.]“ (Isaiah 61:1 AMPC)
The Spirit of the Lord will rest on the mountain messengers to deliver God’s people from the spiritual prisons they have been in. These messengers will carry the anointing to open the eyes of those who are spiritually blind. Once God’s people see that they are in a religious system prison and that they are not experiencing the fullness of Jesus Christ and intimacy with Him, they will throw off their shackles of delusions and join the church of the mountain of the house of the Lord.
Chapel of the Apostles
The Chapel of the Apostles is a building on the campus of the University of the South. It is yet another sign of the messengers being sent to the mountain. The true apostolic ministry will bring God’s order and government, which will ensure living stones are built into the temple of God. The wise master builder ministry will give the Lord what He desires: a temple to dwell in (Ephesians 2:20-22). The apostles will change the chapels on Sewanee Mountain from physical structures into a spiritual structure where the Lord can rest (Psalm 132:7-14). The apostles will preach from The Domain of King Jesus in Sewanee.
Rebel’s Rest
A historical home named “Rebel’s Rest” sits on the campus of the University of the South. This home speaks symbolically of the rebellion of God that will take place. Many will rebel and leave the religious system in order to find the “rest” of the Lord in His house. The emphasis of the leaders of the mountain of the house of the Lord will be leading believers into a spiritual Sabbath rest that is inward.
”For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”;
There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.“ (Hebrews 4:4, 9-10 NKJV)
Those who chose to leave the religious system will be branded as rebels, but they will enter into the “rest” of the Lord Jesus Christ. These believers will learn to cease from their religious works to try and be close to God and to be approved by Him. Christ will take inward possession of His promise land within their hearts, and His rest will flood their beings. The church will experience true spiritual rest that could never be given by natural works or a natural land.
Fire on the Mountain
As I was writing this article, I heard the phrase “Fire on the Mountain.” The Lord has spoken to me around five times over the last year about visiting his people in a spiritual fire that cleanses them and makes them ready as the bride and royal priesthood. I looked up the phrase I heard from the Holy Spirit to see if there was any connection to Sewanee Mountain. Sure enough, I found there was a youth group in Sewanee called “Fire on the Mountain.”
The Lord is going to send His refiners fire on the church at Sewanee Mountain to those who cry out for Him. The Lord will especially move on the younger generation including college students. He will come suddenly to His spiritual temple and release a cleansing fire that will burn away sin, rebellion, independence, every impure motive, and every other unclean thing.
“Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will prepare and clear the way before Me. And the Lord [the Messiah], whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the Lord of hosts. “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like launderer’s soap [which removes impurities and uncleanness]. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi [the priests], and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the Lord [grain] offerings in righteousness” (Malachi 3:1-3 AMP)
Before Jesus comes for His church, He is coming within His spiritual house to burn away the dross. He will visit some individually as they wait on Him and seek this spiritual fire from the Holy Spirit. Others will receive this refiner's fire impartation through the laying on of hands by the Lord’s messengers that are sent to The Mountain. This refining fire empowers a believer to live in righteousness and holiness before the Lord. It is the grace of God released to overcome sin and worldliness. The fire will make people ready for the Lord very quickly.
The purification of the priests is directly related to the preparation of the royal priesthood. When believers experience the refiner's fire, they will be purified to offer up prayers, worship, a godly lifestyle, and righteous thoughts to the Lord. They will then focus on God’s eternal will and purposes instead of man’s religious or carnal purposes. Once the royal priesthood is cleansed, they will be transformed into the proper type of living stones that can be built into the house/temple/church of the Lord.
”You [believers], like living stones, are being built up into a spiritual house for a holy and dedicated priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices [that are] acceptable and pleasing to God through Jesus Christ.“ (1 Peter 2:5 AMP)
As the house of the Lord is built in Sewanee, the inward fire of the Lord must be embraced for there to truly be fire on the mountain. The Lord desires to release a burning passion and desire to seek Him and to abide in His presence. He will do this when believers come before Him in faith, asking for this inward burning for Jesus Christ.
”in whom the whole structure is joined together, and it continues [to increase] growing into a holy temple in the Lord [a sanctuary dedicated, set apart, and sacred to the presence of the Lord]. In Him [and in fellowship with one another] you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.“ (Ephesians 2:21-22 AMP)
”For I,’ declares the Lord, ‘will be a wall of fire around her [protecting her from enemies], and I will be the glory in her midst.’ ” (Zechariah 2:5 AMP)
The above scripture from Zechariah will fully be manifested in the millennium; however, for chosen places of refuge where the Lord has marked to build His church to the full measure of Christ, He will protect those gatherings with His fire. The Lord will dwell in the midst of those congregations in His fiery glory. Burning ones will arise from this house of glory. These burning disciples of Jesus will be sent out to other locations to spread revival fire in the name of Jesus.
Spiritual Family
Spiritual family is the glue that will hold this move of God in Sewanee together. It will be believers doing life together as a real family. The Lord is restoring spiritual family in the church. He wants to break the church out of a religious hierarchical leadership format that departs from the spiritual family dynamic. The Holy Spirit will move in power and grace so that all who want to be a part of it will be revived and reconditioned from the false mindsets of the religious system. Then the Holy Spirit will release grace to turn the hearts of the spiritual fathers to the children and the hearts of the spiritual children to the fathers (Malachi 4:5-6).
I believe this is the Lord’s prophetic purpose for the church in Sewanee. Let us pray and contend for the will of God to come to pass. May the Lord gather his church and build it on His Mountain and Domain in Sewanee, Tennessee. In Jesus name.
-Ty Unruh (March 2024)
