Over the past year, the Lord had allowed me to get close to some of His leaders and very annointed people. To my surprise, I discovered that some of them have feet of clay.

At first I was mortified... how could people who walked in such high levels of anointing have such faults? One was a manipulator, always putting themself first. One pretended to be a friend because of the material things they got from me. One was very self promoting and boastful. Another had basic relational issues... to the point where they were difficult to work with... another had a short temper, blowing a fuse over the most minor infractions and grinding the "offender" into the dust... and on and on.

Yet these people walked in such a strong level of gifting and anointing. People looked up to them and admired them. "Lord," I asked, "how can You allow them to walk at that level of anointing when they are like that? It does not seem right." "Let me show you," the Lord replied. I settled back, ready for some divine show... to learn the secrets and hearts of these supposed men and women of God.

Instead the Lord put me into a situation that was very upsetting... and I behaved poorly. I made a bad choice in my hurt and frustration and said some things about someone that I should not have said... Then the Lord spoke to me... He asked me, "Should I lift my anointing from you, Teresa? You have just behaved in a similar manner to those of my servants whom you judged."

I knew I was guilty... busted. "Oh Lord, I did not mean it!" I said. "I am so sorry." I felt awful.

I hung my head... I knew He had every right to take away what little anointing He had allowed me to carry.

"Teresa?" He asked... "Does the blood of Jesus avail for you?"

"Huh?" I was not sure I was following Him.

"Should I give you what you deserve right now, or shall I wash you with the forgiveness and grace that Jesus purchased on Calvary? Shall I make you white and pure and holy before Me and give you a clean slate and totally and fully forgive you?"

"Would you do that for me, Lord?" I asked. I KNEW I deserved to be punished. I felt dirty and unclean and unlovable. I had offended God and I had judged even though the Bible says 'judge not least you be judged (in the same manner).' I knew I deserved punishement, maybe even the lifting of whatever anointing the Lord had allowed me to carry.

God had every right to judge me. I had been caught red-handed... I had been measured and had come up short... I was guilty of the same type of thing I'd judged others for... having feet of clay.

Yet this pure and holy God was standing before me and offering me His love. He was offering me grace and mercy and forgiveness.

"Please wash me and make me clean before You, Lord." I replied. "Cover me with the blood of Jesus." To my surprise, He embraced me in His arms of love. I found tears welling up in my eyes. I was disgusted by my own sin and asked Him fervently to change me so that I would not do that again... I wanted Him to transform me. I did not want to fall in that area ever again.

I glanced at my own clay feet and suddenly I was filled with compassion for some of those servants of God who I had previously judged. Suddenly I understood... they loved God and pursued them with all of their heart... but they were still human and still learning to walk out His holiness and still had some areas of flesh and weakness in their lives.

"Teresa," the Lord said, "I have shown you some of the best of My best. And you have seen them as they are... precious before Me and yet flawed and imperfect. These anointed ones really are the best of My best and I can and do work through them despite their flaws."

I stood there speechless... having learned my lesson. Even the most holy and anointed of men and women can have weaknesses and flaws... but that does not stop God from using them... and it does not stop their hearts from seeking God and desiring Him to transform them to be more like His nature. I had a sudden grace and love and respect for some whom I had wrongly detested in my heart... and then God began to show me their strengths and their heart after Him.

A few days later, another highly anointed servant of God manifest feet of clay towards me... they hurt me and they made me angry! I had learned enough to not judge or detest this person, but I was pretty mad at this person none the less.

"Teresa," God said to me, "This is another of the best of My best."

Suddenly something welled up in my spirit. I was again reminded about having discovered my own feet of clay... even in the midst of my passion and hunger for God. (This was not a prideful thing when it happened, even though it may sound it in telling of the story) ... I recounted my own failures and shortcomings and the failures and short comings of those men and women who God had called some of His best.

"Lord!" I cried, "If we are the best of your best, then we are not all that good. We just don't measure up!"

God's answer both surprised and shocked me.

"This is true, Teresa. Why do you think My Church is so weak right now? Why do you think I do so few signs and wonders among your midst? Don't you think I want to do more than I am presently doing?"

"It is the state of My Church, and the state of the leaders that I have appointed that is stopping Me from doing what I desire to be doing in this world. Teresa, I am calling them to a higher level... first My leaders and then My entire Body... I am calling them to be pure and holy before Me... I am calling them to allow Me to refine them... to work away their feet of clay and impart My strength and assuredness into them. I am calling them to a level of purity and holiness that is beyond what the Church has seen or manifest up to this point."

This year I am going to work a refinement and a holiness, first in My leadership, and then in My Body. This is the year of the Refiner's fire as never before... and I will leave behind a pure and spotless Church that is able to walk with Me in holiness and in purity and to be able to do with Me the signs and wonders that I desire to release into the world.

This is the season where My servants will no longer get away with the things that they used to get away with... for I will call them into accountability and I will purify and refine them. And those who willingly submit to My refinement will be raised up strong and pure and holy to go forth with Me. And through these ones, I will advance My kingdom, and I will cause My will to be established on earth as it has already been established in heaven."

"Teresa, tell them... tell My people. This is the year of your refinement. Do not attempt to hide your weaknesses from Me and do not resist Me. For as you submit to My Refiner's fire, I will raise you up into a place of power and victory. For I am looking for and I am raising up men and women who will allow Me to transform them into My image and into My purity... who will become and remain the best of My best."