PROPHETIC WORD: The Lord is bringing forth leaders from every nation, tribe and tongue! 🌍❤️
“The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.”
Acts 11:26
Hi everyone! The blueprints of Heaven are being released in this hour! The Lord of the Harvest, the Holy Spirit, is sending workers into new fields and there’s abundant rain saturating the land as we speak. It’s time to prepare for brand new spaces and territories!
Some of you have faced intense persecution in recent months and I even hear the word “hurt.” However, your perseverance has opened up a tremendous door of opportunity! Change is at hand! Be on guard against “foxes” like in Song of Solomon 2:15. Foxes are sly and cunning and go for the roots and the fruit. They represent people or things after your fresh harvest! They might look innocent, but they are dangerous! The Bible says “catch them” because your vineyards are in bloom!
As I sat with the Lord this evening, He highlighted the church at Antioch in Acts 11 and how the people there became vital witnesses for evangelism. Every believer was a missionary. There was a high cost, but the early church exploded, and we are seeing something similar happening in this modern-day Acts of the Apostles movement.
The Lord Jesus has raised new leaders representing every nation, tribe and tongue. He's bringing people forward who have endured the test of obscurity and followed Him at all costs. He is so proud of your decision to follow Him even though it brought intense persecution and disdain.
The seeds of uncertainty that you planted with God in a prior season are starting to bloom!
The Father is saying to someone, you have passed the test! Well done, good and faithful servant!
Continue to lead with kindness, compassion and generosity. Your unique spirit and personality are needed! Be a hard worker!
It's building season, and the Lord has prepared you in obscurity long enough! It's time to get to work!
Here's what happened at Antioch when the people joined forces for a common goal...
"The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord" (Acts 11:21). The Jesus followers worked together for a greater purpose and the people fulfilled their role in the kingdom of God. The church grew rapidly!
At Antioch, the followers of Jesus were first called Christians. The word “Christians” was only used a few times in the Bible, but at Antioch, we see that a faith-based community of followers had started to form with a new name. Prior to that, those who followed Jesus were called The Way or people of The Way. They were a movement, not just folks who just sat inside buildings and pews or followed religious obligations. They were a community of people who lived the gospel in every area of their life. They didn’t “do” church — they were the church.
The newly-named Christians at Antioch were revealed as a distinct group and set apart. The Word of God continued to increase and spread. The Lord did it all on His own! That's why you don't have to promote yourself in seasons of building for the kingdom. The Lord Jesus is the Rapid Accelerator.
"It's not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What's important is that God makes the seed grow” (1 Corinthians 3:7).
There is a lot at stake right now, and the Holy Spirit gave me two different timelines for someone:
The next seven days will shape your future
The next three months will fulfill a particular promise and dream; this time period will be transformative.
Be prepared for life-altering decisions and changes to be made! God is going to make your life's calling and purpose very clear.
The Lord is releasing new blueprints in this hour and even outlining the timing of His promises. Pay special attention to your dreams this season, and write everything down! The parables, symbols and stories might not make sense now, but the Father will reveal His heart and strategies at the right time.
With that said, here is a warning. Be prepared for the heat to rise in places that might celebrate you in one season, but toss you in the fiery furnace of affliction in the next!
In the Book of Daniel, the king grew angry with the Hebrew men because he wanted subservient followers who bowed down to his ways and gods. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to bow to images created by man, so King Nebuchadnezzar became so furious that his face distorted with rage. "He commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual" (Daniel 3:19). Have you ever experienced a season where the heat is exploding all over the place? You must stand firm and keep moving forward because a Fourth Man named Jesus is there with you!
Some of you are battling the fiery furnace of affliction as we speak. There is opposition, but you continue to follow Jesus and trust Him. The word "faith" means simple trust. You must believe God at His word. He teaches you how to walk amid the fire. King Jesus gives you strategy. He shelters you under His mighty protection. He also teaches you to be BRAVE.
Daniel 3:16-18
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, "King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty's hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."
You don’t always have to speak or defend yourself. There are many times in the Bible where the Lord Jesus even used silence as His answer.
The opposition can attempt to melt away all your hard work, dreams, character and even self-esteem — but God still reigns. His thoughts and ways really are all that matter.
“The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”
They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”
He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
The Hebrew men didn't cower or just surrender and give up and wait. They actively kept moving with the Lord even among the flames. That's what happens when the Holy Spirit shows us the way. We transition through times and seasons and face adversity head on. We don't even look like what we've just endured! God's path helps us restore and redeem the time, but we also flourish and become stronger through trials!
My beloved brothers and sisters, we must always trust that there's a Fourth Man in the fire with us, and his name is Jesus—Immanuel, God with us.
When everything is rearranged and shattered, we become acutely aware that Jesus is with and for us. From a place of brokenness, His love and hope abound. Streams of His living water flow in abundance from our hearts.
The love and grace of Jesus Christ fortify us in the unknown, in uncertain places, and God holds our hands and leads us through the fire. His eternal love burns through our hearts and creates a new foundation that cannot be broken or melted away. His love becomes our solid foundation.
PROPHETIC ENCOURAGEMENT
The Lord is calling many of you into partnership this next season, and you've been training to be significantly used by the King of all kings. God created a lion inside your heart that is about to ROAR to life, and look the enemy square in the eyes! You will boldly preach FAITH over fear.
You are a new creation, burned in the fiery furnace of affliction, made to withstand anything.
Like the three Hebrew men, you now walk forth with courage and don't even smell like smoke! God wanted to purify your heart and burn away anything that does not belong in your future. You have been called to the front lines as a soldier of Christ.
Even through trials and suffering, God taught you to walk amid the fire!
When the Hebrews were taken to Babylon, they had to start working underneath a pagan king, but they did not allow bitterness to take root. They refused to conform to their new environment even though the culture served other gods and gold. The Hebrew men had to withstand extreme rejection and persecution but they were eventually promoted and positioned with greater authority. They understood how the Lord was in charge, and they worked for the Kingdom of God in their hearts and spirits. They followed God at all costs.
Daniel and the three Hebrew men remind us how it's important to always trust that Jesus is at work behind the scenes.
Even in secular environments, God is still at work. The Lord Jesus gifts His people with all sorts of skills to be used for greater glory, and there will always be ravenous wolves around to tear these people down. Thankfully, we only serve an audience of One.
You were made to withstand all the fiery darts of the enemy and the blazing flames that tried to take you out. You are a survivor, a champion, a chosen son or daughter of the King of all kings. Remain steadfast and strong in this hour. Be hopeful even in affliction. Do not be like Jonah and run from your calling. You must obey if the Lord has made it clear to do something.
In seasons of obscurity, God is sometimes testing your motives. He can even expose your own blind spots. Impure motives will be rooted out before spiritual promotion.
MY STORY: HIS GLORY
2 Corinthians 12:10
That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
One time I was in the hospital because the chemo that was supposed to save my life took away all my good cells. I developed a life-threatening infection that left me with holes and sores down my throat and mouth. I was in absolute agony and pain, and there were several times I honestly did not think I could endure any longer. One day I got the strength to stand up from the hospital bed. I pressed my cheek against the window and tried to remember what the wind felt like. Something about the moment renewed my hope. The movement of putting one step in front of another reminded me of life.
I promised God right then and there that if He spared my life and allowed me to feel the wind again, I would do my best to honor Him and glorify His name! I would love people with all my heart and soul. Cancer would not be my story or identity — Jesus would be. I was not a victim.
After my cancer, I thought that was the end of my trials and sufferings, but a short time later, my mother got sick and later graduated to heaven. She had more faith than anyone I’ve ever met and loved Jesus, but she suffered the worst pain imaginable as her cancer ate away at her bones. Losing her was hard enough, but I also battled all sorts of things, like survivor’s guilt, while trying to work through the trauma of watching someone suffer so intensely.
Some well-meaning people sometimes say, “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” The verse they are referring to deals with temptations, not suffering. Paul actually wrote at one point, “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself…” (2 Corinthians 1:8).
There will be situations in this life that some people will experience that will absolutely require God’s grace to intercede to push you through. It won’t always be easy, but He will be with you.
He will deliver you. He will walk with you and be with you.
That’s what happened in my life.
In my most significant weaknesses and sorrow, God started creating a new version of my heart that I never knew existed. It took years to overcome the loss of my best friend and mother. You don't ever get over people you love dearly. You learn to live and function without them, but the process can take years. It's essential to go through the entire grieving process and don't skip any parts. People will try to rush you and make you feel guilty if your healing timeline looks different from theirs, but the Lord is very intentional about the steps. The steps of a righteous man really are ordered by the Lord (Psalm 37:23).
I want to encourage someone facing similar circumstances today to understand that Jesus is going to restore and repair your heart. The Lord is going to love you back to life. He will empty you and fill you with His endless love. Do not quit now! God is just getting started with you. The Lord has a mighty plan, and you can't stop now! I know it hurts, I know it’s painful, I know it feels like it’ll never end. But it will.
One day you will look up and see how far you’ve come! Keep moving! Better days are ahead!
People rarely talk about death and grief, but it’s not something to be ashamed about. In fact, we need to talk about it more because there are many lost and hurting souls drowning in an avalanche of sorrow right now. If you are among them and need some words of encouragement, I’m here for you. Please reach out and allow me to speak the heart of the Father into your situation and circumstance.
I remember wanting someone so badly who could understand my pain, but God ultimately showed me how Jesus was the hero I was searching for. He also sent destiny helpers along the way who could rally my spirit in the toughest times. I want to be that person for you.
Regardless of what you have faced or are currently battling -- stand firm in this hour. Persevere. Get back up. Keep moving! Most of all, give Jesus your entire life! He loves you and absolutely adores you! You are the one that He left the 99 to save. KEEP GOING!
I'm here to encourage someone else that your night season is over. The Lord has sent peace upon the land. You are a survivor, a warrior, and a steadfast champion who endured what most people would not have been able to withstand. You fell face down in the fire, walked among the flames and ultimately survived!
Get ready to dance before the Lord. Access has been granted. Don't look with your eyes, but believe in your spirit that a new dawn is here.
The Lord is balancing the scales.
2 Timothy 1:9
For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.
PRAYER
Father God,
We thank you so much for Your endless love, mercy and kindness. Thank you for choosing us as Your sons and daughters!
Lord, please step into the life of the person reading these words right now who is facing circumstances too hard to endure. Help them know that You are with them and for them. They have nothing to fear. You will keep them safe and secure.
Lord Jesus, please give us steadfast hearts that desire to wholeheartedly follow Your way. We long to be pure, kind and authentic people who reflect Your glory wherever we go. Teach us how to be a living reflection of You.
Please be with those fighting and battling illnesses or grieving the loss of someone close. Please be with all the nurses, doctors and healthcare professionals who have walked this journey with them. Give strength to those who are soul-wounded and heartsick. You are the Mighty Physician and we long to be made whole!
Jesus, we love how You make all things new! Your mercies are brand new every morning! Please give Your people the strength to walk forward with boldness and courage into the future. Teach them to take one step forward, and You will do the rest. I know you are making them resilient for a greater glory!
Thank You for commissioning us to represent Your Kingdom! We are so proud to serve King Jesus!
We love You, Father, and glorify Your mighty, precious name!
