Prophetic Word: It’s Molting Time! Prepare for a new stage of growth
Molting and shedding seem like they’re similar, but they are different in purpose and technique.
Shedding = Nature’s way to adapt to seasonal or environmental changes
Molting = Prepares for a new stage of growth.
‘THEY’RE MOLTING! THEY’RE MOLTING!’
In a recent dream, I was in a baseball dugout sitting alone in the sunshine. Baseball in a dream can represent very long spiritual seasons that can feel slow and drawn out. The dugout represents sitting out from action during this period.
All the sudden, I saw these bright, beautiful, magnificent crabs all around me! They just started to grow larger and larger and the colors got bolder and brighter! I start shouting: “they’re molting! They’re molting!!!”
I knew in the dream that something miraculous was taking place. God was revealing how many of His children are hitting their stride right now and about to endure a massive season of growth. The acceleration is coming after very long seasons of inactivity and spiritual drought. Many of you have been in the game, but sitting out of the action.
As the dream unfolded, I started to cheer everyone on to start their molting process. All these bright, majestic and fluorescent-colored crabs just grew and flourished right before my eyes! Even though they grew really large, they could still maneuver through smaller holes and fit in tight spaces when needed. They could still adapt to the smaller environment around them and squeeze through the fence holes to break free.
I saw a combination of regular crabs and hermit crabs, representing those who have been hidden by God and protected with His shell covering. The shells were GORGEOUS. I knew they reflected the Lord’s special ones. All the colors were bright and unique. Some shells were polka dots, others splashed with neon colors.
The point of the whole dream, however, was the phrase: “they’re molting! They’re molting!”
Even when I woke up, I was repeating that same phrase over and over…
1. MANY OF YOU ARE IN THE MOLTING PROCESS.
AND, THERE IS A MASSIVE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SHEDDING AND MOLTING.
Molting and shedding seem like they’re similar, but they are different in purpose and technique.
Shedding = Nature’s way to adapt to seasonal or environmental changes (dogs and people shed hair).
But check this out — Molting = Prepares for a new stage of growth.
Many of you have outgrown your old shell and it’s time to evolve into something much greater. There’s no longer room for your past seasons because you’re way past the old.
Molting can be a very vulnerable and scary time, too, but have no fear. The Lord will protect you in your shell and temporary “tent” until your new dwelling place is ready to go.
Molting is essential for growth and it’s also a way to get rid of parasites like barnacles and worms that like to lurk. They can’t go to the new land. So molting will fill in all the holes, even the minuscule ones that might not always be visible to the naked eye.
With crabs, the hard shell cannot expand, so the crab must shed its shell and develop a new and bigger shell in a process called molting.
You have to molt for God to shift you into the new. This is an actual process that takes place, it’s not an overnight thing, and can last for months. So in this period of life, your anchor scripture is from Psalm 91:9-11 (emergency numbers).
“If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.”
Birds also molt feathers. It’s not because they need room to grow, but because their feathers don’t regenerate when damaged. Instead, when a feather falls off, a brand new beautiful one grows in its place.
When you molt, you get a brand new heart and a more secure place at the foot of Jesus. You are free from the bondages and shackles of the past. Nothing of the past that held you back can go into the new. You are freed and made new.
“Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” Mark 5:34
And for the fellas…
“Son, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”
2. HERMIT CRABS ARE ACTUALLY VERY SOCIAL.
YOUR HIDDEN “CAVE” SEASONS ARE NOT A REFLECTION OF YOUR PERSONALITY OR CHARACTER TRAITS. RATHER, THEY PROTECT YOU AND KEEP YOU SAFE.
When it comes to hermit crabs, they’re actually not hermits. They love to be around others and they’re sociable, but it has to be the right situation and environment.
In the wild, biologists say it’s common to find hundreds of hermit crabs digging and playing together. The shells are where they go to retreat for protection. There are periods where they hide out for long lengths of time because they don’t feel safe.
To others it might appear as extreme isolation, but it’s actually a protective barrier from predators.
Hermit crabs must stay hidden in certain stages of development. So if you find yourself going through seasons of withdrawing from others to spend intimate time with God, don’t allow society or people to make you feel ashamed. This especially includes family members, friends and others close to you.
Jesus often withdrew to get away from the crowds. Your “molting” is such a key period of growth and it can be lonely and isolating, but surrender and submit to the process. It’ll end up being one of the most beautiful periods of life.
When crabs molt, they need extreme privacy. Some will burrow themselves very deep to shed their old self without detection. With hermit crabs, they’re supposed to molt deep down in the sand where it’s dark and cool. However, many times they can get really stressed, like when in unsafe homes and other environments. They have no choice but to molt above ground instead of hiding in the sand. They endure this extremely sensitive period in front of others. This can be very stressful and has the potential to kill them or disrupt their entire development.
I remember about years ago, when the Holy Spirit first started giving me powerful dreams, everything seemed to unleash overnight! I didn’t know what was happening nor did I even know to ask for the gift. It just happened.
God would show me something in a dream constantly and it would always happen exactly like He showed. I tried to tell some people around me because it was so cool and I was just in awe! I didn’t understand there would be a time to speak and share (which came four years later). I just wanted everyone to understand and be excited, too!
But during those early days, the only place I felt “safe” was with the Lord because I felt very vulnerable. Jesus was my only safe place and although it was isolating and difficult at times, I would not trade it for anything! The Holy Spirit literally changed my life and taught me everything.
But staying under His wing was crucial.
In a practical sense, this is what “molting” above ground looks like. For some of you, it means being trapped in unhealthy or unsafe environments or relationships that holds you shackled to the situation. God is thrusting you into a new season and you’re no longer the same person and have outgrown your current “shell” and season. You are changing and everyone can't go.
For others, you might be trapped in a job you’ve already outgrown, but you’re stuck there for financial reasons or just because it’s familiar. Or, God hasn’t released you to somewhere new just yet. So you’re growing and changing and it feels uncomfortable because you want a way out. It's very tough to "molt" above ground when you can’t do it without detection.
However, there's something rare and spectacular about some hermit crabs forced to molt above ground. They find a way to survive. They're extremely resilient.
They’re able to shed the old and become something new and endure the process and come out with a larger, harder exoskeleton to protect their inner fragility.
💜And they do it all miraculously right in front of everyone's eyes.
3. POST-MOLT BEHAVIOR CAN REALLY VARY BASED ON CIRCUMSTANCES
Hermit crab behavior immediately post-molt can vary and one researcher said it depends on the crab’s personality at that particular stage.
After that long and tedious shedding process, some will be cautious until they are certain their new exoskeleton has hardened up.
Others “will be emboldened by an increase in size and mass and become more confident.”
Hermit crabs molt about every 12-18 months, and I often notice my own spiritual seasons follow a similar path.
I just finished a Bible study on Elijah and it’s crazy because he went through isolation and growth periods that followed the very same 12-18 months time frame at various spots.
He “molted” at Gilead, Cherith and Zarephath before standing on Mt. Carmel in victory. But the Lord could not send him through each stage until Christ fully “molted” Elijah and progressed him to a new place.
Sometimes the Lord will want you to finish molting in the secret place and hide you for a season to prepare for the new.
Other times, He will launch you full steam ahead.
The key is to surrender to the process and understand that no season will look the same. The Holy Spirit’s process is so different each time.
When you get stuck in the ways of old and how God once moved, then you might become blind to the shift already taking place during molting season.
So what are the signs of a molting season?
Pre-molt, a crab will look lifeless and overwhelmed with lethargy. All signs of activity and joy will essentially cease as the process gets underway.
Sometimes you’ll just sense that you’ve outgrown where you are. A job or life you once loved or desired won’t excite you anymore. Even the way you worship or hear from God might be muted or dimmed. You might be someone who hears from God constantly or always has dreams and suddenly it slows down. You just get a little restless and you’re not sure exactly sure why your spirit feels unsettled. Eventually you just surrender and what’s meant to be, will be.
There are four stages in molting:
preparing for the molt, shedding the exoskeleton, the hardening of the exoskeleton, and a recovery period.
Shedding doesn’t take long, but the stages that follow can take up to two months.
I remember for months seeing 123 everywhere. The Lord kept impressing on me “1-2-3 go!” Then on Jan. 23, I had a ton of downloads in the Spirit that day. I felt that this was the start of a new season for many followers of Christ. So this might be a very crucial time in your life and your new shell is “hardening” and many of you will be fully ready for something new around March 23 leading up to Easter on April 17. The timing will be different for everyone.
You will know if this is you and nothing I say will come as a surprise but will be a confirmation to what the Holy Spirit has already spoken to you.
4. BE A COCONUT CRAB
Hermit crabs can be very picky about the mobile home they choose. They need a shell that is not too small or big, but just right. If growth happens too fast and they end up with a fancy mansion shell - well, they're doomed.
Predators and parasites will seep right in.
Sometimes other hermit crabs will help each other find new homes and they’ll line up together as the largest crab moves into the new shell, and then the next upgrades to the following shell.
So during this process, they have to remain focused on just what’s ahead of them. There’s no time to worry about the other crabs during this process. Getting to the new land — the new shell in front of them — is the main task at hand. This can be an isolating and lonely process because there’s no extra time to play and dig and explore while molting. It's an extremely sensitive period of molting, hardening and then getting to the new era of growth. There’s only one place to go and that’s forward.
Most hermit crabs are very small -- with the exception of one that can grow quite large.
It’s called the coconut crab and it dwells on land and can grow up to three feet long and weigh nine pounds! It’s unique and different from the other crabs for one specific reason…
When the coconut crab outgrows the largest shell it can find — well, only then does it grow a shell of its own. 🤍
Now I want you to write what you have seen, what is, and what comes after the things that I reveal to you. (Rev. 1:19)
