PROPHETIC WORD: “Put me in, Coach…I’m ready to play!” Time to PLAY BALL ⚾
You’re on deck!
Biblical Definition of Prosper: to advance, make progress, succeed, be spiritually profitable
There is change in the air!
I was grocery shopping this week when the song "Centerfield" started blaring over the speakers. Even though I've heard this song hundreds of times, something new spoke to the spirit. "Put me in, Coach… I'm ready to play…."
The Lord started ministering to my heart in the grocery store aisles. He, alone, is the Coach. Baseball is a long game that requires one to have patience and remain steadfast. Are you really ready to play? Because it will require due diligence to represent God's team. It will cost you everything.
The Spirit of God then spoke to me all week using baseball metaphors. The story of David at Baal Perazim ("bursting-through") kept repeating in my dreams, so the Lord has a right now word for someone.
The timing is just as important as the spiritual lesson.
Centerfield: God's Center Fielders are those like Moses and David who have trained and learned from the Lord in the 'field' to someday lead people. Jesus also miraculously fed a multitude of people in the field. Jesus spiritually provides and “feeds” you nourishment each day through His Word for you to now feed others.
In the modern day, God’s Center Fielders are people graced and trained by the Holy Spirit to “see” the short and long game. They have exquisite spiritual vision. They are good communicators and have a commanding presence and a keen sense of awareness. They have authority on the field. God has gifted them with the ability to understand the Lord's ball movement well. These are the Lord's scrappy leaders who can pivot, shift and change directions rapidly. Spiritual Center Fielders are God’s “POWER HITTERS” who advance the Kingdom! The Lord has graced them with all sorts of divinely-given gifts and talents.
Sidelined no more: The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord showed me how so many of His children have been in spiritual training and divinely placed on the sidelines or dugouts in recent years or months because He's going to shoot you out of the cannon with force at just the right moment. Right now, you're close enough to see the action, but you're still in a holding position. You've done nothing wrong and everything right.
Father God is intentional about the moment you're released into the game. You will go forward with acceleration, speed and with dynamic power. People will have no idea where you even came from! One day you're there on the sidelines, and the next moment you will walk fully into purpose. This has been a longtime coming!
In the Bible, dunamis is supernatural God-infused POWER that comes with force. It's where we get the word dynamite and dynamic. Four kinds of powers are mentioned in the New Testament, and dunamis is used over 100 times.
"Dunamis" is a Greek word and means:
Acts of power
Miraculous power, ability
Power in action
The third example is the one the Holy Spirit is highlighting. Power in action is God-given supernatural power working through you to perform an action.
I sense the Lord is actually talking specifically about “career fields” or “missionary fields” and highlighting those who work in the marketplace or have some kind of unique skill already. Somehow the Lord will supernaturally be working through people who are actors, singers, athletes, coaches, dancers, speakers, attorneys, teachers, doctors, writers, preachers, orators and other creative talents.
You are God's ambassadors, the Lord's champions. The word "finals" is also weighty on the spirit.
Some of you will see dunamis power at work through power in action. The more you put away fear and go forward with faith, the Lord will release a mighty power through you.
God had me restudy Acts 1 this week when Jesus wanted the disciples to focus on their witness.
Jesus said, "but you will receive power [dunamis] when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses…" (Acts 1:8).
God's leaders can't even step on the spiritual field or the court without dunamis. In fact, some of you have tried before, and there were moments of success, but you only got a tiny taste because the Lord wants to distinguish His glory from yours!
He spent this last year humbling you over and over again because there can be no pride, self-allegiance or stubbornness remaining in one's heart, and He's doing a completely different thing now. It will require you to ultimately yield. God's plans never make sense to human wisdom. What God's calling you to do cannot be achieved with human might and strength.
The Lord has been speaking about March lately through dreams and divine revelations. In one dream, a whole bunch of people received bonus checks on March 20, which happens to be the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere (when the dark flips to light). “You will sprint forward.” Spiritual inheritance often reflects new spiritual gifts given by the Father to do a finished work. Many of your "sideline seasons" will pivot around this date. This is when you’ll enter the game.
March 20 also aligns with Ephesians 3:20…
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power [dunamis] that is at work within us…."
March 2023 is just a complete circle of what started in March 2020. God began planting seeds of promise for His sons and daughters during the early days of the pandemic. He simply said, "follow me," and so many of you answered the call. The promise was so loud and intense that you were confident the promise would have already arrived, but that was all training to get you ready. Jesus wants to get ALL the glory for what He’s about to do!
The "pulling back" has been preparation for the launch forward.
This March will mark three years of "sideline training" for many of you. It mirrors the three years of earthly ministry for Jesus as He prepared His disciples for leadership. The Lord has privately trained some of you and kept you hidden for such a time as this. When the Holy Spirit comes upon your life, it will redirect your purpose. There will be a 'hastening' when the Lord grabs your life and flips the script overnight.
dunamis: (miraculous) power, might, strength
Dýnamis – ability to perform for the believer, power to achieve by applying the Lord's inherent skills. "Power through God's ability"
To 'hasten' means = to encourage to move or act quickly: to urge on, accelerate the movement.
However, allow this to be a warning that Jesus expects to bear fruit from the tree (you) that He's planted and nourished. He's trained you for a purpose and prepared you for something majestic that will change your life forever, but He also requires you to change the lives of others. Our hearts have to remain as pure, noble and holy as possible. Everything we do must be rooted in LOVE.
The Lord sets His children apart with all sorts of gifts and infuses them with His glory to help others. We must make sure that we become instruments of change to help others learn about the saving grace and healing power of Jesus Christ.
The Lord has prepared a table in front of your enemies only because it will bring Him glory. It will show others that, yes, you have been hearing Him correctly, and He will do mighty work in your life to help save others. God's testimony through you is a massive part of this entire situation.
Make sure that King Jesus gets all the glory!
Paul told Timothy: "make Jesus, the Anointed One, the focus of your life and ministry…" (2 Timothy 2:8 TPT)
God's dunamis is about to surge through the lives of people worldwide!
The Lord reminded me of the woman who hemorrhaged for 12 long years. Her miracle was unique and different because her story was just as crucial as the miracle. She was on the sidelines for 12 years, but all that suffering prepared her for the big reveal. The Bible tells us her faith healed her. There will be a moment when you touch Jesus in a certain way at the right time that the power will be unleashed.
"At once, Jesus realized that power [dunamis] had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, 'Who touched my clothes?'" (Mark 5:30).
Kia Stephens said it this way: When God displays his power in our weakness it magnifies his greatness before others who may not have a relationship with Him yet. It may be that God is using the difficult and impossible situations of our lives to display his power for those who are watching outcomes unfold from afar. If you find yourself inundated with weakness, be encouraged, trust God and know that this is when God's power is best displayed.
Do not be afraid, and do not lose courage or confidence. When the dunamis is unleashed, it will give you the capacity to carry out your calling or ministry, and you will also be an effective witness to Jesus Christ to all the ends of the earth.
The platform God is giving you is because you answered the call of your Savior. Even in long seasons of training, waiting and suffering — you never lost focus, and the Lord is so very proud of you, beloved. God says, "lean on Him," and He will help carry you to the finish line. The Lord always knew what was inside you, and a season of great victory is here!
The period between Sept. 23-March 20 is/was a season of many healing breakthroughs and deliverance and God carried you through. This was a “sideline season” and a time to be hidden for a later reveal. God helped you heal from many past wounds. Now it’s time to move forward with BOLDNESS. This is your time to SHINE!
God's training camp is breaking, and a new era is arising for the Lord's center fielders. Now you are released to lead God's people.
Oh, put me in, Coach, I'm ready to play
Put me in, coach, I'm ready to play
Look at me; I can be centerfield
Power-Filled Scripture:
“Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.” (Acts 6:8)
“All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the spirit enabled them.” (Acts 2:4)
“After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and boldly spoke God's word.” (Acts 4:31)
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen." (Eph. 3:20-21)
When Your Vocation Glorifies God
Why does God sometimes take the long route with His chosen leaders? Why does God wait to deliver one from bondage? Why does the Lord delay your championship season?
We learn from the children of Israel that the Lord wanted their hearts to entirely depend upon Him. The same thing happened to the great warriors of faith like Moses, David, Peter and Paul. The Lord can also use our vocations and skills as a training ground to someday lead people.
Some people who are strong-willed and stubborn make great leaders, but they can become fearful of men or even become prideful and/or self-reliant because of their talents and gifts. God can't have superficial leaders. So He's willing to take the long route to root out self-allegiance through very long seasons of waiting, testing, watching, and observing. That way, when your breakthrough moment arrives, only God will get the glory. You will know without a doubt that the Lord did it! Jesus will love you through a sea of broken dreams to give you a soft heart that is compassionate and gentle towards others and you will have a heart full of gratitude towards King Jesus. We really aren’t anything without Him.
We have a world that is so lost and the Lord needs you to now provide hope for people just like He did for you.
Some lessons can't be learned in a classroom but are taught through experience. This is why Jesus sent the disciples out 2x2 for their next development stage. They had to take everything they learned from Jesus as a Teacher and put it into practice as a disciple. Later they became apostles to guide God’s people.
If you have experienced great success in life, then God will teach you patience and endurance in a different way. Frequently this happens through very long seasons of waiting and purging. The Lord is very intentional about every stage of your life.
God chose King David to lead the people, but the shepherd boy first lived as a refugee and fugitive for nearly 20 years! The majority of his early adulthood was spent on the run. He was homeless often, didn't have a constant stream of friends, spent long seasons in seclusion and lost everything familiar at times. David first trained with sheep to then guide the Great Shepherd's people.
David's soul rarely had the chance to rest, yet the fruit of perseverance bloomed from that pain and long seasons of testing. The Lord made a fierce warrior who God said was "a man after God's heart." Through all the pain and isolation, David wrote some of the most beautiful words ever written in the history of the world. God made a king who really was different and set apart, and David never grew bitter.
When we arrive at 1 Chronicles 14, something has shifted for David.
God confirmed him as a king over Israel and David knew this because of his rising reputation. Building season started for the new leader. The envoys arrived. God alone verified David.
"The minute the Philistines heard that David had been made king over a united Israel, they went out in force to capture David." (v. 14:8-9 MSG).
David prayed to God: "is this the right time to attack" and the Lord answered: "Attack; I'll give you the victory."
Even though it's not explicitly mentioned, we can assume dunamis was at work because a massive breakthrough happened at Baal Perazim through David's hands.
So David and his men went up to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, "As waters break out, God has broken out against my enemies by my hand." So that place was called Baal Perazim (1 Chronicles 14:11).
Baal Perazim means "the Lord who bursts through!". David gave the Lord all the credit "the Lord did it. He broke through my enemies!" (1 Samuel 5:20).
Then a second victory took place, but God had David and his men come from behind this time. The Lord is constantly changing strategies to keep His leaders on their toes, so always be ready for the Lord's pivot! Even if you face the same enemy, God's plan can change. David always got victory by praying, seeking God's will, and obeying the command.
"David again prayed to God. God answered, "this time, don't attack head-on; circle around and come at them out of the balsam grove. Attack when you hear a sound like marching feet on the tops of the mulberry tree. God will be two steps ahead of you…." (1 Chronicle 14)
The Lord is highlighting a play on words here for someone: MARCH-ing.
Even today, the Lord is still delivering game plans and strategies to His leaders. The key is to seek Him in all things. Adam Clarke: "How is it that such supernatural directions are not communicated now? Because they are not asked for, and they are not asked for because they are not expected; they are not expected because men have no faith…."
God's center fielders do have faith; that's why He's chosen you for such a time as this. "The marching at the tops of the trees" signaled time to ADVANCE; something similar happened for Elijah when he saw a tiny cloud on the horizon. We should constantly scan the spiritual atmosphere and analyze God's "ball movement." When we feel the Holy Spirit move, we must take up our armor and advance.
"So David's fame spread throughout every land, and the LORD made all the nations fear him" (1 Chronicles 14:17).
A lot has happened in 1 Chronicles 14: God established David's kingdom, he was approved in front of others, his family was built up, and God's name was praised above all other names, "and it put fear in other nations."
Even if one comes from behind, God will get the final say. The Bible repeatedly tells us, "the Lord was with David." Why? The more David warred, the more God's power was revealed. David wasn't the victor here – Jesus was. David didn't come from a kingly pedigree and started out in the field with the sheep. His family didn't even notice God's hand in his life, but the power belonged to the Lord.
"The Lord was with him."
The point is that God trains and raises who He decides on His own. He doesn't need man's approval. Every warrior and leader in the Bible handpicked by the Lord went through seasons of suffering, hardships and persecution. The Lord will grow our faith and deepen our resilience in Christ Jesus through the trials.
One of the most viewed blog posts on this website was born when I suffered greatly. The Lord had me show up and write things I was not feeling at that moment, and I had to learn to praise Him and speak hope to others even while my spirit was crushed. I can look back now and see how God really makes us stronger in our weaknesses. Regardless of what you are facing today, understand that the Lord has a set time for your reveal, to ultimately reveal His great work inside you. God is still speaking today, and we cannot forget to talk back and release everything we are taught.
Jesus really is the very best Coach to ever live! The Lord's center fielders must keep their eye on Him and never lose focus or your sense of wonder. Stay in a place of exuberant JOY! Make LOVE the center of your testimony and story.
Brothers and sisters: regardless of what you are going through, the Lord sees all and knows all. He has a set time for you to be revealed, but He will do a complete and finished work because He cares for you. He loves and cherishes you and has set you apart for a reason. Trust every single step, even when it doesn't always make sense.
Some of you are right on the edge of the Promised Land and about to walk into the fullness of destiny even though it makes no sense with the natural eyes. Do not give up, and do not quit now; a breakthrough is ahead!
Allow the Lord to finish the preparation stage. Just like David, we can trust the Lord is for us, and He sees all and knows how much your heart desires to please Him. Continue to open your heart like David did, stay in a place of surrender, and forgive over and over again. God is coming for you. Keep hope alive!
You have been chosen for such a time as this.
So put me in, Coach, I'm ready to play…
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, thank you for reminding us how deep and wide Your love is for people. Thank you so much for this word today and I pray that You show us the way and reveal Your heart in new ways this season. We await the sound of the mulberry trees rustling in the wind, and we continue to seek Your tiny cloud on the horizon; reveal to us even the slightest of shifts. Lord Jesus, at the end of the day, we just want to serve You and Your people. Platforms don't mean anything without it helping others. Please use us in even greater ways to speak hope and destiny into the lives of Your precious children. Thank you for being our Champion Defender. We long for the day we get to see You face-to-face. Until then, Oh Lord, send us into the fields to share with others how our Redeemer lives!
