Jodie Hughes: "A Season of Increased Courage and Influence"
From the desk of Steve Shultz:
This powerful article by Jodi Hughes is, I believe, a MUCH needed message we need to hear right now.
Warfare has been very intense for many Believers these days. Yet every time the enemy tries to take over, God will raise up a standard against him. That is what I see in this kairos word from the Lord. Learn how God is giving His Church a NEW voice, NEW courage and NEW influence to combat the enemy in this hour!
I know this word by Jodi will encourage many of you as she shares:
Fear of man is being broken. Any partnerships with unbelief are being highlighted and evicted, and bold faith is arising. The Bride is breaking free of unbelief and intimidation that has fiercely assaulted and squashed her voice, and our collective and individual voice is being unshackled and unleashed. Influence is being added where anointed courage is being activated.
Now, read about the roll YOU play in this new season, and how to walk in God's fresh increase. Enjoy! (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)
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"A Season of Increased Courage and Influence"
A Kairos Season of Redemption
In Luke 1, it records the announcement of something new God was birthing into the earth "in the days of King Herod." As we know, these days were full of fear, political upheaval, evil scheming, murderous agendas to kill a generation, unrest, chaos, hardship, and an abortive spirit to squash God's plans. The climate was also ripe for change. Breakthrough, reprieve and rescue were greatly needed. It was into this environment that the Lord announced He was birthing a new era of God invading Earth with hope.
As we know, to Mary He sent an angel to announce the birth of Jesus. To Zechariah, a righteous priest, He sent the same angel to announce the birth of John, who would be known as John the Baptist and be used to trumpet the arrival of Jesus and a new era. God had heard the cry of His people for rescue in the days of King Herod, and He announced a kairos season of redemption.
This parallels today in our nations with the phrase "as in the days of King Herod," describing our nations' circumstances very well.
"Partnering with unbelief diminishes influence. Partnering with truth and God's voice increases influence."
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Certainly there is an abortive, murderous spirit that is attempting to annihilate a generation and abort God's promises in every way possible before unprecedented harvest can break out fully. The intercessory cry of God's people arises and the nations are prophetically poised for accelerated change. There is a kairos moment upon the Body for a new wineskin, a due season of fulfilled promise, a new era of justice, and an unprecedented harvest breaking in. We equally see the evil agenda of the enemy blatantly and openly attacking all that is pure and righteous to silence God's people and squash hope.
Zechariah's Unbelief
It was into this charged atmosphere 2,000 years ago, that Zechariah heard an angel tell him that his long-held prayer for a child was to be answered, and that his son would be a pioneer of hope to God's people of a new day dawning. God was stepping in and birthing change and hope where His people had felt desperate for breakthrough. All that had been before was merely preparation for what would now play out among God's people. Redemption, restoration, healing, rescue, grace and a new, miraculous season of hope fulfilled...this was upon the Bride. Jesus would change everything, and John would announce the new day. The prophesies of old were culminating into a kairos moment of God literally breaking in.
Sadly, despite Zechariah praying for a child for many years, when an angel finally announced the miracle, he didn't believe it. Gabriel, the angel, came from the very presence of God (meaning that the angel carried the weighty glory and tangible presence of God) and interrupted Zechariah's life and ministry to tell him a new day was upon him. Unfortunately, he didn't believe what God told him, and he didn't attach faith to his long-awaited miracle moment which had finally come.
The angel announcing the child's name as John caused challenges for Zechariah, because to give his son a name that wasn't a family name essentially was saying his child wouldn't follow in his steps, traditions and job, but would be set apart and unique. This, no doubt, was a lot to take in.
However, what is perhaps more profound is that Scripture records that Gabriel, the angel, silences Zechariah's voice because He didn't believe what God was saying to him from His presence. God was very clear, and because of unbelief, Zechariah lost his voice, and his influence was severely inhibited and limited. To God, it was important that he recognize His presence and believe what was announced, regardless of what was being said (I think this is big).
What Has Unbelief Cost Us?
I wonder how much our influence, corporately, is limited by unbelief and not partnering with what the Lord is trumpeting out? I wonder how much our voices are inhibited by not believing what God says? I wonder how much we have missed by trivializing or not recognizing God's manifest presence or His voice to us from an encounter?
It is important to note that God called the baby—Zachariah and Elizabeth's miracle child—John. As noted already, this was not a family, traditional, or expected name to use, and certainly didn't follow any previous expectations or precedents set for naming a child in their family. It was totally a new thing. For whatever reason, it didn't fit in the box of the expected or status quo, and it certainly set their child free from traditional expectation of following in his father's footsteps. This was important, as the destiny of John was to decree a new day, a message that would break from the religious status quo, announcing the arrival of the Messiah Jesus, and that everything would now be different.
The angel said, "Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John" (Luke 1:13). This was an announcement of the birthing of a miracle. But it was also the announcement of change. This child wouldn't be named after what had been before; he was to be named by what God was currently releasing and doing...something new, something unique and purposed for the time they found themselves in. They hadn't been this way before, and so what God was birthing was also new and masterfully designed for that season. This child, who prophetically trumpeted a new generation of wild Believers and an era of grace, needed to carry a name that identified the freshness of what God was birthing. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)
Silence vs Unbelief
John, who's name means "Jehovah is gracious," embodied all God was releasing. The way maker and preparer of a generation for the greatest harvest the nations had yet seen, and the birth of Jesus—the Savior of all mankind—was being announced. This was not just any birth, this was a new era of salvation upon the nations. This required those around the birth to believe what God was saying and doing and partner in faith with Him. It would seem that silence was more preferable than unbelief around the birth of the new. Be found as a voice of life and faith in due-season moments. Be found as a voice that speaks life over what God is speaking life over.
(Note: There are many things God is doing, and right now it would seem clear that one issue close to His heart is supporting life for the unborn. The Gospel requires boldness, and silence is partnering with the enemy. This is an issue where corporate silence is no longer appropriate. Silence has affected the corporate influence of the Church. Unbelief in God's Word and intimidation are being highlighted, and fresh grace to stand with truth and life is being released. Anointed courage is being awakened. A new breed of grace-releasing, yet fierce Kingdom activists are arising.)
God is Giving His People Their Voice Back
It's at the birth of John the Baptist, Scripture tells us, that Elizabeth, his mum, wanted to call him John, but those gathered around—no doubt family and the community—didn't agree, and voiced their disapproval loudly over such a name being chosen.
Today, we often find ourselves in similar circumstances where many voice their loud disapproval of God's Word and what He is saying.
As John the Baptist was born, and the family and friends gathered, disapproving of the chosen name, Zechariah, with great determination, found the only way available to him to communicate, which was writing on a tablet. He made sure he got God's word heard, and silenced the disapproving voices by stating, "His name is John." This cut through the noise and released God's heart.
"There is a kairos moment upon the Body for a new wineskin, a due season of fulfilled promise, a new era of justice, and an unprecedented harvest breaking in."
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It was right in this moment, the moment of directly combating other voices that misidentified what God was doing and disputed His word, that Zechariah got his voice back! God is similarly giving His people back their voices in this hour! The shackles are coming off!
Influence and Courage Amplified
Zechariah used what was available to him to agree with what God was saying and speak God's word into the season. Immediately he got his voice back! INFLUENCE WAS AMPLIFIED WHEN ZECHARIAH SPOKE OUT.
Zechariah boldly spoke out to the disapproving crowd, and made sure what God wanted was heard and done. The child was to be called John. What the loud voices of the community were saying was contrary to God's word, despite perhaps being well meant. It was in this moment of anointed courage, this moment of speaking out, this moment of decreeing God's word that influence was restored, increased and amplified on Zechariah. The restriction and limitation on his voice was broken as unbelief was rejected and belief in God was restored.
The voice of INFLUENCE is coming on the prophetic voices of the nations, pioneers birthing new movements, and the Church in an accelerated onslaught. Anointed courage will be heard speaking to and into current, challenging conversations that need God's word to correctly identify the issue, and speak God's heart and truth into the matter. The enemy has entrapped a people to think that speaking out will diminish their voice and influence. The opposite is true.
Partnering with unbelief diminishes influence. Partnering with truth and God's voice increases influence.
Silence is loud, and diminishes influence. Remaining silent or not believing or obeying God's word will diminish influence and effectively silence many called voices. Speaking out with anointed courage what God is saying will amplify and increase influence. Yes, there will no doubt be forms of persecution, but persecution will come regardless if we speak or don't speak. Speaking anointed courage will shift and re-shape history. History waits to be re-written by bold courage. The enemy is counting on our silence. Silence is the enemy of accelerated God-change.
Inaction and Complacency
Inaction and complacency rob nations. This is not a call to anger, it is a call to grace and God-inspired solutions. This is not a call to obnoxiousness. It is a call to daring courage to stand with truth and the heart of God. Inaction has stolen much from the Church and the nations. Complacency robs nations of Kingdom solutions and salvation.
Be found speaking and partnering with truth and what God is doing on the earth. As the Body speaks with anointed courage, our voice will again be heard in the current conversations requiring Kingdom solutions. Influence will increase to speak into hearts and lives with relevant solutions, inspired revelation and life-giving, kairos wisdom to pressing issues.
Intimidation is breaking as bold courage inspires and awakens a people to believe, speak and act on what God is saying. There are those who loudly disagree and attack, but the baby must be called John. This season must have anointed voices of truth speaking exactly what God is saying and not changing the message because of unbelief or because of fear of God doing something new. (Photo via Unsplash)
Influence is Being Added Where Courage is Being Activated
The Church is arising from intimidation and attack intended to silence and abort destiny, into a season of daring courage to speak and enter into a new, spectacular harvest. Fear of man is being broken. Any partnerships with unbelief are being highlighted and evicted, and bold faith is arising. The Bride is breaking free of unbelief and intimidation that has fiercely assaulted and squashed her voice, and our collective and individual voice is being unshackled and unleashed. Influence is being added where anointed courage is being activated.
Anointed Courage Will Shift History
Courage is on the rise! A new breed of daring is upon us. BE READY FOR A SPIRIT OF BOLDNESS AND MIGHT TO COME UPON YOU. ASK FOR A SPIRIT OF BOLDNESS AND MIGHT TO COME UPON YOU. You will arise in new boldness as anointed courage comes upon you for Kingdom exploits. Unprecedented harvest is breaking out and you are anointed, appointed and called into such a time as NOW. Your anointed courage is shifting history. (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)
Ben and Jodie Hughes are the founders of Pour It Out Ministries and have been in ministry together for more than 20 years. Recently relocating to the United States from Australia, they, along with their adult daughter Keely, travel full-time around the world as revivalists, with an emphasis on releasing and equipping for revival, breakthrough prophetic worship, prophetic ministry and preaching the Gospel with miracles, signs and wonders following. Ben and Jodie are known for recently hosting the Pineapple Revival in Australia which saw thousands come from all over, initially going non-stop for 22 weeks and extending for 18 months. In addition to being full-time itinerant revivalists and prophets, they have pastored and planted several churches, trained hundreds of ministry students, recorded worship albums and other writing projects as well.
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