Word for Now and Into New Year by Joni Ames
Identity Network
I'm very excited that we are now into a brand new year on the Jewish Calendar. Although I'm not one of those that try to put us "under the law," in that realm, I do appreciate knowing our heritage as grafted into the vine. I feel times like this give us a 'new chance' to go forth anew in what He has for us.
If you have been experiencing a rough time in the area of your mind, I challenge you in this time and season to allow - and even to ask the Lord - to give to you an "attitude adjustment" so that you can walk in all He has for you in this season. Truly, our attitude can often determine our altitude. The Israelites missed out on their Promised Land due to their attitude. For sure, we don't want that to get in the way of us experiencing what God might have for us.
We can choose to operate in the spirit of self-control and thus control what frame of mind to operate in.
Cast Down Your Imaginations
As the Word of God says, we can "Cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of Christ and bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." With all the warfare there is out there, sometimes we just have to lay hands on our own head and declare that scripture over ourselves. And thankfully God's Word doesn't return void.
Years ago, the Lord gave me the adage, "If you let anything start stopping you, it will never stop stopping you. So don't."
There's nothing worth allowing the enemy to steal our purpose, call, and destiny.
Many times we think in terms of "What would we do if money was no object," and we get stuck on our "wanna be" or "wanna haves." But I challenge you to consider today the question of, what would you do if what God called you to do would cost you everything? If we approach with the attitude of "do or die," and we are committed to go forward in all He has for us, no matter what the cost, truly nothing can stop us from walking in victory. If more people took that approach regarding life, marriage, and their purpose, call, and destiny, we would realize that NOTHING is worth forsaking it.
There are many times in my life when the Lord has laid an opportunity in front of me and had me give up everything for the vision He gave me. I did that at the beginning of this year when I moved to Arizona. I gave up two mobile homes I owned and all my furniture, kitchen items, and a lot of other things. Not to mention moving over 2,000 miles from my children and grandchildren.
Sometimes we go through things like that and what we thought was going to occur doesn't happen. We stand there feeling like a fool and doubting our ability to hear from Him.
Trust me, that's where I've been this year as well. Yet I "know that I know that I know" He said to do it. But what I've come to realize is that His purposes sometimes don't match our expectations. But above all, "Father (God) knows best." And truly, you can't out give God. Eventually He restores better than you can ever imagine. Loss is nothing compared to the fact that faith in Him brings great gain.
His Timing is Different
Another thing is that His timing is usually much different than ours. Doggone it! I wish it was instant just like I want it to be, just to be honest! But sometimes we have to wait longer for the vision to come to pass than we thought or wanted to. But again, He knows best.
So are we really going to trust Him? Or give up on the brink of our miracle?
I'm going to be 61 in a little over a week. I don't want to pass through this life without walking in all that He has called me to. So that means not missing a chance to take the chance to do it. It means realizing that Kairos moments in time save time when we step through the portal that moment provides for us to do so. Because if we do, all that we have need of will meet us there.
It's all about faith. Which Hebrews 11:1 says is the substance of things hoped for and evidence of things unseen. And in verse 3, it says that the things that are made are produced by things that we cannot yet see. So, as crazy as it may sound, it's trusting that what we cannot even yet see already exists and will pass from the unseen realm into the seen realm at exactly the right moment in time. That's what faith in God is all about.
We can choose to believe or have faith in Him, or the lies and fears of the enemy. I choose God.
Coming Along Side Each Other
Another thing is, sometimes we need others in the Body of Christ to come alongside of us - or others need us to do so for them. We are not to be doing this thing called life alone as a lone ranger.
I was recently in a ministers' meeting, and they talked about the mighty redwood trees. I was fascinated as they explained that the roots of those trees only go about three feet deep, even though they stand so tall! But amazingly, what keeps them standing tall through winds and weather of all kinds is the fact that, under the surface, their roots grab a hold of each other, and help to hold each other up for hundreds of years! What a wonderful prophetic picture of what we should be doing for each other in the Body of Christ! Helping to keep each other rooted and grounded, and standing tall through all sorts of storms in life.
That's Love. The Word tells us that they will know we are Christians by our Love. Because God IS Love.
An Eye to See
On the Jewish calendar, we are in the 5770's. The 70's portion is called "Ayin," and it means, "eye, to see" and thus be awake. We are in a time of awakening.
2014/5774 was Ayin Dalet, the year of the open door. 2015/5775 was the year our eyes saw rescue, and the year that Messiah/Jesus walked through the open door and obtained for the believer the double, triple and quadruple portion.
This year, 5776/2016, is Ayin Vav (pronounced "waw"), the Year of the Big Jubilee, the Year of Light and things happening at the speed of light, and is called a time when God will peg, fasten, and secure us to His promises. A jubilee year is a time of great restoration, as Joel 2:25 promises, a time when we will have even lost time restored to us.
Ezra 9:8-9 is for this time: And now for a little while grace has been shown from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage. For we were slaves. Yet our God did not forsake us in our bondage; but He extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to revive us, to repair the house of our God, to rebuild its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.
My goodness! What a wonderful time of promise! A time when we are fastened to His Promises and we will see the House of God come forth in great glory! Let us not look at the giants in the land, but go forth into the huge fruit that lies up ahead!
Walk Forward
Time to stop listening to the naysayers and doomsday proclaimers and realize that, even though it's a time of great darkness, God's Isaiah 60:1-2 promise is ours, and a time when His light and glory will rise and shine upon, in, and through us - His people! Glory to God!!!
So, lift up the hands that hang down and straighten your feeble knees, and walk forward into all that God has for us!
One more thing - a prophetic sign - the Super Bowl this coming year is number 50. That's the number of Jubilee. And God said to tell you to expect to see HIS Super Bowl come forth for you in this coming year!
As it says in Rev 8, the bowls of incense, mixed with the prayers of the saints, will bring forth much fruit, and we will see the works of the enemy be destroyed and His people come forth in victory. Yay God!!!
Don't let the conspiracy theorists mess up your theology. Stick to God's Word and walk in His power and victory. For those called by His Name, the BEST truly IS yet to come!!!
Love & Blessings.
Joni Ames
