Thursday, October 15, 2015

Outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the midst of the woes

Habakkuk 2:14 (NKJV): For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

I heard these words during a time of prayer recently:
"Outpouring! Outpouring! Outpouring of the Holy Spirit be upon My people these seven years! In the midst of the woes, the knowledge of My glory will fill the earth as the waters cover the sea, just as I have spoken to Habakkuk."

The word 'knowledge' here in Hebrew is 'yada', which can mean 'to know by seeing, to know by recognizing, to know by comprehending, or to know by discovering'. In other words, you are entering a time when you'll know His glory, you'll see His glory, you'll recognize His glory, you'll comprehend His glory, and you'll discover His glory!

By the way, the name 'Habakkuk' in Hebrew comes from the root word 'chabaq' ('khaw-bak') meaning 'to embrace, to cling to'. Therefore, the key in these seven years is to continue embracing Him and clinging to Him no matter what, just as Habakkuk did. As you embrace Him, He will embrace you. As you cling to Him, He will cling to you. And as you draw near to Him, He will draw near to you (James 4:8). There will be safety and a hedge of protection round about you, even in the midst of the woes (i.e. griefs, troubles) that you see on earth.

The Lord works in a seven-year cycle, just as He works in a seven-day cycle that makes up a week. In fact, scientists have recently discovered cells in our human bodies also renew and replenish themselves every seven years! So, people of God, as you prepare yourselves for your next seven years (2016-2022), receive the fresh new wind from the Lord that blows away every sorrow of your past, and receive also the fresh new wine that brings renewal and joy in your life. This joy that comes from heaven will in turn be your strength (Nehemiah 8:10) for this coming new season of yours.

In Romans 12:1-2, the apostle Paul wrote, 'I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God'.

Here, the Word of God says to present your bodies (i.e. yourselves) to the Lord a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God. The word 'present' here in Greek is 'paristemi', and in this verse's context, means 'to bring before (the Lord), to yield to (the Lord), or to dedicate to (the Lord)'. And the apostle Paul wrote that you are not to be conformed to this world (or in other words, be patterned after this world), but instead be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

These two to three months, you may want to enter a time of reading the Word of God and praying in the spirit often, and reduce on the things of this world. So, instead of shopping often, read the Word of God often. And instead of watching movies often, pray in the spirit often. I call it Word-fast and Spirit-fast. As you read the Word of God and pray in the spirit much, the Holy Spirit will begin enlightening your spiritual eyes and opening your spiritual ears. You will begin to know what is from God and what is not from God. The grace and anointing will be present. As people of God, you don't just rely on your five physical senses (or even the sixth sense) like the people in the world do. As a matter of fact, what you see physically on this earth may not be what it really is, and what you hear physically on this earth may not be the whole truth. You need the Holy Spirit, who will guide you and lead you into all truth (John 16:13, 1 John 2:27).

As you dedicate yourselves to the Lord, ask God that your 'first step' will be the 'right step'. From thereon, step by step, one step at a timeIsaiah 28:9-10 says, 'For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept. Line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little'. Don't worry about what's at the end. Take one step at a time. Every step of the way, listen and obey. The Lord will speak further. Remember 'the steps of a good man are ordered (established) by the Lord, and He delights in his way' (Psalm 37:23).

Let the Lord speak, and write it downHabakkuk 2:2-3 says, 'Then the Lord answered me and said: "Write down the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come..."'

The word 'vision' here is 'chazown' ('khaw-zone') in Hebrew, which means 'a sight, a dream, a revelation, an oracle (i.e. a prophetic word or insight)', from the word 'chazah' ('khaw-zaw') meaning 'to gaze at, to see, to perceive, to have a vision of, to behold'. Indeed, 'where there is no vision (or revelation), God's people perish' (Proverbs 29:18).
Note: 'Insight' here is defined as 'understanding of a thing's true nature'.

People of God, this is also a time to ask the Lord to bring you to the next level of wisdom, grace and anointing in your life.

The Lord spoke these words as I was praying in the spirit the other day:
"These three months, I am preparing you for the next level of wisdom, grace and anointing. Ask of Me, so that you will not miss out on what I want to do in you, and you will not miss out on what I want you to be in this coming season of yours. You will find your rightful place in My kingdom."

Indeed, you and I are in for an exciting seven years ahead! These are years of God's great outpouring in ways that the world has never seen before (1 Corinthians 2:9-10), in spite of the woes on earth. You see, these are years of great contradiction, when the very best and the very worst are happening at the same time. But fear not. Those who have seen (experienced) the Lord will not be easily deceived by what they see with their naked eyes. Instead, they will see and discern with their spiritual eyes. The humble will begin to prosper (Proverbs 22:4), and the last will be the first (Mark 10:31). May you be counted as one of these.

In Habakkuk 3:17-19, the prophet Habakkuk wrote, 'Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls - yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation ('Yeshua'). The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, and He will make me walk on high hills'.

'Deer's feet' here speaks of 'strength and elasticity'. When the enemy tries to put sorrow in you, the joy of the Lord shall be your strength! And when the enemy tries to put you 'out of shape', the Lord will cause you to 'spring back to shape'! By the way, that's what 'elasticity' means - to 'spring back to shape'!

'High hills' here speaks of 'the heights, high above every form of woes (i.e. griefs, troubles) on earth'. And that's where you and I shall walk in this coming time and season - on 'high hills'!

Therefore, people of God, choose to look to Him, embrace Him, and cling to Him no matter what you see or hear on earth; and you'll be sure that He will make your feet like deer's feet, and He will make you walk on high hills, just as the prophet Habakkuk had written some 2,600 years ago regarding our time. Hallelujah!