John Belt: "2018: A Genesis Year of New Beginnings!"

From the desk of Steve Shultz:

My friend John Belt always has fresh manna to share with the Body of Christ. I've ministered with John and have seen him worship as he takes us all into heavenly places.

As you read through John's word for 2018, you will be encouraged and renewed as God prepares us for the new year.

As John shares:

This new year of 2018 is going to be a year of Genesis, of new creation—even new beginnings, signified by the number 8. 2017 was a year of completion and bringing things to a close—things that needed resolution for many years. 2018 will also be a year of fulfillment of promises and expansion with an emphasis on Kingdom advancement. Be encouraged as this new year approaches. God wants to put you right where you belong so that you can have an impact in your God-appointed place.

Enjoy...and I pray a renewing over you as you enter this new year! (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)

"In the beginning God created..." (Genesis 1:1)

This new year of 2018 is going to be a year of Genesis, of new creation—even new beginnings, signified by the number 8. 2017 was a year of completion and bringing things to a close—things that needed resolution for many years. 2018 will also be a year of fulfillment of promises and expansion with an emphasis on Kingdom advancement. Be encouraged as this new year approaches. God wants to put you right where you belong so that you can have an impact in your God-appointed place.

1. Kingdom Advance Overnighted!

"...the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits." (Daniel 11:32)

2018 will be a year where "the Kingdom" will become a continued emphasis as God wants to empower the Body of Christ to affect the mountain of influence to which they are called. God works with us in stages. He'll bring you to the next stage as the light comes on in your heart to see more of His Kingdom manifested.

It's time to discover the arena that you are called to and pursue God in such way so you can get positioned in that sphere to influence it with His glory. As you pursue the Lord, He will move you to the next stage for your life. Our pursuit expedites His plans for our lives. You can be content to have things sent for your life at a snail's pace or your can get them overnighted! Make 2018 a year for expedited delivery in your own life!

2. Renewal Over Rigidity & Religious Ritual

"Now the Lord is the Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, seeing the glory of the Lord with unveiled faces, as in a mirror, are being transformed (transfigured/metamorphoō) into the same image (eikōn) from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:17-18 emphasis mine)

Renewal begins with the Holy Spirit. Renewal continues with the Holy Spirit. There cannot be renewal without the Holy Spirit. In 2018, engage with the Spirit in such a way that you are receiving of the river of His presence. Freely you have "received" so freely give. If we have received nothing, then there is nothing to give and it begins with His Spirit in our lives.

Jesus told His disciples to go and wait in Jerusalem until they were clothed with power from on high. We have to position ourselves to receive from God so that we have something to pour out on others. Communion with the Holy Spirit is the way we get renewed or made new in His presence. He, the person of the Spirit, makes all things new in our lives daily.

"But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." (Titus 3:4-5)

Jesus told His disciples that He had to leave but that something far better was coming: His indwelling presence! Without the indwelling presence of the Spirit you will end up striving in your flesh trying to make things happen. He is the river that creates a flow in our lives, removing the rigidity of religious ritual. Make 2018 a year of being renewed in His presence!

3. Activate Angels in His Glory

"But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: Let all the angels of God worship Him. Of the angels He says: 'He makes His angels spirits, and His servants a flame of fire.'" (Hebrews 1:6-7)

There will be a growing consciousness of the angelic activity in our midst, especially as we activate them in through our worship. The angels are activated and energized by our surrendered pursuit of God.

Make an intentional effort to activate the angels and be more conscious of them and what God is doing. We know the angels rejoice when someone comes to the Lord and that they are here to help us advance His Kingdom. When atmospheres change from darkness to light and when Heaven is manifested on the earth, it stirs and shifts things in the invisible realm where God's angels are activated. As we continue to engage with God – manifesting His Kingdom in such a way that the light of His presence changes atmospheres – His heavenly hosts will bring their assistance to us. We don't want them bored...ACTIVATE!

4. Dominion & Victory

"For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith." (1 John 5:4)

There is coming a fresh awakening of Kingdom dominion and victory. This is the victory, even our faith, that has overcome the world. It is time for a fresh wind of His victory to blow upon His people—to wake up and smell the red roses of victory! It is high time for the sleeping giant (the Church) to wake up, realize its authority and quit tolerating Jezebel and religious control. Ahab represents the church that is in idolatry, caught up in performance (the show) and looking for titles while being in bed with the world.

"Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face. Selah." (Psalm 24:3-6)

God is looking for a people with clean hands and pure hearts that have not lifted up their souls in idolatry. These people will ascend the mountain of God and experience great authority and victory as they see the Lord as He truly is.

5. Fresh Bread & the Morning/Evening Light

"And Moses said, 'Let no one leave any of it (manna) till morning.' Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them." (Exodus 16:19-20)

I saw a vision of bread with maggots. It reminded me of when the children of Israel were given manna each day, but if they tried to keep it until the next it would be rotten.

Make a commitment to get your fresh bread daily by spending time in His presence. Discover your flow. Are you an evening person or a morning person? From what I've discovered, we all seem to have been created by God for either the morning light or the evening light. Find out what flows best for you. If both seem to work well, maybe you are both! That's special!

As you find that time you will be able to carry His glory through the day with simple primers—priming the pump of your spirit in prayer in worship. Make 2018 a year of fresh bread that you can, in turn, give away to others!

6. You Are an Original

"And Saul armed David with his armor, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. And David girded his sword upon his armor, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, 'I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them.' And David put them off him." (1 Samuel 17:38-39)

Be who God has made you to be. I tend to say this a lot: "Get out of the cookie cutter!" Be who God made you to be. Don't compare yourself to someone else. Throw off Saul's armor. Don't be conformed to a teaching or a doctrine, be conformed to the image of Christ. We are changed from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord as we behold HIM. Don't be a parrot that just repeats what someone else says—find your life, identity, purpose and devotion with God in the secret place.

Original valuable art has great value; printed copies don't. God is the greatest Artist and made you intrinsically expensive! Discover your value as you pursue Him and as you are changed by beholding His face. Here your true nature that is created in true righteousness and holiness, will rise to the surface of your life—with His light and countenance shining upon you!

7. Seek for His Pure Gold

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." (Matthew 5:8)

In a dream, the Lord showed me how we are to be seeking for His pure gold. He wants us to have "hearts of gold". I was holding some gold in my hand that was like putty—very flexible. God wants our hearts and lives to be flexible in His hands so that He can use us. It is the potter and the clay scenario, where we are yielded vessels in His hands. It's also being watered by the Holy Spirit, which makes us "flexible" rather than stiff.

When our hearts are yielded to the Spirit we are like a well-watered garden, where the soil is easy to plant in and "yield" fruit and life. Seek after His wisdom and understanding—which are like gold—so you may know the ways of the Lord. God will bless you in 2018 as you pursue to have a "heart of Gold" and a "heart after God"!

John and Brandi Belt
Overflow Global Ministries
Email: office@overflowglobal.com
Website: www.overflowglobal.com

John and Brandi Belt are the leaders of Overflow Global Ministries. The heart of their message is that God's greatest desire is to indwell His people with His presence. They believe that man was created to be inhabited by God through His Spirit. With a sincere devotion to God through the Holy Spirit, people can live in a place of overflow in His presence. This overflow translates into touching the lives of others through living encounters with God. When John and Brandi minister, the intimate presence of God is manifest – being accompanied with demonstrations of God's power to heal, revive, and restore.

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