Warring Over the Harvest of Promises
As we have stepped into 2022, one of the things the Lord keeps impressing upon my spirit is the importance of not just entering into the promise but inhabiting the harvest of promises. When we stepped into 2022, we were met with an unexpected onslaught of warfare individually and on a global level. The Lord showed me the tactic of this warfare is to bring discouragement and snuff out the hope that has been building with the expectancy of the new season.
I want to encourage you not to bow to the warfare. Just because the intensity of the warfare has increased doesn't cancel out what God has declared over 2022. Beloved, don't take the bait of the enemy; it's just a smoke screen. The enemy can't stop what God is going to do, but he can try to delay it so that we get discouraged and give up. Don't fall for it.
Coming into the new year, it seemed like we were transported back to 2020 due to the pandemic; the world once again going into a state of panic and fear. Although it may seem like a repeat of 2020, we're not there. Don't take the bait. Continue to declare and come into agreement with what the Lord has said over 2022.
A Time of Fulfillment: Taste and See That the Lord Is Good!
2022 will mark a time of fulfillment. In a recent dream, I was at nice restaurant sharing a meal with a friend. I also saw the Holy Spirit and the Father enjoying a meal as well. The waiter kept bringing us these beverages in brown bottles to drink from. Each time we would run out, the waiter would bring the next round. It was like there was an endless supply.
When I began to search out the meaning of this dream, the Holy Spirit began to show me it was about tasting and seeing that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8). This dream was also about partaking and enjoying the harvest, because this drink in the bottles was coming from the harvest that was planted. I began to think about the verse Galatians 6:9 (TPT): "And don't allow yourselves to be weary in planting good seeds, for the season of reaping the wonderful harvest you've planted is coming!"
I believe that this is a word for the Body of Christ as we have come into 2022. I pray, as you read this, it begins to stir your faith. What you have been doing and sowing, you haven't been doing in vain. There's a harvest to reap and enjoy for the labor and endurance you've had to walk out. (Photo via Unsplash)
Here Are Keys to Entering Into Promise
Recently, the Lord impressed upon me to read Numbers 13 and 14. He shared with me that this is where the Body of Christ is, as we have entered into a new time. These two chapters talk about the Lord instructing Moses to send out 12 spies to inspect the Promise Land. Prophetically, 13 is a number that represents unity, reflecting the Father, Son and Holy Spirit—three in one. This is a key for us to enter into promise. I include more on this in the following 6 keys to entering into promise:
1. Unity
As the Body of Christ, unity is key to entering the 'Promised Land' God has for us. Because unity is necessary, we must guard our hearts and relationships and not allow the spirit of division to come in. As Moses released the instruction of the Lord (Numbers 13:2), the 12 tribe leaders gathered with one heart, mind, and spirit.
2. Authority
The number 12 prophetically represents apostolic authority. This is the highest representation of authority and the government of God. When the Lord begins to lead us into new territories and places, whether in the natural or in the spirit, we must go in the authority of God, the one who sent us. When we go in our own strength, we don't have the backing of Heaven. As the 12 spies were sent out, they were going with Heaven's jurisdiction and backing. God's government always triumphs over man's government.
3. Confidence
After exploring the land for 40 days, they came back to give a report. The number 40 prophetically symbolizes testing and deliverance. As they scoped out the land for 40 days, the Lord was testing their hearts. Would they have the capacity to really believe the Lord had given them this land, despite the giants and how fortified it seemed?
"This was their report to Moses: 'We entered the land you sent us to explore, and it is indeed a bountiful country—a land flowing with milk and honey. Here is the kind of fruit it produces. But the people living there are powerful, and their towns are large and fortified. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak!'" (Numbers 13:27-28, NLT)
Ten of the spies began to give a negative report. As they released this report, their confidence, and the confidence of the people, began to waver because of the giants they saw.
4. Don't Bow to Fear
God will often give us a glimpse of the promise to keep us hungry and hopeful. I want to encourage you, just because there may be 'giants' in the land doesn't mean that God's promise isn't true. God wants to empower us with His Spirit to take down every giant that stands in the way of our promise. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)
Caleb said this to the Israelites to try and break the fear: "But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. 'Let's go at once to take the land,' he said. 'We can certainly conquer it'" (Numbers 13:30).
We must take God at His word. When we come into agreement with the Word of God, it releases everything we need to conquer what stands before us.
5. Don't Cave to Unbelief
If we're not careful, we'll allow fear to influence us to the point where we will come into agreement with the enemy. Fear will cause use to rebel against God.
Numbers 14:1-4 (NLT) says, "Then the whole community began weeping aloud, and they cried all night. Their voices rose in a great chorus of protest against Moses and Aaron. 'If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!' they complained. 'Why is the Lord taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and our little ones will be carried off as plunder! Wouldn't it be better for us to return to Egypt?' Then they plotted among themselves, 'Let's choose a new leader and go back to Egypt!'"
Fear and unbelief gripped the Israelites so bad that they started to plot and plan to go back to Egypt in bondage. Fear will make you think it's safer to be in bondage than to conquer the giants. After all the miracles and deliverances they saw and experienced from the Lord, it wasn't enough to shift their hearts into faith and belief. So the Lord took them back into the wilderness because of their unbelief and waited for that generation to die out. The new generation would enter into promise.
6. We Must Be of a Different Spirit
We must be like Caleb and be of a different spirit. Numbers 14:24-25 says, "But My servant Caleb has a different attitude than the others have. He has remained loyal to Me, so I will bring him into the land he explored. His descendants will possess their full share of that land. Now turn around, and don't go on toward the land where the Amalekites and Canaanites live. Tomorrow you must set out for the wilderness in the direction of the Red Sea."
The thing that set Caleb apart from his peers was that he refused to come into agreement with what fear was prophesying back to them. No matter what it looked like, Caleb chose to come into agreement with the promise that God had given His people the land. We must know and believe who our God is; giants are nothing in His eyes.
Daniel 11:32 says, "...the people who know their God shall be strong, and and carry out great exploits." The Spirit of the Lord will always give us the advantage over our enemies.
This is the season to enter into promise. God has given you everything you need. It's time to take the land and take down the giants holding your promises hostage.
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Madeline James
Madeline James Ministry
Email: nabispen@gmail.com
Website: www.prophetmj.com
Madeline James is an emerging prophetic writer and voice who desires to release the heart of the Father, and be a tuning fork for the Body of Christ. She operates in the seer and revelatory realm. Her heart is to release revelation and wisdom that will help propel and push the Body of Christ forward. Madeline is the author of Rooted In Love, Declaring Your Morning, co-author of Emerge, and the blogger of the prophetic blog Nabi's Pen. She resides in Lexington, KY with her husband Richie and their two daughters.
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