Anita Alexander: "Shedding Old Identities in the New Year 5783"

"Shedding Old Identities in the New Year 5783"

Anita Alexander, Gold Coast, Australia

As we approached Rosh Hashanah 5783, all I had been seeing in my prophetic mind's eye (or eyes of my heart, you might say) were butterflies, snakes shedding skin and the old structures dying off, being deserted or being dismantled. All of these pictures were symbolizing the ending of an old identity and the birthing of a new one.

There was an unusual excitement and anticipation in my spirit as we approached this new Hebraic year – more than any previous year. As I was praying, I was seeing something like a threshold that was being crossed, and I saw old garments being removed as we stepped into the new.

Liquid Identities

While meditating on the butterfly, I was reminded of the drastic metamorphosis that the caterpillar goes through in order to exit the cocoon in its newfound magnificence. It eventually liquefies before becoming a butterfly. Its old identity literally becomes liquid before becoming its blueprinted final result, which was originally etched into the caterpillar's DNA. The new identity is formed within the cocoon, and the wrestling process causes it to exit into the new world as a new creature. This picture is somewhat of a prophetic movie (or story, if you like) that is playing out in my spirit right now. (Photo via Unsplash)

In this new season, there is going to be a shift from one place to the next that will look just as night-and-day different from each other as the caterpillar from the butterfly. I say this with all fear and trembling, as I recognize that I am only "seeing in part." However, I acknowledge the Spirit of the Lord gracing me with a glimpse of things to come in the sense of preparing His beloved to "let go." Letting go speaks of releasing an identity of an old season, because He is moving us on out and moving us on in.

A Jordan Encounter

Just as the children of Israel encountered an extreme contrast as they went from their time in the wilderness to entering the Promised Land, so too will this next season be marked by such an extreme difference. The shift of that season was marked by a Jordan encounter. The crossing of the Jordan held many significances.

1. The river was at flood stage. They crossed the river in harvest, and it was the most difficult time to cross in the natural (we could liken this to a rise in inflation and swelling prices). But God said that it was time to cross – not in the time of drought or winter, but in harvest. God wants you to cross at the most inconvenient time, when the season doesn't look ripe for crossing but, from Heaven's perspective, it is.

2. The Jordan represents a death to the old. It means a descent – going down. It's where our flesh has to be quieted to "hear" and be able to do the next step. We have to completely die to the old season in order to be led into the new – not only the new, but our promised land.

3. There is a new battle strategy, there is a new way of warring and there is a new way of being led. We cannot rely on the old way of doing things. The instruction given to Joshua was to leave a gap between the people and the priests carrying the ark, because they'd not gone that way before. Being led by the Spirit through the Jordan will mark this crossing of "all things impossible." (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)

You know we can walk with God one way in a season, but when we enter new seasons, sometimes we walk with God in a new way.

A New Level of Stewardship

The way the children of Israel walked with God in the wilderness was different than how they walked with God in the Promised Land. For one, they didn't need to believe God for daily manna, but they had to enter into a different level of stewardship of their time and their substance. They had to defend their faith from idolatry and yet partake in harvest. If we are going to walk with God in new ways, then we need to be prepared to "hear" and "see" in new ways.

Joshua didn't receive the instruction to take Jericho on the east side of the Jordan. He didn't receive the visitation until he passed through the Jordan.

It's time for death to the wilderness – death to that way of doing things; for there is a new way to lay hold of. You have to die to old and past insecurities, fears, betrayals and ways of doing things – the old comfort zones and places of control – to truly enter the promises on the other side.

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Anita Alexander
Revival Flame Ministries
Email: anita@revival-flame.org
Website: www.revival-flame.org

Motivated by an intense love for the Body of Christ, Anita Alexander's passion and compassion is to see the Church forsake religion and tradition, awaken to the Father's love, and arise and walk in the overcoming identity as sons and daughters of the Kingdom. Anita and her husband Dr. Sasha Alexander travel nationally and internationally ministering in revival fire that brings resurrection life, healing and awakening to the Body of Christ. Together, their passion is to impart, raise up and release a generation of sons and daughters who manifest the glorious victory of the finished work of the Cross. They are co-founders and senior ministers of Revival Flame Ministries, Golden City Church, and Kingdom Academy School of the Spirit Ministry Training School in Gold Coast, Australia.

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