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Prophets don't just give a message; they often are the message. For that reason, the life of the prophet will take some unusual twists and turns in order to bring forth a prophetic word that's not just spoken but has been lived out.
The prophet Ezekiel, for example, spent a set number of days lying on his left side and then on his right as a sign to the people of Israel. He did this at God's specific command, as no normal person would ever do this!
Prior to Ezekiel, we see how the prophet Jonah found himself in the belly of a whale for three days. This happened primarily because he rebelled against his God-assignment to prophesy to the Ninevites. Much later, however, Jonah's deep-sea detour was the sign that Jesus used to communicate that He would spend three days in the belly of the earth before His resurrection.
With that said, as a prophet, I've learned to pay attention to life. I've learned to pay attention to the big happenings as well as the small details. God will shout His word just as readily as He will hide it in something mundane and obscure. Or He will take you on a journey over a period of time and His word will be revealed piece by piece, therefore, we have to pay attention and be on alert for His voice. He is the Word and by nature is always speaking.
While traveling in Chengdu, China, this past October, I sat in my hotel room frustrated that I couldn't get a Wi-Fi signal. Technologically speaking, it was not an "open heaven" and I couldn't send or receive. I discovered through trial and error, however, that there was a small corner on my bed where I could get a near perfect signal.
The Holy Spirit chose to use that experience to speak to me. He said, "There are some places that you will hear My voice better." Then He reminded me of a field in my residing city, Turlock, California, and told me to "go back to the field." I have an intercessory history with that field, but haven't been there in several years. It was the place of one of my biggest spiritual battles and also my biggest victory as the Holy Spirit had led me to intercede for that location until a territorial stronghold had been broken.
After my return from China, it was about six weeks before I went to that field. I finally went there just to pray and see what the Lord would say. The whole area surrounding that field was beautiful and green with commercial real estate signs posted throughout. I had also noticed during those six weeks the reappearance of a number that held meaning to my life—it's the number 17.
Confirmation With the Land
Does the Lord ever speak to you through numbers? He does with me often and this number began to appear to me in a variety of ways and places. In short, my first encounter with this number began in a dream several years back and then ended up with a church building being given to us. Would you believe that the two final, totally miraculous, donations for our new church building both had variations of the number 17 in their amounts? God is awesome!
As I sat in front of the field observing all the available land, I felt His voice. He impressed my heart with a thought, "My people need to own land again!" That was challenging to me personally, but I felt the breath of God on it. A few days later, I heard Him again. "People have sought My face in prayer and I've heard them. I'm healing the land and healing the land involves My people owning the land" (see 2 Chronicles 7:14).
That same week, I felt impressed to read the book of Jeremiah from beginning to end. While reading, I came across a passage that I had never seen before in chapter 32. Here, Jeremiah is instructed by the Lord to purchase a field. He did so and paid 17 shekels for it (verse 9). Wow! There's that number again! The Lord spoke again to Jeremiah that his purchase was a sign to the displaced Israelites that "Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land" (verse 15). What a powerful confirmation! I've always known the Lord to confirm His prophetic word with the written Word.
Finally, I remembered His timeless promises in the written Word that 1) if we are in Christ, then we are blessed with believing Abraham (Gal. 3:9); and 2) God will give to the natural and spiritual descendants of Abraham all of these lands (Gen. 26:4). As long as we are on the Earth, we have a spiritual inheritance from our heavenly Father of spiritual sons and daughters through soul winning and evangelism. At the same time, we are promised a natural inheritance, which involves owning land.
In all honesty, this word challenges me. Owning more than my present home really stretches my faith. I also refuse to acquire some type of loan to "make things happen" either. It does plant the seed in me, however. I've decided to respond by planting seeds for this word. I will plant financial seeds as offerings to the Lord over and above my tithes, trusting Him to supply what is needed. I will trust Him to lead me into a sure promise of owning more land. He is healing the land, which means I am to own more land.
Are you ready to start this journey with me? Like Abraham, we take it by faith and posture ourselves in our giving and generosity to be the kind of people God can entrust with double inheritance.
He Is Still Saying, 'DOUBLE'
We heard the prophetic word in 2015 that God was giving us double, namely double restoration and double for our trouble. The year has ended, but the prophetic word "DOUBLE" is still active and taking on force as we head into 2016.
"Instead of your shame you shall have double honor, and instead of humiliation they shall rejoice over their portion. Therefore, in their land they shall possess a double portion; everlasting joy shall be theirs" (Is. 61:7).
If you've been shamed or disgraced, God is saying He will double your honor and double your inheritance. It excites me to see how the blessing of double in this passage is connected to the blessing of owning land. In God's economy, it's emphasized that we would all be possessors of physical land.
If you're like me, however, the blessing of double challenges me in this season of my life. Many of us feel as though we can barely handle what we already have. How can we possibly handle anything more, even if it's a blessing from the Lord? With the blessing of double, however, He is also giving us His everlasting joy. This is not just any joy, but a supernatural joy that comes from heaven.
He Is Elevating You with Joy
Without giving details, I was surprised recently to be challenged to compromise something I had a deep conviction about. I held to my convictions of course, but it cost me to do so. Almost immediately, the Lord began to speak—no, He began to shout—"You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions" (Heb. 1:9).
Over the next few weeks, God began to pour the oil of joy upon my life, upon my church, and upon others connected to us. There exists a joy from heaven that is unspeakable and full of glory (1 Pet. 1:8). When the joy of heaven comes upon you, it can appear as though you've been drinking, and you'll laugh and act silly like a child without a care in the world (Acts 2:13).
This manifestation of joy appears foolish, but it's a prophetic sign of God's elevation in your life. This joy appears so foolish that the prideful won't enter in because it's too undignified. You actually humble yourself to experience it, but He promises to exalt the humble (Matt. 23:12).
It's also a joy that helps you to manage irritations and the stresses that would beset you. Your mind becomes greased with supernatural oil and what normally would bother you just slides right off of you. When this joy is manifest in your world, there is no fear or worry about tomorrow. You sleep well and you wake up smiling and even laughing, no matter what is going on.
He is releasing His fresh oil of joy in 2016 and determined to elevate us above the fear, terror and worry that had burdened so many. You will begin to laugh instead of fret. You'll laugh at your enemies without worry for the future. This is His joy entering your world, and it will strengthen you.
Jennifer Eivaz is a vibrant minister and international conference speaker who carries the wisdom and fire of the Holy Spirit. She serves as an Executive Pastor with Harvest Christian Center in Turlock, California, and is focused on raising up a passionate and effective prayer community that is tempered with love and hears the voice of God accurately. She's a featured writer for several online publications including the Elijah List and Charisma Magazine. She's also written a book titled The Intercessor's Handbook. Please visit jennifereivaz.com and read her blog at jennifereivazblog.com.
For the original article, visit jennifereivazblog.com.
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