Ministry Today
- Written by Matt Sorger
As I waited upon God going into 2013, I received these words from the Lord. Some came in the form of impressions, others came as visions and some came as scriptures that God was breathing on for this season. Prophetic words are an invitation from the Lord. I sense these following 13 prophetic insights are to be decrees that we aggressively pursue for 2013. They are invitations for us to lay hold of.
1. Stagnant waters will be stirred in a fresh way. I saw pools of Bethesda stirring again and a fresh healing stir being released. God wants His people to lay hold of the divine healing anointing in a fresh way this year. I saw deep-seated, lingering disorders being healed, even down to the chromosome level. I saw stubborn areas within the soul and flesh being healed that people have battled with for years. In John 5:2-5, 9 Christ performs a healing on the Sabbath. Jesus never did anything by chance or accident. He was very purposeful in His intention. God is calling His people to access His healing and power from a place of rest. The Sabbath is more than just a day of rest. It’s a spiritual position of rest. In Christ we enter into the Sabbath. We receive because of the finished work Christ has done on the cross. Rather than begging God for what He has already done, we are simply to step in and receive the finished work. A new level and substance of faith is coming into the heart to receive the finished work. God is highlighting the spirit of faith and understanding the finished work of Christ. Living from the Sabbath position will be crucial in obtaining all God has for us.
2. A prophetic ear will be given to not only hear but to also listen and comprehend. This hearing will also occur from a position of rest in His presence. A key scripture is 1 Sam. 3:3,10. In a time when there was no widespread revelation and where the eyes of the high priest Eli were growing dim, the light was still burning in the temple near the ark. As Samuel rested before the ark in the presence of God, the voice of God speaks to him. After several times of hearing, but not understanding, Samuel is instructed by Eli to say, “Speak Lord for your servant is listening.” There is a big difference between hearing and listening. God is refining the prophetic ear and the prophetic movement. He is calling His prophets and His people to come into a place of rest in His presence in the light of revelation. From that place the voice of God will speak. Not only will His voice be heard, but it will be listened to and comprehended. A new clarity of hearing and perceiving God’s voice is coming. It will not be by self-effort or striving. It will be from resting in His presence. Not by might, not by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord.
3. New language will be given by God to properly and clearly communicate truths God is highlighting and speaking. For example, the term “soaking” was not used until the outpouring of God’s Spirit in the 1990s. This term helped explain the concept of being filled with God’s presence. New language will be given by the Spirit to more deeply and clearly understand truths of the spiritual realities God is bringing forth.
4. God is giving the blueprints for the new wineskin He is forming. In Josh. 3:3-6 the people were to follow the ark into a way they have never gone before. As we follow the moving of the presence of God He will lead us by His Spirit into places we have never gone before. The walk of sanctification will be vital in preparation for the wonders God will do. God is saying to be ready to pull the tent pegs up. When the cloud of His presence moves we need to move with Him. We have to be willing to fold up old structures and ways of doing things in order to stay current and fresh with God. God’s marching orders will be given. There will be new alignments and relational structures to facilitate the move of God.
5. We will not continue to do things the same way. The cloud of God is moving, and with that our activities will shift. Our focuses will shift. Some old structures will have to adapt and morph with the new way God is moving. There will be fresh Spirit-led activity. God doesn’t want us to be busy. He wants us to be fruitful. Forms, structures and even activities we have done in the past may shift as God moves in new ways. Be prepared to let go of some things and to embrace and step into some new things you haven’t done before. It will be vital to go where the Spirit is breathing. Don’t hold onto something God isn’t breathing on any longer. Be fruitful by moving and being led by the Spirit.
6. God will be highlighting and deepening within His people an understanding of the true identity of the believer. Revelation of how to live out of union with God will come forth. We will understand our oneness with God and live out of our inner spirit man. For those who are one with God are one spirit with Him. 1 Cor. 6:17,19
7. God is going to bring revelation into foundational spiritual truths. Things we thought we knew and understood, God is going to have us look again and He is going to give us deeper revelation and understanding into things we thought we knew for years. Look back upon foundational truths and new light and revelation will shine upon them, bringing the manifestation of true spiritual realities.
8. The understanding of spiritual warfare is shifting. We are moving from “warfare” breakthrough to a “decreeing and establishing” breakthrough. This will occur with a deeper revelation of who and where we are. Rather than fighting into the second heaven from being under, we will rule and reign from the third heaven being over. I understand that we wrestle not with flesh and blood (Eph. 6:12) and that even Jesus experienced personal warfare when He was tempted by the devil and overcame by the spoken word of God. But this warfare will not be fought to obtain victory, it will be fought from a place of victory. Christians will live from a third heaven reality, understanding how to establish on earth “as it is in heaven.” A new perspective, a new revelation and with it a new manifestation of Kingdom authority will be released. God is bringing people into a new level of spiritual authority. Eph. 2:5-6 is a key scripture. The church will shift from an Old Testament model of spiritual warfare (Dan. 10:13) into a New Testament revelation of establishing what has already been won (Col. 2:15).
9. This is the season of the fulfillment of dreams. Many are being brought from a time where the word of the Lord tested them. The second dream to Joseph was highlighted to me in Gen. 37:9-11. In it Joseph sees eleven stars and the sun and the moon bowing down to him, speaking of his promotion into a position of authority and influence. Eleven plus two is 13, the number of this year. People are going to step into the manifestation of unfulfilled dreams. The warfare of the last season
is being washed away and a new heavenly perspective is being granted. Just as Joseph’s betrayal and trial maneuvered him into his assignment and destiny, so will the trials and testings in our lives propel us into our destinies. Key scriptures are Gen. 37:9, Gen. 45:5-8, Ps. 105:17-24.
10. God is delivering people from burdens. But it’s not just the removal of burdens. As Ps. 81:6-7 says, He will remove our shoulder from the burden and bring deliverance. This is different than the burden being removed from us. It’s us being removed from under the burden. Get ready for divine shifting that will maneuver you out from underneath burdens into a place of deliverance. In other words, situations or people may stay the same, but you will be maneuvered out from underneath them. It’s a season of deliverance for those who call on the name of the Lord. Psalm 81 shows 10 promises accompanying this deliverance. These include financial provision, divine health, fear of the Lord on the enemy, the covering of His presence, light in the darkness, food, dry places refreshed, joy, lands and nations, and reaping where
one hasn’t labored. Lay hold of these promises for you, your family, church, ministry and business.
11. There is a generational convergence taking place. It’s a season for new young leaders to be mentored and raised up. Generations are converging together and will function together in relationship for the purpose of multiplication. Generational wells and new wells will open together. Fathers and mothers will take their place and sons and daughters will come into their place. Those who have not been fathers will now step into a fathering role. Gen. 26:18-24 is a key scripture for this.
12. I saw a vision of an open door. This is the year of the open door. As we run through it we will come into divine acceleration. New favor, new opportunities and new advancements. Key scripture is Rev. 3:7-13. God will keep us from the hour of trial coming upon the whole earth. It’s time to hold fast what you have so no one robs you of your crown. Have patient endurance. The name of God will be upon us.
13. I saw a vision of the Lord blowing upon a flickering flame. Usually when someone blows on a candle, the flame goes out. But as God breathed upon the flame within us it got brighter and hotter. It will be a season of renewing our first love for God (Rev. 2:2-7). God is bringing both an encouragement and warning that if our works are not done from the place of first love, the candlestick can be removed. Ministry work must be done from the place of first love for Jesus. God is calling people back to the simplicity of worship and living a life in His presence. This will also bring deeper consecration, holiness and divine fire as a result. Key verse is Matt. 12:20. A smoldering wick He will not snuff out.
I encourage you to pray over these 13 prophetic decrees, meditate on them and apply them to your lives as the Holy Spirit leads you.