Below is the main (challenge/call to) scripture that I feel for this year. It is a time to rise up and decree, a time for life, and life abundantly to return, a time to speak out boldly the things of Abba Father. (This scripture is thanks to my wife Janessa, who in sharing it with me this morning, brought alive the prophetic word and vision God had released in me.)
Ezek 37:1 THE HAND of the Lord was upon me 1, and He brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones.
Ezek 37:2 And He caused me to pass round about among them, and behold, there were very many [human bones] in the open valley {or} plain, and behold, they were very dry.
Ezek 37:3 And He said to me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, You know!
Ezek 37:4 Again He said to me, Prophesy to these bones and say to them, O you dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.2
Ezek 37:5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath {and} spirit to enter you, and you shall live;
Ezek 37:6 And I will lay sinews upon you and bring up flesh upon you and cover you with skin, and I will put breath {and} spirit in you, and you [dry bones] shall live; and you shall know, understand, {and} realize that I am the Lord [the Sovereign Ruler, Who calls forth loyalty and obedient service].
Ezek 37:7 So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a [thundering] noise and behold, a shaking {and} trembling {and} a rattling,3 and the bones came together, bone to its bone.
Ezek 37:8 And I looked and behold, there were sinews upon [the bones] and flesh came upon them and skin covered them over, but there was no breath {or} spirit in them.
Ezek 37:9 Then said He to me, Prophesy to the breath {and} spirit,4 son of man, and say to the breath {and} spirit, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath {and} spirit, and breathe upon these slain that they may live.
Ezek 37:10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath {and} spirit came into [the bones], and they lived and stood up upon their feet, an exceedingly great host.
1. I felt Him say that His Almighty Hand will rest on us much more tangibly this year, and when it does we must quickly learn to embrace it fully.
2. We will need to be prepared to speak into the impossible, to declare life where there is none, water to a desert, light into darkness, in season and out of season.
3. I hear Him saying that we must have a real expectancy to “hear” thunder when we speak and expect the world, building, floor etc to shake when we line up with Him this year. I mean physically, not just spiritually.
4. Do not stop speaking it out until it is done. Do not grow despondent or weak or tired, see it through. Keep speaking until you have tasted the fruit and know that it is good. How many of us have forgotten the prophetic words that have been spoken over us, or put it on the shelf to see if it will come to pass. If the word rang true, is scripturally sound, embrace it and declare it until it has life.
We need to be mindful of what our hearts are full of and on what we declare. Our language needs to become that of royalty, we need to stop cursing ourselves, our situations and others. We must begin to realise that words have power, and we need to “clean up’ our speaking. We cannot declare life and death in the same breath.
James 1:8 [For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable {and} unreliable {and} uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides].
So, royal priesthood ?
1 Pet 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God’s] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds {and} display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.
As Kris Vallotton challenges us, are we a Prince or pauper. We need to walk into this mindset and understand when we declare the things of God our Father, we must do it from a combination of royalty and priesthood. Confidence and compassion, grace and mercy, strength of Godly character and valour, and above all Love – must be our hallmarks!!
Team as in true brotherhood will be a real hallmark of this move and time:
Eph 5:21 Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
Eccl 4:12 And though a man might prevail against him who is alone, two will withstand him. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.
The day of the “guru” is over. There are no special princes or princesses in this move of royalty. This year will truly become about giving your “ministry” away. To quote John Wimber – it is about equipping the saints. As we really become one flesh, a real brotherhood, accountable, open, vulnerable and real with one another, we will feel His hand upon us more and more.
So,
(if you) – Yes You, a royal priesthood
Prophesy to these bones
Boldly.
Then
This will be a year of abundance in all things
Agape,
Timothy Mark Stockhall
Hi Tim, I strongly agree with the word you gave in this blog, I agree that 2010 is a year for change that comes from encounter with God and that we as believers need to proclaim God's Word with boldnss as never before and speak life into death. We are carriers of hope and the world needs hope at this time… thanks for a good word!Blessings, Derek Flanigan
Thank you for your bold conviction. I truly believe that this is a year of returning to true and complete obedience. 2010 – Exodus 20 gives us the 10 Commandments. I firmly believe that 2010 will separate the sheep from the goats, for "My sheep know My voice" and those who hear the clear voice of our Good Shepherd will listen and obey and so walk in the great blessing of our Lord through obedience. We must display our love through obedience, "If you love Me, you will obey My commands."
Yes there is a great blessing to walk in and it will be greater than we can imagine, yet there must be obedience – "Return to Me"says the Lord
2010 – not a year for games, but for a returning to pure devotion in worship and obedience to the Word – to our Lord Jesus, amen!