Responding to the New Season Part 2

Many of you have heard me share concerning the new season that we have been ushered into by the lord, (Go to Podcast)

The number eight represents prophetically, a new season. The emphasis should not be just on the happening of a new thing but more so on the establishing of new patterns of living, which include the formation of new character traits and true demonstration of kingdom living.
This season marks an entrance into new cycles of victory, love, fruitfulness; victory over old cultural, religious and internal habits that have dominated our characters and way of living.

Every new season begins for the farmer in the preparation of the land. His response to the first stages will determine the quality, quantity and timing of the harvest. It requires deliberate and focused attention, especially if he is dealing with new terrain that has never been tilled. The spirit of the lord has began to shine his light into areas of our lives that have had us in bondage, unfruitfulness or defeat for a long time, with the intent that there would be a perfect transition from the old to a new experience and pattern. Simultaneously, the enemy has focused on these areas, so that in highlighting and bringing pressure to them we would be hindered in the experience of a new reality. When he does so, we have the tendency to become overwhelmed and withdraw ourselves from pressing forward, accepting where we are and the lies of whom we are. God on the other hand shows us where he is carrying us and who we are in him.
The moment is now
In a previous article, we challenged you to keep pressing into these changes in the face of all weaknesses and former history however the focus of this one is to encourage us to lay hold of this early stage with an urgency as if there will be no other opportunity. In other words, KILL THE EXCUSES and seize the moment. This ‘Set time’ or kairos moment is the time to enter into a fresh place of transformation. We must access it by faith. This is the time where his scepter is stretched forth and bids us to come and walk where we have never walked; it calls us to experience his kingdom at work in us where we only dreamed or failed to dream. It is a moment of experience beyond the wealth of our past failures where we experience our true destiny of being Israel’s – princes with God instead of Jacob’s – swindlers and cheats. [Gen.32:24-30]. It is where pain and failure is broken and the future changes. [1 Chron.4:9-10]. Let us begin to cooperate with the lord embracing obedience and the fear of the lord as foundation stones upon which we walk out this phase of the cycle. As he stretches out his hand forget the giants and the past, the winds and the rain and hear his voice and see his hands and SEIZE the moment.
The window of opportunity does not always remain open, what is ahead is greater than all we have experienced. Allow the lord to dig deep; allow him the right to invade our souls and break old patterns.
Sometimes it is our response to the simple changes that will determine what comes next.
• He may be awaking you earlier and pulling you to prayer.
• It may be a challenge to fast for just one meal or a day
• It may be to start being a blessing to an enemy
• Or staying a little longer at work
•  Serving in another area of ministry
•Touching base with others beyond your normal circle
• Relocation
• Change what we watch or the time given to a certain activity

Character first – not ministry
Many of us in ministry have made the success of ministry the goal of our lives. This attitude has created in many a taste for ministry that is imbalanced and continues the reproduction of a mixed harvest in the earth. Such lives focus on the miraculous or the prophetic and or different aspects of kingdom living. This must change. In the book of Ezekiel, chapter 44, there were recognizable two groups of priest. One set that ministered to the people and another who were allowed to minister to the lord. [Vs.10-11 and vs.15-16]. The book of Proverbs likewise speak prophetically also of two women, one who is virtuous the other loose. These could be considered as two different character traits. One that displays the life we can live in the lord or the other of mixture. When we do not allow our characters to be processed and be changed, the harvest produced is one of mixture. In Matthew chapter 5 and 6, we see clearly before us kingdom standards and traits that are totally different from the things that have dictated our former ways of living. These are the things we are to pursue. Unless, we allow these transformations to become our priority, our end results may be temporary success but eternal failures. The word still stands true; it only takes a little leaven to destroy the whole lump. Brethren, the fruit is clear, even amongst us who minister his word. Love has become a message more than a lifestyle; forgiveness is something written for others to practice; the value of a brother has diminished in light of “my” personal goals, faith, gifts and pursuits; our gift to God has more value than to find our brother and be restored to him. [Matt.5:21-26] These internal corruptions have been yielding a fruit for the whole world to see and now Jesus’ church is viewed with a disdain rather than with awe.
Let the new begin
God has cancelled and called an end to the old, let us take hold of his new beginnings. The deeper that we allow him to invade and bring his changes in us, will be the greater the harvest that is produced and what sweet succulent fruits that the world will be able to partake of.
Finally my brethren, let us respond now and not later.

Shalom

Romans 13:11 (KJV)
And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
2 Cor. 3:18 (KJV)
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
John 3:30 (KJV)
He must increase, but I must decrease.
1 Cor. 5:6 (KJV)
Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?