We are living in a moment of history where epic seasons of change are occurring on many fronts. Some of these transitions are affecting the world, our nation, the church and us individually and our families. Many throughout the world are fearful and unsure what the future holds for them, even within the church. Yet, with every transitional season that we enter, a willingness to embrace and trust God’s promises is essential to move forward in peace and Kingdom purpose.

Joshua and the Israelites

Joshua and the children of Israel were told by God after forty years of wilderness wanderings to “arise and go over” the Jordan River to the land that had already been promised to them through Moses (Joshua 1). The Jordan River represented transition for the children of Israel, a barrier between their past failures and their future with new hopes and dreams.

A suddenly had come, and an epic season of change was unfolding. Joshua and this generation of Israelites now had a decision to make: “Do we take God at His word, trust Him, and move forward into our future, or do we stay on this side of the Jordan with what is familiar, known and understood?” Change was inevitable, and they simply needed to trust and obey God through this season of change.

Will You Cross Over?

Many of us, like the children of Israel, are in some place of transition; between our past, full of successes and failures and our future filled with promise and hope. The question each of us will face during major transitions is “Will you cross over?”

Even good transition can be unsettling, but we must welcome it and move forward to fulfill our destinies as individuals, families and as the body of Christ. Every prophetic promise brings transition. Learning how to embrace the transitions as we move forward into our future is essential to walk in peace and victory in a world of uncertainty.

In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus said,

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” (Matt. 11:12)

In essence, Jesus was saying to the disciples and to us “The days of John are changing; we are coming into a kingdom season in the earth. No longer are we paving the way for the kingdom, the kingdom is here!” The Kingdom is both here now and yet to come. The Kingdom is in us and with us, and therefore through Christ all things are possible.

Jesus also said to the disciples in John 4:35:

look at the fields; they are already white for harvest.

While a great wave of revival and harvest of souls is coming to earth, the harvest is also now because the Kingdom is now.

A New Church Season

We are in a season in church history in which we are moving from one realm of the prophetic into another. Moving from the “sons of thunder” realm into the “sons of Issachar” realm. We are moving past just prophesying about judgment to releasing key timing and revelation so that God’s people will know what actions to take. We are moving into a season where the Holy Spirit’s anointing in and upon us is the most essential element to move through the “narrow and difficult” places in our path.

Seeing through Darkness

While walking the dog one night at dusk a while ago, I came upon a large barn owl sitting majestically on a fence rail near a river wash. The owl sat there, looking intently upon me as I got closer.

The Lord asked me this question, “Bob what is significant about the owl?” I thought for a moment, and then said to the Lord, “Well, the owl is nocturnal, sees at night, can turn its head 360 degrees and flies quietly through the night.” The Lord said to me, “That’s right. The church has walked in an eagle anointing of the prophetic, being able to see in the day, but she is now transitioning to an owl anointing to be empowered to see through the darkness and fly effortlessly in this hour.”

The anointing upon us will enable us to see through the darkness, discern accurately the times and seasons and will enable us to walk through narrow and sometimes difficult places to advance the Kingdom in this hour. God is giving us grace to run the race before us, empowering us as a warrior bride to accomplish Kingdom purposes with His power and might.

New Wineskins

We’re in a year of transition, the Jordan River, that place of transition lies in front of us, we are crossing over to fulfill our destiny, and as we do our structures are changing. The wineskin is changing, making room for the new wine and now purposes of God to come forth.

Jesus said in Matthew 9:17 that “You cannot put new wine into an old wineskin!” It’s an analogy of two spiritual wineskins. Jesus, in reference to why John’s disciples (an old wineskin) fasted and His disciples (new wineskin) didn’t fast was saying essentially to them, “We are not going to do it the old way with the same old methods that have worked in the past!”

In other words, there needed to be a better quality skin developed to receive what was going to be poured out in the three years when He was present with His disciples. Paraphrasing, “If the new goes into the old, you will loose both. Let’s preserve what has gotten us to this point. However, let’s develop a new quality structure to hold the revelation and anointing that will be the fuel for us to advance.”

New structures are unfolding to contain what God is releasing upon the earth. We must be willing to change individually and corporately to carry the fullness of His anointing and power to transition into the future and our ultimate destiny in God.

Be Willing to Change!

Albert Einstein once said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” A willingness to change and let go of the past, even that which is good and successful, is often necessary to embrace the best that God has for us in the future.

For example, if we desire to reduce our weight, we can’t expect weight loss if we are eating donuts every night! Our eating habits must change if we want to see the loss of extra weight. To continue in unhealthy eating patterns and to expect a significant weight change is simply “crazy!”

Every prophetic promise brings some type of transition. Learning how to adjust to the transitions and permitting change to the structures in our lives are essential to transitioning to our future.

Blessings,

Bob