The Annual Prophetic Post for the New Year - 2021 edition!

Happy New Year, Sweet Readers!

We made it!  

Somehow we made it through the Dumpster Fire that was 2020 and, honestly, I'm sure we will find in the end, we are better for it.  But right now --well, right now, maybe it's still too soon!?

Here we are: January 1st! A Brand New Year... a Fresh New Start... and I think all of us are so ready for it! 

This has become an anticipated post around here... but it's been a tradition long before I started blogging (which was a long, long, LONG time ago! Way back before Blogs were a Thing... and then they WERE a Thing, and then they weren't a Thing but we still did them, and now they just may be becoming a Thing yet again?!) 

Anyway... long before I wrote this New Years Day post here for the public, I practiced this routine in private --and year after year, it proves to be... well, -True? Helpful? Accurate? (All of the above!? Yes!)

This is our Annual Prophetic Post for the New Year!

I always ask the Lord for a word or phrase that will speak to the Body at large prophetically over the coming year.  I also ask Him to lead me to a book in the Bible that He wants to be highlighted to us, for us, and through us, throughout the year as well.  

He is always so ready to meet with us... so ready to speak!


First - a quick look back:

For 2020, the Book in the Bible was Ezra! I read it several times and for me, it confirmed many comparisons from other prophetic voices who had made the whole King Cyrus/President Trump connection.  Listen --I stay away from politics here (which also may be why I didn't write much last year!)  but love him or hate him (or both?), reading through Ezra was timely and good!

The Phrase that the Lord gave me for 2020 was:
"From Chaos to Clarity!"

Well - I would have much preferred that it would have been more clear... wrapped up with a bow and all. But I DO still think it came to pass! 

MANY people are seeing more clearly and many things Hidden in the Dark are (still!) being revealed and brought out into the Light!

Now, this is where I get quiet and pray, and ask God for His thoughts on 2021!

Let's move on to this year!

***

Let's give a hearty Fairwell (and Good Riddance!) to 2020,

and a Warm Welcome to a Fresh New Start! 

Oh, how I wish it was all magic and unicorns, and when we turn the calendar, we could turn the page and find ourselves united, kinder, more loving, and full of Grace! (I think He longs for that, too!) 

And how, really, will we get to that space (of unity, kindness, love, and grace!)? It's by persevering... by changing our minds and thoughts and holding our tongues and being redeemed and restored and by becoming more like HIM! 

This brings us to the Book and Phrase for the year! 

I prayed this morning to ask the Lord for a new Book in the Bible that He felt would offer us the Truth and Guidance that we will need to cling to this year and this is what I heard: 

--The Book in the Bible:  

The Book of  James

See? God is so smart!

What is the Book of James about? (Exactly that paragraph above!) It's about holding our tongues and changing our thoughts and learning to live like Jesus! It's often referred to as the Old Testament book of Proverbs with a New Testament spin. It is - like Proverbs - a book FULL of Wisdom! (And couldn't we all use a healthy dose of that?!)

Here are just a couple of verses that already stand out to me from this New Testament book:

"And if anyone longs to be wise, ask God for wisdom and he will give it! He won’t see your lack of wisdom as an opportunity to scold you over your failures but he will overwhelm your failures with his generous grace." James 1:5 The Passion Translation

"If your faith remains strong, even while surrounded by life’s difficulties, you will continue to experience the untold blessings of God! True happiness comes as you pass the test with faith, and receive the victorious crown of life promised to every lover of God!" James 1:12 The Passion Translation

"So then, surrender to God. Stand up to the devil and resist him and he will turn and run away from you. Move your heart closer and closer to God, and he will come even closer to you..." James 4:7-8a The Passion Translation 

(--That is just to get you started! Read through this book on your own and let me know what stands out to you!) 

Side Note: I mentioned in an earlier post, I am pretty sure we will do a year-long study of the Book of James! (I'm still praying through a writing schedule, but how fun would it be to study James together this year?)

Next, we dive into the Prophetic Phrase or saying!

After I ask the Lord about a Book in the Bible to read through throughout the coming year, I then ask for a fresh word or phrase... one that we may find re-visiting us again and again throughout the year! I ask the Lord to give me a few words that reflect His heart and reveals what He has planned for the Body in the coming year!

--The Phrase:

"Resurrection over Restoration"

The first 'phrase' I heard was, "Your Redemption Draweth Nigh!" but, well --you know how I am and I don't talk like that, so... I questioned it and asked for more!

I mean - I get it! I know what it means and that it's from Matthew and Lukes' Gospels. It's about not getting caught up in worldly things and worldly thinking, but to look to Jesus -our Redeemer King! It points us to be watching for His return!

And sure, we want that and we all know it's coming. But each year, that is true! We are always getting closer to that reality. So I pressed on and asked for a more specific phrase, praying into Redemption! (He is so patient with me! I'm convinced that He actually loves this about me!)

Since Redemption means to restore something to its' created purpose, I asked about Restoration for 2021... and that is when He said this:
"I Choose Resurrection over Restoration!"

Listen, 2020 caused many things to come out of hiding and come into the Light. 2020 brought Death in and to a lot of things! To Restore something, there is still life in it. You can still see the Beauty and Purpose -even under all the muck and mire! But Resurrection is more than that. Resurrection is allowing something to die FIRST... completely. And then breathing New Life and New Power into it and Raising it up again!

Resurrection always leads to Revival! 

And what do we need more after making it through 2020?

We need Revival!

We needed to lay some things down... to allow some things and theories and ideologies to die IN ORDER to have Redemption and Resurrection restore and revive and put us back on track!

We are, my friends, pruned and primed (thanks in part to 2020!) for Revival!

So, I don't know about you --but I say Yes! Yes to Resurrection over Restoration.

  Yes to letting some things die SO THAT Resurrection Power can raise us up again! 

***

Bring on 2021! 

  We're READY for a BRAND NEW START!

...and if you lean in close, you can hear the faint heartbeat of a 3rd Day Awakening!!!

Come On!!!

***

What about you, sweet reader?

If you have not taken a moment or two to ask God if He has a word for you for 2021,
I encourage you to do so! It can be just one single word or a phrase He wants to sow into you this year!

I will write about my OneWord for 2021 next week! As usual, I am still questioning it... simply because out of all the words, this is one that I have had already! But He is patient to a point, and then He can get downright Bossy with me! I will write more about that soon!

Until then,

Happy New Year, friends!

May 2021 be Happier & Healthier for us all!
May we move in wisdom and grace, 

And may we choose Resurrection

that leads to a 3rd Day Awakening!

In 2021, let us continue to: