Esther & Judges
Message going out to take the roof off
—
As I began my day yesterday (the 15th), I saw an image of a tiara. My first thought was Esther, but then as I did my daily reading, God took me to the book of Judges. I began to read about patterns in all of God’s judges. One commentary put it this way: As a result of repentance, God shows mercy in the form of sending a judge or leader to rescue the people from their enemies and establish justice. Oppression is lifted and the people prosper. Honestly, that theme is the theme of both Esther and Judges. And it’s the theme now.
For such a time as this, God is intervening at the top level. He is sending out messages and decrees that are going straight to the top. This morning I got the word “take the roof off”. This makes me think of several things. First, exposing in a good way. Letting air be breathed into what has been hidden to correct things from the top down. Second, the paralytic lowered through the roof. A time of spiritual PARALYSIS ceasing. Take your mat and walk!
—
Gird your minds
—
The word “anazónnumi” had me deep in prayer and study all day yesterday. This word is powerful. It’s only used once in the Bible. ONCE. And it means “to gird up”. But it’s so much more than that. Going deeper into Strong’s it means “I gird up, brace up (with a view to active exertion); a metaphor from the girding of the flowing tunic, to PREVENT its HAMPERING one in active WORK.” It also means “taking out slack”, and “getting ready(prepared) to move quickly, i.e. where someone needs to go and arrive at without delay”. It’s ONLY use in 1 Peter 1:13 and is used to speak about girding the MIND:
“Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.” (NIV)
“So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.” (NLT)
“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;” (NKJV)
Friends, it’s time to GIRD OUR MINDS. This means take out the slack. Let no room be left for anything other that what the Lord has told you to fix your mind on. Be braced. Things will come against what you believe, but a girded mind stands and see past it. Be ready for active work. It will take an active mind for what’s ahead because things are going to MOVE FAST, and it’s about to be the beginning of a JOURNEY.
—
Ten days till a new year
The Wheat hasn’t sprouted yet
—
A friend gave me an advent devotional, and yesterday the readings were about the Passover. Obviously that’s not our current season, but a few things stood out to me. I had JUST read this word GIRD UP, and then I see this:
(Exodus 12:11)- “Here is how you must eat it: You must be DRESSED FOR TRAVEL, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. You are to eat it in a hurry; it is the Lord’s Passover.”
This is talking about the exodus, but all the same God is foreshadowing a justice or reckoning with the oppressive power over them as well as the beginning of a long journey in which they would have to move quickly and keep their MINDS girded. So much wandering happened because of un-girded minds of the Israelites. They would be tripped up on thoughts and these conflicting thoughts would keep them wandering. Keep your mind girded.
Even though New Year is always January 1st in our modern world, “the tenth day” stuck out to me in the Exodus 12 chapter as a marker of ten days from now. Especially because ten days from the day I received this word is when we celebrate Christmas! What if God has heavenly gifts for us this Christmas that set up a whole NEW DIFFERENT year for us? Let’s be ready and expectant at Christmas for what God is going to do!
—
Stirring up of Gifts
Don’t worry about what’s been lost (2 Chronicles 25:9)
—
Christmas is obviously a time for gifts. But God has been highlighting over and over 2 Timothy 1:6:
“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”
God is stirring up GIFTS this Christmas, but they are gifts you already possess that have either gone dormant or have not been discovered yet. God is wanting to stir up those gifts to use in the new year!
Using new gifts or having God pivot or expand the way He’s using you usually requires a release of old things or old plans. God brought to mind a verse from 2 Chronicles 25 (verse 9), when King Amaziah feels a similar thing. He had invested financially in troops that God then told him not to use. He follows God and ended up getting victory, but before that he asks a question of the prophet-
“Amaziah asked the man of God, “But what about the hundred talents I paid for these Israelite troops?”
The man of God replied, “The Lord can give you much more than that.”
2 Chronicles 25:9
To those thinking “but what about what I invested??”, God is saying the same thing: “The Lord can give you much more than that!!”
Don’t worry about losing anything. Nothing will be wasted. Follow God in this new move, gird your minds, and you will be a part of the victory coming soon!