As the Gospels open, something is stirring. There is something new taking place.
It has been four hundred years since the last Old Testament prophet spoke a message from God. But now, the Holy Spirit is breaking out. God is revealing what He is up to through unexpected vessels. Ordinary people are prophesying!
People just like you.
Luke highlights this prophetic outbreak in his account of the events leading up to, and immediately following, Jesus’ birth:
- Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit as Mary’s greeting reaches her ears, responds with a prophetic proclamation. (Luke 1:41-45)
- Her unborn baby—John the Baptist—leaps with joyful recognition in his mother’s womb. (Luke 1:44)
- The young Mary makes a powerful prophetic declaration in reply. (Luke 1:46-55)
- After John’s birth, his father Zechariah is filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesies. (Luke 2:67-69)
- When Jesus is presented at the temple Simeon, an elderly man whose only status is that he is righteous, devout, and led by the Spirit, prophesies over the child Jesus and his parents. (Luke 2:25-35) [1]
- An elderly woman, a prophet and intercessor called Anna, becomes an outspoken prophetic witness of Jesus after she encounters the child in the temple. (Luke 2:36-38)
It is a powerful emergence of a new, prophetic era. Young and old, men and women, are suddenly prophesying, declaring the Father’s intentions, and filled with the Holy Spirit.
‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.’ Acts 2:17-18
This is the era in which you live.
You can be led by the Holy Spirit—filled with Him, experiencing His joy.
You can be like one of these people who participated in the events surrounding the birth of Jesus. You can be a prophetic witness of Who Jesus is, and of your Father’s intentions.
As you take moments in your busy schedule leading up to Christmas and the close of this year, meditate on this. Consider it and wonder. Grasp this Heavenly truth.
- The advent of Jesus changed everything.
Now is the time to embrace the supernatural, prophetic life God has made available to you through His Holy Spirit.
Prayer
‘Father thank You for this annual reminder of Your greatest gift to me, the gift of Your Son Jesus. In the middle of the busyness, help me to find stillness and to walk and talk with you. May I hear Your quietest whispers; may I meditate on Your Word. Help me to be aware of others around me, of Your love for them and what You want to say or do in any given instant.
I choose to stir up Your prophetic gift in my life. Give me boldness in the moment of opportunity to share whatever is on Your heart. This Christmas season, fill me afresh with Your Spirit and Your joy. May I, like Mary, Zechariah, Elizabeth, Simeon and Anna, be a witness of Jesus, of all You have done, and all You intend to do.
In Jesus’ Name, amen.’
Notes:
[1] I love this statement from Faussets Bible Dictionary: “Christ’s advent brings to view some of His hidden ones, as Simeon and Anna, who, unknown to the world, were known to Him as yearning for Him.” http://www.bible-history.com/faussets/S/Simeon/
Related Post:
- Prophetic Insight: Receive that Gift and take it into your Next Season
- Praise: An Unexpected New Sound of Praise from Heaven (Hark the Herald Angels Sing…
© 2016 Helen Calder, Enliven Ministries Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching
In the David McCracken Ministries Family
Helen Calder is a prophetic minister and writer, and founder of Enliven Ministries. Helen has a unique gift of equipping in prophetic ministry and prayer. She is known for Enliven Blog (est. 2009), an online resource that reaches thousands of people globally.
mom helen, am blessed to be connected to your blog, one thing i greatly desire is to prophesy, heal the sick and preach the word of God.
Great desire Aaron, may it grow and grow!
Thank you so much for giving me a change to read
The Prophetic Gift Free . It’s help me a lot to understand
more about my gift that God in trusted to me and also for
encourage me study. Than you for meeting you . May God bless you always. Merry Christmas to all .
I’m glad to hear that, Gloria. Thank you for the feedback about the book, that’s a blessing to me! And Merry Christmas to you, too
Merry Christmas! Praise God it new day and end of year 2016. I am so happy to meet you article that help my question and fulfill my dream. I need more help from you to grow.
Hi Esther, Merry Christmas!
I’m happy to help whenever I can. God bless you
I shared a comment on how I feel The Lord speaking to me about revival. Helen
I have been reading stuff to do with revival. I have read? Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Revelation 2:4 ?My challenge is, reading verses 1 -6, one actually sees what this church has been doing. I therefore had hard time figuring out what ‘first love’ is.
Hi Ken, I’m blessed with you leaving this comment because I have just been reading it and wrote it down in relation to what I felt God was saying for 2017.
I agree – when you read what that church was doing, it seemed they must be on track, and yet they are not! Reminds me that ‘works’ are never the measurement with God, not even miracles… (Matt 7:21-23) it always comes back to intimacy with Him, and simply doing what He wants flowing out of that.
before discovering your blog just this week, God spoke two words into me last week and they were walk and talk, He litually woke me up last saturday morning and took me for a walk down to my local river, its a legthy tail teaching me lots… it was so real and enlivening! The main points was to trust Him in His direction and that along the way there will be weeds, but to still trust Him.. Also that he wants us to be free and enjoy life to the fullest and that he delights in seeing us do this!1
at the end of our walk he wanted me to sit, be still and watch… we watched the river flow and the birds play in the river… HE said I delight in my creation I also delight in you!
This is for all His children…Feeling very blessed :)
I love that Katina, what a blessing!
For the past months God has being impressing it on my heart to shake off the dust, and forged ahead. This write up has propelled me to speed up. God will continue to strengthen you, and empower you to do more for Him. Amen.
Hello Akinbinu, thank you for that :-)