“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matt 5:14)
The Flashing Light
It was a Friday night in February 2020, and I paused work on the blog. I’d been aiming to publish a new post that evening, but the labor had become exhausting.
So, I stopped to pray, and found myself in a vision.
I was standing in the living room of a beach house, looking out of the window.
It was night, and I could see a flashing light, on the distant shore.
In my mind’s eye, I was back in Portarlington, on the Bellarine Peninsula, where I’d stayed for a prayer retreat a few weeks earlier.
“Put it on Airplane Mode”
For the first three nights I’d been there, I assumed the light was from a lighthouse—as there are a number of lighthouses in the area.
But on the fourth evening, when my husband Malcolm joined me, he brought binoculars with him.
Then, as I looked through those binoculars, I realized that the flashing light was not a lighthouse. It was an airfield beacon, set there to guide planes in to the landing strip.
I was looking across at the Avalon Airport!
I felt Holy Spirit’s familiar presence.
“Put it on airplane mode”, He said.
Go offline. Take time to rest.
“I am Your Pace-Maker”
Perhaps today, you need to hear the words Jesus spoke to me that night:
“Beloved, I am your Timekeeper! I hold your time in My hands.” (Ps 31:15)
He says, “Let Me be your Pace-Maker.
In My time zone, there is no pressure, as you know it on earth.
There is no hurry. I am your grace and empowerment.”
A flashing light can indicate a warning. And sometimes, we just need to need to take a break.
In life and in ministry, there are times we need to go offline.
But there is another type of rest we need to pay attention to.
Let Your Light Shine!
Your purpose, like mine, is unique.
You may be a lighthouse—be an anointed lighthouse! But if you are like the airfield beacon, be what your Father has created you to be!
And this also speaks to prophetic ministry.
The lighthouse shines a light on the problem—dangerous waters.
The beacon shines a light on the promise—the landing strip.
The lighthouse declares, “Don’t go this way!”
The beacon declares, “Come this way!”
The lighthouse warns, “There is danger here!”
The beacon welcomes, indicating “Your place of rest is here!”
Both are critical to navigation!
But their purpose is different; contrasting.
The Distinctive Nature of Your Anointing
You may relate more to being:
- An encourager or an exhorter
- One who comforts, or one who calls to war
- Someone who welcomes, or someone who warns
Or even both at times!
Both types of ministry are essential in the Kingdom.
So, let your light shine and honor the way God has created you to be.
“We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Eph 2:10, NKJV)
As you are true to your DNA—the “Distinctive Nature of your Anointing”—God’s glory will shine out from you.
A Kingdom Mindset
“But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them.” (1 Cor 14:3, NLT)
Yes, I do relate more to being a “beacon” (and am both at times).
But I am learning to be grateful to God for the lighthouse leaders He has paced around me.
They are an essential part of my life and ministry—and without them, I’m incomplete.
We need each other!
- Without the insights of the beacon ministry, someone with a lighthouse ministry could become focused on performance—being primarily about “do’s and don’ts”
- Without the perspective of the lighthouse ministry, someone with a beacon ministry could lean towards being permissive—lenient towards sin
It takes security in our gifts, along with a Kingdom mindset, to celebrate and embrace those whose ministries are different to ours.
So, if you have been struggling with weariness, insecurity, or with the style of others’ ministries, receive fresh insight to your heart today.
Perhaps your Father has some new “binoculars” for you; the ability to see your circumstances from Heaven’s viewpoint.
Hear Him say,
“Lean into Me. Draw breath from Me and be at rest concerning the way I have created you to be.
And know this:
“You are the light of the world.”
Leave a Comment
Which do you most relate to – the airfield beacon, or the lighthouse? I’d love to hear from you, so scroll down to share your thoughts in the comments box below.
Related Posts:
11 Types of Prophetic Ministry: Which do You Relate to?
Pattern and Presence, Apostolic and Prophetic (Why Both are Important)
Prophecy, Repentance and the Coming Move of God
A Glimpse into My World
Since the prayer time I’ve recorded above, I have recognized more readily when it is not wise to complete a blog post in a week.
Sometimes, it’s because I have other ministry—speaking engagements—requiring my time.
I may be taking a special break or have family commitments.
Often, a blog post requires extra research. For example, last week’s post, “9 Lessons on Angels” was the result of many days’ thought, prayer and study.
So—as I’m in my 12th year of blogging, the blog has gained a little more fluidity!
And while I could send out excerpts from past posts, smaller devotions, etc., and keep a strict weekly schedule, the Holy Spirit’s anointing is not in that for me.
(For now, that is).
Now, what does this mean for my readers?
I’m still aiming to produce 3 posts in a month, but sometimes the days of the week I send them will vary.
The Enliven Prophetic School (Video e-Course)
When our starting point is to see ourselves and others as valuable, we have a prophetic mindset.
This empowers us to speak life, even when we are identifying and ministering into that which needs adjusting!
If you would like to grow and sharpen in your prophetic gift, I warmly invite you to join me at the Enliven Prophetic School.
The Enliven Prophetic School includes the following classes:
- How to get closer to God and hear His voice
- The basics of the discernment gift
- Keys to growth in the seer gift, prophetic pictures and visions
- Find out how to receive and process prophetic warnings from the Holy Spirit
- Prophecy, foundations, prophetic guidance and more
You can view and sign up to my self-paced video lecture series in the Enliven Prophetic School here. Choose between a small monthly subscription, or a one-off payment with no expiry date.
© 2021 Helen Calder, Enliven Blog
Enliven Ministries: 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.
Hello my name is sandra Hamilton. Thankyou thankyou thankyou from my heart. What powerful powerful powerful prophetic words from the lord. I cant but help praise God from my heart for his anointing on your life and others aswell as mine.Thankyou Jesus. I couldn’t help but to stop and take much of my day into the night to study and meditate into Gods word giving to me once again through your prophetic ministry. When I say beautiful lady this is truly the word
from the lord himself I mean it it’s the truth. God took me back God took me back to a place where I could remember his very word to me personally, on these lines coming from holyspirit from your heart. God told me sometime not long ago that he’d has gifted me with the anointing of a beacon of light,not in the same exact words you spoke, but he just came out and told me. I see it clear big time, Through the message giving to you for us from the lord thankyou. It comes naturally for me to encourage to comfort to strengthen and welcome any body and lift their spirits up to believe Jesus loves them no matter what.It just come naturally all the time. No matter whats happening in others people lives there iam with Gods help telling my testimoies to encourage people to see Jesus is for them and not against them no matter what. That God can do anything. people have taken my gift as a act of weakness, and I’m still getting that same treatment even from my brothers and sisters in the lord and not just out of the world. You are right in saying we must all be kingdom minded. Lord please help me in this area I need right now. At first I didn’t understand myself either,I thought I was crazy and just mess up, because no matter how people do me and reject me I find my self with Gods help so quick to forgive and help the people who hurt me and right back loving on them when God show me their problems. This is a way of life for me, and it means every thing to me to know that God made me this way and why. Because of the love and word of God, and God’s anointed willing vessels like yourself spite of what I’m going through as long as I know Jesus, loves us it’s worth it all. If it wasn’t for that reason for christ I wouldn’t .Please pray for me my family and church family and thoes around us.Thankyou beautiful lady…I love ya’ll sandra.
Thank you Sandra! It’s a powerful gift from God when He gives us the eyes to see He has created us perfectly, in His image yet unique.
One of the insights I’ve had through this, is the fresh appreciation of those who are more of a “lighthouse” in calling. I realized that because I have been hurt in the past by those who are wired that way, it was difficult for me to appreciate them, and receive from them. So this has ushered in a new era for me.
I’m praying for you right now – Sandra, He has a new era for you too! And one of breaking open your unique gifts (like Mary’s alabaster box) even more, so that the fragrance you carry fills the house and beyond.
Hello my name sandra Hamilton Thankyou thankyou thankyou from my heart. I took my time and written what I believe a beautiful testimony of how God spoke to me helen from your prophetic message from God. It all got erase. I am a beacon of lite for sure. I live in this area NATURALLY all the time without even thinking about it. Thankyou so much for blessing us from your heart where Jesus spirit lives…..I love ya’ll my beautiful sister in the lord Jesus the christ.
It’s still here, Sandra! <3
Yes ma’am I see it now, Thankyou mrs helen…mrs helen I’m tired now but if I could I would go back and write everything God showed me through his question through you. Or you a light house or beacon of light. BUT I HAVE MY NOTES HE GAVE ME FROM YOUR PROPHETIC MESSAGE TO STUDY AND MEDITATE ON. I LOVE THIS MINISTRY ALREADY I’m ALL READY TELLING GREAT MINISTRY LEADERS ABOUT YOU AND THIS GLORIOUS PROPHETIC MINISTRY FROM THE LORD. GOOD MORNING HAVE A BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL DAY. ..I LOVE YA’LL SANDRA
Hello again helen. Just lying here seeing all the wonderful testimonies of all the grateful hearts. I’m myself is so thankful and grateful God has given me this beautiful opportunity to be apart of this wonderful community of faith believers in the word of God. Helen I myself is a beacon of light. Maybe both I dont know yet. Thankyou so much again for blessing us with the word and teaching of the lord.Thankyou for allowing me to be a part of what God is doing through you and your ministry. I written one message to you earlier but I didn’t see it anymore it was written about an hour ago so I decided to write again . I can see my gift in Gods word through you and your
prophetic ministry what God showed me sometime back. …please pray for me in the area of my emotions and fear so God can use me powerfully in the lives of others people for his glory. A lot of people dont understand my gift so they take it for weakness because they dont understand. I thought I was crazy myself and just mess up for years until God filled me with his holyspirit now I can understand more about Jesus his love for us his word and who iam in christ, But I still need much help. Who ever read this besides mrs helen please pray for me and my family and thoes around me that God has called me to help…Thankyou all from my heart to yours. love ya’ll sandra
I love this post, this is the message which God has been speaking to me this week.I am more of a lighthouse than a beacon.
Thank you for this post. A month ago, the Lord began highlighting the word “beacon” to me on my way to and from work, (I have a long commute). I researched and prayed about it for several days. But, this post helps clarify so much what He is communicating to me about what He is doing in my life right now! I appreciate you and your ministry. Thank you, Helen!
Hi Shannon, it never ceases to amaze me. I love how the Holy Spirit speaks to us in these coordinated ways!
Hi Helen, thankyou for this blog it was God timed of course
I too am a Planetshaker and honor our leaders and their beacon approach to ministry. I love the presence of our Lord and know our church is anointed for breakthrough. This is why
I have been feeling confused as to why I had been led to learn so much about the enemy and how he operates. As a discerner of spirits and a PSC student I have more insight into the enemy than my flesh would like but Thy will be done. I know I need to look away from all that distracts unto Jesus but your blog has revealed to me why I am built with an unusual perspective and gift. Thankyou Helen reading this today was such a blessing.
Hi Sonja, yes I am so grateful for our church, always focused on Jesus!
The discernment is a special gift, and it shines the brightest when we not only notice what the enemy is doing, but our primary focus is on what Holy Spirit is doing, and what our Father’s intentions are!
That’s what I love best about discernment – our capacity to perceive God’s anointing and what He is doing is enhanced through the empowering of the Spirit. (Plus we get to contribute our insights for the purpose of breakthrough!)
(P.S. the WordPress software hasn’t been developed to recognise emojis yet, so they appear as ? instead, I hope this will change soon!)