A NEW BEGINNING

 

A new beginning come with new vision and new responsibility, most times the old is not discarded away but new dimensions of operations are added with greater responsibility to the body of Christ and of course, greater grace and unction to carry out the new… There have to be a shift…

The Lord has to propel, expand and stress you from the norm to higher realm of grace and glory. You will see and do greater and better things as God open your ears to hear and eyes to see new things that you have not touched or handled before now. Wisdom, revelation and enlightenment through the ministry of the Word of God and Holy Spirit provides strength, support and great manifestation of what had been in the cooler of precious promises until now that we can say, it seem like forever for those things to come to pass but by faith and patience finally we have inherited the promises of God.

“Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert” Isa. 43:18-19 

There is the need to turn like God told Moses to turn and see the burning bush because there are things that we will need to see in a fresh way and encounters we need to have in order to see and hear what the Lord is showing and speaking in this new dispensation. When you turn like Moses, you will no more be a shepherd of animals again but a higher calling to lead the people of God to the Promised Land will sit in your heart and direct your doing from now on.

There was a conception of that which is newly empowered by the glory of God. Like David, your days of training and shepherding goats are over with. God is set to bring pure breed godly sheep that you will train and mature into the next level remnant Church that God is breeding. See some of the things that God is changing.

1.      God will enlighten the world but the manifestation will be on the Word of God [Rev. 21:11; Eph. 1:17-19].

2.      God will bring living water out of Jerusalem, that is washing by the water of the Word of God. [Rev. 21:6; Eph. 5:26]

3.      God will make trees to bring forth their fruit every month [Rev. 22:2; Ezek. 47:12]

4.      All the waste places shall be built, even Sodom and Gomorrah [Ezek. 47:8]

5.      Jerusalem shall be built with sapphire stone [Rev. 21:19]

6.       the sixth is, the cow and the bear shall feed together

7.      A covenant shall be made between spiritual Israel, and the beasts, fowls, and creeping things.

8.      There shall be no more weeping and howling in the world.

9.      There shall be no more death in the world

10.   There shall no more be sighing, and groaning, and sorrow in the world. [Rev. 21:4].

The time for all round favor is now [Psalms 102:13] and we know that God makes all things to be beautiful in its time [Eccl. 3:11]. God is moving you from graduate class lecturer to post graduate class lecturer and it comes with many goodies and fringe benefits better than the former.

This is backed up by a contract or covenant that you must abide by or fulfill else angels will try to kill you just like he wanted to kill Moses on his way to Egypt to fulfill the higher calling; that is why we need supportive intercessors like Zipporah wife of Moses that carries sharp stones so that the foreskin must be cut off and we will mortify all that would have prevented us from entering the new beginning or the Promised Land.

 It was the same way after the River Jordan experience that the Israelites too had to mortify the deed of the flesh [Joshua 5:2], before partaking of the houses they did not build, wells they did not dig and vineyards that they did not build [Deut. 6:11]. Promised Land, Higher Calling or a New Beginning works only for those who had consecrated, hallowed and sanctified themselves, holy and righteous; walking in the Spirit and not fulfilling the lust of the flesh much more than younger generation of believers; such eat the strong meat of the word and not milk like baby Christians [Heb. 5:12-14].

The Lord is doing abnormal things and you cannot afford to be normal, do not dwell in the past lazy and sluggish. You must press towards the goal fervently like Paul, counting all former things but dung for the excellency of the progressive knowledge of the Christ and paying the prize of the UPWARD CALL OF GOD in Christ [Phil. 3:13-14].

There is a higher price to pay in order to access a new beginning in the midst of fulfilling kingdom mandate. The Lord is raining down former and the Latter rain in one season and great grace, glory and unction; arise and work, much more grace is given only to those who strive for mastery and temperate [1 Cor. 9:25]. Always remember it is the mercy of the Lord that is new every morning that releases new things to us from the Throne Room of Grace [Lamentations 3:22-24]

We cannot do ministry with levity, laziness or a slack hand as further clothing, revelation knowledge, unction to function and understanding of mysteries and hidden truth are being unveiled such that we can receive greater ability to teach and train believers being trained as remnant in our local assemblies. It is in this realm that restoration of the dominion mandate to those who had prepared for the next level is done.

“What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visit him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor. You made him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet” Psalms 8:4-6 

We must be in anticipation mode whereby we are longing with desire and passion to see the establishment of the new things that the Lord is desiring to do in this season. The zeal of the Lord shall accomplish it.

“Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead. So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; You know that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs” John 21:13-15 

The first penitent thing at every new beginning is that the diet or what we feed on must change [Heb. 5:12-14], we cannot afford to feed any longer on milk like babes but on strong meat of the Word of God so that we can grow and mature, having spiritual stamina that can deal with giants, we are empowered to do great and mighty things and have deep communion with the Spirit of God so that we can do great and mighty things like our Lord Jesus Christ.

The days of lullabies and being treated like babes is over with. God is about to give you a kick just like Gideon so that you can come into the reality of the “Man of Valor” that God has destined you to be. You need a trigger to send you through a boot camp, the season of pampering is over, the time of tough training is here so you can be thrusted into your new office so that you can now begin to do the things that God has destined you to do at this higher realm.

You cannot take people to where you have not been, be strengthened and awake from your slumbering and take your place in the body of Christ.

The season of new beginning is for you to arise and act. Even if you speak like Peter and say to the Lord three times … I love you? God is asking from us fresh commitment to love the Lord and FEED His sheep…. When the Lord find new or true lovers of Christ, He will release new treasures, new resources and new grace.

Many times, what was or ought to be are lost or finished, it means we have stopped doing the exercises that makes them to be available like the story of the wedding in Cana [John 2:1-12] where they was no more supplies of wine or the story of the valley of dry bones [Ezek. 37:1-2, 7]. Looking at the story of the valley of dry bones, we saw that the remedy was prophesying so that what ought to be like sinew, flesh, skin e.tc. came to be.

Pivotal to new things is the issues of prophecy or speaking according to the word of God so that what God has spoken can be birthed forth.

God is saying the season of fulfilling afore-spoken words has come and it is time to birth new things. We must both know the new things that God is set to do and declare its birthing forth in this season, that is why prophesying is vitally important, speaking forth the promises of God for this season.

“Thus saith the LORD; Again there shall be heard in this place, which ye say shall be desolate without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast, The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endures forever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD” Jer. 33:10-11 

Because God is set for a new beginning, old things are passing away, no more desolation, stagnation, poverty, lack and want; sickness and diseases; From now on it shall be things that causes joy and gladness, marriages, opening new businesses, wealth and riches, setting free from oppression and demonization and greater grace and glory.

The season of captivity and spiritual imprisonment has come to an end. All you need to do is to take God at His word that can never fail and you will see His goodness in the land of the living [Numbers 23:19].

“Blessed is that man that make the LORD his trust” Psalms 40:4 

Like the days of Ezra where over 50 thousand Israelites returned to the land of their nativity, people who had derailed and do contrary to the laws and commandments of the Lord must be willing to repent and do the first works so that the mercy and grace of God can be restored back to them.

So, those who had strayed from the Lord must return in repentance so that a time of refreshing can come to them from the Presence of the Lord [1 John 1:9]. Conversion means to change radically to line up with the new identity from servants of  to friend or from child to grown up adult.

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord” Acts 3:19 

Such must be willing to obey the Word of God. We must come out of adapting to the decadence and the rotten immoral standard of our time. Let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God [2 Cor. 7:1] and be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers [2 Cor. 6:14].

“And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptian”. Exodus 12:35-36 

On the day of leaving Egypt for the Promised Land, God instituted that wealth and riches will exchange hand from the Egyptians to the Israelites so the Israelites asked to borrow jewels of silver, and jewels and of gold, and raiment. Imagine working for 430 years without pay and suddenly as power exchanged hands, salary of 430 years was paid in one day. You may have wondered until now, where is the reward of all my labors; where we have done Church and other Christian services… Where are those rewards? The time of rewarding is here to stay!

“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just” Prov. 13:22 

Watch out the time has come for the wealth of the unjust to be given to the righteous. It is that time! Believe and receive it in Jesus Mighty Name.

People like Ezra, Nehemiah and Solomon must rise up that are willing to rebuild the house of the Lord according to the specification of God given so that the glory cloud can fill the house of the Lord and we will begin to experience miracles, signs, wonders, and prosperity such that the new will be better than the old. Both former and latter rain will fall in one season. This reconstruction that leads to a new beginning requires working laboriously in unity and one heart under godly leadership so that the blessings can begin to flow continually!

Every man must be manning their offices and diligently pursuing God’s mandate. Cooperate worshippers that walk uprightly, and work righteousness, and speak the truth in his heart [Psalms 15:2] shall be found in the place of New Beginning; and then God will command the glory to fall upon the congregation. The spirit of understanding and cooperation must be between the young and the old as they strive in love to work together so that the newness that God is speaking can be birthed forth. Times of refreshing always come when we know and follow God’s plan to do a new thing! In Acts 16:6-10, Paul sensed going to Macedonia is God’s will and not going to Bithynia and spiritual revival and great visitation of God happened in Macedonia as they followed on to obey the will of God.

“And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there. And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them. And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water. And the herdsmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdsmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him. And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah.  And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it REHOBOTH; and he said, For now the LORD hath MADE ROOM FOR US, and we shall be FRUITFUL in the land. And he WENT UP from thence to Beersheba. Gen 26:17-23 

Under this prophetic atmosphere, I decree you will only GO UP from here, you will never be down casted again in the name of Jesus Christ. True enough the enemy has taken over what you dug before now! But the buck stops here! You have come to your own land and God has made room for you. No more stagnation, no more going down. The enemy will not strive with hatred or contention [“Sitnah”] against you anymore! The time has come for you to Arise and Shine for your light has come! The glory cloud of God has risen upon you! No more darkness! Gloomy days are over forever! Rehoboth releases prosperity!

 

PRINCIPLES OF NEW BEGINNING

However, there are principles that we must follow in order to encounter a new beginning.

The process of new beginning can only be manifested through those who love the Lord Jesus Christ with all their heart, body, soul and spirit; spend quality time in fellowship with God especially early in the morning; such ministers and believers must constantly feed on the living and written word for such spiritual meal builds up, repairs wounded parts of our spirit, preserves us in health and nurture our souls as complete spiritual diet. Greater anointings are released to such, yokes are destroyed and burdens are lifted up [Isa. 10:27]

We must come to Christ often to learn of Him and find rest for our soul [Jer. 15:17; Matt. 11:28-30]. We must study to show ourselves approved unto God, appreciate God’s goodness with thanksgiving. All barrenness is taken away as we find Christ in the Word, feed on Him by faith [John 5:39-40]. For all reading, and studying must be joined with meditation and earnest continual prayers. Lastly, we must focus on contacting Him and becoming more than a servant but becoming a friend so as to enjoy Him in an intimate way [John 15:15].

Here are some pointers found in the life of those who enjoys a new beginning.

LOVING THE LORD WITH ALL OF OUR HEART

We must return to our first love and do the first works. Remember, we must love God with all our heart and our neighbor as ourselves… God opens up His heart and resources to us if we continue in relationship and He is sure of our love. There must be new and fresh commitment to love the Lord so we will not forget God who blesses when the blessings come; so as the elevation come, we will not forget the elevator; and so when the glory come, we will not forget the glorifier.

In John 21:15-19, God wanted to be sure that Peter will be able to truly commit himself to the new level before empowering him with grace for the next level and that he will be truly committed as a lover of God. That is why we see Peter in the books of Acts after the baptism of the Spirit and constant daily apostolic doctrines study come up to a fresh new beginning in power and glory. Peter grew in wisdom and statute and became a spiritual power giant that his shadow was casting out demons and healing the sick.

In Mark 16:20… Peter and the other apostles entered a dimension that God was confirming their words with divers’ miracles, signs and wonders to authenticate their ministry. It was not mere words but like Jesus, in Luke 4:16… saying “this day, this scripture is fulfilled in your sight”. God will move you into the next level when you are ready for the new. God will find you a lover before shifting you up to the next level that will confuse those who used to know you and like in the time of Jesus say is this not Philip that we know before now?

In John 12, Jesus found love in the woman with the Alabaster box and Jesus said leave her alone. Jesus will come through and defend you. In Matt. 26:11, Jesus said what she did will be mentioned wherever the gospel is preached because she was a lover of Christ. After his death, the bone of Elisha was still speaking and raising the dead because he loved the Lord. There must be no more idol in the hearts of those given a new beginning and they are fully commitment to love, serve and obey the Lord, they push through hard times until grace, strength and greater unction is released for the new beginning.

 

FRESH COMMITMENT TO PRAYER CONTINUALLY

“Arriving there, they went into a large second-floor room to pray. Those present were Peter, John, Jacob, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, Jacob (the son of Alpheus), Simon (the zealot), Judas (the son of Jacob), and a number of women, including Mary, Jesus’ mother. His brothers were there as well. All of them were united in prayer, gripped with one passion, interceding night and day” Acts 1:12-14 TPT

 “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren” Act 1:14 KJV

Your prayer and burden must change from supplication for self, to the burden of the Lord and such burdens are stronger when your season changes and God begin to do new things in your life and ministry.

Such must have fresh commitment to the direction and burden of the Lord. God’s burden is different and you must align to His will to pray aright according to your new mandate. We must be like Hannah whose prayer points changed from personal burden to the burden of the Lord and so she birthed forth the next season “prophet of the Lord” called Samuel over Israel.

We must “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving” Coll. 4:2 

We must like the apostles in Acts 2 pray earnestly for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and so move into higher dimension of prayers more earnestly that will attract God like that of Hannah who agonized in the Spirit [1 Sam. 2]. This is not time to wait before you organize in prayers, once you sensed a quickening in your spirit man just respond! Prayers acts like bull dozers that can bring down an old building in a jiffy so that a new one can be built in that place.

“Jesus replied, “Let the faith of God be in you! Listen to the truth I speak to you: If someone says to this mountain with great faith and having no doubt, ‘Mountain, be lifted up and thrown into the midst of the sea,’ and believes that what he says will happen, it will be done. This is the reason I urge you to boldly believe for whatever you ask for in prayer—believe that you have received it and it will be yours” Mark 11:22-24 BBE 

The word “says” in this scripture has to do with agonizing prayers knowing that you are going against mountainous problems mounting garrison against your next level. Prayers work earnest with those who display or have God’s kind of faith so that you will seek to do the seeming humanly impossible things compared to speaking to a mountain to move; and you will have what you say!

We must on a constant basis have time of teaching sessions separate from prayer meeting and have solid, serious and militant prayer band that intercede for the Church. Prayers gives us a new lease on life by directing our focus on fulfilling God’s plan for our lives and ministry. After knowing the will of God, we must now tarry in prayers until it is birthed forth in the natural.

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

Examples of those that prayed earnestly are Hannah in 1 Samuel 1 :10-17; Daniel in Daniel 9:3-19; David in 2 Samuel 15:31; Elijah in James 5:18; Elijah in 1 Kings 17:21; Ezra in Ezra 10:1; And Hezekiah the king in 2 Kings 19:14-19

Righteousness exalts!

Righteousness helps in quickening answers to earnest prayers and developing greater anointing, it worked for Jesus Christ, it will work for you [Heb. 1:9]. Many times, prayers must be backed up with fasting. Prayer levels and dimensions must be on the increase especially praying in the Holy Ghost until power change hand and a fresh anointing come upon you. Only then will the people in your Church begin to see deliverance, empowerment, financial blessings, new job, favor and wisdom, greater grace and glory.

“Elijah was a man with human frailties, just like all of us, but he prayed and received supernatural answers. He actually shut the heavens over the land so there would be no rain for three and a half years! Then he prayed again and the skies opened up over the land so that the rain came again and produced the harvest” James 5:18 TPT

EVANGELISM

Taking our cue from what we see in Acts 2-4; God is releasing His Holy Spirit abundantly now; there is absolute grace to fellowship in the apostolic doctrine, salvation, healing and all other gifts of the spirit; but all believers including ministers of the gospel must arise to go out for evangelism or soul winning so that the last request from the Lord to make disciples of all nation can be fulfilled and we will see soul saving increasing in quantum dimensions backing our evangelism efforts with divers miracles, signs and wonders and release of the truth. The truth will be demystified, the good news will be spread across the nations and the hidden truth unveiled so that we can know God, be strong and do exploits.  Same evangelistic grace imparted Peter; he preached one message and 3000 souls were saved. The same grace is still available today! The POWER of the Holy Spirit guarantees that spiritual energies backs up our soul winning drives [Acts 1:8]

New beginnings with God are always possible and we must focus on the work of Christ on the Cross that has made oneness and unity possible; we must focus on obedience to God’s word, and on building both the spiritual and physical house of the Lord.

 

END NOTE

“Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favor her, yea, the set time, is come” Psalms 102:13 KJV

We are beckoning upon God our Father to exert his power, and display the riches of his grace and mercy; not by delivering us only from the snare of the fowler and from bondages and captivities that restrains from enjoying the goodness of the Lord alone; but by redeeming His Church and people by power and authority and price of the shed blood of Jesus; and also by raising up and restoring us to great glory and prosperity in this latter days. This glory is all that God has and all that God is; so that all can be restored to the Church and the promised harvest of lost souls in this season of global harvest can be achieved.

“I know you are about to arise and show your tender love to Zion. Now is the time, Lord, for your compassion and mercy to be poured out—the appointed time has come for your prophetic promises to be fulfilled!” Psalms 102:13 TPT

 

PRAYER

“And I pray that he would unveil within you the unlimited riches of his glory and favor until supernatural strength floods your innermost being with his divine might and explosive power. Then, by constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside you, and the resting place of his love will become the very source and root of your life. Then you will be empowered to discover what every holy one experiences—the great magnitude of the astonishing love of Christ in all its dimensions” Eph 3:16-18 TPT