Wednesday, November 16, 2016

7 Prophetic Promises For 2017 by Robert Hotchkin

At the beginning of last month we entered the "Head of the Year" with the celebration of Rosh Hashanah. This brought us into the Hebrew year 5777. At the end of next month we will enter into the year 2017 on our much more widely observed Gregorian calendar. During this time of transition, the Lord has been speaking to me about what this new season holds. He has given me seven words for 5777/2017:
1. God is Hitting the Reset Button
This is the first word the Lord gave me for the new year, and I shared in detail about it last month. So I will quickly recap (if you would like to read the original word in more detail, please click here). The Lord spoke to me that He was getting ready to, "Hit the reset button." 
This won't just be a chance to go back to square one and give it another go, but much more.  It will involve erasing past failures, frustrations, and fears; and removing former discouragements, disappointments, distraction and delays. It will also include the grace to break patterns that have limited or sabotaged in the past.
It will come with fresh vision to see situations, opportunities and even ourselves with renewed expectation.  This "reset" will be unto a "personal Genesis" – any place in our lives where there has been chaos, darkness or a void, His Spirit will hover and His light will break forth unto a "new day" (Genesis 1:1-5).
2. Lay Down Your Nets
In Matthew 4:19-20, when Jesus invited Peter and Andrew to follow Him, they laid down their nets. They did not need to do this because nets were inherently wicked or evil – nets are simply a tool. The invitation of the Lord was to walk with Jesus closely and discover new ways of doing things in Kingdom ways. 
In this new year, the Lord is inviting us to, "Lay down our nets" so that there can be a restructuring and re-ordering of how we do things – all unto greater fruitfulness.  This invitation is not so much about being open to doing something new, as it is being open to doing what we have been doing in new ways. (Photo via Unsplash)
"Nets" are something that we can get trapped in if we're not careful.  God is inviting us, especially in areas where we have seen fruitfulness, to not get trapped in how we have done things in the past so that He can teach us new ways and bring us into increased productivity, favor and blessing. In this new year, be willing to, "Lay down your nets" as He invites you to embrace change and do things in new ways.
3. Unique and Interesting Doors Will Open 
Experience and success in one area of your life will open doors for you in other, unrelated areas. These areas will be so unrelated to your past that you may wonder if it is a delusion or distraction to even consider them. Once you press past fear, doubt or confusion you will hit a "grace place" and know that you know that it is a divine opportunity. 
Like Paul being called to the gentiles and Peter being called to the Jews (Acts 9:15, Galatians 2:7-8), it may not at first make sense, but it is God. The Lord spoke to me that Donald Trump has been a sign of this in the earth. His success in business opened a door for him to have an impact in the unrelated field of high-level politics. 
As you sense these unique and interesting doors opening for you, do not get caught up in worry that your experience does not translate to the new field. What will translate is the confidence you gained in your previous success. David had no experience slaying giants, but the confidence he gained in himself and in his God during his days in the pasture with his sheep allowed him to embrace the unique and interesting opportunity to be the defender of Israel against Goliath and the Philistines (1 Samuel 17:36-37). (Photo via Unsplash)
4. Temperature Dropping, Pressure Decreasing
On Rosh Hashanah I was going to a "Head of the Year" event here in the Phoenix valley to share the prophetic words the Lord have given me for the new year. 
As I was driving, a warning light came on in my Jeep alerting me that my tire pressure had suddenly gotten quite low. The warning light was near the display of the outside temperature, which I noticed had dramatically dropped to 72° – our temperatures in the greater Phoenix area continue to be around or above 100° throughout September and well into October. 
When I stopped at a gas station to put air in my tires, the Lord spoke to me that many had been in the furnace of affliction and under tremendous pressure in the spirit, but He was declaring, "Enough is enough," and that now the pressure would begin to decrease and the temperature would start to drop. 
He also said that His people – like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego would emerge, "Not even smelling of smoke" (Daniel 3:27). What the enemy meant for harm, God turns to the good (Genesis 50:20). 
The heat and pressure the enemy sent, hoping it would destroy faith, actually tested and strengthened it. His people will emerge stronger and will see a great outpouring of breakthrough and blessing in this new season (Daniel 3:30, 1 Peter 1:7). 
Interestingly, when I got back in my Jeep to continue on to the meeting, a torrent of rain began to fall – a great outpouring. God confirms His word with signs that follow (Mark 16:20).
5. "3-D Preachers" Will Break Forth
A great move of "3-D Preachers" is about to break forth from the streets in key cities around the world – one of the first we will see it in is London
Many who have come out of "difficult," "destitute," and "drug-addicted" backgrounds are about to have vivid, 3-D encounters with the living reality of God. As the Lord appears to them, they will be ignited to go forth as "dedicated, devoted disciples" revealing the reality of Him and His Kingdom with "divine, dramatic displays" that make Jesus real to those who had not been seeking Him (Romans 10:20). 
Street corners and public places are about to come alive with the reality of Jesus through these "3-D Preachers" (Acts 8:6).
6. Offices Will Be Inhabited
For the past ten years, when not out on the road ministering or in our studio, I have worked out of my home – using my laptop computer and our kitchen counter as my workspace. 
About a year ago the Lord spoke to me to turn one of our small spare bedrooms into a home office. Holy Spirit gave me a detailed vision of what the space would look like. I loved the idea and began to move forward on it. 
I ended up running into one delay after another, one challenge after another. Tradesmen I had set up to come in and do a bit of the remodel work wouldn't show up. Little jobs with the floor or walls that should have taken a day or two ended up lingering on for weeks or even months. 
The desk I had found a good deal on arrived all banged up. What should have taken a week or two at the most, ended up taking the better part of a year. All along the way people kept saying things like, "Well maybe you're not supposed to have that office." But I knew what the Lord said, and I knew what He had shown me. (Photo via Unsplash)
Eventually, much later than expected, the day came when I moved into the office.  On that day the Lord spoke to me and said, "Yes, it was a battle at times but you are now moving into the office I have for you in this season." I knew He was not speaking simply of the physical space, but of a spiritual office. 
He then showed me that in this coming year many in the Body will finally inhabit offices that He has spoken to them about. For those of you who have felt like you were never going to "move into" the offices in ministry or in service that He has promised you, this is the year. One of your keys will be to not push to try and make your way in. 
All along the way even with all the delays, God gave me peace and told me to allow the process to take the time it was taking – it was all unto something. Genesis 28:15 says that He will be with us constantly until He finishes bringing us into all that He has promised. This is the year He will open the door for many of you to inhabit the "office" He has called you to.
7. A Coming Move of Heroic Holiness
When we look at the last two decades in the Body of Christ, one of the things it has been marked by is the revelation of the Father's Heart (especially since the "Toronto Blessing"). One of the reasons for this great outpouring of the Father's Love has been to lay the foundation for a coming move of Heroic Holiness that is even now beginning to stir in the Church. 
Scripture tells us that if we love the Lord, we will obey His Word (John 14:15), but it also says that we love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).  From the profound revelation of the Father's love that He has been releasing to us for the past two-plus decades, a stirring is occurring in the hearts of His people that is marked by a "certainty of sonship" (Mark 1:11). 
From this deep knowing of how completely loved, accepted, covered and cared for we are, there will be a radically-in-love-with-Jesus increase of righteous obedience completely free of religion, performance or self-righteousness. There will be an enthusiastic response to grab hold of the invitation to be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:14-16). 
Holiness will be celebrated. Holiness will be appreciated. Holiness will be championed. This move of Heroic Holiness is stirring now as part of the mature sons arising that all of creation is groaning for (Romans 8:19, Hebrews 5:14). Men and women of God are going to embrace and run with this move of Heroic Holiness and have profound Kingdom impact in increasing spheres of influence. (Photo via Unsplash)
Prayer Directives: Let's Pray and Agree That:
1. Renewed beginnings are being released. Wherever there has been darkness, chaos or a void, God is sending forth His light and a "new day" is dawning.
2. There is great grace for flexibility and wisdom. We will embrace change, let go of past ways we have done things, follow Jesus more closely, and allow Him to reveal new tools and techniques for greater fruitfulness.
3. We will move in favor, faith and boldness, embracing unique and interesting opportunities the Lord puts before us.
4. The "pressure cooker" in the spirit that many have experienced is done. Command the pressure to decrease and the temperature to drop. And declare that we are emerging victorious, strengthened, purified and blessed.
5. In cities all around the world, preachers will declare the truth of Jesus with boldness and give powerful witness of the supernatural reality of Him and His Kingdom. Crowds will gather and listen intently because of the miracles that are performed.
6. All hindrances, blocks and delays are removed. God will is with us, and He will finish bringing us into all that He has promised.
7. The fire of His Love will burn up every selfish, arrogant, carnal or wicked thing in us. We will know, and make known, His Love in greater and deeper ways – grabbing hold of the promise and provision to be holy as He is holy. (To Subscribe to the Elijah List go here.)
Robert Hotchkin
XP Ministries

Email: robert@xpministries.com
Website: www.xpmedia.com/channel/rhotchkin

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