Counting the Omer……….

 Last night began the season of “counting the Omer” and goes through May 30th this year.  It marks the beginning of the barley harvest when, in ancient times, Jews would bring the first sheaves to the Temple as a means of thanking God for the harvest.
 omer 1
Omer means to utter speech – to verbally count the days.  It is a 49 day transition period between the second night of Passover (Pesach) and the holiday of Pentecost (Shavuot).… a transition from deliverance into an outpouring from Heaven….an outpouring of His Spirit.
In this transition period, it is important to “verbally count the days” with declarations…. declarations of His promises over our lives, of who we are In Christ and of all that Christ purchased for us through His death and resurrection.
angels-wings
Angels are activated as we declare His Word (Psalm 103:20).  Daniel 10:2 “I have come for your words.”  His angels are poised and ready to work on our behalf… to obey God’s Word that we have been declaring.
What will you declare in this 49 day season?
It’s not a time to plead with God for healing, prosperity, favor, etc…. but rather a time to boldly declare what is already ours in Christ. For instance, rather than praying “Oh God please heal me or my family” instead declare “Jesus, you are my healer and by Your stripes, my body is healed… not going to be healed but healed already.”   Instead of “God please save my family” begin to boldly declare “Jesus, You died for my family.  Your death on the Cross provided salvation for them.  I just command right now that the blinders fall off their eyes and they will experience Your delivering power in their lives.  I call them saved and set free NOW today!”
I encourage you to think about what you want to declare in this season and write it out. Get into the Word and find out what God has to say.   Faith begins where the will of God is known.  Find the Scriptures that say He is your Healer, Provider, Deliverer, etc and then boldly declare Him as such in your life.  If the Word says He is your Healer, then healing is always the will of God.  Once you are settled on what His will is for your life, it’s easy to boldly declare His promises as yes and amen in Christ Jesus.
Paul’s prayers are another great thing to declare out during this season of counting the Omer.  Ephesians 1:17-23, Ephesians 3:14-21, Philippians 1:9-11, and Colossians 1:9-14.  Make them personal, for example:

Col 1:9-14….

Abba (Father, Daddy, Papa or whatever your name for your Heavenly Father is) thank you for filling me with the knowledge of Your will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, (10) so that I may live a life worthy of the Lord and pleasing Him in every way: I bear fruit in every good work, I continually grow in the knowledge of God, (11) and I am always strengthened with ALL power according to His glorious might which results in me having great endurance and patience, (12) and I give joyful thanks to You Abba, because You have made me qualified in Christ to receive my share of the saint’s inheritance. (13) You have rescued me from the dominion of darkness and brought me into the kingdom of the Son You love, (14) in whom I have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Make it your own.  Spend time reading Paul’s prayers and boldly declaring them as your own.  I particularly like a translation by Francoise Du Toit called the Mirror Translation.  He writes it in such a way, that it is as if you are looking into the Mirror of the Word and seeing who you truly are.  It also includes Greek definitions of the words.  So, for reference,  I’ll put Paul’s prayers from the Mirror at the bottom of this blog post.

I also like the Passion Translation and use it quite often in my studies and prayer time.  I’ve also included it at the bottom of this post.

Even taking only these prayers for the next 49 days and declaring them over yourself will make such a difference in how you see yourself in Christ.  By the time Shavuot (Pentecost) comes, you will be dancing and shouting!

 

~ Robin

In the Mirror Translations, the Greek Word definitions italicized… also don’t forget to personalize it and make it yours.

Eph 1:17-23 (Mirror Translation):

I desire that you will draw directly from the source; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory ignites the spirit of wisdom and of revelation in you in the unveiling of his Master Plan (His intent, doxa, glory.). I desire that you know by revelation what he has known about you all along! (18)  I pray that your thoughts will be flooded with light and inspired insight; that you will clearly picture his intent in identifying you in him so that you may know how precious you are to him. The saints are his treasure and the glorious trophy of his portion! (We are God’s assets and the measure of his wealth!) (19)  I pray that you will understand beyond all comparison the magnitude of his mighty power at work 1in us who believe. Faith reveals how enormously advantaged we are in Christ. (The preposition eis, speaks of a point reached in conclusion) (20) It is the same dynamic energy that he unleashed in Christ when he raised him from the dead and forever established him in the power of his own right hand in the realm of the heavens. (21) Infinitely above all the combined forces of rule, authority, dominion or governments; he is ranked superior to any name that could ever be given to anyone of this age or any age still to come in the eternal future. (22) I want you to see this: he subjected all these powers under his feet. He towers head and shoulders above everything. He is the head; (23)  the church (The word, 1ekklesia, comes from ek, a preposition always denoting origin, and klesia from kaleo, to identify by name, to surname; thus the “church” is his redeemed image and likeness in human form.) is his body. The completeness of his being that fills all in all resides in us! God cannot make himself more visible or exhibit himself more accurately.

Eph 1:17-23 (Passion Translation):

that the Father of Glory, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, would unveil in you the riches of the Spirit of wisdom and the Spirit of revelation (discovery)  through the fullness of being one with Christ. (18) I pray that the light of God will illuminate the eyes of your imagination (innermost) flooding you with light, until you experience the full revelation of our great hope of glory. We know that is the reason he called you to himself. And I pray that you explore and experience for yourselves all the riches of this wealth that has been freely given to all his holy ones, for you are his true inheritance! (19) My prayer for you is that every moment you will experience the measureless power of God made available to you through faith. Then your lives will be an advertisement of this immense power as it works through you! (20) This is the explosive and mighty resurrection power that was released when God raised Christ from the dead and exalted him to the place of highest honor and supreme authority (at His right hand)  in the heavenly realm! (21) And now he is exalted higher than all the thrones and principalities, above every ruler and authority, and above every realm of power there is. He is gloriously enthroned over every name that is ever praised, not only in this age (Aramaic says universe),  but in the age that is coming! (22) And everything now finds its essence in Him, and He alone is the Leader and Source of everything needed in the church. God has put everything beneath the authority of Jesus Christ (under His feet)  and has given him the highest rank above all others. (23) And now we, His church, are His body on the earth and the completion of Him that fills all things with his presence flowing through us!

 

Eph 3:14-21 (Mirror):  

Overwhelmed by what grace communicates, I bow my knees in awe before the Father. (15) Every family in heaven and on earth originates in Him; His is mankind’s family name and he remains the authentic identity of every nation. (16) I desire for you to realize what the Father has always envisaged for you, so that you may know the magnitude of his intent (The word, 1doxa, opinion or intent.) and be dynamically reinforced in your inner being by the Spirit of God.  (17) This will ignite your faith to fully grasp the reality of the indwelling Christ. You are rooted and founded in love. Love is your invisible inner source, just like the root system of a tree and the foundation of a building. (The dimensions of your inner person exceed any other capacity that could possibly define you.) (18) Love is your reservoir of super human strength (The word, exischuo means to be entirely competent, to be empowered to 2comprehend). which causes  (the word 2katalambano, kata, strengthened form; with lambano, to grasp, thus to entirely grasp, means to come to terms with, to make one’s own Rom 12:13 Purpose with resolve to treat strangers as saints; pursue and embrace them with fondness as friends on equal terms of fellowship. Rom 12:16 Esteem everyone with the same respect; no one is more important than the other. Associate yourself rather with the lowly than with the lofty. Do not distance yourself from others in your own mind. [“Take a real interest in ordinary people.”— JB Phillips]. Rom 12:13 Purpose with resolve to treat strangers as saints; pursue and embrace them with fondness as friends on equal terms of fellowship. Rom 12:16 Esteem everyone with the same respect; no one is more important than the other. Associate yourself rather with the lowly than with the lofty. Do not distance yourself from others in your own mind. [“Take a real interest in ordinary people.”— JB Phillips] In the breadth and length we see the horizontal extent of the love of Christ: the complete inclusion of the human race. 2 Cor 5:14,16. The depth of his love reveals how his love rescued us from the deepest pits of hellish despair and led us as trophies in his triumphant procession on high. Eph 2:5,6, Eph 4:8-10, Col 3:1-4) you to see everyone equally sanctified in the context of the limitless extent of Love’s breadth and length and the extremities of its dimensions in depth and height. (19) I desire for you to become intimately acquainted with the love of Christ on the deepest possible level; far beyond the reach of a mere academic, intellectual grasp. Within the scope of this equation God finds the ultimate expression of Himself in you. (So that you may be filled with all the fullness of God! Awaken to the consciousness of his closeness! Separation is an illusion! Oneness was God’s idea all along! He desires to express himself through your touch, your voice, your presence; he is so happy to dwell in you! There is no place in the universe where he would rather be!)  (20) We celebrate Him who supercharges us powerfully from within. Our biggest request or most amazing dream cannot match the extravagant proportion of His thoughts towards us. (Now to him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us…KJV)  (21) He is both the Author and Conclusion of the glory on display in the ekklesia (The word, 1ekklesia, often translated church, comes from ek, a preposition always denoting origin, and klesia from kaleo, to identify by name, to surname; the ekklesia is the expression of his image and likeness redeemed in human life.) ,mirrored in Christ Jesus. The encore continues throughout every generation, not only in this age but also in the countless ages to come. Amen!

Eph 3:14-21 (Passion): 

So when I think of the wisdom of His plan I kneel humbly in awe before the Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, (15) the perfect Father of every father and child (Translated from the Aramaic. It could also be translated “the perfect Father of every people group.” The Greek word for “father” and the word for “family” are quite similar, which indicates that every family finds its source in the Father.) in heaven and on the earth. (16) And I pray that He would pour out over you the unlimited riches of His glory and favor until supernatural strength floods your innermost being with His divine might and explosive power. (17) 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, providing you with a secure foundation that grows and grows. (18-19) Then, as your spiritual strength increases, you will be empowered to discover what every holy one experiences— the great magnitude (excellence) of the astonishing love of Christ in all its dimensions. How deeply intimate and far-reaching is his love! How enduring and inclusive it is! Endless love beyond measurement, beyond academic knowledge— this extravagant love pours into you until you are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God! (20) Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for His miraculous power constantly energizes you. (21) Now we offer up to God all the glorious praise that rises from every church in every generation through Jesus Christ— and all that will yet be manifest through time and eternity. Amen!

 

Phil 1:9-11 (Mirror):  

It is my desire for each one of you, that the realization of love’s  (The word 1agape is a compound word from ago, which means to lead as a shepherd leads his sheep, and pao, which means rest! His love leads me into his rest; into the full realization of his finished work! Agape is Psalm 23 in one word. “By the waters of reflection my soul remembers who I am.”) completeness in you will increasingly burst through all boundaries, and that every sphere of  your relationship with others will be greatly impacted by your intimate acquaintance with love. (10) I urge you to examine this agape-love with the utmost scrutiny, just like when a diamond is viewed in the full sunlight to prove its flawless perfection. I dare you to take Love to its ultimate conclusion! There is no offence in love, as evidenced in Jesus Christ who is the light of day. (If the diamond is flawless to begin with, every possible test will prove its perfection; how someone might respond to love’s initiative is not the point, love’s ultimate test was concluded on the cross. Truth does not become true by popular vote; someone’s ignorance or indifference cannot change the truth.) (11) You have been fully furnished with the harvest of your redeemed innocence and righteousness which Jesus Christ labored for! This is what the glorious intent of God is all about! Celebrate him!

Phil 1:9-11 (Passion):  

I continue to pray for your love to grow and increase more and more until it overflows, bringing you into the rich revelation of spiritual insight in all things. And with this revelation you will come to know God fully as He imparts to you the deepest understanding of his ways. (10) This will enable you to choose the most excellent way of all (The Aramaic literally means “choose those things that bring contentment.”) — becoming pure and without offense until the unveiling of Christ. (11) And you will be filled completely with the fruits of righteousness that are found in Jesus, the Anointed One— bringing great praise and glory to God!

Col 1:9b -14 (Mirror):

…..Our constant desire for you is that you might be overwhelmed with the knowledge of God’s dream for your lives. We pray that the pattern of his wisdom and thoughts will fall into place for you in all spiritual understanding (“sunieimi“, means a joining together as of two streams; a fusion of thought.) (10) Go on a walkabout tour (“peripateo“, means to walk about everywhere).to explore the extent of the land that is yours under his Lordship. Now you can conduct yourselves appropriately towards him, pleasing him in every harvest of good works that you bear. Meanwhile, you continue to increase in your intimate acquaintance with that which God knows to be true about you (The knowledge of God is not our perception of him, but his knowledge of us; to know even as we have always been known. [Jer 1:5, 1 Cor 13:12]). This results in the most attractive and fulfilled life possible.

** I like that “walk about tour”….. walking through the Word and exploring what belongs to me through Christ Jesus!

(11)You are empowered in the dynamic of God’s strength;  His mind His glorious power, or doxa, comes from dokeo, to recognize for what it really is, true opinion; God’s intention—his mind made up.) is made up about you! He enables you to be strong in endurance and steadfastness with joy. (12) We are grateful to the Father who qualified us to participate in the complete portion of the inheritance of the saints in the light. (The light of the Gospel reveals what God accomplished to transform the sinner into a saint; from hagos, an awful thing to 1hagios, a consecrated object: “call no-one unholy or unclean (Acts 10:28) (13) He rescued us from the dominion of darkness (the sense-ruled world, dominated by the law of performance) and relocated us into the kingdom where the love of his son rules. (Darkness is not a force, it is the absence of light. [See Eph 4:18] A darkened understanding veiled the truth of our redeemed design from us. 2 Cor 4:4. What “empowered” darkness was the lie that we believed about ourselves! The word, 1exousia, sometimes translated authority, is from ek, origin or source, and eimi, I am. Thus, I was confused about who I am until the day that I heard and understood the grace of God in truth, as in a mirror. See 2 Corinthians 3:18, John 1:12.) (14) In God’s mind mankind is associated in Christ; in His blood sacrifice we were ransomed; our redemption was secured; our sins were completely done away with. (The word sin, is the word hamartia, from ha, negative or without and meros, portion or form, thus to be without your allotted portion or without form, pointing to a disorientated, distorted, bankrupt identity; the word meros, is the stem of morphe, as in 2 Corinthians 3:18 the word metamorphe, with form, which is the opposite of hamartia – without form. Sin is to live out of context with the blueprint of one’s design; to behave out of tune with God’s original harmony. See Deuteronomy 32:18, “You have forgotten the Rock that begot you and have gotten out of step with the God who danced with you!” Hebrew, khul or kheel, to dance. Sin distorts the life of our design. Jesus reveals and redeemed our true form.)

Col 1:9b -14 (Passion):  

….that you would be filled to overflowing with the revelation of God’s pleasure over your lives. This will make you reservoirs of all wisdom and spiritual understanding. (10) We pray that you would walk in the ways of true righteousness, pleasing God in every good thing you do. Then you’ll become fruit-bearing branches, yielding to his life, and maturing in the rich experience of knowing God in his fullness! (11) And we pray that you would be energized with all his explosive power from the realm of his magnificent glory, filling you with great hope (As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek text means “patient endurance.”) and joy in the Holy Spirit!

 

Lamb Selection Day…..

Palm Sunday 2

Cry out with joy, O daughter of Zion! Shout jubilantly, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Look—your King is coming; He is righteous and able to save. He comes seated humbly on a donkey, on a colt, a foal of a donkey~ Zechariah 9:9

A few years ago, I spent an afternoon studying Palm Sunday. I wanted to look at this day through Jewish eyes…. in light of Old Testament Scriptures. To see what the people who saw Him ride into Jerusalem would’ve seen and known.

There are so many rich nuggets to be found in this momentous occasion. My study began with a specific question. Why did God choose this particular day for Jesus to ride into Jerusalem? Was it just a random day or did it have specific meaning to the Jews of that day?

The day Jesus entered Jerusalem was actually called “lamb selection day”. I love that!! In the Old Testament, on the 10th of Nissan, families selected their lambs in the late afternoon for Passover. Jesus also rode into the city in the late afternoon that day offering Himself as the Lamb (Mark 11:11).

Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household… Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. – Exodus 12:3, 6

How is it though that I have never heard of Lamb Selection Day? Or that it was the same day as what we call Palm Sunday? The writers of the New Testament certainly understood the significance. But of course, they grew up abundantly schooled in the Torah and the Old Testament Scriptures, whereas I did not.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:7, “For Christ, our Passover Lamb has been sacrificed.” Hebrews 7:27 says, “He sacrificed for sins, once for all, when he offered himself”, and Hebrews 9:28, “Christ was sacrificed to take away the sins of many people.” John the Baptist said, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” Peter, in 1 Peter 1:19 says, ”You were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, a Lamb without blemish or spot.” In the book of Revelation twenty or more times it refers to Christ as the Lamb. Revelation 5:6 says, “Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne…”. Revelation 12:11”They overcame by the blood of the Lamb…”

From Genesis (Genesis 22:8) “God Himself will provide a lamb” to Revelation (Revelation 5:12)“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,” Jesus Christ is revealed as our Passover Lamb!

And, just to make sure we didn’t miss it, God sent His Son into Jerusalem on the same day that the Jewish people had been selecting their lambs for the past 1500 years!

Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem FOUR DAYS before Passover is not a coincidence. The lambs, chosen for sacrifice by each family on the 10th of Nisan (the day we call Palm Sunday), must be visible for FOUR DAYS before the Passover Feast in order for everyone to observe the selected lamb’s perfection.

During those days of inspection of the lambs, the perfect Lamb of God was present daily at the Temple, where everyone could see Him….. allowing Himself to be inspected by the people.

Jewish historians cite that the lambs during that time all came from Bethlehem and were brought into Jerusalem through the Sheep Gate. At that time, ONLY the sheep from Bethlehem, that had been raised especially for this purpose, were allowed to be used for selection.

Jesus entered Jerusalem along with all the Passover lambs through that same Sheep Gate. Can’t you just see it? What a beautiful picture of redemption…. His hour had finally come! Oh, what a beautiful Savior… what a beautiful spotless Passover Lamb!

The road into Jerusalem was extremely crowded that day. Hundreds of thousands (or according to Josephus, millions) of pilgrims were flocking into the city to begin the celebration of the Passover season.

How did people respond to the arrival of Jesus?

At the Sheep Gate, a crowd of people threw their coats and branches down on the ground while shouting,

‘Hosannah!’ “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosannah in the highest!’ “Hosanna” – hosha’na in Hebrew means, “Save now!”

They were hailing Him as King – the One Who would dwell with them in the Messianic Kingdom! By this time they were weary from the oppression by the Romans. It was 1,000 years since Solomon had been crowned king and rode in on a donkey to Jerusalem (1 Kings 1:32-40). AND of course – it was nearly PASSOVER – which to them was a reminder of God’s deliverance from their enemies! Now Jesus… the long-awaited for Messiah would finally set up His Kingdom, delivering them out of bondage to the Romans and reigning over their beloved nation of Israel!

The cheering crowd was upsetting some of the Pharisees who began to call out to Jesus saying, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” (Luke 19:39). Jesus refused and told them that if His followers were silenced, the very stones would cry out (Luke 19:40).

The stones? Why did Jesus mention the stones? What would that have meant to this crowd of people and the Pharisees?

Jesus had started his triumphal entry east of the Jordan – He crossed the Jordan River on that day. … Nisan 10th (Palm Sunday). In Joshua 4:19 the children of Israel crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land — on the same day! The 10th of Nisan!!!

After crossing the Jordan on His way to Jerusalem, Jesus passed through Jericho. This city was the first to be conquered by the children of Israel in Joshua’s day when they were fighting for a kingdom. All of those standing there along the road wouldn’t have missed the symbolism of crossing the Jordan into the Promise Land and setting up a kingdom.
For them, this must be what Jesus was coming to do! To set up His Kingdom here in Israel.

Mark 10:46 tells that a crowd joined Jesus near Jericho. Word had gotten out – HE WAS COMING! The people were crying “Jesus, SON OF DAVID, have mercy on me” (Mark 10:47).

Their cry was for the restoration of the age of Solomon. This is what they had longed for… what they were expecting! For the restoration of Israel…. for the return of what it had looked like in Solomon’s day.

They’re Savior had finally come to rescue them!

This is the setting for Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem . . . Excitement for the deliverance of Roman oppression and the setting up of a glorious kingdom.

As you look at the details of what was happening it’s easy to get caught up in their excitement and forget that in a few days these same people would suffer a great disappointment. Their expectations were not met…. or so they thought. It didn’t turn out the way they believed it would. The One they thought was Messiah… their King…. would be crucified and their lives would remain under the oppression of Rome resulting in the destruction of their beloved Temple.

But the truth is, Jesus did set up His Kingdom. His hour had come. His purpose and destiny was fulfilled. He had reclaimed a kingdom — His Father’s kingdom. And He had conquered their enemy —  sin and death!! They were the real oppressor – NOT Rome (Hebrews 2:14).

Ephesians 4:7 quotes Psalm 68 which is a victory hymn written by King David. “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.” In Psalm 68 we read that after a TRIUMPH, the CONQUERING KING marched through his enemy’s territory, wreaking havoc and collecting spoils – and bringing home those spoils. Hebrews 2:14 says that through death, Jesus DESTROYED Satan who had the power of death, and released the CAPTIVES.

Jesus’ death meant VICTORY for us.

Through His death and resurrection, He gave LIFE to us….. ETERNAL LIFE in Him.  His Kingdom is a Kingdom that resides IN us and released through us.

But sadly they couldn’t see all of that yet. They were crying out Hosanna! It was a plea for salvation. Literally, hosanna means “I beg you to save!” or “please deliver us!” It was a cry for salvation and a recognition that Jesus was the One able to save.

They were still looking for a physical king. They were desiring and hoping for someone to change their current oppressed condition. They were sure that the long-awaited Messiah would come in the form of a militaristic king. One who would sit on an earthly throne. The throne of David—and reign in Jerusalem over a renewed Davidic kingdom.

Spiritually they were blind to their true condition…. they needed salvation from sin and death, not from Roman oppressors. Isaiah 42 talks about the spiritually blind who are captives and sit in darkness. They regain their sight when they are set free. Isaiah 35 prophesies about the Messianic Kingdom (the Highway of Holiness) and one of the responses of Heaven to save is the recovery of sight to the blind.

Mark 10:51-52 tells us that there was a blind man named Bartimaeus who was one of those by the road on that Palm Sunday…. on that lamb selection day.

What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. ~ Mark 10:51-52

His sight was recovered. No longer a blind captive he freely followed Jesus. And the first thing he saw when his eyes were opened was the Lamb! Blindness is not being able to see the Lamb who took away the sin of the world. John tells us in Revelation 13:8 that He is the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world!!

Healing, prosperity, freedom, WHOLENESS in every part of life (physical, mental, social, spiritual, and financial) has always been yours from before time began because as the Lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world, He declared IT IS FINISHED before time ever began!!! Open your eyes and see the truth of who you have always been IN Him (Ephesians 1).

Nisan – 5776 (2016)

Now the LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, “This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you.  ~ Exodus 12:1-2

barley yeshua

Last year as we entered into the Hebrew month of Nisan I woke up to a song in my heart and on my lips… “it’s a new season, it’s a new day….a fresh anointing is flowing my way…a season of power and prosperity…..it’s a new season coming my way.”  And in prayer, I kept hearing God say “new day, new day!!”  Then He led me to Joshua 1:2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all these people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel.”   All of this happened in the Hebrew month of Nisan.  A new day had come for the children of Israel…  the old way of living (in the Wilderness) was over and it was now time to cross over into the Promise Land and receive all that God had promised them.

On this past Friday evening we entered into Nisan… on Saturday morning I woke up with an expectancy of something new.  It felt as if something in the atmosphere had shifted.  Saturday was also the day of Azusa Now in Los Angeles (which marked 110 years anniversary of the Azusa Street Revival) as well as United Cry DC in Washington DC.   East coast and West coast worshipping together and crying out to God on the same day for revival in our land!  A day of unity in the Body of Christ.

I believe we have entered into a new day… Saturday marked a day that everything changed… an historic day for us!  For our nation!  And not coincidentally it happened as we entered into the Hebrew month of Nisan.  The month of Passover… a time of liberation, personal change, going from slavery to freedom, and the emerging out of the old.

Saturday I believe we “passed over” into a new season… a season that has shifted us and positioned us for the next Great Awakening.  Rev. William Seymour, the leader of the Azusa Street Awakening, prophesied that in 100 years there would be an outpouring of God’s Spirit and His Shekinah Glory that would be greater and more far reaching than what was experienced at Azusa.

REVIVAL — A TIME OF GREAT AWAKENING IS UPON US!

Revival is defined as to live again, to receive again a life which has almost expired; to rekindle into a flame the vital spark which was nearly extinguished.  Another great definition I read is “The Spirit of God working through the Word of God, in the lives of the people of God.”

Passover (which is in Nisan) is a time of revival and spiritual renewal, a restoration of the Power and Glory….a renewed interest in God!  In Nisan the children of Israel shifted into a new season… a season of liberation as they followed Moses, the revivalist, out of Egypt.  The children of Israel had been enslaved for 430 years and in Exodus 6 God told Moses that He heard their groanings….and He responded to their prayerful cries and to the hearts of His people… there was a revival of His covenant with Abraham.

Zech 10:1 tells us to ask the Lord for rain in the springtime…. this month is a time to ask for the rain of His presence.  I loved that on Saturday the 8th (Azusa now and United Cry DC) it rained here in California and also in DC…. in fact my Facebook post that morning was Hosea 6:3 “He comes like the rain”.  That day on Facebook I saw two different photos of rainbows… one over the colosseum in LA and two double rainbows a few days before over the Washington monument and the US capital.

It is also the month that the King had favor on Nehemiah and granted him permission to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the wall.  This was another time of revival for Israel…. in Nehemiah chapter 8 the people gather as Ezra reads the Word of God.  They stood listening to the Word for about 6 hours!! Then they began weeping, because they realized how much they had sinned against God…. they were repentant…  and worshipping God after it was read…. their hearts were revived and turned back to God.    Again, this happened in the month of Nisan.

It is also month to watch your speech.. be aware of what your confessions are.    Your Word confessions should “grab the wind” and change the atmosphere. Speak forth revival… in your life, your families, your city and your nation!  

 

~ Robin

 

Nisan – 5775 (2015)

The day we entered into the Hebrew month of Nisan I woke up to a song in my heart and on my lips… “it’s a new season, it’s a new day…. a fresh anointing is flowing my way…. it’s a season of power and prosperity…..it’s a new season coming my way.”

Lately, in prayer, I keep hearing God say “new day, new day!!”  He led me to Joshua 1:2 ““Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all these people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel.”  This happened in the Hebrew month of Nisan.  A new day had come for the children of Israel…  the old way of living (in the Wilderness) was over and it was now time to cross over into the Promise Land and receive all that God had promised them.  I believe we have also entered into a new day… a time to cross over and enter our Promise Land.

passover lamb 2

This is the month of Passover… a time of liberation, personal change, going from slavery to freedom, and the emerging out of the old.  A month of repentance, redemption, and miracles.  It’s called the season of the ‘miracle of miracles’ and your appointed time for great blessing!  Nissan has within it the word Nes, which in Hebrew is miracle….an open miracle as opposed to the hidden miracles in the book of Esther.  It is the month that the King had favor on Nehemiah and granted him permission to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the wall.

IN CHRIST we have been liberated and have gone from slavery to freedom… from slavery to sonship.  We have emerged out of the old and have become new creatures in Him.  This month walk in the revelation of ALL that your redemption has made available to you.  Believe for miracles flowing through you everywhere you go and to everyone you meet.  Walk in the divine favor that has been granted to you by the King of kings.  

Nisan is a month to watch your speech.. be aware of what your confessions are.    If you speak negatively during this month, it will adversely affect you months down the road.  The seeds of negativity take root and will pull you backward. Your positive confessions should “grab the wind” and change the atmosphere.

He is the High Priest of our confession.  Confession is just saying what God says about every situation.  Begin this month finding out what He says about you and your life and say the same thing!

This is also a month assigned to the right foot.. a time to step out….. to step forth in strength and consider where the Lord is leading you this year.  Move ahead confidently in God.  Numbers 33:3 “They set out from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month. On the day after the Passover, the people of Israel went out triumphantly in the sight of all the Egyptians”.  In the Hebrew the word used is “rum” (pronounced room)… it means exalted.  Psalm 18:4 says God exalts us above our enemies.

IN CHRIST you HAVE ALREADY BEEN exalted above a defeated enemy.  Walk triumphantly in what is yours in Him.  Step out boldly knowing that the Greater One lives on the inside of you and leads you forth victoriously!!

The letter “hei” is assigned to this month.  Hei is my favorite of all the Hebrew letters.  This letter is for behold!….it speaks of revelation and light.  It is also wind or breath.  It is the Spirit of God blowing on us…. it is the divine breath of God’s creative power breathed into Adam.  It is the number 5 which speaks of God’s grace and goodness.  It is the transforming power of Holy Spirit that changed Abram to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah.  This blessing of the letter “hei” is available to us… His grace and goodness, His redemption, revelation and light, and of course the wind of His Spirit transforming us and making us fruitful and productive.  

Ask Holy Spirit to breathe upon you a refreshing…..for new revelation….for a quickened understanding of what is yours IN CHRIST.

It is the month assigned to the tribe of Judah.  Judah represents apostolic leadership… they were the warring tribe who knew how to operate with sound.  They were the tribe that went out first in battle (Judges 20:18)…  they were also the first tribe in the order of procession when Israel moved in the wilderness (Num. 10:14)  Judah also means “to cast a smooth stone against your enemy”….  that is what David, who was of the tribe of Judah, did to Goliath.

Praise is what will keep your enemy down under your feet where he belongs.  

Judah’s symbol is the lion… Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah.  Judah comes from the Hebrew word “Yadah”, which means to praise, to give thanks, to glorify or to acknowledge God.  They were a people of praise…. praise was their identity.  This tribe camped to the East of the tabernacle.  The entrance to the tabernacle (where His Presence dwelled) was the East…. likewise, the way into His presence is with praise.

God assigned a portion of land to all the tribes…. Judah was given Jerusalem.  God told them that He would choose one location that would be His holy place, where He would manifest His presence, this place was Jerusalem.    We are a people of praise…. we are His dwelling place.

Nisan is March 21st – April 19th on our calendar.  March 21st not only marks the Spring season for us but it is also the beginning of the Spring months on the Hebrew calendar.  It is a time of coming out of a barren winter and positioning yourself to bring forth new life and flourish…. a time of rebirth and a fresh start.  This month sets the course for your future. Spring is a time to plant…. as you sow this month declare that your harvest is being secured and that every seed will prosper.  

Biblically it is the “New year of Kings”… a time of counting the years of the reigns of kings in ancient Israel.  It is also the month when kings go to war (2 Sam 10:1)… This is a time to reign as kings and to use your authority…. to war for your covenant promises with praise.  Zech 10:1 tells us to ask the Lord for rain in the springtime…. this month is a time to ask for the rain of His presence.

Nisan is a time God has scheduled on His calendar for a powerful outpouring of salvation and deliverance for our families, breakthroughs in our business and finances and the miracle of a new beginning in every area of your life!  So press in with faith and lay hold of every blood bought promise of God, paid for in full by Jesus Christ our Passover Lamb.

It’s a time to expect miracles not only in your life but signs, wonders and miracles working through you.

~ Robin