What part of your life is under conviction from the Holy Spirit at this time? What scriptures is he using to support the change he wishes to introduce? These will be the blessings and promises that he will release to us as we respond joyfully to change. In addition to those, we may also have prophecy in our life that we may use in connection with scripture. As we examine them, it may provide a significant catalyst for change.
We are blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 1: 3). We act in line with (Colossians 3: 1-3) and the father reveals the truth of who we are in the Spirit (Romans 8: 16-17).
Colossians 3:3 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Colossians 3:4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
This is not talking about the second coming, the word appear means make manifest and is in the aorist tense and not the future tense, it is in the passive voice which means God initiates the manifestation and we receive it, it is in the subjective mood which means it is conditional on our seeking those things above.
This is talking about the transformation process, where Jesus reveals an aspect of his nature or image and we are changed into it by beholding it until we become it(2 Corinthians 3: 18).
Romans 8: 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirits that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him so that we may be glorified with him.
The suffering part is resisting the temptation to react as a mere human being and fulfill the lust of the flesh or the works of the flesh and to respond with the divine nature, until it becomes a way of life.
The Bible is a book of encounters that leads us into ongoing experiences of God’s nature so that we become like him. An encounter is a meeting with God so powerful that we are propelled into another way of life. This opens a whole new world of possibilities that will take us years of experience to fully realize.
Jacob is a prime example-a cheat and a deceiver who robs his brother of his birthright and his inheritance. He has an encounter with God where he receives five specific prophetic blessings (Genesis 28). He later goes on to become Israel.
Saul is another example. Murderously engaged in destroying the early church, he has an encounter with God on the Damascus Rd. Humbled and blinded by the encounter, he had to wait in the dark before an experience of a miracle restores his sight and prophetically commissioned him for his work in the Kingdom. Later, he becomes Paul, a preeminent apostle.
There’s also Mary-a humble maidservant who has an encounter with the Angel, Gabriel, who prophesized over her all the purposes of God for her life at that time. Later the Holy Spirit causes her to conceive and so begins her journey of experiences with God.
Encounters are the suddenlies of God they mostly come when you least expect them, though there are those that we can prepare for and earnestly expect (Acts : 1:1-15).
Prophecy and promises lift us up so that we become aware of God’s heart towards us. God loves to initiate encounters and experiences. However, we must do everything to walk in the revelation of them.
The chief spiritual discipline that establishes truth as a lifestyle is abiding (John 15: 1-11). How we learn to stay, dwell, and remain in the life flow is most vital. Many people allow themselves to be taken out of blessings and promises that God has granted, because they do not abide in the Spirit, they do not stay filled with the Spirit.
Often, we treat words of God circumstantially. We allow circumstances to challenge our prophetic words or scriptural promises often with the result that we abandon God’s word because the situation has overwhelmed our faith. Alternatively, we call words down into our circumstances, which is OK, but we will only receive a measure of their true value. The words of God are designed to lift us up out of our circumstances into an experience of heaven.
We are learning to live from heaven to earth and walk in the Spirit: to know what it is like to be seated with Christ in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). We have an attitude of rest about who we are and where we are in Christ. God’s word(scripture and prophecy) always call us up to a higher place.
We practice our relationship with God based on the words that he speaks to us. As Christ is formed in us, our favor increases because of who he is for us. We do not earn favor; It is developed by Christ growing in us. Being conscious of our favor arises out of our true experience of the presence of God. Favor is the byproduct of his life growing in our heart.
We position ourselves for fulfillment when we allow our lives to be defined only by what God says about us. The renewing of our mind empowers our thoughts to be in alignment and agreement with God’s words over us. This creates transformation through our experience of God in the situations we face.
We remind ourselves of God’s promises and our inheritance in Christ. Meditation helps us to renew our minds and reframe our thinking (Luke 2: 19). It produces a focused mind that is set on the Spirit. We can only change a mindset by replacing it with another mindset. In Hebrews, the word meditate means to murmur or mutter allow; In other words, to repeat what God has said. Repetition is a key to doing the word, not just hearing it. We declare the word back to God in praise, thanksgiving, and rejoicing. We ponder over it in his company. In so doing, we open ourselves to further insight and impartation. When we declare God’s word in this way, we make ourselves prone to increase the anointing as a result.
Prophecy empowers our response to the Christ life that is developing within. It provides a now experience in the context of our overall journey. Jesus is the guarantee of our covenant (Hebrews 8: 6), which is now(in Christ)based on better promises.