A Prophetic Word

There are many prophets whose words appear in the scriptures and it seems to me that the words of these prophecies serve to offer hope to their recipients. In the book of Isaiah, chapter 61, the prophet proclaims some good news to the Children of Israel when he talks about the year of The Lord’s favor. These words are offered up for the Children of Israel but I believe that they truly express God’s desire for his people and so I have claimed Isaiah 61:7 for myself- “Instead of your shame, you will receive a double portion and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so, you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.” (NLT)

God used prophets to offer up hope to his children back then, and he still speaks through others today. If we’ve accepted Jesus as our savior then we have his spirit dwelling in us and if we allow ourselves to be moved by the spirit, then we can do great things- even prophesy. I invite you to look back and think of a time when someone told you something that brought you hope. Have you ever received words from someone that seemed to be out of the blue? What impact did those words have on you in your circumstances? I’d like to share with you about a time I received a prophetic word out of the blue and how those words turned my world around.

I’m going back to the fall of the year I saw dolphins bodysurfing at the beach. I was steadily approaching the day that I would return to work only to be laid off. I wasn’t worried about provision since God had provided a living that would certainly carry me through the time it would take to find work but the knowledge that I’d be OK financially didn’t lift me out of the pit I had found myself in.

One day I was sitting at Starbucks looking for work when my phone rang. It was a friend that I’ve known since childhood, and she had words for me that blew me away. I can’t share everything she said to me just yet, but she did tell me that I would end up working for God and that the work I would be doing would be so fulfilling that it didn’t even feel like work. That very day, the seed that would blossom into the Rise of Hope was planted. Even though it would be a couple of years before I wrote the first sentence, my friend’s words served to lift me up and ignite a desire in me to find out God’s plan for myself. That day marked the beginning of a new adventure that I’m still experiencing today. They also brought me to a place where I was able to experience the Holy Spirit, inspiring me to speak life to a dear friend of mine who had lost her husband to cancer. The words I offered her have become her reality and though much of what my friend spoke to me is still to come, I can see the picture continue to unfold as I count down the months until I start seminary and take the next steps towards becoming a pastor.

How does Isaiah 61:7 resonate with you? What are you experiencing right now that loses its grip on your heart when you consider these words that depict what God wants for his children?