Prophetic Perspective, and Seasons

To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1. (NKJV).

Seasons come and seasons go.  We know that in the natural.  But in life it’s the same.  We live through one season, it comes to and end, and we enter a new season.

Sometimes it’s hard, and painful, especially if the season we were in was a good one.  Other times the season we have just left is fare welled gladly: we don’t want to go back there ever again!  I know.  I’ve had seasons like that.

In the natural we know what season we’re in.  Currently here in New Zealand we’re in summer.  It is hot, for us very hot.  We’re in the middle of a heatwave, kindly sent over from our friends in Australia.  Soon though the temperatures will slowly drop, and we’ll enter the autumn season.  Trees will lose their leaves, and all the signs will point to colder weather, and the winter, just around the corner.

So in the natural, so it should be in the spiritual.  Do we know what season we’re in?  We can read the signs of the natural seasons, and we can say with clarity, it is summer, or, it is spring, or whatever season it is.  So too in the spiritual realm it is good for us, to be able to read the signs, and interpret what season we’re in.  That knowledge helps us immensely.

What we need is Prophetic Perspective.  A perspective, a vision, a view, an understanding, largely given to us from God, about where we’re at, and what we’re to do.

Sometimes its obvious, sometimes its not.  But whatever our situation and season, I believe God is able and wants to speak to us about the season we’re in, and about what is ahead.  The Holy Spirit is a prophetic Spirit, and knows our future, in fact He’s already been there!  He is omnipresent!  He inhabits our past, is with us in our present, and has already been in our future.  He’s been there and knows what is in future seasons for us.

It is important that we (or really the Church) knows what season we’re in as a church and nation.  Knowing the chronological time, the political time, and the spiritual time as it applies to the church is important.  But this Brief Word is not about that.  It is though about knowing our personal season.

Why is prophetic perspective so important?  Times and seasons change; all the time.  When you stay too long in a God-given season, that season will ultimately become your limitation.

In one season God may direct His people to go to Egypt as an escape from starvation, while in a different season He tells His people to leave Egypt to escape slavery.  What God says about a thing might differ depending on the season we’re in. So doing the right thing in the wrong season may actually enslave us.  Equally, doing the wrong thing in the right season will not work.

God has a season, a set time, for everything in our lives.

The word Season, in our text for this Brief Word, is the Hebrew word, chephets, (pronounced kha fets).  It means – a set time, an appointed time, time.

So when God says, To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1. (NKJV), He means just that.  There is a set time in His celestial plan, there is an appointed time, a unique time, a period of our history that the purpose will become reality.

God’s Word is amazing!  Just this morning I read this.  I, the Lord, will hasten it in its time. Isaiah 60:22b. (NKJV).  This is amazing!  A few lines at the end of a verse, that speaks volumes to us.

There’s a time for everything.  God will do what He has promised.  What God has spoken, has a time.  A season for its fulfilment.  There’s a proper time, a season, a place, for everything.  When it’s time comes, GOD hastens it.

The creator’s full power is behind His I will.  Nothing can stop what God hastens into its time.  Nothing can thwart the coming into being of what God initiates, decrees, and commands.

When God says I will, then, He will!  Its not I might, I hope, I could, I should, I would, I wonder but I will.  The full omnipotence of God is behind His I will.

Having prophetic perspective on our seasons, make a huge difference.  When we know God is in control of our lives, when we know He knows the season we’re in (and has probably orchestrated it), when we know that there is a huge I will before us leading us into the next season, then, we can more easily say, Lord have Your way.

• When God speaks to Samuel he replies; Speak, for Your servant hears. 1 Samuel 3:10. (NKJV).
• Isaiah offers himself in the Lord’s service; Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” Isaiah 6:8. (NKJV).
• Paul says; Lord, what do You want me to do? Acts 9:6. (NKJV).
• Ananias did what the Lord asked him to do, and prayed for Saul, who became Paul the Apostle.  (Acts 9:17-19).

I mentioned earlier, what God says about a thing might differ depending on the season we’re in.

God’s Word really is amazing.  I noticed something reading through the 1st (Old) Testament recently.  (In fact, books like Leviticus are packed with truth!  Don’t miss it!).  We read in Exodus 18, about Jethro, Moses’ Father-In-Law, giving him some excellent advise.  (Yes, sometimes close family can help us with a word from God).  Here, Moses was given the task of choosing the leaders, based on certain qualities.

However, in Numbers we read of a different method of choosing leaders.

These are the names of the men who shall stand with you.  Numbers 1:5.  (NKJV).

These were chosen from the congregation, leaders of their fathers’ tribes, heads of the divisions in Israel. Numbers 1:16.  (NKJV).

Here the Lord instructs Moses with the exact names of the men to choose for the census.  But in Exodus 18, Moses did the choosing.

There can be various factors that determine the method changing.  The issue is, do it God’s way!  Obedience is always best.

Do things the way the season requires.  Be faithful in the will of God in the season we are in.  Faithfulness sometimes requires us to stay put, and serve the Lord in that season, be it good or not.  Faithfulness also means at times we must leave one season behind as we obey the Lord’s call into the next.

Prophetic perspective is about being with the Lord, in His presence, taking the time both quality and quantity, to hear from Him.  A word from God changes everything!  Then we can receive His grace and His ability to keep walking in our current season, or step forward out of one into another.

Let’s be sensitive and in conversation with the Lord, so as to hear from Him, know what season we’re in, and be obedient to His will.  That’s my prayer.  And I pray the same for you this year.

Special Message for Brief Word Readers.

An update.  My second book Brief Word – A Collection, is about to enter the production phase.  It is a collection of the first 40 Brief Words, and will be released 11 March 2019.

• Thank you!  Good topics for colleges, schools and conferences.  Will put in use.  Bishop John.
• Hi Stephen.  Thanks again for your encouraging words.  This is a particularly excellent Brief Word.  Very challenging and easily applicable.  Well done.  Mike.
• Thanks heaps Stephen.  Your Brief Word is a great way to start my day.  Ra.

It is very exciting!

Please pray with us for a smooth preparation, production and publication process and for the funds needed to publish it.  Thank you!

More information will be out soon about how to order and other details!