PROPHETIC WORDS

2017 – A WORD (OR FOUR)...FOR THE YEAR

by Lyn Packer

Each year I spend some time reflecting on the year that has past and praying into the New Year, because for me, this time of year is a reminder that there can be new beginnings. In scripture the Lord shares with us, that His mercies are new every morning (Lam 3:22,23). Because of this, everyday is a new day full of potential to change the way that we have seen things and the way that we have operated in the past, and to choose to create something more of our lives; and He promises to help us to do that.

So as I prayed into this coming year I felt the Lord give me four words to ponder on and to discern His will in. At first I was a bit skeptical because the words all started with the prefix “re” but then I got it; new mercies, new beginnings, new chances, new choices to start again.

Those four words were REFINE, REFRAME, RESET, and REFIRE.

As I’ve pondered and prayed into them I feel that the Lord is saying these things about them...

Refine  

The Lord has been doing a refining work in us all over this past year. The circumstances of this past year, for many of us, have been like a refiner's fire that exposes and bring to the surface the impurities contained within the gold of our lives. The crucible of life has heated things up, bringing dross to the surface and refining our lives so that we are purer and even more precious to those around us. For some people those circumstances overwhelmed you, and you may not have seen the Lord’s work in the midst of it, while you were going through it all, but now you can. Now you can intentionally work with Him in the refining process, instead of struggling against it.

The refining will continue this year as He continues to bring us into a place of purity, making us people who shine with His glory, people who not only are seeing the gold come forth in our own lives, but who see it and call it forth in the lives of those around us. The words we speak over them give them hope and strength in their process of refining, too.

Reframe 

The Lord is reframing how we think about things and how we see things. For many, the process of reframing theology and beliefs is ongoing. The questioning and upheavals that have brought a focus on what you believe and why you believe it have, for many, been uncomfortable and even scary, as long held beliefs have been questioned. God is getting rid of some toxic thinking in His body, bringing us back to the knowledge that He is good, loving, kind, faithful, righteous and just. He has, over the last twenty years or so, focused on the thinking patterns that the Church has had in the past, especially in regards to Him being a good and loving Father, and He will continue to do so until not just our mind is convinced of this, but until we know it with everything within us. This one thing alone would totally transform the church if we truly got it, but He is also working on so many other things that spring out of this central understanding, too.

Reset 

The Lord is resetting our foundations and the way that we build. He is reforming us, and He is also reforming the way that we do things. This resetting and reforming is happening on both a personal and a societal level. Expect to continue to see your personal life, the church and society go through struggles and turmoil as the resetting and reformation continues. Everything that can be shaken is being shaken, but our hope is found in the Lord and in His good plans for us – on a personal level, in the Church, and for society at large. He has declared this of Jesus and is at work to see it established - “The government will be upon His shoulders… and of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end.” (Isa 9:6,7) Let hope fill you, and let the Lord reset your foundations and help you build strong structural foundations in your life that will house His glory well.

I also see in this resetting the hearts of the fathers being turned to the children, and the hearts of the children being turned to the fathers. There is an intergenerational honouring coming into being now that will change so many things. There is an understanding of divine family, and the respect for the place each person holds in the family of God, that will bring fundamental changes to the church and, eventually, to society. I am not talking about the normal, natural “family” – father, mother and kids, but an understanding of family that far eclipses this; an understanding of the trinity's family structure, mutual honour and the way that they love and give place to each other. When we, as the Church, get that, we will see all people find their place of belonging.

Refire

In the work that the Lord is doing, many people are receiving an infusion of new life and vigor; they are being re-fired up and re-sent! I see people that have become tired, dismayed and disillusioned receive new impetus, new passion and new vigour. I see them being given new assignments and being sent out into new endeavours.

I see the tired being refreshed and those who are disenfranchised (those who have been denied rights and privileges) being given a place to operate in their gifts as understanding and love finds its place in expression.

I see many older people, in particular, come to the realization that these latter years can indeed be greater than their former ones; that the freedom they now have means that they can go anywhere, anytime and have an availability to be used by the Lord in ways they could not when they had other responsibilities.

I hope these ponderings and prophetic words are an encouragement to you. I want to leave you with this promise from the Lord - that this year will be a year crowned with His bounty and goodness. I love this version of Psa 65:11 in the New Living Translation – “You crown the year with a bountiful harvest, even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.”

May the Lord crown your year with a bountiful harvest and cause even your hard pathways to overflow with His abundance!

Bless you

Lyn Packer

BIO