PROPHETIC WORDS

COME OFF THE BENCH

by Colleen Wewege

This prophetic word was given at the NZ Council of Prophets gathering and Behold Conference in Christchurch, March 2024.

I heard the Lord say to the sons and daughters of God in NZ, “It’s time to get off the bench.”

Come off the bench!

You may have been benched unfairly, or you may have been overlooked. You may have been injured in battle. You may be new to the team you are in, or struggling to find your fit. You may feel you’re too old and you’ve been thinking it is time to slow down.

If we come off the bench, it will be a game-changer!

You may think that the less skilled players are on the bench. That was an ‘old’ system, and old wineskin. Now it’s tactical to bring a specific skill set off the bench, a speed, intelligence, and energy that will change the game. God is calling out to those who have sat down, given up, or even quit, to stand again and persevere.

It’s time to come off the bench. You don’t need an invite from a man. The Spirit compels. The Spirit is hovering over New Zealand and compelling us to unashamedly know our call. It’s ‘come back’ time. The Lord is promising the bride in NZ, "I will give you back what you lost" (Joel 2:25 NLT).

He will restore the wasted years. He will give back all that was lost. For the power of your anointing will, and has, increased proportionally with your ability to have withstood persecution. It’s not time to quit! There are opportunities for comebacks – Gal 6:9, “Don’t get tired of doing good.” Don’t give up. ...Rise and shine in His Glory!

God is looking for those who will Rebuild, Raise Up, Repair, Restore

Isa 58:12; 61:4

God is looking for builders all across New Zealand – transformers who will restore that which is lost. Yes, we read, or hear ‘In the last days it will get worse’ BUT Isa 2:2 says, “In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be (firmly)established on the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills, and all the nation/s shall flow to it ‘..and many people shall come and say ‘come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house (temple) of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us His ways, and we will walk in His paths.”

Those among us will rebuild, restore, raise! We need to be those.

There will be tension about this season as God requires us to honour the past and re-dig those wells, whilst establishing new wine containers for the new wine.

You are to be the bridge builders, honouring what has been, but leading the church into what is to come. Bridge builders are anointed for this tension between the old and new. We need to carry a love for what He has done, but with a fixed focus on where we’re going.

Bridge builders will be called to be ‘a repairer of breaches’ ... and to guide those who have lost their way so they can find their second wind, and a renewed purpose after feeling dry and burnt out. We need to be ready to lead the church into the flow of the Spirit and out of the rut of the old wineskin.

There is a rising hunger in His bride and a longing for a fresh move.

Go after hunger, chase after hunger that would seed something that will be birthed in this nation. There will be a travail that will come out of a hunger to see the glory of God birthed in this nation. A cry to live with a hunger to hold more than before. For He will be Refining us to a point of strength, where we can hold more than before because we were made for more.

In this place of Hunger, we will experience a Holy Hush of His presence.

”But oh! God is in his holy Temple! Quiet everyone—a holy silence. Listen!” (Hab 2:20 MSG).

“Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God" (Rev 21:3).

I saw soldiers, God’s mighty army going to battle, and heard the Lord say, “It is time for the church of NZ to tighten the BELT OF TRUTH to prepare for strenuous activity, and to get ready for action.”

‘Righteousness stands afar off and truth has stumbled‘ (Isa 59:14-15).

The righteous must show up. Truth must show up. The sons and daughters, spiritual leaders need to…

• know truth

• see the truth

• discern truth

• bring correction

• speak truth

• and do not be ashamed, for it is heaven’s solution

We need to be able to use this defensive weapon, to hold our stand, to be one voice, to give a defence. To hold God’s truth close to us and allow it to surround us.

Truth is a symbol of our identity. We must wear it well, for the truth will set NZ free.

God Defend New Zealand – Hear our voices – Hear our Praises – God Defend our Freedom.

BIO