PROPHETIC WORDS
UNFORCED RHYTHMS OF GRACE
by Jill Smith
This prophetic word was given at the NZ Council of Prophets gathering in Christchurch, March 2023.
God is moving through the nations like a river in flood – powerful, strong, unstoppable – but moving in the flow of the Spirit’s unforced rhythms of grace.
But don’t be afraid, don’t be alarmed, the river of life is coming, full of love and grace flowing straight from the Father’s heart.
We need to lean into Him, let Him comfort and reassure us ‘til our hearts open and we can relinquish control and flow.
This river is full of love, grace, and glory, bringing life, peace, joy, freedom, salvation, deliverance, wholeness, health... all the beauty and goodness and rightness of God from heaven to earth.
This is grace, grace, grace – the river’s course is not about the suitability of territory or terrain, climate, or culture, nor the righteousness or unrighteousness of the ground where the river will flow. It’s all about the Father’s delight to let loose His love in a powerful, beautiful flow.
This is not about pushing and trying, it’s about letting go, falling into the love of God, the Spirit’s flow. Whatever we do now needs to be in the river, in the Spirit. If it’s not in the Spirit’s flow, it’s not for now.
Where the river of the Spirit flows, hope is rising automatically, faith is blooming, life is happening, all the good stuff of heaven is breaking out, awakening people’s hearts, refreshing, reviving, renewing, restoring, resetting... but also calling, commissioning, changing, anointing, releasing, repositioning, and activating many sons and daughters who’ve been in training.
As He moves, Holy Spirit is altering landscapes, city scapes, structures, roles, relationships, and infrastructure of all kinds, in all sorts of places and spheres – in society, church, culture, hearts and minds. Wherever He goes, He is bringing some high places low and lifting some low places high, delivering to a particular location exactly what’s needed there. He knows how to flow in just the right way.
He will push open closed doors, spring the locks on prison doors, gain access to previously locked up places, provide freedom for captives, free access granted into new opportunities for others. New ideas, new ways, new ministries and callings, new expressions and initiatives, new life – newness all over the place.
The river is full of revelation, creative energy and grace, wisdom, knowledge and understanding, sparking creativity, innovation, and transformation. It’s all in the river, in the prophetic creative, life-giving flow.
PRAYER POINT
Prayer is not just us coming to God with a list of requests. As part of our relationship with Him, it is us having a conversation with the Lord, which involves talking and listening on both sides. The following prayer point is something you can talk to Him about in regards to this prophetic word.
God, help us lean into Your loving flow and remember it’s Spirit and grace, so that we don’t put our grubby hands all over this and turn it into hard work. Amen
BIO
Jill is a New Zealander of pakeha and Maori (Tainui) decent based in the Franklin Region, just south of Auckland. She is married to Don and together they have a boisterous and greatly loved family, 4 children, their spouses and 11 grandkids. Jill has worked as a teacher, counsellor, art therapist, bible school lecturer and church minister. She is also a practicing artist, currently researching the potential of art to shift people’s focus and create space for encounter with God. She has ministered prophetically and encouraged, trained and mentored others in the prophetic over a number of years. She is currently developing a prophetic hub based at Uplift Church, Pukekohe, where she and Don have ministered for nearly 10 years. Recently stepping aside from pastoral leadership responsibilities, Jill is now freer to travel, focus the developing prophetic hub, write, and spend more time in her studio, one of her favourite places to spend time alone with God. She can be contacted at https://www.jillmiriamasmith.com