2017 is a strategic year for the Body of Christ! Kingdom powers and authorities are shifting, that which has become obsolete will no longer be tolerated, thus making room for new wineskins. It is imperative that you rise up and take your place in the Kingdom. You are a key to the success of Kingdom Expansion and you possess an authority that nobody else has...your place of investment is strategic and critical.
As I prophetically look into 2017, I clearly hear the Lord saying that it is a "Strategic year of Gates". How you approach the gates of your life this year and how you respond to the gates will mark the difference in terms of whether you experience kingdom acceleration or deceleration. Gods intention for you is that you grow beyond your current place of advancement and that you reach new heights, new depths and discover new aspects and dimensions of His grace, favor and anointing.
God has already gone ahead of you in this upcoming year and has orchestrated divine appointments, supernatural encounters and kingdom opportunities. Doors have already been unlocked, territories have been secured and boundaries have been expanded. The enemy has already been put on alert and demonic assignments relative to your health, your finances and ministry have been canceled. The path for your righteous advancement has been established. Heavenly armies have been organized, dispatched and are on full alert.
The Father has decreed His heavenly release over you, but His purposes, plans and passions will only come into fruition as you activate your faith towards His declared and redemptive promises and strategically approach the gates with faith, boldness and courage.
There are three specific sets of gates that you must address in 2017:
The Gate of the Lord
The Gates of your Natural World
The Gates of Divine Opportunity
The Gate of the Lord: "Lift up your heads, O gates, And be lifted up, O ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in! Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, The LORD mighty in battle." (Psalms 24:9-10)
There is an anointing, a victory, a strength and a heavenly might that has been prophetically orchestrated for you. Your "point of access" is your faith that "lifts up the Gate". The Hebrew word for "lift up" is NASA! Lifting up your gates to access the glory and the anointing is releasing those things that hinder and bind you to the limitations of your natural world. Let go of the habits, the hindrances and the hurts that are paralyzing you and keeping you bound to a life of the ordinary. Let go of your natural abilities and discover the glory, the strength of the Lord and the might of the Lord!
The Gates of your Natural World: In 2017, there are four primary gates that you MUST guard with diligence...the gates of what you see, what you hear, what you feel and what you think. Each of those are strategic portals that the enemy is poised to access upon your permission. In this year, the stakes are high and permission to the enemy must be denied at all costs! Many think that the opposite of faith is fear, but actually it's sight. (The opposite of fear is trust). Remember, things aren't always as they appear and we must walk by faith, not by sight. The voices of the demonic are like the waves of many oceans...the sounds of the demonic are often disguised as reason and logic, as well as counsel and advice from sources that are void of godly roots.
In addition to what you see and feel, you must also place a guard on your thoughts and your emotions. Take back the keys of your thought life that you have surrendered in fear. Rise up, bold as a lion and verbally begin to refute the lie and recite the truth. The enemy will attempt to be your guide down the gallery of fear and dread that is filled with paintings of your past and more importantly of your future. But remember, the canvas of your heart belongs to the Master Creator of the universe and His work in you is a masterpiece. Refuse to take a trip in the enemy's art gallery, but allow God to paint His vision in you!
In 1 Kings 19, Elijah is on the run for his life. He is operating in fear following his confrontation with Arab and Jezebel. Interestingly enough, he makes his way to Mount Horeb (Charab) which means a desolate, wasted, dried up place. He gets to the mountain and hides in a cave (uwr) which means to be naked, exposed and laid bare.
So, our prophet is on the run, feeling dejected, alone, laid bare and vulnerable. Life and ministry has a way of doing that to you! The Lord sees him in there and challenges him, "What are you doing here?" And then, He gives him prophetic instruction that I believe applies to us as well..."get out of your cave of depression and vulnerability, go stand on the mountain, in the presence of the Lord"! Resist the strategies of the enemy to lock you in a state of depression and make your way into the presence of the Lord where shackles and chains are broken!
The Gates of Divine Opportunity: The word of the Lord is "do not be satisfied with the status quo". Take an assessment of the past year and then set yourself to go to a new level in God and greater accomplishments in Kingdom advancement. If you will posture yourself in advance and make yourself available for supernatural kingdom advancement, the Lord is going to set before you "gates of Divine Opportunity". You will see them, recognize them and know that God has led you to them. In fact, God has already established them in anticipation of your arrival. Open that gate in faith and expectancy...what lies before you is a place of favor, blessing and opportunity that only He could have orchestrated.
"I have gone before you says the Lord and have orchestrated my plans on your behalf. I have drawn the boundaries, I have established the borders of increase and have released assignments to angelic hosts to carry out my will and purposes on your behalf. As you align yourself in faith to the gates of your life, I will open and close in accordance with the strength of my Word over you. I will command circumstances to align with your word and your command. You are a vital part of what I am doing in the earth today and My kingdom will find expansion as you rise up in faith, power and authority!"
