BREAK OUT OF YOUR COCOON AND LIVE TRANSFORMED!

A few weeks ago during worship we were singing about the freedom we have in Christ. I had a quick vision of a butterfly flying above us and sensed the Spirit of the Lord speaking. I went up and prophesied, “I heard the Lord say My people need to break out of their cocoon. Break out of your cocoon! I am grieved that many know the scriptures that they are new creatures, but they are still living from their old self-image.  They are a mixture of the old and the new. Perceive what is true; believe and walk as such!”

Two days later my husband and I saw two butterflies dancing together, moving higher and higher. I have gardened for decades and never seen that! A few days after that, a friend posted on Facebook that she saw two butterflies dancing together. As I began to ponder the butterfly’s transformation process, I sensed the Holy Spirit telling me to do a deep dive.  I did my research and my spirit was leaping from some of the prophetic implications.  As I was speaking with a prophetic friend about these things, she shared that while attending a conference recently a stranger gave her a word and two butterfly items. Later in the day, she texted me to share that a friend came to her house with another butterfly item! Clearly, the Lord was highlighting the importance!

Many scriptures came to mind; here are three Paul wrote in his letters:

"Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV)

"and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:24 NKJV)

"and have put on the new [man] who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him," (Colossians 3:10 NKJV)

The question is, do we believe that we are new creatures? I clearly hear, it’s time to break out of the old and walk in the new! How the caterpillar becomes the butterfly is powerfully relevant to our transformation process. I pray you have ears to hear and eyes to see, and it goes deep into your heart! Prov. 23:7 says that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he! Believe truth in the depths of your heart!

TRANSFORMED! THE PROCESS

Did you know that butterflies (and some other insects that transform) have “imaginal discs?” It’s true! To me that phrase speaks prophetically of using our sanctified imagination to “see” so we can believe the word of God, and to see as He sees. Jesus said He only did that which He saw Father do (Jn. 5:19); in His time of communing with the Father, He was able to see these things.

When it is transformation time, the outer part of the caterpillar hardens. This forms the cocoon (technically, for butterflies the term is chrysalis). Most of the inner parts of the caterpillar are dissolved into liquid. The imaginal discs that remain that take the genetic “soup” and reform it into butterfly parts!  The chrysalis protects it during this process. It is transformed into a completely new creature, even though the DNA is the same. Different genes are made active during this process that were dormant while a caterpillar, and the old genes are deactivated. There is a new structure and new lifestyle – no longer ground dwellers, crawling and climbing to find leaves to eat. Now they fly high and drink of nectar from beautiful flowers! It’s time to stop striving and eat the bread from Heaven, the Living Word (Jn. 6:31-58) and drink of His Living Water (Jn. 4:10-11; Jn. 7:38)

Let me paint a picture prophetically, as I see it in my mind’s eye. We are created in God’s image, but sin caused those “genes” to die/be dormant. When we receive Jesus Christ into our hearts we are born again and receive the Holy Spirit. Now our old man dies and our God image “genes” come alive! God communication restored! See yourself as new – use your “imaginal discs” and believe!

The disconnect comes because we still operate in the body of flesh and have our natural mind with all its memories of who we were and, in many ways, still think we are. We think we are in process of being remodeled, improved. No, God says we are new creatures! The process is that of our mind being renewed as the Holy Spirit hovers over the Word of God in us, separates our soul from our spirit and brings about transformation. 

"For the word of God [is] living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Heb 4:12 NKJV)

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what [is] that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Rom 12:2 NKJV)

The more we read the Word, believe that Jesus Christ lives in us (Col. 1:27, 2 Cor. 13:5), that God is always at work within us to will and to do of His pleasure (Phil. 2:13) and the more we walk in obedience to His voice, led by the Spirit of God, we will find that our callings, spiritual gifts, and the works written and ordained before time for us to walk in will become real to us, and we will find we are living transformed! Use your “imaginal discs” (sanctified imagination) to see yourself as new, and believe!

THE OLD IS DISSOLVED, DEAD AND BURIED; LEAVE HIM THERE!

Be resolved – the old man is dissolved! "For we know that if our earthly house, [this] tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in [this] tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing [is] God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee." (2Co 5:1-5 NKJV)

Swallowed up by Life! Believe the old man is dissolved, swallowed up by the Life of Christ in you!

BREAK OUT OF THE CHRYSALIS INTO CHRIST-LIKENESS

When it is time to fly, the chrysalis cracks and the butterfly has to squeeze through the narrow place. The effort makes the wings strong enough to fly. It’s time to break out of the cocoon of old identity. The masks that we put on from peer pressure and man pleasing must go! The identities formed from negative words spoken by others (and yourself) are lies! Cast down, destroyed and dissolved! The old is buried, don’t bring it back to life! It can be scary to let go of old identity because it is comfortable, but it is stagnant –if you aren’t growing there’s no life! He is working in you to give you the impetus to press through! The more you squeeze out from the old into the new life, you become stronger in the Lord and the power of His might; out from the cocoon of darkness into His marvelous light!

You are above and not beneath! Elevate to the higher life, no longer focus on your base desires and soulish thinking (i.e. the old man); you are One with Christ (1Cor. 6:17)! Eat from His Living Word and drink of His Living water, heavenly nectar that satisfies.

The Greek word for butterfly is psyche – it means the soul or spirit or life-breath. The soul (mind, will, emotions) is being transformed by the Word and the Holy Spirit of the Living God, to bring you into fullness of His design for your life. The Holy Spirit is hovering over the word of God in you, as the imaginal discs hover over the genetic soup of the butterfly, to bring your natural mind into alignment with the mind of Christ!

"Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it?" (Isaiah 43:18 KJV)

Remember not!  Let your mind be transformed by what GOD says in His word about who you are! No more shame, blame, intimidation, fear, lack, poverty and orphan mindset; no more negative self-image (ugly, broken, sick, lazy, stupid, etc.).  You are created by God in His image and He is none of those things! The devil wants to keep you bound and trapped, to kill, steal and destroy the life of God in you! It’s warfare! Cast down vain (empty, useless, self-serving) imaginations! Use your imagination to believe what God says!

"(For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" (2Co 10:4-5 KJV)

PERCEPTION IS KEY TO OUR REALITY

What I heard the Holy Spirit saying is, “Can you believe and perceive the new?” Perception is key to the reality we experience, and perception comes by what our heart and mind believe. To behold (Is. 43:18, above) is to perceive by any of the senses; to discern, discover, pay attention to.

Do NOT remember the former things. This is so important to walk in the new. Our natural mind compartmentalizes our experiences, so even in new things it makes connections to other memories and files them into a belief system. This is good to build our faith, but not good when we perceive our current reality through the lens of yesterday! Behold - see, perceive, look! “I will do a new thing!” In the original language “to do” means to produce, make or prepare, but it also means to put in order, appoint, ordain and institute! Let what GOD has ordained come forth in this appointed time!   He wants to do a new thing!

THE NEW IS FAITH ACTIVATED

The word “new” in the New Testament is Kainos, which means recently made, fresh, as respects substance of a new kind, unprecedented, uncommon, unheard of, out of the ordinary; unusual, remarkable! Substance! "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Heb 11:1 KJV) Faith is the substance for the new thing and the evidence of that which is not seen (Heb. 11:1). The new will be made manifest (evident) by our faith! It is faith activated! Believe!  These things are alive in you but need to be faith activated by you to manifest fully!

SHIFT INTO NEW ALIGNMENTS AND NEW ASSIGNMENTS

I experienced a tangible shift a few weeks ago, as did many at our subsequent ministry event, and it has remained. I declare, today you are perceiving in a new way and receiving a new framework of thinking – NOW faith –to move forward! Spiritual eyes and ears open! I declare Is. 30:21: "And your ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, this [is] the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.”

There are new doors – expect the new. Christ is in you; walk in Him and through Him and The Holy Spirit will lead to new connections for new lands and new assignments.  There are angels assigned to help you (Heb. 1:14), bringing tools and strategies to help you fulfill your new assignments as you break out and move forward! I declare the Spirit of the Holy One is moving now to break strongholds - to perceive the lies where you were taken off track by the enemy; to break old alignments and be re-aligned for God-given assignments; to bring activation to the dreams forgotten or left behind because of hope deferred. NOW faith is stirring!  Believe!

The Spirit of God is moving in this time to reveal that the life of Christ in you is the connector to bring heaven to earth in every situation and relationship in your life! You are seated in Christ in heavenly places (Eph. 2:6). Smith Wigglesworth was a great man of faith with many signs and wonders manifesting in his ministry. Do you know what he always said was the key? Only believe!

IT’S A MATTER OF THE HEART  

The Lord reminded me of Zeph. 1:12 as a warning to check our heart condition. "And it shall come to pass at that time, [that] I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil." In other words, those that don’t really believe God is doing anything!

Settled, according to Strongs Concordance, means to become dense (no light). Lees means dregs, old settlings! Don’t settle! Break up the lees that have kept you bound; believe, and in new life be found! There is grace for breaking up of the lees and to move into the new!

Jesus said the kingdom of God is within you! (Lk. 17:21) God’s grace is on you to live a transformed life! "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. ... And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace." (Jn. 1:14, 16 NKJV)

 Believe! Break out of your cocoon and live a transformed life!

The Holy Spirit brought to my remembrance a powerful, multi-faceted dream God gave me in July 2017 that speaks to stages in our transformation journey, and ties in what I shared about the process of the caterpillar transforming into the butterfly. I encourage you to read it: IT IS THE TIME OF REDRESS FOR EXPRESS — Alane Haynes