THE LORD IS ASKING, “WHAT DO YOU SEE?” IT’S TIME TO SHIFT!
There has been a shift this month; spiritual sight is increasing. Increased spiritual sight almost always starts with shifting of perception, a lifting of the veil of unbelief. On January 9, the Spirit of the Lord began to speak to me about Jeremiah 1:9-12 and confirmed some things in an assignment on January 12 that caused a shift in operation.
I believe this section of scripture speaks of foundational apostolic truths and prophetic realities. He led me to deeper revelation that I believe is a calling for many. By the Spirit of the Lord in you, perceive correctly that what God says is already done in the eternal realm; engage your whole being to believe that He will fulfill it here, and you will see correctly! Perceiving it by the Spirit of God as completed, faith comes forth!
"Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth. See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant. Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree. Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it." (Jer 1:9-12 KJV)
NEW COMMISSIONINGS!
God told Jeremiah, “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth” and commissioned him in his assignment. Although Jeremiah heard God’s voice, the Lord said to behold, or see! God’s words are words of authority; He is the Creator of all things; the One who inhabits eternity yet dwells within us; the One who sits on the throne over all that is created; the King of all kings and Lord of all lords, the beginning and the end. He set Jeremiah (and, through Christ, you and I) over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, pull down, destroy and throw down, then to build and to plant.
In the first part of the chapter, God told Jeremiah that before he was formed in the womb, God knew him and ordained him as a prophet to the nations, that He was sending him and that he was not to fear, for He was with Him. Jesus has commissioned us to go as well, assuring us He is with us always (Matt. 28:16-20), and the Word of God tells us that the works we are to walk in were created in Christ Jesus and ordained for us before the world was formed! (Eph. 2:10) The Holy Spirit will give us the words to root out, pull down, destroy, throw down and to build and to plant. I sense as part of this shift, as your spiritual sight increases, many will be commissioned into new assignments and new territories!
LET THE WORD OF GOD ROOT DEEPLY
We tear down, first and foremost, everything in us that does not believe what God says to us, what He says in His Word, before the planting of the new thing can happen! I garden, and I know you have to dig up a plant, including the deep roots, before you can put another in its place! If you leave any roots, it will grow again! Let the word of God go deep! Jesus is the Word of God (Jn. 1:1, 14) and He states in Revelation 16, “I am the root and the offspring of David.” The root and the fruit; let His word take root in us and bear fruit so that we become tangible evidence of Him! If we don’t do that, we will have no true authority in other arenas! It is His word and His authority!
WHAT DO YOU SEE?
What did God say next in Jeremiah 1:10, after telling him He had put His words in his mouth and told him his assignment? “Jeremiah, what do you see?” This was a test! What you see when God tells you something that takes you out of your comfort zone, that is outside your religious box, that is not understandable to the natural mind or your present situation, reveals much. Our perception, how we see and perceive what we see, is sometimes colored by deeply held beliefs about ourselves, life and God.
Jeremiah 17:5-8 describes the difference of perception between one that trusts in the world and man’s ways, versus trusting in God even though we may not understand His ways. The one who trusts in man will not “see” good when it arrives and will be in a barren land; the one who trusts in God will not “see” drought when it arrives and will continue to be fruitful during the drought! Different perceptions of what we see make a huge difference in our experience and outcome!
Jeremiah responded to God’s question, “Jeremiah, what do you see,” by saying, “I see the rod of an almond tree.” God replied, “You have seen well, for I am ready to perform My word.” The word “ready” in other translations is “hastening.” The Holy Spirit reminded me of Amos 9:13, a “hastening time” when the ploughman overtakes the reaper. This speaks of a time when we will be plowing new ground while reaping the harvest for other plantings that have been done in the past. We see things moving rapidly in the world systems, but it is happening in the Kingdom of God also! Shift your perception to see what God is doing!
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ALMOND ROD
The significance of the almond rod (branch) is found in Numbers chapter 17. In Numbers chapter 16 it is recorded that there had been a rebellion in the camp of the Israelites, as a group of men were not satisfied with the role God had given them and wanted to be priests, even though the priesthood was assigned by God to Aaron and his lineage. God’s hand struck them dead in a strong supernatural event, and afterwards many others murmured about it. In Numbers chapter 17, God told Moses to have the leaders of the 12 tribes to each take a rod, put their names on them and put them in the tabernacle, and He would show whom He had chosen by the budding that would come forth. Not only did Aaron’s rod bud, it blossomed and brought forth almonds; the full cycle of life in one day! This is amazing, astonishing, and clearly a supernatural work.
"And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds." (Num 17:8 KJV)
By the rod, God showed who was given authority. Moses’s staff was a rod, representing authority given by God, shown in many signs and wonders – the rod being turned into a snake then back to a rod again; the parting of the sea; bringing water from the rock; and the second time at the rock when God told Moses to take the rod (representing authority) but to speak to the rock (instead of striking it) and it would bring forth His water! Jesus is Living Water and when we submit and allow Him to flow through us, He is seen!
GOD WATCHES OVER HIS WORD TO PERFORM IT
For me, the biggest revelation that is timely for now, is when God said afterward to Jeremiah, “You have seen well, for I will hasten my word to perform it.” The fullness of the word (the completed cycle), as seen in the prophetic significance of the almond branch that budded, blossomed and brought forth the almond fruit, is what Jeremiah saw. God confirmed it and it would come forth.
God said He was ready (hastening) to perform His word. The word “hasten” in Hebrew is the word “saqad.” It means watching, waking, hastening, anticipating; sleepless, alert, vigilant; on the lookout for, to care for watchfully. It is used 12 times in scripture (12 is associated with apostolic government). Significantly, the phrase “of an almond tree” in Hebrew is the word “shaqed.” In Hebraic thought the almond tree is considered the “waker” because it is the first tree that blossoms, with the flowers appearing before the leaves! Some Hebrew scholars say this signifies being alert to the time to come forth. In addition, the almond itself is the shape of an eye!
Shift and see in a new way! I decree and declare your spiritual sensitivity is coming forth in such acuity that you will know the time to speak and the time to be silent, the time to move and when to be still, the time to move forward into the new assignments by being alert to His Spirit!
I was reminded of one of favorite verses that speaks of the absolute truth that God’s word never fails: " So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in the thing] whereto I sent it." (Isa 55:11 KJV)
What does He tell us prior to that, in verses 8 and 9? "For my thoughts [are] not your thoughts, neither [are] your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isa 55:8-9 KJV)
BE FULLY ALIGNED; ADVISE YOURSELF!
To perceive what God is doing in every situation in our lives, and in the world at large, is to believe His word, trust Him at all times, and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that everything He says is true. How? Tear down every thought in conflict with God’s word immediately – every ungodly mindset, every lying doubt, every false notion, and bring your thoughts into alignment with His word! Continual practice of this and your mind will be transformed, out of which you will perceive correctly and receive what you are believing for, moving you closer to fulfilling the destiny in Christ Jesus that God has ordained for your life!
What do YOU see? The word “see” in Jer. 1:11 is the Hebrew word “ra’a” and the first phrase listed to describe it is to “advise self!” Advise yourself to believe what God has said and perceive what HE is doing! When His word resonates within you, consider the phrases, “I have put My words in your mouth,” and “What do you see?” Ask the Holy Spirit to help you, ask Him to show you what God is doing, how to apply it to yourself, before any other voices speak, including your own!
God’s word is a dynamic and creative force that will accomplish His purpose! The angels respond to assist in the performing of it in the earth! "Bless the LORD, you His angels, Mighty in strength, who perform His word, Obeying the voice of His word!" (Ps. 103:20 NASB20)
WHAT DO YOU SEE? LOOK AGAIN!
The Holy Spirit reminded me of two accounts in scripture with unnamed servants. One was Elijah’s, the other Elisha’s.
In 1 Kings 18:41-44, Elijah prophesied that he heard the sound of abundance of rain (to end the three-year drought). He went to Mt. Carmel to pray and watch; he sent his servant to go look. The first time the servant said he saw nothing; Elijah told him to go again, to look seven times. The seventh time he saw a cloud the size of a man’s hand and Elijah knew the fulfillment was at hand.
The other instance was in 2 Kings 6:15-17. The King of Syria sent his army to capture Elisha. His servant woke early and saw the enemy’s army surrounding the city. Elisha told him not to fear, that there were more with them than with the enemy. Elisha could see the army of God in the spiritual realm. He prayed the Lord would open his servant’s eyes to see; and the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha. I pray the Lord opens your eyes to see with eyes of faith, and even more so in the days to come - for all the Body of Christ!
SPIRITUAL SIGHT IS SHIFTING AND DEEPER FAITH AWAKENING!
The Holy Spirit reminded me that some years ago He had revealed a deeper truth to the word “servant” found in these scriptures. The word servant in Hebrew is the word naʿar. The root of the word is nāʿar and it means the rustling of the mane, usually accompanying the lion’s roar: to tumble about: shake (off, out, self), overthrow, toss up and down.
In the two accounts I mentioned of the servants’ eyes being opened, their faith was awakened. In that place of faith awakening, they could then see and serve accurately! Let the Lion of Judah in you arise; shake off lethargy, unbelief and fear, and the veil of the flesh will be removed! Look, look and look again until you can perceive by the Spirit of the Living God in you that the word that He has spoken is true and will be performed! I decree and declare a quickening in you, an awakening of faith and purposeful resolve rising that causes a shift in your perception, so that you can see what He is doing in your midst!