Luke 2:18 says, "And Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and with mankind." 1 John 4:17 says, "As He is so are we in the world."
In the year 2002 we are going to see the Body of Christ grow in wisdom (true knowledge realized or actualized) and in stature (God's anointed station) and also see it increase in FAVOR with God and with mankind. We, as a new creation in the earth, were not just created to have peace and happiness at a limited personal level equivalent to paid bills, with no ills, and a few thrills here and there. We were re-created in Christ to RIDE ON HIGH PLACES WITH OUR God!! We are right now moving into Favor territory. God has a plan to increase HIS BRIDE in this hour, to give her strength, stature, and THE YEAR OF GOD'S FAVOR.
Already, Deep River Ministries in 2002 has more engagements to do healing ministry than in all of 2001, and we haven't even gotten to 2002 yet! I sense INCREASE AND FAVOR! Not just for a few, but for all devoted friends and companions of Jesus who are seeking God with all their hearts. FAVOR comes to those who WANT WHAT GOD WANTS! How do we know what God wants? Just look at Jesus. HE IS THE PATTERN! HE GREW - HE INCREASED TO DO WHAT PLEASED GOD. He wanted to please the Father, he longed to win people - woo them to the heart of the father, and to obliterate all the works of darkness. That is why He was sent, AND that is why we are sent. He said you will do the same things I do, and like Jesus, then, we too will have the pleasurable favor of the Father.
The church is coming out of the wilderness. Everywhere we minister we simply say, "Look you're a mess, we're a mess, can we go to God now?" He is the only way out of the divisions, the strife, the rebellion, the sickness and heartbreak of God's blood-bought people. There is no other way. The wilderness is a place of a "desolate heritage." (Isaiah 49:8) It is a place of failure to enter into the full inheritance God has laid up for us in Christ, and a place of wallowing in our own pitiful self-dependency. We are co-heirs with Christ, yet we have failed to attain to our part of the inheritance - "the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints and the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe." (Eph 18-23) Literally "toward" in Greek means to us, into us, through us, and out of us!
Recently, I was reminded of a prophesy we received in 1996 concerning the direction our ministry would one day take. It said,
"For even the seed that has been planted in you shall now begin to go over the walls…only to find that you shall escape out of the walls and out of the barriers. For you will begin to go over into places and over barriers that have been obstructed and held out against you before…. For what the Lord has begun to grow in you, surely it will bring forth its fruit after its own kind. For son, even now you are coming out of the wilderness and you are coming out in the power of the Spirit of God!"
We do not base our whole lives on one prophetic word, however, this one has stayed with me. It seems to me we are entering fully into a time such as this. All that happened in 2001, all the healings, all the people released from bondage and from pain - that is only going to increase in 2002. The walls to this kind of release of the Holy Spirit are no problem to God. If they don't come down, He just take you over them or around them. There is a move of God's healing delivering power coming that no person or institution can stop. WE can decide, however, not to participate in it. Sadly many will. Some will fight it. But make no mistake it is coming like a flow. Some of those who will participate in the coming move of God's Spirit are doing so even now. The waters are rising Fear of people is being replaced by an anointing to believe God's Word again - the only thing God can agree with. God does not agree with our theories about His Word. God's FAVOR is poured out on those who honor His Word and work with God to see it happen - in action.
It is time to enter in God's FAVOR NOW! It is imperative! There is no guarantee that trials or sorrows are over in this nation, but Psalm 5:11-12 says that the FAVOR of God is a might shield and protection for the people of God. As we advance in HIS WILL we must trust with all we are that God will REMOVE THE DESOLATE HERITAGE and bring about what pleases Him most.
Dear friends, as I look back over 2001, I am so grateful for you, your unbelievable generosity in helping us launch out into a sometimes scary and yet always exhilarating new ministry. I am so full of thanks and love for each one of you. Each of you are so dear to us! You have encouraged us to press on and reach high! God bless us all as we enter a year of challenge, full of wonder and expectancy that God WILL bring His people to the ACCEPTABLE YEAR OF FAVOR.
