The 2017 words are rolling in. God is doing big things.
How 2016 Set the Stage for 2017 – A Year of Chaos and Contention That Brought Dry Bones to Life
In 2016, I looked further at this word and found the Strong’s number 2016 is the word “hephek” and also means reversal and turnaround, but it carries a connotation of a time of contrariness and opposition. We saw this clearly manifested in culture in 2016, a very contentious, contrary year in the earth.
During this year, the Lord spoke to me out of Ezekiel 37 where the prophet is told to prophesy to the valley of dry bones. The phrase “dry bones” comes from the convergence of three Hebrew words: shame, disappointment and confusion. The picture of a valley full of dry bones indicates a place of horrendous defeat in a past season.
The prophet is told to prophesy life to that impossible scene. As he did so, there was a sound of shaking as the dry, dead bones came to life. The word shaking in Hebrew means the sound of chaos and confusion.
Clearly, the contentious political battle in the US, racial unrest, economic instability, as well as political upheaval in many nations in the earth, brought a sound of chaos and confusion in the earth. Christian values found persecution and seemingly lost ground in the US and the west, while in other places in the earth Christians were being beheaded and persecuted on a new level. The anti-Christ spirit along with an anti-Christ agenda seemed to be gaining ground at the expense of religious freedom. But God was reversing death and turning it into life! The sound of contrariness and chaos was necessary for the dry bones to come together.
God told the prophet to prophesy again at this point, but this time he was to prophesy breath. This is the second wind of the prophetic movement, which we are currently in, that will transform the dry bones into an exceeding great army. It’s time for prophets and prophetic people to release God’s revelation from their mouths, calling those things which are not as though they were. Prophesy life! Prophesy peace! Prophesy reversals! We must open our mouths and speak it and decree it for ourselves to see it come to pass.
The Lord had spoken to me at that time that the Church was “out of breath”. He wanted to breathe new life into us so we can arise as that exceeding great army of Believers…a force for righteousness, justice and freedom in the earth.
The word used for breath is ruwach meaning “a violent exhale, bringing courage, releasing a prophetic spirit, imparting warlike energy and executive and administrative power, endowing men with various gifts, releasing the energy of life, releasing the manifestation of the Shekinah glory of God.”
In John 20:21-22 it says, “Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.’ And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.'”
This is a time for us to take time in God’s presence to allow Jesus to breathe on us and fill us with His Holy Spirit again so that we are ready to release His breath in the earth. Allow His breath to transform every area of dry bones in our lives into a prophetic expression of warlike energy, power and life, which will release the Shekinah glory of God everywhere we go!
What a Comeback! From dry, scattered bones to an exceeding great unified army!
2017…A Year to See Upside Down Become Right Side Up
Which brings us to 2017. The word, “hophek,” which is the Strong’s Concordance number 2017, also means a time of reversal, but also means “to upset, to turn things upside down.” Since the world culture is already upside down, I believe God is decreeing this will be a year to turn that which is upside down right side up! It actually says of the early Church that they were known as “those who turn the world upside down” (see Acts 17:6. Also notice this verse comes from a chapter 17! Lots of chapter 17’s are about victorious comebacks). (Photo via Pixabay)
We are to be God’s change agents impacting culture through proclaiming what God is saying through building bridges of reconciliation in places of division and contention, and through praying God’s purposes of Heaven to connect with earth. “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven!”
The word “upset” has several meanings which speak to what is ahead in 2017. It means to overturn. God will overturn power structures this year (see Haggai 2:22). It means to perturb or to disturb mentally and emotionally. As the world is turned upside down, or right side up, we must position ourselves in the Word, in prayer and in peace. Peace is our portion. The joy of the Lord will be our strength. Do not allow anything to rob your joy this year. Things will be stirred up…remember it is a reformation year and often reformations are messy. Keep your heart focused on Jesus and His promises to us in the midst of challenging times.
But upset also means to defeat or overthrow an opponent who is thought to be more formidable. An upset is when an unrated football team beats the team ranked first. Don’t count yourself out! Don’t count others out! It will be a year of surprises! Don’t quit! Your time of the greatest victory is before you! Remember, your setbacks are merely setups for your comebacks! Great things are ahead! What setbacks do you want to see become comebacks?
Psalm 65:11, You have crowned the year with Your goodness, our paths will drip with abundance.
500 Year Anniversary of Reformation – The Church’s Greatest Comeback
On October 31, 2017, the Church will be celebrating the 500-year anniversary of the Protestant Reformation marking the day Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenberg church and declared “the just shall live by faith.” This event triggered a major shift out of the Dark Ages, where the then existing Church barely held any resemblance to the first century Ekklesia that Jesus gave His life for. It ushered in a time of fresh revelation and restoration, which was tumultuous to say the least, yet was a major comeback for the Church. Biblical truth made a comeback. God’s heart revealed for mankind made a comeback. The working of the Holy Spirit made a comeback. Relationship with God over religious form and ritual made a comeback!
This will be a Reformation Year. The spirit of personal reformation will bring Believers into greater connection and intimacy with the Father. Those who have gotten discouraged in their faith will receive fresh oil. Passion for Jesus will make a comeback for many! The challenge for this year is to allow God’s personal place of reformation to bring change in our hearts so we will be equipped to carry reformation into the places of influence in the world. (Photo via Flickr)
The anointing for Reformation will bring a spotlight on new Biblical truth and revelation so the Church can experience a resurgence of affluence and influence in nations throughout the earth.
Over the last several years, the Church has been divided, demoralized, disenfranchised and even demonized over social issues, political correctness and a drift from critical thinking based out of a Biblical worldview. Rather than being the source of light for our communities, the Church has been increasingly characterized, and yes, demonized as the problem rather than the solution.
I feel we are coming into a comeback season where the Church is going to get a bit of a reprieve from all the negative press. The persecution will continue as we live in a culture hostile to Christianity, however, I believe this gives the Church time to teach Believers how living their lives out of a Biblical worldview sets them up for triumph. At the same time, this apostolic/prophetic reformation will bring a greater divide between those churches who have determined to promote casual, comfortable, politically correct Christianity (in name only) and those who have decided to be the “army of the Lord,” willing to pray and yet also willing to engage culture to bring change.
In the US and other nations, we will see this reformation spirit bring change to government and governing. With the unanticipated “comeback election” of Donald Trump, we have the potential to see a reforming of the Supreme Court and other courts in the US, a reformation in the economy, a reformation in foreign policy and a realignment of nations, and many other areas of governance.
As was seen in the Protestant Reformation, this can be a very messy time. Some things will be turned upside down. It is vital for the Church to pray as never before for the President, his cabinet, governors and local government and spiritually steward the reformation taking place in the land. Our mistake will be to put our trust in a man to save us. We must pray for God’s wisdom on the man, but put our trust in the Lord. Our Appeal to Heaven to see reformation and awakening come to the Church and to our nation has just begun!
One more note on this subject…I heard the Lord say, “That which seems to be done can still be undone.” I heard this when I was praying about the UN resolution against Israel, but feel it has even farther reaching applications. What was meant for evil against Israel will be turned for its good. What was legislated to bring evil to our nation can still be turned for our good. We can personally apply this as well. Whatever the enemy has tried to use to make you feel trapped or hopeless, stuck in circumstances or situations that refuse to change…remember the word reformation means to change.
This will be a reformation year…a time of Divine Reversals and a time when every setback is transformed into a set up for a comeback! Believe and receive in Jesus name! (To Subscribe to the Elijah List go here.)
“Open Doors, Opportunities & Advancement Through God’s World War III Weapons” Bishop Bill Hamon, Santa Rosa Beach, Florida
Word of the Lord for 2017
I started giving the “Word of the Lord for the year” in 1988. It was originally intended for Christian International Ministers. However, in the late 1990s, Cindy Jacobs and I, and several others, started the International Round Table of Prophets. After that we started giving a more corporate word.
The word I am sharing is from Christ’s letter to the Philadelphia Church, about us being granted an “Open Door” that no man or demon can shut. It is directed mainly to those who have ears to hear what Christ is saying to His Church, who are walking in all presently restored truth, and have volunteered to be a warrior in God’s newly activated, offensive and powerful army called, “God’s World War III.”
Psalm 110:3 says, “Your people will be volunteers in the day of Your power.” Or the NIV says, “Your troops will be willing on your day of battle.”
Right now, God is searching for soldiers of the Cross who are willing to volunteer for God’s WWIII offensive army. Jesus is looking for those who have level-four heart soil (Mt. 13:23), which have been purged from all weed-seed attitudes. They are righteous and fearless, for they have attained to level three of the overcomers—”They love not their lives unto death” (Rev. 12:11). God is going to give them His mighty strength (2 Chron. 16:9).
Jesus, as Commander-in-Chief of His army, is coming to put His mighty warrior anointing upon them to destroy the powers of darkness and demonstrate God’s Kingdom throughout the earth.
Revelation 3:7-13:
Letter to Philadelphia Church
• Open Doors (see verse 7): The Lord is saying, “I who am Holy and True, am also He who shuts and no one opens, and opens and no one shuts. I know your works, SEE, I HAVE SET BEFORE YOU AN OPEN DOOR! And NO One can shut it!”
In 2017, we have an Open Door: Opportunities never had before. The only judgment in this letter is if we do not go through the Open Door set before us.
• Open Heaven (see Deut. 28:12): If we are diligently obeying the “Voice of the Lord” then we have the blessings (vs. 1-14) and not the curses (vs. 15-68). The voice of Lord includes Logos, Rhema and personal prophecy.
• Open Earth: In the USA, we have been given earthly, legal and natural opportunities to arise and shine as the Church.
• Verse 7 continued: “Who has the Key of David.” The Key of David has three notches that unlock Christ’s purposes and provisions: 1. Spirit of Revelation. 2.Worship. 3. Warfare.
• Revelation: David had tremendous amount of revelation as revealed in his Psalms. David never had many visions, dreams or angelic visitations, but he had prophetic revelation more than any other.
• Worship: Worship to God was a love and passion of David. He knew the power and purposes of praise. He had the revelation that God inhabits our praise and is enthroned in power for us (Ps.22:3). (Pre-prayers of Jesus.) (Photo via Flickr)
• Warfare: David and Joshua are the two greatest Biblical warriors and generals in God’s army. General Joshua fought with his army and conquered Canaan for Israel’s inheritance and national home land. David fought with his army, extending Israel’s inheritance to its full borders as God promised to Abraham (Gen.15:18). In 2017, we are to war against our enemies until we fulfill our personal prophecies and possess our full inheritance.
• Joshua Generation: God is raising up a Joshua generation with the Key of David to fulfill all of God’s prophetic promises to Israel and His Beloved Church.
• War Angels: David learned how to co-labor with General Michael and his war angels in his warfare against his enemies (2 Sam.5:22-25). This is the day of God’s power, and His chosen ones are volunteering to be warriors in God’s WWIII.
Psalm 103:20-21 declares that God’s angels excel in strength and heed the voice of the Lord and those Saints who speak for their Commander-In-Chief, Jesus Christ. David is the only man that the Bible declares that he was a man after God’s own heart. We can be both God-loving worshipers and bold and fearless warriors.
• Verse 8: “You have kept My word, and have not denied My Name.” This reveals that we have not forsaken any restored truth and have maintained a balance in the truths of God. For 30 years, we have not denied His name as Prophet and Apostle, but have boldly declared and demonstrated that Jesus is still ministering in His Church as Prophet and Apostle. We are now manifesting Jesus as the Mighty Warrior and the Lord of Hosts/Armies.
• Verse 9: God is separating the Sheep from the Goats. He is going to favor those He approves as His Sheep and make the goats acknowledge that we are God’s true Sheep. God is going to start vindicating His own.
• Verse 10: This verse will be made a reality before the end of 2018. The world is going to be tested by the threat of a natural WWIII being activated with the potential of nuclear warfare. If we have persevered in Christ-like living and doing spiritual warfare for God’s purposes, “He shall keep us from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world to test those who dwell upon the earth.”
• Verse 11: “Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.” Crown represents your calling and ministry in Christ. Regardless of the persecution by the worldly church and the ungodly, maintain your calling regardless of the cost. (Memorize Romans 8:18.)
• Verse 12: If we overcome, Jesus will make us a permanent fixture (pillar) in the Temple of His God. Jesus will write on us the name of His God and His new name. That means He will not allow us to miss out on any new thing that He shall do with His Church on the earth and in Heaven. (Photo via Pixabay)
• Verse 13: We must have open spiritual ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church in 2017.
Advancement Throughout History to Now
• 1st Reformation: 30AD-400AD: Church Birthed, established worldwide.
• 2nd Church Reformation: 1517-2007: Eight Major Restoration Movements.
• 3rd And Final Church Reformation: 2008: Rev. 11:15: “Kingdoms of this world become the Kingdom of God.”
Advancement of Restoration Correlated With Israel’s Journey: Egypt to Canaan:
• 1517 Protestant Movement: Blood applied—came out of Egypt.
• 1600 Evangelical Movement: Crossing Red Sea—Baptized.
• 1700 Holiness Movement: Banks of Red Sea, separated.
• 1800 Faith Healing Movement: Waters of Marah—People Healed.
• 1900 Pentecostal Movement: Water From Rock-Spirit Language.
• 1950 Charismatic Movement: Mt. Sinai—Body of Christ.
• 1988 Prophetic-Apostolic: Crossing Jordan—into Prophetic & Apostolic.
• 2007 Saints Movement: Preparation-Transition—7 Mountain Kingdom Influencers.
First Phase of Resurrection of the Dead Doctrine- Resurrection Life:
• 2016: Activation of the Army of the Lord into Offensive Warfare.
• 2020: First Phase of The Eternal Judgment Doctrine (Ps. 149:5-9).
• 2017: An Open Door with Opportunities for Promotion and Possessing.
• 2017 till His Kingdom is established: full ministry of God’s World War III. We will engage in spiritual warfare with Prophetic Acts of Faith, with God’s Weapon of Mass Destruction to powers of darkness, and satan’s army of wicked spirits. The Shout of Faith is the Church’s WMD.
DECREE AND SHOUT IT TO BE! (To Subscribe to the Elijah List go here.)