Momentous Transition
Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world.
John 16:21
Seasons of transition can feel messy and uncomfortable. There are few things as challenging as living in the in-between. The feeling of being neither here nor there. But transitions are necessary for, well, everything. During birth, a woman in labor must go through a period of transition—giving birth is just that, transitioning a baby from the womb to life on the outside. Birth is painful and uncomfortable, but it brings the most extraordinary gift: new life.
In this season, God is bringing people through significant transitions and new births. The process may be messy and painful, but there is grace for the birth. And even though there will be discomfort, it doesn’t have to be excruciatingly painful, because there’s grace. God’s hand of favor is on you as you transition from one season to the next. This may even be as significant as giving birth to a movement or a business or a new opportunity. Perhaps, it’s been an extended season of transition. If this resonates with you, then take time to ask God for specific words and keys for your transition season. Lean into the Presence of God and surrender. Find moments of rest and intimacy in the middle of it all.
Fantasy vs. the Prophetic
They speak a vision of their own heart,
Not from the mouth of the Lord.
Jeremiah 23.16
One of the single most plans of the enemy is to cause confusion in the body of Christ by releasing prophetic words that are actually connected to fantasy instead of the heart of God. Sometimes a prophetic word can come from a place of deep pain, intense longing, or even the desire to avoid responsibility. God is exposing false prophetic words and voices and setting His people free to live in truth. Some of the deepest pain actually comes when we think we’ve heard God about something (or someone) and it turns out to be wrong. This can bring about fear, doubt, and confusion and deep questions: can I even hear God?
However, if you’re experiencing the pain of a prophetic word that didn’t happen or questioning if you missed God, know this: God is releasing clarity, wisdom, and discernment to recognize His voice from others. He’s showing you which prophetic voices to trust and listen to. It's important for His children to know how God speaks and the ways He speaks so they can discern what is actually from Him. In addition, He is the Comforter and is showing up as a kind and loving Comforter right now.
Here are a few basics about how God speaks:
- God leads with peace. He is not the author of confusion. Therefore when He speaks, He releases clarity and peace. If you’re feeling confused, it’s probably not Him.
- He encourages and never condemns. He may bring conviction (which is a desire for change but not intense shame or guilt).
- He invites, but doesn’t force. He’ll never bypass your free will, but He gives you the ability to choose.
- He never violates Scripture. The Word of God is our anchor when we are uncertain.
Right now, God is setting people free from the burden of holding onto fantasy or soul-based prophetic words. God is cutting through the confusion with clarity and discernment. If you have been confused by prophetic words you’ve received or things you’ve heard and want clarity in hearing God’s voice, this word is for you. If you’ve felt burdened and weighed down by words you received and are afraid you’ll disobey God if you let certain words go, then it’s time to bring the word back to Him and ask for fresh clarity. Pray and ask God for discernment. Lay down all words at His feet in surrender. Don’t be afraid to say “it’s okay if I missed it” in one moment. One missed word doesn’t negate other things He’s said.
Joyful Intercession
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
Romans 8:26
Have you been feeling a sense of heaviness or angst about certain things you're experiencing or seeing other’s experience? Maybe a specific relational dynamic keeps showing up or an actor in Hollywood keeps coming to mind. Or perhaps a social justice issue is weighing on your heart. If you’re experiencing a sense of heaviness or distress when you think about certain things, God is likely inviting you to pray. When a recurrent topic keeps coming up, there's an invitation to seek God and ask Him to reveal His heart to you. Right now there’s a powerful invitation to the heart of intercession. Prayer is POWERFUL and effective.
When God is leading you into intercession, you may feel a deep sense of heaviness or anguish about a certain situation. However, you aren’t meant to stay in heaviness. As you pray, the heaviness will lift and you'll experience the joy that comes from partnering with God's heart. A significant sign that you’re praying in alignment with God’s heart is that you experience the power of joy that comes from sensing His heart over a circumstance. The heart of intercession is simply this: releasing God’s heart and purpose into the world or over a person’s life. Ask the Holy Spirit for what and how to pray when you’re unsure. God is never hopeless. So if your prayers are coming from hopelessness, it’s not His heart! However, love, hope, peace, and joy are the fruit of praying His heart over a situation.
Off the Pedestal
“You shall have no other gods before me.”
Exodus 20:3
All the people, experiencing the thunder and lightning, the trumpet blast and the smoking mountain, were afraid—they pulled back and stood at a distance. They said to Moses, “You speak to us and we’ll listen, but don’t have God speak to us or we’ll die.”
Exodus 20:18
Have you ever found yourself putting a leader on a pedestal? Or looking to them before looking to God for growth and leadership? It’s easy to do when we have a pastor, teacher, or leader we deeply admire. However, no person was meant to take a place of leadership in our lives above God. In Exodus, the Israelites were afraid of hearing God for themselves and they asked Moses to speak to God on their behalf. However, God actually desires a personal relationship with each of us and wants to speak to us individually.
It’s important to remember that spiritual leaders are human and make mistakes. They are not go-betweens for us and God. Rather, each and everyone of us is responsible for stewarding our own individual relationship with God. You may be experiencing disillusionment with the mistakes or decisions of a leader you trusted. Or perhaps you’re recognizing that you’ve over-valued certain voices and opinions above the voice of God. It’s important to come back to putting God first, above every other voice and person in your world. Come back to the Presence of God, first and foremost, and allow His voice to be the loudest and the greatest in your life.
At The Crowning Jewels, it's our desire and our mission to bring encouragement, to build others up, and to bring comfort to people’s lives (1 Corinthians 14.3). Each month our founder, Anne, asks the Lord what He’s doing in the coming month and for any words of encouragement He might have for His people. We believe that prophetic words need to be encouraging and edifying. Moreover, with a corporate prophetic word, not all words are applicable to all people. If our words bless you, please take hold of them and apply them in your own life. If it’s not specific to you, please pass it on to someone else who might be blessed.
As always, the prophetic is a free gift from heaven and will always be something we freely share. As a prophetic business, it’s our mission to bring encouragement and edification to people through the free gift of prophecy, with our product being jewelry.
We at The Crowning Jewels believe in the absolute, transformational power of declarations. We know that truth comes by hearing (Romans 10.17), and speaking truth is an active way for us to renew our minds (Romans 12.2). We invite you to partner with what God is doing and say these declarations for the remainder of the month. We would love to hear what God does! Please email us your testimony at hello@thecrowningjewels.com.
DECLARATIONS
- God is leading me through beautiful transitions into something new.
- God is increasing my discernment to recognize truth from falsehood.
- I am able to clearly discern God’s voice above all others
- I partner with heaven to release God’s heart over situations
- My eyes are fixed on God above all else.
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Blog written by Anne E. Jackson and Katelyn Alexander
