As I was seeking the Lord for the prophetic words for the year 2016, I heard these words:
"The year 2016 is the year of the Word! Stay strong therefore in My Word. Take My Word and keep My Word! Be a good ground for My Word! For My Word is the 'seed' that grows in your ground, that yields and brings forth a great harvest and many new opportunities for you!"
Then, I heard further:
"It is a year that I will catapult many of My people into newer, greater heights. It is a year of setting free from your past disappointments. For those who have gone through trials and testing in the past year, watch Me open many new opportunities for you this year! For you will be like Daniel, and you will be like his three friends."
Note: The definition of 'opportunities' here is 'favorable time, or favorable occasion', and the definition of 'catapult' here is 'to shoot or launch something' (in this context, with the 'force' that comes from God).
The key Bible chapters as you begin the year 2016 are Daniel chapters 1, 2, and 3.
Daniel initially went through the disappointments of seeing his city Jerusalem besieged and his people being taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. However, he was later promoted over the whole province of Babylon and became chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon. Here's an account of what happened that led to his promotion (new opportunities).
Daniel 1:8-13 (NKJV) says, 'But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs. And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, "I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king." So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel and his three friends (Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah), "Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king's delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants."'
'The portion of the king's delicacies' here speaks of 'the ways of the world, or the ways of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon'. By the way, the word 'Babylon' here comes from the word 'Babel', meaning 'confusion (of the world's ways)'. But Daniel purposed in his heart not to defile himself with the 'food' of the world (or the 'ways' of the world), and chose 'vegetables to eat and water to drink'. In King James Version, this word 'vegetables' is translated 'pulse', and in Hebrew, it is 'zeroa', meaning 'something sown, or seed', from the root word 'zara', which means 'to sow, to plant, to conceive'. Therefore, the word 'zeroa' here is symbolic of the Word of God planted in God's people that yields and brings forth a great harvest and many new opportunities (see Matthew 13:8, Matthew 13:23).
You see? Not the way of the world, but the way of the Word!
Daniel 1:15 then says, 'And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king's delicacies'. Daniel 1:17-20 continues, 'As for these four young men (Daniel and his three friends), God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams... Then the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm'.
Daniel later went on to reveal the dream that the king had and then interpreted it, when no one else in the land could (see Daniel chapter 2), and he was promoted by the king (Daniel 2:46-49).
People of God, as you are being planted with the 'seed' of the Word of God this year, like Daniel, you will also begin to 'see' and 'understand' many things that the world cannot 'see' and 'understand' (see 1 Corinthians 2:4-5, 1 Corinthians 2:9-10). This applies in all that you put your hands on, whether in ministry, in business, or in your vocation.
Proverbs 4:20-22 says, 'My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh'.
People of God, whatever happened in the past year, and if the past year has been a time of 'trials' and 'testing' for you, there's every reason for you to look forward to this year! You'll begin to see many new opportunities unfold for you, just as Daniel did. And if you've been merely 'surviving' in the past year, see yourself 'thriving' this year, as you allow the 'seed' of the Word to grow in your 'good grounds'.
The name 'Daniel' is prophetic of our times, looking at the many uncertainties and danger around the world at the moment. In Hebrew, it is 'Dani El', literally meaning 'judge of God', from the word 'Dan' and 'El' (the Almighty God, the Lord God).
The Hebrew word 'Dan' here is 'diyn', which means 'to rule, to execute (judgement), to minister (judgement), or to judge a situation (or circumstance) from God's point of view'. And 'to judge' in this context here is not 'against one another', but instead to judge (or pronounce a sentence) on a situation (or circumstance) around you with the Word of God. People of God, this is a year to look to what the Word says, and not what the world says.
Note: From king Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel chapter 2 (seen and interpreted by Daniel), there are four kingdoms, namely Babylon, Persian, Greek and Roman, and after that comes the kingdom of God that knows no end (Isaiah 9:6-7). You (the believers) belong to this kingdom, ruling and reigning in Him (Romans 5:17, Ephesians 2:4-7, 2 Timothy 2:12-13, Revelation 20:6), and 'no weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgement you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and your righteousness is from Him' (Isaiah 54:17).
My prayer for you today is you'll continue to grow from faith to faith, grace to grace, and glory to glory in the Lord, even as He begins to launch you into newer and greater heights this year. Amen! Have a blessed year 2016!
