We have entered a crucial time of transition in the spiritual realm, and it will soon be reflected in the physical realm full-blown. In fact, for some, this transition has already begun.
The Oxford Dictionary defines the word 'transition' as 'changing from one state or condition to another'. This applies both in one's personal walk (or calling/vocation in life), and even in the nations of the world (both politically and economically).
This is a key time, a pivotal time, or put it simply, a 'make' or 'break' time for many in the Body of Christ. The enemy, of course, would want God's people to reach a 'breaking point' when they'd just give in to whatever form of distress, pressure, fear, and intimidation thrown against them.
But fear not! In Romans 8:33-39, the apostle Paul wrote, 'Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come. nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord'.
Notice the statement 'who also makes intercession for us' here. This word 'intercession' is 'entugchano' in Greek, from the word 'tugchano' (toong-khan-o), meaning 'to bring to pass, to bring about the effect'. In other words, it is Christ who 'bring to pass' and 'bring about the effect' that nothing (and no one) shall be able to bring a charge against you, who is God's elect! And nothing whatsoever shall be able to separate you from the love of God!
People of God, in this crucial time of transition, your part is to stay true to the Lord, knowing that He (not just anybody else, but He who is the Great I Am) is making intercession for you. To 'stay true to the Lord' is to keep your focus on Him, instead of the distress, pressure, fear, and intimidation thrown by the enemy against you. And that's also how you'll begin to 'transit' into a new season of breakthrough, victory and fruitfulness in your life (and ministry)!
If you look at the life of Hannah in the Old Testament, you'll see the same thing happening to her those days. She was also in a time of transition. 'Hannah', by the way, is 'Channah' in Hebrew, and her name means 'favored'. You see, she was supposed to be 'favored', and her life was supposed to be 'fruitful'. But in reality, she was barren. In fact, she was in great distress, because her rival (Peninnah) who had many children (1 Samuel 1:4), provoked her severely to make her miserable (1 Samuel 1:6-7).
But instead of focusing on her 'rival' (and whatever the 'rival' said or did to her), she turned to the Lord and cried out to Him (1 Samuel 1:8-16). And Eli the priest then answered her and said, "Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition, which you have asked of Him." (1 Samuel 1:17) Hannah then went her way and her face was no longer sad. As we all know, the rest is history. Not long after that, the Lord gave her a son, and she called his name Samuel (1 Samuel 1:20). The Lord then visited her again and again, so that she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters (1 Samuel 2:21).
People of God, what happened to Hannah those days is prophetic of our time and season at the moment. It was a 'make' or 'break' time for her. It was a difficult and distressful time for her. It was a time of transition for her. But she did something pivotal that eventually led to her breakthrough, victory and fruitfulness. She cried out and poured out to the Lord, and the Lord answered her.
Like Hannah, you too are supposed to be the 'favored' of the Lord, and 'fruitful' in all that the Lord has called you to be (and do). Make no mistake about that! But maybe you have been hard-pressed in your life (or even in ministry) recently, or you have reached a plateau in your life, and you don't know what to do anymore. For some of you, you are at your wit's end, and you are on the verge of giving it all up. Like Hannah, this is a time to cry out to the Lord and pour out to Him.
This is also a time to meditate on Psalm 46:1-5 that says, 'God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn'.
Pray in the Spirit much, and meditate on God's promises in the Word all over again. Worship the Lord in the beauty of His holiness. And if the Lord leads you into a time of prayer and fasting, go ahead (I fully believe there is a place for prayer and fasting even for believers under the New Covenant!), and you'll see the 'ceiling' that limits you from receiving all the promises of God in your life be 'broken'.
By the way, fasting doesn't change God, but fasting changes you, so that you can receive from God without hindrances. Sometimes, the hindrance may not be from the devil, but is due to your own carnal (fleshly) self. The apostle Paul wrote about it in Romans 8:6-10! It is when your flesh is 'tamed' and 'humbled' (through prayer and fasting), your spirit man begins to have the upper hand again, and that's when you'll also begin to hear and receive from God clearer! 1 Peter 5:5 says 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble'. 1 Peter 5:6 then says, 'Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time'. Amen.
