I asked a couple of the ladies on our Prayer and Prophetic Team to pray and ask the Lord for a word for this community for 2018, and I'm so thrilled to share it with you today!!
It is NOT too late to personally ask the Lord for a word for yourself and your family. For some, that literally means a single word like "restore." And maybe looking up the definition. For others, the Lord may give you a couple pages of direction and promises, things to look forward to or prepare for! But here is what the Lord put on our hearts for you!
Katie Mendoza (I Am Fruitful Board of Directors, Prayer & Prophetic Team)
IDENTITY
I get this picture in my head of God and all of Heaven’s choirs singing joyful songs of identity over His people in 2018.
“The Lord your God is in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 NKJV
Before His return, I believe He wants His kids to walk with such a confidence and authority of who they are in Him. He loves each daughter and son intimately and extravagantly and in 2018 the body of Christ is going to get a fresh revelation of that love. As you come into the reality of what that supernatural uncomparable love is, He is going to give you fresh vision of who you are in Christ. I see the I Am Fruitful community seeing every situation, and diagnosis through the lens of Heaven. I see in 2018 the I Am Fruitful community taking off weights that many have been carrying for as long as they can remember. After the weights come off I get this picture of a woman laying bare before the Lord, wearing no weights, and I see Jesus walking up to her and handing her the most extravagant and beautiful bouquet of flowers, it has every kind of flower in this one bouquet, and He made it just for her. I also see Jesus suiting this woman up in the armor of God. The bouquet signifies His intricate and detailed love. Every flower so different and so beautiful…every flower is a representation of why He loves her. She is worthy of that love. The armor represents the warrior He sees her as. Every piece of armor represents a different way to combat the enemy. As Jesus suits her up with each piece of armor she understands her place as a daughter of a King, and she is bold and strong.
“Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:13-17 NLT
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:33 NLT
“But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.” Matthew 6:33 AMP
“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers-- most of which are never even seen--don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met." Matthew 6:30-33 MSG
I hear the Lord saying over the I am Fruitful community, “Don’t get preoccupied with everything else, but seek me first, Pursue me first, With every ounce of your being set your gaze to me.” As you throw off the weights, turn your ear to the songs of heaven, receive His elaborate and personal love, put on your armor and turn every bit of your focus to Jesus, you will walk in the identity and confidence as a Daughter and Son of the Most High. the Bible says that everything else has to come into alignment with what the Kingdom of Heaven’s perspective is about every situation in your life. Walk in boldness, authority and confidence because the Most High God, creator of the whole world made you to be like Him.
Hailee Seiwert (I Am Fruitful Project Coordinator, Prayer & Prophetic Team)
LIFT OUR HEADS, LIFT OUR HANDS
“Let all the people of Jerusalem shout his praise with joy! For great is the Holy One of Israel who lives among you.” Isaiah 12:6
God is the same, we are not. God is the same, our circumstances are not. God is the same, our problems are not. On your best day, God. On your worst day, God. The God before your problem is the same God during your problem and He will be the same God after. The enemy would love for you to believe that God has changed along with your circumstances. That as your prayers have gone unanswered, God has become more distant. That on your worst day, God has retreated. That in order to get Him back, you must work, toil, and DO. That is not our God. God is the same. Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow, He is the same. From that day on the cross, He is the same. His love is the same. From the moment you He knew you and knit you, His love is unchanged.
Let’s lift up our heads to the God who is with us in the pain of yesterday, the reality of today, and the uncertainty of tomorrow. Let’s lift up our hands to the God who makes a way, the God who goes before, the God of peace and certainty. Let’s turn from our distractions, our idols, our counterfeit comfort and turn our hearts to God. Our full hearts, including the doubt and sorrow, including the pain and wondering, including the bitterness and questions. He wants you, all of you. Like a loving Father He says, “turn to me, take my hand, I am with you.”
Lauren Bourne (I Am Fruitful Founder & President)
GOD IS WITH YOU!
"The Lord. your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing." Zephaniah 3:17
The Lord highlighted the song “O Holy Night” for the I Am Fruitful Community, and yes, I know it's a Christmas song. But I believe God will carry this Christmas theme throughout your 2018.
3 things He highlighted from this song:
- A thrill of hope
- Chains shall He break
- In His name all oppression shall cease
I believe the Lord wants to take you on a journey this year. A journey to take you deeper and really show you what you mean to Him and who you are in Him. I believe He desires to usher you into a deeper understanding that He came to this earth to live and die for YOU and that He's always with you. When you realize your value to Him, and understand your worth in the Kingdom- you will experience that “thrill of hope.” That love- it will envelope you. It will give you hope for your future because you know that God is FOR you!
I believe that in 2018, God will break chains that have held many of you bound and you will be freed from oppression.
In 2018, you will sing songs of JOY!
Breakthrough will come through your praise! Don’t wait to praise Him until after you experience breakthrough! Praise before! I believe God wants to carry this powerful oppression-ending, chain-breaking, joy-filling theme into your new year!!
