Last year at the Micro Confrence, the prophetic word that came out most clearly, was that to walk into the new we had to die to the old. The most specific words that I remember was that there would be blood on the floor before we could walk into the new wine.
Not being a pleasent happy 'bless me' word I quickly tried to forget that prophetic word! However the last 12 months sure has seen plenty of blood on the floor in regards to every area of our life. It's been a tough year for myself in sense of God's calling, for our family, for our finances, for our housing, everything! At the end of this 12 month period all I felt was winded!
But during all these turmoils I really did sense that we were in the middle of Gods will. I remember when we went and met at a hotel at Rangariri to hand in our credentials as Ministers. At the end of a awkward and difficult meeting, the person who met us anounced out of the blue that Rangariri meant that THE BLOOD FLOWED after a battle between local Maori and the British in that area. You could have knocked me down with a feather as I instantly remembred the prophetic word again.
Funnily enough we stopped at Rangariri again as we traveled to this years confrence. We were looking around the battle site because the Kids were studying New Zealand history. As we wondered around the grave yard I once again remembered the prophecy and realised that it was now a year since we had walked into the time of blood shed. I felt the Holy Spirit was quickening to me that we were walking into a new season, a season of expectation.
It was amazing to hear Wolfgangs prophetic word (see a few days ago for it) as he described our upheavel, and even the Maori imagry of course connected with where we were at with Rangariri. Within 24 hours we had been supernaturally and miraculously released from a debt that we had gained from when we closed our former church down. We were separately offered significant financial backing in any Kingdom or business initiative we were considering (which is an answer to prayer). We were also invited to several places around the country to talk about our journey. People also asked to come on board as intercessors for our ministry. Most of all we connected for the first or second time with people who I think we are going to get to know a whole lot more in the years ahead as we leave the old restraining, constraining wine skins of the past and step uncertainly into going where the whisper of the Holy Spirit leads us.
Friends I am pregnant with expectation
Two birthdays on the way to confrence is a killer for Dad's wallet!
hi philip, you have been on a very similar journey to ourselves. we stepped out from a leadership position in a big 'New' church to attempt to pioneer simple/micro churches here in the uk. The Dales are good friends and have been a tremendous help to us, infact they are coming thru here next month for a weekend.
I blog our family/church stuff on the above link and have another site on missional church: www.simplechurch.co.uk which may be of interest to you guys. I look forward to following the next phase of your journey. Grace & Peace.