Several weeks ago I heard the Lord begin to speak to me about generations and generational strongholds. At the time, I thought it was personally for me. Most of you who are familiar with my ministry realize I am a transparent minister. I choose to be vulnerable in order to empower people to be set free. I hope to encourage you and equip you for victory!

Like many Christians, we have endured a season of loss and challenges. Within the past year and half, I have suffered a lot of loss and experienced major transition. My mother died of liver cancer, my son-in-law has been suffering from a brain tumor that has adversely affected our entire family, and my husband and I have been instructed by the Lord to move miles away from family and dear friends in order to pioneer a new business. I have realized how fragile someone can become when he/she is in crisis.

Still, at the same time I attempt to remain pliable and flexible in the Master's hands so that I can remain on my heavenly assignment. That alone can make me fragile. Sometimes being "broken before the Lord" means that when the heat is turned up, we feel fragile and able to "break down" easily! My old structure needs to be broken down, generational strongholds need to be broken, and I need to become transformed into His divine image. What I now realize is, only in this place-what I will refer to as the Refiner's fire-do we truly seek the face of the Lord.

Some of the definitions and synonyms for the word fragile imply not only a weakness, but also a fragility that describes breakable and delicate in structure (this doesn't imply we are not strong in the Lord and the power of His might). My old religious structure is very delicate and fragile right now-and it needs to be! This is because an old belief system, an old structure of the past, has to be breakable in His divine presence.

The Crossroads and the Hebraic Month of Sh'vat

Most definitely, we are at crossroads. Interesting isn't it-that at an intersection of choices and changes there is a "cross" involved. We are reminded that in the midst of great change, we die daily and take up the Cross for Kingdom promotion. Webster's defines a crossroad as "a place where roads intersect," but also as a "point at which a vital decision must be made." It also means "a main center of activity or assembly."

Hebraically, we are in the month of Sh'vat. In this month there are several focuses. The tribe connected to Sh'vat is Asher, which implies happiness and pleasure. It is a month to shout, "My blessings are on the Way!" And, it is the month of the trees. There is much Biblical significance to trees. One, for example, implies generations and lineages (family trees). Since the Lord has been speaking to me concerning the generations, I realize that my generational heritage and I are at a place of transition.

Secondly, I am reminded of the two trees in the garden-the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (which was the tree of death) and the Tree of Life. These same two trees still challenge us today! We, as did Adam and Eve, have choices of what fruit to eat. We can eat the poison of evil or choose life. I believe that if we allow ourselves to be led by "head knowledge" we will make the wrong choices in this season.

The Tree of Knowledge is legalistic in nature. Head knowledge will block our hearts and minds from following the Lord. Second Corinthians 3:6 says, "The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." We must be like Joshua and say, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Joshua was most likely referring to his "house" as his generations. However, I believe it is more than that. I believe God is requiring us to choose to construct various types of houses. One is how we individually allow the Lord to build a tabernacle in our hearts and therefore "house" the anointing or His presence. Another type of house may be building a house for Him in our ministries or churches.

As we build a house or tabernacle for His divine presence, we must build according to His Spirit and not an ancient pattern. Building the Kingdom of God with an old blueprint is an example of building with past "head knowledge" rather than by His present-Truth voice. But basically, our choice is this-whether or not to build according to our past or according to our future.

As I stated earlier, a crossroads is also defined as "a main center of activity or assembly." To me, this speaks clearly of the assembly of His Body at a place of crossing over and decision-making. But we also must remember that the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (the tree which is poisonous to us) was at the center of the garden! No doubt Eve came right to the brink of decision-making, just as we do today. Symbolically, if we remain self-centered, selfish, and full of selfish ambition rather than being Kingdom-focused, we will eat of the wrong tree. Dear ones, the Lord wants us to choose life! If we do, then we remain in the center of His perfect will.

Since happiness is connected to this month, we must begin to realize that our happiness is connected to following His Spirit. Remaining connected to the old will allow a death structure to be erected over us. Choosing life during this season will empower us with happiness as we move forward into Adar, which is the month of joy and pregnancy. If we choose life now, then we can be happy, joyful and pregnant in Adar. Yes, step by step, moving from faith to faith, strength to strength and glory to glory (see Psalm 84:7; Romans 1:17; 2 Corinthians 3:18).

The Fiery Furnace and Crisis

Other synonyms for crossroads are "intersection," and "side road, secondary highway and service road." In the Webster's Thesaurus it says this about crossroads: "A place of convergence, turning point and crisis." We hear a lot concerning convergence today. Convergence implies a merging. I believe we are at the place of merging what we knew in the past concerning theology and what we are experiencing today as His fresh voice. And, precious ones, His fresh voice is found when we daily seek His face. I am speaking for myself here, and hopefully it will minister to you; but what I thought was hard-core, steadfast theology of my past is being challenged in the fiery furnace of TODAY!

When God manifests His presence, He is always a consuming fire. Plus, His presence will expose all darkness. The fiery trials that we face in the spiritual wars ahead will be opportunities to overcome and mature. Let's look at Job and how he faced crisis. His belief systems and his theology concerning God were challenged, yet he remained righteous!

Is Your Theology Being Challenged?

Like Job, when calamity and crisis occurred, I was challenged with my theology. I had questions and issues concerning my crisis. Now I have realized that any theological crisis is never meant to truly change your belief system (theology), but to change YOU or ME! Because we and our relationship with God are perfected during a fiery trail, then our theology will change. I have also realized that I could bind the devil 24-7, but if God was in the fire, I might as well embrace it. Right?

We don't have to shove new teachings down the throats of others-God's fire will purify those who are fragile in religious structure, His fire will change them, and as a result, their theology will change. When we pray, "Lord, send the fire!"-He will! Thus religious paradigms begin to shift and we realize God is sounding different right now-He is revealing Himself differently. We need ears to hear His voice in this new season!

The Hebraic Month of Adar, Esther and Her Crossroad

Many of us are like Job right now in this particular season. We may not have experienced death literally, but we are challenged with certain death structures. In my book, Destiny Thieves, I have gone to great extent discussing Esther and the death structure erected by Haman, the Amalekite. Saints, we are transitioning soon into the Hebraic month of Adar, which is the feast celebrating Israel's release from the death structure of the Amalekites.

Esther faced this devilish opposition head on and, yes, it involved a type of crisis. Remembering that a crisis does not always imply death, we can fully identify with crisis being described as "emergency, necessity, turning point, dilemma, puzzle, perplexity, pressure, juncture, change, contingency, and a decisive turn" (all words from the Webster's Thesaurus-Wiley Publishing Company).

Let's delve further into a microscopic look at Esther's choices, the pressure she endured and the juncture she faced. Realizing we are approaching the month of Adar, known as the month of pregnancy and joy, we can adjust our focus and realize that we can be empowered by God to face anything with joy, even in the midst of persecution and pressures.

Esther had her own crossroad. She was an orphan, adopted by Mordecai, and was summoned to the king's courts to possibly become queen. Esther, being adopted, most likely had issues with rejection, abandonment and fear. However, she had to choose to not focus on herself and her pain, but embrace a higher call. In other words, she had to eat of the right tree! Before she could even be considered to wear the crown, she had to endure a twelve-month process of purification. Twelve is the Biblical number of authority.

What does this speak to us for this season? If we want authority in the Kingdom of God, we have to be processed. Esther endured six months of myrrh and six months of perfumes and beauty treatments. Myrrh has much Biblical significance:

1. It was used in burials.
2. It was used to anoint the priesthood.
3. It implies "bitterness" because of its bitter taste.

Looking at these three things, we can understand that when we are being trusted to rule and reign, then we are going to have to die to self and selfish ambition to establish Kingdom purpose. The keys to the Kingdom are given to us, but not to the fullest without testing and proving, I believe. Would you give your car keys to a child who has not passed the driver's test?

This new season we are entering, requires a fresh anointing. Bitter experiences and pain of the past are being exposed and healed; generational strongholds are being exposed for further deliverance as we are being daily formed into the image of Christ-again, another requirement for greater authority.

Many of God's chosen leaders are being purified and challenged as they are trained to be generals in the coming spiritual battles ahead. Businessmen and women are being purified as they are being prepared to be future generals in God's army. We are making choices to serve either God or Mammon. All of this preparation involves a divine visitation of His fire. Just as Esther was purified to be a general (a queen) in God's army, she had to leave all pain of her past behind, all fear had to be broken off of her belief systems as she came to a crossroad, and she passed the test.

After she endured the twelve-month "test," she became queen to King Xerxes. This may not seem an important promotion, but later her position granted her the favor to shift a death decree that saved her entire generation! Yes! Her generations were saved from death because she endured a death process within herself. In other words, like us, while being purified, she had to confront generational issues during the cleansing process.

The Fiery Furnace and the Hebraic Month of Adar

Whether or not we have realized it before, Esther endured her own "fiery furnace." Each furnace is different and is hand-tailored for each of us. Since we each have our own set of problems or generational curses, why should we doubt the fact that it requires a specific furnace of affliction or myrrh cleansing to save us and our generations?

Esther rescued not only herself, but an entire nation and future generations. Again, as we enter the month of Adar, we need greater understanding of the month's Biblical significance. In studying the Hebraic celebration and symbolism around this month, I find that we are to focus on these areas:

1. Adar is the month for joy to be increased.

You might be asking, "How can I have joy in the fiery furnace? During my process, how can I be happy?" Here is my take on this-choose to embrace the fire and use every opportunity to be more Christlike! If we transform, then we are more like Him and reflect His image-something we lost, by the way, in the Garden.

2. The original celebration of Adar was due to the joyous defeat of Haman who plotted to destroy the Jews. After his plot was overthrown by the exposure by Esther, an entire nation and generation was saved! Haman was an Amalekite who plotted to destroy all Believers of God. Again, in my book Destiny Thieves, I discuss this extensively. You will discover plans to overthrow every destiny thief in your life, plus be empowered to be God's leader in this season.

3. Adar is the twelfth month on the Jewish calendar. Coincidence? I think not! Interestingly, Esther endured a twelve-month process to prepare her to governmentally shift ancient decrees of death.

Dear ones, this is your season to speak decrees over your generations as well as yourself! You can reverse decrees of death and destruction by proclaiming God's Word!

4. Adar is the "pregnant month."

How awesome is this? We can receive God's seed this month! Yes! Allow Him to speak, to overshadow you, and impregnate you with future! Even if you are in a fiery trial, going through a purification process, you are properly positioned to be pregnant. In fact, I believe your fiery trial has positioned you to hear His voice and become pregnant with a theological transition!

Don't be surprised if your theology changes after a fiery trial. Esther never knew she would "reverse" what had been ordained and spoken. Maybe during your transition you will come to a crossroad and allow God to change your theology. Final result? Conception, pregnancy, and birthing of a new thing!

5. It is known as the month of "the eye of the needle."

This is self-explanatory. However, allow me to add some additional revelation. A needle is very sharp and it is used to sew. I am hearing "sow" right now. I want to be a "sower" of His Word, but at times I feel it falls on deaf ears and hard hearts. Let's be fragile right now and shift easily into a new, fresh wineskin.

We are going through the narrow place much like thread that is threaded through the narrow eye of a needle. It is similar to the birth canal-narrow, dark, fearful. However, if we will endure the PUSH, we will experience great life and joy from our pregnancy. Enduring the entire birthing process will properly position us to hear in a new way and later rejoice because we have not followed theology but His fresh voice.

6. Naphtali is the tribe connected to the month of Adar.

Naphtali has the Hebraic symbol of a deer. In this season, still hearing His voice, I feel that we are to be like the deer that desperately panteth after His living waters which bring life. Only living waters can quench our thirst and bring everlasting life.

7. The spleen is the physical organ connected to this season.

I have to admit, I have lagged behind in understanding our Jewish roots and I so very much honor Chuck Pierce who has inspired me prophetically to hear a fresh sound from Heaven concerning the Hebraic months. I am lit with revelation as each season changes and I thank God for people like him that have been through the fiery furnace to impact people like me.

Though many of us do not understand the significance of the spleen, it is an important organ. And, interestingly, it coincides with the purification process God is doing during the season of Adar. Actually, it is two organs in one: it filters the blood and also removes abnormal blood cells; thus it empowers the immune system to fight disease. It actually makes disease-fighting components of the immune system. Wow! No wonder we need to lock into this season where God purifies our hearts and all the while He is purifying our bodies and cleansing us from all disease!

As you approach God in prayer this month, allow the cleansing and fiery furnace to burn out all that needs to go and also embrace divine healing against cancer and all other diseases! Every negative cell, every negative attitude and thought will burn and disintegrate as you draw near to God, become intimate with Him, and conceive His divine will. This is our season to be healed mentally, physically and spiritually. Eat from the Tree of Life today.

A Prayer for You

Father, in the mighty name of Jesus, I thank You that during the months of Sh'vat and Adar, we will have happiness and great joy. At our crossroads, we choose to eat of the right tree. Our hope, joy and life is in You and You alone. During these difficult times, I pray for each one who is reading this article to be empowered to hope again and receive faith from Your throne room. Though the enemy rears his head, You have given each of us divine ability to conquer our enemies. I rebuke abandonment, fear, fear of loss, fear of failure and fears which attempt to occur during crisis, and I render the devil helpless. I take authority over all doubt and unbelief in Jesus' name. Father God, I pray for those with sickness and I ask that You touch their bodies and heal them.

Lord, this is the season to cross over into Your divine will and inherit our promise. Empower us to be as Caleb and declare, "Give me my mountain!" Though our theologies may be challenged, our relationship with You gets stronger-day by day! Lord, I ask that You overshadow Your children with Your presence and impregnate us with Your desires for our future and destiny. In Jesus' name, Amen!

In love,

Sandie Freed
Zion Ministries
Email: zionministries1@sbcglobal.net

About Sandie Freed: Sandie co-labors with her husband, Mickey Freed, doing the work of the Lord as a ministry team. Together they serve as the Mid-Southern Regional Directors of the Christian International Network of Churches. In addition, Sandie is the Founder and Director of the School of the Prophets and Apostolic Training Center in Bedford, Texas. Sandie has a passion to minister deliverance and life transformation to God's people. She is also known for her "cutting-edge" prophetic ministry in which she not only hears from the Lord through a powerful prophetic anointing, but also moves very strongly in word of knowledge and miracles. Sandie and Mickey Freed have been married since 1973, and have one daughter.