In the book of Genesis there is a story that we refer to as "Jacob's ladder." Jacob had a dream, which was not just an average dream, but it was a prophetic dream in which God encountered him and spoke to him. In this dream/encounter the Lord showed Jacob a ladder going up into heaven with angels ascending and descending upon it. He also gave him a prophetic promise. When Jacob awoke he said, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it." In reverential fear of God he said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!"
There is an invisible gate separating the natural realm from the supernatural realm. Gates are used metaphorically throughout the Word of God. They speak of entrances, access points, passages, or portals to transition from one place to another. They are also used figuratively as an invitation or opportunity.
The Lord is showing me that He is releasing spiritual encounters as well as speaking in dreams and visions to those who will recognize it. He is visiting men and woman as He did with the sons of Issachar who knew the times and seasons. Some will have angelic encounters and many will have holy visitations. He will visit the Ishmael's as well as the Isaac's and bring great transformation into their lives. He will equip them and they will lead the multitudes to salvation.
The Mantle of Miracles
He will visit those who trust Him, and He will place His coat of many colors on many. They will not only have dreams, but they will receive the interpretation for themselves as well as others. He is placing a mantle of miracles on many who will be used in miracles, signs and wonders. There will be those who will be sensitive to His voice, and some will teach others to understand the Spirit realm. There will be those who will perceive the angelic and discern the spiritual atmosphere.
The Holy Spirit is seeking those who will stay strong through difficult times, as He is about to open the curtains of heaven and reveal His glory. Do not fear being deceived, because those who are truly His sheep will know His voice, and the voice of a stranger they will not follow. As you stay connected to Jesus, you will be able to recognize the true from the false. You will know the difference between the holy and profane, and discern between the unclean and the clean. These days are upon us. Receive all that the Lord has for you in this time and season.
Genesis 28:10-17 Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran. So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep. Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
And behold, the Lord stood above it and said: "I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you."
Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it." And he was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!"
1 Chronicles 12:32 The sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command.
As we step into the new year, I sense a great expectation rising among believers. The Lord is stirring something fresh, and anticipation is gaining momentum. Many who walk intimately with the Lord are believing for fresh encounters, and there is a hunger for more of the things of God. I see the body of Christ pressing in through prayer and fasting for something new, something fresh. They crave the fresh manna. They are tired of the old school doctrine, and they are now seeking revelation and the mysteries of God.
There is a story in the book of Numbers when the Lord told Moses to send twelve men, one from each of the twelve tribes of Israel to spy out the land of Canaan, which is also known as the Promised Land. As I read about the giants in the land and thought about all my friends and ministers who are going through intense spiritual warfare, the Holy Spirit said: "It comes with the territory." Then He said: "Go and take possession, because I have made you well able to overcome."
Every year as Christmas approaches, I like to write about the incredible story of Jesus' birth and the parallel of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Can you imagine the overwhelming emotions Mary must have felt as she cradled Jesus in her arms, knowing that He was the long-awaited Messiah, God incarnate. He wasn't just a human being with divine qualities; He was God, embodying both divine nature and human nature simultaneously.