There is a story in the bible about the prophet Elijah confronting the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. Elijah invited 450 prophets of Baal to a challenge. He said to them "How long will you waver between two opinions? If The Lord is God, then follow Him." If Baal is God, then follow him. Elijah then told them to make a sacrifice without a natural fire and the God who answers by fire will prove to be God. They built an altar, slaughtered, cut oxen, and laid them on the wood of the altar. Elijah told them to pray for their god to send fire to light their sacrifice. The prophets of Baal prayed all day and night, and even cut themselves to offer blood to their god without success as Elijah mocked their god.
Elijah then told them to pour water on the altar three times. When he called on the Lord, God sent fire and consumed the water, the sacrifice and the stones. When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and declared, "The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!" Jesus is about to make Himself known among those who are in idolatry and serving false gods. Just as Elijah, we will witness the supernatural power of God in our day.
I Will Show Myself Strong
The Lord says; I am about to demonstrate My power in a magnificent way in the days ahead. I will release supernatural encounters in this day, which will cause men to acknowledge My deity. This is the day of unnatural occurrences when men will leave their religious traditions and follow after truth. Do not fear or be intimidated by the prophets of Baal, as their plans will not succeed. I am El Shaddai and I will show Myself strong on your behalf. When you speak, it will not be with persuasive words or mortal reasoning of mere men, but in demonstration and power with signs following. The time has come for My glory to be revealed.
I will raise up those who will know how to call down fire from heaven to destroy the works of the enemy. I will train them how to thwart the strategies of the kingdom of darkness and cancel their assignments. They will dismantle his works of destruction by their authority from Me, and the words or their mouths. I will teach them how to walk in divine wisdom, release revelation and have keen discernment. The sword of My word will be in their mouths because they are unwavering in their faith and their strength in Me. Supernatural encounters and signs will follow those who believe and many shall be used mightily in this season. Know your identity and be confident of who you serve and You will experience My glory released in an unprecedented way in this season, says the Lord.
1 Kings 18:21 Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him."
1 Kings 18:38-39 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!
1 Corinthians 2:45 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
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.