2019 A Fertile Year.
In a number of ways, it’s going to be a fertile year.
A year of birthing naturally and spiritually.
2019 is going to be a fruitful fertile year for you.
You have been through years of preparation and now you are rich and fertile soil. Now you’re ready for planting.
Just as a farmer prepares the soil before he even thinks about planting his seeds. So, when the seeds go in, they quickly germinate, grow and produce a harvest. That’s what this year is all about, quick germination and harvest.
Seeds need 5 key elements to be in place before it can germinate and produce fruit.
- PROPER SOIL. Deeply ploughed, rich and fertile. Allow Holy Spirit to deeply plough your heart. Matthew13 describes the types of soils.
- WATER. The right amount at the right time. God always sends the rain before the harvest. John 4 talks of living water.
- SUNLIGHT. It’s amazing how the roots know how to grow down and the stem and leaves know how to grow up. It searches for the sun because it needs it to live and grow. Sunlight is necessary for plants to convert water and carbon dioxide into sugar which plants use for food, this process is called photosynthesis. God is light. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says the more we behold Him the more we become like Him.
- RIGHT ATMOSPHERE. Which consists of humidity, moisture and temperature. The seed needs to be moist it should never dry out. Like new wineskins that are soft and pliable. Start creating your atmosphere by speaking/decreeing with that powerful creative ability that was breathed into us. Also, by praying, praising, reading the Word, praying in tongues, fasting (why does a fast always seem slow). Create an atmosphere where God can come and minister to you.
- NECESSARY POLLINATORS. These are bees, birds, insects or wind. Without these the plant would remain sterile. We need to draw from the fathers, the mentors, the ministers, the friends, and Holy Spirit that God has put there to help pollinate you.
These 5 key elements are just the 5-fold mantles the Lord has given His church in order for her to grow and produce fruit. Ephesians 4:11-16.
Barrenness will be broken from your life this year like the four women in the Bible Sarah, Rachel, Hannah and Elizabeth.
When we look at ‘barrenness’ in our lives it’s really the inability to reproduce, to bear the fruit that you know God has promised. It seems like you’re stuck, something is blocked, and no matter what you do, you can’t seem to move into the fullness of what the Lord has at 99 has a son Isaac, Rebekah has twins Esau and Jacob (Genesis 25:21 GW “Isaac PRAYED (year of prayer) to the LORD for his wife because she was childless. The LORD answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.” He must’ve prayed really, really well because she had twins. Rachel was barren for a long time before conceiving Joseph then Benjamin.
Hannah was old when God heard her prayer for a son, and she conceived Samuel.
Elizabeth in Luke 1:7 NIV says……
[7] But Zechariah and Elizabeth were childless because she was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.
But she conceives John the forerunner to Jesus. We call him John the Baptist.
Romans 4:17 AMP
“(as it is written in Scripture), “I have made you, Abraham a father of many nations” in the sight of Him in whom he believed, that is, God, who QUICKENS (which means to REVITALIZE, make ALIVE, to give LIFE) the dead (or that which is dead) and calls into being that which does not exist.”
God will make alive that which is dead or not productive in your life!
Isaiah 66:9 NIV
[9] Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery?” says the Lord. “Do I close up the womb when I bring to delivery?” says your God.
The Lord will not promise you something and take it away or stop it from coming to pass. His words are yea and amen they never got back to Him with doing what He said. What has He promised you?
Isaiah 51:3 NIV
[3] The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; He will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing.
Look at Genesis 26 Isaac was on his way to Egypt when he got a prophetic word from the Lord about staying where he was and about sowing in that land in the time of famine.
Some of us might start thinking let’s get out of here and let’s move to where it looks bigger, brighter and better; BUT we need to hear the word of the Lord today, just like it came to Isaac that changed his and his family’s world forever. So, it will also be in our lives.
God said don’t go to Egypt but go to the land/place I tell you, the place I position you will be the place of great blessing. Can’t you hear Isaac saying? “But the place you’ve positioned me Lord is in the middle of a DROUGHT!” It doesn’t matter to God because He’s looking for our obedience and faith, (it may not make any sense at all) remember He’s the God of the IMPOSSIBLE. So Isaac sowed and received in that year, a hundred-fold return.
God is birthing vision this year. You’re going to see with much more clarity this year; He’s getting you ready and perfecting your 20-20 vision ready for next year. We also need a vision of where we’re going. Find out what the vision is that God has for your life. Remember without vision people will wander around aimlessly not knowing even what direction they should be going.
Look at the number 9.
Nine months of pregnancy then comes the birthing of the baby. (Year of birthing).
9 Gifts of the Spirit – will go to another level this year. 1Cor. 12:7-11
9 Fruits of the Spirit – will be more evident this year. Galatians 5:22-23
9 Beatitudes; blessed and happy when we have these beautiful attitudes. Mathew 5:3-12
9 Being the hour of prayer. Acts 3:1
Year of prayer. The Bible talks about the ninth hour being the time for prayer.
Acts 3:1 NKJV
Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.”
Miracles will start to happen when you put God first. Many of us don’t feel like going to a prayer meeting but this man’s healing was locked up inside Peter and John. Just imagine if they didn’t feel to go that day, that man wouldn’t have got his miracle. How many miracles are locked up inside of you?
How many people’s healings are locked up inside of you?
This year even before you get to your prayer meetings miracles are going to happen. Get ready for them, watch out for them!
No sickness that is named, is higher than the Name of Jesus.
So your prayer life is going to be resurrected and come back to life this year. Praying in English, praying in tongues even fasting and praying will be powerfully reinstated back into your routine.
Your prayer life is going to unleash the power of signs, wonders and miracles.
Jesus said My house shall be called a house of PRAYER.
In Luke 11 the disciples ask Jesus to teach them how to pray.
Immediately after Saul of Tarsus’ conversion, (now Paul) and as evidence that he really had been converted, he starts praying.
This needs to be the first exercise of our new born-again life and beyond –
Acts 9:11-12 NIV
[11] The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. [12] In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
As Christians we are frequently conscious of Holy Spirit within us urging us to pray. We can pray in English and we can pray in tongues.
Romans 8:26-27 NIV
[26] In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. [27] And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
Elijah was a man of like nature to us (HE WAS JUST LIKE US), and with fervent prayer he prayed for it not to rain, and it did not rain upon the earth three years and six months.
Then Elijah prayed for it to rain again.
How long did he pray for? Elijah prayed until!!
He didn’t stop until he saw a change in the heavens. Then he girded up his loins and outran Ahab’s chariot. The garments, which were long and loose in that country had to be girded up, so they did not hinder him when he ran. Listen, to run ahead of the crowd we’ll need to deal with everything that’s going to hinder us in our walk/run with God.
Hebrews 12:1 NKJV
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside (CAST OFF) every weight (EVERY BURDEN, EVERY HINDRANCE), and the sin which so easily ensnares us, (TRAPS US AND TRIPS US UP), and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,”
Great blessings often arise from small beginnings, the flooding rain that Elijah prayed for started from a cloud as big as a man’s hand. Let us never despise the day of small things but hope and wait for great things from it.
This year you’re going from obscurity to prominence.
This is the opposite to what happened to Saul when Samuel said he was once small in his own eyes. Now that he sees himself as a big shot puffed up with pride and arrogance, God had to take away everything.
No, our motive is different our heart attitude is to do God’s will His way.
Instead of taking away the Lord adds too and increases.
C’mon this year you’re going from unknown and unimportant to well-known and recognized.
You could be the last but end up first or you could be the least and end up significant, well known, regarded and honoured.
It doesn’t matter to God if you’re the last or the least.
The last shall be first and the first shall be last.
Matthew 20:16 NIV
[16] “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
You might be good at a certain business but think everybody’s jumped on the bandwagon before you. I want to tell you it doesn’t matter!
The statistics don’t do much for confidence: 20 percent of new companies fail in their first year, and only 50 percent survive through their fifth year.
In spite of those sobering numbers, today, there are close to 400 million entrepreneurs worldwide.
Many businesses have started well after the others but now are in front and leading. You might have missed the starters gun, but God can supernaturally catch you up.
Remember the story of the tortoise and the hare?
The woman with the issue of blood, the Bible says she came from behind, pressed through the crowd and received what she was wanting.
Acts 4:13-14 TPT
[13] “The council members were astonished as they witnessed the bold courage of Peter and John, especially when they discovered that they were just ordinary men who had never had religious training. [14] Then they began to understand (perceive) the effect Jesus had on them simply by spending time with Him. Standing there with them was the healed man, and there was nothing further they could say.”
They were untrained ORDINARY men the only difference is they spent time with Jesus. We are untrained ordinary men and women but when we spend time with the Lord we stand out and then the evidence of His anointing and grace upon our lives will be visible for all to see. It will be undeniable!
Gideon the Least
Judges 6:15 NIV
[15] “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”
Gideon says he’s the least and his family is known as the weakest in the land. Now he’s leading an army that’s small but powerful and ends up totally destroying the enemy that outnumbers them by 400 to 1. 120,000 against 300.
David the least.
His father Jesse didn’t even consider him when Samuel came to anoint one of his sons as King.
1 Samuel 16:13 NIV
[13] So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.
The least of you is greater than John the Baptist
Matthew 11:11 NIV Jesus said …
[11] Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Everyone will see the brightness of your rising this year.
Isaiah 60:1-3 NKJV
[1] “Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. [2] For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you (LIKE GOSHEN, DARKNESS IN EGYPT BUT LIGHT IN GOSHEN), And His glory (HIS FAVOR) will be seen upon you. [3] The Gentiles (THE UNSAVED, THE UNCHURCHED) shall come to your light, And kings (PEOPLE OF INFLUENCE, PEOPLE IN POWERFUL POSITIONS, PEOPLE OF WEALTH, SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS PEOPLE) to the brightness of your rising.”
The brightness of your rising! Could this be like when Moses spent all that time with the Lord on top of Mt. Sinai and his face literally shone from his time speaking with Him? I believe this will be part of what will be evident on our lives as we go from one level of God’s glory to another.
I heard the Lord say dig wells and build altars this year.
Altars are a place of worship and sacrifice.
Wells are a place of water which gives provision and life.
[19] “Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found a spring-fed well. [20] The herders from Gerar quarrelled with Isaac’s herders, claiming, “This water is ours!” So, Isaac named the well Esek [Argument], because they had argued with him. [21] Then they dug another well, and they quarrelled over that one too. So, Isaac named it Sitnah [Accusation].[22] He moved on from there and dug another well. They didn’t quarrel over this one. So he named it Rehoboth [Roomy] and said, “Now the LORD has made room for us, and we will prosper (be fruitful) in this land.” [23] He went from there to Beersheba. [24] That night the LORD appeared to Isaac, and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Don’t be afraid, because I am with you. I will bless you and increase the number of your descendants for my servant Abraham’s sake.”[25] So Isaac built an altar there and worshiped the LORD. He also pitched his tent in that place, and his servants dug a well there.”
He built an altar and worshipped God. He pitched his tent and he dug a well.
The first two wells he dug were met with opposition he names them Esek which means ‘strife and argument’ and the other Sitnah which means ‘accusation or contention’. Any time you want to dig deeper into God or dig Him a place that He can fill, you’ll be met with opposition. Instead of giving up, Isaac moves on and continues to dig another well where he doesn’t encounter any opposition and calls it Rehoboth which means ‘a wide and roomy place’.
For the remainder of his life… everywhere he went, Isaac dug new wells! We too must be about the business of digging new wells! We must prepare a spiritual inheritance for our children! We must work to leave a lasting legacy that points them to Jesus. Not only should we point them to Jesus we must live as examples for them. We must teach them and train them in ALL the ways of the Lord.
Water is often a symbol of life in the Bible because we know we have to have water to live. As I was thinking about this story I was wondering; What about the clogged wells in our lives? Spiritually what needs to be unclogged in order to sustain and refresh our spiritual life? Where do we need to clean out the wells, and where do we need to dig new wells?
Dietrich Bonhoffer put it like this: “Sin wants to remain unknown. When we confess, the light of the gospel breaks into the darkness and seclusion of the heart and brings forgiveness.”
So that which has been clogging up our lives has been brought into the light. And so, the question we all have to ask ourselves is: What has been clogging the wells of my spiritual life? What is it that I need to bring before God in order to allow the clean water to flow?
Take a closer look at those things that may be clogging the well. Bring them before the Lord, anything that is keeping that spiritual water from flowing freely. There may be unconfessed sin that we need to openly and honestly bring to God and find God’s forgiveness. We might have to reprioritize some things in our busy lifestyle that have starved our spirit man. At the beginning of 2019, let’s take a closer look at those things that have been polluting our wells?
We have spiritual wells within us from which we need to draw. Wells imply digging, they imply depth. Sometimes we need to dig deep to get to the truths of God and appropriate them into our lives.
Sometimes these wells can get blocked. In order to get to the life-giving refreshment, we need to allow the Lord to restore these wells in our lives. Seek Him, even right now. Ask Him if there are wells in your life that need to be unblocked. Speak with someone that you trust, someone who has maturity in the Lord and a solid foundation in the Scriptures.
Perhaps the enemy has been successful filling in your wells? You must take the proper steps to reclaim your inheritance. You must re-dig the wells, you must guard those wells and you must maintain those wells. And you must dig new wells to hand down to you children and your grandchildren and your great grandchildren and your spiritual children!
What are some of the wells we can dig or re-dig:
Personal relationship with Jesus well.
Church wells.
Character wells. (your manhood or womanhood which is your Christlikeness, motives, integrity, manners, truth etc.)
Spending time with the Lord well.
Commitment wells. To your job, your church, your marriage.
Marriage wells. If your married, then dig a strong deep well for your children
Prayer well.
Fasting well.
Intercession well.
The Holy Bible well.
Spiritual gifts and anointing well.
Faith well.
Are you ready and willing to do whatever it takes to reclaim your family’s inheritance and even dig some new ones today?
Let’s look at altars.
An altar is a place that is designed and separated for worship to God; it’s a place of fellowship with God.
An altar is a thing of the heart. Jer. 29; 12-13
An Altar brings you closer to God and there is a constant flow from God to you.
There are altars of worship and there are altars of sacrifice.
Remember when God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac his only son! God didn’t really want Isaac, He wanted the heart of Abraham. Abraham was really upon the altar, not Isaac! This huge trial was all about Abraham’s faith.
Paul says in Romans 12:1-2 NIV
[1] Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (YOUR SACRIFICE IS WORSHIP) [2] Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.
First thing that Noah and his family does after 40 days and 40 nights floating around in the ark is build an altar. Not kiss the ground or hug the trees.
He gives a free will thanksgiving sacrifice offering.
There will always be a cost associated with altars. I look at what David said in
[24] “But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will certainly buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God which cost me nothing.” So David purchased the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. [25] David built an altar to the LORD there and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was moved [to compassion] by [David’s] prayer for the land, and the plague was held back from Israel.”
This is a year where your gifts are going to make room for you.
Let your gifts start making room for you. Get out of the way and let what God has anointed and given to you make room for you.
Proverbs 18:16 NKJV
“A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before great men.”
This verse has nothing to do with physical gifts. It speaks of the gift you carry inside. Your unique talent or ability, it can refer to your spiritual gifts. It’s the thing you do better than most people effortlessly. You know, that thing that when you do it, people commend you and ask for more. That thing that you do which comes easy to you, and yet, blesses others… that’s your gift.
Everybody has a gift. It was given to you by God. Unfortunately, not everybody develops their gift. Your gift was made to be given away.
Pablo Picasso the famous painter was once quoted to say….
‘The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.’
What do you really, really love to do?
What’s that thing you do that people really like and want more of?
What comes effortlessly to you but to others it’s a struggle?
A year to be balanced and healthy in body, soul and spirit.
When the Lord showed me this, the words ‘arrested development’ came directly afterwards (it has nothing to do with the tv series). ‘Arrested development” means the stopping of development, it also means that we’ve reached a plateau of development in some areas of our body, soul and spirit.
That means our development in these areas have been arrested or stopped.
[19] “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?[20] For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
Romans 12:1-2 NKJV
[1] “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. [2] And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
3 John 1:2 (KJV)
Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.
Not one at the expense of the other. But both prosperous and healthy.
This year do that diet, lose that weight, joined the gym get healthy.
This year deal with those fleshly desires.
This year fast, pray, read the word, seek him, find that secret place.
The Australian Government website says this —
Low levels of physical activity are a major risk factor for ill health and mortality from all causes. People who do not do sufficient physical activity have a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, colon and breast cancers, Type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis. Being physically active improves mental and musculoskeletal health and reduces other risk factors such as overweight, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol.
The National Physical Activity Guidelines for Australians recommend that Australians put together at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week. For extra health and fitness, the guidelines recommend enjoying some regular, vigorous exercise as well.
Rick Warren said this —
For every excuse we can come up with to ignore our physical health, there are other pressing reasons to consider it.
They are:
Our longevity in ministry can be cut short by poor health.
Our sharpness of mind is affected by what we eat and our activity level.
As role models we challenge others to live healthy lives, so we should set the example.
Our physical energy level rises to the demands of ministry if we’re in shape.
Our bodies are temples too, created by the Master Craftsman and placed under our stewardship.
The Bible is full of health rules and guidelines. When you feel bad physically, it affects everything else. Shakespeare said it’s hard to be a philosopher with a toothache. I’d say it’s hard to be spiritually alert when you’re physically dull, when you’re tired, fatigued or out of shape.
A year of repayment, restoration and restitution.
This scripture kept coming to me over and over.
Joel 2:23-28 NIV
[23] Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for He has given you the autumn rains because He is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. [24] The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. [25] “I will repay (restore, make amends, make restitution, make prosperous) you for the years (also means double) the locusts have eaten—the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm—my great army that I sent among you. [26] You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will My people be shamed. [27] Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the Lord your God, and that there is no other; never again will My people be shamed. [28] “And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
This year we will need to follow the right combination.
I saw a combination lock where there was a series of numbers that had to be entered correctly for the door to open.
God’s has an order in which everything is done. He guides our footsteps. I heard the word ‘sequence’, God has a sequence. Like the locks there is a sequence and each number must be in order, if not the door will not open. The same in our life if we run ahead of God and get things out of sequence the doors will not open. He will always bring us back to do it in the right sequence/order.
Elijah got ahead of God and ended up hiding out in a cave, so the Lord had to get him back into sequence or alignment with His timing. He had to go back and put everything in the right order what the Lord had asked him.
This year God wants to show you things you’ve never seen before.
We’re seeing Irukanji jellyfish as far south as Fraser Island.
Two cyclones in far North Queensland Owen in December and Penny in January reformed back into cyclones. I heard the Lord say I’m REFORMING My church. He’s bringing a Reformation to our nation.
Things we’ve never seen before like…
Peters shadow heals. An anointed handkerchief heals. Elisha’s servant sees angels and there are more for us then are against us. God parts the Red Sea. A fish with a gold coin in its mouth. An axe head floats. New born calves are now striped and spotted because Jacob laid sticks in front of them. 10 plagues in Egypt but nothing in Goshen.
(Personally for me) Being happily married for 37 years and no divorce. Being debt free for the last 4 years. Living by faith for 24 years.
This year we’re going from gleaning to owning.
Like Ruth meeting Boaz in Ruth ch. 2. We’re going from gleaner-ship to ownership. It’s about divine connections. God will direct you to your Boaz. This may not be husband Boaz, this could be ministry Boaz or business Boaz or destiny and purpose Boaz.
Boaz is defined as “swiftness”. His name actually means “strength is within him”, (bo = in him, az= strength)
So find the strength that is within you this year and things will happen swiftly and quickly as the Lord guides and leads you.
The goodness and the quickness of God.
The Lord showed me the words that appear on a cars side mirror –
‘objects in the mirror are closer then they appear’.
Then I heard Him say this…
Your breakthroughs are closer then they appear.
Your healing is closer then they appear.
Your miracles are closer then they appear.
Your career is closer then it appears.
Your purpose and destiny is closer then it appears.
Your harvest is closer then it appears.
Look again your harvest is RIPE.
John 4:35 NIV
[35] Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.
Romans 9:28 NKJV
“For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, Because the LORD will make a short work upon the earth.””
Psalms 27:13 NKJV
“I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.” Or, the best of the LORD.
A year of perception.
Perception is going to be a huge key to us this year.
Perception is to recognize, discern, envision, or understand.
Someone who has perception recognizes or discerns or understands things that are not obvious.
Seers are going to have their perception heightened and intensified this year.
Here’s a word for you this year ‘perspicacious’.
It means to have keen mental perception, understanding and discernment.
Tell the person next to you “You’re going to be so perspicacious this year.”
The eyes of your understanding will be opened
[17] I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. [18] I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people,
I’ve just been noticing or perceiving or perspicacious this year there’s been hardly any Monarch butterflies in Brisbane but there is an influx of blue triangle butterflies, so I did some research and this is what come up.
The common Blue Triangle butterfly is known for its quickness of flight and rapid reactions. Consequently, it is difficult to catch.
All butterflies see colours like we do, plus they also see ultraviolet and polarized light. However, recent studies in Japan of the Blue Triangle butterflies have found each of their eyes have at least 15 different types of photo receptors.
Most insect species have only three classes of photoreceptors. Even humans have only three cones, yet we still see millions of colours. Butterflies need only four receptor classes for colour vision, including the UV spectrum.
They found that different colours stimulate each class of receptor. For instance, UV light stimulates one, while slightly different blue lights set off three others; and green lights trigger four more.
So why did God give this butterfly 11 more? The scientists suspect that some of the receptors must be tuned to perceive specific things of great ecological importance to these iridescent butterflies—such as sex. For instance, with eyes alert to the slightest variation in the blue-green spectrum, male Blue Triangle butterflies can spot and chase away their rivals, even when they’re flying against a blue sky.
Listen God is getting us to tune our perception so we can spot the devil, our enemy and chase him away from us, our family, our business, our church, our community and our cities.
Philippians 1:9-10 NKJV
[9] “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment (both these words also mean perception), [10] that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,”
We as individual Christians and together as a church need spiritual perception and discernment so that we are not led astray. We need to judge and condemn false doctrine and approve the things that are right. This may be unpleasant to have to do because it offends people and often divides even friends and families, but it is absolutely necessary in order to preserve the truth which is the foundation of the church. Careful perception and discernment prevent us as Christians from simply going along with the majority. How easy it is to believe something just because someone else says it.
Every Christian need spiritual discernment in order to judge carefully between the truth and the lie. According to the passage from Philippians quoted above, we are looking for the coming of Christ Jesus in the last day. The Bible says that the last days will be days of great deception and apostasy, when many shall be deceived. God’s warned us that the devil will attempt if possible, to deceive even the very elect of God in the last days.
To stand in these last days there is a desperate need for spiritual discernment and perception.
The devil loves to present the life-style of the world as so exciting; so satisfying, and so glamorous and if we’re not living it we’re missing out. He does this today especially through the media. They want to show you that the most exciting life-styles imaginable are outside the Church. That’s why we need spiritual perception and discernment to maintain clearly the line between our life and that of this world.
When the Lord gave this word ‘Perception’ I did a lot of research and one of the interesting findings was what the word meant to the Romans and apparently still in use today in civil law. Perception refers to the act of collecting all your rents from all your properties and receiving all the profits from the harvest of your crops.
The following are some scriptures on perceived…
Gideon perceived the man was an angel of the Lord after he’d disappeared. It’s never too late to PERCEIVE.
Judges 6:22-24 NIV
At the end of verse 21 it says the angel of the Lord disappeared.
[22] When Gideon PERCEIVED that it was the angel of the Lord, he exclaimed, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!” [23] But the Lord said to him, “Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.” [24] So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord Is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
It took Eli 3 times to finally PERCEIVE the Lord was calling Samuel.
1 Samuel 3:8 NIV
[8] A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli PERCEIVED that the Lord was calling the boy.
2 Samuel 5:12 NIV
[12] Then David PERCEIVED that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.
The wealthy women at Shunem PERCEIVED there was something about this man of God, Elisha.
2 Kings 4:9-10 NIV
[9] She said to her husband, “I PERCEIVE that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. [10] Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.”
Nehemiah PERCEIVED the Prophetic words that were being given weren’t from God but from hired men.
Nehemiah 6:12-15 NIV
[12] I PERCEIVED that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. [13] He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me.
[14] Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophet Noadiah and how she and the rest of the prophets have been trying to intimidate me. [15] So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.[16] When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.
Job is saying God speaks a number of times, but we don’t PERCEIVE it.
Job 33:14 NIV
[14] For God does speak—now one way, now another—though no one perceives it.
Solomon is saying through his PERCEPTION there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work.
[22] So I PERCEIVED that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?
God sent Isaiah to give a message to the people.
Isaiah 6:8-9 NIV
[8] Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” [9] He said, “Go and tell this people: “Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never PERCEIVING.’’
Jesus was telling His disciples as born-again believers we should not just be seeing but also PERCEIVING.
Matthew 13:10-15 NIV
[10] The disciples came to Him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” [11] He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. [12] Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. [13] This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. [14] In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never PERCEIVING. [15] For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’’
Jesus had PERCEIVED power had been drawn out of him.
Luke 8:45-47 NIV
[45] “Who touched Me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against You.” [46] But Jesus said, “Someone touched Me; I PERCEIVE that power has gone out from Me.” [47] Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at His feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched Him and how she had been instantly healed.
Jesus PERCEIVED what the Teachers of the law and chief priests were trying to do. PERCEPTION is a safeguard against deception!
Luke 20:22-23 NIV
[22] Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” [23] He PERCEIVED their craftiness and said to them, why do you temp Me?
Even people who criticize us will PERCEIVE there’s something different about us.
Acts 4:13-14 NIV
[13] When they saw the courage of Peter and John and PERCEIVED that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished, and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. [14] But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.
Peter and John PERCEIVED Simon the sorcerer’s motives.
Acts 8:22-23 NIV
[22] Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that He may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. [23] For I PERCEIVE that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”
Paul PERCEIVED the people in Athens were way too superstitious.
Acts 17:22 KJV
“Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, you men of Athens, I PERCEIVE that in all things ye are too superstitious.”
Paul PERCEIVED and used the division that was between the Pharisee’s and the Sadducees to his advantage.
Acts 23:6-8 NIV
[6] Then Paul, knowing PERCEIVING that some of them were Sadducees and the others, Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.” [7] When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. [8] (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.)
Paul PERCEIVED something wasn’t right about this cruise.
Acts 27:10-11 NKJV
[10] “saying, “Men, I PERCEIVE that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives.”[11] Nevertheless the centurion was more persuaded by the helmsman and the owner of the ship than by the things spoken by Paul.”
The women at the well in Samaria PERCEIVED Jesus was a Prophet.
John 4:17-19 NKJV
[17] “The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ [18] for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.” [19] The woman said to Him, “Sir, I PERCEIVE that You are a prophet.”