Dear Church Family,
A Season of Great Transition is upon us.
We are now well into the new Jewish year of 5774, and for many the year 5773 has been a year of the beginning of transition from one cycle or old season with God into the new. The old season, though challenging for many, was good as it has prepared us for where we are going and what we are coming into. Chuck Pierce called the year 5773 the year of “the Camel”. Camels are uniquely designed to be able to carry an individual with his or her belongings through the wilderness with great ease. This past year we have been in the beginning of a season of transition that is preparing the corporate body of Christ for what I believe to be a season of great provision, visitation and personal, corporate and national revival.
We see a picture of this coming season in Genesis 31 with Jacob as he had worked for his unrighteous father in law Laban in the far country, 7 years for Rachel and 7 years for Leah, a total of 14 years. Laban was untrustworthy in his dealings with Jacob and had changed his wages 10 times. For many, you have come through a season of great testing and difficulty as you seem to have been in the far country, but the Lord is calling you up and out of that place into the new.
The Lord speaks to Jacob and says; “Return to the land of your fathers and to your people, and I will be with you” (Genesis 31:3) And again the Angel of the Lord said to Jacob in a dream, “I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you vowed a vow to Me. NOW ARISE, get out from this land and return to your native land." (Genesis 31:13)
Do you see how the Lord told Jacob to “Now arise”? It’s time to NOW ARISE!
Jacob's first Encounter with the Open Door
Be prepared to cooperate with this transition as the Lord is opening the door to move you into new places with Him. The Lord had greatly blessed Jacob in this season, but it was NOW time for him to get back to the place where he had first encountered God which was at Bethel. Genesis 28:11-19 tells his experience at Bethel.
In Bethel, Jacob encountered the Open Door in a dream with the angels of God ascending and descending upon a heavenly ladder. He called it the “Gateway to heaven”. It’s where the Lord reminded him of his covenant with Abraham and Isaac and pronounced blessing upon him and his offspring.
Then in Genesis 31, the Lord told Jacob it was time to get back to Bethel. Jacob made preparations to move into the new season according to the word of the Lord: “Then Jacob rose up and set his sons and his wives upon the camels.” (Genesis 31:17) Jacob fled on camels with his wives, children and all of his belongs for Bethel and Laban, his father-in-law, was not told about it for three days. Laban was enraged that Jacob would leave this way and he pursued him with the intent of doing him harm, but the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and warned him to not speak or act against him.
As we are transitioning to get back to the place of the Open Door, the old season may not want to let you go, but rise up and move – for God is with you! The Angel of the Lord will protect and watch over you and your family as we continue to move in this season.
There are many things that transpired between Jacob and Laban in Genesis 31 but the point I want to make is this, Jacob is symbolic of the new order, as Laban represents the old. The old order is most always threatened by the new and wants to stop it if at all possible. Laban did not want to let Jacob go, but in the end he pronounces a blessing upon him and releases him.“And early in the morning Laban rose up and kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and pronounced a blessing [asking God’s favor] on them. Then Laban departed and returned to his home." (Genesis 31:55)
As we are making the transition into the new we will have to tie up loose ends with the last season. This is important as we do not want to be bringing any offense from the old season into the new.
Mahanaim – The Dance Between the two Armies
Jacob had found a peaceable release from his father-in-law as Laban blessed Jacob, his daughters and grandchildren and returned to his home. Immediately in Genesis 32:1, we see a picture of where we are headed in this new season of 5774. “Then Jacob went on his way, and God’s angels met him. When Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s army! So he named that place Mahanaim [two armies]." (Genesis 32:1&2)
As Jacob is heading back toward Bethel, it says that the angels of God met him. Jacob called that place “Mahanaim” which means two armies! Song of Solomon chapter 6 goes on to describe that “Mahanaim” means “Shulammite girl”. “Return, return, O Shulammite; return, return, that we may look upon you! [I replied] What is there for you to see in the [poor little] Shulammite? [And they answered] As upon a dance before two armies or a dance of Mahanaim." (Song of Solomon 6:13)
The Mahanaim is a dance between the two armies! As Jacob turned his heart toward Bethel, the place of his original encounter with the Lord where he saw the angels in a dream, immediately it says that “God’s angels met him. So he named that place Mahanaim [two armies]”. Jacob called the place Mahanaim because heaven’s army (the angels) met Jacob’s army (family in transition) and they danced the dance of the Mahanaim! Jacob danced with the angels in the new season!
As we are moving back into a season of the Open Door, God is sending his army to assist us. We need to dance, dance, dance into this new season with great expectation and God’s angels will be with us to protect, guide and deliver us … but we have to keep dancing!! It’s a time to rejoice for all God has brought us out of and what He is delivering us into. We are transitioning out of an old season with all that God has blessed us with into the new season of visitation, revelation and renewal.
In Genesis 28 Jacob saw the angels in a dream. After his wilderness experience 14 years later, he is now dancing with them in another dimension! Prepare for another dimension in God! Prepare for a greater glory to be revealed to you! Prepare for a fresh new season of the Open Door!
Jeff Jansen Senior Leader Global Fire Church
Global Fire Ministries
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