The Real Daniel Fast

Sometimes it is difficult to figure out what a “Christian” colloquialism really means.  All too often words are meted down to the least common denominator usually to the reader’s disadvantage.  Christianize, “church lingo”, has become a mainstay in religious culture.  Secular culture has taken language and made it a quick study of crude consonants minus the vowels, while creatively disabling our youth in formal expression.  Words are powerful and they mean something; usually more than just one thing, too. Christian culture has also found itself amidst the crowd by dumbing down scripture into whatever we want it to mean.  

I was going about my day on autopilot, when I heard Holy Spirit say…the real Daniel fast.  The phrase “Daniel fast” is familiar to most believers, but I had a hunch that the adjective “real” was speaking of much more than food restrictions of vegetables and water.  The phrase has become a colloquialism in Christian culture.  It is an example of one of those things that has been oversimplified, meted down to a health fad in error of the true significance and character of the actions of a prophet of God. 

Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar captured Daniel when he was just a teenager.  Daniel served four kings while in captivity, yet he still fulfilled his call and purpose in his generation. This simple example should exhort us to note that God’s purpose is not thwarted by the actions of man and political systems. God actually used Daniel and his companions, Shadrach Meshach and Abednego several times to reveal His sovereignty to those who were ruling.  God alone rules in heaven and earth; even during election seasons.   

Daniel 2:21 

And He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.

So as I pondered what the Lord wanted me to discover about this phrase, “the real Daniel fast”, I started to reread the book of Daniel.  It is well known as a book with prophetic ramifications for our time and season, but I really wasn’t reading it from that perspective.  I read just to glean from it what I felt the Lord wanted to impress upon my spirit.  I do believe it is important for this time but for totally different reasons. 

Here is what really stood out to me as I read this important book:

1. Daniel prayed often…which most of us know….3 times a day.

2. Daniel lived a holy life…he would not defile himself by eating from the king’s table.

3. Daniel was blessed with wisdom and understanding.

4. Daniel had dreams and visions.

5. Daniel recorded his visions.

6. Daniel was highly respected by the kings he served. He was Jewish royalty. 

7. Daniel had favor with his superiors.

Long story short, Daniel was promoted to the highest ranks of the Babylonian empire, while in captivity.  He continued to serve God, unashamed and without restraint regardless of the adverse circumstances.  He was willing to suffer persecution even death rather than denounce the power and sovereignty of the Most High.  His resolve resulted in the kings of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, Beltshazzar, and Darius, experiencing the power of God, Most High.  Their testimony became one that gave honor and praise to Daniel’s god.  The Most High did not allow those that he allowed to come into power to bring harm or shame to his children.  

So the question remains, what is the “real Daniel fast”? 

Isaiah 58 may help us to see what the Father means when he calls us to fast and pray…

Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?

Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; You shall cry and He will say, ‘Here I am’.

This is the real deal.  

Father forgive us for making your holy word common and not holding it in its proper esteem. Forgive us for walking in presumption and not walking in fear and trembling.  Forgive us for pride and arrogance.  Help us to know your heart, to understand what you are requiring of us as sons and daughters.  Help us to do the thing that pleases you…in Jesus name.

A real Daniel fast will include the characteristics of the prophet of God who changed the world in which he lived by his obedience at all cost.  It will require the admonition found in Isaiah…to loose bonds of wickedness to break every yoke.  That sounds a lot like the spiritual warfare that Daniel experienced as he set himself to pray and repent on behalf of his people. 

I heard this before the election and I believe that the Lord still means what He says.  He has called us as sons and daughters to be agents of change that impacts our community and society.  This purpose is fulfilled primarily when we take our call to prayer seriously.  Many months ago, when I blogged about being election ready, I sensed that the Lord was performing an election of His own.  The Father is doing a work of separation in the work of His people. It is a work of holiness. Holiness is not about perfection, only God is perfect (those are Jesus’ words, not mine); holiness is about being separated to God, like Daniel even in the midst of a culture that was adverse to his beliefs.  He impacted his culture because he was separated unto His God first through His life of prayer. Everything else stemmed from that.  

In that blog, “Are You Election Ready”…the message was about our identity as kings and priests in the Kingdom of God.  I believe that it is more than necessary for us as believers to embrace our identity as sons of God; it is imperative.  Our obedience will impact our future and so will our disobedience.  As we move into the New Year and Christian fellowships encourage the spiritual discipline of fasting, I pray that the Holy Spirit will speak to every heart to not only put the flesh under but also exemplify the actions expressed in Isaiah 58.  This word that I am sharing is to me first.  I know that more than once I have fasted with the promise of ten pounds lost rather than the deliverance of a loved one.  Just telling the truth.  The Lord is calling me to a more separated life, a fasted life where I am compelled to pray for the person at Walmart and be the witness he has called me to be in this earth.  This is the fast that He is calling me to.  I am sharing this because maybe He is calling more of his children to the fast of the prophet of God.  

1. Pray often…remember pray without ceasing.

2. Be separated to God…submit to God resist the devil

3. Receive the wisdom and understanding from above…wisdom that is first peaceable.

4. Expect divine direction through dreams and visions…the Spirit being poured out on all flesh.

5. Record the word of the Lord to you…tremble at His word, He is God of the Universe.

6. Live as a citizen of the Kingdom: Royalty…king and priest.

7. Allow God’s favor to lead you exactly where He needs you to be… All things work together for our good. 

Living this fasted life will produce the results. God is not mocked: sow to the spirit reap in the spirit.   Daniel’s fast is the one of the best examples of the Isaiah 58 fast; the type that God desires from his children.  The fast that will cause Light to break forth and Glory to be a rear guard! We call out to Him and He answers…Here I am. Selah.

© Ronda Wagner and Kelbey Chronicles 2013-2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without the express and written permission of this blog's author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.  Excerpts may be used provided full and clear credit is given to Ronda Wagner and Kelbey Chronicles with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. 

REPOST:Kelbey Chronicles: Are You Election Ready?

I felt compelled to repost this original post from December of 2015.  I pray that Holy Spirit will bear witness with your spirit the signs of the times. I pray the Lord Jesus Christ would reveal and manifest his plan and purpose for your life. I pray that the Father would continue to reveal by His Spirit the things that are freely given to us by His Spirit in  Jesus Name.  It is a time for each of us to press into our Kingdom purpose and to  deepen our relationship with Jesus and Holy Spirit. Grace and peace.

 Are You Election Ready?


POSTSCRIPT: After a recent discussion on Facebook regarding this repost I want to emphasize that I am not advocating for citizens of the U.S. not to exercise their right of enfranchisement. I am advocating for citizens of the Kingdom of God to exercise our rights as kings and priest.

© Ronda Wagner and Kelbey Chronicles, 2013-2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Ronda Wagner and Kelbey Chronicles with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Resurrection Power

I have not written a post in some time. I really haven't even looked at the blog for a while. I haven't been too busy and I can't say that the Father hasn't been speaking, because He has.  I don't know... I just haven't necessarily felt like I wanted to post anything until yesterday.  I am still processing this...which seems like something I say often but it is simply the truth. I prefer to share it when it is fresh, before I start to over analyze what I am hearing. One thing I find interesting is that my last post had to do with the Resurrection.

So I was spending some time in worship yesterday, singing this song I heard this week that I just enjoy-Skeleton Bones by John Mark McMillan. It is an unusual song with unusual lyrics. But this is the same brother in the Lord who gave us Oh How He Loves Us...so we all know how many worshippers have enjoyed that song.  Song seems like the wrong word maybe psalm is more appropriate. Anyway. This song is about the resurrection power of God in Christ Jesus. I was probably listening to it the last time I posted. LOL.  I want to post a link to the lyrics because without it what I have to say won't really make sense. (I thought about putting all the lyrics myself, but then the post would be too long.  I am wordy enough already!)

Skeleton Bones by John Mark McMillan

And here is the video with the lyrics if that is your preference.

Skeleton Bones by John Mark McMillan Youtube video

So here is a song talking about bones that have to stand and recognize the glory of the risen Christ.  The resurrection power of God that raised up Christ and opened up tombs in Jerusalem still affects everything in creation.  Why am I saying this? This is what came to me as I was worshipping the Lord. Remember...I am still processing...

The Lord told Mary and Martha at Lazarus' tomb...I AM the Resurrection and the Life. (John 11). This was a difficult time for his friends and if you remember the biblical account, Jesus purposely delayed his arrival once he heard the news that Lazarus was sick. I looked at the verse in several translations...the Aramaic Bible in Plain English reads:

Yeshua, said to her, "I AM THE LIVING GOD, The Resurrection and The Life, whoever trusts in me even if he dies, he shall live." WOW...

Then I was thinking Lord, this is really deep. Then I had the thought wait a minute this is before Jesus even dies.  He declares that He is the Resurrection long before He paid the price for our salvation.  He declares His deity and identity as the Son of God...the God-man with resurrection power before He is resurrected by God after his crucifixion.  Is there anyone besides me who had never thought about this?

Is this why the Apostle Paul says in Philippians 3:10 , "that I might know Him and the power of His resurrection?" 

I have been listening to a minister, Katie Souza of Expected End Ministries, and she has a revelation about the resurrection power of Christ that I have not really heard preached before.  Generally speaking, she teaches about the healing of the soul.  Some believers don't acknowledge the need for healing in the soul and I am not going to debate it here. I encourage you to read Isaiah 53 and look into some of her teachings. They are powerful and controversial! Needless to say, her teachings have impacted me and piqued something in me about the resurrection power of Christ.  If the Apostle Paul, who wrote most of the New Testament by revelation of the Spirit since He didn't actually walk with Jesus, says He prays that HE MIGHT KNOW HIM and the POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION - what does that say about the revelation that has yet to be understood? I am not here to teach her revelation about the resurrection...look into it...please! I just want to share what I was pondering while listening to this powerful song.

Jesus said He is the Resurrection and the Life long before He was raised from the dead. So when we read in Scripture that he descended, held captivity captive, made a open show of principalities and powers, disarming them and then was raised up by the power of God with ALL POWER and seated at the right hand of the majesty on HIGH....what actually happened in the spirit realm and in the natural if tombs were opened in Jerusalem? Selah.

I wish I could say that this is the first time I heard this question but it isn't.  I heard a deliverance teaching on iniquities by Anna Mendez and she posed the question.  What do we as believers, BELIEVE, actually took place when Jesus Christ died, went to hell and then was resurrected with ALL POWER? Could all this have happened and nothing actually change the entire cosmos? If the entire sky blackened when Jesus gave up his spirit and the veil at the temple was torn...what happened in the cosmos? What is the revelation of the power of His resurrection that Paul is talking about?

Back to the song lyrics...peel back our ribs again and stand inside of our chest.  Wow! This is the kind of stuff that made disciples walk away from Jesus. Remember when Jesus said if you don't "eat of my flesh" and "drink of my blood"..you have no life in you.  In the scriptures it says this saying was too hard...Jesus had went too far...and folks walked away because it had gotten to deep...too mystical. What was Jesus talking about? He was talking of oneness.  Jesus was speaking of what he would pray for us in John 17...that we would be one in Him. So the lyrics are about oneness in Him.  

When He rose with ALL POWER he had actually redeemed everything to God. (Colossians 1:20 and 2 Cor. 5:18) He had reconciled what had to be reconciled and He reigns.  He is KING.  I hope this is making sense.  He IS KING.  He isn't waiting to be King. He is waiting for all things to come under subjection to His kingship. 1 Cor. 15:25 and Heb. 2:8. He must reign...then when all things are made subject...He turns it all back over to God our Father.  

Back to the song...open up your gates before Him and crown him...stand him up... Yesterday TV was talking about Stand up to Cancer (which is a great cause) but I was singing Jesus Stand up in ME!  I crown you Jesus. Stand inside my chest. Let your blood flow through my veins and put your wind in my lungs. I just want to love you! Again the lyrics are about the oneness that has been given to us because of Jesus Christ's obedience to God.  

Ephesians 1:19-20

"and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which to come.  He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church...

As I listened and pondered the song, as I worshipped the King, I simply said,  "Lord I crown you. Please show me where I have not crowned you. In what areas of my life are you not reigning?"  See He is King and if He is not reigning it's because the will of people has not been surrendered. God does not force us to serve Him and neither does His Son. We must surrender. We must give him the rightful seat in our hearts.  We must crown him and stand HIM UP in us!!! 

If the Kingdom is not manifesting in our lives, in our churches, in our communities it is because we have not taken our rightful places in Him in ONENESS to cause all things to come under His authority. We have a part to play in the manifestation of the Kingdom, as SONS,  just like He did when he walked the earth...as He is so are we in this world...He reigns now. He is King and he has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (Rev. 1:6)

Thanks for reading!

© Ronda Wagner and Kelbey Chronicles 2013-2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without the express and written permission of this blog's author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.  Excerpts may be used provided full and clear credit is given to Ronda Wagner and Kelbey Chronicles with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. 

Resurrection Glory

I am sharing a poem the Lord gave me in 2012 on Resurrection Sunday. It is funny how I have these creative pieces around as notes in journals and notebooks and even social media.  I originally posted this to my Facebook page, but wanted to share it here since I have shared a few poems before. Celebrate the best gift ever given through a simple act of obedience of a son...His obedience opened the way for us to come home to our Father. We can now experience life everlasting and power from on high...amazing grace how sweet the sound!

HAPPY RESURRECTION 4/8/2012 12:40 am

It's dark and damp
gloom surrounds
can't see the light
fear abounds
heart pounds
thoughts come
thoughts go
creating doubt
unbelief
pressure pushes
waves of grief
the taste of death
a life let go
identity lost
a seed is sown.

A voice is speaking
the heart can hear
words of remembrance
drawing near
"You are my BELOVED in
whom I am well pleased.
The SPIRIT OF THE LORD
is upon you."
FAITH rekindled
FAITH ablaze
words of LIFE
words of GRACE.

A trembling begins
deep within
earth quaking
earth shaking
rumbling from the deepest place
the core of being
spirit ablaze
the kindle burns
a flame begins
LIGHT pervades
CONSUMING FIRE
engulfs the night
darkness dissipates
ALL IS LIGHT.

LIGHT pure
LIGHT clear
LIGHT is LOVE
LOVE has WON.

GLORY rise
GLORY shine
GLORY yours
GLORY mine
LOVE came
LOVE died
LOVE GLORIFIED.

NOW NEW BIRTH IS YOURS
NOW NEW BIRTH IS MINE!

HAPPY RESURRECTION.


R. W.

© Ronda Wagner and Kelbey Chronicles, 2013-2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Ronda Wagner and Kelbey Chronicles with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Another Pregnant Year

Does that sound familiar to you?  This blog has visited the "pregnant" year before. But before I go into that I want to talk about when my husband and I had our children.  We married young and I was pregnant with our first child by our first anniversary.  LOL and SMH.  So I celebrated that anniversary with a 5 month belly. So romantic, right?  Just imagine it (ladies).  Well, before long another pregnant year came along. I found out we were expecting again.  At that time our first baby was only 8 months old! God had a plan and we kept that pattern rolling like clock work.  All of our children are 2 years apart! So there was always another pregnant year around the corner. I am thankful for God's amazing grace. Our quiver is truly blessed.

When a couple gets pregnant it is an exciting time. A time of waiting but with great expectancy, that is probably where we get the phrase..."we're expecting".  This post isn't about pregnancy though,  it is about the leap year.  Interestingly enough, this year of 2016 is a leap year on both the Gregorian calendar and the Jewish calendar.  During the last Jewish leap year, I blogged about the meaning of a "pregnant" year.  So for this Jewish leap year of 2016 I am going to repost the post from March 2014 and hope that you are encouraged by the powerful meaning behind this unusual term for a leap year.  A Jewish "pregnant year" can be very similar to a natural pregnancy because it is one that can be full of joy and expectancy.

FYI: I did not include everything from the first Pregnant Year post but you can go back and read the introduction or view the video clip if your are interested.

Today, March 11, is the beginning of Adar II which is the equivalent of our February 29.  Instead of just adding a day, the Jewish calendar adds a month in order to have all the Feasts of the Lord fall during the appropriate seasons.  Here is the excerpt from the A Pregnant Year post:


Here is what I learned about this season that we are in:

It's a time of great joy.  It's a time of completion.  It's a time of prophetic fulfillment. It's a time of glory, more glory!  It's a time of victory despite opposition.

Ezra 6:15,16  reads, "And the house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.  And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy". (KJV).

The New Living Translation reads, "The Temple was completed on March 12, during the sixth year of King Darius' reign.  The Temple of God was then dedicated with great joy by the people of Israel, the priests,the Levites and the rest of the people who had returned from exile."

The completion of the temple during the time of Ezra, Nehemiah, Zechariah and Haggai was a huge accomplishment of faith.  It was the culmination of the fulfillment of God's Decree from King Cyrus and then King Darius along with the faithful actions of Nehemiah, Ezra and the people.  The prophets Zechariah and Haggai were instrumental in keeping the people of God encouraged throughout the process of rebuilding. (Ezra 6:14).  In biblical numerology, our New Year of 2014 is prophesied to be one of completion and double blessings because 7 means complete and  2 (or double) times 7 is fourteen.  Here we see that the Jewish Leap Year is prophesying and proclaiming the same blessings! PROPHETIC ALIGNMENT.

Adar is the 12th month on the Jewish calendar and it represents completion.  The word Adar  is translated in Hebrew "exceedingly glorious".  According to Jewish tradition, the pregnant year, is a year to expect victory over all forms of opposition! Can you see how the historical events of Nehemiah and the people of God sets the theme for this proclamation of victory? Against impossible odds and opposition the people of God were able to fulfill the decree of God made through King Cyrus and then Darius.  This was after the rebuilding had stopped because of opposition and the king's original decree was found in the king's treasury! (Ezra 6:1-12).  We are in a season to continue to decree the word of the Lord over our lives believing that the King's decree is established.  God's word does not return to him void! It accomplishes what it is sent forth to do! ( Isaiah 55:11,12).  The Word of God, the King's Decree promises to bring us out with joy.

Finally, this season of Adar II includes the festival of Purim which celebrates the God's deliverance of his people from the evil plot of Haman through the faith filled actions of Queen Esther.  Esther 4:13-16 reveals the Queen's response on behalf of her people.  She decides to go before the King knowing her lapse in protocol could cost her her life.  Instead of losing her life, she became the instrument of God's deliverance. As mentioned in the above Youtube video, there is a Hebrew word that is poorly translated in our bibles as feasts and festivals: moedim.  Moedim is translated as appointment.  The feasts of the Lord are appointments God initiated with His people.  God continues to initiate "moedim" with His people.  Esther answered her "moedim".  Adar is a season of appointment, a moedim.  We must be diligent not to miss our appointment with our God!

JOY. COMPLETION. PROPHETIC FULFILLMENT. GLORY. VICTORY= A PREGNANT YEAR!

Maintain your joy, actually stir it up! Nehemiah 8:10, Romans 14:17 KING'S DECREE. Believe that God will complete what He has begun in you! Philippians 1:6 KING'S DECREE. Keep decreeing the Word of Lord expecting victory despite opposition.  II Corinthians 2:14,  I John 5: 4 KING'S DECREE.  Expect the manifestation of God's glory in your life.  II Corinthians 3:18 KING'S DECREE. Don't stop birthing your promise. Spend time with God. Minister to the Lord. Spend time in prayer. Decree and declare God's word. Listen for instructions. Act on what God speaks. Praise and give thanks. Believe. Have faith in God.

Father, during this Jewish leap year of 2016, I pray that the truth of the power your Word becomes a living reality in your people and that we, as kings and priests, will use it to establish your Kingdom in the earth. Father your Word is incorruptible seed. It will bring forth and it will give birth to your Kingdom purpose.  I pray that as your people we discern and embrace your times and seasons so that we are ready with the Word of the Lord on our lips. In 2016, may your Kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus Name Amen.

It's Another Pregnant Year so be expecting!!!




© Ronda Wagner and Kelbey Chronicles, 2013-2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Ronda Wagner and Kelbey Chronicles with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Get Your Garments

Is it just me or is anyone else getting up most mornings unsure as to what to wear because you just don’t know what the weather is going to be-not even in mid-February.  It snowed two weeks ago yet yesterday's temperature was somewhere in the low 60's.  Just a few months ago, I let my youngest son wear shorts on Christmas Eve not because he is a crazy teenager but because it was warm enough!  There have been days these past few months where I have worn just a sweatshirt or long sleeve tee outside. The "light" wear was not because of hot flashes, either!  It is really absurd.  This is the world we live in.  It seems obvious that there have been significant changes to our atmosphere that are affecting the climate globally.  So thank goodness for our weather apps, right! I check my weather app first thing in the morning just so I know how to dress. What garments am I allowing my kid to wear as he goes out the door to school?  (I know we don’t use the word garments but just humor me, you know I like to word play).

In a recent post, I discussed the believer’s role as kings and priests.  This post is a follow-up to that one because as I read through some of the passages in Zechariah the garment change that took place in chapter 3 stood out to me. The priests of the bible had very specific instructions to follow in ministering before the Lord.  Those instructions also included their attire, their garments.  All priests had particular garments.  The same is true for the office of a king.  It is expected that a king would have royal garments.  So as believers, as kings and priests, there must be garments we are expected to wear. Right? The bible speaks a lot about clothing, garments, robes etc. There must be a reason.

Even today, garments can be indicative of many things-profession, rank, ethnicity, nationality, and gender.  Whether we want to admit it or not, what we wear does mean something. Our attire communicates something. Therefore, the garments mentioned in the bible must communicate something too.  I think they do. Maybe more than we realize. 

Here is a portion of scripture that I think is relevant to this discussion.

Get Your Garments- Kings and Priests

Zechariah Chapter 3

This entire chapter of Zechariah is interesting, but I am just going to focus on how Joshua the High Priest had to have his garments changed in order to receive what the LORD was releasing.  In the vision, Satan was standing before the LORD opposing Joshua, when he was rebuked and the LORD commanded that Joshua’s filthy garments be exchanged for rich robes given by the LORD.

Verse 4-5

Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying. “Take away the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothes you with rich robes.”  And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the LORD stood by.

Joshua represents Jerusalem in Zechariah’s vision.  However, generally with prophetic visions there is an immediate fulfillment but there are also continuing fulfillments based on the purposes of God. The LORD gives a prophetic word through this vision.

 “If you will walk in My ways, and if you will keep My command, Then you shall also judge My house, and likewise have charge of My courts; I will give you places to walk among these who stand here.”

Here is an invitation to serve in the courts of the LORD.  As a high priest, Joshua had the commission to serve the LORD in intercession for Israel.  We as believers are called to be kings and priests to serve the LORD in intercession in His courts. Our authority through Christ is to be executed in this world as we enter into the heavenly courts, hear our instruction and execute His righteous judgments in the earth. Jesus, our example, demonstrated this authority in his earthly ministry.  He speaks to his authority and judgment in the book of John. In chapter 5 verse 30, he declares:

“I am unable to do nothing from Myself [independently, of My own accord-but only as I am taught by God and as I get His orders].  Even as I hear, I judge [I decide as I am bidden to decide. As the Voice comes to me, so I give a decision], and My judgment is right (just, righteous), because I do not seek or consult My own will [I have no desire to do what is pleasing to Myself, My own aim, My own purpose] but only the will and pleasure of the Father Who sent Me.”

 The Amplified Bible 

In Zechariah, we read an account of hearing from the Lord and acting in accordance.  In chapter 3, Zechariah gives us the vision. However,  in chapter 6 we read that Zechariah received an instruction based on what he saw in his vision in chapter 3.  The instruction became a prophetic act of what he had seen in the vision. 

Zechariah 6:9-15

Then the word of the LORD came to me saying, “Receive the gift from the captives-from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have come from Babylon-go the same day and enter the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah. Take the silver and the gold, make an elaborate crown, and set it on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest.

Remember Zechariah had spoken in the vision and asked that a clean turban be placed on Joshua. In  Exodus chapter 28, the LORD gives Moses the instructions for the priestly garments.  The high priest had a turban with a special plate which had "Holiness to the LORD" engraved upon it.  Then the Angel of the Lord spoke declaring the word or decree that is also given to Zechariah to declare in chapter 6 through verses 12-14.  The turban was directly connected to the clearing the iniquity of the people.  The new turban in the vision and the crown in chapter 6 are connected to the LORD's proclamation of removing the iniquity of the people.  

It was important for Zechariah, as the mouthpiece of God, to hear the word of the Lord and act upon the vision that the Lord invited him to participate in. His obedience to the Voice of the Lord was important to the fulfillment of God’s purpose for his people at that time and season.

Joshua, a high priest in new garments, was completing prophetic acts that would affect the entire nation of Israel.  His role as a priest as well as the garments that communicated his position and authority were integral to the fulfillment of the plan of God.  This portion of scripture is considered Messianic because it also references the Servant, the Branch in verse 8 of chapter 3.

        

‘Hear O Joshua, the high priest, You and your companions who sit before you, for they are a wonderous sign; for behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the Branch.’

This is were I believe the prophetic vision has a subsequent fulfillment for us as believers.  God's Servant, the Branch, is Jesus Christ and he through obedience has become our Faithful High Priest.  It is his obedience that give us access to the throne of grace.  It is his obedience that allows us access to the courts of the LORD.  The LORD is clothing his people with garments to fulfill our functions as kings and priests: the royal priesthood.  These garments, like those of the OT, are specially designed by the LORD for kingdom purpose.  These garments are spiritual garments that will cover, cloth, wrap, and encompass us with the light and glorious Presence of the Lord.  Garments of distinction, garments of glory.  Remember that in Zechariah's vision, it was the LORD who clothed Joshua. 

Read these words of Jesus Christ

Revelation 3:18-22

I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.  Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” 

Ponder this...Psalms 104:1-2

Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great. You are clothed with honor and majesty.   Who cover yourself with light as with a garment, who stretch out the heavens like a curtain.

Adam and Eve's first garments weren't fig leaves. The fig leaves were to cover their nakedness. The LORD asked them.  Who told you you were naked?  Then Jesus Christ "counsels us" to get garments from him. Our Father is the father of lights...I am not too upset about my "light" wear these days because I am expecting light as a garment!

Kings and Priests get your garments!


P.S.  I originally started this post in January.  I had a draft done and thought I was going to post it in January.  I didn't, I had to wait.  Most of the time when I hear something in the Spirit, I ponder it.  Whatever and whenever I share its after I believe I have something worth sharing.  Interestingly, last week the Torah portion was Tetzaveh which covers the priestly garments. So I figured this must be the time to post. That being said, scripture says "we see" in part and I agree with the truth of scripture.   So I pray that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, will bear witness with the hearts of believers.  

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