New Beginnings

I love this time of the year. Whilst I know my friends and family in the Northern Hemisphere are going into autumn and experiencing the first hints of a winter chill, we have Spring in September where I am. Heady Jasmine fragrance fills the air, and there are new flowers and buds everywhere.

It always reminds me of romance, and that wonderful verse in Song of Songs: 

Look around you: Winter is over;
the winter rains are over, gone!
Spring flowers are in blossom all over.
The whole world's a choir—and singing!
Spring warblers are filling the forest
with sweet arpeggios.
Lilacs are exuberantly purple and perfumed,
and cherry trees fragrant with blossoms. (Song of Songs 2:11-13)MB

New beginnings. Fresh oil. Fresh anointing, blessings, joy, new life, flowers and buds, bliss, rejuvenation, re-awakening, revival, renewal, energise, invigorate, excitement, refreshing.

Which leads my thoughts to one of the most powerful sentences in the Book of Acts, spoken by Peter:

So repent (change your mind and purpose); turn around and return to God, that your sins may be erased (blotted out, wiped clean), that times of refreshing (of recovering from the effects of heat, of reviving with fresh air) may come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:19 TAB.

We need this. New beginnings. Yes we do!

One more time

Fisherman on Wilderness Beach, South Africa

This is a prophetic word by Garris Elkins, published on Elijahlist. I give the link to the whole word at the end in case you would like to read it:


Recently, I was reflecting on Luke 5 where Jesus calls Simon to follow Him after he and his friends had fished all night and caught nothing. As I read the text, I thought of all who are now struggling with the implications of the global financial downturn and its effect on so many. People are doing their best to make things work, but their nets are coming back empty.

In this text Jesus took Peter back out into the deep waters where he had failed to catch anything the previous night. What followed was a supernatural harvest that caused those watching to be both awestruck and amazed at what they were seeing. As I reflected on this event I heard the Lord say to me, "Tell them to try it again – I am in the boat." I knew the Lord was asking me to encourage people who are living under the weight of financial despair without the hope of a new future.

As I prayed, I was hit with a deep sense of despair – I was literally carrying the pain of others. I asked the Lord what this was all about. His love was letting me feel what was taking place in the lives of people so I could speak words of hope fueled by His compassion.


Jesus Revealed Himself and His Abundance in Their Lack so They Could Trust Him With Their Future

Two thousand years ago a small group of fishermen, soon to become the first disciples of Jesus, were in a similar situation that some find themselves in today. Simon and his friends had fished all night and caught nothing. What worked before was not working. These men were about to be called to follow Jesus into a new season of life, but first the Lord needed to reveal Himself and His abundance to them in the midst of their current lack so they could trust Him with their future.

Read the whole word here on Elijahlist - Words 

Snow and Glory

Ladysmith Gazette headlines

We experienced unusual snowfalls in South Africa during August. Two separate snowfalls necessitated the closing of the Van Reenen's Pass which is the main route between the major cities of Johannesburg and Durban. The last time this happened was in September 1981.

Van Reenen's Pass closed due to snow

Cars and trucks were stuck for days

Another thing that has been happening over the past month or so is that we are experiencing and hearing reports of a remarkable manifestation of the Glory of God in church services and prayer meetings throughout the country. I did a bit of research and came across wonderful verses in the Bible about snow and what it symbolises for our lives.
Like the cold of snow [brought from the mountains] in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to those who send him; for he refreshes the life of his masters. (Proverbs 25:13)*

The snow seems to have ushered in a time of spiritual refreshing. Snow also represents the GLORY of Jesus Christ:

Lift up your heads, O you gates; and be lifted up, you age-abiding doors, that the King of Glory may come in. (Psalms 24:7)*
His clothes became glistening, shining, exceedingly white like snow (Mark 9:3)

His head and His hair were white as snow...(Revelation 1:14)*

Snow represents answered prayer. In the Elijahlist, Dr Mahesh Chavda says: When you are in a dry place and praying for breakthrough, far away in the mountains, God's snow is falling. When spring comes, that stored up snow is going to melt and pour down off the mountains, filling rivers to overflowing and touching your life with blessing, deliverance, healing, provision and power. 

For as the sky soars high above earth,

   so the way I work surpasses the way you work,
   and the way I think is beyond the way you think.
Just as rain and snow descend from the skies
   and don't go back until they've watered the earth,
Doing their work of making things grow and blossom,
   producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry,
So will the words that come out of my mouth
   not come back empty-handed.
They'll do the work I sent them to do,
   they'll complete the assignment I gave them.

(Isaiah 55:11)

Snow indicates that the answer to your prayers is already upon the ground.

* Amplified Bible (AMP)Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation