The Sons of Issachar Understood the Times. (1 Chron 12:32)

I believe that we are in the beginning of a new season in the Western church and like all new seasons, it is marked by change. A new season always brings both an invitation and a challenge: the Holy Spirit invites us into new ways of walking out our faith––new expressions, new territory and new vision. Inevitably, this challenges us to step away from the familiar and comfortable.

Recently I was told about a prophetic word that Patricia King shared in Sydney, Australia. She said that we have just now entered into seven years of plenty. This is not necessarily financial plenty (although it could be, for some), but a time of harvest––salvations, healings, miracles, fulfillment of God’s promises. This word seems to confirm what we are seeing all around us in these days. Let me explain.

One of the main reasons that we lead teams on Journeys of Compassion is so that men and women will first do the works of the Kingdom (healing, deliverance, salvation) on the front lines in the developing world, then take this home with new confidence and anointing. Everything that we see the Lord do overseas, He does right here at home.

There is only one condition: we have to keep going. What we stepped out and did over there, we must do here at home. Here are a few examples from just the past few weeks, written by those who have travelled with us on a Journey of Compassion–

From central Canada:

Here's my report from last night:

It went really well! One lady's hip was healed instantly! She hasn't been able to stand straight for or straighten her leg for years! One of the best things was reconnecting with a woman I prayed for the last time I was up there - Jesus healed her of lung cancer!!! Even her husband came too to thank me but I said all thanks goes to Jesus. Her doctor said it is a MIRACLE! She looks totally different! Yeah Jesus!

And from Santa Fe:

I heard one of my wife’s fellow teachers was having symptoms of PTSD or depression, so I went to the school and asked if we could pray with him. He said "I'm not a religious man, but I will take the prayers”. After we prayed, he got up with tears in his eyes; he let me give him a hug and then we left. The next day someone told Val that the teacher looked completely different in a good way. He then told my wife, “I'll take some more of those prayers." I had a co-worker tell me the other day "Can you do that thing where you put your hand on the head and pray for my son, he cant sleep at night and his allergies are really bad!"

From Albuquerque:

Last week a group of people (several who have been on a Journey) went to the local Walmart and offered to pray for people. Again and again, God moved as they prayed for the sick and those who were hurting emotionally. It was a powerful evening of both tears and joy.

From Ludhiana, India:

There is quite literally hardly a day goes by without my friend Sumesh leading people to Jesus and baptizing them. Over the past while, over 1,700 house churches have been planted in the Punjab. God is moving in an unprecedented way.

We have entered into a sovereign season of plenty. This is the time to step out and follow Jesus into the harvest field––whether across the world or across the street. As Jesus declared, “Do not say ‘Four months till the harvest.’ The fields are white right now.” (Jn 4:35)

For those of you have gone to the nations with us, don’t stop doing what you did over there. To those for whom this is new, follow the longing of your heart, the voice that keeps whispering: “There has to be more.” God is on the move. With everything in me, I encourage us all to “stir one another on to good works”––to enter into the delight seeing the Kingdom come and hearing the voice of the Father say, “Well done.”

Understand the times.