Excitement is high as we approach Christmas and the New Year. ‘A new beginning or a new season’ – this is a statement often heard at the crossing over into a new year. I’m thoroughly convinced that we’re not only crossing over into a new season, but we’re moving into the fullness of it. We’re not just waiting and praying for a prophecy, but entering into the fulfilment of God’s promises.
Much has been said lately about the church moving into a new season. ‘Crossing over’ is a phrase often used to describe this change. In one of Chuck Pierce’s teachings, he mentioned that a crossing over time has three phases linked with transition: Death, Confusion, and New.
There’s a word in the Old Covenant that embodies this concept. Gen 14:13 uses the phrase, ‘Abram, the Hebrew.’ The word for ‘Hebrew’ originated from the word ‘Abar’, meaning ‘to cross over’ or ‘pass over’. This word illustrates a motion. It also refers to crossing a stream or barrier (‘pass through’, Num 21:22), crossing a boundary against a hostile army (‘go over’, 1 Sam 14:4), marching over (‘go over’, Isa 51:23), and the passing of time (‘went over’, 1 Chron 29:30).
Ever wondered why God called Abraham a Hebrew, and the Israelites, Hebrews? It’s because Abraham took a huge step of faith and trusted in God, moving out of his father’s house, not knowing where He was heading. God called Abraham to ‘cross over’ and he obeyed. Every believer through our salvation experience with the Lord Jesus Christ, is grafted into this same Hebrew ‘crossing over’ anointing.
The Bible is full of examples where God takes individuals from one place to another, from one season to another. We can’t just cross over once, we’ve got to go from glory to glory, from level to level, from season to season. The salvation experience begins a life-long journey with the Lord from:
1) Strength to strength
“Blessed is the person that is on a pilgrimage… they go from strength to strength.” Ps 84
2) Faith to faith
“Do not be ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God to those who believe… in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.” Rom 1:16-17
3) Glory to glory
“But we all are being transformed from glory to glory.” 2 Cor 3:16-18
This passage talks about the veil of the law being lifted and the Spirit of God releasing new liberty.
The Hebrew word, ‘Abar’ as a verb, is used in relationship to transgression or sin, such as transgressing a covenant or commandment. One ‘passes beyond’ the limits set by God’s law and falls into transgression and guilt. This meaning appears in Num 14:41, where Moses said, “Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the Lord? But it shall not prosper.” We want to die to anything in the past season that would hinder us in the season ahead. We want to be sure the power of any besetting sin is broken. The cross of Jesus Christ is an unavoidable path, crossing over from the old to the new. Resurrection and new life are on the other side.
Jennifer LeClaire prophesied that in 2018, ‘a metamorphosis is underway. I will bring the change I’ve promised, first little by little, and then an outward manifestation of an inner working I have been doing in My people.’
Metamorphosis is the process that a caterpillar goes through in the cocoon where it enters as a worm and leaves a beautiful butterfly. According to Merriam-Webster, metamorphosis means ‘change of physical form, structure, or substance especially by supernatural means.’ I visited the Butterfly Farm in Melaka with my family last week, and found it fascinating how a worm-like creature could be completely transformed into a new and unrecognisable form. Many times, before God can birth something new through you, He has to birth something new IN you.
During this Christmas season, as we celebrate and remember the birth of Jesus Christ, let’s be reminded of our new spiritual birth (being born-again), that we’re a new creation in Christ (2 Cor 5:17). Father God has given has us a new and abundant life (Col 3:10), a new heart and spirit (Ezek 36:26), a new heavenly language (Mark 16:17), and called us to walk and grow in the newness of life (Rom 6:24).
This weekend, we’re going to see many souls swept into the kingdom, where they’ll experience a new ‘metamorphosis’. It’ll be a new beginning for many. Have a blessed and glorious Christmas, and let’s prepare to cross over into the promised inheritance in 2019!
