“Let him grow strong in My protection, let him make peace with Me, let him make peace with Me.” Isaiah 27:5.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
There is a mystery here that you mut know, things so great it is hard to show. Love revealed in darkest night brings the blessed morning light. What you see and what you say is going to make or break your day.
What do you see? I asked that question of Jeremiah the day I called him to be My prophet to the nations, and what did I show him? A rod (staff, branch) of an almond tree. And then I told him way he was seeing that, “You have seen well, for I am watching over My Word to perform it.” Jeremiah 1:12.
If you do not read this in the Hebrew language in which Jeremiah heard it you do not understand what I showed him and why. The word for an almond tree in Hebrew is “shaqed (שָׁקֵד),” which is a noun. When you turn that noun into a verb by changing the vowel sounds but not the letters you get the word, “shaqad (שָׁקַד),” which means “to watch, to wake.”
An almond tree is a watching or waking tree because it is the first tree that blooms to welcome the season of spring. Almond trees bloom between mid-February and mid-March, the buds burst into beautiful white and light-pink blooms.
Do you remember the tabernacle of Moses? The golden lampstand, the Menorah, had cups for the lamps shaped like almond blossoms and branches out of the center shaft that were shaped like almond branches with a bulb and a flower and all of the lampstand was of one piece of hammered work of pure gold. Exodus 25:31-40; Exodus 37:17-24. Remember, shaqad means to watch and to wake, the light of the Menorah lit the inner court and the entrance into the Holy of Holies. And now Jesus the Light of the world lights the way into the Holy of Holies behind the veil for you. I watch over My Word to perform it. Jesus is My Word in action fulfilling all of the furnishings and plans of the tabernacle of all, the way of salvation, the way to intimate union with Me.
And when Aaron’s rod budded to show I had chosen him above all others as My high priest to enter the Holy of Holies and sprinkle the blood of the unblemished lamb, goat, or bull on the mercy seat therein to atone for the people and the nation, what blossoms and fruit came forth? Yes, you know. Almond blossoms and almonds on a polished staff attached to no tree. A miracle of My Word. I am watching over My Word to perform it and My Word is watching too.
And I told Moses to put that budded staff inside the Ark of the Covenant (Testimony). The Ark signified My presence with them and it is a type and shadow of Jesus, being made of wood, which represents man, covered in pure gold, which represents My righteousness and deity, and containing within the tablets of the ten commandments written by finger, a golden jar of the manna, and Aaron’s staff with its buds, flowers, and almonds all covered by the solid gold mercy seat (its actual name is the propitiatory) upon which the blood is sprinkled by the High Priest making propitiation for sins with its covering of two gold cherubim.
You can understand the contents of the Ark of the Covenant as showing Jesus, the Manna signifying that He is the bread of life, the true bread come down from Heaven for a man to eat and never die, the rod of Aaron since Jesus is the true High Priest forever and My Word, and the Ten Commandments for He kept them all for you and took the punishment on Himself for all the sins that had violated the Law.
Now you see why I showed Jeremiah the rod of an almond tree covered with buds and blossoms, just as I had showed the Israelites confirming My Word that Aaron was to be their High Priest. I am watching over My Word to perform it and it will make your life bud and blossom and produce much fruit.
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth and making fertile and fruitful, making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so will My Word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me void, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11. I watch over My Word to perform it. Why would you want to speak anything else? Why would you doubt it? I have guaranteed it and I am the Most High.
And that is a lie of the devil that will wear you down until you give up your stand on My promise that you are seeking to take hold of in your life, “The Word is not working for you.” Another way to express this is “If the Word worked you would not still be in pain, or this condition would have been taken care of already.” He brings you down with this to make you doubt the truth of My Word and the integrity of My character and give up your healing, your provision, and any other promise you find in My Word. They are all “yes” to you now in Christ Jesus based on His performance and not yours. But the devil comes only to steal, kill and destroy and he is determined to take your blessings if he can get them away from you.
I gave Joseph the son of Jacob a prophetic dream. At that time there was no Word of Mine written down, Moses did that and I gave him the first five books of the Bible by vision and inspiration from the beginning to his day. But Joseph had My Word that there was a position of authority coming to him. But for thirteen years it looked like My Word did not work for him and was not true. But Joseph did not give up. He knew what I had showed him and he waited for it with faith and patience practicing excellence in all he did in preparation for the great things to come. He did not question Me or doubt Me, he walked it out with Me knowing as he told his brothers later, “You meant it for evil against me but God meant it for good, to save many lives.” I made him great, but it was a process. My Word did not withhold the promise, it held it for him but first it refined him.
He sent a man before them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave. They forced his feet into shackles, he was put in irons; Until the time that his word came to pass, the Word of the LORD refined him. The king sent and released him, the ruler of peoples, and set him free. He made him lord of his house, and ruler over all his possessions. Psalm 105:17-21.
My Word tested and refined him. The word there in Hebrew is “tsaraph (צָרַף),” which means “to smelt, refine, test.” My Word gets rid of the dross and purifies your thoughts and deeds until they come out like Mine, pure gold. Righteous with My own righteousness you learn think and live righteously.
In righteousness you will be established; you will be far from oppression, for you will not fear; and from terror, for it will not come near you. If anyone fiercely assails you it will not be from Me. Whoever assails you will fall because of you. Isaiah 54:14-15. And how do you take them down? By My Words that I watch over to perform spoken out of your mouth from your heart.
Jesus told you that you were cleansed, purified, and sanctified in truth by the Word He had spoken to you. He only spoke My Words for in them is eternal life. And they purify you.
Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the Lord of hosts. “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the Lord offerings in righteousness. Malachi 3:1-3.
I sent My Word to heal you and deliver you from your destructions. Jesus released you from your sins by His blood and made you a kingdom and priests unto Me. And My Word is refining you, renewing your mind, so that your offerings are presented in righteousness.
I am watching over My Word to perform it. How? Jesus is the High Priest of your confession, Hebrews 3:1, and the word you translate as “confession,” in the Greek in which the New Testament was originally written, is “homologia” which means saying the same words in agreement with another. So as you speak in agreement with Jesus, who only said My Words and is My Word, He presents it before Me and I perform it. That is what I mean when I tell you to come to My throne with confidence and receive mercy and find grace to help just when you need it.
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16.
What are you seeing in the midst of a period of trial that is getting some relief but then keeps returning or popping up with something new? That is what Joseph’s life was like for thirteen years. First his brother’s tried to kill him and then instead they sold him into slave traffic. Next he is bought as a slave but he is so excellent at serving the master who bought him, that the master gives him his own quarters, bonusses and makes him a prosperous man though still a slave. But then the devil heated up his attacks seeing that Joseph was not going under the trials but overcoming them. So Joseph, keeping himself pure for Me from the advances of Potiphar’s wife, ends up locked in prison. Which is a big step down from being a prosperous slave in charge of all his master’s property as if it were his own.
Did he give up and say My Word did not work and get bitter against Me? No, not at all. He just kept walking with Me with his eyes and mind off the evil that had come against him and instead was such an excellent and helpful prisoner that the jailer put him pretty much in charge of the prison. He prospered in prison because he walked with Me and refused to budge off My good Word to him about his life.
And then he interpreted a dream for a prisoner that returned to Pharaoh’s service that Joseph asked to remember him and help him, but the man promptly forgot about Joseph and two more years ensued that looked like Joseph had hit a dead end and would be in prison the rest of his life.
But Joseph refused to let go of My Word and his joy over My presence and promise. He went right on walking through the valley of the shadow of death with Me. And his hope did not disappoint him, I watch over My Word to perform it. And it came to pass that My Word came true. And out of prison he came to position, power and fame. He had refused to give up until he saw all come to pass.
He could see the branch of the almond tree and he kept watching and I was watching too.
In the midst of your trial do you see My Word as a blooming and blossoming tree and know that those blossoms will become fruit?
When the blossoms appear you know fruit is on the way.
In the dark keep your eyes on the light of My Word until the morning star appears in your heart and dawn breaks! As you awake to the reality in your life of what you see in the midst of your pain. When the buds and blossoms have appeared in your land, you know the fruit is near. And you hear the song of the dove in your land. The latter rain is here. And suddenly you realize the pain is gone and the real light has dawned.
We have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. 2 Peter 1:19.
How in the darkness do you get to the dawn, to your breakthrough to the promise? David, who walked through the dark valley of the shadow of death by holding on to the prophetic word spoken over him by My prophet Samuel as he anointed David the king of Israel, told you how to hang on to that Word until it comes to pass: “I will wake the dawn with my song.”
My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises! Awake, my glory! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the peoples; I will sing praises to You among the nations. Psalm 57:7-9.
It may seem a strange way when you are in the dark, in sadness and despair (which David sent through, just read Psalm 42:5,11) but praise is always the answer and the way to victory over the attack of the world, the flesh, and the devil.
It is like the little cloud that looked like a man’s fist that appeared in the sky as Elijah worshipped on Carmel. When you rise up from worship and shake your fist at the devil and no longer bow to him under his attack, the change has begun and the rain will follow, making the earth fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater.
And that is when you start to laugh instead of cry knowing that I am El Shaddai. More than enough to get you through to victory. I watch over My Word to perform it and much quicker when you sing My Word with thanksgiving praise.
Do not give up now! I have invested way too much in you. Do not let it be for no purpose. Jesus Christ heals you! Acts 9:34.
Only spiritual realities are realities so go with My Word. And joy always gets My attention. I love a cheerful giver.
Grow strong in My protection, entirely rely on it, make peace with Me, do not strive against Me by saying My Word does not work and weeping and begging Me to make it work for you.
Jesus gave you His peace but he told you not to let your heart be afraid and troubled. But there is even more, Jesus is your peace! He made peace between Me, who am God, and you, who are man.
He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 4:25- Romans 5:4.
What do you do when nothing seems to change and it only gets worse? You do what Jesus did. You set your face like flint and stand your ground.
For the Lord God helps me, therefore, I am not disgraced; therefore, I have set My face like flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed. He who vindicates me is near; who will contend with me? Let us stand up to each other; who has a case against me? Let him draw near to me. Behold, the Lord God helps me; who is he who condemns me? Behold, they will all wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them. Who is among you that fears the Lord, that obeys the voice of His servant, that walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God. Isaiah 50:7-10.
UNTIL YOU SETTLE THE ISSUE AND ARE WILLING TO OBEY MY WORD EXACLTY, SATAN WILL CONTINUE TO HARASS YOU.
This is what I had to establish with Joshua before he could victoriously enter the land I had promised him and stick it out until he conquered it. Otherwise he would have given up at the first set back that looked like My Word was not working and you never would have heard of him further.
You let Satan in by disobedience to My Word. And fear, worry, anxiety, doubt, bitterness, unforgiveness, depression, blaming others for your trial (Joseph could have but he did not) and the like are disobedience and will rob you of your miracle and keep you in the bondage of pain.
So, remove grief and anger from your heart and put away pain from your body. Ecclesiastes 11:10.
You have to be strict with your mind at all times, not just in the trial, but all the time, for Satan is just waiting for you to let down your guard and give him an entrance into your house so he can cause havoc in your body, your mind, and all those of your household. Do not let the wrong furnishings and things into your house, and by that I do not mean just your residence but your mind, body, and emotions. By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; and by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. Proverbs 24:3-4. But a fool tears down his house with his own hands (thoughts and words). Death and life are in the hand of your tongue.
You have to know My Word to be established in righteousness, to know I gave you My own righteousness in Jesus as My gift to you, to know that you are healed, and to know you are forgiven. The devil cannot work through right thinking but only wrong thoughts.
If you are thinking My Word is not working and are stuck in pain, disease, financial lack, or other trial. You need to come and reason with Me about this to see what is hindering your answer from getting through to you.
Come now, and let us reason together though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool. If you are willing and obey, you will eat the best of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” Isaiah 1:18-20.
Willing (abah) and obey (shamah), and that is the key to miracles. The power of shamah, which means to hear but also to obey. It brings blessing and healing to listen with attention and do whatever I tell you in My Word.
My son, give attention to my Words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them and health to all their body. Proverbs 4:20-22.
Do not let My Words depart from your sight, keep them in the midst of your heart. If you are willing to listen to them attentively, and to agree with them, and to obey them, My blessings will chase you down and overwhelm you. Deuteronomy 28:1-2.
Even if it seems that My Word is not coming to pass, keep standing on it with joy and do not back down and when the dust clears, for the devil eats the dirt where he crawls, you will still be standing and you will have the promise in My Word.
And the quickest way to see it manifest is to sing songs of worship and praise. It brings up wells, Numbers 21:16-18, and it wakes the dawn. Psalm 57:7-9.
I love you. I watch over My Word to perform it but if you don’t say it with faith I have nothing to perform. Never budge off the solid rock of My Word. My Word works and it purifies you as well.