The Lord has been speaking to me over the past month that in the midst of all the chaos and darkness, He is still moving and extending His favor upon His people.
I heard, “My kingdom is still at hand in the midst of chaos. Keep your eyes on Me and move at My leading through doors that I open. You will receive My favor and provision to accomplish My mission.”
Let me encourage you. My husband and I are experiencing the favor of God in the midst of this chaos, and, to be completely honest with you, I have been somewhat astounded by it. Like many of you, I have been battling feelings of despair and hopelessness in my flesh and soul, but at the same time, the Spirit of God within me is telling me to keep my eyes on Him, trust Him and move forward in obedience! It has been a real pressing through turbulent times! I often don’t feel faith, but I know my God! He is mighty in the midst of chaos, confusion and darkness.
I have been hearing this Scripture in my spirit for months:
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a Mighty One, who will save. He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will renew you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing” (Zeph. 3:17).
6 Keys for Favor and Blessing During a Time of Famine
Recently, Holy Spirit reminded me that there are some things my husband and I have done during this time of turmoil that are vital. He led me to Genesis 26 and showed me these keys through the account of Isaac receiving favor and blessing during a time of famine.
1. Believe and obey: We believed God, obeyed and moved forward, regardless of our feelings and thoughts of doubt and fear. God told Isaac not to go to Egypt and that He would bless and prosper him in accordance with the covenant He made with Abraham. Isaac believed and obeyed. We are grafted into that same covenant, and we have a better covenant in Christ! We are now one with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and have been given access to every heavenly and earthly blessing! In the midst of the chaos and confusion of this world, we are seated with Christ in heavenly places!
Jesus tells us in John 16:33, “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.”
2. Don’t return to Egypt: Egypt represents the world’s ways—idolatry, demonic structures and systems of advancement based on pride and greed. During the lockdown, Holy Spirit revealed many idols in our hearts; He also broke apart our religious ways of doing church and life in general; Our usual comforts were removed. Don’t return to them!
In the world we see evil abounding, intended to bring fear, doubt, hopelessness, anger and division. Yet in the midst of all of this, the kingdom of God is advancing. There are outpourings of revival and glory is rising. Holy Spirit is moving mightily with a wind of change that is blowing upon all the world structures, within us and around us, because He is setting a new order and expanding our borders!
3. Sow: We also sowed additional seed during Passover and Pentecost. I feel strongly that I need to clarify that this was not an act of religious duty, or a manipulative act of giving to receive. It was hearing by faith, the word of the Lord and wanting to sow into good ground. Isaac sowed during a time of famine and received a hundred-fold return in the same year.
“He who watches the wind [waiting for all conditions to be perfect] will not sow [seed], and he who looks at the clouds will not reap [a harvest]” (Eccl. 11:4, AMP).
It certainly looks like famine in many areas of life at this time, but God is building His kingdom with resources beyond what we see in the natural. He has the ability to bless and bring increase to every endeavor He has given you to do, and to every seed you sow into the kingdom. Continue to sow, even as you reap during harvest, for a continual and exponential increase of the kingdom!
4. Speak life: We continued to believe and speak what God had said, to bring our flesh and soul into alignment with His kingdom. We are being inundated daily with words intended by the enemy for our destruction. It is more important than ever to refuse those words entrance into our hearts and speak God’s Word that brings life! Keep your mind fixed on His promises; Isaiah 55 11 says His word does not return void but accomplishes every purpose for which it is sent.
5. Unstop clogged wells: We continued to allow Holy Spirit access to every area of our lives. Isaac redug the wells that had been stopped up by the Philistines, and fresh water began flowing freely again. Philistines represent hedonistic and ungodly living. It is time to be kingdom minded, removing every hindrance that blocks the flow of the Holy Spirit in our lives. A. W. Tozer said, “We have as much of God as we actually want.”
The reality is that much of our famine (any area where we see lack) is because we are filled up with other things. It is high time to dig up our fallow ground and prepare the way of the Lord. The Holy Spirit is quickening, even right now, bringing to mind areas where He has been quietly nudging, and now is the time to set your hand to the plow and allow the furrows to dig deep so that the rivers of living water can flow freely through you!
6. Persevere through adversity into expansion. There is no denying that we are in adverse times, and perseverance is necessary to take new ground even in times of relative ease. Isaac kept moving forward by building new wells. The first well he tried to dig was met with opposition from the herdsmen in the land. He named it Esek, which means “strife.” The second well was also met with increased opposition. He named it Sitnah, which means “hatred and enmity.” We are clearly in times of strife and enmity, but keep going! On the third attempt, Isaac met no opposition. He named this well Rehoboth, which means “open space and expansion.” Press through adversity and opposition as the Lord leads. He will bring favor and expansion!
We are in incredible times; the dark is as dark as we have seen in our generation, but the glory of God is rising to greater measure in the midst of it. Lay hold of all that He is setting before you. Keep your eyes on Him, do as He says and watch the favor of the Almighty One be released in your life. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty! There is nothing He cannot do.
Declare that He is mighty in your body, your family, your work, your ministry, your city, your state, your nation and all the nations of the world. He is mighty over all He has created. He is good, faithful, merciful and just. He is the all-sufficient one. Everything that He has purposed shall be accomplished. He is with you, He is for you and He is extending His favor to you so that you can go forward into all that He has destined for your life in Christ Jesus, before the world was formed. {eoa}
Alane Haynes was radically saved in 1981, when the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to her and she immediately received salvation, deliverance and a supernatural healing of her body and mind. She is an apostolic and prophetic teacher and speaker, and has authored four books. Her passion is to see people restored to the eternal plan and purpose of God, bringing His kingdom to the earth. Alane and her husband, Kerry, founded and minister together through Golden Vessels and Eternal Truth Now Ministry. When they are not ministering, Alane and Kerry enjoy spending time with their children and grandchildren and outdoors enjoying the beauty of God’s creation.
