Dr. Sandie Freed, Bedford, TX
The Threshing Floor Is Your Breakthrough Place
For the last few months, I have been teaching on the book of Ruth. While recently in prayer, I clearly heard the Lord speak to each of us, as His Bride, concerning the season we are presently in. The Lord said:
"I am now drawing you near to Me and I am calling you to the threshing floor. I have been preparing for you to meet Me at this place. Do not resist it, but rather embrace this place. I am the God who redeems His people and I am redeeming you from your past. Where there has been loss, I promise to restore. Where there has been lack, I will begin to pour out a blessing that you will not be able to contain.
"Trust Me now as I draw you into a season of separation. I am separating you unto Myself, away from everything that would attempt to defile you. Disappointment and lack have endeavored to draw you into agreement with lies from the Accuser. The enemy has said, 'Your God has forgotten you. He has turned His face from you.' But I say to you today that I am God, Your Maker, Your Redeemer and the One Who fulfills Word and Covenant. I am separating you from lies, from the world and from everything which attempts to negate My Word to you.
"Trust Me. Let My Word work for you and transform you. My Word will fight for You. Wield your sword and rest in Me as you enter into My divine favor and your appointed season of redemption."
He continued to speak:
"Draw near to Me and I will draw near to you. Spending more time in My presence will strengthen you for the days ahead. Trusting Me involves you stepping into the unknown. Do not hesitate to meet with Me. Do you not know that My Word promises to watch over every promise I have given to you? Therefore, trust Me to fulfill what I have spoken. Trust Me and know that the threshing floor is your breakthrough place. Allow Me to redefine your future and make it clear to you.
"Watch how I will use the past pressure of your life to press you into a greater anointing. Watch how the oil from your life will begin to flow because of the press you have endured. The finest oil, the anointing, comes from intense pressure. For you shall be a balm of healing to many and release the glory and anointing of breakthrough to others. At the threshing floor, you will find favor and be empowered to fulfill your destiny. Lack will be overtaken by the overflow of My blessing."
As I delved deeper into my study on Ruth, I realized once again that not only did she find favor with man and with God, but also, it was at the threshing floor that redemption from her past came into full motion. There is much to learn from the book of Ruth because it is a book full of types which reflect the ultimate love of our Lord and His heart of redemption. By examining this insightful book, we can each believe that He can truly turn our mourning into dancing and exalt us with His crowning favor – just as He did for Naomi and Ruth.
Ruth's Prodigal Family
Most of us are familiar with the story of the prodigal son and how he left his place of blessing in search of worldly treasures. The prodigal son foolishly spent his entire inheritance and eventually lived as a slave, barely surviving in a pig's pen. He realized that he would be much better off returning home even if he had to be a servant. Upon his return, His father did not hold back his love. Rather than rebuking his son for an unwise decision (and possible rebellion), the father lavished him with unconditional love and forgiveness. (Photo via Creative Commons)
The book of Ruth begins with a similar story of a "prodigal family" who left their home in Bethlehem. Bethlehem, meaning "House of Bread," was undergoing a time of famine, and thus Elimelech, Naomi's husband, led his entire family out of their homeland and into Moabite territory.
It is now important to look at a few of the rich types in this story. Elimelech's name has several meanings and one of them is "God is my King." However, there is no indication that God was really King in his life because we don't read that he asked God whether he was to leave the "House of Bread." Instead, Elimelech uprooted his entire family and chose to live in an idolatrous nation and amongst idolaters. An Israelite was to become "separated" unto God and not cohabitate and intermarry with foreigners and idol worshipers. However, later, Elimelech's two sons chose Moabite wives.
Naomi's name means "pleasant or sweet," indicating a life blessed with pleasantness, sweetness and favor; but as we continue with this story, we realize that Naomi, after leaving Bethlehem, "the House of Bread," no longer could say that she was blessed with favor. Why? Because ten years later, after leaving their House of Bread, tragedy struck their family and three funerals followed. Elimelech died and shortly after Naomi also lost their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion (also spelled Kilion).
Interestingly, although Mahlon's name has several meanings, one of them is "a harp" (as in playing a harp), which expresses music and song, and Chilion's name represented "completeness" and "perfection." Think again about the typology in these names of Elimelech, Naomi, Mahlon and Chilion and consider these thoughts:
When God is no longer King, we lose the joy of our "song." Leaving our "House of Bread" (the Bread of Life) causes us to not experience "completeness." With this in mind, I feel it safe to conclude that true joy can only come through our relationship with our Lord. We can buy a little happiness, such as going to the movies, golfing or enjoying snow skiing. However, Nehemiah 8:10 (AMP) clearly states, "...the joy of the Lord is [our] strength and stronghold." According to this passage, it confirms that our strength comes from the joy we experience in Christ. In fact, it becomes a stronghold – a place of divine protection!
Naomi's life felt unprotected, sorrowful and hopeless after such grief, and therefore she declared that her name was no longer "Naomi" (pleasant), but "Marah," meaning bitter.
Our Bitter Seasons
Many of us can relate to a bitter season in life. In fact, just recently, a devastating world-wide pandemic has swept through with death, sickness, devastation, loss and hopelessness. People lost their jobs; some buried their loved ones and for many there was no bread on the table. The churches, the Houses of Bread, were closed and many felt lost as they sought refuge, encouragement and prayer. The Lord was using this time to draw us nearer to Him, to stand in our covenant relationship and trust Him...but, the pressure of life and the pressure from the Accuser caused many of His people to grow bitter, just as Naomi did in her time of great loss.
Unfortunately, many Believers have become similar to the prodigal son and are not fully honoring their godly inheritance. Many have left their House of Bread and have made agreements with unbelief and bitterness. Some are complacent and have now disconnected and isolated themselves from church family and walked away from their anointings. Gathering together as a body of Believers has become secondary to many.
Thinking of how Elimelech took his family and left the House of Bread, My question is this: "Is God still our King?" Elimelech did not consider the directives of God – are we?
On the other hand, there is a remnant of Believers that has stood strong in the midst of a great trial. God's children are realizing once more that God's presence is not limited to a building. We, as Believers, house the Holy Spirit. We carry His presence wherever we go. Many have understood that this is a season to rise up, set our faces like flint and find our way back to the House of Bread. (Photo via Pxfuel)
Ultimately, it is not about a building; it's about finding our way to Jesus, the Bread of Life. If we will return to Him, we will experience His ultimate love and receive grace, strength and joy to fulfill our future. Naomi, upon her return to Bethlehem found favor again – and so will we! The Lord desires to restore us and redeem us from past loss.
Though Naomi had lost her husband and her two precious sons, there remained two Moabite daughter-in-laws, Ruth and Orpah. Naomi urged them to go back to their Moabite families and their false gods. Orpah chose to go back to her family and her idols (her name means "stiff-necked" because of her turning-back from following her mother-in-law); but Ruth chose to cling to Naomi. In fact, we can easily say that Ruth CLUNG to favor! When she clung to favor, she actually fervently pursued this favor that she had with her mother-in-law. When she did this, Ruth also chose Naomi's God.
For us today, this is an example of how we must cling to the favor of God on our lives no matter what loss has occurred. If we cling to God's favor on our lives, we will reap a bountiful harvest. We cannot allow a loss or a disappointment to get us to follow a different path than one God has ordained for us to follow. It's time to lock back on to favor! We cannot be like Orpah and be stiff-necked in this season.
Favor is a gift to each of us when we become a born-again Believer. However, many times we have to access it by faith. Using our faith in our bitter seasons will empower us to be in the right place at the right time. Upon Naomi's return to Bethlehem, the Scriptures tell us she returned bitter; but in a short season we begin to observe God restoring her to great favor once again as He opens a door to her and Ruth through Boaz, the Kinsman Redeemer.
Favor at the Threshing Floor
Following the story of Ruth, we read that upon their return to Bethlehem it was harvest time. Ruth decided to attempt to glean the fields and just "happened" to find herself in the field belonging to a very important and wealthy man, Boaz. She just "happened" to meet her destiny link.
Many of us are about to "happen" upon a great season of favor. We're going to be introduced to important people who just "happen" to need your services. Your business card will just "happen" to be illuminated to someone who needs you to apply for a job at their office. Begin to expect it! It's going to truly "happen" so don't give up hope!
Let me encourage you today. Don't allow the past pain, the loss and the disappointments to cause you to miss your divine appointment! You have been at the threshing floor, the same place where Ruth had to meet with Boaz before the fullness of her destiny came forth.
The threshing floor was a "hard" place that was used during harvest time to separate the chaff and the grain. The grain was spread out over a stone or hard-packed dirt. Then an animal (an ox, donkey, or horse) would walk across the grain to break the kernels. So, the outside shell of the grain would then need to be separated from the good part of the grain. The word "chaff" means "something worthless" or rubbish. Many of us have been in a hard place, but God has used it and is presently utilizing it as a place of separation.
We are being separated from the shame (rubbish) of our past, and during this season the goodness of God is being realized. The Accuser has attempted to cause us to focus on our mistakes, our losses and our pain. In fact, the enemy has attempted to permanently clothe each of us with shame, but God is re-clothing His priesthood (see Zech. 3)!
As the old garment is removed from our lives, God is breathing life into a new beginning for us. The wind of the Spirit is blowing away the chaff and the usable fruit is flowing forth. Because the Lord is faithful and is redeeming us from our past, we are sensing it's time to return once again to the Lord. Yes, it's time to go home and eat at our Father's table. This is a season of divine favor and the prodigal sons are returning home again. The Lord, the Redeemer, the King, is meeting us in the field!
Precious ones, you have felt pressed down and defeated in the hard times, but the Lord is assuring us that before there is great breakthrough, there is great warfare. Jesus told Peter that the enemy wanted to sift him like wheat, but Jesus also said He was praying for him! Jesus has been interceding for our victory. The threshing floor you have been experiencing is being used to strengthen you, to separate you from every lie of the enemy that has attempted to hold you hostage! Your separation has been a divine encounter with the Living God (2 Cor. 6:17)! (Photo via Pixabay)
The Threshing Floor of Covenant
Ruth met her covenant promise at the threshing floor. The promise came to her as a person, Boaz. It was there that she was separated from all loss, suffering, lack and shame. Her encounter at the threshing floor secured her covenant and blessing through her kinsman redeemer.
We have also come to the threshing floor. Seeking fulfillment and promise requires a separation. Our promise is the Person, Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. This beautiful love story ends assuring each of us that God never forgets us. He never forgets where we are, but He will also use everything we walk through to conform us into His divine image. His covenant promises never fail. Though a promise or a vision may tarry, He promises to watch over them. During hard times, it's easy to feel betrayed. However, let me encourage you today to trust in the Lord.
God is promising that at the threshing floor, when it's hard, He will bring forth grain and a full harvest. Your vats will overflow with wine and oil. The new wine is symbolic of the Holy Spirit and the oil is symbolic of the anointing.
Get ready for the increased anointing on your life. Expect an anointing of favor and power! He is the God of more than enough. Walk in confidence and have faith for favor. You have come to the threshing floor and it is now time for the overflow of God's blessings to be released!
"People of Zion, be glad and find joy in the Lord your God. The Lord has given you the Teacher of Righteousness. He has sent the autumn rain and the spring rain as before. The threshing floors will be filled with grain. The vats will overflow with new wine and olive oil." (Joel 2:23-24 GW)
Dearest Ones, let God's Word do the work for you. Trust Him, wield your swords! He will fulfill His Word.
Allow me to decree a blessing over your lives:
Father God, I decree that Your children will be glad and find joy in You. Their mouths shall be filled with laughter. I decree that their tongues will sing songs of joy and that they will begin to dance with great joy.
I decree that this is their season of restoration and redemption. They are strong and all strongholds that attempt to hold them captive are defeated by the powerful shed Blood of Jesus.
I decree that You, Our King, are restoring their fortunes. What they have sown with tears, they will now reap with songs of joy. All barrenness shall be transformed into fruitfulness and they will begin to reap a great harvest.
Greater are You that is in them than the accuser of their past. They will trust in You and enter into Your divine season of rest. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
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Sandie Freed
Sandie Freed Ministries
Email:Â zionministries1@sbcglobal.net
Website: www.lifegatechurch.org |
www.freedrevolution.com
Dr. Sandie Freed is an apostolic, prophetic leader, author of more than 14 books, and travels nationally and internationally preaching, teaching, and ministering the Word of God. Ordained as a prophet by Bishop Bill Hamon, Sandie's ministry involves a strong prophetic anointing and spiritual discernment. Her unique gifting is in dreams and visions, and as a modern-day Joseph, she empowers others to interpret God's voice through dreams and visions. Sandie's goal is to always equip the Body of Christ in their callings and empower them through revelation of the love of God. To this day, her best selling book is Breaking the Threefold Demonic Cord: How to Discern and Defeat the Lies of Jezebel, Athaliah and Delilah, which has been taught around the world and is printed in many different languages. Sandie and her husband Mickey co-pastor Lifegate Church in Hurst, Texas.
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