I want to encourage you today with a prophetic word and insight for the prophetic season we have left and the NEW prophetic season we have just entered! It's going to be brimming with hope for you...
The Old Prophetic Season Is Shifting
Have you felt squeezed, constricted and in "dire" times at all in this past season? I have good news! We have passed through a prophetic time of a narrow path, and the Lord has brought us out on the other side.
On the Jewish calendar, we ended the time referred to as "between the narrow/dire straits." This was a 3-week period that ended on July 27th (the 9th of Av on the Jewish calendar). The dire straits is known as a time marker of difficult historic events for the nation of Israel. But the story doesn't end there.
We have come out on the other side of this prophetic time. Through the squeezing, pressing, and constriction, the Lord has prepared you, and produced new oil for the journey ahead. God has aligned you with His plan on His narrow path. Now you've come out on the other side and into a wide space.
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." (Matthew 7:13-14 NIV)
When I discovered the prophetic time we have been in, I felt a huge sense of relief. Do you too? It brought understanding and clarity to some of the challenges I've faced recently. This is why I love that the Lord has given us the gift of the prophetic...so we can understand the times and seasons of our lives, and know how to navigate them with God.
With that said, we are now in a new prophetic season this August, leading us to September, which marks a NEW YEAR on the Jewish calendar.
A New Prophetic Season
As I wrote this, I was listening to the International House of Prayer room, and they were prophetically singing this song:
Put Your word in their mouths
Put Your fire in their hearts
Let them speak it out and let it burn
It's moments like this where I feel the Lord is encouraging me in such subtle ways. It's as if He is whispering, "Release this word, Mariel. I am going to encourage My people through it."
I truly believe that God is speaking in these times, and He wants us to hear from Him even more than we want a word from Him. He is pouring out His Spirit on His sons and daughters so that we will dream dreams, have visions, and prophesy (Joel 2; Acts 2). He is still speaking through signs and wonders. He is still answering when we call to Him. We are invited on the incredible adventure of seeking Him out. (Photo via PickPik)
That's why when God gets my attention in a new way, I pay attention! It all started when the Lord began to speak to me through the prophetic and biblical sign of the dove. As I began to seek the Lord on this word, He showed me that we were entering a new prophetic season.
Let's get into what the Lord is saying for many right now...
The Prophetic Sign of the Dove
It all started with a prophetic dream.
A good friend and prophetic intercessor had a dream where she prayed that the Lord would speak to me by giving me the supernatural direction from God I was praying for through the sign of a dove.
Not every dream is from God, but I knew this one was. (Tip: Whenever a biblical symbol, like a dove, appears in a dream, it's a good sign it may be a prophetic dream.)
Whenever I believe the Lord is showing me something, I start in the first, best place to interpret and discern what the Lord is saying: the Bible. I ask myself, "Can I find this symbol in the Bible? If so, where is it?"
That's what is amazing about the prophetic—it will draw us deeper into the Word of God and into His presence if we start to seek Him for the deeper meaning!
So, I started my research.
I already knew the dove was a symbol for the Holy Spirit. My first reference for the dove from Scripture was the moment Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in the form of a dove (Luke 3:22).
I felt there was more to this, but I needed more revelation. Then I realized another place where a dove is found in the Bible: the story of Noah and his ark.
A Prophetic Message from Noah's Ark
As I reflected on the dream and the story of Noah, the Holy Spirit began to ignite my heart. He was speaking a new prophetic message of hope—not just for me, but for His people.
Let's get into some further prophetic insight from Noah's story and the dove, and how it applies to many in this current season. (I encourage you to read Genesis 6-9 to dive even deeper into this word!)
"...Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God." (Genesis 6:9 NIV)
As we see in the start of Noah's story, Noah stood out from the rest of the world. He was faithful to God, and He was a pure light in the middle of dark humanity. God decided to save him and his family from the coming flood as a result.
Prophetic Word for Now: Right now, we are living in dark times, but the Lord's eye is on His obedient, faithful ones...those who are willing to listen to Him and follow Him at any cost. He is looking for those who are willing to be set apart for His plans and His glory and to build with Him, like Noah.
I believe right now the Lord is releasing a supernatural grace to obey Him with joy and supernatural faith. He is releasing refreshing to those who have walked through disappointment.
Like Noah, maybe you've been building and waiting for a long time after feeling like you heard the Lord, and haven't seen the breakthrough yet. You've felt like giving up, like it's not worth it. God is releasing a new desire to pursue His presence, stirring a fresh hunger in our hearts. He will give you grace to have a ready heart to pursue Him again, hear His voice, and obey Him...even as He first pursues your own heart!
It is so worth it to obey the Lord.
"If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all His commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on Earth." (Deuteronomy 28:1 NIV) (Photo via PickPik)
Receive Specific Direction from the Lord
"So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high. Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit high all around. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks." (Genesis 6:14-16 NIV)
In this passage from the story, the Lord gave Noah incredibly specific instructions on how to build the ark. God not only called Noah, but He gave him exactly what he needed to fulfill his assignment, down to the very last detail.
Prophetic Word for Now: When God has a divine assignment for you, when you are willing to obey no matter the cost, you can get your faith and hopes up to hear the Lord for the specific instructions and direction you need in this season.
God's direction for you may come through His still, small voice, a sign, a wonder, a confirmation, unexpected resources, connections, provision, dreams, visions...or a seemingly coincidental occurrence in your life. Don't overlook the signs, and don't limit the ways He may speak to you! He is increasing your faith to not give up, but instead to pray and contend for the breakthrough in your next steps. He is releasing a new, unwavering confidence in your ability to hear His voice, know what He is saying, and begin to build in faith.
The Lord has many assignments He is waiting to release to the willing. I pray that He would release fresh assignments for you, your family, and your friends...to walk in purpose in these times; and that He would release miracles, signs, and wonders as you take steps forward. As you take steps of faith, I pray the Lord would give you sharp insight and specific, clear instruction you need for this new season.
"The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives." (Psalm 37:23 NLT)
Follow and Believe the Lord Against All Opposition
"Noah did everything just as God commanded him." (Genesis 6:22 NIV)
Like Noah, it's time to build on the word of the Lord in faith, even if it looks wildly impossible to others. It's time to take the Lord seriously at His word and complete the assignments He has given you. It's time to take small and big steps of faith forward in obedience. It's time to shake off doubt and unbelief and all of the voices that would try to convince you to give up and stop building and stop believing the Lord. Stand against all opposition and complete your God-given assignment. You must keep going; you must not give up.
The breakthrough is often nearest when the storm clouds start to gather, when things seem to be the worst. You are so close to striking gold. Do not be intimidated by what you can see. Walk by faith and not by sight. Do not stop praying and standing in faith. Rest in His promises. Breakthrough is nearer now than it was before.
"For no word from God will ever fail." (Luke 1:37 NIV)
Whatever you do, don't miss another ELIJAH LIST email! Subscribe at this link: elijahlist.com/subscribe.
Mariel Villarreal, Founder
The Embolden Co.
Email:Â Mariel@marielvillarreal.com
Website:Â www.marielvillarreal.com
Mariel Villarreal is a writer, speaker, and prophetic mentor. Her heart is to encourage this generation with right-now prophetic words that reignite hope during the waiting between a prophetic promise and its fulfillment. Through her ministry, the Embolden Co., she holds seasonal prophetic mentorships, training programs, and retreats to empower people around the world to develop their spiritual gifts and hear God for their lives, so that they can bring revival to the nations. You can follow her on social media on Instagram @Mariel_Villarreal_ and Tiktok @Mariel.Villarreal and Facebook @TheEmboldenCompany to get more prophetic encouragement!
To receive more words like this in YOUR inbox, subscribe FREE to the Elijah List at this link: elijahlist.com/subscribe.
Find us on:
* Facebook click here
* XAPiT click here
Mariel Villarreal is a true gift to the Body of Christ. As I have watched her ministry grow in recent years, she has proven to be incredibly discerning when it comes to understanding times and seasons. So often, Mariel's words have brought confirmation and greater clarity to what I have personally sensed the Lord showing me.
