I heard the Lord say that I was to prophesy specifically to you and declare over your life, “This is your season for EXPANSION…Expanded resources, expanded favor, expanded relationships, and expanded revelation!”
The word “expansion,” according to dictionary.com, is defined as “the act or process of expanding; the state or quality of being expanded; the amount or degree of expanding; an expanded, dilated, or enlarged portion or form of a thing; anything spread out.”
You may be saying, “It looks the complete opposite in my life right now. I am experiencing loss. People are walking out of my life, not into it. Financial resources have dried up, and I cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel.” If that is the case, “HOLD ON!” Your God is pruning you in order to bring forth a greater harvest. All expansion begins with loss.
“I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Gardener. He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” (John 15:1-2, NIV)
Temporary Loss
You need to realize that which has been lost or taken away from you was deemed by God as non-essential, and it may have even been a determent to progress you into God’s purpose for your life. It was simply God removing dead debris, and if it had stayed, it would have hindered you from moving forward into the great fruitfulness God has promised you.
Oftentimes, the case is that when you go through the process of God subtracting something from your life, you consider it a loss, which often brings feelings of discouragement and frustration. The enemy wants you to see God’s pruning as a setback, but God says to you today, “Your loss is only temporary. It is not a setback, but it is a setup. I am setting you up for expansion.”
Remember that your heavenly Father is the Gardener of your life. He is the One with the pruning shears. His plan is to bring you into fruitfulness.
“Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” (Hebrews 10:35-37)
I love how the above Scripture is translated in the Message Bible: “…It’s still a sure thing! But you need to stick it out, staying with God’s plan so you’ll be there for the promised completion” (Hebrews 10:35-36).
Expansion, Enlargement and Overflow!
The Lord showed me a vision of a massive table that is being set for you. It was very extravagant. As He showed me this vision, I heard Him say, “Look at what I am spreading out for them. The table is now being prepared.” As I viewed it, I remembered the Scripture, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over” (Psalm 23:5, NKJV). Take note! God wants you to expect expansion, enlargement, and overflow!
“I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place.” (Psalm 118:5)
In the Old Testament, God honored a man named Jabez. Countless books have been written about him, and yet, there were only two verses in the entire Bible that mentioned him. God testified of him because He liked his prayer! He didn’t even belong in the genealogy that God inserted him in. God did it to honor him. God was going to make sure that everyone knew about his faith-filled prayer.
“There was a man named Jabez who was more honorable than any of his brothers. His mother named him Jabez because his birth had been so painful. He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that You would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!’ And God granted him his request.” (1 Chronicles 4:9-10, NLT)
Here’s his background: The Hebrew meaning of the name “Jabez” is “sorrowful” or “full of sorrow.” His mother projected her pain onto him when she named him. In essence, she was prophesying that his life would be full of sorrow. However, Jabez asked God to bless him and to expand his territory. He not only asked for blessing and expansion, but, most importantly, he asked the Lord to be with him in everything that he did and to keep him from trouble and pain. He desired for God to shift the trajectory of his life. He was determined that his life would not be full of sorrow, as his name meant.
Time to Petition
The other night as my wife and I were going to bed, the Lord asked me to go to my prayer room upstairs and pray. To be completely honest, I did not feel like praying, I was tired. But I am so thankful that I did. His presence met me as I walked into the room. He spoke the following, telling me to announce it to you, “This is a time to increase prayer like never before. My ear is tuned to your cry. Even as I did for Jabez, when I granted him his request, I will also do for you.”
This is a season for intercessors to petition the throne of Heaven. You are about to see prayers answered like never before. This is a “kairos” time or “set time” in the spirit. The Lord is bringing to you EXPANSION.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8, NKJV)
Andrew Towe
Ramp Church Chattanooga
Email: andrew.towe@theramp.org
Website: www.ramp.church/chatt
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