For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. – Romans 8:15-17 (NKJV)
When Adam and Eve sinned by eating the fruit from the forbidden tree, the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, God said:
And the Lord said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” So the Lord God said to the serpent:
“Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”
To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception in pain you shall bring forth children; your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” – Genesis 3:13-16 (NKJV)
Remember: God formed Adam from the dust (Genesis 2:7) and Eve came from Adam’s side
And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.
And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” – Genesis 2:21-23 (NKJV)
Why was the punishment for eating the forbidden fruit connected with childbirth? Is it that God became reckless with anger because Eve sinned by eating the forbidden fruit and giving it to her husband and he ate?
No!
God was looking at His plan of Salvation.
Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for the Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. – John 19:31-34 (NKJV)
Just the same way that life is brought into the world through the pain and suffering of childbirth, where blood and water is released, so it was when Jesus died. The same way that Eve (Adam’s bride) came from Adam’s side, the same was true for Christ’s Bride.
The Bride of Christ was born at His death (deep sleep) through the suffering and when blood and water was released.
Eve was born before the crucifixion, no on the other side of the crucifixion we are here today. April 2022, very close to exactly 2 years after COVID arrived on our doorstep and our world was thrown into chaos, confusion, fear, and not one person on the planet was immune to the upheaval. Great suffering came upon humanity in many different ways.
Now 2 years later, people are still grappling with the way society has changed, trying to find “normal” in such turbulent times.
Someone noticed a sign in the elevator that specified that the carrying capacity of the elevator is 6 persons. The person I was with pointed to the sign and said, “That is the “olden days.”
That sign was right for just over 2 years ago, but not today. The way things were prior to COVID is different to the way they are today and the way things were does seem a long time ago when in fact, it was only just a couple of years ago.
Now researchers are publishing their observations and people are getting opportunities to share their experiences. Time and time again I hear of losses, sufferings, and all sorts of difficulties that people have had to face individually, as families, as churches, denominations, and businesses. There has not been one aspect of humanity that has not been touched, in a painful way, by COVID.
As I was listening to people, I noticed something, particularly with creative giftings. I heard so many say,
“I have lost my song.”
“I have not been able to write.”
“I have lost my vision.”
“I have lost my “mojo”.”
As I was listening, I could hear the Spirit saying, “It’s a New Birth,” “It’s a New Beginning.”
Imagine the Israelites in the desert. What they used to know, even though they were slaves at the time, was all gone. Many would have had relationships with the Egyptians (Exodus 1:15-17)
I am sure that there would have been many of the children of Israel who were grieving the loss of relationships left behind as well as the grief of those Egyptian friends who were no faced with the death of their firstborn and hearing the great wailing of distress and grief as they were leaving Egypt at the same time.
I sense the Lord saying to us of at this time, “This is not the end of something, it is actually the beginning.”
You do not have writer’s block. As you are groaning with the sufferings of Christ, something is being birthed.
Conception has taken place and now there is something growing inside you. There are things that have been placed inside you that were in seed form.
But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if I it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor. – John 12:23-26 (NKJV)
My brothers and sisters, it may seem that something died within you through the suffering and trials, but it is not the end.
Remember, this is “Good Friday,” be of good cheer. Just like Jesus, His death gave birth to the Body of Christ, those things that have died in you were the seeds.
Just as there was the “Good Friday,” there will be, and is, the “Resurrection Sunday.” There is a new song getting the lyrics and tune, there are new stories, testimonies and books that are being created, there are new paintings, drawings and designs that are coming forth.
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”
Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come. His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”
Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!” – John 2:1-10 (NKJV)
Have you run out of wine?
Is your wine vessel empty?
Do not be alarmed, our Bridegroom is about to fill your vessel. What is going to be poured into you is far more flavoursome and aromatic than what you had before. The wine being poured into you is miraculous and it is THE BEST WINE.
At that wedding feast in Cana, they were completely out of wine when Jesus gave them the new wine.
Do you have nothing left?
Are you empty and dry?
Praise God!
Now you can receive the New Wine, the New Vintage.
This is not the end, it is a New Beginning.