The Year of the Upstarts

20 Jun The Year of the Upstarts

Upstart: a person who has risen suddenly from a humble position to wealth, power, or a position of consequence.

Multiple times while in prayer, I’ve heard the Lord say, “2018 is the year of the upstarts.”  When I pressed in for understanding, He continued; ”I am taking many through upper room experiences so that I can launch them out in 2018. As they wait on Me, I will release fresh fire for the assignments, dynamic power for the promotions and new language for the movements.”   

The Lord went on to say, “This is the year of the upstarts. Those that have been hidden, pruned and groomed by My presence will suddenly rise into places of leadership and authority. I am thrusting them forward. I have had many in an extended season of hiddenness and preparation so they’ll carry forth the heart of the Father and the fragrance of Christ.”

The Lord showed me how these “upstarts” are a Joel 2 people who not only experience the outpouring of the Holy Spirit prophesied in verses 28 and 29, but by what they’ve done in secret, they help usher it in. In hiddenness and humble obedience, these sons and daughters are ones who have “carried out His word.” (v. 11)  Through lifestyles of fasting and prayer, they’ve sacrificed their comfort and their reputation on the altar of consecration. These precious people have truly rent their hearts before the Lord (v. 12-13). In their time of hiddenness, they have, as Paul Cain would say, functioned in the “Gift of Tears.” (v. 17)

These upstarts will be identified by these qualities:

They know no boundaries. These men and women will move across lines of denomination, affiliation and movements. Carrying out new kingdom assignments, using new heavenly words, they will come together as one resounding voice.

They wield the weapon of worship. Having spent much time in the presence of the Lord, these upstarts understand the importance of worship as a weapon of warfare and tool of breakthrough. They will part seas of impossibility  and they will overcome.

Their words carry fire. These upstarts may not know the language of pop culture movements or contemporary church trends, but God is releasing them as a John the Baptist type forerunner tribe of voices preparing the way for God’s will to be accomplished in the earth.

Creativity distinguishes them. They are apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers, and preachers, many of whom express themselves through film, photography, music, unique writing, visual art, and more. That which they create will prophesy to a generation seeking truth, boldly influencing the spheres of entertainment and media.

The Lord says of these upstarts, “Because they have bowed low, showing great humility and teachability, this is the year that I release them into greater levels of influence and authority. Because they’ve placed great trust in Me, I will entrust them with greater things. The greater works are coming. They’ve prepared for the promotion, now I am releasing dynamic power to fulfill their dreams!”

Seek upper room encounters with the Father. He is going to trigger the fulfillment of His promises in those times of meeting and weeping.