In 2016, You’ve Been Refined and Positioned for More
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Many of you have been through storms in 2016 the likes of which you had never seen or imagined previously. You may feel like 2016 was the worst year of your life.
However, even though some of those storms were not from Him, I felt like the Lord told me that He allowed His people to be tested for three reasons:
1. By enduring the storm, you grew roots deeper than you ever had before.
Whether you feel like it or not, you are much stronger now than you were one year ago. Your strength and new level of resilience will serve you well in the coming days.
2. You gained a position in intercession that you never had before.
As Rees Howells (a great missionary and intercessor whom God commissioned out of the Welsh Revival) learned and taught, you must gain a position of authority over a circumstance or situation before you can effectively pray into it.
When you endure specific types of hardships and come out victorious on the other side, you gain an authority over that type of circumstance. The authority you win will never diminish the rest of your life.
I believe the Lord is saying that you will win many battles in the future because of the hardship you endured in 2016.
3. The storm allowed Father to refine you into the image of His Person faster than He could have refined you any other way.
Many of you would call 2016 the worst year of your life. However, I heard the Lord say: “2016 was the foundation for what will become the best things in your life.”
In 2016, you were tested. You were tried. You were refined in fires that you thought would never go out. You were beaten like fine gold … and it hurt.
All this time, you thought the storm which was to test you was going to sweep over you. However, I heard the Lord remind me of this promise:
But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.
For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place. Since you were precious in My sight, you have been honored, and I have loved you; therefore I will give men for you, and people for your life” (Isaiah 43:1-4).
The Lord told you in the beginning that you were going to be okay, and that He would take care of you.
When the storm started, He gave you words upon which to stand. You prayed into those words over and over. Many times, however, nothing seemed to change. It didn’t look like the Lord was hearing your prayers.
But I heard the Lord tell me today: He was hearing your prayers. All this time, He has been allowing the refining fires to test you and purify beyond what any other force could have done.
And now the stormy season you endured in 2016 is over, and you will see the completion of the promises Papa God originally gave you.
In a vision, I saw Papa pulling a golden goblet out of His refining fire.
You were the goblet, and you were perfectly formed, shining, and beautiful. As He gazed with delight at you, the child of His heart, He saw His own face in you. The reflection of His face covered the surface of the goblet because you were that pure.
Beloved, your Father loves you. 2016 may have been the hardest year of your life, but I believe Father is saying that you are now positioned for so much more than you could ever have dreamed.
God didn’t cause everything that happened to you, but He does work every storm out for your good. And the good He has worked for you during this storm has positioned you to go further, faster than you ever imagined.
As Ecclesiastes 3:11 says:
Does this word speak to your heart? If so, please leave a comment below.
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Jamie – thank you for the encouraging words today and each day. You nailed it for 2016 being a tough year for me. Refining is a tough and hard process, but with God’s love and kindness, all will be well. Thank you and have a Merry Christmas!
Amazing as always…again exact confirmation of what the Lord has been expressing to me. There are times I ask, we done yet? I haven’t been afraid, God has brought me past fear when we fought cancer together. But I have been tired and worn. Tired of financial and physical hits that don’t really make sense. Everything makes sense to our Father and I don’t spend a lot of time pondering the whys. But like a child in the back seat of the car, I ask, “Are we there yet???” Daddy how many more towns until we get there?? (my way of figuring the distance when I was young…lol). Last week, I was crying between happy and sad tears. I told God I trust him…NO MATTER WHAT! I heard him say….the hard season is coming to an end. Look forward to the new year. I am excited for 2017. I know there will be stuff to deal with, but there is something special about this year coming. I look forward to serving God in whatever way he designs. I have learned to make everything tentative….because our Father in Heaven often has another idea. His way is always the better way….even during the struggle. Praise!
Great confirmation for me! This is EXACTLY what we’ve been going through! Thank you, and Merry Christmas, Jamie!
Jamie, I just recently found your blog and want to say
thank you for your faithfulness to bring God’s word.
Today’s word was confirmation for me! Praise God!
The year 2016 was a very difficult year…but God knows
right where we are. Looking forward to 2017 being
a year of new opportunities. Thanks again and Merry
Christmas to you.
Oh, thank You Jesus! Time to give birth to the new. Abba, find us in the secret place, in birthing position. Open our eyes to see You, unplug our ears to hear You. Keep our hearts on Your repeat wash cycle that our surrendered-lives worship offering would be sweet as You inhale and consume it. We, Your redeemed ones, receive the wholeness and restoration of Your ressurection. Pour our Your Spirit on us! Make us Your manifested sons and daughters wearing Your garments of praise, anointed with Your oil. Walking in Your wisdon, understanding and revelation as Your heirs. Your salt, light, hands and feet for the accomplishment of Your preordained purpose. Be it unto us according to Your Word. In the powerful and matchless name of Jesus, we receive and come into agreement with Your declared “Yes!” and respond it is so.
most encouraging. thank you. sometimes I cry because people insult, criticize and make insensitive uncaring comments rather than do and say encouraging things. thanks again. bless you
Dear Jamie, thank you very much for being such a blessing. Your words are always apt for every season of our lives. Thank you for pouring such words on us and into our lives all through 2016. And for this, “the refining fire as agent to test us”, I say thank you. You are indeed God’s servant sent to us to bring His words to our lives.
Thank you very much
I love that verse, and the phrase is ” in His time. ” I think that’s why I backed off a little, I felt like I was trying to force something and it was exhausting.
To who, it may concern: I first want to give GOD all of the praise! I felt this word in my whole being this year truly has been a difficult year. But now I have clarity that Jesus has been doing a new thing in me. I know that I am better now because of the refining process. I believe and receive the wonderful life that Jesus has made available me! To all no matter what never loose faith because we win in the end!!! Praises go up and blessing come down!!!
Thank you, this is very timely and so fitting for me and my husband. We have had significant losses this year and came one after another. This was very encouraging and we believe as you said that God will cause the storms to work out for our good. Blessings to you!
This was perfect for me. 2016 has been a terrible year for me because my husband left me for another woman and several other circumstances. However, I have experienced Gods grace and mercy in many ways as well. I have grown so much in the Lord this year because I turned to Him in my times of trouble and He has been faithful! I believe He has been telling me that 2017 will be a good year for me and my family. Thank you Jamie for your work and words. God bless you and yours. Jodie
Thank you for sharing this.. it was very enlightening. God used this to validate things for me. So, thank you for your obedient heart and share what God has placed upon it to help encourage and strengthen others. It’s what discipleship is all about. 🙂 God Bless You!
Glory to the most high. He alone is worthy of praise. Me too have been through a lot this year of 2016 but I kept believing in my heart that he is busy working out everything together for me behind all the pain of infertility and financial struggling. And every time when I think of 2017 there is a peace that sweeps away all the sorrow in my heart and I get this hope that in due season he will send me a help and he will turn my mourning into dancing. And this is a confirmation for me that indeed he never left me and he is still faithful to do what he says he will do. To my daddy God be the glory. Amen.
Dear Jamie,
I thank you for this encouraging word today. This is what I needed to hear. I believe God is really using you. You are truly an Angel sent from God to help encourage his people such a time as this. I thank you again.
May you have a bless and safe holiday.
Love Millie
The storms are really over and the Lord has equipped me to stand firm whatever the situation is. May God’s name be praised!
Jamie God bless you, may Papa God give you more anointing to proclaim His good works. Have a glorious Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year and more years beyond.
Thank you for this word. Just at the right moment as well. I’ve had a long year and a couple of weeks ago I got the revelation that despite not seeing any ‘physical’ breakthroughs I have grown spiritually and that is what matters. I would not have it any other way!! Broken relationship, financial strain, depression; doubt unbelief shaken faith….name it…..
BUT I thank my Abba Father that through the fire and storm He has carried me.
Irecieve with thanksgiving and praise this prophetic word. Thank you.
May you be blessed mightily for allowing God to use you.
Merry Christmas and a blessed new year to all
Thanks, great to know having my three beautiful children all diagnosed with a heart breaking, life changing, painful, genetic conditions (resulting in real disabilities) in their teens will refine me! Whilst I understand the heart behind your encouraging words, even as a fairly mature Christian I would like to say that, for some of the valleys people are walking through, these types of sweeping general writings on suffering can appesr quite dismissive and very simplistic unfortunately. How exactly are the ‘storms’ of 2016 over for us as a family as you claim?
I’m truly sorry you are hurting, Dottie. And I’m sorry for the storms you and your family and children are going through right now.
As with any prophetic word, if this word doesn’t resonate with your spirit, then there’s no obligation to grab hold of it. I do pray that Father would work all things out for your good, though, and for your children’s good–and that He would heal their precious bodies in Jesus’ name, and that He would bless you with courage, strength, peace, comfort, provision, grace, and more grace today. In Jesus’ name.
Again, I’m sorry you’re hurting. Much love to you and yours.
Jamie
This word really confirmed many things that I felt in my heart but wasn’t so sure…thank you so much. I was touched reading this, and I am thankful that God gave you this word. Here’s to 2017!
Here’s to 2017 indeed! I believe it’s going to be a great year. The prophetic voices I read and follow (such as those on Spirit Fuel and The Elijah List) keep saying amazing things about 2017–and I’m ready! May Father God pour out His abundant blessings to you also this year, sister! It’s going to be awesome!
Thank you for this write up. It sums up all we have been through as a family in 2016. It also released hope in me that 2017 will be a great year. Having been on my sick bed since 3 April, can’t work, debt mounting up, even this January been unable to walk I am looking up to God to heal me speedily so I can get a job to pay off my debt or to whichever way God want to show me mercy.
Like your write up stated I can only attest to the fact that throughout all this storm I have become closer to God than I ever was. Even in my current situation I have faith like I have never had before, faith rather than fear that God will turn all around for His glory. And that is what gives me hope that my tomorrow will be alright in Christ Jesus.
2016 was not the worst year of my life, but it ranked up there in the top 3! It has been a trying, painful & weary year. I feel that I have lost ground in my spiritual growth. In Feb a friend at church lost a child to cancer. We had been interceding for his healing. Then in March I became the primary caregiver for my Mom due to a stroke. My Dad moved in with us in August & has a tumor in his left lung so now i care for both parents.
I have been having chronic pain from a wreck in Nov.2015 and haven’t been sleeping well. Now I am having severe stomach pains & bleeding from all the meds. I still work a full time job as a RN & have a big family. 7 grands that I like to help out with. They are my joy but i cant get them as much. We also moved into a new home & moved a daughter into our old house. Bc of all this i haven’t been able to participate in hardly any extra church activities that give me the extra spiritual support. Some of my kids are having serious issues that break my heart as well. All
I can do is pray!
I’m ready for a time of rest & healing! The Lord has been speaking to me about taking care of myself better also. All this with the local & national rioting & election has been very overwhelming. I compare it to all the civil rights rioting back in the 60’s with 3 assassinations! A scary time for a kid!
I am ready for rest & healing! The Lord has been speaking to me about taking better care of myself! Exercise & better diet. So you have confirmed it. God is on the move in our country its been hard to watch a country be so divided again. Thanks again for the confirmation! God bless you sweet lady!