February 2021 - Candice Smithyman

In Your Test of Promotion You Will Prevail

Have you been experiencing spiritual warfare lately? Does it feel like there are blockades and obstacles in your way? Have things been difficult? Listen: This is happening because you have just been promoted! 

Promotion time is here! On Thursday, February 11th, at sundown we entered a brand-new Hebrew calendar month, Adar. Adar means completion and is known as the month of joy. It is the 12th month on the ecclesiastical calendar which started at Passover in 2020. During this month, the Jewish people celebrate Purim. Purim this year is sundown, Thursday February 25- Friday February 26, when the Jewish people remember how Esther went boldly before the king to share Haman’s evil plan for the annihilation of the Jewish people. Esther risked her life to properly position the Jews and their nation to be saved. God gave her favor and a plan. Just like God prepared, promoted and put her in a place for,  “such a time as this,” He is doing the same for you, for the purpose and destiny that He has called you to. 

Mordecai, Esther’s cousin told her about what would happen to the Jewish people if she did not speak up. These were the words that invited Esther to her place of promotion. They were words to save her nation. We are never truly promoted until we are faced with a situation where we have to stand for righteousness. There are steps to promotion -and Esther’s first was coming into the palace and being purified for a year before seeing the King. The second promotion was when she was asked to stand in her position to save her people. Your promotion is not just about you it is about others too.

Esther 4:12-14 reads, “When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai,  he sent back this answer: ‘Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape.  For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?’”

We need to remember the importance of our promotion as we see the increase in spiritual warfare and our response to it. The enemy always wants to push back whenever we get promoted. Let’s not forget that in January we gave God our first fruits and consecrated ourselves before Him. He brought us to capacity and expanded us upon a strong foundation. You’ve gone to the next level! This is why you feel the friction in the spirit realms. You have been given a greater responsibility then you have ever had before. 

God has properly positioned you, not to sit around like royals, but to minister to a remnant. He has given you a sphere of influence for you to use the power He has given you to make changes. You must open your mouth! God has given you a voice and His Word. When you speak, it’s like a spark of God releases and ignites things. You can change a nation! 

Promotion comes with a test that proves we walked into the promotion. The enemy is prepared to convince you that this promotion didn’t happen, that you’re not good enough or that you couldn’t possibly be called to do this. He tries to get involved in the things of God and the progression of the Lord. He tries to push it back by bringing hinderances.

Let’s go back to Esther. What did she do? Esther 4:15-16 (NIIV) reads, “Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai:  ‘Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.’”

She asked her people to fast and pray for her for three days and nights. They joined in agreement that she would obtain the strength needed to go before the king. If she didn’t go, she and her people would perish. The secret to getting past the pushback of the enemy is to step into the heavenly places. We must operate in the joy of the Lord. Remember you’re a citizen of heaven and the joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

In His presence there is fullness of joy. That is where you need to position yourself: in His presence. Get in that secret place with the Lord and let Him build you up. Fasting and praying will discipline you to sit with the Lord and hear Him. He will give you strategies and show you how to navigate the sphere of influence He called you to. Our God is forever moving and does not stagnate. We have to keep up with Him!

The Lord will promote you many times to next levels. Two times of year there are regular times of fulfillment of the promotion, those are at Passover and Rosh Hashanah, the 2 main Hebrew New Years.  God usually starts adjusting us for the promotion about four to six weeks beforehand. Why? Our God is cyclical. He works in cycles. God wants you to walk in the totality of each promotion for six months. This brings strength. It helps you stay in proper position, keeps your joy steady, and allows you carry His power until He turns the calendar again with a new promotion. 

So be encouraged! You have stepped into a new season, a new time and place where God is using you in a mighty way. Do not shrink back. The righteous do not shrink back; they live by faith. No matter the opposition, press forward. The enemy cannot take your promotion. There is joy in His presence, and that is what it’s going to take for you to fulfill your purpose and destiny. 

 

In February Expansion Is Here

God took the month of January to expand our souls for greater increase in territory and an acceleration of our destiny this year! He did this through increasing our identity in Him as He expanded our spirit, our soul, our temple and our capacity. Now as God expanded us in our souls, we will now step into a larger sphere of influence, greater regions and territories. In 2021, we will have tremendous growth as we step into this expanse. 

3 John 1:2 says “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” As our soul grows in capacity our territory of influence grows.

January is a spiritual foundation month. It’s a time we positioned ourselves properly for the year ahead. I know you were already praying and fasting, but have you also taken the time to give? Proverbs 3:9-10 says, “Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.”  Lay the right foundation for yourself, because I see in the spirit financial provision is coming to the faithful.

Jesus is the firstfruit of many brothers. We are the “many brothers,” and we put Him first by setting time to pray, fast, give and consecrate ourselves unto to Him. You see, when you make yourself holy, everything you touch shall be holy. “For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches” (Romans 11:16). 

Greater territories are coming to you in 2021 as you purify and consecrate yourself, as you continue in a deep abiding relationship with the Lord. Your expansion shall be great! Allow the Lord to continue to minister to you about your upcoming transitions to greater increase and multiplication. Set your foundation on God, for He is the Master Builder. He is preparing your temple, correcting, aligning and repositioning things in your life for a season of victory! 

God is building divine relationships and making new alignments so that acceleration can take place and you can enter the new territories He has for you in 2021. I see streams that will quickly bring you to your purpose and destiny. Are you ready for what is coming? 

Every blessing I have ever received is because I practiced giving God my first fruits (praying, fasting and financial giving) at the beginning of each year. You have to have your heart right, you have to be consecrated in prayer and fasting, you have to offer the Lord your heart and your financial first fruits, to remain in the right place. These acts lead to a strong and correctly laid foundation. Will you build a strong foundation? Remember, when the root is holy, the branches are holy. When the first fruit is holy, the lump is also holy (Romans 11:16). 

God wants our first of everything, and everything else grows from that point. When we see and understand this, we come to know that God is building a foundation in us. Are you sensing that God wants to start establishing new relationships for you? Know this! The Lord is giving you a divine set up. Just begin to move into those places.

Acceleration is coming. God has strong relationships that will help establish your destiny. As God properly positions you, you will begin to see a major acceleration. God is connecting you with people, divine alignments, and giving you new territories. The Lord showed me that many of these new alignments aren’t temporary; they are structured, permanent alignments from Him. Some of these will come in 2021 and carry you almost to the end of the decade. 

New territories are before you. God is setting you up for new things! You will be able to advance in the giftings that He has given you. You are set up to complete the project for every Kingdom assignment that God has given you and each mantle that you are carrying for Him.

We are called to serve God and be faithful in all things. In Luke 6:47-49 Jesus says, “Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”

Acceleration is yours in 2021! God is setting you straight for 2021. He is giving you a new and fresh vision and a strategy for this year and beyond. I declare over you that you are blessed to be a blessing. You continue to bless Him with your increase, and He will continue to give you more. You are trustworthy. You are honest. You are loyal. You are positioning yourself in great character to carry the capacity. Great things are coming to you. God is going to take you to the next level!


Join your faith with Him in February. If you have not started consecrating yourself with praying, fasting and giving, then start now. It is never too late to connect with God in our hearts. Let Him align everything – spirit, soul and body. When you position yourself to live an overcoming life with Him, you are set on the right course. God needs you on His team. He needs you to be strong. Your transition begins today.