Your Year Of Celebrations 2023

Foreword

 There is something interesting that the word of God says.

You find it in

Psalm 119:89-91 KJV

“Forever, O LORD, Thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: Thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. They continue this day according to thine ordinances: For all are thy servants.”

This show you that the word of God is not time bound. It is established in heaven forever. It is the one that runs the entire Universe. It works all the time it is received and provoked by faith. I assure you the Word of God you will encounter in this book will work for you.

In addition, we are told that when the word of God enters, there is light (Revelation).

Psalm 119:125, 130 KJV

“The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.”

Therefore, know that the moment you receive a revelation out of the word you experience freedom.

Shalom.

Fred Okwir

VCCMI Media.

 

Your Year Of Celebrations 2023

Introduction:

God is a God who knows the end from the beginning; therefore, he is a God who holds the future (Isaiah 46:10). He is a God of history and the God who is active in current affairs. There is no need for us to worry about the near or distant future. The wise thing to do is to go to him in prayer and ask him to reveal to us what he says about the future both for us as individuals and nations.

That is the basis for my delivery of the prophetic word towards the end of every year. This normally follows a period of fasting and prayer.
Understanding a prophetic word requires revelation.

Matt 16:15-17 KJV
“And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.”

Many prophesies were spoken about Jesus, as the Messiah but even when he came many did not recognize him. They needed a revelation.

Eph 1:16-17 NIV
16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.
17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

Revelation from God will enable us see what God is telling us through prophesy and his wisdom enables us to know what to do with the revelation.

What is Celebration?
Celebration is a festivity or ceremony for marking or honouring a significant day or event.

A year of celebration is a year full of significant events and days associated with great things happening in our lives, families and nations by the doings of God, thus the celebrations.

That is what the year 2023 holds for those who will take this prophetic word.

Purpose of Prophesy

a. Prophesy testifies about Jesus:

Rev 19:10 KJV
And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesy.

The power behind every prophetic word is the testimony about Jesus. Therefore, every true prophetic word should bring glory to the Lord Jesus.

b. Prophesy brings about speedy deliverance and sustenance:

Hos 12:13 KJV
And by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.

c. Prophesy Guarantees positive change:

Jos 21:45 NIV
Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; everyone was fulfilled.

d. Prophesy is God’s vehicle for Initiating His sovereign Will in nations.

Is 46:10-11 NLT
10 Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.
11 I will call a swift bird of prey from the east a leader from a distant land to come and do my bidding. I have said what I would do, and I will do it.

 

The Prophetic Word

Text: 2 Cor 2:12-14 NLT
12 When I came to the city of Troas to preach the Good News of Christ, the Lord opened a door of opportunity for me.
13 But I had no peace of mind because my dear brother Titus hadn’t yet arrived with a report from you. So I said good-bye and went on to Macedonia to find him.
14 But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.

2 Cor 2:14 ERV
14 “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in victory through Christ. God uses us to spread his knowledge everywhere like a sweet smelling perfume.

In this passage, Apostle Paul came to the city of Troas where God opened a door for him to preach the gospel, a call that he had sold his life for, but something went wrong with his arrangements.

His co-worker Titus did not show up in Troas as planned. Paul had sent him to the church in Corinth where he had planned to go after Titus has gone and put right what had gone wrong in that church (2 Cor 8:16-24). He needed a report from the Corinthian church through Titus before he could go back there. Paul who would rarely leave behind a God given opportunity to preach the gospel and nurture new converts lost peace and left Troas.
He proceeded to Macedonia in frustration where he hoped to find Titus.

What really happened to Paul in Troas? Apostle Paul got frustrated. Nothing was working. Frustration is a real force in the lives of people. It prevents progress and fights fulfilment. It is the job of frustration to abort good plans. Frustration can work with or without people. There is a spirit behind frustration. It fights individuals, communities and even nations. That is why some communities develop and others do not, even when exposed to the same favorable factors. Apostle Paul had an encounter with frustration concerning his missionary work in Corinth and in Troas.

There was no guarantee for Apostle Paul that frustration would not continue to follow him in Macedonia and wherever else he went.
The situation looked bleak. Then all of a sudden in verse 14, everything changed. His tone went from that of frustration to that of celebration.

It was nothing but a revelation for Paul’s attitude to change like that. Paul saw the Light. He saw the Rock from which he was hewed. He is like someone who had struggled with a problem for long and then suddenly sees the way out which had been there all along and exclaims saying “what have I done to myself! The answer is right here under my nose! How could have I missed this.” Paul shouted that answer in verse 14: “14 “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in victory through Christ.” ERV
NLT puts it this way: 14 But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession.

The way out of frustration that Apostle Paul saw is Jesus. Hallelujah! He is the Master Key Paul needed to come out of his frustrations.
Servant of God, It is not enough for God to call you. His call does not guarantee success. It is not enough for God to open a door of opportunity for you. It’s not enough for you to have all the money you need. You need to be free to accomplish what God has ordained you to do.

The passage quoted above has an interesting background story to it. Apostle Paul uses what was the practice of the day to make his point clear. It was about how a victorious Roman General was accorded the highest honour for defeating the enemies of Rome. The celebration involved a ceremony in which the victorious General would march his soldiers and the captured enemies through the street in triumph as they burn incense to their gods so that those who line the streets in celebration can both see victory (the captured prisoners brought as slaves to serve Rome) and smell it through the perfume.

Apostle Paul took this scene and turned it round figuratively to show how Jesus Christ captured us from the hands of the enemy Satan and always displayed us as his prisoners in his victory parade to serve in his Kingdom.

What he is saying here is that through Jesus Christ, God is able to lead us from victory to victory, from celebration to celebration until all that he has called us to do is accomplished. This is accomplished through the preaching of the gospel, which is the perfume that changes people’s lives wherever it is preached and received.

Beloved of God, there are 5 things God is dealing with to enable you enter the greatest season of celebration you have ever known, the Year 2023:

1. Frustrations
Your call is clear, God has opened doors for you, opportunities are there, but your efforts are being frustrated. Something is not adding up. You expect to do so much but you see no progress. You lay your hand on a project but you have made no progress. You have helpers but they are restrained from helping you.

I have good news for you! Something is changing for you. God has released a grace to usher you into 2023 where things will be different for you. God is frustrating frustration from your life!
Your ministry, business, job, etc. will be different. You will begin to see progress.

At the continental level, I see change coming to Africa. Something is brooding at the northern edge of Africa. A light is breaking forth. Morocco, Algeria and Libya will see Shimmering light. Africa is beginning to emerge out of frustration! I see the spirit of patriotism sweeping across Africa. Leaders with genuine love for their people and nation rising up to serve. I see Cyruses emerging from within the continent (Is 45:1). The awaited season of emergence has come. I see the late President Magufuli type of leaders emerging from different corners of Africa. I see the beginning of the end of economic siege of Africa by negative forces.

I see showers of blessing drizzling over the nation of Kenya. I hear in my spirit God is saying Uganda is taking a lead kin peace building even as the church in Uganda should prepare to take the gospel of peace to the nations!

I see the clouds of war that has been hanging over DRC being blown away. I see the beginning of the rise of E. Africa as a great giant. Things are becoming better because God has an agenda. Africa you are rising out of the darkness that has been cast over you! It is time for you to unite and develop in order for you to impact the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ! God is getting narrow-minded leaders out of the way! Money must come into the hands of the common man for the gospel to go out of Africa with ease.

At the global level I see God reigning the spirit of confusion to order. I see a global economic relief after the devastation of COVID 19 pandemic. Glory to God.

2. The Power Of Sin
There is grace for those who have been trapped in cages of sin to come out. Whoever call upon the name of the Lord shall be delivered (Acts 2:21).

This is the season to come out of the epidemic of pornography, which messes up with the mind. For the word of God says; “I will set before my eyes no vile thing…” (Ps 101:3). It is to break free from all manner of sinful and destructive addictions. You can come out of alcohol, drugs etc.

Rom 7:21-25 NLT
21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart.
23 But there is another power* within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?
25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

3. Mountains of Opposition
I see God dealing with mountains of opposition in your life for you to progress. God will flatten the mountains before you. Compare the two versions of scripture below for a better appreciation.

Zech 4:7 Message
7 ‘So, big mountain, who do you think you are? Next to Zerubbabel you’re nothing but a molehill. He’ll proceed to set the Cornerstone in place, accompanied by cheers: Yes! Yes! Do it!’”

Zech 4:7 KJV
7 Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.

2023 will be a great year for those who have running projects or want to start one including building projects. Take the grace that flattens mountains of opposition in Jesus name!

Before we look at the fourth and fifth thing God is dealing with in 2023, let’s look at biblical numerology and number 23, which constitutes the year 2023:

The number 23 is a very interesting number in biblical numerology.
It is connected to God being with his people. Look at the passages below:
• Ex 23:23 My angel will go before you.
• 1 Sam 23:23 I will go with you.
• Matt 1:23 You will call him Immanuel, GOD WITH US.
• Then we have Psalms 23 the most popular of all Psalms. It begins with:

“The Lord is my Shepherd…” It speaks of:
Protection, Guidance, Refreshment, Abundant blessings and Promise of Eternal life.

4. The Power Of Death
I see God breaking the power of premature death in your life. You will not die by the hand of the spirit of death in Jesus name! God is dealing with the cycle of un-natural deaths hanging over your family. Be free from death by cancer, motor accidents, murder, gun shots, poisoning etc. which has run in your family bloodline across generations in Jesus name! Say with David:

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” (Ps 23:4 JVK).

I see God heal the sick to prevent death in the name of Jesus.

5. Unrepentant Enemies
There are people who will never give up the idea of destroying or frustrating your life. I want to assure you that in 2023 they cannot stop you, God has a “treat” for them. He will lay a table of celebration before you in their presence. This time God will frustrate their efforts and bring them to witness that he alone is in charge of your circumstances and life. You will say with David that:
“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over” (Ps 23:5 KJV).

Beloved of God, The Lord is making 2023 the year of your celebrations and one of the most celebrated years in your life. He will lead you from victory to victory and make it the Year of Non-stop Celebrations for you in Jesus name!

Bp. Dr. George Oduch
Senior Pastor and Overseer of Victory Church of Christ Ministries International Kampala.
Contact: +256772465293,
E-mail: georgeoduch7@gmail.com