“Find the new rhythm” I heard the Lord say when He woke me up early one morning this week. As I sat there in silence His presence filled the room and It felt like He was recalibrating my heart. “What are you doing Lord” I asked. His presence continued just to flood my room and I could almost hear the warm hum of the Glory all around me. I didn’t want to fight it, lose it, miss it, or get busy into my day and move on from that moment.
We can all agree that this has been a significant time of adjustment affecting every area of our lives, so if God is adjusting our rhythm right now, what exactly is it?
Rhytym means:
- a strong, regular repeated pattern of movement or sound.
- a harmonious sequence or correlation of colours or elements.
- Rhythm is a regular pattern of change
- Comes from French rhythme , or via Latin from Greek rhuthmos (related to rhein ‘to flow)
In music, rhythm is that component that makes us move, or even just tap the foot when we listen to a song and as we do we become in sync and in perfect synergy with the song. Waves have a rhythm, the rain has a rhythm, even we have a rhythm! Our biological rhythms determine our sleeping cycles, eating habits, and even the way we process and see the world. In the same way, we are designed to live in synergy with the Holy Spirit and as we FLOW with Him we become in step with his ways, his plans, and we flourish!
Holy Spirit is moving in a new way and He has been inviting us to join in the rhythm of His heart. Have you felt it? When we don’t move with Him that’s when things feel hard, tedious, or even impossible.
THE NEW NORM
As I was asking the Lord what this new rhythm looks like I was led to this scripture.
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30
Is it possible that we have been built our lives around old rhythms, mentalities, idols, earthly dreams, goals, and values that aren’t current with heaven? I can see how both corporately and personally God is redefining our norms and shattering molds we have elevated and worshipped that have actually been inhibitors to moving into the next season and experiencing this move of God in its fullness.
God is removing heavy yokes that have been on you that have been weighing you down, breaking unhealthy ties and expectations, and ending cycles that have had you constantly running around the mountain but never seeing the fruit of your sacrifice.
The new norm God is establishing is already reforming the church in radical ways but personally, it's also a choice, a daily yielding to HIS might and HIS power above what we can orchestrate. The new norm is the fruit of rest and God is giving you permission to let go of the wheel and let him take you where you need to go. It’s not laziness, it’s a trust. It's not a forfeit of destiny, it’s a new partnership with heaven. It’s not a hanging up of the jacket, it’s accepting a whole new mantle.
SLAY THE OXEN
Last week I woke to hearing the Holy Spirit say “Slay the oxen!”. I was instantly reminded of the story In 1 Kings 19 where God tells Elijah to anoint and commission Elisha as prophet to succeed him. When Elijah finds Elisha he is plowing a field and Elijah threw his mantle upon Elisha. Elisha then slays his oxen and burns his plowing equipment. This story is such a prophetic significance for right now because God is commissioning us with new mantles that carry new assignments.
As God mantles you it initiates the ending of an old way of operation and what you did and lived for before is now upgraded or completely changes altogether. Elisha slayed the oxen and burnt the plow as a finality to an old season and activity. When God throws His jacket on you it’s not always noticeable except that suddenly things begin to end around that were connected to the old assignment. Sometimes relationships, doors, and even graces and functions change.
God is also “slaying the oxen” in your life right now. The obstacles, roadblocks, wounds and trauma, addictions, and demonic assignments that have warred against your destiny. It’s time to let go of that plow that has been keeping you enslaved and wearing you down.
I prophesy that your oxen are being slayed and you are being mantled for the new day!
FOLLOW THE FLOW
So how do you follow the flow and get into the new rhythm in this season? Let these practical keys and thoughts help you;
- Are you flowing? Meaning are you in overflow or in depletion? Are rivers of living water flowing out of you or have you been experiencing the burnout and the signs of an empty barrel? Fill your tank again. Rest up, fill up, and get in the flow so you can flow again.
- Are your activities the activities God has asked of you? Are your goals God’s goals? If you don’t know, ask him. Stocktake your priorities. What has the ease of the Holy Spirit on it and what doesn’t? Now remove, add, and adjust.
- What direction are you heading in? What is your vision? Do you need a vision-refresh? Are you still lost in the vision of last year or 5 years ago that no longer applies or has any grace on it? Are you beating a dead horse over and over? Move on, let go, and get new vision and DREAM again!
- Who is your company? Who is joining you for the journey? Are they apathetic and disillusioned, hopeless, and defeated? It may be time for a new people who are flowing with you. Be surrounded by people who are willing to get low to flow.
- Are you resisting the very thing that God is bringing to increase you through? Are you seeing what is transition as recession? Are you “kicking up against the goads” when God wants to add to you and even promote you?
- There is new language in this season. God is wanting to speak to you in ways you haven’t heard him in and is releasing revelation that is fresh off the printing press of heaven. Are you living in language of yesterday or pressing into the new themes and conversation of heaven?
Let the new song and sound in you come forth in this season as you step in sync with the Fathers heart. From that place there will be an effortless flow that will catapult you and cause you to see what you have been dreaming with God about.