What about 2013?

We were so excited about the sermon on the first Sunday of the year because Pastor Prince would usually share the theme for the year. He would tell us what the Lord showed him for our local church for the year. He said that the themes of previous years like year of restful increase (2010), year of His crowned goodness (2011) and year of unceasing fruitfulness (2012) still hold true for us. However, there is a special emphasis on His theme for that particular year. Just like the feasts in Israel are appointed by the Lord to remember certain events at specific times of the year, so are the purposes of such themes. It simply means that the theme would feature more prominently throughout that year.

We already experienced how the theme for our church came true for our personal lives in previous years. Pastor said the Lord would usually reveal His word for the local churches, which might be different for different churches. But it would prove to be true for that local church. Pastor Prince revealed that the theme for 2013 is the Year of the Key of David. The Lord showed him Revelation 3:8 'He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens.' and Isaiah 22:22 'The key of the house of David I will lay on His shoulder; so He shall open, and no one shall shut; and He shall shut, and no one shall open.' This is not a physical key but a key that opens spiritual doors. Jesus is the One who holds that key.

When I heard this, I was dumbfounded because I had come across so many messages about open doors and Revelation 3:7-8 throughout the whole of 2012. It featured so strongly in my devotionals that I could not even record the number of times it appeared. Now I know that the Lord has been preparing me one year in advance, like He did for 2011 when He showed me that I am like a tree planted by the rivers of water and I bear fruit this season. Little did I know that it was the theme for 2012 and one of the anchor verses for that year. I am so excited to hear about this theme because I really loved open doors!

Pastor said that when God opened the door, suddenly we just stepped into a brand new world. It is simply a transfer of location like how we just stepped into the Star. We still cannot believe that we are now worshipping in the Star! But when He does not open that door, it means that the time has not come yet. Or sometimes it is the wrong door and God has shut it for our benefit. There is no use forcing through that door because if He does not open it, no one could open it. But when God opens the door...hallelujah! Everything just moved so fast...especially for those things that were in inertia for a long time. Everything just fell into place effortlessly! It is really a breakthrough!

But of course, with open doors, Pastor also said that there would be adversaries. In 1 Cor 16:9, Apostle Paul said 'A great and effective door has been opened to me but there are many adversaries.' When you are doing God's work, there is bound to be persecutions, resistance, critics, naysayers to oppose you. But Jesus has given us victory over our adversaries and we do not have to be afraid! Pastor prayed for God to deliver us from testings and trials but for those that God allowed, he said the purpose is to strengthen our faith and make us stronger.

Pastor also shared something that I did not expect. In the past two years, he has already been talking about the fertility anointing, fruitfulness in childbearing and that those couples praying for children will receive their miracle babies in that year. So I did not expect the topic on childbearing to come out again in this year's theme. But to my surprise, not only was this area mentioned, it seemed to play a significant role in this year's theme. So much so that Pastor initially wanted to say this is the year of open wombs! Because the Lord told him that this is a year of open wombs and many babies would be born this year. Pastor said that in 2013, those couples who had been trying for years will conceive and give birth this year. Amen! Heng and I received it by faith! We believe the Lord is speaking to us!

The verse Genesis 30:22 'God remembered Rachel and opened her womb' was shared by Pastor. This verse struck a note in my spirit. For years I have been asking the Lord to remember me and open the door to my pregnancy. I knew the womb is likened to a door and God can open or close it. It is a door where His champions enter into this world. I was very happy to receive this word because I can hear the Lord telling me that He remembered me and He is going to open the door of my womb! And when He opens the door, no one can shut it. No one means no demons, no angels, not even myself! Praise Jesus!

It is interesting that even though Pastor has been preaching about fertility and conception in the past two years, it seemed to me that this year, the word about open wombs is the most prominent out of all three themes. It also means that His fertility anointing is the strongest this year. God is so good to me. This desire of having another baby has been one of my three wishes since 2010. Yet at the end of every year, when I hear testimonies of how others received their miracle babies, I somehow felt that I was left out of His blessing in this area. But I thought it cannot be...God will never leave me behind. And so for the past 3 years, I kept holding on to His word that I will conceive and give birth to another baby.

But as the years went by and nothing happened, I was really tempted to give up hoping and believing that what God said would come true for me. I would be so excited at the beginning of each year to hear His word about conceiving and giving birth but at the end of the year when my pregnancy has not yet manifested...I would be a little disappointed. But God never forgot His promise to me all these years. I did not expect childbearing to be featured in this year's theme but it did! God is still saying to me...it's not the end yet! This year He would cause this promise to come to pass and I will surely be carrying my baby in my arms sometime this year! It will be a year of open womb and open doors for me! There will be new life in this family this year! Praise Jesus!