8 Keys for Holding Onto Your Prophetic Word During Times of Adversity

You must press through difficult places to reach your destiny.

During this season, many of God’s people are standing in a place of great adversity. But the Lord says that you should not fear or run from it. Rather, you should run into the adversity. If you run into it, you will see a greater power of God released through you­—for this is a day of testing that will open the door to your destiny.

That destiny awaits. However, you must press through difficult places to get to it. Fear attempts to block your passageway. A desire to return to an old place tempts you to retreat. You must keep your focus on the promise of the Lord that can be found only on the other side of the door.

God is looking for covenant partners who are faithful to Him in the midst of difficulty. He wants us to be like the three Hebrew children who were not consumed in the fire and who came through it without the smell of smoke upon them (see Dan. 3:13-30). These are the ones the Lord is empowering in a new way for the next season. To reach the destiny God has for you, you must take several steps. First, war against wrong thoughts. Guard your mind from thoughts of doubt, unbelief, defeat, failure, guilt and condemnation. Let your mind be like a walled city that refuses to allow negative thoughts to penetrate.

Second, resist any temptation toward introspection. Only the Holy Spirit has the right to search the hearts and minds of men. When the Lord is ready to reveal an area of life that needs correction, He will. Do not play the part of the Holy Spirit and search for hidden things in the heart.

Third, war with the Word of the Lord. Let the rhema word, the God-breathed word, found in Scripture be your strength in times of weariness. Remind yourself of the prophetic words that have been spoken to carry you through this tight place.

Fourth, listen for the still, small voice of the Lord on the inside. God gives divine revelation of His will. He is not silent but is ever speaking to encourage His people on toward the victory that He promises.

Fifth, shift to a higher level of faith. Young David fought and defeated both the lion and the bear. When he stood against Goliath, faith to defeat lions and bears was not sufficient. He had to shift to a greater level of faith.

God’s people today are not contending with lions and bears. Goliath is standing in front of us and challenging us. We must receive a new level of faith if we want to see the Goliath blocking our destiny defeated.

Sixth, get in proper alignment. God is aligning His people—putting those together who will stand as one on the day of battle. He is giving discernment about who can go to war together. Not every person will stand faithful to God and faithful to others in battle.

It is imperative to know who you can go to war with. You will discover who your real friends are in the day of difficulty. God not only is calling a people to walk in covenant with Him but also is aligning those who will walk in covenant with one another.

Seventh, during this time of testing, ask the Lord to bring understanding about the place you are in. Ask Him to cause you to be aware that you are in preparation for your destiny.

Finally, refrain from shrinking back in fear. Do not flee from the Lord or from your covenant connections. The promise of the Lord is on the other side of the door. Let God’s strength cause you to press through and arrive at your God-given destiny.

Barbara Wentroble is the founder of International Breakthrough Ministries (international breakthroughministries.org) and the author of several books, including Prophetic Intercession.