Last year, around this time, I was at a conference and I had a booth there to sell prints of my art. During the meetings, I was working on a painting in my booth. The painting was called, “Breakthrough.” No one knew, except those I told, because I would just hide it when the people were in the vendor area.
At this conference, I kept getting words that God was “promoting” me. I remember saying to one of them, in the prophetic room, “oh…that just means I am going lower.” If pride comes before a fall…humbling comes before a promotion. Someone gave me a book, after that, and when I opened it, I saw the title of a chapter, “Testing Comes before Promotion.” I knew God was speaking to me.
One of the days of the conference, a fellow vendor gave me a box…she said she had made it a while ago, but felt led to give it to me. When I opened it, I was surprised to find a handmade hammered bracelet with the word “Breakthrough” on it. It was confirmation for me. I told her about the painting and she was encouraged, but she said, “I feel like you are going to have your own personal breakthrough too.”
Last year, I went through such a sifting, I wondered if I would survive it. It came in two waves, the first was horrible…it started right after that conference, I literaly just begged God to let me go home. But, I finally came out of it in February or so. I was so happy, and started painting like crazy…but then the Lord told me in April “a fire was coming” and not to be afraid of it…it was Him, it would take me deeper and higher. He was not kidding…the fire came. It brought with it…such a despair. Such hopelessness.
But I did get free, one day in my quiet time, and after it left, a couple of weeks later, I woke up and smelled a fire, a wood fire with meat on it in my bedroom. It left, but was still in my arms and hands… I knew God was speaking to me. He was purifying my ministry. A couple of days later, I went to spend time with the Lord, and felt led to read my journal, and I came across the “fire” entry, that I had forgotten all about…lol.
I asked a sister to pray for me, before the despair had lifted, and she ended up calling. Her pastor and husband were there, and they all prayed for me. The pastor kept talking to me about doors that were going to open for me. And the keys of David. I did not know what that meant, but did some research. After that, I heard God speak to me, “It will cost you everything.” I did not know what He was speaking about, so He gave me a vision. In the vision He said He wanted to give me the keys to Heaven, but they would cost me everything. ( read about it here: https://christinecouncilblog.wordpress.com/2013/07/21/keys-to-the-kingdom/ )
And sure enough, after the despair left, I started getting doors opening to me, from so many, to come and speak. I have never been a speaker before in my life…but I was being asked to do it. Then I was invited to go across the USA, and my trip was paid for. Something that has also never happened before. And then recently, I was invited to be on an internationally aired TV show.
So, I found the box from my “Breakthrough” bracelet the other day, and saw that there was a business card in it. When I took it out, I realized she had put a scripture on it, along with the word “Breakthrough.” I have been busy working on my own jewelry, and I just had the thought to look the scripture up…and to my surprise, it is the same thing Jesus spoke to me recently, when I had that vision of Him.
Coincidence? I don’t think so…
And just now, when I went to find the photo to add, turns out it was taken the EXACT same date last year. 10/6/12 So that means that is when she gave it to me too.
This was the scripture.
Matt 16:19 I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven; what you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and what you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”
Eyes2See 