TODAY’S PROPHETIC NUMBER – 8/19/2023
John 8:19 – Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.”
Before Jesus, the Jews had never thought of God Almighty as a father, let alone a good father. But Jesus came to display the heart of the Father–gentle, generous and always kind. Not just nice, because that requires falsehood and pretending, but He is truly kind, which speaks truth in love. You can rest in His care because God is a good Father all the time.
Declaration: I have a kind Father and a rich inheritance for the Kingdom.
HOOK, LINE AND SINKER
I was a very young man when Pastor Howard Richardson called me by name at a tent meeting in Grand Prairie, Texas. He had been praising and seeking the Lord, then said the words I will never forget.
“Troy,” he said, “when I see you, the Lord shows me something really off-the-wall. I see you catching a great big fish somewhere and when you catch it, the Lord is saying it’s a sign that your ministry is not going to be a little bitty ministry, but a great big ministry.”
That was an off-the-wall word. Months passed and I began to forget the prophecy that would forever shape my life.
At that time, there was a huge perk at the company I worked for–an all-expense paid vacation to Las Hadas, Mexico. For a young couple, it was a real Godsend!
The food was fabulous, the beach beautiful and the accommodations five star. One of the days, they let us pick an activity. We could either go scuba diving or deep sea fishing. Leanna was excited about the fishing, but I was not. My last fishing trip was a 12-hour pukefest, but I agreed. I’m so glad I did.
There were six of us in the boat and the sailfish were biting. The captain said he had never seen anything like it–fish on all six lines! With only one chair, we had to take turns. It took hours and hours and when my turn came, I began reeling and my line snapped. Bummer!
However, my tired bride gladly handed me her pole and I pulled in a 9-foot, 6-inch sailfish.
I never will forget that night as I lay in bed exhausted. We were both almost asleep when Leanna calmly said, “Troy, do you remember the prophecy Howard gave you about catching the big fish?”
I nearly fell out of bed. I came back from Mexico knowing that God had a world-wide mission for us. Our ministry began to take shape and God began to bless Leanna and I, showering us with favor.
While OpenDoor Church and the OpenDoor Food Bank have exploded over the years and are now world-wide, I believe we are just getting started and so are you. What ministry has the Lord put in your heart? Throw your line in today and see what King Jesus has for you to reel in!