Larry Sparks: "Prophetic Word for 2017: Spiritual Growth through the Promises of God!"

On behalf of Destiny Image, I want to wish you a happy and richly blessed New Year!

It has been an amazing year and I consider it a great honor to serve you in helping steward the message that the Lord has entrusted to you.Destiny Image was birthed in 1983 to “publish the prophets.” This is a mandate I never want us to stray from, since Holy Spirit is ever speaking and ever searching for those He can entrust His words to. Simply put, I believe Heaven is simply looking for those on Earth who are listening and willing to say “Yes” to what the Spirit is saying.

Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Rev. 2:29, NIV)

As we transition into 2017, it gives me great joy to continue collaborating with our wonderful family of authors, while also identifying those new, emerging voices who are carrying the word of the Lord to this generation.

A New Year’s Reflection—Formed by the Promises of God

Moving into a brand new year, 2017, I simply ask for you to consider something unusual, yet very encouraging. I strongly sense that in the season to come, the Lord is going to expand our understanding and expression of spiritual formation.Recently, I’ve been gleaning a great deal from authors such as Dallas Willard, Richard Foster, N.T. Wright, John Ortberg, and others. Willard and Foster, especially, are considered to be some contemporary pioneers of spiritual formation. They have simply helped resurface some of the ancient disciplines of the Christian faith: hearing God’s voice, prayer, meditation, fasting, worship solitude, etc. I sense the Lord might be expanding our understanding of how we mature and develop into the image of Christ through this spiritual formation process.

So I present this passage of Scripture for your consideration:

And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. (2 Peter 1:4-5, NLT)

Could it be that, in the next season, our concept of spiritual growth, development, transformation and conformation into the image of Jesus is going to be enriched through a new revelation of… promises?It’s not about receiving a promise from God and “running with it,” just to get my healing, my breakthrough, my blessing—although I believe healings, breakthroughs and blessings actually play a vital role in spiritual growth. It will be in the process of receiving and stewarding these great and precious promises that will further develop us into the image of the Promiser.

Could it be that the Lord is looking for those with the attitude of Mary, the mother of Jesus, the one who could not comfortably wrap her understanding around the promise she received, but nevertheless, said “Yes” and carried it through to fulfillment?

Could it be the Lord is looking for those with the spiritual grit of Joseph, who received a promise, experienced intense seasons of contradiction and opposition, and yet, carried the promise to fulfillment?

Could it be the Lord is looking for those with the obedience of Abraham, who received a promise and said “Yes,” even though he had no clue where he was going, or what the end result would look like?

These three individuals, along with the countless others throughout Scripture and history, were spiritually formed by the promises they received.

An Invitation to You

I want to encourage you to be expectant and postured to receive fresh promises from the Lord this season.

I sense that He wants to connect people with new promises, while also, breathing Holy Spirit life upon promises that we might have given up on… promises that Heaven never said “no” to.What do we do? I love Peter’s encouragement to us—In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. (2 Peter 1:5, NLT)

Promises summon us into action.They call is into agreement and partnership.They await a response.With that, I pray that in 2017 and the years to come, you’d enjoy new dimensions of spiritual formation by receiving and responding to the Father’s exceedingly great and precious promises!