Which season is the third season? It’s the third hour, day, week, month, year, experience. It relates also to the third child, job, residence, leader, and so on. Every ‘third’ is in it. Here are ten things I found about the third season.
1. THE DEFINING SEASON
The things that happen in the third season determine the course of the future. Jesus is the third after Abraham and David (Matthew 1:1). The Holy Spirit is the third member of the Godhead.
2. THE SEASON OF CHANGE IN FOCUS
The season of the third is for a shift in attention. On the third day of creation, attention shifted from the waters and darkness to the earth that had no place until that day. In ‘the third week’ of this century, focus and attention is going to shift from the west.
3. SEASON OF THE LAST BATTLE AGAINST OPPRESSION
On the third day of creation, God gathered the waters under the firmament (heaven) together and commanded dry ground to appear. the battle against the waters began on the second day with the creation of the firmament. On the third day, the waters were gathered together, named, and given boundaries. The proud and oppressor cannot go beyond the third season. The powers that have dominated the scene are about to give way; and they will give way in ‘the third week’.
4. SEASON OF VICTORY
The battle against the waters was in favor of the earth. The earth had been under the waters from the beginning; but on the third day, it gained victory, freedom, and independence. The season of the third is for lifting off heavy burdens. The burden of waters on the earth was lifted on the third day. The season of the third is season of victory for the oppressed.
5. SEASON OF EXPOSURE, DISCOVERY, OR MANIFESTATION
The season of the third is for manifestation. That was when the earth (dry ground) appeared. God did not say, “let there be dry ground” because the ground was already there. What He said was, “let dry ground appear”. The third is when the hidden and obscure are made manifest. This is the season and hour of the hidden and obscure – nations, cities, organizations, institutions, communities, ministries, families, and individuals.
6. SEASON OF RELEASE OR FREEDOM
The season of the third is for birthing. The earth was ‘born’ on the third day of creation. The earth also gave birth, brought forth vegetation, on the third day. The waters gave way for the earth; and the earth, in turn, made way for seeds hidden within her. The season of the third is when you are expected to manifest and bring forth what you have, hidden, in you. Every century manifests itself and brings forth in the season of ‘the third week’. The first two weeks are preparatory seasons. This is the season for the 21st century to bring forth. The season of the third is the season of new life! That is when things that had been buried are raised to new life.
7. SEASON OF THE EMERGENCE OF SUSTENANCE
The earth is a sustainer; so, the season of the third is when solid hope or sustenance is born. The third week of the twenty-first century is for bringing forth sustenance. After the appearance of the earth, it dominated the scene and became the ‘centerpiece’ of creation. The ruler of all creation was made from the earth. Vegetation, the food and medicine of man and animals was brought forth on the third day. The third week of the 21st century is a season of a multi-dimensional breakthroughs that will bring sustenance, dominate the scene, and shape the future. It is the season of the emergence of sustainers and sustenance.
8. SEASON OF RESPONSIBILITY AND CONTRIBUTION
The season of the third is a time of responsibility and contribution. On the third day of creation, after the earth appeared, she also became God’s first created partner in creation. The earth brought forth vegetation at the command of God. One great purpose of the breakthrough of the third season is contribution.
9. IT IS A SEASON OF TEMPTATION AND TRIAL
The third season is a season to watch carefully. It comes with major temptations. It is a season when you seek or desire assert yourself as it happens to mid-teens and young adults. Abraham’s temptation to take Hagar came within the third seven chapters of Genesis. The temptation and fall of man is recorded in Genesis 3. The trial of the Hebrew young men in Babylon is recorded in the third chapter of Daniel. From our consideration of the third seven chapters of the books of the Bible, we see that the third season is not an easy time for the leadership.
10. IT IS A SEASON FOR THE REVELATION OF IDENTITY AND PURPOSE
Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind.
On third day of creation, God spoke about herbs and trees bringing forth according to their identity or kinds.
ABRAHAM AND SARAH
God gave Abraham and Sarah new identity in the seventeenth chapter of Genesis. Seventeen is third of the third-seven.
“As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her.” (Genesis 17:4-6, 15, 16 NKJV)
MOSES
God called Moses to his identity and purpose in the third chapter of Exodus.
SAMUEL
God called Samuel to his life-work in the third chapter of First Samuel. Samuel rises to take the place of his boss, Eli, the priest.
JOHN THE BAPTIST
The identity of John was revealed to him in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar. The fifteenth is first of the third-seven.
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight. Every valley shall be filled And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough ways smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ” (Luke 3:1-6 NKJV).
JESUS
The spiritual identity of Jesus is revealed in the third chapters of Matthew and Luke.
When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16, 17 NKJV).
When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:21, 22 NKJV)
JESUS: SON OF GOD OR SON OF ADAM
In the gospel according to Matthew, the genealogy of Jesus is given in the first chapter and traced to Abraham. In the gospel according to Luke, the genealogy of Jesus is recorded in the third chapter; right after the declaration of His identity from heaven; and traced to Adam ‘the son of God’.
Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Janna, the son of Joseph, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Semei, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah, the son of Joannas, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er, the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim, the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattathah, the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan, the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God. (Luke 3:23-38 NKJV).
The religious world thinks Adam is the son of God but revealed to Jesus that He is the Son of God. The revelation of identity is a personal word; not a public announcement. Jesus alone heard the voice from heaven, believed what He heard, and lived in light of the revelation. His life made men believe He is the Son of God. God is not going to tell the whole world who you are. He will tell you who you are; and leave you to tell or show the world that you believe God’s word to you.
IDENTITY AND NOMENCLATURE
Define yourself by who you are – not what you do. In the previous prophetic generation believers defined themselves by their gifts, assignments, or offices. We took pride in being called evangelist, pastor, prophet, apostle, bishop, and so on. Your title is not the same as who you are. Your title is what you are called (for whatever reason); but your identity is who you are. Titles are nomenclatures. In the present move of God, the emphasis is not on your work or title but on who we are. We are sons of God. We are the temple and house of God. We are the image of God on earth. The seeds or fruits we bear must be according to our kind. We are God-kind.
YOUR TIME HAS COME!
A move of God is about to break forth from dry ground. This move of God is going to birth productive sustainers – believers who will manifest grace as sons God and expressions of divinity. The products of this move of God will be a people with identity. To produce after your kind, you must be of a kind. You are God-kind.
1. Get prepared and ready for exposure
2. Come out of hiding – take away the garments of shyness and timidity.
3. Begin to look inside – you have so much in you to give others
4. Bring forth what is inside. Do not seek to be given; seek to give.
5. Network with others from your point of strength. You also need others to promote you.
6. Spend time with God in the secret. God is the One that raises the poor out of the dust and lifts the beggar from the dunghill. It is a season of fruitfulness. Women conceive and give birth in secret chambers.
Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. So the evening and the morning were the third day. (Genesis 1:9-13 NKJV).
