Growing In The Dark – Prophetic Encouragement A Word by Naomi Byers

I had a vision on the morning of the 22nd of October 2020 of clumps of fresh, wild mushrooms having sprouted in plush, green grass. The Lord reminded me mushrooms “grow in the dark” and spring up suddenly overnight.

 

I hope to provide you all some encouragement during this time of chaos and difficulty. We have been growing in the dark at a greater rate than we can perceive right now and the promised harvest is just on the horizon. We are almost there!

 

Some facts about mushrooms…

Mushrooms only grow when the conditions are right i.e. wet and humid. They thrive on different nourishment to plants. After all, they are fungi. They are not plants. Mushrooms sprout up in sawdust, grain, straw, wood chips and even dung. Their growth is rapid, even overnight, after a good soaking of rain. Mushroom spores can lie dormant for prolonged periods of time in hostile environments due to their tough spore coat.

 

It’s a new wineskin

I sense prophetically many of us have been in a season of dormancy because the conditions have been “hostile”. That’s possibly the understatement of the year but I’m sure many of you can relate. The Lord has been teaching us to grow under different conditions because it is an era for the new wineskin.

 

“Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.”

 

Matthew 9:17 ESV

 

In the darkness and difficulty, He has been strengthening us in the secret place of prayer and intimacy. Those who have clung to God, even when nothing has made sense, will find they are stronger than ever.

 

Brace for the blessing

I believe the plush, green grass I saw in my vision is a place of flourishing (Ps. 72:16) and an outpouring of the favour of God. We have the King’s favour.

 

The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

Proverbs 19:12 NKJV

 

His wrath is poured out upon the workings of the enemy but His favour is causing us to flourish under trying circumstances.

 

After I saw this vision, the Lord led me to read Psalm 111. 1:11 just jumped off the page at me. So, I took a little stroll through Scripture. I’ve put together the 1:11 passages which are prophesying of a coming blessing. I believe it is why we have felt such heavy discouragement lately. We must be on the verge of a great victory rich with the blessing and favour of God!

 

I’m going to put these verses together (from the NKJV) as a prophetic prayer to activate into this abundant blessing and promise.

 

Let the earth bring forth the grass which yields seed (Gen. 1:11). This seed shall reap a harvest of souls for the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. May the Lord God make us a thousand times more numerous than we are and bless us as He has promised! (Deut. 1:11) We are about to cross the Jordan and possess the promised land! (Josh. 1:11) Because You have remembered us in our affliction, we have consecrated ourselves to You Lord (1 Sam. 1:11). Thank You, Father, You prosper us in this day and give us favour also in the sight of man (Neh. 1:11). There shall be no remembrance of former things which were painful for You have caused us to forget (Ecc. 1:11). From the rising of the sun to its setting, we shall make Your name great to the Gentiles. Yes, we shall lift high the Name of Jesus in all the nations (Mal. 1:11). We receive afresh the spiritual gift of strength and our unique mantles in this season (Rom. 1:11). In You, Jesus, we have an inheritance and are predestined for a purpose. Let Your will be done in our lives (Eph. 1:11). We are filled with the fruits of righteousness through Christ to the glory and praise of God (Phil. 1:11). We are strengthened with all might according to Your glorious power. We are patient and longsuffering and endure with joy (Col. 1:11). Thank You we have been counted worthy of the calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of Your goodness and the work of faith with POWER! (2 Thess. 1:11). For You are the Alpha and Omega, Jesus, the Beginning and the End (Rev. 1:11). Hallelujah and Amen!

 

I want to encourage you today to lift your hopes up. Fix your eyes on Him. He is altogether lovely. Brace yourself for a blessing. You have been growing in the dark…

 

Love and blessings,

 

Naomi Byers