Last year, as the whole world’s attention was focused on American politics, the Lord impressed upon me not to get distracted by it all and that I had to stay with my assignment. Then a few weeks ago, as I was having a shower before church, Holy spirit started to talk to me about smoke and mirrors. I am going to unpack further what I believe is a word for us for 2021.
Let’s talk about smoke, or smoke screens, to be more specific. In Exodus 19:18 we read that Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord descended on it to speak to Moses. It was a barricade between the Lord and the people down below. In Revelation 15:8 it’s prophesied that the temple of God will be filled “with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished”. Smoke is used to obscure from vision that which one person doesn’t want another person to see.
Smoke is still being used, in situations of active combat, to screen the movement of an army from its enemies. Whereas smoke screens were originally used to hide movement from enemies’ line of sight, modern technology means that they are now also available in new forms; they can screen in the infrared as well as visible spectrum of light to prevent detection by infrared sensors or viewers, and they are also available for vehicles in a super-dense form used to block laser beams of enemy target designators or range finders.
Smoke screen are used by the infantry and well as the navy and it is said that the first naval use was proposed by Sir Thomas Cochrane in 1812, although Cochrane’s proposal was as much intended to be an asphyxiant as an obscurant. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoke_screen)
This brings me to the prophetic application for us. We are in active combat (or suppose to be) and although we have an enemy, as the Bible points out clearly, we cannot forget that we an enemy too. We are supposed to be an active force fighting against the powers of darkness.
Ephesians 6: 10 – 18 reminds us that we are called and thoroughly equipped to fight the good fight.
10 Now my beloved ones, I have saved these most important truths for last: Be supernaturally infused with strength through your life-union with the Lord Jesus. Stand victorious with the force of his explosive power flowing in and through you.11 Put on God’s complete set of armourprovided for us, so that you will be protected as you fight against the evil strategies of the accuser! 12 Your hand-to-hand combat is not with human beings, but with the highest principalities and authorities operating in rebellion under the heavenly realms. For they are a powerful class of demon-gods and evil spirits that hold this dark world in bondage. 13 Because of this, you must wear all the armour that God provides so you’re protected as you confront the slanderer, for you are destined for all things and will rise victorious.14 Put on truth as a belt to strengthen you to stand in triumph. Put on holiness as the protective armour that covers your heart. 15 Stand on your feet alert, then you’ll always be ready to share the blessings of peace.16 In every battle, take faith as your wrap-around shield, for it is able to extinguish the blazing arrows coming at you from the Evil One! 17–18 Embrace the power of salvation’s full deliverance, like a helmet to protect your thoughts from lies. And take the mighty razor-sharp Spirit-sword of the spoken Word of God. (TPT)
As a company of intrepid, radical firebrands are rising meteorically, our enemy is hard at word creating smokescreens to conceal his movements and to distract us from the truth. I believe that this year we will need more discernment than ever, coupled with Godly revelation and wisdom in order to see what the enemy does not want us to see. We will need to step away from what we see with our natural eyes, we will have to subdue our emotions and we will have to lay down the wisdom of men in order to see into the smoke and discern what’s really behind it all. Now, more than ever, we need to pay attention to our “gut feelings”, the still quiet voice of Holy Spirit and the dreams we dream. When something feels “off” wait, pray and follow the peace of the Lord. The enemy is using various methods to try and stop the people of God from seeing in the spirit but greater is He in us than He who’s in the world. We are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus.
This brings me to the mirrors. James 1: 23 – 27 (TPT) reads:
23 If you listen to the Word and don’t live out the message you hear, you become like the person who looks in the mirror of the Word to discover the reflection of his face in the beginning 24 You perceive how God sees you in the mirror of the Word, but then you go out and forget your divine origin. 25 But those who set their gaze deeply into the perfecting law of liberty are fascinated by and respond to the truth they hear and are strengthened by it—they experience God’s blessing in all that they do! 26 If someone believes they have a relationship with God but fails to guard his words then his heart is drifting away and his religion is shallow and empty. 27 True spirituality that is pure in the eyes of our Father God is to make a difference in the lives of the orphans, and widows in their troubles, and to refuse to be corrupted by the world’s values.
This year, many situations will arise that will look like smokescreens or enemy attack, but will in fact be mirrors held up to our faces by the Lord, to allow us to see what He sees. It will be painful and confronting, but it is His grace and mercy shown to us to perfect us and make us into the spotless bride Jesus suffered for. Our holiness, our Christlikeness and our purity are of utmost importance. Now, more than ever we need to embrace the Word as a mirror so that we can discern God’s perfect will for us…to be like His Son. We need to appreciate our fellowship and unity with other believers, as often they are the instruments (mirrors) used by the Lord to inform us, to guide and encourage us and to sharpen us as iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17). We need to remind ourselves of who we are, as many of us have lost their true identity. We need mirrors so that we can see and remember who we are and what we’ve been called for. It’s time to shake off the dust and to advance!
May the Lord bless us, and keep us. May the Lord make His face to shine on us and may He be gracious to us. May the Lord turn His face to us, and give us peace.