Last night as the clock struck midnight, another year ended. It was the close of a decade, the close of a century, and the close of a millinum.

2012 was the end of a chapter in our lives that cannot be duplicated or replicated again...Today, 2013 we mark the turn of a New Year. This year promises to be a time of change and challenges. It is a year of new beginnings, a fresh start and a clean slate. We will experience a paradigm shift into a season of supernatural authority, power, signs and wonders and miracles.

Are you expecting to experience the hand of God this year in your life on a magnitude you have not seen? If your answer is yes, all I can say is - get ready, get ready, and get ready, for a Supernatural Awakening – the new thing in 2013. We have not seen anything yet. “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the good things God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1Corinthians 2:9)

Jeremiah 29:11 speaks of a loving God that gives His children hope in the most adverse situations... “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord; Plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Today is the beginning for the rest of our lives. What we do with the 365 days, 8,760 minutes in the year can make an impact in eternity. It’s not over, it’s not finished, and it’s only the beginning.

We have entered a kairos time; therefore we cannot afford to miss God’s Timing for our Life. When God brings a shift, we must be ready to shift with Him.

1 Chronicles 12:32 speaks of the SONS OF ISSACHAR. They understood the times and knew what Israel should do...all their brethren were at their command. To summarize, the Issachar anointing understands the timing of God, the government of God, carries the burden of the Lord, and releases the blessings of God into the earth realm at the intersection or crossroads of every season. What season are you in? I encourage you to draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you.

This is a time where our attitude will determine our altitude – whether this will be a year of Victory or defeat.

New Year’s resolutions and promises are often made at the beginning of the year. What promises have you made to God and what promises has He made to you? (2 Corinthians 1:20) “For all the promises of God in Him are yes, and in Him Amen to the Glory of God through us.”

The Bible is filled with the word - new... In fact, the word new fills the promises of God. New mercies, New life, New hope, New body, New mind, New age, New strength, New heaven, new earth and New Jerusalem.

Isaiah 43:18-19 also speaks of the New Thing. "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”

Before you can go anywhere in your year of new beginnings, you must be willing to surrender and let the Lord have His way in your life.

There are four things that keep us from experiencing the new thing God has for us?

1.) Fear: We are afraid of what we don't know or don't understand

2.) Selfishness: We want what we want and forget everyone else including Jesus

3.) Sin: We like our pet sins too much to let them go to gain more of what Jesus has for us

4.) Disobedience: Which is a sin

God gives us a gentle reminder that we have to put the past behind us, repent and embrace the new. When God closes one door He opens another. If we are not watchful and prayerful we will get so fixated on the door that God has closed that we never walk through the new door that he has opened.

You might have missed the door of opportunity last year; you might have entered this year with a broken heart, from broken promises, dormant dreams and visions. I am here to encourage you, it’s not over, it’s not finished, it is only a new beginning, if God is in it all things are possible.

I am a living witness. Many times God Himself has held the door of opportunity, the door of ministry open until I could get there. Oh, it’s not over, it’s not finished, if God is in it, it is only the beginning.

Jesus wants to do something new in your life in 2013. The question that remains is this: will you let Him? If there ever was a day to evaluate one's life, this is that day.

In the eleventh chapter of the Book of Deuteronomy Moses gave some instructions to the Children of Israel prior to their entering the Promised Land. In verses 10- 11 he said to them “For the land which you go to possess is not like the land of Egypt from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and watered it by foot as a vegetable garden but the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys which drinks water from the rain of Heaven.”

Moses told them the land would be a land of “hills and valleys.” I think that is a good description also of a New Year. The New Year we have just entered into will be a year of “hills and valleys” for us also. That is a par for the course.

Sometimes the Lord even allows mountains in our lives so we can exercise our faith – we must speak to it and cast it into the depth of the sea. There is nowhere else you can hide a mountain but in a sea.

I speak over that mountain in your life that seems to not want to move. You have prayed, you have cried, you have fasted, and the mountain is still there. I come in agreement with your faith – there is power in agreement. (Matthew 18:18-19)

You will never be able to move forward until you let go of the past. Maybe your past has been amazing, Maybe your past has not been so good.

Jesus died to set you free from all bondage and that includes your past. Jesus wants you to experience the new things He has waiting for you in 2013.

The first occurrence of the number thirteen in the Bible is found in Genesis 14:4, where it signifies a time of rebellion: Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but the thirteenth year they rebelled.

Although the number thirteen is interpreted as the number of rebellion, backsliding and apostasy. However the Church of the Living God, the Church that God established is alive and well, the Church that Jesus proclaimed to Peter “Upon this rock I will build My church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” It’s not over, it’s not finished. If God is in it, it’s only the beginning.

The number thirteen also speaks of a double portion. There were thirteen tribes of Israel, including Levi, after Joseph received the double portion with two tribes, Ephraim and Manasseh. And when the tribes were given their inheritances in Canaan, there were thirteen inheritances as well. Levi received no inheritance, but Manasseh received a double portion, one on each side of the Jordan River.

I declare unto you, this is the year of Restoration and a Double Portion of the Supernatural things in 2013 according to Joel Chapter 2:21-27.

Today make a decision to bury anything… If you need healing, any kind of healing – physical, emotional, or Spiritual; healing from fear, doubt, lack, uncertainties about your past and your future and deep scars; speak the Word over yourself, over your children, over your entire family, over your situation and your ministry – speak the seed in the atmosphere! All of heaven will back it up. Hallelujah to the Lamb of God.

I declare unto you, if you speak God’s Word over yourself and over your situation, the Word will not return unto Him void, but His Word will accomplish what pleases Him and it will prosper in the things He sent it in the name of Jesus. (Isaiah 55:11)

I declare unto you this day, man – woman by Jesus stripes you are healed. Habits, situations, and all issues are healed according to Isaiah 53:3. Those dry bones will live again. Dormant ministries will come alive and bear much fruit.

Matters not what the enemy has said to us, we that are baptized, blood washed Holy Ghost filled believers, know that we know that we know that we know that our God specializes in all things and He can do what no other power can do. We serve the God of the Universe, the God that said “let there be” and the world came into existence.

What the enemy meant for evil, God will turn it around and make it good. Way in the midnight hour God is going to turn it around. He will work it in your favor. The darkest hour is just before dawn. Declare and Decree – God will establish it. “The Just shall live by Faith.” (Romans 1: 17)

This is a kairos time for developing a mind for victory. We have the victory and everything will be alright – for we are on the winning side. Hallelujah to the Lamb of God.

Rosemary Saffold

Visionary/CEO

GOD’s Team Gatekeepers International Ministries Inc.