by Glenice Mills
Every year, at the New Year’s Eve fireworks on Sydney Harbour, they have a word or statement for the year. Over the years there have been ones such as hope, love, eternity, and ‘awaken the spirit.’ So it was that I waited with anticipation to see what the word was for this year.
The Lord speaks to me about the word because it is a prophetic sign, a prophetic declaration over Australia for the year.
This year’s word is EMBRACE. When I first saw and heard the word I immediately thought of loving, hugging one another. I thought ‘oh that is a nice word, loving one another.’ However that is only one aspect of this word. As I have quietly sought the Lord and searched out the meanings, I realised there was so much more in this little word.
So what does embrace mean and what does Scripture say about this word?
Embrace means to hold closely in the arms, especially as a sign of affection.
It also means to accept, and adopt an idea or belief willingly.
Most people would take this word at a superficial level - that is to love and receive one another. However, I believe the Lord is wanting us as Christians to examine what He is saying through this word. There is a depth of truth that is very important for us to ‘get’ at this time. It is actually a wake up call and warning to us all in Australia.
We are at a crucial time in the history of this nation, a time when the Lord is sounding a call to embrace - to take hold of truth, and to be willing to receive new truth.
The Holy Spirit leads us into ALL truth and it must always be based on the Word of God. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. In this season there is a choice: to embrace His truth at a deeper level, and to be willing to embrace new revelation also.
As the Lord was speaking to me about embrace He said, ‘it was an external response from an internal acknowledging and willingness - it is a heart issue.’
Just as when we physically embrace someone, it requires us to have a heart of love and affection. We then hold our arms out, to give and to receive love from one another. This paints a prophetic picture of embrace.
Embrace speaks of choices - to choose good or evil, obedience or disobedience.
It is so interesting to see and hear how this word suddenly has a higher profile - it is being used often by many in leadership positions. It is like the new ‘buzz word.’
The problem is: we have to be very careful what we embrace. When we embrace anything that is ungodly, we actually open doors for the enemy to have a foothold.
The sad fact is, if we hear something said often enough, we will come to believe it, then the next step comes, and we subtly embrace it. That is how the media, politicians, and the advertising industry seduce the people, until they fully accept something, embracing it and believing it as truth. This is a very dangerous thing, it is manipulative in nature. It will darken a person’s thinking until a spiritual blindness comes. There is a warning in this.
So what are you embracing? What are you taking hold of? Is it grounded in truth or on a lie?
If we come back to Scripture, there are keys revealed when the word embrace is used - for good or for evil.
Embrace is used in reference to wisdom as found in Scriptures in Proverbs.
Proverbs 3:13,18
Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
And the man who gains understanding.
She (wisdom) is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are all who retain her.
We need the Lord’s wisdom like no other time in history. Many things assail us in the world today as evil increases and pressures of society come to try and rob us of our peace.
Seductive influences and manipulation come at us in many guises, even in church, so much so, that we need to draw on the Lord’s wisdom like never before. It is a fine line between being the ‘fool’ as found in Proverbs, and choosing wisdom in our day to day decisions. The enemy is prowling devouring who he so wills. We must be on guard in this hour.
Proverbs 4:7,8
Wisdom is the principal thing;
Therefore get wisdom.
And in all your getting, get understanding.
Exalt her, and she will promote you;
She will bring you honour, when you embrace her.
There is something powerful about embracing wisdom and understanding. It is our protection from all that would try and take us off course. When we are told to embrace and take hold of something, it is a pro-active willingness to make a choice, to follow the Lord and what He wants for our lives. It kills all unbelief as we choose the Lord and His ways. To embrace is to be fully convinced. Keeping our feet in two camps brings compromise. It may appear safe, however no faith is involved, and in fact it holds us back and keeps us in immaturity.
We see in the following verses an example of where there is a consequence to embracing the worship of other gods.
1 Kings 9:8,9
And as for this house, which is exalted, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and will hiss, and say, ‘Why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this house?’
Then they will answer, ‘Because they forsook the Lord their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, and worshipped them and served them; therefore the Lord has brought all this calamity on them.’
So what are you embracing? Are you embracing truth or lies? It is a time to examine ourselves and check we are walking in the Lord’s truth.
