The Tops of the Mountains

[Bishop Otha Bell]

“And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen”. (Genesis 8:5)

I don’t know but I got a feeling that 2011 is going to be a pivotal year for the Body of Christ in general and me personally. More than a feeling, can I say, a “knowing” in my knower. Now I am not one that believes in New Year resolutions or that at the beginning of a new year anything or everything necessarily begins anew, with exception just to the calendar, but sitting here now in late November 2010 I sense a knowing that I haven’t sensed in a past few years.

Personally, before 2011 I have aged another year, just 1 year over the “big 50”. Economically, my family and I are “making” it but really there is nothing we can do, or even desire to do, that would amount to what some might call excessive or extra as following the upcoming holidays from the “traditional” standpoint. Spiritually, thus far 2010 has been slow, quiet, unremarkable and bordering on boring.

So what or why the feeling about 2011? Well looking at what the above Scripture says I can see the waters decreasing continually. Here of course Moses is relating to us the events of Noah’s Flood. The ark had come to rest after many days on land, on the mountains of Ararat in the 7^th month. The Flood was a severe judgment on the human race and the earth because of the wickedness of man. The judgments of God are “wonderful”, “awesome”, total, terrible and yet merciful, loving, cleansing. The human race had been judged because of sin and iniquity but God had been merciful to 8 souls and by that mercy they could restart the race.

I sense that for the Body of Christ, for me and for many others in 2011. It will be a “restart” a “reboot” after a judgment because of sin. Confession time… I haven’t always been perfect, mature, listening, wise, loving, faithful, or spiritual. 2009/2010 saw me (I know everybody can’t say this) imperfect, childish, spiritually deaf and dumb, stupid, dense, hateful, angry, doubting and fleshly. The Lord executed judgment because of my sin; I lost family, friends and loved ones, missed opportunities, fell short of goals, dreams became nightmares, hard times, hard heart, and a very hard head…judgment!

But God has been merciful and faithful! Wow, just like in the Flood! He by His grace, mercy and wise counsel saved in me a flash of hope, a spark of faith, a word, a covenant promise so that now after these many months I have came to rest and now as the waters of the judgment are decreasing I can see the tops of the mountains of those words of prophecy and promise…just over there…in 2011.

Since I can see now a little farther and sense my spiritual muscles flexing again I am preparing myself and positioning myself, not to climb the mountain, for as the ark did, I have came to rest on top of the mountain, but to descend the mountain with a fresh anointing, with new eyes that can see, with new ears that can hear, and with new spirit that is ablaze with the same powerful life changing message! The message/word doesn’t change…my view into it, my response to it, and my walking it out does!

2011…what do I see? Well ageing again, times of struggle, financial situations…yeah, but I also see an increase in my spiritual walk and strength; fulfillment of long ago spoken prophetic words, travel to foreign lands to preach the Gospel of the grace of God, expansion of ministry, more souls saved, bodies healed, people being freed from demonic oppressions and possessions; a deeper, closer more profound walk with God, manifestations of the Spirit, deeper and more meaningful service as a bishop…wow, the tops of the mountains look great!