Times and Seasons

Keep your heart with all vigilance,

for from it flow the springs of life.

-Proverbs 4:23

... of Issachar,

men who had understanding of the times,

to know what Israel ought to do...

- 1 Chronicles 12:32

Today my third grandson Joyful One turns two years old.

I arrived in Manila from Cambodia five days ago, and I won't be back in Bacolod in time to celebrate his birthday with our family. But on my heart is a blessing for this little one as he enters another year.

I bless my grandson with the strategic Issachar anointing.

The sons of Issachar were among the men who came to David while he was still a fugitive from Saul. David had been anointed as the next king, and Saul's days in the kingdom were numbered. David was in a season of preparation, learning humble submission to a king whose anointing had run dry, a king who insisted on staying in power when he knew he was running on empty and had lost his spiritual and moral ascendancy to rule.

The men who came to show support and allegiance to David were not being traitors, they were heeding a higher calling of showing loyalty to a man who was clearly anointed to be the next ruler. These men were described in 1 Chronicles 12 as mighty men, helpers in the war, men of valor. 

These men were equipped for war. and they came to David at Hebron to turn over the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the LORD.

As we read in these passages (1 Chronicles 12), these men of war were arrayed in battle order, and had come to Hebron with a whole heart to make David king over Israel. They were of a single mind to make David king.

What impresses me about the twelve tribes of Israel (named after the twelve sons of Jacob) is that each one of them had a "warring gift." Each tribe was needed in the battle for the special gift or anointing for war that they were gifted in.

The sons of Issachar operated in the strategy anointing. They understood the times and they knew what Israel ought to do.

When Jacob blessed his son Issachar, this was what he said:

Issachar is a strong donkey,

crouching between the sheepfolds.

He saw that a resting place was good,

and that the land was pleasant,

so he bowed his shoulder to bear,

and became a servant at forced labor.
- Genesis 49: 14-15

This blessing ascribes not only strength to this tribe. It ascribes discernment, as well as a willingness to bear burdens, and to work hard, even to offer one's services for hire.

The word Issachar literally means "recompense, or hire."

The tribe of Issachar received as their inheritance the rich farmlands of the Valley of Jezreel in Galilee.

My blessing for my grandson:

I bless you today dearest one, with the anointing of Issachar. It is an anointing for discernment, for understanding the times and the seasons of the Lord, and with than discernment, a wisdom for knowing what to do.

I bless you with physical strength, a quality that is needed for the days ahead of us. 

I bless you with a keen sense for business, knowing that a land is good, and pleasant, and the willingness to work hard to acquire it.

I bless you with the obedience to bear spiritual burdens that the LORD may someday place upon your shoulders, and the obedience to lift these burdens up to God, asking Him for wisdom and discernment to do what He requires.

These are heavy things for a young boy to carry for now, but I bless you with a heart that is being prepared to walk and operate in this anointing.

You will be a blessing to our family, for to each member has been assigned a specific gift needed to wage war against the enemy. And I declare that you will put that gift to good use when the time comes.

I declare that your heart is being prepared even now for an important and crucial kingdom assignment.

May your heart be ready to obey, humble and submissive to the assignment that God has for you.

With much love always

Nana