This message emerges from an intimate communion time with the Holy Spirit and carries a sober and necessary reminder for this season to keep us balanced in our thinking. The Holy Spirit said that even though gifts are given by the Lord and have the power to open doors, our relationship with the Lord must always take precedence over gifting.

The Holy Spirit brought clarity that although Scripture teaches that “a man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before kings” (Proverbs 18:16), gifts alone are never sufficient to preserve our life, secure deliverance, or guarantee our victory in critical moments.

The Lord emphasized that throughout Scripture in lived out experience many servants of God possessed remarkable gifts, yet when they were faced with life-threatening or impossible situations, their gifting could not save them. What preserved them in those circumstances was their covenant relationship, fellowship, and the ability to call on the Lord in prayer and receive immediate answers by divine intervention.

The Holy Spirit highlighted Daniel as a primary example. When in Daniel.2 King Nebuchadnezzar demanded that his wise men reveal not only the interpretation of his dream but the dream itself, no human gift or wisdom could meet that requirement. The situation was a death sentence for all the wise men of Babylon.

In this event Daniel’s survival and elevation were not the result of his gifting alone, but the answer depended on his ability to seek the Lord in prayer, then receive the divine revelation, and obtain an answer directly from the Lord. This intimate relationship with the Lord distinguished Daniel, separated him from all others, and propelled him rapidly into prominence and favor in Babylon.

The Holy Spirit also drew my attention to King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles.18, who found himself in the midst of battle, surrounded by enemies sent specifically to kill the king of Israel. Jehoshaphat, wearing kingly robes, was fully identifiable and within striking distance of death. In that moment, no gift, skill, or natural ability he possessed could save him.

Jehoshaphat cried out to the Lord in an emergency prayer which is a prayer born from relationship, and the Lord responded immediately. His attackers were divinely diverted, sparing Jehoshaphat’s life as they turned away in search of King Ahab instead. This supernatural intervention was solely the result of God showing up in response to His covenant relationship.

Through these accounts, the Lord clearly communicated that God’s presence, response, and intervention in the “now” far outweigh the operation of any gift. Gifts cannot solve every problem, but fellowship with the Lord ensures access to the One who can. The Holy Spirit stressed that the ability to call on the Lord and receive His answer in critical moments is far more valuable than any gift you received from Him.

In concluding this word from my communion time there is a strong exhortation that as followers of Jesus we must make communion, union, and fellowship with the Lord our highest daily priority. A living, vibrant relationship with the Lord ensures that when one calls upon Him in prayer, He answers; when danger arises, deliverance comes; and when crisis strikes, help is immediate. Neglecting fellowship and communion with the Holy Spirit risks one being found unprepared in moments when only the Lord Himself can intervene miraculously to save us.

I declare in the name of Jesus that your communion with the Lord will be strong, living, and uninterrupted. You will no longer rely on your gifting alone, but you will walk in deep covenant and communion with the Holy Spirit. I declare that when you call, the Lord will answer you in the now. I decree that in moments of pressure, danger, and life threatening decisions, divine intervention will arise on your behalf.

I decree that the Lord will show up for you with clarity, deliverance, and preservation, and you will never be found wanting or unprepared in any life circumstance in Jesus name. I declare that your life will be marked by intimacy with the Lord, timely answers, and supernatural rescue, in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.