"Welcoming 2017: "The Year of God's Provision"
by Dr. Patti Amsden
At the close of 2016, Enos Chamberlain, who is an accurate and well-schooled prophet, declared to me: “The camels are coming.” The word he spoke had rolled up so quickly in his spirit that he even surprised himself with the utterance. He and I stopped our fellowship immediately upon his proclamation as we were both arrested by the power of his word. We stood quietly, somberly. We allowed the saying to soak in. After a few moments, he repeated himself. “The camels are coming.”
Just the evening before, Enos and his wife, Diane, along with my husband and me had shared a night of Christmas enjoyment. We had taken a drive through a park known for their Christmas lights and displays. In the middle of the park, an area had been cordoned off for shopping, eating, and entertainment. At that stop, the proprietors had hired a team of camel keepers to showcase their camels and to offer rides to those wishing to have the experience of riding a Bactrian, or two humped camel. Diane took the challenge and took the ride. As good friends do, we stood on the sidelines cheering her on and photographing her adventure.
When the ride ended, she exited the arena and rejoined our party. As we stood alongside the fence discussing her exploit and showing her our pictures, we looked up to see a camel meandering toward us. He walked up to me and extended his long neck until his nose almost touched my chest. I reached my hands toward the beast who immediately began to lick my palms. As he licked, I spoke to him, greeted him, told him how lovely he was, and expressed my deep appreciation for his attention. We had a moment – well – several moments.
Then he turned and walked back to the other camels. “I’ve been licked by a camel,” I said. "I’ve been licked by a camel," I repeated. My companions began to laugh but I began to cry. The encounter had touched a deep emotion in me. I’m not sure what emotion – somewhere between excitement and reverence, joy and awe. The emotional flow continued throughout the remainder of the evening. I was licked by a camel.
It was the next day when Enos made his proclamation. Both of us felt that the word brought a little clarity to the event of the evening before. It was as if God was speaking to me though both a physical gesture and then through a prophetic word to prepare me for a caravan of supply.
This past year of 2016 has reinforced God’s promise and has brought to me even greater understanding as to the meaning of both the camel lick and the word. In Bible days, camels traveled on trading routes loaded with goods and commodities. Especially adapted to dessert conditions, camels were the best vehicle to convey merchandise. When they arrived at their destinations, both the buyers and the sellers were enriched because of the treasures carried by the camels.
One point fairly easy to discern was that God was telling me that supplies were coming my way. Those things I would need to conduct my business, meet my needs, and even adorn my part of the world were on their way to me. The cargo had been ear-marked, loaded, and dispensed to my location. Before I even knew what to ask, God had pre-planned and shipped my supply. My part was to believe and expect to receive.
Another point, although not as obvious at the first, was the fact that camels would have traveled on well-established trade routes. These paths could have provided the avenues upon which legal or illegal trades were conducted. They would have also been passageways in danger from bandits and marauders. Pirates and thieves would have sought to plunder, kill, steal, and destroy. If my camels were coming with heavenly supplies for me, then God was promising dominion over the supply lines and the trade routes. God was not only declaring Himself to be the God of abundant supply, He was reinforcing His authority over the avenues of commerce. The thief would be subdued and my supply lines would be under the dominion of the King.
This past year, I have aligned my prayers and proclamations with that insight. God owns the earth along with the fullness in it (Ps. 24:1). If I believe what I ask, God promises that I will receive (Mk. 11:24). To the giver and the tither, God promises to open the windows of heaven and release more substance than can be contained (Mal. 3:10) and to take that supply and press it down, shake it together, and keep it coming until it runs over (Luke 6:38). Although these promises are communicated by different word pictures, the idea is consistent with the words spoken to me by Enos. “The camels are coming,” meaning the supply lines are open. Not only have I looked for and received provision in 2016, the promise remains true for 2017. The camels have come and are coming
2017 will see even more dominion and control over the trade routes. All men trade. All types of people engage in the avenues of commerce. But when the exchange mediums are under the control of the unrighteous, corrupt covenants and fraudulent practices are the norm. God frowns on these kinds of economic practices. This year we will see authority to manage the traffic of trade granted to even more of those people who will serve the Lord and honor His ways. The unrighteous man may prosper for a season, but God cuts off his prowess and transfers wealth management unto His faithful stewards (Ps. 37).
I encourage you in this New Year to join me in faith and with prayer. Believe that the camels are coming. God delights in supplying all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Phil 4:19). Believe your supply is on its way. Also, join me in confessing God’s authority and control over the highways of commerce. As power to order the engine of commerce comes more and more under the stewardship of the godly, Kingdom work will prosper and the citizens of the earth will be liberated to enjoy the fruit of the earth.
My confession for 2017 – “The camels are coming.” What blessings are headed your way in this New Year?
Just the evening before, Enos and his wife, Diane, along with my husband and me had shared a night of Christmas enjoyment. We had taken a drive through a park known for their Christmas lights and displays. In the middle of the park, an area had been cordoned off for shopping, eating, and entertainment. At that stop, the proprietors had hired a team of camel keepers to showcase their camels and to offer rides to those wishing to have the experience of riding a Bactrian, or two humped camel. Diane took the challenge and took the ride. As good friends do, we stood on the sidelines cheering her on and photographing her adventure.
When the ride ended, she exited the arena and rejoined our party. As we stood alongside the fence discussing her exploit and showing her our pictures, we looked up to see a camel meandering toward us. He walked up to me and extended his long neck until his nose almost touched my chest. I reached my hands toward the beast who immediately began to lick my palms. As he licked, I spoke to him, greeted him, told him how lovely he was, and expressed my deep appreciation for his attention. We had a moment – well – several moments.
Then he turned and walked back to the other camels. “I’ve been licked by a camel,” I said. "I’ve been licked by a camel," I repeated. My companions began to laugh but I began to cry. The encounter had touched a deep emotion in me. I’m not sure what emotion – somewhere between excitement and reverence, joy and awe. The emotional flow continued throughout the remainder of the evening. I was licked by a camel.
It was the next day when Enos made his proclamation. Both of us felt that the word brought a little clarity to the event of the evening before. It was as if God was speaking to me though both a physical gesture and then through a prophetic word to prepare me for a caravan of supply.
This past year of 2016 has reinforced God’s promise and has brought to me even greater understanding as to the meaning of both the camel lick and the word. In Bible days, camels traveled on trading routes loaded with goods and commodities. Especially adapted to dessert conditions, camels were the best vehicle to convey merchandise. When they arrived at their destinations, both the buyers and the sellers were enriched because of the treasures carried by the camels.
One point fairly easy to discern was that God was telling me that supplies were coming my way. Those things I would need to conduct my business, meet my needs, and even adorn my part of the world were on their way to me. The cargo had been ear-marked, loaded, and dispensed to my location. Before I even knew what to ask, God had pre-planned and shipped my supply. My part was to believe and expect to receive.
Another point, although not as obvious at the first, was the fact that camels would have traveled on well-established trade routes. These paths could have provided the avenues upon which legal or illegal trades were conducted. They would have also been passageways in danger from bandits and marauders. Pirates and thieves would have sought to plunder, kill, steal, and destroy. If my camels were coming with heavenly supplies for me, then God was promising dominion over the supply lines and the trade routes. God was not only declaring Himself to be the God of abundant supply, He was reinforcing His authority over the avenues of commerce. The thief would be subdued and my supply lines would be under the dominion of the King.
This past year, I have aligned my prayers and proclamations with that insight. God owns the earth along with the fullness in it (Ps. 24:1). If I believe what I ask, God promises that I will receive (Mk. 11:24). To the giver and the tither, God promises to open the windows of heaven and release more substance than can be contained (Mal. 3:10) and to take that supply and press it down, shake it together, and keep it coming until it runs over (Luke 6:38). Although these promises are communicated by different word pictures, the idea is consistent with the words spoken to me by Enos. “The camels are coming,” meaning the supply lines are open. Not only have I looked for and received provision in 2016, the promise remains true for 2017. The camels have come and are coming
2017 will see even more dominion and control over the trade routes. All men trade. All types of people engage in the avenues of commerce. But when the exchange mediums are under the control of the unrighteous, corrupt covenants and fraudulent practices are the norm. God frowns on these kinds of economic practices. This year we will see authority to manage the traffic of trade granted to even more of those people who will serve the Lord and honor His ways. The unrighteous man may prosper for a season, but God cuts off his prowess and transfers wealth management unto His faithful stewards (Ps. 37).
I encourage you in this New Year to join me in faith and with prayer. Believe that the camels are coming. God delights in supplying all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Phil 4:19). Believe your supply is on its way. Also, join me in confessing God’s authority and control over the highways of commerce. As power to order the engine of commerce comes more and more under the stewardship of the godly, Kingdom work will prosper and the citizens of the earth will be liberated to enjoy the fruit of the earth.
My confession for 2017 – “The camels are coming.” What blessings are headed your way in this New Year?
