And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching. (Mark 6:6 NKJV)
He went from year to year on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all those places. (1 Samuel 7:16 NKJV)
“She stretches out her hands to help the needy and she lays hold of the wheels of government. She is known by her extravagant generosity to the poor, for she always reaches out her hands to those in need.” (Proverbs 31:19-20 Passion Translation)
Here are some aspects of the circuits that has been revealed by the Lord to our family, and we trust it helps you in your ministry.
Some, generally prophetic/intercessory gifted people, have had a sense that are riding/walking boundaries for God, and in some ways in ministry circuits. The boundary rider is certainly something that we can relate to, and have understood it to be the way that the Lord has some ‘out riding fences’ as watchmen on the wall who are give to move around as the leads. Often discovering walls and gates in the ride, and declaring or seeing things as you move. A form of spiritual mapping as well. May seem a lonely ride, and perhaps also associated with “working the gates”.
You can see in the ministry of Jeremiah aspects of this, but have felt more specifically it relates to the works of Samuel (1 Sam. 7:16) in the circuit as he was given to both judge and watch as he went. You can see the purpose in it when you consider the main towns included: Ramah – his (prophet’s) home, meaning high place, height; Mizpah – meaning watch tower/watch; Gilgal – meaning wheel, rolling away, rolled away,reproach rolled away, heaven; Bethel – House of God/House of prayer. Thus pointing to the places that form such a circuit, and perhaps part of the work.
In our Lord Jesus Christ, we also see such a circuit ministry (Mark 6:6,36) who seems to take this to a new level, and perhaps provides more understanding of the boundary, and places of the circuit. Looking in to the meaning of such places show a pattern similar to Samuel, but now richer depth – look at the places on His circuit. Towns such as Capernaum, Nain, Gennesaret, Magdala, Gergesa, Caesera Phillipi, Bethsaida, Mt. Tabor, Mt. Hermon, Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Mt. Of Olives (Inc. Bethany, Bethpage). The ministry he undertook showing Him administering the Apostolic government on His shoulders, as well as working the boundary given to him.
I sense some of us are often placed on a circuit, and perhaps in due season God reveals this so as to be more aware of the work He wishes to do through us…Governmental work.
However the revelation the God revealed to recently through Proverbs 31, is potentially the most profound aspect of the circuit work. The Lord led her to explore Prov. 31:19 – where it reads. ‘She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle’. The word for spindle here is also translates to be ‘governmental wheels’, and also has the sense of the circuit. The connection with other wheels in Scripture then begins such as the flaming wheels on which the throne of God sits (Dan. 7:9), and the Ezekiel wheel within wheels – and angelic being. Indeed the word for distaff also has other meaning including the round, and circuit. Thus, if (as it is) the Prov. 31 wife is a prophetic picture of the Bride of Christ, then you can see that the Bride/church’s role includes working the wheels of government. Even the wheels within wheels….and thus revealing a whole new meaning the phrases of the wheels of government, or the machinery of government. The picture of the distaff of fibre, and the spindle, shows how we are to bring governmental order from the foundations, or core ingredients of creation. So while politicians and bureaucrats may feel they are part of the wheels of government, the Lord reveals that as we minister with him in His circuit we are turning/working the wheels of heavenly government on earth.
Of course there is also a connection to the round/counsel of government, such as in Revelations (4:3,4,6; 5:11; 7:11)…and this just makes you wonder more about how these wheels (within wheels) of government work. Safe to say, as we obey the Lord and follow His lead in the riding of the circuit, and the meeting with Him in the round/counsel, we are part of that work.
As for your circuit, I suggest considering the places you find yourself in often, and seeing how they align to the circuit of our Lord Jesus and Samuel, and perhaps it is just being more aware now that this is what the Lord is doing -and He will then reveal more about how you are to partner with Him in governmental work. We can certainly see how the Lord moves us in circuits, and the various stops on it seem to involve different actions/ministry, which an be prophecy, and also rest.
Hope this helps…and is not too ‘teachy’. Just sharing what our experiences have been, I am sure you have seen so much in the space.
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