How To Discern The Seasons And Times.

Estimated reading time: 13 minutes

Have you ever wondered how your life would be if you could understand the seasons and times? How do you think your life would be if you knew what season you currently are in? The Bible clearly tells us that the sons of Issachar knew the times and seasons. This meant that they had an advantage over others because they knew how to position themselves for their time of visitation. So maybe you feel like you have missed your season of visitation. Or maybe you have been moving ahead of God and want to have a glimpse of where you are so that you can stop stressing and getting frustrated.

This begs the question: how did the man miss it?
What can you learn about the seasons and times based on the scripture above?
Now that you know all this, how can you position yourself to discern the seasons and times?
Conclusion

Because we live in a microwave environment, often, we expect things to happen in our time. Unfortunately, that’s not how it works. The Bible even explicitly tells us that seasons and times belong to God. God, before creating you knew everything you would ever do and He has it all planned and mapped out. But then again, there is the question that pops up in our minds time and time again. Can we miss God? Can we miss His timing? The answer is yes, we can. And let me give you a scripture to prove that.

Then Jesus returned to Jerusalem to observe one of the Jewish holy days. Inside the city near the Sheep Gate, there is a pool called Aramaic, The House of Loving Kindness. And this pool is surrounded by five covered porches. Hundreds of sick people were lying there on the porches—the paralyzed, the blind, and one with a physical disability, all of them waiting for their healing. For an angel of God would periodically descend into the pool to stir the waters, and the first one who stepped into the pool after the waters swirled would instantly be healed. John 5:1‭-‬4 TPT

In this scripture, we see that there was a window of opportunity for healing. And the Bible clarifies that the set time was when the angel of the Lord stirred the water. This means that the pool was just ordinary until when the angel would stir the water. And in this moment, anyone who went into the water first got healed regardless of whatever sickness they were suffering from. Unfortunately, there was this man who had been sick for 38 years and had not received his healing.

Now there was a man who had been disabled for thirty-eight years lying among the multitude of the sick. When Jesus saw him lying there, he knew that the man had been disabled for a long time. So Jesus said to him, “Do you truly long to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, there’s no way I can get healed, for I have no one who will lower me into the water when the angel comes. As soon as I try to crawl to the edge of the pool, someone else jumps in ahead of me.” John 5:5‭-‬7 TPT

The man had not received his healing, despite knowing that the pool was where he would receive his healing. When the angel stirred the pool, he could have received his healing. Unfortunately, someone else would receive the Revelation, jump in, and get healed. Jesus even asked the man if he wanted to be healed, to which the man gave a bunch of excuses. The story, though, has a beautiful ending.

Then Jesus said to him, “Stand up! Pick up your sleeping mat and you will walk!” Immediately he stood up—he was healed! So he rolled up his mat and walked again! Now, this miracle took place on the Jewish Sabbath. John 5:8‭-‬9 TPT

The man clearly wanted his healing. Because the minute Jesus asked him to take his mat and walk, he did exactly that

This begs the question: how did the man miss it?

So what made the man miss his moments of visitation for the number of years he had sat by the poolside?

The Bible in Hosea 4 tells us that God’s people perish for a lack of knowledge. I’m another passage, God tells us that where there is no vision, people perish. You know vision comes from Revelation. You need to have a Revelation of what is happening for you to correctly position yourself. The sons of Issachar knew the times because they had the revelation of the season they were on and, therefore, could position themselves correctly.

The lack of knowledge leads us to miss our opportune time. Do you feel like you have missed your time of visitation? Don’t worry, there is another time. Although there are seasons and times for everything as laid down to us by Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes, God is the one who holds the times and seasons so He can restore them. When you are in God’s hands, nothing is lost. Remember, He is the one who created you. He knows everything about you. And just like He can turn a stream and redirect it. He knows how to reroute you to get you back on track. So, although you feel like you missed it, remember that God’s got you. But you need to position yourself.

What can you learn about the seasons and times based on the scripture above?

There is a set time of visitation.

The scripture in John 5 tells us that there was a set time when the angel of God would go to stir the waters. And it was when someone jumped in after the angel stirred the water that they got their healing. God has a set time for your visitation. And in those times, HE causes everything to work in your favor. Have you ever had a season where everything just seemed to flow? Like if it was a career you were going after, you would get it without much effort. There is a set time for everything. Ecclesiastes 3 tells us that there is a time for everything under the sun. God has orchestrated it in such a way that there would be set seasons and times for things to happen. And this He stipulated in the book of Genesis.

There is always grace of ease that comes when it is God’s set time.

We can lack Revelation and therefore miss our season of visitation.

The invalid man missed his season of visitation so many times that it almost looked like he was not ready for healing. Even after being by the poolside for that long, he still could not discern when the angel came. This can happen to us. We can miss God’s time because we lack the revelation of what is happening in the spiritual realm. Have you missed God’s time at one point in your life? Maybe you feel like you have missed Him. Today I want to encourage you by saying this, although you might have missed God before, there is still hope for you.

God still redeems.

Although the invalid man missed his moments of visitation, Jesus still healed him. In fact, it was so sudden and different that it caused a stir in the entire village. This is the beauty of our God. He redeems and restores in such a way that the people around you take notice of what God has done for you.

You know there are times that God in His mercy will decide to intervene and change a situation. Maybe, like the invalid man, you feel like you have missed God time and time again. Today I want to tell you that there is still hope for you. All is not lost. I want to encourage you to be open to the ways that God will move because He wants to get you out of the current situation you are in. You have been going through the same mountain for far too long and God wants you to know that it is your moment of visitation.

We can move ahead of God.

As the scripture tells us it was only after the angel stirred the water that the person received healing. Oftentimes, we allow society, culture, and our families to determine our times for us. But it is important for you to realize that the timing of humanity is not God’s timing. It might look like you are late, but you are not.

You see, moving outside of God’s timing will bring about frustration and disappointment. And comparing yourself with someone else will only make you bitter. The reality is that God has a plan for you that is uniquely yours and when you compare yourself with others you might be distracted when it is your season of visitation. Do not move ahead of God. The beauty of God’s timing is that when He says it is your time, He will bypass all protocol to get you to where He wants you.

Now that you know all this, how can you position yourself to discern the seasons and times?

Be sensitive to the voice of God.

The sons of Issachar had to be very sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and this had to come from a relationship. You see, it takes you familiarizing yourself with God’s voice for you to hear Him clearly when he speaks. You can never recognize the voice of a stranger. In the same way, if you don’t have a relationship with God and you have not familiarized yourself with his voice, you will not even know when He is speaking.

Ask God to reveal to you what season you are in.

In the book of Jeremiah, God tells us that when we ask, He will reveal to us great and mighty things that we do not know. God wants you to ask Him what season you are in. He will never deny you when you ask Him. God tells us He wants to show us great and mighty things that we don’t know. He is more than willing to reveal to you, but are you asking Him? You can ask God for yourself. That’s why Jesus came and died for you and me. The aim was to reconcile us to the father, and this gives you the confidence to ask Him anything because He has cleansed you through the finished works of the cross.

Ask the Holy Spirit for the gift of discernment.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are available for all. You can ask Him to refine your discernment. You can even ask Him to teach you how to discern the times. Jesus sent Him to be your helper, and He wants to help you. He is not holding back from helping you. You are holding Him back from helping you. He is a gentleman and He will never force Himself on you. If you want His help, just ask Him. Tell Him you need His help and He will come to your rescue.

Reading the Bible is also another way to sharpen your discernment skills. As you read through the Bible, you will discover patterns that will help you recognize the season you are in.

Spend time with God.

You perfect how to discern the seasons and times the more you spend time with God. He holds the seasons and times therefore, HE will be the one to tell you the season you are in because He knows it after all. He could reveal to Daniel the season he was in. Daniel to gain more insight fasted for 21 days and it was in this season that God revealed to him the season he was in and the season to come. (Daniel 10).

He spent time in God’s presence through prayer and fasting for him to gain clarity on the season he was in. And it was in the process that he gained the insight he needed. Joseph, through spending time with God, was able to discern the times and seasons, and in so doing saved an entire country, including his own people, from famine and starvation. Spending time with God is key.

You can spend time with God through prayer. What prayer is, is communication with God. How do you talk to your close friends? Talk to God. Tell him everything you would tell your friends.

The cool thing is that He will never turn His back on you or judge you at any given time. Not only does He love you, but You are also His precious child and He wants you to involve Him in every detail of your life. It is through prayer and opening up to Him that you will get to see Him reveal His heart to you causing you to know mysteries, including the seasons and times.

Both Abraham and Moses spent time with God and had a friendship with Him. That’s how they were able to know the seasons and times. Abraham could discern when it was time for his son Isaac to marry. Because he operated in alignment with God, the process went by smoothly. This goes to show you how spending time with God will cause you to be aware of your time of visitation. God does not want you to miss your time of visitation. Be sensitive.

Be obedient.

Obedience will cause you to be sensitive enough to discern the seasons and times. The HOLY Spirit will speak once and not give any other instruction until you do what He asked you to do before.

If you are disobedient, you will probably miss your moment of visitation because you will not be aware. It is the Holy Spirit who reveals everything to us and He can only do so when you have a willing heart. Are you willing to do what the Holy Spirit instructs you to do?

Conclusion

God in His kindness and Mercy gave us a manual, and that is the Bible to help us understand and discern all seasons. We don’t have to wonder what season we are in. We have the Precious Holy Spirit to reveal to us everything we need to be successful in this life.

Part of being successful is being able to move at the same pace as God. Do not move ahead of God. Allow Him to hold your hand so that you can walk with Him hand in hand. The other thing to note is that it is vital for you to be flexible enough to move when God tells you to move. Part of being a discerner of the seasons and times is being open to the different ways God will move in your life.

He asked the invalid man to take his mat walk on a Sabbath, therefore creating havoc. This was because the Pharisees could not understand how He could do that on a holy day. Have an open mind because God will move in ways you do not expect. This is especially Tru for those who missed the timing of God the first time. God wants you to discern the seasons and times. God is doing a new thing. Can you perceive it?

How To Discern The Seasons And Times.

Table of contents

This begs the question: how did the man miss it?