Psalms 24 for 2024 -The Year of Victory Over Chaos
“Who is this King of Glory? The Lord of Hosts, He is the King of Glory.” Psalms 24:10
Part One
2023 was quite the year for our family and many others we know. Unprecedented spiritual and physical attacks had many fighting for their lives. Chaos seemed to have reached a new level of power in many situations. In the nations, death and chaos seemed to rule the day. People dealing with sickness, financial robbery, broken relationships and the like had many finishing 2023 exhausted from battle. I saw a meme circulating on social media which showed a man on the phone. He said, “Yes, heaven? I am calling to make sure I am signed up for the blessed and highly favored package for 2024 and not the trials and tribulations package I accidentally subscribed to this year!”
The Word the Lord gave me for 2023 had to do with resurrection life. We personally saw God’s faithful hand and power demonstrated as many were raised up from death defying situations and preserved and are closing this year out with good reports and turn arounds. Praise God!
We make it a point each year to take time to hear what the Lord is saying to the people of God for the new season. A new year does not mean things “magically change” but rather is a time to listen, focus and reset ourselves for the year ahead. Fresh revelation from the Lord builds our faith and enables us to press forward with resolution to hear and obey, aligning ourselves with heaven’s purpose. This does not mean the prophetic words from the previous calendar year are no longer valid but rather, prophetic words for times and seasons have a way of building one on top of the other and increasing strength and anointing to see them come to pass.
In 2024 I hear the Lord saying He is positioning us to experience victory over chaos and a time of recovery of all that has been stolen. It’s a time to focus on the victory ahead (not on the chaos that may be swirling around) and on the double portion recovery from every battle! It’s time to see the straight paths, so we can speak to the crooked places and call the things that are not as though they are. It’s a time for fresh vision, to see the light that is invading darkness, to see how God sees, filled with hope and a future. We may not like the battle, but remember, there is no victory without a fight. Get ready for miracles of restored health, financial provision, family reconciliation and supernatural peace in the midst of the storm. Renew prayers for friends and family members as it’s time for them to come to Christ. It’s a time of fulfillment of prophetic promises in unusual ways. It will be a time of suddenlies and surprises.
Yes, it’s going to be a wild ride: economic ups and downs, global instability, riots (yes, they are back!), political manipulations, and a “the end justifies the means” mentality that skirts laws and breaks principles. Yet in the midst of all that, there is an awakening taking place! People are waking up from their slumber, both in natural and spiritual things. Mindsets are changing, opening hearts to hear the gospel in a brand new way. The Kingdom of God will advance in 2024 as revival continues to sweep college campuses, Hollywood, boardrooms and yes, churches. I also see speeches being made at the UN that speak of a global shift in spiritual matters, indicating revival is on the radar of world powers. Dark forces will try to inflame global conflict to stop this, but it’s not time for a World War III. It’s time for the Church, the Ekklesia, to pray.
Part 1 of this word will focus on the meaning of the number 24 in scripture and Part 2 will focus on how we are to position ourselves for all that is ahead. Let’s jump in!
A) The Significance of the Number 24 in Scripture:
1). God’s Government - Greater Authority, Unshakable Faith
The number 24 is found several places in scripture in the context of establishing God’s kingdom government and divine order. This becomes especially important in dealing with the spirit of chaos loosed in the world today. This will be a year of greater authority & unshakable faith.
Back in 2020 the Lord gave me a word for this decade. He said, “Chaos is getting ready to increase.” (Yay! What an exciting word!). I knew Chaos was personified as a dragon in Isaiah 51 (MSG translation) and represented evil of every kind at work in the earth, in people and in nations. It’s defined as utter confusion, disorder, discord, lawlessness. We have certainly seen chaos increase since 2020. The second thing God said was that He was going to use chaos to strip the covering off of corruption, evil and deals being made in secret to control the earth. Basically, everything that can be shaken will be shaken so that which cannot be shaken will remain. Then the third thing He said was, “Then tell them: The God of Peace is rising.” He said this part three times for emphasis.
Romans 16:20 declares, “The God of Peace will soon crush Satan underneath your feet.” Isaiah 9:6-7 says one of the names of the coming Messiah would be Prince of Peace. The word peace is Shalom in Hebrew. Rabbinical scholars look at the letters used to form this word and the pictures represented by those letters. In this case the pictures give a deeper meaning to the word Shalom: Peace comes when you destroy the authority of chaos! But Isaiah goes on to say, “of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end.” This will be an interesting year of the government of the kingdom of God and His ekklesia confronting Chaos on a new level.
Twelve is a governmental number (12 tribes, 12 apostles) and twenty four is double of the governmental anointing. This year we will see a continuous clash between the government of man in the nations of the earth, and the government of God as represented by His spiritual government, His Ekklesia, in the earth. The ekklesia is rising in greater wisdom, revelation and discernment to increase spiritual authority in the lives of believers and in the corporate Body of Christ. It will be a time for unshakable faith arising in the midst of conflict & challenge. We will see a clash between “the woke” and “the awakened.” Prayers, praise and proclamations are being supercharged and will function as upgraded spiritual weaponry for breakthrough in the coming days. It is not a time of survival but a time of revival and breakthrough for God’s kingdom to advance in the earth. All the shaking will be our making!
Just remember, all chaos will serve the plan and purpose of God. It doesn’t mean we don’t pray against the evil agenda of the enemy, but it indicates God will use the very things the enemy has meant for evil to turn for good. Joseph received a vision of leadership and government then all hell broke against him. But remember, when the word came he was just the son of a shepherd. His journey of trials shaped him for his destiny. In Potiphar’s house he learned leadership and agriculture, in the prison he learned government and how the palace operated (it was a place for political prisoners from the palace). What was he going to need to assume his position as Pharaoh’s right hand? Leadership, government and agriculture. Your trials are actually preparing you for your destiny. Don’t waste the process with bitterness or anger. Recognize God will cause all to work for your good.
Throughout the book of Revelation we see pictures of what is transpiring in the heavens in the throneroom of God. Revelation 4:4 tells us surrounding the throne of God there are twenty four other thrones. Seated on these are twenty four elders dressed in white with gold crowns on their heads. A throne represents a seat of power and authority. No one really knows who these elders are, but eldership is a word denoting rank or office. Some think the twenty four are comprised of the twelve tribes of Israel from the Old Testament and the twelve apostles from the New Testament. The truth is we are not told who they are. But I do not believe they are angels, as they are wearing white robes of redemption and gold crowns of the overcomers. Whoever they are, they form a heavenly council in eternity and are seen repeatedly worshipping around the throne of God.
Believers need to be aware there are new positions of authority, both natural and spiritual, that will be presented to us in 2024. We must set things in order in our own lives to be ready for this time of promotion and new authority. Step up to this greater authority and release unshakable faith to see peace overthrow every kind of chaos through the power of the God of Peace being made real in your life.
2). Divine Order- Order over Chaos
The number twenty four is also representative of divine order. Order confronts chaos. In the beginning God spoke into the void and brought order out of chaos. We are in a time when His voice is still being released in power through the mouths of His people, to decree divine order into the chaos of this world.
In I Chronicles chapters 23-26, David is setting things in order in the Tabernacle before he dies. He divides the priesthood into twenty four courses (companies) and the worshippers, the sons of Asaph, into twenty four divisions as well. In chapter 26 he divides the porters, or gatekeepers, into twenty four groups who guarded who came into the temple, a symbol for us of watchmen over the house of the Lord.
This year, God is concerned about things being set in order in His house. We have all seen the heartbreak of fallen leaders in the news over the past decade. We recognize judgment begins in the house of God. (1 Peter 4:17). God is assuring the right people are in place to lead and govern His church, His ekklesia, in the coming days, without compromise.
While God is setting His house in order, we must also set our own houses in order. Reset your faith. Reset your vision. Find your place of function and service in the Kingdom and activate your gifts.
When God spoke to Israel to cross in to take their promised land, all they could see was the giants. They spoke the problem rather than the promise. But there were two, Joshua and Caleb, who saw the problem but chose instead to speak the promise. “We eat giants for our bread!” This will be a time to not just set our house in order, but set our mouth in order! Speak the promise, not the problem!
3) Fulness of Time - Completion and Fulfillment
Of course, the number twenty four is the number of hours in a day. This represents divine order but also the fulness of time. Galatians 4:4 tells us Christ was born in the fulness of time. Things were dark in the earth, yet ripe for God’s time of fulfillment. It was time for things to happen. God’s redemption plan was being put into effect. In the same way, things God has spoken over individual lives, churches, businesses and even nations are hitting that point of fulfillment and completion this year and advancement is coming into effect. The time is full. Things may have been dark. You may have walked through a night season, but joy comes in the morning! Remember, the previous Great Awakenings came at times of great darkness in the earth. God chose those times to bring incredible harvest and manifestation of His glory.
The two main words for time we look at in scripture are chronos, which is the normal passage of time, and kairos, which is the appointed time, or time of divine intervention. Those who have been faithful in the chronos, the day to day walk of service, discipline, faith towards God, and doing what is right when everything seems impossible, are coming into a kairos season of divine manifestation of promise and victory. Do not lose hope! Do not quit! Yes, it may seem things have gotten darker and evil is abounding over this past season, but Isaiah 60 promises us this is the very time the glory of the Lord will rise upon us and cause kings and nations to be drawn to the light of His kingdom. Miracles, healings, new faith, revival, outpourings, “suddenlies” of fulfillment to prayers we have been praying are all coming into focus.
4). The Year of the Opening Doors
In Hebrew the number twenty four is kaph-daleth. Kaph (20) is the word for an open hand and daleth (4) is the word for door or gate. This is also the Hebraic year 5784, Peh (80) daleth (4). Peh is the Hebrew word for voice, mouth and sound. So this year Jesus, the Door, is opening and shutting doors in our lives and presenting new opportunities for greater influence and authority.
Some doors we push open with our hand. Others are motion activated as we step up to them. Have you have ever approached what you thought was an automatic door only find it was one you needed to push open? (It can be sort of embarrassing as you stand waiting for the door to open when all you need to do is push.) This will be a year of heavenly partnership as God presents us with doors. Some we must push. Some will not open unless we are in the active place of moving forward. A third type of door this year is peh daleth: a door that is voice activated. It doesn’t open unless we speak to it. God’s anointing will be on our voices this year as we see the door and discern what is needed to see it opened.
Part Two -
B). Psalms 24 for 2024 - A Time of Restoration, Recovery and Victory Over Chaos
Psalms 24 is an incredible chapter. It is thought it was written by David at the advent of him bringing the Ark out of a place of captivity into the city of Jerusalem and establishing the Tabernacle of David. The Ark contained the foundations of the faith of Israel: Moses’s tablets with the Ten Commandments, manna from the wilderness, Aaron’s rod. It was a place the glory and presence of God dwelt. The Ark was a foreshadowing picture of the person of Jesus Christ who was to come: The Word made flesh, The Bread of Life and God’s Rod of Strength that comes out of Zion (Psalms 110:2) This was a time of great celebration and marked a new era of government and spiritual leadership in the land.
David had just stepped into the fulfillment of prophetic promise and was crowned king over all Israel. After defeating the Jebusites and taking Jerusalem, he called it the City of David and established the seat of his government there. He then pushed back the Philistines who were his constant nemesis in battle. (The Hebrew word Jebusite indicates the mixture of the world that causes our hearts to be polluted. The root of the word Philistine means to wallow in self. God wants to give us internal victories over the things that pollute our hearts and cause us to serve self rather than God.). These victories led David to determine to bring back the Ark of the Covenant which had been stolen by the Philistines over twenty years before, for where the Ark was received with joy, it brought blessing, power and the presence of God. It was a time of great restoration, celebration and recovery as I believe 2024 will be.
Psalms 24 gives us keys to step into a time of recovery in our own lives and to see victory over chaos in the world around us as Jehovah Sabaoth rises on our behalf!
1). Setting Things in Order - A Year of Ascending to the Mountain of the Lord
Psalms 24 begins by extolling God as Creator and Ruler of the earth, His Supremacy and divine order over chaos. In Genesis 1:2 the earth was said to be without form and void. Without form comes from a Hebrew word meaning confusion, desolation, waste, a place of chaos. (Strongs 8414, Browns, Driver, Briggs) David wrote of God’s victory over the chaos of the earth by saying, “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, And established it upon the waters.”
Immediately after honoring God’s governmental positioning as Owner of all that is in the earth, David gives a prescription for how we can approach Him properly for relationship, righteousness and blessing.
The Mountain of the Lord is a place of God’s presence, His power and Transformation. Isaiah 2:2 tells us in the last days the mountain of the Lord will be exalted over all other mountains and all nations shall flow to it. Moses met with God on the mountain and received the words that would shape Israel’s future. Jesus was transfigured on a mountain for the disciples to see. He was constantly going up to a mountain to pray and seek God. If Jesus needed to seek the face of God and spend time with the Father, when he was in fact God, how much more do each of us need to renew our time of fellowship, prayer and presence. A couple years ago God said to me, “I am bringing back those who are not just prodigals out in the world, but also those who are prodigals from my presence.” Wow! Are you one who loves God, but don’t spend time in His presence? He is calling you back now. What better time than the beginning of the year to reset your holy pursuit of God’s presence, for in that place you will find your purpose in a new way.
Obviously we cannot come with our own righteousness but through through the power of the redeeming blood of the Lamb of God. But to properly align we must come with clean hands (right actions, how we treat others, faithfulness to our spiritual assignments), a pure heart (right thoughts, intentions, affections and motives), keeping our soul out of idolatry (things that draw us away from our passionate pursuit of the Lord) and staying out of lies and deceit (purifying our speach to speak truth). We must begin this year searching our own hearts and discerning our own lives before we can be used to discern what’s happening in the earth.
I have a recurring place in my dreams that I believe represents the mountain of the Lord. It is a turn off of a road Tom and I travel that leads to the most spectacular look out and incredible presence of the Lord. On the way up the road is winding and narrow. There is a turn out where you can catch a glimpse of the beauty without going all the way to the top. This always pulls at us to stop, but we know the goal of going to the top is worth it and like no other.
As I was praying about 2024 I had one of these dreams. We were organizing a trip to take others to this incredible place to experience the glory and presence of His beauty. But everyone got too busy and sadly we cancelled the trip.
I feel the warning of the Lord that we cannot be too busy or distracted not to go to the mountain of the Lord’s presence this year. It’s important to set personal and corporate goals and expectation to seek the face of the Lord, not just His hand for blessings.
2). The Commanded Blessing - A Time of Restoration of All the Enemy has Stolen
As previously mentioned, Psalm 24 is thought to have been written when David brought the ark up to Jerusalem. In 1 Samuel 4-6 the ark is stolen by the Philistines. But because it caused a curse wherever it went in the camp of the enemy, the Philistines sent it back to Israel after 7 months. It was put in the home of Abinidab, Saul’s son for over 20 years.
When David became king…..signifying a new era, he determined to bring it back to Jerusalem and fully restore it to it’s proper place. He doesn’t know how to properly move it and puts it on a cart, and chaos ensues. It falters causing the death of Uzzah who tries to catch it. God had a presecribed way, which was not man’s way (represented by the cart). Misalignment brings chaos.
The Ark stayed at the house of Obededom for three months. During this time David studied the proper way to welcome the ark of God back to Israel. During this time Obededom’s house was blessed. It was in Abinidab’s house for 20 years but no mention is made of blessing. Obededom considered it an honor to host the presence of the Ark of the Lord, and God blessed his house. He even followed the Ark to Jerusalem and served in its care in the following years. When we value the presence and power of God, God commands blessings upon us and our house.
When we come to the mountain of the Lord to seek Him and honor His presence, Psalms 24 declares, “He shall receive blessings from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” As we properly align our hearts and lives this year and obey what God is asking us to do, we are stepping into a time of commanded blessing! Raise your expectations and faith to see the impossible become possible.
At the end of 2023 the Lord challenged us to believe for family miracles: prodigals coming home, reconciliation between family members and greater unity and blessing on families. In December we heard of multiple miracles of all types for families. Sometimes we need to hear what is on God’s heart, come into agreement with it and then expect to see change.
John 10:10 declares, “The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy but (Jesus said) I have come that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” It’s time to repossess what the enemy as stolen in a previous season.
Set your faith and agreement for a time of Commanded Blessing like the blessings on the house of Obededom. Believe for the blessings on God’s house and on your house in 2024!
3) A Time to Welcome the King of Glory - Jehovah Sabaoth
Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah“ Psalms 24:1-10 NKJV
In this Psalm David was asking for the gates of Jerusalem to be opened to make way for the Ark of God, but really for the hearts of the people to be opened to the King of Glory. Michal (identified as Saul’s daughter, not David’s wife) looked out the window and despised David’s extravagent show of praise and worship. She could not see what God was doing in the midst of the chaos of battles in the land and her vision was clouded by her own loss and bitterness. She did not open her heart to the new season of victory and was never fruitful again. Yet the whole city was blessed because the Ark of God’s presence had returned to the people. His Glory had come back to their city! We must choose to receive the Lord and all His plans and purposes with an open heart as we enter this new year.
There are many names which extol the attributes and character traits of God: Jehovah Shalom, The Lord our Peace; Jehovah Rapha, The Lord our Healer; Jehovah Jireh, The Lord our Provider are a few examples. In this Psalm, and I believe for this season of warfare, spiritual confrontation and yet restoration and celebration, the name of God, Jehovah Sabaoth, is exalted. Who is this King of Glory? Yes, He is the Lord strong and mighty in battle. But He is also The Lord of Hosts, Jehovah Sabaoth, the Lord of the Angel Armies and He is rising up and fighting for His people and His kingdom cause.
Our God is a warrior! He is seen in Joshua 5 as the Commander of the Lord’s armies who appears to Joshua before the battle of Jericho. He is the Lord that fought for Israel as they came out of Egyptian captiviy (See Exodus 14:13-14). He is the God that David fights on behalf of as he rushes out to face Goliath. Jehovah Sabaoth appears 284 times in the Old Testament, more than any other description or identifying name of the Lord. Our God is surely a warrior who is fighting for us.
Who is this King of Glory? We will surely see God’s glory and power released in new measure this year. But don’t just look for glory clouds or tingles up and down our spines. This will be a demonstration of who He is, His power and His dominion in the earth.
As we come in to 2024 global tensions are rising. Lots of wars and rumors of wars are stirring in the earth. Nations are aligning for war. But I do not believe World War 3 is God’s will for the earth at this time. We need to pray against the spirit of chaos that wants to throw the entire earth into despair. But our God is a Warrior! He is the Commander of Angel Armies. He is arising in this manner as Jehovah Sabaoth, the Warrior, because we are in a time of contending.
On October 6th, 2023 the Lord told me the Prince of Persia, an ancient demonic stronghold seen in Daniel 10, was rising up to create war/chaos in the earth again. Persia is often symbolized by dragon images. Ancient Bablyon, which was known as the City of Gates, (which is significant for this year of doors and gates) covered some of its gates in images of dragons. Babylon’s name means confusion, one of the workings of chaos. That region of the world is being stirred by this ancient demonic spirit.
Of course, on October 7th Hamas attacked Israel.
In the time of Psalms 24 the Philistines were mounting new war strategies against Israel. I believe modern day Philistines are at work in the name of Hamas. Gaza was part of the ancient Philistine lands. Hamas is tied to Iran, which up until 1935 was called Persia. Today another dragon nation, China, is aligning with Iran and other Middle-Eastern nations. A powder keg is buildling fueled by the spirit of chaos and antiChrist. I believe its time for spiritual awakening but not time for global war.
In July 2023, before this conflict began I heard the Lord say there was a coming event in Israel that would get the attention of the world. Initially, I felt the US would support Israel, but the Lord said it as important to pray we stay in alignment with Israel knowing God will bless those who bless them. (Gen 12).
Can we, the people of God, the ekklesia, do anything about this? I believe there is a clarion call to prayer and to seek God’s face and cry out for mercy before His throne. It can’t be business as usual in our gathering times. We must contend against the agenda of chaos, whether in the lives of people or even in nations. Our prayers do make a difference.
Isaiah 45 speaks about victory over the captivity of Babylon by saying God will open up the double gates and give access to that which was thought to be impossible and impenetrable. He will give us the treasures of darkness which speaks of armories of weapons which Babylon had stolen. God is placing upgraded spiritual weapons in the hands of His people to wage war on a new spiritual level. Just as the US military does not fight with weapons forged for WW 2, we have upgraded the technology for planes, tanks and weapons. In the same way God is upgrading the spiritual weapons of prayer, praise and proclamations and bringing fresh revelation for how to defeat our already defeated foe.
The only way to have victory is to stand in the victory Christ won for us on the cross, but then to take up our spiritual weapons to enforce that victory.
Maybe you are fighting your own battles on a personal level that have seemed all encompassing and overwhelming. The same God that fought for Israel is fighting for you. He is mobilizing angel armies on your behalf to bring you victory over chaos in every battle you are facing. Angels are sent to help us (Hebrews 1:14), to guard us and to carry revelation to us from the throne of God.
Decree this with me: I open the gate of my heart to the King of Glory. I receive every part of your purpose and plan for my life and choose your ways over my ways. Let your glory saturate every part of my life a I serve you. I decree Jehovah Sabaoth is rising on my behalf. He is the Lord of Angel Armies and He is fighting for me, my family, my finances and my physical health. This will be a year of recovery for me of all that has been stolen from me by the enemy. I receive my upgraded spiritual weapons and stand in the triumph Christ won over death. I align my heart with heaven and will experience victory over chaos through the power of Jesus’ name. Amen
4). The Rise of the Dragon Slayers - Victory over Chaos
One of the battles we have been fighting at the end of 2023 is over the life of a dear friend who collapsed and was lifeless until he was resuscitated. He was put on life support and has been in the process of recovery. Doctors didn’t have a good prognosis, yet he continues to defy death and grows stronger each day. Now, his vitals are strong, his organs are working. He just needs to wake up.
Interestingly, this man had several prophetic words prior to this time that foretold victory in a situation just like this. His friends and family have used those words to war a warfare for the sake of his life declaring no premature death and that no weapon formed can prosper.
During a time of prayer for him I had a very clear vision of him fighting a dragon of death. He had a sword in his hand. Death would come for him, but he would evade its bite, hiding behind a rock, only to leap out and swing his sword at the head of the dragon again and again. His spirit man was being empowered by the prayers going up on his behalf. Though at this writing he is still asleep, I believe God calls him a dragon slayer!
At that point I heard the Lord say, “There a company of dragon slayers arising today. These are those who have looked death right in the eye and not given up, backed off or been intimidated. These dragon slayers will operate with supernatural courage to confront chaos and confusion and every emmisary of death operating in the earth. Jesus, the ultimate dragon slayer, defeated death, hell and the grave paving the way for this new generation of dragon slayers who will enforce his victory. Those who thought they would be broken by the harsh trials of the last season, yet held on to the Word of the Lord (the sword) will prevail. I am waking up My people, reminding them of My prophetic promises and calling them to wage war by them knowing My voice shatters the enemy (See Isaiah 30:31). So rise up dragon slayers! Shake off the defeat of the last season and rise into new authority and victory for the new day.
As I close this writing I want to leave you with a verse sent to me by a powerful intercessor. What a word of encouragement!
Isaiah 49:24-26 says, “Can plunder be retrieved from a giant, prisoners of war gotten back from a tyrant? But God says, “Even if a giant grips the plunder and a tyrant holds my people prisoner, I’m the one who’s on your side, defending your cause, rescuing your children. And your enemies, crazed and desperate, will turn on themselves, killing each other in a frenzy of self-destruction. Then everyone will know that I, God, have saved you, I, the Mighty One of Jacob.”
Rise up Dragon Slayers! 2024 is your year of Victory