On May 5th, the Kentucky Derby celebrated its 144th year, as the beautiful 3 year-old stallion named “JUSTIFY” won the race.  This young horse, wearing the number 7, broke the 136-year “curse of Apollo.”  No horse who went unraced as a 2-year-old has won the Kentucky Derby since a horse named Apollo did in 1882.

“Enduring some 3 inches of rain, Justify’s 2½-length victory also extends the streak of favorites winning the Derby to six straight years, longest in the history of the race. Justify’s first career race was in mid-February, and the California-based horse has defeated all comers since.”

Why is this Kentucky Derby a sign for us that points to God’s Calendar Blueprint?

7 years ago, God gave me a vision that I have shared with many since and has ministered to me personally all these years.  In the vision, I was taken to a scene of the start of the Kentucky Derby.  I saw a couple horses in their gates ready for the start. It looked like they had been in it for awhile and were getting aggitated waiting.

Next, my attention went to this next horse that was being led to its gate. It was beautiful and full of energy and excitement, but when it got to the gate, it had to wait too. There were so many lanes that had not been filled with a horse yet, so it looked like it was going to be awhile.

So I looked behind me and saw some of the owners prepping their horse, others were walking their thoroughbred around, and even one who was masterfully trying to control his horse that had a wild side.

I turned back toward the horses that were already in the gates and they looked like they were about to go crazy waiting. I recall one almost falling asleep because the wait had been so long.  But eventually, the scene changed as the rest of the horses began filing into their gate.  Finally,  they were all in place and ready to go.

I heard the shot fired, and the gates opened for the horses to run the race that was set before them.  The Derby had started and it was beautiful to see the champions race in unison.

God then showed me this was a vision of running the race that was set before us.

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Heb. 12:1).

But this wasn’t a race that was for everyone.  It was for those whom God chose…those He elected as His “firstfruits” remnant.

Paul shared in Phil. 3:14 that he pressed toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  What was that higher call that Paul was talking about?  The prize was to be a part of the first resurrection of the saints who will receive their glorified bodies and reign with Christ in the Millennium.

“But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years” (Rev. 20:5,6).

The vision of the Kentucky Derby was given to me so I could understand why I had been praying for so many Christians who were sold out to Jesus and called to do great things for the Lord, and yet going through trials, rejected, hidden, and appearing as if they missed God somehow:

Some were already at the gate waiting. Some were being groomed. Some were full of anxiety and still needed taming. And some were just YOUNG, like the first being last and the last being first, whom God was waiting for to come into the race. But these elect were chosen for this race, and God had a SET TIME that the gate would be released as these great stallions ran the race. And when it was His SET TIME, it would take ALL to run together with JESUS leading the way on His white horse.

The dream helped me understand how hard the waiting has been for each stallion (remnant) that has been chosen to be a champion for the Lord, to wait for the gates to open.  I then understood that the remnant has been in training, learning patience, trust, integrity, excellence, obedience, and humility.  I understood that the remnant was being groomed to run a race NOT alone, but was connected to a greater purpose beyond themselves.  It was a united effort to move ahead at ONE SET TIME.

This Kentucky Derby was the 144th. 144 is the biblical number for the remnant.

“Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads” (Rev. 14:1).

Justify won, but the horse, “Promise Fulfilled” led the race for half the way. We are justified by faith in Christ alone.

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1)

Jesus is the “promise fulfilled!”

Justify was number 7; the number of completion and blessings.  

The horse broke the mold for all worldly qualifications.

The horse was from California…the place I got the vision and the state God has chosen to pour out His Spirit in the past that has touched the nations.

AND finally, the most amazing part of this derby is that it rained a record of 3 (trinity) inches, and Justify finished the race with NO MUD ON HIM!  Ahhh, the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit!

This Hebrew Year of 5778 has the meaning, when translated, of new beginnings and year the remnant emerges out of the gate to run His race.  They have been trained in obedience by the things they have suffered.  They have SAT and learned how to REST and TRUST for His release.

God will use events that all eyes are on to get His message across.  We just have to open our eyes and hear with our ears what God is saying to us. This is GREAT NEWS for the OVERCOMERS!  As we honor these SET TIMES of God’s Feast Days, we will find ourselves “in the gate” when the door is opened!

“Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (Romans 8:30)

“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14)