Guest Speaker at The Gathering
On Sunday, The Gathering welcomed Prophet Nancy Castro as our guest speaker—a long-time friend of the church with a deep prophetic voice and a life marked by faithfulness. Nancy carries a joyful, Spirit-filled presence, and her message reminded us of God’s provision, His nearness, and the invitation Jesus gives to all who thirst.
Before she began preaching, Nancy shared a personal testimony about caring for her 90-year-old mother. God had asked her to honor her mother in this season, and although the responsibility is demanding, she testified to experiencing an extra measure of God’s grace, wisdom, and peace as she obeyed. She spoke a prophetic blessing over her mother, declaring God’s provision and protection, and reminding us that when we pour out in obedience, God pours back in abundance.
A Prophetic Word to the House
Nancy began with a word of encouragement for those who have been feeling weary, anxious, or overwhelmed:
“Do not worry. Do not fear. I am the Lord your God. I hear your cries in the midnight hour. This is preparation for what I have for you. Press your ear against My chest and hear My heartbeat. I know what is best for you and your family. Do not doubt. Do not fear. I have the final word over your life and your destiny.”
She prayed over the congregation, cancelling anxiety, confusion, and fear in Jesus’ name, and releasing peace, clarity, and rest. Many in the room received this personally and powerfully.
The Feast of Tabernacles: God’s Faithful Provision
Nancy’s message centered on John 7:37:
“On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to Me and drink.’”
She explained the historical backdrop:
- The festival was the Feast of Tabernacles, a week-long celebration commemorating God’s provision in the wilderness.
- The Israelites built temporary shelters to remember how God covered, protected, and sustained them for 40 years.
- Each morning, priests carried water from the Pool of Siloam in a golden pitcher and poured it out at the temple as a reminder of the miracle in Exodus, when water flowed from the rock Moses struck.
In the middle of this celebration of God’s provision, Jesus stood up and declared:
“If anyone is thirsty, come to Me.”
Nancy emphasized that Jesus was proclaiming Himself as the true and ultimate source of living water—fulfilling everything the festival symbolized.
The Rock in the Wilderness
Nancy reminded us of the moment the Israelites cried out for water and Moses struck the rock as God commanded. God didn’t respond with anger—He responded with mercy. He has always responded with mercy.
Even when His people complained, doubted, or forgot His miracles, God remained faithful.
She said with a smile, “They would complain, complain, complain—but God still loved them. And how many times do we do the same? Yet He continues to come through.”
The Veil Was Torn: Direct Access to God
Nancy then taught on the moment Jesus said, “It is finished.” The earth shook, darkness covered the land, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.
That torn veil means:
- Direct access to God.
- No more separation.
- No more barriers.
- No more needing anyone else to approach Him for us.
She said, “Let Him take you as far as He wants to take you. Don’t hold back. Don’t let fear or people discourage you.”
Rivers, Not Drops
Jesus didn’t say, “Out of your belly will come a little stream.” He said:
“Rivers of living water.”
Nancy explained that these rivers represent:
- Depth
- Growth
- Spiritual maturity
- The flow of the Holy Spirit
- Increasing revelation of God’s love
“Let that river stir inside you,” she said. “From your belly—from your innermost being—let it flow. Don’t hold it in. Don’t keep it to yourself.”
She shared with humor how sometimes the Holy Spirit moves so powerfully that our bodies don’t know what to do—laughter, tears, falling under God’s presence. “You never know what can happen in the presence of God!” she joked, telling a story of a group of women trying to order takeout while overcome by the Spirit.
But the point was serious:
When God fills you, it overflows. You can’t contain it. You’re meant to release it.
A Thirst Only God Can Satisfy
Many people today chase fulfillment in all the wrong places, Nancy said. They try to satisfy spiritual thirst with temporary things, and the enemy is quick to confuse, distract, and deceive. She emphasized the need for believers to stay grounded in the Word, united in the Body of Christ, and filled with the Spirit.
“The darker it gets, the brighter your light shines,” she said. “Be that living epistle. Be Christlike. Walk as He walked.”
She also warned about the reprobate mind described in Romans 1—when people refuse to acknowledge God, their hearts become hardened, and they no longer recognize right from wrong. That’s why, she said, we must fast, pray, and intercede for our families and for the lost.
The Invitation Is Still Open
Jesus’ invitation on the last day of the feast wasn’t just for Israel—it is for everyone.
Anyone who is thirsty.
Anyone who is hungry for God.
Anyone who needs peace, hope, healing, or forgiveness.
Nancy ended the message with this challenge:
“Recognize your spiritual need. Come to Jesus. Drink deeply. He has everything under control, and He has the final word over your life.”
Key Themes from Prophet Nancy’s Message
- God pours out extraordinary grace when we obey Him.
- The Holy Spirit brings comfort, direction, and rest.
- Jesus is the source of living water—our spiritual fulfillment.
- The veil is torn; we have direct access to God.
- Rivers of living water—representing the Holy Spirit—flow from within believers.
- We must stay united, grounded in Scripture, and alert to deception.
- The invitation of Jesus is for anyone who thirsts.