Heaven is using the national political and social chaos to mobilize saints this year to prayer, action, and the manifestation of God’s glory. Even as the enemy continues to advance his cause, heaven’s cause is greater. If we are to join in heaven’s mandate for the revealing of the true sons and daughters of the Kingdom (Romans 8:19), these are critical factors to watch for, pray into, and join in:
It’s the year of prayer and intercession. Congregational and denominational differences will fade as a more unified body joins together for a supernatural move of God. Whether large stadium events or small home gatherings, everyone is being called to prayer as the bowl of intercession is waiting to be tipped (Revelation 8:4).
Prayers will become targeted on communities. Spiritual authority will increase on the local level as believers realize the spiritual and practical implications of all the changes on the national level. Believers will emerge at local and state levels to bring godly leadership. We must recognize them, pray for them, and support them in order to exercise our spiritual authority in our regions.
FAMILY and COMMUNITY will be central. Covenant relationships with others in the body of Christ will be critical. This will increase oneness and the needed spiritual authority at the local level. Church divisions and disagreements will take a back seat in order to “…attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God – to mature manhood…” (Ephesians 4:13). Generational mantles and blessings will be fulfilled in and through families revealing the love and promise of the Father (Acts 3:25).
Five-fold ministers at every level will emerge in equipping the saints to do the work that’s needed in every sphere of society. Apostolic and prophetic authority will become more localized as God’s prepared leaders will equip and train the saints to do the work. Individuals who seek to build their own ministries and reputations will prove ineffective unless they are multiplying their gifts and becoming spiritual fathers and mothers to the next generation.
Ministering to and serving the community on practical levels will increase. The prayers that have been stored up for years will become fuel for works of service to the widow and orphan. Even as relationships across the body of Christ are being restored, heaven is directing this new-found unity towards action on very practical levels. Faith will be completed by these works and demonstrations of compassion (James 2:22).
The SOUND of Praise and Worship will break through to new levels. The high praises of God from a unified body will be one of our greatest spiritual weapons in the months ahead. There are some issues and battles that will only be settled through corporate praise. There is a sound from heaven that has a breaker anointing on it – the sound of a unified body. Even as God’s manifest presence increases throughout the Church, this “new normal” will launch targeted declarations that will displace and dis-empower principalities and rulers in high places. Corporate strongholds will be broken through corporate authority and praise.
Signs and wonders will increase – both true and false. As apostolic and prophetic leadership increases to help establish healthy foundations in Kingdom living, signs and wonders will confirm God’s favor and power. We must pray for this to increase because of the rampant counterfeits that will also increase. Spiritual warfare is going to manifest more openly and believers from all backgrounds must become firmly rooted in the scriptural understanding of the supernatural realm (II Thessalonians 2:9-12). We must pray for FAITH to arise in order to defeat the Spirit of Unbelief that will try to hold the Church back in this area (I Thessalonians 5:20-22).
Greater discernment must come to the Body. Ancient practices in the occult are becoming more main-stream through Hollywood and entertainment. The Spirit of Baal and the ways of Babylon have been unleashed and saints must get beyond disgust, and even fear, to consider the true manifestations of the Kingdom which the enemy is trying to counterfeit and manipulate (Matthew 24:24). Believers should pray for greater discernment of spirits and seek to understand and walk in the realities of the supernatural realm knowing their true purpose in bringing God’s kingdom from heaven to earth.
Learn to welcome the unknown and unfamiliar. It’s the upside down kingdom. God will push our boundaries and take us out of our comfort zones in the coming months. As we have prayed for God to receive all the glory in bringing revival and spiritual awakening, He will take us beyond our gift sets, abilities, and spheres of anointing in order to prove it is He alone who is doing the work. Get used to being uncomfortable! It’s not about us – or our “callings” – it’s about Jesus and what HE wants to do through humbled and obedient vessels (I Corinthians 1:27).
The JOY OF THE LORD will become a distinguishing mark of the true Bride. There is a JOY that has power in it, not just good feelings. It’s a joy that has FACED THE WORST and chooses to lift up Jesus (Acts 13:52). Even as darkness increases and faith is tested, believers will learn to rise up and REJOICE, even as the enemy looks them in the face. This JOY will be so “unnatural” that it will break off Fear and even Death. The Church will join the Father as He sits on His throne and laughs (Psalm 2:4; 37:13). The Kingdom of Heaven will not be hindered nor God’s throne be usurped. All doubts will cease and the Bride of Christ will begin to sing for the wedding is near.
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