This month my Inbox has filled up with prophetic words for 2020. A prophetic word comes from a prophet who God has spoken through providing inspiration, and sometimes ominous, thoughts from God. I listened to the 20 prophetic words sent to me by Sid Roth's ministry. Soon after, I received another 20 prophetic points for 2020 from James Goll’s ministry. Then every other day, I received additional prophetic words from Elijah list. All these words challenged me, but frankly, I felt a bit overwhelmed. I started to ignore them because there were just too many words, and I was uncertain about what I could do about them anyway. Then I felt stirred; I pondered what I could do. These prophetic words are all wonderful; how could I contribute to make them happen?
Moses
God gives us prophetic words to communicate His heart to humanity. They are designed to build up encourage and comfort, but we have a part to play in seeing these prophetic words come into being.
Moses was called by God to deliver Israel from Egypt. He had many prophetic words given to him. God spoke to him about His heart for the children of Israel and His plan and destiny for Moses to deliver them from Egypt. Moses initially did not accept the word the Lord and presented and gave several reasons why he could not do it. He did not receive the prophetic word.
I believe the first step we need to do when we hear prophetic words are to decide to embrace these words and to choose to accept them as from the Lord even at first we do not understand them.
Moses eventually did accept the prophetic words, and he did the second step, he acted. He went to Pharaoh, he spoke the words the Lord had said, yet Pharaoh did not receive it, and the battle for the prophetic word to be accomplished began. Ten plagues were required before Pharaoh agreed to let the children of Israel go, and even after he did, he still chased after them to kill them.
Prophetic words are not automatically fulfilled. It takes action, faith, and effort on behalf of the hearers to bring them into being. If Moses did not go, and Israel did not move when Moses told him to go, the prophetic word given to Moses would never have been fulfilled through Moses.
Now God could have supernaturally transported all of the children of Israel from Egypt to the promised land, but he didn't. He also did not send angels to divinely drive out the Amalekites when the Israelites were attacked on their way to the promised land. The Israelites had to do the fighting.
Israel had to fight to see the prophetic word accomplished, and Aaron and Hur needed to hold up the arms of Moses during the battle with the Amalekites, or it would have been lost. Israel had a part to play in fulfilling the prophetic words.
If Moses did not embrace the word and act on the word, the Lord would have to find someone else to do it because he wanted Israel delivered. The fulfillment of the prophetic word was very much in the hands of Moses to see it completed. The same reality is the case for the prophetic words that we receive today.
Prophetic Words: Our responsibility
I have given and received many prophetic words over my Christian life, and I've learned a few things about a prophecy that supports this biblical reality. Assume you're given a word that says, "I see you writing books, and you will touch nations with your words." The sounds terrific, and it may even resonate with your heart. Yet how does this prophetic word, come into being? As an author, I can tell you the following are the steps that you have to do.
1. You have to write a book.
2. You have to have the book edited and be ready to go through many revisions. One of my books took 27 versions before it went to print. One person said writing is rewriting, and there has never been a more accurate statement.
3. You have to find a publisher or self-publish it, and there is a cost to doing it which you may have to pay.
4. You have to set up distribution.
5. You have to promote the book actively.
The Lord will bless the work of your hands, but it still requires work. He is not going to miraculously create and publish the book.
How do we respond to the 2020 prophetic words?
Now let’s go back to the prophetic words and points I mentioned and examine a few of them.
1) We will see the fulfillment of a previous generation's prophetic words.
2) We will see a true, prophetic Caleb company arise who gives the Good News report when the world espouses an evil, negative narrative.
3) We will see crisis intercession arise like in the days of Esther.
4) We will see the restoration of faith as both a gift and fruit and as each Believer's portion.
5) We will see an increase of healing and miracles through Presence-saturated worship.
6) We will see old disappointments replaced by a fresh vision of a new era.
7) We will see integrity restored as a jewel in the Bridal garment.
8) We will see the convergence of character, compassion, and power resulting in the fruit of our works matching our faith.
9) We will see safe places emerge where unchurched Christians will feel at home.
10) We will see an adoption movement embraced as a key component in the pro-life movement.
11) We will see a divide in the historic church on the issues of moral purity.
12) We will see governmental leaders calling for sacred assemblies to call on the name of the Lord to heal our land.
13) We will see a detoxing of escapism and fear in our end-time theology.
14) We will see an explosion of creative entrepreneurship releasing new, disruptive technology and inventions resulting in new jobs and diverse income streams.
15) We will see the first fruits of the Great Harvest as international influencers turn to Christ.
16) We will see a shift from the "Come here" mentality to the "Go, therefore" mandate.
17) We will see that prophetic evangelism is for the many and not just a few.
18) We will see the beginning of the Third Great Awakening.
19) We will see the beginning of the Great Harvest.
20) We will see the beginning of the greatest show on Earth.
21) There will be a 1 billion soul harvest
22) The future of America belongs in the hands of the baby boomers because boomers have a sense of morality
23) Kids will heal the sick
24) God will expedite the promises given to us
25) There will be 12 years of God’s divine glory
26) Millennials will carry the banner (of the love of God)
These are all amazing, but as I reviewed them, I was challenged by Jim Goll's words, how will I partner with God to see them come into being. What can I do?
Things I can do
Firstly, I don't believe that all of these prophetic words are things that I can contribute to, so as I read through them, I look for ones that resonated with my heart, ones I could say yes and amen to, ones that birthed a vision in my heart. Those I embraced accepted that as a word of the Lord for me.
Secondly, I meditated on the prophetic word and asked the Lord what can I do, how do you want me to partner with you to see these words come true. As a result of these two steps, below are a few examples of what I felt I could do.
1. There will be 12 years of God's divine glory.
Leaders have a big part to play with this prophetic word coming into being. Just as it took Moses to make things happen, the same is the case today. Moses was not perfect. He was impulsive, and he had some real anger issues, yet God chose him. King David also had some severe failings, particularly in the area of women, yet God chose him. I realized that I could pray for the leaders of our country, even if I didn't agree with them or like their behaviors at times. I can believe that God will use these men and women, and I will pray that He does. I can do that.
2. Millennials will carry the banner (of the love of God)
Millennials are growing up in a time of tremendous uncertainty. Unlike us baby boomers, many millennials do not have the promise of a steady job, and as a result, anxiety is extremely high in today's youth. Furthermore, 50% of marriages now end in divorce. Many of these millennials have grown up without a mother or father to influence them. They need to be mothered and fathered. They need to be listened to, prayed for, blessed, and encouraged. I can do that.
3. An explosion of creative entrepreneurship releasing new, disruptive technology and inventions resulting in new jobs and diverse income streams.
I spent 40 years of my life in the computer industry and was a chief technologist in a significant computer corporation. As I thought about this particular prophetic word, I knew I had a lot of skills in this area but now I am retired and unfortunately even after only a couple of years you quickly go out of date in the computer business. However, as I thought about this, I realize I can encourage the next integration of engineers and be available to give them advice on strategic planning. I had been involved in a couple of start-up companies and several start-up businesses within my corporation. Perhaps that experience could be of value if I chose to share it. Much to my surprise, I've already had calls from young men asking for advice. I can do that.
4. We will see the beginning of the great harvest.
As I considered this prophetic word, I needed first to repent. I have not been consumed with souls and the spiritual condition of people as a late. Next, I realized I needed to pray for all I met that spiritual discussions would come easy and that I could communicate genuine love to those I spoke to. I also needed to be ready always to give an account of the hope that was within me through Christ and allow others to receive the love of the Father. I can do that.
5. The future of America belongs in the hands of the baby boomers
The baby boomers were raised with a moral compass. That moral compass has been eroded over the last 40 years. I remember when I first started to work at my firm that it was only necessary for us to teach our new sales reps and employees product knowledge and sales skills. At the end of my career, we needed to teach them right from wrong. We needed to teach them not to lie and not to bribe. Baby boomers were also raised with a sense of social responsibility and the need to be generous to the poor, to live by the golden rule, to do to others what you would like done to yourself. Society today needs a moral compass.
Two years ago, the Lord laid on my heart to write a book called “The Goal: being Light in the World”. This book presents examples of people accomplishing the commandments of Christ. Earlier this year the Lord laid on my heart to write a novel called “The Challenge”. This book is a story of a group of men who take seriously what Jesus wants them to accomplish and follows their lives for a year and shows how they changed their town. I took inspiration from a book written in the 1890s, by Charles Sheldon called "In his steps.". It appears that the Lord may have laid these two books on my heart in preparation for the prophetic word He released this year. I can put the effort to publish the new novel. I can do that.
6. Increase of healing and miracles through Presence-saturated worship.
As thought about this prophetic word, I realized that I have led worship for over 35 years, and my heart had always been to create an environment where people could enter into the presence of the Lord, so the Holy Spirit would be free to move in that environment. However, I noticed as of late that I seem to be a little more concerned about trying to include the latest song. I have not been paying as much attention to creating an environment where people can quickly enter into the presence of God. Matt Redman’s song heart of worship became very real to me and I have decided to refocus on the presence of God and not on the latest CCLI hit. I can do that.
Close
Different prophetic words are timeless and will stir all of us. All of us will find that we resonate with specific things our Heavenly Father wants to happen in 2020. I believe we are all called to contribute to them. I recommend that you consider the following five steps as you review these prophetic words.
1. Listen or read the prophetic words that the prophets are saying.
2. Decide which ones resonate with your heart.
3. Decide to embrace them as prophetic words from the Lord to you.
4. Ask God what can you do to partner with Him to see His work accomplished
If we all do this, the world will be changed, and God's will be accomplished, and these beautiful prophetic words will be fulfilled.
Related Resources:
How to Hear God's Voice!Related Blogs:
How to Hear God’s Voice
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