Yesterday I saw an old friend that I haven’t seen in a long time. We were best friends all through elementary school. We’ve seen each other a little since then, but it had been at least ten years since the last time. He gave me a big hug and we caught up a little bit. When we started talking about the new year, he asked me if I had any insider information. He asked it with a smile because he knows I am a pastor, and from what I know, he is not following Jesus. Though I knew he was joking, I was able to say, “I think I do.”
This is one of the amazing things about being a Christian. Jesus doesn’t call us “servants,” but “friends.” He loves to reveal his plans to His people. John 15:15 says this: “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”
There wasn’t enough time for me to share my “inside information” with him in the burger place, but I’m going to send it to him. I’m also going to share with you what I received from the Lord in the form of a prophecy for the year 2022. (As with all prophecy it is important to “weigh carefully what is said.”)
Here it is…
I woke up last Tuesday morning feeling overwhelmed, weary and unexcited about the new year. But as I sat there trying to cast my cares on Jesus, I felt the Spirit of God‘s thoughts begin to mingle with mine. It seemed like heaven’s perspective was trying to break in to my earthly perspective. So, I got out my journal and begin to write down what I sensed the Spirit saying:
Watch as the shaking of 2020 will give way to the breaking of 2022. It’s not the separating of the sheep and goats yet, but it is the separating of the fake and false from the true and holy. Be not deceived, God is not mocked, whatever a man sows that he will reap.
Many will rage against God and His ways, but many will repent and be saved. So preach, my people, says the Lord. Be ready to give a reason for the hope inside; the hope of heaven, the hope of redemption, and the hope of God’s faithful presence, provision and guidance.
You will know the power of the gospel of God as You preach the good news about what Jesus has done for You, personally, and what Jesus has done, and will do, for the world. Preach the restoration of all things and the restoration that has been done in you already.
This is the year you will either bounce back or be broken. God is going to finish the work He began by allowing the pandemic. The only way to be buoyant in the flood of failure of nerve, failure of heart, or falling away is to increase the buoyancy of your inner life. The despair, the loneliness, the division, and the disruption will cause many to sink and their faith to be shipwrecked.
But, like filling your lungs with air can help you float, filling your soul with God’s word will make you buoyant. Like putting on a life jacket can keep you afloat, putting on the armor of God — assurance of salvation, walking in righteousness, defending your faith, held up by truth, and standing fast in the good news of Jesus’ love and forgiveness — will make you buoyant against the flood.
The harvest is ripe. Salvation is near. Expect to see signs and wonders as you boldly speak about the beauty, power and kindness of Jesus. Ask and it will be given, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened in a unique way this year. A season of visitation. Eagerly desire Spiritual gifts, especially prophecy. Keep your eyes on Jesus, but also on Israel.
Now, I don’t know what stands out to you or what sentiment you are left with after this. But as for me, I felt energized and the clouds of heaviness and anxiety dissipated. God was telling me His plans. That was awesome all by itself. But His plans include many people turning to Jesus as a result of the prolonged disruption and the reaping of bad seeds they have sown. That Jesus will use the pain and angst to awaken people to repentance and redemption is a beautiful thing.
The other thing that stood out to me was how we need to ramp up our preaching game. I am not talking about Sunday morning preaching. I am talking about Tuesday afternoon at work, Thursday night at soccer practice, or maybe even when we randomly see an old friend in a burger place.
The bottom line is this: Jesus has plans for you, and for me, and for the salvation of others this year. And Jesus’ plans are always good — and all good. Be encouraged and be bold, my friends.
David
P.S. I would love to hear any prophecies you feel Jesus has laid on your heart for the new year. Even if you are not quite comfortable using the fancy (and sometimes scary) word prophecy, you can call it something else and send it my way.