The New Decade of Destiny

As the first decade of the new millennium draws to a close and we prepare to enter the second decade, beginning with the year 2010, there are many people searching for answers, looking to the stars, consulting the psychics, and inquiring of the prophets as to what happens next. Many are terrified and confused regarding the ancient Mayan “prophecy” that basically proclaims the end of the world on December 21, 2012 or some major catastrophic event. Made popular by the recent blockbuster movie 2012, people have taken great interest in researching the Mayan people, their culture, and how they came to arrive at such a date for the “end of the world”.

While it is not the purpose of this writing to seek to discuss or discredit such a wild prediction (to put it mildly) by these ancient people who are now extinct, it is important that I point out a few interesting observations. These end-of-the-world Mayan predictions were not given by genuine prophets. These were a people deeply into astrology and the mathematical calculation of the stars and their alignments. Understanding this, no Kingdom citizen should be foolish enough to give these “prophecies” any credence, since they were extrapolated using a practice that God clearly condemned (Deut 4:19).

In saying that, it also important that I point out that according to Scripture, whenever something significant is about to take place in the earth, there is always a clear sign or phenomenon in the physical heavens. I don’t want to take too much time to elaborate on this, but the most significant example of this can be found in the account of Jesus’ birth.

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him” (Matt 2:1-2).

The wise men mentioned in the above passage were actually magicians or sorcerers who were specialized in the study of astrology and enchantment, similar to the Mayan people. Notice that they did not receive their revelation about the Messiah’s birth from prayer or the study of Scripture, but from their careful study of the stars. In fact, prior to the arrival of these astrologers, Herod had no clue that Jesus had actually been born, and neither, it appears, had any of the religious leaders or bible scholars of the day, or they would have been searching for Him. In other words, with all of their scholars and bible prophecy experts, the people of Israel still didn’t have a clue that the long-awaited Messiah had been born and was already in their midst save a ruthless Roman king and a group of visiting star-gazers.

These religious leaders and scholars were able to extrapolate from scripture the exact place of Jesus’ birth – Bethlehem – but were completely ignorant as to when the event had taken place or exactly where in Bethlehem He was to be born (Matt 2:4-6). They had no prophetic insight whatsoever and relied totally on their limited human ability to interpret the writings of the ancient prophets. And they were too blind to recognize the earthly signs and unusual phenomenon taking place in the heavens that boldly proclaimed Christ’s birth. Herod’s sudden interest in the prophecies concerning the Messiah and the whereabouts of His birth should have been a sure clue to alert them of the significance of the season they were now in. Yet it was a group of Magi all the way from the East who were able to use their astrological savvy to follow the star to the exact pin-point location of Jesus’ birth, because they recognized the significance of this unique phenomenon in the heavens. The star not only told them a new King was born, but also revealed to them His exact location – something the scriptures did not do (Matt 2:7-11).

We see a similar occurrence of physical signs in the heavens when Jesus was crucified:

Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land (Matt 27:45).

Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom: and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split (Matt 27:51).

It was not usual for the sun to not shed its light in the hottest time of the day (between noon and 3:00 PM). This was something highly out of the ordinary, but it was an unusual phenomenon indicating the significance of what was taking place in the earth. Even the earth quaked and shook as a physical sign and testimony to what was taking place.

This is one of the reasons why pagan kings kept magicians, sorcerers and astrologers close as part of their executive counsel or cabinet to consult with on things unknown. It was a practice that was heavily relied upon by the heathen nations and was carried on long before Israel became a nation (Gen 41:8, 24; Ex 7:11, 22; 8:7, 18, 19; Is 47:13; Dan 1:20; 2:2, 27; 4:7; 5:11).

I am not sharing this to in any way endorse the practice of astrology or searching after omens as a means of gaining wisdom or insight regarding spiritual or natural things either present or to come, because these practices are clearly forbidden and condemned in Scripture. Our source for revelation, wisdom and truth concerning what is to come should be in God Himself. The whole point of all this is to prove that there is a significant link between the physical realm and the spiritual realm, with the former always displaying signs of activity in the latter. The activity of the Magi in Matthew chapter 2 shows us that one can sometimes study and follow these natural signs to an accurate conclusion, but this is clearly not the path that God has designed for us to take since signs can be very deceptive. Besides, according to Jesus, only an evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign (Matt 12:39).

A time of new beginnings

I believe that what the Mayans were able to perceive using their complex mathematical equations and hieroglyphs was only partly accurate, and it pertains to more than the year 2012. What they basically extrapolated from their star-gazing was that something significant – perhaps an age – was coming to an end and that something new was on the horizon, bringing an end to the old cycle. They interpreted this to mean the end of the world, but I am here to tell you that this is not the case.

This new decade that we are about to enter into will mark the end of the age and the beginning of a new season both for God’s people and the earth as a whole. The technology that is about to be released during these next 10 years will dwarf the technological advancement of every age since then, added together and multiplied over. What was once sci-fi is soon going to become a reality, but in a much greater dimension than we experienced in the last century. The way we do business, the way governments operate, the way we communicate, the way we live… everything is about to change in this next decade that I believe will be our greatest decade of destiny. Even the way we conduct warfare is going to change in this next season. Life as you once knew and experienced it is basically over.

For God’s Kingdom Community it shall be no different. The veil is about to be totally pulled from off the Scriptures allowing us to enter into a degree of wisdom and insight regarding the King and His Kingdom that will quickly escalate God’s Kingdom Community to a new place of maturity, authority, power and influence in the earth. What this Community is going to possess in this new season will surpass any revelation any man has received since the days of Solomon and Enoch, thus creating a much greater divide and enmity between God’s Kingdom Community and the earthly kingdoms of this world, including institutionalized religion. Just as there will be a major technological advancement in the earth, the likes of which will catapult us into an era similar to what is depicted in the Jetsons cartoon, even so shall there be a great technological advancement in the spirit with the Church that will accelerate the return of the King.

On an individual level, there will be some geographical and vocational moves for many of us within the next three-four years. There are some of us who have felt stuck for one reason or another, but that thing which has been holding you is about to become unstuck in this next season, allowing you to transition, migrate and advance to a new place and position. Those who have served faithfully under various ministries and have been willing to suffer through it without promoting or exalting themselves are about to receive a new crown and mantle to rule in a greater sphere. The unknown are about to become known, while many of the known are about to be forgotten. There are even some of you who were overlooked and denied the promotion that you deserved during the last season, but God’s going to command those over you to look again and bestow upon you what you rightly deserve.

A new prophetic movement

There is a new breath from heaven that is about to re-awaken the prophetic movement that took place in the 80’s with a second wind or a second breath, as it were. Whereas the first movement was effective in restoring the ministry and function of the prophet to the Church, as well as giving us a greater understanding of their operation and purpose, this is going to be totally redefined. Many of us who participated in the last movement went away with a greater anointing and boldness to give personal and corporate prophetic words, and many felt a greater freedom and liberty to take on the title of “prophet”. But in this new wave of prophetic unction and purpose will come a greater ability to see into the divine architecture of heaven with greater insight, and release divine revelation that will provide the fuel for this still emerging apostolic reformation. Like with the prophetic movement that took place in the 80’s, there are already a few people walking and operating in this dimension, but this is going to increase to where there are many, many more entering into such an experience.

There will be a much greater degree of power and authority being released through this new movement, but it will not foster a “superstar” mentality or a “me-centered” attitude that we saw so much of in the former. We are transitioning beyond the limitations and former paradigm of simply blessing others with personal prophetic words of edification, exhortation and comfort. The renewed emphasis on building and establishing Kingdom architecture is going to cause the people to re-focus upon God’s Kingdom being established in the earth rather than upon themselves, and cause the fear of God to permeate our hearts similar to the way it was in the Early Church.

This new movement will not spawn any more “lone ranger prophets”, but will create a new standard of accountability, plurality and community as they function within the context of the whole and not as an isolated individual part. They shall be enveloped with apostolic grace as they learn to accurately position and align themselves within that sphere.

As a result of this, more nations than ever before shall be opened up to receive the divine counsel and wisdom of God because of what is demonstrated in and through this new movement.

Let me interject here, also, that it is not only going to be the prophetic ministry that gets redefined in this new season. It will begin with the ministry of the prophet, but every one of the other ministries that we often refer to as “fivefold” (apostles, evangelists, pastors and teachers) are going to be redefined, resharpened, refocused and recommissioned. The emphasis will no longer be upon titles or having elevated positions, but upon true servant-hood and function, with the apostles and prophets leading the way.

When we were a child, we thought, spoke and acted as a child, but now that we have become a man, those childish attitudes, ways and dispositions must be placed aside in order to convey a valid image, representation and reflection of the ministry of Jesus in the earth (1 Cor 13:11).

A shift in power

This new decade that is approaching is going to formalize and finalize the shift of focus and power from one region to another, and from one nation to another. The United States will not be able to retain or maintain its power, authority or influence in the earth. Other nations are arising which will become more mightier and wealthier than the Unites States of America. One senior prophet in America wrote:

It just makes sense that if the spiritual reality behind the systems of the U.S. has been shaken and removed, the nation will be less powerful relative to other nations, and that life in this nation will be both less stable and the nation itself less coherent (Scott Webster Ministries, Prophetic Brief, October 14, 2009).

I would encourage you to visit Scott Webster’s website at www.scottwebsterministries.org and go through the archives of prophetic briefs he has written regarding the financial crisis and what is going on in Afghanistan. It is both highly informative as well as highly prophetic, and I know of no other person on this planet who has addressed these issues as well as he has.

There is great turmoil ahead for America, but this is not primarily the fault of any government or leader per se. Even though we might be tempted to blame the present administration for our predicament and try to pray against it, these are things which were preordained to come to pass. We may attempt to slow it down, but the results are inevitable.

The shift that is destined to take place goes beyond the limited scope of America. We must get out of the narrow, self-focused mindset that everything begins and ends with America. There are things taking place rapidly on a global scale that go way beyond the scope of this nation. We must begin to see and think globally, because the main players are about to change. Several prominent leaders are about to fall or be displaced, and new treaties are about to be ratified.

There are some new names that are about to emerge and a great transfer of wealth that is about to take place. This shall be seen even in the illegal drug trade, with Columbia being replaced as the world’s principal supplier.

Antichrist influence through laws and legislation

With the advancement of God’s Kingdom and the establishment of God’s divine order in the earth during this next season, there will be a greater measure of opposition being brought upon us by the antichrist spirit that shall seek to promote laws and legislation with the intent of stifling the voice of the Church. Many so-called “Christian” churches and entire denominations are going to fold because of the pressure and compromise the truth. Those churches and religious leaders in America more concerned with preserving their precious 501C3 status will be forced to change their message.

Many religious leaders will try to mobilize the Christian community to either speak out or publicly demonstrate against these proposed laws as they are being drafted and debated in various government arenas, but it will often be to no avail. Many of these laws will be passed regardless of the public outcry by the Christian community or their earnest prayers, because it is God’s intent that they come to pass. Be careful that you do not find yourself praying against something on religious or party lines because you are too blind to see the big picture and the hand of God in the midst of it.

I have heard a lot of calls to prayer on various issues that were not really motivated by the issues themselves but by a heart of self-preservation. In other words, we don’t want to suffer like Jesus or the Early Church suffered. We want to have it easy.

Read your bible again; I guarantee that you will not find any occasion or example in Scripture of any of the patriarchs, prophets, apostles or disciples of Jesus ever praying against persecution or attempting to petition God to change the leaders’ minds so that they would change their laws and make life easier for them. Notice Daniel’s response when his enemies decided to draft new legislation specifically targeted against him and the worship of his God:

So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him. Then these men said, “We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.” So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: “King Darius, live forever! All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisers, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions… Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows opened toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days (Dan 6:4-7, 10).

There is no indication that Daniel began to fast and pray and cry out to God to reverse the new legislation or change the decree of his king. He simply continued – albeit boldly – praying and praising God as he usually did without being intimidated by the new decree. There was no attempt at self-preservation by either hiding what he was doing or speaking out against it. Even though the king did fast on Daniel’s behalf, unable to sleep because of his desire to find some loophole whereby he might be able to legally overturn his former decree (which could not be revoked or altered) because of his love for Daniel, the point remains that Daniel’s disposition was not one of self-preservation.

When Peter and John were beaten and threatened, commanded by the Sanhedrin never to speak or teach in the name of Jesus ever again, they didn’t go back home and call a prayer meeting to change the present antichrist legislation or incite the people to publicly demonstrate on their behalf. They cried out to God for greater boldness to minister in spite of their threats. God honored their prayer by causing the entire place where they were assembled to shake, because they were more focused on Kingdom advancement than on preserving their own lives (Acts 4:13-31).

There is a time coming quickly upon us when true apostles and prophets will be known and recognized once more because of their willingness and readiness to suffer, and everyone who claims to be a citizen of the Kingdom needs to arm themselves with the same mind where we count it a privilege to enter into the sufferings of Jesus. It is not something to be shunned, but a privilege to be counted worthy to suffer with Him, because we refuse to love our lives unto the death (Act 5:41; 2 Thess 1:5; Rev 12:11).

Great strides in the Women’s movement

In this new decade that we are entering into we shall also see great strides in the movement of Women. Women are going to arise and begin to dominate areas once held by men. More and more women are going to hold high offices in government, with several nations having a female in the highest public office. Where there were only a few prominent, powerful and influential women in the earth during the prior season, there is going to be a major shift with women quickly gaining ground on men in positions of power, influence and government. Several very high profile women are going to emerge even in the marketplace in this next season and it is going to expose a major tear in the fabric of our culture and society. More and more men will be forced to take on new roles and will experience the greatest identity crisis of the past century.

The roles of men and women will become even more obscured and cause the very fabric our our society to unravel, producing chaos on every level. Women will feel more liberated and inclined towards professional careers, being more academically proficient and successful than men, thus positioning them for greater opportunities. Men will no longer demand the authority and respect which they once did in this new era, and it will lead to the entire breakdown of the home and the mental, psychological and emotional distress of men.

This movement of Women shall continue to be championed by many great and prominent leaders from virtually every field imaginable, and shall be welcomed with enthusiasm and joy with every milestone that is crossed, but the cost for such a major shift is going to be very great upon our children, our families, our culture and our nation. Women will gain the “freedom” that many have desired and fought for for years, but at what cost? Get ready for a new era!