Looking At 2023 And Beyond

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Go to TruthNetwork.com and click on the Fan the Flames Bibles for Asia! We're glad that you are here. You know, we really emphasize on our podcast and our teaching, everything that we do, really everything that we publish, the ability of the believer to believe God and to expect supernatural outcomes.

Because the Bible is a supernatural book and we are the supernatural people of the Almighty God. So it all just flows. That's who we are. That's who He is. So that's our expectation. It's not rare.

It's actually very normal. So for you and I, as we look at the things that we read in the Scriptures and consider the teaching that the Spirit of God gives to us, we do it from this perspective. We call it a divine perspective. So we're going to look today at this year, 2023 and beyond. And we're going to do that through a prophetic lens, a prophetic lens. The prophetic lens that the believer has is based in, steeped in and completely dependent on God's Word. His Word says it. We agree. His Word doesn't say it.

We don't go there. So steeped in the Word of God. That's our foundation and that's our goal for today to look at this year and beyond. And we want to emphasize where we are in time. So in addition to looking for what God's hand has for us from a supernatural perspective, we also want to add where we are because, you know, that really determines what our role looks like, our attitude, the way we posture ourselves and everything that concerns how we interact with the culture and participate in what God is doing. And so, just a reminder, prophecy is a third of the Bible.

So end time prophecy, prophecy about the coming of Messiah, other concentrations, all of this body of prophecy takes up about a third of the Bible. So that's where we're coming from. That's why we care.

That's why we're interested. And it brings me to one of my favorite teachers from my early days of my walk with the Lord, David Wilkerson. And not only do I remember his teaching so powerfully, but recently, you know, you're just hearing his name. Maybe you are.

I am. So that there is coming again some attention to the things that he's written, he's taught, the things that he said. And just a little background here.

David Wilkerson really had an amazing life and he did amazing work. And one of the things that is standing out now is a 50-year-old prophecy, the prophecy from 1973. So this is the year 2023. This is a 50-year-old prophecy. The word itself, the body of the word is called, is titled, The Vision. Again, 1973, David Wilkerson, in this vision, this man, David Wilkerson, details his vision about the world and the church's future. It's a prophetic vision. And so he is seeing in this vision, which we're going to look at a portion of it, he's seeing the economic conditions that are in the future, that are coming. He sees persecution. This is what he's putting in the vision.

He sees rebellious youth, a generation of young people who are rebellious. Natural disasters. And there are these things coming upon the earth, which he sees as birth pangs leading to the coming of God's kingdom.

So you know where we are. We're talking about the end times. The end of the end times.

The last of the last days. So 50 years ago, this vision, 1973, and the portion I want to read concerns Christian media. And it's brief, but it's powerful. His vision says this, that persecution is coming because of a media struggle.

And here's the quote. Never have the doors been so open to ministers of Christ and all the media. Christians now own and operate their own radio and TV stations.

And they are fully at liberty to pray for the sick, raise money and promote the gospel in any way they see fit. But watch out. Persecution and harassment are coming. The message I received for all those ministries using the media to spread the gospel is this. Work while it is day for the night cometh when no man can work. This is the day of freedom and opportunity, but the nighttime of harassment and persecution is not far off.

End quote. So the prediction here, the prophecy being shared by this man is 50 years in advance. And we can agree that his word then, which had no basis in fact then, is now very familiar to us in the current day, in this generation, at this hour, 50 years later. And as I said, several mentions have been made recently reminding me of brother Wilkerson and his amazing life and work, including this prophecy, which speaks to the current events of the day.

Just some background on him, such an amazing history, so unusual for his day. He was called to New York City in 1958 to minister and get this, to gang members and drug addicts. So he went on from that calling to create Teen Challenge and World Challenge, both designed to minister to the spiritual and physical needs of people worldwide.

And just on a personal note, I have experience with both Teen Challenge and World Challenge. And even to this day, though David Wilkerson is now with the Lord, these two expressions of God's heart for people in their physical and spiritual needs, they hold such great wealth and presence among, with a testimony among believers and even those outside of the church. I would say that David Wilkerson is best known for his book, The Cross and the Switchblade, which is a personal encounter between he and another man, actually an addict, a gang member on the streets of the city. He was the founding pastor of Times Square Church, a non-denominational church in New York City located right there on 51st Street in the theater district of Manhattan. The people that attend that church have over the years represented hundreds of nationalities and they gather there to worship each week. On a personal note, I've attended that church more than once, visited there, and the sense that you have when you are in proximity to the buildings that are a part of the church, it's a strong anointing for deliverance. There is a discernible, strong anointing for deliverance. The worship service, I would say the Sunday morning traditional worship service has the presence of the Lord in an unusual way, a strong anointing of worship. And I would say holiness. Some people have never experienced a presence like that where there's an all of God, a fear of the Lord, a reverential humbling of the individual because the presence of God is so strong.

That's been several years ago. I haven't been recently to visit this church, but I'm telling you the background of the man, I'm telling you the contribution that he's made, and I'm telling you that drawing from his life's work, he carries the word of the Lord in more than one way. The actual way that we're talking about today would be prophetically. So there's actually a second prophetic work of his I'd like to refer to later.

The Vision was written in 1972. Later, 1985, David Wilkerson published a book titled Set the Trumpet to Your Mouth. Set the Trumpet to Your Mouth. And if you are a student of the Bible, you know that's Hosea 8 verses 1, 2, and 3. And you know that the trumpet refers to the shofar. It's the ram's horn.

It's the way that Israel communicated times of worship, celebration, feast days, but also times of battle and assembling for battle. And there were certain blasts of the ram's horn that called you to a warning, an awareness that there's a warning, there's a danger, and to assemble yourself to hear the warning. So verse 8 from Hosea, Set the trumpet to your mouth, because they, the Lord's house, have transgressed my covenant and rebelled against my law. They have rejected the good. The enemy will pursue them.

So here's the consequence. Hosea is saying, this is the situation. The people in the Lord's house have rebelled, ignored the word of the Lord, and now, because they have rejected the good, the enemy will pursue them. You know, if you're protected by God and the enemy is pursuing you, it is because the Lord has allowed the enemy to pursue you. Not to get too far into that, but just the principle here, explaining the principle out of Hosea 8.

The Amplified translation gives a little more light. Again, Hosea 8, verses 1 through 3, Set the trumpet to your lips, announcing impending judgment. Like a great vulture, the enemy comes against the house of the Lord, because they've broken my covenant and transgressed and rebelled against my law. Israel has rejected the good.

The enemy shall pursue him. Israel being the topic here in Hosea. Not meaning, this does not mean that Israel is cut off by God. If you say that Israel has been cut off by God, once and for all cut off, we call that replacement theology. That's not right. So that's not in the word. God is the keeper of Israel, and the gifts and callings of God on Israel are without change.

They are eternal. So it means that there is judgment here on Israel's actions. Not a cutting off of his covenant people, but a judgment and a dealing with their actions. So looking ahead, because we are into this year, 2023, and beyond, if we consider where we are in this time, biblically, a third of the Bible is prophecy, we've said, plus we have other messages like this 50-year-old prophecy, and others as well. Like the situation and the condition with Israel in Hosea 8, regarding the apostasy that was taking place there, and God's response, by his Spirit, he said, put the trumpet to your mouth, sound the ram's horn, the shofar, which is to remind us, and here's the point, it reminds us, this is predictive, this is true, clear, pure prophecy.

That means ahead of time. The Scriptures are ahead of time. God's prophets speak ahead of time. And I think of a verse in 1 Chronicles 12 concerning the tribe of Issachar, where we read that Issachar's tribe had understanding of the times. They had discernment. They knew what to do based on the times.

Let me say that again. Issachar's tribe were uniquely known for having understanding and discernment of the times so that they knew what to do in the times, because of the times. And they had insight to offer those that were in other places in Israel, other tribes in Israel.

The New Living Translation says it this way. Issachar understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take. That's the challenge for you and me, to have the same anointing that Issachar had, to have an understanding of the signs of the times. Think back on David Wilkerson's prophecy, the disruption, the chaos, the persecution of the church. So see, we understand what's happening, and we know what to do because of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

So consider where we are in time. Realize that God is speaking to his people, each individual member, individually, but also to his church corporately, so that he's telling us prophecy, predictive words about things to come. So my prayer for you, for God's people, is that we understand that this is a part of the time where God has placed us and he has entrusted us with so much.

It's our responsibility to look at it, clearly discern it, and be ready to say what sayeth the Spirit of the Lord, to put a trumpet to your mouth and be able to speak as the Lord leads. Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode and you'd like to help support this podcast, please share it with others. Post about it on social media or leave a rating and review. Don't forget to check out the show notes or visit acleartrumpet.org where you can subscribe to Shirley's email list. Download the ministry app and purchase your very own copy of Shirley's 365-day devotional, Running with Horses. Thanks again and we'll see you next time.