C. Peter Wagner, Cindy Jacobs, and many others: Word of the Lord for 2008 and Beyond
This Word is the compilation of the prophetic words and consensus of the Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders (ACPE). Last year, the council met at the beginning of the Jewish calendar, September 12-13, 2007, rather than at the January time period in order to have time to distill and hear the Word of the Lord before the turning of the Gregorian calendar. (Note this in light of several of the prophecies that have already come to pass since this word was given in September of 2007.)
While this is a prophecy for the year 2008, it is difficult at times to put a prophetic word in a certain chronological time structure as the lives of individuals and the choices they make can also have an effect on the timing of what God has shown to us. Some of these prophecies are more appropriately given for the "next season" of our lives rather than simply a one-year timeframe.
2008: The Year to Possess the Gates
"...blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the Heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall 'possess the gate of their enemies.'" Genesis 22:17
"The one who breaks open will come up before them; they will break out, pass through the gate, and go out by it; their king will pass before them, with the LORD at their head." Micah 2:13
|
This year the Holy Spirit keyed off of the number "8" to us. The number 8 represents new beginnings. God wants us to go through new doors (or gates) to go to a new level in everything we do. The Lord cautioned us that while many want to experience the new wine (i.e., new moves of God), there are some who want to "wear their old robes," or that which is comfortable to them, into this new season of time. This will not work. It is critical that we all are willing to give up old practices, structures, and the influence of relationships that tie us to the old if they refuse to allow us to move into the new things.
As we met as prophets, this was probably one of the most fertile times that we have had in the release of not only the word of the Lord, but spiritual instruction on how to get into the "new things" and "new gates." This includes the shutting of old gates and doors, seeking the Lord for how to move into the new in a proper way, and asking God for wisdom for the move.
Biblical Patterns for the Number 8
Here are some significant aspects we were shown about the number eight for this year from some Biblical patterns:
1. David was the eighth son--new DYNASTY for Israel. (This includes the word ''legacy'' as a key word.)
2. Circumcision takes place on the eighth day--new life through covenant. A new holiness movement that will require personal circumcision or the cutting away of sin issues in our lives, and then the Church will see a national move of holiness.
3. Eight souls on the ark--new beginning of the earth, new revelation of God's judgment and His grace.
4. Eighth note on the piano begins a new octave. Look to God for the release of new sounds and songs.
5. Seven colors in rainbow spectrum--eighth color begins new spectrum.
6. Eighth day is the beginning of a new week.
7. Josiah began his reign at age 8 bringing a new reign in the midst of idolatrous predecessors. He began to seek the Lord for himself in the eighty years of his reign, which later resulted in his purging Israel of the altars of Baal. Look to a new reformation generation arising who will purge their lands of sin and bring Biblical reformation. Solomon also began to purge the idols from Israel in the eighth year of his reign.
8. Jesus appeared to Thomas, the doubter, on the eighth day after his resurrection. Many doubters will convert and be visited by God in special and unique ways.
The Number 8 In "New Beginnings"
Genesis is the book of beginnings in Scripture. Here is a prophetic emphasis from it for us today:
1. The anointing to create
Creative and innovative ideas. God is going to release upon His people many ideas that will lead them to prosper in spirit, soul and mind. This creativity will also help us to "work smarter, not harder." The curse of toiling under heavy burdens with huge moments of frustration has caused delay and exhaustion. Seek the Lord for new ways to do things that will release the finances you need and streamline your life without working to simply get by on a day-to-day basis.
2. The anointing for dominion
This is the anointing needed to fulfill the Biblical mandate found in Genesis 1:28 to "be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion." Seek the Lord for a way to be fruitful in evangelism and fill your cities with the doctrine of Christ (Acts 5:28). New evangelism outreaches will fill our cities along with visitations of God upon young revivalists. Young people will study the lives of Leonard Ravenhill and E.M. Bounds once again--with the fire for winning souls burning in their hearts.
Each sector of society will begin to be touched by the power of God in new fresh ways from government, education, the medical fields, media, the arts and other areas. No longer will the Church bemoan what is going on around them in society but ask themselves the question, "What are we going to do about it?" and "What is my assignment in seeing this happen?"
3. The anointing for creative miracles
The frequency of the miraculous will increase; particularly--unusual creative miracles. In this season, we will see not only churches filled with miracles, but whole cities. "Cancer-free zones" will be the medical talk of the day as some churches and cities have such frequency of seeing cancer healed that it catches the attention of many including the secular news.
The Transfer of Wealth
While many have believed there is going to be a great transfer of wealth, there is a frustration on some that have "believed but not yet seen." In seeking the Lord about this, one revelation came that there has been a demonic "spirit of delay" sent against the Body of Christ; particularly to those in the marketplace. ''Chronos'' under Strong's definition #5550 also can mean "delay."
Therefore, it important to understand that while God means to release the wealth, satan is releasing His strategies to keep the wealth "locked" that we are working to "unlock." God wants to open locked gates in '08. In order to possess the gate of wealth to, among other things, develop plans to eradicate systemic poverty, we need to develop new structures of intercession to do the spiritual warfare necessary to transfer wealth.
Among other things, here are some forms that need to take place:
1. New prayer movements with a focus on marketplace intercession.
2. More businesses hiring intercessors to pray for their workplace.
3. Focused intercession and training for specific targeted sectors of wealth and business. Intercessors need to be trained to understand business so that they can pray intelligently.
New and Greater Emphasis on Intercession
God is going to pour out new wine upon the intercessors and new prayer structures across the face of the earth. Many 24/7 prayer movements will spring up in university campuses. Christians will ask for prayer rooms in their places of employment. It is time for us to "come out of the closet" and let our prayers and voices be heard in society. Teachings that were done in the 80's and 90's on prayer and intercession need to be revisited with a new eye and taught to the Church.
|
Cyrus Anointing
God is going to anoint in a profound way some of His children with a Cyrus anointing to fulfill Psalm 107:16, "For He has broken 'the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron in two.'"
Spiritual Eldership
God is anointing leaders who will run for political office, become the presidents of corporations and principals of schools, and others who will sit in the gates of influence in society like Boaz did in Biblical times.
Open the Floodgates
"'Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this,' says the LORD almighty, 'and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of Heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.'" Malachi 3:10
It is time to possess the floodgates that will open the doors of favor and influence and finance. As long as we are obeying the mandate to tithe, God is going to flood us in several areas that will help us open these doors. Ask the Lord how to incorporate the word of the Lord for '08 to open your personal floodgates of blessing and influence.
Key Words for You--Full Circle in '08
Revelation: God wants to pour out new revelation on how you are to function in this season of your life. Be flexible in your life at this moment for God's changes and adjustments to occur in your schedule and way of doing things.
Wisdom: God will give you wisdom not of this world, but of His Heavenly wisdom if you seek Him with all of your heart for it. He will give wisdom for the shift, for new ways for new assignments, and how to apply the revelation to go to new levels in your life.
This is a season for things to come "full circle" in our lives. Things left unfinished in your life will be finished. Relationships that were broken will be restored. Broken dreams will be healed and come to life again. It is time to dream again! Go back and revisit the prophetic words that God gave you in the last season and past years that were not fulfilled, and refuse to let go of them until you see them go into fruition. War over the words and believe them (read I Timothy 1:18, 2 Chronicles 20:20).
President and Upcoming Elections
God spoke to us specifically that we had fallen down in our intercession for President Bush, and God wants us to pray that he will finish as the "Burning Bush," which God showed us was his destiny before the elections. He admonished us to pray for him as the authority God had put in place as our President (read I Timothy 2:1). In seeking God for the next leader, we have failed in our intercession for our current one. God wants President Bush to finish well as He spoke to us two years ago.
An interesting word was released for the meeting in September '07 that is particularly pertinent for the elections of '08:
God has provided a righteous man who will begin to emerge towards the end of '07 and begin to shine in '08. We will not be left scratching our heads or feeling like we are throwing our vote away on someone who cannot win. God will put His very apparent light of favor upon this man, and we will know how to pray and to vote.
The Lord also prophetically admonished us to press through to see the courts shifted and that--we cannot fail in our prayers to see abortion overturned in the United States. (As of now, 49 million babies have been aborted since 1973.) This is a "make it or break it" time, and we must not be weary in our intercession.
Admonition for Prayer Cover
God gave us a specific word that satan will try to bring premature death to the Body of Christ. Please prayerfully cover yourself, your family, pastors, and those of influence specifically in your life.
Philanthropy
A new generation of philanthropists will arise out of the Body of Christ. A focus will be on the poor and needy. There will also be a major emphasis on using wealth to gain influence to be a voice in society for righteousness. This will lead to Christians and Christianity in general to be seen in a new light by those who thought that God and the Church were unfeeling and uncaring.
New Emphasis on the Teaching Gift
The teaching gift will once again arise to the forefront as the Lord brings an emphasis on knowing the foundations of Biblical truths. This will mitigate against the Body of Christ going off course and falling into error.
Holiness Movement
Holiness will come to the Church again. With this will come a great exposure of sin in the pulpit. The Lord warned us that many would come under governmental scrutiny during the last half of '07 and '08, and we need to examine ourselves so we are clean in every area of the ministry, financially as well as spiritually.
New Civil Rights Movement
A new generation of civil rights leaders are going to emerge in the nation who will be a righteous voice. Their anointing will be so strong that they will supersede and be stronger and have more influence than those who are unrighteous that align with unbiblical stances. They will speak against the influence of the unholy side of hip-hop and new prayer movements will also arise in the black community.
Kingdom Government of God
The government of God will become a new wineskin for the future move of God (see Matthew 6:10). Reformation back to the original design of Genesis will be a major focus and God's creative anointing will be on those who move in this direction.
|
Specific Focus on Nations
There were five international areas that we specifically felt God's spotlight on in the coming hour:
1. China.
2. The "Ring of Fire" (Pacific Rim nations).
3. India.
4. Israel and the Middle East.
5. South America and Venezuela.
We felt there was going to be an extreme battle between light and darkness for a season, with increased persecution of believers. On the other hand, great harvest and advancement for the Kingdom of God will also take place. We all need to pray specifically for these regions of the world.
Submitted by C. Peter Wagner, Cindy Jacobs, and the members of the Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders (ACPE)
C. Peter Wagner
Global Harvest Ministries
Email: info@globalharvest.org
Cindy Jacobs
Generals International
Email: generals@generals.org
Visitor Comments (0)