During our staff prayer time last week, I had a strong sense that God has plans for the year 2020. We know that God is always at work, but as Issachar in 1 Chronicles understood that there are times and seasons in how God builds His Kingdom, so we still today see God working inside of time to advance His purposes.
God showed me a mental picture (also known as a vision) of a field of dry, cracked soil. It was a lifeless desert I saw in my mind’s eye, abandoned and left for dead. Then I saw God come with a plow, push it into the soil, and He began to turn the soil over. To my surprise, I saw rich dark soil underneath, and as He tilled the earth, this rich dark soil was turned to the top, and eventually the desert looked more like a well-tended garden, ready for seed to be planted.
This is what I hear the Lord saying over the year 2020:
Behold, I make all things new. Even the old things, the dead things, I make them new.
In this coming year, I will be turning soil over in the neglected, abandonded places to make way for future growth. The desert will become a garden, even the desert seasons of life — these are destined to become your most fruitful places. Look to the places in your past and present where no fruit has been borne; look to the places of death and decay where you have lost hope. These are the places to which I am coming with a plow to turn the soil over.
I am coming to broken relationships, to nations that have been fallow, to marriages that have been fallow and lifeless. Watch as I, the sovereign Gardener come to the lifeless things, both literal and metaphorical, to turn the soil over. To bring churning which may seem confusing or upsetting, but which will reveal hidden soil which is rich, full of life, and ready to begin growing new life.
The old molds will be shattered, for this is a new thing. Bitterness will keep you from seeing my work. Are you ready? Forgiveness is key in this coming season. Those who hold onto unforgiveness will miss out on what I’m doing in 2020. Do not be distracted by the noise of culture, nor by the falling-away of many because I am at work. I call you to take a fresh look at nations that are closed, cities that seem barren, internal heart places of pain, loss, disappointment, misunderstanding. Take a fresh look and welcome Me into those places. Release words of forgiveness. Sanctify your heart and allow me to till the soil. My promise is this: in every place, I am at work. I will turn all things around for your good, and I will sovereignly reveal life and health.
The soil needed to rest in the past, and many have looked at places lying fallow and labeled it “desert”, but I am coming to churn, to till the soil. Your part is to see it and embrace it.
I get a clear picture from God that 2020 will not be the year of reaping the fruit from these fields. 2020 is the year of preparation. I see Him planting new seeds in 2021 which will then grown and bear fruit in the future. This is not a word saying that all your dreams will come true in 2020. Rather, this is a word saying that 2020 will be messy. It will be confusing at times, but what’s happening is God reframing the dead/dry/forgotten places (literal and metaphorical) into places where life will appear. Think of how a farmer will come with a tiller and turn soil over in a field. That’s 2020. After that comes planting, then growth (that will seem unexpected), then fruitfulness, then harvest. Trust the Great Gardener!
But wait, there’s more!
I also get a sense that there will be an increase in prophetic activity in 2020. Look for more words to come forth, and take time to pay attention. Don’t immediately write-off a word that you see someone speak, but rather take time to test the spirit behind it. If you’ve never seen yourself as prophetically gifted, now is the time to ask the Holy Spirit to give you the gift of prophecy, and remember that Paul said, “You can all prophesy…”
The Spirit will be in the business of peacemaking in 2020 in a way which will be more visible than it’s been in the past. We all know that Jesus said “Blessed are the peacemakers…” but I sense that there will be new and creative ways in which God pushes for peace on His earth in the coming year. Be prepared for this, as it will come as a surprise to many. Examine your heart for any place in which empire-building or an allegiance to any other kingdom has crept in (remember we serve one King who has an invisible/non-earthly Kingdom!). I see situations arising which will seem negative and harmful at the outset, but which are in fact creative solutions dreamt-up by God which will bring forth peace down the road. Don’t let your heart be hardened in 2020. Look for the “Kingdom middle” of issues. Cooperate with the Spirit in being a peacemaker and in praying for peace to come on earth as it is in Heaven.
God is raising up a people of indomitable hope. This past season of waiting, of frustration, of longing…God will turn it around for our good. He has been at work in it, raising up a people of unstoppable hope. Hope is like fuel for the fire of faith, and is one of the three enduring things (faith, hope, and love). Now is the time to ask the Holy Spirit for a fresh influx of hope in your heart to prepare you for a fresh perspective. Allow God to reframe your past and present disappointments. He is making you into a person of hope, even unreasonable hope!
Lastly, I keep having this sense in my heart that the old things are becoming the new things. There’s something about 2020 that will see old things renewed so that they are now the new thing upon which God is breathing. I believe there’s something stirring in the worship movement that will see God putting a fresh anointing on the old things. I’m not sure about the details of this, but I am confident that it’s a phrase we’ll all find ourselves saying in 2020.
Action Points
Any time you hear a prophetic word, it must be judged. Methods for judgement include the full testimony of Scripture (does the word align with God, as revealed in the Bible?), the testimony of the Holy Spirit within you (do I feel faith about this word? Even if it’s bad news, do I have an inner sense of “yes” from God?), and of course as said in Revelation, the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Therefore, does the word sound like Jesus? Like a husband with his bride, like a shepherd with his sheep, like the head of the Church universal speaking to His people?
After judging if you think the word is from God, spend time asking the Holy Spirit what you’re supposed to do with it. All prophetic words are conditional, or at least have conditional elements to them. Your response to God’s prompting will in part determine what role you play in the word’s fulfillment (or lack thereof). Perhaps you’re simply supposed to pray, “Lord, have your way.” and put the word on a metaphorical shelf. Perhaps you’re supposed to print it out and make declarations every day. Perhaps you should take it to your pastor(s) or leader(s) and have them judge it. For sure, if you feel a witness that this word is for you, you should take action. Print it out, pray into it, remind yourself of how it applies to you and pray in faith that God is at work. The Holy Spirit will show you what to do; remember, it’s the Spirit who leads us into all truth. The Spirit grows us and shows us how to live, so trust in God’s guideance in this.
Look back at your own past: what prophetic words have been spoken over you which are unfulfilled? What dreams have you had which have died? What places or people have you written-off? Watch out for those places, people, dreams, and words becoming the sudden source of life in 2020 and beyond.
Comment below and let everyone know what you hear God saying over 2020.
P.S. Do you want some more? Because there is more to hear! We’ve got a whole conference about prophecy coming up. It’s called, rather fittingly, Voice of the Prophets → We’ll have heroes of the faith like Graham Cooke, Patricia King, Kim Maas, Bob Hazlett, and more seasoned prophets on stage to speak about what they see God saying & doing. Check it out!
P.P.S. A few weeks ago, our own Justin Allen gave a strong prophetic word for 2020 as well. Click here to read his word →