Read Time: 5 Minutes 33 Seconds
On Jan. 2, 2023, as usual, we reserved time for seeking the Lord for the coming year.
At the beginning of this decade, in 2020, I received a word from the Lord which was not expected. This word is speaking of the Lord’s intention to purify His church worldwide during this decade. And the church’s leadership is being dramatically reorganized and continues. Again in 2021, I received a further clarification of this prophetic word for the church. In 2022 I had no impression from the Lord as to further insights.
However, on Jan 2 of this year I was strongly impressed with anticipation of another coming event. That day I was impressed from the Lord to write:
“As the pandemic upended life as you have known it, the second woe will impact and reveal the worldly patterns that have governed the lives of My people, My chosen. Like a fish swimming downstream with the world, not knowing a net awaits, so My children have foolishly acquired the worldly beliefs and patterns that seemed to be right and good. But the ways of the world lead to death.
“This coming woe is for the deliverance of My people from the desires of their soul which lead to death. Take heed, therefore, and find your safety and salvation in Me.”
- Love Me with everything in you.
- Set aside every hope that can disappoint.
- Have faith that My plan for you will be completed.
For some time after 2021, I have had the sense that the woes, if definable, are famine, sword and pestilence. The first woe—pestilence, meaning the pandemic—was released early in the decade. The aftereffects continue today. And per the 2021 prophecy (#1), it has impacted the first of the three aspects of man: the body, and with it “all that can be seen.”
The second woe will affect the soul of men. Yes, our mind, will and emotions will be shaken to the degree that they have harbored false foundations for life. The 2021 Prophetic Word: The Lord Says, ‘One Woe Is Past and Two More Are Coming’ (#2) gives insights on what we might soon have to reexamine and judge by the truth of God’s Word for life. A new foundation for our mind, will and emotions that only depends on kingdom truths is the “end game” outcome for all who seek the Lord.
This is the fourth year of the decade—I anticipate the second woe to be released in due time. It will affect the soul of men. All hopes based on the unredeemed (read: worldly) soul will be shaken. Beliefs, will and emotions that are inconsistent with the kingdom of God (righteousness, peace, joy) will be exposed and shown to be false foundations for safety and salvation.
Believers must lay aside/repent of every worldly hope that will only disappoint. Base your hopes only on the sure word of God that is revealed to you. Every hope not based on God’s word to you is subject to become a disappointment.
The foundations that will be shaken/destroyed in the coming times are the ones we have lived our life upon as if they were true. Beliefs based on worldly patterns, emotion driven lifestyle, and a willful self-focus will be tried, tested and found wanting; unable to generate the “happiness” they used to bring.
“When the foundations are destroyed, what will the righteous do?” (Ps. 11: 3).
For “foundations” the psalmist uses the word “shathah” (SC H8356) which means specifically the basis of political and moral support. Other words for foundation are used elsewhere in the Bible, but this is the only occurrence of this word. The implications of this Psalm are very attuned to the destruction of society’s moral order and the resulting chaos the wicked in society cause.
The Message version of Psalm 11 puts it in simple terms:
“I’ve already run for dear life straight to the arms of God. So why would I run away now when you say, run to the mountains; the evil bows are bent, the wicked arrows aimed to shoot under cover of darkness at every heart open to God. The bottom’s dropped out of the country; good people don’t have a chance.”
“But God hasn’t moved to the mountains; his holy address hasn’t changed. He’s in charge, as always, His eyes taking everything in, His eyelids unblinking, examining Adam’s flesh and blood[man] inside and out, not missing a thing. He tests the good and the bad alike; if anyone cheats, God’s outraged. Fail the test and you’re out, out in a hail of firestones, drinking from a canteen filled with hot desert wind.
“God’s business is putting things right; He loves getting the lines straight, setting us straight. Once we’re standing tall, we can look Him straight in the eye.”
The message is clear. Those who take their refuge in the Lord for safety & security will be protected by Him through such chaos. On the other hand, all those who continue to depend/believe/live by worldly standards will be shaken and, as Jesus said, great will be their fall (Matt 7:24).
It is apparent that the Lord tests the wicked and the righteous. The coming years will shatter false foundations of believers as well as the wicked. However, His purpose is to replace those false foundational stones in the life of the believer with the sure truths of His words of faith, hope and love.
Whether the next woe is famine or sword or some combination, it will test the soul of every man.
This will cause great despair among all those so affected by the shattered soul foundations of their life.
And what of the church? The prophetic word of Psalm 12:1 has been accelerating rapidly over the last several generations:
“Help, Lord, for the godly man ceases to be, For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men.”
The post-pandemic increase in the number of dropout believers in the US in 2022 has increased from 55% in 2016 to around 70-75% based on various surveys since 2020.
To simplify, in 2023, for every 10 believers only two to three Christians are remaining active in churches regularly.
The answer to despair for dropout believers as well as active believers is contained in psalm 42:
While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” These things I remember and I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go along with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival.
Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence!
Today and from now on-command your soul:
- Soul: Hope in God only.
- Soul: Take refuge in God.
- Soul: Trust in God only.
Now to the original question: Is it well with your soul? Will it be well with your soul when the trouble comes?
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Louis Posthauer is the founder of Hunters of the Harvest, a ministry focused on equipping the local church to reach and restore dropout believers. Posthauer consults with pastors and church leaders wishing to tap his expertise to mobilize their congregation with a biblical strategy to reach the dropout believer. He has been actively involved in the local church for 43 years and currently serves as a lay leader at Calvary Community Church in Houston. For more information, visit huntersoftheharvest.org.
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