We have come to an end of an era and stand on the ground floor of the next. It is a time to set an agenda that will see this decade look much different from the one that just ended. There must be strong leadership emerge from God’s Kingdom through all generations to build on and lay further ground work for a massive revolution.
We must not arrive at 2020 wishing we would have done more. This decade will demand all from each of us. It is time to face up to the reality of past apathy and distraction, and recognize we may have to do double duty to get back in a position where we can advance. We are now looking up at what we once walked on.
When our nation’s politicians are looking more like Marx and less like Madison, we recognize we have lost footing. The retreat from the Church and the blind eye of the masses has made way for evil doctrines to now set the course for a nation’s future. Moral collapse has given way to unrighteous leadership while righteousness seems like a fading memory. Proud, puffy-chested proclamations of America not being a Christian nation coming from our top leader reveals we have lost our national compass. Preachers and politicians have played to the masses while untethered to Biblical truth that provides perspective and direction. The blindfold of personal prosperity and blessing has provided a false escape of the reality of evil’s work behind the scenes, and now we must face the music. This is where we find ourselves, and we must awaken to the seriousness of the hour. With this backdrop, we find a generation of reformers that now arise to attack the unfinished task of reforming the Church to reclaim the nation.
I am reminded of my parents and how they taught me to “face up” to my bad choices and “take the medicine.” This decade must be a decade that the Church faces the wrong and/or misguided efforts that left a nation moving rapidly in the wrong direction. This is a time for an army of reformers to arise from all parts of culture to provide the righteous leadership so desperately needed. This is a time that congregations and ministries awaken and train those of God’s Kingdom to be the ones that lead in their area of life to provide and offer Kingdom principles and solutions. We need followers of Christ seeking Him for the place in culture where they can make the most impact and set their focus beyond themselves to the cause of reshaping a nation to be pleasing to God. We must unleash modern day reformers that will articulate the Kingdom agenda in a palatable way so a nation can move in a Godly direction.
This is a decade that must be captured from the start and move leadership from God’s Kingdom out front instead of lagging behind. During the ILE conference last year, I was urged by God’s Spirit to declare that we capture the next decade. I released decrees that announced 2010 to 2020 is a decade for the Kingdom to take forward steps that will begin moving America in a right direction. Let prayers, intercession, declarations, and decrees begin to ascend to the heavens from all over declaring: “We, the Church (God’s ecclesia/governing force), capture this decade for God’s glory and the sake of America.” We need the strategies, articulation, union, and mobilization that is required to see America’s heritage reflected in current times instead of it being removed.
My heart continues to ring with the desire to see us go beyond building a ministry to rebuilding a nation. Hope Taylor can speak on this in greater detail, but once Nehemiah saw the condition of his nation, he left his “ministry” post with the King. He adjusted his efforts, energies, and resources to rebuild a nation. The state of his nation drew him beyond his occupation/ministry and demanded of him all he could do to be part of rebuilding the nation. This must be a decade for everyone to adjust all they can to give themselves for the rebuilding of a nation. We need a young generation taking on college courses and career paths that allows them a platform of influence. We need an older generation getting out of ruts or comfort zones to step forward with wisdom that can be applied. We need everyone finding their current role for this decade. It may be the same role, or it may be different.
I believe if we adjust in this decade we can have “clear vision” in 2020 as to where righteous leadership is to take America. If we don’t capture this decade, I feel in our lifetime we might not see an America that we dream of for our grandkids. Modern day reformers have been set in this time frame of history to be those that give all for the sake of God’s desires for a nation.
The Manhattan Declaration (www.manhattandeclaration.org) recently written and released as a call of Christian conscience for righteous standards in America is a great start, and we need more and more of that happening in this next decade that will leave us in a better place by 2020. The speed of the TEA Party Movement is encouraging of how quick the masses want to respond to leadership that offers principles that are Biblically based.
This is our hour!!! This is the decade to awaken those sleeping, train those awakened, and release those trained. We need it happening on all fronts, in every city, with all generations. We MUST capture this decade!
