There is a great spiritual battle raging for the soul of the West.

These are dangerous days for the USA and for Britain. Both are seeing an unprecedented level of social and political unrest. Both have had national referendums, democratically conducted. But both are now seeing these democratic resolutions challenged.

In the US, Donald Trump is said to be the most unpopular choice of President in living memory and street protests against his election have been taking place in cities across the country. More than 4 million people have signed petitions calling upon the Electoral College to reverse the decision of the people and appoint Hillary Clinton as President-elect.

Technically this could happen. Donald Trump is not yet President-elect: he has been nominated by vote of the people, but it is the Electoral College that actually makes the appointment of President-elect. They meet on 19 December 2016, when the representatives from the states who are committed to vote for Donald Trump could, in theory, change their minds and vote for Hillary Clinton on the grounds that she won the popular vote.¹ These rebel delegates would incur a personal fine if they did this, although there will be plenty of Democrats only too willing to pay their fine. But it is highly unlikely that this will happen, despite the petition and despite the vehemence of the street protests.

In a similar way, the Lib Dems in Britain, backed by Tony Blair, are campaigning for a second referendum to overturn the decision taken on 23 June this year, which they do not like. They want to remain in the European Union regardless of its restrictions upon national sovereignty. It is strange that a Party that has always championed democracy is now seeking to undermine democracy and to defy the will of the people.

UK and US Similarities

There are many similarities between the situation in the USA and that in Britain. This was perceived by Donald Trump during his campaign when he said that the outcome of the vote would be "Brexit plus plus plus". No doubt this is the reason why, as part of his celebrations, he invited Nigel Farage as the first British politician to meet him. There are strong similarities between the US presidential election and Brexit. In both cases, evangelical Christians played a large part in the outcome. I cannot prove this statistically, although one report from the States estimates that as many as 80% of white evangelical voters chose Trump.²

Both the USA and Britain are experiencing unprecedented levels of social and political unrest.

Christians in the US are happy that the Vice President-elect, Mike Pence, is a committed Christian and they are praying that Donald Trump will also commit his life to the Lord. They voted for him, not because they thought he was a good man, but because they believed that in some way God was going to use him to break the dominance of the secular humanist liberal elite that has been driving America for decades. And this is very similar to the motives of British Christians who voted for Brexit in order to get Britain out of the increasingly evil influences of the EU.

Battle for the Soul of the West

Many Christians on both sides of the Atlantic have a sense that a great spiritual battle is raging over our nations that is essentially a battle for the soul of the West, which has been witnessing its centuries of biblical heritage rapidly draining away under the impact of a toxic mixture of Marxism, secularism, humanism and Satanism. What is becoming abundantly clear is that this is not a battle against flesh and blood but against what Paul aptly described as "the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Eph 6:12).

There is a desperate need today for committed Christians who understand the times in which we are living and who are able to engage in prayer that is directed by a clear understanding of the nature of the battle; and who are also willing to be witnesses to the truth in their sphere of influence, so that the word of God is directed into the life of the nations both at a grassroots level and into the arteries of power.

In order to gain the level of understanding required for the incredible times in which we are living, we need Godly revelation. This was something of which Moses had foresight. At a critical point in his life, with half a million people to feed in the desert, he cried out to God that he just couldn't carry on. God appointed 70 elders to share the burden of leadership and the Spirit of God came upon them so that they prophesied (Num 11:24-25). God had already given Moses a definition of prophecy as declaring the word of God [being his mouthpiece] (Ex 4:5-16).

Moses then expressed a wish that has prophetic significance for our day. He said "I wish that all the Lord's people were prophets" (Num 11:29). That is what we greatly need today – all God's people knowing the word of God and having the ability to declare it openly among their friends and neighbours, and more widely when they have the opportunity.

Christians on both sides of the Atlantic have a sense that a great spiritual battle is raging over our nations - a battle for the soul of the West.

Need for Divine Strength

There are many stories in the Bible showing how, when those with leadership responsibilities got to the end of their strength and cried out to God, miracles happened. It happened with Moses several times. It also happened with King Jehoshaphat, who realised that the tiny army of Judah could not face the vast army coming against him. He led the whole nation in prayer that ended with a cry for help "For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you" (2 Chron 20:12).

The response from God was "Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours but God's." It is when we admit our powerlessness to deal with the situation that God is able to take over and exercise supernatural power. St Paul found this many times in his own life when God said to him "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor 12:9). Paul's own testimony was "When I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Cor 12:10).

For Those in Power...

It is this divine strength that is needed by our leaders in these testing days, but it is not easy for politicians to express weakness. This is where they need the prayer support of Christians who understand the times. We should be giving special prayer covering to the meeting of the Electoral College in America on 19 December and the inauguration of the new President on 20 January 2017.

We should also be praying for Prime Minister Theresa May in Britain and all the politicians and civil servants who are engaged in the negotiations to get Britain out of the European Union. This is already a giant spiritual battle in the heavenlies and on the ground in Brussels and other European capitals. But if the battle is God's, it is more than possible that he will do something spectacular in Europe before the completion of the Brexit negotiations! Right now, the greatest need is to mobilise prayer among Christians.

There is a desperate need today for Christians of understanding and wisdom, who are able to pray strategically and witness to the truth in their sphere of influence.

References

1 Forster, K. Hillary Clinton voters call on Electoral College members to stop Donald Trump. The Independent, 17 November 2016.

2 Bailey, SP. White evangelicals voted overwhelmingly for Donald Trump, exit polls show. Washington Post, 9 November 2016.

What is the significance of the High Court Judges' decision that Brexit cannot be implemented without the approval of Parliament?

Clearly this could result in long delays, with both Houses of Parliament locked in debate over the minutiae of each detail of the negotiations. It creates another element of uncertainty which is damaging both for the economy and for Britain's future standing in the world.

Is this just another tactic by those who, like Tony Blair and many others, want to reverse the 23 June Referendum decision of the British public and keep us shackled to the European Union? In this magazine our primary purpose is not simply to join in a political debate but to ask the fundamental question: does God have something to say about this situation?

Britain's Divine Purpose?

The biblical position is that God has a purpose for each nation within his overall international purposes of bringing his truth to the whole of humanity. Paul referred to this when addressing the Areopagus, the Council of Philosophers in Athens. He said:

From one man he has made every nation of men – that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him. (Acts 17.26-37)

Of course, Paul had seen geographical boundaries change as the Roman Empire expanded, so what was the truth he was seeking to convey? It was surely about national identity and the unique purpose that God has for each community of people.

God has a purpose for each nation, within his overall purpose of bringing his truth to all humanity.

43 years ago, Britain moved its God-given boundary stones and joined a man-made institution specifically designed with the humanist intention of removing national sovereignty and borders to prepare the way for global rule by a political elite with one currency, one army, one set of regulations and values, and one religion. It was the outcome of their man-made solution to the problem of squabbles between the nations of Europe that had resulted in the two world wars of the 20^th Century.

On 23 June, God gave Britain the opportunity of rediscovering its national identity, uniqueness and place within the purposes of God. Of course, as was to be expected by all those who have spiritual understanding, this decision was going to provoke a furious backlash. Today, there is a great spiritual battle raging in the heavenlies over this nation and it is going to become increasingly intense.

Brexit is by No Means Won

I referred to this in a speech on 29 October at a celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles in the Emmanuel Centre Westminster, which was full for the occasion. It was led by Barry and Batya Segal who have a great ministry in Israel through the Joseph Storehouse that serves both Israeli Jews and Palestinian Arabs.

During the meeting, I said that the battle of Brexit is by no means won. This was clearly endorsed by those present. When I was speaking, I had a strong sense of a word from the Lord and I wrote it down after the meeting.

This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid of Brexit, the battle is not yours but mine. I guided the vote to leave the European Union - the Union that denies its heritage of truth that your forefathers fought and gave their lives to maintain. It is a union that has brought darkness to the people and now it is a Continent that is walking in darkness. But you my people are the ones who have seen a great light and yours is the task to open eyes that are blind and ears that are deaf to the truth.

Those who have seen the light will witness to those who walk in darkness and are bound by the power of Satan, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and be set free from the powers of darkness. It is not the politicians who will set the people free but it is those who have seen the light. They will be used as a mighty army of prayer warriors to support and direct the way of those who hold political power so that when the great shaking of Europe begins and the towers of mammon fall, Britain will stand firm and will be a witness to the world.

I believe that God is not only looking for his people to pray, but also actively to be his witnesses. This means every Christian speaking the word of the Lord in their family and among their friends and neighbours – boldly but lovingly speaking truth into our nation where there has been so much compromise and distortion of the truth.

There is a great spiritual battle raging in the heavenlies over this nation and it is going to become increasingly intense.

Arise, Church!

I believe God is saying that the time has come for Christians to confront the forces of darkness that have been destroying family life, promoting secular humanism and allowing the spiritual forces of evil to corrupt our children.

The Church has been silent for far too long, compromising with the world. If the Lord is to use Britain as a witness to the world at the time when the European Union collapses and all the institutions of power crumble, there has to be repentance in the Church and a new openness to the Spirit of God. Then he will be able to bless the nation, giving protection and prosperity in the time of great shaking that is soon to encompass all nations.

Each of us has a specific and vital part to play in this. Will you join us in praying for our nation and seeking the Lord for guidance, conviction and courage in the days ahead, that each of us might respond in the way he desires?

Storm-force winds are about to break across Britain.

The opening salvo was fired this week with Labour lobbying 170 questions at the Government,¹ all designed to throw stumbling blocks into the path of negotiations to get Britain out of the European Union.

Yesterday the battlefield widened and moved from Westminster to the High Court in London, where businesswoman Gina Miller began her challenge to the Government's right to trigger Article 50 using the Royal Prerogative. This avoids a vote in Parliament, which the Government would probably lose as most MPs voted to remain in the EU. Conservative MP Bernard Jenkin, who is chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, said "Treaty matters have always been done by royal prerogative, and Article 50 is a treaty matter".

He added: "Among those involved in the court case are a great many people who want to frustrate the UK from leaving the European Union or maintain a half in, half out solution. I think they want to protract the agony and uncertainty when in fact what business wants is certainty and a clear direction."²

Warnings of Difficulty

Prophetic warnings had already alerted us to expect these manoeuvres from those who want to frustrate Britain's exit from the EU. "Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7). These warnings have come from many prayer groups and ministries around the country. They acknowledge that God guided the Referendum vote on 23 June and that it was inevitable that the enemy would be angry and would do everything possible to obstruct the path of Brexit.

Warnings have already alerted us to expect manoeuvres from those who want to frustrate Britain's exit from the EU.

Businesswoman Gina Miller has launched a legal challenge to the Brexit process.The prophetic words we have been hearing, some of which we have published in recent weeks, warn that this will not be an easy time and there will be many alarms and excursions, especially regarding the economic health of the nation.

But the assurance has always been that as a nation we will come through this and see considerable prosperity in the future, provided we hold onto a steady path and our negotiators seek the ways of righteousness, truth and justice.

Need for Prayer

This is where Christians have a role to play in upholding in prayer all those who are involved in the negotiations. We do not expect all our negotiators, businessmen, lawyers and politicians to be committed Christians - although undoubtedly some will be, and we hope that God will use their words to steer a clear path of truth and to be the most influential. God does not save by numbers – in fact, he loves to use small numbers and those whom the world considers weak.

Paul actually boasted in his weakness; he said "I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Cor 12:10). This may seem a strange statement, but God had made him a promise: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor 12:9).
This is a paradox that only Christians can understand. It means that when we acknowledge our powerlessness and put our trust totally in God, he is then able to take full control and we don't mess things up by trying to do everything in our own strength.

It is particularly important to learn this spiritual lesson at this stage in our nation's history, because God has responded to the prayers of large numbers of his people as well as using the frustrations of many who don't know him to achieve the vote to leave the EU. God is now looking for those who do know him to strengthen the fearful and uphold those who are weak. He says "Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees! Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed" (Heb 12:12-13).

Christians have a role to play in upholding in prayer all those who are involved in the negotiations.

Word AND Spirit

How do we grow in spiritual strength? The prophet Ezekiel was faced with a very difficult task when he was taken to Babylon as one of the captives, but called by God to exercise leadership and strengthen the people.

Figuratively he was told to eat a scroll of the word of the Lord (at least, I think it was figuratively - it may have been a real scroll of the Torah!). He says that it tasted as sweet as honey in his mouth and then God promised "I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them though they are a rebellious house" (Ezek 3:9). In order to minister effectively to his fellow captives from Jerusalem in Babylon, Ezekiel had not only to know the word of God, but to be filled with the power of the Spirit of God.

Many of the prophetic words we have been receiving from Christians in different parts of Britain speak of the great opportunity that is being presented to us at this time to witness to the nation. It is God's intention and desire to bless Britain – indeed, I believe that God wants to use Britain to demonstrate to the world the power and prosperity that comes to those who put their trust in him.

He can only do that through those who understand his purposes; who know his word and are filled with his Spirit. We may not all be directly involved in negotiating the Brexit process – but in taking the opportunities God is providing for witness, in strengthening feeble arms and weak knees and in faithfully interceding for our nation at this important time, we can all play a role. For those who are willing, I believe that God stands ready to equip, strengthen and lead, providing a sure footing at every step.

References

1 The 170 questions were laid out in a letter sent by shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry and shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer to Brexit Secretary David Davis, earlier this week.

2 Clifford, M. Theresa May has no legal power to start Brexit, High Court told. Sky News, 13 October 2016.

In exciting confirmation of the words brought recently in Chichester and by David Noakes, we review words given at an intercessory prayer day held in Somerset in July.

Across Britain, God is speaking to those who will listen. Just because you pray alone or in a small group, it doesn't mean that God will not speak words of national significance to and through you! He is simply looking for dedicated servants who will spend time in his presence, learning his word faithfully and listening to his heart.

Issachar Ministries has been running a number of intercessory events around the country in recent months, gathering local prayer groups together to intercede for the nation and listen to what God is saying. Last week we reported on their Chichester meeting – this week we bring further news from a similar event held in July, near Wells in Somerset.

Those in attendance gathered themselves into small groups to spend time listening to the Lord, taking notes and feeding back afterwards to the rest of the gathering. Below we have written up the main points and themes that were shared – see if you can spot the similarities to those shared at the Chichester meeting a couple of weeks ago!

Opportunity in Difficult Times

First, many people felt strongly that difficult times lie ahead for Britain, but that in this the Church will have great opportunity for witness.

Warnings were given that our withdrawal from the European Union will not be easy, and that the enemy will try to fight against what God has done. There will be a great need for mature Christians, interceding for the negotiations, helping others to understand God's purposes in Brexit and being directly involved in the business and politics of the exit process. "Solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil" (Heb 5:14).

Words were also given about the degree to which Britain has abandoned her Christian heritage – and how the Church needs to recognise this, and grieve it as Jeremiah grieved over Jerusalem (e.g. Jer 4:19).

Yet, groups also heard that in the difficult times ahead there will come great opportunity for sharing our faith with an unbelieving world. Christians need to arise, pray and actively help others to recognise Jesus – including young people who receive no Christian input in school or at home.

Israel and the Middle East

Some groups were led to pray about the situation in Syria. They fed back that God is weeping over the destruction in that nation, desiring all people to know his love and mercy. It was also felt that Christians should be actively watching what God is doing so that they can explain his purposes to unbelievers.

A number of groups had words about Islam, that God is at work across the Muslim world setting people free from darkness and giving Christians opportunities to witness about their faith. Christians also need to pray for those who come out of Islam into Christianity.

Trusting in the Lord

There were also many encouragements to trust and hope in the Lord, so that the testing times ahead will bear fruit and cause the Church to grow. "The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord" (Lam 3:25-26). "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength" (Isa 30:15). Finally, it is essential that we become a listening people (not just interceding), so that we are able to proclaim the word of the Lord that he is speaking to his people today.

The teaching of Jesus is that Christians are those who have "crossed over from death to life" (John 5:19). This is the good news that we have to share with others!

By the Mouth of Two or Three Witnesses...

You may notice, reading the above, a close congruency with the words shared last week from the Chichester meeting, and also with the word published the previous week from David Noakes. Please note that the Somerset meeting was held in July – well before these others were given or published!

It is wonderful to have such a confirmation of God's 'now' word for Britain, being given through ordinary Christians gathering in different areas across the nation. "By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established" (2 Cor 13:1, NKJV).

The Lord is speaking – we hope you will be as encouraged by this as we are, especially if you regularly pray for the nation and/or are part of a local prayer group!

Clifford Hill and David Noakes jointly bring a message.

I watched the Last Night of 'The Proms' last Saturday along with millions of other viewers and the vast open-air crowd in Hyde Park and similar gatherings in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Was it my imagination, or did anyone else detect an extra (Brexit?) fervency in the patriotism that flowed out of the Albert Hall in waves and resounded from the crowds across the road and other parts of the UK?

Of course, the Last Night of The Proms is always an occasion for flag-waving and dressing up in silly hats and jigging up and down among the Promenaders. And it's also an occasion for singing traditional folk songs and indulging in Rule Britannia and Jerusalem with their regular encores and crowd participation. But this year's final night seemed to have an extra edge of enthusiasm. It was not just that a guest soloist, Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Flórez (a foreigner!!), dressed in elaborate costume lustily sang 'Rule Britannia, Britannia rules the waves' but also the Finnish Conductor Sakari Oramo, (another foreigner!!) participated enthusiastically in singing 'Jerusalem'.

Rule Britannia

I suppose there's some precedent for 'Rule Britannia' being sung by foreigners since it was written in 1740 by Thomson, a Scottish poet, for Frederick (the German) Prince of Wales and father of the future George III. But it did seem a little odd to see a Peruvian and a Finn extolling Britain in 'Land of Hope and Glory' with its line "God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet!"

I usually enjoy the Proms and this was no exception because at heart I'm a patriot – I love my country – in the same way as the prophets of Israel loved their country and longed to see it in a right relationship with God so that his blessings could be poured out upon it and his protection would be over the land and the people. I too have that same desire: but I have watched with dismay the growth of secular humanism in Britain and across the Western nations in the past 30 years. I have been frustrated by the rising tide of unbelief within the church as well as in the nation and the consequential impotence of the church.

We watch with horror at growing international threats.

Like Jeremiah I've watched with horror the growing threat on the international horizon as the nations build up their arsenals of weapons of mass destruction and as the army of terrorists spreads across the world, infiltrating communities throughout Europe and the West in preparation for the release of the man of lawlessness among the nations.

LJuan Diego performing at BBC Proms in the Park see photo creditseaders Are Unaware

My frustration is due to the lack of awareness among leaders in both church and state of the spiritual significance of what is happening. Leaders play at Politics and the church plays at Theology but no one comes to grips with the reality of the situation, because they do not know the very fundamentals of Creation and the nature and purposes of God. They do not know the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and they are sublimely ignorant of the holocaust of violence that will be let loose into the world unless there is a radical change in the very nature of our humanity that can only come about through the gospel of Jesus.

The church has the key but has lost it in a monumental mountain of false teaching, ritual mumbo jumble and complex theology – burying the simple truth of the Gospel and despising the word of God that calls, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord."

Britain at the Crossroads

Today Britain is at the crossroads! We are a nation under judgement. We crossed a red line when we defied the God of Creation who made us in his own image – male and female – and we dared to redefine marriage, despising the beautiful love relationship that God intended for his people. Forty years ago we joined ourselves in a pact with European nations driven by humanist values and infiltrated by Satanists. They seek to live in unity and peace but are doomed to failure by their rejection of the Prince of Peace.

Britain has the opportunity to forge a new role in the world.

God has mercifully given to Britain the chance of deliverance from the marriage with the European Union and the opportunity to forge a new role in the world under his blessing. This could be a sign and powerful witness to the nations of the rewards that are open to all who seek a right relationship with God and are prepared to love and obey him.

There are many in Britain today who are fearful of the future because they lack understanding of the word of God and lack faith in the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. There are many churchgoers who share that fear because they too have never really learned to recognise the word of the Lord as the sheep recognise the voice of their own Shepherd. But God is loving and merciful and he has a word for those who are anxious about the future since the vote to leave the EU. My friend and colleague David Noakes and I have worked together in the prophetic Ministry since the early 1980s. David received a word this week which I commend to all our readers. Please read it prayerfully and weigh it carefully. I think it may bring you a blessing.

Word of Prophecy Received by David Noakes

In the aftermath of the Brexit vote 11.09.16

Beloved, you who are called by My Name, I want to say to you in these days, when there is confusion and turmoil and upheaval: Do not be alarmed or concerned, for I am fully in control. I have brought about these circumstances, and my adversary is full of rage, and would like to oppose and if possible, to undo, that which I have done.

My word to you is that I have done a good work, but I call upon you who are faithful to stand firm and to persevere in prayer that the work which I have begun will proceed to the conclusion which I have purposed. The task is far from complete and it is not a time for complacency, so be vigilant and continue to pray that I will complete the work. It will not be a short or an easy battle, so have courage and do not be tempted to lose heart.

Have gentle hearts towards those who are confused and upset and distressed. There are those who feel that the nation is being thrown into exile, and this is causing them to feel afraid and angry, but they do not know that it is I who have brought this about. But I say that this seeming exile is in order to preserve you. You in Britain are like the good figs who were taken into exile before judgment fell (Jeremiah 24).

There will be great darkness and upheaval in the European institution; but I have done this in your nation at this time in order to preserve you.

Therefore, look up and be greatly encouraged, because out of this time of turmoil and upheaval will come great opportunity. Those of you who are committed to me I will uphold, I will protect, and I will send upon you a new outpouring of My Spirit, that you may speak My word in Spirit and in Truth; and My Spirit will bear witness to it and it shall bring forth fruit.

I do not say that your whole nation will turn to Me, for that will not be the case; but beloved, I will bring multitudes into a valley of decision and many will turn to Me, for despite the apostasy which has gripped the nation, I have not failed to love the nation of Britain, and in My grace and mercy, I will continue to pour My love upon you, even though you have angered Me greatly.

Take heart, be encouraged and look up. I will walk with you through the time of turmoil and upheaval. There will be those who will hate you for the testimony you will give, but I will cause many to repent and acknowledge that what you say is truth; for beloved, My people have been failed by many who now lead them, but I am come as the great Shepherd of the sheep. I want to recover My people and to gather many others into My sheepfold.

Therefore be of good heart, and be afraid of nothing, for in the events of these times I am fully involved, and I will walk with you, every one of you, on every step of the uncharted path which lies ahead.

About the author: David Noakes was a solicitor in London until he joined Clifford Hill’s ministry in 1984. He has been part of the Prophetic Word Ministries/Prophecy Today team since that time, although he has also exercised an independent ministry speaking at conferences both in Britain and overseas. He has visited Israel many times and until recently was chairman of Hatikvah Film Trust, working with Hugh Kitson making films about Israel. He is a well-known Bible teacher with an established ministry and remains an official advisor to Issachar Ministries (Prophecy Today UK's parent charity).

The economy is unexpectedly buoyant in the wake of the Referendum - were the doom-mongers wrong?

What has happened to all the forecasts of doom and gloom that were heard in the run-up to the Referendum, predicting what would happen if Britain voted to leave the EU? George Osborne, who was then Chancellor of the Exchequer, even said that he would be forced to bring in an autumn budget with swingeing tax increases.

The Governor of the Bank of England hinted at a collapse of the British economy. The President of the IMF predicted dire consequences and even President Obama said that Britain would be last in the queue for trade deals with the USA. A whole army of world leaders conspired to scare the British people into voting to remain within the European Union.

Well, the British people demonstrated their independence! As an island people we have been used to standing alone. We have faced a hostile world many times in our history and we have not only survived but thrived. So what is happening today?

Certainly the pound has fallen in value which has affected British holidaymakers going overseas (although it has staged a partial revival in the past 24 hours), but apart from that there's been little noticeable change. We have certainly not seen unemployment rising, house prices falling and the economy collapsing.

General Feel of Buoyancy

In fact, unemployment has fallen – at least the number of those claiming unemployment benefits has fallen. Share prices have risen and the market seems buoyant. Retail sales were up by 1.4% in July; house prices continued to rise; lots of tourists came taking advantage of the weaker pound. Even the weather was good through much of August and our Olympic athletes came home with pockets full of gold. So there's been a general feel of buoyancy in the nation and hope for the future. The doom-mongers have been defeated – or so it would seem!

An army of world leaders conspired to scare the British people into voting to remain – have the doom-mongers been defeated?

Most of the nation is slowly going back to work. The children will soon be going back to school. The MPs will be returning to Westminster. The 'silly season' for journalists will soon be over and the real issues in the nation will have to be faced. Of course, before we really get down to business we will have to live through the annual political circus of the 'conference season' and the media moguls can flex their muscles with the entertainment provided by the Corbyn/Smith contest in the Labour Party and the delights of division among their supporters.

No doubt unemployment will fall farther in the next few months as we recruit thousands of new employees into the Civil Service to deal with the complexities of disentangling our legal system from the European Union. We also need to recruit a small army of skilled trade negotiators and lawyers to deal with the trade arrangements and constitutional agreements in everything from leaving the Common Agricultural Policy and the Common Market to dealing with immigration and the multitude of foreigners living in Britain and Britons living in Europe.

Time of Unprecedented Change

But what is the real situation in the nation? Apart from all the constitutional and commercial complications, what can be said about Britain's health? No, I'm not talking about the NHS, or the junior doctors' strike and waiting times for operations. I'm concerned about the cultural and spiritual health of the nation in a time of significant upheaval.
What we are facing as a nation is unprecedented. We don't know where we're going or what the future holds and we have never been in such a position before.

During the 20^th Century our fathers and grandfathers reluctantly fought two world wars to preserve our independence, democracy and concept of civilisation. As a nation they did not want to go to war but they saw no alternative. They did not know the future or the outcome but even in the darkest days they had confidence that what they were doing was right and that in the end righteousness would prevail – it was a matter of faith. They believed in the God of the Bible, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and they took a stand upon the conviction that the hardships they were enduring would be justified by the outcome, because God blesses those who take a stand for moral and spiritual righteousness.

During the darkest days of two world wars, the British people did not know the future, but faith carried them through.

Today, the majority of the nation does not share that faith. Only 43.8% of the nation regard themselves as Christian and 48.5% say they are non-believers – they have no faith in any kind of supernatural being – they are alone in the universe.¹

The big question Christians have to face is whether or not the strength of our faith is sufficient to carry the nation. We know that Abraham pleaded with God to spare Sodom and Gomorrah and he was told that if he could find 10 righteous individuals God would spare the city. Jeremiah was told "Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find that one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city" (Jer 5:1). So clearly God does not wait for everyone in a city or nation to be righteous before he pours out his blessings.

Blessings for Faith

Is God blessing Britain today through the many thousands of Christians who prayed for a vote to leave the EU? They believed that God wanted Britain to separate from the un-godly and unrighteous institutions of the European Union and to find a new relationship with our European neighbours through which God would demonstrate the blessings of righteousness and faith.

Is the strength of faith left in Britain sufficient to carry us through?

The Prophet Malachi faced a similar situation in Israel when he was told that if the people put their trust in the Lord and behaved in righteousness, God would not only bless them, but use them to evangelise their neighbours. He said, "'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. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,' says the Lord Almighty. 'Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land, says the Lord Almighty'" (Mal 3:10-12).

If all those who prayed (and voted) for Brexit would now seek to live in right relationships with God and their neighbours, sharing their faith and concentrating their prayers upon seeking God's blessing upon the nation, the promise given to Malachi could become true for Britain. The British people, who have long been a thorn in the flesh of the EU, would then become a blessing to Europe!

References

1 British Social Attitudes survey, published May 2016. See also coverage by The Guardian. The proportion declaring no religion peaked in 2009 at 51% and has since been falling, reports Inspire Magazine.

Does Team GB's Olympic success prove that Britain is still 'Great'?

In the aftermath of the Brexit vote, Britain is undergoing something of an identity crisis. Our news media are populating our screens with stories that reassure us in some way that Britain still has lots to offer.¹ We do have potential, we do have a future – we are still Great Britain!

Olympic Fuss

Newspapers and TV screens are filled with Olympic success. Never have our athletes done better! Next week they will be coming home with pockets full of gold and silver and bronze. Our ranking in the medal tables has exceeded all expectations. Team GB has done brilliantly, but has the media coverage been excessive? It is as if the rest of the world has stopped turning for two weeks!

Five-year-old Omran Daqneesh, rescued in Aleppo. See credits below.Of course, it is the 'silly season' for news when politicians are all at their beach resorts trying to forget Westminster, the economy, the world and all the other things that fill their minds through the rest of the year. But do we risk shutting our eyes to the horrors of war still taking place in Syria? Dare we turn a blind eye to the little boy in the ambulance in Aleppo, his blood-stained face in deep shock, too traumatised even to cry – his home just blown from around him by a Russian or a Syrian bomb?

Perhaps, as a nation, our confidence has been so greatly shaken during the past three months that we are trying to focus upon something which increases our sense of security and self-worth. The removal of the EU crutch by the Brexit vote left us suddenly feeling wobbly and vulnerable, in need of something else to grab onto to steady ourselves. The Olympics came at just the right time!

The news media has seized the moment to rejoice in a new wave of patriotism² – it's a bit like the last night of the Proms as we watch our athletes getting gold and the world listening to our national anthem! Is this heralding a return to the old nationalism – the patriotic sentiment that much of the media were ironically so keen to dismiss during the Referendum campaign as old-fashioned and backward-looking, compared with the glamourous, cosmopolitan lifestyles promised by the EU?

Suddenly Britain's national 'greatness', our position relative to all other nations, has become all-important again – at least for the Olympic fortnight.

Our national confidence has been so shaken during the past months – no wonder we are trying to increase our sense of security and self-worth.

The Search for Fulfilment

It is human nature to seek security and safety, identity and fulfilment – and this is true at a national level as well as for individuals. For Britain, we are at a very special juncture in our history: trying to come to terms with the imminent removal of that which has given us a major sense of security and identity - of 'who we are' as the United Kingdom - for more than 40 years of EU membership.

Of course, the shock of Brexit might ultimately be good for our island's entrepreneurial spirit – forcing us to go it alone and prove that we Brits 'have what it takes' to succeed in the modern world, instead of riding on our past colonial successes or our membership of the EU bloc.

But ideally, the shock will also encourage people to ask deeper questions about our direction as a nation, rather than just grit their teeth and struggle on.

Blessed Assurance

Whether they are quite conscious of it or not, many people are feeling shaken and unnerved by the current volatility – politically, economically, socially, culturally - both at home and abroad. All bets are off; our previous 'way of life' can no longer be taken for granted. Nobody knows what the future holds.

Given this state of affairs, it is not surprising that the mainstream media is scrabbling around desperately for something else to lean on, something seemingly stable. But as the nations are shaken, God's loving intention is that people turn to him – not to some other definition of identity that revolves around our own strength and prowess as human beings. Ultimately, we were designed to seek and find our fulfilment in the God of Creation, before anything and anyone else.

Many people are feeling shaken and unnerved by the current volatility – all bets are off.

There may be a strong sense of anti-climax when the Olympics are over but if those who do have a faith in God can use this opportunity somehow to present a more hopeful vision for the future, we could see the nation gaining a new sense of purpose and direction – a newly-strengthened identity in God! We should not overlook the fact that a huge amount of prayer for the nation preceded the Referendum - the opportunity is there now for Christians to share their faith in God with others.

The only ones who have access to true stability and peace in these difficult days are those who have found their ultimate security, fulfilment and protection in the immovable Rock of Ages, the Lord Jesus. Our fellow Britons will not find genuine stability from any other source – so we MUST make sure that they see him in us! We have a mandate to declare and live out the truth that God alone holds the key to all unknown – and will be a sure foundation for all who trust in him.

References

1 Perhaps they are assuming that those who voted Remain are still in the depths of despair, and/or hoping that those who voted Leave have since changed their minds!

2 See similar analysis from Alan Cowell of the New York Times, 18 August 2016.

What do the Iraq War and the European Union have in common?

A great shaking of the nations is rapidly spreading across Europe following Britain's decision to leave the European Union. In Italy the anti-establishment Five Star Movement has officially called for a national referendum on whether to keep the Euro, which they say simply does not work for Italy and other nations in the south of Europe.

There are similar calls for a referendum in France, Denmark and the Netherlands. Right across Europe there is a sense of uncertainty as the clamour for change rises among those who are suffering from poverty and a sense of injustice.

The Chilcot Report

In Britain it is surely no coincidence that the Chilcot Report has come out within days of the Referendum decision to leave the European Union and the furore that has been created from those who wanted to remain, many of whom are now clamouring for a second vote. In one damning sentence, Sir John Chilcot neatly exposed the gross error of the decision to invade Iraq. He said, "We have concluded that the UK chose to join the invasion of Iraq before the peaceful options for disarmament had been exhausted."¹

MPs who voted for the war such as Sir David Amess are now expressing deep regret² and saying that the information they were given was flawed – in other words, they were deceived. The military campaign was successfully carried out but there were no plans for what to do afterwards. With the Iraqi Army, Police and Government all disbanded, Iraq rapidly descended into anarchy, looting and sectarian violence. This continues to this day, with Iraq and Syria immersed in a bloody dispute that is unsettling the whole region, with consequences right across Europe.

Across Europe there is a sense of uncertainty as the clamour for change rises among those suffering from poverty and injustice.

No Follow-Up

There is a strange connection between the Referendum campaigners and those involved in the Iraq war – neither of them had any plans for follow-up!

In the week following the Referendum, none of the leaders of the 'Leave' camp came up with any clear plans for the future. The Government, who campaigned for 'Remain', also had no plans for what would happen if the country voted to leave. The Prime Minister resigned; the parliamentary Labour Party became immersed in a leadership struggle. So we have had no stable Government and no effective Opposition! None of our political leaders have been able to give a clear direction for the future.

This has not only unsettled the stock exchange and financial services, it has unsettled the whole of the United Kingdom (particularly Scotland and Northern Ireland) and has also sent shock waves right across Europe.

Deception and Destruction

There is a verse in the Bible that aptly describes what is going on today. It speaks of the day when God will shake all the nations because of their sinfulness. It says "He shakes the nations in the sieve of destruction; he places in the jaws of the peoples a bit that leads them astray" (Isa 30:28). This chapter in Isaiah begins with the words "'Woe to the obstinate children,' declares the Lord, 'to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin.'"

Both the war in Iraq and the European Union fall into this category. Both were conceived in deception. False information was given to the people so that decisions were made without understanding the long-term consequences. The European Union was presented as a trade alliance for economic co-operation – not a 'United States of Europe' in which each country would lose their national sovereignty, with Common Agricultural and Fisheries Policies, a common law, a common currency, a common army and a common [anti-Israel] foreign policy.

There is a strange connection between the Referendum campaigners and those involved in the Iraq war – neither of them had any plans for follow-up!

The war in Iraq was said to be to destroy the weapons of mass destruction held by Saddam Hussein which were said to be a threat to the peace of the Western world, but its real intention was regime change – to get rid of Saddam Hussein and replace him with a form of Western democracy which Western leaders hoped would provide an ideal type for the whole Arab world! This reveals their utter ignorance of Islam and Islamic culture!

Recipe for Revolution

When a project is born in lies and deceit, it is doomed to failure. "Woe to those who carry out plans that are not mine," says the Lord. If we human beings deliberately choose to ignore basic standards of honesty and righteousness, turning our backs upon the word of the Lord, we inevitably bring judgment upon our actions. The terrible consequences of the Iraqi war are still being seen and felt right across Europe, every day of our lives.

Similarly, the consequences of the European Union with its open borders and its common currency have created enormous poverty and suffering for millions in some parts of Europe whilst providing vast wealth to others. This is a recipe for revolution – it creates an enormous 'us and them' situation, wherein large parts of the population suffer a sense of injustice and deprivation which eventually build up pressures of social unrest that explode into violence.

Both the war in Iraq and the European Union were conceived in deception – and projects born of lies and deceit are doomed to failure.

Right across the world today the nations are suffering the consequences of unrighteousness. We are part of the generation that has ignored the simple truth of the proverb "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people" (Prov 14:34).

The great shaking of the nations prophesied in Scripture is to provide a strong warning of the danger that lies ahead if we continue along the same path. The great question facing humanity today is whether or not we will heed the warning signs and seek the wisdom of the Lord for the way forward – seeking his plans, which are for our good – for blessing and hope, not for harm.

At a Crossroads

PA/PA Wire/Press Association Images.

Britain stands at a crossroads. Will a righteous Government be appointed to lead the nation into the future? I was attending a meeting of the Lords and Commons Family and Child Protection Group yesterday, when the Conservative MPs were voting for their new leader. Much depends now on how the Conservative Party members vote for our next Prime Minister.

Will they vote for Theresa May, the present Home Secretary, who is said to be 'a safe pair of hands' – in other words she will continue following the same secular humanist policies that have been pursued by her predecessors (in Westminster she is said to be the one who persuaded David Cameron to change the law on marriage, telling him that it would make him popular with the LGBT community) - or will they vote for Andrea Leadsom, a Bible-believing Christian who regularly attends a prayer group and is not afraid to declare and defend her faith in public?

We ask that you join with us at this time to pray that the right choice for our Prime Minister be made on 9 September – that God's will be done. This is a crucial time in the history of our nation.

References

1 Sir John Chilcot's public statement, 6 July 2016.

2 Letters to the editor: We must learn lessons of Chilcot. London Evening Standard, 7 July 2016.

If we are to regain peace in our nation, we have to study the social geography of voting in the Referendum and learn from it.

My joy at hearing the result of the Referendum was very short-lived when I saw the dismay of some of the younger members of my own family.

Social media went into overdrive in condemnation of the decision to leave the European Union, which many young people saw not as a victory for freedom but as a triumph for racism and prejudice against foreigners.

I was immediately moved with compassion for those who felt betrayed by the older generation who had voted heavily for leaving the EU and who they accuse of not considering the views of young people and their future. But a breakdown of the voting pattern shows that it was not only older voters who wanted to break with the European Union. There were other social dimensions to the voting which are most informative about our society.

Understanding the 'Older' Vote

But first, why did so many older people vote 'Leave'? The simple answer is that they remember being told in 1975 that Britain was joining a trading organisation that would lead to great prosperity for all the nations of Europe and bring greater international cooperation and harmony - which is what everyone desired in the aftermath of two terrible wars in the 20^th Century.

But fundamental changes have taken place in the European Union, from simple trade agreements to political power being removed from our own Government to Brussels and Strasbourg, and our politicians actually admitting that we had been deceived.

The older generation was brought up in a social environment of strict morality where truth, loyalty, integrity and righteousness were universally accepted values – they deeply resent being deceived.

The older generation remember joining a trading organisation that promised peace and prosperity – and which became about political power.

Voting on Principle

These issues and the philosophy underlying the policy being pursued by the European Union were not discussed during the Referendum debate, which was an utter disgrace, descending into personal abuse and slogan shouting.

Many in the older generation ignored the debate and held fast to their social values. They knew that if Britain voted to leave the EU, there would be a period of severe economic turmoil. But, in the long-term, it seems they also believed that British character is sufficiently strong to come through the shockwaves of change and steer the country through to a time of prosperity, equality and a recovery of the values and heritage we have lost.

This is why so many in the older generation voted to reassert our independence from the EU and seek a new relationship with the other nations of Europe in a partnership of peace and prosperity. They did not want to leave Europe! They wanted Britain to decide our own destiny!

Voting Against the Establishment

But it was not only the older generation in Britain who voted 'Leave'. In areas of social deprivation, it was young people who see no future for themselves in simply maintaining the status quo. Their vote was as much against the Westminster establishment who never listen to their plight as it was against the European Union, which is just another set of faceless rulers in the 'them and us' structure of society in which they are the forgotten underclass.

For many young people and ordinary working people this was an opportunity to go against those in power. It was a chance to give a black eye to the bankers, stockbrokers, big business moguls and politicians (even including the Labour Party leaders). Sadly, we belong to a highly structured and divided society, in which the gap between rich and poor, the haves and the have-nots has been growing steadily wider for at least the past 30 years.

It was not only the older generation who voted 'Leave', but also young people – particularly in areas of social deprivation.

This is why the Labour Party is in turmoil today - because it has always been a mixture of middle-class idealists and ordinary working people, but the gap between the workers and the middle classes has grown steadily wider.

The Social Geography of the Vote

Many firms in Britain have been recruiting from Eastern Europe, where migrant workers are willing to work for lower wages that are still vastly higher that they can get in their own countries. But this has created huge resentment among British workers, especially when the migrants bring their families, with great impact upon schools and the Health Service.

The affluent middle classes, academics, civil servants, politicians, bankers and businessmen who voted to 'remain' don't have to compete for jobs with immigrants, feel the upheaval of drastic cultural change or send their children to overcrowded schools. The unwillingness of Labour politicians in Westminster to face these issues is now tearing their Party apart.

If we are to regain peace in our nation, we have to study the social geography of voting in the Referendum and learn from it.

According to figures published by The Times (25 June 2016), 72% of voters in areas of high average house prices (above £282,000) voted to remain; whereas in areas where house prices are lower than that, 79% voted to leave the EU. Similarly, in affluent areas, 65% voted to remain, whereas in areas where average wages are lower than £23,000, 77% voted to leave.

In terms of occupation and education the differences are even greater, with 86% voting to leave the EU in areas of high manufacturing and 83% in local authority areas where more than a quarter of the electorate do not have at least five good GCSEs.

British society is highly divided, with the gap between the haves and the have-nots growing steadily wider for at least the past 30 years.

Holding Out Hope

So what can Christians do to heal the divisions that are so apparent in our nation and promote harmony and a single-minded determination to seek the national good?

First, we all need to show love and compassion to those who fear for the future. We have to replace fear with hope. This can only be done by reasserting the values that have held the nation together during times of great trouble and danger in times past, and by encouraging people to put their trust in the Lord. Today, as one of our readers said in a perceptive comment, our situation is more like Dunkirk than D-Day. When we found ourselves alone facing vast hostility across the Channel we cried out to God for help; we put our trust in the Lord and he answered our prayers. This is the first thing we need to do today!

Secondly we know that we are facing turbulence for the next two years and at the moment we have no stable Government or credible Opposition. Both political parties are deeply divided and have no clear plans for the future, which is highly dangerous for the nation. Christians should be coming together to seek the Lord for his plans. Now is the time for believers to close ranks and unite in prayer for the nation; boldly speaking the word of the Lord. We know that it is only when we recognise the mess we are in and we cry out to the Lord in repentance that any real change will come in the nation, because God always responds to such prayers.

Thirdly we must intercede for our politicians. Prayer groups and intercessors should be praying for the MPs who have to elect a Prime Minister and for each of the candidates. Of the three leading contenders Theresa May attends her local Anglican church, Michael Gove is an Anglo-Catholic and Stephen Crabb is an Evangelical: all three are known to be friendly to Israel. But we not only need a Godly Prime Minister, we need committed Christians in the Cabinet who will have the discernment to know the will of God for the nation and the courage to speak the word of the Lord in decision-making.

Prayer groups should let their local MP know that they are being supported in prayer and ask if there are any special prayer needs. The next few weeks are especially important to pray for MPs when far-reaching decisions will be made. This is where Christians can play a vital part in the affairs of the nation. We need the same boldness that Peter and John had when they faced the leaders of Israel in Jerusalem soon after the Day of Pentecost. They spoke about Jesus and declared "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4.12).

This is the message that should be upon our lips and declared in our Parliament and in the public square!

Mark Dunman reflects on Smith Wigglesworth's prophecy over Britain and calls for continued prayer at this volatile time.

God makes nations great, and he destroys them; he enlarged nations and disperses them. (Job 12:23)

I believe God has responded to the prayers of those Christians who have long felt that the EU was no place for Britain. It is indeed a momentous decision. I support 'Brexit', as it popularly came to be called, for a very specific reason. I believe that Britain cannot fulfil its destiny while spiritually shackled to a European Union which is hostile to our God, the God of the Bible.

Britain's Destiny: Mission and Revival?

What is this destiny? I believe that, in part, this destiny is to support the re-establishment of the State of Israel, but I also believe that it is to fulfil the promises made in the prophecy given by the great evangelist Smith Wigglesworth in 1947, shortly before his death. For those readers not familiar with the prophecy¹ I reproduce it here in full:

During the next few decades there will be two distinct moves of the Holy Spirit across the Church in Great Britain. The first move will affect every church that is open to receive it and will be characterised by restoration of the baptism and gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The second move of the Holy Spirit will result in people leaving historic churches and planting new churches.

In the duration of each of these moves, the people who are involved will say 'This is a great revival.' But the Lord says 'No, neither is this the great revival but both are steps towards it.' When the new church phase is on the wane, there will be evidenced in the churches something that has not been seen before: a coming together of those with an emphasis on the Word and those with an emphasis on the Spirit.

When the Word and the Spirit come together, there will be the biggest movement of the Holy Spirit that the nation, and indeed, the world has ever seen. It will mark the beginning of a revival that will eclipse anything that has been witnessed within these shores, even the Wesleyan and the Welsh revivals of former years. The outpouring of God's Sprit will flow over from the United Kingdom to the mainland of Europe, and from there, will begin a missionary move to the ends of the earth.

I believe this prophecy to be from God. It has already been partly fulfilled. I came to faith in the 1970s during what I see as the first phase of the prophecy, the restoration of the baptism and gifts of the Holy Spirit. I lived through the second phase, the planting of new churches. We now await the third phase, a truly amazing revival which will start within our shores and radiate out to Europe and then to the world.

I believe Smith Wigglesworth's prophecy to be from God - it has already been partly fulfilled and we now await its third phase.

Other Christian leaders such as Derek Prince and Jean Darnall have prophesied a time of revival prior to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Derek Prince saw one great final wave of revival, while Jean Darnall saw fires of revival being lit up all over the British Isles.

Urgent Need for Continued Prayer

I did not believe that this could happen while Britain was part of an increasingly pagan/humanist Europe. To me this is the significance of the vote to leave Europe. Britain could not move forward spiritually while still in Europe; now it has the opportunity.

However, the need to pray is even more urgent. No one pretends that the moral state of this country warrants the mercy of God. The many groups that have been praying below the radar need to continue:

• We need to pray for the Church, most of which seems to view the EU solely in political terms.
• We need to pray for healing and reconciliation between the opposing sides in this referendum.
• We need to pray that we will make a good transition to being on our own – in particular that God will not allow the nation to become disillusioned with its choice.

Finally, we need to pray for a restoration of Christian values and a recognition by the nation and its government of our Judaeo-Christian heritage. We are a tolerant nation and we can live with other religions practising their faiths, but we should not tolerate other faiths (including atheism) attempting to marginalise our Christian heritage. We are a Christian nation and in my view it is perfectly reasonable to ask people of other faiths to respect this fact.

Nevertheless, this will not happen without prayer. Our spiritual enemy, satan, and his kingdom of darkness, will seek to neutralise the result of this Referendum. We have to pray and intercede for what we believe is right for this nation.

Britain could not move forward spiritually whilst in Europe. Now we have the opportunity, the need for prayer is ever more urgent.

Take Heart

I urge all Christians who have prayed for this result to continue and even to step up their prayer. The moral state of this nation is dire, but we can take heart from the fact that God can stir the fires of revival in a nation, whatever its moral and spiritual state, as the Wesleyan and Welsh revivals testify.

What God needs from those who are already his children and in his kingdom, is sustained, heartfelt prayer and intercession. Let us go to it!

Author information: Mark Dunman is the author of two books which we reviewed here at Prophecy Today earlier in the year: Has God really finished with Israel? (2013), which challenges Replacement Theology, and The Return of Jesus Christ: the end or the beginning? (2015), which examines the various millennial positions taken by the Church through history and discusses whether we are approaching the return of Christ any time soon.

Both books are available at markdunman.com, at Christian bookshops and on Amazon. Click here to read Paul Luckraft's interview with Mark from earlier this year.

Notes

1 There is some disagreement as to whether it was Smith Wigglesworth who gave this prophecy. However, he was known to have given a similar prophecy to David du Plessis in South Africa in 1936. What matters to me is that it has all the hallmarks of a genuine prophecy from God (Deut 18:21-22), not least because part of it has been fulfilled. See also Prophecy Today's feature on this prophecy as part of the 'Testing Prophecies Together' series.