The Year 5780 – THE YEAR OF THE LORD’S CREATIVES

 …and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places… Ephesians 3:9-10

 “And Bezalel and Aholiab, and every gifted artisan in whom the Lord has put wisdom and understanding, to know how to do all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, shall do according to all that the Lord has commanded.” Exodus 36:1

*all scriptures are taken from the NKJV unless specified otherwise

Certainly we are in a time and season so significant in the calendar of the earth that accurate response must be given. The celebration of the year 5780 in the Hebrew calendar began on the evening of September 29th to end on evening of October 1st. This Jewish celebration is called Rosh Hashanah which means the head of the year or simply put the beginning of the New Year. This Jewish year 5780 aligns with the Gregorian year 2020.

Of note is the fact that the Hebrew language is more than mere markings, but a richly intricate system of symbols and hidden mysteries which, all the time, give deeper meaning to basic things. Yes, this article is about the year 5780 or 2020 but it is more than just that. It is both about the past ten years and the next ten years. For example, this last decade from 2010 to 2019 has been all about “seeing” what God is saying about you, about your life, about the plans He has for you and for the world around us. It is, not coincidentally, conjoined with the Hebrew Letter “Ayin” a picture symbol of an eye and characterized by the number 70. Every year in the Ayin Decade coincides with another letter in the Hebrew Alphabet which was revealed in the early Jewish Talmud as having Heavenly significance, just as the instituted feasts (Rosh Chodesh, Yom Kippur, Passover, and the Feast of Weeks etc) and appointed times of the Old Testament.

This coming year, 2020 in the Gregorian calendar, coincides with the Hebrew year 5780, 80 being part of the “Pey” (rhymes with “pay”) Decade that began at Rosh Hashanah this September 29, 2019. Just as 2019/5779 was a conclusion of the last ten years in the “Ayin” decade of the seeing eye where God invited us to “see” what He is saying, this year and the nine years to follow will be an invitation to “speak” what God has shown us in the last decade.  “Pey” is the Hebrew letter for the number 80, a picture symbol of a mouth. Discerning when to speak and when to be quiet will be a critical component during the next decade if we are to see the Kingdom of God growing in our lives and our world through our declarations of faith. “Ayin” gives insight, but it is the “Pey” (mouth) that gives insight expression. Wisdom is the key. To speak forth however, also connotes creativity. Why? All things were made by God using the opening of His mouth to speak forth the Word. Thus, it is the year of the creatives of God to manifest in wisdom beyond what has been seen before.

Words from 2009

I started my faith journey with the Lord in the year 2007. It began with a little bit of holding back here and there because of the other things I thought I should be doing in my life. I wanted badly to do a music album, but God had a different plan. He literally canceled a record deal I had back then and told me I wasn’t ready yet. Then in 2009 He gave these words “there is a generation of worshippers coming on the earth, their voices will be heard globally, but you are not part of that generation. You are part of the generation that will come after that.” True to the word of the Lord, it was like a floodgate of singers, musicians, worshippers, and mega churches was opened in Nigeria where I was as at that time and the sound from Nigeria started going global. Right now, the sound of worship from Nigeria has been taken all over the entire globe in a way indescribable. Sincerely I didn’t have any clue as to what a generation meant to the Lord back then but now I believe I can tie it to a space of ten years. At least from the timeframe I experienced. I will try to explain this in the context of the ten year period of 5770 (2010) to 5780 (2020). Many things have come and gone for me while I waited for the generation the Lord spoke about. And because back then He didn’t give what a generation means to Him in relation to how many years, I simply waited in faith doing whatever service the Lord would have me do. Obviously there are things I wished I did better or some I wished I didn’t do at all. Nonetheless, I have no regrets concerning the path I have walked.

Thank You for The Cross

I recently released a single, both video and audio titled “Thank You for The Cross”. Originally the title of that song was “The Blood Song” which I had announced on social media prior to when some changes came in. Something happened to make me change the title and which later made me understand the time, season which I was in and the season of the new generation that has now come. The producer of the song, who has now become my friend, in his usual way, will send a preview of whatever song we record to a few people to listen to and then give their comment. Apparently he sent it to his mum. She loved the song because it resonated with her spirit and especially where she is in her walk with God. She, however, sent a message back asking if I could change the title of the song from “The Blood Song” to “Thank You for The Cross” because that line of the song had really stayed with her as her personal thanksgiving for the finished work of Christ in her life. I was surprised at the request at first. I prayed about the request and when I had a release to allow the change, I gave my producer the go ahead to change the title.

Sincerely, in all the years I have been writing or recording songs, never has there been a time when anyone asked for me to change my song title. That was first for me and also very instructive about the season. It was after I released the song that clarity began to come for the way things went. For it was around that time I realized that a decade had passed since the words the Lord gave me in 2009. I was overwhelmed with joy as the Holy Spirit started helping me understand that the song had to have that new title as an indication of my faithfulness to wait for a generation to pass while holding on to The Cross of Christ. The song was basically a marker for the end of a decade and a marker for a new. During this time I have seen things capable of making a faith walker quit and just embrace the futility of this world. But the power of The Cross kept me and for that I am eternally grateful.

The New Generation

A few days ago, I woke up with a message ringing loudly in my heart. Within a space of a few seconds, I understood what the message was, even though I may not be able to repeat it word for word, but I remember the announcement in the message concerning 2020 and the very next decade.

In summary, the Lord announces that He wants to pour out His creative Spirit upon His creatives. They will paint new realities, photograph the perfection of God’s creative essence, innovate new technologies for the Kingdom. It is the decade of new ideas that will spring forth with clarity and boldness.

I believe the message is quite simple, but the reality of it is found in what it is attached to, that is, a life of The Cross and true followership of Christ. Creativity in this reality of the new generation will not just be about physical creations of innovative ideas and stuff, but the bringing forth of realities hidden in the heart of the Father to earth. Their lives are like wombs for God, carrying realities in God that must find expressions on earth. They are creatives because they are the redeemed image of God and like Him, they give life on earth by speaking and living out truth.

The year 5780/2020 is the beginning of the decade of the (Pey) or the mouth which resonates with the fact that by the words of the mouth all things were created in the beginning. It will be the same way for the creatives of the Lord who have waited in time for Him to show Himself. They have waited in the silent years to allow the Holy Spirit to hover over their hearts, preparing them for when the announcement will be made and for when their mouths of creative power will be released.

The time is now.

To create is to give life and not to create is not to give life, and the power of life and death is in the tongue.

And by creatives I mean those who literally have been gifted in acts of creativity as far as creating new things are concerned. But much more it is about those by whose lives the principalities and powers of this world will know the many sided wisdom of God found in the embrace of The Cross. These creatives have been for years hidden in the caves and secret places of their walk with God. Their faithfulness to the carrying of their cross even as they follow the Lord in their silent years will be rewarded. God is and will much more be their inheritance.

The Heart of the Next Generation

I was privileged on Rosh Hashana 2019 to attend a birthday fellowship where I was led to pray for the children who were around. I sensed in the meeting to ask the children what they wanted from the Lord. That is, if they were to stand before God and make a request, what would their request be? The youngest who had just turned five said she wanted “sweets and ice-cream”. (Certainly it’s easy to relate with that childlike request, but it’s deeper than that). The next one said she wanted “a horse”. For me that was a deep request for an eight or so year old girl. The oldest among them, a twelve year old said he wants to live for a thousand years. Another child was also in that fellowship, he didn’t make a request. I sensed God would have me change his name to Michael from what it was before. I won’t mention much about him just yet. I prayed and anointed them as led, having tried to explain to them what their requests actually meant. The summary of their requests is this. Did you know that the Rosh Hashanah greeting is “Shanah tovah um’tukah,” which means “May you have a good and sweet new year?” And did you know that the coming of the Lord is depicted as Him riding on a white horse with a sword coming out from His mouth (Pey) and with which He slayed His enemies in judgment? See Revelation 19. And that His coming is to bring to earth His millennial (thousand year) reign with His saints? (See Revelation 20)

No one except the Spirit of God could have put such requests in the hearts of these children. For you could see the connection between what they requested of the Lord and the actual thing going on in the Spirit. Shortly after that meeting, I was reminded that the request for a thousand years came on the same day that was the last day for the old Kenyan 1000 shillings to be returned to the banks in exchange for the new currency notes. These are no coincidences at all. My question is this, could we really be in the days of the one thousand year reign of the Lord on earth and the Bride of Christ is being reminded to rise up to meet her Lord? Certainly it wouldn’t be surprising for me, knowing the recent reminders I have been given about the Lord coming home.

The Life of the New Generation

In 2009 when the Lord gave me the words concerning the generation coming, He gave me a scripture in Revelation 14 that had been my companion through the journey. He made a delineation of the generation of worshipers coming on the earth by what side each would find themselves on. I will try and explain as much as I can. Revelation 14: 1-8 gives a picture of two sets of people or if you like, two sets of worshippers. Verse 6 to 8 shows the angel announcing the gospel of the kingdom to those on the earth. He calls this gospel “fear God and give glory to Him” and then went ahead to say “worship Him who made the heaven and the earth…” This reality of worshippers has flooded the entire earth. They have flooded the globe with songs and music but most of the songs and music are not coming from the throne of the Father but from the hands of the angel making the announcement. Just like the sower who threw seeds randomly on the earth for whoever can have it. But mind you, right in the midst of this generation of worshippers is judgment. For part of the gospel of the flying angel is, “for the hour of His judgment has come”. So while they sing and make music and get global attention, judgment was hovering around many of them because their hearts have become Jezebel’s table of delicacies and their eyes set on the luxury of Babylon.

In contrast to the above scriptures, let me now show you the actual picture of the true worshippers who will arise in the new generation. Revelation 14:1-5 speaks of who they are and what their lives look like. Please read it yourself so it makes sense. It is they who are the picture of the Bride of Christ, the picture of the 144,000, the picture of they that get their music/songs from the heavenly harp that plays in the presence of God; it is they that walk with the Lamb on Mount Zion wherever He goes. Why? They have become lambs of sacrifice like their Master by their embrace of their own crosses, following Christ and their suffering for their testimony of faith. It is they that are called the first fruit of the Spirit, the redeemed from the earth, they are blameless and without fault before the throne of God. They are those who men have rubbished in the mud of time but who the earth is not worthy of. These are those who can’t move an inch or defend themselves because they lay hanging on their cross with the nails holding them tight to their burden for the Lord. It is they who others have called worthless because they don’t do what men think they should do, neither do they fit into the popular molds. It is them the Lord has been waiting for and their time is now.

In conclusion, I see the new generation of the followers of Christ, having borne their crosses, emerging from their graves and wildernesses in the decade of Pey (or the Mouth). For as the earth is empowered to open its mouth to swallow the flood waters, so shall their graves be empowered to bring them forth by the Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, who will quicken their mortal bodies and immortality will swallow up mortality.

Do not make a mistake to think I am talking about singers, musicians or anything to do with how we have defined worshippers. A Spirit and truth worshipper is simply someone whose physical faith expression (truth) matches his spiritual (spirit) reality. For just as the death of Christ on The Cross in the physical, matches His death which He died from before the foundation of the earth, so do these ones’ physical expressions match their spiritual realities. For when Jesus met the woman at the well and they spoke about worship in spirit and in truth, it was never about singing or music.  Truth is not a religious concept; it is the faith expression of a spiritual reality.

I am not saying that the entire generation of worshippers we have now are not genuine or that they don’t all live spirit and truth lives. All I am saying is that, it is easy to fall into the crowd of those whose life comes from the random works of angels and not from eating from the very hands of God.

We entered into the year 5780 in the Jewish calendar on September 29th, and have now entered into 2020 in the Gregorian calendar, which is also not just a new year, but the beginning of a new decade. So let us not be weary in our walk of faith, for our salvation is closer than when we first believed.