By Philip Pfanstiel
December 24, 2020
“God will give His people 20/20 vision in 2020”
That was the prophetic utterance that I heard from a number of people a year ago as 2019 came to a close. My first thought was somewhat dismissive – “nice ambiguous play on words. Sounded like a Christian fortune cookie message.”
But that is exactly what has happened in 2020. We’ve been given clarity on so many things this year. First was how I need to be more open to things outside my wheelhouse (comfort zone).
What are we afraid of? What would we surrender in order to feel safer? Do we understand science? Or do we pretend and mimic whatever the “experts” say? How many messages have we heard about social distancing, wearing masks and washing hands versus how to build our immune system?
How much can power corrupt? Do we live in an actual democratic-republic? Do our votes and voices matter? Who will fight for us? Will we fight for ourselves? Will our leaders live by the same rules they force us to endure? Will we hold them accountable? Are we essential? How valued is education? How exactly does toilet paper protect us from a respiratory virus?
All of these and many more things have been answered this year. Wowza! 20/20 Vision in 2020! Yes, indeed.
As the year comes to a close I see a lot of people that can’t wait until the New Year. I think Betty White has 24-hour armed security and medical staff at this point – something every American agrees on.
The problem with the eagerness to put this year behind us is, are we also putting behind us the clarity that this year gave us?
Will we return to the pan of water that got turned up a little too quick? Will we close our eyes and go back to sleep in the snow? Or will we take the clarity, revelations and wakeup call that this year has been and act upon it?
What will we do about this election? If we saw something wrong (I sure did) what will we do about it?
The story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead scares me. The miracle gave EVERYONE present that day the clarity that they needed to make the correct decision. History may repeat the decisions that were made that day in the coming year of 2021.
“Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. … So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.” – John 11:45, 46, 53
One group believed in him and the other group made plans to kill him.
20/20 Vision is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing in that we now have the information we need to make the proper decision. But the decision is still ours and I believe that 2021 will reveal a stark division in the decisions that people will make based on the clarity this year gave us.
In other words, 2021 will be a year of decision. God has promised and spoken through His prophets that there would be a massive revival in the days ahead. Some have termed it the 3rd Great Awakening and I’ve seen hints of it. The authentic and powerful praise and worship times that have sprung up in Chicago, New Orleans and even in Tulsa are a hint of a coming revival. I was at a Bethel concert in Tulsa a few weeks back and my heart was stirred with hope.
The reaction from many in Tulsa (and around America) confounded me; “how unwise, inprudent, foolish. Don’t you know we’re in a pandemic?” The resulting canceling of singers, ministers and churches I found to be very revealing. Clarity can be a nasty pill.
“You mean ‘the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus?’ Yes, we are in a pandemic and the best cure is repentance and crying out to God. So, what again is the problem with young people crying out to God?”
As for the prophecied revival: The sign that God’s prophets have spoken faithfully the Words that He has given them will be revealed this January (feel free to peruse through my Facebook feed if you’ve been in a coma since October).
My personal warning (not prophetic, just advice) is don’t get comfortable. Wake up, get ready and do what God shows you to do. Trying to go back to sleep after you hear the fire alarms is … next level stupid.