January 5, 2026
- Dutch Sheets
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
2026: Turbulent But Fruitful, Part 1
“Come gather ’round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You’ll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth savin’
Then you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin.”(1)
Secular “prophet” Bob Dylan prophesied these words in 1963. He went on to accurately prophesy to “writers and critics,” “senators and congressmen,” “mothers and fathers.” Read the rest of the song (Link). At that turbulent time in history, the changes Dylan spoke of did not bode well for our nation. In all honesty, change was needed, just not those that moved us further from God and His ways.
History has proven that many of the changes over the last 60 years were unhealthy, and millions of Americans have now awakened to this reality. We became a nation divided, violent, conscienceless, immoral, mooring-less, and confused. Like the ancient king, Belshazzar, America has been “weighed in the balances and found wanting” (Daniel 5:27). Dylan was right - the times were, indeed, changing.
There is good news, however: we have now come full circle. Another season ripe for great change has emerged, and reformation is now possible. The coming year will be epochal in this regard. It will be challenging, but if the praying church stays the course, 2026 will also be a tremendously victorious year - turbulent, but fruitful.
When praying about 2026, the Lord gave me Acts 27-28, the account of Paul shipwrecked by a great storm while in route to Rome. God, however, transformed the ordeal into tremendous victories. As I read the passage, I heard Holy Spirit say, “2026 will not be smooth sailing; it will, however, be victorious, fruitful sailing. Don’t be alarmed by the ‘storms’.” (Like Venezuela!)
I knew the Lord was telling me that resistance to righteous change will continue and intensify this year. Revival and reformation do not equate to lack of opposition and the absence of evil. These are perilous times, which we were warned of in Scripture (2 Timothy 3:1). Evil will not be removed from earth until the Lord returns. Our mission is not to create utopia; it is to preach the gospel of the Kingdom, and disciple people and nations in the ways of that Kingdom.
Though we can experience peace internally, this will not be the case externally. The confrontation of evil strongholds and the people operating them must and will continue here and around the world. Likewise, resistance from those losing their hold will continue. This ideological and spiritual conflict cannot be avoided. On our part, while the battle must be waged righteously and redemptively, it must be waged. Truth and justice cry out for it; righteousness demands it; reformation awaits it.
Many believers misinterpret and misunderstand what the Scriptures teach about striving for peace. The promotion of peace is often used as an argument for non-confrontation, for “getting along.” But the same Lord referred to as the “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6), and who Himself said “blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9), also said “I didn’t come to bring peace but a sword” (Matthew 10:34). The Master, who told us to love our enemies and turn the other cheek, also turned over tables, confronted hypocrites, and denounced oppressors (see Matthew 5:39, 44; 15:7; 21:12; 23:3-4, 13-14). Christ did not instruct us to always “get along” regardless of others’ actions; He did not say “don’t rock the boat” or “don’t ruffle feathers.” To the contrary, He did so and said disruptive things quite regularly.
The Bible must be interpreted as a whole, not as disconnected verses. Walking in harmony with Scripture is NOT always the absence of conflict, confrontation, disruption, or division. The law of love is NOT the law of non-confrontation, and turning the other cheek is NOT always the way to deal with unrighteousness. In the very same sermon where Jesus told us to love our enemies and turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:39, 44), He went on to say that corrupt trees (corrupt people) sometimes must be cut down and cast into the fire (Matthew 7:19). Was He contradicting Himself? No. We simply must understand that loving one’s enemies does not equate to allowing them to do whatever they please, whenever they please. If such acceptance of evil were true, Ecclesiastes 3:8 would be false: “There is a time for war, and a time for peace.”
Truth and justice are partners of love. While Ephesians 4:15 tells us that the truth must be spoken in love, it must be spoken! Unconditional love is not the unconditional acceptance and approval of actions; God’s love involves rooting out deception, evil, oppression, violence, and abuse, in order for His salvation and justice to occur. The gospel of peace is not the gospel of passivity toward evil.
The corruption in our government, our nation in general, and throughout the nations runs very deep. Maduro’s government in Venezuela is but one example. The greed, dishonesty, deception, ineptitude, and evil intentions of many in our government are both shocking and alarming. The number of Americans deceived by them is, as well. And in this post, time does not allow me to elaborate on the seeds of Marxism, Islam, and other ideologies that are now firmly planted and growing in the soil of America. The confrontation of these strongholds must and will continue in America and throughout the world in 2026. The breaking up of fallow ground (Hosea 10:12) must continue. Jeremiah said that rooting out, pulling down, destroying, and overthrowing evil must take place before the building and planting can occur (Jeremiah 1:10). This is all part of reformation. And as the enemies of this cleansing process see their hold on America and other nations slipping away, they will intensify their fighting, making 2026 a stormy and turbulent - but very fruitful - year.
More on this tomorrow. I leave you with the following story.
“In Robert Louis Stevenson’s story of a storm, he described a ship caught off a rocky coast, threatening death to all on board. One of the terrified passengers made his way to the pilothouse, where the pilot was lashed to his post with his hands on the wheel, turning the ship little by little into the open sea. The pilot smiled at the man, who then rushed back to the deck below, shouting, ‘I have seen the face of the pilot, and he smiled. All is well.’ The sight of the smiling pilot averted panic and converted despair into hope.”(2)
Fear not; the King is at the helm!
Pray with me:
Father, on this journey to America’s salvation and a worldwide revival, we are experiencing opposition. This is to be expected. Paul told the Corinthians he was experiencing a great door of opportunity, along with great opposition (1 Corinthians 16:9). The same is true today. Changing times require faith, fortitude, and determination in order to steward them appropriately. Spiritual warfare is part of the process. If growing weary and becoming faint of heart were not real possibilities, You would not have said: “Let us not become weary in well doing, for in due season we will reap, if we faint not,” (Galatians 6:9).
We will not yield to weariness or faintness of heart this year. We will be strong with Your strength and the power of Your might (Ephesians 6:10). We will rise above every storm, soaring with You like eagles (Isaiah 40:30-31).
Give believers in America increased understanding of the need to confront evil here and abroad. Break off passivity, deception, and wrong mindsets regarding peace.
We ask for great tenacity and unwavering commitment in our government leaders as they confront evil. Deliver America from leaders who refuse to prosecute corruption, allowing it to foster in our government. Give President Trump and others continued determination to clean up the defilement rooted so deeply in our government. Cause them to prosper as they do so. Lead them as they transition the nation of Venezuela and uproot evil elsewhere. Give them tremendous wisdom.
You have begun a good work in America and the nations, Father. We ask You to finish this work of reviving and reforming. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Our decree:
We decree that we will not fear the storms in 2026, but will rise above them in victory.
Click on the link below to watch the full video.
Spiros Zodhiates, Illustrations of Bible Truths (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1995), p. 267.