Some Thoughts and Impressions about 2022

As I’ve prayed and pondered about the coming year for The Cup & Table Co. collectively, I’ve had a few impressions. I know others in the house with a prophetic gifting/office have thoughts as well, and I look forward to hearing these. Here are mine.

First, concerning the times in which we’re living. We continue to be in the vicinity of two history cycles—a 50-year cycle that peaked in 2020 and a 500-year-ish cycle that we entered around the year 2000. Historically, these cycles have seen a a lot of societal turmoil, cultural shifts, and culture shaping technological advances. This one is obviously no exception.

Historically God has used the disruption of these cycles to advance His kingdom plans and purposes. While He doesn’t “cause all things,” He absolutely “causes all things to work together for the good of His people and for the advancement of His purposes.” This is precisely what we should be looking for and contending for as His earth-bound partners . . . His people.

Stability Amid Shaking

You’ve heard me say many times that we are in a season of “shaking” a la Hebrews 12:27. This shaking will continue, especially in economic systems. The shortages and supply chain disruptions of late 2020 were just a warmup. Food shortages will be in the news. China and Russia will continue to behave badly. Of course, there will be a lot of panic-mongering and fear-stoking in the media (because everyone gets paid through “attention”) but we must continue to remain at rest and in a posture of trust.

We can and will be a people so even-keeled and so at peace that we will be asked by strangers to “give an account of the hope that is within us.” (1 Peter 3:15)

Dragging Hidden Things Into the Light

We will likely see a continuation of the trend toward the exposing of dark, hidden things to the light. The conviction of Ghislane Maxwell in the Jeffrey Epstein thing is just a first fruits. More dark things will be coming to light. As I’ve noted in past years, this can have the effect of provoking dismay or pessimism in some believers as they say, “Look how terrible everything is!” Yet the kingdom response is to be encouraged that the hidden thing is now on display.

Totally Equipped

For us as a community, God is calling us to move into greater maturity, to allow the Spirit to more fully equip us for overcoming, and to greater kingdom fruitfulness. Our upcoming expository study of Hebrews is going to jump-start that. We will see variations of the Greek word teleios (mature, complete, totally equipped, fulfilled) a lot in our study. And as we talked about in our January 1 gathering, the Lord may be calling us to prepare to help others travel the road to maturity, too. (That’s the good, old word discipleship.) I wrote a few words about this in this post from a couple of days ago.

John 20:22

I tend to avoid (and maybe even eye-roll a bit) at the ubiquitous gimmicky riffs you usually see at the beginning of a new year using the numbers of the year. Yet here I am, suggesting that there is a signal for us about 2022 in John 20:22.

Then, taking a deep breath, [Jesus] blew on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

John 20:22 TPT

The helping ministry of the Spirit is vital for us in the months to come (when is it not?!) We can and will be led, yielded to, and empowered by the Spirit in the months ahead. This will mean NOT being soulish—moved by emotions or solely by what our natural senses perceive and the natural information at our disposal. You see, our natural senses can never tell us the whole truth. 

Not only are our senses incomplete, but they’re also unreliable. They are easily fooled. Our eyes can and do literally deceive us. Cognitive biases filter what we notice and what we ignore and distort what we see. That’s why the believer who follows Paul’s advice in 2 Corinthians 4:18 and keeps his/her focus on “unseen” things isn’t “in denial” or engaging in wishful thinking, when refusing to freak out when the visible circumstances seem grim.

Keep in mind that the natural world bends to the authority of the spiritual. This principle lies behind every miracle recorded in the Bible. Don’t rely solely on what your natural senses observe. Don’t evaluate your circumstances only on what you see. You can’t believe your natural eyes alone. And don’t make the mistake of thinking that when you pray and don’t immediately see change, that nothing is happening.

And this means, above all, not allowing ourselves to be manipulated by the those who want to influence us. (Carin’s prophetic exhortation about “superstition” a few weeks ago is important and worth praying into for more light.)

A Fresh Wind

Personally, I’m excited, hopeful, expectant, and eager to move into what God has long been preparing for us this year. Let’s let Jesus “breathe” on us in a fresh and fuller way right here at the beginning. Please note that right after Jesus blew, He gave an instruction: “Receive . . .” As always in the Kingdom of Grace, that’s our part. To receive.