American Elections, Donald Trump, and God’s Secret Prophetic Strategy "at the last trump" VOTE FOR TRUMP IS A VOTE FOR THE LORD JESUS!!!!
[EDIT: A couple people have told me that I wasn’t descriptive enough when I talked about the tiger dream. I thought I was clear, but I have added a bit more detail to help people understand what I was trying to convey. March 12, 2016.]
It is with fear and trembling that I write these words. The fact is, I have good friends and close family on all sides of the political debate — republicans, democrats, independents, and more. Some are Christians, and some are not. I know that a message like the one I have to share here is not going to be popular and will likely make some people upset. But I have a deep concern for the Body of Christ right now that I believe needs to be addressed.
First, Some Important Disclaimers
Even though I wrote these words late last night into the early morning, I have waited to post them until today’s primary voting and caucuses (in my own state of Michigan and others) were mostly over. I did this for three reasons: (1) I didn’t want to be accused of merely trying to sway votes on an important election day that could go any unknown direction, (2) I wanted to release this before tonight’s results came in so that people would know I’m not just changing a position or swaying with what may turn out to be popular, and (3) I wanted to run the contents of this message past a few older ministers whose discernment I trust.
Let me say that if you support Donald Trump for president, I will still be your friend and will continue to associate with you as a fellow believer in Christ. I’m not upset with anyone, nor am I looking to start a war (though I know what I’m about to share could start an uproar).
In the interest of not wanting to waste anyone’s time, let me say that what I have to share here is specifically for Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians. If you’re not a Pentecostal or Charismatic Christian who believes God still speaks today through prophetic people (see Joel 2:28 and Acts 2), then you’re going to see all this as crazy talk. Lets not waste each other’s time — I’m sure there are plenty of other things you’d rather be reading and debating. But if you do believe in God’s present-day gift of prophecy and are interested in what I believe I’m sensing from the Lord about our current elections in America, then please read on.
As a final disclaimer up front, what I share here is my own perspective and does not necessarily reflect the views of any of my fellow authors here at SupernaturalTruth.com or any of the people mentioned in this article. These are my own words, and I take sole responsibility for them.
The Tiger Dream
Several nights ago, after weeks of studying issues and praying about who to vote for in Michigan’s primary election, I had a dream that I believe is from the Lord.
In the dream, my wife and kids were out playing in a field. Suddenly, I noticed three orange tigers sitting about fifty yards away in the field. Two were sleeping and one was looking around, alert. I hurried inside to find a gun (strange, because I don’t own a gun and am not interested in owning a gun), but I couldn’t find one. I ran back outside to bring my family to safety in person.
The three orange tigers were still positioned in the field, unmoved — none of them actually posing a threat to my family. But as I cautiously approached my wife and kids, I suddenly noticed that a fourth tiger — this one large and white — was crouching just feet away from them, ready to attack.
I prayed about this dream for a few days — first examining any sort of personal application it might have for my life. Then, as I was praying again about the election, I suddenly had the sense that the Lord was using the dream to speak to me about the republican primary. I realized that the field of wheat in which my family played was not a symbol of the harvest (which was my first guess) but rather America’s “amber waves of grain.” Suddenly it all came together, and that’s when I believe God spoke what I’ll share at the end of this article.
The fact is, no politician is technically “safe.” They’re all “tigers.” But only one in the current field actually poses an imminent threat — the white tiger; the one that’s different; the one that’s a total outsider and not from the same family as the others. I believe that tiger is Donald Trump because of his dangerous policies, regular promotion of violence, negative image in the eyes of the international community, and tendency to speak carelessly about important things and needing to retract those statements later (like killing terrorists’ families, for example).
In my dream, there was no way to defend yourself or your family against this fourth tiger. It’s interesting to note that the type of gun I was looking for in my dream was what many would call an “assault rifle,” and Donald is the only one of the four candidates (to my knowledge) who has supported a ban on assault weapons. That may or may not be relevant, but the main point is that the white tiger was dangerous, and I couldn’t protect my family. I didn’t see the danger at first. I only saw it after it was too late. And I believe this is what is happening to many Christians today — blindly following this popular candidate without any concern for what the future may actually bring.
Regarding the other three tigers, one was alert while the other two were sleeping. It actually looked like the alert tiger was defending the field (he certainly wasn’t looking at my family as a snack). I believe the challenge for republicans and conservatives in this election cycle is to discern and identify which of the other three candidates is that alert protector. (Even if you’re a democrat reading this, I think you’ll agree: We don’t need a president who is asleep.)
Let me be clear: I do not believe God’s preference for America is a President Trump. But I also believe He wants you to seek Him yourself about who His preference is (you’ll see why in a bit). The body of Christ needs to be discerning and educated, not merely taking someone else’s instruction about how to vote (as many have).And if you truly feel after reading this that God has directed you to vote for Donald Trump, then that’s what you should do.
But I need to say this, because since I first published this article, there has been some confusion: The tiger dream is not the main point of this article. There’s a more significant warning I feel from the Lord — something I believe He has not publicly revealed until now for a specific reason. I’ll share that in a moment.
The Controversy Begins
This dream has motivated me to become publicly vocal about my concerns regarding Donald Trump.
On Super Tuesday, I posted the following on Facebook:
Please read the following scriptures BEFORE you vote for Trump:“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people.” (Proverbs 14:34)“When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan.” (Proverbs 29:2)“Though the LORD is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud.” (Psalms 138:6)“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)—As imitators of Christ, how can we oppose humble candidates while giving grace (a vote) to the most openly prideful of the bunch? I’m not saying there are any perfect politicians, but only one of the current candidates has openly said that he has never felt a need to ask God for forgiveness. Only one candidate flaunts his pride.The Bible warns us that if such a person is in political power, we will groan, and our nation will not enjoy the favor and blessing of the Lord. Not only that, but God will both oppose that leader and keep His distance from him.Is that really what you want for your country?Don’t cast an unrighteous vote simply because you’re angry with the political system, “…because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” (James 1:20)
While most of the feedback I received was positive, a few of the responses stunned me (though those people have since deleted their comments from the post, so I can’t paste them here). Their primary argument was that there have been a lot of “prophetic words” supporting Donald Trump. They said that God had chosen Donald to be our next president and that there was nothing I could do about it. Between calling me names (like “religious scoundrel”), they said that I lacked discernment and needed to hear God’s voice on the matter.
Here’s the thing: I never assume that I’m right. I may preach with certainty and conviction, but I’m always happy to allow people to challenge my ideas with Scripture. And if I think I’ve heard from God, yet someone else says the opposite while feeling they too have heard from God, then I don’t start a “prophecy war.” I go to the Lord for confirmation and clarity. I search the Scriptures. And I let time prove who was right. When it comes to the prophetic, I prefer to share what I’m sensing with a measure of humility, admitting that I could be wrong.
This is one of those cases. Paul said that “we know in part and we prophesy in part.” None of us has it all figured out. I would never present a presumed “prophetic word” in a way that demands people not weigh carefully what I have said and discern for themselves whether or not it’s true. If what I shared about the tigers or if what I’m about to share in the coming paragraphs does not come to pass, then I will humbly detract what I said and even publicly apologize for speaking against the Lord. I’m not going to speak in vague generalities like many “prophetic ministers” do (so that they can make anything that happens fit details of their message and say they were right). I’m going to share what I think I’m sensing, let you discern for yourself, and let future events either prove or disprove my words.
Prophecies for a President Trump
As far as I know, there are four primary, popular, “prophetic voices” whom people in my newsfeed are sharing to support Donald Trump’s candidacy.The main two advocates I’ve been seeing are Lance Wallnau and Kat Kerr who have both given multiple “prophetic words” indicating a future President Trump. Next is Rick Joyner, who has been careful to promote the boisterous candidate while not officially saying that Trump will indeed be the next president (at least to my knowledge).
The fourth voice being cited is in reference to a single prophecy by a pastor and itinerant minister whom we interviewed for our upcoming movie, Voice of God: Jeremiah Johnson. As we interviewed him last year about prophetic ministry and hearing God’s voice, my sense was that this guy is one of the most legitimate voices I have encountered in the prophetic movement. His emphasis was constantly on Christlike character, humility, the love of God, and true intimacy with the Lord. I highly value everything he shared in that interview and am thrilled to be able to share his insights as part of our film.
A few months later, I saw Pastor Jeremiah’s name on an article in Charisma News’ prophecy blog. It looks like they’ve taken the article down now (I’m not surprised due to the controversy it generated), but Jeremiah still has it up on his own web site.
Here is the exact quote that he said he sensed the Holy Spirit saying:
“Trump shall become My trumpet to the American people, for he possesses qualities that are even hard to find in My people these days. Trump does not fear man nor will he allow deception and lies to go unnoticed. I am going to use him to expose darkness and perversion in America like never before, but you must understand that he is like a bull in a china closet. Many will want to throw him away because he will disturb their sense of peace and tranquility, but you must listen through the bantering to discover the truth that I will speak through him. I will use the wealth that I have given him to expose and launch investigations searching for the truth. Just as I raised up Cyrus to fulfill My purposes and plans, so have I raised up Trump to fulfill my purposes and plans prior to the 2016 election. You must listen to the trumpet very closely for he will sound the alarm and many will be blessed because of his compassion and mercy. Though many see the outward pride and arrogance, I have given him the tender heart of a father that wants to lend a helping hand to the poor and the needy, to the foreigner and the stranger.” (Source: http://beholdthemanministries.com/prophesy-donald-trump-shall-become-the-trumpet/)
Something that must be noted is that Jeremiah did not say Donald Trump would be president. In fact, he said that God would use Trump “prior to the 2016 election.” What I would consider to be an even clearer message is what Jeremiah wrote more recently in December:
The controversy that God will have with the church in 2016 is over whether she will turn to Him or to a political figure to be their savior in the midst of crisis. Be warned, God is not pleased with allegiance to political figures, whether they be republican or democratic. I want to be clear: I am not saying that Christians should not vote in the 2016 elections, but what I am saying is that Satan is laying a tremendous trap before the American Church [in] 2016, and God is going to have a great controversy with those who will put their trust in a political figure or party and not in His leadership. God is looking for the Church to turn to Him and not to man as in the days of Hosea and Isaiah. We must not become consumed and driven by fear, hate, or emotions in the days ahead.In a vision God said to me, “I did not give My people what they deserved in the 2012 election, but rather who they asked for. For they cried out for the help of men in their time of distress, just as Israel when surrounded by their enemies sought help from Egypt, so the Church when surrounded by uncertainty has reached out to mammon, men, and temporary pleasures. Where and whom shall the Church in 2016 put their allegiance, trust, and hope in? To the one who will sit in the oval office or to the One who sits above the circle of the earth? I will not anoint a politician in 2016, but I will anoint a prophetic and evangelistic people in America to declare my uncompromised truth.These individuals will act as an abrasion to the body of Christ and cause many to wonder at the way they will conduct themselves….” (Emphasis added. Source: http://beholdthemanministries.com/2016-the-lord-has-a-controversy-with-the-church/)
Now please note that I’m not endorsing every single thing Jeremiah Johnson says (nor do I believe he would want me or anyone else to do so). What I am saying is that his words are being taken out of context to promote Trump. Pastor Jeremiah later said, “Let it go on the record one more time: the dream regarding Donald Trump was neither an endorsement of his personal life or political run nor was it a prediction or prophecy that he would become the 2016 US President.” (Source: http://beholdthemanministries.com/prophetic-dream-marco-rubio/) All he said was that God would use Trump “to expose darkness and perversion in America like never before.” As you’ll see in a moment, I believe that’s 100% accurate.
I share all this because I felt a need in my spirit to defend Jeremiah as a minister and separate him out from the other voices who actually are promoting and endorsing Donald Trump, even though his prophetic word is still being circulated as “proof” that God has decreed Trump to be our next president.
So that leaves us with the three primary voices I’ve been seeing: Joyner, Kerr, and Wallnau. People are also citing more vague or cryptic predictions from ministers like Kim Clement that could be taken as a word about Trump. Add to all this Trump’s prayer meeting with televangelists like Kenneth Copeland and the the general endorsements of big evangelical names like Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell, Jr., and you can see why so many Christians are either gung ho for Trump or scratching their heads about how so many people could be supporting him.
I have to admit: Seeing all that support from such big names in the Body of Christ has certainly given me pause in writing this and is the main reason I didn’t write something sooner. After all, who am I to chime in on something as significant as the presidential election? Not to mention, some of these people actually wrote and taught things in the past that actually led me into hearing God’s voice for myself! Some of them were like teachers to me!
But I have to share what I have seen; and I feel like the Lord is only now revealing it so that we — the Church in America — can come to our senses before we do something we’ll regret.
A Little Background from the Bible
In First Kings 22 and Second Chronicles 18, we read a fascinating story about the prophetic circumstances surrounding King Ahab’s death. In summary, King Ahab (of Israel) and King Jehoshephat (of Judah) discussed teaming up to go to war against the people in Ramoth Gilead (because the land belonged to Israel). Jehoshaphat recommended that they consult the Lord, so they assembled 400 prophets together. All 400 prophets proclaimed victory, saying, “Go, for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.”
But Jehoshaphat pressed further and asked if there was anyone else to inquire of. Ahab answered, “There is still one prophet left, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me — always bad. His name is Micaiah, son of Imlah.”
They sent for Micaiah. In the mean time, Ahab and Jehoshaphat sat on thrones together while all the different prophets came before them, continuing to promise victory in the battle.
1 Kings 22:13-18 — The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the other prophets without exception are predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favorably.”But Micaiah said, “As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what the Lord tells me.”When he arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or not?”“Attack and be victorious,” he answered, “for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.”The king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?”Then Micaiah answered, “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd, and the Lord said, ‘These people have no master. Let each one go home in peace.'”The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, but only bad?” (NIV)
The next thing that happens is one of the craziest passages in the Bible:
1 Kings 22:19-23 — Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the multitudes of heaven standing around him on his right and on his left. And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?’“One suggested this, and another that. Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will entice him.’“‘By what means?’ the Lord asked.“‘I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,’ he said.“‘You will succeed in enticing him,’ said the Lord. ‘Go and do it.’“So now the Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours. The Lord has decreed disaster for you.” (NIV)
Ironically, Ahab sent Micaiah away and had him put in prison. Micaiah shouted back, “If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken through me. Mark my words, all you people!”
Then Ahab and Jehoshaphat went to war anyway. And sure enough, Ahab was killed in the battle.
God’s Secret Strategy
I believe it was the Holy Spirit who brought this passage to my mind last night. I couldn’t shake it. I took time to pray about it, and I sensed even greater clarity. Please discern this for yourself.
I believe the Lord said:
“This is what is presently happening in America among many believers. I have a plan that I am trying to accomplish in America, and the spirits in My Court have found a way to carry out My will. They have come to the prophets of the earth proclaiming My support of one candidate when I have not decreed that candidate. My purpose is to humble those who identify as evangelicals yet whose hearts are far from Me. This secret strategy is now made known because it cannot be stopped. I will accomplish what I have set out to do. However, My people can still elect the alert tiger. If they will repent of their bloodthirst and their selfish anger — if they will come to Me and learn from Me who the alert tiger is — I will indeed raise that candidate up as a strong protector of your nation.”
I need to be clear. I do not know who God knows will be our next president, though I do believe He has a preference (What parent wouldn’t care who is in charge of their children’s wellbeing?). The Lord honors the popular vote of the people — just as He did when Israel demanded a king despite God’s warning about what that would mean for their society (1 Samuel 8). I believe I know who the “alert tiger” is (and voted for him today), but I feel that the right thing to do is what God requested: to allow you to go to Him yourself and discern. (And for all my liberal friends, yes, I do believe that God’s preference for the next four years is a conservative president. Don’t worry; I still love you.)
My feeling is that Donald Trump is not God’s preference for America’s next president, but He will nonetheless use Trump to bring humility to many in America and especially the Body of Christ. In my human mind, I can see this playing out one of two ways: Either (1) Donald Trump is not elected, and all these “prophetic voices” and “Christian leaders” will need to eat their words; or (2) Donald Trump will be elected president, and he will do such careless and reckless things in office that the “promises” given by the prophets are proven false. I don’t present either of those options with glee, and I truly hope I’m wrong. But I have to share what I feel is a warning from the Lord because I believe too many Christians are taking the words of prophets as their instruction about how to vote rather than discerning for themselves who would be the most righteous candidate. That is not the New Testament life. Hear God for yourself.
Indeed, God has already used Donald to humble many; but I am personally expecting this heavenly strategy to result in a humbling of Donald Trump, Chris Christy, and all the Christian leaders and individuals who have publicly endorsed him in the name of Jesus. This is not an attack on any of them, nor is what I have shared an expression of personal disdain for any of the candidates (even though I personally have grave concerns about what Trump would do in office). I believe this strategy is God’s way of bringing all of them to their senses so that they might come to truly know Him. It’s actually His grace and mercy at work for America, and I pray we all surrender to the Lord’s work while there’s still time to elect God’s preferred candidate. It’s better to humble ourselves while there’s still time to make a right choice than to be humbled by the wrong choice.
Please pray that the American Church wakes up, consults the Lord, and selects His preference as our next president.
–Art
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