On the 9th August, our nation celebrated her 52nd birthday, and what a bash it was, with the Marina Bay skyline serving as a backdrop. As always, my family sat glued, watching the National Day Parade live on television. And as always, we sang the songs patriotically, laughed at the outrageous costumes, teared when the National Anthem was being sung, talked about our National Service experiences, but one thing is for sure, we were all proud to be Singaporeans.
I love my country and I love my people, regardless of race, language or religion. The evening before, my wife and I were with 6,500 other Christians at the “Day of His Power” at Suntec City, thanking God for Singapore and praying for her. The day after, we were with the Festival of Praise, Pastors’ Gathering, praying for the nation. We prayed for Singapore at our recent Church-wide Corporate Prayer; so yeah, I love my nation and I pray for her.
In 1978, the evangelist Dr. Billy Graham, prophesied that Singapore would be an Antioch East, for Asia. It was a defining moment for us as a nascent nation. At that time, we were just 13 years into nationhood and our future was uncertain. The Iranian Revolution had just begun that would eventually lead the world to a global oil crisis and spiraling inflation. So, things were uncertain and we saw the world tottering as a drunken man reeling in his stupor. But in the last 39 years, we’ve seen the Church in Singapore grow and rise up to be a voice to the nations. Megachurches have been raised and Singapore has produced strong and charismatic global church leaders. But are we closer to being the Antioch for Asia?
To be honest, I think we’ve come a long way, but perhaps still a distance away from fulfilling our destiny. It’s been 39 years since the prophetic word was given and then, at the Kingdom Invasion Conference in March 2017, there comes a prophetic utterance, a dream from a seasoned prophet, that a cyclical review is on the way and God is revisiting the prophetic word He gave to us 39 years ago.
In essence, He wants to see what has been done. Has the Church in Singapore taken the word seriously, or have we just gloated over the fact that we’ve been called but done nothing about it? If there was a moment in time where we all sense that God is about to do a massive thing that will shape and redefine everything we know to be normal Christianity, this is it! God is shaking the nations, as He’s shaking the Church, and in one generation, I believe He’ll change the expression of Christianity. All over the world, pockets of people – men and women of Issachar who understand the times and seasons; prophetic people, who sense a groundswell of tsunamic proportions, have been activated.
2017 began as one of the most tumultuous years in recent history. When Mr. Donald Trump was elected President of the United States, he was a sign, a harbinger of things to come. In fact, Brexit precipitated certain events that would eventually bring about such flux and turbulence that the world will never recover from. It certainly looks like God’s shaking everything that can be shaken and nothing is being spared.
From the political chaos to natural disasters, from widespread terrorism, to rebellion and anarchy, the world is reeling from one disaster after another. If this doesn’t wake you up, nothing will. We should all be on our faces before God pleading for His mercy. Hebrews 12:26-29 tells us that in the last days, “everything that can be shaken would be shaken, so that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.” Why? Because we’re receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken. So, this is a good thing. The shaking is a promise, not a threat. The Kingdom is being established and it’s an unshakable kingdom.
I’ve always believed that it takes a citywide church to have a citywide revival. The Church in Singapore must put away her differences and come together AS ONE. Singapore has an amazing call and destiny, but if we do not fulfill God’s purposes for our nation, then He might have to raise up another. This has happened before in history and it can happen to us, if we don’t do anything about it. We mustn’t take anything for granted. I’m jealous over this call, and I know many in this nation are as well. We must rise up and take this seriously because fragile circumstances all around us demand it. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
Singapore, this is our hour to rise up and truly shine, for our light has come. A trumpet has been sounded and we must respond.
