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By Isaiah-Phillips Akintola

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

We undoubtedly find ourselves today on the brink of an ending era, transitioning into an uncertain landscape that compels us to reconsider how we engage with life and our ordained visionary calling and purpose. Yesterday’s certainties no longer provide the necessary faith, assurance, and hope to navigate today’s reality of existence. To remain relevant, we must enhance and upgrade our visionary insights. It’s essential to shift our thoughts and perspectives as we engage with the current epoch we are experiencing.

Leadership is often called upon in times of great crisis where people have lost hope, direction, faith, and courage to carry on. This pattern is witnessed throughout history, particularly in the history of the children of Israel. Consider Daniel, who after seventy years in exile was able to kickstart the process of returning God’s people from Babylon.

Through his unwavering faith and prophetic intercession, he became the catalyst for a movement that would restore a displaced nation to their promised inheritance (Daniel 9:1-27). Similarly, Nehemiah emerged as a rebuilding leader who was able to kickstart the process of reconstructing a nation totally in ruins, with burnt gates and broken walls, transforming Jerusalem from a place of reproach into a testimony of God’s restoration power (Nehemiah 1:1-4, 2:17).

These examples reveal a profound spiritual value and principle: God strategically positions certain individuals to serve as divine catalysts in seasons when circumstances seem hopeless and restoration appears impossible. They demonstrate that effective leadership in crisis requires more than natural ability; it demands spiritual discernment, prophetic vision, and the courage to act when others are paralyzed by the magnitude of the challenges of their time.

There are divinely appointed periods and seasons in our lives when Heaven mandates us to return to the drawing board, to courageously re-examine our strength, strategy, and spiritual resources both as followers and leaders. This sacred process of recalibration prevents us from becoming overwhelmed and spiritually depleted, as we witnessed with Moses in Numbers chapter 11. Here was a man who had witnessed the miraculous exodus from Egypt, parted the Red Sea, and received the Law on Mount Sinai, yet found himself crying out to God: “I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me” (Numbers 11:14-15).

Moses’ crisis wasn’t a failure of faith but a failure to adapt his leadership approach to the evolving demands of his assignment. He was still operating with the same mindset and methods that worked in Egypt and at Sinai, but the wilderness journey required different skills, different structures, and a different understanding of shared leadership. God’s response was not to rebuke Moses but to redistribute the burden by anointing seventy elders to help carry the load (Numbers 11:16-17). This teaches us that divine assignments often evolve, requiring us to grow in wisdom, delegate authority, and embrace new models of operation.

In our current global landscape, marked by unprecedented technological disruption, shifting geopolitical alliances, economic instability, and cultural transformation, updating our visionary approach as we move toward our assigned purpose of existence is not merely advisable; it is prophetically critical. The strategies that sustained us through yesterday’s battles may prove inadequate for tomorrow’s territories. Like Joshua, who had to transition from being Moses’ aide to becoming Israel’s conquering general, we must recognize when God is calling us to step into new dimensions of leadership and influence that require fresh wisdom and renewed vision.

The Power of Prophetic Vision
What you see and how you see in this kairos season plays a heroic role in determining not just your survival, but your advancement into divine purpose. Vision is the compass of destiny; it determines direction, reveals resources, and releases faith for the impossible. The prophet Habakkuk understood this when he declared, “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not delay” (Habakkuk 2:2-3).

Yet if you allow the fear of uncertainty, the weight of current limitations, and the disappointments of past setbacks to cloud your prophetic vision, you will suddenly lose the spiritual confidence and supernatural ability to see into the next assignment you are ordained to carry out in God’s overarching purpose for your life. often, it affects the kingdom territory you’re called to possess and the people you are divinely commissioned to lead into their own breakthrough. When leaders lose vision, nations lose direction. When the church loses prophetic sight, generations lose hope. The enemy understands this, which is why his primary strategy in seasons of transition is to assault our capacity to see clearly into God’s intended future.

The prophet Jeremiah provides us with a powerful framework for engaging uncertain seasons with prophetic clarity. In Jeremiah 1:11-12, we read: “The word of the Lord came to me: ‘What do you see, Jeremiah?’ ‘I see the branch of an almond tree,’ I replied. The LORD said to me, ‘You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.’”

This exchange reveals several crucial principles for navigating uncharted territory. First, God is always asking His people, “What do you see?” This question isn’t about our natural observation but about our spiritual perception, our ability to discern His heart and intentions in the midst of confusing circumstances. Second, there is a “correct” way to see, a perspective that aligns with Heaven’s viewpoint rather than earth’s limitations.

Third, when we learn to see correctly, we position ourselves to participate in God’s active work of fulfilling His promises. The almond tree that Jeremiah saw was significant because it was the first tree to bloom in spring, often budding while snow was still on the ground. In Hebrew, the word for almond tree (shaqed) sounds like the word for “watching” (shoqed), creating a prophetic wordplay. God was essentially saying, “I am like the almond tree, the first to awaken and act. I am watching over My word to perform it, even when everything around you looks dormant or dead.”

Without doubt, these are days of uncertainty. We are swimming in uncharted waters where the future is no longer predictable as it once was. The vision, strength, and courage that built what was celebrated in the past is no longer sufficient to sustain and lead us into the future. A new day has dawned on the earth, and only those with prophetic visionary skill, those willing to reinvent themselves in the knowledge and wisdom demanded by the Spirit for this era, will advance forward.

The Call to Spiritual Realignment
A new sense of faith, hope, and love must awaken within the hearts of the saints if we are to advance into this new terrain we have been called into. The apostle Paul reminds us that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). But in seasons of transition, we must learn to hear God’s voice above the noise of cultural confusion and political chaos. We must tune our spiritual ears to frequency of Heaven rather than the discord of earth.
While we celebrate the past and honor the foundations laid by previous generations, this is not a time to look backward with longing or to camp in yesterday’s victories.

This is a time when we are required to realign ourselves, redirect our energies, and engage with the prophetic demands of God for this era. Isaiah captured this perfectly when he prophesied, “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:18-19).

Everything that we are and represent must drastically change, change in the sense that we must give ourselves a new sense of visionary faith for breaking through current circumstances and man-made systems that place limitations upon us. We can all agree that various complex levels of limitations are playing out today, from geopolitical narratives designed to create fear and division, to economic trade wars that threaten global stability, to social and cultural uncertainties that challenge traditional values and structures. Their intention, whether conscious or unconscious, is to determine who is qualified to move into the next dimension of human development and creativity.

Navigating with Kingdom Wisdom and Authority
As saints with understanding of the times and seasons, we must be skillful not only in interpreting the season but also in precisely navigating it with the fullness of God’s kingdom ability and capacity. The sons of Issachar were commended because they “had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do” (1 Chronicles 12:32). This biblical example shows us that God expects His people to be both spiritually discerning and strategically wise.

We must have prophetic clarity and understanding of how to navigate these challenges without capitulating to the weakness the enemy seeks to place upon us. Jesus modeled this perfectly when He faced the wilderness temptations. He didn’t argue with the devil or try to reason with him; instead, He responded with the authoritative word of God: “It is written…” (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10). In our current season, we need that same spiritual authority and biblical foundation to resist the temptation to compromise our values or abandon our divine assignments because of external pressure.

The key is learning to operate from a position of spiritual authority rather than natural circumstances. When the disciples panicked in the storm, Jesus rebuked both the wind and their lack of faith (Mark 4:35-41). He understood that their external circumstances were subject to their internal spiritual condition. Similarly, we must learn to govern our external environment through our internal spiritual strength rather than allowing external chaos to determine our internal peace.

The Dynamic Nature of God-Given Vision
Having a vision is powerful, yet it is no longer sufficient to simply have a vision if you don’t know how to live within the seasonal changes that vision demands. When God gives you a vision, He also expects you to develop the necessary wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and competent skills required at every season and time to transition from one dimension to another in the fulfillment of that vision.

Consider Joseph’s journey from the pit to Pharaoh’s palace. His initial dreams were clear, but the path to their fulfillment required him to develop skills he never knew he needed: the ability to interpret dreams, manage complex administrative systems, navigate political intrigue, and lead during times of crisis. Each season of his life, from Potiphar’s house to prison to the palace, was preparing him for the ultimate fulfillment of his vision. He didn’t just maintain his vision; he allowed his vision to be refined and expanded through each challenging experience.
Vision is dynamic, not stationary.

Vision adapts with seasons and requires that we have clarity, insight, and understanding of where we are, what is required, what is needed, and how to navigate the season in order to remain relevant in the fulfillment of the vision. King David understood this principle. His vision of kingship had to evolve from being a shepherd boy with a sling, to a mighty warrior defeating giants, to a fugitive hiding in caves, to finally becoming the king who established Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Each season required different skills, different strategies, and different levels of spiritual maturity.

Returning to the Drawing Board of Purpose
If God has given you a vision, then understand that this vision has been seen within the context of the various seasons and challenges you will encounter. What you need to do in this period is to return to the drawing board of the vision and recalibrate the prophetic wisdom and capacity required of you. This will enable you to step into the necessary resources, abilities, and relationships demanded to remain relevant and advance within the context of this time.

This process of recalibration isn’t a sign of failure; it’s a sign of maturity. It demonstrates that you understand the difference between the eternal nature of your calling and the temporal strategies needed to fulfill it. Nehemiah exemplified this when he returned to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls. He didn’t just rely on his passion or his calling; he carefully surveyed the situation, developed a strategic plan, gathered the necessary resources, and adapted his approach based on the opposition he encountered (Nehemiah 2:11-20).

The hour demands that we rise beyond every limitation, embracing the prophetic wisdom and knowledge of God as our compass into the future He has prepared for us. We must remember that “the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way” (Psalm 37:23). Even when the path seems unclear or the challenges seem insurmountable, we can trust that God is orchestrating our steps and preparing us for breakthrough.

A Call to Prophetic Courage
As we conclude, let us remember that we are not called to be victims of our circumstances but victors through Christ who strengthens us (Romans 8:37). The same God who called Abraham to leave everything familiar and venture into unknown territory, who called Moses to confront Pharaoh and lead Israel out of bondage, who called David to face Goliath with nothing but a sling and a stone, is calling us to rise up in this hour with prophetic courage and Kingdom authority.

The future without doubt belongs to those who refuse to be intimidated by the magnitude of the challenges before them and instead choose to be motivated by the magnitude of the God within them. This is our moment to demonstrate to a watching world that the people of God are not shaken by shifting circumstances because we are anchored in the unchanging character of our Creator.

Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with confidence (Hebrews 4:16), seeking the wisdom and strength needed for this hour. Let us allow our vision to be refined by fire and our faith to be strengthened by trials. Let us embrace the divine mandate to recalibrate our approach while never compromising our divine assignment. The nations are waiting. The church is watching. Heaven is cheering. Now is the time to rise beyond every limitation and advance into the fullness of our prophetic destiny.