PortalsGate

 

BY ISAIAH-PHILLIPS AKINTOLA

PART 1: THE NATURE OF TIME AND DIVINE PURPOSE.

Understanding Times and Seasons.

Time operates as a continuous river, never breaking but always connecting us to distinct seasons. Each season is not arbitrarily marked by calendar dates but is defined by specific objectives that God has ordained, and how we align ourselves to such goals.

These objectives are not random goals we create for ourselves; they are connected to an eternal reality that is progressively unfolding within the limited space of time we call our earthly existence. This understanding fundamentally changes how we approach a new year like 2026.

When we speak of pressing into 2026, we must grasp a profound and transformative truth that fundamentally reshapes how we understand time, purpose, and divine timing: 2026 is not a future moment sitting passively on a calendar, waiting dormly for our arrival like a destination we have not yet reached. 

Rather, 2026 exists right now as an already established, manifest point in God’s eternal timeline that is actively and dynamically shaping what we think, decide, and do in this present moment.

This understanding breaks the linear, sequential thinking that traps many believers in a passive relationship with their future. We do not wait for the clock to strike midnight on December 31st or for people to wish us “Happy New Year” before we can legitimately step into a new calendar year that is merely a human convention, a social ritual that has value for collective celebration but holds no actual power to define our spiritual reality or prophetic trajectory. 

Our true calendar year, our spiritual season, and our divine progression are defined not by the rotation of the earth or the changing of printed calendars, but by our ability to press the reset button in our minds by stepping consciously and intentionally into the next prophetic intention that Heaven has ordained for us.

Consider this revealing illustration: as we write this, nations like New Zealand, due to their geographic position on the earth, have already stepped into January 1, 2026 by earthly time, while other nations are still experiencing December 31, 2025.

 This physical reality demonstrates a powerful spiritual principle. If time and season were merely about calendar dates, then some people would be more “in 2026” than others based solely on where they live geographically. But this is obviously absurd from a kingdom perspective. God’s purposes are not bound by human time zones or International Date Lines.

What this reveals is that our mindset, our spiritual perception, and the way we understand the unfolding realities of God’s prophetic trajectory for our lives is, in fact, what actually aligns our understanding and positions us to experience the future even while we stand in the present. 

The future is not something that comes to us; it is something we grow and mature into, something we align with, something we perceive and step into through faith. What 2026 holds for you personally is not primarily determined by what happens to you externally when the calendar changes, but by what you can see by faith in agreement with what God has already ordained for you before time began.

This is a crucial distinction that changes everything. Before you were born, before your parents met, before the foundation of the world was laid, God had already established His purposes for your life. Jeremiah 1:5 declares this truth: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” 

This was spoken to one man, but the principle applies to every person God creates. You existed in God’s mind and purpose before you existed in physical form. Your destiny was written in God’s book before you lived a single day (Psalm 139:16).

Therefore, 2026 is not a random collection of 365 days that will unfold unpredictably based on chance, luck, or circumstances beyond your control. Rather, 2026 is an unfolding prophetic council, a revealing of Heaven’s finished work for your life. “Finished work” means that in the eternal realm, in God’s perspective outside of time, your destiny is already complete. 

The end is already accomplished. God sees the finished product even while you are still in process. He calls things that are not as though they already are (Romans 4:17) because from His perspective, they already do exist in the realm of divine purpose and decree.

Stepping into 2026, therefore, means something far more profound than simply turning a calendar page or making New Year’s resolutions that will likely be forgotten by February. Stepping into 2026 means that you are able to calibrate your vision, to adjust and fine-tune your spiritual sight, so you can see what God has already prepared for you in the heavenly realm. 

It means developing eyes to see what is already yours by divine assignment but has not yet manifested in your physical circumstances. It means training your perception to recognize the open doors, divine appointments, strategic relationships, and kingdom opportunities that are already positioned in your path, waiting for you to perceive them and walk through them.

This calibration of vision is not automatic; it requires intentionality, spiritual discipline, and the willingness to align your thinking with God’s word and plan. It requires spending time in His presence until your perspective shifts from earthly to heavenly, from temporal to eternal, from limited to unlimited. 

It requires meditating on His Word until His promises become more real to you than your current circumstances. It requires worshiping until the eyes of your understanding are enlightened (Ephesians 1:18) and you begin to see what you could not see before. When your vision is properly calibrated to Heaven’s frequency, you become able to walk into what God has prepared with confidence, security, and holy expectation. 

You walk knowing fully well, with deep, unshakeable assurance, that all things are working together for your good because you love the Lord and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). This is not naive optimism or positive thinking that denies reality. This is faith that sees a greater reality, an eternal reality that is actively shaping and directing temporal reality.

When you know that God has already ordained your steps, already prepared good works for you to walk in (Ephesians 2:10), already determined to prosper you and give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11), then you approach 2026 not with anxiety about what might happen, but with expectant faith and rest about what God is about to reveal and release. 

You understand that challenges are not obstacles to your destiny but rather opportunities for God’s power to be demonstrated. You recognize that delays are not denials but divine timing working all things together for maximum kingdom impact.

This is what it means to press into 2026 from a kingdom perspective. It means taking hold of what already belongs to you in the spirit realm and pulling it into manifestation in the natural realm through faith, obedience, and aligned action. It means refusing to be defined by last year’s failures, disappointments, or limitations, and instead being defined by God’s eternal purpose that transcends any single year or season. It means walking in the assurance that your future is not uncertain because it is held securely in the hands of a faithful God who cannot lie and whose purposes cannot be thwarted.

The future is already influencing the present because God operates outside of time while simultaneously working within it. While human calendars serve a practical purpose by defining and segmenting seasons into manageable compartments that allow us to take stock, reset, and redesign certain goals, we must never confuse this human organizational tool with the true nature of time itself.

God has given us time as a stewardship, a sacred trust to carry out His intentions as we flow within the space of eternity. We are eternal beings having a temporary earthly experience.  This perspective is critically important because it helps us understand that 2026 is not disconnected from 2025. Rather, 2026 is a direct continuation and outgrowth of 2025, just as 2025 is a manifest reality birthed from the seeds planted in 2024. There is an unbroken continuity of time, a divine thread weaving through our days.

What actually breaks time into meaningful segments is not the turning of a calendar page but our understanding of divine objectives. When there is a reset within the context of a new day, a new season, or a new year, the reset only holds meaning when we understand what needs to be done. We must discern what needs to play out in a manner that gives us a genuine sense of productivity and continuity within the scope of our God ordained purposes in life.

The Challenge of Purposelessness.

For those who do not have a clear sense of divine purpose, defining what 2026 will unfold becomes an impossibly challenging task. How can you plan for a destination when you do not know where you are going? The unfolding reality and manifestation of 2026 is fundamentally a continuation of the fulfillment of the vision that God has given to each of us. 

This vision is not static; it is progressively manifesting itself through the vehicle of time. This brings us to a critical juncture. If we are to move into 2026 with genuine wisdom, knowledge, and understanding rather than mere hope or wishful thinking, there are certain core values we must examine in our lives. 

We must ask ourselves: Are these values still properly positioned? Are they well calibrated like instruments in an orchestra, each playing its proper part? If these values are correctly aligned, then we can continue to move confidently in the direction that the Spirit of God is indicating to us, making steady, measurable progress toward our divine destiny.

However, if we lack a clear sense of divine purpose and divine agenda, if our life is not functioning as a tangible manifestation of God’s vision, then 2026 will inevitably become nothing more than a repetition of 2025, or perhaps even a replay of 2023 or 2022. 

Why? Because the essential elements that allow us to learn, grow, and define genuine movement toward the eternal goal God has given us are simply not present. They have not been built into the foundation of our lives.

We cannot afford to leave our lives confined within the compartments of calendar months or trapped within systems that have been created by those who designed life in ways that limit us and keep us positioned to achieve only certain goals that do not reflect God’s full intentions for our existence. There are various things we need to understand with crystal clarity as we talk about moving into 2026.

The year 2026 is fundamentally about the awareness we have created, the knowledge we have cultivated, and the understanding we have developed. More specifically, it is about the true knowledge of God’s Word that has genuinely changed and continues to change our lives. 

This transformation should manifest in a tangible way: we should have a better, clearer insight into the fulfillment of our prophetic mandate for life. Otherwise, what is the use of advancement if we have no clear sense of divine purpose and visionary mandate? Advancement without direction is merely motion without meaning, activity without achievement.

Three Critical Aspects to Master.

To successfully achieve our assigned visionary mission and purpose in 2026 and the seasons that stretch beyond it, we must firmly take charge of three fundamental aspects of our existence.

First, we must master the condition of our mind and thought patterns. The battlefield of destiny is the mind. How we think determines how we live. Our thought patterns create neural pathways that either lead us toward our destiny or keep us circling in the wilderness of mediocrity. 

We must become intentional about what we allow into our minds, how we process information, and the beliefs we hold about ourselves, God, and our purpose. This is not passive; it requires active, daily engagement.

Second, we must understand and protect the state of our identity within a culture that aggressively seeks to redefine us. We live in an age where external voices constantly attempt to tell us who we are, what we should value, and how we should live. 

These voices come through media, social pressure, economic systems, and even religious traditions that may not align with God’s truth. We must know who we are in Christ so firmly that external pressures cannot reshape our identity. Our identity must be rooted in what God says about us, not what culture, circumstances, or other people declare.

Third, we must develop the ability to easily and quickly adjust and adapt to what heaven is saying at each interval. God speaks progressively, revealing His will in stages.  What He emphasized last season may not be His primary focus this season. We must maintain spiritual sensitivity and flexibility to pivot when God redirects us. This requires humility, spiritual discipline, and a relationship with God that is current and vibrant, not based solely on past experiences.

Ten Practical Action Steps for Intentional Growth.

The concept of intentionality, being deliberate in our choices, and understanding how to take and implement actionable systems is not optional; it is absolutely essential for anyone serious about fulfilling their divine assignment.

1. Build Scalable Routines.

Routines are the invisible architecture of a productive life. However, not all routines serve us equally. We must build routines that are scalable, meaning they can grow with us as our capacity and responsibilities expand. 

A scalable routine for morning devotion might start with fifteen minutes but has the structure to expand to an hour as your spiritual hunger increases. Scalable routines for physical health might begin with a ten minute walk but contain the framework to develop into a comprehensive fitness regimen. The key is creating habits that have room to grow rather than rigid structures that eventually break under the pressure of increased demand. Design your daily routines with expansion in mind, building flexibility into the framework.

2. Develop Structural Patterns.

While routines govern specific activities, structural patterns govern how you approach entire categories of life. A structural pattern for learning might be: identify a need, research solutions, implement one solution, measure results, and adjust. This pattern can be applied to learning a new skill, solving a ministry challenge, or improving a relationship. 

Structural patterns create consistency in how you process challenges and opportunities. They become mental frameworks that make decision making faster and more effective. Identify the successful patterns already operating in your life, document them, and intentionally apply them to new areas where you need breakthrough.

3. Create Points of Daily Focus.

Each day contains countless potential focal points, but only a few truly matter for advancing your purpose. Creating points of daily focus means identifying the three to five non negotiable priorities that, if accomplished, would make the day genuinely productive regardless of what else happens. 

These are not just tasks; they are purposeful actions aligned with your long term vision. For a minister, this might be: personal communion with God, preparation of teaching content, and meaningful connection with at least one person in their congregation. For an entrepreneur building a kingdom business, this might be: product development, customer service, and strategic planning. Write these focal points down each morning and evaluate them each evening. This practice creates intentionality that transforms random activity into purposeful progress.

4. Challenge Yourself to Learn Different from the Usual Points of Competence.

Competence is comfortable, but growth happens at the edges of our comfort zone. We naturally gravitate toward areas where we already possess skill because success is easier and affirmation is more likely. However, remaining exclusively in our zones of competence creates a dangerous stagnation. We must deliberately challenge ourselves to learn in areas outside our usual expertise. 

If you are gifted in pastoral care, study theology or business administration. If you excel in administration, learn about worship and spiritual warfare. If your strength is teaching, develop skills in technology or media. 

This cross training serves multiple purposes: it keeps your mind flexible and adaptive, it may reveal latent gifts you did not know you possessed, it provides fresh perspectives that enhance your primary calling, and it positions you to serve in unexpected ways when opportunities arise. Commit to learning at least one new skill or subject area each quarter that falls outside your normal competence zone.

5. Challenge the Psychology of Procrastination

Procrastination is not primarily a time management problem; it is a psychological and spiritual issue. 

We procrastinate for various reasons: fear of failure, fear of success, perfectionism that prevents starting because we cannot guarantee excellence, passive rebellion against authority or expectation, or simply the comfort of familiar delay. 

To challenge procrastination, we must first identify its root cause in our specific situation. Ask yourself: Why am I avoiding this task? What am I afraid will happen if I complete it? What am I afraid will not happen? Once you identify the psychological root, you can address it spiritually and practically. 

If fear drives your procrastination, confront it with Scripture about God’s faithfulness. If perfectionism paralyzes you, embrace the biblical principle of faithful stewardship over flawless performance. Implement the “two minute rule”: if something takes less than two minutes, do it immediately rather than adding it to a list. 

Break large projects into small, manageable actions that feel less overwhelming. Most importantly, recognize that procrastination often represents a spiritual battle where the enemy seeks to delay your obedience to divine assignment.

6. Identify the Gaps in Communication or Conversations.

Communication breakdown is one of the most significant hindrances to fulfilling divine purpose, both in our relationship with God and with others. Gaps in communication occur when there is a difference between what is said and what is heard, what is intended and what is understood. These gaps create misunderstandings, conflicts, and missed opportunities. To identify communication gaps, develop the practice of reflective listening: repeat back what you heard someone say to confirm understanding. 

In your relationship with God, journal what you believe He is speaking to you, then review it with mature spiritual counsel to confirm accuracy. Pay attention to recurring conflicts or misunderstandings; they often signal a deeper communication gap that needs addressing. 

Ask yourself regularly: Am I saying what I truly mean? Am I hearing what is actually being said, or am I filtering it through my assumptions? Communication gaps in our relationship with God often occur when we approach Him with predetermined expectations rather than open hearts. We miss His direction because we are listening for what we want to hear rather than what He is actually saying.

7. Identify False Patterns of Thinking

False patterns of thinking are lie based belief systems that we have accepted as truth. These patterns were often formed through painful experiences, cultural conditioning, or spiritual deception. 

They function as invisible filters that distort how we perceive reality, God, ourselves, and our circumstances. Common false patterns include: “I am not enough,” “God is disappointed in me,” “I always fail at this,” “Success is for other people, not for me,” or “I have to earn love and acceptance.” 

These patterns are insidious because they feel true based on our experience, even though they contradict God’s Word. Identifying them requires honest self examination, often with the help of trusted spiritual mentors or counselors. 

Pay attention to your automatic thoughts, especially in challenging situations. What is the immediate narrative that runs through your mind? Write these thoughts down and compare them to Scripture. Where they contradict God’s truth, you have identified a false pattern that must be replaced with truth through intentional renewing of your mind.

8. Enforce and Reinforce Structural Thinking

Structural thinking is the practice of creating mental frameworks and systems for processing information and making decisions based on principles rather than emotions or circumstances.  It is thinking that builds upon established foundations rather than constantly starting from scratch. When you enforce structural thinking, you are choosing to approach situations through consistent, principle based frameworks even when emotions or external pressure suggest otherwise. 

When you reinforce structural thinking, you are strengthening these mental frameworks through repetition and practice until they become second nature. For example, when facing a decision, a structural thinking framework might be: Does this align with God’s Word? Does this advance my divine purpose? What are the long term consequences? Have I sought wise counsel? 

This framework can be applied to every decision, creating consistency in how you make choices. Enforce this structure by consciously applying it even when you do not feel like it. Reinforce it by reviewing decisions afterward to see how the framework served you and where it might need adjustment. Structural thinking prevents us from being tossed about by every wind of doctrine or circumstance.

9. Believe in Your God Given Rights, Skills, and Identity.

Belief in your God given rights, skills, and identity is not arrogance; it is simply agreeing with what God has already declared about you. Many believers struggle with false humility that denies or diminishes the gifts, calling, and identity God has bestowed. 

This false humility is actually a form of pride because it elevates our self assessment above God’s assessment. When God says you are chosen, called, equipped, and empowered, to disagree is to call God a liar. You have God given rights as a child of the King: the right to access the Father, the right to operate in spiritual authority, the right to receive inheritance, the right to fulfill your calling. 

You have God given skills: talents, abilities, and gifts that He intentionally placed within you for kingdom purposes. You have God given identity: you are who God says you are, regardless of what your past, your circumstances, or other people might suggest. Believing in these realities means living from them rather than striving to achieve them. It means making decisions based on who you are in Christ rather than who you fear you might be.

10. Do Not Wait for People’s Approval or Applause Before You Take Action.

One of the most paralyzing traps in fulfilling divine purpose is the addiction to human approval. When we wait for others to validate, applaud, or approve our actions before we move forward, we have transferred our source of authority from God to people. This creates a dangerous dependency where our obedience to God becomes contingent on human response. 

The truth is that many of the most significant moves of God initially face human resistance, misunderstanding, or indifference. Noah built an ark with no immediate supporters. Abraham left his homeland following a voice only he could hear. 

David was anointed king while still serving as a shepherd boy with no royal acknowledgment. Jesus Himself was rejected by the religious establishment of His day. If these heroes of faith had waited for human approval before acting on divine instruction, their assignments would never have been fulfilled. 

This does not mean we should be reckless or ignore wise counsel, but it does mean that once God has spoken clearly, we must move forward even if we move forward alone. Human approval is wonderful when it comes, but it cannot be the requirement for obedience. Take action based on God’s word to you, and trust that He will bring the right people at the right time to support what He has initiated.