Shift Change: What Moves the Hand of God Over a Nation

Devotional

Day 1: Letting Go of the Old to Embrace the New

The call to a new season often requires a release of the old. Clinging to past mindsets, hurts, or seasons can hinder the fresh work God desires to do. Just as clearing out physical clutter creates space, releasing spiritual and emotional clutter prepares the heart for what God is about to spring forth. This is a time of intentional surrender, making room for the new thing He is doing. [00:52]

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:18-19 ESV)

Reflection: What is one “former thing”—a past disappointment, a old mindset, or a season that has passed—that God might be asking you to release so you can fully perceive the new thing He is doing?

Day 2: Discerning the Times of Shift and Change

God often provides signs and signals that a shift is occurring. While the world may report chaos, these very events can be indicators of a divine transition. Discerning the times involves looking beyond surface-level circumstances to perceive the deeper spiritual movement of God. It is a call to see with eyes of faith, recognizing that what looks like turmoil can be the precursor to a great move of God. [02:39]

“He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.” (Matthew 16:2-3 ESV)

Reflection: Where in your life or in the world around you have you seen disruption that, when viewed through faith, might actually be a sign of God’s shifting and changing work?

Day 3: The Power of Covenant and Dedication

God is moved by covenant. When leaders and people humble themselves, pray, and dedicate themselves to God, it invites His intervention. This principle applies not only to nations but to our personal lives, families, and churches. Remembering God’s covenant faithfulness throughout history builds our faith and positions us for His powerful response. [44:19]

“if my people who are called by my name 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.” (2 Chronicles 7:14 ESV)

Reflection: In what area of your life—your family, your work, your personal walk—is God inviting you to make a fresh dedication or reaffirm your covenant with Him?

Day 4: The Restraining Power of God’s Finger

There comes a point where the enemy’s power is restrained. When God inserts His “finger,” which is His Spirit, a divine limitation is placed on darkness. This brings a “could not” moment where the enemy’s schemes are halted and God’s authority is made manifest. This is a season where we can have great confidence in God’s superior power over every form of evil. [20:57]

“The magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, but they could not.” (Exodus 8:18 ESV)

Reflection: Where have you felt overwhelmed by a persistent struggle or a cultural evil, and how does the truth that God’s power brings a “could not” moment change your perspective and prayers?

Day 5: The Visitation That Brings Immediate Change

When Jesus steps into our storms, everything changes. His presence brings immediate peace and can supernaturally transport us from a place of turmoil to our desired destination. The key is to recognize His approach, invite Him into the situation, and trust in His power to bring about a swift and miraculous shift. [59:40]

“Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.” (John 6:21 ESV)

Reflection: What is the “boat” in your life—a situation, a relationship, a personal challenge—that you need to willingly invite Jesus into, trusting Him for immediate and supernatural intervention?

Sermon Summary

Scripture from Isaiah 43 frames a call to embrace a new season and refuse attachment to the past. Listeners are urged to "not the former things"—to relinquish old mindsets, habits, and clutter that hinder spiritual movement—and to expect something God will “do anew” that will spring forth. The current moment is described as a prophetic shift: a sifting that precedes acceleration, where demonic activity intensifies as a sign that God is about to intervene more powerfully. Historical patterns are traced from Moses, Elijah, and Solomon to the founding of the nation, showing how covenant actions by leaders open the door for divine blessing to flow from the head to the body of society.

The teaching explains the theological mechanics of that intervention: when God acts he often inserts His “finger” — a way of describing the Holy Spirit’s decisive, warring presence that restrains evil, breaks strongholds, and initiates swift change. Biblical episodes (Exodus, Elijah’s showdown on Mount Carmel, the Red Sea, and Solomon’s dedication) are used to show a sequence: a people repent and repair the altar; a prophetic word reorders the landscape; God’s presence falls like fire; and a season of restoration and acceleration follows. Contemporary markers—an invitation to corporate national rededication on May 17 and the nation’s 250th anniversary on July 4—are presented as potential hinge points where covenantal prayer and public repentance could catalyze national turnaround.

Practical urgency is emphasized: the prophetic office matters now, prayer must be organized and intentional (repairing the altar and mobilizing war-room prayer), and the faithful are called to show up bodily and corporately. The tone is both pastoral and prophetic—stern about spiritual realism (there will be fierce opposition and visible demonic pushback) while confident about God’s covenant faithfulness. The outcome promised is not merely moral correction but tangible, supernatural movement: God’s rain, restoration of broken places, the falling of His glory, and immediate advancement when His presence is invited into the ship of the nation and individual lives.

Key Takeaways

1. Let go of former things Holding the past as an idol arrests spiritual momentum; genuine movement requires intentional unburdening of objects, mindsets, and loyalties that belong to a former season. This is not mere nostalgia management but a covenantal clearing that prepares space for what God will newly do. When what is obsolete is removed, the soil becomes ready for God’s spring to break forth. [00:34]
2. Repair the altar of prayer Rebuilding the altar is a deliberate, communal act that restores avenues for covenant communion and intercession; it is practical (organized prayer rooms, corporate gatherings) and spiritual (repentance, covenant language). Repair precedes visitation: the biblical pattern shows God responding to a people who have re-established their place of approach. Doing the work to repair altar and order invites God to resume His hands-on governance. [39:36]
3. God’s “finger” brings swift change The “finger of God” imagery describes a warring, decisive movement of the Spirit that restrains demonic power and inaugurates rapid breakthroughs. This is not a vague blessing but a strategic, supernatural intervention that upends entrenched systems and releases acceleration. Expect disruption of what oppresses, followed by a quick reordering that appears miraculous to onlookers. [23:02]
4. Prophetic voices shift nations Prophetic ministry carries authority to name a season and reorder spiritual realities through symbolic and spoken acts; prophets historically have been the catalysts for national reversals. When prophetic clarity couples with corporate repentance, the invisible structures that govern a nation can be redirected. Prophecy’s role is to align people back to covenant truth so God’s subsequent movement is unmistakable. [33:16]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:17] - Ready for a New Season
[00:34] - Reject the Former Things
[02:04] - "I Do A New Thing" Explained
[04:00] - Prophetic Signs & National Rededication
[09:17] - How Leaders Shape Nations
[16:19] - When Demonic Activity Signals Shift
[23:02] - The "Finger of God" and Power
[29:04] - Timing: May 17 to July 4
[36:34] - Elijah: Repairing the Altar
[41:52] - Covenant Dedication and Glory
[53:18] - Jesus in the Storm: Presence Arrives
[59:04] - Immediate Acceleration & Call to Action

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading: Isaiah 43:18-19 (ESV)
“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

Observation questions

According to Isaiah 43:18-19, what two things are we instructed to do regarding the past, and what is God's promise for the present?
What are some of the "former things" mentioned in the sermon that can hinder spiritual movement, such as old mindsets or habits? [00:34]
The sermon describes a sequence from biblical episodes like Elijah on Mount Carmel. What are the key steps that lead to God's presence falling like fire? [08:14]
What is the significance of the "finger of God" as described in the sermon, and what is its effect on demonic power and entrenched systems? [23:02]

Interpretation questions

Why is it so difficult for people to "not remember the former things," and what makes holding onto the past so detrimental to receiving what God wants to do anew?
The sermon connects intense demonic activity to a sign that God is about to intervene more powerfully. [16:19] Why would opposition and chaos often increase right before a major breakthrough or shift from God?
Repairing the altar is presented as a deliberate, communal act that restores covenant communion. [39:36] What does this process of "repair" look like on a personal level and within a local church body today?
The concept of acceleration follows a shift change. What does this "immediate" advancement look like biblically, as seen when Jesus entered the ship, and what might it look like in a nation or an individual's life? [59:04]

Application questions

What is one specific "former thing" — a mindset, a habit, a loyalty, or even a physical object — that you feel the Lord prompting you to release to make room for the new season He has for you? [00:34]
The altar of prayer needs to be repaired through deliberate, organized, and corporate action. [39:36] What is one practical step you can take this week to be more intentional in prayer, either by joining a prayer group, setting a specific time, or praying with more covenant language?
Are you currently in a situation where it looks like the enemy is prevailing, causing fear or trouble? [57:55] How can you actively choose to "be of good cheer" and not be afraid, trusting that God's "finger" is at work even when you can't see it yet?
The sermon emphasizes the importance of showing up bodily and corporately. [38:55] How does your physical presence with other believers play a role in repairing the altar and welcoming God's presence into your community?
Moses and Elijah got God's attention by reminding Him of His covenant. [43:58] What promises from God's Word can you begin to declare over your life, your family, and your nation as a way of honoring your covenant with Him?
If inviting God's presence into the "ship" of your life leads to immediate acceleration, [59:04] what area feels most stuck or storm-tossed that you need to sincerely say, "Lord, come into this ship"?
The outcome promised is tangible, supernatural movement. [01:00:40] What specific, tangible breakthrough are you believing God for in this new season, and how will you recognize His "goodness" passing by you?

Sermon Clips

34s

#RepairTheAltar

“You're the God that said you're the same yesterday, today, and forever. I believe you. And therefore, if you did it in these examples, you're doing it again. And we will repair the altar. Not only personally in our lives to pray, but God is a people for others and not just ourselves. We call you into our lives, our nation, the earth to be God, glorified.”

25s

#DiscernTheTimes

“The Bible says Jesus was even speaking. He said, how is it that you can you can discern the skies? You can tell when it rains. You can tell when it's not gonna rain. But then he said this, he followed up and he said, but you can't even discern the times. Now, most people think that's just end times, end time eschatology. But really, there's prophetic moments before the return of Christ that we've gotta have a discernment about.”

Ask a question about this sermon

Hank and Brenda Kunneman This sermon · AI assistant

How does God signal a national shift?

What is meant by the finger of God?

How do covenants and altars invite God's presence?