It was 7.40pm on Friday 8 Oct 2021, and I was about to hit the post button on Facebook.

It was the very first prophetic video regarding our nation of NZ and Jacinda Ardern, and I knew this was about to change everything for me.

For 3 days prior I didn't sleep.

Literally.

The weight of what I was about to release into the public arena, combined with my own fears, insecurities, and the incoming backlash that I knew this would create, kept me awake.

On one hand, there was immense fear taunting me.

• You're going to ruin your reputation forever

• You're going to lose relationships

• You're going to be vehemently hated

• Why would anybody listen to a no name like you?

• Jacinda Ardern is at the peak of her popularity and you're gonna tell everybody that she will fall, what a joke!

• Your family is going to suffer because of you

• Do you want to end up lonely?

• Just shut up and live your life, let somebody else say it if it's true

• You're going to regret that you ever did this

The thoughts were very real.

I knew full well what I was about to say, I don't live under a rock.

I was also fully aware of the culture that I was about to speak those words into, so it did cause fear for me.

But on the other hand, I knew this was the thing to do.

• People are crying out for hope

• People want to know that they're not alone

• People want assurance that God is with them and hears them

• People want to see courage and compassion amidst the cowardice and compromise

Most of all, I knew that God had invited me into this.

He never forced or demanded me to do it. He's a good Father not The Godfather. And love never imposes, it always invites.

How it Started

The journey to receiving these words started when the most barbaric abortion law in the word was passed in our land during lockdown 2020.

I have to be honest and say: I had been asleep for years prior to this.

I had never voted in my life, never had any interest in government or politics, and now this law had passed right under my nose.

It woke me up.

Big time.

And it was this rude awakening that led to a great awakening in me regarding the Kingdom and God's higher reality.

I spent the next year intentionally seeking the Lord regarding our nation.

• What's going on here?

• How did this happen?

• How did we come to this?

• Where is the church right now?

• How can I respond in this?

• What's my part to play here?

I spent hours and days asking, seeking and praying for answers.

I would wake early in the morning to be with the Lord, and just talked to Him about my fears for our nation, my frustrations with the church, and the hope I wanted to see.

In return, He would show me things from scripture:

• the way Israel constantly rebelled yet He always restored them – hope

• our position as sons and His original intent for us to govern creation – hope

• and the love He is always pouring out on the good and evil, the just and the unjust – hope

In short: He was developing my sight to always see hope, while also maturing me as a son, so that I'd better steward the words I was about to receive.

Truth in the hands of an orphan or an immature son is a dangerous weapon. So it was important that He matured me first.

The First Prophetic Words

On 26 July 2021, after a year of intentionally seeking the Lord, I received the first of several prophetic words and dreams regarding NZ, the children, and Jacinda Ardern.

These words both encouraged me and frightened me.

Encouraged me, because I knew God was going to turn things around and it was very exciting. Frightened me, because I knew there'd be a price to pay in releasing these words.

I came to understand this verse at a deeper level in this time:

“For the joy set before Him He endured the cross.” (Heb 12:2)

I knew there was a price to pay or “cross to endure” in sharing these words, but it was the joy set before me – the hope, comfort and love I knew it would bring – that empowered me to walk it out.

I spent the next 3 months praying on them, having the words weighed by several trusted and mature friends, seeking wisdom for how and when to deliver them, and battling my own fears along the way.

It's Time

And then the day arrived.

Friday 8 Oct 2021.

I hadn't slept in 3 days because of the battle with fear, but now I was ready.

I felt comfortable, at peace, and free to share it with the nation.

I knew it was time.

I hit the post button at 7.40pm, put my phone away, and went to sleep.

And the rest is history.

See all prophetic videos here.

What followed that first video: some of the messages, connections, backlash, awaiting fulfilment, seeing fulfilment, and the actual process of receiving these words – particularly the Bloomfield and Police words – I'll share in later emails.

My hope is that these insights will help you to grow more in hearing God's voice, and dismantle the common "superstar" or "perfection" myths that exists in a lot of our Christianity today.

By sharing all parts of my journey – the good, the bad, and the ugly –

I hope to liberate others to be their true selves in Christ too.

5 Lessons

1) Courage is being scared to death and still saying, “Bring it.” It doesn't mean you never have fear. It means you feel fear but act anyway. Courage isn't something we possess it is something we choose to exhibit. And we each have equal access to it.

2) If you want to be rare in this world, never give up on hope. Hope is the one power that can destroy apathy and endure darkness.

3) Pioneers, entrepreneurs and prophets all share this same reality: they must be willing to be misunderstood, mocked and marginalised for long periods of time. But great redemption, respect and reward will follow.

4) I've never considered myself a prophet. I've always seen myself as a beloved son who simply talks to His good Father, and His good Father talks back to Him. Simple. The same is true for you. There are wonderful conversations that He'd love to have with you about anything and everything. Enjoy.

5) The Kingdom of God is always advancing. The enemy is a defeated foe. And we live from victory, not towards it. There is much goodness ahead for us, but you have to let Him tweak your sight to see it.

Thank you

Thank you for being on the journey with me, and thank you for praying for my family and I. It has opened up some amazing doors and provided me with some beautiful new friends.

Yes, I got a lot of flack and still get flack to this day, but it does not compare to the goodness this journey has provided.

God is faithful. And what we lose along the way, He somehow redeems and restores in abundance, and that continues to blow me away.

Your journey may not look like mine, but it is just as significant and requires the same ingredients: intimacy with God, compassion, courage, patience, hope, a willingness to let Him mature you, and a trust in His good nature.

Thank you for choosing to believe in Gods goodness.

He truly is a good Father.

I'm excited for you and what's ahead.

Questions for reflection:

What area of life can I bring more hope into?

Where do I need to take up more courage?

How can I tweak my sight to see the goodness around me?

This is one of the greatest hours to be alive for Christ.

God does defend NZ.

And Jesus is King.

Bless you,

Lee