UPDATED- "The 14 PREDICTIONS" + More Added
-by Andrew Strom.
Additional warnings are below. But first, I believe the most important point that needs to be made about the current financial crisis is that it had SPIRITUAL roots and causes – not just physical or economic ones. Materialism, greed and selfishness are SPIRITUAL diseases. And these had an enormous role to play in the crisis that has unfolded. That is partly what enabled myself and others to see
what was coming. It was obvious “spiritually” that this age of rampant self-indulgence would bear terrible fruit. We could “feel” it and see it.
It is this ‘spiritual’ crisis in the West that is ultimately responsible for what is happening. And it is this materialism and selfishness that must now be stripped away. Until this purging has done its full work, I do not believe God will allow it to end. He loves us too much to leave us in such a state.
When it comes to these “14 Predictions” I am often reminded of Arthur Schopenhauer’s famous saying that “All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.” I guess we are getting up to the “self-evident” stage about now, but there sure was a lot of “ridicule” flying around in the early days!
Below is a timeline of the specific warnings that we published from 2001 to 2010. After that I will add some additional points to ponder:
SEPT 11, 2001: “The HORNS of American financial power have fallen, have fallen…” [-About the Twin Towers].
JUNE 2003: “Revival is going to come in the midst of judgments the like of which you’ve never seen, and God is going to touch your economy…” (-’Thundering in Nashville’).
14 DEC 2006: “Let me make some predictions at this point, so I can be clear about what this country [USA] is facing: (1) Firstly, I believe it is IMPOSSIBLE to avoid Judgment… (2) Expect a great economic crash – and expect it SOON.
MARCH 14, 2007: “Eight months ago we began to publish warnings about the bursting of this Housing bubble, and the likely impact it would have… saying that in many ways it would be God’s MERCY - to shock us out of our complacency and apathy – and to cause us to desperately seek His face.”
NOV 8, 2007: “I continue to stand by my statement of many months ago that within 3 years this nation will be in a terrible financial depression – possibly the worst that it has ever seen.
Right now, things are right on track to see this fulfilled.”
NOV 2007, Wisconsin USA: “This is the last good Christmas America will have for years…. “Here’s my scenario. You can test me. You can remember what I’m saying right now…. See if it plays out how I say. In six months time I expect Recession in the United States. In 12 months time I expect the beginning of a Depression.” (-AUDIO – ‘Survive the Coming Depression – Nov 07' on Sermonindex.net).
10 MONTHS LATER – Sept/Oct 2008 – The two largest Mortgage giants in the world (Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac) fail, the largest Insurance Company and the largest thrift bank in the USA both collapse, Lehman Brothers goes bankrupt (almost taking the entire financial system with it), Money Markets reel, the Investment banking industry crumbles, and the stock market suffers its worst-ever one-day loss, plunging 777 points in a single day.
24 SEPT 2008: “The DEPRESSION HAS BEGUN”.
BACK-TRACK – 31 JAN 2008: “My strong belief is that, particularly in America, this crisis is going to be WORSE than the GREAT DEPRESSION. And it is going to last for YEARS. Other developed nations, such as England, Ireland, Spain, Canada, Germany and even Australasia, are going to be very hard-hit also. China, India and much of Asia will be pounded at first, but I believe will recover faster…. I believe that Christians in America need to face the fact that they are about to live through one of the WORST 5 – 7 year periods that this country has ever seen by far. And they need to be preparing NOW.”
OCT 2008: “I am convinced this “breaking” is not merely financial in nature. It is also aimed at the church, the media and the culture… We are about to see another ‘Great Reformation’.” (-From Andrew’s book, ‘SURVIVE THE DEPRESSION’, Oct 2008).
OCT 2008: “When I was down in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina there was one Spirit-filled Fellowship that was “thriving” in the midst of the chaos. They had filled their sanctuary with food, clothes, and emergency supplies of all kinds – and they were ministering to hundreds… I cannot tell you how important this is, if we want to “thrive” – not just “survive” – through this current crisis… So will you be a “light shining in the darkness” during this present crisis, my friends?” (-Book ‘SURVIVE THE DEPRESSION’, Oct 2008).
20 DEC 2008: “The WORST of the slump is set to last for… 7 years.”
10 APRIL 2009: “A “DOUBLE DIP” DEPRESSION .. The phrase “A Double-Dip Depression” has been on my heart for many months, so it is no surprise to see a temporary respite. But we need to be aware that it is simply an illusion – so we don’t get lulled back to sleep and cease to prepare for what lies ahead.
18 JUNE 2009: “We stated not long ago our belief that we are headed for a “Double-Dip” Depression… I do believe there will be a further ‘wave’ downwards, and we need to keep preparing – both physically and spiritually.”
1 APRIL 2010: “If this ‘second wave down’ has not occurred by the end of 2011 then I will need to issue a public apology to the Body of Christ.”
FURTHER POINTS – THE ‘TIMEFRAME’: As you know, I am on the record as stating that I believe the “worst” of the slump will last for 7 years. People may think that, since this ‘Depression’ really began with the great collapse of late 2008, perhaps we can expect to come out of it around the end of 2015 or so. But wait.
While I certainly acknowledge the “possibility” of 2015 – we need to remember that we are talking about the “worst” of the slump here. By all indications we are now entering a “second leg down” in this crisis – and things are about to get noticeably worse.
My own view is that I expect the “worst” of this crisis to last for the next 7 years until around 2018. And even then, I expect only a “mild” recovery until the early 2020's – when I expect things to start taking off again. (That is – if we survive intact).
If we look at the last two “Great Bear” markets, they both resulted in war. The last one was 80 years ago – which ended with World War 2. The previous one was 70 years before that – and ended with the American Civil War. I expect this one to be ugly also.
People think it is “impossible” and ‘ridiculous’ to talk about a breakup of the USA or war in Europe, etc. These people have not lived through a 10-year “Bear” market. The possibility is very real, the stresses are unbelievable, and I personally will be delighted if we make it through the next 15 years without major armed conflict.
Even though America may be at most risk from forces “within” rather than without, we should not even rule out war involving the US on her own home soil. We are in an hour when anything could happen – especially towards the end of this crisis. Civil strife will greatly increase.
RESPONSE FROM the CHRISTIANS: We have entered the time of greatest ‘shaking’ and danger that we are likely to see in our lifetimes. We have the choice of either cowering in fear or being about the work of the kingdom. The true Christians will stand up at such a time. I believe God’s call to us is very simple. His people will be preserved if they stay focused on serving and loving God and others. It is about as simple as that. Great shaking means great opportunity for those in tune with Him. Please stay in prayer – and be encouraged, my friends.
Do not allow “fear” to rule your heart. Be listening to the Spirit of God and many spiritual victories will be won in this time. But it is important to know what kind of period we are entering into, so we can truly prepare our hearts. “Blessed are the peacemakers.”