Marketplace Mandate
Election victories in the United States recently gave political mandates allowing elected officials to act on the issues. Mandates, other than electoral, could be based on a judicial decision or simply your boss giving tasks to be completed. God also mandates, the most common would be the Great Commission.
Matthew 28:19 Go therefore[a] and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (NKJV)
A nation is discipled by leading, changing and influencing the nation’s systems. There are seven mountains or gates that Christians should be influencing. When the Bible mentions city gates, those gates are cultural areas of influence. If you are unfamiliar with these seven areas they are: business, arts and entertainment, media, government, education, family, and the church. Generally, in the United States, the church has attempted to influence itself and none of the other areas. This has left the current anti-biblical, cultural challenges experienced in media, entertainment and government along with the attacks on church and family.
The time to influence business and the marketplace is now. The recent presidential election has created a more favorable environment for both business and Christianity. The marketplace mandate for Christians has existed since Christ was on the earth. We are to “occupy” until he comes. Luke 19, the parable of the ten servants, indicates the servants had one primary task to occupy. In Greek the word is pragmateuómai, which means to be busy with trade or do business.
Another mandate in Matthew 11 instructs us to take his yoke and burden because they are easy and light. The Greek word for “yoke” means a legal coupling that is balanced or a contract. The Greek meaning for “burden” means bill of lading or invoice. So what he said was, “Are you laboring hard? My contracts and invoices are much easier to work with than what you are experiencing now!” In verse 27 he chooses to reveal the Father. He continues to reveal himself and the father (verses 28-30) in a business context. This revelation of God indicates how intimate he should be involved in our business activities. This revelation of God intertwined in business should be embraced today.
Why now?
Turn your attention to the Cyrus anointing that is on President Trump and other leaders. What does that mean for current business leaders? Focus on what happens after Cyrus is in power. See verses 13-14 of Isaiah 45.
I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts. Thus saith the LORD, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God. (KJV)
Cyrus, referred to with the pronoun he, has a task to rebuild the city and free the captives. Rebuilding the city means more than just the walls and buildings; it means the infrastructure, both physical and operational, that make the city function. It means the systems, gates or mountains. The pronoun thee refers to the reader, you are to rebuild the systems. These verses continue to indicate that labor, merchandise and leaders will be provided to those rebuilding the city. The labor is from Egypt, where the Jews, in past times, had been the labor force. The merchandise mentioned comes from some of the richest cities in the region. The merchandise was from the region of Ethiopia also called Kush or Nubia, the Egyptian word for gold was nub which would indicate the area was the land of gold. So some seriously awesome merchandise was coming their way. God was providing the pieces for a new economy. Why? In order that those that who previously enslaved them, would see the true God, while working for them and God could be revealed and glorified. If a Cyrus type (Trump) is now in office then God is providing the pieces for a new economy, enabling you to reveal him to those that formerly held you back and denied him. What resources do you need today to be a rebuilder in business, the arts, or government?
God is delivering those resources and, in chapters 47 and 48 of Isaiah, God is putting the Babylonians and Chaldeans on notice that they no longer have the stature they once did. Their systems (Babylonians) and educated class (Chaldeans) will no longer have the influence they once did. Those that held you back no longer have the spiritual authority to prosper, you do.
Marketplace leaders, business owners, executives and laborers, this is your call. You have a prophetic task at hand. You have been called to take the city and its systems; you have a mandate to rebuild the economy. You have a mandate to reveal him in these systems. God is providing resources, labor and merchandise. They are being supernaturally transferred to you. Those who ruled the systems previously no longer have the influence, you do. The time to act, to step into the prophetic revelation, is now!