Dear Friends and Prayer Partners
Thank the Lord, we have positive news of recent ministry in Ukraine. I have just returned from holding prayer for the nation in Lviv, West Ukraine. Two and a half thousand filled the magnificent Golgotha Church in Lviv. Worship was led by an inter-church choir, and prayer was led by pastors from Lviv region.
Let us be quite clear, Ukraine is the victim in this war Russia is waging. The Governor of Lviv Military Region, Maksym Kozytskyi, attended the whole service, and also addressed the people gathered to pray: “Our enemy is a terrorist country that, throughout history, has invested all its resources in creating an illusion of ‘greatness’ – built on fear … I am grateful to the Senior Bishop of the Church, Mykhailo Panochko, for his continued spiritual support to Ukrainians. A special tribute to Evangelist David Hathaway from Great Britain who has devoted more than 50 years of his life and ministry to our country. Thank you for your documentary ‘Ukraine was before Russia!’ … I believe that God will hear and answer our prayers.”
God first gave me a vision for Ukraine and the whole of the former Soviet Union as it was then, back in 1961. I’ve spent a lifetime working in Ukraine. I’m working to a vision. This invasion of Ukraine is a spiritual battle against the devil himself. As Elijah on Mount Carmel, we are challenging the power of the devil. He laughed at the prophets of Baal, trying to call down fire from heaven – their gods did not answer! In his turn, Elijah did not call down fire, instead he said, “Hear me, O Lord, so that these people will know that You are God.” Only then, the fire fell! God will not fail Ukraine. God will destroy the enemy and show the whole world that He is God and has more power than any enemy on this earth. He will do again what He did in the days of Elijah! Seven times, every Christian denomination in Ukraine has met together to call on God. This is unique, it has never happened anywhere in the world before. This nation has prayed, rain is coming, the end of the war is coming...” I followed my message with strong prayer that God would overthrow Putin and stop the war by causing confusion and rebellion in Russia itself. A God-given miracle, not just a military victory, to demonstrate HIS Power on earth.
These are very uncertain times worldwide. In the latest edition of my magazine, Prophetic Vision, I shared a very important revelation concerning these times from the Book of Habakkuk. I recommend you read it in full – but here is the core of what I wrote: Habakkuk 1:1ff: ‘This is the burden which Habakkuk the prophet received’ – and this is his complaint – “How long O Lord must I call for help and You do not listen? Or cry out to You of violence, but You do not save? Why do You make me look at injustice, why do You tolerate wrong?! Destruction and violence are before me, strife and conflict abound…”’
This describes much of the world right now! So many nations simultaneously are facing violence, stress, civil unrest, war… Disturbances throughout the world – an indication, I believe, that the return of Christ is near. But we’ve read the Book of Revelation – there are terrible times before He comes…
God answers the prophet’s complaint, Habakkuk 1:5, “Look at the nations, watch – and be utterly amazed! For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told!”
I’m warning you prophetically – in v6 God says, “I’m raising up the Babylonians – a ruthless and impetuous people who will sweep across the whole world, seizing dwellings they don’t own – feared and dreaded, they are a law unto themselves and promote their own honour…” In v8 it says ‘their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves, their cavalry gallop headlong, their horsemen come from afar, they fly like vultures swooping in to devour’ – all this is a description of massive modern warfare. But Habakkuk’s prophesy is not just about the violence, the terrifying things that will come, but about what God will do in the face of it. In full face of the violence, God says, Habakkuk 2:4, “THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH!” We’ve got to get back to LIVING by faith that God will fulfil EVERY prophecy, ALL His Promises!
In Habakkuk Ch 3, the prophet admits, “O Lord, I’ve heard Your speech, and I was afraid.” Yes, when we look at the world – prophecy of violence and destruction is part of the preparation for the Kingdom of Christ – we are afraid when we see what’s going on. But this is the key: Habakkuk continues his prayer, “O Lord revive Your Work, make Your Work known in the midst of the years…” The prophet is asking God to revive His Work, to bring back to life something that is dead – in the midst of violence! This is the vision I have! A revival of God’s Work in our days! This vision is for an ‘appointed time’! I believe we are living in the appointed time NOW! Yes, we’re afraid, but Lord, revive Your Work in the midst of it! Christian, as we see the unfolding situation worldwide, this is how we should pray, “O God, revive Your Work! Raise up the spiritually dead, with new Power!”
This is why I’m telling the young people this is the time when God will fulfil the vision! Significantly, I am speaking to thousands of young people in Central Asia, who come from all the surrounding countries, including Turkey and Iran to receive something of the Fire God has given me, which increases as the years pass.
We are building a powerful series of evangelistic crusades in Europe and Central Asia for the coming days, with a sense of urgency. But I want to do something here in the UK next year to mark my 75 years of full-time ministry. I want to pass on the anointing fire here in Britain: we have booked the Emmanuel Centre for Saturday June 21st next year. Also, in April or May I will be holding a 2-day Fire Conference in Harrogate, Yorkshire, for the Fire of the Holy Spirit to fall. It’s a very beautiful conference/holiday venue and a wonderful place to spend a weekend – and a very significant place in my life. Midday Friday to midday Saturday, most likely it will be in the Old Swan Hotel, made famous by Agatha Christie. I need to know approximate numbers for the venue, if you are interested – pre-register on the enclosed form.
Thank you for responding generously to my urgent appeal for finance. We have not yet reached our target, what we do next year depends on God answering our desperate prayers! This coming year will be one of the most critical/dangerous/prophetic of our age. The changes in governments in the UK, in America and in Europe, combined with the threat of the expansion of the major wars in Israel and Ukraine, with threats from China, Iran and now North Korea, are all significant. This is a challenge to us not only to pray but to act. Even the ‘Church’ is in a serious condition and must get back to obeying God’s laws before it’s too late. I have so much in prophecy to share with you next year.
Shortly God will bring the war in Ukraine to an end, by a miracle. I know that. God is going to bring salvation to places and people in the world that have not heard the Gospel. God is sending me to Ukraine, to see revival, also to far-flung places in Moslem Central Asia where Paul and the Apostles once spread the Gospel, but where faith died – here God is going to do something powerful today! I’m preparing for the work in 2025…
I need your generous support,
David