PROPHETIC WORDS
THE WINDS OF CHANGE
by Jill Smith
March 2026
Last night I heard the Lord say, “The winds of change are whipping up stormy seas” and immediately sensed that the stormy seas are the seas of humanity, turbulent, churning restless, unsettled, even angry seas. The sea of humanity is reacting to the “winds of change” manifesting through competing forces at work in major geo-political unrest; cultural, social and spiritual shifts and changes; the stirring up of fear, anger, and hatred by demonic “winds”; but also, the activity of the kingdom of heaven, the movement of God’s Spirit throughout the earth.
The clear encouragement and direction the Lord gave was that we are neither to be in denial, nor to lean into toxic positivity masquerading as faith. Rather, we are to acknowledge that radical change is unfolding on a grand scale, and that this is very unsettling, as what seemed secure, familiar, just the way things are in our lives, our world, are changing.
And, that discomfort acknowledged, we are to firmly place our focus and trust on God, leaning into His presence, peace, comfort, and character. There’s an invitation to relocate our trust from anyone or anything that has taken the place of God as our security and hope, back onto God Himself. To locate ourselves firmly on the rock that cannot be shaken. Rather than be pulled into the tide of the “stormy seas of humanity” we are to stand firmly aligned with, and anchored in, the Prince of Peace, choosing to let peace be the umpire of our hearts.
This came as a clear, firm reminder (again) to “Be still and know that I am God! I will be honoured by every nation. I will be honoured throughout the world” (Psa 46:10). And with that the guidance to watch our boundaries. Bluntly, perhaps colloquially, there’s a call to “mind your own business”. We must resist the temptation to get focussed on, and entangled in, things that are not our responsibility, that are beyond our scope and sphere.
We must actively choose to let God be God. He is at work in ways beyond what is obvious and He is the one who deals with the hearts of kings – leaders at every level of society, in the world and the church. I sense that we are to avoid speculating or ruminating anxiously or angrily about what we don’t understand. But we should look to the Lord regarding our own hearts, our own families, our own responsibilities, and honour the Lord faithfully in what He has entrusted to us, and the change He is working within us right now.
Today God is offering peace and stability in the storm, but that provision is to be found within our own assigned boundaries, not beyond them. So I pray today that the Prince of Peace will anchor your soul and umpire your heart beautifully as you look to, lean in, rely on, and respond to the Lord who is faithful and good.
BIO
Jill is a New Zealander of pakeha and Maori (Tainui) decent based in the Franklin Region, just south of Auckland. She is married to Don and together they have a boisterous and greatly loved family, 4 children, their spouses and 11 grandkids. Jill has worked as a teacher, counsellor, art therapist, bible school lecturer and church minister. She is also a practicing artist, currently researching the potential of art to shift people’s focus and create space for encounter with God. She has ministered prophetically and encouraged, trained and mentored others in the prophetic over a number of years. She is currently developing a prophetic hub based at Uplift Church, Pukekohe, where she and Don have ministered for nearly 10 years. Recently stepping aside from pastoral leadership responsibilities, Jill is now freer to travel, focus the developing prophetic hub, write, and spend more time in her studio, one of her favourite places to spend time alone with God. She can be contacted at https://www.jillsmith.co.nz