5 Trends That Will Change the World in 2016, Part 2

Core beliefs and values are being challenged across the globe. With such a major change of direction happening, where are we headed?

The following are the five major events that will likely define our immediate future and impact world affairs for the foreseeable future. These are listed in the sequence they occurred, not necessarily the sequence of importance or impact:

1. China stock market crashes

2. Falling energy prices

3. Russian military intervention into the Middle East

4. Paris and San Bernardino terrorist attacks

5. The Trump candidacy

The first three events were discussed here. Numbers 4 and 5 follow:

4. The Paris and San Bernardino terrorist attacks. How could such evil deeds by as few as 10 people have such an impact on world affairs? Because there is a vacuum of leadership. When President Obama used the extraordinary platform of a prime-time Oval Office address to virtually say nothing except what we shouldn’t do, this increased American jitters, and rightly so. It seems every move the Obama administration makes to calm people is counterproductive. This is because most people are smart enough to understand the politicians try to come up with politically correct and expedient solutions instead of a real strategy.

Even so, the Paris and San Bernardino attacks did a lot to wake up the people. This awakening is helping to throw off the delusions of unrealistic idealism and political correctness. This is crucial for sustainable war that will defeat ISIS and other groups whose primary strategy is terrorism.

Although French and British leadership are waking up some, it is an awakening among the people that is creating a sharp turn to the right in Europe. Putin has chastised Europe for its attempt at multiculturalism, what he called “cultural suicide.” More Europeans are agreeing with him. Now not only Europeans but also the American people see Putin as the leader most capable of defeating ISIS and other terrorist organizations.

Bottom Line

As the saying goes, “If you do not change your direction, you will end up where you are headed.” This is where the world is now headed—a major economic slide in the West along with a corresponding decline in leverage in world affairs. This has the potential to destabilize populations because of the government’s failure to provide security and defense—its most basic responsibility. 

The U.S. still has the most powerful economic engine in the world, but as previously stated, overregulation and over-taxation has gummed it up. Without leadership that changes both of these, America will continue its economic decline with the increasing probability of the European Union fracturing and likely NATO disintegrating. It will take the most extraordinary leadership in our history to seize the initiative from the powerful Russia/China partnership.

This leads to the fifth major factor impacting the pivotal year of 2016.

5. The candidacy of Donald Trump. It is probable that you either really like Donald Trump or really don’t, but his candidacy helps us understand the times like few things can. Like him or dislike him, his candidacy is a revelation of the times we neglect to our peril.

We hear the media pundits say almost nightly, “the American people want this (or that)” when it’s obvious they are out of touch with the American people. This is likely because they are trying to project onto them what they want. It may be their job to understand current events, but the people with real jobs don’t have the time to want much depth. They often want the bottom line and to trust their leaders to know and take care of the details. This is why simple messages like “hope” and “change” worked so effectively.

What almost everyone does seem to know is that we’re like a ship without a rudder when it comes to the most important and threatening issues. In times of confusion and chaos, people gravitate to strong, decisive leadership. Like him or not, Trump is the kind of person people turn to in such times.

It was recently reported that in one day there were about 2,500 mentions of all of the candidates combined, excluding Trump. On that same day, Trump was mentioned almost 65,000 times. That was media dominance by a candidate never before seen. Even though a lot of this coverage was negative, it got Trump’s message out. He was almost totally controlling the conversation.

Like what Trump says and stands for or not, he projects decisiveness unlike the other candidates. In times of peace, likability is often considered a better quality for a candidate. In times of war or crisis, strength and decisiveness will almost always win. That’s why the U.K. so despised the pugnacious Winston Churchill during times of peace, but almost all turned to him when war became inevitable.

One more terrorist attack on American soil like the one in San Bernardino and Trump could be a shoo-in for the Republican nomination. With the way events are trending for 2016, he could be our next president.

Depending on your perspective, this scenario presents either the greatest opportunity for the U.S. to retake the initiative in world affairs and economy, or it presents the greatest danger. Coming events will clarify which it is, but conditions are careening toward the time when strong, decisive leadership that can seize the initiative will dominate our future.

There are other factors also affecting current events and trends. Many of them could arise to become a major one, but at present, this is a brief evaluation of major trends from the natural perspective.

Rick Joyner is the founder and executive director of MorningStar Ministries and Heritage International Ministries and is the senior pastor of MorningStar Fellowship Church. He is the author of more than 40 books, including The Final Quest, A Prophetic History, and Church History. He is also the president of The OAK Initiative, an interdenominational movement that is mobilizing thousands of Christians to be engaged in the great issues of our times, being the salt and light that they are called to be. Rick and his wife, Julie, have five children: Anna, Aaryn, Amber, Ben and Sam.

For the original article, visit morningstarministries.org.