New Zealand Election 2020: Destiny, Vision and Righteousness

by Nathan Shaw

Two nights before the 2020 parliamentary election God spoke to me. He gave me a voting directive for both my nation-wide party vote and my local electorate vote. Sharing these details creates an immediate problem. When it comes to politics the tendency of many is to react according to personal perceptions and thoughts rather than discerning the heart of God. For this reason I have deliberately waited until election season fervour has lessened. It is my hope and prayer that people can put aside political preferences and reactions and hear God’s heart for New Zealand. Some will think I am promoting particular political parties. I’m not. What God led me to do was a prophetic message and an intercessory act for New Zealand. Let me explain.

Throughout the Bible God asked prophets to take specific actions. God’s message was communicated through the actions. Often the actions were unexpected, and, at times, even unusual. It was God’s way of getting people’s attention. Let’s not forget, God has a dramatic side to Him. Sometimes unexpected or unusual actions are actually God, sometimes they are just people being weird.

For the nation-wide party vote God prompted me to vote for the Destiny Party. He gave me two reasons. Firstly it was an intercessory act for the fulfilment of God’s destiny over New Zealand as a nation. Secondly He alerted me to a rift within the Christian community that He wanted to heal. My vote was an intercessory act for this rift to be healed.

The Destiny Party contested the 2005 election. They made a bold stand for righteousness. Media coverage painted them in a very negative light. Destiny Party and Destiny Church were two related but separate entities. Much of the Media’s attack focused on Destiny Church founder, Pastor Brian Tamaki. Unfortunately, much unrighteous judgement also came from Christians. When you mention Destiny Church, Destiny Party, or Brian Tamaki, the same reactiveness still remains with many Christians. The issue is not, do you like Brian Tamaki? Or, do you agree with him? The issue is one of unrighteous judgement. If God places a mantle on someone and we judge them for operating in the mantle, it is unrighteous judgement.

About fifteen years ago God spoke to me that the Destiny movement would be like Joseph. Joseph spent many years in obscurity and confinement. At the right time God promoted him. Joseph was used to help shape the destiny of Egypt and other nations during a time of severe testing. Concerning the future of the Destiny movement it would be wrong to assume the form their influence will take. It may be political, but it may not. It may be something totally unexpected. Earlier this year God showed me that the unrighteous judgement toward Destiny from other Christians was inhibiting the working of His grace in electing Christian value parties to Parliament. I had actually forgotten that God spoke this to me. It wasn’t until He gave me the voting directives for the election that I recalled it. 

For my local electorate vote God prompted me to vote for Stan Smith. Stan is a member of my church and was a representative for ONE Party. ONE Party were running on a platform of righteousness, justice, truth and freedom. God loves playing with words. He told me to vote for Stan as a stand for righteousness. Once again it was an intercessory act, this time for righteousness in Aotearoa, New Zealand. No doubt some will think I am promoting Destiny Party or ONE Party. I’m not. My vote was not an endorsement for a particular political party, it was an intercessory act before God calling forth destiny and righteousness.

When God spoke to me it was unexpected. Naturally I wanted to test the word. Firstly I didn’t even know if Destiny Party were contesting the 2020 election. A quick search on the internet revealed that they were in fact contesting the election, but under a new name: Vision New Zealand. I shared what God had spoken to me with my co-pastor, Pastor Sue Nesbit. Sue is a seasoned and discerning pastor. When I told her, she immediately witnessed, and became very excited. She had been seeking God about how to vote. Within a few hours she had already cast her vote. She informed me that she had never felt so joyful while voting.

Reassured that I was in fact hearing from God I went ahead and voted for destiny, vision and righteousness. I have absolutely no doubt that my vote was counted and recorded in heaven. In this election many Christians felt like their vote didn’t count. This isn’t true. My electorate is a Labour Party stronghold. The Labour candidate won the seat with a very large majority. Regardless, my vote for righteousness counted!

During this election there were a handful of small political parties that intentionally espoused Christian values. None of these parties looked likely to pass the five percent threshold necessary to obtain seats in Parliament. After the election the combined votes of these parties came to significantly less than five percent. For many the aim was to get a Christian values party into parliament. Although this is a noble aim it should never eclipse our primary aim which is to obey God. I believe many in these parties were responding in obedience to God.

It is important to respect the process and journey of each individual and each party. God was working in many and diverse ways. He was most interested in the way the parties were responding to each other. Although each of these parties espoused Christian values there were some significant policy differences, particularly about the Treaty of Waitangi and Israel. I believe God wanted these differences to come out, not as an issue of who is right or who is wrong, but as important issues for discussion in the Christian community. The path to unity often requires open debate and respectful dialogue.

Please understand that I am not presenting what God spoke to me as the definitive word about the 2020 election. Each prophet sees a part of the overall picture. I am simply presenting the part that God has shown me, knowing that He will strategically put all the pieces together. I can reassure you of two things: Firstly, God has a phenomenal destiny for New Zealand. And secondly, He is working in the Christian community. Be encouraged, and above all, seek His heart!

© 2020 Nathan Shaw.

Related Articles:
It's Time for the Church to Have a Voice – Nathan Shaw
ANZUS, the East Gate, and the Alignment of the Nations – Nathan Shaw
Word for New Zealand – Nathan Shaw

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