Praise the Lord! As we approach the close of the year, my heart is full of gratitude for what God has done and anticipation for what He is preparing to do. During my recent time in Kentucky, as I prayed about the direction and word for 2025, the Lord began to stir something deeply within me.
At first, I thought I would wait until later in the year to share this vision, perhaps on December 22nd. But I’ve learned that when God impresses something on my heart, it is best to release it in His timing, not mine. So, with humility and reverence, I share this word with you now.
A Burden for Tucson, the Church, and America
Over the past few weeks, my prayers have been focused on Tucson, this church, and our nation. I believe we are in a critical moment, one that demands spiritual sensitivity and a renewed commitment to God’s purposes.
During my studies in the book of Amos, I was reminded of the weight of prophetic responsibility. The prophets of old often carried messages of judgment due to Israel’s disobedience, but their heart—and God’s heart—was always rooted in mercy. Mercy is God’s default. Judgment only comes when we reject His mercy.
If there is one thing America desperately needs right now, it is mercy. If there is one thing Tucson cries out for, it is mercy. As I prayed, I felt the depth of God’s burden for this community and this nation. The Lord is calling us, as His church, to cry out for mercy, not just in words but through our actions, our alignment with His will, and our readiness to stand in the gap.
The Vision of the Plumb Line
In Amos 7, the prophet is shown a vision of a plumb line. This tool, used in construction to ensure a structure is perfectly upright, represents God’s standard. The plumb line is not horizontal; it is vertical. It requires us to align with God’s standard, not ask Him to align with ours.
At The Citadel Church, we cannot build on an earthly foundation. Our foundation must be heavenly, aligned with God’s purpose and measured by His unchanging standard.
This vision became even clearer to me as I reflected on the role of the plumb line in my own life. Years ago, when I worked in the carpenters’ union, one of my tasks was to climb columns and drop a plumb line to ensure the foundation and structure were perfectly aligned. If the measurements were off by even a fraction, the entire building would eventually collapse.
The same is true for the church. If we are not aligned with God’s standard, we risk building something that will not stand the test of time. God is calling us to vertical alignment with Him, where His will becomes the foundation of everything we do.
A Call to Uncommon Loyalty and Commitment
As I prayed for 2025, the Lord gave me a clear word: He is raising up a people with uncommon loyalty and uncommon commitment. These are not ordinary qualities. They are born out of alignment with God’s plumb line and cultivated through a willingness to risk and sacrifice for His purposes.
In 1 Chronicles 11, we read about David’s mighty men, who risked their lives to retrieve water from a well in Bethlehem, a well guarded by the enemy. Their actions were not just acts of bravery; they were demonstrations of uncommon loyalty to their leader and to God’s purposes.
David’s response is profound. Rather than drinking the water, he poured it out as an offering to the Lord. Why? Because it was too sacred to be consumed for personal gain.
This is the heart of what God is calling us to in 2025: a recognition that everything we do—our time, our resources, our efforts—is sacred and belongs to Him.
Breakthrough: A Vision for 2025
2025 will be a year of breakthrough. Tucson needs a breakthrough. This church needs a breakthrough. Every family, every individual here needs a breakthrough. But breakthrough will not come without risk.
Like David’s mighty men, we must be willing to break through enemy lines—not for our own benefit but to bring living water to a thirsty community. This requires courage, creativity, and alignment with God’s will.
Breakthrough will also require a shift in our mindset. We cannot operate from a place of convenience or complacency. Instead, we must embrace the depth of commitment that says, “Lord, whatever it takes, I am willing to go.”
The Sacredness of Our Offering
One of the most moving lessons from the story of David’s mighty men is their willingness to risk their lives to serve. Their actions remind us that everything we do for the Lord is sacred.
Whether it’s leading worship, setting up chairs, praying for the church, or giving financially, every act of service is an offering unto the Lord. It is not for personal recognition or applause but for His glory.
David understood this when he poured the water out as an offering to God. It was his way of saying, “Lord, this belongs to You. It is too sacred for me to consume.”
As we move into 2025, let us carry this same heart. Let us see our efforts not as obligations but as sacred offerings unto the Lord.
Revival and Restoration: Looking Ahead to 2026
While 2025 will be a year of breakthrough, I believe 2026 will usher in an unprecedented revival. The Lord is building, repairing, and restoring His church. This revival will not be contained within these walls—it will overflow into our city, our nation, and beyond.
But revival begins with us. It begins with our alignment to God’s plumb line, our willingness to risk, and our commitment to be vessels of His mercy and love.
A Call to Action
As we prepare for this new season, I want to challenge each of us to examine our alignment with God’s standard. Are we building on His foundation, or are we asking Him to align with our plans?
Let us commit to being a church that not only cries out for mercy but also embodies it in our actions. Let us be a people of uncommon loyalty and commitment, willing to risk everything to bring living water to a thirsty world.
A Prayer for Alignment and Breakthrough
Lord, You are the plumb line. Align our hearts, our lives, and our ministry with Your will. Impart in us an uncommon loyalty and commitment to Your purposes. Help us to see our service as sacred and to pour out our lives as offerings to You. May 2025 be a year of breakthrough and alignment, and may we prepare the way for revival in 2026. In Jesus’ name, amen.
What’s Next?
As we approach 2025, let us step into this season with faith and expectancy. Together, we will break through enemy lines, quench the thirst of our community, and align ourselves with God’s purposes.
Let us risk. Let us align. Let us breakthrough.
Prophet John Harke
The Citadel Church
