By: Gabe Liliedahl
September 30, 2023
Hello again!
After the food shortages and supply chain issues that came with the Covid-19 pandemic, we are all-too familiar with empty shelves in grocery stores. I heard the Lord say "Famine." Let's explore what that might mean.
I had planned on walking you through the giving of a simple prophecy but all of that changed.
Instead, God directed me to prophesy something I’ve been on the fence about. Famine was first mentioned to you in the next to last paragraph here.
In late May the Lord began speaking to me about famine. For clarity, He didn’t speak the word famine to me at that time, but was simply leading me in that direction.
God gave me a dream in that period of time. In the dream, I heard the words, “If you make an inch of progress during God’s summer, it will be amazing.”
Not knowing what to do with that or what it meant exactly, but fully expecting life to get busy, I began writing my third book.
As it turns out, God’s summer was HOT! At some point during the summer, I shared the dream with my pastor. He happened to be with one of his grandsons who heard the conversation and mentioned a couple of scriptures with ants (See also Prov. 30:25).
Proverbs 6:6-11 ESV Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.
My pastor told me that he had been thinking about stocking what he called the disaster pantry and we speculated about the hurricane season to come.
Some time later God spoke the word, “Famine” to me and I began looking up scriptures related to that. There were several famines in the Bible and often people changed locations for more suitable living conditions.
According to the World Food Programme, a famine is a widespread condition in which 20% of people in a country or region face extreme food shortages (World Food Programme, 2022). Famines result in malnutrition, starvation, disease, and high death rates. We are clearly not in a famine in America. There are food shortages going on in other countries, however, with many occurring in Africa.
In East Texas, we have been in a drought for about two years, with Governor Abbott renewing last years disaster declaration just a week ago. (Governor Abbott Renews Drought Disaster Declaration In September 2023, 2023).
Though a drought is not a famine, it can certainly lead to a famine.
All summer long it seems, people have been complaining about the drought and the impact it has on the land.
Some of the complaints have come from people with cattle and that seems to be something the Lord has his finger on. God can be vague. He has been even more vague with the word famine.
Though I’ve prayed about it off and on, there hasn’t seemed to be any indication to talk about it, until recently. Recently He said, “Speak,” in connection to my prayer about it.
I’ve been told that the auction houses for cattle have seen quite a bit of traffic recently. The lack of rain is causing a lack of hay for cattle. People can’t afford to buy it or other food sources for their cattle and have been selling their cattle.
While that could bring meat prices down in the short term, the drought doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon.
The World Food Programme has an interesting map where you can see varying conditions related to famine. East Texas is shown in a drought under the rainfall tab. It’s also shown as a vegetation concern on another tab. You can see that here.
I’m very much against fear and stirring up fear, and am hesitant to speak about the possibility of a famine for that reason. While very humorous, the toilet paper memes from 2020 present an accurate representation of the possibilities of fear.
Having said that, I think the Lord is clearly speaking the word “famine,” but He’s not giving many details. It’s likely a long term word, brought about by ongoing drought and other contributing factors.
It’s difficult to believe that a famine could strike America. It’s also difficult to believe that a local drought would cause a local famine within the United States. Still, anything is possible.
Could a famine happen in America in a short time period?
Possibly.
We experienced a flash drought in some places along the Mississippi according to The Weather Channel's article (Erdman, 2023). There were regions along the Mississippi river that were flooded earlier in the year but now are at much lower levels. Saltwater is entering the Mississippi because of the low water levels. Saltwater has the potential to endanger agriculture and the water supply for cities, if left unchallenged.
In addition, the low levels of the Mississippi raise the costs of exports of grains to other countries, but also affect the farmers of those grains. See the articles.
Drought-Stricken Lower Mississippi River Valley, Louisiana, Finally Sees Some Rain This Week
The Mississippi River's Saltwater Intrusion Problem, Explained
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/mississippi-river-drought-farmers-barges/2023/09/17/id/1134805/
I think the Lord is saying “Famine.” This is something to consider praying and preparing for. Again, I’m against fear and hoarding.
If you’re a believer in Christ, then God is your provider. Here are a couple of scriptures to consider.
Deu 11:13-15 ESV “And if you will indeed obey my commandments that I command you today, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, he will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil. And he will give grass in your fields for your livestock, and you shall eat and be full.
Psa 37:18-19 ESV The LORD knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever; they are not put to shame in evil times; in the days of famine they have abundance.
Two more things.
1. When it comes to prophesying something negative, it’s easy to slip into judgement. A judgement is a decision. God makes decisions all the time. People make decisions, both good and bad all the time.
2. God is God of salvation. That’s who He is. That’s what He does. His desire is to save all mankind. Not all will receive it. If God has called for a famine, He desires to save people even through a famine. I’m not prophesying judgement, even if it were a form of judgement.
It’s NOT the judgement of a nation. At least not yet.
Last thing.
When it comes to prophetic words on this level, some people think that God must have some sort of spiritual plan accompanying the word. A literal famine must carry some sort of spiritual nourishment to counteract it.
And it’s possible.
There are plenty of scriptures that we could look at. Here’s a great one.
Isa 44:3 ESV For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.
Which brings to mind two more scriptures.
Amo 8:11 “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord GOD, “when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.
Amos’ famine happened in the 400 years of silence which occurred in the period between the Old and New Testaments.
Mat 4:4 But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
I could go on with hunger statistics in America and make a case for the idea that famine is closer than we realize. We can speculate on inflation and other possible tie-ins.
Instead, I’ll close with this.
You won’t survive without God. You can’t. While I know that God is merciful and personally believe He will protect us from famine, it’s impossible to live spiritually without Him. If you want some insight into God’s protection in spiritually challenging conditions, you might consider the basis for Matthew 4:4, which would be Deuteronomy 8:1-3.
I’ll just say that Jesus did not say you can only live by every word from the Bible. He said you live by every word that comes from the mouth of God. The mouth.
Every word that God spoke through the Bible and continues to speak through Jesus (John 16:13).
Through Holy Spirit.
There’s already a spiritual famine going on in America. People don’t believe God speaks.
Wrapping it up I think the Lord is speaking, “Famine.” It seems literal.
He’s not giving a timeline or providing details.
The lack of rain and grass seem to be highlighted.
It’s an admittedly vague prophecy.
Pray about it! Don’t panic. Trust God and seek Him for guidance.
Dennis, B. (2023, September 29). The Mississippi River’s saltwater intrusion problem, explained. Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/09/29/saltwater-intrusion-louisiana-drinking-water/
Erdman, J. (2023, September 25). Lower Mississippi Valley drought to see rain. The Weather Channel. https://weather.com/forecast/regional/news/2023-09-24-south-drought-mississippi-river-low-levels-louisiana
Governor Abbott renews drought disaster declaration in September 2023. (2023, September 21). Texas.gov. https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-renews-drought-disaster-declaration-in-september-2023
World Food Programme. (2022). Fighting famine. Www.wfp.org. https://www.wfp.org/fight-famine