Revelation 7:1

“And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, non the sea, nor on any tree”

The four winds being held back could be considered to be:

Terrorism:

It's not going to go away. It's only going to continue and get more widespread in more areas affecting more people than it is currently. Everything we've done the last 15 years or so only seems to have made matters worse. To me that's not an accident, that's an indication that this is how things are going to go. Think about this for a second, the African AIDS crisis created millions of orphans, millions. No economic opportunities, corrupt, week governments with little influence, no education, social programs etc. Where do you think these young men will turn? Think there might be a reason the US has a Combined Joint Task Force in Djibouti? A side issue with this is the European immigrant crisis from north Africa and the Middle east will continue to worsen.

China:

South China Sea anybody? Right now about one third of all the worlds maritime trade passes through these waters. Almost as much oil passes through this trade route as flows through the Straight of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf choke-point. With the economies of Asia growing these numbers are going to increase in the coming years. China (like Russia) wants more control and influence over the areas closest to it's region of the world. They don't want to project a forward base of power (they only have a couple of aircraft carriers), instead they want to be able to influence their own backyard. This is why they, again, like the Russians, have concentrated on land to sea and air to air missile technology. They knew a long time ago it would be foolish and expensive to take on US naval power head to head. Why go for a full on frontal assault when you can be just as effective with a lateral attack? Symbolically speaking anyway.

US:

Death by a thousand paper cuts anyone? Our standing in the world morally, economically and militarily is destined to continue to decline.

Russia:

Another player that seeks to increase it's presence in it's own backyard. Think the Balkans, The Caucasus and Eastern Europe. It's like China in the fact that it doesn't want a forward operating presence out in the world, it just wants greater control and influence in it's own region. Again no need to build up an expensive fleet of carriers to compete, just concentrate on land to sea and air to air missile technology. Developing EMP technologies doesn't hurt either.

Right now? These four winds are being restrained. When they are equal in strength and some other factors are reached? Look out, Gods angels will release them.