Search Results

We Must Play Hope's Song People sometimes refer to their difficult times as “winter seasons.” There is a powerful picture associated with this in Ezekiel 47. The prophet Ezekiel was given a vision of the River of Life. The river produced life and healing everywhere it went. Interestingly, the Hebrew word for “river” in the passage is nachal , and it means “a stream, especially a winter torrent.” (1) (italics mine) Some streams and rivers dry up during certain parts of the year. They are refilled, however, when there is rain or, as in this case, the spring thaw melts the snow and ice on the mountains. Tiny rivulets develop, coming together to form larger flows, then streams, and eventually, becoming nachalim  (rivers). (2) Though Ezekiel’s “winter river” began as a trickle in verse 1, it eventually became a mighty, unfordable river by verse 5. Indeed, God’s healing river often begins as a trickle. We can be confident, however, that it will deepen; God will use the snow and ice of our winter season to bring to us a deep flow of His healing power. Our season will change.  For those who are confused and disillusioned… For the heart grieving from pain and loss… For the faithful but weary soldier whose streambed is dry… For those who have lost their first love connection to Him… For the rejected of the world who are heartsick with hope deferred… …your season is changing! The warmth of spring will do its work, and summer is coming. Thank God winter seasons don’t last forever. The river of healing will flow to us, and we will drink of its healing power.  As the following story states, there is a song of hope inside you, and you must sing. One night a discouraged man in London was on his way to drown himself. At that moment, his life did not seem worth living. As he walked along the street, he stopped and looked at a painting in a shop window. It was George Frederic Watt’s Hope  - a woman, blindfolded, sitting on top of the world, holding a lyre with but one string. Yet still hoping and believing the instrument will make music, she is ready to strike it. The man, as he stood looking at that painting, said to himself: “Well, I have one string - I have a little boy at home.” So he returned home to his son. (3) When you feel there is nothing left, look again. The prophet Habakkuk said the flock might be dead and gone, there may be no fruit in the orchard, and the hillsides might be bare. But still, “I will exult in the Lord,” he said. “I will rejoice in the God of my salvation”  (Habakkuk 3:17-18). There was music possible yet! And there is still music in our nation. We must play hope’s song, even in the dark night of the soul. Job, in his hellish suffering, said the Lord “gives songs in the night”  (Job 35:10). David, during his time of exile, said, “His song will be with me in the night” (Psalm 42:8). Paul and Silas, beaten, bleeding and in chains,  “about midnight…were praying and singing hymns of praise to God” (Acts 16:25). There is hope in the night, and there is music in our broken nation. Don’t give up! A passage in the Song of Solomon speaks of the end of a winter season: “My beloved responded and said to me, ‘Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come along. ‘For behold, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers have already appeared in the land; The time has arrived for pruning the vines, And the voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land. The fig tree has ripened its figs, And the vines in blossom have given forth their fragrance. Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, And come along!’” (2:10-13) Working Things Together for Good Psalm 51 was written by a man experiencing hope deferred. King David had lost his first love connection with God, which resulted in sin and a winter season. The following prayer he offered was answered:  “God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life…Bring me back from gray exile, put a fresh wind in my sails!”  (vv. 10, 12, MSG) God wants to do that for America and for you. A fresh start…a Genesis week…out of exile…a fresh wind - that’s what He wants for us. A well-known verse in Romans speaks of God taking our pain, hurts, and destruction and bringing good from them. It is actually one of the most famous verses in the entire Bible: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose”  (8:28). This verse packs an even greater power than most people realize. The phrase “work together” is from the Greek word sunergeo , from which we get the English words synergy and synergism . Synergism is “the working together of two or more to produce an effect greater than the sum of their individual effects.” (4)  In choosing this word, God is promising He will take all of the bad, all of the pain, and every attempt of the enemy to destroy our faith - “all things” - and then put Himself in the mix, infusing the evils with His miraculous power.  I will synergize with them,  He says,  and the good in Me will overpower the bad in them.  Amazing! Disappointment, plus pain, plus loss, is used for something good when God’s river of healing enters. Believing in this truth is part of restoring hope.   When complimented on her homemade biscuits by Dr. Harry Ironside, the cook responded, “Just consider what goes into the making of these biscuits. By itself, the flour doesn’t taste good; neither does the baking powder, nor the shortening, nor any other ingredient. However, when I mix them all together and put them in the oven, they’re transformed. They come out just right.” Much of life can taste bad. But God is able to combine these “ingredients” of our life in such a way that when He is finished, the result is good. (5) God is going to send His nachal  river to America. It is rising, even now. He will heal, save, and restore. Keep your appeals strong - they are saving our land. Pray with me: Father, grief does not contradict or negate faith. We pray for Your comfort to those experiencing unspeakable pain. And though we grieve for our broken nation, we believe You are coming to release Your river of healing. Yes, we have been in an icy winter. Without a doubt, there is no hope for us but You. However, You are merciful and do not abandon people or nations in their times of wandering. Your heart is always to redeem, and our hope is in You.  As many well-meaning people today formulate plans and discuss ideas to try and fix America, we are keenly aware that unless You build the house, they labor in vain. Bring the awakening we cry out for. Convict millions in America regarding our rejection of You. Help them see that our sick condition is due to this, and that the only cure is to return. Bring Your warmth and thaw frozen hearts until the winter in America is over and the river of Your healing flows with its full force.  Strengthen the intercessors. Keep them strong, hope-filled, and full of faith. Remind them that You bring good even out of evil and can even use the plans of evil people to do so, just as You did for Joseph. We draw on You for strength, and we will persevere in our prayers. We ask all this in Jesus’ name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that the level of God’s healing river is rising, and He will heal our land. Click on the link below to watch the full video: Today’s devotional was taken from my book The Power of Hope (6)  (no longer in print) . _________________________________ James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990. s.v. OT:5158, “nachal.” James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990. s.v. OT:5158, “nachalim.” Oden, Marilyn B. 100 Meditations on Hope. Upper Room Books, 1995. p. 72. “Synergism Definition & Meaning.” Dictionary.com , https://www.dictionary.com/browse/synergism . Accessed 16 July 2024. (Accessed October 2, 2013). Adapted from Edward K. Powell, Fresh Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching . Baker Book House, 1997. p. 118. Sheets, Dutch. The Power of Hope: Let God Renew Your Mind, Heal Your Heart, and Restore Your Dreams . Charisma Media, 2014. pp. 70-74.

Reject Shallow Living, Refuse Small Dreaming According to a study reported in the May 2010 issue of Atherosclerosis,  participants who were persistently depressed had a twofold increased risk of narrowing of the arteries. The study took place over a period of ten years, with participants being assessed for depression symptoms at least three different times during that ten-year period. (1)  This is the same magnitude of increased risk that one sees in comparing a pack-a-day smoker to a nonsmoker. (2) Incredible. Hopelessness, if not checked, is a death sentence. A recent study in the British Medical Journal  confirms this, reporting that people with serious depression were two-thirds more likely to die prematurely; even those with mild depression had a 16 percent higher risk of dying compared to individuals who were distress-free. (3)  We can die from sorrow! God told us this long ago. Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.”  Most of us think only of our emotional or spiritual heart when we read this, but science is now proving that the verse is true of physical hearts as well. Hope deferred creates a diseased heart, both emotionally and physically; and with a diseased heart, no one can run life’s race effectively. “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,” we are exhorted in Hebrews 12:1. Lack of endurance, however, is one of the first results of heart disease. We may run, but we won’t run far. The loss of hope is crippling, making us little more than spectators in life. “Run in such a way that you may win,”  the Lord urges us through Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 9:24. You’ll never do that with a diseased heart. When hope deferred sets in, not only are we unable to win;  sometimes, we can’t even finish the race. There’s no doubt about it: hope-deferred “heart disease” is a killer. The Lord doesn’t want the pain, frustration, or disillusionment of hope deferred to affect our hearts in any way. He wants us to run the race of life enthusiastically, effectively, and with pleasure, enjoying the journey.  We live in an era of incredible challenge and unprecedented change. Technology is increasing at astounding rates of speed; the global landscape is in an unstable and volatile state, with the possibility of nuclear war once again in the news; famine, disease, and violence are on the rise. The number of humans trafficked and enslaved is higher than at any time in history; the insanity and depravity of leaders in America and around the world have reached shocking levels; the hearts of people are failing them from fear. Thoreau’s famous quote, “The mass of men live lives of quiet desperation,” has never been more apropos. And yet, desperation - humankind’s inevitable realization that there is no human answer - always becomes the womb of God’s opportunity. His unstoppable march through history forces its way through the chaos and resistance of fallen humanity and into the opportune time of breakthrough and harvest. When this occurs, the body of Christ must recognize it and take action.  Every generation of the church must have its own “for such a time as this” epiphany, a corporate revelation of its corporate purpose, and that the reason for this purpose has arrived (Esther 4:14). You and I have come to our time. The church is now staring at the greatest opportunity ever afforded the body of Christ. The stage is set. The full restoration of Christ’s gifts and anointings has been accomplished (Ephesians 4:11-12); the revelation being released from Holy Spirit is at profound levels; our incredible technology and modes of travel give us the ability to reach all the world with the gospel; and the desperation of a confused and hopeless populace has created a ripe harvest . We’ve been called to participate in the greatest Kingdom expansion in all of history. Like Esther, we must recognize and accept our moment, rise to our reason for living at this specific time, shake off all fear, and cast off all limitations. We must reject shallow living and refuse small dreaming. We must not measure success by temporal, human goals nor bow to the reprehensible idol of personal kingdom building. Determine that you will be part of God’s answer, a difference-maker, an agent of change. Be a voice; He must be heard through you. Be a giver of life; part of God’s answer to a desperate and hungry world. Stay low, but dream high. There is no Plan B. Pray with me: Father, we know that decades of complacency, disengagement, and lack of discernment in the church have allowed evil forces to gain strong footholds in our land. Through the catastrophic election of 2020, these forces intend to finish off America’s strength and her partnership with You. Once again, we repent on behalf of our nation for fifty years of choosing darkness over light. We repent for electing people who neither know nor honor You. And we repent for acquiescing to satan’s strategies. Forgive and cleanse us. In these troubling times of darkness and abounding evil, our hope in You anchors our souls. Our faith in Your love and grace is steadfast and immovable. You are using the difficulties we’re experiencing, the lunacy of seared consciences, and the fragile state of the world to create great desperation. This is producing a ripe harvest. You told us that when we discern the time for spiritual rain, an outpouring of Holy Spirit, we must ask for it (Zechariah 10:1). We do so now; send Your rain. And we pray for a great awareness to come to Your people, an awareness of the opportunity of our times. We pray for faith to arise in the church regarding Your heart and purposes. Help us keep our focus on You. We ask You to awaken in the church a sense of destiny. We join our faith for this now and also for the breaking of fear and hopelessness off the body of Christ. We bind spirits of fear and confusion, and we release the spirit of revelation to the church. In Christ’s name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that hope, faith, and strength are rising in the Ekklesia. Fear will not rule us. Click on the link below to watch the full video : Portions of today’s devotional were taken from my book The Power of Hope (4)  (no longer in print) . _____________________________ Mark Hamer, Mika Kivimaki, Avijit Lahiri, Michael G. Marmot, and Andrew Steptoe, “Persistent Cognitive Depressive Symptoms Associated With Coronary Calcification.” Atherosclerosis  210, no. 1 (May 2010); 209-213, http:// www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2877780/  (accessed October 1, 2023). New York Times,  “Despair and Risk of Artery Disease,” September 3, 1997, http://wwwnytimes.com/1997/09/03/us/despair-and-risk-of-artery-disease.html  (accessed October 1, 2013). Tom C. Russ, Emmanuel Stamatakis, Mark Hamer, John M. Starr, Mika Kivimaki, and G. David Batty, “Association Between Psychological Distress and Mortality: Individual Participant Pooled Analysis of 10 Prospective Cohort Studies,” British Medical Journal  345 (July 31, 2012): e4933, http://www.bmj.com/content/345/bmj.e4933  (accessed October 1, 2023). Sheets, Dutch. The Power of Hope: Let God Renew Your Mind, Heal Your Heart, and Restore Your Dreams . Charisma Media, 2014. pp. 5-6.

Do Not Fear the Lion! The Lord will go forth like a warrior, He will arouse His zeal like a man of war. He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry. He will prevail against His enemies. Isaiah 42:13 At the beginning of the Revolutionary War, General George Washington instructed his troops:  “The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and conduct of this army. Our cruel and unrelenting enemy leaves us only the choice of brave resistance or the most abject submission. We have, therefore, to resolve to conquer   or die”  (italics mine). (1)   A warrior’s spirit was essential in order to win America’s freedom. This kind of warrior’s heart is also necessary spiritually . The Kingdom of God is full of paradoxes - seeming contradictions - this being one of them: though called to possess the quality of love more than any other, even to the point of laying down our lives (1 Corinthians 13), and to pursue peace with all men (Hebrews 12:14), we believers are also called to war spiritually (Ephesians 6:12-20).  We must war against the kingdom and powers of darkness, false ideologies, and the strategies behind both. Also, though “we wrestle not against flesh and blood“  (Ephesians 6:12 KJV), we must boldly oppose laws, ideologies, and spiritual forces that war against Christ’s cause.  Old Testament Warriors In the Old Testament, God gives us examples of warrior hearts. They are our examples, not because we are called to force His will on people, but in order for their internal traits to be applied to our lives and spiritual battles. David was one such warrior. This brave fighter killed a lion and a bear to protect his father’s sheep and was ever ready to fight the enemies of God when they attempted to destroy Israel. David possessed such a strong warrior's heart that he actually ran  to face Goliath! (See 1 Samuel 17:48.) Then there was Benaiah, one of David’s “mighty men” (1 Chronicles 11:22-24). Like David, this heroic and bold warrior also killed a lion. It seems the marauding cat was threatening a village in Israel, which motivated the villagers to set a trap by digging a pit and baiting the lion into it. OK, so now what? How would they deal with the lion? Cage it and move it to another region? Kill it using spears, arrows, even stones? Several options were possible - none of which included jumping into the pit! Then, there are the Benaiahs of the world. For some reason, inexplicable except to a warrior’s heart, Benaiah didn’t want to kill the lion from above. Out of my way , he shouted. Before anyone could stop him, Benaiah jumped into the pit - “on a snowy day,”  Scripture adds for good measure - and killed the lion (see 2 Samuel 23:20). Warrior? I believe so. Benaiah once killed  “a man of great stature five cubits tall [seven and one-half feet]. Now in the Egyptian’s hand was a spear like a weaver's beam, but he went down to him with a club and snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear” (1 Chronicles 11:23). Warrior times two! Warriors Reproduce Warriors Incidentally, from whom do you think Benaiah acquired his warrior nature? He was obviously inspired by the heart of his leader David, who also killed a lion and a giant. Warriors reproduce warriors . I’m praying God will raise up a generation of spiritual Davids and Benaiahs that will challenge satan, the roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8), who is devouring many in our day. Eleazer was another David-inspired warrior.  “He arose and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary and clung to the sword, and the Lord brought about a great victory that day”  (2 Samuel 23:10). What determination! In defending the nation of Israel, Eleazer fought through his weariness; and when he no longer possessed the necessary strength in his hand to hold the sword, he held on   with his heart!  When the battle was over, his comrades waded through the bodies and peeled Eleazer’s hand from his sword! Warrior! We Need Warriors Today How does this warrior spirit translate into action today against the spiritual  giants of our land? Obviously, it begins with prayer - spiritual warfare. But there is more. Standing for truth through speaking up, voting out of office individuals with unbiblical and unwise ideals, giving to righteous causes, speaking out against all that opposes the rule of God - all are ways by which we war. To turn America back to the ancient path, we must tenaciously resist evil and tyranny, let our voices be heard, and pray until revival is seen in our land. Can we really see a reformation of America? Absolutely! If pioneer warriors with hearts like David, Benaiah, and Eleazer arise, with a determination to find and walk the old road, we can transform America. America is filled with spiritual pacifists. I am asking God to instead raise up spiritual warriors in our nation. We desperately need men and women with hearts strong enough to face whatever firepower satan and his allies can throw at them and, in spite of it all, turn this nation back to Christ. We need 21st-century burning-heart revivalists in the mold of John and Charles Wesley. We are desperate for Jonathan Edwards’ level anointings, causing such Holy Spirit unction that sinners cry out for forgiveness and salvation. We must have modern-day Finneys whose preaching births such conviction that men run to altars weeping and mourning. And Peter Cartwrights - Circuit Riders - who will brave wilderness paths and freezing winters on horseback to preach the gospel. We desperately need “praying Hydes,” Rees Howells and Jeremiah Lanphiers, who will shape history and birth awakenings in regions of the earth through prayer. Perhaps you were never taught about these heroes of the faith and are wondering who some of them are. That is part of the problem. America’s heroes today are athletes, movie stars, and singers. Many are good people, but heroes? I don’t think so. And frankly, some are not good. Many Americans emulate losers - perverts, adulterers, foul-mouthed rebels, irresponsible fathers, and lying politicians. May God give us holy, selfless warriors who will fight for truth and honor. May He raise up and mantle a generation that does not fear the lion! Pray with me: Father, in Your Word, You use battlefield terms like wrestle, warfare, fight, and soldier to describe our spiritual activities. Even though Christ defeated our enemy and took from him his authority, it is still our responsibility to enforce that victory on the earth. We must use Your name, Your power, and the sword of the Spirit to bind and loose, open and close. We are  Your Ekklesia on the earth. We pray that warrior hearts will be found and awakened in Your church, and that people of faith and passion who run to face today’s Goliaths will be raised up. Give us Davids, Benaiahs, and Eleazars. May we fight until our hands cleave to the sword, holding on with impassioned hearts that refuse to yield to demonic forces. May the zeal of the Lord of Hosts consume us! We ask for this in faith; and in the name of Jesus, we believe it is done! Amen. Our decree: We decree that a fresh generation of spiritual warriors is arising on the earth who will enforce the victory of Calvary throughout the world. Click on the link below to watch the full video. 1. Coffey, William T., editor. Patriot Hearts: An Anthology of American Patriotism . Purple Mountain, 2000. p. 118.

Have You Been Found? When Christ was preparing His original twelve world-changing pioneers, He made the   cost clear to them:   “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents   and innocent as doves. But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the   courts and scourge you in their synagogues.”  (Matthew 10:16-17)   “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must   deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his   life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.’”  (Matthew 16:24-25)   What price did these first disciples eventually pay to partner with Christ? Were   Christ's words simply symbolic, not to be taken literally? Surely, He   wouldn't actually ask His followers to lay down their lives, would He? History   answers these questions:   ● Andrew was crucified.   ● Bartholomew was crucified.   ● James was stoned to death.   ● James, the son of Zebedee, was beheaded.   ● John was tortured and banished to the uninhabited   island of Patmos.   ● Peter was crucified upside down.   ● Philip was crucified upside down.   ● Thomas was martyred in India.   ● The Apostle Paul and John the Baptist, not part of the original twelve disciples   but two of Christ's early leaders, were beheaded.   To be a true disciple of Christ – and nation-changers – we must be willing to lay down our lives. This m indset should permeate and influence all we do and live for.   And if we are to see America saved, it is one of the non-negotiables: no cost is too great.   William Wilberforce, who led the efforts to eradicate slavery from Great Britain,   understood and demonstrated this. In the great movie about his life, Amazing   Grace , based on the outstanding book by Eric Metaxas bearing the same name, Wilberforce’s butler surprised him in a moment of private prayer. When   asked if he had found God, Wilberforce's poignant reply was, “I think He found me.” (1) Indeed, God “found” Wilberforce, who became so joined to His heart and desires   that no price was too great for the cause. This reformer’s passion to   see the ending of slavery caused him stomach ailments, nightmares, ridicule, and four decades  of tireless work.   Days before Wilberforce’s death, however, the decisive vote came to eliminate slavery from   England. Amazingly, when the law became formal three days after the vote,   Wilberforce's spirit left this world! Thomas Buxton, a personal friend and member   of the House of Commons at the time, said of him, “The day which was the   termination of his labors was the termination of his life.” (2)   Have you been found? Does the cause of Christ possess you?  When God led the early settlers to this land – He was obviously involved in the   process – they came with hearts willing to pay whatever price the dream would cost. A part of their stated cause was, “For the Glory of God and the   advancement of the Christian faith.” (3) The se pioneers arrived on a cramped and dirty ship in sloshing   water filled with human waste and vomit. Ill-prepared for the trials of this new land, including a brutal winter,   more than half would perish before the end of their first summer.   These settlers weren't failures, however. Planting a cross on the beach at Cape Henry and dedicating this land to the gospel and the glory of   God, they created a holy and enduring legacy. Heaven still honors the trail they blazed and the   prayers they prayed. Buried in the soil of freedom, they became a vital part of the   heritage we now enjoy. Pioneers all, their legacies live.   The price they paid to create an international outpost for the gospel created a debt for those   who followed, including us today. The debt we Americans owe is not only to preserve   freedom, but also to preserve this land as a light of truth – a beacon, a city on   a hill – to all other nations. If we pay our debt today, the difficult trail we   blaze back to our destiny will become the glorious path our children walk   tomorrow.   America was formed with the blood, sweat, and tears of many price-paying   pioneers. When John Adams was elected as a Boston delegate in 1770, he knew   it was considered treason to the King of England; Adams believed the decision   would cost him everything. He informed his wife Abigail, “I have accepted a seat   in the House of Representatives, and thereby have consented to my own ruin…” (4)   How many today would accept a seat in Congress if they   knew it could cost them everything? Adams wasn't finished with his declaration, however. After informing Abigail that   he had consented to his own ruin, this patriot pioneer continued, “...to your ruin,   and the ruin of our children. I give you this warning, that you may prepare your   mind for your fate.” (5) Incredible. But Adams, like Wilberforce, had been found! His love of liberty and belief that God was raising up   the United States of America meant that, to him, no price was too great to pay.   How did Abigail feel about this? Betrayed? Horrified? Did she threaten to leave   him? Not even close. She, too, had been found. According to Adams,   Abigail burst into tears and cried out, “Well, I am willing in this cause to run all   risks with you, and be ruined with you, if you are ruined.” (6)   At the signing of the Declaration of Independence a few years later, Adams, along   with his fellow signers, again accepted the potential and probable cost of   freedom:  “For the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the   protection of the Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives,   our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.” (7)   Adams would later state to Abigail, “I am well aware of the toil and blood and   treasure that it will cost us to maintain this Declaration and support and defend   these states. Yet through all the gloom, I can see the rays of ravishing light and   glory. I can see that the end is more than worth all the means.” (8) Some accuse me of inappropriately   marrying the love of God and country, but I too, have been found; it is my love for God and His cause on the earth that fuels my   passion for seeing America restored .   Like Adams and our other Founding Fathers, I realize God chose to raise up this   nation as part of His plan to redeem the human race. America wasn’t established   solely for Americans. Partnering with God in His great dream is our privilege and destiny. For   this, no cost is too great.   Let’s cry out for another generation who will lose their lives to   find His; believers who will accept their debt to the cross and pay any price   necessary to lead America back to the old road.   “Go stand at the crossroads and look around. Ask for directions to the old road, The tried-and-true road. Then take it.” (Jeremiah 6:16, MSG) Pray with me:   Father, we are grateful for those in the great cloud of witnesses who have paid such high prices for our freedom and Your cause. We are humbled by the sacrifices so many of them have made. We ask You to forgive us in the American church for watering down, even abandoning, our commitment to You and Your cause. Forgive us for preaching watered-down messages, a human-centered gospel, and an absent-from-the-culture theology. We agree in intercession today that hearts in the church will be awakened. Passion for You and Your Kingdom will outweigh our devotion to self. Revival has begun, and millions will give their hearts to You; millions more will have their first love restored, and the church will rediscover her voice. You are worth our full devotion. Heal our broken nation. Lead us back to the old road of truth, integrity, righteousness, and common sense. Lead us back to servanthood, loving our neighbors, and the golden rule. Give us leaders who love and honor You and Your ways. Deliver us from evil rulers. We ask You for this in Christ’s name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that the purpose of God for America will not be lost - the recovery has begun! Portions of today’s devotional were taken from my book The Way Back . (9) Click on the link below to watch the full video. 1. Apted, Michael, director. Amazing Grace . Roadside Attractions, 2006. 2. Dyer, Steven G., Transforming a Nation: How England Turned Back to God in the Eighteenth   Century. Can it Happen in America?  Steven J. Dyer, 2010. p. 54.   3. “Mayflower Compact: 1620.” Avalon Project ,     https://avalon.law.yale.edu/17th_century/mayflower.asp . Accessed 16 July 2024. 4. Bennett, William J. Our sacred honor: Words of advice from the Founders in stories, letters,   poems, and speeches . Simon & Schuster, 1997. p. 40.   5. Ibid.   6. Ibid.   7. Ibid., p.64.   8. Ibid. 9. Sheets, Dutch. The Way Back: Break Out of the Status Quo and Find the Wild in You . Dutch Sheets Ministries, 2016. pp. 33-37.

“A People in Covenant with God” Why We Declare and Decree According to Psalm 110:1-3, Christ has given the Ekklesia His scepter of authority. Isaiah 22:22 references this authority as a key, as does Matthew 16:19. One of the ways we release this authority is through verbal commands. As we do so, Psalm 110 says we are making Christ’s enemies His footstool. The passage states that we do this as part of Christ’s “Melchizedek (King-Priest) Order,” of which all believers are members. As kings, we decree; as priests, we petition and appeal. When we decree God’s plans for America, we are releasing His purposes and cutting off satan’s plans; we are wielding the sword of the Spirit. We are also participating in the synergy of the ages, tapping into “history past” and writing “history future.” Here are some great quotes from America’s history to use, which you may not have seen: Peter Bulkeley Peter Bulkeley was the Puritan leader who established the city of Concord, Massachusetts, in 1636. In his only publication, The Gospel Covenant , also known as The Covenant of Grace Opened , Peter Bulkeley stated: “We are as a city set upon a hill, in the open view of all the earth... We profess ourselves to be a people in covenant with God, and therefore... the Lord our God…..will cry shame upon us if we walk contrary to the covenant which we have promised to walk in.” (1) Using Deuteronomy 28:10 and Isaiah 61:9 as his sources, Bulkeley continued: “Let us study so to walk that this may be our excellency and dignity among the nations of the world among which we live; that they may be constrained to say of us, only this people is wise, and a holy and blessed people; that all that see us may see and know that the name of the Lord is called upon by us; and that we are the seed which the Lord hath blessed. (2)   Laws America’s original laws and constitutions were based on the Scriptures. Here are a few examples: The Massachusetts General Court, in 1636, resolved to establish a code of laws that would be: “agreeable to the Word of God.” (3) The Connecticut General Court, in 1639, established under the Constitution of Connecticut, issued the order: “that God’s Word should be the only rule for ordering the affairs of government in this commonwealth.” (4) The Fundamental Orders (Constitution) of Connecticut (January 14, 1639) was the first constitution written in America, and established a pattern that all others followed, including the United States Constitution. (5)  So important was this work that Connecticut became known as “The Constitution State.” (6)  The committee responsible to frame the orders was charged to make the laws: “as near the law of God as they can be.” (7) Cotton Mather Cotton Mather was an American colonial clergyman and educator. He graduated from Harvard in 1678 and joined his father, Increase Mather, in the pastorate of the Second Church in Boston in 1680. He helped found Yale University and, in 1721, became President of the Connecticut College. He authored 450 books and was the first person born in America to be elected to the Royal Society of London. Cotton Mather was regarded as the most brilliant man of New England in his time. Among his many accomplishments was the introduction of the smallpox inoculation during an epidemic in 1721. In 1702, Cotton published Magnalia Christi Americana (The Great Achievement of Christ in America) , which is the most detailed history written of the first fifty years of New England. In it, he stated: “The sum of the matter is that from the beginning of the Reformation in the English nation, there had always been a generation of godly men, desirous to pursue the reformation of religion, according to the Word of God...[The Puritans were] driven to seek a place for the exercise of the Protestant religion, according to the light of conscience, in the deserts of America.” (8) Jonathon Trumbull Just one year and a couple of months before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, on April 19, 1775, in a Proclamation of a Day of Fasting and Prayer for the Connecticut Colony, Governor Jonathan Trumbull beseeched that: “God would graciously pour out His Holy Spirit on us to bring us to a thorough repentance and effectual reformation, that our iniquities may not be our ruin; that He would restore, preserve and secure the liberties of this and all the other British American colonies, and make the land a mountain of Holiness, and habitation of righteousness forever.” (9) Declaration of Independence And last but not least, the Declaration of Independence. The very last line leaves no doubt as to where our Founding Fathers placed their faith and gained their resolve: “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.” (10) Pray with me: Father, as we declare from America’s past, we do so to see her restored and realigned with Your divine purposes. As a great symphony of declarations and appeals rises to You, merge them with the early voices that declared Your plans and purposes. Use the decrees to shake down evil and reestablish righteousness in our land. From these quotes: We declare America “to be a people in covenant with God.” We declare that America is “a city on a hill” and that the light of truth will once again shine from our shores…in order that “all who see us may see and know that the name of the Lord is called upon by us; and that we are the seed which the Lord hath blessed.” We declare that America will have laws “agreeable to the Word of God…that His Word will be the only rule for ordering the affairs of our government.” We declare that “God will graciously pour out His Holy Spirit on America again to bring us to a thorough repentance and effectual reformation, in order that our iniquities may not be our ruin; that He will restore, preserve and secure the liberties of this nation, and make the land a mountain of Holiness, and habitation of righteousness forever.” We declare that “our support of the Declaration of Independence is with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence.” Now, Lord, we ask You to strengthen, bless, and lead intercessors throughout America. Remind them of their authority in Christ, the power of their words, and how incredibly noble is their cause. Remind them of the millions of souls coming into Your Kingdom because of their prayers. Encourage each intercessor regarding their worth and importance to You. We pray these things in Christ’s name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that Christ’s enemies are becoming His footstool. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Montesquieu, Baron Charles Louis Joseph de Secondat. 1748. Baron Charles Montesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws , 1748, Anne Cohler, trans. Cambridge University Press, 1989. p. 157. Ibid. Massachusetts, General Court of. 1636. Massachusetts Colonial Records, 1:174. Benjamin Fletcher Wright, Jr., American Interpretations of Natural Law . Russell & Russell, 1962. p. 33. John Eidsmoe, Christianity and the Constitution - The Faith of Our Founding Fathers . Baker Book House, A Mott Media Book, 1987, 6th printing 1993. p. 32. Connecticut, Fundamental Orders (Constitution) of. January 14, 1639. Old South Leaflets, No. 8. John Fiske, The Beginning of New England . Houghton, Mifflin & Co., 1889, 1898. P. 127-128. Ibid. Connecticut, Fundamentals Orders (Constitution) of. January 14, 1639. Old South Leaflets, No. 8. The World Book Encyclopedia, 18 vols.  Field Enterprises, Inc., 1957; W.F. Quarrie and Company, 8 vols., 1917; World Book, Inc., 22 vols., 1989. Vol. 3, p. 1675. Connecticut, Fundamental Orders (Constitution) of. January 14, 1639. John Wingate Thornton, The Pulpit of the American Revolution, 1860.  Reprinted: Burt Franklin, 1970. p. XIX. Mather, Cotton. 1702. Cotton Mather, Magnalia Christi Americana, (The Great Achievement of Christ in America), 2 vols . The Banner of Truth Trust, 1702, 1979. 1:26. Gary DeMar, America's Christian History: The Untold Story . American Vision Publishers, Inc., 1993. p. 47. Trumbull, Jonathan. April 19, 1775, as Governor of the Connecticut Colony proclaiming a day of fasting and prayer. Verna M. Hall, The Christian History of the American Revolution . Foundation for American Christian Education, 1976. p. 407. Peter Marshall and David Manuel, The Glory of America.  Garborg's Heart°N Home, Inc., 1991. 3.22. Marshall Foster and Mary-Elaine Swanson, The American Covenant - The Untold Story. Foundation for Christian Self-Government, 1981.  The Mayflower Institute, 1983, 1992. p. 120. “Declaration of Independence: A Transcription.” National Archives , https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript . Accessed 15 July 2024.

People of Passion “Be enthusiastic to serve the Lord, keeping your passion toward Him boiling hot! Radiate with the glow of the Holy Spirit and let Him fill you with excitement as you serve Him.” (Romans 12:11 TPT) God loves wholeheartedness. Divided and lukewarm hearts, on the other hand, nauseate Him (see Revelation 3:15-16). He refuses to tolerate indifference. Yahweh epitomizes passion and offers to share His passionate heart with us. If we are going to turn America back to Him, we must be a people of passion . King David was a man of passion. When listening to Goliath mock the Lord, David quickly reached his threshold. “Who is this guy to curse the living God in the name of his false gods?” David asked. Then he asked the poignant and loaded question, “Is there not a cause?”  (1 Samuel 17:29 KJV).  Through this rhetorical question, David declared, The ramifications of this threat are bigger than just our nation, Israel; they’re more important than our land and even our lives. God’s reputation is at stake!  Perhaps this is why David actually ran   to face the 9½-foot-tall giant. Death was possible, yes, but David’s passion for God was stronger than his fear of death. God is raising up Davids in our day who will run to face today’s spiritual giants – the forces of evil opposing Him and His purposes. They are willing to lay their lives down for His cause. I believe passionate warriors such as this are on the increase. Though they will never be in the majority, there will be enough. God will empower them, just as He did David, and they will prevail. David refused to outgrow his youthful passion. Years later, he was still passionate about God. As the Ark of God’s presence (abandoned and ignored during Saul’s reign) was being brought to Jerusalem, David threw off his kingly robes, laid aside his royal pomp and dignity, and danced wildly (see 2 Samuel 6:14; 1 Chronicles 15:29). He was celebrating the fact that God’s presence was coming home where it belonged. I love it!  David’s wife Michal, however – like her father, Saul – was not a worshiper and certainly wasn’t passionate about God; she liked neither David’s passion nor his humility. Michal actually mocked his zeal and lack of dignity. Incidentally, dignity over passion is still quite appropriate in most worship services. What was David’s response to Michal? You haven’t seen anything yet ! He stated, “I will be much more undignified than this!” (2 Samuel 6:21-22).  Passion for Christ must outweigh our pride and overcome our dignity. He and His cause must outweigh love of self. And by the way, God’s response to Michal’s spiritual indifference and disdain for David’s passion was much stronger than David’s. The Lord sentenced her to barrenness – not wanting her nature passed on. That’s pretty serious. Assuredly, God loves passion and loathes apathetic indifference. A Prisoner of Love The Apostle Paul demonstrated great passion. “ The love of Christ controls us, ” he said, in describing his commitment to the cause of Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5:14). “Controls” (Greek: sunecho ) is a word actually meaning “to be a prisoner.” (1)  God’s passionate love had possessed Paul to the point that its hold was inescapable. Bound by love, Paul faced hunger, thirst, numerous beatings, imprisonment, and much more in his quest to preach the gospel. The need for pleasure and comfort didn’t control him; passion for Christ’s cause had enslaved him. The Founders of America had extreme passion and were willing to die for the cause of freedom. “Give me liberty or give me death” was more than a slick campaign speech. When Patrick Henry made this now-famous statement, he was unequivocally stating, “I am willing to die for this cause.” Look up his entire speech, and you’ll see his unwavering passion for God and this nation. Passionate Until Death! I have mentioned John Adams at other times, but it is appropriate to include him here, as well. Adams was such a passionate pioneer of liberty that Thomas Jefferson referred to him as a “colossus of independence.“ (2)  Though the two of them didn’t always see eye-to-eye, their passion for America enabled them to put aside their differences, and they died as close friends - on the same day - Independence Day! Most people aren’t aware that both Adams and Jefferson died on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1826! (3)  Incredibly, it was as though both men willed themselves to live until that landmark day. Their passion to see the survival of this “holy experiment,” as many described America at that time, kept them alive until this milestone was reached. Adams, too weak to attend the national Fourth of July celebration, asked to be sat in a chair by his window in order to observe the festivities. While there, he drifted into unconsciousness and died later that night. Two of Adams’s last words before he graduated to heaven: “Independence forever.” (4) Passionate in life; passionate in death. Adams and our other Founders were God-honoring pioneer-patriots with the steel of mind and heart to face perhaps the greatest empire in all of history. Like David, they asked the profound question, “Is there not a cause?” And they answered it with their lives. We must ask the same question today. Is Christ’s purpose for America – preaching the gospel to all the earth – important enough to live and die for? There are now millions of young people in the United States who have had their opportunity to know Christ stolen by ungodly educators, liberal politicians, legislating judges, and lukewarm preachers. Are not these young people worth our prayers and passion? How many more of them must die in gangs, school shootings, suicides, overdoses, drunken car accidents, and sex trafficking before the church of America has the courage and passion to stand up and shout, “ENOUGH!” How many more babies must be murdered in the womb of their mothers? How many more children will be raised in fatherless homes? When will enough be enough? Many are familiar with the movie Braveheart . At the end of this stirring film, the great warrior, William Wallace, is being tortured to death. He is offered mercy, however, if he will renounce his quest for freedom from England’s tyranny. Wallace’s answer to their offer was a thunderous roar that rang from the depths of his passionate, warrior heart: “FREEDOM!!!” Wallace’s passion and commitment, even in death, inspired a nation to fight and gain their freedom. Like him, I hope my shout is still heard when my mouth is silenced by the grave. And I, too, would like it to provoke passion and action. Ask God for passion! Pray with me: Father, with passionate hearts, we cry out for revival. With passionate hearts we cry out for a presence movement to sweep the earth. With passionate hearts we ask You for the greatest harvest ever – by far – of people coming out of death into life. With passionate hearts, we ask You to set captives free, open prison doors, and heal the brokenhearted. With passionate hearts, we declare that America shall be saved, the earth will hear the gospel of the Kingdom, and the knowledge of the glory of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea!  And Father, we ask for a de-escalation of the war between Ukraine and Russia, especially with Ukraine firing U.S.-made long-range missiles into Russia. As the rhetoric intensifies, mentioning nuclear war and WW3, we ask for Your supernatural intervention to stop this. Bring peace to that region and to the Middle East.  And finally, we ask for wisdom to our President-Elect Trump and his team as they prepare for the future. All of this we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen Our decree: With passionate hearts, we declare that the “burning ones,” those with hearts aflame, are arising on the earth. Click on the link below to watch the full video. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990. ref. no. 4912. John Adams is born | October 30, 1735 | HISTORY , 16 November 2009, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/john-adams-is-born . Accessed 16 July 2024.  Ibid. Erekson, Ole. “Signers of the Declaration of Independence: John Adams.” USHistory.org , https://www.ushistory.org/declaration/signers/adams_j.html#google_vignette . Accessed 16 July 2024.

Unfulfilled Promises   Periodically, I like to mention quotes from America’s Founders and Framers. Declaring statements made in the past by God—and those made by others at His inspiration—does more than just honor Him and our predecessors. It releases God’s power from yesterday’s words and promises into today.  The last two verses of Hebrews 11 shed light on this.  “And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made complete” (Hebrews 11:39-40). Some promises made by God to people are multi-generational and not intended to be fully accomplished in their lifetimes . Those to whom the promise was made are sometimes only the “womb” in which the “seed” is planted. The succeeding  generation(s) furthers the growth, brings the seed to birth, and stewards that which is born.  The Greek word translated as “complete” ( teleioo ) (1) in the above verse, Hebrews 11:40, also means “to finish; to mature; to reach the intended goal.” (2)  Think about the ramifications of this: there are many promises God has made to individuals who are now in heaven that He cannot “finish” or fulfill without us. What He started through them cannot “mature” or “reach its intended goal” until we grab the baton and run our leg of the race. This is profound in its significance. Why  wouldn’t  the Lord want us to know and declare America’s destiny – that which was written and declared at the beginning? He can’t finish it without us. Here are just a few statements and facts from America’s past we should agree with and declare: Government In 1643, John Winthrop, who stated that “we shall be as a city on a hill…” organized the New England Confederation, consisting of New Plymouth, New Haven, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Their Constitution, the first  document in America where colonies united themselves, read,  “Whereas we all came to these parts of America with one and the same end and aim, namely, to advance the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, ...for preserving and propagating the truth and liberties of the Gospel.” (3) William Penn, author of the book No Cross, No Crown , which he wrote while imprisoned in the Tower of London, was the founder of Pennsylvania. His first legislative act, “The Great Law of Penn,” stated,  “Whereas the glory of Almighty God and the good of mankind is the reason and the end of government, and government itself is a venerable ordinance of God...let there be established laws as shall best preserve true Christian and Civil liberty, in opposition to all unchristian, licentious, and unjust practices, whereby God can have His due.” (4) Penn asked God to make Pennsylvania “the seed of a nation,” (5) and God answered his prayer. Our Declaration of Independence was decreed there in 1776. Four times, the document references God: as our Lawmaker, Creator, Judge, and Protector. The Liberty Bell that rang in Philadelphia that day had inscribed on it: Proclaim liberty throughout the land to all the inhabitants thereof  (Leviticus 25:10). Our Constitution was written in Pennsylvania in 1787, born through prayer, which was requested by Ben Franklin. In this Constitution, our government’s three branches were formed according to Isaiah 33:22. “The Lord is our Judge…Lawgiver…King; He will save us.” The righteous seeds Penn and others planted produced a righteous nation and government. We must command these truths embedded in America’s fabric to come alive once more.  Education One hundred six of America’s first 108 colleges and universities were founded on the Christian faith. Students at Harvard and Yale were required to read the Scriptures twice daily. Harvard’s founders stated: “All knowledge without Christ is vain.” Its motto was “For Christ and The Church.” Yale’s founders stated that “Every student shall consider the main end of his study is to know God in Jesus Christ.” Princeton’s motto was “Under God’s Power She Flourishes.” The first president of Princeton, Jonathan Dickenson, said, “Cursed be all learning that is contrary to the Cross of Christ.” The great pastor and revivalist, Jonathan Edwards, was the 3rd president of Princeton. (6) Noah Webster, who published the first American Dictionary of the English Language  in 1828 said, “Education is useless without the Bible.” (7)  “The moral principles and precepts contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws. (8)  Webster also said, “The principles of genuine liberty, and of wise laws and administrations, are to be drawn from the Bible and sustained by its authority.” (9)  Profound!  What God began in America is not “finished”; it hasn’t “reached its intended goal.” He needs our agreement and commands in order to complete it. Use these and other facts regarding her founding, find more through research and study, and declare them. When you do, this will generate power. Pray with me: Father, You are the great Olam El , the Everlasting God, who declares the end from the beginning. When our forefathers were stating their faith in You, declaring Your plans and heart for America, and covenanting to partner with You in fulfilling them, You looked ahead and saw us. You knew You would have a people in this hour who would arise in faith and agree with what was declared back then. We are that people. As we do so, our faith is not in our ability to declare and command perfectly. It is not in our wisdom, understanding, or abilities. Our faith is in YOU, YOUR mercy offered through Christ, and YOUR ability to work all things after the counsel of YOUR will. With this faith, we command Your purposes into our government, established under You and Your Word. We declare that You are our Lawgiver, Judge, and King. We declare that the seeds of righteousness planted in our land are not dead; they will bring forth righteous fruit. And we declare that the weeds and thorns will be uprooted and destroyed. We declare over our education system that evil and perversion will be uprooted. We declare that Christ and His Word will once again be honored. We declare that all knowledge not rooted in Him is vain, and cursed be all learning that contradicts the Cross of Christ. We declare that to know Him is the highest goal of all learning. We command a return to truth and a rejection of deception. We pray and command all these things in Yeshua’s holy name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that we embrace our God-given roots and destiny, thereby allowing God to finish through us what He started in America. Click on the link below to watch the full video. ______________________________ James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990. ref. no. 5046. Ibid, ref. no. 5046. “The Articles of Confederation of the United Colonies of New England; May 19, 1643.” Avalon Project , https://avalon.law.yale.edu/17th_century/art1613.asp . Accessed 15 July 2024. William J. Federer, America’s God and Country [Encyclopedia Of Quotations] . FAME Publishing, Inc., 1994. p. 503. Leo Godzich, Faith of Our Founding Fathers. The National Association of Marriage Enhancement Publishers, 1982. p. 78. Ibid, pp. 105-111. William J. Federer, America’s God and Country [Encyclopedia Of Quotations] . FAME Publishing, Inc., 1994. p. 676. Ibid, p. 678. Ibid, p. 679.

The Highest Glory of the American Revolution    This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Joshua 1:8 Today, I want to share several powerful quotes from America’s history; these statements were made by U.S. presidents. Though not all of these presidents were Founding Fathers, their words carry great authority. They also serve to combat the lies of revisionists who try to diminish our Christian roots and heritage. Truth is a powerful weapon. Here are a few statements - from hundreds of possibilities - stating faith in God, respect for His Word, and honor for Christ: “It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.” George Washington   “The propitious smiles of heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which heaven itself has ordained.” George Washington “We recognize no sovereign but God, and no king but Jesus!” John Adams “I consider a decent respect for Christianity among the best recommendations for public service.” John Adams “The reason that Christianity is the best friend of government is because Christianity is the only religion that changes the heart.” Thomas Jefferson “The Bible is the first and almost the only book deserving of universal attention.” John Quincy Adams “My custom is to read four or five chapters of the Bible every morning immediately after rising. It seems to me the most suitable manner of beginning the day. It is an invaluable and inexhaustible mine of knowledge and virtue.” John Quincy Adams “The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.” John Quincy Adams “We have staked the whole future of American civilization not on the power of government, far from it. We have staked the whole of our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves according to the commandments of God. The future and success of America are not in this Constitution, but in the laws of God upon which this Constitution is founded.” James Madison “We have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand, which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.” Abraham Lincoln “I am profitably engaged in reading the Bible. Take all of this Book upon reason that you can, and the balance by faith, and you will live and die a better man.” Abraham Lincoln “All must admit that the reception of the teachings of Christ results in the purest patriotism, in the most scrupulous fidelity to public trust, and in the best type of citizenship.” Grover Cleveland “And to the Divine Author of every good and perfect gift, we are indebted for all those privileges and advantages, religious as well as civil, which are so richly enjoyed in this favored land.” James Monroe “A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education.” Theodore Roosevelt “The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country.” Calvin Coolidge “The study of the Bible is a postgraduate course in the richest library of human experience.” Herbert Hoover “The rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God.” John F. Kennedy “Of the many influences that have shaped the United States into a distinctive nation and people, none may be said to be more fundamental and enduring than the Bible.” Ronald Reagan “If we ever forget that we are one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.” Ronald Reagan   As we offer up priestly prayers and release kingly decrees, using these and other portions of America’s history, we do so with a conscious faith that God is hearing our appeals, and the sword we release is powerful. As many thousands of us obey Him, agreeing together in Christ’s name, we are releasing His Kingdom will into the earth. And His Kingdom wins - always. Our Prayer and Decree: Father, You have taught us the power of “the synergy of the ages.” We know that You finish through future generations that which You began in the past. It is our privilege to honor those in history and build on the foundations You established through them. We are reminded that the words “patriot” and “patriotism” come from the Greek word for father/s ( pater ) (1) . We desire to be true patriots, honoring and embracing the vision, work, and efforts of our Founders. Therefore, we make the following decrees today from the words they wrote: We decree that it is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible. We decree that we recognize no sovereign but God, and no King but Jesus. We decree that the future and success of America are not found in our laws or Constitution, but in the laws of God, upon which the Constitution was founded. We decree that we will not forget God and His gracious hand, which has preserved us in peace, multiplied us, and enriched us bountifully. We decree that the reception of the teachings of Christ results in the purest patriotism, the most scrupulous fidelity to public trust, and the best type of citizenship. We decree that knowledge of the Bible is worth more than all other education and training. We decree that we will never forget we are one nation UNDER GOD. And we decree that life is in the power of these words and that we will eat the fruit thereof (Proverbs 18:21). America shall be saved! A note from Dutch:  Three of the best books for quotes from America’s early leaders and Founders, as well as information regarding America’s beginning, are: America’s God and Country: Encyclopedia of Quotations  by William J. Federer  Faith of Our Founding Fathers  by Leo Godzich The Light and the Glory  by Peter Marshall and David Manuel (out of print, but copies can be found in libraries and some bookstores) Click on the link below to watch the full video. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990. ref. no. 3962.

Today is my brother Tim’s birthday. The world is a far better place because the Creator blessed us with this man. So often, we are encouraged and equipped by the words Holy Spirit releases through him. I am sharing another one today as we celebrate Tim’s birthday. Today’s title is: _____________________________________________________________ Surrendering Nothing America’s recent election has been called “historic” numerous times. When something significant happens in the natural realm, one must also pay attention to what is concurrently taking place spiritually. A shift has taken place, resulting in an open heaven over our nation, and causing a different anointing to flow from Holy Spirit. He is anointing new assignments. The possibility of great turnarounds is before us and must be stewarded by Ekklesia. We must continue to be watchmen on the wall, offering up wise prayers to implement the right changes. When I asked the Lord what the next step for the Ekklesia should be, He said, “It is now time for My Ekklesia to embrace and live in a higher authority mindset, one that stewards wisely the principles I have revealed.” A Kingdom mindset declares seemingly impossible changes that overcome hell’s strategies. We have been anointed to steward this season and finish well. We should be pleased and joyful, while also remaining vigilant. We must maintain a mentality that reflects great authority and despises complacency. We cannot let down our guard but instead, use the dominating force of the Kingdom of Heaven to overcome. Understand that those whose hearts are evil will continue to reveal their evilness. They must now face a church with a different mindset, one that functions in bold Kingdom authority. An Ekklesia that will not back down. We have been anointed to prevail, and we will do so for our King. The Lord has told us we will be in a war season through next spring and that an agitated spirit realm will stir violence in the natural realm. However, He also said not to be shaken. Followers of Baal are now screaming, shouting, and gnashing their teeth, desperate for their antichrist agenda to work.  Thank God for the authority we have been given. While a new administration in our government is essential, only God can bring the reformation we need, and He uses an engaged remnant of the Ekklesia to accomplish His purposes. This election has revealed a growing Ekklesia that is active, a body of believers who will pray God’s will into the national changes being made. We must continue to do so. The Lord spoke the following words to me after the election:  “The trumpets of war have sounded from Heaven. Arise Ekklesia; rise in your authority. You will find it more than enough. Rise and confront the forever loser with My words. As you do, he will flee from you, so rise and confront his dark kingdom. For the Lord declares the prevailing anointing now flowing will activate an attitude of heroes of faith.” Tim shares: The phrase “attitude of heroes of faith”  caught my attention. An attitude means a settled way of thinking that is reflected in behavior; a mental state, or character that is demonstrated. It is also an aviation term related to a plane’s position and angle, enabling it to maintain stability. The word continues: “So arise, Ekklesia, as Holy Spirit anoints your behavior and disposition to represent Me in disciplined power. Holy Spirit is anointing the true church to behave differently and walk in new directions. Paths walked in authority towards hell’s advances in government or in culture are similar to the attitudes of My heroes of faith. New paths into harvest fields are also being prepared in order to reap a worldwide harvest. A billion soul harvest will be reaped, just as heroes of past reformations and revivals reaped the harvests of their day.  “Arise, Ekklesia, as Holy Spirit shapes your disposition to reign with Me in great authority and reap My greatest harvest. For the anointing now being poured from Heaven will shift attitudes, actions, and mindsets, creating heroes of faith who work for My cause. Holy Spirit’s presence and anointings will affect the Ekklesia’s very disposition. This will be clearly seen, bringing fear into demonic strongholds.  “For now, the intimidating Ekklesia will rise against hell in My breaker anointing, and My compassion will rise toward My harvest. A different behavior will be seen in My remnant warriors, attitudes and mindsets that reflect My power. They will not be intimidated. Rather, the weight of glory resting upon them will make them intimidators of hell’s kingdom. For My glory intimidates hell, says the Lord, and My glory will intimidate hell through this presence upon My Ekklesia. They will behave as those carrying a great weight of My glory and authority. “Ekklesia, behave as sons and daughters. Behave as joint heirs with Me. The Lord says the world will now see the paths of My Ekklesia extending into all of the earth. The direction she travels will show an aggressive resistance to hell’s advances in government and cultures. The Ekklesia will now be presented as anointed for spiritual war, for battle, to reign, and to bring change. They’ll be anointed to work for My harvest, to reap the lost. I am anointing My Ekklesia with a determined attitude to prevail and win, just as I did Gideon’s 300 and David’s mighty men.  “Shift now into a prevailing mentality, prevailing behavior. A determined anointing to win will now fill My remnant. They will not surrender My Kingdom to the governments of man, but will influence the governments of man with My ways. They will not surrender the spiritual weapons I’ve given them, but will use them. They will not hesitate at demonic clamer and activity. They will not relinquish their authority, their swords, or their spears. The sword of My word will swing from their mouths, empowered to demolish strongholds, scattering and shattering enemy plans. The sword of My word swung by My Ekklesia’s decrees will be a disruptive force, confusing the plans of demonic powers. It will disrupt the followers of Baal, causing disarray from coast to coast.  “For you will see, even this month, says the Lord, and in the months to come, the acceleration of disarray. Confusion and bewilderment will mystify those committed to dark agendas. They will wear the yoke of their own confusion, reap their own destructive plans, and wander their paths of disillusion.  “My Ekklesia will rise, and their attitude will reveal their trust in Me. They will surrender nothing. They will not take orders from kings, potentates, governors, congressmen or women, senators, prime ministers, mayors, city councils, school boards, professors, or woke mobs. My Ekklesia listens to Holy Spirit. Their orders come from Lord Sabaoth. They are those who stand for My cause without compromise. An anointing to prevail will produce great victories.”   Let’s finish the race and reset this nation with the spiritual authority we’ve been given. Pray with me:   Father, thank You for the gifts and anointing You have placed on Tim’s life. We honor him for his devotion to You, his character, humility, and unyielding commitment to Your cause. Give us more like him, and bless him today! And we thank You for this word. Bring the tenacious attitude You spoke of, an attitude exemplified by past heroes of faith. Continue to increase the determination of the Ekklesia, even as You increase our authority and faith. Give us backbones of steel. We also ask for greater sensitivity to Your voice and higher levels of wisdom. Lead us in these new paths You spoke of, paths leading to great change and harvest.  We continue to pray for our government leaders. Give them wisdom, character, and the hearts of reformers. Send a true revival to Washington D.C. We ask this for other nations, as well. We agree with their prayers for this, even as I know many of them agree with us. We’re asking for this billion soul harvest You spoke of.  We ask all of this in Jesus’ name. Amen.  Our decree:   We declare that the Ekklesia has been anointed to prevail, and we will accomplish our King’s purpose, surrendering nothing. Today’s post was contributed by my brother, Tim. You can learn more about him at   TimSheets.org . Click on the link below to watch the full video.

The Never-Late God The election among Republican Senators for Majority Leader was held yesterday, and the person I wanted to see in that position, Rick Scott, did not win. However, many prayed regarding this decision; therefore, we trust the Lord to do what is needed through Senator John Thune.  President-elect Trump has released several statements regarding his plans once elected. I found it very interesting, in light of yesterday’s post , that the GOP platform in this election was subtitled: A Return To Common Sense. Including the subtitle, the GOP platform used the words “Common Sense” seven times.  In one of the dreams I shared yesterday,  I referenced the writings of Thomas Paine, which included an influential pamphlet titled “Common Sense.” This booklet helped persuade the colonists to fight for their independence from Britain. “It was sold and distributed widely and read aloud at taverns and meeting places. In proportion to the population of the colonies at that time (2.5 million), it had the largest sale and circulation of any book published in American history. (1) As of 2006, it remains the all-time best-selling American title and is still in print today.” (2) In the dream, Paine threw me a football that had the word “Triumph” on it and contained a key that also had this word inscribed on it. The connection between Paine’s “Common Sense” and the common sense  Trump promoted in order to triumph is undeniable. If you have not done so, I encourage you to take a look at yesterday’s post . Here is another statement Trump released, a plan to dismantle the Deep State: “Immediately reissue my 2020 executive order, restoring the President’s authority to remove rogue bureaucrats. “Clean out all of the corrupt actors in our national security and intelligence apparatus. “Totally reform FISA courts, which are so corrupt that the judges seemingly do not care when they’re lied to in warrant applications. “Expose the hoaxes and abuses of power that have been tearing our country apart. “Launch a major crackdown on government leakers who collude with the fake news to release false narratives and to subvert our government and our democracy. “Make every Inspector General’s office independent and physically separated from the departments they oversee so they do not become the protectors of the deep state. “Ask Congress to establish an independent auditing system to continually monitor our intelligence agencies to ensure they are not spying on our citizens or running disinformation campaigns against the American people, or that they are not spying on someone’s campaign like they spied on my campaign. “Continue the effort launched by the Trump administration to move parts of the sprawling federal bureaucracy to new locations outside the Washington swamp. “Work to ban federal bureaucrats from taking jobs at the companies they deal with and that they regulate. “Push a constitutional amendment to impose term limits on members of Congress.” (3) These common-sense steps would go a long way to cleaning up Washington, but they will be difficult to attain. Prayer will be needed. I remind us all today that our nation was born under the banner of a prayer movement: Appeal To Heaven. I have often said, “It was prayer that birthed America, and it will be prayer that rebirths her.” This is why God brought the ATH flag out of hiding a few years ago. It is also why the woke left, including woke preachers and authors, don’t like the flag, calling it a symbol of insurrection. They can take up their complaints with George Washington, the flag’s initiator, and God, whom it references.  Keep appealing, Ekklesia, to the “never late” God! Pray with me: Father, we are appealing to You to help incoming President Trump, his Cabinet, Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Thune, and all who work with them as they attempt to clean up our government. It has become a bureaucratic cesspool. We ask You to oversee the process, including the removal of those in the way. Cleanse and restore. Give us humble, servant-hearted, patriotic leaders who honor You.  We are very certain that plans are being formulated to oppose this process. We ask You to aggressively expose and stop these plans. Rise up and scatter Your enemies (Psalm 68:1). Shatter the works of darkness (Psalm 2:9). We command Your will to be done, as You instructed us to do in Matthew 6:10, and we bind opposing spirits and their strategies.  We continue to ask for Your protection over our government leaders. Also, expose and thwart terrorist plans. We ask You to destroy terrorist organizations and their plans. End the influence of principalities behind terrorism in the Middle East and here in America.  And finally, You told us to ask for spiritual rain when we discern it is time for it (Zechariah 10:1). We know it is time, and we are asking. Let it rain!!! We ask for all of this in the name of He who has ALL authority, Jesus. Amen.  Our decree:  We decree that appealing to the God of heaven worked during America’s founding, and it still works today. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Conway, Moncure Daniel  (1893), The Life of Thomas Paine  (See Ch. VI.) Kaye, Harvey J.  (2005), Thomas Paine and the Promise of America , New York: Hill and Wang, ISBN   0-8090-9344-8 https://www.donaldjtrump.com/agenda47/agenda47-president-trumps-plan-to-dismantle-the-deep-state-and-return-power-to-the-american-people

Introduction   David Kubal, my friend who leads Intercessors For America , wrote an outstanding article summarizing what is needed with our current prayer efforts. David’s boots-on-the-ground perspective, as well as his many solid contacts, give him wise and informed insights for us. We cannot recommend the ministry of IFA strongly enough. David titled his article: ______________________________________________________________ Election 2024: What Just Happened?   Beginning with a prayer: Lord God, we thank You for the victory of conservative and godly values in this election. We pray that this would not be a flash-in-the-pan victory, but rather the beginning of a new biblical era for America.   After capturing our minds and prayers for months, the 2024 elections are finally over. The people have spoken, the process our Founding Fathers put in place worked as it should have, and the results represent a massive shift in the direction of our country.   President Trump has won the popular vote and the Electoral College. The Senate has switched from Democratic to Republican control, and it appears the Republican leadership will retain control of the House.   What does all this mean?   Some are calling this win a Referendum, some a Mandate. Regardless of your label, the American people have spoken: the nation was going in the wrong direction.   I believe the Lord is instructing the intercessory community to pray for two things: foundations and justice.   Foundations We need to pray for the basic foundations of how our government operates. Cutting our government waste could save our nation trillions of dollars per year — dollars that are currently being wasted through the ineffectiveness of employees and the virtual impossibility of firing those ineffective employees. The rooting out of employees committed to a progressive agenda is an absolute must! The new Trump administration will begin appointing 4,600 individuals responsible for leading 2+ million career employees. MUCH PRAYER AND INTERCESSION ARE NEEDED ON THIS!   House Speaker Johnson will be working very closely with the Trump administration to put forth an effective legislative agenda for the first 100 days. The process of electing the Senate Majority Leader must now occur. The name that continues to surface is Senator Steve Daines (MT), who started the first Pro-Life Caucus in the Senate. Senators John Thune (SD), John Cornyn (TX), and Rick Scott (FL) are other possibilities.   Justice We must also pray for justice. Over the last four years, the House of Representatives has completed many investigations (many led by Rep. Jim Jordan (OH)), and committees have made many criminal referrals that the Justice Department never took up. The United States Attorney General is a CRITICAL position for President Trump to fill. The appointment of federal judges is critical (45 current openings), and this could include Supreme Court Justices.   Concerning the moral issues on the ballots across America: On the issue of abortion, one of the greatest disappointments of the last few years was the Left’s ability to pass laws allowing abortions to continue. This happened again in multiple states (AZ, CO, MA, MO, NV, NY, and MT). However, FL, NE, and SD rejected the measure to a Constitutional amendment to abort, and Nebraska passed a ban after the first trimester. This trend continues to break the heart of our Lord. The deceptions that abortion is somehow a right and that a baby is not alive until some arbitrary point of viability continues. Multiple state ballot measures to ensure only U.S. citizens can vote passed overwhelmingly, clearly expressing concerns over the open border (ID, IA, KY, MO, NC, OH, OK, SC, WI). Along these lines, NV voted to require voter ID. Open borders are clearly viewed as a threat to our republic. The legalization of marijuana overwhelmingly failed in all three states (FL, SD, ND). Some may recall the miraculous story of CA Prop 8, which defined marriage as one man and one woman. This has been state law since 2008. However, this Proposition was overwhelmingly repealed yesterday, broadening their definition of marriage.   International Issues Now, taking a look outside the US, there will be tremendous pressure on President Trump to solve the international crises: the war in Ukraine, Israel, etc. Multiple proxy wars could quickly escalate into larger conflicts. The war in Ukraine is becoming increasingly complicated. North Korea has sent troops to fight alongside Russian troops. South Korea is considering sending troops to fight alongside Ukrainian troops. President Trump has said this war is not America’s war, but the addition of North Korea to the scenario creates a potential for intervention.   The attack on Israel by Iranian proxies fluctuates between huge Israeli victories and saber-rattling by the Iranians. Iran knows the previous Trump Administration shut down their ability to fight a war, so the coming months will be critical to watch for a move before he takes office. We can expect much instability internationally for the next few months before Inauguration Day.   We must pray and intercede that the Lord not only gives us a reprieve but a reset. Our nation has been marching to the progressive beat, leading us toward Marxism. The American people have recognized the evil that comes with the mindset of an ever-evolving culture. We must pray for a reset to traditional, biblical values and a government that has true justice as its foundation.   Pray with me:   Father, the next year will determine the course of America for decades. There are only three short months for Trump, his team, and key members of Congress to prepare so as to hit the ground running. Please give wisdom as positions are filled and agendas set.    Then, the first nine months of his term “to root out, tear down, destroy, and overthrow” (Jeremiah 1:10) and set a new course on which “to build and plant.” We know this will be opposed vehemently. We ask for supernatural intervention, just as You gave Jeremiah. Expose people and agendas that displease You, weaken and stop their efforts. Bring sanity, cleansing, morality, and godliness to D.C. Put the right people in place, and give them favor and success.    Give Trump great wisdom as he addresses international concerns. Dispatch angels to take action! Bring healthy alliances and destroy evil coalitions.  And please protect President Trump and his team. We know some people desire, and I believe, are planning to take him out. Please stop this. We partner with You by binding the plans and efforts to do so. We declare exposure, exposure exposure. Past protection does not guarantee present and future protection. We must procure it daily. In Psalm 91:1, You told us to  “abide”  in the secret place of protection, a word which we know means primarily to “spend the night.” We must ask and believe for Your daily “secret place” protection. We do so now.    All of this we pray in Yeshua’s name. Amen.   Our decree:   We decree that righteous foundations are being laid in America, and justice is being established. You can find out more about David Kubal and Intercessors for America at IFAPray.org . The article is used with permission. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Be Encouraged and KEEP PRAYING It is sometimes difficult to discern the timing represented in dreams; at times, they actually have dual timings — when they’re given and later on. Several significant dreams were given to friends of ours leading up to the 2020 Elections, some of which were obviously for then, and others were for now. Here are two of those dreams  – which are related to one another – given to our friend Gina Gholston: “In a dream given on July 17, 2020, I saw Dutch Sheets running up a very high hill, a small mountain. He was running like a football wide receiver, with his arms stretched out to catch a football that had been thrown to him. The football had been thrown beyond where Dutch was in order to ‘lead’ him ahead, and also so he could catch the pass while continuing to run.   “Dutch was running very fast up this hillside to catch the pass. I somehow knew in the dream that the one throwing the football was Thomas Paine, doing so from another hillside.  “(Thomas Paine was an author in the days of America’s founding. He wrote a 47-page pamphlet titled Common Sense, which was very influential in helping persuade the colonists of their need for independence from Britain, and in rallying support for the approval of the Declaration of Independence.) “Though Dutch was running up the hillside to catch the football thrown to him from Paine, he had made it to the top of this very high hill before he caught it.  Once he caught the football, Dutch turned to look at Thomas Paine on the other hillside, then to his right, where a city was located just up the valley, between these two hillsides. Beyond the city was a river that ran down into the city. Dutch knew the football contained something that was to be released into the city. He was to place it in the river, where it would float downstream, and at the exact right time, its contents would be released into the city.   “So, Dutch made his way to the headwaters of that river and placed the football into it. Written in silver letters on the football was the word ‘Triumph.’ As it moved down the river, Dutch was looking toward the city, and I realized it was actually Washington, DC. “That was the end of the dream.”  Here is the second dream: “November 11, 2020, I dreamed that I was walking beside the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. Looking to my right, I saw something floating down a river. I watched as it came closer to where I was, and suddenly, it hit a rock with such force that something went airborne from it. The object flew over my head and landed on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. I walked over to see what it was, and saw that it was an old, silver skeleton key. Written on the key was the word ‘Triumph.’ “As I stood looking at it, the key lit up. When it did, my cell phone notified me that I had received a text message. The text read, ‘I Am NOT late!’ Then, suddenly, there was a brilliant light that engulfed everything, and the whole scene changed.  “I found myself standing on the steps of the US Capitol with a large group of people. I looked down beside me, and on the steps was the same silver key that had come from the river. Underneath the key was a piece of paper, the original copy of an essay I had written thirty-four years ago (1986)! “(A side note: In my junior year of high school, I wrote an essay, which my English teacher entered in a contest run by the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority). Their theme was ‘When Electricity Came to Rural America.’ I interviewed my Grandpa, who was born in 1906, who told me all about the difference having electricity had made for him, his family, and our nation. For my essay, I told his story, which was selected as a winner in the contest. The prize was an all-expense paid trip to Washington D.C.) “Back to the Dream: The silver ‘Triumph’ key was laying on top of that essay, written in 1986. I picked up the essay and read it, crying happy tears as I reminisced. Then it started to snow, and there was a very tangible peace that blanketed the atmosphere - like walking outside on a brightly lit snowy night.  “Then suddenly, the key lit up again, and my phone alerted me that I had received another text. The text read the same as the first one, but this time in all capital letters, ‘I AM NOT LATE!’ “When I awakened from the dream, my first thought was, ‘Of course! It was a key inside the football!!! A key to unlock the “Triumph” God has declared over our nation!’” The primary meanings of the dreams are obvious. God is not late, and He will cause us to triumph. The changes President Trump will help create were not able to begin in 2020, as we had expected. In God’s wisdom, He waited until now, after further exposing the Left, and further preparing Trump and others – both those on his team and in other positions. Other symbolic meanings in the dream are: Paine represents America’s founding, and perhaps even the “common sense” leadership of Trump; the Lincoln Memorial pictures liberty or freedom. (In 1986, when Gina wrote her paper, the Statue of Liberty reopened during “Liberty Weekend,” July 4-7. Also that year, Trump was one of several individuals honored with the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.)  The river would be the Potomac, known as the “Nation’s River.”  The key represents the authority Christ gave the church (Isaiah 22:22; Matthew 16:18-19), with which to carry out His will.  The large crowd on the Capitol steps where the “Triumph” key showed up again, and the second text came through reading, “I AM NOT LATE!” may just be Trump’s second inauguration!  I wanted to encourage you today with these dreams. I also remind you once again to persevere in prayer for Trump as he chooses the team with which he will work, for the incredibly important decisions being made by the House and Senate, and for the continuing vote counts. Let’s not let up in our praying. Pray with me: Father, we thank You for these two dreams. They remind us of Your perfect timing. You are the Eternal One, the Creator of time, yet You are not controlled by it. For You, a day is as 1000 years, and 1000 years as a day (2 Peter 3:8). As the I AM, You see the past, present, and future all at once and declare the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10).  They also remind us that You always win. Also, You cause us to always triumph in Christ when we honor and obey You (2 Corinthians 2:14). We thank You for what has occurred in these elections, even while realizing they are not an end in themselves. They’re simply part of what You are doing to restore America to Your plans and purposes. This is always the goal as we pray for our nation.  At this strategic time, we ask that Your wisdom be given to our government leaders in the House and Senate, as well as to Trump and his transition team. We ask that You strategically guide him, and that he does not make ANY mistakes in choosing appointments to various positions.  We also ask for Your protective hand to stop any and all election interference as the votes continue to be counted. And we ask for Your overriding hand to rule in the election of the Senate Majority Leader. And finally, we pray for Your hand of protection over our government leaders, their families, and staff members. In Jesus’ name, amen.  Our decree:  We declare that God is never late. Never.  You can find out more about Gina at GinaGholstonMinistries.org . Click on the link below to watch the full video.