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Air Superiority, Part 2 In yesterday’s post , I spoke of spiritual “air superiority,” the power and authority the church has been given with which to defeat the powers of darkness. The Scriptures speak of these invisible, dark forces as operating in “heavenly places”. This realm does not refer to heaven, God’s home, but to the invisible spiritual realm around us. It is the unseen realm of the spirit – invisible yet real, hidden yet very active. Much of what takes place on earth is influenced by this dimension; certainly, anything of eternal significance or that regulates the destinies of people and nations is influenced by it.  However, most people, including Christians, give little thought to this unseen world. Many people, especially in cultures that emphasize higher education and intellectualism, are actually cynical of its existence. But the Bible is filled with descriptions and accounts of this realm. In fact, apart from this invisible spiritual dimension, there is no God, satan, angels, demons, the fall of humankind, the birth of Christ, redemption through the Cross, miracles, or resurrection of the dead. Yet again, surprisingly, most American Christians live their lives without considering how much this realm affects us, let alone how we can influence it. Several years ago, I was led by Holy Spirit to read five separate verses in Ephesians that contain the phrase “heavenly places,” and do so consecutively, without the verses in between them. What I found was fascinating; here are the 5 verses (I’ll give the references after I read them): “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places. And raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” This sounds like one uninterrupted passage of Scripture, doesn’t it? It is actually Ephesians 1:3, 1:20, 2:6, 3:10, and 6:12. I became fascinated as I read them consecutively, realizing they provided a continuity of thought. In summary, they tell us: We have been given everything we need in order to operate in heavenly places; Christ has been given all authority in this realm; we have been seated there with Him in that position of authority; through us, from our position there with Christ, God intends to manifest His wisdom to the kingdom of darkness; finally, the last verse describes that evil kingdom, listing its various components, and referencing our spiritual warfare against them. As I meditated on these verses from Ephesians, Holy Spirit began showing me that I was not cognizant enough of this invisible realm–heavenly places. It was not a new subject to me. I had been aware of it for many years and realized we could influence it through our prayers and actions. But Holy Spirit was revealing to me that, even so, I was not as conscious of this dimension as I needed to be.  I saw more clearly that, to be as effective as possible in changing situations on earth, I had to understand more fully how this heavenly realm affected them. Conversely, I needed a better understanding of how I could impact the invisible world. It became obvious to me that the invisible, spiritual realm was central to the Bible’s overall theme – two invisible kingdoms warring for control of our visible world. I arrived at the following deduction: The more we understand the invisible spiritual realm and apply its governing principles, the more we can partner with God, positively impact our world, avoid the snares and influence of the evil one, and enjoy the blessings of our salvation.  The following account of Elisha and his servant gives us a vivid glimpse of this unseen realm: “When the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, ‘Alas, my master! What shall we do?’ So he answered, ‘Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.’ And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, ‘Strike these people with blindness, I pray.’ So He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:15-18 NASB) The invisible angelic forces were there all along – Elisha’s servant simply could not see them until enabled to do so by Holy Spirit. And so it is with us. We, too, live in a world filled with constant angelic and demonic activity. Our natural eyes, however, simply cannot perceive this activity; it must be discerned through the help of Holy Spirit. If we, as God’s instruments on earth, are to be completely effective in prayer, we must understand and learn how to influence this spiritual realm. We must move beyond our fear of the unknown - and of criticism - and align ourselves with Scripture. Jesus is our example, and He frequently dealt with invisible powers in these “heavenly places.” He was aware of them, engaged them when appropriate, and His presence stirred up demonic opposition everywhere He went. The early church in Acts did so as well, enforcing Christ’s victory over the forces of darkness. It is inconsistent to declare we are Bible-believing followers of Christ if we refuse to acknowledge and confront the invisible kingdom of darkness. A failure to do so greatly hinders us. Tomorrow, we will look once again at our “air superiority” over satan’s plans and activities. The prayers and decrees of the Ekklesia, the church, are decimating his strongholds around the world, but we have yet to reach our most effective level. A glorious church is arising, one that the gates (government) of hell cannot prevail against.  Pray with me: Father, You knew building a glorious and undefeatable church would take time. You would have to overcome the spiritual ebbs and flows of history, deal with weaknesses and flaws in Your people, and build the church layer upon layer - through seasons of restoration and renewal. Thank You for not giving up on us in seasons of deception, apostasy, and lukewarmness. Your commitment to this promise - and to us - has been remarkable. The gospel of Jesus Christ has now spanned the globe, and You have believers on every continent. And yet, You said that You would have them in every tribe, tongue, and nation. And so You will. It is an overwhelming pleasure to be alive at a time when we have progressed so close to the fulfillment of this stated goal. Likewise, it is thrilling to see Your Ekklesia on earth move ever closer to becoming the glorious church Jesus spoke of. We long to see all of this finished. Please release a world-changing outpouring of our powerful Helper, Holy Spirit. Cause it to be transforming in every way: salvations, miracles, great revelation of You and Your Word, cities and nations transformed. Let it be epochal.  Here in America, anoint our leaders, enabling them to walk in truth and wisdom. Guide them continually, keeping them from making wrong turns or encountering detours. Foil every plan of satan in this nation, exposing his evil systems, structures, and plans. We release our spiritual weapons now and bind his efforts in our nation. In Jesus’ name we pray all these things. Amen. Our decree: We declare that the glorious church Jesus spoke of is being built, one that will enforce His victory around the world. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Air Superiority, Part 1 Within the past few years, my friend, Clay Nash, has had two dreams regarding the USS Gerald Ford. This vessel is the world’s largest and most expensive aircraft carrier. The Ford is ten times larger than the United States’ first aircraft carrier, the USS Langley, and is the largest warship ever built. It can carry up to 90 aircraft and is designed to house a crew of up to 4,660 sailors! (1) First Dream In Clay’s first dream, this aircraft carrier was dispatched up a particular river by President Trump. The President was asked why he would send the huge ship up a river, since it seemed likely to get stuck. Trump answered, “Because an apostle [a spiritual leader from that area was named in the dream] asked me to, and it’s not leaving until he’s finished with it.” There was more to the dream, which isn’t necessary for this post.  (My first thought when hearing the dream was to become friends with that leader!!!)  It was clear to Clay and me that the dream was not primarily about the leader, nor President Trump. The apostolic leader represented the church, and the President represented our Commander and Chief, Christ Jesus. The key point of the dream was that God was emphasizing the importance of “air superiority.” He was reminding us that, spiritually speaking, we are seated with Christ at the right hand of Father God, and have been given authority over the invisible powers of darkness operating in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 1:20-23, 2:6, 6:12). I’ll say more about this in tomorrow’s post.  Second Dream A couple of years later, Clay had the second dream about the USS Gerald Ford. In this dream, the President spoke to me. I, like the leader in the first dream, represented the church, Christ’s Ekklesia, and the President represented our Commander and Chief, Christ. The President said, “It’s time to move and reposition the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford.” We knew from the first dream that this vessel pictured our spiritual air superiority. This was confirmed, however, when He said, “The repositioning is necessary to maintain and increase the level of air superiority. It will be positioned at [a position in the center of the nation was given]. Believers who are part of the increasing air superiority can be dispatched from that location more effectively.” The President asked me to release a command for the Ekklesia (the church) to rally the angel armies there ahead of the Gerald R. Ford’s arrival. He also added that the carrier’s positioning there would additionally protect the heart and life flow for the nation. And lastly, he proclaimed that the work of the church from the new position would posture them to release a “shot” of authority that would be heard across the nation.  Clay ended his account of the dream by saying, “I then saw the St. Louis Dispatch’s headline, which stated, ‘The Heart of America has been Shocked into the Rhythms of God’s Grace.’” These two dreams were profoundly encouraging to Clay, me, and others as we digested their meanings. We were encouraged by the reminder that we have indeed been positioned with Christ “at the right hand of the Father,” having been given “air superiority” over the powers of darkness. We were also encouraged by the reminder that angels were being rallied to help us in the battle for America’s restoration. And the statement that “The heart of America had been shocked into the rhythms of God’s grace” was especially encouraging!  Holy Spirit Is Re-emphasizing Air Superiority Although these dreams occurred a few years ago, Holy Spirit recently brought them back to my remembrance. There may be other insights He brings to me as I pray into this, but I am confident He wants to re-emphasize the importance of our “air superiority,” and of using our spiritual authority to stop the plans of the enemy in our nation.  We cannot expect our natural government to deal with spiritual forces; this is the responsibility of the church. As we do so effectively, those in positions of earthly authority can accomplish what they need to do. Certainly, we must pray, appealing to heaven, but Jesus also told us to bind and loose (forbid and allow) the spiritual forces of darkness (Matthew 16:19).  The subject of spiritual warfare is shied away from by many in the church, which is unfortunate. Admittedly, there are imbalances in this area, and it can also be somewhat disconcerting to consider invisible spiritual forces. But the Scriptures clearly teach that these invisible powers are real, and that we are called to, at times, deal with them.  An Old Testament passage in Exodus 17 illustrates this invisible spiritual war as Joshua led the Israelite soldiers into battle against the Amalekites. God told Moses to go up on a mountain overlooking the battlefield, taking the rod He had given him, and hold it aloft. This rod symbolized God’s authority in much the same way a king’s scepter represents his. It had done so throughout Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, always representing God’s authority, which released His power. In raising the rod over the battlefield, Moses was releasing God’s authority and strength. Scripture tells us that when Moses’ arms became weary, and he was no longer able to hold up the rod, the battle would turn against Israel. When his hands were held high with the rod extended, the battle would go in Israel’s favor. This was obviously not a morale issue. The soldiers were not watching Moses as they fought. The cause of the momentum swings lay completely beyond their conscious minds. It was caused by what was occurring in the invisible realm, the war in the heavens. While there were visible, flesh-and-blood people fighting with tangible, physical weapons on a very real battlefield, Moses’ action on the mountain was releasing an invisible force, determining the conflict’s outcome. Notice that both realms were actually influencing the other: (1) Actions occurring in the visible realm [Moses lifting the staff]; (2) activated God’s invisible authority and power; (3) which in turn, determined the outcome in the visible realm (the battle).  Each arena - natural and spiritual, seen and unseen - still affects the other today. Millions of good and bad events occur on earth every day due to this two-way cause and effect. Tomorrow, we will take a deeper look at this, including our “air superiority.” Pray with me: Father, increase our understanding of the spiritual realm and its influence on the natural realm. Give us understanding of how to extend Your Kingdom influence from the spiritual realm into our natural world. We ask for a greater revelation of this in order to release the victory of Christ into the earth, freeing nations, cities, and individuals. Make us more conscious of the invisible realm, where much of what occurs on earth is determined.  We pray that anointed teachers will be raised up to skillfully teach on this subject, so that we can operate in this invisible realm with wisdom, balance, skill, and accuracy. And as we so often do in the posts, we ask You for, and thank You in advance, for sending the greatest spiritual awakening/revival that has ever occurred to the nations of the earth. We pray that entire nations would be swept into Your family. We ask You to break off from them the control of invisible principalities and evil spirits, freeing them to see truth and receive Your love and provision. We pray all of this in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen. Our decree: We declare that the Ekklesia of Jesus Christ has air superiority over the spiritual powers of darkness; we will use this advantage to see America transformed. You can find out more about Clay Nash at ClayNash.org . Click on the link below to watch the full video. https://hii.com/news/photo-release-navy-crew-moves-aboard-aircraft-carrier-gerald-r-ford-cvn-78/

The Creative Power of God’s Word “And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Ephesians 6:17  I am constantly amazed at how many prayer meetings I attend where so little of the Word of God is implemented. The greatest weapon God has given us often goes unsheathed! If Christ, our greatest example, used the spoken Word as His number one weapon against satan (Matthew 4:4-10), shouldn’t we use it regularly?  God’s Word is more than just a weapon, however–it creates. The Hebrew word asah, (1)  translated “create” in the Genesis account of creation, also means “to accomplish, do, or perform.” It is used accordingly in the following verses, which reference God’s spoken Word/s: “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do [asah] it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”  (Numbers 23:19) “So shall My Word be which goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, without accomplishing [asah] what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”  (Isaiah 55:11) “Then the Lord said to me, ‘You have seen well, for I am watching over My Word to perform [asah] it.’”  (Jeremiah 1:12) God’s Word “does”; God’s Word “accomplishes”; God’s Word “performs.” Yet, what most Christians fail to consider is that in these passages, humans were speaking the words God was using to do, accomplish, and perform! Let that sink in.  I’m going to use My words to accomplish My purposes,  He said, and I’m going to use people to speak them for Me.  The Lord actually told Jeremiah in the verses leading up to Jeremiah 1:12, “I have put My words in your mouth. I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant ” (verses 9-10). He then followed this by saying, “I am watching over My word to perform it” (v. 12). There is absolutely no doubt Holy Spirit was saying to Jeremiah that He was going to perform the judgments of tearing down and overthrowing nations, followed by rebuilding them, through Jeremiah’s words!  Speaking God’s words releases His authority. In Scripture, speaking God’s Word was used to: Activate our salvation (Romans 10:9) Release death and life (Proverbs 18:21) Remove mountains of adversity (Mark 11:23) Defeat spiritual forces (Ephesians 6:17) Heal the sick (Acts 3:6) And more. I am not teaching that our words can create ( asah ) physical matter, nor that we have carte blanche authority to decree whatever we desire. Yet, when based on God’s Word and will, inspired by Holy Spirit, they certainly do create God’s desired results in human lives and situations.  The literal meaning of the New Testament word for “confession” (homologeo)  actually means “to say the same thing.” (2)  Biblical confession is saying what God says. First John 5:14-15 tells us: “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.” We determine what the Scriptures teach about situations, then make our biblical confessions and declarations accordingly. We are then “saying the same thing” God says, which not only honors Him, but it also offers Holy Spirit a decree He can truly empower - a biblical declaration. This is a powerful facet of intercession. Hebrews 3:1 states that Jesus is the Apostle and High Priest of our confession (which, again, means “say the same thing”). When we declare God’s words and will on earth, He can and will back them up from heaven, just as He did for Jeremiah. We’ve been instructed to do this in order to close and open doors (Isaiah 22:22; Matthew 16:18-19). We are to close doors that have been opened to demonic activity in America and open doors of awakening and transformation. Let’s do so now.  Pray with me: Father, You are not a man that You should lie. What You have said, You will do. Your words do not return to You void, but accomplish everything You intend them to accomplish. We agree with Your prophets who have said a great awakening - in fact, the greatest revival ever - is now coming to planet earth. Therefore, we boldly declare that a billion souls will come into Your Kingdom. And Lord, You have shown many what You want to do in the government of America. We come into agreement with that, as well, declaring that America is receiving a righteous government. The evil being propagated by some in Washington, D.C., will fail. We bind the demonic forces that oppose this, in Jesus’ name, Amen. Release these decrees with me: We decree that satan’s ability to devour and destroy America will not succeed; his door of access is closed! We declare our faith in the mercy and blood of Jesus - that God has heard the repentance offered up by millions of believers on behalf of America’s sins and is healing our land. We decree that people in government and business will no longer open the door of our nation to satan through sins, compromise, and unholy alliances. We decree that their evil will continue to be exposed, their funds will dry up, and their influence will end. We close the door to their control. We decree that those who promote violence, tyranny, murder, persecution of the church, insane laws and edicts, will no longer rule America. We close the door to the spiritual powers behind this destruction. We close the door to the destruction of our children, our families, our homes, our cities, and our nation. We speak to the door of awakening and the transformation of nations, commanding you to open. We call forth revival, refreshing, remodeling, and reformation in America and the world. We prophesy to the wind of God: blow on the dry bones of America and the world. Reconnect our scattered bones, breathe life into us, and make us a great army. Salvation, healing, purpose, and destiny are in this wind - we decree its release NOW! In the mighty name of Jesus! Click on the link below to watch the full video. 1.)  “Strong's Hebrew: 6213. (asah) -- accomplish, make, do, perform.” Bible Hub , https://biblehub.com/hebrew/6213.htm . Accessed 12 May 2023. 2.) “Strong's Greek: 3670. (homologeó) -- to speak the same, to agree, publicly declare, of one mind.” Bible Hub , https://biblehub.com/greek/3670.htm . Accessed 15 May 2023. Today’s post was taken from our   Give Him 15 - An Appeal to Heaven Devotional, Volume 2.

Introduction As we support the “Big Ben Moment”  prayer plan for America ( One Minute to Win It ), in today’s post, I want to share with you a fascinating dream given to Jon Hamill. I love how the Lord speaks through dreams. Jon also addresses one of the significant reasons why we need to pray diligently during this time. The title of his post is:  Sanctify the Night “SANCTIFY THE NIGHT.” The Spirit of God conveyed these words with great urgency when we first launched “America’s Big Ben Moment” prayer project, patterned after a massive upsurge of nightly prayer by British citizens, which helped turn the tide against Nazi blitzkriegs during World War II. America needs a turnaround today from spiritual blitzkriegs of satan. And in our season of history, the Lord is inviting us to “command the night” to gain the victory. A minute to win it! The process of gaining the upper hand involves sanctifying the night. Just as with London during the war, our spiritual enemies are often most active after dark. Have you ever thought of that? I hadn’t until now! Yet most believers choose to access God’s Throne only in the mornings, reserving the evenings for family time, entertainment and sleep. What the Lord showed me is that by taking this minute to pray every night at 9:00pm, we are establishing a new cycle. We are sanctifying the night to Jesus!  As occurred at the midnight hour in Exodus, let’s apply the blood of the Lamb to our nation to secure Jesus’ protection and breakthrough over America. You might even consider receiving communion on some nights. The Watch of the Breaker Three years ago, I was given a dream in which Jesus was pictured keeping vigil through a perilous night; it is very relevant for today. In the dream, Jesus invited us to enter His watch for Israel and America concurrently, calling it “The Watch of the Breaker.” Micah 2:13 (AMP) identifies Jesus as the Breaker: “ The breaker [the Messiah, who opens the way] shall go up before them [liberating them]. They will break out, pass through the gate, and go out; so their King goes on before them, The Lord at their head.” Gaining Enhanced Vision My wife, Jolene, had a prophetic dream on the very same night I had the “Watch of the Breaker” dream. Amazingly, her dream spoke directly into mine. She saw herself helping people find the right contact lenses for their eyes, working patiently with each to ensure they received God’s gift of enhanced vision. What a dream. What a gift! You and I should ask for it right now.  In my dream, I actually experienced the power of enhanced prophetic vision she dreamed about. Never before had I ever experienced such vibrant, detailed clarity. All details featured below were in our original post on June 6, 2023; here is a portion:  Dream—Watch of the Breaker Huge, rugged mountains formed a hundred-mile basin around a desert valley. It reminded me of both Colorado and the Jordan Valley in Israel. The whole mountain range glowed, illuminated by a sunset. Above the base of virtually all of these mountains, I saw massive, red rock formations which seemed almost sculpted by God Himself. The only thing I can relate them to is the legendary “Garden of the Gods” in Colorado Springs.  The red rocks were glowing blood-red in the sunset. All of a sudden, my eyes honed in on a large fortress built just in front of one of these rocks. Then my eyes focused in on the very top of one of the massive rock formations. Normally, I would have needed a telescope to see it so clearly. But instead, by the Spirit of God, I saw the massive red rock as if it were right in front of me. Almost as though I looked, and I was there . A long-horned Ram was standing on the peak of this rock, watching over the valley in an aggressive stance of victory. It was clear this Ram had just won a great conquest. His alertness, his vigilance, was unflinching. I knew one conflict had just been won, and that another conflict could erupt at any moment.   And He was clearly watching the boundaries for enemy activity. Note: this is exactly Israel’s posture right now—celebrating a recent victory, but racing to implement protective measures before war with Iran begins. This Ram summoned us to keep His vigil with Him. And then the Lord spoke to me, “The Watch of the Breaker has begun!” The Ram is the Lamb! For those who may not know this fact, a ram is an adult male sheep or lamb. The Ram is the Lamb! And the Ram as Breaker remains intent on securing both Israel and America against existential threats. It’s interesting that the rugged horns used by rams for breakthrough are also used by the Jewish people to form trumpets or “shofars.” Throughout the Bible, shofars were used to sound alarms for prayer. The Lord is once again releasing “prayer alerts” with prophetic resonance, calling His army to spiritual war!  I believe “America’s Big Ben Minute” is among these alerts. We are grateful for the massive, unexpected surge in engagement since the post was featured by Dutch Sheets on “Give Him 15.” And the post was recently featured on Elijah List . Please continue to spread the word! Vital Points for Prayer As we consider the dream, let’s hone in on some key points for prayer. Very clearly, America is now on a war footing against Iran. The Pentagon is amassing the greatest military buildup in the Mideast since 2003. This comes as reports emerge of just how viciously Ayatollah Khamenei has attacked many Iranians, ignoring President Trump’s warnings. Instead of killing 800 as reported, Khamenei’s army has actually slaughtered at least 36,000 protesters since January 8 [2026]. At least a hundred thousand more have been injured or tortured.  When will America intervene? It’s just a matter of time. That said, the dream seemed to emphasize God’s protection over the borders of Israel’s and America’s homelands. We need to continue to cover both in vigilant prayer. [Dutch here: Could this be why the Lord led us to anoint and secure America’s borders in 2023? Thousands of you, our GH15 friends, participated.] Recent news reports have reported that Iranian sleeper cells are being activated both here and throughout the Western world. If and when Iran is struck, these sleeper cells are allegedly tasked with bringing retaliation from within our borders.  The Spirit of God has clearly emphasized that we are in a “Big Ben Moment” for America. It is no coincidence that the Lord is calling for increased prayer for our nation and leaders at this time, to protect us. I strongly believe these attacks can either be mitigated or stopped altogether as we continue to pray.  So please join us and engage in at least a minute of prayer at 9:00pm nightly [in your time zone] for America. As Dutch recently pointed out, a minute doesn’t seem like much. But the total participation of 100,000 people amounts to almost 1,700 hours of prayer per day! That adds up fast!  Invest a minute to win it !  Pray with me: Father, as Sam Adams, one of America’s Founders, stated to the Second Continental Congress in 1776, “We have appealed to heaven for the justice of our cause, and in heaven we have placed our trust.” We are appealing to You not only for America, but for other nations, including Israel. We appeal for Israel’s protection, and the salvation of the people there. We also pray for protection and freedom for the people of Iran, and for a great revival throughout the Middle East. We thank You for the word You released in June of 2023, instructing us to “paint our borders” with anointing oil. Thousands obeyed You, and thousands more prayed over our waterways, ports, and water supplies. Now we ask You to move on the hearts of many to augment this with evening prayers and decrees to “sanctify the night.”  We declare that satan’s plans for the destruction of America will not succeed. We ask for this protection also for Israel and the precious people of Iran. Stop the violence, we pray. Protect our leaders, expose evil plans, and bring down wicked rulers throughout the world. Cause all wickedness to become fuel for revival. And we pray these things in Yeshua’s name. Amen.  Our decree: We decree that the shield of faith is being released over America and other nations as thousands of us release our appeal to heaven. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Today’s post was contributed by Jon Hamil. You can find out more about Lamplighter Ministries at JonAndJolene.us .

Let’s Finish This! I have been feeling strongly that for today’s post, I need to warn against distraction. There is so much news about violence, unrest, and other serious issues here and abroad that it is easy to become overwhelmed. This can produce various negative responses, including stress, weariness of heart, wavering in faith, and more. I want to encourage you to remain focused on the Lord and what HE is saying. As the book of Ezra opens, Cyrus, king of Persia, allows a remnant of Israelites to return to Jerusalem for the purpose of rebuilding their Temple. Seventy years prior, because of their rejection of Him, God had allowed the Temple to be destroyed, and Israel to be taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Later, they came under Cyrus’s rule after he conquered Babylon. God then moved upon the heart of Cyrus, a pagan and idolatrous king, to permit this return. He even stirred Cyrus’ heart to help the remnant raise the needed funds for rebuilding (Ezra 1:1-4), and returned to them all the vessels and utensils Nebuchadnezzar had plundered from the Temple. This was amazing! A remnant returned to Jerusalem under Zerubbabel’s leadership and began the work. Ezra tells us:  “When the workers laid the foundation of The Temple of God, the priests in their robes stood up with trumpets, and the Levites, sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise God in the tradition of David…All the people boomed out hurrahs, praising God as the foundation of The Temple of God was laid. As many were noisily shouting with joy, many of the older priests, Levites, and family heads who had seen the first Temple, when they saw the foundations of this Temple laid, wept loudly… People couldn’t distinguish the shouting from the weeping. The sound of their voices reverberated for miles around.”  (Ezra 3:10-13 MSG) It has always intrigued me that many younger Israelites shouted for joy while some of the older ones wept. We are left to wonder why the older folks wept. Joy? Grieving lost years? Realizing just how far they had to go? One thing is certain: their perspective was different. There is one more certainty about the celebration that took place that day: it was a bit premature. Satan, too, had plans for the project. Daniel 7:25 tells us he attempts to alter “times and laws.” The Hebrew word used for “time” in this verse means an appointed time; (1)  the word for “laws” means, among other things, the decree of a king. (2)  God, our King, appoints our times and seasons; He also decrees His good plans and purposes for us, both in His written Word and prophetically. However, this verse tells us satan tries to alter those times and decrees. We know he can’t do so by overpowering or outwitting God; he attempts to do so by attacking us. Daniel 7:25 also reveals one of the ways satan tries to do so: by “wearing down” the saints. It is very revealing that the Hebrew word this is taken from is never used in Scripture to describe physical fatigue, only mental and emotional weariness. Satan attempts to wear us down in our souls - our minds and emotions - causing us to “grow weary” (literally: “lose heart”) in our efforts (Galatians 6:9). Fear, discouragement, confusion, lack of endurance, hope-deferred, and other emotional responses attack our faith and, if not guarded against, can cause us to lose heart. If this weariness sets in, it can disrupt our God-appointed times. This time-altering strategy worked against the remnant sent to rebuild the Temple of God. Satan’s method in that situation was to work through other people in the region:  “So these people started beating down the morale of the people of Judah, harassing them as they built. They even hired propagandists to sap their resolve. They kept this up for about fifteen years, throughout the lifetime of Cyrus, king of Persia, and on into the reign of Darius, king of Persia.” (Ezra 4:4-5 MSG) These “propagandists,” or “counselors,” as other translations refer to them, were basically lobbyists, individuals hired and sent to the king with accusations and misinformation. They succeeded in planting in him the concern that, once the Israelites rebuilt their temple, they would rebel against his rule and cause great problems in his kingdom. The Israelites, rather than remaining strong and trusting God to help them overcome this, yielded to fear and discouragement. The result? The rebuilding of the temple stopped for 16 years! All they had produced was a foundation. During this time, though abandoning God’s house, the Israelites began rebuilding their own homes and businesses, justifying this by saying it must not yet be God’s appointed time for the Temple to be rebuilt. Opposition, however, should never be allowed to determine what we believe to be God’s will. Nor should this be something used to judge whether or not it is His appointed time for something. Eventually, God raised up a prophet, Haggai, to deliver His message to them: “God-of-the-Angel-Armies says: ‘The people procrastinate. They say this isn't the right time to rebuild My Temple, the Temple of God.’ “Shortly after that, God said more and Haggai spoke it: ‘How is it that it's the "right time" for you to live in your fine new homes while Mine is in ruins?...’ “Then the governor, Zerubbabel, Joshua the high priest, and all the people with them listened, really listened, to the voice of their God. When God sent the prophet Haggai to them, they paid attention to him. In listening to Haggai, they honored God. Then Haggai, God’s messenger, preached God’s message to the people: 'I am with you!’”  (Haggai 1:1-14 MSG) Notice that when the people responded appropriately to God’s Words, He was quick to respond with grace and favor. Turns out it wasn’t those who opposed God that were His problem; He was well able to deal with them. His people were the problem! What God needed was a people of faith who would not succumb to fear, discouragement, or other distractions. When they were able to shake off these things, God favored them once again and said, I am with you! Let’s go! A month later, Haggai encouraged them by prophesying again,  “Don’t be timid. Don’t hold back…Before you know it, I will shake up sky and earth, ocean and fields. And I’ll shake down all the godless nations. They’ll bring bushels of wealth, and I will fill this Temple with splendor...I own the silver, I own the gold…This Temple is going to end up far better than it started out, a glorious beginning but an even more glorious finish: a place in which I will hand out wholeness and holiness.’”  (Haggai 2:1-9 MSG) Like this remnant in Israel, many in the church of America have grown weary in their prayers for revival and the rebuilding of our nation. Lobbyists, media opposition, unrighteous laws, intimidating government agencies, elections that didn’t go our way, ungodly politicians, riots - satan has used these and more, attempting to wear us down mentally and emotionally. Some have responded just as these Israelites, deciding it must not be time for America’s turnaround. Yet many have not! God now needs us to persevere in our faith and prayers. We must not allow satan to alter America’s appointed times and God’s promised recovery by wearing us down or distracting us. Don’t be intimidated. God can deal with His enemies, just as He did in Haggai’s day. Determine that nothing will stop us – wars, violence, threats, fear, discouragement, setbacks, unbelief – nothing. Let’s finish this! Pray with me: Father, You have begun a good work in our nation. You’ve raised up a remnant of people determined to birth revival, and see America accomplish all You have destined for her. We are determined to see righteousness in our government once again, determined to see the young generation of Americans come to know You, and determined to see worldwide revival - at least a billion souls. We will not stop with only a foundation. We will not yield to opposition, fear, confusion, unbelief, discouragement, or selfishness. We will finish this! We WILL finish this! Raise up Haggais in our day to speak Your words. Stir the hearts of Your people. We ask for an infusion of strength and hope. We ask that any and all mental fatigue and emotional weariness be broken off of the praying church, the remnant. Send a wind of Holy Spirit to us now, we pray. Stir up hearts that once burned with fire for revival and breakthrough, but have now settled for less. Stir up the hearts of pastors who have chosen to settle for less than the fires of revival. Stir up intercessors who have allowed the fire to go out. Awaken us all to Your passion in this hour. May there be a roar of intercession that is released in this nation and the nations of the earth. We ask You, “Rend the heavens and come down!” We make these requests in the mighty name of Jesus, Amen. Our decree: God is with us; we will arise and build! Click on the link below to watch the full video. Today’s post was taken from our devotion,   Give Him 15, An Appeal to Heaven, Volume 2 . “Strong’s Hebrew: 2165. זְמָן (zeman) -- appointed time, occasion, season; time.” Bible Hub , https://biblehub.com/hebrew/2165.htm . Accessed 12 May 2023. “Strong’s Hebrew: 1882. דָּת (dath) -- decree, law.” Bible Hub , https://biblehub.com/hebrew/1882.htm . Accessed 12 May 2023.

Minnesota - The Threshing Floor State In October 2002, the Lord spoke separately to Chuck Pierce and me that we were to go to all 50 states. He instructed us to release fresh prophetic words from Holy Spirit to each state, and conduct prayer assemblies regarding what He said. We did this in 2003 and early 2004, holding 3 services per state. Of the 150 messages we gave, no two were the same. In each service, Holy Spirit gave specific words for that state. I primarily released prophetic teachings, prayed, and released decrees over each state; Chuck moved in a remarkably high level of prophecy in each of the gatherings. It was incredibly challenging, but also very fulfilling. Chuck and I wrote a book about this assignment, giving summaries of what was said to each state, along with a few related teachings [The Prophetic Destiny of A Nation] . We have now added a couple of chapters from my brother, Tim Sheets, to augment the teachings.  I had not thought about what the Lord said to Minnesota in quite some time. But a few nights ago, Holy Spirit awakened me several times. Each time as I awakened, a word He released to Minnesota was always in my thoughts. While there (August 4-5, 2003), He said to us that Minnesota was the “threshing floor state.”  I remember telling the Lord, when He spoke this to me during the worship, that I had no idea what it meant. He never released His words to us for each state in advance. This required that we hear Him for each state, while in that state. All of my messages were downloaded to me during the worship portion of the services. It is a bit unnerving to hear a word from the Lord you’re supposed to teach on in a few minutes, and have no idea what it means! I quickly learned to listen more effectively to Holy Spirit. Chucked helped me with this. I recall in one of the first states we visited, elbowing him during the worship in somewhat of a panic, and saying, “I still have no idea what I’m going to speak about tonight. I’m not hearing anything!”  Chuck’s response: “Well, be quiet and listen!” I rolled my eyes at Mr. Mercy… and learned to listen.  Threshing Floors In Scripture  A threshing floor was a flat, smooth surface, used to separate the grains from the husks or chaff surrounding them. Animals often crushed and broke the grain sheaves on the threshing floor, or people used sticks to break them apart by hand. As a result, the grains would be separated from the husks. The final separation would be done by tossing the grains up into the wind, where the lighter chaff could be blown away, separating it from the edible grain. This process is called winnowing. Threshing floors and this process were sometimes used in Scripture to describe God separating good from evil (Jeremiah 51:33; Hosea 13:3; Matthew 3:12). Consistent with this, the process was used to picture redemption, even the Cross, where our sins were separated from us, and the Lord could bring forth a “harvest” of righteousness.  In 1 Chronicles 21, David pleaded with God for mercy over Jerusalem, which, at that time, was under severe judgment. “As he did, he saw the Angel of the Lord with a drawn sword standing at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. The Lord told David to build an altar there, which he did. When David called on the Lord, the Lord sent fire from heaven to consume the offering, and the plague was stayed. “But the most amazing aspect of David’s interaction with the Angel of the Lord at the threshing floor of Ornan is that this location became the site where Solomon built the temple of the Lord (2 Chronicles 3:1). “Even more interesting, Ornan’s threshing floor was on Mount Moriah, the location of the present Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Many people believe that is the place where Abraham brought Isaac to sacrifice, as God instructed him in Genesis 22:2, ‘Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.’” (1)   And it was there, on a nearby hill called Mount Calvary, that our redemption took place. Threshing floors symbolize redemption, the Cross, where the hard husk of sin around our hearts is removed, and the Lord brings forth His harvest of righteousness in us.  The story of Ruth offers another example of the redemptive symbolism provided by threshing floors. Ruth was a widow without provision or hope for the future, until she came under the protection and security of the “kinsman redeemer,” Boaz, at a threshing floor (Ruth 3:8-13). A kinsman redeemer was a male relative who had the responsibility to help a relative in need or danger; or a close relative who restored people or property back to their original family after they had been sold due to extreme poverty (Leviticus 25:25–28). Certainly, this was a picture of us coming under the redemption and covering of our “Kinsman Redeemer,” Christ Jesus. Speaking symbolically once again, in Micah 4:11–13, God promised victory to Israel as they trampled their enemies on a threshing floor.  These and other passages show us that threshing floors should not be thought of only in terms of judgment, but more so of redemption. They involve cleansing, yes, but this cleansing is redemptive, removing the chaff to get to the grain. Threshing floors give us bread, and in this biblical symbolism, the Bread of Life. They picture the Cross, deliverance, redemption, provision, and victory.  When God told us that Minnesota is the “threshing floor state,” it was as though this represented something for the entire nation. Could it be that what is occurring in the state pictures the desperate need of the entire nation for God’s redemptive grace, healing, and deliverance? And that, in some amazing way, a dispensing of this needed healing will begin there?  Of this I am confident: There is redemption for Minnesota, and there is redemption for America. Regardless of how horribly sin seems to rule, how much its chaff seems to keep us from getting to the “kernel” of redemptive provision, God wants to bring forth His provision of grace. The Kinsman Redeemer, Christ Jesus, has paid the price for our recovery and restoration. Lay hold of this, Minnesotans, and lay hold of it, Americans. Pray with me: Father, thank You for the revelation of the threshing floor. It was on the “threshing floor” of Calvary that the Bread of Life was given to us. When Jesus was crushed, provision was made for the husk of sin around our hard hearts to be crushed, as well. What a crushing He endured, and a picture You painted for us.  We ask for His provision to be released into our nation. Start with Minnesota, the “threshing floor state.” Break the power of sin, rebellion, division, wounding, and whatever else You know is needed. Remove the plague of judgment, just as You did for David and Jerusalem. Let something begin there that flows out of You to the entire nation. Jesus IS our Boaz, our Kinsman Redeemer. Through Him, restore us.  Give strength and comfort to Your people in Minnesota. Give them the hearts of warriors, enabling them to rise up in intercession for their state and the nation. Release blessing for the entire nation from there. And yes, remove from positions of authority those who resist Your grace. And all of this we pray in the name of our Kinsman Redeemer, Christ Jesus. Amen.  Our decree: We declare that where sin abounds, grace abounds much, much more. Click on the link below to watch the full video. https://makethevisionplain.com/threshing-floor/

PRAY FOR MINNESOTA The state of Minnesota has become a hotbed of unrest, anger, violence, and division in America, as it was back in 2020 after the death of George Floyd. In 2020, rioters did a billion dollars’ worth of damage to businesses and property in Minneapolis. The rioting quickly spread to other parts of the nation, where it did at least another billion dollars in damage. Twenty-five people were killed throughout the nation in the 2020 riots, all but one by fellow citizens. (1)  “More than 900 law enforcement officers were injured, including 277 officer injuries while defending the federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon, and 60 Secret Service officers defending the White House.” (2)  It was lawlessness on steroids. Now, Minnesota has once again become ground zero for unrest. On December 1, 2025, DHS and ICE began “Operation Metro Surge” to remove criminal aliens from Minnesota. This was precipitated in part by the exposure of fraud totaling 9 billion dollars or more, carried out primarily by Somalis in Minnesota. Protests against the ICE operation began immediately, encouraged by Governor Walz, Mayor Frey, and other leaders, calling ICE officials unlawful, comparing President Trump and ICE to the Nazi Gestapo, the KKK, and other wicked people. The highly organized protests, with many of the participants paid protestors, quickly escalated into physical efforts to resist ICE in their operations, including violence against ICE officers. As feared and predicted, the violence has now resulted in 2 tragic deaths, protestors shot and killed by ICE agents who felt their lives were being threatened. Most Americans experience heartfelt grief when events like these occur; no decent person wants to see this happen. Could these tragic deaths have been avoided? Of course they could have had Minnesota officials tone down the rhetoric and told Minnesotans to cooperate with law officers as they enforced federal laws and tried to remove criminals. Minnesota is not even in the top five states regarding the number of arrests by ICE since Trump was elected. Texas is number one with 20.2%, followed by Florida with 7.7%, California with 6.0%, New York with 3.8%, and Georgia with 3.5%. (3)  However, ICE arrests in those states have not resulted in any deaths. Only in Minnesota, where the government leaders are fomenting lies, violence, and hatred of ICE, and encouraging people to oppose them, have deaths occurred. It is important to note that most Americans want the deportation of illegals. They welcome immigration but want it done legally. Trump ran for President very clearly on closing America’s open borders and sending illegal immigrants back to their country of origin. Americans overwhelmingly elected him, saying in essence, “This is what we want.” They still feel this way. CNN just reported new polls showing that most Americans - ranging from 55% to 64%, depending on the wording of polls - still favor this policy. (4) Democrat leaders, on the other hand, want open borders and sanctuary cities in order to increase congressional seats to blue states - the number of House seats per state is based on the state’s population, including undocumented immigrants. And they also want the open borders and massive government aid to the illegals, because they believe that in return, the immigrants will become Democrat voters, thereby helping the Left win elections. This is one of the reasons they don’t want voter ID’s - proof of citizenship - to be enforced. Their motives are self-serving, and they are willing to break federal laws to achieve them. Which brings me to my final point. While the two lives tragically lost in Minnesota should absolutely be mourned, it is hard to take seriously the rage of many politicians on the Left. Most of them were completely silent on the 100,000 deaths a year caused by fentanyl coming across the open border (which Trump has all but ended). They didn’t care that several hundred thousand children went missing as millions of undocumented people crossed into our nation. Why? Because the votes that an open border was generating mattered more to them than the deaths and missing children. These same politicians show no outrage or grief over the hundreds of people shot and killed annually in the black neighborhoods of Chicago, many of them children. Four hundred and ninety-nine (499) people were killed in the year 2023, five hundred seventy-three (573) in 2024. (5)  And according to Newsmax, Paul Vallas reports that since Chicago Mayor Johnson was elected in 2023, 504 children under the age of 17 have been shot, 107 of them killed. Twenty-three of the 107 were under the age of 12. (6)  Just let those numbers sink in. Yet, politicians and media personalities NEVER make the deaths of these children an issue. I can assure you, none of those on the Left seeking to divide the nation over what has occurred in Minnesota know the names of any of these children. Not one. Only deaths that fit their political narrative become a big deal to them, not black kids in poor neighborhoods. Politicians and media members who use lost lives only for political gain and to divide the nation are disgusting and reprehensible. The leaders in Minnesota could end the violence immediately if they wanted to. It would end if they simply stopped demonizing the ICE agents and told the people to stop resisting federal law enforcement officers while they do their jobs. There are signs that this might finally be occurring. There are many wonderful people in Minnesota - on both sides of the political spectrum and both sides of the immigration issue. It is sad that they are experiencing the unrest taking place. Some have not recovered from what happened in 2020. We must pray diligently that such devastation does not occur again. Pray for healing in the state of Minnesota and for Holy Spirit to be poured out. And pray this for our nation. Pray with me: Father, we pray for our nation. We pray for people in the state of Minnesota who are experiencing trauma and fear. We pray for the families of those who lost loved ones, and we pray for those who were involved in the shootings. These are tragic situations, creating a lot of pain. We ask You to intervene in the situation. We ask You to help people in leadership on both sides of the issue operate with wisdom. We ask that the rioting be stopped and the property damage end. Most of all, we ask for no more deaths - please intervene supernaturally. And lastly, we know that the healing of the land begins with the healing of hearts. This is why we have been saying for years that only a true revival will save America. Send great revival to Minnesota. Send revival to the entire nation, and heal our land. We pray all of this in Christ’s name, amen. Our decree: We decree that Holy Spirit is sending the revival America needs in order to heal our land. Click on the link below to watch the full video. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/31/americans-killed-protests-political-unrest-acled   https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/grassley-lets-end-the-war-on-cops   Newsmax report, January 2026. CNN, January 26, 2026. https://www.rit.edu/liberalarts/sites/rit.edu.liberalarts/files/docs/CPSI%20Working%20Papers/2025-02_CPSI%20Working%20Paper_US%20City%20Homicide%20Stats.pdf Quote from Paul Vallas, January 9, 2026, per various news sources and his FB page: https://www.facebook.com/PaulGVallas/photos/since-mayor-johnson-took-office-504-school-age-children-17-years-and-younger-hav/1289947226497008/

Introduction We all face challenges as we cope with these perilous times. Today’s post coaches us on how to do so. It was written by our friend Terri Brown, a seasoned prophetic intercessor, but also one who possesses the pastoral heart of Jesus, the great Shepherd. Terri and her husband, Jack, Pastor a wonderful congregation in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Her title is: Coping with Difficult Times Bonnie, our two-and-a-half year old granddaughter, who is usually determined to keep up with her 5 older siblings and twin brother, was in our backyard playing in the snow. She wanted something, so she started crying and complaining. Grandpa Jack started explaining that big girls talk and say what they want and don’t need to scream and cry. He continued to explain to her that babies cry to get their way. He asked, “Don’t you want to be a big girl?” She looked up at grandpa and firmly stated, “I want to be a baby.” We all laughed, but then a little later, I was contemplating the many tumultuous situations in our world and feeling a little overwhelmed by it all. I saw that I had the same choice: either cry and complain or use my voice. It is easy to get discouraged with what we are seeing in the newsfeed concerning our nation or other nations, or by what we are encountering closer to home. In each case, we, like Bonnie, have a choice. We can 1) Use our voices to seek the Lord, make requests, declare His purposes, release wisdom, and, when necessary, advocate for the hurting. Or… 2) In contrast, when things seem uncertain or desperate, we can choose to step into a place of avoidance, putting our heads in the sand and avoiding any responsibility to become involved. Many of us have well-worn paths to our place of avoidance. As Alicia Britt Chole states in  40 Days of Decrease , “Uncertainty is quite revealing. The unknown triggers different reactions in different hearts and exposes our souls’ defaults. Ambiguity reveals where we instinctively go to feel the illusion of security again. In response to a yet-unnamed but imminent storm, some hide, some run, some live in denial, some escape into fictional worlds, some feast, and some stake out their territory.” (1) 3) A third choice is that we can resort to inappropriately attempting to control the situation. In Mark’s gospel, Jesus brought up the topic of His death and resurrection again with His disciples, “…the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles;   and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again” (Mark 10:33-34 NKJV). I am sure the disciples felt great concern for Jesus, but also probably felt concerned and uncertain about their own futures.  It’s interesting to see the response of James and John in verses 35-38. First, the two brothers come to Him and say, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.” Doesn’t that sound like a little child, “Mom, will you say yes to what I’m going to ask you?” I am kind of scared to ask, so I am going to try to control your answer before I do so.  In the face of uncertainty, we often try to control God and others. James and John couldn’t control what was going to happen to Jesus or themselves, so they asked if they could sit “one on your right and the other on your left in your glory.” They sought as much security as they could by asking to be closest to Him when all the dust settled. As believers, and especially as intercessors, it is vital that we acknowledge our feelings about what is occurring, but we must not step into a place of control or avoidance. When we face a difficult personal situation, we may experience great pain as we grapple with the problem and pray about it. This can be difficult, but we must do so and also acknowledge these feelings. At times, we may need to repent of wanting to control God or people. Acknowledging that we want to head down the paths of avoidance or inappropriate control may prevent us from taking these fruitless trips. We should beware of the common temptation of just wanting to be a baby, like Bonnie, and let someone else take care of it. We have the power to choose and can, by the grace of God, step up and use our voices as the Lord leads us. The Psalmist in Psalm 131 states: “ God, I’m not trying to rule the roost, I don’t want to be king of the mountain. I haven’t meddled where I have no business or fantasized grandiose plans. I’ve kept my feet on the ground, I’ve cultivated a quiet heart. Like a baby content in its mother’s arms, my soul is a baby content ” (Psalm 131:2-3 MSG). When we position ourselves in a place of trust-generated contentment, we don’t have to hear over internal chaos and turmoil. We’ve quieted our hearts, enabling us to press into the Lord and seek Him regarding our role in these tumultuous times. We shouldn’t immediately go to war, saying all the prayers we can think of, but from a place of calm trust, we must listen in order to come into agreement with what the Lord is saying about the situation. We should all acknowledge that we are tempted to walk down these avoidance and control trails. But we should also determine that in this critical season of uncertainty, we are going to press into Jesus and trust Holy Spirit to guide us into what the Lord desires or requires. I also find it helpful to rehearse the faithfulness of the Lord in my and in others’ lives.  Rehearse His past faithfulness toward your family, church, city, and your nation. Agree with Lamentations 3:22-25 (NLT):  “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning.   I say to myself, The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him! The Lord is good to those who depend on Him, to those who search for Him.” Recite His faithfulness until you sense faith arising, then declare the Lord’s faithfulness and your trust in Him.  Next, seek the truth concerning what you are feeling overwhelmed about. You might do this by waiting on the Lord and hearing His perspective. You might research whether the report that has upset you is accurate. Talk to trusted people who might have more information. Listen to others who are praying. What are their prayer strategies?  This may not bring all the answers you desire, but you’ll be able to embrace the mystery and press into the One who knows all. Mystery is part of this walk with Jesus. When we encounter mystery, it is an ideal time to press back into Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Our prayers may be a simple, “I trust You, Lord. I’m not sure what You are doing in this season, but I choose to trust You. Show me how to pray.” Whether your assignment is to pray for a nation across the globe or a person in your own family, be courageous and resolve to be bold and partner with the Lord in these strategic times. Pray with me: Father, You have told us that keeping our minds fixed on You brings perfect peace. (Isaiah‬ ‭26‬:‭3‬-‭4‬). In the New Testament, You said to let Your peace rule - act as the umpire ( brabevo ) (2)  in our hearts (Colossians 3:15). In these tumultuous times, remind us to walk in Your peace and allow it to rule our thoughts and decisions.  Wars rage, evil rulers make threats, riots and violence occur on our streets, but You are not unaware of nor perplexed by these things. Your omniscience and foreknowledge are always at play, allowing You to see the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). In difficult times, we will wait upon You, find Your direction, and pray accordingly.  We will NOT fear evil reports; our hearts are fixed, steadfast, trusting always in You (Psalm 112:7). As intercessors, remind us to always operate from our position seated with You.  During this challenging season of change, we ask You to lead President Trump and his team as they deal with Russia, Iran, China, the Greenland situation, the unrest in Minnesota, and many other challenging situations they find themselves having to navigate. Continue to fan the flames of revival, causing it to break out across our land. Let this 250th anniversary of America be a year of rededicating this land to You. All of this we pray in Jesus’ name, amen. Our decree: We decree that during this season, we will walk in the knowledge of God, be strong, and, as He leads, take action in prayer (Daniel 11:32)! Click on the link below to watch the full video. Today’s post was contributed by our friend Terri Brown. You can find out more about her at TerriBrown.live . Alicia Britt Chole, 40 Days of Decrease: A Different Kind of Hunger, (Nashville, TN: W Publishing [an imprint of Thomas Nelson]), p. 44. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 1018.

Introduction It seems that many are hearing Holy Spirit say 2026 will be a year of increased glory. God will manifest Himself with greater authority and power through believers, making Himself known in greater degrees of revelation. Our friend Gina Gholston is also hearing God speak of this increased manifestation of glory. Her word will stir you to be part of this. Gina’s title is:  A Fresh Awareness As I have been praying about the year ahead, a phrase has reverberated in my spirit: “Here comes the glory of the Lord.” I heard the Lord say, “My glory will be manifested in unexpected and unusual ways and in unexpected and unusual places beginning this year. You must see and listen by the Spirit. Much of what I do will be overlooked  and not experienced  if you have an earthly perspective and focus. My glory will mean different things to different people. Be on the right side of My glory. Do not mishandle My glory, and do not misinterpret or reject what I do. Align yourself with My Spirit. Stay aligned with My Spirit. See things from My perspective, not through the lens of misguided emotions and traditions of men. My glory is coming. Expect the unexpected and don’t misinterpret or reject the unusual.  The Hebrew word for glory is kabod . (1)  One of its meanings is weight. When God says, “My glory is coming,” He is saying that the things that make Him “weighty”–His might, power, strength, wisdom, etc.—are going to be manifested for us to see, experience, and respond to. He’s coming to make Himself known. The Lord revealed to me that the Church will experience times of His intense drawing. He is calling us back to Himself, beyond what we think we know about Him and into the realm of revelation that comes by experiencing Him. Intellectual knowledge of God is necessary, but if our intellectual knowledge outweighs our experiential knowledge of God, we will be controlled by form  with  no power , trapped within the boundaries of our own human abilities. Experience is humbling, eye-opening, life-changing, and empowering. For several weeks, the Lord has had me reading the book of Job. We see within these chapters an attempt by Job and his friends to “counsel” God. For a while, God allows them to carry on with their foolish babblings, but in Job chapter thirty-eight, the Almighty demonstrates His awesome power and presence. Speaking to Job out of a whirlwind, Yahweh asks, “ Who is this that darkens counsel [questioning My authority and wisdom]   by words without knowledge?”  (Job 38:2 Amplified) Then, throughout the remainder of chapter thirty-eight, all the way through Job 41:34, God released a flow of eye-opening revelation of His sovereignty that left Job speechless and changed.  “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you understand. Who determined the measurements? Surely you know...Or who shut in the sea with doors… w hen I fixed My limit for it…When I said, ‘This far you may come, but no farther, and here your proud waves must stop?’”  (Job 38:4-5, 8-11 NKJV) On and on God revealed Himself to Job, and that encounter and revelation brought Job to this humbling conclusion : “I heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You”  (Job 42:5). In other words, “God, I thought I knew You, but now I realize that I only knew about You. Now I have seen You, and that changes everything!” Like Job, many of us in the Church today have been guilty of trying to figure things out on our own, and have perhaps even tried to “counsel” God as to what we think should—or should not—happen based on our human intellect and understanding. We have even, at times, been disappointed when He didn’t do things the way  we thought He should have or when  we thought He should have. But I believe we have entered a time of confrontation from the Lord, not for the purpose of condemnation, but to awaken us to the reality of His sovereignty. The Lord has need of us in this moment. In order to accomplish what He is calling us to do, we must know and rely on Him. We are the vessels, but the power is His, and the wisdom to do the work comes from Him. He is almighty! He sees all, knows all, and is far above all. His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts above our thoughts (Isaiah 55:9). We must have revelation of that truth and reality, and the depths of that revelation only come as we encounter Him. So, in summary, Yahweh is coming in demonstration of His power and glory. The glory of the Lord will be revealed, and we will see it ! (see Isaiah 40:5) Seeing Him will free us from the confinements and disappointment that often result from self-dependency. It will ignite within us a confident “knowing” that the accomplishment of His purposes for our times is not dependent on our might, strength, or intellect, but on our willingness to fully trust and obey Him. As we avail ourselves to Him, He will work through us to make Himself known.  The Lord is saying, “You have not just crossed into a new year; you’ve entered a defining moment. This year, you will begin to walk in a greater demonstration of that for which I have mantled you. In the days ahead, I am going to make you aware of My intentions and My presence. A fresh anointing and a fresh awareness of who I am will be experienced. And as I work through you, those encounters will enable you to go forward with great authority, causing a great demonstration of My glory.” This is a time of great awakening. The glory of the Lord is coming! Don’t reject what He does, but respond to His invitation. Be on the right side of the glory. Pray with me: Father, take us beyond the surface of all that we’ve believed You to be, into a deeper place with You. From that place, bring to us revelation we have yet to know, but must know, if we are to be part of the company that advances forward with You in this time! Take us beyond our “manageable” ideas of who You are, which have kept us content with simply knowing about You, but have not allowed us to go beyond the veil to really discover YOU. Forgive us for—and free us from—self-dependency that has contained us within the boundaries of our limited capabilities. Come in Your glory! Enlighten the eyes of our understanding that we may see and know You!  Take us into deeper encounters with You. Mark us with the revelation of Your sovereignty, which will ignite within us confident faith. Align us more closely with You so that Your Kingdom purposes are accomplished! May we be transformed by You until the image and likeness of Christ is completely and permanently formed within us. And release Your glory throughout the earth. Cause Your weighty presence and power to be known among the nations, manifesting Christ and overwhelming evil. Increase the harvest in Asia, the Middle East, and all of Europe. Invade Africa with Your love and grace. Release revival to all of North America, South America, and Australia. And do exploits through the church, confirming the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. And in His name we pray. Amen. Our decree: We will respond to the Lord’s invitation, receiving greater revelation of Him, and move forward with increased authority and glory. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Today’s post was contributed by Gina Gholston. You can find out more about her at GinaGholston.com . 1. Strong, James, 1822-1894,  Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Hendrickson Publishers, 2007, ref. no. H3519.

Tremendous Power Is Available I have received 3 credible alerts from prophets/intercessors within the last week concerning President Trump’s safety. It seems many are receiving urgent promptings from Holy Spirit to pray diligently for his protection.  We know Iranian leaders have publicly threatened to assassinate Trump, as mentioned in yesterday’s post. No doubt others would love to end his life.  One of the prophetic words included the summons, “All hands on deck. Call the watchmen to position!” Warnings of this nature are not to frighten, but to alert us. We can be part of stopping what the enemy has planned assisting the Secret Service and intelligence agencies through our prayers. They are outstanding in what they do, but God and the angels are infallible. Psalm 127:1 tells us, “except the Lord keep [protect] the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” This is no doubt also true of protecting a President.  We should also diligently pray for the safety of Trump’s team, members of Congress, Supreme Court Justices, and local leaders. This is a very “perilous” season (2 Timothy 3:1), filled with many angry, violent, and unprincipled people. Praying for the safety of our leaders would be a great way to spend your minute of prayer each evening… “A Minute to Win It!” Another Important Assignment  As mentioned in yesterday’s post , this week I am partnering with others who have prayer ministries and have recently launched important prayer initiatives. My good friend, Clay Nash, leads a prayer call every weekday to intercede for our nation. He has done so faithfully for over 5 years now, with thousands joining him. God is using The Josiah Company in a huge way.  Clay and his team have received instructions from Holy Spirit to begin praying for the mid-term elections NOW. They started this week.  Clay was given a dream highlighting Isaiah 35:8, which speaks of a highway of holiness. He was told that “35 days of prayer would establish a Holy Highway of movement.”  Clay says: “Beginning January 19th, our focus for the Josiah Company Prayer Calls will be the Mid-Term Elections coming up in November. Please join the daily calls or listen to them, to add your declarations and faith. We must keep our hands to the plow this year (Luke 9:62) and not be moved by anything we see or hear in the news media or world around us. We must speak the word of the Lord with authority and faith, staying focused on what God is saying.  “The first 20 days, we will focus daily on one state, as well as on Washington, D.C. We have prayerfully arranged these 20 states in a particular order and believe we can facilitate a time of declaration and decrees to shift each state. Each day, we will intercede over the chosen state’s elections, as well as D.C. The following 15 days, we will focus on the remaining states, 2 or 3 per day” (for a total of 35 days beginning January 19th). You can use this   LINK  to a page on   Clay’s website  where you can find the schedule and prayer focus for each state.  You can access the call at 719-718-6038. The times of the calls are: Monday 2:22pm ET Tuesday 9:00pm ET Wednesday  2:22pm ET Thursday 2:22pm ET Friday 2:22pm ET I probably don’t need to tell you just how important the midterm elections are. The party of the current President almost always loses the midterm elections that follow. If this occurs and the Democrat party retakes the House of Representatives, not only will they impede further progress in reforming our nation, but they will work to reverse all of the positive changes Trump and the Republicans have made. AND they will immediately begin another impeachment proceeding against the President. Their hatred of him is feral. If, God forbid, the Republicans were to lose both branches of Congress, all positive change would stop, and they would succeed in reversing many of those we have accomplished. (For a refresher on their ideals and goals, do a search of what the newly elected, woke, liberal governor of Virginia and her legislature have begun. I can assure you, they do not share our ideals.) We must not lose ground in reforming our nation. To prevent this from happening, we must pray for the elections NOW, not wait until November. The Left will never give up on their quest to fundamentally change America from a God-honoring nation to a globalist, secularist, and Godless country.  As the budding revival and reformation grow, they will increase the momentum for righteous change, but they have not yet reached critical mass. We must continue to fuel these movements and righteous changes with prayer. Remember, and remain confident that “tremendous power is released through the passionate, heartfelt prayer of a godly believer!” (James 5‬:‭16‬ ‭TPT‬‬) May it never be said of us that we grew weary in our praying and lost by default. Never.  Pray with me: Father, first, we want to thank You for the incredible number of people here and around the world now praying in agreement. It will not be said of us,  “They have not because they asked not” (James 4:2), or that “they asked amiss, thinking only of their personal desires.” (verse 3). You have raised up a selfless, determined company of believers, intent upon seeing “ Your Kingdom come and Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). We join our hearts and faith now, praying for protection over President Trump and his team, our members of Congress, and the Justices on the Court. We focus especially on our President today because of the warnings we have received from Holy Spirit. We ask You to thwart every plan conceived to take his - or one of his family members’ - lives. Expose the plans, and stop them. Please do the same for these other members of our government. Send your angels to encamp around them and keep them safe (Psalm 34:7). Give supernatural help to those assigned to perfect them. We ask that You move on the hearts of many believers to join Clay and his Josiah Company of intercessors. Lead them very strategically as they pray; give them great success regarding the midterms. Break the pattern in our nation of the current President’s party typically losing the next midterm election. Give wise strategies to those running for office who would lead our nation righteously and with wisdom. Foil the efforts of those who would not. We ask for Your help. And motivate many believers to implement the simple plan of praying for one minute every night at 9 PM.  It seems so simple and insignificant that many believers could ignore it, yet a small effort could make a huge difference. Cause the slogan to resonate:  A Minute to Win It . All of these things we pray in the powerful name of Jesus. Amen. Our decree: First John 5:14 assures us that we WILL experience God’s will for America. “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.   And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.” (1 John 5:14-15 NASB) “Since we have this confidence, we can also have great boldness before Him, for if we ask anything agreeable to His will, He will hear us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we also know that we have obtained the requests we ask of Him.”  (1 John 5:14-15 TPT) Click on the link below to watch the full video. You can find out more about Clay Nash and the Josiah Company at ClayNash.org .

Introduction This week on Give Him 15, I am sharing calls to prayer issued by other ministry leaders. Holy Spirit is obviously calling for us to increase prayer at this time. Monday, I released a word from Jon Hamill regarding believers pausing every evening at 9:00PM (in your time zone) to offer just one minute of prayer for our nation. England did this in World War II, releasing God’s mercy and grace over the nation, calling it the Big Ben Minute .  A minute doesn’t seem like much, but every 100,000 people participating totals almost 1700 hours of prayer per day. That adds up fast! Today’s post is a follow-up from Jon, pointing out specific areas for which we should be praying at this time. The title of the post is:  A Minute to Win It Prophets, politicos, market forecasters, and military analysts are all issuing similar warnings. Their spheres of expertise may be different, but their conclusions are virtually the same: America is at a historic crossroads. And heaven is calling for prayer to be increased for America.  Of course, that’s what “Give Him 15” is all about! Our friend and mentor, Dutch Sheets, invited us to write a post conveying this call after Lynnie Harlowe prophesied to us about a “Big Ben moment for America.” In Lynnie’s own words:  “I saw a vision of Big Ben, and I heard the phrase ‘Big Ben Minute,’” Lynnie said, referring to a nightly minute of prayer engaged in by citizens of Great Britain during WWII, which helped turn the course of the war. “I knew right then the Lord was saying we are now in a ‘Big Ben moment’ for America. We are at a tipping point for America, where we can go one way or another.” Since then, calls to engage in fervent prayer have come from across the spectrum of the Body of Christ. Even evangelist Franklin Graham has called for a minute of prayer for America. A Spirit-breathed groundswell of intercession is needed, and as we respond our prayers will move the nation in the right direction. As ministry leaders in Washington DC, Jolene and I are beyond grateful for the godly turnarounds that have defined Trump’s administration this first year—the dethroning of “woke” ideology in America, the securing of our borders, fundamental gains towards sustained economic recovery, the opportunity for freedom granted to Venezuela with the extraction of narco-terrorist dictator Nicolas Maduro, and more. Countless longstanding prayers have been answered before our eyes. Overall, it’s been a great decade this year!  And let’s not forget the preservation of Israel, America, and even Sunni muslim nations against existential threats from Iran’s nuclear program, one of Trump’s greatest achievements. But we must stay engaged in prayer. One of the urgent prayer points at this time is protection for our leaders. Iran’s rulers have just threatened President Trump with assassination. The nation’s brutal tyrant, Ayatollah Khamenei, laid the blame for his nation’s million-people-strong uprising, resulting in the slaughter of an estimated 16,500 citizens by his own army, squarely on President Trump and America.  “This time (the bullet) won’t miss the target!” That was the message broadcast a few short days ago by Iranian state television, alongside the iconic photo of President Trump with fist raised after he survived the 2024 assassination attempt. Let’s intensify prayers for God’s continued protection for President Trump, Vice President Vance, Secretary Rubio, Secretary Hegseth, DNI Tulsi Gabbard and others in his administration. Pray for the Secret Service, tasked with protecting them. [Our 2020 book White House Watchmen  can provide you with secrets to prayer for the protection of those serving in our nation’s highest office. The book is available on our website.] On the international scene, there are many questions our prayers can help answer. Will Iran’s people continue to contend for regime change? Will America intervene on their behalf? How will President Trump’s continued push for Greenland affect NATO, and our relationships with European nations? Will Greenland become our 51st state? What about China? Russia and Ukraine?  And on the homefront, will the election success of 2024 extend to the House and Senate again in the midterm elections? [I, Dutch, will address this tomorrow.] All of these prospects should spur us to intercession. Let’s resolve to engage in “Give Him 15” at an even higher level. Please add “A Minute to Win It” each night at 9:00PM with the American Minute of Prayer. Give Him 16 - lol! A Word About the Times In March of 2024, the Lord spoke to me clearly about the coming administration. At the time, the prospect of a Trump election victory seemed tenuous. Whereas in 2016 the Lord had given me clear direction regarding Trump winning the presidency, this time around, I had little prophetic direction. I began seeking the Lord fervently for breakthrough.  When the breakthrough came, what the Holy Spirit showed me was completely unexpected. “In 2025 man is inaugurating a president. But I am inaugurating a new era of history, which will accelerate My purposes on earth!”  I was reminded of how the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln also corresponded with the inauguration of a defining season of American history. Heaven had mandated that our foundational premise of legitimacy as a nation—that all men are created equal—be upheld, with America’s constitutional freedoms extended to every tribe, language, people, and nationality. Tragically, this mandate was ultimately fulfilled by Civil War, and cost President Lincoln his life.  And back in March 2024, my sense from the Lord was that the next inheritor of America’s highest office would usher in a similar window of time as Lincoln for our nation and world. A new era was literally being inaugurated—an acceleration of God’s end-time freedom movement, both in its glory and its challenges. It may be hard to imagine the White House as a portal for prophetic revelation. Yet early in Lincoln’s administration, a song was composed across from the White House, which came to define God’s intentions for our land to generations of Americans. Abolitionist Julia Ward Howe was in D.C., lodging in the nearby Willard Hotel. One night, she awakened with prophetic phrases running through her mind, forming the stanzas of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”  “As I lay waiting for the dawn, the long lines of the desired poem began to twine themselves in my mind,” Howe recalled. “I said to myself, I must get up and write these verses down, lest I fall asleep again and forget them!” With this, the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” was born. The stanzas formed an astonishing picture of Jesus—at war, providing freedom, securing His original intentions for America. Instantly, the imagery became iconic. And ever since, our nation has been mentored by her words: “Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord; He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored! He has loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible, swift sword. His truth is marching on!” (1) I don’t believe it was a coincidence that the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” was the first song performed for President Trump after his swearing-in ceremony. As it was in the days of Lincoln, so it is today - a new era of freedom is being defined - both for our nation and many others across the world. The Lord needs us not only to recognize the moment we are in but also to partner with Him through prayer.  Pray with me: Father God, we pray for the continued protection of America and her leaders. And given the very real threats, we pray especially for the protection of President Trump and his administration. Please move through the Secret Service, our intelligence, and law enforcement communities to expose all plots against their lives. Release Your angels to have charge over them, to watch over, protect, and defend against all the schemes of darkness. According to Isaiah 28:18, we plead the blood of Jesus against all demonic powers set against President Trump and his administration. Shut the gates of sabotage! And Father God, on the one-year anniversary of President Trump’s inauguration, we commit to You the year to come. Please make Yourself known to President Trump in unmistakable ways. Show him Your love. Impart to him grace to stand even more effectively as a true father for the nation. And if he moves in any direction You deem detrimental, grant him wisdom to realign with Your heart and priorities. And Father, on the 250th anniversary of America’s independence, we ask You to take the lead! Move again with a freedom movement for America, and for the nations of the earth. Help us to be minutemen for this movement - move upon many to participate in the nightly minute of prayer. In Jesus’ name, amen.  Our decree: We declare that a new era of history has begun, here in America and around the world. You can find out more about Jon and Jolene Hamill and Lamplighter Ministries at jonandjolene.us . Click on the link below to watch the full video. https://hymnary.org/text/mine_eyes_have_seen_the_glory

Introduction Yesterday, I shared a post written by Jon Hamill regarding a simple but powerful plan to increase prayer for America. Today’s post is also regarding prayer, but for Israel and the Middle East, and was written by my friend, Tom Schlueter, leader of the Texas Apostolic Prayer Network (TXAPN). TXAPN is, without question, one of the most effective prayer networks in the nation, impacting not only Texas but the entire nation. Tom’s title is: The Lynchpin It seems the Lord has a special place in His heart for Jerusalem.  “I was overjoyed when they said, “Let’s go up to the house of the Lord.” And now at last we stand here, inside the very gates of Jerusalem! O Jerusalem, you were built as a city of praise, where God and man mingle together. This is where all the tribes of Yahweh are required to come and worship him. This is where the thrones of kings have been established to rule in righteousness; even King David ruled from here. Pray and seek for Jerusalem’s peace, for all who love her will prosper! O Jerusalem, may there be peace for those who dwell inside your walls and prosperity in your every palace. I intercede for the sake of my family and friends who dwell there, that they may all live in peace. For the sake of your house, Yahweh our God, I will seek the welfare and prosperity of Jerusalem.” Psalms 122:1-9 TPT In April 2019, I had my first opportunity to attend the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast. It was held in San Antonio, Texas, and was hosted by legislative sponsors Congressman Gohmert, Congressman Babin, and Congressman Wright. The event was a powerful time of prayer and policy, mixed beautifully to bring an awareness of God’s command for us to bless Israel and to pray for Jerusalem. When we were invited to attend this year’s Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast in West Palm Beach, Florida, the Lord immediately informed me that my wife and I needed to attend, and this was confirmed by the congregation I serve here in Arlington, Texas. Upon arrival, it was made clear that we were not going to simply attend, but that we were there to release a word from the Lord. I will get to that word in a moment. What is the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast?  The Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast is a prayer movement initiated and chaired by Knesset Member Robert Ilatov and co-chaired by former U.S. Congresswoman Michele Bachmann. Each year, the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast brings together government leaders and influential Christian leaders from all walks of society for gatherings in cities across the United States, the world, and Jerusalem. There are few faith-based organizations that engage in both policy and prayer, but one man, Albert Veksler, global director of the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast, has met the challenge of combining these two powerful elements on a truly international scale. The Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast is approaching its 10th anniversary, having held 9 annual breakfasts in Israel and 27 outside the country. On January 12-13 of 2026, the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast held its event at Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s private club and residence in Palm Beach, Florida. The Word I was Given The word God gave me was a single word on the first evening of the gathering. I wrote the following in a text regarding it to personal intercessors: “We are here at Mar-a-Lago for the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast. Last evening, as Michele Bachman was speaking regarding the situation in Iran, the Lord spoke the word lynchpin to me. I knew I needed to share it, and I tried sharing it with Michele that evening, but could not get to her. The Lord kept waking me throughout the night, repeating the word lynchpin and telling me that this Prayer Breakfast gathering is a lynchpin moment regarding Iran. The Lord is pulling the pin. He told me I had to get the word out!”  I reminded Him that it was 2:00 in the morning, but went ahead and texted what He had shared to three friends at the event! The next morning during breakfast, they confirmed the word, strongly agreeing with it. After we ate, I saw the opportunity to approach Michele Bachmann. I shared the word with her, and she strongly confirmed it. We also agreed that as this pin is pulled, it will unlock and shatter the shackles that are rooted in Iran, and traverse from there to the nations of the earth - especially here in the United States. In agreement, we declared together: “Pull the pin! Free Iran into its destiny!” A lynchpin is a locking pin inserted crosswise (as through the end of an axle or shaft). It can also serve to hold together parts or elements that exist or function as a unit. (1) Dismantling the Prince of Persia For millennia, demonic strongholds have held millions spiritually captive in the Middle East region, causing untold violence and death there and throughout the world. One of the principalities leading this was identified by Holy Spirit in Daniel 10:13 as “the prince of Persia.” Persia is today’s Iran. This is not to disparage the people of Iran, the Persian people. It is identifying the spiritual powers of darkness operating there, just as they attempt to do throughout the world. God loves the people of Iran, while hating the evil controlling and oppressing them. Lately, Holy Spirit has been emphasizing prayer to break the hold of this and other spirits’ control in that region. A great spiritual harvest will be the result. Now that this pin has been pulled, the demonic structures that are holding together the root systems of tyranny in Iran will be dismantled. Certainly, we must continue to pray and decree that this dismantling and disengaging takes place, not only in Iran, but in all its operations across our nation and the other nations of the earth. But the dismantling has begun! As a confirming word, during a regional prayer gathering being held at our congregation, KingdomGate, the Thursday before the breakfast, we sang the song Build My Life .   The song states that God’s love is an unshakable firm foundation upon which we can build our lives.  As the song continued, the Lord gave me a word and decree: “And the Lord says you indeed will not be shaken. But I am shaking the earth. Those things that have held it captive, the shackles of chains that have held people and places far from their destiny, I am now shaking those things. Even as I shook loose the shackles of Paul and Silas (Acts 16:26), so I will now shake loose the shackles over this nation and the nations of the earth. Know today that I am releasing My power, My ‘earthquake-word,’ over those shackles and they will be shattered.”  Pray with me: Father, we come before You as Your sons and daughters through Jesus Christ, and joyfully fulfill Your command to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. We pray that the city will prosper. We ask that You pour out Your glory upon them, upon all of Israel, and the entire Middle East. We pray for the Iranian/Persian people to come alive spiritually, and into their God-given destiny. We are decreeing that the lynchpin has been pulled, and the demonic structure of the ancient Prince of Persia is being dismantled and pulled down in the mighty name of Jesus. And Lord, we continue to lift up America in our prayers, knowing it is perhaps the greatest influencer of worldwide affairs. Please give President Trump and his team great wisdom and insight as they interact with the nations. Cause their decisions to be sound and righteous. And we ask for the same as they work to reform America. Keep them reminded that as they do, they are to do so as representing You. And we ask that the outpouring of Your Spirit here and around the world would intensify. We believe this is happening, but we will continue to ask daily, as we are instructed in Your Word. Multiply this outpouring, we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. Our decree:  We declare that the demonic structure over Iran is being demolished and the shackles are being removed. Today’s post was contributed by Tom Schlueter, director of TXAPN. You can find out more about Tom, including his books, at TomSchlueter.com . Click on the link below to watch the full video. “Lynchpin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/lynchpin . Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.