Does God Really Need Our Prayers? In 1 Kings 18, we find the story of God needing and using a person to accomplish His will through prayer. It is the account of Elijah praying for rain after three years of drought. James 5:17-18 also mentions this occasion, and we know from his account that not only did Elijah’s prayers bring rain, but they also stopped the rain three years earlier. We know we’re in trouble when the prophets are praying for drought! In Verse one of 1 Kings 18, after three years of this judgment, God spoke to Elijah and said, “Go, show yourself to King Ahab, and I will send rain on the face of the earth.” Then at the end of this chapter, after several other events have occurred, Elijah prays seven times and finally, the rain comes. According to the statement in verse one, whose idea was it to send rain? Whose will? Whose initiation? Answer: God’s, not Elijah’s. Then why, if it was God’s will, His idea, and His timing, did it take a human’s prayers to “birth” the rain? (Elijah was in the posture of a woman in that culture giving birth, symbolizing the concept of travailing prayer.) Why did Elijah have to ask seven times? Seven is the biblical number of completion, and I’m sure God was teaching us that we must pray until the task is accomplished. But why would this or any other prayer endeavor require perseverance, when it was God’s will, idea, and timing? And finally, did Elijah’s prayers really produce the rain, or was it simply coincidental that he happened to be praying when God sent it? James clarifies the answer to this last question. Yes, “the effectual fervent prayer” of this man stopped and brought the rain: “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the sky poured rain, and the earth produced its fruit.” (James 5:17-18 NASB) The only logical answer to the question of why Elijah needed to pray is simply that God has chosen to work through people. Even when it is the Lord Himself initiating something, earnestly desiring to do it, He still needs us to ask. Andrew Murray succinctly speaks of our need to ask: “God’s giving is inseparably connected with our asking . . . Only by intercession can that power be brought down from heaven which will enable the Church to conquer the world.” 1 As to Elijah’s need for perseverance, for now, suffice it to say that I believe our prayers do more than just petition the Father. I’ve become convinced that in some situations they actually release cumulative amounts of God’s power until enough has been released to accomplish His will. Another example that supports our premise of the absolute need for prayer is found in the life of Daniel. In 606 BC Israel had been taken captive by another nation because of its sin. Years later in Daniel 9, we’re told that while reading the prophet Jeremiah, Daniel discovered it was time for Israel’s captivity to end. Jeremiah had not only prophesied the captivity of which Daniel was a part, but he also prophesied the duration: 70 years. At this point, Daniel did something very different from what most of us would do. When we receive a promise of revival, deliverance, healing, restoration, etc., we tend to passively wait for its fulfillment - but not Daniel. He knew better. Somehow he must have known that God needed his involvement because he said, “So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes” (Daniel 9:3). The Angel Gabriel was dispatched immediately after Daniel started praying. However, it took him 21 days to penetrate the warfare in the heavens with the message to inform Daniel that “your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words” (Daniel 10:12). I can’t help wondering how many promises from God have gone unfilled because He can’t find the human involvement He needs. Paul E. Billheimer says: Daniel evidently realized that intercession had a part to play in bringing the prophecy to pass. God had made the prophecy. When it was time for its fulfillment He did not fulfill it arbitrarily outside of His program of prayer. He sought for a man upon whose heart He could lay a burden of intercession. . . As always, God made the decision in heaven. A man (a person) was called upon to enforce that decision on earth through intercession and faith.2 Let’s rise to the occasion and embrace the incredible invitation to be co-laborers with God, to be carriers of His awesome Holy Spirit and ambassadors for His great kingdom. Let’s represent Him! Awaken us to our destiny, Lord! Pray with me: Father, it is truly a pleasure to partner with You in your earthly endeavors. We also realize it is a great responsibility. Help us to grow stronger in faith and conviction that our prayers really matter. They make a difference. You need them to bring forth Your purposes on the earth. We are your hands, feet, and mouth here on this planet. We realize You created humans because You wanted a family. And You wanted that family to partner with You, to dream with You. You gave us the authority of Christ to enable us to accomplish this partnership. So we ask You for increased revelation of this reality and of how to accomplish it more effectively. Today, we pray for spiritual rain. We ask that the spiritual drought caused by the worship of idols, the immorality and perversion caused by submitting to the spirit of Jezebel, and other evil strongholds in our nation be demolished. In the name of Jesus, we pull them down. We release Your Kingdom’s will and purpose to come. We ask You for the cleansing blood of Jesus to deliver this nation. And please send a great revival bringing millions of people into the kingdom family. We know You hear and answer us as we pray these things in Jesus’ name. Amen Our decree: We declare that God is faithful to restore America through our prayers, just as He did Israel through Daniel’s prayers. Portions of today’s post were taken from my book, Intercessory Prayer. 1 Andrew Murray, The Ministry of Intercessory Prayer (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 1981), pp 22-23. 2 Billheimer, Destined for the Throne, p 107.

Our Prayer Siege is Producing Breakthrough As intercessors, we must be strong in perseverance. Whether interceding for a person or a nation, it often requires a prolonged season of time to see results. This is not because it takes a while to convince or motivate God, but our prayers are releasing His power into situations to change people’s thinking, stop demonic activity, release life, and more. These things require a persistent release of power until they are fully accomplished. Prayer is usually more like a siege than one quick battle. In fact, that is one of the meanings of the Old Testament words for a watchman. The concept of a siege implies time and process. Though most breakthroughs seem sudden, they are really a culmination of much that has happened to prepare the way. Galatians 6:9 tells us, “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” “Time” in this verse is the Greek word kairos, which means “strategic or opportune” time, contrasted to the Greek word chronos which means “general, chronological time.” Nothing strategic or opportunistic about chronos - it’s just a general season or progression of time. Kairos, on the other hand, is a portion of that season that has now become strategic, producing an opportunity. For example, the time from plowing a field, up until harvest begins, is chronos; harvest season is kairos. From the conception of a child to labor is chronos, the time of labor and birth is kairos. Galatians 6:9 is telling us that if we persevere, we will come to the opportune time of reaping or breakthrough. Whether praying for the salvation of a person or revival in a nation, a prolonged season of chronos activity is usually necessary before the exciting kairos window of opportunity arrives. While meditating on this concept years ago, Holy Spirit began teaching me that a kairos window is simply the final phase of a longer chronos process. He didn’t want me to despise or minimize the importance of the mundane portion of time. Chronos and kairos are linked; they’re different, yes, but parts of the same process. We cannot have a kairos opportunity without a chronos season, for it is the chronos season that produces the kairos window of time. If there is no plowing, planting, watering, weeding, protecting, etc., there will be no harvest. Most suddenlies, as in revival, aren’t really suddenlies; they are the result of prayer “sieges” that made it all the way to breakthrough. Daniel 2:20-21 (AMPC) speaks of times changing: Blessed be the name of God forever and ever! For wisdom and might are His! He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding!” This changing of times and seasons takes place in our individual lives again and again as we move from one phase to another. The scriptures tell us we go from: Brighter to brighter paths (see Proverbs 4:18) Faith to faith (see Romans 1:17) Glory to glory (see 2 Corinthians 3:18) Strength to strength (see Psalm 84:7). The passage in Psalm 84 that speaks of us going “from strength to strength” begins by saying in verse 6, “passing through the valley of Baca [weeping] they make it a spring.” Verse 7 then says we go “from strength to strength.” It is persevering in the chronos time of frustration and weeping, when all sometimes seems difficult and fruitless, that allows God to transform us, producing another kairos time of growth. Some chronos seasons are long, which none of us like. After God made promises to Abraham concerning a nation that would come from him through Sarah, there was a 24-year chronos season requiring much faithfulness, commitment, and patience. Though not perfectly, Abraham and Sarah persevered through this time until God’s timing shift occurred, transforming chronos to kairos. In Genesis 18:10 He said: “I will surely return to you at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” The word for time in this verse is the Hebrew word eth, which is equivalent to the Greek word kairos. Chronos became kairos and the promise was fulfilled. After refusing to believe and respond to God properly, Israel wandered for forty years in a chronos wilderness season. In Joshua 1, the shift occurred; God changed the season to kairos: “Within three days, you are to cross this Jordan” (Joshua 1:11). After his dramatic conversion in Acts 9, Saul - later named Paul - went into a lengthy season of chronos. It was those twelve years of faithful study, equipping, and transformation on the Potter’s wheel, however, that allowed Holy Spirit to cause the shift in Acts 13, changing chronos to kairos: “While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them,’” (v.2). In the 1940s through the 1980s, much of Europe was under a shroud of Communist oppression and bondage. The Iron Curtain held millions of hopeless souls in captivity, while a seemingly helpless world looked on. During this chronos season of seeming inactivity, however, much was actually occurring in the spirit realm. Untold thousands of prayers went up for the liberation of this sector of the world and the fall of Communism. In what seemed like a day, the siege bore its fruit and God created a divine shift. Chronos was transformed into kairos and the Iron Curtain came down. This did not happen in spite of the chronos season; it happened because of what was taking place in and through the chronos season. Hang in there! You may be only days from your kairos. The divine shift may be imminent, and your faithfulness is helping create it. Also, America may seem far from revival. But do not grow weary in your praying and activity. Our siege is producing a breakthrough. He who promised is faithful, and America shall be saved! Let the sieges continue! “And don’t allow yourselves to be weary or disheartened in planting good seeds, for the season of reaping the wonderful harvest you’ve planted is coming!” (Galatians 6:9) Pray with me: Father, how interesting that the word watchmen has both a defensive and offensive meaning. I am struck by the fact that a word used to describe protection, is also used to describe war and conquering. More than ever, we ask You to make us watchmen. We want to protect our families, homes, cities, and nations - yes. But where satan has already gained a foothold, we want to lay siege in prayer, cutting off his supply lines and communications, while barraging him with powerful decrees and declarations of Your words. We know satan has been defeated. But we also know that through ignorance and sin he has been allowed to rule territories and lives. It is without question, however, that as we do what You instructed us to do, we will rescue these territories and lives from him, transferring them into Your Kingdom of blessing and life. So we ask You to shift us fully into the season of harvest. May we fulfill both Mark 16 - expanding Your family all over the world, and Matthew 28 - teaching entire nations Your ways and Kingdom principles. As we do this, we know transformation will be monumental, bringing life, health, and peace. We decree sieges have begun and will intensify in Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa, South America, North America, and the islands. We decree also that the siege of Washington D.C. and America will also intensify. We declare that the corruption and evil in this nation will be exposed, especially in government. We declare that the righteousness of God will once again invade the government of America. We decree that the salvation of the Lord is coming to this land and will not be stalled. This is not because we deserve it - no one deserves salvation. It is because of Your mercy. And we declare that the destiny You have called America to will be accomplished. We boldly declare that every stronghold over America is being demolished. Every principality ruling us is being thrown down. Every giant will fall, in the mighty, all-powerful name of Jesus Christ. Amen Our decree: We decree that the relentless power of God is being released all over the earth to weaken strongholds, and activate the greatest harvest in history! Portions of today’s post were taken from my book Watchman Prayer.

Taking Cities and Nations for Christ “The Lord said to Joshua, ‘See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the valiant warriors.’. . . Joshua said to the people, ‘Shout! For the Lord has given you the city,’” (Joshua 6: 2,16). Jericho. What a great story! Also a source of tremendous encouragement, it has for centuries spawned many wonderful, faith-inspiring sermons and songs. It seemed so easy: march, shout, gather the spoils. Your Town, U.S.A. - what a different story. March, shout, no spoils . . . march, shout, no spoils . . . march, shout, no spoils. Frustration, Disillusionment. Unbelief. Despair. May I remind you that in both of the above verses God said He had given Jericho to Israel before there was any change whatsoever. Has He done that with you? Has He given you your city, and yet it still looks the same? I have good news for you. When God states He has done something, from then on, as far as He is concerned, it is a done deal - He has given. It is well worth considering that events in Scripture did not always happen as quickly as it appears they did. Though the book of Joshua can be read in a couple of hours, the conquest of Canaan under Joshua’s leadership took about seven years. The entire book covers a period of approximately 25 years. And at the end of the book, all the tribes of Israel still had not fully conquered all of their territories (see Judges 1:27-36). Later in Israel’s history, after a grand and glorious beginning, they experienced a sixteen-year delay in the rebuilding of the Temple (see Ezra 3-4). Through the ministry of the prophet Haggai, courage and faith to continue came. Delays, setbacks, and long-term campaigns are not uncommon in the Kingdom of God. Though God has facilitated an acceleration in the pace of world evangelization, endurance and patience are still very key factors. You may not be as far behind as you think! Hang in there! We play until we win. God has given us our cities and nations, even though it may not yet look like it. Is this comparison with Joshua and Israel valid for us today? Can we really take our cities and nations, or is that a lofty but unattainable goal? Consider this report of a city-taking shared by George Otis, Jr., in his book Informed Intercession. In the 1970s Almolonga, Guatemala, was idolatrous and economically depressed. Alcoholism was rampant, poverty and violence the norm. Families suffered terribly due to the depravity that ruled. The Gospel did not prosper; persecution of Christian leaders was common. In 1974, a series of five-hour prayer vigils began, and shortly thereafter, God began to move. Deliverance and healings began to break forth, even resurrections from the dead. Conversions began to take place at such a rate that 90 percent of the 19,000 people in Almolonga became evangelical Christians. The revival impacted every area of life: families, businesses, even the produce of the land. Nicknamed “America’s Vegetable Garden,” the fields produced three harvests per year, with five-pound beets, carrots bigger than a man’s arm, and cabbages the size of basketballs. Crime disappeared so much that, in 1994, the last of the four jails closed. Aftershocks of the revival in Almolonga continued for years. “Great!” you may be saying. “But what do those places have to do with my city, and what do they have to do with the watchman anointing?” Everything. First of all, the Bible states, “What God has done for one city, He’ll do for another.” You didn’t know this was in the Bible? Sure you did. You just did not recognize the Sheets paraphrase. Most translations read something like, “God is no respecter of persons,” (Acts 10:34 KJV). Another verse says, “God wants to save people in your city just as much as those in Almolonga.” You probably caught on by now. This is an interpretation of 2 Peter 3:9 (KJV): “The Lord is . . . not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Yes, there is hope for your city and mine, and there is hope for America. We are not at the mercy of sin, sinners, politicians, satan, or demons. Refuse to place control of your destiny in any of these! Choose to believe God is wiser and more powerful than the devil. If He wants to bring revival to America - and He does - then we can have revival, if we do our part. No one said it would be easy. On the contrary, words such as persecution, tribulation, fight, warfare, wrestle, endurance, and others like them are all applied to us in Scripture. But so are such as victory, faith, overcomer, conqueror, power, authority, harvest, and miracle. If we are willing to obey God fully, walk in faith, and never give up, we can have anything God wants us to have. And that includes revival. Pray with me: Father, we have moved into the era of taking cities and nations for You. Revival will take place on a never-before-seen scale. Your love for people, even those who are Your enemies is beyond our ability to comprehend. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Open our eyes to see that this love has not waned, that You are just as passionate to save the lost as You were the day Jesus was crucified. Awaken passion and faith in Your people to believe for this revival. We know You can bring it - Your arm is not too short that You cannot save. You have prepared the soil, sown the seeds and the earth is ripe. Now, You are coming with the combined efforts of Holy Spirit, the angel armies, and the church. Hell has never seen anything like the triumphant campaign about to be unleashed on the earth. We ask You to bring a fresh baptism of fire to us. Infuse us with holy zeal. May we be consumed with Your heart to save. In fact, we boldly ask You for a movement generating the most radical evangelists the world has ever seen. Baptize them with power and faith to do incredible signs and wonders to raise the dead, cast out devils, and set the captives free. That was Your mission statement when You walked the earth and it will now become ours. We call forth this world-changing revival in the all-powerful name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Today’s decree: We decree the great harvest fields of the earth are ripe and WILL NOW BE REAPED! Portions of today’s post were taken from my book Watchman Prayer.

Cover Me, I’m Going In I must have watched too many Westerns as a child. I was having a very detailed dream, one so realistic my body and mouth were into it. My vigorous kicking and unintelligible mumblings awakened my wife, Ceci, who then awakened me. “Are you okay? Are you dreaming?” she asked. “Little Joe,” I mumbled, still half asleep. “What? Did you say ‘Little Joe?’” “Yeah. Little Joe Cartwright.” For those of you deprived of the experience, or too young to have been around, Little Joe (played by the late Michael Landon) was one of the characters on the hit Western television series Bonanza. “I dreamed I was Little Joe,” I repeated. “And I was fighting a big dude in a boxing match. I was terrified of him, so my strategy was to keep moving so fast he could not hit me,” thus the kicking. Ceci, insensitive as she was, thought it was hilarious (that’s a joke). That is because she was not in the boxing ring with the man whose main goal was to beat her senseless. She still brings it up once in a while, especially when I am having a graphic dream. “Who are you this time?” She chuckles. “Muhammad Ali?” An often-used expression in Westerns was “Cover me.” This, of course, was said by those who were running into the open during gun battles. They wanted enough gunfire aimed toward the enemy to prevent him from successfully firing upon them. “Little Joe said it several times.” We must also cover each other, not with guns, but with prayer. Let’s consider a few definitions of watchman that will enable us to provide effective prayer coverage. “Protect” or “protector” are translations of the Hebrew words for “watchman.” Psalm 121:5, 7-8 tells us, “The Lord is your keeper [shamar] . . .The Lord will protect [shamar] you from all evil; He will keep [shamar] your soul. The Lord will guard [shamar] your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever.” Four times Holy Spirit uses this watchman word shamar to insure us of His protection. The English word protect comes from two Latin words: pro, meaning “before,” and tego, meaning “to cover; to cover or shield from danger or injury.” One of the ways this protection comes is through the watchman anointing. Quin Sherrer and Ruthanne Garlock share the following two testimonies of prayer coverage in their book A Woman’s Guide to Spiritual Warfare: Janet’s six-year-old son, Kevin, came in from school one day with a defiant, sassy attitude. “What did you do in school today, son?” Janet asked, puzzled by his mood. “Played with a crystal ball the teacher brought. We asked it all kinds of questions,” he answered. “Lord, what shall I do about this?” Janet, a new Christian, prayed silently. From deep within she heard, Break the witchcraft and curses that come with it. “Kevin, come sit on my lap for a minute,” she said, still asking the Lord how to follow the directions she’d just received. She gave Kevin a big hug as he climbed on her lap. Surprised, she heard herself saying, “Father, in the name of Jesus I break the power of witchcraft and curses, and I take back from the enemy the ground he has stolen from my son. We give that ground back to You, Lord. Thank you for your protection and your blessing upon Kevin.” After prayer, Kevin immediately changed back to her happy, sweet-natured kid. “That was my introduction to dealing with invisible evil forces,” Janet said. “In a nutshell, I quickly learned about spiritual warfare, and I’m still using it for both of my children.” Kevin is now grown and drives a huge cattle transport trailer truck across the country. One night Janet woke up four times, and each time she “saw” a truck going off the road. The truck was the eighteen-wheeler Kevin was driving. “I began binding the spirits of death and calamity, then I asked the Lord to send angels to keep my son’s truck on the road. I did it four times that night,” she remembers. “At dawn, Kevin called to say, ‘Mom, I’m back in town, but I’m too tired to drive home. Four times last night my truck almost went off the road. Were you praying?’” Janet fulfilled the role of a watchman as she covered her son from the evils of witchcraft and from physical harm. She was a protector - a role that is possible for each of us if we allow Holy Spirit to help us walk in this anointing. “Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.” (Psalm 91:9-11 NKJV) Pray with me: Thank you, Father, for teaching us to cover our families and those You have assigned to us. We refuse to allow satan to steal, kill, and destroy that which belongs to us. We rise up in Your anointing and authority and bind every attempt he makes to do so. We will live in the secret place of the Most High God and remain protected there. No evil will befall us and no plague will come near our dwelling. Make very real and strong in us the revelation that we can and must live this prayer responsibility. Father, I don’t want Your people to lose by default, by ignorance. I want them to know they need to do this, and I want them to absolutely know they can. They are more than conquerors when they simply do as instructed. Give them greater and greater revelation of this. We decree over our children that they are blessed and protected. We decree over our homes that they are blessed and protected. We decree over our finances that they are blessed and protected. We decree over all of our possessions that they are blessed and protected. And, yes, we decree over this nation that it is blessed and protected. We continue to cover America with our prayers, decreeing that the ungodly in positions of authority will be removed and their evil works will be exposed. The darkness will be eliminated from government in America. Amen. Our decree: We decree that we and our families live under the protective covering of the blood of Jesus!

God Will Turn the Tables A few days ago, I mentioned what theologians call the “law of first mention.” This refers to the general rule that the first time a major subject is mentioned in the Bible, significant facts are introduced concerning it that will remain consistent and relevant throughout the scriptures. The first mention of the serpent - satan - is in Genesis 3:1: Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden?’” (emphasis added) It is easy to see this law at work here, as the verse speaks of satan’s subtlety or craftiness. God is informing us of one of the most important things we must remember about satan: He is far more dangerous to us as the crafty serpent than the roaring lion. “Crafty” is the Hebrew word aruwm, taken from aram, which means “to be bare or smooth.” We actually use the same concept in our English language - someone who is crafty or wily is often referred to as “slick” or as a “smooth operator.” Such is the case with satan. He is very cunning, and we must be wary of his attacks and deceptions. He is always seeking to steal, kill, destroy (see John 10:10) and grab the bigger portions - and he does it with great skill. Adam was not wary enough of the crafty serpent in the garden. He heard and saw him, but was unaware of his plans. Because of this, satan was successful in invading and violating his garden. This same word, crafty, is used in Joshua 9:4, to describe a plan the Gibeonite people used to deceive Israel: “They also acted craftily and set out as envoys, and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins worn-out and torn and mended” (emphasis added). The Gibeonites were one of the Canaanite tribes Joshua and Israel were supposed to dispossess. This nation, however, deceived the Israelites into believing they were from far away and had made the journey to form a covenant with them. Joshua and the people neglected to pray about this - always a part of satan’s subtlety - and were therefore deceived into entering a binding, covenantal agreement with these people. It must be said that the Israelites were not without warning. In Exodus 34:12, they were told. “Watch yourself that you make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going or it will become a snare in your midst” (emphasis added). The Israelites failed in their responsibility to watch, and just as the verse warned, the crafty snare was laid. We can conclude from the Israelites’ suspicion of the Gibeonites that God was obviously trying to alert them. Joshua 9:7 says, “The men of Israel said to the Hivites [Gibeonites], ‘Perhaps you are living within our land; how then shall we make a covenant with you?’” Rather than heeding this caution, however, they acted on what they saw. The Israelites were not watching. We must remember things are not always as they appear. The following story illustrates this: A traveler between flights at an airport went to a lounge and bought a small package of cookies, sat down, and began reading a newspaper. Gradually, she became aware of a rustling noise. From behind her paper, she was flabbergasted to see a neatly dressed man helping himself to her cookies! Not wanting to make a scene yet wanting to let him know that they were hers, she leaned over and took a cookie herself. A minute or two passed, and then came more rustling. He was helping himself to another cookie! Finally, they came to the end of the package. There was one cookie left. She was so angry she didn’t dare allow herself to say anything. Then, adding insult to injury, the man broke the remaining cookie in two, pushed half across to her, ate the other half, and left. Still fuming sometime later when her flight was announced, the woman opened her handbag to get her ticket. To her shock and embarrassment, there she found her pack of unopened cookies! How disheartening it is to discover the error of wrong assumptions! Though Israel “ate the wrong cookies” and was subsequently taken advantage of, there is an incredible and positive ending to the Gibeonite story. God used the “craftiness” of the Gibeonites to picture satan’s craftiness. He told Joshua to make them “hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord” (Joshua 9:27, emphasis added). The altar of the Lord was where the blood of atonement was shed, and as such pictured Christ’s Cross. Just as the “crafty” Gibeonites were used to prepare items for the animal sacrifices, God used satan, the “crafty” one, to make preparations for the ultimate sacrifice - Christ’s crucifixion. One can only imagine satan’s excitement as he “hewed the wood” (prepared the Cross) for Christ’s sacrifice. How crafty must he have felt as he orchestrated the making of the Crown of Thorns, watched the spikes being driven, and the spear being thrust into Christ. But his joy turned to terror when he learned he was aiding in his own destruction. God had turned the tables on the crafty one! The outcome of the Gibeonite story is an incredible assurance that God can reverse the subtleties of our adversary, the devil, and use them to bring about good. Through His amazing wisdom, which always supersedes satan’s subtlety, our mistakes can actually become the instruments of God’s redemptive purposes. The Cross is God’s ultimate proof that He can turn your circumstances around and even bring good through evil. God intends to do this for America. Satan has deceived many in our nation. Some believe we simply don’t need God. The devil has convinced others that there are many gods and/or many ways to God. Others have been deceived into outright rebellion. God, however, is going to save millions of deceived Americans. There is coming a strong revelation of his son, Jesus, and His salvation. The presence of the Lord will be heavy in our land, opening the eyes of many. Do not doubt this. He is coming with a tidal wave of love and mercy to the lost and hurting. Get ready! “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles (or craftiness) of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:11-13 NKJV) Pray with me: Father, there is no one in our nation that has not been fooled by the serpent’s craftiness. But I hear Holy Spirit saying You are releasing a spirit of discernment into the church that will cause us to be much more skillful at recognizing satan’s activities, so we ask You for this. Train us to be alert. If we are alert, You are faithful to make us aware of satan’s schemes. Raise up effective watchmen and women to protect us from satan‘s schemes and plans - at personal, as well as corporate levels. Give us government watchmen. Raise up city watchmen. Give congregations watchmen. And train us to do this for our families and homes. Forgive us for allowing so much ground to be taken by the deceiver in our nation. Forgive us for allowing the crafty one to take over our education system, our government, our media, and other segments of our culture. Forgive us for allowing him into the church. Even after this past election, when the church should be rallying together for prayer and strategy to stop the hideous plans of darkness, we find many leaders preferring to fight with other believers. Forgive us. You have told us the greatest of all spiritual traits is love - not sound doctrine, not theology, not the gifts of Holy Spirit - but love. And yet, we allow the crafty one to deceive us into causing disunity and strife. This must break Your heart. Please forgive us and deliver us from this deception. In spite of this, Lord, You are going to reverse the strongholds of darkness over America. You are going to take the crafty one in his craftiness. You will use satan‘s own plans and strategies against him. Like they did at the Cross, his plans will backfire. Therefore, we ask You with fervent prayer: Bring it! Turn the tables! Work his evil for our good! We know You can do this, for Yours is still the Kingdom (the rule), and the power, and the glory...forever!!! In Jesus’ name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that a higher level of discernment is now being released to the church. The prophetic anointing (that brings this discernment) will not be despised; it will be celebrated. Portions of today’s post were taken from my book Watchman Prayer.

The Rewarding Pursuit Ceci loves to garden. While living in Colorado, her painstaking efforts were challenged, at best. Long winters, the ground never really warming up while living at 7500 feet and summer nights always being in the 50-60’s - even during the months of July and August - made gardening nearly impossible. Therefore, tomato plants and potted herbs lined our back deck. It was a bit frustrating to a Mississippi farm girl not to be able to have her own garden with fresh-grown vegetables. She tells me there’s something about having your hands in the dirt, smelling it, feeling it flow through your fingers, and knowing it can bring life that feeds her soul. I don’t get it. I grew up playing sports, not living on a farm, as she did. Publix seems to work for me. Upon moving to the South, Ceci quickly scouted out the best “plot” for her small vegetable and herb garden. I would see her there early in the mornings, on hands and knees pulling weeds, staking tomato plants, and hoeing maverick grass trying to encroach upon her beloved garden. After a while, she would return to the house with dirty gloves (yes, she protects those nails), sweaty clothes, a bit sunburned, with dirt on her face. Except for the fight with rabbits who wanted to nibble the tomatoes, her gardening efforts were successful. In the book First Things First, A. Roger Merrill tells of a business consultant who was moving into a new home. He decided to hire a friend of his to landscape the grounds. She had a doctorate in horticulture and was extremely bright and knowledgeable. . . Because [the business consultant] was very busy and traveled a lot, he kept emphasizing to her the need to create his garden in a way that would require little or no maintenance on his part. He pointed out the absolute necessity of automatic sprinklers and other labor-saving devices. . . Finally, she stopped and said, “There’s one thing you need need to deal with before we go any further. If there’s no gardener, there’s no garden!” As I continue to think about David and his desire to move the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem (as mentioned in yesterday’s post), I thought about the tiring process of carrying the Ark. Then I realized, if there are no tired shoulders, there will be no Ark. Some things, however, are worth long hours, sweat, substantial effort. . . and even splinters. Our world has become obsessed with convenience. Whether it be our food, travel, communication, or gardens, we’re determined to live “new cart” lifestyles. The trend has finally made it into the Church. We offer many convenient times, styles, locations, and even the choice to watch from home in your pajamas. Because our lives are so busy, we even offer condensed and abbreviated versions. Some congregations are now so efficiently convenient, they can serve you your weekly God-connection in forty-five minutes, less time than it takes to watch your favorite television show: fifteen minutes of worship, fifteen minutes of announcements and fellowship, and a fifteen-minute message. “And by the way, we promise not to mention anything that might convict or sadden you. There’ll be no sin talked about, no grieving over the lost, and no mention of social and moral injustices such as abortion, human trafficking, or the state of our nation. We strive to make it quick, easy, and pleasant.” I don’t believe our new-cart version of Christianity is God-honoring or biblical. The pleasure of His company is readily available, but it’s not cheap or convenient. It will cost you time and effort. God wants intimacy with us, but He isn’t an easy score. He expects marriage and covenant, not one-night stands. But I assure you, He is more than worth the price. David and his leaders decided to give it another try - the inconvenient way. “Let’s carry Him ourselves, on our shoulders and next to our hearts. It will be hard work and will take all day, but having His presence and glory nearby will be worth it.” “Now it was told King David, saying, ‘The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God.’ David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness. And so it was that when the bearers of the Ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. And David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, and David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the Ark of the Lord with shouting and the sound of the trumpet.” (2 Samuel 6:12-15) In the book of Chronicles’ account of this, we’re told that “God was helping the Levites who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord” (1 Chronicles 15:26). Isn’t that encouraging and so typical of God’s heart? When we honor Him by seeking His presence in the appropriate manner, He makes it easier to find Him. Our Father wants our company. He desires to spend time with us. For David, it had finally happened. The presence junkie would have unfettered access to Yahweh and His glory. He placed the Ark in a tent, called simply the “tent [or tabernacle] of David,” and filled it with 24/7 worship. (Mind you, there were no non-stop digital players; this was 24/7 worship done by individuals.) History tells us David himself spent hours at a time lingering inside. The inconvenience of the process had been rewarded with the enjoyment of His presence. Persistence, pursuit, and presence had won. This can be your story, as well. On this side of the Cross, our hearts are the tent. Wow! As unfathomable as it may seem, we are now the Holy of Holies. His presence is always with us and in us. You be the cart - that’s what He really wants. Carry Him everywhere you go. Reach for Him; He’ll reach back. Make Christ your magnificent obsession, Yahweh your papa, and Holy Spirit your daily companion. Never again settle for the substandard existence of life lived without the pleasure of His company. “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.” (2 Corinthians 4:7 NLT) Pray with me: Father, You are worthy of the highest praise and adoration, and the furthest possible reaches of our love. Jesus, there is nothing we could ever give or do or say that would be equivalent to Your great sacrifice. You’ve paid the price in full that we might have salvation, and yet, to freely bask in Your glory, there is still a price that must be paid. How can we bring You an offering that costs us nothing? Father, we repent for doing this very thing - trying to access the most exquisite of blessings while limiting You by wanting it to be easy and convenient. We confess that at times, we have been casual seekers of convenience instead of constant lovers of Your presence. Today we purpose in our hearts to give our time and effort toward fueling an intentional, passionate pursuit. May we become an Ark of Your glory and Your presence. You are worth it all. As we have been reminded today, we now refuse to live without experiencing the great pleasure of Your company, the depths of Your compassion, and the power of Your resurrection. We ask the same for our great nation. Come and visit our land. Jesus, be our magnificent obsession. In Christ’s name...amen. Decree: I pledge to live underneath the shadow of His presence and to be a passionate pursuer of His will. Portions of today’s post were taken from my book The Pleasure of His Company.

DSM has been blessed with a wonderful, hard-working, and loyal team. Ceci and I are going to do a staff retreat with them, then she and I will take a much-needed vacation. I have asked some of my close friends and associates - many being regular contributors to the Give Him 15 posts - to fill in during this time. You will recognize most of the names; and I’ve thrown in one or two whom perhaps you haven’t heard from. You’re going to love the insights from all of them - this will be a wonderful smorgasbord! Enjoy! _____________________________________________________________________________ Breakthrough in 2022! - Tom Hamon Welcome to Give Him 15. Today I am filling in for the incomparable Dutch Sheets whom we love so much. As we came into 2022, I heard the Lord say we had entered a very significant season in the earth! He called it a season of Breakthrough! I know, at times it feels like the opposite of what has been taking place, but I believe it is exactly what the Lord has in mind. I also know, that this can seem like a generic term to many but let me describe what I felt the Lord showed me. First of all, He said our breakthrough would not come without resistance. In fact, He said the church was going to need to have a certain quality of faith called endurance and persistence in order to press past the resistance in this hour to receive its breakthrough season! If you remember in Luke 11 there is a parable of a man who knocked on his neighbor’s door at midnight for provisions to feed friends that had unexpectedly arrived at his house. Initially, the friend said, ‘Go away, it’s late, I’m in bed and my kids are in bed, I can’t help you now.’ However, instead of walking away disappointed or discouraged, the man said to himself, ‘I’m not leaving until I get my blessing!’ Instead, he decided to knock again! In fact, he knocked and knocked and knocked, until he received the fullness of his Breakthrough! Finally, his friend opened up the door and said, ‘OK, I’ll not only give you what you asked for but whatever you want!’ Jesus said in the parable that he did not open up and give him this blessing and provision just because of his friendship but because of his persistence! I find it significant that this immediately follows the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer in Luke11, where it says, “Let Your Kingdom come, Let Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven”. I believe the Lord was giving us clues as to what it would take to do this work. It was going to require Persistence past all Resistance to receive our Breakthrough! As we entered into this 2020 season of pandemic and political and economic upheaval, the Lord said we must keep our focus on Him and on the promise! I believe 2 Chronicles 20:20 is key in this season of the 2020s! If you remember the story of 2 Chronicles is all about King Jehoshaphat facing a sudden attack from his enemies. He found himself surrounded, outnumbered, and faced with certain capture or death. It was a dark and desperate time in which it seemed the enemy had the upper hand. In fact, it says Jehoshaphat feared as he saw his situation! But that was not the end of the story. Immediately he mobilized the people of God to fast and seek God’s face and began to make an eloquent appeal to heaven. He spoke of God’s promise, purposes, character, and the call of God upon Judah. He based his appeal on ‘case law’ if you will. In verse 12 he acknowledges, we have no power against this great multitude, nevertheless, our eyes are upon You! We recognize that there are powerful, dark, antichrist forces arrayed against us in this hour but we can’t afford to lose our focus! We must keep our eyes on the Lord! But the process was not over. In order to have your appeal heard and the case overturned, you have to add new information to your case. This new information came in the form of a prophetic word given by a young prophet named Jahaziel. Jahaziel represents a bold, young emerging prophetic generation that is arising on the earth today. He boldly proclaimed to the king and the nation they would not have to fight the way that they thought they would but God would fight for them! He prophetically admonished them, ‘don’t be afraid, don’t be dismayed but go against them!’ So Jehoshaphat famously declared in 2 Chronicles 20:20, ‘Believe the Lord and you will be established, believe His prophets and you will prosper’. This powerful Hebrew word prosper doesn’t just mean financially, but also means, ‘to advance, break out, breakthrough and be successful’. In other words, believe what God has to say above your circumstances and you will BREAKTHROUGH! In 2 Chronicles 20:22 it says as they positioned themselves and began to sing and praise the Lord, the Lord set a trap for their enemies and they were defeated! Can we believe in 2022 that we can praise our way to our Breakthrough!? Then it says it took days for them to reap the spoils of their victory! Can we also believe for this during this season as well!? I believe this is indicative of where the church is today! It is key that we seek God's face, make our appeal to heaven, listen to what God is saying prophetically and choose to believe what He says above any circumstances that we are facing! God wants to change the verdict of defeat, death and destruction and instead release an amazing breakthrough for us in this season! The Lord also spoke to me about 2022 in a rather unique way these last couple of years. In 2021, the Lord led me to look up the number 2021 in the Hebrew and Greek in the Strong’s Concordance. The number 2021 in Hebrew is the rarely used word ‘hotsen’ and it means to be ‘sharp and strong as a weapon of war’ and in the Greek, it is the word ‘epicheireo’ which means ‘to take in hand and grasp it’. So the Lord was definitely talking about a warfare season in which we would need to know how to take our weapons of spiritual warfare into our hands and wield them as sharply and strongly as possibly in order to see our breakthrough in this season! As we entered 2022, I felt the Lord again led me to look up 2022 in the Strong’s Concordance as well. What I found is key for this season in the earth! In the Hebrew, it is the word ‘har’ which means ‘hill, mountain, nation, country’ and in the Greek it is the word ‘epicheo’ which means to ‘pour upon’. I felt God saying He wants to pour upon the mountains and the nations in a special way! But how? As I looked a little deeper, I found this Greek word ‘epicheo’ is only used once in the New Testament in the story of the Good Samaritan. The parable talks about a man that rose above the religious spirit seen in the priest and the Levite and decided to minister to the hurting in the marketplace. He poured out the oil and the wine that restored his soul. He chose to take the time, effort, and money to heal a broken heart and a broken life that he encountered on the side of the road of life. This man pressed passed pride and prejudice to bring a great breakthrough and healing to his neighbor in need. The Lord said to me this is the year that the great harvest is going to begin to be brought in but we must be careful not to be too focused on what we think is our mission and miss the divine appointments that may present themselves to us along the way in our journey of ministry, family, and business. The church cannot be like the overly focused, prideful priest and Levite and miss the real appointments God has for us in this hour. We must minister to the hurting right in front of us because that is how the real breakthrough and harvest are going to come. God wants to pour upon the mountains of culture and upon our nation to bring great healing during these troubling times in 2022! We have to be His heart expressed and hands extended to bring this prophesied harvest to our generation! Let’s pray! God, we choose to seek You in this hour and present our case and appeal to You concerning what is taking in our lives, our homes, our generation, and our nation! We make our appeal based on our covenant with You and on the prophetic word You have decreed! We lift up our hearts to You and say that we will listen to Your voice. We ask for strength and persistence in our hearts to see the breakthrough and the great harvest that You have promised in this season! Let’s decree! Lord, we decree this is a season of breakthrough and You hear our appeal. The verdict is that You will fight for us and bring a victory in our lives and in our nation! We decree America shall be saved! We decree the great harvest is coming in and we will reap it for years to come! Click on the link below to watch the full video. Today’s post was contributed by Pastor Tom Hamon. You can learn more about Tom here.

DSM has been blessed with a wonderful, hard-working, and loyal team. Ceci and I are going to do a staff retreat with them, then she and I will take a much-needed vacation. I have asked some of my close friends and associates - many being regular contributors to the Give Him 15 posts - to fill in during this time. You will recognize most of the names; and I’ve thrown in one or two whom perhaps you haven’t heard from. You’re going to love the insights from all of them - this will be a wonderful smorgasbord! Enjoy! ____________________________________________________________________________ Unlocking the More in a Double Portion Year - Jane Hamon Vision of Keys Back in January of 2022, I had a vision of Jesus presenting me with a key ring containing three keys: one gold, one silver, and one ancient-looking. He said, “Go use these to unlock the more.” As I waited, I heard Him say, “I want to unlock more IN you so I can unlock more FOR you then unlock more THROUGH you!” I knew these were keys that the Ekklesia would need to unlock greater authority for this new season. Certain things that have been locked up and inaccessible are being made accessible as the Ekklesia rightly uses their keys. Closed gates are being opened so the King of Glory can come in! The Significance of the Keeper of the Keys In ancient times, kings invested their power in a right-hand man known as the treasurer, steward, or the “keeper of the keys.” This individual served in a governmental capacity and exercised supreme control over the treasury, over who accessed the king in his throne room, and over all the affairs of the kingdom. He was not the king, yet represented the king in all things. This sheds light on one of the most significant passages of scripture regarding our Kingdom authority as the Ekklesia and the keys we use to perform the duties of our office. In Matthew 16:18-19, Jesus said, “On this rock I will build my church (ekklesia) and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” The New Living Translation says, “whatever you forbid will be forbidden, whatever you permit will be permitted.” So what are we forbidding and what are we permitting? It’s interesting that the word build, in the Greek also means “to embolden.” We are living in a time when Jesus wants to embolden and empower His Ekklesia with governmental authority to bind and loose, to forbid and permit what transpires on the earth. A Time of Reformation In Isaiah 22:22 (yes, this is significant for 2022), we find another important scripture regarding keys of authority: “The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder so he will open and no one will shut and he shall shut and no one shall open.” Isaiah 22 contains the story of reformation taking place in Judah, where King Hezekiah, a righteous reformer, turned a nation back to God. His name means Jehovah is my Strength and comes from the Hebrew word chazak which means: to be courageous, strong, obstinate, to prevail! God is releasing strength and stubborn persistence to His people, His reformers, who are committed to turning a nation back to God. He is giving us strength to hold the line and not give up, no matter what we face. The Strongman of Shebna is Coming Down In Isaiah 22:15-19, Isaiah rebukes Shebna, the steward or treasurer of King Hezekiah’s house. He was using his office to promote himself and undermined Hezekiah’s vision for reformation. God judged him to be unrighteous, full of pride, and illegitimate as an official. In Isaiah 22:17 he is called a mighty man, but the Amplified translates this as “strongman.” I believe Shebna represents a spiritual strongman over nations that is undermining God’s agenda of freedom, hope, and life, ruling through illegitimate control, fear, and tyranny. This spirit, and those affected by it are wielding power through the political and religious spirits, by controlling the narrative through media and shutting down contrary voices. God basically declared through Isaiah, “enough is enough” and Shebna was stripped of his royal robes, his keys were taken from him, and all his authority and responsibility were given to another named Eliakim. Eliakim means “the one whom God raises up or sets up.” The day has come in which God will deal with Shebna leaders, both in government, society, and the church, unseating them from their places of authority and giving positions instead to the ones He is raising up. Eliakims are Arising! We are in a tipping point moment on the earth. Eliakims are arising who will rule righteously and justly. God is looking for those whom He will promote an increase in authority, and whose voices will be unlocked for reformation. God is putting the keys of the Kingdom upon the shoulder of His Ekklesia to open and shut: to open some things up and shut some things down. God is giving us unrestricted power and unlimited access to both His throne of grace as well as to His treasury, for all we will need to advance the Kingdom. Just as Eliakim was raised up to hold the key of the house of David, which was not just keys to a palace but authority over a nation, so God is raising up His Eliakims to hold the keys to cities and nations, and to unseat principalities and powers, both natural and spiritual. Scales are coming off the eyes of believers to see their spiritual walk differently, not just about salvation or blessing but about the governmental responsibility in the Kingdom to affect and change your world. A Small Key Can Open Great Doors! Jesus, our King, holds the keys, but He is also placing them in our hands! Remember, small keys can open great doors! God is giving us a gold key of favor, which is a master key that opens new opportunities and blessings, but also new responsibilities in the Kingdom. This key of favor will unlock the voices of Eliakims to bring a shift in the earth. The symbol of the silver key in scripture is tied to purity in the prophetic. Psalms 12:6 declares, “The words of the Lord are pure words, as silver tried in the furnace of earth, purified seven times.” God has been putting the words of the prophets through the fire so they come forth without human agenda or opinion. I heard the Lord say this silver key of prophetic purity and wisdom would bring “Solutions for Resolutions.” God is giving us divine insight, prophetic strategies, and solutions that will bring resolution to some long-standing issues, overturning corruption, ungodly laws, and establishing righteousness. The ancient key was tied to Isaiah 45:3(AMPC version) where God says, “And I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, Who calls you by your name.” In my book, Declarations for Breakthrough, I write about this passage which has some interesting insight for the days we are living in. The “treasures of darkness” refers to a storehouse or cellar where an armory of weapons and a treasure room of wealth are kept. In this season God is unlocking wealth and opportunity but also releasing a new cache of spiritual weapons to be utilized in this time of intensified spiritual warfare. Our words will be both a key and a weapon. Pray with me: Father, we thank You for giving us the keys of the kingdom so we can rightly represent you on the earth. We come into agreement with Your Word that You are bringing down the Shebnas who are in positions of influence who do not rightly represent You or Your Kingdom cause of turning nations back to You. We pray for America and other nations that You will cause Eliakims to arise in great authority to see reformation, revival, and awakening come. We thank You for the Kingdom keys that will unlock greater authority, favor, prophetic wisdom, strategies, and insights as well as supernatural provision for the days ahead. We receive this in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen. A DECREE TO RECEIVE OUR KEYS!!!! Today I receive the Keys of the Kingdom from the hand of the Lord so I can unlock the more this year. I will use these keys to function in my role as a member of the Ekklesia, to bring God’s Kingdom purposes to pass on the earth. I receive authority and governmental anointing to rule and reign in my sphere of influence. I receive the gold key of favor, the silver key of purity, wisdom, and revelation, and the ancient key to unlock wealth and spiritual weapons to prevail in times of battle. My small keys will open big doors! God will unlock more IN me, so He can unlock more FOR me and then unlock more THROUGH me. I decree these things through the authority of the name of Jesus, the ultimate Keeper of the Keys! Click on the link below to watch the full video. Today’s post was contributed by Jane Hamon and taken from her book Declarations for Breakthrough. You can find out more about Jane and also find her other resources here.

DSM has been blessed with a wonderful, hard-working, and loyal team. Ceci and I are going to do a staff retreat with them, then she and I will take a much-needed vacation. I have asked some of my close friends and associates - many being regular contributors to the Give Him 15 posts - to fill in during this time. You will recognize most of the names; and I’ve thrown in one or two whom perhaps you haven’t heard from. You’re going to love the insights from all of them - this will be a wonderful smorgasbord! Enjoy! _____________________________________________________________________________ And Suddenly! - Scott Reece “And suddenly, there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.” From Acts 2:2 God was about to change the course of the world! The earth was still resounding from the amazing season of the ministry of Jesus on the earth and now God was about to populate the entire earth with the sons and daughters of the kingdom, who would carry the message of the king and the kingdom into every stratum of life and every generation right up until this very moment. This suddenly moment was the response to an upper room call. Things would never be the same again. Life would never go back to normal and the ministry and life of Jesus would be perpetuated throughout the generations because the first century Ekklesia stepped beyond the boundaries of their comfort zone and stepped into the reality of God’s kingdom being birthed on the earth as it had never been before. I believe that even as it was in the first century and in that small gathering place, when a kingdom assignment was released, the Ekklesia stands at a pivotal moment, and once again, we are being beckoned into upper room moments so that suddenlies can be released in you and through you. You are coming into a “Suddenly Season!” This scripture has been resonating in me for the last several days, and there are many things that God is speaking to me about this, but I have to release this one today… And, Suddenly! The Greek word for suddenly is “Aphanes.” It actually means something that has been hidden and not yet manifest. In other words, your “suddenlies aren’t so suddenly.” Your suddenlies are those moments that have been ordained by God, and are being released at the exact moment that your destiny and purpose demand it. The suddenlies are determined by God, but activated by your faith and obedience. Many suddenlies have been delayed because of disobedience or even sometimes spiritual resistance from the enemy. The disciples of Jesus gathered in obedience in the Upper Room, came into agreement, and began to permeate the atmosphere with worship. Their faith activated the kingdom realm and the response was a “Suddenly,” that had been planned for eons of time! The Word of the Lord “I am bringing you into your “Suddenly Season.” The plans and purposes of your life have been carefully and strategically orchestrated. The kingdom administration that will bring alignment to your natural world has been released. “The delays regarding your destiny have been deactivated. I have ordained divine encounters, supernatural moments, prophetic partnerships, breakthroughs, and provision to usher you into this season of your suddenlies. The result will be a breakthrough outpouring of My power and grace that will give birth to a new movement in your life, family, and future. “What you will see and experience in this season will be the manifestation of the dreams, passions, and visions that you have held on to in your heart. The intimate whispers that you have heard in the night from My Spirit are coming into fruition.” I hear the Lord saying, “this is not a season of delay, but delight.” Get your natural house and world in order. Become alert, aware, and attentive to the slightest moves of the anointing and the clouds that hold the rains of your provision. Why is that so important? There is a suddenly mantle that is being released upon this generation. A mantle that has only been experienced up to this point by individuals, but the demand for breakthrough demands a corporate mantle. God is moving upon the entire movements of people who will be connected by the anointing, not by denominational or organizational ties. In these days, organizations will become dimmed by the light of a new anointing that unites instead of divides. The day is at hand. These are not days where the Ekklesia will bow down and surrender, or only a handful will make it. Jesus is establishing His kingdom throughout all the earth! The enemy has control over the carnal kingdom of the world, but the greater kingdom is arising in strength, power, favor, and breakthrough, and it will subdue the kingdoms of this world and its gods. The promise is to the Ekklesia, not to an organization. The church stands united, not under the banner of men, but under the victorious One who righteously reigns supreme and with all authority! Get ready for your suddenlies! Pray with me: Father today, I come into agreement with those in the Ekklesia who seek Your heart and seek Your face. I come into submission to the plans and the purpose of God for my life, and for what You desire to do in the earth today. I give birth to the will of God on the earth and I posture myself for the suddenlies that You have ordained for my life. I step into my suddenly season with full expectation of the manifestation of the reality of the kingdom in my life, my family, my calling, and my destiny in Jesus' Name! Our decree: We decree that we will step into our suddenlies with authority in a righteous determination to be the voice of the Ekklesia, bringing hope, revival, and restoration in the world today! Click on the link below to watch the full video. Today’s post was contributed by Dr. Scott Reece. You can find out more about Scott here.

DSM has been blessed with a wonderful, hard-working, and loyal team. Ceci and I are going to do a staff retreat with them, then she and I will take a much-needed vacation. I have asked some of my close friends and associates - many being regular contributors to the Give Him 15 posts - to fill in during this time. You will recognize most of the names; and I’ve thrown in one or two whom perhaps you haven’t heard from. You’re going to love the insights from all of them - this will be a wonderful smorgasbord! Enjoy! _____________________________________________________________________________ The Pathway To Triumph - Brian Gibbs It’s a great honor for me to be with you all today as Dutch and Ceci are getting some much-needed time away for rest and refreshing. I thought it would be most appropriate to pray and speak a blessing over them together: Father God, together, we speak and release fresh oil from the Holy Spirit over Dutch and Ceci today. Envelop them and love them. May their time together be beautiful in every way. May it be refreshing—spiritually, emotionally, physically, relationally, and financially—we speak abundance over their ministry! LORD, may this time together be filled with new experiences and filled with joy and romance. Thank you for their lives, their marriage, and for this ministry bringing revival, awakening, and reformation in this urgent hour. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen! Our Word Today: The Pathway To Triumph The Apostle Paul writes: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” —Romans 8:14 The Holy Spirit is the greatest leader on planet earth. God’s anointed and called leaders are the most powerful force on the planet. Leaders have the opportunity, if they are wise, to shape the course of history and generations for good and for God’s glory. What if your consecration and courage as a leader could shape the course of history? What if God is dreaming of using you and your partnerships with other kingdom leaders for the expansion of His dominion? He is. When you study leadership, it’s not long before you discover that some of the greatest leaders have emerged from the midst of extraordinary challenges, adversity, struggle, pain, and conflict. My friend, Bishop Joseph Garlington says, “Leaders are not born, they’re just cornered.” Maybe that’s why I’ve always loved Captain America since I was a boy. The key element of every notable leader is their uncommon commitment, passion, and burning heart to overcome. Their lion-hearts will find the path to triumph. It is no secret that the world is in a mess and upside down right now. White is Black. Black is White. Right is wrong and wrong is right. Evil is good and good is called evil. You could say that the world is in a famine of real leaders. Has there ever been a time when the contradictions were so glaring? The conflicts and epic battles of this hour are unprecedented and inescapable. The battlefields for spiritual, moral, political, educational, and governmental landscapes are ours for the taking. Leaders understand that we are called and appointed to bring God’s wisdom, anointing, and solutions into the trouble of this dark world. The kingdom of God was always meant to shape culture, never to retreat from it. Anointed and courageous leaders will hear what others do not hear. They see what others do not see. They will say what others do not want to say. They will go where others are afraid to go. A courageous leader will not give people what they want but provide them with what they truly need. How does this happen? Their best friend and partner is the Holy Spirit who keeps them from the snare and bondage of the fear of man. The world is presently in dire need of anointed and courageous leaders to step onto the local, national and global scenes. The Church desperately needs uncompromising leaders that are bold as lions. The governments of nations and global structures are reeling with uncertainty. The answer lies within God’s leaders. We need leaders that will carry heaven’s heart and authority, know the agenda of the Father, and refuse to compromise for the things of this earth. We are in a very special season at an appointed time. The winds of change are blowing across the earth. We can, and we must discover the pathway into the future now. The Spirit of God will prepare the way, and He’s calling many to follow Him into a new anointing and a new strategic place of courageous leadership. This is an hour of transcendence, a time of limitless possibilities. Perhaps, no generation of leaders, at every level of society and across the globe, has had such an opportunity to solve our greatest problems and bring to the nations the unshakeable kingdom of God. You can stand up and be counted as a leader who will shine. You can establish a pathway of faith — a highway of holiness — forming a path to a better world for all the generations that follow. As I have studied reformation, I have learned that at its core, reformation means to align, reconstitute, level and balance. To reform is to repair and restore what has been broken and corrupted. Reformation is divine order and alignment with The King’s purpose, His design, and original intent. A picture of divine alignment is found in the Greek word, katartizo. This means to adjust and put something back into its appropriate position. The word is used in Matthew 4:21 concerning the disciple’s mending nets. In 1 Corinthians 1:10, it’s referred to as repairing schisms or relational breaks. In Galatians 6:1, this word is used in restoring broken lives. The word is also used to describe the restoration of a dislocated joint or broken bone. Our friend Dutch Sheets says, “Katartizo is God’s special work as the Holy Chiropractor.” God is grooming and anointing leaders who will carry a divine katartizo shift to restore and mend cities, states, and nations back to their God-appointed purpose and destiny. Now is the time to ask for the pure wisdom that comes down from above (see James 3:17). We cannot attempt to solve the world’s issues with a secular mindset. Our leadership must come from the fresh breath of the life-giving Word and Spirit of God. True leaders lead from the heart of loving the truth and serving the truth by sacrificial love and honor. I believe the global prayer movement, which has been freshly energized by the Spirit of God in the last decade, will see a release of emerging leaders born out of burning prayer communities of intercessors, watchmen, gatekeepers, and five-fold ministries. Isaiah 58:12 says: “Those from among you shall build the old waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.” Isaiah 61:4 “And they shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall raise up the former desolations, And they shall repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations.” Leaders are God’s keys to the future. They will unlock the answers and solutions for societal transformation. Anointed leaders will arise in this hour from among us. They have been uniquely trained and forged by the Spirit of God to rebuild, raise up, repair, and restore the foundations. Reformers are the restorers who reconstitute, level, and set into alignment that which has been torn apart and desolated. They have been set apart and consecrated. They have refused to be conformed to the spirit of the age, and God has anointed them with heavenly wisdom, innovation, creativity, and authority to bring an increase of His government. Down through history, God has raised up and positioned reformational leaders, as the times demanded, for the healing of breaches and broken places to bring nations back into alignment with His heart. God has always worked through these consecrated vessels, as they are His agents of change for human history. Right now, the Spirit of God seeks men and women who are willing to stand up valiantly against the forces of darkness invading our society. Deep in the reformer’s spirit is the standard that they cannot accept the status quo, business as usual, and things as they are. They refuse to let the trends of the world around them shape and define them. They are non-conformists, and they refuse to play the games of their lukewarm generation. Reformers are not afraid to be the passionate and different ones. They have chosen the holy burnings of Heaven’s agenda. Pray With Me: Father, we thank You, Your Holy Spirit is igniting hearts with Your holy burnings, fresh vision, revelation, and fire today! Spirit of God, You are raising up leaders that love Your heart, love Your Bride, love the nations, and will carry Heaven’s agenda. Raise up shepherds after Your own heart, who will restore the foundations, repair the breaches, restore our cities and nations. In Jesus' mighty name, Amen! Our Decree: We decree the famine of leadership is breaking now. And we are being led by the Spirit of God to discover and create the pathways to triumph. Until I see you next time on GH15, I’m BRIAN GIBBS, and remember this my friends—the future doesn’t belong to the God-haters nor to the God-mockers. The future belongs to the righteous—and the righteous are bold as lions. Be blessed and keep the fire burning! Click on the link below to watch the full video. Most of today’s post was taken from Brian’s book: BOLD AS LIONS -The Future Belongs To The Righteous. Get yours today by clicking here (VictoryFLA.store) or (Amazon.com)

DSM has been blessed with a wonderful, hard-working, and loyal team. Ceci and I are going to do a staff retreat with them, then she and I will take a much-needed vacation. I have asked some of my close friends and associates - many being regular contributors to the Give Him 15 posts - to fill in during this time. You will recognize most of the names; and I’ve thrown in one or two whom perhaps you haven’t heard from. You’re going to love the insights from all of them - this will be a wonderful smorgasbord! Enjoy! _____________________________________________________________________________ Authority in Prayer to Change the Spiritual Atmosphere - Cheryl Sacks Every household, workplace, neighborhood, and even nation has a unique spiritual atmosphere or prevalent climate. I am sure you have felt it. You walk into a store or someone’s home and immediately feel something difficult to explain, whether it is peace and joy, or a prevailing darkness and heaviness. We may feel powerless to change negative atmospheres and start thinking “that’s just the way things are!” But that’s simply not true. Storms can be calmed instantly, as we saw when Jesus rebuked a storm at sea (Matthew 8:23-27). It’s true of spiritual climates as well. Dutch Sheets, as you know, is a bestselling author, speaker, and former pastor. He shares this story about authority in prayer: “When the Lord first started talking to me about changing the atmosphere, He started by dealing with me about the atmosphere in my home. One morning in our house, there was this tension. We have a great family relationship—all of us. We don’t fight, and my wife, Ceci, and I don’t argue. We talk things through. We make sure we honor one another in that way. But everybody was kind of on edge, irritated and frustrated. Nobody had a reason. So everybody had to guard their tongue and be careful. Finally, I just said—sort of to myself—Lord, I really don’t like the atmosphere in here right now. “Just as clearly as I have ever heard the Lord, He said, Well, why don’t you change it? The Lord said, You’re in charge of your house. You have authority here. Just begin to decree My Word and decree that the tension has to leave, and the peace of God will fill the atmosphere of your house. “I thought, I’m going to try this and see what happens. I didn’t gather the family and pray because I didn’t want them to know what I was doing. I wanted to know whether this was going to be something supernatural or people just trying harder. For only five minutes, I walked through the house, and under my breath, I quietly started praying and decreeing. Within minutes—not hours, but minutes—the atmosphere changed. People were singing and happy, and engaging one another in conversation. It was like they’d had their morning cup of coffee—everybody changed. I thought, Wow, this is pretty good. “A short time after that, I was in our church service on a Sunday morning. It didn’t feel right—like there was this oppression. “I said to the Lord, I don’t like the atmosphere in here right now. The worship team was struggling, and people were kind of lethargic. “The Lord said, Why don’t you change it? You’re in charge. Change it. “So I told my associate that we were going to agree in prayer, that we were going to change the atmosphere in the room. I did what I did in my home and within minutes, the place was alive—like fire. I thought, Wow, this is pretty good!” Dutch gives us a powerful and practical model here that we can apply. Every day we are in various spiritual battles relating to our families, workplaces, and communities. However, in the end, we must remember that the war is over the presence of God. Who will rule the atmosphere in a given place? Will it be the Holy Spirit or something else? I (Cheryl) remember when I was teaching in a large public high school in Texas riddled with drugs, gangs, depression, and sometimes violence. It was a teacher’s nightmare! In one of my classes, the students’ absenteeism was higher than their grade average. The students who were in class would put their heads on their desks and sleep almost the entire class time. I was still new to teaching and didn’t know what to do. My college professors hadn’t mentioned that teaching would be like this, much less told us what to do about it. Since I had no other training, my Bible became my manual. I prayer walked the halls and the four-block perimeter of my school. I took authority over the oppressive atmosphere there and invited Holy Spirit to come in. I anointed the doorway of my classroom and prayed over the desk of every student. Then I gathered the other English teachers who I knew were Christians to pray with me during the lunch break. I soon discovered in the back of the English department’s book room a classroom set of the book, The Cross and the Switchblade by Nicky Cruz. Nicky had been the leader of the notorious gang, the Maus Maus, in New York City. The book tells his life story and his conversion to Christ after meeting the preacher, David Wilkerson. Don’t ask me how these Christian books ended up in the book room of a public high school. All I know is that the Lord put them there for me. I started teaching the book, “as literature” of course, and I saw an immediate change in the spiritual atmosphere in my classes. Students were interested and motivated and there was an evident spiritual hunger. Just before the end of the school year, I had the thought that I should invite Nicky Cruz to come and speak to the students in our high school assembly. When I mentioned the idea to the school principal, he said “NO way! We can’t have a preacher preaching in our high school.” The school superintendent agreed it was not a good idea and it was not going to happen. At first Nicky Cruz himself said he couldn’t come. But we prayed and God miraculously opened the door. I will never forget the day Nicky Cruz stood on stage in our school auditorium and shared his life story with our 2,000 students. When Nicky explained how Jesus Christ died on the Cross for his sins and theirs, the room was filled with the palpable presence of God. As he shared how Jesus had changed his life and could change their lives, too, the student body, without any prompting, jumped to their feet and erupted in an exuberant roaring applause. This went on for several minutes. Nicky wasn’t allowed to give an “altar call,” but still students streamed to the front of the auditorium to talk about God and ask for prayer. Revival broke out that day and the entire atmosphere of my high school changed. Scripture tells us that we live in two realms—a physical realm and an invisible realm. Just because we cannot see the spiritual realm doesn’t mean it is any less real. It has the power to influence our lives —and the atmosphere in our homes, workplaces, and even our nation. A spiritual atmosphere has the power to shape our lives—to confuse or inspire, to affirm or reject, to make sad or happy, to restrict or empower. How do we know what atmosphere is ruling a given place? The Bible says that “The kingdom of God is…righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). In other words, when God’s Spirit is in charge in your home or elsewhere, you can expect to experience peace and joy. That is an awesome promise! On the other hand, the Bible tells us that we have a spiritual enemy who comes “to steal, kill and destroy” (John 10:10). When these dark forces are at work, they rob our peace, our health, our finances, and our spiritual vitality. Since Jesus dealt with satan’s authority – the right to use his power and abilities (see Colossians 2:15) – then we need to deal with him as a usurper, a rebel, a thief that has no right to steal, kill and destroy, but who will if not stopped. If we have been delivered from satan’s authority and given a higher authority in Christ’s name, then we must exercise our authority over the devil’s works and power. When we do, God’s awesome power will back up our authority..[1] Jesus put it this way: “Behold I give you authority to trample on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10:19; NKJV). This means that we don’t have to submit to our negative circumstances and environment, we can change the atmosphere wherever we go by walking in our God-given dominion. Pray with me: Thank You, Lord, that You did not leave us powerless, but, in fact, have given us spiritual weapons and authority to use them in Your powerful name. We thank You, Lord, that the works of darkness have no authority to oppress us or prevail against us. Instead, we and our household can walk in abundant life and victory because of Jesus’ birth, death on the cross, and resurrection from the grave! Our decree: As believers in Jesus Christ and in His name, we decree that satan will not kill, steal, or destroy our children, our health, our schools, workplaces, or nation! We proclaim that we will live and work in an atmosphere of peace, joy, and righteousness in the Holy Spirit! Click on the link below to watch the full video. Cheryl Sacks is the best-selling author of The Prayer Saturated book series: The Prayer Saturated Church, Prayer-Saturated Kids, and The Prayer Saturated Family—How to Change the Atmosphere in Your Home through Prayer. Her newest book, Reclaim a Generation, 21 Days of Prayer for Schools, will be available soon at ReclaimAGeneration.com You can learn more about Cheryl and her husband Hal’s work at PrayerSaturated.life and BridgeBuilders.net [1] Dutch Sheets, Authority in Prayer, (Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1995), p 21.

DSM has been blessed with a wonderful, hard-working, and loyal team. Ceci and I are going to do a staff retreat with them, then she and I will take a much-needed vacation. I have asked some of my close friends and associates - many being regular contributors to the Give Him 15 posts - to fill in during this time. You will recognize most of the names; and I’ve thrown in one or two whom perhaps you haven’t heard from. You’re going to love the insights from all of them - this will be a wonderful smorgasbord! Enjoy! _____________________________________________________________________________ The Times We Live In - Greg Hood If there has ever been a day when we needed to walk in the Spirit, it is today. In doing so, our nation will more wisely navigate through these turbulent times. Psalm 2:1 tells us, “Why are the nations in an uproar and the people devising a vain thing?” This verse asks questions of us today, questions that demand answers. Why is America in an uproar? Why are we seeing things today on an unprecedented scale that we have never seen before? In times past, we saw protests which were largely peaceful like those Dr. Martin Luther King led. Today, we are seeing organized riots and looting. Groups are actually bringing death and anarchy into our streets, defying the laws of the land, and defying God. Never before in the history of America—have we seen such hostility. America is not perfect. We have our problems. In times past, like today, we've had corruption, desperation, and dark times when we pulled away from God. Unlike many nations, however, America’s corruption has been hidden, and when exposed, we attempted to deal with it. Today, the light of God is shining in our nation for revival and awakening. It’s exposing darkness on a whole new level. There has never been a time of greater exposure of wickedness in our nation's history that I can recall. The devil wants to gain a foothold in America for evil. However, this only exposes his plans. We are seeing darkness exposed by light and the elements of evil are running. We are seeing all kinds of evil manifesting to keep their foothold in America, trying to hang on to its authority. By God, however, they are losing their grip on this nation as the Ekklesia is being positioned into a place of a great awakening and revival. We must look past the surface of current events to see as God sees, to react as God reacts, to receive the manifestation of heaven that God desires on the earth. Why is America in an uproar? Because change is here. I declare to you that we will see peace in this nation. Chaotic times cannot remain. Our God is not fazed by what He sees on the news. He cares about His purpose for this nation. Now, we know that God is a God of judgment. We understand that nations are either going to be goat nations or sheep nations. Look at Psalm 9:17 with me. It reads, “The wicked will return to Sheol, even all the nations who forget God.” The wicked will return to Sheol as the righteous return to God. The nations of the earth are evolving. God is bringing about His righteous judgment on the earth. Evil will cease. Righteousness will prevail. Jesus wins! King Jesus has overcome the world and He is raising up an Ekklesia—a church that will not back down until we see the kingdoms of this world become the Kingdom of our God. As we press toward “the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus,” we are causing the kingdoms of this world to become the kingdoms of our God. Consider with me the description of Issachar from 1 Chronicles 12:32: “Of the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times with the knowledge of what Israel should do…” The entire tribe was ready for action. Let’s unpack this verse and get some very important things back in place. This word “understood” in 1 Chronicles 12:32 means “an understanding,” of course. It also means: “discernment; truth; to discern; to act wisely; intelligent; to interpret; to be investigative; a skilled teacher; understanding and he will gain.” With this definition, knowledge is more than just “Oh, I know.” Rather, we seek understanding to be able to gain, move forward, and progress the agenda of the heart of the Father throughout the earth. The clearest meaning of “understand” is “truth.” Today, truth is more detested than a lie. Isaiah 5:20, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” We are in that day right now. We have news cycles all day long, 24/7, but little of it is truth. Instead, we are seeing reporting seeking to change our culture, our times, and the assignments that God has given us as individuals and as a nation. America is in a cultural war over the revision of history. The fact is, you cannot erase your history and correct your history at the same time. History must be learned before its lessons are clear. Erasure is ignorance. We embrace our history for what it is—a historical record of the good and the bad and everything in between—so we can move forward with healing and wisdom from God and not repeat our mistakes. To not repeat history is to know history, not erase it. America, and the world in general, faces a rising tide of activist groups operating behind noble-sounding titles and agendas. And some are noble, but many are cleverly disguised to divide and dismantle the plan and the purpose of God for America. Here is a verse for you, “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” (John 17:14-17) As we navigate through these times, we cannot succumb to operating in survival mode. It does no good to tread water until Jesus returns and “snatches” us out of here. We are partnered with an army of angels on a battlefield— we are kings called to the frontlines to strategically overcome and overtake the enemy so that the Kingdom of God can be expanded around the world. Again, from 1 Chronicles, “understood the times” is a powerful description. It literally means “to always have understanding.” My redneck definition of this is, “being in step with God or being current with Him on current events.” God is speaking today. He is not silent today or any day. There is always an open heaven. We may not always hear Him, but God is always talking. When the Scripture refers to “the times,” it means “appointed times, circumstances, intervals, timely by year.” So, it is not just the time or a season but an appointed time. We are in an appointed time—a time in our lives when we need to step up as never before. The opposition is great. Darkness is real. The enemy is in our face. But today is the day, we say: “Back off, satan, you have crossed the line.” 1 John 4:4 encourages us in this, “You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” It is time for the Ekklesia to capitalize on this opportune time God has us in. We were born for this! Pull yourself up by your bootstraps, square your shoulders and declare: “I am ready. Here I am, God. Send me. I will be a voice. I will be the light. I will be what You need me to be to turn this nation into a place of revival and awakening.” Listen, family, when you don’t know what to do - fear sets in, people stay still, chaos erupts - the enemy invades and his agenda takes root. We are seeing the majority of the church experiencing this today. Yet God wants His church in motion. We are not called to be stagnant. We are not retreating. We are moving forward. We are pressing on towards the mark of the prize of the high calling that is in Christ Jesus. (see Philippians 3:13-16) We need the mantle of Issachar manifesting in the church today. It is vital to us seeing and receiving the fire of God into our lives and the nation. This is not about individuals’ relationships with God, but about the Ekklesia—the body of Christ coming together to bring the awakening and revival that we need and have been crying out for. The fact is, God is waiting on us, the church; we are not waiting on God. We need to rise up in the functioning apostolic, prophetic anointing that God has given His Ekklesia. We need the Issachar mantle so we will know what to do. We don’t need any more good ideas. We need Kingdom ideas. We do not need to hear from men. We need to hear from God. We need to hear from God through His sons and daughters. Then we will have the answers we need to bring peace to a chaotic world. Pray with me: Father, we know that our nation is in a very dark place, and corruption is at a level we cannot remember seeing before. We ask that You give us that Issachar Mantle that we may step into a new place of understanding our time, so that we may bring to our nation the answers needed to release revival and awakening on a level not yet seen, in the name of King Jesus, amen! Our decree: We decree that we are ready. Here we are, God. Send us. We decree we will be Your voice. We will be the light. We will be what You need us to be to turn this nation into a place of revival and awakening. Portions of this post were taken from my book Rebuilding the Broken Altar - Awakening out of Chaos. You can find us at greghood.org or most social media platforms. God Bless you and go do business with the King today! Click on the link below to watch the full video.