There Is a “Right Time” “There is a season (a time appointed) for everything and a time for every delight and event or purpose under heaven—  A time to be born and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.  A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up.  A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance.  A time to throw away stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing.  A time to search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw away.  A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to keep silent and a time to speak.  A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace.  What profit is there for the worker from that in which he labors? I have seen the task which God has given to the sons of men with which to occupy themselves. He has made everything beautiful and appropriate in its time. He has also planted eternity [a sense of divine purpose] in the human heart [a mysterious longing which nothing under the sun can satisfy, except God]—yet man cannot find out (comprehend, grasp) what God has done (His overall plan) from the beginning to the end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good as long as they live; and also that every man should eat and drink and see and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 AMP) The Lord uses two Hebrew words to describe times and seasons in verse 1 of Ecclesiastes 3: zeman (1)  and eth. (2)  They are similar in meaning. The Message Bible translates the verse:  “There’s an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth.”  I believe Holy Spirit repeats Himself in order to emphasize the importance of what He is saying: “Don’t forget, there really is a right time for all these things!” He compiles each occurrence in the list of “right times” with its opposite. By doing so, He is informing us that life must be understood based on a broad spectrum of seasons and occurrences. If we are to successfully navigate our time on earth, our responses must be dictated, in part, by discerning these times and seasons. The tribe of Issachar is an example of successfully doing so:  “They had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do,”  (1 Chronicles 12:32). Verse 11 above also affirms this, “He has made everything beautiful and appropriate in its time.” Daniel 2:21 tells us: “And [God] changeth the times and the seasons: He removeth kings, and setteth up kings: He giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding.” Again, successfully navigating life involves discerning the changing times and seasons as the Lord shifts them.  Daniel also gives us another factor in the equation, however: satan tries to alter these God-appointed times (Daniel 7:25), doing so by working against those the Lord uses, His “saints.” The verse further tells us he attempts to “wear them down.” The word used for this weariness (3)  is only used in the Bible for mental or emotional weariness, not physical. This would be the mental strain that caused Israel to retreat from the giants in Canaan. It would be the emotional “weariness” Abraham and Sarah experienced when waiting for Isaac to be conceived. They yielded to the hope deferred and devised a different plan to give Abraham a son through Sarah’s maid, Hagar. All of us have experienced this type of mental and emotional fatigue. Daniel tells us satan uses it to move us out of God’s timing. Don’t grow weary and fall prey to this trap. A Time for War While many people don’t want to acknowledge it, this passage in Ecclesiastes tells us there is an appropriate time for war. It states that there is a right time to root up and tear down, just as God told Jeremiah to do in chapter 1, verse 10, and a time to tear apart. It even tells us there is a time to hate.  Psalm 97:10, Proverbs 8:13, and Romans 12:9 all instruct us to hate evil. God tolerates evil for a time, giving people the opportunity to repent and change. But there comes a time, if this doesn’t occur, when their cup of iniquity is full. In Genesis 15:16, God told Abraham that there would come a point when the “iniquity of the Amorites” would be “full” or complete, at which time he would give their land to Him. This occurred years later. We should hate what the evil regime in Iran stands for, the oppression, suffering, and death they have caused. We also love and pray for the general population of Iran, while wanting to see their oppressors defeated. We should pray that God gives success to those overthrowing the murderous, oppressive regime in Iran, brings peace and stability to the region, and breathes on the people of the Middle East with Holy Spirit.  Pray with me:  Father, we align ourselves with Your heart, desires, and timing. As much as we deplore war, Your Word informed us that there would be times when it was appropriate. We believe this is one of those times. We ask You for success in destroying wicked leaders and systems in Iran. We pray that You would give ours and Israel’s forces a supernatural ability to avoid killing innocent people, and render unsuccessful the attempts of those in Iran who ARE trying to kill innocent people. End their evil efforts. I sense that efforts to attack Americans here at home through terrorists who have entered our nation will now be implemented. We pray against this. Please give supernatural help to our government agencies responsible for finding and stopping them. And give the same to citizens - expose the evil before it can manifest. Protect our land. We ask the same for Israel. As You instructed us, we bind the strategies of demonic forces that bring death and destruction, in Jesus’ name. Give our government/military leaders great wisdom, planning, and foresight. Defeat the voices opposing them and attempting to inappropriately influence the American people. Keep our soldiers and their resources safe. Continue to turn our nation around. Increase Holy Spirit’s outpouring here and abroad. All of this we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen. Our decree:  We decree that we will discern the times and seasons which the Lord establishes, and we will act accordingly. Click on the link below to watch the full video. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 2165. Ibid., ref. no. 6256. Ibid., ref. no. 1080.

Introduction In February of 2022, I wrote that a great turnaround, a divine reversal, pictured by the story of Esther and the Feast of Purim, was coming to our nation. I reshared some of that post yesterday. Six months after I released it, Jane Hamon , a seasoned prophet and teacher, shared in a GH15 post that she had heard something very similar, also from Esther. In light of what is occurring in Iran, her words from 2022 are very timely today. The title of the post is:  The Tables Were Turned Jane shares: I awakened from a dream and heard the spirit of the Lord say, “Tell the body of Christ that it’s time for the hanging of Haman’s ten sons.” I got up and wrote it down. I knew the biblical context, but really had no idea what it fully meant for today, only that it was a time of demarcation in the body of Christ.  This statement comes from the book of Esther, at a time when God was releasing judgment and justice in Persia. A wicked leader in the Persian empire,  Haman, had falsely accused the Jewish people of insurrection. As a result, he was allowed to write an evil decree of death and destruction against the Jews (Esther 3:8-9). This decree designated a specific day on which all Jews were to be killed and their property taken (verse 13).  The demonic “prince of Persia,” mentioned in Daniel 10:13-20, was no doubt motivating Haman. Never forget that violence implemented by rogue nations throughout the world is demonically orchestrated. And God uses other nations to judge and stop these actions.  In Esther, God reversed satan’s plans through a series of sovereign, supernatural events, including favor being given to a Jew named Mordecai and the elevation of his cousin Esther as queen. The victory still required risk and selflessness on Esther’s part, however, as she went before the king uninvited. Her bravery can be seen in her words,  “If I perish, I perish” (4:16). But the king granted her favor, and Haman’s lies and plot were exposed, including the fact that he was plotting against the queen herself. The king ordered Haman’s death, sentencing him to be hanged on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai! I believe that we’re in a season right now where God is giving the enemy enough rope to hang himself.  These events in the book of Esther speak to the modern-day church. God’s people are rising up to answer the call, just as Esther did. They picture a church awakening, realizing that we've come to the Kingdom for such a time as this (Esther 4:14). We are learning that we can go before the throne of the King and have His scepter of favor extended to us, enabling us to release decrees that actually shift a nation. This is producing an overturning of demonic decrees and evil plans that satan has set in motion. We’re told in Esther 9:24 that satan, through Haman, was trying to generate panic among the Jews.  “Haman, son of Hamadatha the Agagite, the archenemy of all the Jews, had schemed to destroy all Jews. He cast the lot to throw them into panic and destroy them.” Fear and panic combat our faith and keep us from taking righteous action. Do not panic! God is up to something. Don’t freak out - God is up to something. He hears our prayers. He hears the decrees. God’s ear is not deaf, and His arm is not too short to save. When Haman tried to throw God’s people into panic and destroy them, God caused the evil scheme to boomerang back on him! Purim, the holiday born of these events, is also called the holiday of reversals. About seven years ago, in 2015, the Lord started speaking to me about a season of divine reversals. I believe we are in a season of seeing reversals that God actually set in motion several years ago.  And He is by no means finished. Even though Haman had been exposed and hanged on the gallows in chapter 7, there was still a problem: the evil decree against the Jews was still on the books. Esther went before the king to inform him that the decree still needed to be reversed.  The king’s response to Esther was: “I give you the authority to write a new decree! Write it in my name, and I’ll seal it with my signet ring.” (My paraphrase) Persian law said that whatever was decreed in the king’s name could not be revoked by another. That is such a great picture of King Jesus and the authority He has given the church! “Write a decree in My name, and I’ll seal it with My signet ring”  (See Matthew 16:18-19). Esther called cousin Mordecai, and together they wrote a decree, as the king had instructed. The decree authorized the people of God to fight back against all the works of darkness launched against them, and was dispersed throughout the land. Esther 8:17 shares the result: “In each and every province and each and every city, wherever the king’s command and his decree arrived, the Jews celebrated with joy and gladness.” The Jews held a holiday feast celebrating these reversals, and Purim was born.  Another amazing result of the turnaround in the book of Esther was that, “Many of the people in that land became Jews, for the fear of the Jews and their God had fallen upon them”  (Esther 8:17). That is revival! Just the day before, the Jews were in fear of being killed. Now, not only did the people of the land no longer want to kill them, but they wanted to become one of them! That’s amazing! What an incredible turnaround.  But God’s great turnaround STILL wasn’t over. Chapter 9 tells us that the ten wicked sons of Haman were killed, hanged on the gallows he had built for Mordecai, just as Haman himself had been. Verse one summarizes the outcome, “This was the very day that the enemies of the Jews had planned to overpower them, but the tables were now turned: the Jews overpowered those who hated them!”  (The Message). The reversal was so profound that all the officials in all the provinces, the chief rulers, the governors, and all who attended to the king’s business - the entire government - turned and supported the Jews in defeating their enemies. The fear of the Lord, and of Mordecai, had fallen on them. The demonic prince of Persia fell, and the Prince of Peace arose.  I believe we are going to see the fear of the Lord come upon our land, including on government leaders. We will see miraculous reversals in the coming days. Blinders will come off people’s eyes, and they will say, ”We need to be on God’s side…on the side of saving a nation…on the side of revival…on the side of turnaround.” Many in the church have been warring spiritually, contending, praying, and decreeing. But these actions are the means , not the end . The goal isn’t just to war spiritually. The goal is to see the answer: awakening, revival, souls saved, the great harvest.  The gospel message, from start to finish, is a message of reversal, of seeing curses turned into blessings, of breaking strongholds and bondages. The thief wants to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10), but we are breaking his influence off a people, and off our land.  Pray with me: Father, thank You for bringing to my remembrance what You said in 2022. Thank You for this word You gave Jane Hamon, encouraging us that great turnarounds were in the works. And thank You for orchestrating current events in the Middle East to take place during Purim, confirming to us that You are involved. The turnaround in the Middle East is not just for Israel and America; it’s also for the Iranian people.  We ask You to continue orchestrating the reversal of evil decrees and the liberation of people from demonic oppression. Most of all, we ask that what is occurring in the Middle East be used to open the hearts of millions to Yeshua. We decree, with King Jesus’ authority, that the prince of Persia’s hold over Iran and the Middle East is broken. We prophesy to the winds of heaven, as Ezekiel was also told to do, telling them to blow upon the dry bones of the Middle East. Breathe upon them and give them life. Shower the Middle East with your incredible love and grace. In Yeshua’s name we pray, amen.  Our decree: We decree that Haman’s plans are failing, and the purposes of God are being fulfilled in the Middle East. Click on the link below to watch the full video. You can find out more about Jane Hamon at TomandJaneHamon.com .

Esther, Purim, and The War in Iran Much is being said in Israel, and in prophetic circles, of the fact that the war with Iran is occurring during Purim, which began last evening.  In a recent speech, Prime Minister Netanyahu himself noted that the confrontation with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his supporters in Iran was taking place as Jews prepared to mark the anniversary of another war fought against an official from ancient Persia. Netanyahu stated: “My brothers and sisters, in two days we will celebrate the holiday of Purim. Two and a half thousand years ago, in ancient Persia, a tyrant rose against us with the very same goal: to destroy our people completely. But Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther, through their courage and resourcefulness, saved our people. In those days of Purim, the lot fell, and the wicked Haman fell with it. “Today as well, on Purim, the lot has fallen, and the evil regime’s end will also come.” (1)   I see this timing not only as significant regarding Israel, but also as another indicator of the great turnaround God is bringing to America. America’s turnaround began years ago. God is way ahead of time, seeing and declaring the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). God starts at the end, backs up to the beginning, and implements His plan. This means He is never caught by surprise or off-guard. It also means He knows how He will solve problems…before they even manifest! Yahweh is not taken aback by the failures of people and nations, knowing they would occur beforehand. When He calls a person - or a nation - to a purpose, God realizes He will have to navigate through their mess-ups, just as He did with Abraham and the nation of Israel. According to Hebrews 11:3, God has already decreed the aligning and realigning  of the ages; the correct translation is:  “Through faith, we understand that the ages were aligned by the word [declarations] of God…” Before Adam’s fall, Jesus was the Lamb, slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8).  That means the Incarnation, the Cross, and Christ’s Resurrection were planned before Adam’s fall ever occurred. Be assured that God planned America’s turnaround in advance. He knew the failures and sins our nation would commit before we committed them, and He has also declared our turnaround. Satan’s reactionary plans and schemes are no match for God’s omniscience and foreknowledge. This foreknowledge also means God is moving on many fronts, of course. While He is implementing His pre-planned works in America, He is doing so in other nations, in the church, and in individuals, preparing them for His plan. When all is ready, He shifts everything into a phase of convergence: ripe harvest fields; nations positioned; the church equipped; angels assigned. All of this is seen in the book of Esther. The Jews’ very existence was threatened when wicked Haman, one of King Ahasuerus’ trusted officials, manipulated the king into issuing a decree for the annihilation of the Jews. Upon learning of Haman’s decree, Esther, a Jewish woman chosen by King Ahasuerus to be his queen, exposed Haman’s plan. She broke protocol to appeal to the king in a courageous attempt to protect her people. The king granted Esther’s request and, instead of the Jews, Haman was executed. After Haman’s decree was reversed, the Feast of Purim was inaugurated. The Hebrew word for turnaround is haphak : “to overturn, overthrow, turnaround, transform, be reversed.” (2)  Esther 9:1, 22, 25 all speak of the great turnaround that occurred. “… when the king’s command and edict were about to be executed, on the day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them,  it was turned to the contrary so that the Jews themselves gained the mastery over those who hated them.” (v. 1) “Because on those days the Jews rid themselves of their enemies, and it was a month which was turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and rejoicing....”  (v. 22) “But when it came to the king’s attention, he commanded by letter that his wicked scheme, which he had devised against the Jews, should return   on his own head and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.” (v. 25) The Message translation of Esther 9:25 uses a powerful analogy to convey the significance of what transpired:  “But when Queen Esther intervened with the king, he gave written orders that the evil scheme that Haman had worked out should boomerang back on his own head.” God had planned ahead. Before Haman ever conceived his evil plan to destroy the Jews, God aligned people, events, and time. The book of Esther is an easy and interesting read - check it out. You will find that God orchestrated events, timing, the choosing of a queen, sleep patterns, favor to individuals, the uncovering of evil plans, rescues, and more. The end result was the saving of the nation and the furthering of God's plans on earth. I believe that during this time, Holy Spirit is doing again what He did in Esther’s day. He is moving us into convergence and a time of divine reversals! This is a year of great turnaround, when God intervenes powerfully on behalf of His people, and the enemy is overthrown as his plans boomerang back on his own head! Of course, the Hebrew word haphak  is not only found in the book of Esther, but throughout the Scriptures. Deuteronomy 23:5 uses the word to describe the turning of Balaam’s curse over the Jewish people into a blessing. Jeremiah 31:13 and Isaiah 61:3 use the word in reference to turning mourning into joy. This season’s turnaround will occur for individuals, families, regions, and nations. Unrest will certainly continue, and the Scriptures assure us that evil will, as well. But breakthrough and great harvest will also occur; areas of unrest will give way to righteousness—even in the darkest regions. There will be awakenings and revivals in places where they have never existed. We must recognize, however, that the Lord is inviting us to partner with Him in releasing these supernatural boomerangs into the earth. When King Ahasuerus extended his scepter over Esther’s life and favor was released, he invited her to write her own decree of victory. The decree was to be written in his name and sealed with his seal so that it could never be reversed. Likewise, the Lord has extended His scepter of grace and favor over us. He is inviting us to exercise His authority  by  making reversal decrees concerning the very things satan has decreed over our lives in past seasons. Be it sickness, poverty, the pain of divorce, depression, or any other form of oppression, our decrees will reverse them! His word tells us: “You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you; and light will shine on your ways.” (Job 22:28) “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.” (Jeremiah 1:9-10) This is a turnaround year! Regardless of how great your hardship, betrayal, sickness, or loss was, I declare that this is your year of breakthrough! You will see a reversal of the enemy’s decrees and strategies enacted against you. Stand confidently upon the Lord’s promise of divine intervention; He has been working all things together for your good (Romans 8:28)! Through the adversity of the past, the Lord has been preparing you for the fulfillment of His promises over your life! And from a new place of celebration, victory, and rest, the Lord desires that you partner with Him to help facilitate a righteous turnaround in this nation. Like Esther, you were born for such a time as this! Pray with me: Father, we exalt You as Lord, not only of the nations, but also over time. You change the times and seasons, orchestrating events to align with Your purposes. We declare confidently that You are greater than the forces of evil on the earth, that Your wisdom is higher, and that Your abilities are without measure. We know that You have decreed the turnaround of America and how this will occur, and You have decreed a great outpouring of Your Spirit in our day. Just as You turned around Haman’s attempt to destroy the Jewish nation, You will turn around satan’s attempt to destroy Your purposes in our day, as well. We accept the Esther decree: we were born for such a time as this. Help us now to rise to our calling and assignment, partnering with You and Your great plan. We proclaim breakthrough in Your people, breakthrough in our nation, and breakthrough on the earth. Give us a turnaround in our government, courts, education, and media. Give us a turnaround in Iran and all of the Middle East. And we confidently ask for this, in Christ’s name, amen. Our decree: We decree that this is a year of great turnaround! Click on the link below to watch the full video. timesofisrael.com , accessed 3/2/2026. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 2015.

My Thoughts Regarding the Iranian War This past Saturday (2/28/2026), Israel and the United States launched strategic air attacks on the Iranian government and military. And these attacks are ongoing. They were meticulously planned, strategically timed, amazingly coordinated, and have been tremendously successful. The initial strike by Israel took out the very evil ayatollah and up to 40 of his leaders, making the world a safer place. Don’t believe the nonsense that America was dragged into this war by Israel. We were dragged into it by the Iranian leaders. For a variety of reasons, I, like many, have seen the attack on Iran coming for some time. Iran, as part of what many refer to as “the new axis of evil,” along with China, Russia, and North Korea, has become the world’s leading sponsor of terror. I speak, of course, of the Iranian government, not the majority of the Iranian citizens.  This cruel, radical Islamist regime has not only spawned terrorism, it has brutally oppressed a once-prosperous Iranian people, turning it into a stronghold of suffering and tyranny. They killed tens of thousands of their own people in the recent protests that took place. Iran has also fomented instability in the Middle East region and throughout the world.  With a stated purpose of annihilating Israel and America, the ayatollahs and their followers have demonstrated for almost half a century (since 1979) just how serious they are about this, killing and maiming thousands of Americans and Israelis during that span of time. They tried to assassinate Trump. To have allowed such monsters to possess nuclear weapons would have been as foolish as appeasing Hitler turned out to be.  On September 30, 1938, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain received loud cheers when he returned to London after negotiations in Munich with Adolf Hitler. He and the prime minister of France, Edouard Daladier, agreed to Hitler’s demands that Czechoslovakia cede a portion of its territory, known as the Sudetenland, to Germany. (It is worth noting that although these talks concerned the future of Czechoslovakia, no Czech representative was present!) In return, Hitler assured the Western Allies that he had no further territorial ambitions. On his return, Prime Minister Chamberlain read from a statement he and the German Führer signed that morning, pledging that their new agreement was “symbolic of the desire of our two peoples never to go to war with one another again.” (1) Speaking later that day outside his Office at 10 Downing Street, Chamberlain proclaimed, “I believe it is peace for our time.” (2) Chamberlain’s actions received wide acclaim throughout Great Britain and around the world. Following news of the Munich Agreement, an editorial in The New York Times proclaimed, “Let no man say that too high a price has been paid for peace in Europe until he has searched his soul and found himself willing to risk in war the lives of those who are nearest and dearest to him.” (3) While war is always to be avoided when possible, the words of Chamberlain and the New York Times proved to be utterly foolish, as Hitler’s forces seized all of Czechoslovakia six months later on March 15, 1939. And less than a year after Chamberlain’s announcement, on September 1, 1939, German troops invaded Poland and started World War II.  (Ditto) Not everyone was fooled by Hitler and in favor of the appeasement demonstrated by the Munich Agreement. One of its fiercest critics was future British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who loudly denounced Chamberlain’s deal with Hitler in a speech in the House of Commons. Churchill called the agreement “a total and unmitigated defeat” and warned his audience that “there can never be friendship between the British democracy and the Nazi power, that Power which spurns Christian ethics, which cheers its onward course by a barbarous paganism, which vaunts the spirit of aggression and conquest, which derives strength and perverted pleasure from persecution, and uses, as we have seen, with pitiless brutality the threat of murderous force. That Power cannot ever be the trusted friend of the British democracy.” (4) Churchill went on to warn, “And do not suppose that this is the end. This is only the beginning of the reckoning…You were given the choice between war and dishonor. You chose dishonor, and you will have war.” (5)  History has shown that war is sometimes inevitable, and that some leaders are so evil, they need capital punishment, not appeasement. The appeasement of Hitler cost the world an estimated 60-75 million lives. (6) President Trump and his team, the Israeli government, and other prudent leaders realized that attempting to appease the ayatollah and his evil Iranian regime - as Obama did by sending pallets of cash totaling hundreds of millions (7)  - would be as foolish as Chamberlain’s attempted appeasement of Hitler. They knew that signing another treaty with this lying leader - while he continued making his nukes and funding terrorists, as Obama also did - would have been as naive and ridiculous as Chamberlain’s misplaced trust. The ayatollahs and their murderous Iranian regime should have been stopped long ago, not trusted or placated.  Trump did the world a favor by ending the reigns of Maduro in Venezuela and Khamenei in Iran. And in doing so, he has reset the entire world order. Russia’s and China’s cheap oil supplies have been hugely impacted, and they now know Trump won’t hesitate to protect America’s interests around the world. They have also seen America’s unequaled military strength demonstrated, and know that he can back up his promises to do so.  Another part of the international reset is not just the weakening of Iran, but also the realignment of the entire Middle East. Many leaders there were already coming on board with Trump’s leadership, then Iran foolishly attacked several of them in retaliation for America and Israel’s actions. Almost the entire Middle East is now aligned against Iran. If this trend continues, the realignment of the Middle East will prove to be unprecedented.  Finally, there is most definitely a spiritual element to what is occurring in Iran. For months now I have said that the influence of the “prince of Persia” (today’s Iran) is being removed (see Daniel 10:13-20). This principality mentioned in Daniel’s time has been exerting control over the region in our day, as well, through the evil regime of the ayatollahs. This is ending, and will increase the great harvest now occuring there.  In conclusion, I certainly do not want to see America drawn into another prolonged war. But I see that which President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu are doing as a deterrent  to prolonged war. They are cutting off the head of a poisonous snake, putting fear in the hearts of our enemies, protecting our ally Israel, liberating an oppressed people (the Iranians), and though they probably do not realize it, are further opening the region to the gospel.  Pray with me: Father, we pray: That the great harvest in Iran will continue.  For this to spread to all the Middle East.  For the complete end of the influence of “the prince of Persia”. For the protection of innocent people in the Middle East.  For the protection of Americans here and abroad.  For the freedom of the Iranian people.  For wisdom to be given to President Trump, Prime Minister Netanyahu, and both nations’ military leaders. Give them supernatural insight from on high. For protection over both nations’ leaders, as well as our militaries.  And that the war will end quickly.  We also pray for the families of the soldiers who have sacrificed their lives for this cause. May God be close to the brokenhearted and give them peace. In Jesus’ name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that the strategies of heaven will prevail over the strategies of hell in the Middle East. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Annex to Cabinet Minutes, 30th September 1938—CAB 23/95/11, United Kingdom National Archives (UKNA). (URL: ). Accessed 8/27/24. The Times, October 1, 1938, quoted in Tim Bouverie, Appeasement: Chamberlain, Churchill, and the Road to War  (New York: Tim Duggan Books, 2019), 287-288. “The Price of Peace,” The New York Times , September 30, 1938. Referenced: https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/appeasement-and-peace-our-time www.nationalchurchillmuseum.org    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axis_of_evil   https://financialservices.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400998

"Are You God’s Wife?" “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” (Romans 15:1) “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”  (Galatians 6:2) Yesterday, we looked at “bearing” up others in the sense of staking ourselves to them and holding them up, much like one would stake up a tomato plant. This is actually one of the meanings of the word used for “bearing with one another” in Ephesians 4:2 and Colossians 3:13.  However, the Greek word used for “bearing” in our two opening verses is different. Those subtle Greeks!! This word ( bastazo ) means to lift or carry and can imply removing something or carrying it away. (1)  Sometimes we carry another person’s load in order to give them a break. But when we bear someone’s burden through prayer, we are doing more than this; we are doing so in order to help them  get rid of it!  Christ bearing our sins and diseases is a powerful example of this. Isaiah 53, verses 6 and 12 state the following concerning Him:  “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to His own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all... He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Christ “bore” our sins and iniquities, but he is not still carrying them! He removed and carried them away from us,  “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12). And somewhere, somehow, He disposed of them. This connotation of bearing something in order to get rid of it is extremely important in the context of prayer. It is imperative to know that we don’t simply carry someone’s burden just to give them a break. We stake ourselves to them, as discussed in yesterday’s post, and pray to remove that which is burdening them! The Scapegoat The concept of the scapegoat in Scripture illustrates this (Leviticus 16:8-22). A scapegoat takes someone else’s blame and the consequences that follow. In Old Testament times, two animals were used on the Day of Atonement. One was sacrificed; the other was used as the “scapegoat.” The high priest would place his hands on the scapegoat’s head, confessing the sins of the nation, after which it was released into the wilderness, never to be seen again. This symbolized Christ the “scapegoat” bearing away our sins and curses, never to be remembered again.  We don’t “bear” another person’s sin - Christ did this once, for all, removing them from us. We do, however, bear one another’s burdens and weaknesses through prayer, with the goal of removing them. At times when we do so, Holy Spirit will allow us to truly identify with the other person’s pain, being moved with compassion (See Matthew 9:36-38; 14:14; 15:32; and others). Dick Eastman shares a remarkable incident from his life that illustrates the extent to which God can allow us to engage in this type of intercession.  “Several years ago, Dick was interceding for 153 children who were being held hostage by terrorists in Holland. The news media provided day-to-day coverage of this situation, and one day, as the terrorists’ demands intensified, the Lord brought him to an entirely different level of intercession.  “While praying in his backyard prayer chapel, Eastman suddenly could see himself inside the schoolhouse where the children were being held. As he looked at them through his spiritual eyes, he was startled to recognize his own six- and nine-year-old daughters among those held captive. He knew his girls were actually sleeping in the house just a few feet away, but this mental picture caused him to enter into an entirely different intercessory burden of prayer. The Holy Spirit laid upon him an intensity of prayer like none he had ever experienced. “Trembling with indignation, he authoritatively commanded the terrorists to let the children go. Various emotions exuded from him as he, from the position of being a parent of these children, labored in intercession over them, demanding their release. Sensing victory, the time of intercession abruptly ended. He went to the office a few minutes later and didn’t give it another thought throughout the day. “That evening, while at the family dinner table, he happened to see out of the corner of his eye a television left on in the family room. Catching his attention was a news report that three of the Dutch children had been released. Rather than being thrilled with this victory, Eastman was surprised to find his eyes filling with tears. Jesus, he said in his heart, I didn’t ask for three children; I asked for all of them to be released. And that was a prayer born of Your Spirit. With a fresh burst of boldness, he pounded the table with his fist and declared, ‘And I claim the miracle now!’ “At the exact moment he hit the table, a local reporter interrupted the news broadcast to clarify that the report just aired had been recorded earlier and was incomplete. He went on to inform the viewers that, actually, all 153 children had been freed early that morning. “Eastman’s amazement at the precise timing of this continues to this day. He knew beyond a doubt that his prayers had made a difference, as had those of other believers.” (2) “There’s a story about an occurrence in New York City on a cold day in December, some years ago. A little boy, about 10-years-old, was standing before a shoe store on the roadway, barefooted, peering through the window, and shivering with cold. “A lady approached the young boy and said, ‘My, but you’re in such deep thought staring in that window!’ ‘I was asking God to give me a pair of shoes,’ was the boy’s reply. “The lady took him by the hand, went into the store, and asked the clerk to get half a dozen pairs of socks for the boy. She then asked if he could give her a basin of water and a towel. The store clerk quickly brought them to her. “She then took the little fellow to the back part of the store and, removing her gloves, knelt down, washed his little feet, and dried them with the towel. By this time, the clerk had returned with the socks. Placing a pair upon the boy’s feet, she purchased him a pair of shoes. She tied up the remaining pairs of socks and gave them to him. She patted him on the head and said, ‘No doubt, you will be more comfortable now.’ “As she turned to go, the astonished little boy caught her by the hand, and looking up into her face, with tears in his eyes, asked: ‘Are you God’s wife?’”(3) Just as this kind woman did, God wants to use us to bear and carry away the burdens, pains, and weaknesses of others. What an honor to be part of the bride of Christ.  Pray with me: Father, thank You for the privilege of partnering with You as intercessors. As we do, we become extensions of Your love and grace in the earth. Please mature us in this calling, enabling us to fulfill it much more effectively. We truly do want to be Your hands, Your feet, Your arms of love, and Your voice of healing.  You love people very much. Please impart to us Your heart, enabling us to love as You do. You desire to lift burdens and difficulties from them…and You want to use us to do so! Give us greater sensitivity as You alert us to pray for others. Not only will this glorify You, but it will also lift the burdens of many. We end our prayer today by asking You to show us anyone You would like us to stake ourselves to in this season. Who would You like us to pray for daily until their burden, difficult situation, disease, or mountain of adversity is gone? Who would You like us to strengthen and release to them Your provision? Whether a family member, a neighbor, a church leader, or a government official, we will do so. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that revelation regarding the church’s partnership with Christ is increasing, and that we will partner with Him at greater levels than ever before. Click on the link below to watch the full video. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no.  Dick Eastman, Love on Its Knees  (Tarrytown, NY: Chosen, 1989), pp. 35-37. https://littleganeshas.wordpress.com/2010/01/30/true-heart-opening-stories-about-children/

Lean on Me Charlie Brown is the principal character of the comic strip Peanuts, created by Charles Schulz and syndicated in numerous newspapers worldwide. He is depicted as insecure, nervous, and lacking self-confidence, but is also very lovable. Lucy is the obnoxious sister of a friend, and Snoopy is Charlie Brown’s ever-faithful dog. In one episode, Charlie Brown was pitching baseball and doing a lousy job of it. Lucy was giving him grief, as usual. Finally, he could bear the misery and humiliation no longer. In an expression of exasperation that only Charlie Brown could think of, he stood on his head right there on the pitcher’s mound. As Lucy’s degrading mockery continued, the ever-loyal Snoopy did the unexpected. He walked onto the pitcher’s mound and stood on his head beside Charlie Brown, sharing his humiliation. You gotta love it. And Snoopy, by the way, was very biblical. The Bible says, “Weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15) and  “Bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). Snoopy decided it wasn’t appropriate to let Charlie Brown bear his embarrassment alone. There are two words for “bear” in the New Testament. One, used in Galatians 6:2 above, means “to carry.” The other, used in Colossians 3:13 and Ephesians 4:2, means “to hold oneself up against, (in order to bear up, or sustain something),” much like a person staking a tomato plant to sustain it from the weight it carries. When doing so, the strength of the stake is transferred to the plant and thus “bears” or holds it up. When the Lord commands us to bear with one another in Colossians 3:13 and Ephesians 4:2, He isn’t simply telling us to “get along, or forbear with one another.” Although we certainly should do that, He is also saying, “Stake yourselves to one another.” In other words, we’re to come alongside a brother or sister who may be in a weakened condition, “weighted down” by a difficult situation, and “stake” ourselves to them. They won’t fall and be broken or destroyed because we are supporting them. Our strength is now theirs. In 1972, Bill Withers wrote and recorded his great hit, “Lean On Me.” Like Snoopy’s comfort of Charlie Brown, Withers’s song was also very biblical. We all, at times, need someone to lean on. The following story portrays this truth, as well: Jackie Robinson was the first black man to play in Major League Baseball. At the time, America had not made the progress we have today regarding racism. While breaking baseball’s color barrier, Robinson faced jeering crowds in some stadiums. While playing one day in his home stadium in Brooklyn, he committed an error. His own fans began to ridicule him. He stood at second base, humiliated, while the fans jeered. Then shortstop “Pee Wee” Reese came over and stood next to him. He put his arm around Jackie Robinson and faced the crowd. The fans grew quiet. Robinson later said that Reese’s arm around his shoulder saved his career.  Wow!!! Now THAT is staking oneself to a friend. One way we can stake ourselves to others is through prayer. Mike and his wife were friends of mine, serving as missionaries in Jamaica in the 1980’s. While there, they experienced a life-and-death situation when their son contracted a critical illness. The young child, two or three years old, had regressed for several days to a point of near death. Mike decided he needed to “lean on” a few friends. I knew something fairly serious must be happening when I was interrupted by an assistant while leading a prayer meeting, and told I had an emergency phone call from Jamaica. I excused myself and headed to my office. “I’m sorry to interrupt your meeting, Dutch,” my friend Mike began, “but I desperately need your help.” “What is it?” I asked. “It’s my son, Toby. He is deathly ill with a raging fever. The doctors haven’t been able to find the cause. They’ve done all they know to do, but nothing is helping. They question whether or not he can survive another night in his condition. “I have been praying and praying for him, but can’t seem to break through. The Lord has now revealed to me that his condition is being caused by a spirit of infirmity; He actually allowed me to see it as I was praying. I have not been able to break its influence over my son. But I feel the Lord has shown me that if some strong intercessors join me, we can break this attack.” Mike and his wife, Pam, were strong believers, people of prayer, and walked in faith. They understood their authority in Christ, but they needed help. We all do at times. I went back to the prayer meeting, and as a group we staked ourselves to the Andersons. I know Mike had called others, as well, and they, too, were no doubt praying. We interceded for this small child passionately until we sensed a breakthrough. Mike called back later and said, “Almost immediately after I contacted you and several other friends to pray with me, the fever broke, and my son began rapidly improving. Within a few hours, he was completely well and released from the hospital.” The Body of Christ had functioned as the Lord intended. Mike then spoke the following words to me, which I’ve never forgotten: “Dutch, I asked the Lord why I had not been able to break through for my son without help. His only reply was: ‘Sometimes My covenant is released to you through others coming to your aid!’” That is profoundly significant - Almighty God using us to administer the blessings of His covenant to others! And it’s what intercession is all about! Friend, stake yourself to someone who needs your strength. Pray with me: Father, it brings You joy when Your family treats one another as family. Today, we choose love, forgiveness, and unity, embracing the magnificent truth that You release Your covenant benefits through us. The fact that we can be Your feet, hands, and loving arms is an amazing truth. Please remind us daily to stake ourselves to those who are experiencing difficulties. We ask that our hearts be molded until we embody the truth that it is more blessed to give than receive. May we live to give, being like the “good Samaritan,” who went out of his way to love and serve another. Break us out of self-serving mindsets, making us more like Christ, who modeled true servanthood. In His name we pray, amen. Our decree: We declare that we will be the arms of the Lord, loving and supporting those who need His strength. (Now, ask the Lord whom He would like you to bear up in prayer. Take a minute or two and pray for God’s strength and blessing to be released to them.) Click on the link below to watch the full video. Today’s post was adapted from my book, Intercessory Prayer , published by Baker Books.

“I Must Have America!” In October of 2000, just before the national elections, I had a life-changing encounter with the Lord. I was pastoring in Colorado at the time, and during a Wednesday night service, I walked to the podium to begin a message. Suddenly, a strange feeling overtook me; I felt a wave of heaviness and disorientation. I paused, trying to discern what was happening, and within seconds was weeping uncontrollably. I was so overcome that I couldn’t speak; I simply lay my head on the podium and began sobbing.  No one present knew what was happening, but Ceci and my staff were aware by now that this was the Lord at work in me. And it wasn’t stopping! She and my associates quickly decided that the best thing to do was send everyone home, put some worship music on a loop (repeating), and lock me in the building alone with the Lord.   God began imparting His heart for America to me, and it was overwhelming. I did not feel anger - though I’m sure we as a nation have angered Him - but instead felt His great love. I began to feel His grief, as well, the grief of a father for a prodigal. For three and a half hours, I wept over America, so hard at times that, as strange as it sounds, I was afraid I might die. It felt as though my heart was literally breaking. I did not know it was possible to cry from so deep within.  “Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four-year-old child whose next-door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman’s yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, ‘Nothing, I just helped him cry.’” (1) For three and a half hours that night, I helped God cry. At one point, as I lay on the floor holding and weeping over a U.S. flag, Father God spoke the following to me: “I must have this nation. For what I am going to do on the earth during this season of time, I MUST HAVE AMERICA.” And I knew that from that moment forward, my purpose in life was to help Him get her back.  My love and prayers for America are always filtered through this visitation. My interest in government is motivated by it, as well. My heart is not aligned with any political party; I’m aligned with a purpose: turning our nation back to God through a Third Great Awakening, enabling us to once again partner with Him to reach the nations.  While watching a speech like last night’s State of the Union Address, I always process it in light of the 2000 visitation and its resulting purpose. America alone is never the totality of my thoughts when listening; I am always asking questions inwardly, such as,  “Where are we in the process, Lord? What does this mean to Your plans, Holy Spirit; how does it impact the coming revival here and around the world?” When I listen to President Trump, I am not focused on his personality, and I am certainly not moved by the criticisms of legislators who vote to kill babies in the womb and mutilate the bodies of confused children. I can look beyond Trump’s flaws to his policies, and forgive his past sins in order to agree with his present desires to make America and the world better. It seems somewhat senseless anyway to reject someone whose life God spared, then placed back in the presidency. The Lord seems to have more grace and mercy than many religious people. Continue to pray for our President, and for our entire government.  Pray with me: Father, we pray for our President, asking You to give him strength, endurance, wisdom, a pure heart, sound counsel, and protection. We pray that he is used to enact policies and plans that please You and align with Your purposes. We ask that You keep him bold and fearless, while enabling him to temper his words with wisdom. We pray that he becomes even more open regarding honoring You and appealing to heaven. We pray against any and all deception. Protect him and his family.  We pray for our Congress. We ask that in the midterms, leftists and Marxists don’t regain control. We pray that righteous laws are passed and unrighteous laws are defeated. We pray for Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Thune, and other Congressional leaders, that they would make wise decisions and lead with wisdom and truth. We pray for their safety, as well as their families’.   We also pray for the Supreme Court, that You make it more honoring of You, and Your truth. Remove false ideologies from the Court, and remove justices who refuse to honor Your truth. Finish Your work of restoring it to You. And we pray for the safety of the justices and their families. And we pray for America, asking You to strengthen the growing revival, especially on our campuses. Release undeniable signs and wonders, confirming the gospel of Your Kingdom. Release Your strong arm against those who divide our nation for power and control; heal our nation. AND USE AMERICA TO HELP GENERATE THE GREATEST REVIVAL IN EARTH’S HISTORY! In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.  Our decree: We decree that America shall be saved! Click on the link below to watch the full video. https://littleganeshas.wordpress.com/2010/01/30/true-heart-opening-stories-about-children/

Introduction Today, I am releasing another powerful word from my brother Tim’s new book Healing Decrees That Activate Angel Armies . As always, you’ll find it very encouraging and prophetically enlightening. Today’s post introduces the coming outpouring of Holy Spirit. The title is: Reality Church A tremendous move of Christ’s Kingdom is beginning on the earth. Something huge is taking place. Long-awaited promises and cries of the heart are beginning to come true in our times. The prophets are describing it as a new era. The word era means a new period of history, different from past years. Something is beginning that will be unlike anything we have experienced before. It is not vague; it is not blurry; it is clear. A magnificent new era is now activating in Christ’s Kingdom. It is potent with Holy Spirit power, waiting for the saints to engage. Our world has entered a defining moment. It is a tipping-point moment wherein we reap what we have sown. King Jesus has called His Ekklesia, His ruling and reigning body, His governing intercessors to rise up and seize this moment. We have been prepared, and He expects us to do it. We have been prepared by the prayers of millions of intercessors crying out to God and by the awesome Holy Spirit, who is our Teacher and our Empowerer. We have been prepared by the revelation of the apostles and prophets. We have been prepared by prophetic dreams, and the activation and assistance of Angel armies under Holy Spirit supervision. We have been prepared by thousands of prophetic words, visions, signs, and wonders.  No other period in church history is comparable to the age we have entered. We will see each of the anointings Holy Spirit has poured out over the past 2,000 years released simultaneously in this new era. We will see the ages converge and all of the streams birthed by Holy Spirit merge and flow in one mighty, unstoppable river throughout the earth. Gifts will synergize, at the direction of Holy Spirit, multiplying productivity. The Church will now implement new strategies, soaked in wisdom and experience, and bathed in prayer and His presence. There’s never been an era like this one. The righteous remnant will begin to function as true heirs with Christ. This era will be marked by signs, wonders, healings, and miracles. Even media outlets will report that what was once thought to be impossible has now happened. In this new era, King Jesus will make His stand alongside His people in very clear and powerful ways. Indeed, He will fulfill the prophetic word of Micah 2:13 (paraphrased), “Messiah, the Breaker, will go before them, and they will break through.”  We are entering days of supernatural breakthrough. It is not off in the distance; it is here, and we are seeing it unfold now. Along with the King making His stand, we will also see that a true New Testament Church will make her stand. The Ekklesia and genuine governing authority will be seen on the earth. The days of pretend Christianity are over: It is a new day. It's a new era. It is time for reality church! The King says to His Church through Holy Spirit: “I will step forward as Lord of Hosts, mighty and strong in battle. For the challenge of hell and this world will not go unanswered.  “Move forward in the shaking that is now accelerating, says the Lord. Move forward. Move forward as the shaking covers your advancement into a new position. Move forward as gross darkness blinds the enemies of My Kingdom from seeing the devastating traps I have put in their paths. Move forward as My angels implement ruses and plans that draw the attention of the wicked, causing them to move resources in wrong directions. My victory plans are not about defeating a few. It is a defeat of the many. “Move forward, Ekklesia, as My plans unfold. Move forward, sons and daughters, into new authority, power, and spiritual weapons that are mighty and stronghold destroying. Move forward as angel forces are positioning with you for supernatural victories. Move forward under the canopy of My presence, My protective hands, and My arms of strength. Move forward as My Kingdom aligns for the new time. “Oppressive bands of wickedness will be broken. The Lord says, trust Me, and you will one day proclaim: ‘It has not been easy. There have been battles. There have been perils. There has been wilderness. There has been drought. There has been persecution. There have been testings and great tribulations, but the overwhelming goodness of the Lord has brought us through. And we have learned great lessons. The overwhelming kindness of our God never failed us, and we possessed the land. It was little by little, but our God rose on our behalf and broke the back of our oppressors. Our God has provided miracles of breakthrough. Miracles have brought us through oceans, fires, and floods.’” Pray with me: King Jesus, we believe and decree that You are proving Yourself as Lord of Hosts in the earth. We pray as You told us to in Your Word, commanding Your Kingdom rule, influence, and will to manifest in the earth realm. Let this new era be the greatest manifestation ever of Your Kingdom on earth. We believe Your prophetic voices who have declared that there has never been an era like the one emerging.  May Your Ekklesia, Your church, rise to the challenge and allow You to define this moment through her. Cause her to be all You called her to be: empowered with fresh anointing from Your Spirit, led by Your heart, and filled with great boldness to do Your will. Release millions of angels to assist us.  Our decree: We declare that which You spoke to us prophetically:  “It has not been easy. There have been battles. There have been perils. There has been wilderness. There has been drought. There has been persecution. There have been testings, great tribulations, but the overwhelming goodness of the Lord has brought us through. And we have learned great lessons. The overwhelming kindness of our God never failed us, and we possessed the land. It was little by little, but our God rose on our behalf and broke the back of our oppressors. Our God has provided miracles of breakthrough. Miracles have brought us through oceans, fires, and floods.” All of these things we ask and declare in the authority of Christ. Amen. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Today’s post was taken from my brother Tim’s new book, Healing Decrees That Activate Angel Armies. You can find this book and learn more about Tim at Tim Sheets Ministries .

My Thoughts Regarding Iran The radical government of Iran is unquestionably one of the most evil in the world. The leaders hate America - “the great satan,” as they call us - and Israel, “the little satan.” They are ruthless in their quest to promote radical Islam and were ultimately behind the October 7, 2023, massacre in Israel, as Hamas is under their control. They recently killed over 30,000 of their own citizens who are fed up with their barbarism and oppression, and were protesting for change.  President Trump and Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu have warned the Iranian government that they will not be allowed to possess nuclear weapons. This is non-negotiable. Trump put teeth to the warning in June of last year, destroying a large degree of Iran’s nuclear capabilities in perhaps the most impressive display of military power ever. Undeterred, the insane Iranian leaders are working to rebuild it. In response to this, Amanda Macias, reporting for Fox News, reports that: “For weeks, the U.S. military has quietly amassed what President Donald Trump has described as an ‘armada’ in Iran’s backyard. Mapped out across the Persian Gulf and beyond, the deployment tells its own story — one of calculated pressure backed by credible capability… “The buildup coincides with indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s disputed nuclear program. Trump has warned that the regime must fully dismantle its nuclear infrastructure — or face consequences.” (1) Summarizing America’s huge military buildup, the article states: “Taken together, the air and naval deployments create overlapping strike capability, missile defense coverage, and control over major maritime routes. For Iran, it means U.S. forces are not concentrated in a single vulnerable location — they are distributed, layered, and positioned to operate from multiple directions at once.” (2) President Trump has clearly demonstrated in many ways and on numerous fronts that he means what he says. What will he do if Iran stays the course? Undoubtedly, only a few people in leadership know the answer, but of one thing we can be certain: Iran will not be allowed to have nuclear weapons.  Today’s Iran is referred to as Persia in Scripture. Regular GH15 readers have heard me refer to “the prince of Persia,” mentioned in Daniel 10:13, 20. This was a demonic principality warring against the restoration of Israel, for which Daniel was interceding. Michael, the great archangel, was sent to deal with him.  It is clear from this passage that satan assigns his high-ranking assistants to specific regions of the world to carry out his plans. The principality mentioned here in Daniel was not referred to simply as “a” prince, but as “the prince of Persia.” That was the region this principality had been assigned to.  Spirits don’t die. The same spirits operating in Daniel’s day are alive and functioning today. There is no reason to believe that “the prince of Persia” who opposed Daniel is not influencing Persia/Iran today. In fact, I’m sure it is. Satan has controlled much of that region for millennia, and this spirit is certainly one of his key players. It is also without doubt why the leaders of this wicked regime, controlled by this principality, hate Israel and America so much. Israel gave us the world’s Redeemer, and America was raised up to trumpet His gospel, making these two nations despised enemies of satan and his kingdom. Many spiritual leaders, myself included, believe the strong hold of this spirit over the region is ending. This can be seen, among other reasons, by the great number of people coming to Christ in Iran. The spiritual harvest occurring there is believed by some to currently be the greatest in the world. The “prince of Persia,” and the leaders he controls, are furious…and no doubt very nervous, as well they should be. The Ancient of Days is unseating them!  It is important that we see the connection between the spiritual realm and the political and military developments in Iran today. Trump and his team are not simply dealing with radical Islamist leaders there; they are opposing the kingdom of darkness and its hierarchy. They are opposing the spiritual enemies of the greatest harvest God has planned. This means our President is on the front lines of the highest level of spiritual warfare on planet earth.  Let that sink in. If this doesn’t motivate you to pray for him and his team, then your discernment and motivation must be questioned.  As one who understands spiritual warfare somewhat, I cannot imagine the intensity of the warfare around our President. He needs a strong and mature prayer shield. Pray for him and his cabinet every day. Be mature enough to look beyond any personality traits you don’t like, past sins that he has committed, colorful language -- or “discolorful,” any other weaknesses you may disapprove of, and realize that God placed him as our President for other reasons. AND PRAY FOR HIM.  Pray with me: Father, we bring our President and his team before You today, asking You to be for them all that they need in this season. Fulfill Your purposes through them. Give them wisdom as they deal with the Iranian government; do not allow them to make any wrong moves. Dismantle the influence of the prince of Persia in the Middle East, and open the way for the gospel to have its greatest influence ever.  We pray over the President and his cabinet from Psalm 91. Download wisdom to them; think through their thoughts. Give them heaven’s unfailing strategies for to evil forces (verse 8). Draw the President and his team to You. Do not allow references or interactions with You to be only “religious,” but move in such a way that there is a true connection with You. Draw them to YOU! Speak with them (verses 14-16).  And we ask for protection over them and their families. Place a protective shield around their spirits, souls, and bodies. Let no evil befall them, nor any plague come near (verse 10). Give Your angels charge concerning them, to guard them in all their ways (verse 11). All of this we pray in the name of the Most High God, Jesus. Amen.  Our decree: We decree that the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:9, 13, 22) has defeated the prince of Persia (Daniel 10:13, 20), and this victory is being enforced by His Ekklesia (Ephesians 3:10, 6:12). Click on the link below to watch the full video. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/only-map-you-need-see-understand-how-serious-trump-about-iran   Ibid.

The Importance of Faith and Action “The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, but the earth He has given to the sons of mankind”  (Psalm 115:16; NASB). Moffatt translates the latter part of the verse, “The earth He has assigned to men.” His use of the word “assigned” communicates with greater accuracy the contextual meaning of the Hebrew word nathan (1)  in this verse. God didn’t give away ownership of the earth; He assigned the responsibility of managing or governing it to humans. The Passion Translation says He has “put us in charge” of the earth. God’s gifts are often also assignments, an example being our children. Holy Spirit uses this word nathan  no less than six times in the first chapter of Joshua to remind Israel that He had “given” them the land of Canaan (verses 2, 3, 6, 11, 13, 15). Canaan was the land He had promised (“given”) their forefather, Abraham (Genesis 12:7). They were now being assigned the task of conquering and taking possession of what God had given. Someone once asked, “Well, which was it; was God giving, or were they taking?” The answer is, “Yes.” Another word in this passage also aligns with this concept. Verse 11 uses the phrase, “The land the Lord your God is giving (nathan) you, to possess  ( yaresh ) (2)  it.” The word yaresh  has different shades of meaning. It means “legally an heir,” but also “military invasion in order to seize or possess.” In other words, God was telling Israel, “I have given it to you legally; now, I’m assigning you the task of militarily taking possession of it.” Joshua 1:3 also alludes to this. The Lord said to Joshua,  “Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses.” The word “tread” is darak , and means more than just stepping on something. It is a term of war used to describe “bending the bow” before shooting an arrow. It is still used today in Israel for the command, “Load your weapons.” God wasn’t telling Israel that everywhere they simply walked or stepped would be given to them. He had already marked off the perimeters of their inheritance. He was saying, “Every place that I have promised, and where you are willing to ‘load your weapons’ and possess, I’m going to give you.” So, one last time: Was God giving, or were they taking? YES! And to prove my point, I remind you that the previous generation in Israel was fearful and unwilling to darak (3)   - load their weapons - and fight. And they did NOT possess what God said was theirs.  These things happened to Israel as types, shadows, or examples for us (see 1 Corinthians 10:6, 11). Our inheritance must be possessed, also. That which our Joshua - Jesus - has given to us will not automatically come to us simply because we are now born again. We, too, must darak and yaresh! The truth that we must “seize” or “lay hold of” by faith what God has already “given” us is not understood by many Christians. They believe that what God wills for us to possess or experience - from that which Christ’s redemption provided - will sovereignly manifest for us. But this is not so. Most believers have never been taught what it means to “fight the good fight of faith, lay hold of eternal life“  (1 Timothy 6:12).  “Lay hold”  could be translated as “seize.” Thayer says the word (epilambanomai ) means “to take what is one’s own, to take possession of, to take to one’s self, to make one’s own; to claim, procure for one’s self; that which when taken is not let go; to seize, to lay hold of, to apprehend.” (4 & 5) Obviously, this verse is NOT telling us to “take” or “wrestle” provision from God. But we ARE being told to use our faith to “take possession of” what God has given us through Christ; to “seize” it, and “don’t let go.” Sin’s curse operating on the earth, opposing circumstances, demonic opposition, and more, will attempt to steal or keep from us what God has “given.” Paul was telling Timothy, “I know it is a fight, Timothy, a fight of faith. But you must use your faith and lay hold of that which God has given you.” Jesus told us we would have to bind and loose (Matthew 16:18-19). He said we’d have to use the “weapons of your warfare” (2 Corinthians 10:4), and “wrestle” against spiritual powers of darkness (Ephesians 6:12). He put our enemies under our feet legally, but we would have to move in His authority in order to experience the manifestation of that victory. What He accomplished, we would have to enforce. This is why Romans 16:20 says, “And the God of peace will soon crush satan under YOUR feet”  (v. 20, emphasis added).  We have been doing so for America, and we will continue to do so.  Pray with me: Father, as we move toward revival and reformation, You are reminding us of the picture You gave through Israel. You told them to prepare their weapons; they were going to possess the land. They would have to “possess” militarily what You were “giving” legally. Their enemies were physical; ours are spiritual.  Jesus defeated these spiritual foes, and You have given us authority and spiritual weapons with which to overcome them. And yet, they have influenced our nation for decades and controlled other nations for centuries. This must end. The spoils we’re after are people’s salvation; we want millions to be freed from the curse of the Fall and their separation from You. We want them delivered from sin and freed from oppression. We want our children to know You and Your ways, and to be passionately pursuing a relationship with You. You want this, as well. We want our nation to once again embrace its calling and destiny. We desire to serve Christ and other nations by taking the gospel of Jesus to them. We want You to be honored - from the highest levels of authority in our land, to every home and person. We want to help You accomplish the great revival You’re planning, being Your voices, Your hands, Your feet, and especially representing Your heart. You have said You would restore America to this purpose if we humbled ourselves and prayed, turned from sin, and sought Your face. A remnant, a representational intercessory army has done so, and will continue to do so. We know You will honor what You have said. So we command for You once again, “Kingdom of God - rule of Yahweh, victory of Christ, life of God, breath of Holy Spirit - COME! Will and desires of King Jesus, BE!” We pray and decree these things through His authority, Father, and thank You in advance. Amen. Our decree: We declare that we WILL lay hold of that which God is giving. Click on the link below to watch the full video. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 5414. Ibid., ref. no. 3423. Ibid., ref. no. 1869. Ibid., ref. no. 1949. Ibid., ref. no. 2983.

The Surprising Words of Three U.S. Presidents “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance. The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men; from His dwelling place, He looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth; He who fashions the hearts of them all, He who understands all their works. The king is not saved by a mighty army; a warrior is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a false hope for victory; nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope for His lovingkindness, to deliver their soul from death and to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart rejoices in Him, because we trust in His holy name. Let Your lovingkindness, O Lord, be upon us, according as we have hoped in You.”  Psalm 33:12-22 NASB There was a time in America when many people in both political parties held Christian persuasions and beliefs, honored the Scriptures, and professed faith in Christ. Today, it seems that some Republicans and many Democrats have rejected God and the principles of the Bible. In 2012, the attendees of the Democratic National Convention actually booed God being mentioned in their party platform. We need a revival among members of both parties, awakening them to America’s true spiritual roots. In today’s post, I’m sharing quotes from three Democratic Presidents, in which they affirm their faith in God, honor for the Bible, and America’s Christian roots. Woodrow Wilson In 1911, the year before he was elected president, Woodrow Wilson assured the listeners that he was right with the Lord, and said: “America was born a Christian nation. America was born to exemplify [the] devotion to the elements of righteousness, which are derived from the revelations of Holy Scripture. “Ladies and gentlemen, I have a very simple thing to ask of you. I ask of every man and woman in this audience that from this night on they will realize that part of the destiny of America lies in their daily perusal of this great book of revelations - that if they [wanted to] see America free and pure, they will make their own spirits free and pure by this baptism of the Holy Scripture.” (1) Liberals today seethe when someone says America began as a Christian nation. Wilson felt otherwise, asserting that we were indeed, adding that our purpose was to exemplify devotion to biblical righteousness. Wilson actually connected our destiny as Americans with the Scriptures, which he called a “great book of revelations!” He stated that the Bible would bring freedom and purity to both the individual and the nation, and suggested that people be immersed, or “baptized,” in it daily. Can you imagine?! What would happen if all Americans took his advice? Nothing short of revival and reformation. Franklin Delano Roosevelt  On one of his famous radio addresses, FDR said the following: “No greater thing could come to our land today than a revival of the spirit of religion - a revival that would sweep through the homes of the nation and stir the hearts of men and women of all faiths to a reassertion of their belief in God and their dedication to His will for themselves and for their world. I doubt if there is any problem - social, political, or economic - that would not melt away before the fire of such a spiritual awakening.” (2) Roosevelt wanted revival to “sweep through” America’s homes. He desired a rededication to God’s will for them and for the world. Incredible! And the grand finale: a revival such as this would solve all problems - “social, political, or economic.” Preach it, Mr. President!!! Harry Truman And finally, in a 1950 speech before a conference on law enforcement President Harry Truman said: “THE FUNDAMENTAL basis of this nation’s law was given to Moses on the Mount. The fundamental basis of our Bill of Rights comes from the teachings which we get from Exodus and St. Matthew, Isaiah, and St. Paul. I don’t think we emphasize that enough these days. “If we don’t have the proper fundamental moral background, we will finally wind up with a totalitarian government which does not believe in rights for anybody except the state.” (3) I just choked on my coffee! A United States President declaring that our laws were based on the Ten Commandments and other laws given to Moses on Sinai?! Then, asserting that the basis of our Bill of Rights was Exodus, Matthew, Isaiah, and Paul’s epistles? And his warning that without this moral foundation, we would lose our individual rights and wind up with a totalitarian government? Surely they impeached that man for violating the separation of church and state! How the Mighty Have Fallen David’s memorial lament for King Saul and his son, Jonathan, seems appropriate. Three times he repeated that “the mighty have fallen!” (2 Samuel 1:19, 25, 27). In verse 24, David encouraged Israel to weep over Saul’s death and remember the good about his life, even though he had become evil and sought to kill David. “Mourn his demise and death,” David told the nation. It is appropriate that we, too, mourn the loss of spiritual life among our leaders and pray for a renewal of faith in their ranks. We can and should pray for their salvation, even as we pray against many of their policies. The words of these three former presidents would make great prayers. Let’s use them today. Pray with me: Father, we ask for an awakening among America’s leaders and citizens to the fact that we were “born a Christian nation.” Bring a fresh love and reverence for Your Word, and a realization that it is indissolubly linked to America’s destiny. Bring a revival the likes of which President Roosevelt spoke of. Cause it to “sweep through the homes of the nation and stir the hearts of men and women of all faiths to a reassertion of their belief in [You] and their dedication to [Your] will for themselves and for their world.” Solve problems experienced throughout the world with a mighty revival! And may all Americans be reminded of and rejoice in the fact that our original laws and freedoms come from You. Bring such revival in our government that the majority humbly acknowledge Your place among us. YOU are the foundation of this nation. Restore our legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government to faith in You and to their original principles. We pray all these things in Jesus’ holy and powerful name. Our decree:  We decree that America is a nation “under God” and is returning to her righteous roots. Click on the link below to watch the full video. The Public Papers of Woodrow Wilson . College and State. https://archive.org/details/collegestate0002wood/page/302/mode/2up . p. 302. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/opinions/1986/09/21/fdr-invoked-god-too/741f9d68-057c-4bf3-b0be-6faca4c8e2ef/ https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/address-before-the-attorney-generals-conference-law-enforcement-problems

Introduction Our good friend, Phillip Jauregui, president of Judicial Action Group, serves all of us in a very significant way. Though living in Alabama, he spends substantial time in Washington, D.C., reviewing, researching, and working to place only the best judges and justices in our federal courts. Phillip has worked on hundreds of judicial nominations over the past 20 years, including eight of the nine current United States Supreme Court justices. Not only is Phillip an attorney, but he is also a man of prayer. For years, God has motivated him to pray for the Supreme Court’s transformation. However, in 2017, the Lord began speaking to Phillip in a unique way regarding the Court, comparing it to the prodigal son in Scripture. That download from heaven has now become an incredible book - written in layman’s terms, not legalese - filled with insights regarding how we can pray for the Supreme Court. It was my great honor to write the foreword to this book,   The Parable of the Prodigal Court . I’m sharing that foreword with you today. The title of today’s post is: How to Pray for the Supreme Court Thirty years ago, I visited the Supreme Court for the first time. On the way, I heard Holy Spirit speak as clearly as I’ve ever heard Him: “Now I am going to show you where the strong man over America lives.” The words “strong man” were taken from the passage of Scripture in Mark 3:27:  “But no one can enter the strong man’s house and plunder his property unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house.”  (NASB)  This statement did not mean that the Justices or the institution itself were evil. It meant that satan had established a stronghold there from which to implement his plans and control our nation. Since that day, part of my assignment has been to see this stronghold broken. Many others have been assigned this task, as well, and not just through prayer. Numerous people have worked tirelessly to liberate the Court from unrighteous control.  Most Americans are unaware that Thomas Jefferson, while not referencing the “strong man” of Scripture, warned of the potential for the judiciary to become a despotic branch of our government. A despot is a tyrant ruler with absolute, unlimited power. Despotism, then, is absolute power or control; tyranny. With these definitions in mind, consider the following statement from Jefferson on September 28, 1820: “You seem...to consider the judges as the ultimate arbiters of all constitutional questions; a very dangerous doctrine indeed, and one which would place us under the despotism of an oligarchy…Our judges are as honest as other men, and not more so...and their power [is] the more dangerous, as they are in office for life and not responsible, as the other functionaries are, to the elective control…The Constitution has erected no such single tribunal, knowing that to whatever hands confided, with corruptions of time and party, its members would become despots.” (Stated in a letter to William Jarvis, Sept. 28, 1820) (1) Unfortunately, Jefferson’s warning proved to be all too accurate. Sixty-plus years ago, the progressive, liberal left in America decided the best way, possibly the only way, to impose their will on the American people was not at the ballot box or through the Legislative Branch of our government; it was through the Supreme Court. To do so, they would only need five of the nine members. The inappropriate belief that the Supreme Court had supreme power over all government decisions would allow only five unelected people to impose and enforce their will over 300,000,000 Americans! And their actions invited in the “strong man.” No entity or group has allowed more evil into America than the Supreme Court. As Phillip Jauregui points out so clearly in this critical book, only five individuals were needed to remove God and His principles from American schools, our government, and the public square. They trampled on constitutional rights, made the right to murder babies the law of the land, and overruled the will of the people in thirty states, who agreed with God that marriage was between one man and one woman.  On June 26, 2015, five Justices decided they had the right to redefine a 6,000-year-old definition of marriage–a definition clearly given by God, mind you–and redefine this covenant He instituted! Just let that sink in: five people (two of whom had participated in gay wedding ceremonies, yet refused to recuse themselves), arrogantly granted themselves the “authority” to overrule God…and the American people. The deception and arrogance of this was mind-numbing. Regarding this usurpation, Justice Alito said: “Today’s decision usurps the constitutional right of the people to decide whether to keep or alter the traditional understanding of marriage... “All Americans, whatever they’re thinking on that issue, should worry about what the majority’s claim of power portends.” (2) The late Justice Scalia stated, regarding this: “I write separately to call attention to this Court’s threat to American democracy... Today’s decree says that my Ruler, and the Ruler of 320 million Americans coast-to-coast, is a majority of the nine lawyers on the Supreme Court... “This practice of constitutional revision by an unelected committee of nine, always accompanied [as it is today] by extravagant praise of liberty, robs the People of the most important liberty they asserted in the Declaration of Independence and won in the Revolution of 1776–the freedom to govern themselves…To allow the policy question of same-sex marriage to be considered and resolved by a select, patrician, highly unrepresentative panel of nine is to violate a principle even more fundamental than no taxation without representation: no social transformation without representation.” (3) Despotism, indeed.  My journey of prayer for this out-of-control Court took a decidedly different turn in 2023 when speaking with Phillip. He shared with me regarding what he believed the Lord had told him a few years prior: “Begin seeing the Court not as your enemy, but as a prodigal that I love.” Then he said to me, “I believe it is time to consecrate the Court to God. What do you think about this?” I was somewhat taken aback, and my tongue-in-cheek response was, “I need to think about what I think about all of that!” I did think, and prayed…and agreed! To say that Phillip’s insights launched me into a new way of praying for the Supreme Court would be an understatement. Due to the work and prayers of many, I now believe the “strong man’s” control over the Supreme Court has been broken. This means we can now pray as Phillip urges us in this outstanding book, for the “prodigal” Court to return to the Father’s influence and blessing.  Pray with me:  Father, we in America have defiled many of the blessings You gave us. Like the prodigal son, we have squandered Your prosperity, using it to satisfy our lusts. We have used our liberties and freedoms to satisfy unrighteous desires. We have distorted and twisted the great Constitution You inspired, turning it into a meaningless piece of paper. And we have abandoned the purpose for which You created America: partnering with You to redeem the world. Many Americans have repented of these things, and we continue to humble ourselves before You in repentance. We turn our attention today to the Supreme Court of America. Through this institution, we have rejected You, the right to life, the covenant of marriage You established, and more. We have arrogantly made rulings that defied You, and we have paid for this arrogance and rebellion with the loss of tens of millions of Americans. Today, we repent and ask for Your mercy. The blood of Jesus was sprinkled on a “Mercy Seat,” and we ask for this mercy. YOU birthed America and our government. YOU instituted the principle of government. We call the Supreme Court back under YOUR plans, purposes, precepts, and laws, asking that You change all that needs changing in this branch of our government. Turn hearts that need turning, and bring Your presence into the Supreme Court building once again. We ask all of this in the holy and all-powerful name of Yeshua. Amen. Our decree: We decree that the Supreme Court of the United States is rejecting the rule and influence of darkness and is returning to God’s light of truth. You can find The Parable of the Prodigal Court  on Amazon and Kindle. Click on the link below to watch the full video. https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/03-16-02-0234   https://www.nationalreview.com/bench-memos/justice-alitos-dissent-ssm-case-ed-whelan/    https://www.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/2016_0427_cohenstatement.pdf