Should Christians Vote? When standing before Pilate, Jesus made the following statement: “My Kingdom is not of this world: if My Kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is My Kingdom not from hence,” (John 18:36). Many people misunderstand Christ’s words. If you interpret His statement as meaning His Kingdom: doesn’t originate here on earth, isn’t governed by or doesn’t operate based on earthly laws and principles, isn’t physically visible, doesn’t have an earthly king, doesn’t force its rule on people with armies and physical might…then you are correct. If, on the other hand, you believe Christ’s: Kingdom doesn’t exist here on earth, yet, kingly authority isn’t to be recognized here on earth, as yet, authority isn’t to be exercised by his church on earth, as yet, the church should stay out of politics or government, Kingdom refers only to a 1000 period when He returns to earth and rules here…you are mistaken. Very simply stated, a kingdom is the realm over which a king rules. God’s Kingdom is everywhere - every place in the heavens, the earth, and even under the earth. There is nothing anywhere that doesn’t belong to Him; He even possesses the keys to death and hell. While here on earth, Christ spoke of His Kingdom more than any other subject. More than heaven, hell, the church - any other subject. In doing so, He certainly wasn’t teaching us how operations on earth would be conducted several thousand years from then. How utterly ridiculous. Rather, Christ was re-introducing the guiding principles of how His Kingdom operates. Given that He spoke of this more than any other subject, it makes one wonder why we hear so little in churches today about the Kingdom of God. In our opening verse, if Christ had been stating that the authority and principles of His Kingdom were not to operate here on earth at this time, Scriptures like Matthew 3:1-2 would make no sense: “In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Then Jesus began preaching about His Kingdom. “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel (“good news”) of the Kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people” (Matthew 4:23). The message of Christ’s Kingdom rule on earth is, indeed, good news. Some would have us believe that the only means by which Christians should endeavor to release God’s life-giving Kingdom principles into society is through preaching, serving, and living godly lives, all of which are certainly essential. They don’t believe we should endeavor to do so through government. This makes no sense. Every law should be based on truth and morality, the basis of which is found in Scripture and emanates from God’s Kingdom. This was the belief of our Founders and the belief held by every generation of Americans until the last few decades; if you don’t believe me, just read our currency. Proverbs 29:2 tells us: “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.” Sadly, the stay-out-of-politics group adds: “But don’t involve yourself in any political process that could influence this; just hope for the best.” Some even add, “And whatever you do, don’t talk about the process when gathered as God’s people. His Kingdom is not of this world” God, however, wants His people to speak and promote truth, regardless of the context, including government. And if they have rights - as we do in America - that allow them to influence who is in government, those who make decisions that control nearly every aspect of life, He certainly wants them to do so. Teaching and implementing God’s Kingdom principles on earth is how we sprinkle the preserving and flavoring salt Christ spoke of (Matthew 5:13). The alternative, as Proverbs 29:2 above tells us, is ungodly rule, which produces mourning. Interestingly, the Hebrew word for mourn in this verse also means “to groan from pain or grief; to gasp.”(1) I sometimes gasp nowadays when I watch the news. Seeing innocent people stabbed to death on our streets causes me to gasp. Hearing politicians say that drag queens dancing for and grooming kindergarteners is okay makes me gasp. Hearing of trafficked children makes me gasp and mourn; knowing that many of our leaders in government don’t care enough to rescue them or stop it makes me angry and causes me to grieve. Seeing them clap for joy over killing full-term babies makes me gasp…and mourn. And knowing that an awakened and involved church could change all of this if we all simply voted, and did so according to biblical values, makes me weep. The midterms are coming soon. Please vote. Give. Speak up. Sprinkle some salt. Our Prayer and Decree: Father, again today we ask You to involve Yourself in America’s upcoming midterm elections. We realize You aren’t political, but You are very governmental. It matters greatly to You who holds positions of power. We have allowed wicked people to rule our nation, and consequently, mourn the loss of our children to abortion, human trafficking, and drug-related deaths. We also mourn the extensive covenant-breaking, immorality, violence, and wickedness in our land. But we believe the powerful leaven of Your Kingdom is spreading in our nation and throughout the world. Your Kingdom rule is good news. It brings freedom, fulfillment, and wholeness. Awaken the church to be Your voice in every arena of life. You have taught us to partner with You, and that You work through us. Therefore, we ask You to move upon the hearts of Christians in America to vote, and to vote for those who represent biblical values. Motivate leaders to be a voice of truth to those whom they influence. We ask You to give wise, fruit-bearing strategies to those promoting righteous candidates. Give the candidates themselves wisdom and understanding. Cause candidates who promote evil to be exposed, make mistakes, and find disfavor with voters. Give us a breakthrough, we pray, in Jesus’ name. And we pray again regarding Iran. We declare Your words that Jesus has been given all the nations as His inheritance (Psalm 2); the earth is His and the fullness thereof (Psalm 24); the government of Your Kingdom is on His shoulders (Isaiah 9:6), and all authority in heaven and on earth belongs to Him (Matthew 28:18). He defeated principalities and powers at the Cross (Colossians 2:15) and gave us authority to exercise that victory through His name (Matthew 16:18-19). We do so now, binding the spiritual powers of that region in Jesus’ name, and declaring that they have no right to further rule and control it. Please give our leaders wisdom as they finish dismantling the ability of the Iranian regime to terrorize, and perhaps even decimate people with nuclear weapons. Free the people of Iran, send a powerful outpouring of Holy Spirit, and make that region a beachhead for the gospel into all of the Middle East. Let this begin the billion-soul harvest. This, too, we pray in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen. 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. 584.

The Magnitude of the Upcoming Midterm Elections Elections have real-life consequences, and the midterms are coming soon. Trafficked Children The House Oversight Subcommittee conducted a hearing yesterday on the policies that allow unaccompanied alien children (UACs) into the United States. At least 250,000 were released into America during Biden’s four years; some say there were many more. Today, many of them are trapped in human trafficking, others in slave labor. The Democrats on the committee boycotted the meeting; not one of them showed up. The midterms are coming soon. Unqualified Truck Drivers In another hearing held by the House Judiciary Subcommittee, grieving parent Marcus Coleman delivered an emotional testimony regarding his daughter, Dalilah Coleman. The seven-year-old was permanently disabled by an illegal alien, who could not speak English, but was driving an 18-wheel truck. Several thousand non-English-speaking illegals have been given licenses to operate big rigs, and have killed several Americans on our highways. Transportation Secretary Duffy is seeking to end this insanity. Mr. Coleman interrupted Democrat Congressman Jamie Raskin when he tried to offer hypocritical condolences, telling him and the other dems on the committee, “I reject your guys’ sympathy. To be honest with you, there’s no way you guys are sorry. Not one of you guys has ever called me. Not one of you guys has ever reached out to me. Not one of you guys has ever sat there and seen me in the hallways and said, ‘Hey, sorry about your daughter’... You guys do it right here while you guys are grandstanding on top of your soapbox. This is when you guys care.”(1) Coleman went on to say that he held the lawmakers’ policies directly responsible, due to their gaps in immigration enforcement. His truthful, gut-wrenching statement needed to be said. And as I said, the midterms are coming soon. Fentanyl Deaths In an interview on Newsmax yesterday (Wednesday), Wisconsin Congressman Derrick Van Orden pointed out that due to President Trump’s border policies, there have been 20,000 fewer fentanyl overdoses. TWENTY. THOUSAND. LIVES. SAVED. Americans should be throwing parties over this! Orden went on to point out just how bad the problem had been, saying that there have been more casualties from drug overdoses in America than from the combined total of all the wars we have ever fought. Staggering! Under Biden’s tenure, we were experiencing over 100,000 of these fentanyl related deaths every year! ONE. HUNDRED. THOUSAND…EVERY YEAR!!!! These figures are mind-numbing, yet you will never hear about them from the liberal media. All of these tragedies could have been easily avoided. Yet, many Democrats would be okay with more. They continue to promote open borders, which allowed the drugs and helpless children to flow in like a sieve, still support sanctuary cities, work to block voter ID, allow non-English speaking illegals to operate 18-wheelers, and support a myriad of other mindless policies. All that matters to most of those on the left is staying in power, and transforming America into a godless, weak, “has-been” nation. I remind you, the midterms are coming soon. If those on the left retake control of Congress, the ongoing progress President Trump and the current Congress have made in the last year and a half will immediately come to a halt, some progress made will be lost, “lawfare” will be resurrected, and Trump will be impeached. Again. Sadly, most Americans, including evangelical Christians, vote their pocketbook, not truth and morality, if they vote at all! So much for pledging our “lives, fortunes, and sacred honor” for the cause of freedom and liberty. Most pastors won’t even make a stand for truth during the elections. I guess they don’t believe trafficking children, mutilating children, and allowing genocide through unchecked drug trafficking qualify as biblical issues. Jesus, however, didn’t get the memo. He did address - in religious settings - the treatment of parents and children, and treated these issues as incredibly important and consequential matters, meriting His words (Matthew 15:1–9; Mark 7:5–13; Matthew 18:1-6; Mark 9:42). Maybe it would be okay for us to follow His lead today. But, of course, there are those awful “rocking the boat” and “losing members” issues to consider. To those willing to make a stand, I say, without any fear of being wrong, this midterm election ranks in importance with any in our history. We must get involved - pray fervently, give generously to the right candidates, and speak up. Many believers, and conservatives in general, aren’t even planning to vote in this midterm election. We can help change this by speaking up, using our social media, and talking with friends. Many of them never hear the shocking statistics and facts mentioned above. Share them. Be a voice! And pray every day! Pray with me: Father, we ask You to involve Yourself in America’s upcoming midterm elections. We realize You aren’t political, but You are very governmental. It matters greatly to You who holds positions of power. “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn” (Proverbs 29:2). We have allowed wicked people to rule our nation, and consequently, mourn the loss of our children to abortion, human trafficking, and drug related deaths. We also mourn the extensive covenant-breaking, immorality, violence, and wickedness in our land. And we mourn the loss of light we once exhibited as the once “shining city on a hill.” We ask for cleansing and mercy. We have acknowledged many times that only a great awakening can save our nation. Yet, we have hope because You have promised to send such an awakening. We stand firmly on Your faithfulness and mercy. We also know that the outpouring of Holy Spirit in no way lessens our responsibility of involvement. You have taught us that we are to partner with You, that You work through us. Therefore, we ask You to move upon the hearts of Christians in America to vote, and to vote for those who represent biblical values. Rattle their cages, make them uncomfortable in their complacency, convict them. Also convict leaders for not being a voice of truth to those whom they influence. And please motivate Your people to be involved through action and generosity. And we ask You to give powerful and fruit-bearing strategies to those promoting righteous candidates. Give the candidates themselves wisdom and understanding. Cause candidates who promote evil to be exposed, make mistakes, and find disfavor with voters. Give us a breakthrough, we pray, in Jesus’ name. And finally, we pray regarding Iran. We declare Your words that Jesus has been given all the nations as His inheritance (Psalm 2); the earth is His and the fullness thereof (Psalm 24); the government of Your Kingdom is on His shoulders (Isaiah 9:6), and all authority in heaven and on earth belongs to Him (Matthew 28:18). He defeated principalities and powers at the Cross (Colossians 2:15) and gave us authority to exercise that victory through His name (Matthew 16:18-19). We do so now, binding the spiritual powers of that region in Jesus’ name, and declaring that they have no right to further rule and control it. Please give our leaders wisdom as they finish dismantling the ability of the Iranian regime to terrorize, and perhaps even decimate people with nuclear weapons. Free the people of Iran, send a powerful outpouring of Holy Spirit, and make that region a beachhead for the gospel into all of the Middle East. Let this begin the billion-soul harvest. This, too, we pray in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that He who has begun a good work in America - and in the Middle East - will finish it! Click on the link below to watch the full video. https://www.facebook.com/FoxNews/posts/you-guys-do-it-right-here-where-youre-grandstanding-on-top-of-your-soapboxmarcus/1546535500669640/

The Noose is Tightening The military action between the U.S. and Iran has renewed somewhat in the past few days. Yesterday (Tuesday), President Trump, who has obviously lost patience with the regime, posted the following: “The United States is, as we speak, striking Iranian Targets near the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes are large and powerful, and in retaliation for the Iranians’ failed attempt at adding sea mines to the Strait, which currently has no mines (They have been completely removed or detonated!), and the Iranians shooting eight missiles, all successfully knocked down, at our Military Base in Jordan. If the failed Nation of Iran retaliates for this very justified attack, they will be hit again at a much harder and higher level, but it will not be the biggest attack of them all, that is waiting in the wings and, when it is over, there will be very little left of the Islamic Republic of Iran! President DONALD J. TRUMP” Fox News reported that Iranian state news agency Fars declared: “Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned Tuesday that the United States ‘will regret its new attacks.’”(1) Trump fired back, telling Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst, “If they do respond, they’ll be hit much harder. “This is a very big hit today. If it goes a third time, they’re going to be totally wiped out as a country.”(2) Intercessors For America In an article regarding the conflict, IFA offered the following summary: “The U.S. war with Iran has now passed the six-month mark, and renewed attacks by both sides are raising questions about whether the conflict could once again intensify. As the Trump administration maintains military and economic pressure on Tehran, some lawmakers are urging the President to pursue an even more ambitious objective: the collapse of the Iranian regime.”(3) “IFA quoting from CBN: “‘The U.S. war with Iran has reached the 6-month mark. In Washington, some lawmakers are encouraging the White House to keep up the pressure on the regime. “‘As the fighting passed into its seventh month, Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) told NBC’s Meet the Press that many of the military objectives set by the White House have been met, but he’s encouraging the Trump administration to go further. “‘I would like to see the longer-term objective be regime collapse,” Cruz stated.’ “The comments come as direct military exchanges between Washington and Tehran have resumed after a relative lull in American strikes inside Iran. U.S. forces recently struck two Iranian launchers on Larak Island near the Strait of Hormuz, reportedly after Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces prepared rockets capable of deploying sea mines into the strategically vital waterway. “The strike came shortly after the U.S. military finished clearing sea mines from international shipping routes through the Strait. President Donald Trump has emphasized that the United States remains in control of the waterway, telling Fox News, ‘It can be a nuisance, but we are in control of the Hormuz Strait.’ “Iran responded within hours. Tehran launched missiles at American forces in Jordan on Sunday. Nearly all of the missiles were reportedly intercepted, and there were no immediate reports of significant damage. “Iranian officials nevertheless threatened further retaliation. Ebrahim Azizi, who heads the Iranian parliament’s national security commission, warned that the response would be ‘devastating, more painful, and instructive,’ later writing, ‘Retaliation is coming.’ The IRGC also condemned the American strike, calling it a ‘strategic and fatal mistake.’ “Meanwhile, Cruz is arguing that American policy should look beyond individual military objectives. The senator called Iran’s Islamic regime the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism and urged the Trump administration to support Iranians seeking to overthrow it. Rather than putting American troops on the ground, Cruz advocated arming protesters and Kurdish forces and allowing the Iranian people themselves to bring down the regime. “As this conflict enters its seventh month, let’s continue praying for President Trump, American military leaders, and all those making decisions that could determine the course of the war. Let’s also pray for protection over American forces and civilians, for wisdom in confronting the Iranian regime, and ultimately for the people of Iran to experience freedom from tyranny and encounter the truth of the gospel.”(4) The Economic Noose And finally, the economic noose is tightening around the rogue Iranian nation. Regarding the economic pressures being placed on them, US Treasury Secretary Bessent said the U.S. had identified the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC’s) offshore accounts held by trust companies and luxury real estate holdings, and would be going after them. “It could be entities, it could be airline leasing companies, which we’ll be looking at. It could be anyone who does business with the IRGC, we are tracking down the IRGC’s assets, and I will say it on worldwide TV, just so you know,” Bessent warned, “we know where in the British Virgin Islands your accounts are at these trust companies, we know the $100 million houses you have around the world, and we are going to freeze those.” “We are going to our partners; we are going to close all of that down. So we are going to go after the regime’s illegitimate assets that they have stolen from the Iranian people, and those can go back to the Iranian people, or they can go to the victims of terror, like the families of the soldiers who were on the USS Cole,” Bessent continued.(5) And Finally We continue to feel strongly that God is answering our prayers regarding Iran from August 14 [2026] (as well as many others). We asked and continue to ask Him to guide President Trump and our leaders as they navigate this situation. God is ending the terror and butchery of this evil regime and will end their influence in the region. Let’s declare a prayer offered on August 14th. Prayer and decree: Father, we lift up Your master plan as the God of heaven and earth concerning the Middle East and the nation of Iran. And we, the church say, according to Your plan, break out and bring forth that which it is time for. Break it out and bring it forth. We say, Father, that Your name is higher than everything else in heaven and on earth. Father, we stand upon Psalm 148 that calls for all in heaven and all of earth to honor Your name. We say, honor God from the heaven! We say, honor God in the heights! We say, honor God, all the angels and the hosts of angels! We say, honor God, kings of the earth! Honor God, all ye people and all ye princes! We say, honor God, all ye judges of the earth! For we say from this place that His name is above every name, His name is excellent, and His glory is above the heaven and above the earth. We say, concerning this door of the Middle East, fling open wide. We, as the church of Jesus Christ, step through the door to the Middle East, and we say, fling open. And we call now for the host of heaven to flood through this open door. We call for laborers to flood through this door. Reinforcements, both natural and supernatural, flood through this door. We stand in this door as the church, and we will not permit it to close. We say, you will remain open. For we declare Psalm 24 over this door. “Lift up your heads, all ye gates, and be lifted up, you everlasting doors. And the King of glory shall come in. For He is the Lord, strong and mighty, and the Lord mighty in battle,” in Jesus’ name. Click on the link below to watch the full video. https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/us-iran-war-news-trump-leader-latest-today-september-1 Ibid. https://ifapray.org/blog/iran-conflict-hits-six-months-as-fighting-flares-again/ Ibid. https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/bessent-vows-asphyxiate-iran-economically-warns-regimes-offshore-assets-frozen

Exposing the “Strong Man” I have often stated that satan’s greatest weapon is his subtlety. Genesis 3:1 makes this very clear. He is far more dangerous as the serpent - through his craftiness - than he is as the roaring lion spoken of in 1 Peter 5:8, which speaks of his power. He operates as a hidden foe, camouflaging his efforts with seasoned skill. Such has been the case with His actions regarding the Supreme Court. Roughly 30 years ago, Holy Spirit spoke to me that the “strong man” over America was headquartered at the Supreme Court (See Matthew 12:29). I acknowledge the fact that this statement cannot be proven, but I stand by it. No government entity or organization has opened the door to more evil into our nation than the High Court: the murdering of millions of babies; violating God’s covenant of marriage between a man and woman; enabling the destruction of millions of children’s lives through removing God’s influence from schools, and much, much more. Numerous Justices - operating through fallen and sin-darkened souls, and exalting humanity’s fallen logic above God’s - have empowered depravity and dignified indecency. They have allowed demons to reshape and defile America through the Supreme Court, and the damage is literally incalculable. The Lord warned us in Scripture: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12). It is not difficult to see satan’s reasons for choosing the Court as his stronghold: unelected justices with lifetime appointments, extreme and unchecked power, and the least amount of exposure - most Americans pay them little attention unless a law important to them comes on the docket. Thomas Jefferson was right to warn that the power of this unchecked Supreme Court would result in despotism. He insisted that it would place the United States “under the despotism of an oligarchy,” that giving the Supreme Court such unchecked power would eventually produce “despots.”(1) Turns out Mr. Jefferson was pretty smart! The umpire analogy has often been used to describe the role of the Justices. In the sport of baseball, an umpire doesn’t make the rules; he or she simply makes calls based on what the rules committee of the league legislates. This is certainly an appropriate goal by judges, but many can’t help but join the rules committee, twisting the words of the Constitution to fit their preferences and ideals. When a Justice on the Court feels they have the Constitutional authority to redefine marriage as being between two men or two women, or to decree the right to kill babies in the womb, they are officially a despot. And I would add, under the influence of Baal and his underling, Molech. With the Supreme Court’s power and the ability to largely remain under the radar, what better place for satan to hide? It is nearly impossible to awaken Americans to this problem. Having attempted to generate prayer for our government for over 30 years, I can attest to just how hard it is to do so for the Court. Like it or not, the White House and Congress typically remain at the top of everyone’s governmental prayer list. HOWEVER, I am thrilled to tell you that this has changed somewhat over the past 2-3 decades and continues to do so. Many prayer ministries have understood this need for prayer and have begun sounding the alarm. Faithful intercessors are responding, and the Court is slowly changing. One such intercessor is an attorney on whom God placed a burden to see the Court transformed. My good friend, Phillip Jauregui, through the organization he leads, Judicial Action Group, serves all of us by reviewing, researching, and working to place only the best judges and Justices on our 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. Phillip is not only an attorney, but also a man who understands the importance of prayer. For years, God has motivated him to pray for the Supreme Court’s transformation. He has also written an excellent book on praying and working to see the Supreme Court transformed entitled The Parable of the Prodigal Court. Phillip also hosts a prayer gathering in Washington, D.C., for the High Court each year, on the first day of its new session. As part of this mission, the Lord gave him the phrase “Consecrate the Court.” I join him each year for this very strategic gathering, which this year will occur on October 4-5 at The Museum of the Bible. It is my honor to be the keynote speaker at the dinner on Monday night. Many key leaders will also participate in this significant event, including my friend Chuck Pierce. I realize an event like this is not as exciting as one with tens of thousands of people on the Washington Mall. But I assure you, it is just as important. Some of the Justices on the Bench are in their 70s. Resignations and replacements will no doubt take place soon. This is a very critical season! I also realize the date of this gathering is coming up soon; there is little time to plan, and trips to D.C. are not cheap. Nevertheless, I am urging some of you to consider joining us. Churches, send a “delegate.” Prayer groups/ministries, send an intercessor to help us. Not only will you/they help shift the court, which will shift the nation, but participants will grow in their understanding of the High Court and what it takes to change it. And everyone, whether you can attend or not, please pray for this event. (Visiting and touring The Museum of the Bible is worth a trip to D.C., in and of itself.) Let’s continue the prayer siege to consecrate America’s Supreme Court back to the Lord. (Go to JAGF.org and click on EVENTS for tickets and more information. Tickets are required.) Pray with me: Father, we turn our attention today to the Supreme Court of America. Through this institution, our nation has rejected You, life, the covenant of marriage You established, and more. We have arrogantly rebelled against You, and have paid for this rebellion with the loss of tens of millions of Americans. We have also released powerful curses on our land. Today, we repent once again and ask for Your mercy. The blood of Jesus was sprinkled on a “Mercy Seat,” and we ask for this mercy. We also join our prayers today with the prayers offered to consecrate this Court to You. YOU birthed America and our government. YOU instituted the concept of government. We ask that You bring the Court back under YOUR plans, purposes, precepts, and laws. As Your ambassadors, we dedicate the Supreme Court to YOU and ask that You change all that needs changing. Fill this branch of government and its building with Your presence once again. Oversee the timing and decisions of all resignations and replacements to the Court. 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 being reconsecrated and rededicated to Almighty God, Creator and Owner of all the earth. To attend the upcoming event in Washington, D.C., on October 4-5, go to JAGF.org and click on EVENTS. Click on the link below to watch the full video. ​https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/03-16-02-0234

Rewards for Valor, Finally Yesterday (Sunday) was the 5th anniversary of Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. The last plane departed a few minutes before midnight on August 30th, 2021. Five days earlier, August 26, 2021, the suicide bomber attack occurred in Kabul, Afghanistan, at then-Hamid Karzai International Airport’s Abbey Gate. This attack killed 13 American service members and approximately 170 Afghan civilians. Shortly after this, on November 12, 2021, our friend and JAG officer, medically retired Major William Ostan, wrote a powerful post about the withdrawal. After clearly stating his respect for the office of the presidency, and also that he prayed for President Biden every day, he did level some very strong truths and criticisms regarding the withdrawal, saying: “I believe President Biden’s disordered withdrawal from Afghanistan will go down in history as one of the most tragic failures of leadership ever committed by an American President.” Major Ostan went on to say: “President Biden dishonored the many sacrifices made by every combat veteran who set foot in Afghanistan. He completely disregarded the memory of those killed in action, who Lincoln said, ‘gave the last full measure of devotion.’ “…[President Biden] committed an unforgettable breach of faith with our NATO and Afghan allies. One Afghan Air Force Captain who piloted C-208 airplanes recently spoke to a New York Times reporter from a safehouse in Kabul and said, ‘I stood shoulder to shoulder with my American allies for five years – but now they have forgotten us.’[vii] The immediate consequence is a significant loss of trust in the international community. This will have inestimable negative repercussions for the wars to come. Potential future allies will not forget the abysmal end to a 20-year war. “President Biden’s decisions destabilized a dangerous geographic region and emboldened the enemies of freedom around the world. A worse attack than September 11th is now possible, if not probable. The Taliban became more powerful on 9-11-21 than they were on 9-11-01. “Furthermore, a much greater threat is that China, Russia, and Iran are newly baptized with confidence. God forbid, if a World War III scenario ever unfolds, these countries now believe they can win. In their minds, America is weaker than ever before, as Ronald Reagan’s ‘peace through strength’ is no longer a guiding principle.”(1) Ostan then prayed and declared his faith that in time, “there will be a renewal of honor on our military.” How true these assertions turned out to be, including the decree: In the war against Iran, Trump has struggled mightily to get support from past allies. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, just 5 months after the withdrawal. Iran continued to aggressively build their weapons/nuclear capabilities, ultimately convincing President Trump that he had to act. And thankfully, the decree that “there will be a renewal of honor on our military” has come to pass through the leadership of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Hegseth has transformed the military back into focusing on warrior ethos – being warfighters with honor. Also, Fox News recently reported that: “Secretary Hegseth presented three retired Marines with upgraded awards for valor today during a ceremony at the Pentagon, for their actions after the Abbey Gate terrorist attack. “…Hegseth presented the Bronze Star Medal with Valor to retired Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Jonathan Eby, who rallied his remaining forces following the blast and established security before working to evacuate injured Marines. He also presented the Bronze Star Medal with Valor to retired Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jordan Houston, who helped multiple Marines get to safety amid gunfire and clouds of tear gas following the blast, despite having sustained his own injuries. Finally, he presented the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Valor to retired Marine Corps Cpl. Michael Gretzon, who continued to conduct crowd control from an exposed position following the explosion. “…‘These three Marines embody a timeless truth written in the book of Proverbs: “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.” On that chaotic day, you men were as bold as lions,’ Hegseth told the awardees at the outset of his remarks. “‘When the wicked sought to sow terror, these men stood as lions at the gate — bold in their purpose, fierce in their resolve and unbreakable in their courage,’ he continued. "…‘[Our adversaries] cannot fear our resolve if our own warfighters — if our own Marines — do not trust that the department will stand by them in the hours of their greatest need. And today, at least in part, we restore that trust,’ he said.”(2) Well said, Secretary Hegseth. And today we join in honoring these brave men, as well as those who lost their lives on the fateful day. We also thank Secretary Hegseth for restoring honor and integrity to our Department of War and to those who serve us so sacrificially. And thank you and your family, Major Ostan, for your great sacrifices and love for America. You still pay a great price for the sacrifice you made. We owe you a debt of gratitude. You can read Major Ostan’s entire post here, and if the Lord so moves, you can donate to his nonprofit organization, Arc of Justice, which strives to help other wounded veterans. Pray with me: Father, thank You for the brave men and women who serve us in our military. Thank You for helping Secretary Hegseth restore honor to our Department of War and increase enlistment numbers. And thank You for a President who believes in peace through strength. We recognize the ongoing price paid by so many service women and men, including the price paid by their families, and ask You to bless and reward them. We pray for those who still suffer from bodily harm and mental issues, asking for Your supernatural help and grace to them, and for comfort to the families who have lost loved ones. May we never take these patriots for granted. We continue to pray for resolution and breakthrough in the Middle East. Thank You for the progress made. Please cause the economic pressure to succeed quickly, and bring stability to the region. Break the back of the evil regime in Iran. Cause the nation to be a stronghold of the gospel and once again be a friend of Israel. We thank You for Your hammer of power and authority that is releasing blow after blow to the influence of the principalities that have ruled that nation, and to the wicked regime. We declare that the victory of Jesus at Calvary is being released into that nation and region. We continue to pray that wisdom and great insight be given to President Trump and his team regarding Iran. We ask You to supernaturally eliminate mistakes, wrong alliances, and any potential failure to recognize strategies of the Iranian regime. Cause our leaders’ intel to be the absolute best, and their strategies to be flawless. And this, too, we ask in the holy name of Jesus. Amen. Our decree: We declare along with our Secretary of War that “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.” (Proverbs 28:1) Portions of today’s post were shared by our friend, retired Major William Ostan. You can learn more about Will at WillOstan.com or his mission at ArcofJusticeUSA.org. Click on the link below to watch the full video. https://www.givehim15.com/post/august-18-2022 https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hegseth-upgrades-abbey-gate-marines-valor-awards-after-5-year-delay-those-days-are-over.amp

President Trump Issues An Important Alert “President Trump declared a national emergency on Wednesday, August 26, [2026] to secure the national power grid, citing unusual and extraordinary foreign cyber and security threats. The order prohibits certain foreign-made bulk-power system electric equipment, including software that poses cybersecurity or operational risks, from being purchased or installed in the U.S. ‘Certain foreign actors are increasingly creating and exploiting vulnerabilities in the United States bulk-power system, which provides the electricity that supports our national defense, vital emergency services, critical infrastructure, and economy,’ Trump said in the order. “Experts say vulnerabilities in the national power grid present an attractive target for sabotage. China has been studying how to hack and crash the system, even conducting simulations to trigger a large-scale outage or systemic collapse, according to one study. ‘We were alarmed by recent reports indicating that Communist China has already compromised the integrity of power inverters connecting our power grid,’ Senators Rick Scott (R-FL) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) write in a letter to the Department of Commerce. ‘We are concerned about recent reports indicating these CCP-manufactured parts and systems allow for remote access, unauthorized data exfiltration, and even operational disruption.’ Foreign cyber hackers have already attacked public utilities this year, according to the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). ‘Iranian cyber actors continue to target U.S. critical infrastructure,’ said Asst. Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s cyber division.”(1) In light of this information, today’s post is on the “watchman” concept of prayer. “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1Peter 5:8 NASB) “With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:18 NASB) In Ephesians 6:18, the King James Version uses the word “watching” instead of the phrase “be alert.” Both translations are good. We are called to be alert in prayer, watching for our family, friends, leaders, cities, and nations. In Scripture, the term “watchmen” comes from the Old Testament and describes what we would today call “sentries,” “guards,” or “lookouts.” In biblical times, these individuals protected vineyards or fields (crops) from thieves and animals, and cities from invading forces. “For thus the Lord says to me, ‘Go, station the lookout, let him report what he sees. When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs, a train of donkeys, a train of camels, let him pay close attention, very close attention.’ Then the lookout called, ‘O Lord, I stand continually by day on the watchtower, and I am stationed every night at my guard post.’” (Isaiah 21:6-8) Three Hebrew words are translated as “watchman” in Scripture: natsar,(2) shamar,(3) and tsaphah.(4) In a broad sense, they all mean to guard or protect by watching over. One interesting meaning of tsaphah is “to lean forward and peer into the distance.” This is a great physical picture of prophetic intercession. Discerning intercessors look ahead, into the future – “peering into the distance” – discerning attacks of the enemy sometimes before they occur. He or she is proactive, not reactive. This is prophetic intercession. The Law of First Mention Theologians have what is known as “the law of first mention,” which I talked about in yesterday’s post. This refers to the general rule that the first time a major subject is mentioned in the Bible, it is “introduced”; significant facts are given concerning it, just as we might do when introducing a person. The first mention of a watchman in Scripture is in Genesis 2:15: “Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.” This verse introduces one of our primary responsibilities as watchmen. Adam was told to “keep” or protect the garden (shamar). The only entity the garden of Eden needed protection from at that point in history was the serpent! Adam was told to protect the garden from the devil. Therefore, applying the “law of first mention” to watchmen would mean their foremost responsibility is to keep the serpent out of their “garden”: their home, family, church, city, nation! KEEP HIM OUT! Expanded Meanings Here are several ways Scripture translates these 3 words for watchman. These uses will help expand our understanding of this important assignment: Keep/Keeper - This is by far the most frequent usage of these words — at least 250 times. Watchmen keep things, places, and individuals safe, ensuring against loss, theft, or damage. They keep things intact and in possession. Guard/Bodyguard - Watchmen shield or guard individuals and places, protecting them from danger and harm. They are the Kingdom’s secret service agents. Doorkeeper/Gatekeeper - Watchmen have the ability, through prayer, to determine who or what comes into their homes, families, churches, cities, etc. As sentries, they discern by the Spirit what to allow in and, through prayer, open and close the doors (Isaiah 22:22). They pray IN the work of Holy Spirit and REJECT the works of darkness, keeping the serpent out. Preserve/Preserver - Watchmen preserve, keeping things from ruin and destruction. They preserve lives, anointings, moves of God, and a host of other things by covering them in prayer. Pay Attention - Watchmen must be alert and always paying attention. In Scripture, we are compared to soldiers; as good sentries, God tells us to “pay attention!" Observe/Behold - Don’t just look – see! Discern. Be observant. Watchmen observe what others fail to see. We can observe much in the place of prayer, often even before it happens! Beware - Watchmen must be vigilant, aware, and on the alert. First Peter 5:8 warns us to be of sober spirit, watching for the devouring lion. When we see him at work, we must enforce Calvary’s victory - stop him! Jesus saw satan’s attack coming against Peter and prayed that his faith would survive the test. The prayer was effective! (Luke 22:31-32). Protect - In the same sense as guarding and keeping, watchmen protect by building walls or boundaries against the devil’s attacks. Maintain - Watchmen maintain things for the Lord and for people. They are the maintenance crew. Though they often don’t set vision, build ministries, or oversee congregations, intercessors maintain them, keeping things working well and preventing breakdowns. Watchmen help maintain the anointing, unity, health, purity, truth, and many other important things in the church. Watchmen, it’s time to be on the wall. Let’s keep watch for our families, communities, and our great nation. Pray with me: Father, we are painfully aware that the devourer has been given great access to our “garden,” America. The church was not alert and did not function as the gatekeepers of our nation. As a result, he who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy has been doing so almost at will. He has devoured families, elements of our government, our schools, and even many of our churches. We thank You for supplying supernatural ability to reverse this. Increase revelation in the body of Christ regarding this amazing force we call prayer. Increase our understanding of watchmen intercession, revealing how to be shields, sentries, gatekeepers, preservers, and maintainers. We take up this mantle now for our families, homes, possessions, leaders, cities, and nations. We ask for supernatural protection over our children’s minds and bodies. We ask for protection over our leaders and their families. And we ask for protection over our nation – except You keep the city, the watchman wakes in vain (Psalm 127:1). Protect us from these cyber attacks. Give our government and protection agencies help as they work to find and stop their plans. Uncover and expose the plans of evil leaders in China, Russia, Iran, and elsewhere. We declare, according to Psalm 21:11, that the plans of the wicked will fail! We pray all of this in Jesus’ name. Amen. Our decree: We declare Job 5:12 regarding these cyberattacks: “He frustrates the plans of the crafty, so that they cannot perform their exercise.” Portions of today’s post were taken from my book Intercessory Prayer, published by Baker Books. Click on the link below to watch the full video. The Epoch Times, 8/26/2026. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 5341. Ibid., ref. no. 8104. Ibid., ref. no. 6822.

Tribute Before I read today’s post, I feel that a tribute is appropriate. Millions of Americans are honoring the life of Dolly Parton, who passed away this week. You don’t have to be a country music fan to appreciate the “Queen of Country’s” accomplishments and generosity. Coming from poverty and humble beginnings, she drew on the moral strength and character of her grandfather, her mother, and others in the family to stay grounded. Dolly openly spoke of Jesus as her Savior and the biblical values that guided her. She was even more generous than she was talented, earning hundreds of millions of dollars and also giving away hundreds of millions. Known for her literacy advocacy, Dolly founded the Imagination Library. Inspired by her father’s inability to read and write, Dolly started her Imagination Library in 1995 for children within her home county. Today, her program spans five countries and gifts millions of free books each month to children around the world. This non-profit will continue to give children [ages 1-5] free books. To date, Dolly’s Imagination Library has gifted over 300,000,000 books.(1) What a lesson in legacy! The world is poorer today without her influence. RIP Dolly Parton. And now to a less appealing subject. The title is: Subtlety and Pride Generally, the first time a major subject is mentioned in the Bible, significant facts are given about it that remain consistent and relevant throughout Scripture. 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?"’” This law of first mention is easy to see at work here when God first speaks of satan. He emphasizes the serpent’s subtlety or craftiness. God is informing us of the most important thing we must know regarding satan: He is far more dangerous to us as the crafty serpent than the roaring lion. His subtlety is his greatest weapon. “Crafty” is the Hebrew word aruwm, taken from aram, which means “to be bare or smooth.”(2) The concept of this word made it into our English language. Someone who is crafty or wily is often referred to as “slick” or “a smooth operator.” Such is the case with satan. He is slick, very cunning, and we must be wary of his subtlety. If satan’s subtlety is his greatest strength, pride is his greatest weakness. It was Lucifer’s original sin and downfall (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:12-17). When he stops resorting to subtlety to deceive people and lets his pride take center stage, it’s a clear indication that he thinks victory is guaranteed. He no longer feels the need to hide what he’s doing, thinking he cannot be stopped. Now he can brag about it! We are coming to this stage in America. Over the past few decades, the attempts to weaken and ultimately destroy our nation have been very subtle. Progressivism, socialism, liberalism, woke ideologies, moral decay, anti-American sentiments, etc. have been cloaked in intellectual arguments and reasoning, with colleges and universities even becoming their headquarters. The lid began coming off of these movements during President Trump’s first term. Nefarious actions such as the censoring of Americans, the stealing of elections, and a shadow-run government in the White House came into clear focus. The brazenness continued and expanded to: castrating and mutilating children, open calls for the destruction of Jews, a refusal to acknowledge the difference between male and female, open borders, the acceptance of terrorist organizations, calling for the end of capitalism and the acceptance of communism, lobbying for the end of our government as we have known it, including the Electoral College and the Senate, and Islamists openly declaring they are taking over America. And the list could certainly continue! The point is that satan’s strategy of subtlety is transitioning. Those leading these efforts now gloat over their success and openly declare victory in our nation, moving into the proud, arrogant stage. This is negative in the sense that it clearly indicates the progress they have made; it is positive because their intentions are in the open and Americans are waking up. The “not my problem, someone else will take care of it” phase in our nation is ending. I predict that even many from the evangelical “don’t talk about politics or cultural issues in the church” crowd will now find their voices. It is harder to exhibit apathy and complacency when the “freedom-stealers” and oppressors are knocking on your door. And it becomes even more difficult when they begin kicking it down, which they are. Grandmas ARE going to jail for praying in front of abortion clinics. Five and six-year-old children ARE being castrated. Americans ARE being awakened in their neighborhoods by the Muslim call to prayer. Socialists HAVE become the influencers in the Democrat “Big Tent” Party. States ARE passing laws to prohibit the exposing of fraud (to the tune of billions of taxpayer dollars). And millions of babies ARE still being aborted, some at full term…while dehumanized people clap and cheer. Yes, the lid is off; satan’s plans are now undeniable, and Americans will have to choose: acquiesce or make a stand. I believe the stand is coming. Pray with me: Father, You have done much in the last few years to expose evil and corruption in America. Now, evil is exposing itself. As this occurs, we ask You to further awaken Americans, revive our passion for freedom, and resurrect the willingness to fight for it. Break off us apathy and complacency, and the self-deception that says: “someone else will take care of it.” And even as we pray this, we realize that some aspects of America’s rebirth can come only from You, not our determination. America is so far down the slippery slope of compromise that we could never stop the slide on our own. We must have Your divine intervention. But we are confident that You, who began a good work in us, will finish it. America was close to its demise before we ever reached nationhood, but You sent the First Great Awakening. We were once again close in the 1800s, but You sent the Second Great Awakening and saved us. We are in desperate need of another. We ask that You rescue us once more with a Third Great Awakening. You are more than Creator, the Almighty, Everlasting God, Ancient of Days, the great I Am. You are Emmanuel, Savior, Redeemer, Deliverer, High Priest, Mediator, and the Great Shepherd. Lord, shepherd our nation back to Your fold, back to Your care. Drive off wolves and thieves, and cover us once again with Your protective arms. And we pray for our government leaders. Save, protect, and guide them into wise decisions. Deliver us from evil leaders. We pray all of this in Christ’s name. Amen. Our decree: We declare God’s Word that states, “When a thief is exposed, he must repay 7-fold.” (Proverbs 6:31) Click on the link below to watch the full video. https://imaginationlibrary.com/ Zodhiates, Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible, 1,763.

The Vietnam Miracle God wants each of us to understand that we can be watchmen for our family, friends, and even our leaders. One of the great misconceptions about intercession is that it’s only for a few select individuals. But the truth is, God wants each of us to know we can create protective barriers, walls, shields between other individuals and the harm that would otherwise befall them. And we don’t have to be seasoned intercessors who pray hours a day in order to walk in this calling and privilege! YOU can be used by God to do this. Here are a couple of examples. I heard a man once tell of having a dream that his daughter died. He wasn’t shown what caused the death, only that she had died. He had the dream more than once that night. He knew it was an alert from the Lord to pray for her safety, not a warning to prepare himself for her death. He did not tell her about the dream so as not to alarm her, but every day - multiple times throughout the day - he prayed a short prayer for her. Since he did not know details, he simply asked God to protect her and then declared that no attempt on her life would succeed. But again, he prayed this simple prayer and made this declaration several times each day. This went on for a month! Sometimes the key to victory is consistency and perseverance. After about a month, she received a promotion at work that included a life insurance policy. The policy required a physical exam. After some bloodwork, her doctor approached her anxiously and said, “What have you been doing?” He then told her they could find NO potassium in her system, and that they couldn’t understand how she was still alive. She informed him that she had been on a strange diet for several weeks, in which she ate only one or two things. The doctor said they needed to rush her to the hospital and place her on IVs to replenish the potassium. They did, and she was fine afterward. Her father’s intercession saved her life. Though he did not know the details, he simply covered her in prayer and became a protective shield around her. Protection During War Our late friend Beth Alves, in her book Becoming A Prayer Warrior, shared a powerful testimony about being a watchman in prayer. Beth was a forerunner in both the prayer and prophetic movements. In her own words: “An example of intercession in my own life involves a cousin I hadn’t seen or communicated with for about ten years. I crawled out of bed in the middle of the night for a glass of water when a picture of my cousin canvassed my mind. Suddenly, I dropped to my knees and began to cry out, ‘God, don’t let Mike move! Keep him still, Lord! Keep him still! Oh God, please don’t let him move! Hold him, Lord! Hold him!’ “Even though I was pleading on Mike’s behalf with my words, I remember thinking, This is really ridiculous. Why am I praying this? Then the words ceased. So I got up, drank a glass of water, and started back toward the bedroom. Again I fell to the floor and began to cry out with a grave sense of urgency. ‘Don’t let him move, God! Don’t let Mike move! Stay still! Stay still!’ The words came to an abrupt end. This time I thought, This must be a nightmare! “I had no feeling inside of me other than the feeling to pray. I got up and began to pace the floor, wondering what in the world this was all about. One more time, I took a few steps toward the bedroom, when again I dropped to the floor. Only this time, I was yelling, ‘Get him up, Lord! Get him to run! Run, Mike! Lord, help him to run…run…run! Let him run, God! Run, run, run!’ After several minutes, a calm came over me, and I returned to bed for the night. “The following day, I called my aunt to see if she could help me put the pieces together about my puzzling outcries the night before. She informed me only that Mike was in Vietnam (this was during the Vietnam War). The experience still made very little sense. “Finally, a month later, my aunt called to read me a letter she had received. The letter told how Mike, who was a pilot, had been shot down on the day of my prayer experience. He and his parachute landed in a tree. He had been trained to get out of the area as quickly as possible, but explained that just a short distance from the crash site, he fell into a bush. ‘Mom,’ he wrote, ‘it was like I was pinned down. I felt like somebody was sitting on me. The Vietcong came and were so close they were unknowingly standing on my pant leg while looking up at my parachute in the tree! “They turned away from me and began to move in the opposite direction, slashing the bushes with their bayonets. It looked safe, so I started to get up and run when once again I fell into the bush as though someone was pushing me. I lay there for a couple of minutes when suddenly I had the impulse to get up and run. I heard a helicopter, so I sprinted through the wooded area, following the direction of the noise, to an open space where I was whisked off to safety. The helicopter crew said they came in response to my beeper. And yet, it was damaged when I was shot down and WASN’T WORKING!’”(1) Incredible! Half asleep and not understanding what was happening, the Lord used Beth to save his life. It was almost as though her conscious mind was disengaged to the point that Holy Spirit could use Beth without her rational thoughts getting in the way. I have a feeling the Lord had fun with that one! Don’t overcomplicate the watchmen concept of prayer. If Holy Spirit brings someone to mind and you feel an uneasiness, it is probably an alert to pray. If you don’t know the details, pray in whatever way you are prompted, and ask God for the person’s safety. Pray Psalm 91, for example. If you feel it is necessary, do so ongoingly, daily, until understanding comes. In these perilous and violent times, be alert for your family and friends. Don’t be fearful, just be alert, as Ephesians 6:18 tells us: “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere” (NLT). And this must include our leaders, as we spoke of yesterday. We can be the shield of prayer that protects them and their families from harm. Prayer and Decree: For today’s prayer and decree, we will read Psalm 91 together. As we do so, insert the name of a family member you want to pray for, or perhaps the President, or someone else Holy Spirit brings to mind. “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.’ Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. “He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked. 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. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. “He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.” Psalm 91, NKJV Click on the link below to watch the full video. Elizabeth Alves, Becoming A Prayer Warrior (Minneapolis, MN: Chosen Books, 1998, 2003) pp. 29-30.

The President’s New Strategy President Trump and his team have moved from negotiations and physical war, at least temporarily, to a new strategy regarding Iran. They are still determined to end the maniacal Iranian regime from continuing its terrorism, nuclear ambitions, and oppressive control in the region, but with a new approach. I mentioned in a post last week that Victor Davis Hanson referred to this strategy, which is now gaining momentum. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently outlined the aggressive strategy, referring to it as an “Economic D-Day,” which is aimed at isolating Iran’s economy in order to severely weaken and collapse the ruling regime. Bessent speaks of the campaign as a “one-two punch,” combining a physical blockade with unprecedented economic sanctions. Naval and port blockades will shut down exports of Iranian crude oil and halt the movement of cargo into and out of key ports. The Treasury Department also intends to deploy enforcement mechanisms beyond traditional sanctions, seeking to eliminate Tehran’s remaining financial resources and cut off the Iranian government’s lifelines. The U.S. will impose economic consequences on foreign entities, institutions, and nations that facilitate trade with Iran. This targets buyers and transporters of Iranian oil, international ship registries, front companies, and regional exchange houses. The administration aims to shut down Iran’s trade, offshore monetary transfers, and foreign bank accounts that help the regime evade standard banking blockades. The strategy also places immense economic leverage on major importers of Iranian energy, such as China, signaling that maintaining trade ties with Tehran risks total exclusion from the U.S. financial system. Bessent stated that the ultimate goal of this maximum-pressure offensive is to completely isolate the regime until its internal economy collapses. Obviously, this would deprive it of the funds necessary to operate internally, as well as maintain control or finance foreign proxies, such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. It would also end the ability to pay their vicious, cruel enforcement agency, the IRGC. Up until now, although the people of Iran are suffering, those loyal to the regime are still paid and supplied.(1) Through this comprehensive campaign, the strategy plans to drive Iran’s currency to historic lows, dismantle its financial networks, and force the leadership into political capitulation or total domestic failure. If this succeeds, not only will it save many lives, but it will also eliminate the use of the surrounding Muslim Brotherhood states - some of whom still hate Israel - from the process of negotiating. Some of the “deals” they have negotiated have not been good. As I have stated recently, we the church must do our part in dealing with Iran. We should be diligently praying that this plan works, and quickly. I think it is likely that at some point there will be further military action needed to completely eliminate the actions of this wicked regime. But the weaker they become, the easier this will be if it indeed becomes necessary. And it also furthers the ability of the Iranian people to at some point, rise up and gain their freedom. The President’s Family On another note regarding Iran, they are now putting out hits on the President’s family. Newsmax reported: “Iranian media linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has escalated its threats against President Donald Trump’s family, airing a video on state TV that purportedly tracks the movements of his 20-year-old son, Barron Trump. “Separate reports also claim a $10 million bounty has been placed on his head. “The video, reported Sunday by news outlet Al Bawaba, appeared on IRGC-linked media and Iran’s state-run Channel 3 and carried the title, ‘Where to Kill Barron Trump?’ “According to Al Bawaba, the production purported to reveal information about Barron Trump’s location and movements, presenting the president’s youngest son as being within reach of potential attackers. “The outlet also reported claims of a $10 million bounty. The official status of the purported bounty could not immediately be independently confirmed. The latest threat follows an earlier IRGC-linked propaganda campaign against first lady Melania Trump. “In July, the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency distributed a video titled ‘Where to Kill Melania?!’ that discussed locations she frequents in New York and her shopping habits. The video alleged details about her Secret Service protection. “It encouraged would-be attackers to exploit supposed vulnerabilities.”(2) I know America’s security forces do a great job of protecting our leaders, but as is often said regarding terrorists, “We have to be right every time; they only have to be right once.” I encourage you to pray daily for the protection of the President and his family. We should also be doing so for other leaders and their families: members of Congress, judges, and don’t forget those at the local level. Pray that every plot is exposed, and evil doers are discovered and brought to swift justice. Pray with me: Father, we thank You for breaking the influence that principalities have held for centuries over Iran and the Middle East. We know this control is being dismantled to prepare for the great harvest You are bringing. We continue to declare Jesus’ decisive and eternal victory at Calvary, removing their right to rule. We declare the authority of the Prince of Peace over the region. He is coming to save! We thank You for a President who refused to keep kicking the can down the road while the evil government in Iran continued its diabolical plans. Thank You for the great success that occurred in the military aspect of the campaign. We now pray that You give our leaders favor and wisdom as they cut off the regime’s resources. May these efforts work quickly, bringing this evil system to its knees. If and when more military operations are needed, show the President and his advisors exactly when, where, and how. And we pray for safety to the President and his family, his entire team and their families, and our congressional leaders and judges. Give success to the Secret Service and other agencies assigned to protect them, not only through their training and excellence, but through Your supernatural help. Uncover every plot, expose every terrorist, and give Your angels charge over our leaders and families to keep them safe. Let no weapon formed against them prosper. In Jesus’ name. Our decree: We declare that the plans of the wicked will fail, and the plans of God will succeed! (Psalms 21:11; 33:10) Click on the link below to watch the full video. Portions adapted from this article: https://apnews.com/article/iran-rial-currency-bessent-trade-august-24-2026-e367634d8853c8fa4a341132cd577f31 https://www.newsmax.com/World/globaltalk/iran-tv-video-barron-trump/2026/08/23/id/1267063/

Calling All Calebs Caleb is one of my favorite characters in Scripture. He was a different breed. If his fellow Israelites had listened to him and Joshua instead of the 10 fearful, unbelieving spies, the nation would have made it into their “promised land” a generation earlier. The Lord said: “Because all those men which have seen My glory, and My miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted Me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to My voice; Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it. But My servant Caleb, because he has had another spirit and hath followed Me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it,” (Numbers 14:22-24). One of the things overlooked by many in the account of the 12 spies is that they were “rulers” or leaders in Israel, “heads” from each tribe (Numbers 13:2-3). Ten weak leaders, two strong; ten unbelieving, two faith-filled; ten fearful, two courageous. We can assume the 10 were relatively knowledgeable and respected men, since they were considered rulers and leaders of their respective tribes. But weak, fearful, and doubting leaders, especially when cloaked in respect, are hazardous to giant-conquering and mountain-taking. Their words were listened to, their fear was contagious, and their unbelief spread like a cancer. Spiritual inheritances, especially when they have to do with harvesting eternal souls into the kingdom, do not come easily. Principalities and powers – forces of the kingdom of darkness – fight to keep people enslaved. When the war rages, the fearful cower. Joshua’s and Caleb’s, however, are undeterred, believe the promises of God, and dispossess the dark forces through Christ’s victory and authority. This takes time and effort, of course, but these believers know the outcome is assured as long as they fully follow the Lord. God has raised up a remnant of Calebs on the earth, women and men who are determined to take the inheritance promised them. This is the type of person who joined us on August 14 as we warred for the souls of millions in the Middle East. I am blessed and inspired as I observe their faith, dedication, and boldness. A number of them have asked those of us leading the prayer meeting that night: “When are we going to do it again? Please give opportunity for the Ekklessia to pray corporately more often, so we can do what we are called to do.” Those who were on the leadership team have felt the same stirring and prompting from the Lord. While we are cautious of responding only to emotions and of possibly creating a man-made plan, we are now convinced Holy Spirit is behind this stirring. We believe He is leading us to convene another gathering on October 30 [2026] to pray against the strongholds trying to destroy America, and to pray for the increase of revival and awakening. Whether it be Marxism, socialism, communism, Islam, or other ideologies and movements endeavoring to undermine God’s plans and purposes for America, we must not allow them to succeed. We know that our battle is not against flesh and blood. We will pray for people’s salvation, while also praying for the dismantling of the systems and strongholds working to destroy America. With the midterm elections approaching, we will also pray about this. The evening will again be at The Oasis in Middletown, Ohio, and structured similarly to August 14, except that this night will not include praying personally for those needing healing. We will focus solely on prayer for our nation. The same leadership team has said they want to be part of this gathering. We do not know as yet how often we will convene these gatherings - we are taking it one step at a time - but we do believe there will be more. Please put October 30 [2026] on your calendar and make plans to join us, either in person or by livestream. Conclusion God has raised up a company of believers in this hour who have determined to operate in the spirit of Caleb. They refuse to be as the tribe of Ephraim in Psalm 78:9. It was said of them: “The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.” Though well-equipped and well-trained, these soldiers lacked heart; we have determined that this will not be said of us. We will not yield to intimidation, indifference, selfish agendas, or the threats of giants. By the grace, strength, authority, and anointing of God, we will take the spiritual mountains assigned to us in our day. Pray with me: Father, the great leader of Israel, Deborah, gave praise to You, saying, “The leaders led, and the people volunteered. Bless the Lord!” (Judges 5:2). Many of us who participated on August 14 are still echoing those words. You found a willing people, willing leaders, and worked through them. We give You praise for this. As we do it again on October 30, we ask for Your orchestration of all that occurs. Give us wisdom and revelation. Give us a company of Caleb’s to join with us as we dismantle the strongholds of darkness in our nation through prayer. We ask for the right mix of humility and boldness, focus and flexibility, zeal and wisdom. Like Caleb of old, our hearts are filled with righteous indignation as we see the evil that has entrenched itself in our land. We have allowed this through sin and compromise, but in Your grace, You are helping us reverse it. Heal and restore our land as You have promised. America shall be saved! And we pray that the erosion of strength will continue for the evil regime in Iran. End their reign of terror and send great salvation to that land. Break the bow, the military strength, of Elam (Iran) and set up Your throne there just as You said You would (Jeremiah 49:35, 38). We pray all of this in Jesus’ name. Amen. Our decree: We declare that our inheritance, a great harvest in the nations of the world, will be reaped in our day. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

The Dome of Doom is Collapsing Over Iran An Update On Iran President Trump has decided to end the meaningless negotiations with Iran and put an additional squeeze on them financially. It is easy to see that Iran’s purpose in the negotiations is simply a stall tactic to get us to the midterms, hoping Republicans will lose control of Congress and Democrats will end funding for the war. The President is not only tightening the screws on Iran’s economy but will now severely sanction all who try to do business with them. In a recent interview with the Daily Signal, the brilliant Victor Davis Hanson pointed out that: “We are witnessing really the most successful blockade, embargo, freeze, sanctioning, and debanking of any modern nation. “…Iran cannot export oil. It cannot import through rail or by sea, and increasingly not through the air, material goods, industrial parts, replacement weaponry from abroad. It has no financial access to the world’s economy or to the world’s currency. “It can’t convert its domestic currency into dollars or euros and buy things on the open market. You can’t get out of Iran and travel. You can’t have your bank accounts in Bank of America or Citibank open for check writing. You can’t bring in any foreign currency. “So, it’s estimated they’re losing $400 million or $500 million a day, a half-billion dollars a day, in economic output revenue. “And this is in addition to the enormous half-century, one-half-trillion-dollar military-industrial nuclear complex they’ve lost. “So, they are being squeezed in an anaconda-like plan that we’ve never seen before.” Hanson added, “Their military is shrinking as we speak. It doesn’t have parts. It can’t get fuel, and it doesn’t have an air force to provide air cover. Anytime almost any of the Gulf States or the United States wants to take out facilities in Iran, they can do so, and they have done so. And they’ve done so to such a degree that it doesn’t really have a maritime component in their military.”(1) Hanson’s brilliant assessments of history and the current war efforts make those on the left, who ridiculously claim that Iran is winning the war, sound pathetically ignorant–or political. One would think the progressives, liberals, and those on the left want Iran to win. Mr. Hanson points out that what POTUS is doing is similar to the “Anaconda Plan” implemented by the North during the Civil War. The plan, named after the huge snake that squeezes the life from its victims, cut off the South from industrial cities in the North, as well as the ability to export its cotton or import goods and weapons from other nations. Eventually, the South ran out of supplies and weaponry. Hanson also states that the leverage the Iranian regime believes it has through creating problems in the Strait of Hormuz is quickly becoming irrelevant. Nations in the region are rapidly rerouting oil through other methods. In short, the power of this evil regime is being cut off, and this must continue. We can and will pray that the American people realize the existential threat of this incredibly wicked regime far outweighs the temporary inconvenience of higher gas prices and certain products. The Exposure of the Left Continues Just as my brother, Tim, spoke of in yesterday’s post, the cleaning up of the Left’s messes in America continues. Purging of this nature must begin with exposure. The tremendous exposing of evil and insanity in America began in earnest approximately five years ago. At that point in time, individuals on the right had to expose it. Now, those on the left brazenly expose themselves. They boldly promote: no borders, no ICE, no deportations, no voter ID, fewer police, no more Senate, no more Electoral College, no more capitalism, free everything, freeze rent costs, raise taxes, government-owned or controlled everything, cripple the military, destroy Israel, more drag queens for kindergartners, free gender mutilation, and much more. The liberal and leftist media refuse to report the rapes and murders committed by illegals allowed into America during Biden’s 4-year debacle, but the news is getting out. Most of those committing the crimes have been previously arrested and, rather than being turned over to ICE, released back onto the streets by the open border fanatics. You’ll never hear that from the liberal media. (Since they’re so proud of their positions, perhaps we should place the pictures of those governors, mayors, or judges on billboards next to pictures of the deceased victims.) Islamists are now marching in our streets, beating their chests and threatening U.S. citizens, enforcing sharia law, threatening Jews, celebrating October 7, and finally admitting their intent to take over our nation, just as they have much of Europe. Revealing their motives and intentions is helpful. The good news is that in all of these contexts Americans are increasingly seeing the motives, and sometimes the stupidity, of those who want to destroy the America we have known. Like a cocky playground bully, they are now pushing hard and boldly declaring, “What are you gonna do about it?” Peace-loving Americans have taken it for a while, too long, actually. But they now realize the bullying won’t stop unless it’s dealt with aggressively, and the true American spirit is being aroused. In the words of Toby Keith’s great song, Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue: “This big dog will fight when you rattle his cage.”(2) No, I don’t want war in the streets, and I’m not espousing violence against fellow Americans. But believe me when I say that the complacency of many Americans is coming to an end, and they are declaring, “Stop the stupidity, and stop trying to take over America.” May the exposing and the “deep cleansing” Tim spoke of yesterday continue. Today’s prayer and decree is adapted from a prayer released at the gathering on August 14th. Father, You’re activating an angelic host to go forth with the sword of the Lord and release the power and expression of Kingdom authority, Kingdom power, and Kingdom revelation on the land of Iran. You’re releasing a tsunami of glory that will, wave upon wave, upon wave, upon wave, upon wave, truly penetrate, activate, and stir the hearts of people to walk effectively in the strength and power of I Am. Father, let the turnaround season be unlocked, that the people of Iran may walk effectively in the revelation of Your heart, and see the purpose and plan of Your hand prevail upon the land. King Jesus, You are the Ruler of the nations. Your Psalm 110 scepter of authority is being extended over the nation of Iran tonight. Your Word declares that Your people will volunteer and will arise in the day of Your power. With kingly and priestly mantles, they will take their place in the nation of Iran, all over America, and in the nations of the world. We, the church, hear Your clarion call to come fully into our Kingdom authority. In this hinge moment, we declare what Obadiah the prophet spoke: an envoy has been sent, an envoy of angels, an envoy of intercessors, an envoy of sons and daughters arising in this generation to turn this battle at the gates (Obadiah 1:1). Tonight, we agree with the psalmist that Your word comes to the earth, and it runs swiftly. May Your Word be the prophetic arrows anointed for breakthrough. May they be driven by the wind and fire of Holy Spirit that is unstoppable. We declare that the dome of doom is collapsing over Iran, and Your banner, Jehovah Nissi, is rising over the nation with a declaration of freedom, freedom, freedom, in Jesus’ name. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Link to Daily Signal YouTube’s Toby Keith song Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue

He’s Taking Out the Trash In Tim Sheets / Rachel Shafer’s new book Glory River, Tim recounts a powerful vision from 2021 concerning a spiritual tsunami, a landscape-changing move of God impacting America. Here is a portion of the vision and Tim’s comments: The Sound of the Lion King’s Roar I began to hear, in the Spirit realm, the deep-throated roar of a lion king. When a lion king roars, the sound vibrates through the ground. We’re told the roar can be heard up to two miles away. He roars to gather his pride (family group), and he roars to answer an enemy’s intrusion. If another lion king comes into his territory, he will roar. In the mornings, especially, and also late into the evening, he will also roar. Why? Because he’s declaring ownership of his territory. I knew in this vision that our lion king, King Jesus, was roaring in proclamation, “This is My world. This is My territory. I will answer the intrusion. I will gather My pride. I will gather My Ekklesia. I will gather My willing ones for battle. America is My nation. It’s Mine, it’s Mine, it’s Mine. I birthed it, and I made covenant with it. I will not lose it, and I will not back down. I will battle for this nation. I will anoint My Ekklesia for new battles, and I’m going to anoint them to win the old battles. I will not lose this.” The Spirit’s Decree At that point in the vision, I said, “Holy Spirit, give me a decree concerning this roar.” Most often, when I hear something like this, I form a faith decree and begin to decree it myself. But for whatever reason, I didn’t this time. I said, “Holy Spirit, You make the decree, and I’ll just recite it. You decree something.” Well, He did decree, and it went all through me. I heard Him decree, “HELL DOESN’T STAND A CHANCE!” I believe that and had it printed on hundreds of wristbands for us to wear as a reminder. I mean, wow! Hell doesn’t have a chance! We need to move forward with the understanding that our God is big enough to handle whatever comes next. Whether it’s an antichrist government, or liberal progressive woke-ism seeking to displace our God—whatever it is, it doesn’t matter, and it doesn’t have a chance. The Cleansing Wave It was at this point in the vision that I saw the wave: a huge wave, building in intensity, far out in the ocean. I was on the shoreline, looking out, and could see that something was building offshore. The beach I was standing on was not a pristine beach you might see. It was a garbage dump, trashed with junk and debris everywhere! I looked out over the shoreline again and saw the rising water moving our way. It kept coming and coming, growing and growing, building and building. This continued until, finally, it became a gigantic wave that accelerated and crashed the shoreline. As it then receded, it dragged all the debris, trash piles, and garbage back out in the undertow. What was left behind was now an immaculate beach, clean and beautiful. And I knew a huge wave of the Holy Spirit was building, and, at this point, few would even notice. It’s so far off, and they aren’t paying attention. But it’s been building and building, and like a train that comes over the side of a mountain and starts downhill, it’s gaining momentum and will not stop. It will crash upon abominations, demonic debris, and defilement in our land. The undertow of this huge wave will drag the demonic debris to sea, destroying it. The King is rising through His church and declares that HELL DOESN’T HAVE A CHANCE! Nothing is going to stop this tsunami wave. It’s going to cause worldwide reformation and reset. Hell will not prevail. I then began to see, as if in a panoramic view, a zooming in on this vision of what was happening. I saw that the enemy had built his strongholds on sand. Well, of course they were. In the eyes of our God, the forever loser has built sand castles. They look good. They look impressive until the waves come, but then the fall will be great. I knew that a powerful wave of Holy Spirit was building a tidal wave of glory, power, miracles, and angel armies, rising like a Holy Spirit tsunami that will not be stopped. It was at that point Holy Spirit reminded me of a word I’ve released before, and it is one of the boldest things that He has ever spoken to me. I know this word is in its moment. He said, with a passion that stirs me to this day, “I will not be God emeritus to this nation.” He meant it then, and He means it now. He continued: “I will not be God emeritus. Don’t be shaken, but I won’t be God emeritus. I will not be America’s retired God. I will not be an honorary God. I won’t be just a figurehead God. I will not be a bystander.” Hell is hoping God will be a bystander, but He said in Hebrews 12:28 (NLT), “Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping Him with holy fear and awe.” God continued to speak to me: “I will not be a bystander, holding a title position with no active role. I will not be supplanted by Baal, acknowledged as present, but irrelevant…not listened to…no ruling capacity. I will not stand down from my position.” God is about to take out the garbage. He’s going to take out the trash. A God tsunami is coming. For some it will be painful. It has to be a deep cleansing because the iniquity is entrenched. But what seems bitter will become sweet. That’s His promise. His tsunami will clear the way for revival waves and the river of God. Pray with me: Father, when we hear prophetic words and visions, we do not treat them as bystanders. They are not spiritual entertainment; they are marching orders, our marching orders. They are prayer assignments. So we ask that Your tsunami-wave continues to cleanse and beautify this nation. Release the sound, the roar of the Lion King that causes the powers of darkness in the nation to become dislodged. Advance Your unshakable Kingdom and release Your Glory River, bringing life and healing wherever it flows. And Lord, we declare that You will not be treated as a distant deity, as God-emeritus of America. You are Lord. You are King. You are the life-giving Ruler of heaven and earth, and this nation will once again trust in You. In Your name we pray, amen. Our decree: We decree that God is pouring out His unstoppable, ever-increasing, ever-intensifying Glory River… and hell doesn’t stand a chance. For more information on Tim Sheets and his new book, contact OasisWired.org or use this LINK. Click on the link below to watch the full video.