Hurricane Helene   I mentioned in yesterday’s post that at the time it was written, we did not have power. We went on to be without power and water for three days, just getting it restored Sunday afternoon. We are among the more fortunate ones. Thousands of people across the Southeast are still without power, and many will be without power for another month. Though we suffered some damage to our property and lost about a dozen 100-year-old trees, we are good; no complaints here. The devastation in some areas is horrific, absolutely catastrophic. Here is a recap as of today.   Hurricane Helene roared ashore late Thursday in Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 4 hurricane with 140 mph (225 kph) winds. The storm surge led to catastrophic damage along Florida’s Gulf Coast, with the Big Bend region seeing the highest inundation, which exceeded 15 feet. Cities such as Tampa and Clearwater Beach saw their highest storm surge level in decades.   Officials warned that rebuilding from the widespread loss of homes and property would be lengthy and difficult. The storm upended life throughout the Southeast.    Torrential rainfall from the remnants of Hurricane Helene capped off three days of extreme, unrelenting precipitation, which left catastrophic flooding and unimaginable damage in the NC Blueridge Mountains and foothills.   It was close to a worst-case scenario for western North Carolina as seemingly limitless tropical moisture, enhanced by interactions with the high terrain, yielded some of the highest rainfall totals – followed by some of the highest river levels, and the most severe flooding – ever observed across the region.   The NC Department of Transportation states that   “all roads in western NC should be considered closed” . They say it will take years to document and recover from the extreme rainfall and other hazards.    As mountain streams became overrun with moisture, that water rushed down the rivers and into towns such as Asheville. Downtown Boone was inundated by several feet of flooding. Heavy rain along the Broad River basin sent a destructive wave of water, mud, and debris into the towns of   Chimney Rock and Lake Lure , reducing homes and businesses to splinters. Downtown Chimney Rock is gone.   With the exception of storm surge – and   Florida was hit hard by that  – Helene brought the full suite of hurricane impacts to North Carolina, and in full force just hours after its landfall at Category-4 strength.   The Swannanoa River at Biltmore   crested at 26.1 feet , more than five feet above its 1916 maximum and slightly above the apparent 26-foot crest in April 1791, making this effectively the worst flood along the river since North Carolina became a state.   There have been hundreds of water rescues, including in a rural county in East Tennessee, where dozens of patients and staff were plucked by helicopter from a hospital rooftop on Friday.   While 4 to 5 million people were without power in the Southeast, as of Sunday night, more than 2 million customers were still without power.   As of this writing, at least 121 people have been confirmed dead across six states - Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee. Six hundred plus are missing.    North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper says people are “desperate for help,” and the state is working to deploy all available resources. “Many people are cut off because roads are impassible. They don’t have power or communications. This unprecedented storm dropped 10-29 inches of rain across the mountains, causing life-threatening floods and landslides,” Cooper added.   While crews are continuing to clean up after the storm, the shortage of food, water, and fuel is leading to long lines at gas stations as tensions start to run high. Some cities (especially small towns) don’t have power for their gas stations or food in their grocery stores. Many mountain towns are cut off from civilization because of the bridges being washed away.    While crews are trying to repair those roads, helicopters have been able to start dropping supplies to some who remain isolated until routes can be reopened. A FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray said, “There are helicopters that are very active - we saw them when we came in last night. And yet, there are still people in dire straits in need. The situation right now is still very, very complicated and fluid.”   Moody’s Analytics said it expects there will be $15 billion to $26 billion in property damage.    Pray with me: Father, Your Word assures us: “… You’re such a safe and powerful place to find refuge! You’re a proven help in times of trouble— more than enough and always available whenever I need you. So we will never fear even if every structure of support were to crumble away. We will not fear even when the earth quakes and shakes, moving mountains and casting them into the sea. For the raging roar of stormy winds and crashing waves cannot erode our faith in You.”  ‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭46‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭TPT‬‬) We ask now for the fulfillment of this throughout the Southeastern United States. Some have lost family, others important possessions. The trauma is intense, the grief immeasurable. Cause those who don’t know You to turn to You through this. You are not the destroyer; You’re the Redeemer. Remind those who know You to lean into Your grace, strength, and comfort, keeping their anchor of hope attached (Hebrews 6:19). Remind them that You’re the God who can take even the bad and use it for good. And may they remember that You will not leave or forsake them in this time of crisis.   Move on the hearts of fellow Americans to give aid and support. People need water, food, diapers, formula, shelter, and more; help us know how to help. Give churches strategies and provisions. May their serving and loving hearts be used to draw many to You; save many through this. Rescue those still stranded. We pray for all these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.  Our decree: We decree that God is a present help in this time of trouble. If you would like to contribute to the needs of those whom Hurricane Helene has dealt this horrific blow, we have set up a fund where you can give. Go to either of our websites:   DutchSheets.org  or GiveHim15.com  and click on the   HURRICANE HELENE  link . 100% will go to those in need; we will take out no administrative costs. While online giving is best, if you choose to send a check, please note HURRICANE HELENE in the memo. Our address can be found on our website. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Information for today’s post was taken from the   AP News , FoxWeather.com , and the North Carolina Climate Office .

Introduction Today, I want to share a powerful post about the   Million Women  gathering in Washington, D.C., this upcoming Saturday (10/12/2024), using Lou Engle’s own words.  A Million Voices The word of the Lord interrupted the agenda. We were in a leaders’ meeting in Virginia in 2014, when Teri Buck told her story. She had been praying daily at Meditation Rock, the very place where Mary Washington would go to pray for her son, George, during the Revolutionary War. Suddenly, as Teri spoke, it was like a bomb went off in the room. For the next two hours, the place erupted in prayer and prophecy. Holy Spirit said: “As it was in the Revolutionary War, when a mother's prayers for her son helped save the nation, so too will a million women gather at the National Mall in D.C., in the hour of our greatest crisis. It will be a ‘Last Stand’ for America! They’ll come to Washington in the spirit of Jeremiah 9, ‘Call the wailing women to weep and travail for their sons and daughters, their sisters and their brothers, for death has climbed through our windows’  (from Jeremiah 9:17-21). When they come, they will save the nation.” Heaven had spoken. Those of us who were there will never forget that defining moment.  Then, in 2017, after President Trump had been elected, witches around the globe rose up on a set day to curse him. You have to wonder about a man’s purpose when witches worldwide rally to curse him. Whatever your thoughts are concerning Trump, he gave us three Justices that overturned Roe v. Wade. What does that mean in the spirit realm? My spirit was so agitated by this worldwide spiritual assault, that I felt compelled to seek the Lord with prayer and fasting to see if He would give me understanding as to how or if I should respond. On the third night, I received an unforgettable dream: “I was in an open field, and as far as the eye could see, women were coming from everywhere. Many were young girls, teens, all coming to be taught from the book of Esther. I was so moved. It felt like I was seeing a revival. A prayer partner and I were the only men there. He gave me an old Bible, which I now understand represented the ancient calling to be a Mordecai (along with many others) to announce and call forth this Esther Movement. In the dream, a woman, maybe in her late 30s, stood up to teach the book of Esther. She spoke emphatically. ‘These two words in the book of Esther actually mean Nazgul”’ I exploded out of the dream, knowing instantly what it meant. In the third movie of The Lord of the Rings  trilogy, there’s a scene where the Nazgul Witch-king is destroying the armies of men. When the armor-clad princess confronts the Nazgul with her sword, the Witch-king threatens, “No man can kill me!” Just then, she rips off her helmet, lets down her hair, and pierces the Nazgul through, declaring, “I AM NO MAN!” Immediately, I understood that there was a mass women’s movement of Esthers who would carry a mighty spirit of revival and wield spiritual authority to break and restrain the demonic powers of witchcraft in our nation. Obviously this does not preclude men, but the Spirit was emphasizing the place of women in a strategic role - Esthers and Mordecais. With these two prophetic encounters spurring us onward, we collaborated with Awaken the Dawn to hold an initial seed gathering on the National Mall in the Fall of 2017. We called it “Rise Up,” and about 22,000 women came and poured out their hearts to God, even in a downpour of rain. Maybe heaven was weeping. I will never forget the tears and travail. Those women put a stake in the ground, watering it with their consecration… We believed that the 2017 Rise Up gathering was a first fruits of the million to come. Meanwhile, deep darkness has increasingly covered our nation. The chilling prophecy of a “Last Stand for America” has come more fully into view, along with the words of Isaiah:  “See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you, and His glory appears over you” (Isaiah 60:2). Unbeknownst to me, in 2017, while I was continually pondering this heavenly vision of a million Esthers with many of my spiritual daughters, another woman from the Northwest was providentially being encountered by the Lord. Jenny Donnelly, a businesswoman and co-pastor with her husband, was being led by God to begin hosting women’s gatherings. Out of the blue, the Lord said to her, ‘Call and gather a million praying women. They will rally together to turn a nation back to God.’ We began to join our faith together over God's divine strategy. Months later, I found myself on a plane engrossed in the pages of Mark Batterson's book, Chase the Lion . He writes of Genesis moments, when God breaks in with a vision and gives a glimpse of things to come. But then he tells of those decisive moments that dictate the course of decades. “A single ‘yes,’ a single ‘no,’ a ‘too early,’ a ‘too late,’ makes that hour irrevocable for a hundred generations and determines the life of an individual, a people, and even the destiny of mankind.” (1) When I read those words, I began weeping in the plane. I knew the Lord was speaking to me that it was time to push “GO.” This was my decisive moment to risk everything and call the Esthers to the Mall! It’s no mistake that the backdrop to this Esther/Mordecai movement involves, as Rabbi Jonathan Cahn describes in his book Return of the Gods,  satan’s counterparts, Ishtar and Marduk, who have also come to the forefront of history. These demonic spirits, known as ancient gods, were driven out by America’s revivals and the preaching of the gospel. However, in the 60s, when our nation began to remove God from the public square, these evil powers, finding the house of America swept clean and empty, returned and repossessed the generation with spirits seven times worse than before (see Matthew 12:45). Notably, the book does not end on a victorious note, and there was to be no epilogue. But on the very day Cahn finished his manuscript, Roe v. Wade was overturned. He went on to write the Epilogue of Hope. I believe a new chapter of God's scroll for America is unfolding. We have attained a significant victory in tearing down the national altar of bloodshed by Roe v. Wade. For eighteen years, a company of intercessors stood in front of the Supreme Court five days a week, pleading the blood of Jesus and taking Communion. With all the saints who have stood over the past fifty years against this altar of Baal, it appears that the Blood applied may have turned the tide. The ending of Roe may be a harbinger of hope for America.  Now, could A Million Voices  in D.C., in fasting and communion, applying the Blood to the doorposts of our families, our cities, and the very doorposts of our national guilt, grant us a reprieve from heaven? Could this open a door for revival and reformation? I believe God has been preparing His women to become heirs of history as they are summoned now to play a great role. It seems fitting that God would call for mothers in the spirit, to not only challenge the witchcraft empowering the destructive ideologies aimed against our faith, our families, and our children, but to birth through prayer a day of salvation for America. On October 12, 2024, [this Saturday], we are summoning a million Esthers and Mordecais to gather on the National Mall in a massive Solemn Assembly of fasting and prayer on the Day of Atonement. On that day, the most sacred day of Israel’s holy convocations, when the future of the nation was determined, the High Priest would go into the Holy of Holies with blood to atone for the sins of the whole nation. Jesus Christ is now our eternal High Priest. In repentance, humility, and faith, let us draw near to the Throne of Grace and make our appeal to heaven. Who knows, but for such a time as this, we have come to the Kingdom! (Esther 4:14) Can a nation be saved in a day? Yes! On the Day of Atonement! Pray with me: Father, we thank You for men like Lou Engle, who lay it all on the line for You. He has lived a life of humility, sacrifice, prayer, and fasting to see Your purposes established in America and around the world. We pray today that this Saturday, all of his efforts over the past 30 or so years come together in the spirit, creating a giant crescendo of Holy Spirit power. We are not making this day about him, but about the calling You have placed on his life to see America turn back to You. We ask You to move on the hearts of men and women to join us this Saturday on the Mall in Washington. If they need to change plans in order to do so, motivate them accordingly; if they must drive for a day or so just to get there, please motivate them to do so. Cause the church in our nation to recognize the urgency of this hour and the strategic nature of this event. It truly can be a “hinge of history” that saves America. And please motivate several million more to participate on the Internet. Rally the troops! Awaken the watchmen! Summon the Esther’s and Mordecai’s! This Saturday, we will come before You, the King, asking for Your mercy and deliverance! And we believe we will receive this. And we cannot fail to ask for Your supernatural aid to those suffering the effects of Helene. And we ask for mercy and protection from Hurricane Milton that is approaching. In the name of our Savior, Jesus, we pray. Amen.  Our decree:  We decree that we were born for such a time as this! Click on the link below to watch the full video. Today’s post was contributed by Lou Engle and taken from The Briefing . You can find out more about Lou at LouEngle.com . You can find out more about A Million Women event Saturday, October 12, at   AMillionWomen.org . Mark Batterson, Chase the Lion  (Sisters, OR: Multnomah publishers, 2019).

Justice Needed Stories of devastation and tragedy continue to pour in regarding Hurricane Helene. The relief efforts could now be complicated by shortages created by the dockworkers’ strike. This will not only cause many shortages, but some are saying it will cost the American economy billions of dollars a day. I certainly don’t know enough to have a position on either side of the issues being argued. However, the timing is unfortunate. The Biden/Harris administration could have forced a 2-month delay through the Taft-Hartley Act, but they need union support for the elections. The union itself could have waited. Neither occurred, and the results could now exacerbate an already tragic situation. Pray for a quick end to the strike. Here are some firsthand reports of the horrific suffering from the hurricane, taken from X (captured 10/3/2024): “In Swannanoa, some have lost everything: home, car, and all personal belongings. We worked for two days cutting trees, moving boulders, mud and debris from our road so that people could get off our mountain to either flee the area or find food, water, and other supplies they need to survive the days ahead. Entire neighborhoods washed away. Cars are in trees. Houses and businesses washed down the river. Highways and private roads are gone…” “My husband works for North Carolina DHHS state police in Black Mountain. I hear the emergency traffic all day. My son works for Henderson County Sheriff’s office and said they are still pulling bodies from the Swannanoa River and that there has been over 1000 deaths so far in Buncombe County alone. [This is much higher than what is reported on TV - time will tell.] Hospital morgues are full. They have brought in refrigerated trailers to store bodies and transport them to other areas. I had friends in Grovemont community two streets down from me that didn’t survive a mudslide that took their home with them in it. My cousin, who was a Fairview Fireman, lost his life and his nephew’s life, and almost lost his son, as well, trying to save their neighbors in a mudslide…” Speaking of ongoing efforts to feed people, one person said: “A church made peanut butter sandwiches and brought them, again there wasn’t enough. Another person slaughtered one of their cows, and the church was grilling it to feed people. They were giving small pieces of meat the size of a sausage patty. I went to the back of the line 3 times because of children getting in the line behind me. I left with nothing because a mother with a small child ran up behind me, asking if her little boy could get a sandwich before they were gone. You kind of lose your appetite when you try and process what is going on around you.” With hundreds killed over six states, thousands without food, water, shelter, and power, and no end in sight to the suffering, many are now criticizing Mayorkas-led FEMA. In an article published by Blaze News, Joseph McKinnon states: “The trouble, according to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, is that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) lacks the requisite funds. “In response to Mayorkas turning out empty pockets, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) wrote, ‘This is easy. Mayorkas and FEMA — immediately stop spending money on illegal immigration resettlement and redirect those funds to areas hit by the hurricane. Put Americans first.’ “Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) tweeted, ‘FEMA spending over a billion dollars on illegals while they leave Americans stranded and without help is treasonous. U.S. citizens are dying. Pray for our country, folks.’ "'The Biden-Harris FEMA spent over $1 BILLION on funding illegal aliens. America LAST,’ wrote Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.). “’Let me translate: We are racking up trillions in debt with all the money that our money printer prints that we then take back from law-abiding American citizens like you but we exist to spend it on anything other than helping you,’ wrote Blaze News editor in chief Matthew Peterson. “Elon Musk simply expressed disbelief, writing, ‘Wow.’ “While the DHS continues sinking taxpayer funds into aiding illegal aliens, FEMA will make a one-time $750 payment available to some qualifying Americans in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia so that they can buy food, water, and other supplies.” (1) It is hard to imagine a more inept and corrupt U.S. government than we now have in portions of ours. Millions of Americans are paying for politicians’ insatiable lust for power and money. In exchange for future votes, they’ve allowed hundreds of thousands of fentanyl deaths, missing children numbering in the tens of thousands, thousands of criminals and terrorists into our nation, and entire cities destroyed. Our bumbling leaders are the laughing stock of the world; “peace through strength” has been replaced by “war through weakness,” and common sense - let alone wisdom - has been rejected for lunacy. And one more thing, many living in the hard-hit areas could now see challenges to voting in November. Some are no longer receiving mail service or have nearby places to vote, if they could even get there. Pray regarding this!  The good news? (Yes, there is good news.) Millions of Americans have awakened from their stupor. They see the corruption, are aware of the deep state, know our government and many agencies are broken, and are awake to the rise of Marxism in our land. And most importantly, millions of them are praying.  Deep in their core, most Americans believe in God and know He can do the impossible. They are also becoming increasingly aware that we cannot turn things around without Him. The process will not be easy - this we also know - but an “appeal to Heaven” is going forth, and the God who birthed our nation will save our nation. I conclude with the words of Founding Father, Samuel Adams: “We have proclaimed to the world our determination ‘to die freemen, rather than to live slaves.’ We have appealed to Heaven for the justice of our cause, and in Heaven we have placed our trust.” [Samuel Adams, in a speech to the Second Continental Congress on August 1, 1776.] (2) Keep praying, church. It birthed our nation and will save our nation. And it is preserving a worldwide harvest.  Pray with me: Father, we continue to lift up those suffering from the effects of hurricane Helene. We pray for provisions to get to those who need them, medical help to those who need it, and comfort to those who have lost so much. There are doubtless those who are still waiting to be found; please work miracles and enable searchers to find them. Many agencies and volunteers are working hard; please enable them to accomplish what is needed. We continue to ask You for the transformation needed in America. Cleanse and heal our land. Do whatever is necessary to transform this nation. Give us righteous leaders in this election. We appeal to You for the salvation of America and the recovery of our destiny - representing Christ throughout the world. We know we are not the only people with this privilege, but we do play a significant role and want to do our part. Please restore this. These things we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.  Our decree: “We have appealed to Heaven for the justice of our cause, and in Heaven we have placed our trust.” Click on the link below to watch the full video. ________________________________ theblaze.com https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/samuel-adams-quotes

A Call to “Esther” In Revelation 13:8, Jesus is called “The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Amazing – God plans for satan’s defeat before he launches his attack. Isaiah 46:10 actually states that God “declares the end from the beginning.”  He is the only One who doesn’t start at the beginning – He starts at the end! For we Americans, this means God had already planned for our recovery and turnaround before we rebelled from Him. He is working those plans now, moving on human hearts and orchestrating Spirit-led events. One of those events is the Million Women  gathering on the Washington Mall this upcoming Saturday, October 12, hosted by Lou Engle (The Call; Lou Engle Ministries ) and Jenny Donnelly (The Esther Network; Her Voice Movement ).  I believe this gathering, in God’s plan, is a continuation of what began on 7/7/07 in Nashville, TN. On that day, 70,000 plus believers gathered to stand in the gap for America, praying to end her alliance with Baal and renew her covenant with God. (My family and I were there that day). Holy Spirit had specifically given this date to Lou Engle, leader of The Call events, before he even understood why. The explanation is both intriguing and significant. The words “seven” and “oath” are the same word in Hebrew ( shaba ). (1)  This is because an oath of covenant - in a marriage, for example - was repeated seven times. The oath was often called “seven-ing oneself.” (2)  In Scripture, when Israel turned from idolatry and the serving of Baal in order to renew covenant with Yahweh, “7”s were, at times, involved in the process (see Judges 6:25). The number “7” was also included in the circumstances surrounding Israel’s judgment for aligning with Baal (see Judges 6:1). The Lord revealed to Lou that He sovereignly chose this date to symbolize the following two things for America: 1) ending her covenant with (“divorcing”) Baal, and 2) renewing covenant with (“remarrying”) Yahweh.  The gathering on 7/7/07 was significant in this process, a process that continues to this day. Coordinated efforts have taken place in ALL 50 states to follow up The Call Nashville . Much repentance has occurred, and thousands of prayers have been prayed to further this process. Now comes this Saturday, October 12, on the heels of the worldwide day of prayer for revival in America that occurred on September 22  and three weeks of concerted prayer. Lou relates October 12 to Esther and to the prophetic call in Jeremiah 9 for the wailing women to intercede for Israel. He says of this day: “There are moments in history when a door for massive change opens. Great revolutions for good or for evil occur in the vacuum created by these openings. It is in these times that key men and women, even entire generations, risk everything to become the hinge of history: the pivotal point that determines which way the door will swing. “Esther was a ‘hinge of history woman.’ She was an orphan Jew in pagan Persia, was adopted by Mordecai, her uncle, and then, because of her beauty, taken into an evil king’s harem. She was then appointed by the unseen dancing hand of Providence into the position of Queen of Persia. At that time, the king promoted wicked Haman, who issued a decree of destruction against all the Jews of the Persian empire. Suddenly thrust into a do-or-die defining moment, Esther chose to risk her life by going into the king’s presence illegally, rather than live for self-preservation. There, she made intercession before the king and, in so doing, saved the Jews worldwide from genocide. Esther’s story has become the divine template and inspiration for every generation that lives under the shadow of anti-Christ legislation, persecution, and anti-family ideologies threatening to destroy them.  “Welcome to the American crisis! Welcome to a new Esther Moment! The Lord is summoning A Million Women, Esthers young and old, with their husbands and children, to descend upon the Washington D.C. Mall this Saturday, October 12, the actual Day of Atonement, in a LAST STAND moment for America. There, Esther will PRAY, FAST, and cry out for her children, for death has climbed through our windows (Jeremiah 9:21). There, she will find healing and deliverance in the presence of worship. There, she will apply the blood of Jesus to the doorpost of our personal and national guilt, and declare the victory of the Cross over witchcraft and the powers of darkness. There, she will take her STAND and inject herself into the public battle for the revival and reformation of America. “When there is no natural hope for a nation, where there is no natural remedy, God still has a holy prescription, ‘Blow the trumpet in Zion, consecrate a Solemn Assembly, call a fast, gather the peoples’ (Joel 2:15). Let the Esthers, the children, and the Mordecais gather and call on the Lord on the Day of Atonement, a Day that must not be missed. Who knows if you have come into the Kingdom for such a time as this!” (3) Francis Frangipane studied the history of revivals, and saw that there was an organized prayer movement preceding each one - except the Jesus People Movement. “Why?” he asked the Lord. “What enabled You to bring this revival?” The Lord told him, “I answered the prayers of a million mothers.” In the countercultural revolution of the ’60s, with millions of young people drowning in drug, sexual, and ideological rebellion, a million mothers cried out to the Lord. And He answered. The war against darkness now is perhaps even greater than then. And we must cry out once more for Holy Spirit’s deliverance of an entire generation. Pray with me: Father, place Your favor on this gathering. Move on the hearts of a million believers to attend in D.C., and millions more around the nation to participate online. And on Yom Kippur, this Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16: 1-34; 23: 27-28), cleanse America of our sins and heal our land. Bring true freedom from Baal’s hold. On this most solemn day of the year in the life of Israel, when the high priest entered the Holy of Holies to sprinkle blood on the Mercy Seat, may the blood of Jesus bring mercy to America. On this day, when the scapegoat symbolically carried the sins of Israel into the wilderness, never to be seen again (Leviticus 16:20-22), remove America’s stain and uncleanness through the sacrifice of Christ.  Lord, we continue to pray for those devastated by the recent hurricane. Our hearts break as we see the suffering. Thank You for the generosity we are seeing from so many. We ask You to help those searching for the victims and also to those working to take them supplies. We ask for comfort and strength for the hurting. We know thousands will now have to rebuild, find new jobs, and try to put the pieces back together. We also pray for Florida as they brace for another hurricane. We ask for grace, great grace. Stop this storm, we pray.  We ask for all of this in the great name of Jesus. Amen. Our decree: We decree that America’s covenant with Baal has ended, and we are renewing covenant with the Lord. You can find out more about this upcoming event at A Million Women.org . Click here to watch "A Million Women Event Trailer." 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. 7650. Spiros Zodiates, Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible - New American Standard  (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1984; revised edition, 1990), p.   1642. https://amillionwomen.org/

Hurricane Helene hit our region hard; we have no power or internet!!! Therefore, today’s post - always recorded the work day prior, which in this case was Friday - is a repost, taken from my book, The Pleasure of His Company. It’ll make you smile, which I’m sure we could all use right now. The Dance I’m not a great dancer. Okay, I’m not even an average dancer. Fine, I can’t dance at all. When I was a teenager, there was a popular dance called the Funky Chicken. I think my version of this “controlled flopping” was probably the closest I’ve ever come to performing a dance properly. I actually thought I was pretty good at it until my friends tagged my version the Flopping Chicken. Mom saw me practicing once and freaked out. “Are you okay?” she screamed, thinking I was having a seizure. “Yeah, I’m good,” I assured her. “Just doing the Funky Chicken.” “Get him off sugar,” Dad murmured from across the room, “before he breaks something.” “Looks like he’s being stung by a swarm of bees,” joked my brother. Tim has always been mercy-motivated. A few years back, my wife, Ceci, talked me into taking some private ballroom dancing lessons. I resisted at first, knowing this wouldn’t end well, but it became clear it was important to her. So against all wisdom, I succumbed. You’ve probably heard the expression, but have you ever really seen a drunken sailor? My dogs actually ran outside - wouldn’t come near me for days. “Maybe we should just take walks together,” Ceci suggested. “Yeah,” I said, “unless they bring back the Funky Chicken.” Dancing, for those who are fortunate enough to have the right genes, is considered great fun. It is, in fact, associated with joy. Who hasn’t heard the phrase “dancing for joy?” When we are sad, we tend to become more inactive, but when we’re joyful or celebrating, we jump, dance, and twirl around. So does God. No, I’m not kidding. He dances. There is a little-known verse in the Old Testament that gives a wonderful description of God’s dancing heart toward His kids:  “The Lord your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy”  (Zephaniah 3:17). In Hebrew, the word translated “rejoice” is the Hebrew word guwl , which literally means “to spin around under the influence of any violent emotion”. (1) That’s what I said - He dances! Hebrew is a pictorial language; a word paints a picture or creates an image. Through the word picture guwl  presents - spinning around emotionally - it’s easy to see why it is translated into English words like joy, rejoice, glad, and delight . But really, do these translations do justice to this awesome little word? No way. I experienced “joy” last weekend when through my status as an Executive Platinum flyer with American Airlines, I was upgraded to first class. I actually “rejoiced,” sending a text to Ceci that read, “Awesome! Upgraded!” But I didn’t jump up in the terminal and dance around. I experience joy when my team wins a football game, but I don’t typically guwl over it .  However, when the Denver Broncos won the Super Bowl a few years back, I guwl- ed. Losing all dignity, I jumped, screamed, and spun around, shaking my fists in the air. I high-fived everyone around me, whether I knew them or not. Guwl -ing brings people together! The day I’m writing this chapter happens to be New Year’s Eve. People will be guwl -ing all over the world tonight with individuals they don’t even know! But really, Dutch, are you saying God acts this way over His kids?  No, Zephaniah did. In the great story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), the prodigal’s father depicted our heavenly Father. When the wayward son returned home, his father was so excited he threw a party accompanied by music, dancing, and great rejoicing. I can’t prove it, but I know who was leading the dance. Dad! The guy who ran to meet his returning son, butchered the fattened calf and threw the party. One of my favorite lexicons says the word “rejoice” (v. 32) in this passage may be related to a Hebrew word that describes a young sheep or lamb skipping and frisking for joy. The same word is used to describe how angels in heaven act when a person comes to Christ (Luke 15:10). There’s a new description of heaven for most of us - a happy, playful, skipping God with His happy, frolicking angels! Some will think I’m insulting God’s dignity by ascribing to Him human emotion and celebrative actions. Let me assure you that this is not my intention. I don’t for a moment believe God acts like us - I believe we act like Him! We were created in God’s image and likeness. That means we have emotions because He has emotions: We love because He loves, laugh because He laughs, cry because He cries, and dance because He dances. If your concept of Him is a distant, stoic, and boring entity, think again. You’ve probably read the popular “Footprints” poem, which depicts the Lord carrying us through difficult situations in life. I like the following version better. A woman had a dream in which her life with Jesus was pictured by footprints in the sand. For much of the way, the Lord’s footprints went along steadily. Her prints, however, began in a disorganized stream of zigzags, starts, stops, turnarounds, circles, departures, and returns. But gradually, her footprints were in line with the Lord’s, eventually paralleling His consistently. She and Jesus were walking as true friends. Then an interesting thing happened; her footprints began walking precisely in His steps. Inside His large footprints were her smaller prints. She and Jesus were becoming one. Then gradually, the footprints inside the larger footprints seemed to grow bigger, eventually, disappearing altogether. There was only one set of footprints; they had become one. Then something awful happened. The second set of footprints was back! Zigzags all over the place...stop, start...deep gashes in the sand...a veritable mess of prints. She was saddened and shocked. This was the end of her dream. The lady went to the Lord in prayer, seeking to understand: “Lord, I understand the first scene with the zigzags and so on. I was a new Christian, just learning. But You helped me learn to walk with You.” “That is correct,” replied the Lord. “Then, when the smaller footprints were inside of Yours, I was actually learning to walk in Your steps, following You closely. “Yes, very good.” “Then the smaller footprints grew and eventually filled in Yours. I was growing so much that I was becoming more like You in every way.” “Precisely.” “But Lord, they went back again to two sets of footprints, this time more chaotic than at the first. Was there a regression in my life?” The Lord smiles, then laughs. “You didn’t know?” He says, “That was when we danced.” (2) I’m fully aware that some in the super-religious crowd won’t approve of my fun-loving God. This depiction of Him will be considered irreverent by them, perhaps even heretical. If you really want to know what they believe about God’s personality, go to one of their worship services. But - and forgive me for being so blunt - you might want to drink an espresso on the way. Frankly, I think even God gets bored with many church services. Trust me, the God of Scripture isn’t starchy and religious. Our worship gatherings should be celebrations where we join hands with Papa God and have a little fun frisking, leaping, and dancing. Shabath,  the Hebrew word for sabbath, means not only “to stop or cease from work” but also “to celebrate.” (3) In much the same way we celebrate certain days - holidays, for example - by resting from work, this is the concept of Shabath . On the seventh day, God stopped working and celebrated! He was so excited about having a family He decided it would be commemorated with a “rest and celebration day.” That puts a new twist on taking a sabbath. Every seventh day we should all rest and celebrate our membership in God’s family with joy and great rejoicing. If we would do so, the gospel we preach would be a lot more appealing. Abandon your concept of a passionless, boring God. Reject all religious stereotyping of Him. Let your heavenly Father be real, relevant, relational and fun. Only then will you truly experience the pleasure of His company. Look up . . . I think He’s asking for this dance. Pray with me: Father, we are amazed at Your passionate love toward us, leaping and rejoicing over us, just as we do our kids. We have allowed religion to tell us satan is fun, You’re boring; he laughs, You’re always somber. Forgive us! You CREATED fun and laughter! We are thrilled to think our heavenly Father is fun-loving, real, relevant, and relational. May our heart’s response to Your passionate love be increasingly undignified. Like David, may we dance unashamedly over our relationship with You. Teach us that holy doesn’t mean somber, omnipotence isn’t stoicism, and “above all others” doesn’t equate to unreachable. Bring a presence movement to the church that reveals Your true nature and shows the world how irresistible You truly are. Our decree: We believe and declare that the coming great awakening will result in the greatest celebrations of worship in Earth’s history! Today’s post was taken from my book The Pleasure of His Company  and published by Baker Books. 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. H1523. Adapted from Mark Littleton, escaping the Time Crunch  (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1990), Used by permission. James Strong The New Strong’s exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. H7676.

No Turning Back Yesterday, Ceci and I received an incredible report from My Faith Votes , a very effective vision to motivate conservative Christians who have not voted in past presidential elections, to do so in the upcoming election. We shared a post on this incredible undertaking a couple of weeks back. If you did not see it, please take a look ( August 23, 2024 ). Here is the letter we received: “Dutch and Ceci, “Give Him 15 surpassed 100,000 letters being adopted by your people [Give Him 15 family] as of today! I am praising God for the impact your ministry is making on this year’s election through our initiative. I know you’re making a massive impact in so many ways, but we are so grateful for what you have done for the “Write Now” campaign .  “We have blazed past our 300,000 letter goal and are over half a million as of last night! We are averaging over 8,000 letters a day. Look at God! I’ve done this for four years and have never seen anything like it!   “I hope our Jesus blesses you two from the top of your heads to the tips of your toes for all you do for Him. Isn’t it so amazing how much He loves us?   “I join with you in praying that He saves our nation! “Lord bless you, Laurel Brooks National Director of Grassroots Action My Faith Votes” Thank you, friends of Give Him 15, for getting behind this divine plan from Holy Spirit. What an amazing difference you are making, both in your prayers and actions. And if you would like to participate more, or were not able to do so previously and would like to do so now, the end date for sending these letters is October 25th. Visit their website  for more information. Strike In Prayer In yesterday’s post , I talked about finishing well. The results of allowing complacency to enter our lives can be disastrous. This destructive mindset can be caused by weariness, discouragement, hope deferred, apathy, ignorance, busyness, deception, over-confidence, and other factors. Regardless of the cause, complacency produces defeat.  The church in America grew complacent in the last half of the 20th century, and the most powerful nation in the history of the world became a laughing stock. The leading exporter of the gospel became the leading exporter of filth.  Yesterday, we saw the list of Israel’s tribes that didn’t finish the job of driving out their enemies in the promised land. The results? A little Baal worship leavened the entire “lump” of Israel (see 1 Corinthians 5:6), and in just a few years, God’s covenant people were sacrificing their children to this demon. Complacency produces defeat - always.  Today I want to remind us of the familiar passage in 2 Kings 13:14-19. The great prophet, Elisha, was old and dying. King Joash paid him a visit to get some final prophetic insight and say his goodbyes. While the two visited, Elisha did a symbolic “prophetic act” of having the king shoot an arrow toward the land of his enemies; he called it an “arrow of victory” (verse 17). The King James translation calls it an arrow of “deliverance.” The word can also mean “rescue.” (1)  He then told the king God would give him victory over his enemies, the Arameans.  [A “prophetic act” is a phrase used by many to describe a physical act, initiated by God, that pictures - and sometimes releases - a future action. Power is not inherent in the prophetic act itself; the power flows from God through our obedience and faith. Sometimes, the prophetic act pictures a truth or insight regarding what He is about to do. In other words, prophetic acts are often prophetic pictures. Moses striking the rock to bring forth water would be an example (Exodus 17). Obviously, hitting a rock doesn’t normally produce a gushing stream. But in this case, the prophetic act, in obedience to the word of the Lord, released God’s provision. However, the act also pictured Christ, our Rock, being smitten and releasing to us living water (1 Corinthians 10:4). There are many such biblical examples of prophetic acts.] After the king shot the arrow in 2 Kings 13, Elisha decided one more prophetic act was needed. He told the king to take arrows and strike ( nakah ) (2) the ground. Nakah  is most often used as a battlefield term, meaning to attack, smite, or inflict injury on an enemy. The prophet was saying, “Attack the ground, king; show me what you are going to do to this enemy.” Joash responded by striking the ground three times.  Elisha was furious and said, “You should have “attacked” the ground five or six times. Now you will win three battles, but won’t fully destroy Aram” (verse 19).  Notice, and this is important, Elisha was not prophetically given a specific number of times the king should have struck the ground. “You should have struck five or six times,” he said. It was an attitude, not a number, the prophet was looking for. Heart!!! “You are not a finisher, Joash. You do not have the heart of a warrior. You’re a ‘just enough to get by’ type of leader.” God is measuring us as well at this time. Let’s be finishers! We are not from the complacent tribes of the “did not’s”? We are those who put our hand to the plow and don’t look back (Luke 9:62).  He was thinking of Himself in the context of Isaiah 50’s prophecy. When Jesus challenged us with those words. The passage foretells Christ’s determination to accomplish what He was sent here to do. Verses 5-7 state: “The Lord God has opened my ear; and I was not disobedient, nor did I turn back. I gave My back to those who strike Me, And My cheeks to those who pull out My beard; I did not hide My face from insults and spitting. For the Lord God helps Me, Therefore, I am not disgraced; Therefore, I have made My face like flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed.” (NASB) We have put our hand to the plow of intercession for America’s restoration, a Third Great Awakening, and worldwide harvest. We are spiritual warriors of the Lamb and Lion, and we will not turn back. We will press on until we, too, can say, “It is finished!” Pray with me: Father, I thank You for patriots who are doers of Your Word, not hearers only. Because of this, You said their house will stand! (Matthew 7:24-25). Thank You for motivating them not only to pray, but also to write letters and vote. And now, we ask You for finishing hearts, hearts that attack in prayer until Your enemies are completely defeated.  Through us, release Your arrows of deliverance, of rescue, of victory.  Through us, defeat Marxism.  Through us, defeat secularism. Through us, defeat hatred, death, and violence.  Through us, defeat spiritual death and blindness.  Through us, defeat immoral strongholds.  Through us, defeat unrighteous laws.  Through us, save spirits and heal bodies.  Through us, restore broken hearts and lives.   Through us, unite.  Through us, restore America and send the gospel to every nation.  And Lord, we ask for Your help to those suffering from Hurricane Helene. Please protect people from the winds, floods, and tornadoes. Comfort those who have lost homes and possessions, and bring recovery and restoration.  In Christ’s name, we pray, Amen. Our decree: We decree that we have put our hand to the plow and will NOT turn back.  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. 8668 Ibid., ref. no. 5221.

Finish the Assignment The Lord has been speaking to me about the need to finish this season well. We are all busy with many responsibilities and activities. It is easy to allow prayer and other spiritual actions to fall by the wayside, especially when we become weary. However, we cannot afford to do that at this time.  One of the passages in Scripture that effectively illustrates the dangers of not finishing well is Judges 1-2. After Joshua led Israel in conquering Canaan, each tribe was left with the responsibility of clean-up operations in the portion of land allotted to them as an inheritance, fully driving out the remaining enemies. Many of them became complacent and did not finish the job. Here are examples: Now the Lord was with Judah, and they took possession of the hill country; but they could not  drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had iron chariots. But the sons of Benjamin did not  drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem… But Manasseh did not  take possession of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages…they did not  drive them out completely. And Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who were living in Gezer. Zebulun  did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, or the inhabitants of Nahalol… Asher  did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, or the inhabitants of Sidon, or of Ahlab, or of Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, or of Rehob…for they did not  drive them out… Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, or the inhabitants of Bethanath… Then the Amorites forced the sons of Dan into the hill country, for they  did not  allow them to come down to the valley… (All taken from Judges 1:19-34 NASB) The result of not finishing the jobs was tragic. Israel eventually assimilated with the Canaanites, intermarrying with them, and accepting their Baal worship.  Chapter 2 tells us the results: “Now the angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, ‘I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land which I have sworn to your fathers; and I said, I will never break My covenant with you, and as for you, you shall not make a covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed Me; what is this thing that you have done?… “Then Joshua, the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of 110. The people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who survived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of the Lord which He had done for Israel. And they buried him in the territory of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and another generation rose up after them who did not know the Lord, nor even the work which He had done for Israel.  “Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals, and they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and they followed other gods from the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them; so they provoked the Lord to anger. They abandoned the Lord and served Baal and the Ashtaroth.” (Excerpts from Judges 2:1-13 NASB) The angel of the Lord leaving Gilgal and going to Bochim is very significant (2:1). Gilgal was the first encampment of Israel after the dramatic crossing of the Jordan River. Much of their 7-year campaign to take the promised land was launched from there. The name “Gilgal” means “rolling,” (1)  for it was there the Lord said the reproach of Egypt had been “rolled off” them.  Bochim means “weepers.” (2)  The symbolism could not be clearer. Israel as a nation was about to go from victory to weeping, from reproach-free to shame, and from freedom back into slavery:  “Then the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and He handed them over to plunderers, and they plundered them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies around them, so that they could no longer stand against their enemies. Wherever they went, the hand of the Lord was against them for evil, as the Lord had spoken and just as the Lord had sworn to them, so that they were severely distressed.” (Judges 2:14-15 NASB) The entire book of Judges is a history of this compromise, complacency, and resulting judgments.  We have come a long way in praying for the spiritual reviving and healing of America. This election cycle is part of the turnaround process. There are those who contend that God doesn’t really care who is in government. They say He can do what He desires regardless of who wins elections or governs a nation. Therefore, they tell us that the church should stay focused on preaching the gospel and not be “distracted” by politics. This is a dangerous deception.  Scripture is filled with accounts of negative reaping by nations because of their leaders. Unwise and unholy leaders have created untold suffering and death around the world. God removed Saul from being King of Israel, saying He needed a man who would obey Him (1 Samuel 15:19-23) and would pursue His heart (1 Samuel 13:14).  America’s rejection of God and its unholy laws, for which we are reaping great suffering and death, were passed by government leaders. To say it doesn’t really matter who we elect into office - God will just do what He wants anyway - would mean God is okay with abortion, sexually mutilating confused kids, and much more. Some theology is simply a shirking of our responsibility to stand for truth. We must vote, yes, but we must also pray that those who align the closest with God’s will and ways, found in His Word, are elected to office. We must pray that those who most oppose His will are not allowed to win.  DON’T STOP PRAYING! Let’s finish well. Pray with me: Father, we know that our war is spiritual, done with prayer, fasting, and decrees. Yet, it is no less real. Through these prayers and decrees, we enforce Christ’s victory, pulling down demonic strongholds and ideologies. Through prayer, we set free those held captive spiritually, and release the power of Your Word as a sharp sword (Ephesians 6:17).  We are agreeing in prayer now, asking You to motivate the church to pray. We know that some of this motivation would have to occur through awakened leaders sounding the alarm; other believers could hear Holy Spirit personally. Whatever it takes, we ask You to motivate the church to finish this season well. May it not be said of believers in our day that we “did not…” And Father, we remain steadfast in our prayers for the protection of those in government positions. Lord, many of us are receiving strong alerts to pray this for Trump. Surround him, his family, and those associated with him. We bind demonic plots. We ask that law enforcement be alert and enabled to provide adequate protection. Expose every plan of evil, both from here and abroad.  In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen Our decree: We decree that we will finish the assignment of praying for America’s healing, restoration, and recovery of purpose.  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. 1537. Ibid., ref. no. 1066.

Introduction Many times the Lord will give us an example in the natural of what He desires to happen in the spirit. Today, my brother Tim shares a recent dream he had where this is the case. He gives us a vivid “word picture” of what our prayers are doing. Don’t become discouraged by what you see in the natural. Holy Spirit is taking all of our prayers, gathering them in the bowls of heaven, and is about to pour them onto the Earth (Revelation 5:8). Tim’s title today is: ___________________________________________________________ Liar Liar 2 Chronicles 7:14 states, “If My people who are called by My name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”  We will not see righteousness exalt our nation without the divine intervention of Jehovah. The Ekklesia must continue to engage through prayer, faith decrees and believing the prophetic words of our God.  I want to give you a prophetic dream and word that Holy Spirit is emphasizing for this moment. I feel compelled by Him to have the Ekklesia declare it in faith and birth these words through prayer. “In the dream, I was walking towards the front entrance of the White House in Washington, D.C. As I grew closer, I could see that a big marquee had been built onto the front of the White House. It looked like the front of a movie theater. The marquee was lit up and read: ‘Now showing: Liar Liar.’ “A little lower than the big marquee were two smaller signs, one on the right and one on the left. Both signs read: ‘Coming soon: The Avalanche.’  I noticed a guy standing next to me also looking at the marquee. I didn’t recognize him, but somehow knew his name was Jerry.”  Tim shares: I found this so intriguing that when I awoke, I looked up the meaning of his name. Jerry means “tip or head of the spear.” In Hebrew it can mean “plain spear,” “exalted of the Lord,” or “who the Lord exalts.”(1) It was also the name for a German soldier in World War II. As I prayed into this Holy Spirit said, “There are soldiers, remnant warriors you do not even know, exalted by Me for this time. These spear carriers, the Lord’s sons and daughters, are also seeing this marquee and reading the signs.” Back to the dream: “ I turned to Jerry and said, ‘I didn't know they turned the White House into a movie theater.’ And Jerry replied, ‘Oh those aren’t movies, haven't you heard? They are live shows. It's a live performance called Liar Liar.’  “Then in the dream, everything changed and an angel of the Lord appeared to me. Because of the colors he wore, I knew he was one of the communication angels in Gabriel’s division. There are ‘messenger angels’ under Holy Spirit’s supervision and this was a messenger angel. “The angel said to me that I was to take the Ekklesia to Seven Mountain Mountain. I told the angel that I had heard of the Seven Mountains of Culture but not Seven Mountain Mountain. I asked where it was located and the angel said it was a spiritual mountain (2)  overlooking the White House. The angel also said there are barrier beams built into the mountain, like a lattice, to protect the White House from landslides. He went on to say the Ekklesia must remove the barriers. I told the angel we would take care of it.  “Then the scene in the dream shifted and I was driving up the mountain in a white work van. I somehow knew it was filled with a Holy Spirit empowered work team. The sign on the side of the work van read Ekklesia Response Team. Coming up the mountain behind me were six other vans filled with these Holy Spirit empowered work teams. In the dream, I recognized that there were seven vans; seven is the number of completion. I knew that under Holy Spirit’s anointing, we would be able to complete the job and remove the barriers.  “We continued winding up the mountain until we saw a sign that said, ‘Avalanche area, stay out.’ Because of the sign in front of the White House that read, ‘Coming Soon: The Avalanche,’ we knew this was the place we needed to be. “We exited the vans and began removing the barriers holding back the mountain. Some workers had blow torches and were working on breaking the welding of the beams, while others dragged away the beams. Everyone in the work teams was dirty and sweaty, but we finally got all the beams moved. “Then one of the workers asked me how we were supposed to start the avalanche; they wondered if we should use dynamite. I said I wasn’t sure and would make a call. I called the angel who had told us to do this, asking how we were supposed to start the avalanche. He said, ‘You’re not supposed to start the avalanche, just remove the barriers. When the time is right, the King will start the avalanche with a great shaking.’”  That was the end of the dream.  As I was praying into this, the Lord said, “Ekklesia, engage the barriers of hell and the barriers made by man. Dismantle them with weapons of warfare that I have divinely empowered. For My name and My words are filled with uprooting powers. Uproot ‘seven mountain’ strongholds with supernatural power and with My superior authority. In My name, uproot demon fortifications that have protected ‘seven mountain’ corruption of My ways. “Uproot lying spirits bunkered in the White House and also surrounding it. In this war season you will see the uprooting power of your king. Roots of deception, theories, reasonings and arguments that have promoted social dementia will now be pulled up and destroyed. “Ekklesia response teams, move forward and strike the strongholds of darkness with bold decrees of your faith. Ekklesia, hear the calling of your God: use the weapons I have divinely empowered and demolish positions of evil. Overthrow ideologies that have rooted into the culture and into your White House. Refute them with bold truth. I will empower you, for I am pouring forth irrefutable power, power to refute insane distortions of My ways. “I am pouring out power to uproot and refute the confusion caused by demons in education, media, government and the White House. The Lord says you will see the confusion of the confused demolish their own agendas as My Ekklesia stands in faith for My words. It's uprooting time. Rise up in hope, for the world will now see the emerging of My great Ekklesia and power displays of My mightiness. “My Ekklesia will move in power disciplining insubordinate disobedience, demolishing hell’s counsels in boardrooms, transforming demonic thoughts in deranged minds into aimless blather. Blather, blather and more blather. Their deranged minds will be conversations of blather.  “My Ekklesia will bring down the defenses hiding the wicked and their plans, exposing, refuting and demolishing them. They will do so with their war weapons of prayer, decrees and worship warfare. They will use their keys and unlock the cellar doors in the White House and Capitol, doors revealing the underground root systems of iniquity. Root cellars will open, says the Lord.  “For you will now enter a fullness of time that I have planned; the Liar Liar live performance in the White House will be shown to the world. The avalanche is coming soon and the Liar Liar show will come to an end. I will shake Seven Mountain Mountain and My landslide will begin. Liars will be swept away in it. The mud they have thrown will now become a mudflow that overthrows their power. Ekklesia, dismantle the protective barriers. Activate your response teams. Activate your divinely empowered weapons and I will trigger the avalanche.” I am confident that the Liar Liar show is about to be hit with the Lord’s avalanche.   He is hastening His Word to perform it.  Pray with me:  Heavenly Father, we thank You for what You have promised and are now bringing to pass. Holy Spirit, release Your explosive power on the earth. Send Your avalanche and expose the Liar Liar show. Expose the diabolical root systems in the White House and Capitol. Do it not only in D.C., but also at the state Capitols. Holy Spirit, use Your great and mighty angels, fueled by the decrees of Your Ekklesia, to open the cellar doors. Shake everything that can be shaken and uncover everything hidden. Remove strongholds and barriers with Your power. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. Our decree:  Supernatural intervention is coming to expose and overthrow the deceptive agenda of our government. The Liar Liar show is about to be hit with the Lord’s avalanche and we will see righteousness exalt our nation. Today’s post was contributed by my brother, Tim. You can learn more about him at   TimSheets.org . Click on the link below to watch the full video. https://www.nameopia.com/name/Jeremy.html   The Seven Mountains of Culture are known as: Family, Religion Government, Business, Education, Arts & Entertainment, and Media.

Introduction As the flames of hell threaten to consume so much of what we hold dear in America, our good friend and author, Cheryl Sacks, offers sound wisdom. Take it to heart, and pass it on. Her title is: When The Flames Reach Our Doorstep: A Call to Wake Up and Act It’s alarming how the urgency of a situation doesn’t hit us until the flames are licking at our own doorstep. I learned this lesson the hard way when I was just four years old. When my family moved next door to the Johnsons, their daughter Alida, who was my age, quickly became my best friend. In our rural area, there was no trash pickup or nearby fire department. One day, I noticed Alida watching the trash burn at the edge of their property. Thinking her parents had given her this grown-up responsibility, I was envious and eagerly joined her. But what started as innocent curiosity quickly escalated. I saw the Johnsons’ Christmas tree in the burning pile, and wanting to add to the excitement, I dragged over our own tree from our backyard. As the flames engulfed it, a knot of fear formed in my stomach—I suddenly realized my parents might not be too thrilled with my “contribution.” Panicking, I tried to drag the now-blazing tree back to our yard. But with each step, the fire spread across the dry grass, following us like a relentless predator. Alida and I retreated to a nearby hill, watching the fire grow. Each time the flames crept closer, we moved a bit higher. Alida, sensing the impending disaster, turned to me and said, “Cheryl, I think we need to tell our parents.” My heart pounded as I imagined the punishment waiting for me. “No, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I replied, my voice trembling more with fear than defiance. “But it’s going to burn down the clotheslines and the chicken coop!” she insisted.  “We need to tell our parents.” Again, I resisted. “No,” I said emphatically, without an ounce of logic. Then Alida said something that shook me to my core. “It’s going to burn down MY house,” she said, looking at the fire with growing concern. Still, I hesitated. But when she added, “Then the fire is going to jump across the driveway and burn down YOUR house,” something snapped inside me. Suddenly, I wasn’t thinking about the trouble I’d be in—I was thinking about my room, my bed, my toys, my entire world going up in flames. The urgency of the situation finally hit home. “Yes, we’d better do something quick,” I said, and we bolted to our mothers. Bursting into the kitchen, I found my mom washing dishes. “I’ll tell you something if you promise not to tell Dad,” I bargained, my voice trembling. “What is it, sweetheart?” she asked calmly, not yet aware of the looming disaster. “THE BACKYARD IS ON FIRE!” I screamed, the words tumbling out in a panic. What followed was a frantic scramble. Our mothers called the neighbors, who called their husbands home from work. With garden hoses and water buckets, they fought back the flames, stopping the fire just before it reached the houses. The Fire in Our Nation Like the blaze that nearly consumed our backyards that day, a raging spiritual inferno is sweeping across our nation. Just as I passively watched the wildfire spread closer and closer to our homes, many of us remain unmoved by today’s critical issues until they threaten to engulf our own lives—our jobs, well-being, and children’s futures. But should we wait until the danger is at our doorstep before we act? The flames are already devouring our core values, destroying our families, threatening our security, and assaulting our freedoms. This surge has manifested in rising violence, addiction, persecution, moral degeneracy, and spiritual apathy. As Christian leaders and believers, we must now sound the alarm. It’s time to be on our faces like King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah, who, when faced with an insurmountable threat of destruction, cried out to the Lord in fervent and intentional prayer and fasting (2 Chronicles 20). Jehoshaphat called a solemn assembly, and all Judah stood before the Lord, acknowledging their helplessness and seeking God’s intervention. This is the kind of humble, desperate prayer we need today—before the flames consume us all. The Lord is asking MORE of His people in this pivotal hour. He is calling all of us to deeper consecration—convicting our hearts of the need for repentance, holiness, and the fear of the Lord. Now is the time for church services to turn into houses of prayer and routine meetings into solemn assemblies . The mandate is clear: God desires His people to be cleansed, activated,   ignited, and moving in the power of Holy Spirit to fulfill His purpose for the Church in this strategic time in history. If we are to witness the profound spiritual transformation needed in our homes, schools, churches, and nation, we must be willing to sacrifice our convenience, time, and routines, devoting ourselves fully to seeking the Lord and obeying His call on our lives. We each have a part to play. What is yours? The cost is high, but the price of neglect is far greater. Urgency of the Hour Here in Arizona, Christian leaders are calling for statewide prayer, fasting, and solemn assemblies beginning October 1 and ending with a united prayer gathering at the state capitol on Sunday, November 3. Leaders in other states are making similar calls. Many churches are opening their doors on Sunday afternoons, encouraging believers to gather and pray for the nation. Imagine the impact if every church in America did this! We urge everyone to take this message seriously. Whether you are a leader who can mobilize thousands or someone who can gather a few friends in your home, I urge you to act now. This is not the time to sit in front of the television watching the news, wringing our hands, and waiting to see what happens next. This is the time to act! Scripture is clear: if we humbly seek the Lord, He will answer. But if we sit idly by and let the fire burn unchecked, those very flames that are lapping at our doorstep will consume all that we love and cherish. Hope in Action God always responds to the sincere, repentant prayers of His people. We have seen Him move in powerful ways throughout history, and He is ready to do it again. To Jehoshaphat’s solemn assembly, the Lord said: “Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow, go out to face them, for the Lord is with you” (2 Chronicles 20:17, NASB). The following day, Jehoshaphat positioned the worshipers out in front, and the people rose up in praise, thanksgiving, and prayer. The power of the Lord was unleashed, and their enemies destroyed themselves (vss. 20–23)! Let this be the moment when we rise up in the same spirit of faith and urgency, knowing that as we humble ourselves, seek God’s face, and turn from our wandering ways, He will hear from heaven. Let us call our communities to gather in prayer and repentance, just as King Jehoshaphat did with all of Judah—then watch God arise, vanquish our enemies, and save our nation. Pray with me: Heavenly Father, we cry out to You to awaken, purify, and activate Your church. Strip away every form of complacency and ignite in each one of us a passion to pray and take action. Empower us with the courage and boldness of the early church, that we may arise in Your authority, break the chains of darkness, set captives free, and see our nation transformed in the power of Your Spirit. Our decree: Lord, we decree that Your church is a consecrated and mighty army, fully clothed with Your armor, ready to confront the spiritual darkness in our land. We declare that Your Ekklesia, empowered by Your dunamis power, partners with You to ignite a great awakening like in the Book of Acts. We proclaim that our families, communities, and nation will return to You and be saved! Cheryl Sacks  is the author of six books, including   Fire on the Family Altar , a guide to igniting revival in your home and nation ( Amazon ). You can learn more about Cheryl and Hal Sacks’ ministry at BridgeBuilders.net  and PrayerSaturated.School . Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Years of Prayer in a Day In a staggering expression of love, the equivalent of several thousand years of intercession and worship was lifted over America this past Sunday morning. (As always, I wrote and recorded this yesterday in order to post it early this morning.) On a Global Day of Prayer, hosted by International Prayer Connect, a 3-hour prayer meeting took place for America. The networks participating around the world comprise 110,000,000 intercessors.  If all participated, that equals 330,000,000 million hours of prayer (and worship). Let’s be very conservative - if only half of them participated (which I feel would be very low), and each one only joined for an hour, instead of 3 (which I also feel is low), that is still 55,000,000 hours of prayer and worship, which is the equivalent of 2,291,666 days, or 6,278 years.  Mind-numbing.  Other than Christ Himself, this is the greatest gift ever given to America. Could there be any greater sign that God is not finished with America?! I was honored to offer a short prayer, but I was barely able to speak. My emotions were overwhelmed as I tried to process the value of this gift. I was also overwhelmed with grief as I pondered how far America has fallen from her destiny. It was humbling and very moving as nations, many of whom have been sent the gospel from these shores, sent back prayers for America’s reviving and recovery. I am still processing this gift from God and the nations.  The prayers were strong, compassionate, and filled with faith. The intercessors prayed for: Jesus to be exalted in our nation the church to return to our first love our upcoming elections God to restrain lawlessness our families and campuses religious freedom a return to the fear of the Lord John 17 oneness among God’s people - only a united church can heal a divided nation revival and awakening in America We ended the prayer time by praying for the salvation of lost people around the world, led by PrayForAll.com , and by partaking in communion together. After the 3-hour prayer time, dozens of on-site prayer strikes occurred throughout the earth in demonic strongholds of darkness. What a time this must have been in heaven! I want to say thank you to the intercessors and their leaders around the world for their love and prayers. I also want to thank Jason Hubbard and Wesley Tullis of International Prayer Connect ( IPCPrayer.org ) for their hard work and outstanding leadership in the endeavor. And also, a big thanks to David’s Tent ( DavidsTentDC.org ) for hosting those of us in Washington, D.C., as well as contributing to the technical aspect of the event. All selfless, all excellent, and all Kingdom-hearted.  And to those of you here in America who joined us, thank you for doing so.  Twenty-one days of fasting and prayer now begin in America, ending on October 12 with the Million Women on the Mall  event conducted by Lou Engle.  America shall be saved! Pray with me: Father, thank You for Your love and grace, and thank You for this gift of love from our brothers and sisters around the world. We are very moved and deeply grateful. We humbly receive the gift, and are confident the prayers offered will be part of saving America. We were cleansed through their intercession, and strongholds were doubtlessly torn down.  We pray for THEM today. Send revival to the nations, the world Christ died to save. Most of the billion or more saved in the coming wave of harvest won’t be Americans; they will be from the Psalm 2 “nations” You promised Christ as His inheritance. We love them; we pray for them. Send the blazing fires of revival around the world.   We end by asking for the complete undoing of the strongholds maintained by principalities in the Middle East. Free the people of Iran, Lebanon, and elsewhere from the deception and hold of these spirits. May the revival in Iran continue to burn, increasing in its intensity and spreading throughout the entire region. We declare the release of great signs, wonders, and miracles in order to increase this harvest. Tear down evil structures, Yahweh; build Your church and expand Your Kingdom into the hearts of millions.  In Yeshua’s name. Amen.  Our decree: We decree that Jesus is King over all the nations! You can watch a replay of the Global Day of Prayer in its entirety here  on YouTube.  Click on the link below to watch the full video.

As believers, we know that God desires to use us as His representatives, being conduits of His power and love. As we go about our daily lives, we should always be aware of this. Today, our friend Gina Gholston shares about this concept, challenging us to represent Christ each day. She mentions the Healing Summit at The Oasis in Middletown, Ohio, several weeks back.  We have decided to do another one in a few weeks, on October 25 . Many testimonies of healing have come in, both from individuals present there in Middletown, and as importantly, from churches that joined with us online that night. It must be emphasized that our purpose is not to build the ministries of those participating in these healing services. It is to come into agreement with heaven’s plan, unlocking a new wave of signs and wonders in the earth that will not only bless the hurting, but will point millions of people to Jesus.  Although we have received many wonderful testimonies of healing, we know the level of power and anointing must increase. We believe the previous meeting was a wonderful beginning, but we also believe a much deeper well of miracles is to be opened. And we are intent on seeing this. Churches will join in again, agreeing for this. You can register to attend starting today, and I’m sure it will fill up quickly. All details can be found at OasisWired.org . Here is what Gina says about the coming surge of God’s power. Her title is: How to Impact the World A few weeks ago, Oasis Church in Middletown, Ohio, hosted the Healing Summit. People from every state and even different nations came together in faith to experience the healing power of Jesus, and that’s exactly what transpired. Testimonies have been flowing in from thousands who experienced healing, deliverance, and salvation.   Recently, the Lord showed me that the Healing Summit was more than a healing service. The Healing Summit wasn’t just about Oasis Church. He said to me, “It was the launch of a movement.” I believe it is not a “new thing,” but the restoration of Christ’s desire for His church. He is restoring His Ekklesia, His governing body, to fully operate in His power and authority.    There is an awakening of our spiritual inheritance that has begun to stir in the hearts of God’s people. Many are recognizing the power deficit we have tolerated in past years, and are now determined to regain what has been lost. We will no longer be content to just hear stories and testimonies of what God did in past generations. We know He is not done and are pressing in to experience a touch from Him ourselves, and shine with His glory and power. There was a wave of healing power that was released at the Healing Summit, and what was launched that night will continue to grow with an even greater intensity. I believe God is launching another great move of His Spirit.   As members of Christ’s body, we must be aware of all God has made available to us. We must be diligent to know the Scriptures and remain steadfast in our focus and obedience to Him. We must represent Christ and exhibit a true reflection of His likeness to the world.  Some would argue that healing, miracles, and the gifts of Holy Spirit are not operational today. They say we no longer need a demonstration of the power of God, but nothing could be further from the truth. We need the Word of God being taught accompanied with the power and conviction of Holy Spirit if we are to see America saved and our world changed. God’s healing and miracle gifts spark an awakening and awareness of Jesus that can come no other way. By seeing, many will believe! Not one Christian would be a believer today if it were not for the power of Holy Spirit. Our very salvation stems from the power and ability God demonstrated in raising Jesus from the dead. The Holy Bible we preach from and use as the foundation of our beliefs is filled with the records of miracles, signs, and wonders  that occurred through people being used and anointed by Holy Spirit. Evidence of the reality of Jesus has provoked change and turned the hearts of great skeptics all throughout history.   Imagine the Bible with no demonstration of God’s glory—no record of the wonder-working power of God, no record of the Red Sea parted, of David killing the giant, or of Daniel being delivered in the lions’ den. Imagine having no record of Jesus opening blind eyes or Lazarus being raised from the dead. And most importantly, of Jesus Himself dying on the Cross and on the third day, being raised from the dead. Without the demonstrations of the glory of God, there is no awareness of God, and no hope! But the Bible IS filled with these examples because Jehovah is the God of power and might, and has given us His Spirit who enables us to release His power in and through our lives. Jesus gave that power to His Ekklesia with the promise that those who believe in Him would do the works He did, and even greater (John 14:12). This power and gifts of Holy Spirit weren’t given as a momentary gift or just for those in the early church. Read the book of Acts. There you will see many examples of God’s power which was for then, and for now. A lack of knowledge of that power and its availability to the church - the Ekklesia - has caused many to be lulled to sleep by the sounds of a godless culture. Be aware: a movement has begun . There is a company of enlightened heirs who desire to be conduits of Holy Spirit.  Awareness of our spiritual inheritance IS   being awakened, and there is a reigniting of an uncompromised pursuit of its full activation. We are tired of living in unnecessary spiritual poverty. We desire to deepen our resolve and avail ourselves completely to the Lord to see His power fully released, flowing with an even greater intensity. With honor and in the fear of the Lord, we are determined to receive all that Holy Spirit has made available, and we will  experience the fullness of God’s desires. We will see the billion-soul harvest come in. We will  see bodies healed, minds delivered, and lives transformed by the love and power of God. We will experience and operate in His supernatural wisdom and imparted authority. We will  see America saved! T his is our time to carry the mantle, and we will  allow the power and reality of Jesus to flow out from us, impacting the world.  Pray with me: Father, when we accept Jesus as Savior, we become Your heirs! We have an inheritance that is rich and powerful. Provoke within us a deeper revelation of who You are and who we are in You, so we may be conduits of Your power. Stretch forth Your hand through us, Jesus, with miracles, signs, and wonders, providing an undeniable evidence of Your love and power. We ask that Holy Spirit would come upon the unbeliever with fervency and clarity so they can see and encounter You. We cry out, “Show us Your glory, Lord!” Spearhead another sweeping move of Your Spirit throughout our nation and the nations of the world. Reap the harvest You desire, we pray. In the name of Jesus, Amen!   Our decree: We declare that God’s redemptive movement has begun. We will be conduits of His desires and plans. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

What America Desperately Needs In yesterday’s post, I spoke about John the Baptist and his road-building calling. He was a forerunner, called to “prepare the way,” to build a “highway”(Isaiah 40:3), upon which Messiah could enter the earth.  Road builders have to begin by clearing, leveling, and forming straight passageways (verse 4). This can be challenging and difficult. When building natural highways, the work begins with bulldozers, earthmovers, and sometimes even dynamite. Then the process moves to paving, painting, and dressing up the project, usually with a different crew, definitely with different equipment.  Difficult preparation such as that involved in road-building is true for many types of transitions and seasons of change. Constructing houses and other structures begins with digging and clearing; the process is muddy, messy, and ugly. Restructuring corporations can be chaotic, even painful for some involved. Progress, which often demands change, can be tough. Without doubt, when referencing the role of John, Holy Spirit chose His analogy very intentionally and carefully. “This’ll get ugly before it gets beautiful,” was the point.  But there WAS a glorious purpose and end result in mind. Isaiah 40 mentions glory, good tidings, rewards, loving and caring for flocks - all this and more would ride into Israel on this road (verses 5-11). Messiah, our Redeemer, would travel the highway. The change, though painful, would ultimately be good.  Restoring and restructuring nations can also be messy, even more so when deep levels of sin and darkness are involved. God told Jeremiah He would use him to “root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down,” before using him “to build and to plant” (Jeremiah 1:10). Dismantle, then rebuild; tear down, then build up.  America is now clearly in a sinful state that will require much bulldozing before the rebuilding begins. Enter Donald Trump. Yes, he has the personality and temperament of a bulldozer. Yes, sometimes he makes messes, creates piles of rubble, and tears down old structures. But let’s face it: there is an enormous amount of debris in America that needs to be removed. “Mr Nice Guy” could absolutely not do what needs to be done to save America. We need demolition first, then the building crew. Personally, I think that if Trump is reelected, it’ll take most of his second term just to bulldoze and clear. Someone else will likely need to follow this with years of restructuring and rebuilding.  Now, here is a concern I have which I believe is shared by many. As I alluded to yesterday, the personality of a forerunner can be crusty and harsh. And yes, sometimes it’s necessary. John called the Pharisees and Sadducees - to their faces - a “generation of vipers” (Matthew 3:7). That’s much worse than being called “fake news,” by the way. BUT, John wasn’t operating in a democratic republic; he wasn’t being voted on. God appointed him, anointed him, and that was that. Americans, on the other hand, elect their president. Currently, there is a dynamic involved in this that Trump must face. Many Americans are alarmed at the division in our nation. The left, including the media,  specializes in “identity politics” and “class warfare.” While claiming the opposite, their strategy is to divide us. And they have succeeded. Then, they blame their opponents for what they have done. They’re expert liars and manipulators.  Oblivious to its cause, many Americans have become alarmed at the level of hatred and division in our nation, and rightfully so. While they see the need for many of the changes Trump speaks of, they also recognize the need for healing. In a president - especially now - they want a unifier, not a divider.  Great wisdom is needed. With America’s need for change, a forerunner like Trump will HAVE TO rock the boat, just as Reagan did in the 1980s. He spoke truth and ruffled feathers, but in a wise way that wasn’t considered mean-spirited. In many respects, Reagan “fathered” America. He brought correction at times, even sternly, but did so with a father’s heart. He was not perceived as insulting or vindictive, not a “mud-slinger” or a “gun-slinger,” but a “truth-slinger.” And his truth came across as wisdom, not sarcasm.  If Trump were to allow God to put this heart in him - and Yahweh will if allowed - he would win the election in an absolute landslide, just as Reagan did his second term. Americans know we need some “fixing,” but they also know we need some unifying. I feel we must pray for this “father-heart” to emerge in Trump, enabling him to speak with wisdom. Proverbs 3:11-18, The Passion Translation, mentions this wisdom and fathering heart: “My child, when the Lord God speaks to you, never take His words lightly, and never be upset when He corrects you. For the Father’s discipline comes only from His passionate love and pleasure for you. Even when it seems like His correction is harsh, it’s still better than any father on earth gives to his child. Blessings pour over the ones who find wisdom, for they have obtained living-understanding [an understanding of how to live]...  “As wisdom increases, a great treasure is imparted, greater than many bars of refined gold. It is a more valuable commodity than gold and gemstones, for there is nothing you desire that could compare to her. Wisdom extends to you long life in one hand and wealth and promotion in the other. Out of her mouth flows righteousness, and her words release both law and mercy. ‭‭ “The ways of wisdom are sweet, always drawing you into the place of wholeness. Seeking for her brings the discovery of untold blessings, for she is the healing tree of life to those who taste her fruits.” Pray with me:  Father, America desperately needs change, and we need this communicated with a wisdom that will enable us to accept the change. If this is to come through Donald Trump, we pray that You would give him YOUR heart for America. Give him strength laced with humility, truth clothed in lovingkindness, and wisdom flowing from a father’s heart.  Temper his zeal and strength. We need his zeal, just as zeal for Father’s house consumed Jesus. But Christ was always led by Holy Spirit, even when cleansing the Temple and denouncing hypocrisy. We love the strength Trump demonstrated when shot; we love his passion for America. Now, Father, temper these assets with Your heart.  Give Trump a significant and life-altering encounter with You. Fill him with Your Spirit, teach him to hear Your voice, and give him a love for Your Word. May he exemplify the fruit of Holy Spirit and may he be one who meets with You regularly. Mature him spiritually, we pray. And please continue to protect him. In Yeshua’s name, we pray this. Amen.  Our decree: We decree that Donald Trump will have a strong, life-altering encounter with Holy Spirit. Click on the link below to watch the full video.