Call The Prodigals Home Today, we are going to release faith filled decrees for the return of prodigals to Father’s house. I have heard numerous words from the Lord over the past few months telling us it is time for this, and Holy Spirit has said the revival we have been expecting has begun. Let’s release our faith for these things. I want to begin by sharing a little of my story when I was a prodigal, running from God. The story is taken from my book, The Pleasure of His Company. “It was 1973, and I was attending college, traveling fast but going nowhere. I had been running from the Lord for two years, serving the gods of alcohol, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll. Though I had been raised in church (Dad was an evangelist and then a pastor) and had surrendered my life to Christ at a young age, at age seventeen, I began to rebel. The rebellion started when my dad, pastoring at the time, divorced mom, left our family, and married another woman. “As you can imagine, our lives were shattered. Mom, who had been a stay-at-home mom and helped in the church, found a job in a meat market, my brother and I acquired part-time jobs, and somehow, we survived. At least physically. We didn’t fare so well emotionally and spiritually. My brother and I rebelled, turning away from God and everything associated with Him and the church. My younger sister was also emotionally devastated; obviously, so was Mom. Deep in my heart, I knew none of this was God’s fault. Nonetheless, I was angry at Him, the church, and life. The pain was so strong and my confusion so great that I simply couldn’t cope with it. And I certainly couldn’t understand it. Perhaps the lowest point in my life was the day when, as a seventeen-year-old, I held my heartbroken mother in my arms and listened to her sob, telling me she no longer wanted to live. At that moment, I became an extremely bitter and hate-filled young man. “God was very patient with me, knowing my rebellion was caused by my pain. He allowed me to run, loved me through my pain-filled responses, and didn’t take them personally. Two years later, at a bar named The Boar’s Head—aptly so, since I was a prodigal and this was my pigpen—while I was listening to a rock band and stoned out of my mind, Holy Spirit spoke to me.” Departing from the account in the book for a moment, let me say that this was not the first time He had done so. God would often speak to me through my thoughts when I was alone, just as I know He is speaking to your prodigal. The Lord was never condemning, only affirming. Often, I would lie in bed at night, when the world around me finally became quiet, thinking thoughts about Him, life, and what I was doing with mine. I know now that He was stirring those thoughts, reaching deep into the hidden places of my heart, keeping me tethered to Him. On this night in the Boar’s Head, however, He shouted through the clamor and noise around me, drowning out even the loud music. “‘What are you doing here?’ He asked. The Lord’s voice was so clear it may as well have been audible. His question wasn’t a rebuke, but rather a sincere prompting from deep in my heart. ‘You know this is not who you are,’ He continued, ‘and will never be who you are. You’ll never find the fulfillment and peace you’re looking for through this lifestyle.’ “Shocked and amazed that God would follow me into a place like this, my first response was, ‘What are YOU doing here?!’ “‘I’ve come for you.’ “Instantly sober, I went outside the bar to walk and think for a while. The Lord and I had several more conversations over the next couple of months, until I was finally healed enough to return to Him. Like the prodigal returning to his father’s embrace, I walked back into the loving embrace of Papa God. When I did, I found more than pleasure; I discovered my purpose in life. “Realizing the field of study I was pursuing was not what I was created to do, I withdrew from college. I entered into a passionate pursuit of God, became active in a good local church, and connected with several other hungry seekers. I also began going on short-term mission trips, serving missionaries and the poor in Guatemala. Eventually, realizing I wanted to serve God in full-time ministry, I decided to attend Christ For The Nations Institute in Dallas, Texas. There I discovered God in new ways—over and over—and eventually, I discovered my wife, to whom I’ve been married for thirty-five wonderful years [Now 46]. It has been a great journey.”(1) Back to Today It makes no difference what caused your prodigal to leave Father‘s house: drugs, addictions, a wrong relationship, a broken relationship, it doesn’t really matter. The important thing is to be assured that God knows what is needed to bring them home, and that this revival is going to produce such power that they will not be able to withstand His wooing. Angels have been assigned to protect the prodigals and work in their lives, and Holy Spirit will speak to them, just as He did me. (Don’t expect them to tell you when He does!) He will use the pigpen, not wasting their pain. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send laborers to them. He will (Matthew 9:38). Ask Him to give them dreams and cause them to hear what they need to hear. He will. Declare His promises over them; they don’t have to be in your presence for you to do that - He “sends” His word ( Psalm 107:20). And believe that he loves them more than you do! Bind the powers of darkness that influence and control them. Loose them from demons and wrong influences (Matthew 16:18-19). Speak to every mountain between them and Father God, commanding it to be cast into the sea; do so with faith and confidence (Mark 11:23-24). The demons and mountains of adversity don’t stand a chance! Pray with me: Father, we take You at Your word. You said if we believed in You, we would be saved and our household (Acts 16:31). You said revival has begun, and prodigals are coming home. You have said signs and wonders will occur, drawing people to You. You said our sons and daughters will see visions and prophesy (Acts 2:17). We agree with You! Now, lead the prodigals - if they aren’t already there - into their pigpens. Feed them the husks and slop. Then, bring them to their senses. Speak louder than the music, the pain, the confusion, the anger, the temporal pleasures of sin, and the pigs. Awaken them to Your heart. Awaken them to the destiny You have for them. Remind them that they are called to know You and do great things for You, not to partner with the evil one who steals, kills, and destroys. We bind every evil force holding our prodigals. We bind the lies that have been planted in their thinking, placed there by the world, the flesh, and the devil. We loose them from demonic control, addictions, and other bondages. We call to the prodigals, “Come home to Father‘s house! Get your robe of righteousness back on, wear His ring of authority, and eat the fatted calf of revelation and wisdom. You are called to know Him intimately, to be a passionate worshiper, and become a powerful instrument in His hands. You are destined to be a deliverer, a reformer, a world changer.” We pray and decree these things in the name of the Great Shepherd, Jesus, who leaves the 99 and goes after the one lost sheep. Amen. Our decree: We decree that prodigals are hearing a voice they cannot resist, and feeling a tug they cannot refuse. They are coming home! Click on the link to watch the video: _______________________________ Dutch Sheets, The Pleasure of His Company (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Publishing Group, 2014), pp. 28-29.

Listen For The Whistle Today, our friend Gina Gholston shares a dream with us that is most certainly the Lord’s heart. Allow it to challenge and encourage you. Gina shares: “I dreamed of a man walking along a beach. I saw a flowery archway and white chairs set up for a wedding; however, it wasn’t yet time for the ceremony to begin. This man walking on the beach was the groom diligently searching for his bride. “Unable to find her, he looked up to see his dad standing on top of a dune. The dad, knowing his son had not yet found the bride said, ‘Whistle for her!’ “So, the groom walked further down the beach and began to whistle what I recognized as a song we sing to the Lord; but in the dream, the groom was whistling it to the bride. The words to the portion of the song he was whistling are ‘My beloved is the most beautiful among thousands and thousands.’(1) He did not sing the song, but only whistled the tune. “Across the dune, the groom faintly heard the voice of his bride. He had often sung the song to her, so when he whistled the tune, she recognized it and cried out, ‘I’m here! I’m here!’ “The groom climbed to the top of the dune to see her and could also see a forest. Between him and the forest was a wide, treeless plain. There was a wolf pack on the plain - six wolves trotting along, single file, in an ‘S’ pattern; they were chasing the bride. She had been running from them through the forest and across the plain, and now was hiding in fear at the base of the dune in tall grass and brambles. “The groom saw her and said, ‘Come to me.’ “She replied, ‘I’m afraid; I can’t get up there.’ “He pointed to his left and said, ‘Here’s a path.’ “It was as if the path had just formed. The bride ran up the path to him, wearing her wedding dress, but very disheveled. Her hair was messed up, her dress torn. She lifted her dress just enough for him to see that her feet were bleeding from running barefoot through the forest and across the plain. “He then said, ‘No wonder you’re afraid. You didn’t wear the shoes I gave you.’ “She replied, ‘I have them.’ She had been carrying the shoes but hadn’t yet put them on. “The groom said, ‘Carrying them won’t help you. You have to wear them. I gave them to you so you could wear them.’ Then he added, ‘Come with me.’ “He offered his arm, and, putting her hand in the bend of his elbow, the bride walked with him. He led her down the beach to a large, tall rock formation that was flat on top and situated next to the water. He knew the way to ascend, and led her to the top. There were two chairs, and he motioned for her to sit in one. Kneeling, he helped place her boots on, lacing them up. Still kneeling, he sewed up the rip in her dress. Then he sat next to her. The wind began to blow, arranging her hair back into place, styled beautifully. “They were facing the ocean. From time to time, very large waves would form and come toward them, causing her to fear. “The groom would say, ‘You don’t have to be afraid. You have your shoes on.’ “She replied, ‘But my shoes won’t help me with that.’ “He said, ‘Watch me.’ The bride focused on him and was able to watch his responses to the waves; he was actually teaching her what to do. “When the waves formed, he would laugh, sometimes so hard he would slap his leg. As he did so, the waves would settle down before they ever reached the rock. This happened several times, and the bride began to do as he did. When the waves would form, she would laugh with him, and the waves would settle down. Then, suddenly, a massive tsunami formed very near the shore. This time, the groom didn’t laugh. His entire expression changed, not to fear but anger. The bride, however, did become afraid because this wave was so different. “The groom then said to the bride, ‘This time, we have to stand!’ So, they stood, and she put her hand in the bend of his elbow once again. He looked out at the wave and shook his head while speaking to it in a stern, loud voice, ‘IT IS NOT TIME!’ “The bride then joined her voice with his. Together, they declared the words to the massive wave over and over, ‘IT IS NOT TIME!’ “The wave kept growing larger as if taunting them, but they continued standing and declaring, ‘No, IT IS NOT TIME!’ “The wave arrived where they were standing, crashed at the base of the rock, and even came up onto it. But the groom held the bride, and they were not moved by the wave, not even their chairs moved. The wave settled down and did not go past the rock. “The groom then looked at his bride and said, ‘Are you ready for the wedding?’ “And she replied, ‘I am now!’” (End of dream.) Gina shares, “I don’t feel the dream was about eschatology, but our covenantal relationship with the Lord, and understanding our role as the church. Jesus is calling us out of hiding! We must stop being fearful, running from the very things He has given us authority to conquer. He is saying to us, ‘It’s time for you to wear the shoes that bring peace, and see the path I have laid before you. My strong right arm is extended to you. Take it, receiving My revelation, and follow Me into the position I have made available to you!’ “There are waves threatening destruction and the hostile takeover of our lives, children, nation, and even our churches, but we have been made to sit together with Christ in heavenly places. The dream is a picture of our position of authority and power as the Bride of Christ; we must take our seats and work with Him! It is telling us to stay focused on Jesus, regardless of the waves that threaten to overtake us! We must watch Him, imitate Him, and wear our armor! As we acknowledge Him, He reveals Himself and makes us brave! “Take your seat, wear your shoes of peace, and be clothed in your spiritual armor. Be revived and restored in the wind of the Spirit. Hear Christ’s whistle and respond to His song; we are His beloved, and He has need of us!” Pray with me: Father, we can never grasp the vastness of Your power! Your ways and thoughts are so much higher than ours. But You have given us Your Holy Spirit, who imparts to us the fullness of all that You are. He enables us, in our human flesh, to walk in Your supernatural power and make You known. We can release the light of Christ, and those in darkness will be drawn to Him, finding freedom. Teach us, Lord, to walk in full cooperation with Holy Spirit, becoming more familiar with His leading, recognizing His inward witness as He orders our steps. Help us put on our shoes of peace, and without hesitation, step where He orders. May we, as Your Ekklesia, take our seats, watching and imitating You. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen. Our decree: We decree that Yeshua’s beloved is coming out of hiding and will shine the light of His glory, causing awakening in our nation and the world! Today’s post was contributed by Gina Gholston and taken from her book Carry On. You can find out more about Gina at GinaGholstonMinistries.org. Click the link to watch the video: _____________________________ 1. Referring to the song MY BELOVED IS BEAUTIFUL (YESHUA) – written by John Wilds, Jesus Image Worship, Meredith Mauldin & Michael Koulianos.

A Thanksgiving Proclamation and Prayer (We will be taking Communion at the end of today’s post.) The holiday we Americans call Thanksgiving was first celebrated by the pilgrims after their first harvest in 1621. History says it was attended by 90 Native Americans and 53 Pilgrims. The gathering lasted three days. In 1789, our first President, George Washington, issued a national proclamation of “Public Thanksgiving and Prayer, acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God.”(1) Abraham Lincoln issued another proclamation in 1863 and made it a national holiday. He referred to it as “A day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”(2) So much for the myth of separating God from America’s government. Washington’s and Lincoln’s proclamations are brilliant and can be found at the end of today’s post. I won’t read them, as the verbiage is a bit different than ours today and can be somewhat challenging. The following is a proclamation and prayer for us to offer together today; please agree with me as I read it: Heavenly Father, we in the U.S. pause today to acknowledge Your gracious and omnipotent hand. America was Your idea. You had in Your heart to form a nation of nations - Native Americans, Asians, Europeans, Africans, Latinos, and more. Though our journey included the inevitable challenges associated with human frailties, even evil actions at times, Your sovereign power overcame our flaws and formed the United States of America. We are also well aware that this miracle was not just for our blessing and benefit. We were called to a covenantal partnership with You, for the purpose of redeeming the world from sin’s horrible curse. We acknowledge and agree with the words of Robert Hunt at Cape Henry in 1607: the gospel of the kingdom will go forth from these shores, not only to this land, but to all the nations of the earth. We agree with the words from Holy Scripture inscribed on the Liberty Bell: “Proclaim liberty throughout the land to all the inhabitants thereof,” (Leviticus 25:10). This is our destiny and great honor. We are thankful, Father, for the covenants our Christian Forefathers and Founders entered into with You. They sacrificed much in order to fulfill Your will, knowing they were sent here not just for physical liberty, but to dedicate this land to You and Your divine purposes. We are grateful for their sacrifices made so long ago, and the incredible prosperity we have enjoyed due to their covenantal partnership with You. May they be forever honored and may they always see righteous fruit from their labors. Thank You for preserving us in times of war, disease, sin, and rebellion. In the war of our birth, we were saved through an appeal to Heaven; in the horrific Civil War, we fought one another and lost half a million sons, husbands, fathers, and brothers, yet You kept the dream alive; in two world wars, You preserved us from evil despots intent on ruling the world. Through all the difficulties and trials of four centuries, You have been faithful to keep the light shining. Unless You build the house, laborers work in vain; unless You protect the city, watchmen awake in vain. You have blessed this nation - of You, through You, and to You are all things. Thank You, gracious and beneficent God! Jesus, Son of God, Son of Man, on this day we as a nation thank You for Your great sacrifice in becoming one of us - a member of the human race. Thank You for experiencing the gnawing pangs of hunger, for feeling the indescribable pain of a loved one’s death. Thank You for walking dusty roads to heal diseased bodies, taking detours to redeem thirsty hearts, and spending sleepless nights in prayer. Thank You for exposing the wiles and hatred of the serpent, the destructive power of pride, and what real love looks like. Thank You for revealing the Father to us once again, and creating the way for us to reconnect with Him as our Abba, Papa. Thank You for paying such a high price for all of this: the incarnation, the beatings and lashing, Gethsemane, the mocking, the crown of thorns, the wrath of Hell, the hideous Cross, the stain of sin, and sting of death. Thank You. Gracious Father, wonderful Savior, and blessed Holy Spirit, though we as a nation have dishonored, rejected, and even mocked You, Your love endures. We have worshiped idols, embraced false religions, shed innocent blood, defiled Your marriage covenant, and expelled You from our schools - yet Your mercies endure. Though our government has risen up against You in pride and rebellion, rewritten Your laws, legislated murderous and immoral rights, and declared that You are no longer welcome in their functions and procedures - You have demonstrated amazing grace and patience. And while the church should have been Your instrument of preservation from these ills, she became lukewarm, complacent, and ineffective. In spite of these and many more evils, You have promised to save us, healing our brokenness, returning our hearts to You, and preserving our destiny. Because of Your mercy, we will once again be a powerful voice of the gospel of the Kingdom throughout the earth. For this, we give You thanks. Let Us Take Communion Together: (Remember we shared on Tuesday’s post that Thanksgiving and Eucharist are the same Greek word, which is formed from the root word for grace. When we take communion, we are thanking God for His grace and favor, brought to us by the broken body and shed blood of our Lord.) Heavenly Father: For birthing us as a nation, we offer thanksgiving. For preserving us as a nation, we offer thanksgiving. For allowing us to partner with You, we offer thanksgiving. For our many blessings, we offer thanksgiving. For restoring us to You, we offer thanksgiving. As we partake of the bread that represents Christ’s body, broken for us, we offer our thanksgiving (eat the bread). And as we drink from the cup that represents Yeshua’s shed blood, we honor Your covenant love and promises. Thank You for making us righteous members of Your family, and joint-heirs with Christ through this blood. We declare today that it cleanses not only people, but nations; we ask You to cleanse and heal our land through its precious power. And we thank You for this, Father, in the name of Christ. Amen (drink the cup). Thanks for being part of our Thanksgiving Day celebration. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. _______________________________________________________________________________ President George Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation: “Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor-- and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public Thanksgiving and Prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness. “Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be - that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks - for His kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation - for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of His Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war - for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed - for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted - for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which He hath been pleased to confer upon us. “And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions - to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually - to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed - to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shown kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord - To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us - and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best. “Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.” (George Washington)(3) _______________________________________________________________________________ President Lincoln’s Thanksgiving Proclamation: “The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. The population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battlefield; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do, therefore, invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity, and union. “In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed. “Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the Eighty-eighth. By the President: Abraham Lincoln.”(4) Click the link to watch the video: _______________________________ https://www.loc.gov/resource/mgw8a.124/?q=1789+Thanksgiving&sp=132&st=text http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/thanks.htm https://www.mountvernon.org/education/primary-sources-2/article/thanksgiving-proclamation-of-1789/ http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/thanks.htm

Tomorrow (Thanksgiving Day), we will be taking communion together. Be sure to have your communion elements ready. Our friend and trusted leader, Larry Tomczak, wrote a great article that could save us all some grief during the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations. We’ve all heard of, perhaps even experienced, quarrels or awkward conversations at these gatherings. Take Larry’s advice, and don’t let it happen this year. (The following is used with permission.) Seven Suggestions for Delightful Holiday Gatherings Let’s be honest: your upcoming holiday get-togethers have the potential for wonderful memory-making or some weird occurrences that’ll make you wonder how you ever got into such a mess! A cantankerous uncle, curmudgeon senior or an unexpected boy/girlfriend with uber-liberal political views - who knows what may be lurking. Be ready! Scripture tells us, “A prudent man foresees the evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished” (Proverbs 22:3). This may be your providential “heads up,” so you’re prepared. My earliest childhood memories of our holiday gatherings with extended family remain indelibly etched on the photographic plates of my heart. The annual celebrations with my grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins were the highlight of the year! It was not just the opportunity to receive gifts and partake of sumptuous delights, but I loved the festive atmosphere and joyful interaction with our extended family. In more recent decades, I must admit I have some recollections that my wife and I wish we could erase. Unexpected conflicts that arose were most unwelcome, but enabled me to share insights learned as we transition to this holiday season. God’s will is that we experience happiness and unity in our times together. Our unseen adversary plots to undermine this goal. Here are some time-tested tips that can help you and yours enjoy this “most wonderful time of the year.” Having Holiday Harmony The Bible instructs us, “Be sober and watchful, because your adversary the devil walks around as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 2:7). Let’s not give too much credit to the enemy of our soul, but let’s face the fact that he has clever schemes ready to undermine God’s beautiful plans. To be forewarned is to be forearmed! 1. Start with prayer This may seem obvious, but it’s often overlooked! Prior to the upcoming family get-together, pray for God’s favor and discernment so He can “deliver you from the evil one” when you come together. 2. Serve Be intentional to embrace the heart of a servant, rather than a spectator and mere consumer. When Jesus gathered for His Last Supper with His friends, He washed their feet and reminded us, “I have given you an example,” and “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them” (John 12:15, 17). Invest in those present, perhaps by possibly helping with the dishes, cleaning up, or engaging a fussy, hyperactive child. 3. Ask Questions Scripture teaches that “The heart of a man is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out” (Proverbs 20:5). Accept people as they are and take a genuine interest in their lives. Imitate Jesus, who when in the temple among teachers was, “Listening to them and asking them questions” (Luke 2:46). 4. Be Comfortable with Silence No need to keep the motor running when there are pauses in conversations. “Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is counted wise; and he who shuts his lips is esteemed a man of understanding” (Proverbs 17:28). When I ministered in South Korea, a senior leader chided me politely during our opening leaders’ meal, informing me that their custom was to refrain from talking continually during dinner but focus on the food! 5. Avoid Arguments “The servant of the Lord must not quarrel, but must be gentle towards all people…” (2 Timothy 2:24). Stimulating conversations can quickly take a wrong turn, necessitating that someone skillfully redirects the flow. “The beginning of strife is as when one lets out water; therefore abandon contention before a quarrel starts” (Proverbs 17:14). Buckle your seatbelt. An opinionated guy may be headed your way! 6. Reach out In getting ready for our bountiful feasts, do we do as Jesus instructed? When a man prepared supper and some invited guests didn’t come, Jesus said he should include the less fortunate and “bring in the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind” (Luke 14:21). A while ago, we invited a grieving man whose wife had died a year before, to watch a ballgame with us. On a somewhat regular basis, we’ve reached out to invite people who would be alone for holiday events. These can also be wonderful opportunities for evangelism. 7. Show Understanding For those of us who are used to simply plopping down for lavish gourmet offerings during the holidays, we may not be aware of how much time and effort goes into the culinary spread. The host/cook can literally invest days in planning and preparation for the special occasion. It sure doesn’t honor them or help them maintain composure when hungry participants add stress with annoying inquiries or fail to come when called due to a football game! Think how much tension can be eradicated by following God’s wisdom: “Let nothing be done out of strife or conceit, but in humility let each esteem the other better than himself. Let each of you look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4). Ninety-nine percent of our stress inducers can vanish by putting this verse into practice. Be proactive and meditate upon this verse before you attend. Our Lord Jesus, the Centerpiece of our upcoming holiday gatherings, proclaimed, “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9). Let’s all embrace this high calling in our upcoming holiday events. Pray with me: Father, throughout our history, America has honored You on Thanksgiving, gratefully acknowledging Your care and blessing. As we do so again this week, we ask You for joyful and peaceful gatherings in our homes. Help us create an atmosphere in which those present are encouraged, de-stressed, and refreshed during our time together. May relationships be built and strengthened, and others healed when necessary. Open the doors for any ministry You desire to take place. We also pray today for America’s homes and families to be strengthened. Give us a strong movement to strengthen and equip men as leaders, husbands, and fathers. Break the heinous curse of fatherlessness in America. Minister also to the women in our nation. Encourage and help single parents in their challenging roles. Be a father to the fatherless, a spouse to the widow or widower. Give homes and families to those who have none. Through our selfish lusts and irresponsibility, we have made such a mess of familial relationships in America, and we are paying such a huge price. Please use the emerging revival to heal our land, starting with the family. We ask for this in Jesus’ name. Amen. Our decree: We declare that our homes will be peaceful habitations, secure dwellings, and quiet resting places (Isaiah 32:18). Click the link to watch the video: Today’s post was contributed by our friend Larry Tomczak. You can find out more about Larry at LarryTomczak.com.

Thanksgiving: Did You Know? This week, we will celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday. I will read a short Thanksgiving proclamation and prayer on that day’s post, then lead in communion. I encourage you to take 8-10 minutes and join me; I believe it will enrich your Thanksgiving celebration. Today I want to share some thoughts regarding a woefully understood, yet immeasurably important, subject, to help prepare you for this important time. Hint: Thanksgiving is linked to the Lord’s Table. Grace The word “grace” is one of the most important terms in our language. I’ll give its technical definition momentarily, but in its broader application, “grace” encapsulates: the incarnation of Christ (becoming a human), Messiah’s sufferings, the gift of our rebirth into God’s family, and every benefit we receive from these actions. We neither earned nor deserved any of these blessings; they are ours only through God’s grace, His “unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15), bestowed on us from His passionate love. “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). “Grace” is translated from the Greek word charis(1), an important word also meaning “goodwill, loving-kindness, or favor.” It is also translated “thanks,” the response offered for benefits or favor.(2) “Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament defines this specifically New Testament use of grace (charis) as the ‘spontaneous act of God that came from the infinite love in His heart, in which He stepped down from His judgment throne to take upon Himself the guilt and penalty of human sin, thus satisfying His justice, maintaining His government, and making possible the bestowal of salvation upon the sinner who receives it by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who became a Sin-offering for him on the Cross’”(3) Wow! “The New Testament also employs these related Greek words: charizomai, ‘to give graciously’(4); and charisma, ‘a gift that is graciously given.’(5) For example, in 1 Corinthians 12:4, 9, 28, 30, and 31, the term charisma features prominently in Paul’s teaching about spiritual gifts. Paul stresses that the gifts of the Spirit are gifts of God’s grace. These spiritual ‘grace gifts’ are not developed through natural talent, but instead bestowed upon believers by God. In The Dynamics of Spiritual Gifts, William McRae defines a spiritual gift as ‘a divine endowment of a special ability for service upon a member of the body of Christ’”(6) Mary and the Church Charis was the root word (charitoo)(7) used by Gabriel to Mary in Luke 1:28, telling her she was “highly favored.” Indeed! The honor of being entrusted to carry Christ in her womb, birth the Savior of the world, and then nurture Him for Yahweh, was truly immeasurable favor. Yet, the same word is used one other time in Scripture, Ephesians 1:6, when describing the great favor granted to us as believers, who also now carry Christ in our spiritual wombs! God is in us!!! The fountain of life, the breath of God, the nature of God Himself is in us in the person of Christ. That is charis, grace. Thanksgiving Now, would it surprise you if I said that charis is also the root word for “thanksgiving”? Thanksgiving, or “the giving of thanks,” is from the Greek word eucharistia. The word could be translated “giving thanks for our grace gifts.” When America set aside a day “of public Thanksgiving and Prayer” to “Almighty God,” as George Washington stated in his official proclamation (which I will include in Thursday’s post), it was to thank God for His incomparable benefits of grace through His Son, Jesus Christ! We aren’t simply giving thanks for the physical freedom, prosperity, and abundance we enjoy in this great nation; we are acknowledging that we enjoy these things because of the grace of God and the gift of His Son! And for the icing on the cake, or should we say the stuffing in the turkey, this Greek word for Thanksgiving (eucharistia) is also the word for the Eucharist, the Lord’s Table: Communion. The bread and wine are called the Eucharist, not just by Catholics but also by many evangelicals, because it’s a word Jesus used when initiating the meal: “when He had given thanks” (eucharisteo), He then gave the disciples the bread and wine, which represented His body and blood (1 Corinthians 11:23-25). Thanksgiving originated at the Last Supper, when God’s-grace-meal was inaugurated! On Thursday, when sharing the meal with family and friends, remember that Thanksgiving is rooted in the Lord’s Table, Communion, through which we celebrate God’s “grace gift” of His Son to us. Join me on Thursday, as we celebrate Communion, the first Thanksgiving meal; then enjoy another Thanksgiving meal with family and friends. Pray with me: Father, we thank You for Your unspeakable gift, Yeshua, and His sacrifice. Through Him, we have been welcomed into Your family, made Your heirs and His joint-heirs. As we Americans celebrate our many blessings this week, we remember that these blessings come through this grace-gift. Thank You! And as we take time to acknowledge and thank You, we also give thanks for the grace-awakening that has begun. Thank You for the millions of grace-salvations coming soon, the grace-returning of prodigals, the grace-deliverances, the grace-miracles, and the grace-reset of America. Thank You for the grace-shaking, the grace-cleansing, and the grace-healing of our land. As we eat the grace-meal on Thursday, we will remember that it is a celebration of Your abounding grace! We will also remember that Thanksgiving isn’t just America’s meal; this is the world’s meal. Thank You for saving a billion souls in the great grace-harvest that has begun. Thank You for a deluge of grace in the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia, North and South America. Pour it out! Flood the earth with grace! Signs, wonders, miracles, dreams, visions, deliverances, radical salvations - all poured out by the Spirit of grace! We celebrate this with You! In Yeshua’s name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that every good and perfect gift is from the Father through Christ, with whom there is no variableness or shadow of turning (James 1:17). Click the link below to watch the video: _____________________________ James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no.5485. https://www.gotquestions.org/charis-in-the-Bible.html James Wuest, Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament, Vol 21 (Eerdmans, 1997), pp. 138–139. Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, ref no. 5483. Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, ref no. 5486. William McRae, The Dynamics of Spiritual Gifts (Zondervan, 1976), p. 18. Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, ref no. 5487.

War Eagles Rising It should be clear to all believers that spiritual warfare around the world has intensified. Satan is making an all-out attempt to maintain his position and stop God’s plans. In today’s post, my brother, Tim, speaks of this warfare, comparing some of satan’s assaults to sieges. We, the church, must break the power of these sieges, rising to our assignment of partnering with Christ as His voices of freedom. His liberators. In sharing this, Tim uses a powerful analogy given to him by Holy Spirit, the Scriptures, and history. He shares: “It is becoming increasingly clear that the passionate warriors of King Jesus must now rise. It is time to reset a nation and world according to God’s principles and ways. Hell has initiated a siege against the Lord’s plans on earth, including here in America, and that siege must be broken. “There was a siege in Biblical history that, in many ways, parallels and prophesies into our times. It pictures a seemingly impossible situation and demonic principalities behind wicked human regimes. However, history also shows us that from the shaking, hope rose, victory came, and led to a great reset. “A while back, I received a prophetic word about this event that led me to a study on ‘war eagles.’ The first mention of ‘war eagles’ in history occurs at a time when Jerusalem was under siege by a ruthless army. These invaders came from one of the most vicious kingdoms on earth, the Assyrians, led by King Sennacherib. They were heartless, cruel, and bloodthirsty, known for using horrific torture tactics and spreading great fear. “The overall Assyrian campaign for regional dominance lasted for 17 years. They took nation after nation, many aligning with them simply because they didn’t want to experience their brutality. Eventually, King Sennacherib set his sights on Israel. He first defeated northern Israel, then moved his attention to Judah. The king of Judah was Hezekiah, a man who loved God and regularly consulted with the prophet Isaiah (2 Kings 18:1-3, 5-7). “2 Chronicles 32:10-20 informs us that King Sennacherib sent a proclamation to the people of Judah telling them to give up, citing their conquests of other countries. Hezekiah responded by paying a ransom, but that did not stop the Assyrians. Sennacherib took the money and began amassing his forces. The army advanced and surrounded the walls of Jerusalem, beginning a siege that would ultimately last two years. The people of God were in a desperate position. During that time, the Assyrian army captured 46 surrounding cities, taking many lives. This is the context that leads us to ‘war eagles.’ “Toward the end of the second year of the siege, Hezekiah began to doubt that they would survive. The facts were staring him in the face, and he became discouraged. When he was at that low point, history tells us Sennacherib released three new war tactics.(1) The first came when Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem began to hear the loud, screeching of eagles. The Assyrian army had been training eagles for warfare! “An Assyrian warrior would tie weights to a trained eagle’s legs, then release the eagle to look for an enemy. The eagle would descend on an enemy soldier at speeds up to 60 miles an hour, the weights becoming vicious weapons. Eagles are relentless, and when they tire, they simply mount up, forcing air into their lungs to restrengthen and keep going. The sight and sound of the ‘war eagles’ incited much fear and terror in the people of Jerusalem. “At this point, God spoke to Isaiah, telling him to prophesy to King Hezekiah. ‘They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint’ (Isaiah 40:31 KJV). “One meaning for the word ‘wait’ in Hebrew (qavah) is “braid,” or ‘be entwined with.’(2) The Lord was saying to Hezekiah, ‘Those who braid themselves to Me will run and not get weary. Join yourself with me and become one of MY war eagles. Those who tie themselves to Me will soar and rise above the enemy.’ “These powerful words encouraged King Hezekiah, and he was renewed in trust and strength. However, his faith was soon tested again. Looking over the walls of Jerusalem, history tells us he saw more new Assyrian weapons of war: catapults and towers, which proved to be very effective in sieges. Sennacherib sent Hezekiah another message telling him, ‘Surrender and die. God sent me to destroy you’ (2 Kings 18:23). “This obviously caused great despair in Hezekiah. However, God instructed Isaiah to prophesy to him again, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper. And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me, says the Lord” (Isaiah 54:17 NKJV). “Everything accelerated after this, and one of the fiercest judgments in history took place. In fact, a reset occurred almost overnight. When the sun came up, 185,000 Assyrian soldiers lay dead. No one knows exactly how, but “the angel of the Lord” killed them (2 Kings 19:35). Perhaps the angel led a host of angels; Jewish historians say the seraphim were behind it. The siege was broken, and history was reset as Sennacherib and his army retreated. “Hear the word of the Lord I received for this hour: “‘An incredible spiritual force is being released into the earth realm: My Kingdom warriors. My “eagle force” will partner with My angel force; they will partner with My seraphim. They will be led by Lord Sabaoth. My “war eagles” will ride the waves of My glory, the currents of My winds, the rays of My presence. They will manifest the works of My Kingdom, demonstrating My power and accomplishing My will. Know that the coming generation of “war eagles” have been groomed and reserved to overcome hell’s siege of earth. They will now be loosed. “‘This Kingdom force will braid themselves to Me, and I will mount up, carrying them. We will soar. They will run with Me at speeds the enemy can’t match, leaping barriers and walls, breaking demonic blockades to pieces. They will shatter the gates of hell, using their spiritual weapons to battle vicious, cruel regimes, bringing deliverance to the tortured captives. They will tear down the altars of Baal. They will not surrender in fear even when surrounded; overwhelming odds will not rattle them. They will not relent to new weapons or tactics of war. These things will only strengthen their resolve. “‘My eagles will fly with My weight of glory tied to them. They will circle, dive, and devastate the thrones of hell. Demonic adversaries of My Kingdom will be the prey. My unique eagle force will be terrifying splendor, terrorizing hell’s regimes. They will run and not grow weary, walk, and not faint. My Spirit will renew and re-strengthen them, reoxygenating them in My presence. They will mount up with wings like eagles, and no weapon formed against them will prosper. This is the heritage of My sons and daughters, says the Lord.’ “Yes, the war is fierce, but a reset is coming!” Pray with me: Father, we are Your rescue team, Your liberators. You have called us to enforce Christ’s victory, declare His truth, and release His light. In this prophetic word, You compare us to eagles. Release Your “war eagles” across this nation and throughout the world. Cause us to rise with You, riding the glorious rays of Your presence, accomplishing Your plans and purposes. Use us to break strongholds and bind principalities. Our lives are braided and tied to You; therefore, we will run and not grow weary, walk, and not faint. We decree that no weapon formed against us will prosper; this is our heritage. And we once again wield the sword of Your word over the Middle East. We declare over Israel, “God is able to graft you into His family again! Your eyes will be opened to the Messiah!” (see Romans 11:23). And we declare over the sons of Ishmael, “‘God hears’ your cry. Your eyes, too, will be opened, and you will see a great light - God’s light of salvation and glory! (Genesis 16:11; Isaiah 60:1-2; John 12:46; Acts 13:47). We decree that the powers of darkness in that region will fail. Their hold is broken, light is overcoming darkness, and the oppressed will go free. We bind every demonic attempt to maintain control there and stop God’s harvest. In Jesus’ name, so be it. Our decree: We decree that strong spiritual warriors of Christ are rising, mounting up like eagles over this nation and the world, guided by the Spirit of God to accomplish His will. Click on the link below to watch the full video. https://youtu.be/dAeueLRrtFw?si=xv4nvaREeNlDV1RR Today’s post was contributed by my brother, Tim. You can learn more about him at TimSheets.org __________________________ Dr. Ron Charles, The Search, (Bloomington, IN, 2007). James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 6960.

My Prayer Mentor, Ike Last Friday (11/10/2023), I had the great honor of participating in Intercessors For America’s 50th Anniversary Celebration. No ministry has done more to generate prayer for America than this great ministry. As I pondered IFA’s role in my life, one of my fondest memories was my early years of learning to pray at Christ For the Nations Institute (CFNI) in 1977. Each student was required to participate in an outreach or serving ministry on a weekly basis. My initial choice was Intercessory Prayer, not because I was an intercessor or knew much about the subject. Truth be known, I could barely pronounce it. But I wanted to learn more about prayer, so I enrolled. Our prayer guide each week was a bulletin provided by a ministry I had never heard of. Yep, Intercessors For America. One sheet of paper, front and back, with timely issues and government leaders listed for prayer. Thus began my prayer journey. I’ll say more about my message at the IFA anniversary celebration in a moment. But first, I want to honor another link in the chain of my introduction to prayer at CFNI (Christ For the Nations Institute). I’ve always felt one of the best ways to learn something new or improve at it, was by watching and emulating someone better than me. Of the 1200 students at CFNI, I chose Immanuel Ike, a student from Africa, complete with tribal markings - three scars on each cheek. I believe Ike, as we called him, was Nigerian. When Ike prayed, the room shook. I think he was fire incarnate. During the last six weeks of the school year, students were encouraged to gather for prayer in the main auditorium, an hour before chapel. This wasn’t united, corporate prayer; it was a time for us to seek God individually in an atmosphere fueled by 2-300 hungry, passionate people also pursuing Him. We were encouraged to come up on the large platform, and/or scatter throughout the auditorium - on our feet, knees, faces, or walking - it didn’t matter the position. I chose the platform, kneeling at one of the chairs right behind the piano…because that’s where Ike was. I prayed for an hour each morning, with one eye closed, one open, watching and listening to Ike. When he bound, I bound; when Ike loosed, I loosed. Soon after beginning, he would grab the side of his chair and begin rocking back and forth. I, too, held on and rocked. Ike would start in English, shift into his African dialect, then “machine gun” his prayers in tongues - I think. Maybe it was his African dialect on steroids. All I know is that Ike had now lost all connection to earth and its earthlings; we no longer existed. Tears. Groans. Pleadings. Decrees. Worship. Ike was in heaven’s throne room, then traveling the planet with Holy Spirit, tearing down strongholds and birthing Kingdom realities. And I was riding his coattails! What is it they say? Often, more is caught than taught. My prayers were mostly, “Lord, give me at least some of what this man carries.” I think I received a small degree of Ike’s mantle. “Wherever you are today, Ike, thank you.” My heart and world also expanded through the influence of other guest ministries that came through CFNI every week. Literally. That was the plan: every week, a different ministry/person taught all students in a united session at 11AM, Monday through Friday. They, Ike, and prayer ministries like IFA taught me to move beyond my own needs, not praying only to generate money for school bills, rent, clothes, etc. They challenged me to transcend caring only for my own ministry and future success. For the first time in my life, I found myself praying for nations and travailing for souls. I called out the names of Senators, Representatives, Judges, laws, bills, and court cases. I began to realize I was called to more than personal success, something bigger than a congregation or a traveling ministry of my own. I was invited into the realm of an eternal Kingdom with a worldwide cause. Somehow, my heart grew and expanded. I take no credit. It was the influence of others, of great teaching, of exposure to different ministries and organizations every week; it was an atmosphere of passionate worship, prayer, and faith - every day. And Ike, of course. I’ve never looked back. The cheetah survives on the African plains by running down its prey. The big cat can sprint seventy miles per hour. But the cheetah cannot sustain that pace for long. Within its long, sleek body is a disproportionately small heart, which causes the cheetah to tire quickly. Unless the cheetah catches its prey in the first flurry, it must abandon the chase. Far too often, Christians seem to have the cheetah’s approach to prayer. We start fast and with great energy. We are robust and have unmeasured faith. But lacking the heart for a sustained effort, we falter before we finish the job. We don’t need more speed or emotion; we need more staying power, which only comes from a bigger prayer heart. Last Friday, I thanked IFA for their large prayer heart. Fifty years of prayer for America, and they’re only getting stronger! Incredible. And I thanked them for helping me pray more effectively…for 46 of my years. I concluded my message by mentioning Rees Howells, an intercessor with a large prayer heart. In 1924, Howells launched the Bible College of Wales, which always had an emphasis on prayer. During WW2, however, Holy Spirit burdened Rees’ heart to intercede at even greater levels for the Allies, and for the deliverance of the world from Hitler’s Third Reich. Every day, anywhere from 5-10 hours, sometimes more, Rees and the students labored in prayer over the war. He challenged the students to not allow the soldiers at the Front to labor more than them. Rees Howells and his 100 students no doubt played a huge role in saving the world from Hitler’s demonic assault. (You can read more about the life of Rees Howells in the book Rees Howells, Intercessor.) God is looking for intercessors now who will accept the call to save the world from today’s demonic leaders. Like Hitler, they are possessed by powers of darkness and want to rule the earth. If we join forces with big-hearted prayer ministries like IFA, we can prevail. I know many of you who follow Give Him 15 also have hearts that will never quit praying. Thank you! Lock arms with others at this time and determine that we will not quit, we will not falter, and we will not fail until we see the earth in full-fledged revival. We have put our hand to the plow, and we will not look back. Victory is ours through Christ, and we will see it come to pass. Pray with me: Father, it is appropriate that we honor ministries like Intercessors For America and people like Rees Howells and my friend Ike. All of our successes are built, in part, on the work of others. We ask for Your blessings on them in abundance. For those still here with us, multiply their effectiveness, anointing, and provision. For others, like Rees Howells, well, tell them we said thanks. Today, we ask You for bigger prayer hearts. We want hearts so expansive that they embrace Your worldwide Kingdom efforts, and run prayer’s race without growing weary. We pledge to persevere in prayer for a worldwide harvest. We will continue to lay hold by faith of a restored America. We will never stop representing You as Your Ekklesia, enforcing Your victory on earth. We do that now over the Middle East. We pull down the thrones of iniquity over that region in Yeshua’s name. This is the hour of deliverance for millions there. This is the season of their entrance into the King’s family, their day of salvation. We declare over them that the veil is lifting, and the spirit of revelation is invading the territory. We loose them from their darkness and deception, their oppression and bondage. Signs and wonders are manifesting; powerful evangelists are being raised up and anointed with the level of power Stephen, Phillip, Paul, Peter, and others demonstrated in the book of Acts. We decree revival there now. And we do all this in the name that guarantees victory, Jesus. Our decree: We decree that Christ’s large prayer heart is being imparted to His Ekklesia. We will not faint. Click on the link below to watch the full video. If you would like to learn more about Intercessors for America, visit IFApray.org. You can learn more about Christ For The Nations by going to CFNI.org.

A Tower of Strength Today we will conclude our series on prayer for protection using the Hebrew word paga - intercession - which also means setting boundaries. Two ancient cities, Petra and Masada, both impregnable natural strongholds made of rock, exemplify the type of fortress the Lord wants to be to us. I’ll give you the biblical reference for this momentarily. The city of Petra (Greek word for "rock") was originally named Sela (the Hebrew word for “rock”). The second city, Masada, is from the Hebrew word, metsudah, meaning “fortress, castle, or stronghold.” The first city, Petra, “was virtually impregnable against attack by the military technology and weaponry of the ancient world," said Dick Eastman and Jack Hayford in their book Living and Praying in Jesus' Name. The primary access to this stronghold was, and continues to be, a very narrow, natural gorge called the Sik (Arabic for "shaft"), which is about a mile in length and approximately ten feet wide. Because of this geological factor, the Sik could easily be defended by even a tiny band of people against any invasion, even when the attackers used suicide tactics. As G.A. Smith notes in his commentary, "The interior is reached by gorges so narrow that two horsemen may scarcely ride abreast, and the sun is shut out by the overhanging rocks.”(1) I have been to the second city, Masada, which is an incredible natural fortress near the Dead Sea. Masada is a plateau atop a mountain, which ends abruptly at cliffs steeply falling about 1,300 ft on the east and about 300 ft on the west. The approaches are very difficult to navigate. King Herod used it as a military outpost, and in the first century AD, it took a three-year siege for the Roman Empire to starve out a band of Jewish zealots from this amazing fortress. In Psalm 31:3 (KJV), David said, "Thou art my rock [sela/petra], and my fortress [metsudah].” “You’re my Petra and my Masada,” he said! What an incredible picture of David's confidence in God as his hiding place, defense, and impenetrable place of protection!!! David used another geographical illustration of God's protection in the famous twenty-third Psalm. He states in verse 4, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (KJV). The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE) says the phrase "valley of the shadow of death" is used to describe the infamous valley to the southwest of Jerusalem where some in Judah made their children “pass through the fire.” This phrase spoke of human sacrifice; 2 Kings 23:10 mentions it as the valley where children were offered as sacrifices to the god Molech. ISBE goes on to say, "Because of the atrocities that had been performed there, the name of this valley developed into a synonym for hell." This verse is often used, of course, to refer to God’s security and comfort when walking through times of literal death. While this is valid, when David said it, he was stating his faith that even when he walked through the most evil or difficult of places, he could trust God to be his protector. The Lord wants to be a strong tower, a wall, an impregnable fortress for us. Intercession - paga - creates this protective force field. Build it through prayer. Establish your perimeter. Pray daily for protection. Be alert to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and when they come, pray! Psalm 91 is too powerful not to share it in its entirety. Listen as I read from The Passion Translation: “When you abide under the shadow of Shaddai, you are hidden in the strength of God Most High. He’s the hope that holds me and the stronghold to shelter me, the only God for me, and my great confidence. He will rescue you from every hidden trap of the enemy, and He will protect you from false accusation and any deadly curse. His massive arms are wrapped around you, protecting you. You can run under his covering of majesty and hide. His arms of faithfulness are a shield keeping you from harm. “You will never worry about an attack of demonic forces at night nor have to fear a spirit of darkness coming against you. Don’t fear a thing! Whether by night or by day, demonic danger will not trouble you, nor will the powers of evil be launched against you. Even in a time of disaster, with thousands and thousands being killed, you will remain unscathed and unharmed. You will be a spectator as the wicked perish in judgment, for they will be paid back for what they have done! When we live our lives within the shadow of God Most High, our secret hiding place, we will always be shielded from harm. “How then could evil prevail against us or disease infect us? God sends angels with special orders to protect you wherever you go, defending you from all harm. If you walk into a trap, they’ll be there for you and keep you from stumbling. You’ll even walk unharmed among the fiercest powers of darkness, trampling every one of them beneath your feet! “For here is what the Lord has spoken to me: ‘Because you loved Me, delighted in Me, and have been loyal to My name, I will greatly protect you. I will answer your cry for help every time you pray, and you will feel My presence in your time of trouble. I will deliver you and bring you honor. I will satisfy you with a full life and with all that I do for you. For you will enjoy the fullness of My salvation!’” Feel free to pause the post and dance, jump, run, or whatever joyful expression you enjoy most. In his book, The Necessity of Prayer, E. M. Bounds tells the following story of a friend who loved to watch foxhounds on a hunt. That is, until… “Rising early one morning," he said, "I heard the barking of a number of dogs chasing deer. Looking at a large open field in front of me, I saw a young fawn making its way across the field and giving signs that its race was almost run. It leaped over the rails of the enclosed place and crouched within ten feet of where I stood. A moment later, two of the hounds came over also, and the fawn ran in my direction and pushed its head between my legs. I lifted the little thing to my breast, and, swinging round and round, fought off the dogs. Just then, I felt that all the dogs in the West could not and would not capture that fawn who, in its weakness, had appealed to my strength.”(2) So it is, Bounds said, when human helplessness appeals to Almighty God. What a picture. Be like this fawn. When the "hounds" of danger approach, run to your Masada, your tower. “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe” (Proverbs 18:10; NASB). Decree His protection over you and yours. Build walls of protection through paga - intercession. Pray with me: Father, we thank You for the authority we have in Your name, and the name of Jesus. If David could declare it as a tower of refuge and strength under an inferior covenant ratified through the blood of animals, how much more can we do so through the blood of Yeshua. We place the barriers, set the boundaries now, and declare, “No trespassing!” We and our families are off-limits to all forms of violence and destruction. “A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing.” NO evil will befall us in our Masada. And Almighty God, we declare that as America walks through the valley of the shadow of death, as we walk out the shaking, caused at least in part, by making our children pass through Molech’s fire of abortion, we will emerge back onto Cape Henry’s beach. We will repair and retune the Liberty Bell, ringing forth a pure gospel of freedom and truth. And the hounds of idolatry, death, pride, destruction, division, marxism, and a lying, godless government will not tear us loose from Your arms. We declare their defeat through the Cross. We declare that You will prevail in Washington, D.C., that the portals of hell created there by unprincipled politicians in bed with demons, will not prevail against You. Revival has begun, will not be stopped, and America shall be saved. “When You arise to intervene, all the nations and kings will be stunned and will fear Your awesome name, trembling before Your glory! Yes, You will reveal yourself to Zion and appear in the brightness of Your glory to restore her and give her children. He responds to the prayer of the poor and broken and will not despise the cry of the homeless. Write all this down for the coming generation, so re-created people will read it and praise the Lord! Tell them how Yahweh looked down from His high and holy place, gazing from His glory to survey the earth. He listened to all the groaning of His people longing to be free, and He set loose the sons of death to experience life.” (Psalm 102:15-20; TPT) In Jesus’ name, so be it. Our decree: The coming generation will be recreated, set loose from death to experience life, and give God extravagant praise. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Portions of today’s post were taken from my book The Essential Guide to Prayer, published by Baker Books. Dick Eastman and Jack Hayford, Living and Praying in Jesus’ Name (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1988), p. 52. E.M. Bounds, The Necessity of Prayer (Springdale, PA: Whitaker House, 1984), p. 7.

Happy Birthday today to my favorite brother, Tim Sheets! Paga, Extraordinaire On Monday, we began sharing somewhat on how to pray for protection. We will continue with this theme today. One of the meanings of the Hebrew word for "intercession," paga, is "boundary" or "border,” the point at which two territories meet or connect, the extent to which a boundary reaches. In Joshua 19, paga is used repeatedly in this way. When used in the context of intercessory prayer, paga is the establishing of boundaries or walls of protection, the marking of territory as one’s own.(1) Through prayer, we can set boundaries and build walls of protection around individuals. Isaiah 26:1 and 60:18 speak of God's protection as “walls”: "In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: 'We have a strong city; He sets up walls and ramparts for security." "Violence will not be heard again in your land, nor devastation or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls salvation, and your gates praise." We said in yesterday‘s post that as we learn to pick up on the promptings of Holy Spirit, He will alert us to strategic times (kairos) we need to pray prayers of protection. In her book Listen, God Is Speaking to You, Quin Sherrer tells of a friend who heard the warning of the Lord for her home and prayed during a kairos(2) time: I was rooming with Ruthie at a Christian conference when she told me how God had protected her property. One night during the church service, she heard a voice: "Your house is being robbed." She tried to dismiss the thought. She'd lived in that house for thirty years, and there had been no burglaries in her neighborhood. But the more she thought about it, the more it seemed to her that the inner voice she had heard was the Holy Spirit warning her. "Lord, if our house is being robbed, please send an angel— no, Lord, send a warring angel—to frighten the burglar off." Then she began to quote Scriptures, praying for protection: "No evil will come near our dwelling place.... No weapon formed against us shall prosper." (Isaiah 54:17) Sure enough, when she and her husband arrived home, their back patio door was smashed in, and everything inside was in disarray – drawers open and stuff scattered everywhere. The next day, when the police officer came to get a list of the things they knew were missing, all they had to report was one pillowcase. He told them that's what a burglar usually takes to stash the valuables. "As far as we can tell, nothing is missing—not even my good gold jewelry," Ruthie told him. He looked around at her china, silver, and gold vases. "With all these beautiful things, I don't understand why you weren't robbed blind. Something obviously frightened away the intruder. He left in a hurry," the policeman said. Two other houses in her neighborhood were robbed that night. Ruthie is sure God sent a warring angel of protection, as she had prayed and asked Him to do. That is paga! Protective intercession. Building boundaries of protection through prayer. You, too, can be used by the Lord in this way. One of the keys is learning to be sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Ruthie’s story reminds me of Psalm 27:1-4 from The Message: “Light, space, zest - that's God! So, with Him on my side, I'm fearless, afraid of no one and nothing. When vandal hordes ride down, ready to eat me alive, those bullies and toughs fall flat on their faces. When besieged, I'm calm as a baby. When all hell breaks loose, I'm collected and cool.” The early church apostle Paul was a firm believer in receiving protective and deliverance prayers from others, in strategic as well as in general times of need. He frequently requested prayer from those with whom he was in a relationship. Romans 15:30-31 states: “Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints.” Again, in Philippians 1:19, Paul states his confidence in "deliverance through your prayers." Also, in Philemon 1:22, he says, "I hope that through your prayers I shall be given to you." Paul was frequently persecuted and imprisoned for his preaching of the gospel. He placed his hope of deliverance from some of this in the prayers of his friends. He believed in the power of intercession not just for the furthering of the gospel, but also for protection. The apostle Peter was protected through prayer from certain death in Acts 12. Herod had arrested James, one of the 12 disciples of Christ, and had him killed. When he saw how much this pleased the Jews, he arrested Peter also and planned to execute him, as well. This prompted fervent prayer by the church for Peter's release (see Acts 12:5). The answer to their prayers for Peter's protection is one of the most amazing stories in the Bible. Angels visited Peter in his cell, caused his chains to fall off, somehow blinded the guards from seeing him, led him out of the jail, supernaturally opened the iron gate to the city, and then departed from him. The entire ordeal was so supernatural that Peter at first thought it was only a vision. That is paga extraordinaire! In my book, Intercessory Prayer, I relate the following story of protection through prayer: Perhaps the most amazing example of kairos-timed intercession in my life happened on one of my journeys to Guatemala. I was one of 40 to 45 individuals traveling to a remote village on the Passión River in the Petén Jungle. Our mission was to build a combination clinic and outreach station on the river, construct two buildings, as well as preach in nearby villages. Prior to leaving for the jungle, we spent our first night (Friday) in Guatemala City, the capital of Guatemala. Months earlier, we had arranged for the Guatemalan airlines to fly us into the jungle the following day. Then, we were to travel to our destination by dug-out canoes. On our arrival at the airport Saturday afternoon, we were informed they had changed their plans and would fly us to our destination, not that day, but the next. Feeling an urgency to go as scheduled due to the limited amount of time to accomplish our mission, our leaders pressed the airlines for THREE HOURS to honor their original agreement. “No,” the manager said in his broken English, “we take you tomorrow.” “But you agreed months ago to take us today,” we argued. “We have no pilot available,” they countered. “Find one,” we pleaded. “‘What is your hurry? Enjoy the city,” they encouraged us. And so it went for THREE HOURS - in and out of offices, meeting with one official, then another. Finally, in exasperation, one of them threw up his hands and said, “Okay, we take you now!” That night, while we were 250 miles away, an earthquake hit Guatemala City, where we had been, and killed 30,000 people in 34 seconds! Had we stayed in the city another night—as the airlines wanted us to—some of our team would have been killed and others injured. We know this for certain because, upon our return to the city, we saw the building where we had stayed the night before the earthquake—and would have been staying in again had we not left on Saturday—with huge beams lying across the beds. Later, we discovered that an intercessor from our home church in Ohio had received a strong urge to pray for us. For THREE HOURS, she was in intense intercession - the three hours that our leaders were negotiating with the airline officials. We didn’t know that our lives would have been in jeopardy had we stayed another night in Guatemala City, but God did. This intercessor didn’t know it either. She only knew that, for some unknown reason, she had a strong burden to pray for us. She was alert, as Ephesians 6:18 instructs, perceived the kairos time, and her prayers created the protection and intervention we experienced.(3) Pray with me: Father, thank You for Your protection over us. And thank You for faithful intercessors. Your name is a strong tower; we are safe within (Proverbs 18:10). We will not allow our lives to be ruled by chance, and we certainly will not allow demonic forces or demonized individuals to rule over us. We will abide under Your shadow and wings. We ask You for increased sensitivity to Holy Spirit, who is faithful to alert us when to pray, surrounding ourselves and loved ones with protective boundaries. You are our Shepherd; we hear Your voice, and we will follow Your leading. Just as You alerted the intercessor to pray for the team of missionaries in Guatemala, You will alert us when we need to pray. In Christ’s name and authority, we ask and declare these things. Amen. Our decree: For today’s decree, I ask that you spend a moment or two and pray for your family, and/or anyone Holy Spirit brings to mind, decreeing God’s protection over them. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Today’s post was taken from my books, The Essential Guide to Prayer and Intercessory Prayer. Both are published by Baker Books. You can find out more about Quin Sherrer and see more of the wonderful books she has written at QuinSherrer.com. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 6293. Ibid., ref no. 2540. Dutch Sheets, Intercessory Prayer (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1996), p. 102-104.

Standing Guard Yesterday, we began sharing somewhat on how to pray for protection. We will continue with this theme today. One of the meanings of the Hebrew word for "intercession," paga, is "boundary" or "border,” the point at which two territories meet or connect, the extent to which a boundary reaches. In Joshua 19, paga is used repeatedly in this way. When used in the context of intercessory prayer, paga is the establishing of boundaries or walls of protection; the marking of a territory as one’s own.(1) Through prayer, we can build walls of protection around individuals. Isaiah 26:1 and 60:18 speak of God's protection as “walls”: "In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: 'We have a strong city; He sets up walls and ramparts for security." "Violence will not be heard again in your land, nor devastation or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls salvation, and your gates praise." In his book Prayer That Moves Mountains, Gordon Lindsay tells a remarkable story about building walls of protection through prayer: Unknown to a Christian Armenian, bandits followed his caravan as he transported merchandise across the desert to a town in Turkish Armenia. The bandits waited until after dark to attack, but upon approaching the caravan, they were astonished to see high walls surrounding it. The same scenario happened on the following day, with high walls again protecting the caravan at night. On the third night, however, the walls were broken in places, allowing the bandits access to the merchant. Frightened by the mystery of the walls, the leader of the bandits offered to spare the merchant and his caravan if he would just share the secret of the walls with him. Having no knowledge of the walls, the merchant replied that all he knew was that each evening he prayed, committing himself and those with him to God, but that on this particular evening, he had not prayed as usual, due to his tiredness, and that probably accounted for the breaks in the wall. This testimony so amazed the bandits that they gave their lives to Christ.(2) Many would find this story unbelievable. Yet why should it surprise us? God simply allowed the bandits to see what existed in the spirit realm: walls of protection. They naturally assumed the walls were literal. Zechariah 2:5 speaks of protective walls of fire: "For I,' declares the Lord, 'will be a wall of fire around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.'" Supernatural protections, as illustrated by these stories, occur through consistent prayer, but also at strategic times as intercessors are sensitive to the promptings of Holy Spirit. As they are, He alerts them to pray for others in critical times of need. These alerts from the Holy Spirit can come through a sense of foreboding, an uneasiness concerning someone, or simply by hearing Him tell them to pray for someone. Set in the context of spiritual warfare, the Holy Spirit speaks of these alerts in Ephesians 6:18: "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints." Most readers assume this is telling us to pray all the time. However, it is not. The word "times" is the Greek word kairos, which means "strategic or opportune time."(3) God is saying that, in light of the spiritual warfare we're engaged in, we must be alert for satan's attacks against others; and, when warned of these kairos, strategically timed attacks, pray! If we are alert, the Holy Spirit will warn us. If we pray, He’ll intervene. Hebrews 4:16 also uses this word, kairos. “Let us come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time [kairos] of need.” Of course, we are welcome at God’s throne of grace all the time, but this verse is actually referencing strategic times of need. The Amplified Translation says: “an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment.” The Hebrew counterpart to the Greek word kairos is eth, also a word for "strategic time." Used in Psalm 9:9, God tells us He is "a stronghold in times [eths] of trouble."(4) These verses tell us we can pray in specific - kairos/eth - times of trouble or attacks and receive the immediate help we need. Oral Roberts experienced this type of the Holy Spirit’s intervention during a kairos timed attack against his family: After ministering at a conference over a thousand miles away from home, Oral had gone to bed in his hotel when he was suddenly awakened and heard these words, "Your wife and children in Tulsa are in serious danger. Pray." He spent time in deep intercession for his family until he finally felt the burden lift. When he returned home to Tulsa, his wife, Evelyn, told him that one night, after the children and she had gone to bed, she heard someone trying to break into their home. Paralyzed with fright, she had been unable to do anything other than to pray for God's help and for Oral to be alerted to pray for them. Thankfully, the intruder had left without ever entering the house. As they compared their experiences, the Robertses realized that Oral had been awakened and alerted to pray at the exact time that Evelyn had heard the intruder.(5) That is a kairos attack - and a kairos answer - to a paga prayer! Walls or boundaries of protection were established through intercession, and God's promise of protection was fulfilled. Never assume that a warning such as this is just your imagination. Engage your faith in God’s protection and pray! Ephesians 6:18, the verse that tells us to pray at all kairos times, urges us to be “watching” for one another. This word (agrupneo) means literally to “stay awake.”(6) Just as “praying always” obviously does not mean we have to pray 24/7, this word doesn’t mean we should never sleep! It is a parabolic way of saying we must remain alert, just as an awake sentry or night watchman would do. We have all heard the phrase “don’t go to sleep on the job,” which means the same thing. This passage in Ephesians is telling us we must be alert, watching for one another. As we do so, Holy Spirit will faithfully do as He said: alert us to the kairos attacks of the enemy. Pray with me: Father, You told us to “fear NO evil.” Your word tells us if we are alert, Holy Spirit will warn us of attacks and strategic times when we need to pray prayers of protection. Of course, we can live in the secret place of protection daily (Psalm 91), but we can also be alerted to these specific attacks for those we are in relationships with. We ask for high levels of discernment and sensitivity, an ability to pick up these alerts for our families, friends, leaders, and others in our lives. We refuse to live in fear, regardless of what happens around us. We have our spiritual armor for protection, including the shield of faith and the weapon of prayer (Ephesians 6). We will pray during these times, building walls - boundaries of protection - around ourselves and others. We declare that as we do, no weapon formed against us will prosper, and every tongue that rises against us in judgment, we will condemn in the name of the Lord. This is our heritage as family members of the Most High God (Isaiah 54:17). And we continue to declare that the prince of Persia will be defeated in the Middle East; his centuries-old stronghold will be demolished. His hold on the hearts and minds of people there will be broken. He will not stop the great spiritual harvest coming to that area of the earth, nor will he succeed in generating a World War III. The great spiritual awakening has begun - there, here in America, and throughout the earth. It will not be stopped. We release the power of Holy Spirit to hover over that region, producing dreams, visions, signs and wonders, and a tremendous harvest. We release the same here in our nation; it will not be stopped. All of this we ask and release in the name of Jesus. Our decree: We decree that we will live in the secret place of the Most High God, protected from all evil. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Today’s post was taken from my book, The Essential Guide to Prayer, published by Baker Books. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 6293. Gordon Lindsay, Prayer That Moves Mountains (Dallas, TX: Christ For The Nations, revised 1994), p. 39. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 2540. Ibid, ref. no. 853. Oral Roberts, A Prayer Cover Over Your Life (Tulsa, OK: Oral Roberts, 1990), pp. 10-11. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 69.

Boundaries of Protection We have heard many words of encouragement lately telling us not to fear the shaking that has begun. These words simply echo what God says hundreds of times, in several different ways, in His Word: “Fear not.” We can rest assured that our nation is anchored and protected. However, this anchoring does not negate our need to personally maintain faith and biblical principles of protection for ourselves, our families, and our friends. In this season, where terrorist acts and other forms of violence will increase, we must remain vigilant and maintain our place in “The secret place of the Most High.” (Psalm 91). This week, I want to share with you what the Scriptures tell us regarding how we do this. Today’s teaching is from my book, The Essential Guide to Prayer. Enjoy! Towers “When the children were young, we visited Disney World one summer. Along with the excitement of heat, humidity, long lines, and high prices, I had the adventure of visiting the Tower of Terror. This ride simulates an earthquake as experienced while riding in a hotel elevator. It was everything but uplifting. “A few years ago, I visited the Tower of London in England. A fortress on the River Thames, this bastion has served in historic times as everything from a palace to a prison. We saw the crown jewels and, as a reminder to those who might try to steal them, many ancient instruments of execution and torture. I've never moved from exhilaration to excruciation so quickly. I mumbled, ‘God save the Queen,’ and hastily departed. “I've also visited the Eiffel Tower in Paris, a 984-foot-high tower of iron framework built for the International Exposition of 1889. Demonstrating my linguistic skills and cultural awareness, while gazing at this incredible accomplishment, I shouted to those with me, ‘Vive la France, birthplace of the French fry.’ “The following story offers an interesting assessment of an infamous tower in the Bible - Babel. “An eminent architect was under cross-examination at a trial concerning a building he had designed. One of the prosecutors, attempting to distract the man during his testimony, asked, ‘Are you a builder?’ “Immediately, the witness replied, ‘No, sir, I am an architect.’ "’But, they are much the same, aren't they?’ the prosecutor added. "’I beg your pardon, sir, but in my opinion, they are totally different.’ "’Oh, indeed! Perhaps you will explain the difference?’ “To this, the witness responded, ‘An architect, sir, conceives the design, prepares the plan, draws all to specifications, and in short, supplies the mind. The builder is merely the bricklayer or the carpenter. The builder is the machine; the architect, the power that puts it together and sets it going.’ "’Oh, very well, Mr. Architect, that will do. And now, after your very ingenious distinction between the two, perhaps you can inform the court, who was the architect of the Tower of Babel?’ “The witness promptly responded, ‘There was no architect, sir, only builders. That's why there was so much confusion.’”(1) “This is not totally accurate, of course, builders and skilled tradesmen know more than the architect stated. But it is an interesting and humorous observation. “Another tower in the Scriptures is known not for its terror, jewels, pride, or confusion, but as a place of strength and safety: ‘The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe’ (Proverbs 18:10). Psalm 61:3 calls our God ‘A tower of strength against the enemy.’ Boundaries “One of the meanings of the Hebrew word for ‘intercession,’ paga, is ‘boundary’ or ‘border.’ It is the point at which two territories meet or connect. Hence, a boundary, or, as The Spirit-Filled Bible says, the extent to which a boundary reaches. Paga is used repeatedly this way in Joshua 19. “In the context of intercessory prayer, paga is the establishing of boundaries or walls of protection; the marking of territory as one's own, declaring, ‘I will not permit intruders or interlopers.’ I love Psalm 91:1-4 from THE MESSAGE: ‘You who sit down in the High God's presence, spend the night in Shaddai's shadow, say this: "God, You're my refuge. I trust in You, and I'm safe!" That's right - He rescues you from hidden traps, and shields you from deadly hazards. His huge outstretched arms protect you; under them, you're perfectly safe; His arms fend off all harm.' “Wow, what a promise! “A missionary determined to take the gospel to an interior region of China experienced the sovereign protection of God through paga. Ruthless bandits along the road had prevented this area from being reached. However, this young missionary went, preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ. He later returned to the base without having seen any bandits. Shortly thereafter, the missionaries heard a rumor circulating throughout the area: the bandits had not attacked because an entourage of eleven soldiers had traveled with him. As he had traveled alone, the missionaries concluded angels must have protected him; but why eleven? “The missionary wrote about this experience to his home church in the United States. His pastor asked when this had happened. Upon receiving this information, the pastor excitedly communicated his part of the story. The pastor had been prompted by God to call a special prayer meeting for this missionary. When the date of the prayer meeting arrived, the pastor was disappointed at the poor turnout. That changed after he received the missionary's amazing report. The pastor was thrilled to tell him, ‘You'll be pleased to know that, counting myself, there were exactly eleven of us who were praying for you that very day.’ “Those 11 faithful intercessors became a wall, a boundary, or perimeter of protection, around this missionary through their prayers of intercession - paga. Through them, Psalm 91 and Proverbs 18:10 became reality. God wants us, also, to believe in the power of the name of Jesus and to use it to build walls of protection around individuals.(2) “Isaiah 26:1 and 60:18 actually speak of God's protection as walls: ‘In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; He sets up walls and ramparts for security.’” ‘Violence will not be heard again in your land, nor devastation or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls salvation, and your gates praise.’” Pray with me: Father, thank You for being a tower of refuge, strength, and protection. We do not have to wonder about Your willingness to protect us in times of trouble. Your Word says You are “a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1). It tells us, “Thou art my hiding place, thou shalt preserve me from trouble” (Psalm 32:7). We declare with the psalmist, “I will fear no evil” (Psalm 23:4). We realize this protection is accomplished through the application of Your Word, which includes our faith, prayers, and abiding in the secret place. We build walls and create boundaries. Teach us Your ways regarding this. We are going to grow in the knowledge of the truth this week. We will expand in our revelation and enlightenment. We also realize we are more than Your kids; we are Your ambassadors, Your king-priest warriors, Your Ekklesia. As such, we not only pray for ourselves, we create boundaries, even walls of protection for others. Teach us to do so effectively, leaving nothing to chance. Today, we begin by securing our families. We decree that they are off-limits to all attacks - no evil will befall them, no plague will come near them (Psalm 91:9-10). We declare this in the name of our Protector, Jesus. Amen. Our decree: We declare that we will fear no evil; we are secure in the secret place of the Most High God. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Today’s teaching is taken from my book, The Essential Guide to Prayer, published by Baker Books. Dick Eastman and Jack Hayford, Living and Praying in Jesus’ Name (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1988), p. 52. Ibid., 13-14.

Introduction Today is Veterans Day. Many Americans won’t give it a second thought. With today’s loss of patriotism and even outright anti-American sentiment, I hope you take the time to appreciate our veterans. I believe you will, for I know most of you love America and those who have served us in the military. Today’s post is written by our friend and veteran, Major (Ret.) William Ostan. Some of you will recall that Will is the person who introduced me to the Appeal To Heaven flag. I wear this shirt in his honor today. He shares a very poignant post, demonstrating exceptional vulnerability. Please excuse me if I have to pause while reading it; it will not be easy at times. _______________________________________________________________________________ The Sentinels of Liberty by Major (Ret.) Will Ostan I love everything about celebrating Veterans Day. The red, white, and blue American flags proudly displayed by patriotic families on their homes, lawns, and vehicles are always an inspiration. I’m filled with joy when attending small-town parades replete with colorful bunting, local high school marching bands, and children excitedly waving miniature versions of Old Glory. I am grateful that our citizens, young and old, honor all veterans, including those of foreign wars going all the way back to World War II. When I attend these community gatherings and look into the eyes of the brave men and women who have walked the ancient paths, some of them through the gates of hell in combat, I hear the faint whispers of duty calling out. It is in these sacred moments that I realize these veterans have paid a price to serve as our sentinels of liberty. Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines sentinel as, “In military affairs, a soldier set to watch or guard an army, camp or other place from surprise, to observe the approach of danger and give notice to it.”(1) From the colonial patriot Minutemen, who courageously stood their ground on April 19th, 1775, when the British redcoats fired the shot heard around the world(2), to modern-day Special Operations Forces operating in the shadows to rescue hostages in the Middle East, the United States of America has been blessed with some of the bravest warfighters in the history of humanity. Millions of veterans spanning almost 250 years have resolutely guarded the homeland from the enemies of liberty, usually foreign and sometimes domestic. These Sentinels of Liberty have faithfully “observe[d] the approach” and “give[n] notice to it” whenever a totalitarian spirit has encroached on our God-given freedoms. On this Veterans Day, as we highlight those who have honorably served in every branch of our Armed Forces, I want to be more vulnerable than ever before in order to reveal the cost of being a Sentinel. I will then issue an encouraging and hope-filled call to action for all civilians who’ve never served in the military. One of the best decisions I’ve ever made was to commission as an officer in the Army’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps, after graduating from Pepperdine Law School. During a 12-year active-duty career, I had the distinct privilege to serve with elite warfighting units. This includes the legendary 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) in Baghdad, Iraq, as well as the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) and Navy SEAL Team 5 in Kandahar, Afghanistan. While on the combat deployment in Afghanistan, which spanned several months (2012 - 2013), I was exposed to what my team of doctors identified as “environmental toxins.” This triggered a rare and severely debilitating auto-immune disorder called Behcet’s Disease. I knew upon returning home that I was physically not the man that I used to be. I began to experience unexplained weight gain, extreme fatigue, fast-growing cysts protruding from my rib cage and scalp, severe joint pain, debilitating migraines, and overwhelming brain fog. From 2016 to 2018, I had four sudden breakouts of excruciatingly painful leprous-like open sores that presented on my eyes, mouth, and the most sensitive parts of my body. These “flare-ups” lasted for weeks at a time. I’ll never forget urinating blood and spitting out chunks of skin from the roof of my mouth where the lesions had taken over. It was an intense progression of symptoms! In 2018, I was prescribed the wrong medication, which acted as an “accelerant” for Behcet’s Disease. My body began to shut down - I was bedridden for more than six weeks and subsequently diagnosed with POTS, a neurological disorder with no known cure. Since then, I have been periodically bedridden for weeks or even months at a time with no relief, despite having access to all the best medical care. I love my wife and twin teenage daughters so much. I take great pride in being a family man. Tragically, I am missing from countless pictures marking special occasions over the last decade. I’m often bedridden as those whom I love dearly celebrate Christmas, birthdays, and go on vacations without me present. A joint decision to not let this illness steal more than it already has. This is the cost of being a Sentinel of Liberty. Mercifully, I have never had suicidal ideations, but I have, in the dark nights of the soul, prayed, “Jesus, please take me to heaven while I sleep so Jen can re-marry a healthy husband, and my girls can have a healthy father.” The “collateral damage” of stress on my family, caused by my chronic illnesses, is the hardest part of this fight. Sadly, there are hundreds of thousands of heartbreaking stories similar to mine in the Veteran community that has been at war since 9-11-2001. Some of my brothers and sisters have lost limbs or eyes, while others suffer from “invisible” illnesses like Post Traumatic Stress (PTS) or Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI). A veteran may “look” perfectly healthy on the outside, but they often describe their own symptoms as a feeling of “rotting” on the inside. So where is hope to be found in this storyline? My fellow Americans, it is found in you taking action to fight for those who have fought for you. There is more, much more, to be done than simply saying, “Thanks for your service,” as meaningful as that is to hear. Our family has been incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by great Americans like Papa Dutch and Mama Ceci Sheets, in addition to other generous Americans who follow Give Him 15. Civilians like you have allowed my family to live in their homes for months at a time when we were financially destitute after being medically separated from the Army. Others have sent us money for groceries or regularly do all kinds of service projects, including mowing our lawn for free. I cannot overemphasize what a positive impact this has on the daily well-being of my family. This outpouring of kindness is a healing balm to a warrior’s heart. There are veterans in need across America, and there are many ways to practically love them. You can start small by inviting them to a meal. Be observant and sensitive. Listen to them. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal how you can connect. Sometimes veterans can be reticent to ask for help when they need it most, but I speak from personal experience when I say we need you. Make no mistake, those of us broken by the trials of war desperately need you. I fervently pray and earnestly hope that you answer this call to action by lovingly “adopting a veteran.” Because we are living in one of the most perilous times Western Civilization has faced since World War II,(3) I firmly believe that now is a kairos moment. A time when God wants to unify the veteran population with civilian patriots so that we can stand together as Sentinels of Liberty to fulfill our duty in once more making an Appeal to Heaven. Pray with me: Father, we thank You for the courageous men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces. We acknowledge that America is still the land of the free because of our brave veterans. We thank You for the families of our veterans, who selflessly serve at home while their loved ones are in harm’s way. As the Bible instructs us, we give honor to those whom honor is due. We esteem their service and sacrifice on this Veterans Day. We ask You to send a great spiritual awakening to veterans and their families. Bring Your restorative touch to bodies, minds, and spirits. Release Your miraculous power to heal what medical experts say will never be healed. We know that truly nothing is impossible for You! Father, we ask You to initiate a movement where civilians and veterans come together to advance Your Kingdom’s mission. We seek Your face to impart wisdom for creative ways for veterans’ skill sets to be incorporated into their communities. May the warrior ethos that is instilled in veterans be taught and transferred to the civilian population as we come together in this kairos time. Holy Spirit, give each one of us an opportunity to support the veterans in our lives - let our acts of service be a healing balm to their hearts. In the matchless name of Jesus, Amen. Click on the link below to watch the full video. BIO William J. Ostan is a medically retired Army Major and the recipient of two Bronze Stars. He is the Founder and President of Arc of Justice, a nonprofit organization that advocates for active-duty wounded warriors. Will is the author of The Patriot’s Field Manual, which became a #1 bestseller in multiple Amazon categories. Please visit WillOstan.com to purchase the book and ArcOfJusticeUSA.org to find out more about the Wounded Warrior Bill of Rights. _______________________________ Webster, Noah. Noah Webster's First Edition of an American Dictionary of the English Language. Foundation for American Christian Education,1828 edition, reprinted 1989. “Portrait of John Parker.” American Battlefield Trust, https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/john-parker. Accessed 7 November 2023. **Captain Jonas Parker, the minutemen’s commander, famously told them, “Stand your ground, don’t fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here.” This is one of the first instances of American Rules of Engagement being issued by a military commander to his troops. Chesterton, G. K. The Everlasting Man. Numen Books, 2012. **G.K. Chesterton, the brilliant philosopher, Christian apologist, and literary master, wrote the following in The Everlasting Man, which is very applicable to our current cultural moment, “If there is one fact we really can prove from the history that we really do know, it is that despotism can be a development, often a late development and very often indeed the end of societies that have been highly democratic. A despotism may almost be defined as a tired democracy. As fatigue falls on a community, the citizens are less inclined for that eternal vigilance which has truly been called the price of liberty, and they prefer to arm only one single sentinel to watch the city while they sleep.”