The Independence Day (That Almost Never Was) Today’s post is about God’s intervention to save our Republic through Roger Sherman and Benjamin Franklin. I am going to venture a guess that most of you know little, if anything, about founding father, Roger Sherman. His contribution to America’s beginning was extremely important. Sherman was distinguished as the only founding father to sign all four of America’s major founding documents: The Articles of Association, 1774; The Declaration of Independence, 1776; The Articles of Confederation, 1777; and the Constitution of the United States, 1787. Can you imagine the honor?! “Sherman was a shoe cobbler, surveyor, and merchant prior to his political career. He was a self-taught lawyer, a state senator, a superior court judge, and a judge in Connecticut for fourteen years. Later, he was a member of the Continental Congress and helped draft the Declaration of Independence. He was also a member of the Constitutional Convention, where he made 138 speeches. He then became a U.S. representative from 1789-91, and at the age of 70, was elected a U.S. Senator, serving from 1791-93.”(1) Many Americans, like me for my first 45 years of life, do not know much about the Constitutional Convention and our other founding events and documents. Here is a very brief overview of significant events leading up to and including the convention: In 1776, the 13 American colonies declared their independence from Britain. (The Declaration of Independence) The Revolutionary War took place from 1776-1783. During this time, the 13 United States functioned under The Articles of Confederation. The Constitution had not yet been written. The central government, however, had little power or income (which, generally speaking, is good) and therefore, could not effectively support an army and provide for other needs. James Madison and George Washington were among those who feared the young country was on the brink of collapse. In 1787, in an attempt to remedy this, a Federal Convention of the states was planned in Philadelphia. This was 11 years after the Declaration of Independence had been written. (It was not called the Constitutional Convention until later.) The delegates assumed they were meeting only to make improvements to the Articles of Confederation. While there, however, most of the delegates decided a completely new system of government was needed, not just a revision of the old. The convention lasted from May 24 to September 17; it was VERY contentious. For a while, it seemed they would fail in their efforts.(2) “On Thursday, June 28, 1787, the deletes were embroiled in a bitter debate over how each state was to be represented in the new government. The hostile feelings created by the smaller states being pitted against the larger states, were so bitter that some delegates actually left the Convention. “Benjamin Franklin, being the President (Governor) of Pennsylvania, was hosting the rest of the 55 delegates attending the Convention. Being the senior member of the convention at 81 years of age, he commanded the respect of all present, and, as recorded in James Madison’s detailed records, he rose to speak in this moment of crisis: “‘Mr. President: The small progress we have made after four or five weeks of close attendance and continual reasonings with each other - our different sentiments on almost every question…producing as many noes as ayes, is methinks a melancholy proof of the imperfection of the Human Understanding. “‘We indeed seem to feel our own want of political wisdom since we have been running about in search of it. We have gone back to ancient history for models of government, and examined the different forms of those Republics which, having been formed with the seeds of their own dissolution, now no longer exist. And we have viewed the Modern States all round Europe, but find none of their Constitutions suitable to our circumstances. “‘In this situation of this Assembly, groping as it were in the dark to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly appealing to the Father of lights to illuminate our understanding? “‘In the beginning of the Contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayer in this room for Divine protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending Providence in our favor. “‘To that kind Providence, we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend? Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance? “‘I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth - that God Governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? “‘We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that “except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it.” I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without this concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and bye word down to future ages. “‘And what is worse, mankind may hereafter, from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing Governments by Human wisdom and leave it to chance, war, and conquest “‘I, therefore, beg leave to move - that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessing on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the clergy of this city be requested to officiate in that service.’(3) “Roger Sherman was the person to second Franklin’s motion that they begin opening each daily session with prayer.(4) This was approved, and the practice has continued since, although poorly attended and supported. Shortly after this, Sherman made the suggestion that state representation in the Senate be equal and that state representation in the House be based on population. This historic proposal, which came to be called the ‘Connecticut Compromise,’ was adopted, and the system has been in use since. Sherman was also on the committee which decided the wording of the First Amendment. (5) ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.’ “Roger Sherman once described the necessity of ‘Admiring and thankfully acknowledging the riches of redeeming love, and earnestly imploring that divine assistance which may enable us to live no more to ourselves, but to Him who loved us and gave Himself to die for us.’(6) “Why is it that such a giant of a man is so little covered by the textbooks of today? To think that the only man to sign all four of our major founding documents, establish prayer in Congress, develop the compromise for just representation between House and Senate is unknown to most Americans baffles the mind.”(7) Today, we celebrate his contribution to our God-inspired Constitution. Today our prayer is from Abraham Lincoln, taken from his proclamation of a National Fast Day, on March 30, 1863, and his answer to a question, just before Gettysburg, asking if the nation would survive: “Whereas, it is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon, and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history: that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord… “We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth, and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious Hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. “Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us! “It behooves us then to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.(8) “I do not doubt that our country will finally come through safe and undivided. But do not misunderstand me…I do not rely on the patriotism of our people…the bravery and devotion of the boys in blue…(or) the loyalty and skill of our generals… “But the God of our fathers, Who raised up this country to be the refuge and asylum of the oppressed and downtrodden of all nations, will not let it perish now. I may not live to see it…I do not expect to see it, but God will bring us through safe.” (9) Click on the link below to watch the full video. _____________________________ Sherman, Roger. Lewis Henry Bouotell, The Life of Roger Sherman (Chicago: A.C. McClure & Co., 1896), 213. Tim LaHaye, Faith of Our Founding Fathers (Brentwood, TN: Wolgemuth & Hyatt, Publishers, Inc., 1986), p. 137. Edwin Gaustad, Faith of Our Fathers (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1987), p. 158. Leo Godzich, Faith of Our Founding Fathers (Phoenix, AZ: NAME Publishers), p. 63-64. William J. Federer, America’s God and Country (Coppell, TX: FAME Publishing, Inc., 1994), p. 558. Benjamin Franklin. June 28, 1787. James Madison, Notes of Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787 (1787; reprinted NY: W.W. Norton and Co., 1987), pp. 209-210. David Barton, The Myth of Separation (Aledo, TX: WallBuilder Press, 1991), pp. 108-109. Gallard Hunt and James B. Scott, Ed., The Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787, Which Framed the Constitution of the United States of America, reported by James Madison (New York: Oxford University Press, 1920), pp. 181-182. Tim LaHaye, Faith of Our Founding Fathers (Brentwood, TN: Wolgemuth & Hyatt, Publishers, Inc, 1987), pp. 122-124. George Bancroft, Bancroft’s History of the Constitution of the United States Vols I-X (Boston: Charles C. Little & James Brown, 1838), Vol. II. Stephen Abbott Northrop, D.D., A Cloud of Witnesses (Portland, Oregon: American Heritage Ministries, 19887), pp. 159-160. Sherman, Robert. June 28, 1787. James Madison, Notes of Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787 (1787; reprinted NY: W.W. Norton and Company, 1987), p. 210. Sherman, Roger. Lewis Henry Bouotell, The Life of Roger Sherman (Chicago: A.C. McClure & Co., 1896), 213. Tim LaHaye, Faith of Our Founding Fathers (Brentwood, TN: Wolgemuth & Hyatt, Publishers, Inc., 1986), p. 137. Edwin Gaustad, Faith of Our Fathers (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1987), p. 158. Sherman, Roger. John Eidsmoe, Constitution, p. 321. Peter Marshall and David Manuel, The Glory of America (Bloomington, MN: Garborg’s HeartN Home, Inc., 1991), 8.23. Leo Godzich, Faith of Our Founding Fathers (Phoenix, AZ: NAME Publishers), p. 65. Abraham Lincoln. March 30, 1863. James D. Richardson, A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents 1789-1897 (Published by Authority of Congress, 1899), Vol VI, p. 164. Gary DeMar, God and Government, A Biblical and Historical Study by Atlanta, GA: American Vision Press, 1984), p. 128-129, also David Barton, The Myth of Separation (Aledo, TX: WallBuilder Press, 1991), p. 259, also Benjamin Weiss, God in American History: A Documentation of America’s Religious Heritage (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1966), p. 92. Willard Cantelon, Money Master of the World (Plainfield, JN: Logos International, 19765), p. 120. “Our Christian Heritage,” Letter from Plymouth Rock (Marlborough, NH: The Plymouth Rock Foundation), p. 6 Gary DeMar, The Untold Story (Atlanta, GA: American Vision, Inc., 1993), pp. 53, 99. Abraham Lincoln. June 1863, in a discourse with a college President. Johnson, Lincoln, pp. 109-110. Peter Marshall and David Manuel, The Glory of America (Bloomington, MN: Garborg’s Heart ‘N Home, Inc., 1991), 4.26.

The Difficult Made Easy As more and more people awaken to the power of prayer, God is training and connecting them. Our personal times of prayer are critically important, but we should also pray with others, activating the power of agreement and the synergy it produces. As Tom Schlueter has told us this week, it takes an army. I can assure you that our need for this will increase, not diminish, in the days ahead. For the past two days, Tom and I have shared several principles necessary to develop and function as an army. Here is a brief recap: Grassroots - We are ALL priests, representing Christ, the High Priest. No “big me’s, little you’s.” All the blades of grass form the grassroots movement; all the knots comprise the net. Position - All have a “position,” a sphere of influence, they are assigned to pray into, as well as a position in the army. Obedience - The Texas prayer network under Tom began through his act of obedience, driving and praying around the entire circumference of the state. Inclusion - Leaders must recognize all the “knots,” allowing them to take their places in the net. Connect - Leaders must work to connect the army, and also to train them. In today’s post, Tom and I want to share a few more principles regarding building a prayer army. In 2003-04, obeying a clear word from Holy Spirit, Chuck Pierce and I traveled to all 50 states, gathering leaders and intercessors. Our purpose was to help unite the intercessors, and release prophetic words of purpose and strategy to each state. Summaries of what Holy Spirit said to them are given in our book, The Prophetic Destiny of a Nation. Tom shares two words Holy Spirit released over Texas: “Dutch declared: ‘There is a mantle on Texas to bring forth change in America. I say there is a governmental anointing on the State of Texas – on the church of Texas – to rise up in her position in heavenly places and begin to legislate, to release the government of God, that changes the government of man.’ “Chuck released this word. ‘There is a nation in your loins, and you will birth a nation. God is giving you the authority to address giants who are stopping it. There will be a grassroots movement from Texas, that will be seen throughout the nation, and the giant will be addressed. It will be known that from Texas a nation was birthed, a nation went to war, and a nation had the victory.’” Now you know why the concept of a grassroots movement is so important to Tom! One of the things I have appreciated so much about him and TXAPN is their determination to hear and obey what Holy Spirit says. HE gives them their strategies and assignments. Without exception, the most significant breakthroughs and transformation around the nation are occurring in states that follow this pattern. That should not surprise us: “Put your trust in the Lord your God, and you will endure. Put your trust in His prophets, and succeed” (2 Chronicles 20:20, NASV; also see Ezra 5:1-2; 6:14). Yes, prophecy must be judged (through Scripture and the ways of God) and must be carefully interpreted. But, if and when it is deemed to be a word from Holy Spirit, prayer and faith must then be released, action and obedience implemented. As a prayer army, a united company, Tom and TXAPN have honored the Lord’s instructions in many ways. As examples, Tom says: “When I started forming a network in my own city of Arlington, Texas, I would simply reach out to people in my own congregation. They then reached out to people in other congregations. We met more people as we started gathering in small prayer groups and carrying out prayer initiatives for the city. Before we knew it, we had over 25 congregations or ministries represented in the network and over a hundred people praying together for our city. We were committing ourselves to each other for a common purpose and goal. Assignments from the Lord that are difficult for one or two people become easy when many are doing them. “For instance, at the Lord’s prompting, I easily drove my car the forty-four miles around the circumference of our city. But when the Lord said to prayer walk it, this was no longer a task for one! It had to be an army - and we had one. We walked it seven times! “Later, the Lord instructed me to drive the circumference of the state, which I did. But as the army formed, He asked us to pray at all the rivers, all 254 counties, all the courthouses, and all the entry points in and out of the state! It takes an army! And it requires obedience!” Another word from the Lord which TXAPN obeyed required humility and some soul-searching. Tom tells us: “The first prophetic word I gave as this network formed, was in 2007. After Chuck Pierce commissioned me, he surprised me by handing me the microphone. The Lord immediately declared through me, ‘I will use this state to help change a nation, if you’ll deal with your two major sins as a state - pride and independence.’ “These words define two of the greatest obstacles the Ekklesia faces in arising to its destiny as a grassroots army. We must remind ourselves that the world does not revolve around us - our ministry, our network, or our ideas. Too many people are competing for the limelight, seeking to be the most important leader or ministry. Most would deny this motivation, but the fruit reveals otherwise. “Here in Texas, we’ve had to deal with both of these sins on a regular basis. Even throughout our nation, many would say that Texas is filled with pride. Texans often consider themselves the greatest, most important, and biggest (at least until they visit Alaska). “They also consider themselves to be independent ‘cusses,’ people who can do it by themselves, regardless of what the rest of the world says or does. The antidote to this is covenant. The Lord has driven this revelation deep into our network. A desire for covenant drives us. The numbers, our leadership style, strategies - these don’t define our network. Covenant relationships and connections define us! “To deal with the roots of pride and independence in Texas, the Lord had us conduct a ‘pride and independence’ initiative. He led us to go and pray in Independence, Texas (yes, there is!), where we declared our dependence on Him, and then to Pride, Texas (yes, there was!). Fittingly, at Pride, Texas, the only thing left of the town was Pride Cemetery. In these places, we repented and asked for those roots to be uprooted from Texas. We believe this was done, and the fruits of humility and cooperation will now prevail.” Pray with me: Father, we are not looking to build more organizations or institutions. We do want to build life-giving relationships, connecting with other believers to advance Your cause. We are asking You today to enact a sovereign, highly effective movement to unite believers for Your causes. In Yeshua’s name, we denounce and bind the religious, sectarian spirits that divide us. Forgive us for the pride and religiosity behind our man-made walls, and do a work to unite us. May inclusion replace division, cooperation replace isolationism. As we expand existing prayer networks and build others, we ask You to create many opportunities for people to connect. Show leaders how to be found, and seekers how to find. And as we work together, “paint” every state and national border with Holy Spirit’s presence and power. Anchor every state to the secure anchors You have placed in the nation. As individuals and teams “command the foreword,” release the resurrection power of Holy Spirit into the roots You gave our nation. We decree over America once again that You formed us, You will resurrect us, and You will preserve us. You are exposing and judging evil in America, and will continue to do so - in government, media, education, and elsewhere. You will shake down every antichrist kingdom and eradicate every wicked scheme. And You will prevail. Our decree: We decree that the prayer movement is expanding, the Ekklesia is growing, and a glorious church is emerging. Click on the link below to watch the full video. You can find out more about Tom Schlueter and the TXAPN and see books he has written at TomSchlueter.com.

The Weapon of Truth First, I want to apologize for the glitch regarding the written version of yesterday's post. I realize it was late getting onto the website and the app. We are not always sure why glitches of this nature occur, but we do regret the inconvenience to those of you who read them early in the morning. As we move into a season of declaring and agreeing in prayer with America’s “Foreword” - the plans and purposes of God for our nation, stated at the beginning of her “book” - I will be doing posts periodically to share helpful information regarding this. (I shared three books yesterday, which can aid in this, and will list them again at the end of today’s post. Unfortunately, I have since discovered that The Light and the Glory, is out of print.) Today, I want to share with you several powerful quotes from U.S. presidents. They are not all from our Founding Fathers; however, even those made in more recent times, having been stated by those in positions of great authority, are words we can agree with and declare. They also serve to combat the lies of revisionists who try to diminish our Christian roots and heritage. Truth is a powerful weapon. Here are a few - from hundreds of possibilities - stating faith in God, respect for His Word, and honor for Christ: “It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.” George Washington “The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which heaven itself has ordained.” George Washington “We recognize no sovereign but God, and no king but Jesus!” John Adams “I consider a decent respect for Christianity among the best recommendations for public service.” John Adams. “The reason that Christianity is the best friend of government is because Christianity is the only religion that changes the heart.” Thomas Jefferson “The Bible is the first and almost the only book deserving of universal attention.” John Quincy Adams “My custom is to read four or five chapters of the Bible every morning immediately after rising. It seems to me the most suitable manner of beginning the day. It is an invaluable and inexhaustible mine of knowledge and virtue.” John Quincy Adams “The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.” John Quincy Adams “We have staked the whole future of American civilization not on the power of government, far from it. We have staked the whole of our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves according to the commandments of God. The future and success of America are not in this Constitution, but in the laws of God upon which this Constitution is founded.” James Madison “Finally, it is my most fervent prayer to that Almighty Being before whom I now stand, and who has kept us in His hands from the infancy of our Republic unto the present day, that He will so overrule all of my intentions and actions and inspire the hearts of my fellow-citizens that we may be preserved from dangers of all kinds and continue forever a united and happy people.” Andrew Jackson “We have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand, which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.” Abraham Lincoln “I am profitably engaged in reading the Bible. Take all of this Book upon reason that you can, and the balance by faith, and you will live and die a better man.” Abraham Lincoln “All must admit that the reception of the teachings of Christ results in the purest patriotism, in the most scrupulous fidelity to public trust, and in the best type of citizenship.” Grover Cleveland “Before any man can be considered as a member of civil society, he must be considered as a subject of the Governor of the Universe. And to the same Divine Author of every good and perfect gift we are indebted for all those privileges and advantages, religious as well as civil, which are so richly enjoyed in this favored land.” James Monroe “A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education.” Theodore Roosevelt “The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country.” Calvin Coolidge “The study of the Bible is a post-graduate course in the richest library of human experience.” Herbert Hoover “The rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God.” John F. Kennedy “Of the many influences that have shaped the United States into a distinctive nation and people, none may be said to be more fundamental and enduring than the Bible.” Ronald Reagan “If we ever forget that we are one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under. Ronald Reagan As we offer up priestly prayers and release kingly decrees, using these and other portions of America’s “foreword,” do so with a conscious faith that God is hearing our appeals, and the sword we release is powerful. As many thousands of us obey Him, agreeing together in Christ’s name, we are releasing His Kingdom will into the earth. And His Kingdom wins - always. Our Prayer and Decree: Father, You have taught us the power of “the synergy of the ages.” We know that You finish through future generations that which You began in the past. It is our privilege to honor those from the past and build on the foundations You established through them. We are reminded that the words “patriot” and “patriotism” come from the Greek word for father/s (pater)[6]. We desire to be true patriots, honoring and embracing the vision, work, and efforts of our founding fathers and mothers. Therefore, we make the following decrees today, commanding the “Foreword” they wrote: We decree that it is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible. We decree that we recognize no sovereign but God, and no King but Jesus. We decree that the future of American civilization is not in the power of government, that God established the capacity in people for self-government, according to His commandments. We decree that the future and success of America are not found in our laws or Constitution, but in the laws of God, upon which the Constitution was founded. We decree that God keeps the Republic of America in His hands, to overrule human intentions and actions, and to preserve us from destruction. We decree that we will not forget God and His gracious hand, which has preserved us in peace, multiplied us, and enriched us bountifully. We decree that the reception of the teachings of Christ results in the purest patriotism, the most scrupulous fidelity to public trust, and the best type of citizenship. We decree that knowledge of the Bible is worth more than all other education and training. We decree that we will never forget we are one nation UNDER GOD. And we decree that life is in the power of these words, and that we will eat the fruit thereof (Proverbs 18.21). America shall be saved! The Weapon of Truth First, I want to apologize for the glitch regarding the written version of yesterday's post. I realize it was late getting onto the website and the app. We are not always sure why glitches of this nature occur, but we do regret the inconvenience to those of you who read them early in the morning. As we move into a season of declaring and agreeing in prayer with America’s “Foreword” - the plans and purposes of God for our nation, stated at the beginning of her “book” - I will be doing posts periodically to share helpful information regarding this. (I shared three books yesterday, which can aid in this, and will list them again at the end of today’s post. Unfortunately, I have since discovered that The Light and the Glory, is out of print.) Today, I want to share with you several powerful quotes from U.S. presidents. They are not all from our Founding Fathers; however, even those made in more recent times, having been stated by those in positions of great authority, are words we can agree with and declare. They also serve to combat the lies of revisionists who try to diminish our Christian roots and heritage. Truth is a powerful weapon. Here are a few - from hundreds of possibilities - stating faith in God, respect for His Word, and honor for Christ: “It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.” George Washington “The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which heaven itself has ordained.” George Washington “We recognize no sovereign but God, and no king but Jesus!” John Adams “I consider a decent respect for Christianity among the best recommendations for public service.” John Adams. “The reason that Christianity is the best friend of government is because Christianity is the only religion that changes the heart.” Thomas Jefferson “The Bible is the first and almost the only book deserving of universal attention.” John Quincy Adams “My custom is to read four or five chapters of the Bible every morning immediately after rising. It seems to me the most suitable manner of beginning the day. It is an invaluable and inexhaustible mine of knowledge and virtue.” John Quincy Adams “The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.” John Quincy Adams “We have staked the whole future of American civilization not on the power of government, far from it. We have staked the whole of our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves according to the commandments of God. The future and success of America are not in this Constitution, but in the laws of God upon which this Constitution is founded.” James Madison “Finally, it is my most fervent prayer to that Almighty Being before whom I now stand, and who has kept us in His hands from the infancy of our Republic unto the present day, that He will so overrule all of my intentions and actions and inspire the hearts of my fellow-citizens that we may be preserved from dangers of all kinds and continue forever a united and happy people.” Andrew Jackson “We have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand, which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.” Abraham Lincoln “I am profitably engaged in reading the Bible. Take all of this Book upon reason that you can, and the balance by faith, and you will live and die a better man.” Abraham Lincoln “All must admit that the reception of the teachings of Christ results in the purest patriotism, in the most scrupulous fidelity to public trust, and in the best type of citizenship.” Grover Cleveland “Before any man can be considered as a member of civil society, he must be considered as a subject of the Governor of the Universe. And to the same Divine Author of every good and perfect gift we are indebted for all those privileges and advantages, religious as well as civil, which are so richly enjoyed in this favored land.” James Monroe “A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education.” Theodore Roosevelt “The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country.” Calvin Coolidge “The study of the Bible is a post-graduate course in the richest library of human experience.” Herbert Hoover “The rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God.” John F. Kennedy “Of the many influences that have shaped the United States into a distinctive nation and people, none may be said to be more fundamental and enduring than the Bible. Ronald Reagan “If we ever forget that we are one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.” Ronald Reagan (1) As we offer up priestly prayers and release kingly decrees, using these and other portions of America’s “foreword,” do so with a conscious faith that God is hearing our appeals, and the sword we release is powerful. As many thousands of us obey Him, agreeing together in Christ’s name, we are releasing His Kingdom will into the earth. And His Kingdom wins - always. Our Prayer and Decree: Father, You have taught us the power of “the synergy of the ages.” We know that You finish through future generations that which You began in the past. It is our privilege to honor those from the past and build on the foundations You established through them. We are reminded that the words “patriot” and “patriotism” come from the Greek word for father/s (pater)[2]. We desire to be true patriots, honoring and embracing the vision, work, and efforts of our founding fathers and mothers. Therefore, we make the following decrees today, commanding the “Foreword” they wrote: We decree that it is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible. We decree that we recognize no sovereign but God, and no King but Jesus. We decree that the future of American civilization is not in the power of government, that God established the capacity in people for self-government, according to His commandments. We decree that the future and success of America are not found in our laws or Constitution, but in the laws of God, upon which the Constitution was founded. We decree that God keeps the Republic of America in His hands, to overrule human intentions and actions, and to preserve us from destruction. We decree that we will not forget God and His gracious hand, which has preserved us in peace, multiplied us, and enriched us bountifully. We decree that the reception of the teachings of Christ results in the purest patriotism, the most scrupulous fidelity to public trust, and the best type of citizenship. We decree that knowledge of the Bible is worth more than all other education and training. We decree that we will never forget we are one nation UNDER GOD. And we decree that life is in the power of these words, and that we will eat the fruit thereof (Proverbs 18.21). America shall be saved! Three of the best books for quotes from America’s early leaders and Founders, as well as information regarding America’s beginning, are: Faith of Our Founding Fathers by Leo Godzich America’s God and Country: Encyclopedia of Quotations by William J. Federer The Light and the Glory by Peter Marshall and David Manuel (OUT OF PRINT) ________________________________ Leo Godzich, Faith of Our Founding Fathers, (Phoenix, AR: The National Association of Marriage Enhancement Publishers, 1982), pp. 63-65. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), Ref. No. 3962.

Connecting the "Knots" The body of Christ’s misunderstanding and misuse of certain words has cost us greatly. Two of those words are “calling” and “ministry.” We have taught that clergy, or those who do full-time ministry as a vocation, are “called” to the ministry. The rest of you non-called Christians, well, I’m sorry, but I guess you just have jobs - in order to support the called. The Bible, however, teaches that all believers have a “calling” from God (Ephesians 1:18; 4:4; 2 Thessalonians 1:11; 2 Timothy 1:9; Hebrews 3:1; 2 Peter 1:10). The verse in 2 Timothy 1:9 says God “has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.” All believers have a holy calling and purpose! The Greek word (klesis)[1] means “an invitation.” We have also grossly misused the word “ministry.” There are actually six New Testament words for minister or ministry, all of which mean “to serve.” Each of them offers a different nuance and/or purpose for the serving. The one normally associated with what we call “the ministry” is diakoneo(2)/diakonia(3), which simply means “to serve, attend or wait on.” We also get the word deacon from this word. In Acts chapter 6, it is used both for both the apostles’ “ministries” (Acts 6:4) and the deacon’s “ministries” (Acts 6:2). One group served natural food to the widows; the other served spiritual food to the entire church. Both were servants. Diakonia simply means to serve another, regardless of the purpose. We are ALL called to ministry or service for Christ. (My apologies to all the “clergy”, but there is actually only one “Reverend.”) Tom Schlueter “serves” as the leader of the Texas Apostolic Prayer Network, which consists of over 10,000 Texans “serving” their state in prayer. Tom gave us most of yesterday’s post. In light of Holy Spirit now taking each state to a new level of prayer, I’ve asked him to share a few more comments today regarding how this can occur. Tom shares: “I clearly remember the day I read this comment from Dutch: ‘I want to honor the faithful intercessors and other front-liners who have worked diligently to see the purposes of Christ accomplished in America. Most of you are never paid a penny for your labor, never receive glowing introductions, and will never stand on a stage. You’re the nameless, faceless heroes the prophets assured us were coming. Thank God you’re here. Your best days are ahead of you.’ “I wholeheartedly agree. “Ministry has been ‘religiously’ defined as the people on the platform, the stage, the front lines, or behind the pulpit, and sadly, they are perceived as the important ones. Regarding prayer, those running the networks are considered the important ones. Wrong! YOU are the important ones. As we said yesterday, you are the blades of grass in God’s grassroots movement. Without you, what God wants to do now for your state and our nation will not occur. Remember, a general without an army is not a general! “I have a fishing net hanging in my office next to a logo for our Texas prayer network. I’ve often pulled down that net and taken it to our gatherings. I hold it up and ask everyone: ‘Can you tell me which knot you are?’ They give me a strange look. Then I say to them, ‘You need to understand that you are a knot in this net.’ I then ask, ‘Which knot is most important?’ They always give me a puzzled look. Then I tell them: ‘Your knot is the most important, because without it, there’s a hole in the net.’ Every knot is important. Then, if we’re going to build an army, we need to ‘connect the knots.’ The Beginning “I believe it was 2005, before I became the leader of our network, and I was attending a conference in Oklahoma City. I had just visited a Native American tribal leader in Oklahoma and was returning to the conference to report on the meeting. I found my friend, Apostle Jay Swallow, who had sent me, in the green room with a few other leaders. Dutch Sheets was there. As I listened to the conversation, Dutch suddenly turned to me and asked, ‘Tom, can you tell me how intercession is going in Texas?’ I told him I knew people in Texas were praying, but I had no sense that they were connected. Later in the conference, Dutch came to me, along with other leaders, and prophesied that he believed I would be a catalyst for leading prayer in the state of Texas. “Then, in June of 2007, Chuck Pierce commissioned me to lead the state of Texas with a newly forming prayer network. The commissioning was held in the auditorium of our state Capitol in Austin, which was packed with intercessors from across the state. The network was birthed…and yet, not fully, because none of those people were truly connected with each other. They had simply been invited to a meeting. Connecting the “Knots” “Many have asked me how we developed this large and successful network of intercession. I have tried to come up with key points or a formula we used, but there simply isn’t one. The network grew out of a simple act of obedience. You see, even before I was commissioned by Chuck Pierce, the Lord had already told me to drive the circumference of the state and pray. He had asked me to do the same thing regarding my own city of Arlington, which I had done. So, after we were commissioned, my wife and I set out on our journey. I had emailed those on the email list we had just obtained when I was commissioned, asking them to join us in their area. Out of that email communication, many lunches, prayer gatherings, and other connections were made as we circled the state. Out of those connections, the Lord said, ‘Ask these to be on your team; they will be part of this newly forming network.’ “This was somewhat of a stretch - they had not been vetted or examined. And as it turns out, they, like me, are not perfect! But they were chosen by Him. And these connections were the beginnings of a net that grew and has now generated a statewide transformation affecting the entire world. What a joy it has been to see these 12-15 leaders in Texas grow to over 100 coordinators throughout the state. And to observe how these leaders have changed the very atmosphere of our state by obediently carrying out what God has asked them to do in their regions. Through their efforts, the number of intercessors now connected exceeds ten thousand. “We are all blades of grass, knots in a net, and as we connect, we will witness the transformation of cities, states, and a nation.” This brings me to two more of the words for servants/ministers. One is huperetes(4) which means, “a subordinate, servant or attendant.” It is used to describe King David in Acts 13:36, as he ”served” God’s purpose in his generation. Ah, but there is a hidden meaning! This word comes from two Greek words meaning “under” and “rower”. An under-rower was one of several people who rowed a boat or small ship in that day. The key to their success was the synergy produced when they rowed together, simultaneously. Thirty men who take turns rowing produce only the strength of one - thirty different times. But thirty men rowing simultaneously create a force that can move a small ship. This is why they rowed to a cadence. When God can get a group of servant ministers (diakonia) to connect and row together (huperetes), the body of Christ can do the last word for a servant: therapon(5). This word, meaning “servant, attendant, or minister,” includes doing so to cure and heal! (See Matthew 4:23-24). We get the words “therapy” and “therapist” from this Greek word. As Tom said, “We are all blades of grass, knots in a net (diakonia), and as we connect (huperetes) we will witness the transformation of cities, states, and a nation (therapon).” Pray with me: Father, Jesus demonstrated true ministry - servanthood - as He went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by satan (Acts 10:38). He came, not to be served, but to serve and give His life for many (Matthew 20.28). David, a king, was called a servant. Your apostles were called servants. We ask for great revelation to invade the church regarding our call to servanthood. And we ask for our hearts to be moved upon by Holy Spirit, bringing us passionate desires to connect, to work together. We ask that denominations, movements, leaders, and all believers would be moved on to produce this. Convict the church of judging one another, criticizing, and causing and/or honoring divisions. Show us the religiosity and pride behind this and bring a spirit of repentance and love. And we ask for connections - millions of them. Build prayer connections, enabling us to fulfill the assignments you’ve given. We ask that EVERY state have a STRONG prayer covering by the Ekklesia. We declare that every state will be painted - anointed - by the oil of Holy Spirit, sealed and protected. Anchor every one of them to You and Your protective hand. Through the shaking, return our nation to You and send the greatest awakening EVER. In Christ’s name, amen. Our decree: We decree that Spirit-led connections are occurring, causing great power to manifest in our land. Click on the link below to watch the full video. _____________________________ James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), Ref. No. 2821. Ibid. Ref. No. 1247. Ibid. Ref. No. 1248. Ibid. Ref. No. 5257. Ibid. Ref. No. 2324.

The Grassroots Army of God I pastored a church in Colorado when the prayer movement and restoration of the prophetic was beginning. As with any “new” understanding, these restored activities began with some extremes. That’s why we have the phrase, “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.” Some in our congregation felt the assignment to become watchmen intercessors. As God showed them things, however, through dreams, visions and so on, many didn’t know what to do with the information. Consequently, they would approach me, sometimes even during worship, informing me of various “pictures” - perhaps that they saw a demon in the sanctuary. They, of course, wanted me to cast it out; or maybe have the entire congregation do so! MANY pictures, “words from God,” colors, numbers, verses, etc, were given to me in this fashion from my “watchmen.” I finally told the Lord, “Some of these intercessors are driving me crazy. They’re weird, out of balance, a nuisance.” His response was unnerving, “And whose fault is that?” He said. “Their hearts are good; you just haven’t taught them how to be watchmen - how to interpret the prophetic, what to do with what I show them. Blame yourself, not them. You can either shut down what I’M doing, or you can teach them until they are qualified.” The workshops began soon thereafter. Many believers are not used by Holy Spirit because leaders don’t trust and/or train them. And the Kingdom of God suffers greatly because of this. Today, Tom Schlueter addresses this subject for us. “A general without an army is not a general. “In a recent conversation with Dutch, we were discussing the fact that in order for the nation to come into its full destiny and transformation, we must have a trained, Kingdom-minded spiritual army in each state. Not a natural army with natural weapons, of course, but one consisting of believers who truly believe God wants to transform our nation. “Years ago, as I served with several nationwide prayer networks, the Lord gave me an impression, ‘The strength of a nation is in the strength of the states.’ Our nation, as a constitutional republic, is ‘of the people, by the people, and for the people.’ However, we have witnessed this understanding, and the ‘rights’ it produces, diminish and almost disappear through the gradual takeover by a strong, over-lording federal government. We must see this reversed. Sadly, a similar thing has occurred in the church. Believers have been relegated to a watch-and-see role, the vast majority observing from the sidelines as only a few, usually from a hierarchical structure, do the work of the Kingdom. This is not God’s plan. Just as the strength of our nation is in the states and the people - not a central government - the strength of the church is in the entire body of Christ. “Based on my conversations with Dutch, the Lord kept bringing my opening phrase to me - a general without an army is not a general. We need the army! What has caused this lack of involvement on the part of many? “I believe we have many in the church and, yes, even in the prayer movement, who believe they do not fully qualify to be part of what God wants to do in their state and our nation. Many pray in their prayer closets or church groups, but have felt uninvited and untrusted in efforts for their city, county, parish, or state. This has caused them to feel unqualified, and this has been exacerbated as leaders in their city, county, state, or nation avoid using them because they also feel people are unqualified or unvetted. The result: we have small ‘qualified’ teams operating in their sphere of influence, but no army forming out of the grassroots. I realize there are times, just as in military strategies, to send small teams to carry out certain assignments. But more often than not, we have made that the ONLY plan for ALL assignments. We must begin to recruit the grassroots saints God has anointed to be His ever-increasing army. “A few months ago, as I was looking out the front picture window of our home, the Lord asked me a simple question, ‘Tom, have you considered the blade of grass?’ “I replied, ‘Well, Lord, I don’t know. I am assuming I have, but you obviously have a message for me.’ “He did, and it was very clear, ‘You cannot have a grassroots army unless you consider every blade of grass as important.’ “I have applied this principle as I lead the Texas Apostolic Prayer Network. And in doing so, we have witnessed a mighty army form in Texas, with 10,000 connected intercessors covering our state. Holy Spirit wants this to occur where you live. “Like so many who feel ‘unqualified,’ I used to feel the same way. I grew up as a Spirit-filled Lutheran pastor, which is an oddity, but was totally unfamiliar with intercession, the prophetic, and the apostolic. The more I read about these topics, the more unqualified I felt, since I was serving a small Lutheran congregation of 50 people here in Arlington, Texas. I could not comprehend how I might be used as an instrument in what God wanted to do in our state or nation. “I literally felt as though I was on the outside of an invisible circle - or perhaps I should say inside a circle - and would never be able to fully engage with what was going on outside my city. I did grow, however, in my understanding of intercession and began inviting other local intercessors to join me in praying for our city. I had read powerful books on intercession written by Dutch Sheets, Beth Alves, Jack Hayford, Jim Goll, Cindy Jacobs, and others, and embraced the fact that I was an intercessor (even though most pastors avoid that label). Then the Lord downloaded a 2-part revelation to me, which changed everything. I write about in my first book, Return of the Priests: ‘God showed me that intercession is not just a special gift or anointing. Intercession is a position. God desires that we intercede or pray for others in whatever place or position He has appointed for us. A woman, in her position as mother, will pray for her children. A man, in his position as father, will pray for his family. A person, in the position of employer, will pray for those who work at his or her company. People, in their positions as citizens, will intercede for their city or nation. God showed me that Jesus was in the perfect position of intercession as He hung upon the cross. Jesus prayed from the cross, but it was not His prayers that saved us. It was His position of intercession - between God and our sins - that saved us from the judgment we deserved.’ [Italics are mine - Dutch] “This revelation exploded in my spirit. I realized I was in a position no one else was in…and so are you. The Lord revealed that we are to take responsibility for our ‘positions’ or spheres of influence, praying that those people and/or places become fully transformed by God. See your position as a prized possession. “A while back, I was contemplating the fact that my wife and I do not own one square inch of land in the state of Texas. We have often thought and prayed about purchasing land, but every time we tried it was blocked. I spoke to the Lord about this - almost complaining to Him - stating that He’s given me responsibility for this state, but I don’t own any land in the state. His answer was simple and profound: ‘I have given you Texas as a possession.’ What a revelation! “Prioritize what God has assigned you. I remember an instance in my life as I was growing in my understanding of intercessory prayer. I was complaining to God that requests on my prayer list were not being answered. I had four or five things I was passionately praying for on a regular basis, but wasn’t seeing any answers. His response to me was, ‘Tom, number one on your list is number four on mine.’ Ouch! It was then that I realized I needed to start listening more to God regarding my ‘Position.’ What did He want me to pray? What did He want me to release into my family, my church, my city, or state or nation? Part two of the revelation was that our ‘position’ is the place from which we carry out our role as priests, representing Christ and His salvation to others. We are all priests of God. This is stated emphatically in Exodus 19:6, 1 Peter 2:9, and Revelation 1:5-6. Therefore, EVERY person redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ is called to the redemption and transformation of the world we inhabit, not just a few, select people. “It was through this 2-fold revelation that the Lord started erasing the invisible line or circle I mistakenly thought was there. He brought me to the place where I could become the influence He desired me to be in my own sphere or position. Holy Spirit wants to do this for all of us. He has called us, placed us, and desires to qualify us, teaching us to become effective for Christ.” A fancy-dressed, uppity tourist from a large city was visiting a small, seemingly insignificant country village. Seeing one of the lowly, plain-dressed locals, he asked in a condescending tone, “Were there any great men born here? Not in the least intimidated, the village resident replied, “Nope. Only babies.” No one is born a great intercessor, nor are they born with greatness in any other calling or activity. All of us are born as babies, but with great potential. With training and effort, we can grow in maturity and become proficient - qualified! - in our God-given assignments. You are needed in this Kingdom army! Pray with me: Father, please awaken leaders, and awaken the sleeping army. Motivate the members of the body of Christ to value and fulfill their individual roles, and motivate the leaders to train and release them. Forgive us for any way in which we have devalued our brothers and sisters. As we paint our state borders, anchoring and protecting our nation, encourage all to participate. Every prayer is needed and is important to You. Build such a strong prayer grid over America that no evil can penetrate it. In Christ’s name, we pray, amen. Our decree: We decree that millions of believers will find their place as intercessors and watchmen in our land and around the world. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Work While You Celebrate (Part 1) Yesterday I mentioned that I believe this fall marks a pivotal point in our nation. The war for the soul of America will amp up to new levels. We must be ready for this, and I believe we will. For the remainder of this week, I am going to read and discuss a dream given to Gina Gholston, in February of this year, which relates to this. Here is the first part, taken from her incredible new book, Carry On: Intercessors Summoned “I dreamed that thousands of people had been summoned by the Lord to gather in a certain place. I am not sure of the location, but we met in a very large colosseum-type building. The seating was sloped downward, with a stage at the bottom. Thousands of people were in the seats, and on the stage, hundreds were sitting in chairs. I knew the people in the auditorium were intercessors from around the nation, and those on the stage were leaders - of businesses, ministries, churches, denominations, colleges and schools, political leaders, etc. U.S. Map and Geysers “As we all took our seats, suddenly, a huge overhead screen appeared. On it was a map of the United States. On the map, geyser-type eruptions began popping up in various cities. The first one was near Lexington, Kentucky; we knew this represented what was happening, at the time, at Asbury College. “Then the other ‘geysers’ began erupting on the map, spewing out fire, water, and oil. This was all happening in real-time. We were literally watching a move of God as it was quickly spreading throughout the nation. Thunderous applause and celebration broke out in the Colosseum as we watched this happening on the map. “As the celebration broke out, suddenly, the voice of God resounded. It seemed as though His voice came through a P.A. system; it sounded like loud, deep thunder. We could feel the vibration as it shook the floor beneath us. “He said, very adamantly, ‘Do NOT become distracted by the movement!’ This brought a collective gasp from the crowd as we all wondered, ‘What does that mean?’ “He continued, ‘Celebrate the movement, YES! But do not become distracted by it! Work while you celebrate!’ He repeated this three or four times. That phrase, ‘Work while you celebrate!’ gripped us deeply. It was like a jolt that readjusted our focus. There was great joy for what was beginning to happen, but at that moment, we were all captured by a sense of urgency. It was then that we realized this was not a ‘normal’ gathering; it was an urgent call to attention.” Dutch’s Comments The purpose of this gathering of leaders and intercessors was to release significant instructions and strategies to them. The strategies become much more detailed in the latter part of the dream. In this portion, however, God gave us encouragement and a warning. We were encouraged as we watched the growing outpouring of Holy Spirit in America. This has begun and will intensify. It was right to rejoice and celebrate this! Then, however, the Lord surprised us with a stern warning: “Do not be distracted by the movement! Celebrate…but work while you celebrate!” Whether it be in athletics, business, or spiritual efforts, our human nature has a tendency to “let up” when we experience breakthroughs, significant progress, or momentum. Coaches can often be heard warning players after they attain a good lead, “Don’t let up!” Why? Comebacks by the opposition are possible. And also, as the profound and eloquent saying goes, “It ain’t over til it’s over.” Obviously, America has not yet broken through into a full-blown revival. Until then, we must persevere. And even when revival hits its full stride, there will still be much work to do, including the guarding of what is happening. The Dream Continues “The map continued to be seen on the screen, and real-time happenings continued to show on the map. Then, on the stage, two MASSIVE steel cables dropped in front of the leaders seated there. Each cable had a very large steel ring on each end—so, two cables and four rings. “As soon as the cables hit the stage, four angels appeared and carried the cables out of our location. We then could see the angels—with the cables—on the overhead screen. Two angels carried one cable, each holding a ring in their hands. One angel went north to an anchor that had already been set in place and was attached deep into the ground. The angel placed the ring over the anchor, securing it in place. The other angel took his ring south and secured it to an anchor there. The two angels with the other cable, took their rings east and west, securing them to anchors in those locations. “Then, on the stage, in front of the leaders, two more cables fell. The four angels returned and did as before, this time taking the cables and securing the rings to anchors located northeast and southwest, northwest and southeast.” Now, we were looking at the map on the screen through the crisscross of these cables that had been anchored in place. Then the Lord spoke and said, “There is a shaking that is coming, but you must not fear! You must know and be convinced that this nation is anchored and surrounded. KNOW that! Be convinced of that!” Dutch’s Comments In this portion of the dream, angels are seen anchoring America with huge cables that extend across the nation - north to south, east to west, northeast to southwest, and southeast to northwest. The cables were connected to previously placed anchors attached deep in the ground. This formed a strong anchoring grid, crisscrossing America. As we watched this, the Lord delivered yet another warning. Here are His words again: “There is a shaking coming, but you must not fear! You must know and be convinced that this nation is anchored and surrounded. KNOW that! Be convinced of that!” We will talk more about the anchoring of the nation tomorrow, commenting on another profound statement made by God in the dream. Today, however, I want to comment on the “surrounding” of America. Gina told me that when she heard the word, she was reminded of comments from my brother, Tim Sheets, and Chuck Pierce. Each has had visions of 51 government angels assigned to America. In Chuck’s vision, 4 more angels - ruling angels - were seen. He told me, “The 4 ruling angels were in position, surrounding the U.S. The 51 angels were sent by them to each state; then they were all sent to D.C.” Tim said, “Three or four years back, I saw one angel for each state capital and one for Washington D.C., all government angels. Then, last year at Thanksgiving, again in December, and two more times in January of this year, I saw these 51 government angels surrounding Washington, D.C., along with four Seraphim. They were using the decrees of the Ekklesia to weave a cocoon around D.C., which they had also done at the state capitals. Our words were being used like thread. I then heard Holy Spirit proclaim one word which I knew was a play on the word ‘reformation.’ He pronounced it ‘re-form-action’!” These visions are so encouraging and confirm what the Lord spoke in the dream, “America is anchored and surrounded. KNOW that!” I am confident there is a shaking coming, as was also stated in the dream, but we must be confident that our prayers and decrees have been effective. It still works! Regardless of what is implemented by evil forces in their attempt to destroy America, their efforts will fail! In tomorrow’s portion of the dream, we will hear specific and profound instructions from the Lord regarding our role in His “re-form-action.” Pray with me: Father, America’s drift from You has become a chasm. We grieve deeply as we see sin flaunted and celebrated at the White House, though we love and pray for the salvation of every participant. Only the prayers of those standing in the gap, appealing to Your mercy through the blood of Jesus, have preserved our nation. We thank You for Your incredible mercy. On this Flag Day, we also thank You for this dream, assuring us that America is anchored and surrounded. As we continue to reap the whirlwind of our sins, we also declare our faith that America shall be saved. When the iniquitous cup of the evildoers is full, their hold on the land will be removed. Yet even in this, we pray for their salvation. Your love and mercy are so great! We will not fear the shaking. We trust You to do what is necessary to save this nation. As unrighteous kingdoms fall, Your Kingdom will stand and expand. Even now, in obedience to Your command, we decree, “Your Kingdom come! Your will be done on earth as in heaven!” Cover the earth with Your glory as the waters cover the seas. We also commit to persevering, working while we celebrate Your outpourings. We will not let up or lose focus. We will see this process through to its finish, fighting the good fight of faith and laying hold of eternal life. All of this we pray and decree through Christ’s authority, amen. Our decree: We decree that America is anchored and surrounded by prayers and angelic activity. She will stand. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Parts of today’s post were taken from Gina Gholston’s new book Carry On. You can find out more about Gina and this book at GinaGholstonMinistries.org.

Work While You Celebrate (Part 2) Yesterday I began relating a dream given to Gina Gholston, from her new book, Carry On. Many of you are ordering it, which I highly recommend. (Her website is a bit overwhelmed. Just keep trying and you’ll get through.) PLEASE read yesterday’s post if you haven’t seen it, in order to have the complete context for today’s and tomorrow’s posts. We ended yesterday’s post at the point in the dream when God said a shaking was coming to America, but also told us not to fear. He assured us that America is “anchored and surrounded” by angels. Here is the next portion of the dream, followed by Gina’s own comments and interpretation: The Dream Continues: “Next, there appeared a manilla folder in the lap of each of the leaders seated on the stage. We opened our folder and found one sheet of paper each. On the paper were listed four instructive bullet points. Across the top of the page was written: COMMAND THE FOREWORD! “When I read those words, I was a bit confused. The phrase was not ‘Command the Forward.’ I understood that a foreword is something written for the beginning of a book. Was He saying that everything was going to be destroyed by this ‘shaking’ He had said was coming and that a ‘new book’ was going to be started for America? “There was a microphone on the stage, and I worked up enough courage to walk up to it and ask, ‘Lord, what does this mean?’ “He answered audibly, speaking to everyone in the coliseum, ‘It’s time to command what was written at the beginning. Command the foreword! Bring this nation back into alignment with that which was written in the beginning—when this land became a nation. This is the purpose for which She was established. Those prophetic decrees were spoken in the beginning in agreement with My intended purposes. Now, I say to you, “COMMAND THE FOREWORD!” Know My purposes! Decree those purposes! Do not back down! Know what I have said and established. Agree and decree in agreement with Me, and your decrees will provoke a shaking that will bring this nation back into alignment with My original “Foreword.”’ Baptism of Fire “In that moment, the place in which we were gathered began to vibrate with what felt like an electrical current. A wind started to blow, and then it was as if fire just dropped down out of the heavens onto every one of us. It wasn’t a natural, flaming fire; it was the fiery presence of the Lord as He entered the building in a visible, tangible demonstration. “When this happened, people began falling onto the floor, overwhelmed by the presence of the Lord. Some fell to their knees and began to weep. Others were running around, lifting their hands with shouts of joy! “The thought that came to my mind in that moment was, ‘This is a true baptism of Fire!’ And no one in the room was exempt from it. No one questioned or debated it. No one was offended by the reactions to it! No one said, ‘We don’t believe in this!’ or ‘This is not how we do it at our church!’ The baptism of fire came with force and everyone received it! Somehow, we all understood that we were being transformed by the Fire of God. The Oil “After some time, the leaders and all of those in the room were able to sit back down. As we each took our seat, a paint brush and a bucket filled with oil appeared at every person’s feet. The Lord instructed us, ‘Go from here. Carry the Oil and secure the perimeters of your states. Paint the perimeters with the Oil, and it will be secured.’ We knew He was showing us that this, too, will help to secure us when the shaking comes.” Gina’s Comments: “We must settle in our minds the indisputable fact that God has not led America to this point for the purpose of allowing everything He has said and done to crumble and fall…In the dream, He made it clear that He has never forgotten the purposes He has had for America since before she was established. He referred to these purposes as His ‘original foreword.’ Our true history records that an idea and a longing began to stir in the hearts of a group of men and women in England. God placed in them a longing for a homeland where they could be free to live productively and worship Him without restriction. That desire provoked them to leave everything they had known, and with huge steps of faith, set out on a long, arduous journey of discovery. “The journey led them to the eastern shores of what would become one of the greatest nations on earth. Her greatness would not be because the people did everything right - many dark moments have been recorded throughout our history. Her greatness would be because She was established as a nation ‘under God.’ He led those pilgrims to these shores, and upon their landing, they planted a cross on the beach. Then, through them, God prophesied His intentions for the nation’s existence. “On April 29, 1607, Reverend Robert Hunt stood and offered this prayer: ‘We do hereby dedicate this Land and ourselves to reach the people within these shores with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to raise up Godly generations after us, and with these generations, take the Kingdom of God to all the earth. May this covenant of dedication remain to all generations as long as the earth remains, and may this land, along with England, be Evangelist to the world. May all who see this cross remember what we have done here, and may those, who come here to inhabit, join us in this covenant and in this most noble work that the Holy Scriptures may be fulfilled. From these very shores, the Gospel shall go forth, not only to this New World, but the entire world.’ “The following Bible passage was then read: ‘All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before Thee. For the Kingdom is the Lord’s, and He ruleth among the nations.’ (Psalm 22:27-28) “While I do not fully understand the symbolism and location of the anchors [mentioned in yesterday’s post] to which the angels secured America in the dream, I am sure the Cross they planted at Cape Henry marks one of them. As Robert Hunt released his prophetic prayer, right then and there, God revealed His purpose for the United States of America. From those words we can conclude, at the very beginning of this nation, God was anchoring her deeply to His prophetic declaration, ‘America shall be saved!’ “Though she has rocked and reeled in the tempest winds of evil agendas - and at times it has seemed she would surely fall - America still stands! She stands because God has purpose for this nation! He has never forgotten nor abandoned His original desires. His plan has not failed. His words have not been altered! “Our nation is once again reeling in the adverse winds being stirred by evil agendas designed to uproot the anchors and destroy the foundation of our Christian heritage…but it will not happen. God has summoned His Ekklesia. He is marking us with a fresh baptism of fire, filling us afresh with His Spirit. A shaking is coming, but He has secured us to the anchor. We must know that and be convinced of it!” Tomorrow, we will look at the instructions in the folder the Lord gave those in the coliseum. They are important. Pray with me: Father, we thank You for raising up America as a voice for the good news of Christ’s Kingdom and redemption. This is undeniable. We are humbled and honored to be part of this plan. And though as a nation we have abandoned this calling, You have not; You intend to revive and re-fire it. We are forever grateful that the restoration and fulfillment of this purpose is not dependent on those who oppose You, but on Holy Spirit and the church. We, the Ekklesia of Christ on earth, say yes to this calling. We say yes to our healing, and yes to whatever is required in order for You to accomplish it. We do not fear this. We are anchored by You and Your purposes, and we are surrounded by heaven’s host. We now do as You instructed and command America’s foreword: • We are a nation under God. • We are in covenant with Yahweh. • As an evangelist nation, we exist to fill the earth with the gospel. • The Liberty Bell, rung on the day of our formal birth, confirms this through the scripture it contains, Leviticus 25:10. • We were birthed by heaven under thousands of appeals. Our decree: We, the Ekklesia of Christ, will command America’s foreword into the airwaves of America, allowing Holy Spirit to reestablish its reality. And we will receive the fresh baptism of fire! Click on the link below to watch the full video. Most of today’s post was taken from Gina Gholston’s new book, Carry On. You can find the dream in Chapter 8, “Anchored in Hope,” pp.115 - 124. Find out more about Gina and this book at GinaGholstonMinistries.org.

Partnering in the Assignment Holy Spirit has done much in the past several decades to awaken the church regarding the importance and power of prayer. Hundreds of good books have been written; many ministries focus almost solely on prayer; several prayer networks have formed; many churches are praying; and thousands of prayer groups meet regularly here in America and around the world, with millions of people praying. We are also growing in our revelation and understanding. This growth, both spiritually and numerically, is a big part of God’s plan for bringing about the coming harvest. Thousands of these intercessors and groups have already tapped into the assignment to “paint”/anoint the perimeters of their states, securing them and releasing Holy Spirit fire. (You can read the posts and learn more about that here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3) Today, I’m sharing some of the reports we’re receiving, both to encourage you and also to give examples of how this can be done. For the remainder of the week, I’ll be teaching various principles and guidelines to help you. Here are some of the reports: Alaska A team flew to Mt. Denali (formerly Mt. McKinley), the highest mountain peak in North America at over 20,000 feet, and prayed for Alaska and the nation. They sent me a video and pictures from there, one of them showing the words “An Appeal To Heaven” written in the snow. I love the obedience, creativity, and commitment! Kansas Sandy Neuman, a friend and key prayer leader in Kansas, sent the following: “This is our Kansas foreword. It will be declared in each county, along with anointing them - and whatever else each team wants to do. One retired couple is going to drive the perimeter, anointing the borders. We’re on it!” “Kansas’ Command The Foreword: ‘In 2023, we, the people of Kansas, agree and renew our commitment to the covenant of dedication made on April 29, 1607, by Reverend Robert Hunt at Cape Henry, North America. ‘“We do hereby dedicate this land and ourselves to reach the people within these shores with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to raise up godly generations after us and with these generations, take the Kingdom of God to all the earth. May this covenant of dedication remain to all generations as long as the earth remains, and may this land, along with England, be evangelists to the world. May all who see this cross remember what we have done here, and may those, who come here to inhabit, join us in this covenant and in this noblest work that the Holy Scriptures may be fulfilled. From these very shores, the gospel shall go forth, not only to this New World, but the entire world. ‘All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before Thee. For the Kingdom is the Lord's, and He rules among the nations’ (Psalm 22:27-28). “‘That spiritual stream of the covenant of freedom and liberty crossed the land now called The United States Of America, and we were the recipients of that initial prayer of dedication in 1861, the year of statehood. Kansas is the fruit of that covenant at Cape Henry. We now join in with that original design and purpose for the entire nation. “‘As the preamble to the state constitution states, “We, the people of Kansas, are grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious privileges…” Kansas declared freedom then and has continued to this day to pursue the Gospel of the Kingdom.”’ Sandy and the teams of intercessors in Kansas always take seriously the word of the Lord and DO it. What a great decree! South Carolina Here’s a great report from South Carolina: “President Trump will be speaking from Pickens County Main Street in Pickens, South Carolina, on July 1. Given your Friday’s teaching on anointing states, God’s Prayer Group, which meets in Easley, South Carolina (part of Pickens County), felt led to go and anoint all the corners of our county. The city of Pickens is also petitioning for an ordinance to be a sanctity of life city. There are many prayer teams praying in this area. Praise God for your leadership as well as the leadership God is putting into place in our area. Tuesday morning, we will meet and pray (with a 98-year-old intercessor!) from 9:30 to 1:00. Then, from 6 to 9 pm, we will go to the four corners of our county to paint the anointing oil on the perimeter. “Mama Ruth is 98 years young. She has prayed for 70 years for revival for Pickens County. We meet and pray in her home on Tuesday mornings. She is passing much wisdom into us ‘younger’ prayer warriors. She will not be able to go with us on the drive on Tuesday night, but she will be covering us in prayer as we go out. “God bless you! Thank you for imparting so much from God to us all!!!” Gotta love that! INDIANA A friend, leader, and intercessor, Janet Douglas from Indiana, sent me the following: “We have some [in our church] who love the daily GH15, and I love that they do. Before I can get in the door, they’re sharing what you said that day. “We’re mobilizing all of Indiana this week and sending them next week to complete the assignment. Some of these ladies are in their 70s & 80s, yet they often tell me they feel they’re just coming into their season. I love it, and it’s because of your obedience. So keep doing what you’re doing. Know that Indiana is behind you all the way.” Victory from His Promises Daily Prayer Call My friend, Clay Nash, leads a daily prayer call with several thousand people joining in any given week. Here is what he and his team had to say: “As a part of the Victory from His Promises Daily Prayer Call, we are working to mobilize people from various areas and groups to act on some key prophetic words… “You likely heard the messages from Dutch Sheets last week at the Ohio Ekklesia Hub with Tim Sheets (Link here), and his Give Him 15 Messages from a dream by Gina Gholston last Wednesday through Friday, plus his continuing emphasis on "Command the Foreword." All of these messages fit together into a clarion call for the states of our nation to secure our borders. “We invite you to collaborate and anoint the borders closest to where you live, securing the territory from enemy activity and decreeing the angelic hosts into position…We encourage you to collaborate with others - individuals, ministries, and networks - within your areas to cover the boundaries of your state. If more than one group does any given location, REJOICE! Let's join together with ‘every joint supplying’ -- every person and group bringing their portion to fulfill God's purposes. “Please respond to let us know what you are doing - the state and counties you are covering, when you plan to do the assignment, and any specifics you would like to share on how God is leading you to ‘anoint the borders of your state.’ We would love to know, via email, when the assignment has been completed, along with any testimonies you would like to share so that we will post them on the website for the prayer call (claynash.org).” Many more individuals and teams are taking this word seriously. I hope you can join them! Pray with me: Father, thank You for awakening the church to the power of prayer. Thank You for motivating so many in the body of Christ to work together for Kingdom causes, partnering and supporting one another. We ask You once again to bless their efforts, giving them people who will participate and support what they do. Your people, operating in unity, cause You to multiply power. As intercessors and leaders travel to different points in their states, anointing them with oil and praying prayers of protection, we ask for clear guidance. Show them where You would like them to go. Give them the prayers and Scriptures You desire to be declared over their territory. Move on the hearts of many to honor these instructions. And we all agree in prayer today that as this occurs, the borders of all 50 states will be covered with the protective anointing of Holy Spirit. We declare that Psalm 91 protection will come to the states and our nation. We declare that as the shaking comes to dismantle evil and turn America back to You, we will be protected from evil. As You instructed, we will not fear the shaking. And we also declare that the simultaneous outpourings of Holy Spirit will occur, as You revealed in the dream that gave us these instructions. And thank You for the answers to these prayers we are praying. In the powerful name of Jesus. Amen. Our decree: We decree that obedience to the Lord’s instructions, and the unity we are operating in to do so, is multiplying His power over our land. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Be Encouraged! These incredibly challenging times, filled with negative reports of what the enemy is doing, can become a bit overwhelming. Add to that the urgency many of us feel to oppose these evils, and, if not careful, we can become weary in our well-doing (Galatians 6:9). One of satan‘s primary strategies is to “wear down the saints” in order to alter God’s timings and decrees (Daniel 7:25). The Hebrew word used for “wear down” is only used in Scripture to describe mental and emotional weariness. It is important that we guard against this! Keep in mind that the passage in Daniel is about the Ancient of Days, the Supreme Judge of earth, ruling in favor of the saints (verses 21-22)! The great pastor, teacher, and patriarch, Jack Hayford (now in heaven), used the powerful phrase “enforcing the victory of Calvary” in his teachings on prayer. In other words, we war FROM victory, not FOR victory. We do not have to re-defeat the devil; we enforce his defeat in Christ’s name. We are distributors of power, not generators; we are in the distribution department of the Kingdom, not the production department. When we keep this in the forefront of our thinking, we can remain in our “rest of faith” spoken of in Hebrews 4:1-11. Remind yourself of these things, as well as the reports of progress being made through our prayers of enforcing Christ’s victory. In one of his recent articles, Larry Tomczak lists several such “praise reports:” “Over 30,000 young people came to a “Fill the Stadium” event in Oklahoma focused on evangelism and worship. Twitter officials censored the trans exposé “What is a Woman?” but billionaire Elon Musk intervened, and it is awakening people nationwide with over 180 million views in weeks! Over 500 pieces of legislation are moving forward nationwide to counter LGBTQ-driven agendas that push surgical mutilation of minors, lewd performances by drag queens in libraries and schools, plus distribution of destructive materials indoctrinating impressionable children and youth. Turning Point USA (TPUSA) announced having 600,000 student activists and 3,000 campus chapters. TPUSA celebrated almost 11,000 students at their AmericaFest 23 conference, committing themselves to bravely proclaim the gospel and transformative truths throughout the land. At a recent gay pride event here in Franklin, compassionate Christians reached out winsomely to LGBTQ attendees, and when three policemen told me to “leave the premises,” they found we had correct information, and their deceptive remarks could not banish us because of our First Amendment rights. A Nashville Pastors Summit drew 1,100 leaders being equipped to engage in our culture, as we heard from Charlie Kirk, Eric Metaxas, David Barton, Dave Ramsey, and the leadership of In-N-Out Burger (33,000 employees). A gathering of 1,600 leaders met in New York to address the challenges of our day from a Biblical worldview. In Vermont, a coach was fired and his daughter expelled from their middle school for confronting a transgender boy in the girls’ locker room, but the court awarded them a $124,000 settlement in a lawsuit, and the coach was immediately reinstated, as was his daughter. The “Jesus Revolution” film debuted two months ago on a $15 million budget and has reached millions, taking in over $50 million, with it now being released to cable screening and DVDs (available from Harvest.org for an offering) enabling Christians to have home viewings with non-Christians or give the movie as a gift to people. Americans are awakening and emphatically rejecting the LGBTQ agenda. As a recent Gallup poll revealed, a majority view changing gender as morally wrong. Only two genders (male and female) exist, and women should not be forced to compete unfairly against biological men in sports. (Family Research Council 6/14/23) Homeschooling has almost doubled as parents refuse to subject their innocent children to inferior education standards and inappropriate sexualized indoctrination. Anna Paulina was sworn in as a United States Congresswoman this year as a conservative Christian and one of the youngest Latinos in history elected to office. Austin Smith, an outspoken Christian, was elected to the Arizona Legislature as the youngest member in the state’s history. The Florida Legislature passed, and Governor DeSantis signed into law, sweeping legislation called “Protect our Kids,” upholding decency in the state and inspiring other states to follow suit. The state of Texas passed a law allowing chaplains to serve as counselors in all public schools.” I would add to this list that never have we been in a time when so much evil is being uncovered and exposed by God. This is the first step to removing it. America is waking up to the depravity that has invaded our land, the evil that has entrenched itself in our government, education, and the media. The Ancient of Days is releasing his prosecutorial evidence daily. The church is waking up, realizing we have allowed this depravity through our passivity and complacency. The stage is being set for radical change - in the right direction. On the worldwide stage, millions of people are being saved, with one of the greatest harvests taking place among the Muslim community. Holy Spirit is releasing to them dreams, visions, and revelations of Christ by the thousands, which is impacting millions. The youth in our nation, and probably many nations, are absolutely ripe for the coming harvest. There is a revival taking place among the military, with many of them coming to Christ. Churches around the country are experiencing outpourings of Holy Spirit, not at the level we will soon see, but this is beginning. Despise not small beginnings! (Zechariah 4:10). Instead, rejoice over them. Spend some time thanking God for what He is doing, and encouraging yourself in the Lord. Our prayers, along with decreeing the word of the Lord, are making a difference. Pray with me: Father, You are great and greatly to be praised. You are all-powerful, almighty, all-knowing, all-wise, and ever-present. And You are good, always. You are a redeemer, restorer, and reformer. You are eternal, pure, holy, righteous, kind, loving, merciful, long-suffering, and patient. Your ways are good, and they are successful. Your Word is forever settled in heaven, will never pass away, and is filled with life and truth. You kicked evil out of heaven and judged it on the earth through the Cross. As your Ekklesia, we have been delegated authority to enforce this victory; we accept this privilege and responsibility. We boldly declare that America shall be saved, and the greatest harvest in all of history is coming to the earth. This will not be stopped! This will not be stopped! This will not be stopped! When we declare Your words and promises, angels are released to work, and the atmosphere of Earth changes. We are changing it today with these decrees, and we will continue to do so. As we do, we glorify You, exalt Christ, and partner with Holy Spirit. Today, we bless YOU. All of this we do in Christ’s glorious name! Amen. Our decree: We declare that Jesus Christ, the great White Horse Rider, the Lion, and the Lamb, triumphs over all opposition - always. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Work While You Celebrate (Part 3) We have been looking at a dream given to Gina Gholston, from her new book, Carry On. I highly recommend this important book. Also, if you have not yet done so, I suggest you read Wednesday’s and yesterday’s posts, in order to have the complete context for today’s post. In Thursday’s portion of the dream the Lord told us to “command the foreword,” a reference to what was declared over America at our inception. These decrees would provoke the shaking that will bring us back into alignment with His declared purposes. Holy Spirit then released to us a powerful baptism of fire. Here is the next portion of the dream; I’m also including the last paragraph we shared yesterday: Final Portion of the Dream “A paint brush and bucket filled with oil appeared at each person’s feet. The Lord instructed, ‘As you go from here, carry the oil and secure the perimeters of your states. Paint the perimeters with the oil, and they will be secured.’ We knew He was showing us that this, like the cables and anchors, will secure them when the shaking comes. “Then the attention of each of the leaders was drawn back to the piece of paper in our folders. [Mentioned in yesterday’s post.] We looked at and began discussing each of the 4 bullet points. The first said: ‘Get it anchored! Anchor the nation.’ Beside that point was a red check mark, meaning this had been completed when the angels secured the steel cables to the anchors. The second point said: ‘Secure the perimeters of all fifty states. Paint the perimeters with the oil!’ This was why we had been given the buckets of oil and paint brushes. The third bullet point said: ‘Establish an anchor in each state, and connect it to the guide wire.’ We all understood this to mean each state must be anchored and connected to the cables the angels had secured to the anchors on the outer perimeters of the nation. The Lord was now referring to these cables as ‘guide wires.’ The last point said: ‘Establish a prayer grid in each state.’ We understood this to mean that prayer teams were to be established in each state, a grid of prayer teams listening in prayer and ready to move quickly with assignments the Lord would give. “Throughout the dream, the map remained on the screen, and the geysers (spiritual outpourings) continued to erupt. There were many eruptions—first, in the eastern part of the nation; then, slowly they began springing up throughout the entire nation. Groupings “The Lord then instructed all of us to get into groups, according to the state in which we lived. Each group would be sent back to its state to watch in prayer and carry out assignments regarding the bullet points. Fifty state groups were formed. “Then, four more groups were formed and assigned to regions. These would watch in prayer, facilitating and assisting assignments given to the state groups in their region. “Finally, a group was formed and assigned to the entire nation. These individuals would watch in prayer, assisting in the facilitation of assignments given to the regions and states. “After joining our groups we stood, holding our buckets of oil and paint brushes. We knew our first priority was to get the perimeters ‘painted’ with the oil, and this had to be done quickly. Calendar “Then, on the overhead screen, a calendar was laid over the top of the U.S. map, a one-year calendar showing all the months and days of 2023. September was circled in red ink, then we saw the finger of God tapping this month of September. Upon seeing this, we again felt a rush of urgency, realizing God was showing us there wasn’t a lot of time to get everything done. “There was excitement over the spiritual ‘eruptions’ that had already taken place, but also a deep knowing that this was only a beginning - much had to be established and accomplished. And we knew we were being ‘sent’ by the Lord to do the work.” End of dream. Dutch’s Thoughts As she related the dream, Gina shared some of the thoughts, insights, and “knowings” she experienced when it occurred. She gives more in her book. Other parts of the strategy given by the Lord must be prayed into further and developed carefully. What is symbolic, what is literal? How should the perimeters of the states be “painted” or anointed? The Texas Apostolic Prayer Network, led by Tom Schlueter (tomschlueter.com) has already been anointing and “branding” the borders of Texas, based on a word from Holy Spirit several months ago. In the past, he and members of his network have literally driven the entire perimeter of Texas, anointing and sealing it with prayer. More than once! I suspect other leaders are already hearing and doing assignments from Holy Spirit similar to those in the dream. How else are states to be “anchored” to the national “cables” and “anchors”? What, if any, gatherings need to occur around the nation to help facilitate the Lord’s instructions? I and other leaders are processing these things and asking Holy Spirit for insight. It seems clear, and Gina in her book seems to agree, that these preparations need to occur/be in place by September. I, of course, will keep GH15 listeners updated. Gina’s Thoughts I want to conclude by reading some final thoughts Gina shares in her book regarding being “anchored” to Christ, the hope of our souls. She begins by quoting from Hebrews: “Hold tightly to the Hope set before us. This hope [this confident assurance] we have as an anchor of the soul [it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whatever pressure bears upon it] - a safe and steadfast hope.” (Hebrews 6:18-19; AMP) “We are anchored in hope, and that Hope has a name: Jesus! He is the secure and steadfast anchor of our souls! As we place our complete trust in Him, we will follow as He leads, not only securing ourselves to Him as our anchor, but we also become a vessel through which Holy Spirit will work to impact our territories.”(1) Gina then offers an interesting insight about “painting” with the anointing oil of Holy Spirit. “Jesus declared, ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because He has anointed Me’ (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18). As heirs of salvation, when the Spirit of the Lord comes upon us, we receive the same anointing that was upon Jesus, which enabled Him to release the power of God everywhere He went. It is very interesting that the Hebrew word ‘anointed’ in this scripture is mashach, which means ‘to rub with oil, to anoint,’ and it also means ‘to paint.’(2) “Jesus has painted us with the oil of his anointing, which enables us to release decrees, prayers, and acts of obedience to God, with His power and authority. We paint and smear our homes, churches, schools, businesses, regions, territories, states and nations with the oil of His Spirit as He flows through us! In one sense, we become His paintbrush! When we allow Him to work through us, the anointing flows and power is released to paint the atmosphere with the transforming glory of God.(3) “This is the time that we must appeal to heaven, not just to petition for our wants and desires, but for the purpose of hearing God’s desires and instructions for us. Then we can work with Him to fulfill those desires. The days ahead are crucial. We cannot be influenced by what is happening around us; we should be influencing what is happening around us! As we hear the instructions from the Lord and follow those instructions, we will turn the tide of evil.” (4) Pray with me: Father, we thank You for this dream. Though we are disappointed that a shaking must come to our nation to finish the process of reconnecting us to You and Your purposes, we are confident that we can trust You. And Your Word makes it clear that shakings will come, leaving behind only Your standing Kingdom. Give understanding and wisdom to leaders and intercessors around the nation as we implement your instructions. Show us how to “paint” our states, with the anointing of Holy Spirit. Show us how to anchor each one and build the prayer grids. And show us how to connect intercessors and leaders for these purposes. Continue to cleanse our land, so it can be healed and restored. We declare, as You have taught us to, that America exists to preach the gospel of the kingdom to all the world. We exist to proclaim liberty throughout the land. We covenanted to be “under” You, and to be Your evangelist to the world. We decree that this will be fulfilled to Your fullest intent! And we pray these things in the name of Yeshua, amen. Our Decree: We decree that by September of this year, preparations for the Ekklesia to cover and protect our land will be in place. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Portions of today’s post were taken from Gina Gholston’s new book, Carry On. You can find this portion of the dream in Chapter 8, “Anchored in Hope,” pp.125-127. Find out more about Gina and this book at GinaGholstonMinistries.org. Gholston, Gina. Carry On: Becoming Faithful Stewards of Our Spiritual Inheritance. Gina Gholston, 2023, p.125. Strong’s #4886 Gholston, Gina. Carry On: Becoming Faithful Stewards of Our Spiritual Inheritance. Gina Gholston, 2023, pp. 125-126. Ibid, p.127.

God Needs Our Agreement As we enter a season of “Commanding the Foreword” (Work While You Celebrate (Part 2)), it will be helpful to revisit the important biblical principle of agreeing and partnering with previous generations. Declaring statements made in the past by God - and those made by others at His inspiration - is to do more than just honor predecessors. We do so to release the power of yesterday’s words and promises into today. When God searched history to accent great lives of faith, He chose to list some that did NOT receive the fulfillment of their God-given promises (Hebrews 11). These people went to the grave with unrealized promises from God, yet they had truly believed, even making it into the great Hall of Faith. Clearly, they weren’t deficient in their walk of faith; why then did they die without seeing the promises fulfilled? The last two verses of Hebrews 11 give us the simple yet incredibly important answer: “And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made complete” (Hebrews 11:39-40, NASV). Some promises made by God to an individual/s are multi-generational and not intended to be fully accomplished in their lifetime. The person (or persons) to whom the promise was made is sometimes only the “womb” in which the “seed” is planted. The following generation/s furthers the growth, brings it to birth, and stewards that which is born. Jesus said, “For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have come into their labor” (John 4:37-38, NASV). The Greek word translated “complete” in the above verses from Hebrews (telioo)[1] also means “to finish; to mature; to reach the intended goal.” Think about the ramifications of this: there are many promises God has made to individuals now in heaven that He cannot “finish” or fulfill without us. What He started through them cannot “mature” or “reach its intended goal” until we grab the baton and run our leg of the race. That is profound in its significance. Why wouldn’t the Lord tell us to command the foreword of America - that which was written and declared at the beginning?! Several people have contacted our office asking how to find appropriate quotes from America’s early leaders and Founders. Three of the best books for quotes and information regarding America’s beginning are: Faith of Our Founding Fathers by Leo Godzich America’s God and Country: Encyclopedia of Quotations by William J. Federer The Light and the Glory by Peter Marshall and David Manuel They are all TREMENDOUS. In yesterday’s post, I shared a few quotes/facts you can use. In the remaining portion of today’s post, I’ll share a few more: GOVERNMENT In 1643, John Winthrop, who stated that “we shall be as a city on a hill…” (which we mentioned yesterday) organized the New England Confederation, consisting of New Plymouth, New Haven, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Their Constitution, the first document in America where colonies united themselves, read, “Whereas we all came to these parts of America with the same end and aim, namely, to advance the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to enjoy the liberties of the Gospel thereof with purities and peace, and for preserving and propagating the truth and liberties of the Gospel.”(2) William Penn, author of the book No Cross, No Crown, which he wrote while imprisoned in the Tower of London, was the founder of Pennsylvania. His first legislative act, “The Great Law of Penn,” stated, “Whereas the glory of Almighty God and the good of mankind is the reason and the end of government, and government itself is a venerable ordinance of God...let there be established laws as shall best preserve true Christian and Civil liberty, in opposition to all unchristian, licentious, and unjust practices, whereby God can have His due…” (3) Penn asked God to make Pennsylvania “the seed of a nation” (4) and God answered his prayer. Our Declaration of Independence was decreed there in 1776. Four times it references God - as our Lawmaker, Creator, Judge, and Protector. The Liberty Bell that rang there that day had inscribed on it: “Proclaim liberty throughout the land to all the inhabitants thereof” (Leviticus 25:10). Our Constitution was written in Pennsylvania in 1787, born through prayer, asked for by Ben Franklin. In it, our government’s three branches were formed according to Isaiah 33:22. “The Lord is our Judge…Lawgiver…King; He will save us.” The righteous seeds Penn and others planted produced a righteous nation and government. We must command these truths embedded in America’s fabric to come alive once more. EDUCATION “One hundred six of America’s first 108 colleges and Universities were founded on the Christian faith. Students at Harvard and Yale were required to read the Scriptures twice daily. Harvard’s founders stated: ‘All knowledge without Christ is vain.’ Its motto was ‘For Christ and The Church.’ Yale’s founders stated that ‘Every student shall consider the main end of his study is to know God in Jesus Christ…’ Princeton’s motto was ‘Under God’s Power She Flourishes.’. The first president of Princeton, Jonathan Dickenson, said, ‘Cursed be all learning that is contrary to the Cross of Christ.’ The great pastor, Jonathan Edwards, was the 3rd president of Princeton.”(5) Noah Webster, who published the first American Dictionary of the English language in 1828 said, “Education is useless without the Bible.”(6) “The Moral principles and precepts contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws…All the miseries and evils which men suffer…proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible.” (7) Webster also said, “The principles of genuine liberty, and of wise laws and administrations, are to be drawn from the Bible and sustained by its authority. The man, therefore, who weakens or destroys the divine authority of that book may be accessory to all the public disorders which society is doomed to suffer.” Profound! (8) What God began in America is not finished. He needs our agreement and commands in order to complete it. Use these and other facts regarding her founding, find more through research and study, and “Command the Foreword.” It will generate power. Pray with me: Father, You are the great Olam El, the Everlasting God, who declares the end from the beginning. When our forefathers were stating their faith in You, declaring Your plans and heart for America, and covenanting to partner with You in fulfilling them, You looked ahead and saw us. You knew You would have a people in 2023 who would arise in faith and agree with what was declared back then. We are that people. As we do so, our faith today is not in our ability to declare and command perfectly. It is not in our wisdom, understanding, or abilities. Our faith is in You, Your mercy offered through Christ, and Your ability to work all things after the counsel of Your will. With this faith, we command Your purposes into our government, established under You and Your Word. We declare that You are our Lawgiver, Judge, and King. We declare that the seeds of righteousness planted in our land are not dead, they will bring forth righteous fruit. And we declare that the weeds and thorns will be uprooted and destroyed. We declare over our education system that evil and perversion will be uprooted. We declare that Christ and His Word will once again be honored. We declare that all knowledge not rooted in Him is vain, and cursed be all learning that contradicts the Cross of Christ. We declare that to know Him is the highest goal of all learning. We command a return to truth and a rejection of deception. We pray and command all these things in His holy name. Our decree: We decree that we embrace our God-given roots and destiny, thereby allowing God to finish through us what He started in this land. Click on the link below to watch the full video. ____________________________ James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. No. 5046. Leo Godzich, Faith of Our Founding Fathers, (Phoenix, AR: The National Association of Marriage Enhancement Publishers, 1982), p. 40. William J. Federer, America’s God and Country [Encyclopedia Of Quotations], (Coppell TX: FAME Publishing, Inc., 1994), p. 503. Leo Godzich, Faith of Our Founding Fathers, (Phoenix, AR: The National Association of Marriage Enhancement Publishers, 1982), p. 78. Ibid, pp 105-111. William J. Federer, America’s God and Country [Encyclopedia Of Quotations], (Coppell TX: FAME Publishing, Inc., 1994), p. 676. Ibid, p 678. Ibid, p 679.

The Cape Henry Assignment The past four days - beginning Friday in Ohio, then to Virginia Beach and Cape Henry, and finally, home late last night, Monday - have been a whirlwind for me, almost a blur. As I write this post today, Tuesday, I am trying to process all that has taken place. (The posts are always written and recorded the day before their release.) And I want to begin by thanking the thousands of you who joined us in prayer during these significant four days. The time at Cape Henry on Monday morning was very strong and deeply moving. I was joined by Jay Comiskey and Greg Hood. Standing on the shores where Robert Hunt and his fellow worshipers planted the cross in 1607 always touches something deep in my heart. That day began a new chapter in Earth’s history: God began His work of raising up a booming trumpet for the Gospel of the Kingdom, the good news of Jesus Christ’s redemption and rule. He also announced His purpose for this nation, a nation that was still in seed form, and recorded it in heaven and on earth. Hell and all those aligned with her have sought to silence this voice of spiritual and natural freedom. And though the voice is currently weak, at times barely a whisper, it remains. And America’s voice is being restored. I am reminded of Christ’s words in Matthew 12:20: “A bent reed He will not break, And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish, until He leads justice to victory” (NASB). The great Passion Translation says, “He won’t brush aside the bruised and broken. He will be gentle with the weak and feeble, until His victory releases justice.” Jesus was quoting Isaiah 42:3, a prophetic reference to Himself. His heart has not changed; He is still fanning the sparks of smoking wicks and nursing wounded reeds. His mercy endures forever. As we stood on the shores of Cape Henry, agreeing with Holy Spirit’s words through Robert Hunt, we knew we were blowing on the remaining spark of America’s destiny and applying the healing oil of Christ to her wounded soul. We read from the dream in which we were told to “command the foreword,” and then did so, reading Hunt’s prayer, dedication, declaration, and Psalm 22:27-28, which he also quoted. We also commanded the “Foreword” inscribed on the Liberty Bell, whose sound waves pierced the heavens on the day of America’s formal birth, July 4th, 1776: “Proclaim liberty throughout the land to all the inhabitants thereof” (Leviticus 25:10). As I have stated on previous posts, this was a verse describing the Year of Jubilee, an ordinance in Israel that forgave all debts and restored liberty to all, which was fulfilled by Christ, our Jubilee. America’s destiny is to partner with Christ, proclaiming to all the world the freedom offered in Him. We commanded the words of the Mayflower Compact, written in 1620: “For the glory of God and advancements of the Christian faith.” We commanded the words spoken by John Winthrop on March 21, 1630, describing America as “a city on a hill,” a phrase taken from Christ’s words in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:14). No less than 14 U.S. Presidents have quoted Winthrop and this verse in reference to America. We commanded from the Declaration of Independence - its four references to God and an appeal to Him for help. All of these decrees at Cape Henry on Monday morning were laced with other Scriptures, along with spontaneous prayers and declarations inspired by Holy Spirit. We honored those who have gone before us, and we honored our Lord Jesus Christ, taking communion there on this sacred ground. After partaking in communion, we performed a prophetic act, pouring juice and placing a piece of bread in the sand, declaring that the blood of Jesus is cleansing our land and returning us to our destiny. A memorable day, indeed. But it wasn’t over. I went back to Virginia Beach, the headquarters of CBN, Regent University, The 700 Club, and other international ministries founded by Pat Robertson, in order to attend his memorial service. Hundreds of leaders from around the world were there to honor this great man. It was extraordinary, celebrative yet very moving, and conducted with true dignity and excellence. I was impacted by all that was said and done, but throughout the entire service kept being reminded of how Pat Robertson, a descendent of Robert Hunt, had been used to literally fulfill Hunt’s “Foreword” of 1607. Hundreds of millions of people around the world have heard the Gospel through The 700 Club, with perhaps as many as a billion of them praying to receive Christ. The Gospel has literally gone from there to the entire earth. It was incredibly moving and very humbling to be present at the honoring and celebration of this great man’s life and legacy. How appropriate that on this day, we had gone to the place where his calling actually began four centuries ago, and commanded it into America once again. I’m sure a couple of men in “The Cloud of Witnesses” - Hunt and Robertson - were smiling. We must now move this “foreword” forward. No pun intended. We must finish our assignment of seeing America healed and restored through a Third Great Awakening. This voice of the Gospel - America - must be strong in the days ahead. We, Christ’s Ekklesia, have been commissioned to this cause. By God’s grace, the authority of Christ, and the help of Holy Spirit, we will not fail. In the words of the great hymn, written by Martin Luther and sung at Robertson‘s celebration service: “A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; our helper he, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing. For still our ancient foe, does seek to work us woe; his craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate, on earth is not his equal. “Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing, were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God's own choosing. You ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He; Lord Sabaoth his name, from age to age the same; and He must win the battle. “And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, we will not fear, for God has willed His truth to triumph through us. The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him; his rage we can endure, for lo! his doom is sure; one little word shall fell him. “That Word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them abideth; the Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him who with us sideth. Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also; the body they may kill: God's truth abideth still; His Kingdom is forever!”(1) Pray with me: Father, our prayer today is that we would be found faithful, worthy of the legacy left to us by Christ and those gone before us. May the Church of Jesus Christ in this nation find its voice once again, releasing that voice with the thunderous strength and power of Holy Spirit. Rend the heavens and come down! Display Your awesome strength and glory. Heal and restore this land, regardless of what it takes. We will not fear the shaking, for our Kingdom cannot be shaken. Give us the strategies we need with which to fulfill our role and the wisdom to implement them with Your understanding and counsel. The greater One, Holy Spirit, is in us; we will listen to Him! All this is for You, Father, for Yours is the Kingdom, and power, and the glory, forever. Amen. Our decree: We decree that we, the Ekklesia, will fulfill the purposes of God in our generation. (Acts 13:36) _______________________________ Martin Luther, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, [A Bulwark Never Failing], written in 1529. Public Domain. Click on the link below to watch the full video.