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Picture the Promise Trump’s Meeting with European Leaders I have an encouraging and insightful teaching from my brother, Tim, for today’s post. However, first I feel I must address the meeting that occurred yesterday with President Trump, President Zelenskyy of Ukraine, and other major leaders in Europe.  Somewhere in the neighborhood of 1 million people have been killed in the Russia/Ukraine war over the last three years. These are staggering numbers. Also, it is estimated that upwards of 20,000 children have been kidnapped and taken to Russia in order to reeducate and indoctrinate them. Putin is a very cruel and evil man.  After yesterday’s meeting, there seemed to be guarded optimism that a peace deal is possible. President Trump called Putin after discussing security guarantees for Ukraine with the European leaders. “I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelenskyy,” the President wrote on Truth Social. “After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, which would be the two Presidents, plus myself,” Trump said, calling it a positive “early step for a war that has been going on for almost four years.” Trump placed the call to Putin after the discussions at the White House with the European leaders, “which ended in a further meeting in the Oval Office. During the meeting we discussed Security Guarantees for Ukraine, which guarantees would be provided by the various European Countries, with a coordination with the United States of America,” Trump wrote. We must continue to pray fervently for these ongoing talks, asking God to bring a peaceful end to this horrible war. Tim’s Message In Ephesians 1:18 (NKJV), Paul prays that the eyes of our understanding would be enlightened. “Enlightened” comes from the Greek word photizō , meaning to light up or give light, thus to enlighten. (1)  You can see the similarity to our English word “photo,” and both words do indeed originate from the same root word, phos , meaning light. It’s easy to see the connectedness of these terms: photos are produced by literal light entering through a camera’s shutter, burning an image onto a negative; enlightenment occurs as figurative light enters the mind, bringing understanding.  To assist us in our faith, Holy Spirit will sometimes inspire a “photo” or picture in our hearts and minds. These images serve as faith reminders and igniters that help us declare and confess God’s promises; they give focus to our faith. They allow us to “see” and meditate on God’s promises. Faith is a function of the spirit, but the mind must also be renewed and brought into agreement with His Word. The two must be in harmony. If not, the mind will hinder the process; we can’t be picturing the opposite of what our faith is believing for. Thus, Holy Spirit will often prompt an image to serve as a spiritual photograph, helping us in this process. In Joshua 6, we see a powerful example of the Lord inspiring a picture of a promise fulfilled. Forty years after leaving Egypt, Israel was finally on the verge of stepping into their promised inheritance. Their journey had required an enduring faith. Now, standing before them was Jericho, the first city they would encounter after crossing the Jordan River. It could not be avoided, but had to be taken. Jericho, however, was no ordinary city. As one of the most fortified strongholds of its time, its walls stood 54 feet high and 24 feet thick, broad enough for two chariots to ride side by side on the tops. Its defenders were seasoned warriors, men of valor. Joshua, having spied out the land years before, knew firsthand just how formidable Jericho was. Now he stood on a hillside, looking down on the city, seeking direction from the Lord and wondering how such an impenetrable place could be conquered. At that moment, the Lord appeared to Joshua dressed as a warrior, with a drawn sword. Joshua asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” The Lord didn’t answer the question directly. Instead, He gave a declaration. Joshua 6:1–2 (NKJV) tells us: “ Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in. And the Lord said to Joshua, ‘ See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor.” God didn’t say, “Look at Jericho.”  He said, “See, I have given it into your hand.”  That’s a key difference. God didn’t want Joshua to focus on the natural circumstances. He was calling him to see with the eyes of faith. The Hebrew word for “see” is raah , which means to see, both literally and figuratively–to perceive, to envision, to gaze upon in the mind, even to dream. (2)  God was telling Joshua: “ Picture Jericho already in your hands. Envision it as done. See it as conquered.” The word “hand” is also significant. In Hebrew, it is yad,  which can also be figurative, used for holding power and authority. (3)  God was saying, “ See Jericho already under your power and authority.”  Regarding this verse, in the footnotes of The Passion Translation, it says: “Faith will see ‘what is still unseen’ (Hebrews 11:1). God gave Joshua a promise upon which to rest his faith.” This was not about natural sight; it was about supernatural vision, a photo, if you will. Joshua was told to see  the promise as fulfilled before it physically happened. Picture the walls down, the enemy scattered, and the victory won! As he aligned his vision with God’s promise, his faith was assisted and activated.  This is a tremendously helpful principle for us: See the promise fulfilled! God often gives us a picture, not in the natural but in our spirit, that becomes a photograph of the promise. Romans 4:17 (AMP) says that God “ calls into being that which does not exist.”  In other words, He speaks about things that don’t yet exist in the natural realm as if they already do, knowing His words have the power to bring them into reality. This is the essence of faith. Hebrews 11:1 tells us faith is the substance of things we hope for, the evidence of things not yet seen in the natural realm. Some translations of this verse refer to faith as the title deed, the proof of ownership before the promise is visible naturally. Even when nothing appears to have changed in the natural, faith gives substance to what we hope for. It allows us to speak and act as though the promise already belongs to us. How can we talk about things that don’t yet exist? How do we describe what we haven’t seen? By seeing with spiritual eyes that have been renewed and trained by the Word of God, picturing what our faith is producing. See your faith working. Envision the promise fulfilled. Picture yourself walking in healing, freedom, provision, and victory. Meditate on it. Daydream about it. Gaze upon it in your heart until it becomes more real to you than what your natural eyes see. Align your heart, mind, and mouth with God’s Word. Agree with His truth. When you see the promise clearly, you can decree it boldly, and your faith is positioned to grow and produce. Take a spiritual snapshot of your breakthrough, your healing, your deliverance, your answered prayer, and keep it before your eyes, your faith photo. Let that become a photo that encourages your faith.  Pray with me: Lord, help us see a picture of the promise fulfilled within us, sparking faith. Give us divine photographs, enlightened visions of inheritance, healing, provision, and power. Let us “see” healing and provision flowing. Let us “see” victory and breakthrough, our Jerichos falling before us  We will see it, and we will say it. Cause our faith to rise above all opposition, enabling us to thrive in the realm of the unseen. Teach us, Holy Spirit, to picture the change, declare the promise, and walk in the power of Your anointing. And Father, we continue to ask You to take action from heaven regarding the war in Ukraine. The toll in human lives has been unimaginable. Give NATO leaders and President Zelenskyy wisdom to know how to deal with Putin. Show them where to be firm and unyielding, and where to yield. Keep them united. And do something to move Putin. His heart is hard and wicked, but overrule him. Cause him to back off. Then, remove this evil man from rule. And we ask Your help in freeing the 20,000 kidnapped children.  In Jesus’ name, amen.  Our decree:   We declare that our faith is activated, and we can see our promise fulfilled. Healing, deliverance, and victory are ours now in Jesus’ Name! Today’s post was contributed by my brother, Tim Sheets. You can learn more about Tim Sheets here . 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. 5461. Ibid., ref. no. 7200. Ibid., ref. no. 3027.

Rowing Together: Healing the Nations “But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”  (Mark 10:43-45, NASB, 1995) Doulos and Latris There are several New Testament words for “servant” or “minister,” each with different nuances of meaning. I will mention five of them today. I have found in my studies that these five form an interesting and important progression.  The first two are doulos  and  latris.  A doulos  was a bond-slave, owned by another. (1)  Paul often referred to himself as a bond-slave or bond-servant of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:1, etc.). Yes, God owns us. This is true by the right of creation, but also because we are bought with a price by the blood of Jesus (1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23). As Lord, He can require us to do anything He wants. In the early days of the Charismatic Movement, we frequently sang the song, “He is Lord.” And He is. Latris,  however, from the verb latreuo,  means to serve, not out of compulsion, but by choice. (2)  A parent serves his or her family by providing for and caring for them – not as a slave, but from the motivation of love. This is  latreuo . Romans 12:1 in the King James Translation tells us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God, as it is our “reasonable service.”  Other versions of Scripture translate the phrase differently, and appropriately so, saying this is our  “reasonable service of worship.”  They do this because the word here is latreuo , not doulos.  We are not being told to present our bodies to God as a living sacrifice because we are His slaves, but rather because we are in a relationship with Him and want to please Him. We do it as worshippers.  God’s heart is not to relate to us as slaves “owned” by Him, but to do so as His family and friends. Jesus said in John 15:14-15: “You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, because all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.” Our Lord wants us to serve Him from a heart of love and worship, based on relationship. When we move into this type of relationship with God, we become His co-laborers, working together with Him. We embrace the great commission as a co-mission. Our hearts have become one with His, and we want what He wants. We’re members of Abba’s household of faith, His family. This motivation changes everything. Yes, Paul certainly referred to himself as the Lord’s bond-slave, but he also said the love of God constrained him; this was his motivation (2 Corinthians 5:14). As we pray and work toward the great harvest that is beginning, we must establish that we will obey God fully. But we must also fully realize that we are His partners, friends, and kids. As the Head of the church and King of the Kingdom, He gives directions, but He delights in involving us in the process. Diakonos The last three words used for “servant” or “minister” change the focus. Whereas the first two define our service and relationship with God, the last three involve us serving or ministering to other people. We are still doing it as unto the Lord, but the direct benefit is to humankind. The third word is diakonos,  which simply means “to serve, minister, attend or wait on,” as in a “waiter” serving tables. We also get the English word “deacon” from this Greek word. (3)  In Acts chapter 6, it is used for both the apostles’ “ministries” (Acts 6:4) and the deacons’ “ministries” (Acts 6:2). One group served natural food to the widows; the other served spiritual food to the entire church. Same word–both were servants. Diakonia/diakonos  simply means to serve another, regardless of the purpose. We are ALL called to ministry or service for Christ, regardless of whether it is on a platform, in an office building, or at home. We have all been given gifts from God; serving that gift to benefit others is diakonia. (4)  Huperetes The fourth word is huperetes,  meaning “a subordinate or an attendant,” as well as a servant. (5)  Interestingly, it is used in Acts 13:36 to describe David in his role as King of Israel. One would not typically think of describing a king as a subordinate, attendant, or servant. The verse says David ”served” God’s purpose in his generation. While governing the people, he was doing so as God’s servant.  But there is another little-known meaning of huperetes . The word comes from two Greek words meaning “under” and “rower.” An underrower in that day was one who, in synchronization with others, rowed a boat or small ship. The key to their success was the synergy produced when they rowed together, simultaneously.   Thirty people who take turns rowing produce only the strength of one, thirty different times. But thirty individuals rowing simultaneously create a synergistic force that can propel a small ship. This is why they often sang when rowing; it kept them in a cadence, rowing together to create a greater thrust.  God’s goal is for groups in His church of “diakonoses”  – servant ministers -- to connect relationally and row together ( huperetes ). They must not quarrel over who calls the cadence or what song they sing; instead, they must have Kingdom-minded hearts to move the boat forward: “Give me an oar and let me row.” When this is happening, we can accomplish number five.  Therapon The last word for a servant is therapon . This word, while meaning “servant, attendant, or minister,” includes doing so to cure  and heal! (6)  (Matthew 4:23-24). We get the English words “therapy” and “therapist” from this Greek word. When God has people submitted to His Lordship ( doulos ), who love and want to partner with Him ( latris ), by ministering to others the gift He gave them ( diakonos ), and do so in harmony and agreement with others ( huperetes ), they become His healing force in the earth ( therapon )!  This is what we are doing when we intercede together for God’s purposes to be accomplished and released on earth. We become a force of God’s life, healing, and restorative power to save, deliver, and heal. Let’s do so now. 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 level of agreement. Convict us, the church, of judging one another, criticizing, causing, and/or honoring divisions. Show us the religiosity and pride that motivates this divisive spirit and replace it with a spirit of love and cooperation. And we ask for connections—millions of them. Build prayer connections, enabling us to fulfill the assignments you’ve given. We ask that EVERY nation have a STRONG prayer covering by the Ekklesia. Return our nations to You and send the greatest awakening the earth has ever experienced. In Christ’s name, amen. Our decree: We decree that Spirit-led connections are occurring, causing great unity and 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. 1401. Ibid., ref. no. 3000. Ibid., ref. no. 1249. Ibid., ref. no. 1248. Ibid., ref. no. 5257. Ibid., ref. no. 2324.

Pray for the Trump and Putin Meeting Today  We live in interesting times. Those on the Left are demonstrating against Trump and the National Guard who are attempting to make Washington, D.C. safer and cleaner. They contend that DC is already safe and that crime isn’t a problem. Chuck Schumer says he feels perfectly safe walking around the Capitol area. He, of course, has his armed Secret Service detail all around him. Proverbs 18:1-2 comes to mind: “Unfriendly people care only about themselves; they lash out at common sense. Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.” (New Living Translation) Then there are the Democratic legislators in Texas who have walked off the job, protesting what they consider to be gerrymandering by the Republicans (redrawing Congressional districts in order to obtain more seats for a political party). Apart from the fact that abandoning their legislative jobs is illegal, the Dems did so by fleeing the state and hiding in Illinois, one of the most Democrat-gerrymandered states in the nation! “Let’s protest gerrymandering by fleeing to some of our gerrymandering friends!” One can’t help but wonder who thought that was a good idea.  Meanwhile, “villain Trump” is off to Alaska today, attempting to stop another war. The Left doesn’t like this, either – someone else should end the war in Ukraine! As I have stated before, it appears TDS (Trump Derangement Syndrome) is real and growing much more destructive.  It doesn’t matter to most of us who gets the credit for ending the war in Ukraine; we would just like for the incredible suffering and loss of life to end. It seems that the economic pressure Trump has been placing on Russia is having an effect; Putin has requested a meeting with him. No one knows if the meeting will be productive - the tensions between Russia and Ukraine are great, and they seem to be pretty far apart with their demands – but it is worth a try. Though Putin’s brutal attack against Ukraine cannot be justified, the situation is a little more complicated than most of us Americans understand. The animosity between Ukraine and Russia has deep historical roots that stretch way back beyond the two modern states, similar to the millennia-old conflicts throughout the Middle East. Layers of rule, painful memories, and strategic interests have built a long-running tension. Here is a brief historical review based on my research, which perhaps will help us pray more intelligently. In medieval and early modern times, what is now Ukraine and Russia shared a significant amount of culture and political intermingling. Over the centuries, this changed.  The 19th and early 20th centuries saw an intensification of conflicting ideals. A Ukrainian national awakening challenged foreign dominance. World War I and the collapse of empires opened a brief window for Ukrainian independence, but an ensuing civil war and foreign interventions left Ukraine fragmented and under Soviet control by 1922. Under the Soviet Union era, the central government exercised tight and sometimes brutal political and economic control. One of the many negative outcomes in Ukraine was the famine-genocide in 1932–33 under Stalin (known as the Holodomor). This became an enduring and painful symbol of Soviet oppression for Ukraine. At least 3.5 million Ukrainians died, and some say it was closer to 7 million. World War II also added to the complexity and tensions, with postwar borders further entrenching Moscow’s authority over Ukrainian life. Fast-forward to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine declared independence, seeking Europe-oriented reforms and security assurances. Moscow’s reluctance to relinquish influence and Kyiv’s desire to assert sovereignty led to friction over security guarantees, energy supplies, and the status of Crimea. (Crimea is the southeast portion of Ukraine on the Black Sea.) The 2004 and 2014 uprisings in Ukraine (the Orange Revolution and the Maidan protests) crystallized a push toward European integration and further away from Moscow’s sphere of influence. Then came Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and the resulting war in eastern Ukraine, followed by the broader invasion in 2022, which is what the world is now dealing with. Russia attempted to justify its actions, framing them as 1) protecting ethnic Russians and Russian speakers, and 2) countering NATO expansion. Ukraine frames them as illegal aggression and attacks against its sovereignty, which, of course, they are. The conflict has revived debates about history, painful interactions, security interests, and centuries of competing narratives.  Although Putin is a violent and, I believe, evil man, let’s pray that he will agree to end this war and the suffering of millions of people. Let’s pray that Zelinsky and the Ukrainian people can move beyond the pain and devastation of Russia’s current aggression and, for the sake of saving many lives, be willing to negotiate a peace deal. Doing so won’t be easy when Russia is demanding some of their territory and has dealt them such pain and suffering. I’m not sure ANY peace deal will be “fair” to the Ukrainians, but the other two options may indeed be worse: their complete annihilation by Russia, or other nations entering the conflict and causing a Third World War. There may be other options I am not aware of, but the situation is certainly very complicated. Trump is a skillful negotiator. Let’s pray that God gives him wisdom and great insight as he meets with Putin. Pray with me: Father, President Trump has certainly come into the Kingdom at a precarious time in history. We believe that You have shaped and prepared him for such a time as this. Please amplify the skills You have given him and use his gifts to bring forth a breakthrough for the Ukrainian and Russian people. Give him and his team strategies that produce the outcome needed at this time. We pray that You would help the Ukrainian and Russian people recover from the incredible devastation they have suffered for these past few years. Many, many lives have been lost to both nations, and incredible damage has occurred to numerous cities and thousands of homes. War is so horrible. Use this challenging time to draw people to You, as has happened many times in history. We ask that You save millions of Ukrainians and Russians. And Father, we ask for wisdom for our government officials as they work to end crime and violence in our nation. America is reaping the fruit of great rebellion, but in Your mercy, please send an awakening and a reforming of our nation. Bring this current youth revival to greater levels very quickly, and we ask for this especially in inner cities and neighborhoods. At times, the strongholds seem insurmountable. But this is not true! You CAN save a generation, and we are asking for this. Rain down revival, we pray. All of these things we ask in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Experiencing the “Abundant Life” Jesus Promised In yesterday’s post , we talked about an important Greek word used in the New Testament in the context of prayer. The word is dei , which means “that which is necessary, even binding, as in a legal sense; that which is right, proper or necessary in the nature of a case; that which is prescribed by law, duty, custom, etc.; from a sense of duty, one must.” (1)  This word is used in Luke 18:1 to tell us prayer is absolutely necessary ( dei ) in order to overcome in life. Another important passage using this word is Matthew 16:18-19: “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” “Bind” ( deo ) is a different form of this same word. Jesus, King of the Kingdom of heaven, is referencing the spiritual authority He would give His Ekklesia (the church) to carry out His will on earth. An Ekklesia, of course, was a legislative assembly. The footnote in the Passion Translation makes this clear:  “This is not a religious term at all, but a political and governmental term that is used many times in classical Greek for a group of people who have been summoned and gathered together to govern the affairs of a city. For Jesus to use this term means He is giving the keys of governmental authority in His kingdom to the church.” The meaning of deo, the word for bind (2)  in verse 19, is consistent with this legal spiritual authority Christ gave His Ekklesia. Deo  speaks of rulings that are “legally binding;” they must be honored. This is why some translations, including the Passion Translation, use the word “forbid” to translate deo . The Amplified Bible uses the words “forbid, declare to be improper and unlawful.” We have the right to forbid demonic powers from interfering in our lives and in the spheres of authority God has delegated to us.  We can also do so in broader areas of shared authority, such as natural government. The fact that government is a “shared” authority means that the will and authority of others come into play. This is why it takes longer and requires the prayers of more people to shift governments through prayer. Nevertheless, we have the authority to bind or forbid the powers of darkness from affecting us and our family. And the corporate body of Christ has authority to bind and forbid demonic powers from ruling their nation. There is still another important and fascinating verse regarding prayer that uses the word dei . Romans 8:26 makes the point that we don’t always know how to pray as we “ought” ( dei ). The verse is stating that we don’t always know what is “legally right or necessary” spiritually speaking, in order to see some situations change. For example, we may not be aware of all the spiritual strongholds that control an individual for whom we are praying. We may not be aware of the “legal” ground the person has given to evil spirits, giving demons the “right” to operate. We may not know whether it is a demonic spirit controlling a person or their own fleshly appetites. When praying for a person’s healing, the sickness is at times caused by an evil spirit. (Matthew 17:18 and others). If this is the case, we would need to pray differently. When praying for our government, we obviously don’t know all of the details of how to pray; we don’t know “what is necessary, right or proper in the nature of the case” ( dei ).  This wonderful passage in Romans 8 says Holy Spirit will help us overcome this weakness by praying through us. He alerts us to pray, gives us insight as we pray, brings Scriptures to mind and releases revelation regarding the situation. His supernatural help is what causes the working together of all things for our good, mentioned in verse 28. In her book Prophetic Intercession , Barbara Wentroble shares the following testimony of Holy Spirit’s help: “My mother-in-law was sitting in her living room at 9:30 AM. Suddenly, she felt a sensation of fear, accompanied by an urgency to pray for her son (my husband), Dale. “After asking the Lord to reveal to her how to pray, she felt a deep impression that Dale was in danger. She prayed for several minutes and then felt the ‘burden’ lift. Later that night, she called our home to ask Dale what he had been doing at 9:30 in the morning. ‘Oh, that’s easy,’ he replied. ‘I remember because I looked at my watch. Another man was talking to me while we were standing out in the plant at work. There had been some remodeling in the plant over the past several weeks, and we were discussing the progress. All of a sudden, I felt an urgency to move from the place where we were standing. We quickly moved to another spot about 20 feet away. Just as quickly as we moved, a large steel beam fell from the ceiling and landed in that very spot where I had been standing.’” (3) That is Holy Spirit help when, apart from Him, we wouldn’t know that prayer was needed, or what was necessary in the prayer. In summary, Jesus said it is required of us, it is absolutely necessary ( dei ), that we always pray and not lose heart (Luke 18:1). He said we have authority to enforce what is legally right ( dei ), spiritually speaking (Matthew 16:18-19). And He told us that when we did not know what was legally right ( dei ), spiritually speaking, Holy Spirit would help us (Romans 8:26-28). These are just a few of the ways we experience the abundant life He promised (John 10:10). Pray with me: Father, You told us to pray and never lose heart. You delivered us from the authority of darkness, translated us into the Kingdom of Christ (Colossians 1:13), and told us we could forbid satan and his demonic forces from influencing our lives. We can stop him from causing us harm, stealing from us, and hindering our success in life. And You told us that Holy Spirit was always available to help us in our prayers.  Therefore, in the name and authority of Jesus: We forbid demonic attacks against our families from succeeding.  We forbid diseases caused by demonic forces from affecting our bodies. We forbid demonic forces from stealing our finances. We forbid spirits of fear from overcoming us in our minds. We forbid powers of darkness from controlling our government.  We forbid spirits of murder from taking over our streets. We forbid spirits of division from continuing to divide races in our nation.  We forbid spirits of perversion and confusion from overtaking the children of America.  (These are simply a few examples of things to pray. Let Holy Spirit lead you.) We ask, Father, that You would increase revelation in the church regarding the authority given to us in Christ. We ask that the Ekklesia be taken to her highest level of functioning in Christ’s authority as we represent Him on earth. And again, all of this we do and ask for in His name. Amen. Click on the link below to watch the full video. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 1163. Ibid., ref. no. 1210. Barbara Wentroble, Prophetic Intercession  (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1999), pp. 68-69.

Be Courageous…And Pray! Today, I want to mention a very important Greek word from the New Testament, along with a couple of references where it is used. The word is “dei,”   which means “that which is necessary, even binding, as in a legal sense; that which is right, proper, or necessary in the nature of a case; that which is prescribed by law, duty, custom, etc.; from a sense of duty, one must.” (1) From these definitions, it is easy to see the strong meaning of the word. Dei  does not indicate a suggestion  or that something might perhaps be a good idea . To the contrary, it carries the weight of duty or legality. The very literal Wuest translation of the New Testament typically uses the phrases “that which is right and proper” and “that which is necessary in the nature of the case” to translate the word. With this in mind, let’s look at two passages where it is used. The first one will demonstrate the strength of the word; the latter uses it in the context of prayer. In Luke chapter 13, Jesus healed a lady on the Sabbath who had a crooked back, bent over for 18 years; the condition was caused by a demonic spirit (verses 10-12). However, practicing medicine was considered work, and the Pharisees lumped healing in with practicing medicine. Therefore, as ridiculous as it seems, the Pharisees considered it a violation of Sabbath laws to heal on that day! Upon seeing this miracle performed, the synagogue official became indignant, saying to the people gathered, “Six days there are during which it is right and proper [dei] to accomplish things. In them therefore you should come and be healed and not on the day of the Sabbath” (verse 14, Wuest translation). Unimaginable. “It’s against our laws to heal on the Sabbath,” he protested. No wonder Jesus couldn’t tolerate the Pharisees and religiosity of His day. Christ‘s response to the official was first to point out the hypocrisy of this law, reminding him that they took care of their animals on the Sabbath. Then He turned the tables on the official, using his own word “dei” to win the argument. “And this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan bound, just think of it, eighteen years, was it not a necessity in the nature of the case [dei] that she be released from this binding restriction on the Sabbath?” (Verse 16, Wuest translation).  Follow Christ’s logic. He first pointed out that this woman was “a daughter of Abraham.”  As such, she had a covenantal right to healing:  “I am Jehovah Rapha, the Lord your Healer”  God had said to Israel in Exodus 15:26. Later, He said,  “You shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water; and I will remove sickness from your midst”  (Exodus 23:25). Healing was her covenantal right. Then He continued: “Since she has the legal, covenantal right to healing and I am here as Jehovah Rapha, the initiator and fulfiller of that covenant, it is legally binding (dei) that I heal her. I must. Your religious legalism says I must NOT; the legality of covenant says I MUST.” Checkmate! Now, with this understanding of the strength of this word, dei,  let’s look at another reference. Jesus used the word again in Luke 18:1:  “And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought (dei) always to pray, and not to faint.” He then shared the parable of the unrighteous judge and widow.  When we use the word “ought” in conversation, we are typically suggesting that something be done or stating that it might be a good idea. That is NOT what Jesus was doing! Prayer is more than a suggestion, a possible good idea. He was saying that it is necessary, right, proper, even legally binding (dei) , that we pray, asking the Father for what we need. We MUST! Wuest again confirms this, stating in the verse that it is a “necessity.”  Elsewhere, Jesus said that even though God knows our needs before we ask (Matthew 6:8), we still must ask (verses 11-13). James 4:2 goes so far as to tell us one of the reasons we don’t receive what we need is simply because we don’t ask. Prayer isn’t optional! And the last part of the verse in Luke 18:1 is also significant: “don’t faint.”  A better translation in today’s language would be  “don’t lose heart.”  Some translations tell us not to lose our courage. Don’t be faint-hearted or lose your courage. Instead, pray! When Joshua began his assignment to lead Israel, three times God commanded him to be courageous (Joshua 1:6, 7, 9)! As challenging as it is to hear, courage is a choice. God has placed within us an innate ability to overcome and be courageous. He has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). We must draw on this overcoming nature and refuse to let fear conquer us. When times get tough, be courageous… and pray! When the bad report comes in, be courageous… and pray! When the storm rages and it seems you will not survive, be courageous…and pray! When your nation turns away from God and toward evil, be courageous…and pray! Anchor yourself to faith in God as your Father and believe that He will come through for you. You MUST! Pray with me: Father, You told us to always pray and not lose heart. You commanded Joshua in his battles to possess the land, to be strong and courageous. We, too, must be strong and courageous as we possess our nation. We declare our faith that You have given us a spirit of power, love, and a disciplined mind; the spirit of fear is not part of our inheritance.  In the spirit of Luke 18:1, we ask You to forgive and heal our land. We ask You to heal the division and hatred, replacing them with brotherly love. We ask for a continued purging in our government, cleansing it from evil and corruption. Weaken those in our government who resist You and Your righteousness, removing their influence; strengthen those who walk in integrity and truth. We ask that the spirit of violence and crime be broken off our nation. Send revival to the youth of America (and the world), with a power the world has never before seen. Awaken the Ekklesia here and around the world to the authority You have given us, and cause her to burn with fires of revival. Uncontainable fire! And we agree in prayer for our brothers and sisters who are struggling with loss, sickness, lack, emotional pain, and discouragement. Cause the spirit of faith to arise in them, overcoming the spirit of fear. Help them to choose courage, to fan the flames of hope and faith, and to pray! Where there is confusion, awaken the soundness of mind. Where there is discouragement, cause hope to arise. Where there is pain, replace it with healing power. We stand with and for them today, in the mighty name of Jesus. Our decree: We declare that we will always pray, and we will not faint. 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. 1163.

It’s Just Common Sense I am often reminded of Thomas Paine’s 1776 pamphlet, “Common Sense,” when thinking about today’s battle to restore America. This writing was so compelling that George Washington required all of his troops to read it as they faced the challenges of being outmanned, outgunned, and undersupplied. No doubt about it, Paine’s pamphlet was a key part of motivating America’s patriots to fight for freedom.  Paine’s choice of this title was as deliberate as the arguments inside it. The phrase was designed to frame the question of independence as something obvious, universal, and within reach of every reader—not reserved for scholars and politicians. By naming his work “Common Sense”, Paine signaled that he would demonstrate to ordinary people that the case for breaking with Britain rested on practical judgment and shared human experience, not on aristocratic theory.  The title revealed that the pamphlet was a voice for a broad audience. Paine wrote in plain language, deliberately avoiding the high-brow jargon of political essays. He wanted farmers, tradesmen, artisans, and laborers to grasp his arguments without wading through numerous footnotes or Latin phrases. The choice of “Common Sense” promised clarity and the kind of reasoning that anyone, regardless of education, could recognize as reasonable. By appealing to the “common” logic of his readers, Paine bypassed the elites and framed independence as a decision rooted in everyday practicality. The phrase also implied shared ideals. “Common sense” referred to the practical knowledge a community relied on to govern itself in ordinary life. Paine adopted this notion to contend that the colonies’ separation from Britain was not a radical leap but a logical conclusion grounded in the mutual interests and rights of the people. If a monarchy and hereditary rule, as Great Britain preached, seemed contrary to ordinary experience, then rejecting them became, in Paine’s view, common sense. In this way, the title invited readers to view independence as a natural consequence of the basic principles of liberty and self-government. The title also reflected Paine’s target audience. “Common Sense” was addressed directly to the mainstream inhabitants of America, not to the academic community and cultural elite. Paine’s plan was to mobilize opinion by presenting simple, provocative arguments in direct language, often posing questions that exposed the inconsistencies of British rule and the benefits of republican self-government. If the reasons for independence felt like common sense, then resistance to it would appear as stubborn resistance to practical truth.  Finally, the title helped inaugurate a new political culture. The pamphlet helped foster a growing American identity around the notion that governance should be grounded in consent and common welfare rather than inherited authority. The term “Common Sense” thus carried with it a promise: that all could grasp political truth, and that the American dream would be explained in terms that any person could understand and act upon. It was a strategic declaration that the decision to sever ties with Britain rested on the clear, shared judgments of ordinary people. Common Sense Today Here we are again needing common sense to save us. Oppressed by cultural elites, woke idiocy, and anti-biblical Marxists, the value of common sense is on the rise in America. Americans are sometimes gullible, definitely uninformed, and, sadly, entirely too self-absorbed. But they love their freedom, and most of them possess “good ole common sense.” They will tolerate bureaucratic and woke nonsense for a while, but their tolerance level is eventually reached, and they demand a return to sanity.  Enter Donald Trump.  I just listened to his press conference, where he announced that he and his team are taking over law enforcement in Washington, D.C., at least for the time being. He spoke of the rampant violence, filth, graffiti, disrepair, homeless camps, out-of-control crime, etc. I couldn’t help but think of Paine’s pamphlet as I listened to him, for all that Trump said was simple common sense. Here are some highlights of his statement, not in direct quotes, but generally speaking: We are taking back our nation from the thugs and criminals. We will clean up and repair our nation’s capital, making it something we can be proud of.  We will remove the graffiti; those who deface the city and its monuments will be held accountable and face jail time until they have served their entire sentence. We will make our capital city safe again, so that US families can visit without fearing for their lives. Spit in the face of a cop and they will now hit you, rather than be forced to stand and take it. We will use whatever force is required to accomplish this, including the military if necessary. Commit a crime and you will not be back on the street in a few hours through cashless bail. You will go to jail. We will now listen to the culturally elite talk about how horrible these things are, while the rest of us shout a hearty “Amen.” One of the more entertaining parts of the press conference was watching Pete Hegseth stand just behind and to the right of the President, trying not to smile at some of Trump’s comments. Patriots like Hegseth enjoy good ole patriotic common sense.  Most of Trump’s statements at his rallies were also simply common-sense-based declarations: We are going to function like every other nation and have controlled borders. We will deport those who have come here illegally, beginning with criminals, gang members, rapists, murderers, and those with terrorist ties. We will demand fair and equitable trade in our dealings with other nations. Countries we protect across the ocean are going to start paying their fair share. We are going to stop calling girls, “boys” and boys, “girls.” And we will stop mutilating their bodies. We will stop arresting concerned parents who attend school board meetings because they don’t want their kindergarten children taught how to be drag queens.  We will strengthen our military. We will lower taxes and cut out waste in government. Common sense. Pray with me: Father, Your Word speaks of those who profess to be wise, but are actually fools (Romans 1:22). America has its share of these. It also says,  “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20). Romans 1 also speaks of suppressing the truth and allowing darkness to overtake foolish hearts (verses 18 and 21). Rejecting You and silencing one’s conscience makes people become fools. America has allowed many incompetent individuals to sit in positions of government and education. In Your mercy, please continue removing them. Give us more plainspoken purveyors of truth and common sense. Continue to awaken the American people to the nonsensical positions of those who oppose You and the laws of nature. Cause them to continue to rise up and demand that truth rule our nation. Give support to leaders like Trump, his team, Michael Johnson, and other government leaders who are standing for our Constitution, our heritage, and Your ways. We ask You to rescue the many youth in America who are out of control and angry in our inner cities. They have been misled, deceived, and left to their own ways. Save them before it is too late for them. Give strategies to those attempting to reach them, and send the fire of revival to the inner cities of America. Pour out Your Spirit in our schools. Please send the greatest revival to the young people of America that has ever taken place. And we pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that Americans are being awakened to truth and the teachings of Scripture once again. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

“Heaven Shall Never Abandon Us” Sandy Fitzgerald, writing for Newsmax, points out that a third of the District Judges in Washington, D.C., five of the 15, had never served as a Judge before being appointed by Obama and Biden, and were also born in other nations. (One of the five has only been a U.S. citizen since 2019.) Let that sink in: five of the rogue judges dictating policies that affect our entire nation had never served as a judge in any capacity before being appointed to some of the most powerful judgeships in America. They are: “Judge Tanya Chutkan, born in Kingston, Jamaica. She came to the U.S. in 1979…In addition to overseeing the legal challenge to the Department of Government Efficiency's [DOGE] work to slash government spending, she has presided over cases involving Trump, including overseeing his criminal trial in connection with the 2020 presidential election. “Judge Amit P. Mehta, appointed by Obama, was born in Patan, India…He is to oversee four Jan. 6 civil cases against Trump. “Judge Ana Cecilia Reyes, nominated in 2021, was born in Uruguay and grew up in Louisville, Kentucky…and is the first openly LGBTQ Hispanic woman to be appointed to the court. She presided over an objection to an executive order from Trump that declared ‘gender dysphoria’ as inconsistent with standards for troop readiness, blocking the order through a preliminary injunction.  “Judge Amir Hatem Mahdy Ali, another Biden appointee, is the first Muslim and Arab American to serve on the D.C. District Court. He was born and raised in Canada to Egyptian parents and became a U.S. citizen in 2019…He has written about Trump’s 2017 executive order restricting travel to the United States from seven predominantly Muslim countries, stating that ‘prejudice and intolerance’ were ‘the very hallmark of [Trump’s] campaign against Muslims.’ In more recent actions, Ali restored $2 billion in spending to foreign nonprofit contractors by the U.S. Agency for International Development [USAID] that had been on pause for 90 days. “Judge Sparkle Sooknanan was Biden’s final appointee and was sworn in on Jan. 2, 2025…Last week, Sooknanan ordered Democrat Susan Grundmann to be reinstated to the Federal Labor Relations Authority, keeping a Democratic majority on the board.” (1) These are just a few examples of the way in which the Left has worked diligently to shape America’s judicial system according to liberal, leftist agendas. Who needs Congress to pass laws? Just appoint the right judge, and they can legislate from the bench and even override the President elected by the majority of Americans. The appointment of liberal judges and the election of left-leaning district attorneys in numerous blue cities has led to horrendous violence and crime. The recent mob attack in Cincinnati, Ohio, is just one case in point. Tens of thousands of people are leaving beautiful California, having given up on changing the state back to a place of common sense and law and order. The same is true with New York. The problems go all the way to the top. Certain opinions of Supreme Court justices on the left have been criticized as ridiculous, even laughable, based on the Constitution and precedent. And regarding corruption at the High Court, does anyone in their right mind actually believe the ludicrous assertion that the leaker of the Dobbs decision reversing Roe versus Wade cannot be found?! Please! The good news is – and yes, there is good news – people in America are rising up and demanding change regarding the un-American, leftist, dishonest, and stupid ideals being forced upon them. And a remnant of the church is praying. America was birthed by appealing to heaven, and America is being saved by appealing to heaven.  Samuel Adams, known by Bostonians as the father of the American Revolution, has become one of my favorite Founding Fathers. In September 1777, the war for independence was not going well. The British were in control of New York, Washington’s troops were suffering from deprivation and fatigue. “The number of delegates present at Congress had dwindled to a mere twenty from the fifty-six members who had signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Those remaining gathered for a private meeting in York to question whether there was any hope of success.” (2) Sam Adams rose to speak, comparing the American revolutionaries to the Israelites who had left the slavery of Egypt. According to Exodus, chapter 13, God guided them in the wilderness with a “pillar of cloud by day” and a “pillar of fire by night.” In his address, Adams demonstrated his faith and patriotism stating: “Let us awaken then, and evince a different spirit, a spirit that shall inspire the people with confidence in themselves and in us, a spirit that will encourage them to persevere in this glorious struggle, until their rights and liberties shall be established on a rock. We have proclaimed to the world our determination ‘to die freemen, rather than to live slaves.’ We have appealed to heaven for the justice of our cause, and in heaven we have placed our trust. Numerous have been the manifestations of God’s providence in sustaining us. In the gloomy period of adversity, we have had ‘our cloud by day and pillar of fire by night.’ We have been reduced to distress, and the arm of Omnipotence has raised us up. Let us still rely in humble confidence on Him who is mighty to save. Good tidings will soon arrive. Heaven shall never abandon us while we act worthy of its aid and protection.” (3) Keep praying, church, we have Scripture and history on our side. Heaven shall never abandon us. Pray with me: Father, sin and rebellion often lead to depravity and insanity. America now has depraved judges and legislators who want to see babies killed, children mutilated, Your Word mocked, Your marriage covenant defiled, and common sense outlawed. Many  “became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools”  (Romans 1:21-22). We have sown the wind and are reaping the whirlwind (Hosea 8:7). And yet, You are rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4), and love to redeem.  We approach You now based on the redemptive properties of the blood of Jesus. In the greatest story ever told, our Creator has become our Redeemer. We ask that His blood continue to cleanse our nation from sin, its resulting depravity, and the curse of insanity. Cleanse our hearts and heal our minds. Restore us to You, and thereby to truth and life. As founder Samuel Adams referenced, we ask You for the cloud by day and pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:21). Bring Your glory and fire to our three branches of government, releasing these guiding forces in the White House, the halls of Congress, and the Supreme Court. Flow down from these “heads” to every facet of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of our government. “We have appealed to heaven for the justice of our cause, and in heaven we have placed our trust.” (4)  We will not doubt, and we will not stop until our nation is ablaze with revival and being reformed by truth. And in Jesus’ name we seal this. Amen. Our decree: We decree that the appeals to heaven will not stop, and they will not fail. Click on the link below to watch the full video. https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/federalist-us-judges-district-of-columbia/2025/03/26/id   Sample text for Samuel Adams : a life / Ira Stoll.   Ibid. Ibid.

Help Us Write History in Washington, D.C. Exodus 23:14-17: “Three times a year, you shall celebrate a feast to Me. You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread; for seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the appointed time in the month Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. And none shall appear before Me empty-handed. Also, you shall observe the Feast of the Harvest of the first fruits of your labors from what you sow in the field; also, the Feast of the Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in the fruit of your labors from the field. Three times a year, all your males shall appear before the Lord God.” Deuteronomy 16:16: “Three times in a year, all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Booths, and they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed.” God understands that we must relate to others on different levels. In Israel, they identified with one another as families, cities, tribes, and as a nation. God realized that the closeness and commitment to one another would decrease as the number of people increased. One of the ways He ensured that Israel would maintain its national identity, while immersed in living life with family, community, and tribe, was this requirement for all of the men (13 years old and upward) to go to Jerusalem three times a year for major feasts. This practice helped keep them all connected both spiritually and nationally. These journeys were time-consuming and required sacrifice, but they were necessary to remind all of Israel that they were part of something bigger than themselves. Who doesn’t realize how easy it is to get caught up in our own world of family, friends, challenges, and activities?  The principle behind this requirement in Israel is appropriate for us in the body of Christ today. Though we are members of different congregations, streams and “tribes,” we are part of one spiritual nation; we must never fail to remember and honor this. It is inappropriate to think we can isolate ourselves from other tribes and spiritual families. Our union in Christ is far more important than our differences and preferences. God loves and demands unity, and those who divide brothers are an abomination to Him (Proverbs 6:16-19).  There is another occurrence in Scripture mentioned in the books of Numbers and Joshua, which demonstrates the importance of our corporate identity in God’s family and the importance of working together. Joshua 1:12–18 reads: “To the Reubenites and to the Gadites and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said, ‘ Remember the word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, “The Lord your God gives you rest and will give you this land.” Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle shall remain in the land which Moses gave you beyond the Jordan, but you shall cross before your brothers in battle array, all your valiant warriors, and shall help them, until the Lord gives your brothers rest, as He gives you, and they also possess the land which the Lord your God is giving them. Then you shall return to your own land, and possess that which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise.’ “ They answered Joshua, saying, ‘All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you; only may the Lord your God be with you as He was with Moses. Anyone who rebels against your command and does not obey your words in all that you command him, shall be put to death; only be strong and courageous.”’ These verses refer back to an account in Numbers 32. Three tribes, Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, had requested that Moses give their inheritances to them before Joshua and the entire nation conquered Canaan. They had found land on the other side of the Jordan River that suited their livestock well, and asked that this land be given to them as an inheritance. Moses agreed – as long as they temporarily left their ranches and homes to fight for the other tribes when it was time for Israel to possess Canaan. It was “all for one and one for all” as far as the inheritance of Israel was concerned. Failure to honor this agreement was punishable by death! Regardless of how settled they were on their farms and ranches, how comfortable they had become in their homes with their families, when the time came to fight, the men would have to pack up, grab their weapons, and fight for their brothers and sisters. Although it was 40 years before the time came for the remaining tribes to possess their land, Joshua – and God – had not forgotten the agreement. Joshua brought it up immediately in chapter one of the book bearing his name, and these three tribes honored their commitment. How different things would be if the body of Christ thought this way today. If we realized that we could not honor only our tribe’s identity or celebrate only our congregation’s success, but possessed hearts willing to sacrifice and battle for the success of our brothers and sisters, how different things would be. If we realized it was required of us to war for the entire nation, not just for our home and family, how different things would be. Obviously, some causes and battles are local, but others rise to the level of national importance.  As we war for the soul of America – for her revival, restoration, and reset – much of that must be done at the local level. But there are some battles that require all of the tribes to fight as one. This is why God, at times, leads individuals to host significant national  gatherings or release national  prayer alerts. And when we honor these calls to national prayer, victories flow down to all. A very significant national gathering will take place in Washington, D.C., on October 9-12. It is simply called Communion America ,   referencing our faith in the blood of Jesus, and the belief that no person, no religious or political organization, and no human strategy can save America. The journey of salvation we are on is a journey back to our faith in Christ and our relationship with God through His blood: “What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. ” (1) So, throughout the day on Thursday and Friday, we will gather in 50 tents – one for each state -- and worship. In the evenings, we will all gather together, worshiping and praying for our nation. On Saturday, October 11, a table of communion will be set up the length of the Washington Mall, and we will humbly partake of the covenant meal together, asking God to cleanse our nation with the blood of Jesus…and send the greatest of revivals.  I can safely say that God has used various visits to Washington, D.C., to accomplish as much or more in my heart than any other activity. There is something about taking a stand in our nation’s capital – as both a citizen of heaven and of America – that is incredibly significant. My emotions have run the gamut when doing so, from overwhelming travail accompanied by many tears to exultant, powerful decrees. If you have never made such a pilgrimage, this would be a great time to do so. During my visits, not only have I been used, I have been marked . Nothing has done as much to solidify the revelation that this is MY country as have these visits to pray in Washington, D.C., Holy Spirit has told me many times while there, “Take ownership of this nation – it belongs to you.” You should consider joining host David Bradshaw, Lou Engle, me, and other leaders, helping us write this new chapter of America’s history. All for one, and one for all! Pray with me: Father, we know You relate to people, not just as individuals, but as groups of people. Family units are blessed and cursed, as are cities and entire nations. Also nations, just like individuals, possess divine purposes and destinies. We know You raised America up to propagate the gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth. And though we have rejected You and turned from this calling, in Your mercy, You are restoring us. We declare that we will experience a great harvest and also be used to reap an incredible harvest in other nations. Without a doubt, You have led David Bradshaw and Awaken the Dawn  to host this worship and Communion gathering on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Now, we ask You to breathe Your life, favor, and blessing into it. Give it wind. Move upon the hearts of tens of thousands of people to attend, and millions more to participate online. We ask that You would use this event to take Your rightful place in our nation. As we partake of the bread and wine that week, arise and scatter Your enemies. Give us great breakthrough in the heavens, shattering strongholds and lifting the veil of darkness off millions of people. Let the power released as we gather merge with the power released from millions of prayers and other significant events in our nation over the past 30+ years. Amalgamate and synchronize these into one huge explosive release of Your power. We ask for all the funds needed to accomplish this event. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen. Our decree:  We decree that another great Communion Revival has begun and will come to fullness in America. Link to give: Awaken the Dawn Click on the link below to watch the full video. https://hymnary.org/text/what_can_wash_away_my_sin

Our Protected Future Yesterday,  we looked at Jeremiah 33:3, where God said if we would call on Him, He would show us great and mighty things we have never seen. We saw that the word “mighty” does not refer to physical power or might, but has the connotation of something that is hidden, and therefore fortified or protected. The verse is saying God will reveal to us things that have been hidden and protected until the right time.  Isaiah 48:6-7 is another passage speaking of God revealing previously hidden things. “Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have shewed thee new things from this time, even HIDDEN things, and thou didst not know them. They are created now, and not from the beginning; even before the day when thou heardest them not; lest thou shouldest say, Behold, I knew them.” (emphasis mine) The word used here for “hidden” is different from the one used in Jeremiah 33:3. It is natsar, (1) which means to watch over, keep, guard, protect, maintain, etc. As such, it is one of the Hebrew words for a watchman. These definitions do not do the word justice, however. For all of the word-nerds out there, A Little Perspective  ( alittleperspective.com ) explains that natsar  is made from three different Hebrew letters/words: nun, tsadey, and  resh.  Combined, they literally mean: “We ensure the continuation ( nun ) of a thing when we conceal ( tsadey ) its beginning or foundation ( resh) ; that is, we guard a thing of value when its root is hidden from view.” (2) The article continues adding, “The sense I get of  natsar,  is that the thing which is kept is hidden from view…The thing of value is not on display, so thieves do not know of its existence to steal it.” (3) Now, for all of you bottom-liners who don’t want the etymology–just the meaning–Isaiah 48:6 is saying that God protects His plans by keeping them “hidden” until He knows it is time to reveal them. Holy Spirit chooses not to reveal many things regarding God’s plans for the future, whether they pertain to a person or a nation. Even when the Lord reveals certain plans, He typically does not reveal the exact timing  or how  He will accomplish them. He is protecting them, not only from His enemies, but from us! If He didn’t, we would want to see them fulfilled NOW, and would try to make them happen OUR WAY, not God’s. Therefore, He “hides” His plans and waits for the right time to reveal them. Jesus was born at a “fullness of time” (Galatians 4:4). Holy Spirit was poured out only after Jesus was crucified, and the Day of Pentecost had “fully come” (Acts 2:1). Until these events, the plans and timing of God regarding redemption were still “hidden.” The apostle Paul was born again, then waited 14 years until God’s fullness of time, before being separated into his apostolic calling and destiny (Galatians 2:1; Acts 13).  In 2020, God hid some of His plans regarding America. He did clearly reveal that America would be saved, and He informed us that revival was coming to America. He also told several prophets that President Trump would serve two terms as president. What He chose not to reveal at the time was that there would be a four-year delay for Trump’s second term, during which time He would 1) expose corruption in America; and 2) change Donald Trump, which would allow him to accomplish much more than he could have previously. Preparation was needed, both in our government and in Trump personally. Eventually, God’s hidden plans were revealed.  God has plans for you that He has not yet revealed. He is still hiding them in order to protect them. In the meantime, pray and declare what you do know. Be obedient to what He has shown you. When the time is right, Holy Spirit will show you more. Don’t get ahead of Him.  God began speaking to me about writing several years before it was time to do so. He needed to plant the seed in me, but it was not yet time for the fruit. This was somewhat confusing at first. When He first began speaking to others and me personally about this calling, all of us assumed it was time to start. Some of those who had prophetically discerned this gifting began urging me to begin. I tried, but it was obvious that I was not yet ready. Holy Spirit had simply been preparing my heart and mind for His future plans. A few years later, He made it clear that it was time to begin. I wrote my book, Intercessory Prayer  and have been writing ever since.  He has plans for you, also. Good plans. You are familiar with some of them; others are hidden. Regarding those you do know of, He has likely chosen to hide the timing. Trust and obey. Your trust in Him and perseverance during the wait are parts of your preparation. Remember, you are on a journey.  And when God chooses to reveal His hidden plans to you, you’ll be glad you waited. Pray with me: Father, You have plans for us, plans for good and not evil, to give us a hope-filled future (Jeremiah 29:11). Thank You for this verse, assuring each one of us that You are not trying to “come up with” a plan for our life, but that You already “have” it. And thank You for hiding portions of this destiny, keeping it safe from the enemy of our souls, and even from ourselves, until Your fullness of time arrives. You are the Master Craftsman and the Perfect Timekeeper. You always know when the right time has come. Give great assurance to those struggling with their timeline. Give them confidence that they can trust You from this day forward, and declare with the Psalmist that their times are in Your hand (Psalm 31:15). Awaken within them an assurance that You have a plan for their life and that, regardless of what has happened up to this point, they can trust You with their future. And we agree in prayer now for America and her destiny. (Place the name of your nation in the prayer.) We declare our faith that Your purposes for our nation will be accomplished; that You have plans and events hidden in Your heart that You will bring forth at just the right time. These plans revolve around the gospel of the Kingdom spreading from these shores to the entire world. These plans involve a third great awakening that will reset and reform our nation. These plans involve a youth revival, not only here but around the world, that will shake the nations of the earth. We declare that these purposes are safe in You, and will not be destroyed. All of this we pray in Yeshua’s name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that the hidden plans of God, safely concealed in Him, are now being revealed.  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. 5341. https://alittleperspective.com/proverbs-4-guard-your-heart-with-all-diligence/ Ibid.

Mining the Gold “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. ” (Jeremiah 33:3) This famous verse of Scripture has no doubt been heard by almost every believer. On one occasion several years ago, I woke up at 3:33 AM and heard the Lord say to me, “Jeremiah 33:3.” At least, I thought  I had awakened at 3:33 AM, until I woke up again at 3:33 AM, and heard the same words! When I finally did wake up, I realized I had dreamed – twice! – that I woke up at 3:33 AM, and heard the Lord say “Jeremiah 33:3.”  The Lord wanted to “awaken” me to this verse and do so with extra emphasis, so He gave me the same dream twice. I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but upon waking, I knew immediately that God wanted me to look at Jeremiah 33:3.  We all find comfort in the promise that if we call upon the Lord, He will answer us and show us great and mighty things. But I decided to dig a little deeper, and began by reading the verse in several translations. I was immediately intrigued by the Amplified Classic Bible: “Call to Me, and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand).” The phrase “fenced in and hidden” fascinated me. “Mighty” is the word that motivated the Amplified translators to add this additional phrase. My first thought was, Well, which is right? “Mighty?” or “fenced in and hidden?”  Out came the lexicons. The Hebrew word is batsar. (1)  It is a very fascinating word. Follow closely: the root concept is “to cut off,” including the aspect of separating or isolating something. It was often used in the context of doing so in order to protect it. This is why it was used by the Amplified translators to describe something “fenced in and hidden,” like a garden or vineyard; it was even used to describe gold, which is “cut off” from view and “hidden” by the ground. The word also took on the meaning of a city that was cut off, inaccessible, and therefore, “fortified.” The concept of mighty, therefore, is not referring to a muscular or military might, but to something hidden and inaccessible, thus, protected and “mighty.”  The Amplified got it right. The verse is saying that God will reveal information or a revelation that has been hidden, not yet made known. He will “unhide” it. This can be seen in the fact that a different form of the word, betser , (2)  is used to describe gold that was once “hidden” but has now been discovered and mined. Using this analogy, we could say that God is going to reveal the  treasure  of His Word, or the prophetic revelation necessary to succeed or prosper. We actually sometimes use the phrase “a wealth of information.” This information from Holy Spirit could be prophetic insight regarding the times and seasons, how to break through in a given situation, or direction for the future. Any new insight revealed by Holy Spirit would fit the description of  batsar/betser .  God is willing to reveal the understanding you need to break through and prosper. Your Counselor and Teacher, Holy Spirit, wants to release the spirit of wisdom and revelation to you (Ephesians 1:17). He wants to “uncover” truth, information, and insight for You. Uncover is actually the literal meaning of revelation. Let Him help you mine the gold. Jeremiah 15:16 says,  “Thy words were FOUND, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts” (emphasis mine).  Too often, we fail to “find” the gold, the revelation we need, because we are not diligently looking and listening. Psalm 107:9 tells us God satisfies the thirsty and the hungry, filling them with what is good. “The problem isn’t God’s refusal to speak but our refusal or inability to get quiet enough to hear. Silencing the soul is a learned art. The psalmist David spoke of this. ‘Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; like a weaned child rests against his mother’ (Psalm 131:2). When we quiet the soul, we can hear His voice in our hearts.” (3) As King Solomon was about to begin his reign over Israel, he prayed a prayer God couldn’t resist.  “So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”  (1 Kings 3:9). The phrase “an understanding heart” should actually be translated “a hearing heart.” The translators struggle with the concept of a “hearing” heart, so they don’t word it this way. But the Hebrew word is  shama, (4)  and it means “to hear.” Solomon asked for a hearing heart to discern between good and evil, enabling him to lead God’s people appropriately. God answered Solomon’s prayer, revealing to him treasures of wisdom, and we can read them in the book of Proverbs. Why don’t you take a little time today and ask God to reveal some treasure to you? Pray with me: Father, we echo the words of the Psalmist, who asked You to “open my eyes that I may behold wonderful things from Your law/word”  (Psalm 119:18). There is no problem we have, no situation we face, for which the answer cannot be found in Your Word. Give us the hunger and tenacity to dig for the treasure, for You have said that if we call upon You, You would answer and show us the hidden pearls of revelation we need.  No, these priceless gems are not lying out in the open for the casual seeker to come across them “accidentally.” You do not cast Your pearls before swine. They must be sought, treated as the priceless treasure they are. But for the hungry, You have promised to help us mine the gold and find the treasure. Give us hungry, seeking hearts, just as Solomon possessed. And we know You will respond to that hunger by opening our eyes to see hidden treasures of wisdom. We pray for our leaders in government and in the church. We ask that You give them wisdom and revelation to lead with Your understanding and enlightenment. Give them supernatural strategies to overcome challenging problems. Give them solutions to heal our nation and spread righteousness and justice.  And we pray for everyone joining us today. Give them the answer they need in order to overcome, to break through, to succeed. Give them heaven’s understanding and wisdom for every situation they face. All of this we ask in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen. Our decree: We declare that as we call upon the Lord, He will answer us, revealing great and mighty things we did not know.  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. 1219. Ibid., ref. no. 1220, 1221. Dutch Sheets, The Pleasure of His Company  (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books), p. 143. Strong’s Concordance, ref. 8085.

Introduction Holy Spirit has given my brother Tim a very encouraging word regarding restoration and renewal coming to the body of Christ. As always, it is powerful, and I believe it will minister to you greatly. Tim’s title is: The Oil of Joy: Strength for the Season   I believe this is a season in which the Lord desires to bring deep healing and renewal to our souls, positioning us to reign victoriously with Christ in the fullness of His promises. Just as the Lord, our Shepherd, restored David’s soul in Psalm 23, He desires to do the same for us. I recently heard the Lord say, “This is a season in which I will give beauty for ashes in amplified ways. My transforming anointing will destroy yokes of oppression, hopelessness, and resulting bondages. It will be poured out in great measure. “Soul strikes” will be healed, bringing full recovery to My people. I will give the oil of joy for mourning and garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” As I prayed and reflected on this, Holy Spirit brought to my mind a prophetic word from several years ago and added fresh insight. Here is that word: “A supernatural time of exchange has now come to fullness, which will liberate my people to live in the freedoms I intend for them. Move into and live in the reality of that which I have promised. Move into the power dimensions I have provided. Leave the ashes your enemies used to stain your soul and darken your times. Leave the burning, singeing soul-grief brought by the spirit prince of heaviness.  Wrap yourself in new garments created from the promises your Prince of Peace has made to you. Live in the realities of My revealed identity for the joint heirs, My nature and life within you. Live life as a child of God. Live the God-life in your natural-life, filled with Holy Spirit-life.  Come to the place of awesome exchange. Is not My altar the holy place of exchange? Your sins, for My forever life. Your chains, for My freedom. Your guilt, for My pardon. Your shame, for My innocence. Your condemnation, for divine approval. Your weakness, for My strength. Your futile works, for My grace. Your defeats, for My victory. Your fears, for My boldness. Your failures, for My success. Your sickness, for My healing.  Come unto Me, all you who are weak and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Understand anew the supernatural favor I placed upon you. You are marked for supernatural favor. Understand the exchange privileges, the promises that are faithful, true, watched over, and performed for you. Move into the reality of My great exchange. Give Me your ashes, I’ll give you beauty. Give Me your grieving, I’ll give you joy. I'll pour soothing oil over you. Give Me your heaviness and I'll give songs of thanksgiving. Give Me your burial clothes and I’ll give you garments of praise. Receive the anointing pouring forth from heaven. Participate in the supernatural time I am providing. Receive and enjoy the benefits of the great exchange.” As I began to reflect on this prophetic word, the Holy Spirit drew me to Isaiah 61. As I read it, I knew the passage was a kairos  word, a now  word. A fresh word breathed on the body of Christ, carrying fresh wind, fresh life, and fresh power. I heard the Spirit saying: A new measure of the joy of the Lord is being poured out in this season. I am pouring out the oil of joy.  Nehemiah 8:10 reminds us that the joy of the Lord is our strength. When joy comes, strength is activated. This means the opposite is also true: despair weakens us. There is a surge of joy being released by Holy Spirit to strengthen sons and daughters, making them joyful warriors. They will be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Joy is always available to us, but there are times when heaven releases an intentional wave of joy that produces strength. This is one of those times.  Isaiah 61:1–3 (Message) says: “ God sent me to announce the year of His grace—a celebration of God ’ s destruction of our enemies… to give bouquets of roses instead of ashes, messages of joy instead of news of doom, a praising heart instead of a languid spirit… They ’ ll be renamed Oaks of Righteousness, planted by God to display His glory.” This passage tells us the brokenhearted will be renamed . The bound will be renamed . Those who are mourning and in grief will be renamed . God is calling them His strong ones, His oaks of righteousness. The Father never calls you His weakling. You may feel weak because of circumstances that have knocked you down, but heaven is pouring out joy to make you strong like an oak tree.  We don’t make it through life without some misfortune. But experiencing problems doesn’t mean we’re in unbelief or that we’ve sinned. It simply means we’ve encountered an unexpected storm. We may not have seen it coming, and we may not have caused it, but when it arrives, we must overcome. As born-again sons and daughters, we have a promise of victory alive within us, and we trust God – He will turn things around! Romans 8:28 declares that God works all things together for good to those who love Him.  That doesn’t mean everything will return to the way it was; some things will never be the same. But the promise is that God knows how to make life good again .  He knows how to restore or replace what was lost. He knows how to change what needs to be changed. He knows how to give beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. There is a story recorded in Lee: The Last Years  by Charles Bracelen Flood. After the Civil War, General Robert E. Lee was traveling through Kentucky on horseback and passed by the home of a woman, clearly upset about what the ravages of war had done to her property. She pointed out to Lee a great shade tree that had been mangled and broken by artillery fire, expecting Lee to condemn the Union troops. Lee knew, however, that it was time to heal, and simply said, “Cut it down, madam. Cut it down and forget it.” Then he rode on. (1) You may have suffered greatly from the enemy’s artillery fire. And, yes, some of it is undoubtedly devastating. But I believe God wants to give you grace to move on from losses, abuse, and attacks of the past, so that you can stop reliving the “soul strike.” He will enable you to lay the axe to the root of despair, no longer controlled by the effects of the enemy’s artillery fire. Plant your hope in a new season. Plant your faith for a new harvest. Press forward into the future God has in store for you.    This is a season when God is bringing fresh strength, fresh hope, and fresh joy. Receive the oil of joy and let Him make you strong, an oak of righteousness, planted to display His glory. Pray with me:  Father, we are grateful that You have promised to restore our souls. We thank You for this season of supernatural exchange. Thank You for the promise of Isaiah 61, that You give beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Lord, today, we choose to trust You, anchoring our hope in You, knowing that You don’t disappoint. Cause joy to arise in us, producing strength for this season, so we may live as joyful warriors, strong in You and the power of Your might. And Lord, we pray for this refreshing, restoration, and strength to be poured out on our leaders. They are on the front lines of war, not only in America, but the entire world. Give them strength-producing joy, faith-sustaining courage, and fruit-producing wisdom. We pray they not grow weary in doing what is right, so that they may reap in due season (Galatians 6:9). We pray this especially for President Trump. Give him supernatural strength to finish his race well. All of this we ask in Jesus’ name, amen.  Our decree:   We decree that beauty is replacing our ashes, victory is replacing our sorrows, and our futures are filled with the goodness of God. Today’s post was contributed by my brother, Tim Sheets.  You can learn more about Tim Sheets here . Click on the link below to watch the full video. Charles Bracelen Flood, Lee—the Last Years  (Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 1981).   https://archive.org/details/leethelastyears00floo/mode/2up

Declaring God’s Word “You will also declare a thing, and it will be established for you; so light will shine on your ways.”  Job 22:28 NKJV It was 1980, and I was fresh out of Bible College. I was radical enough spiritually to pray for anything that moved – or grew. That’s why I was standing in the middle of a field, reading the Bible to the crops. Now that I have your attention . . .No, I’m not kidding. I was taking my cue from Jesus, who once spoke to a tree, releasing a death sentence to it. The following day it was dead (see Mark 11:13-14, 20). On another occasion, He also spoke to a storm, commanding it to stop (see Mark 4:39), and even addressed a corpse, giving it life (see John 11:43). One of His disciples also did the latter (see Acts 9:36-41). Jesus knew that nature and dead people weren’t “hearing” Him, but that His words were releasing the power of Holy Spirit to impact those realms. Likewise, our words, when they are God’s words and Holy Spirit leads us to speak them, also release divine power. That’s why I was declaring the Bible over a field. Actually, I was reading it to the field and the flies that were invading it. I read the blessings of Deuteronomy 28 concerning the crop:   “Blessed shall be . . . the produce of your ground . . . The Lord will command the blessing . . . in all that you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you . . . And the Lord will make you abound in prosperity . . . in the produce of your ground”  (vv 4, 8, 11).  I read Psalm 91:3 concerning the flies: “For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper, and from the deadly pestilence.” The flies died, and the crop lived. The situation was as follows: A Guatemalan farmer, already in financial trouble from previous losses, was in danger of losing thousands of acres of maize to these flies. He was about to spend approximately $25,000 to have them crop-dusted and wasn’t even sure this would stop the plague. We reminded this new Christian about the biblical principle of tithing and the promise that God would “rebuke the devourer” (see Malachi 3:10-11) for those who would obey Him in this regard. We then read him the verses mentioned above and asked if he would like us to join him in reading and declaring these words of God over his crops. He did, we did, and God did. The crops lived, and the flies and their larvae died. The crop-dusting wasn’t even necessary. Not only was the crop saved, but the $25,000 for the costly treatment was, as well. When scriptural principles are followed, the spoken Word is a powerful aspect of intercession. Decrees and declarations need not lead to imbalance or weirdness. However, being biblically balanced does not mean our actions won’t, at times, strain human understanding or reason.  It means we stay in the parameters of biblical teaching and the leading of Holy Spirit. Much so-called balance in Christianity is simply a desire to remain within the realm of our human understanding and natural laws. This eliminates the spiritual laws of faith and speaking the Word of God as a spiritual weapon. God honors His Word above His very name (see Psalm 138:2; KJV). A person’s name means nothing if his word can’t be trusted. When we consider the Word of God as unfailing and all-powerful, we are giving Him the greatest honor we can give. We’re stating that we know He cannot lie (see Hebrews 6:18), that His Word is eternal (see Isaiah 40:8), and that He can be trusted implicitly. A Roman centurion came to Christ on one occasion, asking Him to heal his servant. Christ said He was willing and offered to go with the man to minister to his servant. The centurion gave a startling response, however: “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I, too, am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he does it” (Matthew 8:8-9). This man understood the authority of God-inspired words and declarations. Jesus did give the command, and the servant was healed. I recall a challenging situation I faced several years ago in which demonic spirits were obviously involved. Great anger and strife had arisen in a family, and a strong possibility existed that the next day, this family would be torn apart for years, if not forever. I prayed late into the night about this very volatile situation, asking God to intervene. After a couple of hours of prayer, I clearly heard Holy Spirit say, “Use your authority and speak the Word!” I began to aggressively declare Scriptures Holy Spirit brought to my remembrance, making decrees based upon them. It went something like this: “Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall injure you”  (Luke 10:19).  “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world”  (1 John 4:4). I declare that God has given me authority over the spirits involved in this situation. Holy Spirit in me is greater than any power they can muster. “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exaltheth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5 KJV).   I declare that my weapons are fully able to disarm this situation. In Jesus’ name, I tear down the strongholds of the powers of darkness in this family situation. “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).   I am fully submitted to God and know that as I speak His Word, the evil forces at work must flee. I command you, demonic powers, to leave this situation in Jesus’ name. I free these individuals from your influence, in Jesus’ name! I probably used a few other verses, as well – this happened 40 years ago – but I’m sure you can understand what I was doing. After 20-30 minutes of this, I felt great peace and went to bed. The following morning, every person involved had experienced a change of heart, and total peace prevailed. The power of God’s Word had been released, overcoming the evil spirits and positively influencing the minds and hearts of the individuals. It just needed to be released. Pray with me: Father, we know that the power which created the universe was released through Your words. Few believers, however, understand the power that can be released when WE speak YOUR words. Increase revelation of this to the body of Christ; arm us with truth. As You do, we pledge to go to a new level of using Your words as the sword of the Spirit. We will speak Your words regarding our personal lives, the lives of others, and our nation. Doing so now, we decree that the wicked will not prosper in our land (Psalm 92:7; 125:3). No weapon formed against Your purposes in America will prosper (Isaiah 54:17), but that which You have spoken – giving the nations to Your Son (Psalm 2) – will manifest in America. We release this in the mighty name of Jesus. Our decree: We decree God’s Word from Psalm 119:89:  “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven.” Click on the link below to watch the full video. Today’s post was taken from our Give Him 15 Devotional, Volume 1 .