Treasure Mountain A picture, as they say, is worth a thousand words. Knowing this, God sculpted and shaped a vivid picture of hope deferred in the form of a mountain - wouldn't you know it would be a mountain! Rugged. Barren. Big. Its very name Horeb, means “desolation, a waste place, barrenness, dryness” - all synonyms of hope deferred. I sometimes think of this mountain when praying for America. This is the place where Moses ended up for much of his forty-year exile, shoveling dung instead of bathing in royal hot tubs. There can be no more severe case of hope deferred than what Moses experienced, having lost his royal inheritance and, it seemed, his destiny. I realize “it ain’t over ‘til it’s over,” but after disappearing for forty years, a dream is usually over. But thankfully, like many mountains, Horeb had treasure hidden within it. Not only would this barren piece of rock be a picture of exile-induced heart disease, but it would also become a glorious example of conquered hope deferred and healed heart disease. Horeb gives you a glimpse of life on the other side of your pain. The events associated with this place portray God’s amazing ability to heal, restore hope and purpose, and bring beautiful treasure from ugly mountains. Horeb didn’t remain horrible for Moses, and it won’t for you either. The transformation of Horeb became so complete, its power so harnessed by the hand of God, that it eventually became known as “the mountain of God.” (Exodus 3:1). It just doesn’t get any better than that! God can so transform the Horeb seasons of your life that one day all you will see when you look back at them is Him. “I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11, emphasis added). There is gold in this mountain, and you will find it! This became especially real to me a few years back when I found myself in a season of hope deferred, much of which had been caused by rejection and betrayal. While seeking the Lord for comfort one afternoon, He threw me quite a curve. “I need for you to embrace the pain,” He spoke very clearly. What a strange and seemingly cruel statement to hear from a loving Father who supposedly had great plans for my welfare and a future filled with hope. I did not realize, however, that God wanted more than to simply remove my pain; He also wanted to use it. God never wastes your pain; before He removes it, He makes it serve you. Horeb will become your gym and the pharaoh who sent you there your trainer. And ultimately, like God, whose nature you inherited, you will win. He always wins, and so can you. I want to be very clear that God wasn’t telling me betrayal is good, nor that He caused it. God doesn’t cause evil, but He does make it serve Him – and us. He needed for me to embrace the pain, not so I could hurt, but in order to grab it, wrestle it to the mat, and claim my prize! God doesn’t call evil good, as some people are prone to do. Pain isn’t good; it tells you something is wrong. Death is an enemy. Emotional wounds can break your heart. God doesn’t make light of your pain, and He isn’t playing weird mind games with you, trying to convince you that bad is good. He is saying, however, that no matter how great the wound and deep the pain, He knows how to heal and transform it. And not just into scar tissue. He will use its lessons to make you better, healthier, richer, and well positioned for a fulfilling future. Horeb isn’t terminal! Learn these lessons from this ugly mountain, and find the buried treasure you can take from it. One of the first things Horeb will have taught you, and one of the most important, is the power of perseverance. Don’t downplay this one – it’s huge. Waiting isn’t easy, and nothing truer can be said than that waiting is associated with hope deferred. Learning to wait without wavering will make you successful in life. God wants to strengthen your endurance through your experience at Horeb so that you can be like the distance runner who can run long distances without damaging the heart or lungs. Moses is one of the all-time record holders for waiting. After fleeing from Pharaoh and becoming an object lesson on deferred hopes and diseased hearts for 40 years, he found it hard to believe God could ever use him again – let alone awaken his dreaming heart. But after a season of arguing with God on this mountain (see Exodus 3-4), he decided to give it a try and became the all-time greatest poster boy for restored hope. Sometimes the perceived death of a vision is really just waiting for its divine time! That’s why persistence is so crucial. This could prove to be one of the greatest assets you’ll mine from this mountain. Rick DeVos, the co-founder of Amway and former owner of the Orlando Magic basketball team, says of persistence: “Persistence is the single most important ingredient of success in life…When confronted with a failure or disappointment, you have only two choices: You can give up, or you can persist…If I could pass on one character trait to young people in the world – one single quality that would help them achieve success in life – it would be persistence. It’s more important than intellect, athletic ability, good looks or personal magnetism. Persistence comes from a deep place in the soul. It is a God-given compensation for what we lack in other areas of our life. Never underestimate its power.”(1) All great men and women have learned to persevere. Galatians 6:9 encourages us to do so without losing heart: “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” Sometimes, like Moses, your wait is because you have not yet arrived at God’s “due time.” The words “due time” in this verse come from the Greek phrase, “idios kairos” and, when fully understood, are filled with reason to persevere. Kairos means “the right time; the opportune point in time at which something should be done.” The second word, idios, denotes “ownership.” This verse is telling you to not lose heart while waiting for something God has promised you, because you own a right time for the promise to arrive. Knowing this sure does make waiting easier. I’ve waited over 35 years for America’s - and the entire world’s - next great wave of revival. Twenty-five of those years have been on the front lines. Not quite as long as Moses, Caleb, and Joshua, but I can see their tail lights. During that span, my nation has become a Horeb - desolate, barren, and dry - but I’m starting to see “burning bushes” and hear awakening words from heaven. Open your eyes, see the flame, and listen to the God of resurrection life: “America shall be saved, the bones will live, and I WILL have my harvest!” Pray with me: Father, thank You for giving us inspirational stories in Your Word, for allowing us to see into the lives of overcomers and heroes. Thank You for showing us their challenges, failures, and recoveries. You are the God who makes Horeb serve us. You tell us unequivocally that Horeb is meant to be conquered and turned into a place of strength and breakthrough. We have all visited this mountain, and our entire nation now lives there. But God - YOU! You have not given up on America - because You have not given up on the earth. We’ve been knocked down, but You, our Trainer/Manager, have not “thrown in the towel.” To the contrary, You are in our corner with the smelling salts, water bottles, and Holy Spirit’s power. We see the burning bush and we are listening for Your voice (Exodus 3). We have seen the bones coming together and can hear them rattling - not the death rattle, as some would contend - but the rattling of realignment (Ezekiel 37). We can hear Your laugh of derision toward Your enemies as You listen to them decree their supposed victory over You (Psalm 2). And now we decree Your words over this nation: “America shall be saved.” We decree over the nations: “You are the inheritance of Jesus Christ and He will have members in His family from every one of you.” We decree over our prodigals and family members: “We shall be saved, and so shall our household.” And we declare over the workers of iniquity in this nation: “The King is coming to shake you from your positions of power.” Our decree: We decree that our desolation and barrenness is being infused with resurrection life. Portions of today’s post were taken from my book The Power of Hope. Click on the link below to watch the full video. ________________________________________ Rich DeVos, Hope From My Heart (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2000), pp. 27, 33.

Protect Our Children The forces in America that oppose a biblical worldview, as well as the Judeo-Christian values upon which we were founded, no longer feel the need to hide their intentions. The Biden Administration, members of Congress, judges, local governments, school boards and teachers, media, and more - have removed all restraints and are now open and vocal about forcing their beliefs and dogmas on the nation. Obama, who never once honored the National Day of Prayer, once had the audacity to declare that we had never been a Christian nation. Facts no longer matter. The Washington Times reported last Wednesday that “A suburban Dallas school district (Keller, TX) pulled copies of the Bible and a graphic novel version of Anne Frank‘s Diary, among other books, one day before classes began.” The Bible and Anne Frank are off-limits!(1) Also, last week, Intercessors For America released an article exposing another ploy of the transgender movement. They report: “A harrowing video from The Boston Children’s Hospital claims that children can know they are transgender ‘from the minute they were born, practically.’” IFA tells us, ‘The Boston Children’s Hospital is associated with Harvard university and was the first to establish a clinic that specifically focused on ‘transgender health’ in a pediatric setting…’(2) On the video, which the IFA article provides a link to, Dr. Jeremi Carswell “cites a number of different behaviors that supposedly provide evidence that a child is transgender and may be suitable to undergo permanent, life altering surgery or medical intervention…”(3) What an insult to He who “made them male and female.” Folks, trust me when I say they are coming for our children. If ever we needed to pray for them, now is the time. The following powerful article by Cheryl Sacks will help us do just that. Tomorrow’s post will alert you to an insidious attack we must pray and take action against. Don’t miss it! Cheryl says: “I still remember the first time I heard about what was really happening in our Arizona schools. I didn’t know that teachers used their own money to buy students essential clothing like underwear, or that schools didn’t have the resources to maintain buildings. I had no idea that teachers gave out canned goods on Fridays so that kids could eat over the weekend. I didn’t know about the number of students who were homeless, struggling academically, overdosing on drugs, or attempting to take their own lives. Even the churches right next door to these schools knew nothing about what was going on inside those walls! “So when four young men—Mike, Matt, Jon, and Keith—showed up at our ministry offices to ask if we would help them with an initiative to pray inside the schools of Arizona, I knew it was a God assignment! We all heard the Lord say the same thing: ‘Invite My transforming presence into the schools.’ “We began meeting with the principals of targeted schools. One of the first things we did when meeting with principals was to ask forgiveness for not taking time to find out the needs of their school. We said we were sorry for not praying and doing what we could to meet their school’s tangible needs. Then we asked them how we could pray for their schools. I remember sitting in the office of one principal and asking him, ‘What is the biggest problem your school faces?’ He broke down in tears. ‘That’s an easy question to answer,’ he said. ‘There’s no hope here!’ We knew God wanted to change this! “So we rented school auditoriums and prayed and worshiped in 26-hour prayer vigils in schools all across the state. I’ll be the first to admit, this was a stretch. We struggled to step out in faith to raise the money to rent the auditoriums—and then labor all night in intercession every weekend that fall! With broken hearts we cried out to God for food for the students, more teachers, money for repairs of the buildings, new sports equipment, and better test scores. In the midnight hours we worshiped and contended together against suicide, depression, and despair. . . . “The problems we discovered are not unique to Arizona. Most schools face similar issues. Beyond the physical and financial needs—and they are great—our schools desperately need the healing power of Jesus. No wonder it seems hopeless. “Secular institutions can’t solve a spiritual and moral crisis or give kids what they need most: an encounter with the Lord. The good news is, we’ve seen what God can do. Miracles happen when we invite His transforming presence into our schools! “We know of teens who, after coming to our prayer gathering at their school, changed their minds about killing themselves. At least two of them had planned to take their own lives at school that very night. Instead, they heard the worship, came inside and ended up giving their lives to the Lord. “When stories of what God was doing in schools got out, things began to change. The eyes of the community were opened. The Holy Spirit awakened the Church. Now families and churches are getting involved in adopting schools for prayer and practical service everywhere across the state. They are providing backpacks, food, tutors, and mentors. In one school, at the request of the principal, we created a Serve, Watch, and Pray program. About 80 members of a nearby church signed up to serve as volunteers on campus, and we trained them how to ‘watch and pray’ on the job. “You may not be a church leader or have the time or connections to launch a major prayer initiative. What can you do? “Grab a prayer partner and go for a prayer walk around a school. “If you have school-age children or grandchildren, pray with them about their school during mealtime or before bed. When you are dropping off or picking up your child at school, arrive early and pray over the students and teachers you see—and anything else God puts on your heart. “Here are some vital issues for which every school needs prayer: Protection from evil: Pray Psalm 91 over the school and ask the Lord to station His angels all around. Ask God for protection not only from shootings and violence but also from bullying, drugs, gangs, and evil spirits that come to steal, kill, and destroy (see John 10:10); Overcoming hopelessness: Declare, in Jesus’ name, that all thoughts of suicide, depression, hopelessness, and despair are broken off (see Jer. 29:11). Pray with expectation and confidence that students will experience salvation and the joy that comes from knowing Him; Prospering in school: Ask the Lord to place each student with the teachers and classrooms where that particular student will prosper. Ask Him to send godly influences to the young people to encourage them in their studies and their walk with Jesus Christ; Contending for purpose and destiny: Ask God to raise up young people with godly purpose and destiny to contend for righteousness and justice at their schools (Amos 5:24) because our schools are gates of cultural influence in our nation. Ask Him to raise up those who, like David, will fulfill the purpose of God in their generation.” “There may be principals, teachers, and students in your community who feel there is no hope. But we know the answer that can result when the Church comes together and seeks God for His blessing and transformation in our schools. We just need to take the initiative.” Pray with me: Lord, we ask that You shine Your light upon our schools and drive out all darkness, spiritual blindness, perversion of truth, and hostility toward You and Your truth. We pray that all attempts to use curricula in our schools as a way to disciple our young people in humanism, moral relativism, and other godless ideologies would be stopped. We ask for teachers and school boards to select curricula that preserve our godly heritage as a nation and honor You. Father, when teachers and students are confronted with subject matter that goes against their biblical worldview, we call upon You to give them courage. Lord, we recognize we do not battle against mere flesh and blood, but against spiritual powers in heavenly places. It is evident that there is a spiritual agenda to destroy the innocence and purity of our children, corrupt them, and lead them down the wrong path with regard to their God-given sexuality and identity. God, as we face these enemy forces that would lead our students into deception and sexual sin, we declare that You have promised to preserve the godly inheritance of parents and our nation—and that heritage is our children. We take authority in Jesus’ name over every wicked spirit that brings these messages of division, corruption, perversion, and immorality to our precious children. This day, we ask for Your deliverance for our schools and our children from these enemy forces. We pray all deception and efforts made in secrecy to influence and corrupt our children would be exposed, brought into the light, and defeated, in Jesus’ name. Lord, we pray for our children that Your Spirit would fill them with a desire and value for truth and purity. Give them the courage to stand strong against peer pressure and the lies of the enemy and our culture. Help them turn from the path of death to life, in Jesus’ name. Our decree: We decree that our children will recognize, embrace, and walk in Your truth, and that they will fulfill the purpose and destiny to which You have called them. We decree that a young generation of revivalists and reformers like Joseph, Daniel, and Esther will arise! Today’s post was taken from an article in Intercessors for America and written by Cheryl Sacks. You can find out more about Cheryl here. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Cheryl Sacks is the best-selling author of The Prayer Saturated book series: The Prayer Saturated Church, Prayer-Saturated Kids, and The Prayer Saturated Family—How to Change the Atmosphere in Your Home through Prayer. Her newest book, Reclaim a Generation, 21 Days of Prayer for Schools, will be available soon at ReclaimAGeneration.com. You can learn more about Cheryl and her husband Hal’s work at PrayerSaturated.life and BridgeBuilders.net _________________________________________________ https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/aug/17/bible-illustrated-anne-franks-diary-pulled-suburba/ https://ifapray.org/blog/boston-childrens-hospital-claims-babies-are-trans/ https://www.breitbart.com/social-justice/2022/08/15/boston-childrens-hospital-children-know-theyre-trans-minute-they-were-born/

Don’t Take the Bait In Luke 17:1, Jesus tells us that offenses are inevitable; they WILL come. The Greek word for “offense” is skandalon. It is also translated as a “stumbling block,” a word or event which causes an individual to stumble or fall, figuratively speaking. This word is very fascinating. Skandalon literally means “a trap-stick.” (1) It was the trigger of a trap (usually made of wood) on which bait was placed; when the bait was taken by an animal, the trap was sprung. Skandalon is also the Greek word from which we get our English word, scandal. When we, like an unsuspecting animal, take certain types of bait, we are trapped and often find ourselves in a scandalous situation. It also became the word for an “offense.” An offense is a result of “taking the bait” when wronged. Thus the phrase “pick up an offense.” When we have been wronged or mistreated, the key to remaining free from bitterness and lasting pain is to not pick up the offense - don’t take the bait. Jesus told us very clearly that we WILL be baited - offenses WILL come. We must not pick them up - they are traps! The bait in an animal trap is food the creature finds appealing, something it desires to eat. How else could the trap actually be successful? Likewise, we pick up offenses because it is desirable and feels good to pick them up. When treated poorly or unfairly, stolen from, spoken to harshly, abused, or mistreated, it feels good to take the bait. We “deserve” to be angry, to feel resentful, to take up an offense. After all, they hurt us. But it’s a trap! Years ago, in a certain part of Africa, monkeys were trapped by placing a banana in a jar that was tied to a tree or stake. The opening of the jar was just large enough for the monkey’s hand to fit through it when open. However, when the hand was closed into a fist, it was too big to remove it. The monkey wanted the banana so badly it would not let go of it, and consequently could not remove its hand. It was now trapped. If you have picked up an offense, if you have taken the bait, let go of it. It’s the only way to be free. If you hold on to it, you will become a captive to the enemy and to the effects of the wound. This brings us to the subject of forgiveness. Jesus told us in Luke 6:37 to forgive, and we would be forgiven. In the prayer we call the Lord‘s Prayer, Jesus again instructed us to forgive our debtors, or “those who trespass against us.” The word “forgive” also means to release. “Release, and you will be released,” Luke 6:37 says. The key to being freed from the effects of being wronged - pain, fear, emotional walls, and more - is to release the person that hurt us. Let go of the banana. It may feel good to resent or hate the offending party, but it’s a trap. One of the biggest hindrances for people when trying to forgive is a wrong understanding of forgiveness itself. Most people link it with their feelings. But forgiveness is not a feeling or an emotion. It is a decision we make based on truth, just like love. Being angry at someone we love doesn’t mean we no longer love them. We may not “feel” the love currently - emotionally, we feel anger - but we still love the person. In the same way, forgiveness isn’t a feeling. We can make a genuine decision to forgive/release while still feeling anger, hurt, pain, etc. We do so as an action of our will, based on truth - God said to do it. And if we maintain our decision, it begins the process of releasing us from the pain and hurt. Another hindrance to forgiveness is failing to realize we are not declaring the offending person to be innocent. We are simply releasing them to God - He reserves the right to judge individuals. We are handing them over to Him, and He will do what is right. Still another hindrance is a belief that when we forgive, we must then have only pleasant thoughts or feelings toward the offender. There are people I have forgiven that I still do not trust or like as a person. They are mean and unkind. But I can choose to love and forgive even my enemies, releasing them to God, though they will never be my friends. When we pick up an offense, if not released, it will become a root of bitterness. The fruit it produces is also bitter: sickness, emotional disorders, anger, loss of joy, and a breach between us and God. It also spreads to others. Hebrews tells us the root of bitterness defiles many. “Looking diligently lest any man fails of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled” (Hebrews 12:15; KJV). The Greek word defiled is also the word for a stain on clothing. When we become bitter, we stain others with our bitterness. We’ve all seen entire families separated through bitterness. How tragic. Pray with me: Father, we thank You for modeling love and forgiveness. While we were still sinners, You sent Your Son to die for us. Jesus, You forgave those crucifying You. We want Your forgiving nature to control us. We want to walk in love. We ask for grace now to do so. As You taught us to do, we choose to forgive those who have hurt us. We release them. As we do so, we believe it will release a healing process in us. Wounds will heal, sickness will leave, and emotions will no longer control us. We desire to forgive and release so You can forgive us (Mark 11:25). And Lord, we know healed people heal people. Make us healers. Help us to spread healing love, not stain-causing bitterness. Heal our land of racial wounds, political division, and cultural divides. We want to see the accuser cast down in our nation. We bind spirits of division and strife, declaring their hold broken. We desire to be ambassadors and examples of your love and forgiveness toward others. Help us represent You well. We pray these things in Christ’s powerful name. Our decree: We decree that we will love and forgive as we have been loved and forgiven by God. Click on the link below to watch the full video. ______________________________ Spiros Zodhiates, Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible - New American Standard (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1984; revised edition, 1990) p 2274.

Push Through the Curve and Come Out with Momentum Hello and welcome to Give Him 15. Today our GH15 is a little different. I have a bit of a surprise for you, a plan I feel God has given me. I’m always asking Him, “What are you saying to the Ekklesia, Your church today?” I’m talking to my prophetic friends, asking them, “What do you hear God saying?” And I know most of our listeners feel the same way. So I’m going to start bringing on people whom I feel have a strong prophetic gift and are tuned in for the nation and the church. I plan to have them share on every Friday’s Give Him 15, letting you hear from them. I’ll also be on, and we will dialogue, discussing what Holy Spirit is saying to us today. I’ll be asking them to share what they hear Holy Spirit is currently sharing with them. Today I have my friend Greg Hood, whom you have seen/heard before regarding some of the dreams we have shared with you. I have asked Greg to share with us here today. So, welcome, Greg - tell us what you’re hearing. Dr. Greg Hood: “Thank you, Dutch - it’s an honor to be with you today. I will share what I feel Holy Spirit is sharing with the church today. I believe we have been journeying with the Lord through the past several years, wondering, at times, what He is saying to us. When God speaks to us, what He says may not always be for that minute or that day, but it could be for down the road or even years later. But I’m hearing the Lord say that much of what we have heard for the past few years is beginning to sprout through the ground and bear fruit. For the church, we need to be in a place where we have our ear on the heart of God and listen like we haven’t listened before. God has brought us into a place of maturity, not to just withstand what lies ahead of us, and I think there are a lot of challenges lying ahead of us, but not anything that we can’t overcome. However, we must be careful. I used to go to an old butcher store as a young boy and watch the butcher trim the fat off the beef. I think that’s what God has been doing in us for the past few years, trimming the fat and getting us into a place where we are not serving Him for comfort, but for the breakthrough. The Kingdom of God is coming in a way that we’ve not seen before, and God is giving us opportunities to take ground like we’ve not done before.” Greg continues: “I believe the church is coming out of boot camp and training. We’ve had a number of great books written in past years. God has given us great teachers, programs, and Bible colleges have sprung up to get us equipped in our Christian beliefs. Now we need to get out of the bootcamp mindset and into battlefield mode and mindset. The Lord is bringing us into a place of harvest - traditionally, we think of this as people receiving Christ, getting saved. But I feel harvest isn’t only for individuals but also regions, nations, and governments. God is bringing culture back into the hands of the church. The Ekklesia has grown to a place where we can actually make a difference spiritually and culturally. “Dutch, I’ve heard you teach regarding the Jesus movement of the 60s/70s and what happened during the Charismatic Movement - it’s so clear that we missed it during that season. But I believe we won’t miss it this time - we are ahead of the game and are ahead of the curve. The pressure is still there, but the church has to get used to being in a place of pressure. Through different churches and teachings, we have been used to living a life of ease, even compromise - living a life of a “it’s all about me/us” mentality. Some people go to church just to help them over a hump. But that’s changed. If you need a pat on the back and help over the humps, you may be disappointed over the next several years. We are headed into a place where there are going to be a lot of humps. But the church has emerged into a place of being able to carry the weight of God without buckling the knee. “Pressure is important. I like to ride motorcycles. When you come to a curve, you want to put on the brakes. However, the pressure and acceleration you give the motorcycle help you get through the curve. As the church/Ekklesia, we are in a place where we are in that curve, pressure is there - cultural, political, and ideological pressure - we are coming to a place where the world is telling us we need to put on the brakes. But we can’t do that, we need to accelerate and use the momentum the curve gives us to propel us to the other side. Once we come through these tight places, there’s an acceleration that God gives us from the momentum, and we’re going to see a rapid harvest. People will come into the Kingdom like never before. “But I also sense the greatest barrier, even the largest obstacle, will be the religious spirit (not people, but principalities). If we aren’t careful, we will find ourselves on the wrong side of awakening and revival. We must make sure the judgmental mindset is gone from us and from what God wants to do. Many of us are holding on to things that can be great hindrances, keeping us from God’s plan. We must especially be careful our doctrine lines up with God’s Word. I think God is asking us to meet with Him personally, individually, and corporately to deal with our doctrines. I relate them to the precious pigs that the Gadarene was raising. When Jesus showed up on the shore and cast the demons out of the man, they went into the pigs. The pigs didn’t want to live with the demons, so they ran off the cliff. God wants to run some of our previous pigs off the cliff. God is looking for oneness in the body of Christ that will release the power of God in this hour. Greg continues: “During the next few months - even as we walk through the upcoming elections - we must be careful as we look at the candidates - looking at their character and lifestyle. We may need to be reminded that God used Pharoah, Cyrus, Hezekiah - many others who were not the ideal candidates, but He used them. We are there. We are asking Holy Spirit what Father is saying - what is He wanting today. The answer may surprise us and take us backward if we are steeped in a religious ideology that makes us more heavenly-minded than earthly-good. I see that shift coming and God bringing us into a place where we hear Him clearly. Dutch then shares: “I came from a stream in the body of Christ that was very legalistic and dogmatic regarding what they believed. There are other denominations with doctrines causing them to isolate themselves from others if they didn’t believe a certain way. I’m not referring to basic beliefs such as being saved through grace by the blood of Christ, but other doctrines and beliefs. Years ago, the denomination I was with was so entrenched and controlling that we couldn’t watch tv, and women couldn’t cut their hair. It was a belief system we had built because of teachings from leaders whom we trusted. When I came into the Jesus Movement and people were being saved and walking out their salvation, I realized they didn’t believe things I had been taught. They didn’t believe things I had been taught were sinful, and it was a shock to me. I remember later in my walk with God, I was crying out for revival, and Holy Spirit spoke very clearly, “What are you going to do if I come riding on a donkey? I thought, that’s a strange question - but I knew immediately what He was saying. The Jews thought the Messiah was going to come a certain way, and they rejected Him. They thought He was coming as an earthly king, overthrowing the Roman government and taking over. When He did not do that, they rejected Him because of their traditions and beliefs. Jesus was asking me, “Are you willing to throw out some of your beliefs or expectations when I don’t do it the way you think I should, even when, or through whom? And if they don’t believe exactly the way you do, and they may be wrong in some of their beliefs, and I use them anyway, are you going to be okay with that? In other words, are you going to let Me be in charge and do this the way I want?” I believe that is what you are saying, Greg. We are all going to have to be very flexible and make adjustments. And I think we are moving quickly toward this. “Greg, I’d love for you to comment. The other day I felt the Lord say there are several more strategic adjustments He is going to do this year, but in 2023, we will move into a completely new level of harvest, and the awakening will be strengthened. I feel it will be a huge shift. I know God doesn't necessarily go by our calendar - I’m just looking ahead to what I see in the near future. I also feel that for the rest of this year, more shifts are coming, but next year, things will shift even more toward harvest. Greg, what do you see?” Greg shares: “I see it very clearly, Dutch. We are in a very strategic time as a church. We are in that curve, ready to propel us. Here are a couple of things we need to pay attention to within ourselves, and if we miss some things, it won’t be because God failed, it will be because the church has not been able to make the necessary adjustments that need to happen. “God is not obligated to manifest Himself in a structure that He has not organized or created for His manifestation. He is not obligated to manifest Himself in revival and awakening in our religious structures. He works with us, yes, but He’s always moving us toward change. I think it’s very important to pay attention to where we are right now. As we look toward the upcoming revival and awakening, we must step out of things that are trying/challenging to us. We must allow Holy Spirit to deal with what we are hanging onto as crutches, doctrine, and hindrances. During the next few months, I sense great exposure of false doctrines. There will be an opportunity to change those things and get back on track. God is going to deal with and give opportunity for this across the board - to all believers in all denominations. And as I am saying this, I am seeing a vision over the church and many question marks popping up everywhere. There have to be people qualified to answer these questions and able to say, ‘This is wrong,’ or ‘this is right’ and proven biblically. To get us through this year, God is dealing with us in order that we are positioned well enough to handle the upcoming great outpouring. “So my challenge to you is to go in your prayer closet and ask God, “Why do I believe what I believe, what doctrines and beliefs have I held onto that are not right and don’t line up with Your Word? Give me the grace and boldness to change them.” We are coming to the place where we may have to make choices to follow Christ, even if our friends and family disagree with our decisions. We are in the time of mega decisions, stepping into this with the boldness and power of Holy Spirit, in order to push through the curve and come out with a momentum that brings awakening and revival.” Dutch then shares: “That’s a good place to segway into the prayer. Why don’t you mention that I’ll be with you this upcoming weekend? From Greg: “We are doing a service together this upcoming weekend (August 20, 2022) in the greater Nashville area. You can find out more information from my website: GregHood.org. It’s free but we ask that you register because the seating is limited. It will also be available online for a small fee. “My desire is to bring the Ekklesia into a greater alignment in this region for awakening. I believe the greater Nashville area is primed for this and will be a first fruits for the nation for awakening and revival - we have a great expectancy for this gathering.” Greg then prays: “Father, we thank You today for Your presence and for what You are doing in America. We also thank You for what You’re doing in the church. Father, we ask that today You would bend us, bring us into a place that You have created us to function and flow from. We know that we are not where we need to be for the path You have before us, but we ask that You break those things off us, mentally and spiritually, we have tied ourselves to, that have hindered Your Ekklesia from being whom You’ve called us to be. Father, we know we have made great strides within the past few years. Help us to navigate and accelerate in this curve of change You have us in that will propel us in America’s awakening and revival. I thank You that everyone who is participating in the GH15 with us today is going to see themselves locked into the body of Christ like You called them to be. We give You glory and honor today for what You’re doing in and through us in America and around the world.” Dutch closes: “Greg, I agree with that prayer and know all of those joining us today are, as well. “Thank you for joining us today, Greg. We also thank YOU for joining us today. I will see you all on Monday!” Click on the link below to watch the full video.

A Combat Veteran’s Perspective on Afghanistan As you probably know, this month marks the one-year anniversary of America’s debacle in Afghanistan. Shortly after all U.S. troops had been removed, I read to you the perspective of an American soldier who served there. Given the fact that his comments regarding China and Russia are proving to be so accurate, I thought it would be good to hear his thoughts again, this time from his own mouth. He is here with me in the studio and immediately following this introduction, will take my seat for today’s post: William Ostan is a retired Army Major and the recipient of two bronze stars. He is the founder and CEO of Arc of Justice, a nonprofit organization that advocates for wounded warriors. Will is the co-author of the Wounded Warrior Bill of Rights, which is bipartisan legislation being considered in Congress. And he is also the man who introduced me to the Appeal To Heaven flag and its meaning. Will bleeds the red, white, and blue, just as I do. We have provided a link at the end of today’s post where you can learn more about his non-profit organization, Arc of Justice. We also strongly encourage you to ask Holy Spirit if He would have you support Will’s efforts. As an attorney, he donates tens of thousands of dollars worth of legal representation for wounded warriors as he serves them pro-bono. Ceci and I proudly support Will and his amazing family. “One of the greatest honors in my life was to serve alongside Navy SEALs and Army Green Berets as part of a Special Operations Task Force based out of Kandahar, Afghanistan. We took the fight to the enemy for several months in 2012 and 2013. Some of my brothers and sisters were killed in action or severely injured. I also paid a personal price from this deployment by being exposed to an environmental toxin that led to a debilitating auto-immune illness which forced me into a premature and unjust medical separation process. “Because of the sacrifices I experienced first-hand, the unfolding events regarding the Afghanistan pull-out from the past several weeks have been gut-wrenching to behold. As a combat veteran, watching the images of American citizens and our Afghan allies being callously left behind has been emotionally devastating and infuriating. After taking a few weeks to ponder and process the end of 20 years of combat operations, below are my thoughts. Before I share them in full, however, there are two brief prefaces which are important to provide context: “First, I hold no animus in my heart toward President Biden. While I disagree with a vast majority of his policies and decisions, I never make ad hominem attacks against a President. I always seek to default toward honor due to his position of authority.[i] My aim is to posture my heart along the same lines as David did with King Saul. Also, whether I like a president’s policies or not, I’m commanded to pray for him according to the Apostle Paul’s instructions in 1 Timothy 2:1-4.[ii] “Secondly, we live in an age of exaggeration where the 24/7 news cycle bombards our brains with non-stop exclamations that our leaders’ respective actions were either the greatest or worst in history. Hyperbole is commonplace and desensitizes us to truly extraordinary moments. “With the above framework in mind, the following conclusory statement is not written from a place of misplaced anger or thoughtless misrepresentation: “I believe President Biden’s disordered withdrawal from Afghanistan will go down in history as one of the most tragic failures of leadership ever committed by an American President. “In my opinion, his pathetic and senseless decisions were criminal acts of gross negligence at best and manslaughter at worst. If the reports about giving the information about American citizens to the Taliban are true, which they seem to be, then treason was committed on his watch. Some may call this a harsh judgment, but I believe President Biden’s appeasement and acquiescence in the face of the enemy will constitute one of the greatest acts of treachery against the American citizenry in the history of our great nation. “This verdict will stand the test of time due to the following 4 reasons: 1) “President Biden dishonored the many sacrifices made by every combat veteran who set foot in Afghanistan. He completely disregarded the memory of those killed in action, who Lincoln said, ‘gave the last full measure of devotion.’ “I’ll never forget the memorial services at Kandahar Airfield. During a combat deployment, whenever a warrior is killed in action, a ‘ramp ceremony’ is held, no matter the time of day or night that the death occurs. When the call goes out across the base, everyone drops whatever they’re doing and attends the service, even if they haven’t slept in days and it is zero dark thirty.[iii] We celebrate that warrior’s life and salute the coffin as it’s conveyed up the ramp into the C-130 aircraft for the deceased’s final flight.[iv] It is an act of remembrance, full of honor. “President Biden’s single cowardly act dishonored each one of the 2,461 ramp ceremonies that have taken place in Afghanistan since 2001.[v] 2) “He violated the military’s longstanding promise to ‘never leave a fallen comrade.’ This is a very simple but powerful tenet of the Army's Warrior Ethos.[vi] When American citizens are in harm’s way around the world, the military should be the last to leave, not the first. This is why the United States Marines bravely guard our International Embassies. After sending all civilians to safety, their boots are the last thing to touch the ground during a perilous evacuation. That’s not what happened here. The President left thousands of American citizens behind, all of them in imminent danger of being tortured or killed by enemy forces. 3) “He committed an unforgettable breach of faith with our NATO and Afghan allies. One Afghan Air Force Captain who piloted C-208 airplanes recently spoke to a New York Times reporter from a safehouse in Kabul and said, “I stood shoulder to shoulder with my American allies for five years – but now they have forgotten us.”[vii]The immediate consequence is a significant loss of trust in the international community. This will have inestimable negative repercussions for the wars to come. Potential future allies will not forget the abysmal end to a 20-year war. 4) President Biden’s decisions destabilized a dangerous geographic region and emboldened the enemies of freedom around the world. A worse attack than September 11th is now possible, if not probable. The Taliban became more powerful on 9-11-21 than they were on 9-11-01. Furthermore, a much greater threat is that China, Russia, and Iran are newly baptized with confidence. God forbid, if a World War III scenario ever unfolds, these countries now believe they can win. In their minds, America is weaker than ever before, as Ronald Reagan’s ‘peace through strength’ is no longer a guiding principle. So, where is hope to be found after this unmitigated disaster? This may sound strange, but I do find hope, in spite of President Biden’s failures. Nature teaches that it’s always darkest before the dawn. The end of the book of Daniel provides a blueprint for us by showing that amidst overwhelmingly difficult circumstances, “the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.”[1]Army Special Forces saying includes a directive that all Green Berets are charged to wade into uncertainty and prevail. My friends, this epitomizes our spiritual DNA. We are overcomers and were born for battle. Let us never quit until we have, like King David of old, “fulfilled the purposes of God in his generation.”[2] Pray with me: Heavenly Father - You have seen every single sacrifice in war-torn Afghanistan. Every man. Every woman. Every child. Every casualty over the last 20 years. Not one moment in battle has escaped Your attention. Please comfort the families of those who lost loved ones, and heal the wounds of the warriors who experienced them. May we all resist bitterness toward those who have acted disgracefully. We leave the bringing of justice to You. Lord, please bring every American and ally home safely. We ask that You restore the fractured places in our military community, heal every broken heart, and bring restoration to the land of Afghanistan, as only You can. We know You are saving thousands of Afghans, revealing Christ to them. Please cause this to continue and intensify. Let Afghanistan become a land of revival! We ask for hundreds of millions of Muslims to be born again there and elsewhere. Pour Your love out on them. And we thank You for America’s revival and awakening. Restore us to Your purposes and the true greatness of servitude. Make us a loud and clear trumpet of the gospel of the Kingdom. Use us greatly for the harvest of the ages! We ask all of this in Christ’s name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that the lives of our American warriors and Afghan allies were not lost in vain. There will be a renewal of honor in our military. Bio: William J. Ostan is a retired Army Major and the recipient of two bronze stars. He is the founder and CEO of Arc of Justice, a nonprofit organization that advocates for wounded warriors. Will is the co-author of the Wounded Warrior Bill of Rights, which is bipartisan legislation being considered in Congress. You can find out more about his story and even donate to this non-profit at www.arcofjusticeusa.org Click on the link below to watch the full video. [1] Daniel 11:32 ESV [2] Acts 13:36 ESV [i] Millions of American citizens believe that Biden is not a true President because he gained the position fraudulently. However, in the context of this devotional, I’m not here to relitigate that point since Biden has been formally installed as the President and is making daily decisions with the full weight and authority of that office. [ii] 1 Timothy 2:1-4. I pray regularly for President Biden as I did for Trump, Obama, and Bush. Every American Christian should be doing the same. It is possible to criticize and advocate against a leader’s policies in the public square while still praying for the leader. This can be a difficult needle to thread, but it is what we are commanded by God’s Word to do. The Holy Spirit will empower us to obey this command with excellence like Daniel did in Babylon. [iii] This is the military colloquialism for 30 minutes past midnight. The special operations community say they “own the night” due to their superior night-vision technology and training. Most capture/kill missions occur after the sun goes down. [iv] The bodies of all deceased warriors go through a solemn intake process full of honor at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. [v] https://www.defense.gov/casualty.pdf These numbers reflect the fallen from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel as of 10 a.m. EST on November 8th, 2021. [vi] The United States Army’s Warrior Ethos states, “I will always place the mission first, I will never accept defeat, I will never quit, and I will never leave a fallen comrade.” The Army has worked to instill the Warrior Ethos in all its Soldiers by the way they train, live, and fight. To have the Commander-In-Chief violate one of the sacred tenets of this ethos is shocking. Technically no fallen Servicemembers were left behind, but he did abandon American citizens whom the military’s job is to protect so I think the Warrior Ethos is applicable since left behind civilians are in danger of torture and/or execution by the Taliban, ISIS, or other terrorist elements. [vii]https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/07/world/asia/afghan-pilots-taliban-us.html?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=EBB%2011.08.2021&utm_term=Editorial%20-%20Military%20-%20Early%20Bird%20Brief Accessed on November 8th, 2021.

Releasing Power In today’s post, I want to discuss the number one way we impact the unseen realm of the spirit (“heavenly places”). The answer may surprise you: it is with our words. Whether releasing our faith, the power and/or life of Holy Spirit, or even warring against satan’s kingdom, the number one way we influence the spiritual realm is with our words. Why? Think about it. Breath and spirit are the same words, biblically. When our spirits leave us in death, it is actually referred to as taking our last breath. The name of the Holy Spirit could be translated as Holy Breath. I’m not trying to be mystical, but I believe the simple explanation for the power of words is that our mouths are the outlets of our spirits. Jesus literally breathed His life/spirit into His disciples (John 20:22). On another occasion He said His words were spirit and life (John 6:63). Amazing, isn’t it? Believe, speak, born again (Romans 10:9)! Believe, speak, mountains of adversity gone (Mark 11:23)! Yes, the words must be consistent with His Word and will, but when we speak them they are infused with God’s power and life. How forcible are right words! (Job 6:25 KJV). James, in chapter 3 of his letter, notes that with words we bless and curse. He goes on to compare the power of words to a forest fire, a fountain of life, a world of iniquity, and deadly poison. Strong words about the power of words! Job’s word for “forcible,” morat means “to press.” One of its biblical uses describes a king pressing his seal of authority onto a decree or legal document with his signet ring, making it legally binding (the law of the land). Words seal deals and decree laws. They are powerful, even unto life and death (see Proverbs 18:20-21). The New Testament says we are justified or condemned by them (see Matthew 12:37). Wars are started with words. Love is communicated through words. Instruction and education are shared by words. Deception and confusion are propagated with words. Kingdoms are built with words. People are controlled by words. Lives are shattered and healed through words. Worlds are created by words - the earth was...and so is our personal world. Words may very well be the greatest conduit of authority and power in the world. God’s Let there be . . . created the world and everything in it. Ecclesiastes 12:11 says, “The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies” (KJV). Nails help us build, construct, assemble, and hold things together. So do words. The Master Craftsman used them to build the earth, the seas, the mountains, and all the other amazing elements and dimensions of creation. Hebrews 1:3 tells us He holds it all together by the power of His words and decrees! Luke’s gospel says that even the incarnation - God becoming human - was caused by a combination of God’s words and Spirit. When Mary asked how she, a virgin, could have a child, the angel informed her that the power of Holy Spirit would overshadow her and impregnate her with Jesus (1:35). Then he said, “Nothing will be impossible with God,” (1:37). This translation doesn’t do justice to the strength of what the angel actually said. The most literal and accurate rendering is: “No word spoken by God is without power.” What a statement this is, and what ramifications it carries for us. Our all-powerful God infuses transcendent power into His words. They become the carriers of His awesome strength. In the Scriptures, God issues many decrees or declarations. Zodhiates says, “The Ten Commandments are actually ten declarations.”1 They are not the Ten Suggestions. When God issues a command or decree, it is earth’s law. To violate one is rebellion against His authority and invites negative consequences. God also calls His Word a sword with which He rules and judges. His declarations not only create and build, they also judge and destroy; they’re both constructive and destructive. Consider the following: “Out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength” (Revelation 1:16); “Repent therefore, or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war...with the sword of My mouth” (2:16; see also 19:15, 21). Some of God’s decrees are to create or perform something in the present; others are declarations about the future. In Isaiah 46:9-10, God says of Himself, “I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure.’” What an amazing God! He stands outside of time and looks ahead, declares the future, and eventually time catches up to His decree. How preposterous the fools who think they will outwit or overpower Him! I want us to see what happens when time catches up to a decree God makes concerning the future. What does He do at that point? He involves us in its fulfillment. We become the voice of God in the earth, decreeing His decrees for Him! Job 22: 28 says, “You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you; and light will shine on your ways.” The first part could be more literally rendered “You will decree a decree.” We discern God’s will and/or His decree - what He has determined about a given situation - and we decree His decree. The verse then says that when we decree His decree, it will be “established.” This is the Hebrew word quwm, which means “to rise.”2 God’s Word is called a seed (1 Peter 1:23), and when we sow it into a situation, we are sprinkling the seeds through which He causes His will to spring up. Quwm also describes a variety of other activities, including God’s “creative, saving and judging action” rising up.3 Our decreeing the Lord’s Word releases His creativity, His salvation, and yes, His judgments! I once stood and watched as a minister commanded a young boy’s crooked legs to be healed. His lame legs were supported by metal and leather braces. As the minister prayed, the air was filled with the sound of joints popping, muscles and tendons formed, and bones became new. The young man, who had never run before, took off his braces and ran around the church. We watched with amazement and awe, as the whole church celebrated with this young man over his creative miracle...which was released through words! I also watched another miraculous healing take place as this same man ministered to a lady who had stomach cancer. He spoke to the cancer, cursing it in Jesus’ name. The woman began to vomit up the cancer and was completely healed...again, through the releasing of Spirit-led words! I know these stories sound like fiction, but in the 1960’s, it was not strange to see miracles like these take place in meetings across America. Thousands were healed supernaturally. These two miracles were substantiated by doctors. I know because the minister was my dad. Pray with me: Father, we release the power of Your words into America. (If you live elsewhere, do this for your nation.) We declare that the earth is the Lord’s - Yours - and the fullness thereof (Psalm 24:1). All of it belongs to You. You are the King of all the earth (Psalm 47:7). All authority on earth belongs to You (Matthew 28:18-19). Yours is the kingdom and power and glory forever (Matthew 6:10). We declare Your authority is now being released over the government of America. You are dismantling the arrogant systems and political forces that have exalted themselves against You. All who have opposed You, along with the strongholds they have built, will be pulled down. And all unrighteous laws they have written will be reversed in the coming season of revival and reformation. Their evil ways and activities will be exposed. Your angels are on the move now to expose and dismantle. We pray and decree these things in the exalted name of Jesus. Amen. Our decree: We decree Your words over America and say, kingdom of God, come - will of God, be done in this land! Portions of today’s post were taken from my book Authority in Prayer. Click below to watch prayer. _______________________________ Spiros Zodhiates, Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, New American Standard Bible, 1719. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 6965 R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer, Jr., and Bruce K. Waltke, Theological Workbook of the Old Testament (Chicago: Moody, 1980), p 793.

Embrace the Prophetic Gift I am very grateful for the prophetic anointing Jesus gave us in the church. He places His prophetic gifts - which would include prophecy, dreams, visions, discernment, the ability to discern His timing, and more - alongside the apostolic (1 Corinthians 12:28). If we are to effectively represent Christ in His work on earth and follow the leading of Holy Spirit, we must operate in this prophetic anointing. As with all of Christ’s gifts to the church, these manifestations must function in harmony with His Word. But, they must first function! First Corinthians 14:40, the great chapter that gives us guidelines for prophecy and the gifts of the Spirit, says, “Let all things be done decently and in order.” Amen. Yet, I heard a wise man once say, “Before the words ‘decently and in order,’ the verse says, ‘Let all things be done!’” Amen again! Anytime God “speaks” to us, it falls under the realm of the prophetic gifting. Whether it be a thought He plants in our mind (“the still small voice,” as some call this), a Scripture that comes alive, a prompting or urging to do something, spontaneous thoughts or revelation that come forth from a teacher or preacher, discernment, dreams, visions, words of knowledge, or full-on prophecy; this is all part of the prophetic anointing and gifting. Millions of Christians experience these benefits regularly without thinking of them as being prophetic, but they are. I am grateful that Holy Spirit has done such a wonderful job of restoring this gift to the church. It’s almost impossible to be in a prayer meeting nowadays and not hear someone say, “I feel led to pray about…” or “The Lord just led me to this Scripture…” and so on. These are just another way of saying “God just spoke to me,” and it is wonderful. The prophetic anointing of Jesus, through Holy Spirit, has indeed been restored to the church. Interpreting what Holy Spirit gives us requires caution and diligence. As I said, we start with the Scriptures, making certain that what we believe we have heard lines up with the principles of God‘s Word. This cannot always be discerned from a direct statement God made in the Bible, such as Paul’s dream in which he heard, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” (Acts 16:9) In cases such as this, we judge the prophetic impartation based on whether or not it lines up with the principles and ways of God found in Scripture. We also judge it through the discernment and wisdom of other mature people. This is why we are told a prophet must allow other prophets to judge the words he or she releases (1 Corinthians 14:29; 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21). Understanding and judging prophecy can take time. This can be because God is giving us a word now that is actually for some time in the future, as He often did in Scripture (Abraham, for example). Also, I have discovered that for me, God often gives me words or dreams that require prayer and Biblical study in order to fully understand them. This processing typically brings me further insight and understanding of the subject, and seasons it with wisdom. Most dreams sent to me are more along these lines - an invitation to study a subject in order to hear Holy Spirit, rather than a simple, direct statement. If it is a very significant dream (or prophecy), He often gives me understanding of it in phases, based on the timing of the word. In short, I often have to ponder a word from the Lord over time, just as Mary had to do (see Luke 2:19). The difficulty and challenge of interpreting prophetic direction can be seen in the 2020 elections. First of all, I did NOT need a word from the Lord telling me who He would prefer to be America’s president. The principles of Scripture were enough. Trump’s policies and agenda lined up more with Scripture. His choices of Supreme Court Justices and stance on abortion alone were adequate for me. God does not want a President in America who favors the killing of babies in the womb. (It was Trump’s appointments of Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett that led to the overturning of Roe. Fifty years of prayers were answered, and a national curse over America was broken, in part because of the decisions of our previous president. Now, the Biden administration is the most pro-abortion administration we’ve ever had.) It wasn’t only this issue, however. Generally speaking, Trump’s policies are more in line with what I believe the Bible teaches than are Biden’s. I said over and over in the GH15 posts and the prayer gatherings I led in 2020, that the election was not about a person or a political party, that I was not warring spiritually for Donald Trump. I was warring for the ways and purposes of God to be established in our nation. Those praying and decreeing alongside me said the same thing. Most people in America now realize the devastation of that election’s outcome. When the controversy came regarding the election, other leaders and I felt the righteous causes at stake were worth warring for in prayer. I believed then (and still believe) that many of the words and dreams released during that season were saying it was possible to turn things around…that if enough of the church prayed, and enough government officials would make a stand, corruption could be reversed. When asked, however, if the dreams and words were a guarantee that Trump would be president again in 2021, my answer was consistent, “No, they absolutely do not mean this is guaranteed.” I actually met with and told a person very high up in the President’s circle the same thing. The words and dreams were all conditional, as they typically are. When the election was not reversed by January 21, I realized the prayer strategy for America would have to change. I felt God was saying He would use the prayers we prayed for our nation in other ways. The primary ways I felt He would use them was in exposing the evil that exists in the American government, and waking up the American people, including the church. This was confirmed to me by several prophets whom I trust. And has this ever occurred! There are current prophetic voices, and some secular voices, as well, that believe Trump will be placed back in the presidency before 2024. I am not one who believes this. I believe God has chosen to use this season in other ways, primarily to awaken the American people and clean up our nation. The lesson, however, regarding our complacency and lack of discernment in 2020 has become very costly and will get worse. The good news: we are waking up, evil is being exposed, and America shall be saved. Pray with me: Father, we thank You for allowing us to hear and know Your voice. We thank You, Jesus, for the gifts You gave to the church. And we thank You, Holy Spirit for releasing and administering those gifts. Thank You for revelation, prophecy, words of knowledge, dreams, visions, discernment, and the other ways You communicate with us. Remind us to listen and teach us to hear more clearly and accurately. Father, You have spoken to trusted leaders that You are exposing the corruption in our government and delivering us from their control. We continue to ask for this. Your kingdom come, Your will be done in our national government! We bind the demonic influence there and declare that they are forbidden to continue their rule over us. We say with our Founders: we have no king but Jesus! We invite His rule and reign into our land, along with the pouring out of His Spirit, to save millions of Americans. We also pray for the nations of the earth to receive Your hand of blessing, provision, and salvation. Expose idols, evil leaders, and iniquitous systems. Free people and nations from the strongholds of darkness. We ask for laborers, money, and resources in order to reach the nations with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We love You, Father. We love You, Jesus. And we love You, Holy Spirit. Amen. Our decree: We decree that we have ears to hear what Holy Spirit is saying to the church! Click on the link below to watch the full video. (By the way, I believe Holy Spirit has planted an idea in my heart to bring trusted prophetic prophetic voices on the posts every Friday in order to share with you what God is saying to the church. I know you’ll enjoy these, and it will help all of us grow in our ability to hear what Holy Spirit is saying to us today.)

Protect Your Neighborhood While my passion is to generate prayer for America, revival and worldwide harvest, it is good for all of us to be reminded of the home front. If we’re not watchmen for our homes, neighborhoods, and cities, what we pray regarding our nation/s won’t matter. Our dear friend and best selling author, Quin Sherrer, gives us great insights on this. “Have you considered ‘prayer walking’ through your neighborhood? “For years my friend Mary took to heart Jesus' command to ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ (see Mark 12:31) by continually praying over her neighborhood when she walked. In fact, she did this for years. “Walking her streets, she made a habit of proclaiming: “‘Lord, we invite the King of Glory to come in. Come forth and bring Your glory into this neighborhood. Release your blessings to the families here. Protect them from harm. Let them know You and Your love for them. Accomplish Your will through their lives.’ “One of her neighborhood’s most successful events was called ‘Meet You at the Corner.’ The neighbors gathered on a Saturday morning before Easter for a short service, declaring. ‘He is alive!’ They shared refreshments and fellowship. The children came along with their parents.1 “I was not always aware of my need to pray for my neighborhood or city until my husband’s company moved us to what I thought was the far side of nowhere—with blizzards in winter and sandstorms in spring. He was only home to help me with our toddlers on weekends. Then a neighbor informed me that a very disturbed teenager lived across the street. He had shot through our house when the former occupants lived here. They left the dining room curtains with the bullet hole in them, proving it was a true story. I better watch my toddlers closely, I thought. I felt we were living in exile. “Then God pulled me out of my ‘pity party’ with one Scripture: ‘Seek peace and well-being for the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its peace (well-being) you will have peace.’ (Jeremiah 29:7 AMP) “And that’s what I did as long as we lived there—praying for peace, well-being, protection, and salvation for neighbors. Whenever the weather was decent, I took the children walking as I prayed. Believe me, I developed a new depth of prayer and spiritual warfare. Finally, my husband’s job took us back to my home state. “In their book Prayerwalking, Steve Hawthorne and Graham Kendrick explain, ‘Prayer walking is on-site prayer—simply praying in the very places where you expect your prayers to be answered.’ They continue: “‘Walking helps sensitize you to the realities of your community. Sounds, sights, and smells, far from distracting your prayer, engage both body and mind in the art of praying. Better perception means boosted intercession. “‘Walking also connects Christians with their own neighborhoods. By regularly passing through the streets of their cities, walkers can present easygoing accessibility to neighbors. Walking seems to create opportunities to help or to pray for new friends on the spot, right at the times of great need.’2 “John Dawson, the author of Taking Our Cities for God, writes: “‘Have you ever thought about the battle for your immediate neighborhood? ...Several years ago, my staff and I went on a prayer walk around our neighborhood. We stood in front of every house, rebuked satan's work in Jesus’ name, and prayed for a revelation of Jesus in the life of each family. We are still praying…At this writing, there are at least nine Christian families in the block where I live, and there is a definite sense of the Lord’s peace.’3 When I had three young grandchildren living near me, I often pulled them in a red wagon through the three-block area in our neighborhood on our ‘prayerwalk.’ My goal was similar to one I had prayed when my own children were young--for the protection of our neighborhood, for God's peace on our neighbors, and for them to come to know Jesus personally. “As we bumped down the street, I prayed aloud, then we sang. If the neighbors sitting in their yards greeted us, we sometimes stopped to talk. They liked to hear the songs the little ones sang--even off key --and sometimes they commented on the gospel tunes. Then one day a neighbor we didn’t even know knocked on our door to ask for spiritual help—she’d been told we were Christians. “Once after the police arrested some gang members just down the street from us, I realized more than ever the need to pray for protection over our neighborhood. But as I taught the grandkids to pray for peace and protection, I did it without instilling fear, hoping they’d become alert to pray for their own neighborhoods later in their lives. “In my neighborhood today, many of our senior-aged neighbors seem to arrive at the common mailbox around the same time—right after the mailman has made his delivery. Neighbors often share news about family activities or concerns with one another. In such a situation, an alert intercessor can take the opportunity to pray then and there for individuals if they are willing. Or they can pray for that concern later during a prayer time at home. “In light of recent violence in cities, some streets present risks. So, many intercessors now use ‘drive-by prayer’ instead of walking. I know women who gather in cars and drive to pray at their children’s schools or their husband’s workplaces. “The other day two friends and I went beyond our neighborhood, driving and praying around our town. We had a city map and a printout of our community’s history, so we could stop at various strategic places. Then we drove by and/or parked at specific churches, schools, businesses, city offices, banks - wherever we felt the Lord impressed us to pray. “Experienced intercessors offer this advice: 1. Prepare your heart with the Lord. Is it free of judgment? 2. Evaluate the neighborhood and streets by knowing its history or layout. 3. Don't take on too much territory at once. 4. Choose only a few families to pray for during your devotional time. 5. Ask God for His purpose and vision for your prayer walk. 6. Memorize Scriptures to speak aloud, declaring God's love for your neighbors. 7. When you prayer walk, ask Holy Spirit to reveal evil spirits needing to be bound in that area. Then ask God to open blinded eyes so that people can turn from darkness to light and receive forgiveness through Jesus. (see Acts 26:18 NKJV) 8. Give God thanks for your city and neighbors, standing with them in repentance, crying out for mercy, and extending God's blessings on them. 4 “Scripture tells us that when believers pray on earth, we instigate activity in the heavens. Let’s ask God what He wants as our specific prayer assignment for our neighborhood and/or community. And then let’s be faithful to make a commitment. “Here are some Scriptures that challenge and encourage us to pray as we walk or drive over our area: ‘And I sought a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.’ (Ezekiel 22:30 AMP) ‘I have set watchmen upon your walls, O Jerusalem, who will never hold their peace day or night; you who [are His servants and by your prayers] put the Lord in remembrance [of His promises], keep not silence, And give Him no rest until He establishes Jerusalem and makes her a praise in the earth.’ (Isaiah 62: 6-7 AMPC) 'Pray for one another…the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.’ (James 5:16 NKJV). 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Mark 12: 31)” Thank you, Quin, for sharing these thoughts with us. They provide us with tools so we can prayer walk (or drive) effectively. Pray with me: Lord, help us reach out to our neighbors. We desire to be Good Samaritans in bringing them to You. Whether they are next door, at the grocery store, workplace, or wherever our paths cross; help us to be Your hands extended. Bless our neighbors today. We ask You for their salvation, and pray for their protection. Keep them from violent attacks and crimes. Protect marriages, incomes, and health. We ask that You assign angels to watch over our neighborhoods. And give us opportunities to minister to our neighbors. We ask in Jesus' name. Amen. Our decree: We decree Isaiah 32:18 over our homes and neighborhoods: “My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.” Portions of today’s post were shared by our friend, Quin Sherrer. You can find out more about Quin here. Click on the link below to watch the full video. ______________________________________ 1. Quin Sherrer and Ruthanne Garlock, A Woman’s Guide to Spirit-Filled Living, (Ann Arbor, Michigan: Servant Publication, 1996), pp. 228-229. 2. Steve Hawthorne and Graham Kendrick, Prayerwalking, (Orlando, FL.: Creation House, 1993), pp. 15- 17. 3. John Dawson, Taking Our Cities for God: How to Break Spiritual Strongholds, (Lake Mary, FL.: Charisma House,2001), pp.10-11. 4. Hawthorne and Kendrick. Ibid. 126-130

Over the past couple of years, we have shared hundreds of Give Him 15 posts. They have come from God’s mandate to equip the Ekklesia so we can pray for America more effectively. From time to time, we will be sharing our most requested posts. Some will be strategic teachings, key parts of America’s prophetic history, important concepts we are learning as the Ekklesia, and occasionally, even prophetic dreams Dutch feels we need to keep in remembrance. Thank you for being part of the GH15 family. Continue praying for America and enjoy these great teachings. The DSM Staff Agreeing with the Cloud of Witnesses My journey regarding the Appeal to Heaven flag began as I spoke to the student body of a Bible institute in 2001. I was concerned that the institute was not walking in the fullness of what its founder, Gordon Lindsay, had established. To be clear, it was not an issue of sin; the school was not in an apostate state. The institute was full of good administrators, faculty, and students who loved Jesus. I simply realized that, just as happens to all of us from time to time, the school was experiencing less than what God intended it to experience and needed a stronger connection to its roots. In response to this burden, I chose to replace one of my teaching sessions with a prayer meeting. As I led the student body in intercession, I heard the Lord whisper a phrase to me, “You need to agree in prayer with Gordon Lindsay.” That startled me; Lindsay had died nearly 30 years earlier. “Lord,” I said, “is that really You speaking? He isn’t here; he’s in heaven.” In retrospect, it’s comical to try and explain something to the Lord, but I felt I needed to state the obvious. “He’s dead, Lord,” I reiterated. The response was simple, “Well, his prayers are not dead.” That really impacted me. If you had asked if I believed Gordon Lindsay’s prayers had died with him, I would have said “no,” yet I had never given the concept any real thought. Holy Spirit continued, “Until this generation comes into agreement with what he asked me to do, I can’t answer his prayer.” This greatly impacted me, as I realized God hadn’t said, “I won’t.” He had clearly said that without this generation’s agreement with Lindsay, “I can’t” answer his prayers and do what I promised him. I began to ponder Hebrews 11, remembering the heroes of faith listed there along with some of their amazing exploits. Interestingly, however, the passage is also clear that some of those faith-heroes did not see the fulfillment of their promises. This has always seemed somewhat contradictory to me. When God searched history to accent greater lives of faith, He chose to list some that did NOT receive the fulfillment of their God-given promises. 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 amazing answer; they did not receive the fulfillment of their promises because God wouldn’t allow them to be “complete” without us. That is incredible! We, today, are a continuation of these individuals’ callings and assignments. The Greek word translated “complete” also means “to finish; to mature; to reach the intended goal.” Think about the ramifications of this: without us, God can’t finish what He began through those saints; 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 mind-blowing! God gave these individuals promises, but He often didn’t give them timelines. He did not tell them He would bring the fulfillment into their lifetimes, although I’m sure most of them expected Him to do so. The eternal God, who transcends time, speaks promises that are sometimes more reflective of His nature and relationship with time than ours. At times, He makes promises to people, knowing full well He will deliver on those promises through their children, grandchildren, or spiritual descendants. I wonder what I may be finishing for some pastor or teacher from a few decades ago? Or perhaps for even some flag-waving patriot warrior? The generations are far more interconnected than most of us realize. In God’s mind, accomplishing something through our descendants is the same as doing it through us. Our comparatively shortsighted approach assumes every promise He makes will take place momentarily, or at the very least before we die! Meanwhile, God feels no pressure and understands that if He fulfills His promises through our offspring (natural or spiritual), the accomplishments were for us, as well as for them. Conversely, the opposite is also true. The actions and accomplishments of individuals in former generations are sometimes credited to those who follow. Hebrews 7:9 states that the descendants of Levi paid tithes through their great, great grandfather Abraham. I wonder what blessing we’re experiencing today that someone else paid for! There is an aspect of our spiritual walk that stretches beyond the boundaries of our window on earth. We can connect spiritually with past events before, and we can affect future happenings through our actions today. But Holy Spirit wasn’t finished instructing me in this prayer session. He was about to use a seven-word sentence to rock my finite human mind. These seven words stretched my thinking yet again, and have resonated in me ever since: He said to me, “I need the synergy of the ages.” “You need WHAT?” I immediately responded. It is obvious by now that this prayer time was wreaking havoc on my preconceived concepts and paradigms! A 13-year journey was beginning with a series of theological brainteasers that, fortunately, were making me think outside of my God-limiting boxes. What is the synergy of the ages? I quietly wondered. Synergy is a fascinating concept. Basically, it is a multiplication of power or effect through a combined effort. In almost all cases in the physical world, one plus one equals two. But not when people work together. When two or more people combine their efforts and strengths, power is multiplied - not just added. God so loves unity and agreement that He created a phenomenon through which power multiplies if we will simply work together! Synergy, however, not only operates in the natural realm, it also exists in the spirit realm. Prayer is one example. Spiritual synergy takes place when two or more agree in prayer. The result is that through multiplied power, much more is accomplished than would have been had we prayed alone. Leviticus 26:8 teaches us about this power of multiplication, “Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand, and your enemies shall fall before your sword.” Spiritually, that’s powerful; mathematically, however, it makes no sense. Think about it - if five of us can chase a hundred, that means each of us is responsible for twenty. At that rate, a hundred should chase two thousand, not ten thousand. But something unusual and supernatural takes place through agreement: synergy. When we agree in prayer, power grows exponentially. Synergy also occurs when generations connect. Honoring our parents increases our years on earth (Ephesians 6:1-2) while disconnecting from them brings curses (Malachi 4:6). Spiritual mantles, another word for callings and giftings, multiply in effectiveness through generational synergy (2 Kings 2:9). God’s plan is always for the present generation to build on the strengths of the previous. This is the synergy of the ages - multiplied power and fruitfulness through generational agreement and honor. In Al Sander’s book Crisis in Morality! he compares descendants of an atheist, Max Jukes, to the offspring of a well-known preacher of that same era, Jonathan Edwards: Max Jukes...married an ungodly girl and among their descendants were 310 who died as paupers, 150 as criminals, 7 as murders, 100 as drunkards and more than half of the women were prostitutes. Jonathan Edwards...lived at the same time and married a godly girl [Sarah Pierpont]. An investigation was made of 1,394 known descendants of theirs. Of these descendants, 13 became college presidents, 65 college professors, 3 United States senators, 30 judges, 100 lawyers, 60 physicians, 75 army and navy officers, 100 preachers and missionaries, 60 authors of prominence, one a vice-president of the United States, 80 became public officials...and 295 college graduates, among whom were governors of states and ministers to foreign countries. Could any testimony more powerfully make my point? Success, favor, and blessing can multiply down through the generations. But due to our ignorance in this area, we unknowingly break the generational storyline God is writing. When Holy Spirit spoke to me that day, I was already aware of synergistic prayer. I knew I could agree in prayer with the person next to me, and power would be multiplied. I just didn’t know I could agree with the generation behind me! Generational synergy - the synergy of the ages - was nowhere on my radar. Once God had awakened me to the principle; however, He wasn’t about to stop with a Bible institute. Before He was finished, Holy Spirit would challenge me to reach back to our nation’s founders, agreeing with what He had birthed through them. And when He did, a forgotten flag would be an important part of the process. I’ll describe that notable introduction soon. “Now faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen. This testimony of faith is what previous generations were commended for” (Hebrews 11:1-2 TPT). Pray with me: Father, as we contemplate the importance of an old flag and how You are using it today, we marvel at Your unusual ways. A part of understanding the flag is understanding how much You honor those who have gone before us. And also how much You require us to connect with and continue their legacy. We thank You for fathers and mothers in the faith, and in the natural. We thank You for the price paid by those who came before us. And as we do so, we turn our attention to America. The great cloud of witnesses includes people who pioneered freedom and liberty for us here. We know they made mistakes, and part of our history is evil. But we also know this can be cleansed by the blood of Jesus, and believe much of it has been. And as we now look forward, we ask for revelation of this incredible concept You call “the synergy of the ages.” As we embrace and honor those who have gone before us, we ask for a multiplying of Your power today. Let that translate into the fullness of Your purpose for America: being an incredibly powerful voice of the gospel of the kingdom to the ends of the earth. And we boldly declare that no effort of darkness will stop this. America will fully turn back to You, and You will accomplish through her all that You intended in this hour. We pray and declare these things in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen Our decree: We decree that the synergy of the ages is producing powerful and wonderful fruit in America today. Portions of today’s post were taken from my book An Appeal to Heaven. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

The Reward is Coming I’m not sure if I have ever lived in a time when things are changing so fast - some good, and quite a lot, not so good. When this happens, it’s important not to get caught up in everything, allowing it to dictate how we live our lives and how we feel about things. We must remind ourselves that Holy Spirit working, even when we cannot see Him. There is more happening in the spirit realm than we know or even imagine. I wrote about God changing the times and seasons a while back, something I often refer to as the divine shift. In this context, I often reference chronos, the Greek word for general or chronological time, and kairos, strategic and opportune time. Though important to understand their spiritual application, the terms are not necessarily spiritual in nature; they simply refer to different phases of time. Chronos, typically much longer, is planting and tending to the seed; kairos is harvest season. Chronos is mundane, kairos is exciting. Chronos is the investment, kairos is the reward. As we persevere through difficult times (chronos), if we aren’t careful, a mindset can evolve that says life will always be this way. We might begin to believe that the kairos time is never coming. If we’re not careful, we lose our expectations, and our faith begins to waver. We’ve prayed so long, plowed so long, believed so long, and held on for so long that we begin to live with a “so long” mentality. Disillusionment then sets in, and our faith is gone. God wants to shift our mentality from becoming discouraged during these times to realizing the necessity of chronos seasons. We’re not losing or wasting time, we’re investing it. And if we do so faithfully, the shift will come. Knowing that we are cooperating with God and giving Him what He needs in order to bring the new, we can rejoice over, rather than despise, small beginnings. We won’t despair about praying for years with little apparent fruit. Our faith will be based only on the truth of God’s Word, unmoved by adversity or delays. When we are properly prepared and the time is right, God can shift seasons very quickly. Overnight, it seems, He transforms dry places into rivers, barrenness into fruitfulness, and makes a way where there was no way. At the right time, God causes the shift, and change occurs - chronos into kairos. Allow this truth to bring faith and encouragement into your situation. Allow it to shape your mentality and influence your faith. Let’s look at some biblical examples to help us see this concept more clearly. Abraham received a glorious promise from God that he would have a son through Sarah, and his descendants would be in number as the stars in the sky. He then moved into a 24-year chronos season of having to persevere and walk by faith. After this season, as recorded in Genesis 18:10, God appeared to him and said, in essence, that a divine shift was about to happen: “I will surely return to you at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (The word for “time” in this verse is eth, the Hebrew counterpart for the Greek word kairos - strategic or opportune time.) After so many years in the chronos season, Abraham and Sarah laughed cynically at this prospect. Abraham even tried to talk God into fulfilling His plans through Ishmael. But true to His word, God created the shift; He changed the times and the seasons. Abraham and Sarah moved from chronos to kairos. The new sprang forth from the old, and Isaac, the son of promise, was born. Another example can be seen in Abraham’s descendants. Israel was in a difficult chronos season of having to persevere and wait in Egypt. Suddenly, the shift sprang forth. When the time was right, God, in His great wisdom and power, changed the season! As a part of the process, Yahweh came to Moses, who had ended up in exile for his own 40-year chronos season. Holy Spirit told Moses that He was about to use him to shift things. Moses said essentially, “Shift them with somebody else, not me.” But God made it clear to Moses that he was the one who had been chosen to deliver the Israelites out of Egypt. God brought about the divine shift, both for Moses and the nation of Israel. In a sad turn of events, the Israelites weren’t able to believe in this kairos season, and lost it. The next generation, who would eventually go in and possess the land, had to wait through their own chronos period. God spoke to Joshua and said that in three days they were to go into the Promised Land. He was creating a divine shift. The wandering was over, and Yahweh moved the nation into a new phase. Saul, who became the apostle Paul, received a visitation from God on the road to Damascus. He then went into a routine chronos season where for 12 to 13 years, God was transforming him and bringing great revelation. When the time was right, Holy Spirit declared that Paul was to be separated to the work he was called to do (Acts 13). His chronos time became a kairos time as God released Paul into the fullness of his ministry. The routine time wasn’t wasted. It was all part of the process of training and preparation for what God was planning to launch him into. Chronos shifted into kairos, and the world has never been the same since. Captain Ralph and his only crew member Shaun, had dropped off their passengers at the Northwest town of Poulsbo and were on their regular route back to Seattle. A fierce storm had developed, and as they reentered Puget Sound on the luxury yacht The Matchmaker, they heard an urgent radio transmission. Strong winds had tipped over a sailboat, sending a man and woman into the frigid waters of Puget Sound. The man had made it to shore, but the woman was missing. A helicopter and rescue boats were crisscrossing the area where the woman had fallen into the water, but after almost two hours, they were beginning to lose hope of finding her. It was doubtful she could still be alive after that much time in the icy cold waters. The Matchmaker was quite a ways from the rescue operation, but Captain Ralph realized their location was strategic. Having traversed the Sound many times, he was very familiar with its currents. He told Shaun that the woman would no longer be in the area of the capsized boat but by now, would have been carried by the strong current directly into their path. Because of the storm, it was impossible for any other boat to get to that area in time to try and save her. Recognizing they were this woman’s only opportunity for rescue, Captain Ralph and Shaun strained to see or hear anything that might help them find her in the midst of the storm. Suddenly they heard a faint noise that sounded like a bird. As Captain Ralph turned the boat so the lights of Seattle could illuminate the water, they saw the woman crying out to them for help. While Captain Ralph maneuvered the boat into position, Shawn pulled the desperate woman aboard. Collapsing at Shaun’s feet, she grasped his legs while thanking him again and again. Imagine her relief upon seeing The Matchmaker’s approach! She had been watching the rescue operation disappear farther and farther into the distance as the current swept her away. A routine journey became a strategic event, and a woman’s life was saved. We must be ready. Like Captain Ralph, God has prepared us for a specific kairos. He is using our trials to strengthen and train us. I remember when God caused the Iron Curtain in Europe to be destroyed in the early 1990s. People had prayed for decades to break down the oppression of Communist regimes that held millions of people in bondage. It didn’t look like this would ever happen. But suddenly, God changed the times and the seasons. He created the divine shift, and the face of Eastern Europe was changed - different governments, different leaders, and even different names of nations. God had the necessary wisdom and power to bring the divine shift very quickly. He can do the same for us. Persevere in the chronos - the routine. Kairos is coming! Pray with me: Father, we thank You for the times of planting, sowing, and working Your process of life. You do all things well. You know what is needed in the mundane, routine seasons when it looks like nothing is happening and we are faced with discouragement. You are working behind the scenes, under the ground. And just as there is seed time, there will be harvest!! Thank You for teaching us Your ways. We will not waver. You are shifting the time and season even now. Your heart is excited. You are expectant! And so are we! The God of all the earth is about to act! Nothing will stop this. Nothing. We pray for America, and we pray for the nations of the earth. We call forth change - change in governments, judicial systems, societies, individual lives, and yes, in the spiritual realm over entire nations. We now reach deep within to the fruit of endurance, long-suffering, and patience. We will NOT waver during this important time. When we have done all, we will stand, for America shall be saved. Our decree: The God who changes the times and seasons is preparing us for a great shift. Today’s post was taken from my book God’s Timing for Your Life (published by Baker Books). Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Fearless and Focused I am always interested when I find an article and statement regarding the Ekklesia. This, as many of you know, is Christ’s legislative arm on earth, translated “church” in Matthew 16. Our friend, Gina Gholston, sent me the following word she received from the Lord regarding His Ekklesia. “The purposes of God for our nation are absolutely not a lost cause. The moment of history we are in has not taken God by surprise. One may be tempted to look through the eyes of the flesh and conclude that America is too far gone, but such is not the case. Known of God from the foundation of the world has been the content and outcome of His righteous plan. He is not chasing the devil, as though satan is ahead and God has to catch up with and overcome him. God is not, nor has He ever been, behind, and He is not reacting to what hell is trying to accomplish. God is working His plan! “‘Through the finished work of the Cross, Jesus brought ‘many sons to glory’ (Hebrews 2:10). God has placed in these ‘many sons’ the Spirit of His Son, Jesus, who enables and empowers us to be His effective representatives in the world. He has strategically prepared and placed His sons and daughters in positions all across this nation and the world, and through them, He will work and accomplish His full intentions for all nations. “The Ekklesia that Jesus built, His church, His body, is now standing with readiness to move and work with and for Him. They are not distracted by works of darkness that have blinded the eyes of so many. Regardless of how things may appear in the world around us, these devoted warriors stand with confidence, knowing that God is faithful and will never violate His covenant nor alter the word that has gone out of His lips (Psalm 89:34). They are not leaning on their own understanding, but trusting in the Lord with all of their hearts, in all their ways they acknowledge God, and He is directing their paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). They are persuaded that Christ always causes them to triumph and that, through them, He will release the fragrance of the knowledge of Himself everywhere they go (2 Corinthians 2:14). They do not depend on their own might or strength, but are strong in the power of His might (see Ephesians 6:10); through God, they do valiantly as He goes before them to tread down every enemy (Psalm 60:12). God has awakened and positioned the Ekklesia with understanding and revelation for such a time as this. Through us, He will show Himself strong and make Himself known. “I heard the Spirit of the Lord say, ‘The boot heels of My marching army are creating a sound that is shifting the ground beneath them. The weightiness of My presence in them and on them is causing movement as they step in time to My rhythm. They are fearless and focused, moving by My Spirit, and the gates of hell will not prevail against them.’ “There is an unstoppable movement of the righteous, and through us, God will come and make things right again! We are not fighting against people. That must be understood. Our warfare is not with flesh and blood, but we are adequately and powerfully equipped to successfully extinguish every plot, scheme, and agenda of hell that has been launched in an attempt to overthrow God’s purposes for our lives and the existence of America. “The Lord says, ‘There is order coming out of the chaos. My order is being established. It is a transformation. In the transformation, much and many will shake, but what remains will be a foundation, and My glorious church will rise and build with authority and the backing of My power. There has been disorder, but now, I say, watch My order being established and My will being done. Watch and see as My glory comes.’ “I remember a short vision the Lord once gave me where I saw the page of a book being caught by a blast of wind. A page turned and revealed a new page. There I saw the entire chapter of Mark 11. I gasped! Then the vision ended. “I immediately opened my Bible and read Mark chapter 11. As I read those verses, I was heavily drawn to the first three words of verse 11: ‘And Jesus entered…’ The glory of God just seemed to surround me, and I felt a strong knowing that the King of glory is about to make a triumphant entrance—not for the church, not yet, but into the church and into the nations with an unavoidable awareness of His presence. And everything is about to change! “The King is here. The church and America are rising with a show-stopping declaration: ‘Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me’ (Micah 7:8 KJV). “Jesus is declaring and enforcing His verdicts through His surrendered Ekklesia. We are now rising with confidence that God is with us—Christ is in us—and His Spirit empowers us to be His effective representatives on the earth! He has put His words in our mouths. As His Ekklesia, we speak with His unmatched authority, and He watches over His words to perform and fulfill them with the backing of His might and the demonstration of His power! He works through us so the world will see and know that He alone, is God! We place our trust in Him. Besides Him, there is no savior, and in Him, there is no defeat! He has declared the future of this land, and He will save America. The King lives within us. Through us, He will work His plan, and no one and nothing can stop or reverse what He has come to do!” Pray with me: Lord, we are Your Ekklesia, filled with Your Spirit, and called to fulfill Your purposes for this time in history! We take our place on the timeline of Your plan with undaunted confidence and faith in You. Our eyes are focused on You. Our ears are attentive to Your leading, and our lives are devoted to You as vessels through which You can work. Show us Your glory. Be who You are! Do what You do! All-consuming Fire, consume us with Yourself. Burn off every hindrance. Clothe us with Your righteousness and stand us up as unmistakable, easily recognizable carriers of Your glory. May the weightiness of Your presence on us create a holy movement. We march to the rhythm of Holy Spirit as He guides us according to Your great wisdom and intentions. May we be carriers of Your spirit in undeniable demonstrations of Your transforming glory. In the name and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen! Our decree: As Christ’s representatives, the Ekklesia stands with anointing and power to enforce His righteous verdict: America shall be saved! Portions of today’s post were taken from Gina’s book, Awakening the Church to Awaken a Nation. You can find out more about Gina here. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

“What Is Unshakable Will Remain” The past 48 hours have shocked many Americans. While my responsibility and calling is not to defend individuals or political parties, it is worth pointing out that what the Left did on 8/8, has never been done in our 246 year history as a nation. My assignment, however, is to help us identify what is going on behind the scenes spiritually, so we can pray more effectively. Hebrews‬ ‭12:25-29‬ (TPT) tells us: “Make very sure that you never refuse to listen to God when He speaks! For the God who spoke on earth from Sinai is the same God who now speaks from heaven. Those who heard Him speak His living Word on earth found nowhere to hide, so what chance is there for us to escape if we turn our backs on God and refuse to hear His warnings as He speaks from heaven? The earth was rocked at the sound of His voice from the mountain, but now He has promised, ‘Once and for all I will not only shake the systems of the world, but also the unseen powers in the heavenly realm! Now this phrase ‘once and for all’ clearly indicates the final removal of things that are shaking, that is, the old order, so only what is unshakable will remain. Since we are receiving our rights to an unshakable kingdom we should be extremely thankful and offer God the purest worship that delights His heart as we lay down our lives in absolute surrender, filled with awe. For our God is a holy, devouring fire!” We have asked God to shake loose the evil in our government and nation, to expose and cleanse. This continues to happen with remarkable speed. It seems that all stops have been pulled out by those who want to completely transform our nation into something other than what we were created to be. They seek to distort our history, remove time-honored moral standards, take over our government, and silence the church. Emboldened as never before, they feel no need to try and hide their agenda, sending drag queens to teach our kids and the Justice Department to those who object. This is disheartening, but their unmasking is necessary. Exposure. Exposure. Exposure. We must continue to pray for the lights to be turned on and the evil to be dislodged. We must also ask God for grace to protect us as it occurs, that Haman’s gallows be used for himself, not the innocent. We must pray that all explosions be implosions, the debris falling inward. And yet, we must cry out that nothing stops the exposing and draining of the stagnant, putrid swamp. May the odor become so offensive/unbearable that Americans appeal to heaven for mercy. We must ask that this wake-up call, which is becoming one of the loudest in our 246-year history, finally be answered by common sense, patriotism, and zeal. God will then do what only He can do: send the fire! His fire cleanses and redeems. The last two verses of the above passage in The Message Translation are very poignant: “Do you see what we’ve got? An unshakable Kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He’s actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and He won’t quit until it’s all cleansed. God Himself is Fire!” (Hebrews 12:28-29 MSG) A trusted prophetic friend sent me a brief word this morning, accompanied by another powerful passage of Scripture. She said, “I hear the word, ‘boomerang’! Evil is about to boomerang back on the workers of iniquity and evil in our land.” Holy Spirit then led her to Psalm 7:15-17 again from The Passion Translation: "Look how the wicked conceive their evil schemes. They go into labor with their lies and give birth to trouble. They dig a pit for others to fall into, not knowing that they will be the very ones that will fall into their own pit of failure. For You, God, will see to it that every pit-digger who works to trap and harm others will be trapped and harmed by their own treachery. But I will give all my thanks to You, Lord, for You make everything right in the end. I will sing my highest praise to the God of the highest place!” I believe this is a word from the Lord. We must continue to believe that God is exposing evil and turning the tables on the evil one. Let the shaking and exposure continue. I conclude with one other short word from Holy Spirit, sent to me last week by Sally Jadlow, a chaplain in Kansas: “Batten down the hatches, for a great wind is coming. It will blow the chaff out from the wheat in order to put the wheat in My barns. A time of great shaking—a strong winnowing is coming. The chaff will be blown away in the strong wind. The time of separating has come. My cup of wrath grows full—even to the brim. “Those who have thought themselves so clever will discover their utter folly, their utter foolishness. The first tricklings of the avalanche have begun—so minute many have not yet noticed it. Others who are on watch see its beginnings but cannot fathom the magnitude and scope of its ruin. The downfall will be great. It will cause many to turn and repent. For others, they will only go farther into their sinfulness, cursing Me with even their last breath. “It’s sheep and goat time. Those who call on the name of the Lord will be saved; the others will go to condemnation. Each one may make his choice. I would that all would be saved—but each one makes their choice.” Keep praying, church, heaven is responding. Pray with me: God of consuming fire, we appeal to You. Just as our Founders did two and a half centuries ago, we boldly declare that You are our victory. Our faith is not in our ability to overcome evil, it is in Your ability. You have already declared the end of this story, and You will see that accomplished. As those - who want to force You from our midst once and for all - become more and more emboldened, we realize You are allowing them to build their own gallows. Like Haman in the book of Esther, You will expose them, and they will fall into their own traps. Like Esther, we accept the responsibility of being born for such a time as this. We will not run, we will not fear, and with Your help, we will not fail. We pray for those who are standing against evil. Strengthen them. Give them wise counsel and strategies. Thank You for the stand of President Trump who kept his word in appointing 3 pro-life justices. Because of that, we have now seen the reversal of Roe. Move upon the hearts of Americans to put righteous men and women - with backbones of steel - in government positions, people who will say with our Founders, “We pledge our lives, fortunes, and sacred honor”(1) toward seeing America fulfill all she was destined for. Expose evil. Shake down evil and unrighteous systems. And send revival. We pray these things in the name of Jesus, the Winner. Amen. Our decree: We decree, as we have before, that the evil plans of the wicked will boomerang back on them. Click on the link below to watch the full video. _____________________________ Taken from https://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/