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Things Are “Mostly” Okay While watching the news this morning, it struck me that many Americans, including myself, have been overreacting to the “mostly peaceful“ riots taking place in Los Angeles and being planned for other cities in America. This revelation helped me see that we have also been overreacting to other “mostly” situations, as well, adding unnecessary stress to our lives. My revelation could have been a result of the light from the “mostly peaceful” fires in the background, or the “mostly calm” demeanor of the news reporter as he dodged bricks. Whatever the reason, I am experiencing tremendous relief. The life-changing revelation I received was that “mostly” is good enough. Conservative Christians, for example, need to lighten up: believing most of Scripture is good enough; God was right most  of the time. And whoever said a little leaven leavens the whole lump had to be exaggerating; mostly  free from the leaven of sin is good enough. If most  of the apples in the barrel are good, the others won’t actually be spoiled. And a loaf of bread mostly  free of mold is fine; don’t overreact and throw out the whole loaf. Lawlessness in our nation is nothing to be concerned about. Obeying most  speed limits, stopping at most stop signs and red lights, and staying mostly  on your side of the yellow line is good enough. Most homes in America are safe; only a few have been taken over by squatters. Most items in our department stores are still there; people can only take up to $800 worth without paying. Quit worrying about it! The Biden White House was mostly  free of cocaine; there was only a bag or two here and there. Our elections are mostly  legal and fair; don’t be afraid. And by the way, most  of our presidents have been sane and alert. Don’t worry about one. And what about sports? There are mostly only women in women’s sports and locker rooms; only a few guys. No big deal. Regarding boxing matches,  mostly legal punches are good enough; only one or two below-the-belt shots shouldn’t hurt anything. And mostly  obeying rules on the basketball court, football field, and baseball diamond should be sufficient. Breaking the rules occasionally is to be expected when the competition heats up. Feeling better yet? Your life would be so much less stressful if you would settle for “mostly.” The lack of common sense in our nation presently is a bit staggering. As is sometimes said, “Common sense is not as common as it once was.” (1)  Some Supreme Court justices admittedly don’t know the difference between a man and a woman. (Remove the women on the Court and have only men, and you’ll be surprised how quickly they learn the difference.) It is now okay to groom small children for gender confusion and permanently neuter them. Two hundred billion dollars’ worth of waste and fraud in our government annually is no longer a big deal. That is billion, with a “B.” Paying hundreds of billions of dollars a year to Americans who don’t want to work is now okay. (The verse in the Bible [2 Thessalonians 3:10] that says if you don’t work, you don’t get to eat is no longer relevant today.) People who violate due process to come into America demand due process to be removed. Some politicians and judges agree. I’m concerned that many people in America may now be “mostly” crazy! Common sense is certainly not as common as it once was.  The good news is that most Americans are not buying this “mostly peaceful” nonsense. Also, some good news regarding this mess is that salvation – bringing God into a person’s life – restores common sense. His Word can even heal damaged brain cells. A young man I met at Bible College had “fried” his brain on drugs. After coming to Christ, he spent five to six hours each day reading God’s Word, and the power therein healed his damaged brain. When I met him shortly thereafter, he was brilliant and had regained his proficiency as a concert pianist. Granted, this is not the same thing as common sense. But the point is simply that when God comes into our hearts and minds, He enables us to think more clearly…and sanely. Revival, saving millions of people, will raise the level of common sense in our nation. Stay the course. Appeal to heaven for the Third Great Awakening.  “Toward the end of the nineteenth century, Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel awoke one morning to read his own obituary in the local newspaper. It stated: ‘Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, who died yesterday, devised a way for more people to be killed in a war than ever before, and he died a very rich man.” “Actually, it was Alfred’s older brother who had died; a newspaper reporter had bungled the epitaph. “But the account had a profound effect on Nobel. He decided he wanted to be known for something other than developing the means to kill people efficiently and amassing a fortune in the process. So he initiated the Nobel Prize, the award for scientists and writers who foster peace. “Nobel said, ‘Every man ought to have the chance to correct his epitaph in midstream and write a new one.’” (2) Revival will rewrite our epitaph. Pray with me: Father, turning away from You not only defiles our spirits, but it damages our souls. You created us to know and follow You in every area of our lives. You alone bring knowledge into its right alignment and perspective. Forgive us in America for allowing demons and humanistic logic to shape our thinking, causing us to legitimize insanity. Please restore to us a right mind as a nation; help us rewrite our epitaph.  We pray for Your wisdom and understanding to be released in our government, our schools, and above all, our homes. Restore us back to being a nation that exalts Your truth above all else, Your ways above all others. Send a revival of love for Your Word and Your truth. Renew the mind of our nation. And we pray for Your peace and safety to come to our streets. We know that we have allowed spirits of murder, violence, and anarchy to be unleashed in our nation. We ask for Your cleansing and that we be delivered from these spirits; give protection to innocent people and their property. Protect our law enforcement agencies and other groups sent to protect. Deliver those who have been deceived into thinking the riots are just, that this is the best way to help those they feel are being oppressed. Give our leaders a wise strategy as they deal with all of this, and cause the plans of the wicked to fail. Release Your judgments on the efforts and funds of those who underwrite and foment the violence.  All of this we pray in the name of Yeshua. Amen.  Our decree: We decree that God will turn the current unrest around in our land and use it for good. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Author unknown Craig Brian Larson, Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching  (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1993), p. 123.

Surprised By God’s Plan I did not foresee or plan Give Him 15; it was nowhere on my radar. When we began, I assigned a staff member to write a concise version, based on my messages and books, to which we added a short list of things to pray about. There was no video post or podcast. When I began writing them myself in 2020 – and expanded to the video versions as well – I only planned to do so for a few months, to help us get past the 2020 election debacle. I expected to then go back to the original concept. We set up a temporary, makeshift studio in a small bedroom, purchased a cheap camera and a couple of lights, and began the short-term project. Little did I know… The Lord obviously had other plans. The viewership exploded, and though I dragged my feet, I eventually acknowledged that God intended for the new version of Give Him 15 to continue. We scrambled, added employees, built a studio, purchased equipment, and I launched a new phase of my career.  Life changed radically for both Ceci and me. Everything revolves around the posts: time off, such as vacations, other speaking engagements, and even sleep. Along with other responsibilities, it usually takes me 6 to 8 hours a day to research, write, edit, and record each post. Ceci helps with research and editing. Five employees are involved in producing every post, and we hired another just to keep up with the correspondence. We have now been sharing the expanded Give Him 15 videos, posts, and podcasts for almost 5 years. Has it been worth it? 100%!  Those of you who have been with us for the past five years and have read or watched the posts daily, be encouraged. Over those years, you have read or listened to the equivalent of thirty-two (32), 200-page books, read or heard verses of Scripture referenced 13,000 times, and prayed nearly 1300 prayers, agreeing with tens of millions of believers around the world. You are growing in your understanding of prayer and God’s Word, and you are making a difference in the world. Perhaps the biggest surprise for me, and the primary reason for today’s post, has been that several million people in other nations read them and pray with us every day. The posts are translated (by nationals, not at our request) into Chinese, French, Indonesian, and Spanish – that we are aware of. When I was first told that 5-6 million people were reading it and praying with us each day in China, I was actually skeptical. “How would you know this, and why would they read them, since I focus primarily on America?” I asked.  “Because I am part of the process. I translate them and send them to China, where they are distributed to the underground church,” she replied. “They read them because the principles you teach from God’s Word are valid anywhere. And they pray with you for America because they know the importance of the U.S. as a voice for the gospel and a stronghold of freedom.”  I was stunned. Later, we learned about France, Indonesia, and Spanish-speaking nations. I am humbled beyond words that God is using Give Him 15 to mobilize this amount of prayer, encourage believers around the world, and teach them His ways. Thank you for joining us in other English-speaking nations, as well as China, Indonesia, France, Mexico, Central America, and everywhere else these posts are read. Thank you for your faithfulness to the cause of Christ, your prayers, and the price many of you pay to follow the Lord.  Though my calling is to America, my heart is for the world. I know that the passion Holy Spirit imparted to me for a Third Great Awakening in America is related to her calling to preach the gospel around the world. Spiritually speaking, America’s national destiny is to serve you in this way. For myself and millions of Americans, making America “great” again is linked to this calling, not wealth and power. We are connected to you in the spirit, part of one great family and Kingdom, serving the same King. I, along with millions of believers in America, love you dearly and honor you.  To think that this family began 2000 years ago in an upper room in Jerusalem with 120 people present is astounding. Jesus said we would expand from there to Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the world (Acts 1:8), and here we are, millions and millions of us scattered throughout the entire world. Like leaven, His Kingdom is expanding to every tribe and tongue, and will continue to do so. It cannot be stopped, and the greatest expansion yet is imminent. Shalom to you today. We speak blessings and life to you.  “May the Lord bless you and keep you; may the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; may the Lord lift up His face upon you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26). Pray with me: Father, we pray for our brothers and sisters around the world today. We ask that You bless and strengthen them, giving them peace even in the most difficult circumstances. Let them know that they are loved by distant family members they have never met. Encourage them to persevere and hold onto their faith. Give them wisdom and revelation of You and Your ways, and direction for their lives. Some of them will lay down their lives for You; we honor them and ask for great grace to be given them as they do so. Give them great grace and comfort their families. And we pray today for incredible outpourings of Holy Spirit in their nations and people. Save millions throughout the world. Give them great signs and wonders in order to heal the hurting and confirm the gospel. Raise up powerful ambassadors for You, giving them strong anointings and great revelation. May it be said of them as it was of our ancestors in the early church,  “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John…they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus”  (Acts 4:13).  In the name of the Lord Jesus our Savior, we pray. Amen. Our decree: “And they sang a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:9-10). Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Is Spiritual Warfare Necessary? “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”  (Ephesians 6:11-12) Yesterday , I shared on the subject of spiritual warfare. I want to continue the discussion today. Spiritual warfare is released in various ways. Worship can be a weapon against satan (Psalm 149), as are acts of love (Romans 12:20-21). Declaring God’s Word is certainly a weapon (Ephesians 6:17). Holy Spirit leads us regarding the manner in which we should release His power. In today’s post, my point is not so much how we wrestle, but that we wrestle!  The word “against” is used six times in Ephesians 6:11-12. The Greek word is pros , which is a strengthened form of pro. Pro  means “in front of,” (1)  either literally or figuratively (as in superior to). We use the concept today in the English word “professional,” or in its shortened form, “pro.” A pro athlete is one who is “in front of” or “superior to” others . The word pros  also has the connotation of stepping forward and facing toward something or someone. (2)  The symbolism in this Ephesians passage is of a wrestler stepping forward and facing his opponent. God is saying to us, “Step forward and face the powers of darkness.” Seizing and Securing Our Inheritance As we involve ourselves in spiritual warfare, it is imperative that we remember we are not trying to defeat the devil. He is already defeated. We are representing Christ and enforcing His victory at the Cross. We do not re-defeat, we re-present. Everything we do in our intercession and spiritual warfare is simply an extension of what Christ did through His redemption at Calvary. He crushed satan’s head, according to Genesis 3:15. The Hebrew word for “head” in this verse, rosh, is actually referring to headship or authority. (3) But what Christ accomplished, we must enforce  and lay hold of  using His authority. What He provided for us,  we must seize by faith, and sometimes our spiritual weapons. In 1 Timothy 6:12, Paul told Timothy, “Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” Timothy had already received eternal life, yet paradoxically, he was told to “take hold of” it.  Though it seems like a contradiction, you can own something and not have possession of it. The word translated as “take hold of” is epilambanomai and means “to seize.” (4)  Through Abraham, Israel had been “given” their inheritance by God (Genesis 12), yet they still had to “take possession” of it: “Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the Lord your God giveth you to possess it”  (Joshua 1:11). Their “inheritance” was not yet their “possession.” And our inheritance through Christ does not automatically fall into our laps, either. We must “lay hold of/seize” it. Moffatt translates 1 Timothy 6:12, “Fight in the good fight of the faith, secure that life eternal to which you were called.”  Wuest’s translation reads, “Take possession of the eternal life into a participation of which you were called…” As a nation seizes and secures territory in war, so must we seize  and secure  our inheritance in Christ. A Legal Breaking of Headship Many ask, “But why would spiritual warfare ever be necessary if Christ has already defeated satan and his demons? Didn’t Jesus take away his power? Not yet. Satan’s destruction wasn’t a literal one, but was, as we said, a legal breaking of his headship or authority. Nowhere does the Bible say Christ delivered us from satan’s power. It says He delivered us from his exousia —authority—or in other words, the right to use his power on us: “For He delivered us from the domain [exousia] of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.” Colossians 1:13 “Behold, I have given you authority [exousia] to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power [dunamis] of the enemy, and nothing shall injure you.” Luke 10:19 Power never was and never will be the issue in God’s dealings with satan. Authority was and is the issue. Satan still has the inherent powers and abilities he has always had. He  “prowls about like a roaring lion” (1 Peter 5:8). And, contrary to what some teach, he still has his teeth. He still has “fiery darts” (Ephesians 6:16 KJV). If you don’t believe this, try going without your armor. What he lost at Calvary was the right (authority) to use  his power on those who make Jesus their Lord. However, as a thief and a lawbreaker, satan still attempts to use his power and abilities on those who don’t understand this. Understanding and releasing Christ’s authority is the issue, and the key to victory. When we move in Christ’s authority, Holy Spirit backs it up with His power.  This truth is well illustrated in the battle between Israel and Amalek in Exodus 17:8-13. In this famous passage, Moses went to the top of a hill with the staff of God in his hand (authority), while Joshua led the army on the battlefield below (power). As long as Moses held up the rod of God, Israel prevailed; when he lowered it, Amalek prevailed. The victory was not decided by the strength or power of Israel’s army. If this had been the case, they would not have faltered when the staff was lowered. Nor was it a morale thing—they weren’t watching Moses for inspiration while in hand-to-hand conflict! An unseen dynamic in the invisible realm actually decided the outcome on the battlefield. When the rod, representing the rule or authority of God, was lifted by the authorized leader of Israel, Joshua and the army prevailed. In other words, it was not power on the battlefield, though that was necessary, that was ultimately the deciding factor. It was the authority released on the mountain. Authority is the deciding factor when dealing with the spiritual forces of darkness, not power. Honoring and functioning in Christ’s authority will always release Holy Spirit’s immeasurable power. Pray with me: Satan is attempting to stir up increased violence in our nation. Let’s “resist” him (James 4:7) and “wrestle against” this (Ephesians 6:12) by declaring Psalm 140 together today: “Rescue me, Oh Lord, from evil men; Preserve me from violent men who devise evil things in their hearts; They continually stir up wars. They sharpen their tongues as a serpent; poison of a viper is under their lips. Selah. “Keep me, Oh Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from violent men who have purposed to trip up my feet. The proud have hidden a trap for me, and cords. They have spread a net by the wayside; they have set snares for me. Selah. “I said to the Lord, ‘You are my God; give ear, O Lord, to the voice of my supplications. O God, the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You have covered my head in the day of battle. Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked; do not promote his evil device, that they not be exalted.’ Selah. “As for the head of those who surround me, may the mischief of their lips cover them. May burning coals fall upon them; may they be cast into the fire, into deep pits from which they cannot rise.  “May a slanderer not be established in the earth; may evil hunt the violent man speedily. I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted and justice for the poor. Surely the righteous will give thanks to Your name; the upright will dwell in Your presence.” Today’s post was adapted from my book Intercessory Prayer , published by Baker Books.  Click on the link below to watch the full video. Geoffrey W. Bromiley, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament Abridged  (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1985), p. 935.  James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 4314. Ibid., ref. no. 7218. Joseph Henry Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament  (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1977), p. 240.

“Then A Problem Arose” “Resist the devil and he will flee from you!” I declared. “How many of you address demonic spirits occasionally?” I asked in my most anointed preaching voice. I was on a roll, waxing eloquent on the subject of spiritual warfare.  I was fresh out of Bible College and feeling like God’s latest addition to the “Brother Wonderful Fraternity of World Changers International.” I had those people right where I wanted them—hanging on every word.  Then a problem arose.  I was in Guatemala preaching through an interpreter. Unbeknownst to me, my interpreter, a young member of the congregation, did not share my theology. And her convictions ran deep! She looked at me indignantly and insisted in no uncertain terms, “I won’t say that!” For some reason, her words seemed to interrupt my anointed flow. “Excuse me,” I replied. “I won’t say that,” she said. “Why not? You’re supposed to say what I say,” I responded. “Well, I won’t say it.” “Why not?” I asked again. “I don’t believe we should do that.” “Well, the Bible says to do it.” “Where?” “James 4:7.” Keep in mind that a church full of people was watching this obviously unpleasant exchange between “Brother Wonderful” and his interpreter. My professors hadn’t prepared me for this in Bible College. No lectures were offered on “What To Do When Interpreters Won’t Interpret.” As I stood wondering what to do next, she opened her Bible and began looking for James 4:7; it took her FOREVER to find it. She then read it to the congregation. At least I think she did; she may have been telling them I was a heretic, for all I know. I tried to continue my message. “Ephesians 6:12 tells us,” I began.  She, however, wouldn’t allow me to quote the verse. When I mentioned the reference, she stopped interpreting, looked for it in her Bible, and read it. I was planning to use quite a few passages of Scripture. This could take forever,  I realized. I quickly ran through a few options in my mind:   End the message (which probably would have been the smartest thing to do);  Continue, with her taking time to find 20 more verses; or  HIT HER WITH MY BIG BIBLE! None of these seemed acceptable.  Then I had another idea. Realizing she didn’t know the Scriptures well, I began paraphrasing verses I wanted to comment on, stating them as though they were my thoughts. After she had translated my words, I would look at her with a smug smile and say, “That was from...” and give the reference, at which time she would bore into me with very unspiritual eyes. I don’t think the people learned anything, but I believe they enjoyed the show. Controversial though it may be, the Bible does clearly instruct us to resist the devil. It is often not enough to simply ask our heavenly Father to do or give us something, although this is most Christians’ only concept of prayer. Many times it is necessary to use our authority and enforce Christ’s victory, spoken of as “binding” and “loosing” (Matthew 16:19), “warfare” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5), and “wrestling” (Ephesians 6:12). As Arthur Mathews said in his great book, Born For Battle:  “Victory is an accomplished fact, but it does need a man to lay hold of that victory and precipitate a confrontation with the enemy, and resist him.” (1) Jack Hayford, in his insightful book Prayer Is Invading the Impossible,  says: “To see both sides of Jesus is to see both sides of prayer. It is to see the need for compassion, for care, for concern, for weeping with those that weep, for sympathy, for groaning, for aching deeply because of what you sense transpiring in human lives. And it is to learn the place and time for anger, when we see Satan’s wiles successfully destroying; for indignation, when the adversary’s program violates territory that is rightfully Christ’s; for boldness, when demonic hordes announce their presence; for attack, when the Holy Spirit prompts an advance. (2) To be sure, extremes do exist regarding spiritual warfare. I once heard someone describe a religious cartoon they had seen. It portrayed the devil with 40 to 50 strands of rope around him and several individuals next to him discussing the situation. “What do we do now?” one of them asked. “I say we bind him again!” was the response of another. Yes, extremes exist, but it is impossible to separate the Hebrew word for “intercession,” paga,  from warfare. Fifteen times it is used to describe physical warfare. (3)  Violence and warfare are unquestionably included in the meaning of the word. It is translated in various ways when speaking of battle: “attack,” “fall upon,” “strike down,” “impinge,” and others (see Judges 8:21; 1 Samuel 22:11–19; 2 Samuel 1:11, 16). The essence is the same in all of them—people in battle, fighting one another. When applying the word to prayer, we are obviously speaking of spiritual  warfare, not physical violence. But the point must be made that paga,  the word for intercession, is a word used to describe warfare. Quoting Jack Hayford once again, he wrote, “But there is a way to face impossibility. Invade it! Not with a glib speech of high hopes. Not in anger. Not with resignation. Not through stoical self-control. But with violence. And prayer provides the vehicle for this kind of violence.” (4) Although the approach and methods of spiritual warfare are open for debate—certainly it is a subjective area—some facts are indisputable:  We are in a very real spiritual war (see 2 Corinthians 10:4; 1 Timothy 1:18).  We are spiritual soldiers in this war (see Psalm 110:2-3; 2 Timothy 2:3-4).  We are told to “wrestle” against the kingdom of darkness (see Ephesians  6:12). We are to “resist” the actions of the devil (which would in most situations be his demons) (see James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:9). We are to “tread on” demonic opposition, which means exercise authority over them (see Luke 10:19; Romans 16:20). We are to cast out demons (see Mark 16:17). We have the authority to “bind” (forbid) and “loose” (permit) when dealing with the plans and efforts of satan’s kingdom (see Matthew 16:19). We have powerful weapons with which to overcome the kingdom of darkness (see 2 Corinthians 10:4; Ephesians 6:10-20). I am not suggesting that you have screaming matches with demons. Personally, I have no interest in a conversation with demonic spirits. The Greek word for “bind” is first a legal term meaning to forbid based on legal authority.(5) The Passion Translation uses the word “forbid” to translate it, as does the Amplified and other translations. The Amplified also translates it “declare to be improper and unlawful.” Wielding “ The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God ” (Ephesians 6:17) means to declare the Word of God over spiritual battles, just as Jesus did when He was tempted (Matthew 4:1-11). Declare God’s Word over demonic situations, and forbid the actions to succeed.  Let’s do so now, resisting the powers of darkness in their attempts to hinder the advancement of God’s Kingdom in America. Pray with me: Father, thank You for giving us the authority to resist and overcome demonic actions against us. We are told in Your word that demonic spirits produce infirmities, induce temptations, generate strife and division, and even initiate false doctrines. Grant us increased levels of discernment to know whether we are dealing with natural or spiritual causes. And when we discern that we are dealing with a spiritual cause, give us the boldness to use Your Word, the sword of the Spirit, and resist the demonic activity.  Father, several spiritual leaders have discerned that spirits of hatred and murder are working to stir up violence in our nation. We know the antisemitism occurring is demonic at its core. Much of the hatred toward our president is demonically inspired. Racism is demonic. We bind these demonic plans and strategies that are bringing hatred and division, in the name of Jesus. We forbid the strategies to generate riots and murder in our land from succeeding. We ask You, Father, to cause a movement of love and kindness in our nation. You said love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8). We ask You to tear down walls of division and uproot seeds of hatred. We ask that You stir up the church to pray against the violence and also to operate in the opposite spirit (Matthew 7:12), doing good and loving others. We ask these things in Jesus’ name. Our decree: We decree that the spirits of violence in our land are being stopped by the power of Holy Spirit and His angel armies.  Today’s post was adapted from my book Intercessory Prayer , published by Baker Books.  Click on the link below to watch the full video. R. Arthur Mathews, Born for Battle  (Robesonia, PA: OMF Books, 1978), p. 113. Jack W. Hayford, Prayer Is Invading the Impossible  (South Plainfield, NJ: Logos International, 1977; revised edition, Bridge Publishing, 1995), p. 45. 1977 edition. R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer Jr., and Bruce K. Waltke, Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament  (Chicago: Moody Press, 1980; Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., revised edition, 1991), p. 715. Hayford, Prayer Is Invading the Impossible , p. 5. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no.1210.

Finish Well! The Summer of Love In the 2020 “summer of love,” 574 “mostly peaceful” riots occurred across our nation. Two dozen innocent people were killed, and upwards of $2 billion in property damage occurred. Kamala Harris famously said they wouldn’t and “shouldn’t” stop. (1) “On June 2, 2020, David Dorn, a 77-year-old retired police captain, was fatally shot after interrupting the burglary of a pawn shop in The Ville, St. Louis. The incident took place during riots in St. Louis, Missouri, following the murder of George Floyd. Stephan Cannon, who was 24 years old at the time of the incident, was convicted of his murder on July 20, 2022.” (2)   We may be headed for another “summer of love.” Violence is amping up again, this time not stemming from anger toward police, but Jews… and Americans who support them: “On January 1, 2025, at around 3:15 A.M. CST (UTC–6), Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Louisiana, then exited the truck and engaged in a shootout with police before being fatally shot. Fourteen victims were killed, plus the perpetrator, and at least fifty-seven others were injured, including two police officers who were shot. The attack occurred during New Year celebrations in the city, which was scheduled to host the 2025 Sugar Bowl later that day.” (3) Then on Sunday, April 13, 2025, a man named Cody Balmer, 38, was charged with attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson, and other crimes after allegedly setting fire to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence. The fire occurred early on a Sunday morning while Governor Shapiro and his family were asleep inside. Balmer had broken into the mansion after jumping a fence and was reported to have planned to assault Governor Shapiro with a sledgehammer. While authorities have not officially stated a motive, Balmer reportedly said he targeted Governor Shapiro (who is Jewish) over Palestine, according to a search warrant. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident, and Governor Shapiro and his family were safely evacuated. (4) 
 On May 21 of this year, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim were savagely gunned down as they exited the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. The gunman showed no mercy, firing shot after shot, and shouting, “free, free Palestine.” (5) Then, on Sunday evening, June 1, in Boulder, CO, illegal alien Mohamed Soliman targeted Jews with a homemade flamethrower while shouting, “Free Palestine.” Twelve of those targeted were injured. (6) Biden’s Insane Open Borders Millions of illegal aliens are now in our nation, some of them very evil and violent people. During Biden’s reign of open borders, millions of illegals entered America. Some say 10 million, while others contend that it is closer to 20 million. An estimated 2 million of them were “gotaways,” those who did not want to greet Biden’s and  Mayorkas’ welcoming committee at the border. One has to wonder why an illegal migrant would try to sneak into America when they could have walked right in, stopping temporarily to receive money, a cell phone, medical care, free transportation wherever they wanted to go, and free food and lodging when they arrived. The answer is not complicated. They were rapists, murderers, spies and terrorists, many of them on the terrorist watch list. Only a fool would deny that there are thousands of these evil individuals in America, now waiting to perform their heinous acts.  The Left wanted them here. Do not allow them to get away with hypocrisy by now “condemning” the violence that illegals are performing. They are the ones who defended letting them in. Not one Democrat in Congress had the backbone or decency to raise a voice in protest. To the contrary, they promoted it. Innocent blood is on their hands.  We now have leftist judges who do not want these criminals deported. The sad truth is that America is filled with leftists and Marxists who do not want the strong and free America that many of us once knew. This new breed of Americans was formed by educators, is funded by globalists, and fed by many in the media who also want to see America weakened. These leftists harming America are not stupid; they are deceived.  As always occurs when the Left sees the need for another season of uprising, they are now working overtime on America’s campuses. Using the conflict in Israel and Gaza, they foment rage and violence. This has been ongoing in the Middle East for millennia, and if not stopped quickly, it will intensify in America. Predictably, efforts to restore America by President Trump and his administration, along with allies in Congress, are being resisted in every way possible, including violent rhetoric. The Left is willing to tolerate a few deaths to accomplish their goals, just as they did in 2020. They are fomenting anger and violence, with the goal of creating fear, unrest, polarization, and delays to Trump’s efforts. Nevertheless, President Trump’s team and conservative members of Congress are doing their best to oppose the traitorous activities taking place. However, they will not succeed without us. We must continue to pray fervently for them and for an intensification of the revival that has begun. The changing of millions of hearts through salvation will produce heightened levels of common sense, love, self-control, and peace. It will also weaken the powers of darkness that orchestrate much of the conflict and insanity from the invisible realm. Though this revival has begun, we must not grow complacent. It is expedient that we pray with more fervency than ever. We must finish well!  “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” (Edmund Burke) (7) Pray with me: Father, over and over in Judges chapter 1, You indicted the Israelite tribes for not finishing the task of possessing their inheritance. After achieving great victories under Joshua’s leadership, they grew complacent. This resulted in sin, compromise, and idolatry leavening itself into their lives and culture. Judgment followed. We ask You to do whatever is needed in the American church to keep this type of complacency from occurring in our day. Raise up the right voices, bring the right messages, and fan the flames of revival and awakening - both in the church and among unbelievers.  We realize that restoration in America will not result from a restoration of earthly possessions and power. It must begin with a spiritual restoration that turns the hearts of millions to You. This will heal our land, bringing peace, strength, and prosperity. Therefore, we ask for the fires of revival to intensify. We ask for these fires to burn until they blaze with more strength and intensity than any revival in history. Shake the earth with this outpouring. Let the power released be unprecedented, the harvest unparalleled.  Stir the hearts of leaders in the American church. Wherever necessary, break off complacency, lukewarmness, passivity, and fear. Restore vision, reawaken hunger, renew first love, and fan the flames of destiny that once burned in their hearts. Let a cry go up from the earth that heaven cannot resist, causing rains of revival to fall that earth cannot repel.  Give our righteous and honorable government leaders wisdom. Give them renewed determination and zeal. Keep them from the effects of weariness and hope deferred that would cause their hearts to weaken. Give them strategies born in heaven, strategies that cannot fail. Please protect them. We ask that You remove from influence those who refuse to honor You and refuse to walk in truth. Stop them!  All of these things we ask in the name of Jesus. And since we are asking according to Your will, we know we will receive that for which we are asking (1 John 5:14). Amen.  Our decree: We declare that the praying church in America and around the world will now step into its finest hour.  Click on the link below to watch the full video. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/politics-news/kamala-harris-lack-news-coverage-black-lives-matter-protests-1299205/   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_David_Dorn   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_New_Orleans_truck_attack   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Pennsylvania_Governor%27s_Residence_arson   https://www.aol.com/justice-department-urged-seek-death-111507425.html   https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/06/02/mohamed-soliman-boulder-colorado-terror-attack-suspect/83986962007/   https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/edmund_burke_377528

The Upcoming Healing Summit–Power Is Increasing There are various reasons why people do not receive supernatural healings. It is not my purpose to list and comment on those reasons today, nor do I pretend to always know why a person does not receive a healing from God. And I certainly would never insinuate that everyone I pray for is healed; anyone who asserts this is dishonest. My purpose for today’s post is simply to urge individuals to not give up on receiving their healing or miracle. This is not always easy. We have all prayed for things we did not receive, and when this occurs, the tendency is to question either our faith, God‘s will, or the method. And, sadly, the tendency is also to lose hope and give up. We’ve all been there.  The Scriptures offer us accounts of those who experienced disappointment regarding being healed of physical conditions. John 5:1-9 shares the account of the man healed at the pool of Bethesda. Lame for all 38 years of his life, he lay daily at the pool, waiting for an angel to move the water in hopes that he could be the first into the pool and be healed. When Jesus asked if he would like to be healed, the man simply said someone always beat him into the water. Clearly, he had lost all hope of being healed. Jesus, however, ended the man’s wait and made him completely whole. And in Mark 5:25-34, the story is related of a woman who had suffered a hemorrhage for 12 years. She had exhausted all of her resources on treatments and physicians, but had only grown worse (verse 26). Certainly, naturally speaking, there would have been little or no hope of recovery. Then she heard about Jesus, and He was nearby. “If I could just touch him,” she thought,  “I would be well.” Two problems confronted her, however, in getting to Him. Multitudes were around him, making it difficult to press through the crowd. And secondly, according to Jewish law, her hemorrhaging made her “unclean.” Consequently, she was forbidden to touch anyone else, as it would make them ceremonially “unclean” (Leviticus 15:19-33). In her desperation, she overcame 12 years of disappointment and hope deferred, ignored the Levitical law, pushed through the crowd, and touched Jesus. God honored her faith, and rather than Jesus being defiled, she was healed.  In Acts 3:1-10, we are told of another individual who had been lame from birth. He was now over 40 years old (Acts 4:22). Jesus, the Great Healer from Galilee who had healed thousands of people in Israel, had walked by the man dozens, if not hundreds, of times. It is impossible that this man had not heard of Jesus. No doubt he had hoped… but, no, Jesus had chosen not to heal this man. He obviously had given up hope for a miracle - he asked Peter and John for money, not healing. And yet, this man was not totally accurate in thinking God had chosen not to heal him. The Lord had not decided against doing so; it just wasn’t yet time for his miracle when Jesus passed by. However, in Acts 3, Peter discerned by the leading of Holy Spirit that not only was it God‘s will to do so, it was now time. In one of the most dramatic miracles recorded in Scripture, the man was instantly healed and became an incredible sign and wonder to all of Israel.  Three disappointed people. 1) “Someone else always seems to be healed, but not me.” 2) “ I have tried everything, and doctors/medicine can’t help me.” 3) “The great miracle worker called Jesus passed me by.” And yet, the miracles came. I know it can be difficult to persevere, but don’t give up on receiving your healing/miracle. We have entered a time in which numerous prophetic voices have stated that a new season of the miraculous is being birthed in the spirit. There are seasons when the actions of a nation or people hinder God’s power and blessing from being released to them. In His grace and mercy, God works to produce repentance and a return to Him. When this occurs, He is able to pour out His Spirit once again, which includes many blessings. Healing and miracles are two of the blessings always associated with revival. I, and many others, believe we have entered one of these seasons. Millions will be saved, and many will be healed supernaturally. When we discern that it is time for the “rain” of God’s Spirit to be poured out in a fresh way, we are instructed to ask for it (Zechariah 10:1). When Elijah discerned that it was time for rain, he had to travail in prayer to birth it (1 Kings 18). When Daniel discerned that it was time for restoration in Israel, he had to enter a season of prayer to produce this (Daniel 9).  This principle, combined with discernment of the Lord's timing, is why some of my friends and I are conducting the Healing Summits in Middletown, Ohio. We are asking God for a broad release of healing rain, and we are also doing so for specific individuals who desperately need supernatural healings. We have received credible reports of many healings in the previous summits. Most of them have not been life-threatening conditions, but simply healings related to injuries, pain, and other debilitating illnesses. However, there have been several reports of verified healings regarding tumors, cancers, and other life-threatening conditions. We are asking for more, believing for bona fide, visible, undeniable signs and wonders.  The next  Healing Summit is June 27 , once again being held at the Oasis Church in Middletown, Ohio. Please join us, either in person or online. Petition the Lord with us for this outpouring of signs and wonders. If you need a miracle, ask for yours. If you are a leader, please agree in prayer with us for the release of signs and wonders throughout the earth. Ask for miracles in your services on a regular basis. Consider joining us via the livestream, and when we begin praying for people, do the same in your gathering. We believe the corporate agreement of the body of Christ is accomplishing much. You need not guarantee miracles when you gather, just give God the opportunity to move. Let’s agree in prayer right now for the increase of signs and wonders throughout the earth. Pray with me: Father, You say in Your Word that signs and wonders accompany the preaching of the gospel. Although there has been a lull in the manifestation of this over the past few decades, we believe the atmosphere of earth is pregnant once again with your miraculous power. You told us to ask for the release of this power. Therefore, we are doing so. Send the rain of miracles throughout the world, miracles of such magnitude that people are awakened to the reality of who You are. Our hearts are moved, Father, over the suffering of people. Use us to bring healing and deliverance to others. Release the gifts of Your Spirit to perform these miracles and deliverances. Increase faith and revelation among believers, enabling them to believe for this, and stretch forth Your hand to heal.  Use this service in Ohio on June 27 to increase signs and wonders throughout the earth. We ask that Your power be present to heal, and that signs and wonders be done in the name of Your Son, Jesus. Use this gathering and the miracles that occur to bring great glory to Him. And in His name we pray, amen. Our decree: We decree that power to heal the sick is increasing in the body of Christ, both here in America and throughout the world. To find out more about the upcoming Healing Summit  on June 27, go to OasisWired.org Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Buy the Opportunity One of my favorite verses on revival is Acts 3:19: “Therefore, repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” As is often the case, it i s challenging f or our English translations to fully convey the Greek content of this verse. The phrase “times of refreshing” is loaded with meaning. “Times” is translated from the word kairos,  which means “strategic or opportune time.” (1) Kenneth Wuest, a very literal translator of the New Testament, uses the following phrases to translate kairos : “epoch-making periods” (Acts 3:19); “strategic, significant period” (Acts 12:1); “strategic, epochal time” (Acts 19:23).   Using a combination of his words , kairos  times are strategic, significant, and potentially epoch-making. America and the nations are about to experience an “epoch-making” revival. (2) I checked Mr. Webster’s meaning of the hyphenated phrase “epoch-making” to gain greater understanding. He said it means “significant by virtue of ensuing historical developments,” (3)  “a period of time characterized by momentous events or changes,” (4)  and “a fixed point of time from which succeeding years are numbered.” (5) That’s what we’re after - “momentous events and changes.” A revival so great it is “historical,” one “from which succeeding years are numbered.” This is how we speak of historical floods, such as the Johnstown Flood of 1889 or the Big Thompson Canyon (Colorado) Flood of 1976. The size of a flood is measured by how often one of that proportion occurs: a 50-year flood, a 100-year flood, etc. We want a flood of the river of God so great that it is epoch-making, even historical. The word “refreshing” in Acts 3:19 is powerful. Anapsuxis  is composed of two words, ana  and psucho . Strong’s Concordance says  ana means “repetition, intensity or reversal.” (6)  Zodhiates agrees, and adds the word “increase.” (7) Psucho  means “to breathe, blow, or refresh with cool air.” (8) Here are five definitions of anapsucho or anapsuxis : “to draw breath again” “to revive by fresh air” (9) “to cool or refresh with a breath” “to regain strength”  “restoration” ( 10) Using these definitions, Peter is saying that proper responses to Holy Spirit allow God to breathe on us, revive us, restore us, and give us new strength. I especially like the concept of intensity in  ana . God wants to breathe on us again intensely . Peter was probably thinking back a few days to Pentecost when the breath of God blew intensely, once more filling humans with the Spirit and life of God. In Ezekiel 37:1-14, dry bones are used to picture spiritual death. When reversing this, God first caused the bones to reconnect; then He put skin on them, “but there was no breath in them”  (v. 8). The prophet was then told, “Prophesy to the breath…say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life”’”  (v. 9). God’s life-producing breath is what was released in Genesis 2:7. He breathed into Adam’s lifeless body, infusing it with His life. In Acts 3, Peter probably thought back through history - Genesis, Ezekiel, Pentecost - and prophesied that this life-giving breath could blow again if the people would repent and turn to God. They did, and God did. Many winds of revival have blown since, and God is ready to do it yet again! He is going to release His breath, another wind, to our generation, and He will do so with great intensity. Buy the Opportunity! We must seize the opportunity. Twice, the New Testament tells us to “redeem the time” (Ephesians 5:15-17; Colossians 4:5, KJV). “Redeem” is translated from exagorazo , meaning “buy or purchase,” and “time” is kairos: buy the opportune time. (11) Indeed, opportunities must be bought; they cost us time, energy, abilities, money,  even our very lives. Those who don’t spend what is necessary and “buy” them, lose opportunities. When Apple Computer fell on difficult days, its young chairman, Steven Jobs, traveled from Silicon Valley to New York City. His purpose was to convince Pepsico’s John Sculley to move west and run his struggling company. As the two men overlooked the Manhattan skyline from Sculley’s penthouse office, the Pepsi executive started to decline Jobs’s offer. “Financially,” Sculley said, “you’d have to give me a million-dollar salary, a million-dollar bonus, and a million-dollar severance.” Flabbergasted, Jobs gulped and agreed - if Sculley would move to California. But Sculley would commit only to being a consultant from New York. At that, Jobs issued a challenge to Sculley: “Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water, or do you want to change the world?” In his autobiography, Odyssey , Sculley admits Jobs’ challenge “knocked the wind out of me.” He said he’d become so caught up with his future at Pepsi, his pension, and whether his family could adapt to life in California, that an opportunity to “change the world” nearly passed him by. Instead, he put his life in perspective and went to Apple. (12) We are not going to miss our opportunity to change the world! We will buy the opportunity for an epoch-making revival.  Allow God to increase vision in you until it motivates you to action. Vision is a life-changer, a rearranger, a cause producer. Its hunger can be insatiable, a motivating force creating energy and energizing creativity. Passionate vision moves us from mere mental assent to physical exertion. It separates the hearer from the doer, converts from disciples, and mediocrity from excellence. It is also what separates a ripe harvest from a reaped harvest (see Matthew 9:37). Let’s once again ask for increased vision and greater passion for a historical, epoch-making revival, and for willing hearts to buy the opportunity. Pray with me: Father, we ask You to increase our passion and vision for the epoch-making revival You have planned. Light the flames of passion in the church to such intensity that no price will be too great to pay. Awaken our hearts to seize the moment, buying the opportune time that has been created. Bring greater vision to the church, motivating us to write history. Breathe on the dry bones of the earth and give them life. Save and deliver, redeem and transform. Make this revival epochal, historic, unlike any other. We believe entire nations can and will be born again in a day. Do it, we pray! Send the rushing, mighty wind of Acts 2. Give us miracles on the level of Acts 3 that cause millions to be saved. Blow Your breath all over the world. We ask these things through Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. Our decree: We decree that the life-giving breath of God is bringing an epoch-making revival to earth again, and this cannot be stopped! Click on the link below to watch the full video. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990. ref. no.  2540. Kenneth Wuest, The New Testament: An Expanded Translation. Eerdmans, 1961. New Webster’s Dictionary and Thesaurus of the English Language,  s.v. “epoch-making.” Ibid. The Consolidated-Webster Encyclopedic Dictionary, s.v. “epoch.” James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible . Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990. ref. no. 303. Spiros Zodhiates, Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible - New American Standard, rev. ed. AMG Publishers, 1990. p. 1804. Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary . Word Bible Publishers, 1992. p. 1496. Ethelbert Bullinger, A Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament . Zondervan Publishing House, 1975. p. 631. Geoffrey W. Bromiley, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament , abridged. Eerdmans, 1985. p. 1352.  James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990. ref. no. 1805. Craig Brian Larson, Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching . Baker Books, 1993. p. 278.

Eagles and Arrows Our friend, Gina Gholston, recently sent the following word to me. I find it very interesting that it references past dreams regarding the Lord merging the fruit of several revivals in history, including the Welsh revival. When sending the word Gina had no idea I was going to Wales, and I did not know what she had written in this post until I returned. Gina shares: The Lord has been reminding me of two dreams I had a few years ago. Dutch has talked about these dreams before, so they are not new to those who have followed the GH15 posts through the years. But I am feeling that there is a prophetic revelation God wants us to receive through them now. Although we find ourselves in a time of necessary governmental shifting in our nation, we, as the Ekklesia, must not forget that the one thing that will save our nation is an awakening to an awareness of God! We have now begun to witness that awakening! In 2020, I had a dream that took place on the grounds of the Red River Meeting House near Russellville, Kentucky. A mighty revival occurred there in 1800. In the dream, I saw a geyser burst forth, releasing waters of revival, and I heard the Lord say, “It’s time!” He was revealing that wells of revival would be opened once again. I then saw 100 bald eagles being sent out from that place, drenched in the waters of that opened well; each was carrying three arrows and a rolled-up piece of paper in their talons. In the dream, I also saw lines being drawn on a map of the United States. Those lines connected the Red River Meeting House, Cane Ridge (1801 revival), and Azusa Street (revival in1906), forming what appeared to be a spearhead. Then another line came from the nation of Wales (revival of 1903-1904), forming what looked like the shaft of the spear. Each of these is a location that experienced major moves of God in past years that brought spiritual transformation. Seeing this formation in the dream, the Lord said to me, “I am going to spearhead  another greater move of My Spirit in your time, and it’s time.” Then, in 2021, I had another dream in which I was standing with someone on a deck-like structure in the heavens. From this place, we were looking down, observing the United States of America. I did not know who the man was standing next to me, but I could feel a strong anointing from him, and his presence was causing me to have an indescribable hope for America! As we looked down, we saw what first appeared to be warplanes flying over the U.S. The man next to me nonchalantly said, “Oh my, I wonder what is happening in America? And what do all of these warplanes mean?” He said this, not with concern, but almost as though he wanted me to see something that wasn’t obvious. He looked at me as if I should know the right answer to his questions. I said, “Those are not warplanes. Those are eagles! I have seen them before in a dream. There are one hundred of them, and they are carrying water from the well of revival that has been unlocked and is now gushing forth into the nation.” I noticed that each eagle was still drenched with water from the opened revival well of Red River Meeting House, and in their talons were the 300 arrows and the rolled-up piece of paper.  As the eagles flew across America, they suddenly began to dive simultaneously toward the land. It appeared that they would hit the ground, but instead, they leveled off and began to drop their 300 arrows. [Intercessors did a prophetic act regarding this in 2023, burying 300 arrowheads throughout the nation.] When each arrow hit the ground, it ignited as though it had hit a gas pocket. Up from that spot would come a spiraling column of fire. Then the water the eagles were releasing began to be ignited by the fire until it seemed that all of America was ablaze. In the dream, I fell to my knees as I became very  aware of the power and presence of God! The gentleman next to me then began to speak under a heavy anointing. “You have seen correctly! This is how America will be saved! Do not doubt it!  A sweeping move of the Spirit of God is coming, igniting the land with the fire of His presence, bringing a swift and undeniable awakening. What appears to be one thing is about to be revealed as another thing. Some are in fear because of how things appear, but others SEE with holy awe and expectation! The eagles are on assignment. They carry ‘Fire Power.’ They carry glory, and at the precise moment, their arrows will be released, and they will hit their targets, and the move of God will ignite and spread very quickly!” He then said again, “DO NOT DOUBT IT!” I then instinctively knew that this man was Duncan Campbell. That was the end of the dream. Duncan Campbell represents a major move of God that took place in the Hebrides Islands from 1949-1952. The revival fires that burned in those islands were so powerful and transforming that multitudes were born again as the glory of God filled their land. It is of great significance that God put this man in the dream. It declares to us that the same transforming power of God that saved the Hebrides Islands will manifest in our time to save our nation! As I have pondered these dreams, I feel that Yahweh is revealing we have now entered the time of fulfillment. The dropping of the fiery arrows pictured by the prophetic acts of planting 300 arrowheads in 2023, is igniting fires of awakening in America and around the world. Strategic pockets of revival history and prophetic promises for now are merging. We are seeing it happen! Though it may have seemed that America was destined for emanate destruction, God is saying, “Look again! See things from My perspective.” He has a plan! He has declared His verdict: America shall be saved! That salvation will come by way of another great move of His Spirit! This is a prophetic promise that has been “set to the rhythm of Heaven’s time clock,” and now God says, “It’s time!” Two very significant aspects of releasing an arrow: Arrows are piercing. They leave an undeniable mark on whatever they hit, and, The releasing of an arrow is well-timed and intentional. If an arrow hits a target, it’s because it was specifically aimed at that target. God knows the location of the fire pockets. He has determined this moment to strike the land with the demonstration of His power, which will ignite and spearhead this next great awakening! Watch for this. Stay focused and filled with expectation. The fire may seem small at first, but a spark can quickly become a blazing fire, demonstrating the reality of our all-powerful, all-consuming God. Do not doubt this! Pray with me: Yahweh, saturate us with the waters of Your prophetic promises and purposes that You have determined for our times. Light the flames! May we witness an undeniable move of Your Spirit ignited by the release of the piercing arrows of Your glory! Cause the church to change her perspective, Lord, no longer judging things by what we see through the lens of our natural understanding. Cause us to look with holy awe and expectation. We will now witness the supernatural awakening as You spearhead another greater  move of Your Spirit. And Father, we refuse to grow complacent in praying for the governmental changes needed in America. For decades now, the left has used activist liberals in the courts to further their radical agendas. We appeal to You to expose their corrupt efforts and thwart what they are currently doing. Rein in and restore integrity to our judicial system, from the top down, we ask. In Jesus’ name, amen. Our decree: We decree that the arrows from God’s glory are hitting their targets, and the fire of Holy Spirit is igniting the land with awakening. Today’s post was contributed by Gina Gholston. You can find out more about her at GinaGholston.com . Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Honoring the Past to Empower the Future I mentioned the phrase “synergy of the ages” when speaking at The Bible College of Wales this past Sunday ( see yesterday’s post ). I teach on this phrase in depth in my book An Appeal to Heaven , explaining the setting and purpose for which God first spoke it to me. Today’s post is an overview of the concept. Throughout the biblical narrative, we observe a profound pattern of continuity where God’s dealings with His people weave through generations, connecting past acts of faith with present encounters and future promises. Isaac restoring Abraham’s wells (Genesis 26), Jacob’s divine encounter at Bethel where Abraham had also met with God (Genesis 28), and Elijah’s retreat to the same cave in which Moses found sanctuary (Exodus 33, 1 Kings 19) are all examples. These stories exemplify how honoring the efforts of past individuals and connecting with their actions are vital for spiritual growth, divine favor, and divine continuity. And this connection produces the “synergy of the ages.” This pattern of continuity highlights the importance of recognizing that our spiritual journeys are not isolated, but are part of a rich tapestry woven throughout history. By understanding and honoring the efforts of those who came before us, we tap into a divine synergy that energizes our faith and propels us toward divine purposes, as these three examples demonstrate. Let’s look at them further. 1. Isaac and the Wells of Abraham In Genesis 26, Isaac re-digs the wells that his father Abraham had originally dug; the final well was Beersheba, which means “the well of covenant.” (1) Redigging the wells symbolizes more than just restoring water sources; it’s about reclaiming the spiritual and covenantal legacy of his father.  Abraham’s faith and obedience had established a divine covenant. By connecting with Abraham’s actions, Isaac demonstrated respect for the spiritual foundations laid before him. This act of honoring past efforts not only restored physical sustenance but also signified a spiritual continuity—affirming that the promises of God are passed down through obedience and remembrance. 2. Jacob and Bethel In Genesis 28, Jacob’s dream of the ladder reaching to heaven occurred at Bethel, where Abraham called on the Lord and built an altar after his first encounter with God and received his calling (Genesis 12). At this special place, the Lord echoed the promise to Jacob. Bethel, meaning “House of God,” was a sacred site that symbolized divine visitation and covenant. Jacob’s experience there connected him to the spiritual heritage of Abraham and Isaac, demonstrating that divine promises are passed down across generations. Jacob set up a stone pillar and poured oil on it, showing reverence for the divine encounter and the sacred place. Many scholars believe the stone used for this pillar was from the very altar Abraham had previously built there! Recognizing and connecting with the actions of those who came before establishes spiritual continuity and deepens one’s sense of divine purpose. 3. Elijah and the Cave of Horeb In 1 Kings 19, Elijah found himself exhausted, discouraged, and on the run after a series of prophetic confrontations. God led him to a cave on Mount Horeb—also known as Mount Sinai. Many scholars believe this cave was the very “cleft” in a rock from which Moses encountered Yahweh, as described in Exodus 33. This cave wasn’t merely a physical refuge; it symbolized a sacred space where divine revelation and renewal occur. Elijah’s visit to the cave connected him to the legacy of Moses, the lawgiver, and to the divine encounters that had shaped Israel’s identity. God’s instruction to Elijah at this place to stand on the mountain and listen for His voice is similar to the earlier divine appearance to Moses (Exodus 33). It signified that Elijah’s spiritual destiny was intertwined with Moses’ and Israel’s entire history. By honoring the sacred space where Moses met with God, Elijah was invited into a continuum of divine revelation—a “synergy of the ages”—where the faith of past generations empowered the present. The recurring theme in these biblical accounts is that honoring the efforts of our spiritual ancestors is vital. Doing so produces: Spiritual Legacy and Identity:  Recognizing the efforts of past individuals helps us understand our connection to God’s overarching plan. It reminds us that we are part of a divine family, inheriting promises, blessings, and responsibilities. Faith Reinforcement:  Connecting with previous acts of faith and obedience builds our confidence in God’s faithfulness. It encourages us to trust in His promises, knowing that He has been faithful across generations. Divine Continuity: These biblical narratives reveal that God’s dealings are continuous and cumulative. Honoring past efforts aligns us with God’s eternal purposes and opens the way for new divine encounters. Inspiration and Motivation:  Stories of God’s faithfulness inspire us to persevere through challenges, knowing that we stand on the shoulders of giants, who also trusted and obeyed God. Spiritual Renewal:  Revisiting sacred sites or recalling divine acts can serve as catalysts for personal and corporate renewal, rekindling our passion for God and His purposes. As you can see, connecting with the actions of past individuals is not merely about remembrance; it’s about spiritual alignment and empowerment. When we honor the sacrifices, obedience, and divine encounters of those who came before us, we tap into a divine synergy that transcends time. This connection creates a spiritual bridge that sustains faith through trials and ignites divine activity in our lives. Conclusion: Embracing the Synergy of the Ages The biblical accounts of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Elijah reveal a divine pattern—an ongoing connection between God’s people that spans generations. Recognizing and honoring the efforts of those who went before us is vital for spiritual growth, divine favor, and the continuation of God’s plan. By connecting with the actions of past individuals, we participate in the “synergy of the ages,” allowing faith and effectiveness to multiply and flow from one generation to the next. This sacred continuity not only bolsters our personal walk with God but also strengthens the spiritual fabric of the church at large. As we honor the past, we lay a firm foundation for the future, ensuring that divine promises are passed on, fulfilled, and expanded in future generations. In embracing this divine synergy, we become active participants in a timeless covenant—standing on sacred ground, honoring sacred acts, and trusting that God’s work continues, unbroken, across the ages. Pray with me: Father, thank You for the faithful members of our spiritual family who have gone before us. We owe them more than we can imagine. They labored, stood for truth, honored You and Your ways, and many gave their lives for Your cause “...Of whom the world was not worthy” (Hebrews 11:38). You continue in this Hebrews passage by stating, “ Not one of these people, even though their lives of faith were exemplary, got their hands on what was promised. God had a better plan for us: that their faith and our faith would come together to make one completed whole, their lives of faith not complete apart from ours ” (Verses 39-40, The Message).  You have said through prophets that a synergy of all past revivals is going to be released in our day. All that You have poured out and restored – all the gifts, anointings, and manifestations of Holy Spirit – released in one powerful revival. We ask for this now. Cover the earth with Your glory, as You promised (Habakkuk 2:14).  We are also careful to remember and pray for our leaders. We pray for President Trump and his team, our Congress, and the judicial system of our nation. We pray that they would be given protection and wisdom. We also pray that they would be stirred in their hearts to recognize and honor You, continuing the heritage of our Founders. And again today, we ask You to bring correction and order to our judicial system in America, including the Supreme Court. Uproot evil, destroy corrupt seeds, replace judges who need replacing, and restore common sense and wisdom. All this we pray in Jesus’ name, amen. Our decree: We declare that we will honor the lives and efforts of past believers, finishing what they so effectively started. Click on the link below to watch the full video. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 884.

Breaking Open the Wells Firstly, I want to say thank you to Ceci for doing such a wonderful job on yesterday‘s post while I was traveling home from Wales. She always does an amazing job.  I was in Swansea, Wales, to speak this past Sunday at the 10th anniversary (since its reopening) of The Bible College of Wales . The school has its roots in the gre at Welsh Revival, the effects of which are still being felt around the world. Here is a little background.  The Great Welsh Revival The Welsh Revival of 1903-1904 transformed Wales and had lasting impacts on Christianity worldwide. The revival was characterized by widespread spiritual passion, mass conversions, and renewed commitment to Christ among Welsh communities, particularly within the Methodist, Baptist, and Independent churches. The outpouring of Holy Spirit was sparked by the preaching of Evan Roberts, a young evangelist whose passionate sermons and deep spiritual conviction inspired thousands. Leaders emphasized the importance of personal repentance, a return to biblical principles, and the need for individual revival as a means to restore spiritual vitality to the nation. The moving of Holy Spirit led to large gatherings and thousands of conversions, much prayer, tremendous worship, and incredible testimonies. The movement quickly spread across Wales, affecting towns and villages and leading to a significant increase in church attendance and conversions. Churches reported revitalized congregations, increased moral standards, and a decline in negative social issues such as drunkenness and crime. The revival also influenced other parts of the U.K. and beyond, inspiring movements worldwide. The social impact was profound, as the revival fostered a sense of community, hope, and moral renewal. It also prompted many to pursue active evangelism and social reform. The revival is generally regarded as one of the most powerful and influential spiritual awakenings in history.  By 1904, the revival began to wane, but its effects persisted for years, leaving an enduring legacy of spiritual passion and a renewed sense of purpose among Welsh Christians. The great Welsh Revival of 1903 and 1904 remains one of the most notable religious revivals in history.  Rees Howells Rees Howells was a product of this revival. He was born in 1879 in Wales, became a Christian, and then discovered a deeper relationship with Christ during a period of time spent in America. He moved back to Wales and was deeply impacted by the great revival. Rees became a missionary and developed an incredible life of faith and prayer.  He is best known for founding The Bible College of Wales in Swansea in 1924, and the intercession that took place there.  Throughout his life, Howells emphasized the importance of prayer and intercession, believing that prayer could influence global events. During World War II, these convictions led him and his students to dedicate themselves to interceding on behalf of the Allied forces and the war's outcome. Many people, and I am certainly one of them, believe Rees and his students were instrumental in saving the world from Hitler and the Nazis. Rees’s approach to prayer included spiritual warfare, a powerful tool to combat evil and influence nations. He encouraged his students at the Bible College of Wales to pray earnestly for the military, leaders, and civilians affected by the conflict. The students engaged in continuous prayer, often dedicating entire days to intercession, believing that their prayers could impact the course of the war and bring about divine intervention. Throughout the war, Howells and the students held regular prayer meetings, praying specifically for the safety of soldiers, the defeat of oppressive regimes, and the preservation of freedom. They also prayed for wisdom for Allied leaders and for peace to be restored quickly. Many testimonies from those associated with the college recount the supernatural leadings of Holy Spirit, and confirmations of their prayers being used to stop evil forces. Their deep faith that God would intervene through their prayers was vital in overcoming the darkness of war. Through Norman Grubb’s book, Rees Howells: Intercessor , his life and ministry continue to inspire believers in the power of prayer to influence global events, and bring about divine purpose during times of crisis.  The Rebirth After Rees’ death, The Bible College of Wales was eventually relocated in 2009 from Wales to England and renamed Trinity School of Ministry. The Wales campus fell into disrepair; the buildings deteriorated, weeds overtook the property, and portions of it began being sold to developers. On a visit to the area to honor and connect with the roots of revival in Wales, Holy Spirit put into the heart of a Singaporean pastor, Yang Tuck Yoong and his congregation, Cornerstone Community Church, to purchase the campus and restore it. They raised the millions of dollars necessary from believers in Singapore, purchased the property in 2012, and conducted a thorough and beautiful restoration. The school reopened in 2015, not as a typical Bible College, but as a 12-week ministry training course to propel individuals towards the Kingdom purposes of God for their lives. It was my great honor to be part of the opening ceremonies. When Pastor Yang invited me to speak at the BCW’s 10th anniversary, I felt an immediate desire to do so, honoring what God did through Rees Howells, and what Pastor Yang and his congregation have done to re-dig this well.  Being there once again was very moving for me. I slept in the restored bedroom of Rees Howells and could still feel the presence of the Lord, not only there but throughout the grounds. This sacred place represents revival, prayer, the sacrifices of fellow believers, and the spiritual joining of the nations. By looking back and honoring what Holy Spirit - and those in the great cloud of witnesses - accomplished in the past, we tap into the fruit of their labors and see the power they released multiplied today.  Thank you, Pastor Yang and  Cornerstone Community Church  for reopening this well and for giving me the honor of participating in this wonderful anniversary celebration.  Pray with me: Father, You have taught us the importance of honoring those in the family who have labored before us. We stand on great shoulders, reaping from seeds we did not sow,  “entering into the labors of others”  (John 4:38). May we be found faithful, in order that others coming after us can do the same.  Thank You - and the Welsh church - for the well of revival dug for us in 1903 and 1904. Thank You, Rees Howells, and the nameless students with him, for the well of intercession dug for us in Swansea, Wales. And thank You, Pastor Yang, and his congregation, for reopening that well for us all. It is flowing once again, releasing its living water.   Lord, as we move into another great awakening, this one worldwide, we ask that You cause the “synergy of the ages” to manifest. Give us fruit from every previous revival, combined into one unprecedented outpouring of Holy Spirit. We will be faithful to honor those who laid down their lives to produce those former revivals, giving all the glory to the Lord Jesus Christ. And in His name we pray, amen.  Our decree: We decree the opening of the wells of revival around the world, releasing rivers of living water! Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Foxes and Fleas “Have you ever noticed how incredibly easy it is to focus on what’s wrong with life? It’s easy for even ordinary irritations to build into occasions for grumbling and dissatisfaction. The weather; traffic; the alarm clock not going off on time; the noisy neighbors. We seem to easily find irritants rather than the good in life. We complain about our job, snap at our spouse, get honked at by traffic, or worse. Sometimes it seems there are more bad moments than good in life. If we don’t stop and take a good look at our perceptions of these situations, we soon find that we have bitter, negative experiences all day long.   “The effects of focusing on the negative can hurt us more than we may realize. You may have heard that there is a link between our emotional health and our physical health. God created our minds and our bodies to be at peace with each other. When we are embarrassed (something that happens in our mind), our faces go red (a response in our body). When we’re nervous, we get sweaty hands or butterflies in our stomachs. When we’re angry, our blood pressure rises. What we think and feel affects us, spilling over to our health and well-being.” (1) Life is comprised of moments and choices. “Choices have consequences - they are both a gift and a responsibility. What we choose to think about, and how we act on those thoughts and feelings, have a massive impact on the quality of our lives (Deuteronomy 30:19). Have you ever looked back on a bad choice and thought, What in the world was I thinking??” (2)   We might find ourselves in a situation where someone else’s thoughtless decision now puts us in a challenging, possibly even devastating position. Do we blame them for the hurt that it causes us? After all, we can feel pretty justified when it is someone else’s fault, right?? If they had done things differently, handled it better, made a sounder, more careful decision, considered someone besides themselves, we could go on and on, finding justification, and stroking our pain.  Life is all about relationships – not just at home, but at church, in the workplace, and throughout life. Healthy relationships are built on communication, understanding, mutual respect, kindness, patience, forgiveness, and love. Many problems come when there are misunderstandings, unmet expectations, and offenses. These cause detrimental thoughts, which, over time, can poison relationships and cause things to implode. Working through differences takes grace, humility, and  effort . If we don’t put forth the effort, we won’t see the answers, and nothing will change. (3) Let’s ask Holy Spirit to help us not hang on to the pain. Ask Him to help you to become willing  to forgive. Did you get that? If you’re not yet willing to forgive, ask Him to help you become willing to forgive . He knows our hearts, and He’s willing to help. God has wired us for love and acceptance, not conflict. By telling ourselves the truth and applying God’s Word, we can once again find peace. But realize, learning to make good choices, right choices, and sometimes making difficult decisions, is a lifelong commitment. As we do this, however, we will grow and be an example for others to do the same. You are an influencer – especially to those in your own home, and in your sphere. Let’s choose to bear good fruit. God has an amazing plan for us and uses the hard moments in our lives to shape us. He uses the difficult situations to truly forge who we become. Our responses to them mold our character. It’s our reactions to the challenging circumstances in life that truly make us who we are. God desires for us to be men and women known for our godly character and strength. And as you know, the best example of all is Jesus.  Romans 5:3-5 ( NLT) tells us :  “ We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.   And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love. ”   James 1:3-5 “because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and be complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (NLT) Romans 8:28, the Amplified Classic tells us:  “We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose. ”  1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV) tells us:  “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” In Corrie ten Boom’s book The Hiding Place , Corrie shares about her life in a Nazi concentration camp. As prisoners, she and her sister were placed into barracks at Ravensbrück, Germany. The building was packed with dirty and sweaty prisoners: 1400 people were crammed into a space designed for only 400. Plumbing had backed up, walls and floors were soiled and putrid. There were rows of narrow platforms stacked three high and wedged side-by-side, end-to-end, where they slept; there were no individual beds. Another misery would soon be discovered.  Corrie wrote: “Suddenly, I sat up, striking my head on the cross-slats above. Something had pinched my leg. “‘Fleas,’ I cried. ‘Betsie, the place is swarming with them!’ “The sisters prayed, asking the Lord to show them how they could live in such a place. They knew they would not be allowed to move to a different location. As they read from the Scripture that morning (from a Bible Corrie hid in a pouch around her neck), they were reminded to give thanks in all circumstances. “‘That’s it, Corrie,’ Betsie said. ‘That’s His answer. Give thanks in all circumstances [1 Thessalonians 5:18]. That’s what we can do. We can start now to thank God for every single thing about this new barracks!’ “‘Such as?’ I said. “‘Such as being assigned here together.’ “I bit my lip. ‘Oh yes, Lord Jesus!’ [Then Betsey said,] “‘Such as what you’re holding in your hands.’ I looked down at the Bible. “Yes! Thank You, dear Lord, that there was no inspection when we entered here! [Had they searched Corrie, they probably would have found the hidden Bible.] “‘Thank you,’ Betsie went on serenely in prayer, ‘for the fleas and for…’ “The fleas! This was too much. ‘Betsie, there’s no way even God can make me grateful for a flea.’ “‘Give thanks in all circumstances,’ she quoted. ‘It doesn’t say “in pleasant circumstances.” Fleas are part of this place where God has put us.’ “And so we stood between tiers of bunks and gave thanks for fleas. But this time, I was sure Betsie was wrong.” Only later did the sisters realize how strategic the fleas were to their situation. Every night, they held a Bible study in their barracks, but feared the guards would enter and see them. Night after night, no guard ever came near. Soon, they grew bolder and began having two services, sharing the gospel with many prisoners. The sisters couldn’t understand why there was no supervision or harassment by the guards in their barracks, as in others. They finally realized that it was because of the fleas! The guards would not come near because of the fleas.  “Corrie writes, ‘My mind rushed back to our first hour in this place. I remember Betsie’s bowed head, and her thanks to God for creatures I could see no use for.’” (4) We do not have to deal with imprisonment at Ravensbrück as the ten Boom sisters, but we all face our own difficult situations and hard places – the little foxes or fleas nipping at our heels (Song of Solomon 2:15). They tempt us to grumble at our situation or hold onto our hurt. Friends, let’s give Him our broken places, the challenging situations, and ask Holy Spirit to heal our hearts and make a way. And may we give thanks for His love, His patience, and transforming power. Pray with me: Lord, I thank You for our friends who have joined me today. We pause and say that we are grateful for our many blessings. Thank You for loving us, for Your guidance, and for being faithful to us, even when we are not always faithful to You. Today, Lord, we are being candid and real, asking for You to touch our souls: our minds, our strong wills, and emotions. Cleanse us and heal us. We choose to let go of what doesn’t please You. We give it to You, Jesus. We are grateful, oh Lord, and we celebrate You this day. In Christ’s name. Amen. Our decree:   We decree that we will let go of what doesn’t please Jesus, and will embrace the new. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Carole Lewis, A Thankful Heart  (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 2005), pp. 9, 11, adaptation.  Dr. Caroline Leaf, Who Switched Off Your Brain  (Inprov, Ltd. and Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2011), p. 14. Ibid., pp. 14, 19, adapted. Corrie ten Boom and John and Elizabeth Sherrill, The Hiding Place  (Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour Publishing, 1971).

The Last Full Measure of Devotion  In my book, The Way Back , I share the following: “I recently read an account of American warriors who fought in the battle for Betio Beach during World War II. It was imperative that America take this beach. The odds against us doing so, however, were great. The results of the battle were horrific, the hearts of our men heroic. In his book Looking for America , Douglas Simpson states concerning our soldiers, ‘Never before in the history of warfare have men been asked to face such withering fire before them with only the cold sea behind to which to retreat.’ (1)   “The enemy, knowing the importance of this location, had hand-picked 6500 of their finest soldiers and placed them in fortified positions from which to defend the beach. When the battle began, it was terrible. Our men were cut in half by the firepower. Seventy-five of the 125 landing crafts were destroyed. The waters of the lagoon turned crimson; hundreds of bodies bobbed in the surf, with hundreds more littering the beach. The Marines suffered 3000 plus casualties, but still kept attacking. Of those who reached the pier, many did so by walking on the submerged bodies of their fallen comrades! “By the end of the second day, Colonel Shoup, commander of the Marine landing forces, radioed to headquarters, ‘Casualties many; percentage dead unknown; combat efficiency - we are winning.’ Though the battle was costly, our Marines took the beach. “Warriors!  “Freedom’s heroes!!” (2) Today, we honor them. A few years ago, I asked another hero and friend, retired Army Major William Ostan, to share a few thoughts with our Give Him 15 listeners regarding what Memorial Day means to him. Here is what Will sent back then. It is especially meaningful to me today as Will is fighting for his life from diseases acquired while serving in Afghanistan.  Will shares:   “There’s an old saying that bears witness to a day like today. ‘People sleep peaceably in their beds because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.” (3)  On Memorial Day, we remember the ‘rough men and women’ of the U.S. Armed Forces who have sacrificed their lives so we can enjoy the blessings of liberty in peace.    “As a combat veteran of two foreign wars (Iraq and Afghanistan), I tend to experience mixed emotions on Memorial Day that can sometimes vacillate wildly. One minute, I will be in deep anguish and sorrow while remembering my fallen comrades in arms. I mourn the loss of friendship with them, and think about their families left behind, the Gold Star spouses and children whose lives have been radically changed forever.   “In the next minute, after the wave of grief has crested and fallen, I feel a sense of overwhelming pride. Pride that I was privileged to be friends with such great Americans. Pride in what we accomplished while at war. Pride that we kept the homeland safe while fighting over there. While seemingly paradoxical, it is good and right to experience both ends of the emotional spectrum when it comes to memories of the fallen.   “In this vein, for the past few years, I’ve initiated and led a family tradition of reading the Gettysburg Address on Memorial Day. Sometimes we read it aloud at home in the late afternoon before enjoying the inevitable barbecue with friends. Other times we read it silently before laying a wreath at a Soldier’s grave in the early morning hours. I want my young daughters to know and understand the high price of freedom. I think oftentimes children grasp more than we adults realize.   “Our civilization’s fragile flame of liberty is able to keep burning brightly because of such moments when generational transfer takes place.   “Why the Gettysburg Address? Because I believe the words hold the import and portray the gravitas of what the military dead have given to us, the living, more than any others. Furthermore, President Abraham Lincoln’s speech is much more than a remembrance; as critically important as remembering is, it is ultimately a thunderous call to action.    “Lincoln, the great orator and gifted wordsmith, crafted a masterful phrase to describe what the fallen have provided for those of us still enjoying life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In his legendary Gettysburg Address, the penultimate words he scribed before closing the short, yet epic speech were, ‘we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion.’ (4)   “He was speaking, of course, about the soldiers from both the North and the South who had been killed at Gettysburg. He describes their death as the ‘last full measure of devotion.’ Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines ‘devotion’ as ‘the state of being dedicated, consecrated, or solemnly set apart for a particular purpose.’ (5) The military warriors Lincoln spoke of had done away with half-hearted measures and were ‘all in’ to complete the mission, even though it meant laying down their lives. They did their duty, and Lincoln now calls us to do ours through the following exhortation:   ‘It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us…that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.’ (6)   “So you see, my fellow Americans, Memorial Day is about much more than remembering the heroes of the past. It is also about us, their descendants, honoring our ancestors’ sacrifices by continuing the unfinished work they so nobly advanced. This is why we must, with all the fire of our faith, continue to pray for America to be turned back to God. Regardless of how bad circumstances may look, we must not falter, because duty is ours - results are God’s. A new birth of freedom is possible,  if we don’t give up .”   “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” (Psalm 116:15)   Pray with me: Heavenly Father,  Your eyes have seen the sacrifice of every one of the fallen.  Every man. Every woman. Every casualty of war. Every friend, every spouse, every parent, every child and family member, every comrade who has lost a loved one, both past and present– You’ve seen their tears and grieved alongside them all. Not one moment in battle has escaped Your attention. You are intimately aware of each dying breath and the measure of full devotion that was poured out through their ultimate sacrifice.    Father, we take a solemn moment now to join You in this. We honor the men and women who so selflessly gave their lives, and we honor those family members and loved ones who feel the loss most deeply. For those still mourning, would You wrap your arms of comfort around them and make Yourself known to them. For those who have been lost far in the past, help us never forget their sacrifice. For our own hearts, Lord, we ask that You impart to us a deep gratitude for the great cloud of witnesses who’ve paid such a price so that we can live in a land of liberty. Fan aflame the fires within us that we might continue to advance the unfinished work of our ancestors.    On this Memorial Day, we ask You, Lord, to remember the fallen and all that they so nobly fought for – we join our prayers with theirs and ask that You would bring a new birth of Freedom to the United States of America.    In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.   Our decree: We decree that the lives of our American Servicemen and women were not sacrificed in vain. This nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom. 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. He 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 Will’s efforts at   ArcofJusticeUSA.org   Click on the link below to watch the full video. 1. Simpson, Douglas . Looking for America, p. 310. 2. Sheets, Dutch, The Way Back , pp. 42-43. 3. The quote is of unknown origin, but most scholars attribute it to either George Orwell or G.K. Chesterton. 4. Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address, November 19, 1863. 5. American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, “Devotion” First meaning. 6. Gettysburg Address