July 9, 2024

Releasing the Prophetic Destiny of a Nation

Paul had a thorn in the flesh that plagued him for years of his life. No one knows for sure what it might have been. I was born with a thorn in the flesh – my elder brother Tim. From my earliest days, I have had to endure hardship from him as he took my lunch money, bullied me, teased me, and always blamed me when the two of us got into trouble. Now, I find myself having to correct his flawed messages and lack of discernment. Undaunted, I have allowed this to make me a better person.

In the 1980s, God decided this thorn was insufficient, so he brought another into my life: Chuck Pierce. This thorn grew until it reached fullness on our 50-State Tour. No one had ever interrupted my messages to insert their prophetic words and insights until he came along. The first time he did so at our first state, New Mexico, Chuck gave me no warning. Unbeknownst to me, he had asked for a microphone to keep with him on the front row while I spoke, and for it to be left on so he could control when it was live or muted.

I was under a heavy anointing in my message, making a brilliant point, when Chuck felt led to prophesy. He did not wave at me, stand up and wait for me to finish my point, or give any other warning; he simply turned his mic on and, from his seat, began to prophesy. At first it scared me half to death, then euphoria flooded me for a second as I thought God was speaking from heaven, endorsing my brilliance. Shock and confusion quickly followed as I realized it was Chuck. “If you must help me make my points,” I pleaded after the service, “just give me some kind of warning.” This type of unpredictable interruption continued for over a year, in all 50 states. 

ACTUALLY…

Tim, of course, needs no help from me, and Chuck’s prophesying has never been an interruption. Like many of you, I feast on Tim’s books and messages, and am thoroughly excited when Chuck stands to prophesy during one of my messages. (Yes, he does now stand to warn me.) On the tour, he correctly prophesied Saddam Hussein’s capture would occur within the week, the uncovering of a terrorist cell in Tampa, and dozens of other significant events.

The 50-State Tour stretched us immensely, as Holy Spirit made it clear we were not to simply draw from previous teachings for the states, but hear what He was saying to them specifically and deliver only that. (It was a bit harder for me than Chuck, whom I think prophesies in his sleep.) When finished, we compiled the key points given to every state, added pertinent history from each, wrote a few general chapters for context and insight, and put it all in a book: Releasing the Prophetic Destiny of a Nation. The book has since become a handbook for thousands of intercessors across the nation.

When our publishers, Destiny Image, were considering a new release of the book last year, they suggested we add a couple of chapters from Tim to further equip the reader as they pray. “Why not?” I thought. “I’ve endured one or both of these thorns all my life.”

“Sure,” I said with a smile, “that’s a great idea!”

And it was. Tim’s added insights were tremendous, giving greater depth and revelation to the book. Though it contains over 500 pages of strategic information, only the first 150 are teachings; the remaining 350 pages summarize what Holy Spirit spoke to each state. Obviously, this section need not be fully read; just find your state’s summary, prophetic words, declarations - and pray accordingly. There is also a list of powerful biblical decrees for you and your prayer group to utilize. Here is a short excerpt from the book:

“I had one more significant encounter with the Lord that prepared me for this [tour] ‘ride.’ It occurred in October 2000, just before the national presidential elections. During a Wednesday night service, I walked to the podium to begin a message when a strange feeling began to overtake me. I paused, trying to discern what was happening, and within seconds, I was weeping uncontrollably as God began to impart to me His heart for America. I did not feel anger, though I’m sure we as a nation have angered Him, but instead, I felt His great love—the kind of love a father might feel for a prodigal child.

“I began to weep so hard that I could not regain my composure. Someone else closed the service, everyone went home, and I was left alone. For three and a half hours, I wept over America—so hard at times that I was afraid I was injuring myself. I felt as though my heart was literally breaking. I did not know one could cry from so deep a place inside.

“Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four-year-old child whose next-door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman’s yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, ‘Nothing, I just helped him cry.’(1)

“For three and a half hours that night, I helped God cry.”(2)

SADDAM’S CAPTURE

The meetings in each state were powerful. Some were more difficult than others to hear the word of the Lord, but all who were present pressed in, and we were able to hear. Our meeting in Texas stands out to me, probably because of what occurred later that week. During my message, I prophesied that Texas was a prophetic state, and that things would be birthed there for the entire nation. At that time, we were at war with Iraq.

As I spoke, God took Chuck into the heavenly realm, and Holy Spirit told him, “I am going to tell you why you are here. Do not think; just go and decree what I tell you.” So he jumped up from his seat to prophesy, coming to the platform this time. Chuck prophesied:

“There is strength in this state to turn the battle at the gate. Allow your strength to rise up…the heavens are opening tonight, and revelation is beginning to pour out.” Then Chuck said Holy Spirit showed him a nest of snake eggs and began prophesying again, “There are four snake eggs that are lying wait, and from this state, I am giving you the power tonight to crush those snake eggs. I would even say to you in this state tonight, you will be able to decree to Babylon, and that strongman that has not been found will now be found in the next seven days.”

Because of other things being said, prayed, and prophesied, we knew the “strongman” was Saddam Hussein. Chuck handed the mic to me with a look that said, “I can’t believe I just said that! Do something!”

My first thought was, “Why are you handing me the mic? You got us into this situation, you get us out.” But it was too late—I had the mic, and everyone was looking at me. I did the only thing I knew to do - pray. Then, we had several others pray, including a soldier from the 4th Infantry Division stationed in San Antonio.

Three days later, Chuck called me at 4:00 AM and said, “Wake up and turn on your TV; they’re not going to stone us. Saddam was just captured.” Indeed, troops from the 4th Infantry Division had pulled him from a hole in the ground.

Love those prophetic interruptions. (This entire story is shared in the book.)

Pray with me:

Father, thank You for apostolic and prophetic leaders like Tim and Chuck. We pray for them now - that they prosper more and more in their callings, as well as their personal lives. Thank You for publishers like Destiny Image who boldly publish Your prophetic words to the body of Christ. And thank You for the prayer army You have raised up.

We ask for increased revelation to the church. Use this book as part of that process; may it bring You glory. Take the praying Ekklesia to greater levels of understanding Your will and ways so we can partner with You in even greater measure. You said there would come a time on earth when knowledge would increase (Daniel 12:4); surely we are in that time. Let this increase occur regarding our knowledge of You and Your ways.

Empower us with this greater understanding to win, shift, and disciple nations. Pour out wisdom and manifest it through us, even to principalities and powers in the heavens (Ephesians 3:10). Cause Your Kingdom to increase, as You said it would (Isaiah 9:7), here in America and throughout the earth. Continue to shift governments, and set the stage for earth’s greatest spiritual harvest. In Jesus’ name we ask, amen.

Our decree:

We decree that the spirit of wisdom and revelation is increasing in the church.

Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Portions of today’s post were taken from Releasing the Prophetic Destiny of a Nation [second edition], now available on our website and all booksellers’ platforms. 

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1. Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, A Third Serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul (Deer Field Beach, FL: Health Communications, Inc., 1996), p. 12.

2. Dutch Sheets, Chuck Pierce, Tim Sheets, Releasing the Prophetic Destiny of a Nation (Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image Publishers, second edition), pp. 17-18.