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“A People in Covenant with God” Why We Declare and Decree According to Psalm 110:1-3, Christ has given the Ekklesia His scepter of authority. Isaiah 22:22 references this authority as a key, as does Matthew 16:19. One of the ways we release this authority is through verbal commands. As we do so, Psalm 110 says we are making Christ’s enemies His footstool. The passage states that we do this as part of Christ’s “Melchizedek (King-Priest) Order,” of which all believers are members. As kings, we decree; as priests, we petition and appeal. When we decree God’s plans for America, we are releasing His purposes and cutting off satan’s plans; we are wielding the sword of the Spirit. We are also participating in the synergy of the ages, tapping into “history past” and writing “history future.” Here are some great quotes from America’s history to use, which you may not have seen: Peter Bulkeley Peter Bulkeley was the Puritan leader who established the city of Concord, Massachusetts, in 1636. In his only publication, The Gospel Covenant , also known as The Covenant of Grace Opened , Peter Bulkeley stated: “We are as a city set upon a hill, in the open view of all the earth... We profess ourselves to be a people in covenant with God, and therefore... the Lord our God…..will cry shame upon us if we walk contrary to the covenant which we have promised to walk in.” (1) Using Deuteronomy 28:10 and Isaiah 61:9 as his sources, Bulkeley continued: “Let us study so to walk that this may be our excellency and dignity among the nations of the world among which we live; that they may be constrained to say of us, only this people is wise, and a holy and blessed people; that all that see us may see and know that the name of the Lord is called upon by us; and that we are the seed which the Lord hath blessed. (2)   Laws America’s original laws and constitutions were based on the Scriptures. Here are a few examples: The Massachusetts General Court, in 1636, resolved to establish a code of laws that would be: “agreeable to the Word of God.” (3) The Connecticut General Court, in 1639, established under the Constitution of Connecticut, issued the order: “that God’s Word should be the only rule for ordering the affairs of government in this commonwealth.” (4) The Fundamental Orders (Constitution) of Connecticut (January 14, 1639) was the first constitution written in America, and established a pattern that all others followed, including the United States Constitution. (5)  So important was this work that Connecticut became known as “The Constitution State.” (6)  The committee responsible to frame the orders was charged to make the laws: “as near the law of God as they can be.” (7) Cotton Mather Cotton Mather was an American colonial clergyman and educator. He graduated from Harvard in 1678 and joined his father, Increase Mather, in the pastorate of the Second Church in Boston in 1680. He helped found Yale University and, in 1721, became President of the Connecticut College. He authored 450 books and was the first person born in America to be elected to the Royal Society of London. Cotton Mather was regarded as the most brilliant man of New England in his time. Among his many accomplishments was the introduction of the smallpox inoculation during an epidemic in 1721. In 1702, Cotton published Magnalia Christi Americana (The Great Achievement of Christ in America) , which is the most detailed history written of the first fifty years of New England. In it, he stated: “The sum of the matter is that from the beginning of the Reformation in the English nation, there had always been a generation of godly men, desirous to pursue the reformation of religion, according to the Word of God...[The Puritans were] driven to seek a place for the exercise of the Protestant religion, according to the light of conscience, in the deserts of America.” (8) Jonathon Trumbull Just one year and a couple of months before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, on April 19, 1775, in a Proclamation of a Day of Fasting and Prayer for the Connecticut Colony, Governor Jonathan Trumbull beseeched that: “God would graciously pour out His Holy Spirit on us to bring us to a thorough repentance and effectual reformation, that our iniquities may not be our ruin; that He would restore, preserve and secure the liberties of this and all the other British American colonies, and make the land a mountain of Holiness, and habitation of righteousness forever.” (9) Declaration of Independence And last but not least, the Declaration of Independence. The very last line leaves no doubt as to where our Founding Fathers placed their faith and gained their resolve: “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.” (10) Pray with me: Father, as we declare from America’s past, we do so to see her restored and realigned with Your divine purposes. As a great symphony of declarations and appeals rises to You, merge them with the early voices that declared Your plans and purposes. Use the decrees to shake down evil and reestablish righteousness in our land. From these quotes: We declare America “to be a people in covenant with God.” We declare that America is “a city on a hill” and that the light of truth will once again shine from our shores…in order that “all who see us may see and know that the name of the Lord is called upon by us; and that we are the seed which the Lord hath blessed.” We declare that America will have laws “agreeable to the Word of God…that His Word will be the only rule for ordering the affairs of our government.” We declare that “God will graciously pour out His Holy Spirit on America again to bring us to a thorough repentance and effectual reformation, in order that our iniquities may not be our ruin; that He will restore, preserve and secure the liberties of this nation, and make the land a mountain of Holiness, and habitation of righteousness forever.” We declare that “our support of the Declaration of Independence is with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence.” Now, Lord, we ask You to strengthen, bless, and lead intercessors throughout America. Remind them of their authority in Christ, the power of their words, and how incredibly noble is their cause. Remind them of the millions of souls coming into Your Kingdom because of their prayers. Encourage each intercessor regarding their worth and importance to You. We pray these things in Christ’s name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that Christ’s enemies are becoming His footstool. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Montesquieu, Baron Charles Louis Joseph de Secondat. 1748. Baron Charles Montesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws , 1748, Anne Cohler, trans. Cambridge University Press, 1989. p. 157. Ibid. Massachusetts, General Court of. 1636. Massachusetts Colonial Records, 1:174. Benjamin Fletcher Wright, Jr., American Interpretations of Natural Law . Russell & Russell, 1962. p. 33. John Eidsmoe, Christianity and the Constitution - The Faith of Our Founding Fathers . Baker Book House, A Mott Media Book, 1987, 6th printing 1993. p. 32. Connecticut, Fundamental Orders (Constitution) of. January 14, 1639. Old South Leaflets, No. 8. John Fiske, The Beginning of New England . Houghton, Mifflin & Co., 1889, 1898. P. 127-128. Ibid. Connecticut, Fundamentals Orders (Constitution) of. January 14, 1639. Old South Leaflets, No. 8. The World Book Encyclopedia, 18 vols.  Field Enterprises, Inc., 1957; W.F. Quarrie and Company, 8 vols., 1917; World Book, Inc., 22 vols., 1989. Vol. 3, p. 1675. Connecticut, Fundamental Orders (Constitution) of. January 14, 1639. John Wingate Thornton, The Pulpit of the American Revolution, 1860.  Reprinted: Burt Franklin, 1970. p. XIX. Mather, Cotton. 1702. Cotton Mather, Magnalia Christi Americana, (The Great Achievement of Christ in America), 2 vols . The Banner of Truth Trust, 1702, 1979. 1:26. Gary DeMar, America's Christian History: The Untold Story . American Vision Publishers, Inc., 1993. p. 47. Trumbull, Jonathan. April 19, 1775, as Governor of the Connecticut Colony proclaiming a day of fasting and prayer. Verna M. Hall, The Christian History of the American Revolution . Foundation for American Christian Education, 1976. p. 407. Peter Marshall and David Manuel, The Glory of America.  Garborg's Heart°N Home, Inc., 1991. 3.22. Marshall Foster and Mary-Elaine Swanson, The American Covenant - The Untold Story. Foundation for Christian Self-Government, 1981.  The Mayflower Institute, 1983, 1992. p. 120. “Declaration of Independence: A Transcription.” National Archives , https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript . Accessed 15 July 2024.

People of Passion “Be enthusiastic to serve the Lord, keeping your passion toward Him boiling hot! Radiate with the glow of the Holy Spirit and let Him fill you with excitement as you serve Him.” (Romans 12:11 TPT) God loves wholeheartedness. Divided and lukewarm hearts, on the other hand, nauseate Him (see Revelation 3:15-16). He refuses to tolerate indifference. Yahweh epitomizes passion and offers to share His passionate heart with us. If we are going to turn America back to Him, we must be a people of passion . King David was a man of passion. When listening to Goliath mock the Lord, David quickly reached his threshold. “Who is this guy to curse the living God in the name of his false gods?” David asked. Then he asked the poignant and loaded question, “Is there not a cause?”  (1 Samuel 17:29 KJV).  Through this rhetorical question, David declared, The ramifications of this threat are bigger than just our nation, Israel; they’re more important than our land and even our lives. God’s reputation is at stake!  Perhaps this is why David actually ran   to face the 9½-foot-tall giant. Death was possible, yes, but David’s passion for God was stronger than his fear of death. God is raising up Davids in our day who will run to face today’s spiritual giants – the forces of evil opposing Him and His purposes. They are willing to lay their lives down for His cause. I believe passionate warriors such as this are on the increase. Though they will never be in the majority, there will be enough. God will empower them, just as He did David, and they will prevail. David refused to outgrow his youthful passion. Years later, he was still passionate about God. As the Ark of God’s presence (abandoned and ignored during Saul’s reign) was being brought to Jerusalem, David threw off his kingly robes, laid aside his royal pomp and dignity, and danced wildly (see 2 Samuel 6:14; 1 Chronicles 15:29). He was celebrating the fact that God’s presence was coming home where it belonged. I love it!  David’s wife Michal, however – like her father, Saul – was not a worshiper and certainly wasn’t passionate about God; she liked neither David’s passion nor his humility. Michal actually mocked his zeal and lack of dignity. Incidentally, dignity over passion is still quite appropriate in most worship services. What was David’s response to Michal? You haven’t seen anything yet ! He stated, “I will be much more undignified than this!” (2 Samuel 6:21-22).  Passion for Christ must outweigh our pride and overcome our dignity. He and His cause must outweigh love of self. And by the way, God’s response to Michal’s spiritual indifference and disdain for David’s passion was much stronger than David’s. The Lord sentenced her to barrenness – not wanting her nature passed on. That’s pretty serious. Assuredly, God loves passion and loathes apathetic indifference. A Prisoner of Love The Apostle Paul demonstrated great passion. “ The love of Christ controls us, ” he said, in describing his commitment to the cause of Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5:14). “Controls” (Greek: sunecho ) is a word actually meaning “to be a prisoner.” (1)  God’s passionate love had possessed Paul to the point that its hold was inescapable. Bound by love, Paul faced hunger, thirst, numerous beatings, imprisonment, and much more in his quest to preach the gospel. The need for pleasure and comfort didn’t control him; passion for Christ’s cause had enslaved him. The Founders of America had extreme passion and were willing to die for the cause of freedom. “Give me liberty or give me death” was more than a slick campaign speech. When Patrick Henry made this now-famous statement, he was unequivocally stating, “I am willing to die for this cause.” Look up his entire speech, and you’ll see his unwavering passion for God and this nation. Passionate Until Death! I have mentioned John Adams at other times, but it is appropriate to include him here, as well. Adams was such a passionate pioneer of liberty that Thomas Jefferson referred to him as a “colossus of independence.“ (2)  Though the two of them didn’t always see eye-to-eye, their passion for America enabled them to put aside their differences, and they died as close friends - on the same day - Independence Day! Most people aren’t aware that both Adams and Jefferson died on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1826! (3)  Incredibly, it was as though both men willed themselves to live until that landmark day. Their passion to see the survival of this “holy experiment,” as many described America at that time, kept them alive until this milestone was reached. Adams, too weak to attend the national Fourth of July celebration, asked to be sat in a chair by his window in order to observe the festivities. While there, he drifted into unconsciousness and died later that night. Two of Adams’s last words before he graduated to heaven: “Independence forever.” (4) Passionate in life; passionate in death. Adams and our other Founders were God-honoring pioneer-patriots with the steel of mind and heart to face perhaps the greatest empire in all of history. Like David, they asked the profound question, “Is there not a cause?” And they answered it with their lives. We must ask the same question today. Is Christ’s purpose for America – preaching the gospel to all the earth – important enough to live and die for? There are now millions of young people in the United States who have had their opportunity to know Christ stolen by ungodly educators, liberal politicians, legislating judges, and lukewarm preachers. Are not these young people worth our prayers and passion? How many more of them must die in gangs, school shootings, suicides, overdoses, drunken car accidents, and sex trafficking before the church of America has the courage and passion to stand up and shout, “ENOUGH!” How many more babies must be murdered in the womb of their mothers? How many more children will be raised in fatherless homes? When will enough be enough? Many are familiar with the movie Braveheart . At the end of this stirring film, the great warrior, William Wallace, is being tortured to death. He is offered mercy, however, if he will renounce his quest for freedom from England’s tyranny. Wallace’s answer to their offer was a thunderous roar that rang from the depths of his passionate, warrior heart: “FREEDOM!!!” Wallace’s passion and commitment, even in death, inspired a nation to fight and gain their freedom. Like him, I hope my shout is still heard when my mouth is silenced by the grave. And I, too, would like it to provoke passion and action. Ask God for passion! Pray with me: Father, with passionate hearts, we cry out for revival. With passionate hearts we cry out for a presence movement to sweep the earth. With passionate hearts we ask You for the greatest harvest ever – by far – of people coming out of death into life. With passionate hearts, we ask You to set captives free, open prison doors, and heal the brokenhearted. With passionate hearts, we declare that America shall be saved, the earth will hear the gospel of the Kingdom, and the knowledge of the glory of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea!  And Father, we ask for a de-escalation of the war between Ukraine and Russia, especially with Ukraine firing U.S.-made long-range missiles into Russia. As the rhetoric intensifies, mentioning nuclear war and WW3, we ask for Your supernatural intervention to stop this. Bring peace to that region and to the Middle East.  And finally, we ask for wisdom to our President-Elect Trump and his team as they prepare for the future. All of this we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen Our decree: With passionate hearts, we declare that the “burning ones,” those with hearts aflame, are arising on the earth. 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. 4912. John Adams is born | October 30, 1735 | HISTORY , 16 November 2009, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/john-adams-is-born . Accessed 16 July 2024.  Ibid. Erekson, Ole. “Signers of the Declaration of Independence: John Adams.” USHistory.org , https://www.ushistory.org/declaration/signers/adams_j.html#google_vignette . Accessed 16 July 2024.

Unfulfilled Promises   Periodically, I like to mention quotes from America’s Founders and Framers. Declaring statements made in the past by God—and those made by others at His inspiration—does more than just honor Him and our predecessors. It releases God’s power from yesterday’s words and promises into today.  The last two verses of Hebrews 11 shed light on this.  “And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made complete” (Hebrews 11:39-40). Some promises made by God to people are multi-generational and not intended to be fully accomplished in their lifetimes . Those to whom the promise was made are sometimes only the “womb” in which the “seed” is planted. The succeeding  generation(s) furthers the growth, brings the seed to birth, and stewards that which is born.  The Greek word translated as “complete” ( teleioo ) (1) in the above verse, Hebrews 11:40, also means “to finish; to mature; to reach the intended goal.” (2)  Think about the ramifications of this: there are many promises God has made to individuals who are now in heaven that He cannot “finish” or fulfill without us. What He started through them cannot “mature” or “reach its intended goal” until we grab the baton and run our leg of the race. This is profound in its significance. Why  wouldn’t  the Lord want us to know and declare America’s destiny – that which was written and declared at the beginning? He can’t finish it without us. Here are just a few statements and facts from America’s past we should agree with and declare: Government In 1643, John Winthrop, who stated that “we shall be as a city on a hill…” organized the New England Confederation, consisting of New Plymouth, New Haven, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Their Constitution, the first  document in America where colonies united themselves, read,  “Whereas we all came to these parts of America with one and the same end and aim, namely, to advance the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, ...for preserving and propagating the truth and liberties of the Gospel.” (3) William Penn, author of the book No Cross, No Crown , which he wrote while imprisoned in the Tower of London, was the founder of Pennsylvania. His first legislative act, “The Great Law of Penn,” stated,  “Whereas the glory of Almighty God and the good of mankind is the reason and the end of government, and government itself is a venerable ordinance of God...let there be established laws as shall best preserve true Christian and Civil liberty, in opposition to all unchristian, licentious, and unjust practices, whereby God can have His due.” (4) Penn asked God to make Pennsylvania “the seed of a nation,” (5) and God answered his prayer. Our Declaration of Independence was decreed there in 1776. Four times, the document references God: as our Lawmaker, Creator, Judge, and Protector. The Liberty Bell that rang in Philadelphia that day had inscribed on it: Proclaim liberty throughout the land to all the inhabitants thereof  (Leviticus 25:10). Our Constitution was written in Pennsylvania in 1787, born through prayer, which was requested by Ben Franklin. In this Constitution, our government’s three branches were formed according to Isaiah 33:22. “The Lord is our Judge…Lawgiver…King; He will save us.” The righteous seeds Penn and others planted produced a righteous nation and government. We must command these truths embedded in America’s fabric to come alive once more.  Education One hundred six of America’s first 108 colleges and universities were founded on the Christian faith. Students at Harvard and Yale were required to read the Scriptures twice daily. Harvard’s founders stated: “All knowledge without Christ is vain.” Its motto was “For Christ and The Church.” Yale’s founders stated that “Every student shall consider the main end of his study is to know God in Jesus Christ.” Princeton’s motto was “Under God’s Power She Flourishes.” The first president of Princeton, Jonathan Dickenson, said, “Cursed be all learning that is contrary to the Cross of Christ.” The great pastor and revivalist, Jonathan Edwards, was the 3rd president of Princeton. (6) Noah Webster, who published the first American Dictionary of the English Language  in 1828 said, “Education is useless without the Bible.” (7)  “The moral principles and precepts contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws. (8)  Webster also said, “The principles of genuine liberty, and of wise laws and administrations, are to be drawn from the Bible and sustained by its authority.” (9)  Profound!  What God began in America is not “finished”; it hasn’t “reached its intended goal.” He needs our agreement and commands in order to complete it. Use these and other facts regarding her founding, find more through research and study, and declare them. When you do, this will generate power. Pray with me: Father, You are the great Olam El , the Everlasting God, who declares the end from the beginning. When our forefathers were stating their faith in You, declaring Your plans and heart for America, and covenanting to partner with You in fulfilling them, You looked ahead and saw us. You knew You would have a people in this hour who would arise in faith and agree with what was declared back then. We are that people. As we do so, our faith is not in our ability to declare and command perfectly. It is not in our wisdom, understanding, or abilities. Our faith is in YOU, YOUR mercy offered through Christ, and YOUR ability to work all things after the counsel of YOUR will. With this faith, we command Your purposes into our government, established under You and Your Word. We declare that You are our Lawgiver, Judge, and King. We declare that the seeds of righteousness planted in our land are not dead; they will bring forth righteous fruit. And we declare that the weeds and thorns will be uprooted and destroyed. We declare over our education system that evil and perversion will be uprooted. We declare that Christ and His Word will once again be honored. We declare that all knowledge not rooted in Him is vain, and cursed be all learning that contradicts the Cross of Christ. We declare that to know Him is the highest goal of all learning. We command a return to truth and a rejection of deception. We pray and command all these things in Yeshua’s holy name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that we embrace our God-given roots and destiny, thereby allowing God to finish through us what He started in America. 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. 5046. Ibid, ref. no. 5046. “The Articles of Confederation of the United Colonies of New England; May 19, 1643.” Avalon Project , https://avalon.law.yale.edu/17th_century/art1613.asp . Accessed 15 July 2024. William J. Federer, America’s God and Country [Encyclopedia Of Quotations] . FAME Publishing, Inc., 1994. p. 503. Leo Godzich, Faith of Our Founding Fathers. The National Association of Marriage Enhancement Publishers, 1982. p. 78. Ibid, pp. 105-111. William J. Federer, America’s God and Country [Encyclopedia Of Quotations] . FAME Publishing, Inc., 1994. p. 676. Ibid, p. 678. Ibid, p. 679.

The Highest Glory of the American Revolution    This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Joshua 1:8 Today, I want to share several powerful quotes from America’s history; these statements were made by U.S. presidents. Though not all of these presidents were Founding Fathers, their words carry great authority. They also serve to combat the lies of revisionists who try to diminish our Christian roots and heritage. Truth is a powerful weapon. Here are a few statements - from hundreds of possibilities - stating faith in God, respect for His Word, and honor for Christ: “It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.” George Washington   “The propitious smiles of heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which heaven itself has ordained.” George Washington “We recognize no sovereign but God, and no king but Jesus!” John Adams “I consider a decent respect for Christianity among the best recommendations for public service.” John Adams “The reason that Christianity is the best friend of government is because Christianity is the only religion that changes the heart.” Thomas Jefferson “The Bible is the first and almost the only book deserving of universal attention.” John Quincy Adams “My custom is to read four or five chapters of the Bible every morning immediately after rising. It seems to me the most suitable manner of beginning the day. It is an invaluable and inexhaustible mine of knowledge and virtue.” John Quincy Adams “The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.” John Quincy Adams “We have staked the whole future of American civilization not on the power of government, far from it. We have staked the whole of our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves according to the commandments of God. The future and success of America are not in this Constitution, but in the laws of God upon which this Constitution is founded.” James Madison “We have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand, which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.” Abraham Lincoln “I am profitably engaged in reading the Bible. Take all of this Book upon reason that you can, and the balance by faith, and you will live and die a better man.” Abraham Lincoln “All must admit that the reception of the teachings of Christ results in the purest patriotism, in the most scrupulous fidelity to public trust, and in the best type of citizenship.” Grover Cleveland “And to the Divine Author of every good and perfect gift, we are indebted for all those privileges and advantages, religious as well as civil, which are so richly enjoyed in this favored land.” James Monroe “A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education.” Theodore Roosevelt “The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country.” Calvin Coolidge “The study of the Bible is a postgraduate course in the richest library of human experience.” Herbert Hoover “The rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God.” John F. Kennedy “Of the many influences that have shaped the United States into a distinctive nation and people, none may be said to be more fundamental and enduring than the Bible.” Ronald Reagan “If we ever forget that we are one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.” Ronald Reagan   As we offer up priestly prayers and release kingly decrees, using these and other portions of America’s history, we do so with a conscious faith that God is hearing our appeals, and the sword we release is powerful. As many thousands of us obey Him, agreeing together in Christ’s name, we are releasing His Kingdom will into the earth. And His Kingdom wins - always. Our Prayer and Decree: Father, You have taught us the power of “the synergy of the ages.” We know that You finish through future generations that which You began in the past. It is our privilege to honor those in history and build on the foundations You established through them. We are reminded that the words “patriot” and “patriotism” come from the Greek word for father/s ( pater ) (1) . We desire to be true patriots, honoring and embracing the vision, work, and efforts of our Founders. Therefore, we make the following decrees today from the words they wrote: We decree that it is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible. We decree that we recognize no sovereign but God, and no King but Jesus. We decree that the future and success of America are not found in our laws or Constitution, but in the laws of God, upon which the Constitution was founded. We decree that we will not forget God and His gracious hand, which has preserved us in peace, multiplied us, and enriched us bountifully. We decree that the reception of the teachings of Christ results in the purest patriotism, the most scrupulous fidelity to public trust, and the best type of citizenship. We decree that knowledge of the Bible is worth more than all other education and training. We decree that we will never forget we are one nation UNDER GOD. And we decree that life is in the power of these words and that we will eat the fruit thereof (Proverbs 18:21). America shall be saved! A note from Dutch:  Three of the best books for quotes from America’s early leaders and Founders, as well as information regarding America’s beginning, are: America’s God and Country: Encyclopedia of Quotations  by William J. Federer  Faith of Our Founding Fathers  by Leo Godzich The Light and the Glory  by Peter Marshall and David Manuel (out of print, but copies can be found in libraries and some bookstores) 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. 3962.

Today is my brother Tim’s birthday. The world is a far better place because the Creator blessed us with this man. So often, we are encouraged and equipped by the words Holy Spirit releases through him. I am sharing another one today as we celebrate Tim’s birthday. Today’s title is: _____________________________________________________________ Surrendering Nothing America’s recent election has been called “historic” numerous times. When something significant happens in the natural realm, one must also pay attention to what is concurrently taking place spiritually. A shift has taken place, resulting in an open heaven over our nation, and causing a different anointing to flow from Holy Spirit. He is anointing new assignments. The possibility of great turnarounds is before us and must be stewarded by Ekklesia. We must continue to be watchmen on the wall, offering up wise prayers to implement the right changes. When I asked the Lord what the next step for the Ekklesia should be, He said, “It is now time for My Ekklesia to embrace and live in a higher authority mindset, one that stewards wisely the principles I have revealed.” A Kingdom mindset declares seemingly impossible changes that overcome hell’s strategies. We have been anointed to steward this season and finish well. We should be pleased and joyful, while also remaining vigilant. We must maintain a mentality that reflects great authority and despises complacency. We cannot let down our guard but instead, use the dominating force of the Kingdom of Heaven to overcome. Understand that those whose hearts are evil will continue to reveal their evilness. They must now face a church with a different mindset, one that functions in bold Kingdom authority. An Ekklesia that will not back down. We have been anointed to prevail, and we will do so for our King. The Lord has told us we will be in a war season through next spring and that an agitated spirit realm will stir violence in the natural realm. However, He also said not to be shaken. Followers of Baal are now screaming, shouting, and gnashing their teeth, desperate for their antichrist agenda to work.  Thank God for the authority we have been given. While a new administration in our government is essential, only God can bring the reformation we need, and He uses an engaged remnant of the Ekklesia to accomplish His purposes. This election has revealed a growing Ekklesia that is active, a body of believers who will pray God’s will into the national changes being made. We must continue to do so. The Lord spoke the following words to me after the election:  “The trumpets of war have sounded from Heaven. Arise Ekklesia; rise in your authority. You will find it more than enough. Rise and confront the forever loser with My words. As you do, he will flee from you, so rise and confront his dark kingdom. For the Lord declares the prevailing anointing now flowing will activate an attitude of heroes of faith.” Tim shares: The phrase “attitude of heroes of faith”  caught my attention. An attitude means a settled way of thinking that is reflected in behavior; a mental state, or character that is demonstrated. It is also an aviation term related to a plane’s position and angle, enabling it to maintain stability. The word continues: “So arise, Ekklesia, as Holy Spirit anoints your behavior and disposition to represent Me in disciplined power. Holy Spirit is anointing the true church to behave differently and walk in new directions. Paths walked in authority towards hell’s advances in government or in culture are similar to the attitudes of My heroes of faith. New paths into harvest fields are also being prepared in order to reap a worldwide harvest. A billion soul harvest will be reaped, just as heroes of past reformations and revivals reaped the harvests of their day.  “Arise, Ekklesia, as Holy Spirit shapes your disposition to reign with Me in great authority and reap My greatest harvest. For the anointing now being poured from Heaven will shift attitudes, actions, and mindsets, creating heroes of faith who work for My cause. Holy Spirit’s presence and anointings will affect the Ekklesia’s very disposition. This will be clearly seen, bringing fear into demonic strongholds.  “For now, the intimidating Ekklesia will rise against hell in My breaker anointing, and My compassion will rise toward My harvest. A different behavior will be seen in My remnant warriors, attitudes and mindsets that reflect My power. They will not be intimidated. Rather, the weight of glory resting upon them will make them intimidators of hell’s kingdom. For My glory intimidates hell, says the Lord, and My glory will intimidate hell through this presence upon My Ekklesia. They will behave as those carrying a great weight of My glory and authority. “Ekklesia, behave as sons and daughters. Behave as joint heirs with Me. The Lord says the world will now see the paths of My Ekklesia extending into all of the earth. The direction she travels will show an aggressive resistance to hell’s advances in government and cultures. The Ekklesia will now be presented as anointed for spiritual war, for battle, to reign, and to bring change. They’ll be anointed to work for My harvest, to reap the lost. I am anointing My Ekklesia with a determined attitude to prevail and win, just as I did Gideon’s 300 and David’s mighty men.  “Shift now into a prevailing mentality, prevailing behavior. A determined anointing to win will now fill My remnant. They will not surrender My Kingdom to the governments of man, but will influence the governments of man with My ways. They will not surrender the spiritual weapons I’ve given them, but will use them. They will not hesitate at demonic clamer and activity. They will not relinquish their authority, their swords, or their spears. The sword of My word will swing from their mouths, empowered to demolish strongholds, scattering and shattering enemy plans. The sword of My word swung by My Ekklesia’s decrees will be a disruptive force, confusing the plans of demonic powers. It will disrupt the followers of Baal, causing disarray from coast to coast.  “For you will see, even this month, says the Lord, and in the months to come, the acceleration of disarray. Confusion and bewilderment will mystify those committed to dark agendas. They will wear the yoke of their own confusion, reap their own destructive plans, and wander their paths of disillusion.  “My Ekklesia will rise, and their attitude will reveal their trust in Me. They will surrender nothing. They will not take orders from kings, potentates, governors, congressmen or women, senators, prime ministers, mayors, city councils, school boards, professors, or woke mobs. My Ekklesia listens to Holy Spirit. Their orders come from Lord Sabaoth. They are those who stand for My cause without compromise. An anointing to prevail will produce great victories.”   Let’s finish the race and reset this nation with the spiritual authority we’ve been given. Pray with me:   Father, thank You for the gifts and anointing You have placed on Tim’s life. We honor him for his devotion to You, his character, humility, and unyielding commitment to Your cause. Give us more like him, and bless him today! And we thank You for this word. Bring the tenacious attitude You spoke of, an attitude exemplified by past heroes of faith. Continue to increase the determination of the Ekklesia, even as You increase our authority and faith. Give us backbones of steel. We also ask for greater sensitivity to Your voice and higher levels of wisdom. Lead us in these new paths You spoke of, paths leading to great change and harvest.  We continue to pray for our government leaders. Give them wisdom, character, and the hearts of reformers. Send a true revival to Washington D.C. We ask this for other nations, as well. We agree with their prayers for this, even as I know many of them agree with us. We’re asking for this billion soul harvest You spoke of.  We ask all of this in Jesus’ name. Amen.  Our decree:   We declare that the Ekklesia has been anointed to prevail, and we will accomplish our King’s purpose, surrendering nothing. Today’s post was contributed by my brother, Tim. You can learn more about him at   TimSheets.org . Click on the link below to watch the full video.

The Never-Late God The election among Republican Senators for Majority Leader was held yesterday, and the person I wanted to see in that position, Rick Scott, did not win. However, many prayed regarding this decision; therefore, we trust the Lord to do what is needed through Senator John Thune.  President-elect Trump has released several statements regarding his plans once elected. I found it very interesting, in light of yesterday’s post , that the GOP platform in this election was subtitled: A Return To Common Sense. Including the subtitle, the GOP platform used the words “Common Sense” seven times.  In one of the dreams I shared yesterday,  I referenced the writings of Thomas Paine, which included an influential pamphlet titled “Common Sense.” This booklet helped persuade the colonists to fight for their independence from Britain. “It was sold and distributed widely and read aloud at taverns and meeting places. In proportion to the population of the colonies at that time (2.5 million), it had the largest sale and circulation of any book published in American history. (1) As of 2006, it remains the all-time best-selling American title and is still in print today.” (2) In the dream, Paine threw me a football that had the word “Triumph” on it and contained a key that also had this word inscribed on it. The connection between Paine’s “Common Sense” and the common sense  Trump promoted in order to triumph is undeniable. If you have not done so, I encourage you to take a look at yesterday’s post . Here is another statement Trump released, a plan to dismantle the Deep State: “Immediately reissue my 2020 executive order, restoring the President’s authority to remove rogue bureaucrats. “Clean out all of the corrupt actors in our national security and intelligence apparatus. “Totally reform FISA courts, which are so corrupt that the judges seemingly do not care when they’re lied to in warrant applications. “Expose the hoaxes and abuses of power that have been tearing our country apart. “Launch a major crackdown on government leakers who collude with the fake news to release false narratives and to subvert our government and our democracy. “Make every Inspector General’s office independent and physically separated from the departments they oversee so they do not become the protectors of the deep state. “Ask Congress to establish an independent auditing system to continually monitor our intelligence agencies to ensure they are not spying on our citizens or running disinformation campaigns against the American people, or that they are not spying on someone’s campaign like they spied on my campaign. “Continue the effort launched by the Trump administration to move parts of the sprawling federal bureaucracy to new locations outside the Washington swamp. “Work to ban federal bureaucrats from taking jobs at the companies they deal with and that they regulate. “Push a constitutional amendment to impose term limits on members of Congress.” (3) These common-sense steps would go a long way to cleaning up Washington, but they will be difficult to attain. Prayer will be needed. I remind us all today that our nation was born under the banner of a prayer movement: Appeal To Heaven. I have often said, “It was prayer that birthed America, and it will be prayer that rebirths her.” This is why God brought the ATH flag out of hiding a few years ago. It is also why the woke left, including woke preachers and authors, don’t like the flag, calling it a symbol of insurrection. They can take up their complaints with George Washington, the flag’s initiator, and God, whom it references.  Keep appealing, Ekklesia, to the “never late” God! Pray with me: Father, we are appealing to You to help incoming President Trump, his Cabinet, Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Thune, and all who work with them as they attempt to clean up our government. It has become a bureaucratic cesspool. We ask You to oversee the process, including the removal of those in the way. Cleanse and restore. Give us humble, servant-hearted, patriotic leaders who honor You.  We are very certain that plans are being formulated to oppose this process. We ask You to aggressively expose and stop these plans. Rise up and scatter Your enemies (Psalm 68:1). Shatter the works of darkness (Psalm 2:9). We command Your will to be done, as You instructed us to do in Matthew 6:10, and we bind opposing spirits and their strategies.  We continue to ask for Your protection over our government leaders. Also, expose and thwart terrorist plans. We ask You to destroy terrorist organizations and their plans. End the influence of principalities behind terrorism in the Middle East and here in America.  And finally, You told us to ask for spiritual rain when we discern it is time for it (Zechariah 10:1). We know it is time, and we are asking. Let it rain!!! We ask for all of this in the name of He who has ALL authority, Jesus. Amen.  Our decree:  We decree that appealing to the God of heaven worked during America’s founding, and it still works today. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Conway, Moncure Daniel  (1893), The Life of Thomas Paine  (See Ch. VI.) Kaye, Harvey J.  (2005), Thomas Paine and the Promise of America , New York: Hill and Wang, ISBN   0-8090-9344-8 https://www.donaldjtrump.com/agenda47/agenda47-president-trumps-plan-to-dismantle-the-deep-state-and-return-power-to-the-american-people

Introduction   David Kubal, my friend who leads Intercessors For America , wrote an outstanding article summarizing what is needed with our current prayer efforts. David’s boots-on-the-ground perspective, as well as his many solid contacts, give him wise and informed insights for us. We cannot recommend the ministry of IFA strongly enough. David titled his article: ______________________________________________________________ Election 2024: What Just Happened?   Beginning with a prayer: Lord God, we thank You for the victory of conservative and godly values in this election. We pray that this would not be a flash-in-the-pan victory, but rather the beginning of a new biblical era for America.   After capturing our minds and prayers for months, the 2024 elections are finally over. The people have spoken, the process our Founding Fathers put in place worked as it should have, and the results represent a massive shift in the direction of our country.   President Trump has won the popular vote and the Electoral College. The Senate has switched from Democratic to Republican control, and it appears the Republican leadership will retain control of the House.   What does all this mean?   Some are calling this win a Referendum, some a Mandate. Regardless of your label, the American people have spoken: the nation was going in the wrong direction.   I believe the Lord is instructing the intercessory community to pray for two things: foundations and justice.   Foundations We need to pray for the basic foundations of how our government operates. Cutting our government waste could save our nation trillions of dollars per year — dollars that are currently being wasted through the ineffectiveness of employees and the virtual impossibility of firing those ineffective employees. The rooting out of employees committed to a progressive agenda is an absolute must! The new Trump administration will begin appointing 4,600 individuals responsible for leading 2+ million career employees. MUCH PRAYER AND INTERCESSION ARE NEEDED ON THIS!   House Speaker Johnson will be working very closely with the Trump administration to put forth an effective legislative agenda for the first 100 days. The process of electing the Senate Majority Leader must now occur. The name that continues to surface is Senator Steve Daines (MT), who started the first Pro-Life Caucus in the Senate. Senators John Thune (SD), John Cornyn (TX), and Rick Scott (FL) are other possibilities.   Justice We must also pray for justice. Over the last four years, the House of Representatives has completed many investigations (many led by Rep. Jim Jordan (OH)), and committees have made many criminal referrals that the Justice Department never took up. The United States Attorney General is a CRITICAL position for President Trump to fill. The appointment of federal judges is critical (45 current openings), and this could include Supreme Court Justices.   Concerning the moral issues on the ballots across America: On the issue of abortion, one of the greatest disappointments of the last few years was the Left’s ability to pass laws allowing abortions to continue. This happened again in multiple states (AZ, CO, MA, MO, NV, NY, and MT). However, FL, NE, and SD rejected the measure to a Constitutional amendment to abort, and Nebraska passed a ban after the first trimester. This trend continues to break the heart of our Lord. The deceptions that abortion is somehow a right and that a baby is not alive until some arbitrary point of viability continues. Multiple state ballot measures to ensure only U.S. citizens can vote passed overwhelmingly, clearly expressing concerns over the open border (ID, IA, KY, MO, NC, OH, OK, SC, WI). Along these lines, NV voted to require voter ID. Open borders are clearly viewed as a threat to our republic. The legalization of marijuana overwhelmingly failed in all three states (FL, SD, ND). Some may recall the miraculous story of CA Prop 8, which defined marriage as one man and one woman. This has been state law since 2008. However, this Proposition was overwhelmingly repealed yesterday, broadening their definition of marriage.   International Issues Now, taking a look outside the US, there will be tremendous pressure on President Trump to solve the international crises: the war in Ukraine, Israel, etc. Multiple proxy wars could quickly escalate into larger conflicts. The war in Ukraine is becoming increasingly complicated. North Korea has sent troops to fight alongside Russian troops. South Korea is considering sending troops to fight alongside Ukrainian troops. President Trump has said this war is not America’s war, but the addition of North Korea to the scenario creates a potential for intervention.   The attack on Israel by Iranian proxies fluctuates between huge Israeli victories and saber-rattling by the Iranians. Iran knows the previous Trump Administration shut down their ability to fight a war, so the coming months will be critical to watch for a move before he takes office. We can expect much instability internationally for the next few months before Inauguration Day.   We must pray and intercede that the Lord not only gives us a reprieve but a reset. Our nation has been marching to the progressive beat, leading us toward Marxism. The American people have recognized the evil that comes with the mindset of an ever-evolving culture. We must pray for a reset to traditional, biblical values and a government that has true justice as its foundation.   Pray with me:   Father, the next year will determine the course of America for decades. There are only three short months for Trump, his team, and key members of Congress to prepare so as to hit the ground running. Please give wisdom as positions are filled and agendas set.    Then, the first nine months of his term “to root out, tear down, destroy, and overthrow” (Jeremiah 1:10) and set a new course on which “to build and plant.” We know this will be opposed vehemently. We ask for supernatural intervention, just as You gave Jeremiah. Expose people and agendas that displease You, weaken and stop their efforts. Bring sanity, cleansing, morality, and godliness to D.C. Put the right people in place, and give them favor and success.    Give Trump great wisdom as he addresses international concerns. Dispatch angels to take action! Bring healthy alliances and destroy evil coalitions.  And please protect President Trump and his team. We know some people desire, and I believe, are planning to take him out. Please stop this. We partner with You by binding the plans and efforts to do so. We declare exposure, exposure exposure. Past protection does not guarantee present and future protection. We must procure it daily. In Psalm 91:1, You told us to  “abide”  in the secret place of protection, a word which we know means primarily to “spend the night.” We must ask and believe for Your daily “secret place” protection. We do so now.    All of this we pray in Yeshua’s name. Amen.   Our decree:   We decree that righteous foundations are being laid in America, and justice is being established. You can find out more about David Kubal and Intercessors for America at IFAPray.org . The article is used with permission. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Be Encouraged and KEEP PRAYING It is sometimes difficult to discern the timing represented in dreams; at times, they actually have dual timings — when they’re given and later on. Several significant dreams were given to friends of ours leading up to the 2020 Elections, some of which were obviously for then, and others were for now. Here are two of those dreams  – which are related to one another – given to our friend Gina Gholston: “In a dream given on July 17, 2020, I saw Dutch Sheets running up a very high hill, a small mountain. He was running like a football wide receiver, with his arms stretched out to catch a football that had been thrown to him. The football had been thrown beyond where Dutch was in order to ‘lead’ him ahead, and also so he could catch the pass while continuing to run.   “Dutch was running very fast up this hillside to catch the pass. I somehow knew in the dream that the one throwing the football was Thomas Paine, doing so from another hillside.  “(Thomas Paine was an author in the days of America’s founding. He wrote a 47-page pamphlet titled Common Sense, which was very influential in helping persuade the colonists of their need for independence from Britain, and in rallying support for the approval of the Declaration of Independence.) “Though Dutch was running up the hillside to catch the football thrown to him from Paine, he had made it to the top of this very high hill before he caught it.  Once he caught the football, Dutch turned to look at Thomas Paine on the other hillside, then to his right, where a city was located just up the valley, between these two hillsides. Beyond the city was a river that ran down into the city. Dutch knew the football contained something that was to be released into the city. He was to place it in the river, where it would float downstream, and at the exact right time, its contents would be released into the city.   “So, Dutch made his way to the headwaters of that river and placed the football into it. Written in silver letters on the football was the word ‘Triumph.’ As it moved down the river, Dutch was looking toward the city, and I realized it was actually Washington, DC. “That was the end of the dream.”  Here is the second dream: “November 11, 2020, I dreamed that I was walking beside the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. Looking to my right, I saw something floating down a river. I watched as it came closer to where I was, and suddenly, it hit a rock with such force that something went airborne from it. The object flew over my head and landed on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. I walked over to see what it was, and saw that it was an old, silver skeleton key. Written on the key was the word ‘Triumph.’ “As I stood looking at it, the key lit up. When it did, my cell phone notified me that I had received a text message. The text read, ‘I Am NOT late!’ Then, suddenly, there was a brilliant light that engulfed everything, and the whole scene changed.  “I found myself standing on the steps of the US Capitol with a large group of people. I looked down beside me, and on the steps was the same silver key that had come from the river. Underneath the key was a piece of paper, the original copy of an essay I had written thirty-four years ago (1986)! “(A side note: In my junior year of high school, I wrote an essay, which my English teacher entered in a contest run by the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority). Their theme was ‘When Electricity Came to Rural America.’ I interviewed my Grandpa, who was born in 1906, who told me all about the difference having electricity had made for him, his family, and our nation. For my essay, I told his story, which was selected as a winner in the contest. The prize was an all-expense paid trip to Washington D.C.) “Back to the Dream: The silver ‘Triumph’ key was laying on top of that essay, written in 1986. I picked up the essay and read it, crying happy tears as I reminisced. Then it started to snow, and there was a very tangible peace that blanketed the atmosphere - like walking outside on a brightly lit snowy night.  “Then suddenly, the key lit up again, and my phone alerted me that I had received another text. The text read the same as the first one, but this time in all capital letters, ‘I AM NOT LATE!’ “When I awakened from the dream, my first thought was, ‘Of course! It was a key inside the football!!! A key to unlock the “Triumph” God has declared over our nation!’” The primary meanings of the dreams are obvious. God is not late, and He will cause us to triumph. The changes President Trump will help create were not able to begin in 2020, as we had expected. In God’s wisdom, He waited until now, after further exposing the Left, and further preparing Trump and others – both those on his team and in other positions. Other symbolic meanings in the dream are: Paine represents America’s founding, and perhaps even the “common sense” leadership of Trump; the Lincoln Memorial pictures liberty or freedom. (In 1986, when Gina wrote her paper, the Statue of Liberty reopened during “Liberty Weekend,” July 4-7. Also that year, Trump was one of several individuals honored with the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.)  The river would be the Potomac, known as the “Nation’s River.”  The key represents the authority Christ gave the church (Isaiah 22:22; Matthew 16:18-19), with which to carry out His will.  The large crowd on the Capitol steps where the “Triumph” key showed up again, and the second text came through reading, “I AM NOT LATE!” may just be Trump’s second inauguration!  I wanted to encourage you today with these dreams. I also remind you once again to persevere in prayer for Trump as he chooses the team with which he will work, for the incredibly important decisions being made by the House and Senate, and for the continuing vote counts. Let’s not let up in our praying. Pray with me: Father, we thank You for these two dreams. They remind us of Your perfect timing. You are the Eternal One, the Creator of time, yet You are not controlled by it. For You, a day is as 1000 years, and 1000 years as a day (2 Peter 3:8). As the I AM, You see the past, present, and future all at once and declare the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10).  They also remind us that You always win. Also, You cause us to always triumph in Christ when we honor and obey You (2 Corinthians 2:14). We thank You for what has occurred in these elections, even while realizing they are not an end in themselves. They’re simply part of what You are doing to restore America to Your plans and purposes. This is always the goal as we pray for our nation.  At this strategic time, we ask that Your wisdom be given to our government leaders in the House and Senate, as well as to Trump and his transition team. We ask that You strategically guide him, and that he does not make ANY mistakes in choosing appointments to various positions.  We also ask for Your protective hand to stop any and all election interference as the votes continue to be counted. And we ask for Your overriding hand to rule in the election of the Senate Majority Leader. And finally, we pray for Your hand of protection over our government leaders, their families, and staff members. In Jesus’ name, amen.  Our decree:  We declare that God is never late. Never.  You can find out more about Gina at GinaGholstonMinistries.org . Click on the link below to watch the full video.

We Are Not Finished In the early portion of Joshua’s campaign to take the promised land, he made two critical mistakes. The first occurred in Joshua 7, when Israel lost the battle at Ai, a small, insignificant town. This was the battle immediately following the great victory at Jericho. The defeat occurred because a man named Achan had violated the Lord’s instructions to put all the spoils of Jericho into the national treasury. The spoils were the “tithe” of the coming conquest, and would be used to support God’s future plans for Israel. Achan stole some of this provision for himself. This sin had not yet been revealed, however, when Israel fought this battle at Ai, and they were soundly defeated because of their disobedience.  When Joshua complained to the Lord regarding this humiliating defeat – yep, he did so (Joshua 7:7-9) – Yahweh was quick to enlighten him as to why it occurred. Obviously, the Lord would have been willing to alert Joshua to Achan’s sin BEFORE Israel went into this battle and suffered defeat had he simply taken the time to ask for God’s plan and strategy. Why didn’t Joshua ask for this? Sadly, it was due to self-confidence. Pride. Joshua’s recon team had told him only a small group was needed to fight Ai, for  “they are but few”  (7:3). Think about it: this thinking was only relevant if Israel believed it was THEIR strength and ability giving them victory. However, if it were God’s strength and power that produced victory at Jericho, He would also be needed at Ai and in all future battles. We need God’s help for the “small” battles just as much as for the “big” ones! Yahweh must always  be our source of victory, and therefore, we must always ask for His strategy and help.  The second major mistake Joshua made wasn’t regarding a physical battle, but a forbidden covenant he entered into with a place called Gibeon (Joshua 9). An envoy from there acted “wilily” (“craftily” - NASB, verse 1), pretending to be from a far country. The Gibeonites spoke highly of the Lord (verse 9) and asked Joshua to make a covenant of peace with them. Just as at Ai, Joshua  “asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord”  (verse 14) and entered into this forbidden covenant. Lesson unlearned! So pathetically human! After a victory or two, we humans often forget our need for God’s wisdom, strategy, and strength. WE are “on a roll.” WE are “more than conquerors…overcomers.” And WE forget the “through Him” portion of the promises. When this occurs, the “crafty” one (Genesis 3:1) moves in. Self-confidence, which is a form of pride, is all that is needed to open a door to defeat.  Applying the Lesson Why this history lesson? Because we who want to see America’s government turn from sin and corruption are now set up for this. Trump is not our savior, and “we” are not turning our nation around; God is. We must NOT transfer our hope and faith to a man, or fall prey to an arrogant mindset that smugly says, “We got this!” The past election may have been a “Jericho,” but beware of Ai and Gibeon! I’m hearing numerous warnings from individuals that the left is “working” through the vote counting for remaining House seats. Several states, including AZ, NV, AK, CA, and HI, are still counting votes. If conservatives don’t maintain control of the House it will seriously affect the level of change that can be implemented at this time. We must continue to pray for a fair election. If not, this situation could be our Ai.  Also, the position of Senate Majority Leader will now be transferred to the Republicans. This position is incredibly important because this person controls much of what happens in the Senate. He alone could stall a lot of what President Trump wants to accomplish. Mitch McConnell has been the Republican leader for several years (Minority Leader of the Senate for the past few) and has compromised on many important issues; he is stepping down. It is VITAL that the right person replace him to now lead the Republicans and the entire Senate. John Thune, John Cornyn, and Rick Scott are running for this position. Many believe Scott is the most conservative, myself included, and the one most committed to the changes we conservatives want to see. The country voted for total change, a complete turnaround, and that is exactly what we need. We must not allow “crafty” politics to decide this position; it could be our Gibeon. Please pray regarding this. Ask God to expose, intervene, and allow only His choice to fill this position.  Obviously, I am not endorsing Scott - you and I don’t have a vote - only Republican Senators do. But we can and must pray, asking for God’s intervention. We can ask that “deals” be exposed, that all motives and past decisions of those running come into the light, and that Holy Spirit move on the minds and hearts of the Republican Senators, influencing their votes.  I leave you with one more passage of Scripture. In 2 Samuel 5, through God’s instructions (verse 19), David won a great victory at the valley of Rephaim. As often occurred in that time, he renamed the place with a name representing this victory, calling it Baal-perazim, “the Lord of the breakthrough.” (Baal was not just the name of the false god, Baal; the word simply means “lord or master.”) Almost immediately, David’s enemies regrouped and came against him again. Same enemy, same place. BUT rather than assume he should fight the SAME enemy, in the SAME place, with the SAME strategy,  David inquired of the Lord again. “No,” the Lord said, “do it differently this time” (verses 23-24). David obeyed and won an even greater victory.  We cannot assume we know enough to defeat satan and his plans. And we must never assume our strength alone has given us victory. God has great breakthroughs for us during this season, but only as we honor and follow Him.  Pray with me: Father, we are confident that You who have begun a good work in our land intend to finish it. You birthed America as a harvesting nation, and the greatest of all harvests is at hand.  We are confident that You are working to prepare our nation, even as You ripen this harvest. You do not intend to allow the “crafty one” to spoil Your plans. We are asking for Your help, Your direction, and we are relying on Your strength to fully turn our government and nation. Just as David was told to listen for a certain sound before striking, we are listening to You, the God of Breakthrough.  We ask that any and all unrighteous election activity be exposed and thwarted. Allow only those who truly won the most legal votes into the House. And give us Your choice for Senate Majority Leader. As we frequently do, we honor Your instructions to the Ekklesia in Matthew 6:10 and 16:18-19, binding every demonic effort to steal House seats and influence this decision of the Senate. We command Your will to be done in these two situations, agreeing with Your word.  We continue to ask for divine protection over President Trump, his family, and team. We also ask this for all others in our government. Place Your protective hand on them.  And in closing, Sir, we thank You for the reports that keep rolling in of revival breaking out on our campuses. You are doing it! THANK YOU!!! In the Holy name of Jesus – which means in His authority – we pray this. Amen.  Our decree: We decree that we, the Ekklesia, will not fail to persevere in our prayers for turnaround in America. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Veterans Day 2024 Today is Veterans Day, a significant holiday in the United States dedicated to honoring military veterans who have served in the United States Armed Forces. Observed annually on November 11, this day is a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by those who have donned the uniform to protect the freedoms and rights that citizens enjoy today. The origins of Veterans Day date back to the aftermath of World War I. Originally known as Armistice Day, it was established to commemorate the end of hostilities on the Western Front, which occurred on November 11, 1918. The day was first observed as a federal holiday in 1938, intended to honor the veterans of World War I. However, after World War II and the Korean War, there was a growing recognition that the day should commemorate all American veterans, not just those who fought in the Great War. In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation that officially changed Armistice Day to Veterans Day, broadening its scope to honor all veterans who served in the military, regardless of the conflicts in which they participated. This change reflected a deeper understanding of the sacrifices made by service members throughout American history. Veterans Day is distinct from Memorial Day, another federal holiday that honors those who died while serving in the military. While Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May and pays tribute to fallen soldiers, Veterans Day celebrates all veterans who have served in the military, both living and deceased. It is a day for reflection, gratitude, and recognition of the sacrifices made by these individuals and their families. The observance of Veterans Day includes various ceremonies and events across the country. Many communities hold parades where veterans are honored and celebrated for their service. Schools often participate in educational programs that help students understand the importance of the day and the contributions of veterans. In addition to local events, the National Veterans Day Observance takes place at Arlington National Cemetery, where a wreath-laying ceremony is held at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This solemn event underscores the nation’s commitment to honor those who have served, particularly those who made the ultimate sacrifice. In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on the challenges veterans face after they return home. Many veterans struggle with issues such as PTSD, unemployment, and reintegration into civilian life. Organizations dedicated to veteran support have gained prominence, providing resources and assistance to help former service members navigate these challenges.  The significance of Veterans Day extends beyond the military community; it serves as a reminder to the entire nation of the cost of freedom. It is a day to reflect on the values of courage, duty, and sacrifice that veterans embody. Citizens are encouraged to express their gratitude, whether by attending local events, volunteering for veteran organizations, or simply taking a moment to thank a veteran for their service. We ask you to do this - express your thanks to a veteran today. On Veterans Day each year, we must remember the importance of honoring those who have served. It is a time to reflect on the sacrifices made for the freedoms we often take for granted. Each story of service is unique, yet collectively, they contribute to the rich tapestry of American history and identity. By recognizing and celebrating the contributions of veterans, we acknowledge the complexities of their experiences and reaffirm our commitment to supporting them as they transition to civilian life. In conclusion, Veterans Day is more than just a holiday; it is an opportunity for all Americans to come together in gratitude and respect for the men and women who have served in the military. It reminds us of the enduring spirit of sacrifice and service, urging us to ensure that veterans receive the recognition, support, and care they deserve. As we honor their legacy, we also commit to ensuring a brighter future for those who have bravely defended our nation. As we now enter a new season where honor is being restored, today we boldly recognize and esteem our dear veterans, and say THANK YOU. Thank you for your sacrifice and the sacrifices made by your families. God Bless America. Pray with me: Father, we are so very grateful for the freedoms and liberty we enjoy in our nation. We are so very blessed to have these liberties and the opportunities they afford us in America. We have also been blessed with incredibly abundant resources, and for these, too, we are grateful.  On this Veterans Day, we take time to pray for those who have sacrificed to procure and protect these blessings. We pray especially for those who have lost family members fighting for us and others. Please give them comfort, strength, and provision. Help us to do a better job of caring for them.  We also pray for those who have been wounded and now suffer from this. Help them cope with their physical, mental, and emotional trauma; for some, it is great. We ask this, as well, for the family members who also suffer stress and pain from these wounds. We ask that, as a nation, You would further awaken our citizens to the needs and challenges our veterans face. Remind us of the price they have paid, and give us hearts to love and serve the soldiers and their families, just as they have served us.  And lastly, we ask You for a sweeping revival in our military and their families. It would bring immeasurable comfort and healing to thousands if they came into a meaningful relationship with You. Pour out Your Spirit on them! Heal bodies, minds, and hearts.  And we ask all of this in Christ’s holy name. Amen.  Our decree: Today we declare blessings, strength, comfort, and honor to our veterans and their families. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

How Great Thou Art There is so much that could be said today. Like many of you, Ceci and I stayed up until 3:00 AM ET Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, waiting for the official “call” regarding the Presidential election, and trying to get a sense of the final outcome of the House and Senate. I finally recorded yesterday’s post  at 11:30 PM. (Kudos to my dedicated staff!) It is now certain, as I write this, that not only did Trump win the 2024 Presidential election in a landslide, including the popular vote, but Republicans also took the Senate and will likely keep the House. By the time this post airs, the House win may also be certain. Trump’s comeback win is undoubtedly one of the most significant accomplishments in America’s political history. Even his enemies -- with clenched teeth and teary eyes – have admitted this, after attributing it to racism and sexism, that is. So much for humility, an honest look at the two candidates, and understanding most Americans.  Americans had grown complacent, yes, but the past four years served to awaken many of them. Most Americans just want to live as they choose, allow others to do the same, make a decent living, and be safe. They DO NOT want a government telling them how to think, what to do, what they must believe about sex and gender, what they can and can’t say, and how to raise their kids. They don’t want a government that mocks their belief in God, wants to take their guns, demeans them as deplorable garbage, and forgets who they work for! And the complacent church? Well, she too, is waking up. As I read and watched dozens of memes and videos, I was moved most by seeing several dozen people, when leaving Trump’s victory party, standing in the foyer singing the old hymn How Great Thou Art . Impromptu and heartfelt, and they all knew the words to this classic song. In other words, they all had Christian roots. Believers and God-honoring Americans have entered the fray! God’s Over-riding Hand As I stated yesterday, God had a plan in making Trump wait four years to serve his second term. Rogan O’Handley pointed out on his Instagram account  [DC_Draino]: “Think about this: “If Trump won in 2020, he would’ve had a Democrat House and Senate. More impeachments, no Senate confirmations, no bills passed, and possibly the end of the MAGA movement as an effective political force. “But now? He has the House, Senate, Supreme Court, a popular vote mandate, and an entire country that wants to clean up our elections, close our borders, deport illegals, and hold corrupt politicians accountable. Sometimes, I think it had to happen this way. “As painful as it was, this was the better long-term solution. We are going to pass a blizzard of new laws to help save this country that would’ve had zero shot with a Democrat Congress. Get ready y’all - it’s going to be Biblical.” (1) He is so right! It had to happen this way. We don’t always know God’s plans – He reserves the right not to tell us in advance – but we trust Him. After going with a prayer team to each swing state in December 2020 and January 2021 to pray against the fraud we believed occurred, asking God to reverse it, we were disappointed that it didn’t happen then. Several prophetic voices told me afterward, however, that every prayer would be answered, just not when we assumed. God knows what He’s doing, and His wisdom has been vindicated once again. Trump won every one of those swing states, and will now accomplish MUCH more in this term than he could have had he been in office. We must now direct our prayers toward birthing the changes needed in our nation. Doing so for revival and spiritual awakening is a given – we will do this. But we must also pray for the reformation, much of which will occur in government. Trump has said, “God spared my life for a reason.” He knows this is true, and we must pray that he and those working with him keep it in the forefront of their minds.  We must also pray for Speaker Johnson – a godly man and wise leader, Trump and his team, and whoever becomes the new Senate Majority Leader. They will all have an incredible opportunity to accomplish so much for our nation. If we bolster their efforts with prayer and Holy Spirit pours out true revival, the next four years could be some of the most significant in America’s history.  Pray with me: Father, we are grateful beyond words for this opportunity; we know how critical this election was. And yet, we have not shifted our faith to an individual or a group of individuals. We are keenly aware that only You can save our nation and restore our destiny. So we ask for Your grace to abound to President-Elect Trump, Speaker Johnson, and other key individuals in our government. Let this grace manifest through great wisdom, brilliant strategies, and supernatural help.  Lead them to make decisions that honor You and allow You to bless our nation. Use them to enact policies that break curses off of America and restore us to true greatness. Restore to us the privilege and ability to powerfully trumpet the gospel of Your kingdom throughout all the earth. May You be glorified through us.  Keep Trump, his family, and those around him safe. Please protect other government leaders in our nation. Expose the terrorists that are here and any weapons they have acquired. We pray that the promises of Psalm 91 be fulfilled in our land. And we pray for all this in Jesus’ name. Amen.  Our decree: We declare our gratitude to the Lord for His great grace and mercy. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Quoted from Instagram account “DC_Draino,” post from 11/6/2024.

Before I read today’s post, let me say that I won’t be able to comment with confidence regarding who will control the House and Senate. We waited until 11:30 PM ET to record this post, but had to do so before those totals were decided. I’ll comment about Congress in tomorrow’s post. Today’s title is: Election Reflection The African cheetah must run down its prey to eat. It is well suited for the task, as it can run at speeds up to 70 miles per hour. The cheetah has only one problem, however: it has a disproportionately small heart, which causes it to tire quickly. If it doesn’t catch its prey early in the chase, it must stop.  How often we Christians use the cheetah’s approach in our prayer efforts! We speed into our intercession with great energy, but lacking the heart for a sustained effort, we often falter before accomplishing what is needed. For our next prayer excursion, we decide to pray harder and faster, when what is needed isn’t more explosive power, but more staying power—stamina that comes from a bigger prayer heart. (1) Fortunately for America, God has been raising up intercessors with the hearts of war horses. To the many big-hearted individuals who have prayed and worked tirelessly for God’s will to be done in America, specifically in these elections: thank you. We know His will is not guaranteed; He performs it through us. If it were guaranteed, He wouldn’t have told us to ask for and command His “will [to] be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Be assured, your prayers mattered! And as Ceci stated this morning , “The body of Christ has taken everything up a notch or two this time around.” Indeed.  I know the Lord, too, is grateful. Even though He is God and can command our obedience, His relational heart nevertheless responds with appreciation. In fact, the following statements in His Word – making them HIS words – prove that He shows gratitude: Romans 1:8: “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you.” 1 Corinthians 1:4: “I thank my God always concerning you.” Philippians 1:3–5: “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you…” Colossians 1:3: “We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you.” 1 Thessalonians 1:2–3: “We give thanks to God always for all of you…” 1 Thessalonians 3:9–10:  “For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God…” 2 Thessalonians 1:3: “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting…” 2 Thessalonians 2:13: “But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you.” 2 Timothy 1:3–4: “I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day…” Philemon 4–5:  “I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers...” To be clear, I am certainly not thanking you for praying or voting for Trump and the Republican Party; it is for your efforts to end evil agendas and restore our nation that I thank you. When ungodly politicians and a political party make a stand against God and, conversely, promote evil, it is appropriate to ask God for their removal. The Lord’s Prayer, mentioned above, also instructs us to pray, “ deliver us from evil ” (Matthew 6:13). I love the people of both parties and want to see them all saved, but I do not love all of their agendas. Castrating kids is evil - period - as are certain other agendas of the Left.  Actually, I believe exposing these evils is why the Lord delayed Trump’s second term four years. Once the leftists, deep state, and globalists were back in power, their fears and hatred of Trump – as well as their over-confidence – flushed them out of hiding. Like moths drawn to a flame, they came out of the darkness and swarmed around him, bringing their false charges, fake trials, rigged juries, propaganda, and assassination attempts. They emerged as crooked prosecutors and judges, armed FBI agents violating his home, lying members of Congress, lying members of the press, and even persecutors of his followers, friends, and attorneys. But the light from the flame exposed them, and now the American people see just how vicious, dishonest, and ugly they are. The swamp was actually a sewer. And the cleansing has begun.  Celebrate? Yes, but also mourn. Mourn the decay of our nation, the loss of innocence and life, and the forfeiture of greatness. And keep praying. The turnaround is nowhere near complete. Many on the left will now try to keep Trump from taking office, as will terrorists and rogue nations. Violence will occur. Assassination is still a considerable threat. Also, I believe the Democrat Party may use the felony/insurrectionist argument in an attempt to keep from certifying the election. We must continue to pray diligently!  Once Trump and the new Congress are seated, the efforts of the Left will continue. They will not give up. It will take years to reverse their gains and reform America, and only the momentum created by a Third Great Awakening will enable this to succeed. Millions of changed hearts and awakened consciences will release the principles of God’s Kingdom, which bring health and prosperity. This revival is coming quickly; the reformation will take some time. But we will get there. And Trump is a necessary part of this reformation. Keep praying. Pray with me:  Father, we ask You to protect Trump and those around him. We bind every demonic plan to take his life, as well as the life of his family and team. Cause all efforts to rain violence throughout our nation to also fail. And cause the efforts to keep Trump from taking office to fail.  We also ask for the healing of our divided nation. While Your Word shows us that there will be division on earth until Christ returns, it also challenges us to be peacemakers, pursuing peace. Send such a sweeping revival that racial division ends in America. Remove the ability of race baiters and proponents of identity politics to divide us. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen  Our decree:  As our decree today, I am using again the decree made at the A Million Women gathering in Washington, D.C. on October 12 [2024]. Much of it is taken from quotes of our Founding Fathers.  Whereas God is the Creator and rightful Owner of all the earth, including the United States of America; Whereas He oversaw the creation and establishment of the USA for His purposes of being “a city on a hill,” a light to other nations, and an “Evangelist to the world”;  Whereas our ancestors covenanted with Him to honor “this most noble work,” partnering with Him “for the glory of God and the advancement of the Christian faith”; Whereas we were founded “not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ.”  Whereas our founding documents refer to Him as  “nature’s God,” “the Sovereign”, “the Supreme Judge,” the God of “Divine Providence,” and “our Lord”; Whereas we are in covenant with God through Jesus Christ, which qualifies us to intercede, and citizens of the USA, qualifying us to stand as her representatives;  And whereas the USA has broken our agreements, our covenants with Almighty God, but we have repented for this; We appeal to You, Judge of Heaven and Earth, in the name of Yeshua, to forgive and cleanse our land. We recommit ourselves to You. And we ask for a restoration, a reconstituting of America’s covenantal relationship with You.  We ask that You send a sweeping revival that impacts every area of our society and culture, including our government. And we ask that it restores a servant heart of humility and Your holy purpose of evangelism to our nation. May we represent Your Kingdom in every way You intended. We agree with our brother and forefather, Samuel Adams: “From the rising to the setting of the sun, let [Your] Kingdom come.” (2) In the name of Jesus, we declare these things. Amen. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Craig Brian Larson, Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching  (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1993), p. 245, adapted. William J. Federer, America’s God and Country Encyclopedia of Quotations  (St. Louis, MO: Amerisearch, 2000), p. 23.