Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Strategic & Tactical Prayer Objectives


This post is a call to followers of Christ who are commissioned as prayer warriors for the advancement of the Kingdom of God.  I believe it is the first of many posts dealing with the spiritual warfare ahead.  Now that the 2016 Presidential election is behind us, what is our strategy in prayer going forward?  What are the tactical steps we must pursue to achieve the overall mission set by our King?  How do we take advantage of the open door He has set before us?  When do we launch our assault on the enemy’s strongholds?  Where do we attack, taking ground held by the devil and his minions, and then occupy that territory for the LORD?  Are we prepared for the enemy’s counterattack that has already begun?

In a previous post, “Prayer for Our Nation,” I shared how we – millions of believers around the world – prayed up to and including the day of the election on November 8, 2016.  With the decisive victory for President-elect, Donald J. Trump, many followers of Jesus believe God has opened a door for His servants to walk through.  We believe God has granted His people an opportunity to preach and teach His Gospel and make disciples like never before in recorded history.  We believe He has answered the prayers of His followers to begin a sweeping revival and another Great Awakening that will move across America, expand to cover the earth, and prepare His bride for His return.  He is calling up His army to advance His Kingdom, to push back the forces of darkness, and to bring uncountable souls to salvation before he brings an end to this age.  If we are hearing our Commander’s orders correctly, the enemy will not be able to stop the movement of His Almighty hand.


In this post, I want my readers to understand that it is privilege to serve in the army of God.  Many members of the Body of Christ are called but not all will be granted permission to fight this spiritual war.  I recommend Deuteronomy, Chapter 20 for your careful study.  Service in the King’s army requires one’s deepest commitment and a willingness to give the last full measure of devotion.  The weapons of our warfare are mighty to pulling down the strongholds of the enemy (II Corinthians 10:4), but they are not issued to those not trained in their effective use.  This is a war of light versus darkness, truth versus deception, virtue versus wickedness, and good versus evil.  It is not a war against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:10-20).  However, we must recognize the ideology of our enemy.

Satan uses the Progressive Left and Islamic world.  These represent what Jesus calls thieves and robbers (John 10:1).  They come only to steal or destroy everything they touch and kill everyone who has a difference of opinion.  Followers of Jesus need not fear them, because Jesus has already destroyed the works of the enemy.  Regardless, we must stand firm against every assault against Christianity they launch.  These evildoers have begun a full-scale attack against President-elect, Donald J. Trump and everyone who voted for him.  We must call them out and expose their devilish works whether they speak eloquent speculations and lofty phrases about preserving democracy against well-grounded, common-sense electoral principles, burn and remove the American flag from college campuses, or drive into a crowd of university students and stab them with a butcher knife.  All of these behaviors reveal their rock-hard heart desire to steal, kill, and destroy.

Let us pray both strategically and tactically for our leaders as directed by 1 Timothy 2:1-6, “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.”  For the overall strategic objective, I ask Almighty God to grant our leaders His broadest blessings that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness, to make disciples for Jesus, and advance the Kingdom of God.  On the tactical level, I ask in the name of Jesus, that He frustrate, confuse, and cancel the plans of the enemy in their attacks on President-elect, Donald J. Trump.  Conversely, I ask our Heavenly Father to supernaturally protect President-elect, Donald J. Trump, save his eternal soul, baptize him in and with God’s Holy Spirit, and anoint him with divine wisdom, knowledge, and discernment to govern the United States of America in Godly righteousness, with liberty and justice for all.


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Thanks for reading.

Friday, November 11, 2016

Movie Review – Hacksaw Ridge

First, I want to wish all of my fellow veterans a memorable Veteran’s Day.  I pray that God blesses your day and I thank each and every one of you for your service to our Constitutional Republic.
 
Official Movie Poster
Second, if ever there was a movie made that honors American warfighters, Hacksaw Ridge is that movie.  It is the true story of Desmond Doss of Lynchburg, Virginia.  He was a man of faith and devout follower of Jesus.  God granted him clarity of thought through the study of the Bible and consistent prayer.  The clarity grew into a deep conviction to serve in the army as a medic but also as a conscientious objector to killing other human beings created in the image and likeness of God.  His convictions sustained him as the army subjected him to brutality, false accusations of disobeying a direct (illegal) order from a commanding officer, and emotional manipulation – using his fiancé to convince him to plead guilty against his deeply held clear convictions.

Once cleared based on Constitutional grounds, his clarity and convictions gave him courage to face unspeakable horror on the island of Okinawa, and saved the lives of 75 wounded men in his rifle company.  His Medal of Honor heroism earned him the admiration of his fellow soldiers.  Moreover, he demonstrated his love for God by serving his fellowman including wounded Japanese soldiers.  He proved a singularly Christian principle Jesus taught to His followers – servants lead and leaders serve.

Finally, we see young people protesting the election results.  I believe Almighty God ordered the outcome, just as I’m confident He ordered the outcomes of past elections.  I recommend that all of my readers see Hacksaw Ridge, but more importantly, the protestors need to see it.  Hopefully, the movie will open their indoctrinated eyes, emotionally controlled hearts, and unthinking minds that America is not evil, but an instrument in the hand of God for good, shining the light of liberty to the rest of the world ruled by the darkness of tyranny.

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Thanks for reading and followers of Jesus, please pray for God to heal our land.

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Prayer For Our Nation

Like myself, many followers of Jesus, The Sovereign King and Creator of the Universe, believe Almighty God has worked a miracle to preserve His gifts of life and liberty in our nation.  Others believe He has ignored their prayers, or answered, “No.” I believe the LORD of glory hears and answers all petitions presented at His throne. What is important to recognize, God’s people prayed and voted. More Evangelical Christians voted in this election than in prior cycles. In my opinion, that is a good thing.

Early in the morning of November 8, 2016, my wife, Mary called me stating she had a strong impression from our LORD, Jesus to pray in a very specific manner. We prayed as we believed His Holy Spirit directed. We later discovered it was in concert with Psalm 146.

Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul!
I will praise the LORD while I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Do not trust in princes, In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.
His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; In that very day his thoughts perish.
How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, Whose hope is in the LORD his God,
Who made heaven and earth, The sea and all that is in them; Who keeps faith forever;
Who executes justice for the oppressed; Who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free.
The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; The LORD raises up those who are bowed down; The LORD loves the righteous;
The LORD protects the strangers; He supports the fatherless and the widow, But He thwarts the way of the wicked. The LORD will reign forever, Your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the LORD!
 
We also took note of Mike Pence’s call to pray for our nation as God recommends in 2 Chronicles 7:14. In light of his request, I submit Galatians 5:13 for our consideration and personal application.  Let us prove our love for God by showing loving kindness to one another so that the Gospel of the Kingdom of God can be advanced.
 Let us continue to pray for our leaders as directed by 1 Timothy 2:1-6, “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.” I am asking Almighty God to grant our leaders His divine wisdom to govern this nation in righteousness, with liberty and justice for all.


Because we place our trust in God alone, we choose to worship Him as did Matt Redman in Time Square before the election on August 1, 2016. For the Glory of God and to God alone be the glory of what might be the beginning of a sweeping revival and another great awakening.


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Thanks for reading.