Probably many millions around the world were praying for the U.S. election on November 6. Thanks for your prayers for America at this crucial time in her history. Many who prayed were disappointed at the outcome; others may have rejoiced. The following morning, as I reflected over what happened, I felt the Lord was giving me the doxology from Romans 11- “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord?... For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.”
There is comfort in the fact that if so many were praying, the Lord in His all-encompassing wisdom knows what is best for the country at this time and is giving us the leadership we have received as part of His purpose. Even with expected moves towards what some feel could result in far greater government intrusion and control as well as the further implementation of a globalist agenda for a “new world order”, we can be sure that the Lord’s own agenda is still the one that will overshadow everything on the earthly level. In the ups and downs, the vicissitudes of life and history, He is still the one who holds all things in His hands, bringing about His cosmic purposes for all nations.
We should remember, even if it were to come to a loss of cherished freedoms, that believers throughout history have often lived under oppressive regimes from the time of Egypt’s god-worshipped pharaohs, the idolatrous kings of Israel, many dictatorial Roman emperors, and currently in harshly persecuting states like North Korea or Iran. Wherever in the world we are, God can also bring even tyrannical, egomaniacal leaders to repentance and faith as we pray and speak out for Him. For example, He did this with the proud and self-loving King Nebuchadnezzar through the fearless prophetic ministry of youthful yet courageous Daniel.
Yes, the “whole world is under the control of the evil one” as the apostle John tells us, but his book of Revelation also unveils the fact that the Messiah’s coming will surely follow soon after the most unimaginable evils that the Antichrist can bring with him. Jesus gave us the recipe for dealing with far worse circumstances that will eventually come upon our world, cheering us on with these words: “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” In other words, instead of fixating on the negative things happening on the human level, look at them as part of the redemptive working of God which will eventually bring Messiah back to reign. His closing word in the same passage is so relevant for us in the prayer movement: “Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” What a challenge for us all to keep the right perspective and to get ready to appear before the coming King!
Some implications and suggestions:
1) In order to effectively “watch and pray”, don’t be like an ostrich with its head in the sand! Keep informed about political, economic and other significant things happening in your nation and culture so you and others can pray intelligently.
2) Get God’s heart for these situations, listening and praying out what the Spirit gives you, utilizing the perspective and authority of His Word.
3) Unite your prayers with others who share your concerns and intercede specifically.
4) Pray for wisdom, honesty and humility for all those in power that they will come to fear and obey God, even having visions and dreams in the night, and that His guidance will be reflected in their policies and decisions. Speak out boldly yet lovingly to them if you are given the chance.
5) Pray for wisdom, honesty and humility for all those in power that they will come to fear and obey God, even having visions and dreams in the night, and that His guidance will be reflected in their policies and decisions. Speak out boldly yet lovingly to them if you are given the chance.
Words about the U.S. election from outside for your discernment
Ian Cole, one of our IPC leadership team from the U.K. encouragingly wrote:
“The Lord says ‘now is the time for America to pray’. I know that much prayer has gone into the election around the world and certainly here in the UK… In our human frailty, we often stop praying at the end of an intense period of praying. I feel strongly to urge the praying folk in your nation to stand on the Towers of prayer and diligently watch and pray in the coming weeks and months. This is not the time to stop; it is the time to stand strong in God and see Him win the real battle for the soul of your nation. We will stand with you.”
Others wrote to say that it would be a time of judgment and purification. I am including the sobering word from Esther, a prayer leader in China, who was praying for the U.S.A. while her own nation is facing a huge leadership transition. An Indonesian prayer leader with the same name spelled “Ester” also sent a similar word about the spiritual danger that America is in and saying that the hurricane “Sandy” is just the beginning of other woes unless we begin to turn back to the Lord. We all know that God’s love and wrath are two sides of the same coin and many American Christian leaders do discern that He as the loving Father has been giving the country a good spanking through so many natural disasters and other unpleasant developments.
From Esther in China:
“Below is the message I received from the Lord when I prayed for U.S. I cried and cried for America so deeply before the Lord. I send it to you and you can discern it.
‘The Lord says to America, Repent! The Lord’s command for America is to repent! American people, you went astray too far, too far from the Lord and his righteous statutes. You followed the world and all the idols in it, you have forsaken the Lord your God, and God of your fathers. You are like the adulteress, turned to other men and betrayed your own husband who provided you and made you prosper. The Lord himself will bring charges against you. I heard the Lord say to America, ”Does a maiden forget her jewelry, a bride her wedding ornaments? Yet my people have forgotten me, days without number.” I feel the Lord’s heart is so broken for that. He is so painful for his people’s adultery. Repent! Oh American people, turn to your fathers’ God, do not sin against him any more. He is your father! He is your Savior and hope!
Open the Bible and check your life according to his words, not the standards of the world. See what you should repent, and see what and how much the American people have sinned against the Lord.
All Americans, humble before the Lord your God! This is the only chance. If you don’t humble and repent, the only and deserving result is disaster and punishment from the Holy One of Israel! This warning is serious from the Lord! You have already experienced some degree of punishment, it’s God’s warning for you: quickly, quickly turn from your sins and darkness, come to light and truth. If you take it for granted or mock at these, if you don’t change your sinful lifestyle and thinking, the bigger and more severe punishment and judgment is waiting for you. He is merciful, but don’t forget, he is the most Holy One, he is just and righteous, and he is the consuming fire! He has already given you the chance for repentance. If you continue to stiffen your neck, there is no excuse when he comes with punishment and fierce anger.
He doesn’t want to destroy you. Actually all he plans for you are peace and blessings because he loves you. But don’t despise and against his holiness anymore! “The Lord Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted, and they will be humbled.” The Lord loves American people so much! He said, come, my sons and daughters, come to father’s heart, come to know me and my heart for you. And you will know how much I love you; don’t forsake me any longer. You are like the prodigal, but I am waiting for you to come back!
Uncover the veil on your face! Remove the blindness in your heart! And you will see me, you will see the truth and know that only me can really satisfy you and give you peace and eternal love. Come to me, and you will be satisfied and you will know that other gods are not gods but idols, what the world is teaching you are totally wrong and that leads you to a ruined and destroyed life and eventually lose your identity, destiny and eternity.
But there is still hope! There is still opportunity! There is still grace and love stored for you!
Repent and let God be God! He will lead you to a new America. Not Obama or Romney or any other person, but God himself! Whoever you choose to be your leaders of this country, if you continue to forsake the Lord your God and his words, the result is the same.
Don’t be like Israelites when in Judges time Israel had no king and everyone did as he saw fit. The Lord God is your king! In every aspect of your society, exalt him and obey him; he will give you new hope and you will see a transformed America filled with his glory, righteousness and holiness! God loves you!
The Un-lock North Africa strategic prayer initiative is a campaign of CHI – Ministries and the (APN) Australian Prayer Network under my leadership. In August 2004 whilst praying on the rock of Gibraltar, the Holy Spirit indicated that one day He would take me to Morocco – something I had never contemplated. A visit to Morocco occurred the following September 2005. The visit was under the banner of a ‘cultural awareness’ excursion, exposing people to other cultures and expressions of life. As we travelled between the cities of Rebat and Meknes, the Holy Spirit strongly impress upon me the need for strategic kingdom breakthrough in prayer across the nations of North Africa. North Africa was not in my plans at all at that time, far from it: I was focused in other regions.
However as we drove, God spoke a word into my spirit from Isaiah, chapter 62 verse 10, … to (unlock) open the ancient doors (gates) and rebuilding the highway of righteousness from Gibraltar to Jerusalem. The clear impression I got was that God wanted me to return and lead prayer journey’s into this region of the world; to work in strategic and informed intercession for the purpose of opening up this region to God’s transforming love, power and grace; to see freedom emerge amongst its people and to make way for the fulfillment of His prophetic word to the region. Isaiah chapter 62:10 and chapter 19, verses 23 to 25 provided background and focus concerning this mission.
In 2006, I formed our Strategic Research Unit (SRU). This unit has become key to building explicit national profiling on our target nation by gathering information around areas such as; demographics, culture, religion, history – both ancient and modern, along with specific spiritual revelation. From this collective information we develop our ‘meta-narrative’ on a nation and its people groups, which enables our prayer teams on the ground to be guided by the best intelligence we can offer. All our team members read this dossier before spending several weeks seeking prophetic revelation from the Lord for the places we visit. This was the genesis of the Un-Lock North Africa campaign that has now seen Australian teams visit all five nations of North Africa, including three Mediterranean gateway nations. From 2007 to 2012 we have prayed our way through Morocco, Gibraltar, Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Malta, Istanbul and Algeria. God specifically revealed to us to include in our assignment the three spiritual gateways that exist across the Mediterranean region. They are Gibraltar in the West (Western Gate), Malta in the central Mediterranean (Central or Northern Gate) and Istanbul – Turkey in the East (Eastern Gate).
Many were surprised in 2011 when tiny Tunisia ignited a desire among Arab youth for justice and good government. As the fires of protest took hold, strongmen dictators have been cast down. The Lord spoke to the team in 2009 that, “Tunisia would be the thin-end of the wedge, that would open up North Africa” and as we’ve now seen, the rest of the Arab World in general. Words of a similar nature relating to places like Egypt and Libya were also given as we traveled there in 2008 and 2010.
As those who are to be able to read the signs of the times, we need to look beyond the media headlines and ask God what He is doing, especially in this region of the world.
Pass through, pass through the gates! Prepare the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway! Remove the stones. Raise a banner for the nations. Isaiah 62:10 (NIV)
We are running this again because of its importance. Please keep praying for these two nations and the ongoing war.
North Waziristan in Pakistan has become a haven for militants. Tribal and local intelligence sources say some 15,000 militants shelter in this semiautonomous tribal belt. A number of Taliban leaders and others have been killed in drone strikes; however they have a refuge along the border inside Pakistan and from there they continue to mount attacks on Afghan and Coalition forces inside Afghanistan, keeping that nation in perpetual war and instability. It is essential that we pray that, before the foreign forces are withdrawn in 2014, the Taliban will dissolve and be defeated and that the Pakistani government will aggressively combat them, not allowing them any more safe-haven in their country.
A friend who with a great burden to pray for these two countries, wrote: “In one of our prayer meetings the Lord reminded us that he told us clearly in 2001 that we must proclaim "Taliban-time is over" and we faithfully did it and there was a powerful anointing on us when we did this…The message was: "spring time is coming"…And the Taliban regime began to crumble. In 2002, so many Christians came into the country and it looked like the Taliban movement was over but it was not destroyed. It regrouped and came back again and now it has become such a powerful force that even NATO admitted that they can't win this war. ... We feel that we must proclaim again what the Lord told us at that time and also the other scriptures that the Lord gave us like Ps 37.
Also the word was given to us clearly about King Joash coming to Elisha and he told the king to strike the ground and he did it only 3 times and stopped. Then the man of God became angry with him. You know the story, he should have struck five or six times 2 King 13.18 ff. We did the same, proclaimed for a while and then we stopped. This word came clearly to us and we repented, also on behalf of others that have just turned away from the land and thought "it was done". Let's proclaim again and strike the ground again. It is not too late even though in the natural things look like a big disaster coming...The key is also to pray against the demon powers that rule over and through the Pashtuns. About 20 Christian workers were lost in the last 6 - 7 years, and all were killed by Pashtuns.
Many times the Lord spoke to us to pray against the demonic alliances between the Pakistan government/army and certain Taliban groups, Haqqaanis, Gulbadin and Al Qaeda. These groups work together and build a strong unity against the government of Afghanistan... This needs to be broken.
Let's pray also that their power would be broken. That the people themselves would stand up against the Taliban and say: enough!! This happened in a few areas and may it become a movement. Pray that many Pashtun tribal lealders would stand up and turn against the Taliban. God can do it. As quick as this movement came the Lord can cause it to die out. We must specially pray for that...
More workers are needed. Many workers have left and organisations pulled out. We need strong people that know how to stand against such pressures and know how to pray. Also that many of the Pashtun would come to the Lord and they would see signs and miracles and many visions and dreams.
While Kim Jong Un seems to be trying to present himself as a popular figure sporting his attractive, young (and possibly pregnant) wife and concerned with the economy, the measures that he has been enacting have not been popular. As he has been ignoring the practical advice of his farm experts internal criticism has increased. In response to a shocking front line defection in which a North Korean soldier killed two of his senior officers there has been a major indoctrination effort and crackdown on sources of "Western corruption." At the same time, there has been an ongoing effort to tighten border security resulting in fewer people being able to flee the country. For those who do manage to escape and make it to South Korea, life is harsh especially for the women. Most defectors also have to spend time in very difficult conditions in detention centers in Thailand.
Through all of this, Kim Jong Un continues to consolidate power by replacing many of the old guard with his own picks. In his effort to secure his rule and North Korea's position in the world, it is as unlikely that he will surrender his nuclear arms program as that his reform programs will bring prosperity.
We need to continue to pray for the people of North Korea and for North Korea's impact on the world situation.
After winning a second White House term, US President Barack Obama aims to start direct, fast-track nuclear talks with Tehran as soon as December, even before his January swearing-in, on the assumption that Iran's window of opportunity is very narrow - just three months, debkafile's Washington sources disclose. White House go-betweens with the office of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Kahmenei warn that Iran's campaign for the June 14 presidential election gets going in March. After that, it is estimated in Washington that Khamenei, whose ill health keeps his working day short, will be fully absorbed in a struggle to purge Iran's political hierarchy of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his clique. But Tehran would prefer nuclear diplomacy to be delayed for eight months until after that election. "We waited for the US election campaign to be over, so why shouldn't the Americans wait for ours?" a senior Iranian official asked rhetorically.
For now, the supreme leader is looking for a suitable candidate for the presidency. This time, the supreme leader is not expected to make the mistake of choosing a charismatic, ambitious and competent figure like Ahmadinejad, but rather one who is satisfied with acting as a representative titular figure and play second fiddle to Khamenei whose bureau will administer the executive branch of government. The supreme leader is believed in Washington to be weighing another alternative: having parliament abolish the post of president and transferring its power to the new post of prime minister, who would be chosen from among the 290 Majlis lawmakers...
The gap between Washington and Tehran is as wide as ever: Obama wants the talks to last no more than three months and end in an agreed settlement of the nuclear dispute, whereas the ayatollah prefers a low-key process to be dragged out past the eight-month period while also gaining more time for Iran's nuclear program to race forward. This tactic would additionally help Tehran erase yet another Israeli red line, the one set by Prime Ministry Binyamin Netanyahu in his UN September speech when he said that the spring or early summer of 2013 would be the critical date for Israel to act.
www.prophecynewswatch.com
Please be in prayer for what is happening inside Tehran politically, that radicalism will be overthrown and that there will be a negotiated settlement with the Iranians about their nuclear program that can be verified. This is such a dangerous situation between the Iranians and the Israelis that we need to focus our prayers on since it could lead to World War III!
A challenging message from a Muslim convert to Christ:
“People of Stockholm, people of the world, people who are concerned about
Human rights, people who are concerned about freedom. There is about 1.3 billion Muslims who do not have freedom to change religion. They do not have freedom of thought conscious and religion. They do not have the right to exist as former Muslims.
This issue was brought up by the UN reporter on freedom of religion to the
UN assembly in New York two weeks ago that freedom to change religion is basic for
religious freedom. We are here to remember the victims if Islam apostasy and blasphemy laws. We are here to see a change in their situation. We are here that they may
have freedom. We are here that they may have equal rights.
Muslim People are killed for rejecting Islam, Muslim people are imprisoned
and tortured for leaving Islam. It is not right that people get to lose their life, get imprisoned and get tortured for their belief. This contradicts with Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which gives freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and this freedom includes the right to change their belief and practice their new faith.
How can we be quiet about this? In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. Martin Luther King Jr.
Mahmoud Mohammad Taha- he was executed at the age of 76 for apostasy in Sudan.
Mahdi Debag the head of the Bible Society in Iran was arrested after the Islamic revolution in 1979 and was tortured and imprisoned for 10 years. He said I am not just willing to suffer for Christ but to also die for him. After much international pressure he was released and 6 months later he was murdered.
Fatima was murdered by her family in Saudi Arabia for converting to Christianity 3 years ago after cutting her tongue out.
Frag Fouda, journalist and free thinker, was shot and killed in front of his office in Cairo because he was accused of blasphemy in 1992.
Najeb Mafous, the Literature Nobel prize winner, was stabbed for the same
reason.
Taiser, the governor of Banjab in Pakistan, was murdered by his bodyguard for trying to
free Asia who was in prison for being accused for blasphemy.
Shabaz, the Minister of Minorities, followed the same fate for trying to protect
minorities in Pakistan. 400 Christian families cannot return to their home
since the teenager Rimasha was accused of blasphemy.
A number of pastors in Iran are serving prison sentences for their
conversion from Islam to Christianity.
Metafi in Saudi Arabia has been in prison since he was 18 and now he is 36.
He is an Ismaili accused of blasphemy.
Kashgari a journalist who tweeted that some things Mohammed did I like and some I do not like, was accused of blasphemy, and 30000 tweeted he should be killed. He apologized and this did not help. He tried to escape to New Zeland via Malaysia. He was arrested it there and extradited to Saudie Arabia. He has been in prison since then.
Around 10 countries have death sentences for apostates and blasphemers.
How can we be quiet about this? “For evil men to triumph, it is only necessary for good men to do nothing.”- Edmund Burke. How can be quiet about this injustice? How can we be quiet about this oppression?
Stand for freedom, Stand for Justice, stand for humanity. Stand against apostasy and blasphemy codes in Islam which are choking freedom worldwide.
Stand for freedom for fear; "Freedom from fear" could be said to sum up the whole philosophy of human rights. Dag Hammarskjold
Stand for freedom of speech; if the freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led like sheep to the slaughter. George Washington
Stand for justice; injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Martin Luther King
If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality. Desmond Tutu
Stand for freedom, stand for justice, stand for equality. Stand for Article 18 in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Stand for freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and freedom to change belief. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either
alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity. Nelson Mandela
As we pray for the persecuted believers in Christ around the world this month, let’s pray for those suffering grim persecutions for coming to faith in the Muslim world and that such blasphemy and apostasy laws will be overthrown by the governments that now observe them.
Egyptian Christians have requested our prayers following a series of similar incidents in several provinces across the country in which Christians have been threatened or attacked. Egyptian Christians are keen to stress that there are a range of motivations behind these =
incidents, and the primary call is for prayer that effective rule of law will be established and applied equitably to all citizens and institutions throughout the country.
On 5th November a group of Salafists occupied church-owned land in the Shubra district of Cairo. Church leaders informed the Interior Ministry who arranged for the Salafists to leave the site the next day. However this problem is ongoing as Salafists do not want the church to put up a fence or an administrative building, in spite of the fact that all legal documents have been in order for some time and the Church has the support of the Governor. Church leaders have urged members not to engage with Salafists who visit the site.
In early November the General Manager of the Coptic Agricultural Bank in Minya was kidnapped. He was released on 4th November. A ransom was demanded. However, effective police action led to the man being released with no payment made.
In late October a Christian concert was stopped in Minya province due to accusations from Salafists that it was an evangelistic event. Church leaders stated that, whilst the concert was open to anyone who wished to attend, it was made clear to all that it was a Christian event intended for a Christian audience.
Egyptian Christians note that incidents like these often occur as a result of inadequate state security provision, and that Muslims are also suffering as a result of this lack of security. They note that since January 2011, weak security and rising Salafist extremism mean that Christian communities are increasingly vulnerable. Because the authorities seem unable or reluctant to protect Christians from extremist assailants, it has become more common for minor disputes to escalate into sectarian clashes.
Egyptian Christians request our prayers that:
a. The government of President Mursi will uphold the rule of law, ensuring the equitable treatment of all citizens
b. This will be enshrined in the new constitution, which is currently being drafted
c. The situation in Shubra will be resolved and the church’s rights upheld and respected by all
d. Church leaders will know the Spirit’s enabling wisdom to respond to injustice with fact, firmness, and clarity while maintaining a faithful and clear witness to Jesus
e. All officials involved will love mercy, act justly, learn about Jesus, and choose to follow Him
(From a Christian leader in the Middle East)
Some stats in relation to Egypt
• Estimated 85-90 million people in Egypt.
• Approximately 13 million of them are Coptic Christians
• With a further 1 million Evangelical Christians
• Cairo (capital) has an estimated population of 23 million people, of which 5 million commute to Cairo for work from outlying areas
• Since the revolution, there is a limited police force on the ground, but it’s virtually non-functional in day-to-day affairs.
• The army has retracted mainly to military operations and oversight of the country; Egypt is ruled by a Muslim Brotherhood-led government whose chief aim seems to be the institution of Islamic Sharia Law to establish Egypt as a pure Islamic state, thereby limiting the role of Christians and if possible rid the country of its 2000-year Christian history and witness.
• There is an increasing lawlessness with emerging gangs of young Muslims terrorizing parts of city and country.
• An estimated 120+ thousand Christians from the more affluent and educated levels of Egyptian society have emigrated since 2011 revolution.
• We heard there is an excess of 1 million Muslims coming to faith over the last five years with some estimates varying up to 5 million. It is happening for sure, but it’s very difficult to get accurate numbers.
• Across the country, there are massive problems with poverty, failing infrastructure, religious disharmony and persecution between Christians and Muslims, as well as Muslim sectarian fighting.
(Quoted from a visiting prayer leader who was recently there.)
Strategy: Every week, two nations are encouraged to mobilize all Christians to stand in the gap to pray for their nation: the national Christians, expats, missionaries and mission agencies working in that nation, and churches that are supporting missionaries in that nation. Every nation is encouraged to take 2 weeks of extra-ordinary and non-stop prayer for their nation, one week every 6 months.
- Encouraging believers to come together in larger groups (where possible) to have extended times of prayer.
- Encouraging believers to have prayer rooms or prayer watches where all 168 hours of the week can be covered in prayer.
- Encourage Christians from other nations to send prayer teams to those nations during the specific week.
Every nation use all possible means to mobilize the church in their own country.
Prayer focus for the first 6 months: the Church
1. Establishing new believers in Christ (Phil. 4:19)
2. Salvation of unsaved and church that will take Matt. 28:19-20 seriously.
3. An outpouring of the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication on the church (Zec. 12:10).
4. That God will fill the church with the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:28-31; Eph. 5:18).
5. For the church to reach out to the poor and needy as well as the social need and pain in their communities (Eph. 2:10; Isa. 58).
Prayer focus for the second 6 months: Godly leadership in the church and establishing of the kingdom of God in all spheres of society
For more information, contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Information also available in Arabic, French, and Farsi.