911 Watch—This is Your Wake Up Call

Amos 9:11—In that day I will rebuild the fallen tabernacle of David…
Isaiah 16:15—A throne will even be established in lovingkindness, and a judge will sit on it in faithfulness in the tent of David; moreover, he will seek justice and be prompt in righteousness.

911 WATCH—THIS IS YOUR WAKE UP CALL

On the eve of September 11, as President Obama announced his vow to defeat ISIS, more than a hundred leaders and intercessors joined together to pray for America on our call. I couldn’t help but feel we’ve come full circle—launching into another pivotal moment in history. And it was an honor to receive communion together and plead Christ’s precious blood over our land, from Washington to Washington.

Lamplighter Ministries honors the rescuers of 911, and the families of those whose loved ones perished when the Pentagon was hit, the towers fell, when the courageous words “Lets Roll” set into motion the ultimate act of intercession for our land. You were in our prayers last night, you are in our hearts today. As intercessors and Americans, we pledge that your unforeseen sacrifice will never be forgotten. And we with you resolve to always, always keep watch.

From our perch last night, we prayed over the White House as President Obama announced his plans for what is essentially a third Iraq war.  And we prayed over the Capitol as Jonathan Cahn delivered a dire prophetic warning about the future of America to congressional leaders gathered for a special service. Today many prophets and preachers are warning this 911 may demarcate the decline of America, and even what Joel Rosenberg has termed “the implosion” of America.

A Time to Prevail
In my own spirit, the sense of unsettledness has been unrelenting. Something is amiss for sure. But my eyes are also focused on the depth of greatness imparted and entrusted to our land, even from our founding by covenant with Jesus Christ.

This Sunday marks the 200th anniversary of a night watch by an American intercessor named Francis Scott Key. This small-town lawyer found himself on a British ship, negotiating for prisoners, as the Battle of Baltimore began. While Fort McHenry was being bombarded through the night, Key watched and prayed. Against all odds, the Star Spangled Banner was still waving at dawn—and the tide of the battle turned.

We prevailed then, and despite hell’s opposition internally and externally, it has been decreed that we will ultimately prevail. Make no mistake, no generation of Americans has escaped unforeseen challenges much greater than their own human capacities. They put their trust in God then, and so will we in this hour. Through Jesus Christ they prevailed then, and we can prevail now.

Dream: Facing Down the Giant
Let me close by sharing a dream the Lord gave me just a day ago, which I believe is prophetic for this time. I was cognizant of being a warrior who had helped secure victory in many previous battles. But in this dream, I faced the ultimate enemy—a literal giant. This giant was massive and muscled, armed like ISIS with cleaver knives, and I was cornered and completely unarmed. I believe that in this dream I somehow represent America, and especially intercessors for America.

The dream began in a community with what appeared to be a few small ponds around it. As I walked the streets, every home seemed to have a small pond behind it. But what looked to be small ponds was actually one vast, interconnected lake! I believe the Lord is saying that our small, individual pools of grace are actually much more vast than they appear.

Helping David—Cornered by a Giant
At night, a young Jewish man named David approached me and asked for my assistance. He needed me to serve as a springboard so he could dive covertly into the lake and avert his enemies. My friend and I cupped our hands, and he stepped into our hands as we pushed him above us. He bent his knees, pushed, and launched into a dive. To our surprise, a dark green Jewish military boat came immediately, picked him up, and took him to safety.

When I turned from the shore, there was a giant on my path. Someone pointed at me and said to this giant, “That’s the guy who defeated you all those times in the desert. He rescued those children from you.”

The giant was bare chested, and was holding cleaver knives and a two-pronged fork. I was completely trapped with nowhere to go. The giant threw a knife at me, but I was able to dodge it. At first, I asked for mercy for my life. I then I simply said “I’m not afraid to die.”

That’s where the dream ended. As you may imagine, I was immediately awake.

This is Your Wake Up Call
Not more than five minutes after, a friend of ours texted that she needed prayer. The text literally said, “Hey Jon & Jolene. This is your wake up call.”

Not coincidentally, our friend is an amazing intercessor for Israel. Through the night she had felt direct resistance from a demonic strongman tied to Masonry, which is why she called for prayer. Note that behind this idolatry are the gods of Egypt—ISIS and Osiris—as well as Baal from Syria and Iraq.

This intercessor needed breakthrough and clarity, as she was meeting with leaders from Israel later that morning. Our friend doesn’t know how strongly I actually prayed for her!

OK, for review. I was startled awake by the dream, cornered by a giant after helping a Jewish man named David escape, facing the specter of sudden death. An intercessor for Israel then texts me, “This is your wake up call.”

You just cannot make this stuff up. Not that I am in any way enthusiastic about what is transpiring. But The Lord is conveying something of great magnitude here.

Demonic Repression of Prayer
And what kept nagging me about the dream is that, while facing the giant’s threats, I did not once even utter a prayer. It was like I was somehow unable to connect with God in the midst of this peril. So I simply resigned myself to the fate that awaited.

Without invoking God in prayer, our fate is sealed. Beloved, can I be honest? In America, and even in the prayer movement, that’s where we seem to be today.

I have found that even legitimate, anointed warning messages have somehow been encompassed by a spirit of hopelessness that has propelled me away from God instead of into His arms of safety.

Friends, I am not negating the legitimacy of these warnings, nor the sincerity of the prophets giving them. But at least in my experience, an oppressive spirit had been assigned to keep me from prayer, to restrict my spirit from engaging with the Lord. This demonic force even seemed to be assigned to oppress in conjunction with many of these messages. And it needed to be resisted and prayed through in the Holy Spirit before I could recover spiritual vitality.

America: A Springboard for Israel’s Preservation
The truth of the matter is that America as a covenant nation has literally been a springboard for Israel’s protection and preservation. And for this reason as well as many others, it has drawn the attention of demonically-empowered strongmen who desire to take us down. That was a primary reason why terrorists struck New York and Washington on 911. And it’s a primary why radical Islamists are enraged against us today.

We as a nation have absolutely sinned and fallen short of Christ’s glory. We in reality deserve the discipline of God’s judgment, for evils known to all and known to few. We truly need to wake up and repent.

Our covenant with Israel is key. And just as in my dream, our rude awakening might just come by another confrontation that threatens our very existence.

Full Circle: Recovering Breakthrough
But let me share with you how my personal challenge yesterday morning culminated. After praying for my friend, I earnestly sought the Lord regarding the dream. I rehearsed it, declaring before Him that I was indeed not afraid to give my life. But I wanted it to count—I wanted to give my life for Him.

I reminded the Lord of His covenantal protection—a prayer heaven is flooded with from my lips. I reminded the Lord of the divorce decree from Baal and the restoration of covenant that He Himself granted by judicial decree. “This covenant I have made with you, you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. But the Lord your God you shall fear, and He shall deliver you from the hands of every adversary” (2 Kings 17:38-39).

As I prayed, the Lord literally escorted me back into the visionary experience of the dream. I was again cornered, standing before the giant. But this time, I was praying these very words. “God you promised that as I remembered Your covenant, You will deliver me from the hand of every adversary. One way or the other, I now receive your deliverance!”

In the vision, as I prayed the enemy and his weapons literally began to shrink. It was the incredible shrinking strongman. He shrunk down to the size of a squirrel on its hind legs. And I immediately saw the promise of Psalm 27: “Even now my head is lifted up above my enemies round about, and I will offer sacrifices with shouts of praise in Your tabernacle!”

Friends, we are coming full circle in this hour. We are engaged in war against a supernatural enemy. Now and in times ahead, you might feel hopeless and helpless, as if God isn’t around anymore and no prayer can even help.

In this full circle season, lets allow the Spirit of God to direct us back into situations where we feel we are cornered, even facing the giants. This time pray. Remind God of His covenant of deliverance with you, and with this nation. Ask Him to deliver you.

And then, LETS ROLL.

“This covenant I have made with you, you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. But the Lord your God you shall fear, and He shall deliver you from the hands of every adversary” (2 Kings 17:38-39).

“Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear; though war rise up against me, in spite of this I shall be confident… One thing I have asked of the Lord, that also shall I seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and meditate in His temple… And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me; and I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy…” (Psalm 27:3-6).

“Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).