Though this word was our directive for 2011, it seems more relevant now than ever before. And it makes a good beginning for our new LAMPostings blog! Below is Dawn’s Early Light, as it originally appeared on the Elijah List.

For God’s crossover people and for our nation, I believe a new day has been decreed. Over the past few months we have watched with the Lord for breakthrough. Nationally, a window of opportunity has now been opened to turn our nation back to God. For 2011, it’s time to stand for a full release of this Great Return, where multitudes disengage from Jezebel’s table and return to the table of the Lord!

Lets allow the Holy Spirit to refresh us. But in the midst of refreshing, lets strengthen our resolve to advance. Dawn’s early light is beginning to shine!

Anthem for our Hour
A few years ago, Holy Spirit began to speak to me that our National Anthem is prophetic for this hour of history. This year marked the 196th anniversary of the Star Spangled Banner, written by Francis Scott Key, a native of Frederick MD. It is as though Key saw into our day and its challenges. The song of his day prophesies to saints in our day the potential for victory in the battles we now face!

This “new song” was birthed in the midst of battle being waged through the night, in a war that would determine the destiny of our nation. Really, the battle was fought to determine who would rule our land. We are facing a similar challenge now. The great question is whether or not we will remain the “land of the free.”

To an extent, the answer depends on our response at this time. Just as Key watched—and prayed—through the night, so we are being called to stand with the Lord both symbolically and literally til the break of dawn. Night watches now!

Dawn’s Early Light
Long before Francis Scott Key penned these words, the imagery of “Dawn’s Early Light” was used to describe how Jesus would bring a surge of life to Israel. Luke records that “The Sunrise (Dawn’s Early Light) from on high will visit us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death” (Luke 1:78-79).

This describes our battle. Corporately and individually, we have been warring against the empowering of death in our land. For the past few years—beginning in my understanding when the Stock Market fell 777.68 points on Rosh Hoshana 2008—a shadow has seemingly enveloped the land in a pronounced way. The most hopeful among us cast our heads in disbelief as challenges seemed to overwhelm the labor of our lives.

I believe prophetically that as of Rosh Hoshana 2010 this shadow is now being penetrated by “Dawn’s Early Light.” In 2011, many are being called forth like John the Baptist as “forerunners of the dawn.” Just as John the Baptist was described by Jesus as a “burning and shining lamp,” so these forerunners carry a dimension of this sacred fire within their very being. This year, His light truly begins to shine.

Does His Banner Yet Wave?
This is the most important question this generation must answer. Does His banner yet wave over the land of the free, the home of the brave? Will it continue?

A few years ago, our friend Cindy Jacobs shared a vision of an angel of the Lord over America, draped in the American flag as a mantle. She watched as the stripes of the flag became like a river, and poured into the nation. As she saw this, Holy Spirit spoke to Cindy, “by His stripes you are healed.”

Cindy shared that the red represented the blood of Jesus, and white represented His righteousness pouring into our land. By His stripes, even our land can become healed. Finally Cindy saw the stars from the flag pouring down. These stars became as burning torches throughout the land. Again we believe this year we will see a great release of God’s holy fire to illuminate that which has been hidden and bring us through the break of dawn.

The Lord wants to establish His banner—His “bridal canopy”—over our land. I believe this year, God’s bridal canopy will begin to form and connect over our regions in a whole new way, bringing forth healing, life, and protection. These regions will become known as “cities of refuge” in times of future challenge.

The Significance of 11-11
Many prophets have noted that the number 11 denotes transition. In John 11:11, Jesus prophesies a literal life-transition available to us today: “Lazarus our friend has fallen asleep, but I go that I may awaken him from slumber.”

As we move towards 2011, it is amazing to discover how many times the number 11 comes up in our history. On 11-11, 1620, the Pilgrims cut covenant with the Lord for our nation, committing the land and government to God’s glory and the advancement of the Christian faith. Maryland became a state after ratifying our constitution on 11-11, 1776. Washington State came into the union on 11-11, 1889.

And on 11-11, 2009, a year-long youth awakening was sparked by a visitation of the Holy Spirit at IHOP-KC, in the heartland of America. From coast to coast, I believe we are called by God as a nation of awakening!

Beach-head for Freedom
An aspect of the Pilgrims’ legacy is very important for this hour. Through covenant with the Lord, the Pilgrims intentionally established our governance as a as a beach-head against antichrist dictatorships.

The Pilgrims were walking out a holy commission from the Lord. Both Jews and Christians were being pursued, persecuted and martyred by European dictatorships infiltrated by an antichrist spirit. Fleeing this persecution, the Pilgrims were called to “cross over” and establish a lampstand for the gospel of Jesus Christ. They committed the land and government to “the glory of God and the advancement of the Christian faith.” These holy roots helped forge our land into what it is today.

From 10-10 to 11-11
Last year at this time, while in Washington State, the Lord told Jolene that “10-10 comes before 11-11.”  John 10:10 says, “The thief comes not but to steal, kill and destroy. But I have come that you may have life, and have it more abundantly!”

Jolene felt the Lord was highlighting 10-10-10, or October 10, 2010, as a representation of this shift for the body of Christ. He is emphasizing the second half of John 10:10. We are leaving a season of death, and entering into a SURGE of harvest and life. God desires for the breakthroughs in this transition season to usher us into a much fuller expression of His “11-11 awakening.”

11-11 Campaign
The Holy Spirit spoke to us we have a year to turn our nation back to God. As Pilgrims and warriors of this hour, we are calling you leave lesser pursuits behind and invest this year in God’s dream for you, your family, and your nation. From now til 11-11-11, lets really go after God, until America sees His promised awakening—a Great Return where multitudes disengage from Jezebel’s table and return to the Table of the Lord. Here are four practical ways for you to participate:

Pray:  It is time to cry out for awakening until the break of dawn—until His power shows up! In his book Prayer Storm, James Goll has identified four categories of prayer we are dedicating ourselves to this year: revival in the Church, a youth awakening, prayer for Israel and the sons of Ishmael, and Crisis Intercession.

In James 5:17-18, Elijah prayed and the heavens were shut. He prayed again (greek palin), and the heavens opened, and the harvest of the earth came forth. It’s time to pray again!

Prepare: Like the safe harbor that protected the Pilgrims, God is calling us individually and corporately to become places of refuge in times of storm. As God enables, we can and must prepare now for future realities.

Campaign: Prior to the recent election, you were probably inundated with campaign communications. Both parties have been extremely diligent in fulfilling their commission. Now it’s time for us to fulfill ours. Lets share Jesus again as if He were all He says He is—our salvation in all aspects of life, for now and eternity.

Act:  In election campaigns, the civic duty required of us is simply to vote. In the same measure, in this 11:11 Campaign, our duty is to ACT. To take a stand for basic integrity, even if it costs. We can no longer be in agreement with significant compromise in society or within the body of Christ.

Heaven-rescued Land
Again, we believe that the words of our National Anthem are prophetic for our hour. Most of us are familiar with the first stanza alone. Therefore few know how Key describes America as a “heaven-rescued land” and calls us to “Praise the Power that hath made us, and preserved us a nation.” This is in our National Anthem!

Today lets stand together before the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, and ask to again be a heaven-rescued land. May we this year remain a beacon of liberty to the world, illumined by Dawn’s Early Light!

Star Spangled Banner (first and last stanzas)
Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!