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During the government shutdown, Senate chaplain Barry Black has been rattling lawmakers with daily bursts of holy thunder—not by preaching, but by prayer.

Here’s today’s dose. “Let us pray. O God, in whose presence our souls take delight, to whom in affliction we call, forgive us for continuing to sow to the wind even when hearing the sounds of the approaching whirlwind.

Lord, when our Federal shutdown delays payments of death benefits to the families of children dying in far-away battlefields, it’s time for our lawmakers to say enough is enough.

Cover our shame with the robe of Your righteousness. Forgive us, reform us, and make us whole. We pray in Your merciful Name. Amen.”

Amen, Chaplain Black! And thank you for bringing the cries of the nation before God’s Throne and before our lawmakers’ thrones. 

An interesting email was forwarded to me last night from our friend Carol Clough, entitled “Wake Up Washington.” It was actually written by yours truly, a day after the August earthquake in 2011. And a major focus of the posting was on the “civil war” related to the debt ceiling crisis!

In light of our government shutdown, I found it encouraging to review. Especially remembering God’s promise to provide for His own in the midst of challenges. Hope you are enriched as well! And looking forward to some holy thunder during our prayer call tonight…

WAKE UP WASHINGTON (From August 24, 2011)
Well… the headlines are prophesying today! In an ABC News interview, physics professor Dr. Michio Kaku called yesterday’s earthquake, the largest in the metro DC area, a “wake up call for the east coast.”

Then there’s the Drudge Report Headline, “Quake Cracks Monument.” Many of you felt that the cracks in the Washington Monument are correlated to answered prayer from the recent “11-11 Campaign.”

Cracking the Nut
One of the key insights we focused on was Rick Ridings’ “Nutcracker Prophecy,” prophesying how north and south would unite in prayer to “crack the hard shell of demonic resistance” over Washington DC. It’s important to note that the Washington Monument and the National Cathedral are both “high places” with historic ties to freemasonry.

The 11-11 Campaign culminated on July 4, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, which faces the Washington Monument. John Benefiel led us in receiving a divorcement from Baal. Bishop Harry Jackson, Negiel Bigpond and others led us in presenting the Declaration of Covenant to the Lord, re-aligning according to our Nation’s covenantal foundations in Jesus Christ.

Breaking Through a “Civil War”
Remember our focus on awakening and union. Within a month of this consecration, the Debt Ceiling Crisis showcased to the world the stronghold of idolatry-empowered division. The national and global economy was held hostage by this division. Der Spiegel called it a “civil war.” We seemed to be on the precipice of a global financial meltdown, catalyzed by this “civil war” in Washington DC!

Then God broke through. Behind the scenes, more than a few politicians retreated to a room at the Capitol sometimes used for prayer. They sought God earnestly for His verdict, and many felt led to support the final legislation. This brought an end to the immediate crisis, and committed both Republicans and Democrats to develop policy that would significantly reduce deficit spending in the months ahead.

What if…
To understand the significance of this, lets imagine for a moment what our landscape could have looked like if no deal had been reached. Global markets, already volatile and vulnerable, would have gone into a tailspin as a reaction to our fiscal irresponsibility across the board. Recession would have shifted into global depression—hurting us deeply, but bringing immeasurable suffering to much of the rest of the world.

America would have been blamed—and hated. Freedom and democracy would have been viewed as the cause of the global financial meltdown. The need for a global currency, with global governance to back it up, would have gained significant traction. By this the nations would choose their own subjugation to the enemy.

Israel’s Plight
As an aside, our capability to assist and protect Israel on the global stage would also have been completely sabotaged.  This at a time when Hamas has reignited terrorist strikes, UN members are attempting to force Israel to give land for a Palestinian State, and Iran is moving full tilt towards nuclear armament.

From author Joel Rosenberg today: “While the U.S. is entering into a catastrophic financial and economic phase,” Iranian Brigadier-General Masoud Jazayeri recently said in a speech to the Guards’ ground forces, “Iran can, with a serious offensive, emerge economically and financially.”

So lets thank God for His grace. I believe we all had the privilege of participating in a significant prayer thrust to abate the enemy’s immediate plans of sabotage.

Now the Lord is awakening our Nation to the potential He is offering us at this time. As we wrote yesterday, we feel the earthquake was a warning from the Lord to align with His heart before more tragic consequences occur.

And remember that God promises that the shaking will eventually bring the wealth of nations to the House of the Lord! With this in mind, continue to pray for our economy. Below is a vision of George Washington we originally shared June 14. Amazingly, we found out later that the Continental Army was officially formed on June 14, 1775, with George Washington as its general. The Lord has again clearly highlighted the importance of the word for this time!

VISION OF GEORGE WASHINGTON—JUNE 14
“Reviewing the incidents of my administration, I am unconscious of intentional error; I am nevertheless too sensible of my defects… Whatever they may be, I fervently beseech the Almighty to avert or mitigate the evils to which they may tend” —George Washington, Farewell Address

This morning in prayer, the Lord granted a very unusual prophetic experience. I saw a vision of George Washington. This heroic general and first President of the United States was standing tall in refined colonial garb, with a stern countenance–courageous but clearly unsettled.

Then Washington turned to me, and with tears in his eyes said, “I only saw in part.”

Eyes of a Jealous God
This vision was an answer to a decade-old quandary before the Lord. George Washington was a godly man, and the foundations of our Nation have greatly prospered by his wisdom. History clearly shows he was given to prayer at key moments—as was his mother, a devoted intercessor.

However, Washington was also a Mason. The tragedy of Freemasonry is its inherent idolatry, veiled at first, detested by our Savior. In the eyes of a jealous God, this unholy alliance has become one of our nation’s greatest “covenant conflicts.” And the consequences have been debilitating for generations to come.

Beyond our Frame of Reference
How could the “father of our country” have embraced such a dichotomy? The plea within this vision settled the matter in my spirit. “I only saw in part.”

To his credit, Washington perceived the danger of the illuminati, and famously warned against its doctrines. He saw in part. And beloved, we do too! Lets ask God to make us aware of idolatry and sin that we have yet to perceive—beyond our current frame of reference.

Refounding Fathers & Mothers
I love Washington’s Farewell Address—his candid awareness of defects, and his plea to the Almighty that their consequences be averted or mitigated. Perhaps the recent HAPN/RPN initiave to divorce Baal in each state is somehow tied to this very plea. Christ’s great gift to us is forgiveness. As we repent of our sins, individually and collectively, we can see the enemy’s influence abated and God’s original intention established.

And what’s at stake in this land is the fathering of our nation—directing us towards evil or towards good. The Lord is calling forth Refounding Fathers—and Mothers– launching us into our future by realigning us with our apostolic foundations.

Pray, Train, Persevere
In the vision this morning, this depiction of the Father of our Nation then spoke to me with intense emphasis that “I am again praying by the river.” I remembered the painting of Washington kneeling in prayer at Valley Forge. In a terrible winter, his army of farmers had been reduced to rags, facing sickness and starvation.

Washington prayed. Then he implemented a strategy that seemed totally contrary to the needs of his army. Despite their depleted energies, his army embarked on a regimented and demanding training program. This bitter pause became a major turning point in the Revolution. Farmers and tradesmen became competent as soldiers of war. Against all odds, Washington and his army soon persevered to secure our Nation’s freedom.

I sense this from the Lord—some are deciding either to rest or to gain new training. If you devote yourself to training, you will advance beyond your exhaustion!

Emphasis on Prayer
The emphasis of this vision was certainly on prayer. Washington, the father of our nation, was in the vision devoting himself to praying again by the river. I totally admit—not really sure what this means.

Google search just came up with an astounding story. Unbelievable. Suddenly it all makes sense. Please understand that, until now, I was totally unaware of the following event in Washington’s life. From the website www.ministers-best-friend.com:

“How did God answer George Washington’s prayers at Valley Forge?  The following is one historian’s account of the miracles that occurred that winter which helped remedy the impending starvation of the Colonial Army:

One foggy morning the soldiers noticed the Schuylkill River seemed to be boiling. The disturbance was caused by thousands and thousands of shad which were making their way upstream in an unusual early migration.

With pitchforks and shovels the men plunged into the water throwing the fish onto the banks. Dragoons rode their horses into the stream to keep the shad from swimming on out of reach. Suddenly and wonderfully there was plenty of food for the army.”

Another Providential event that occurred that winter was France becoming an ally to America. Much needed French money and troops began to poor into the new nation. The Continental Congress acknowledged this as the hand of God as they declared a National Day of Thanksgiving on May 7.”

Pray for Provision!
What is God saying here? If Washington will pray again—God will release fresh, supernatural supply to His troops! I believe this goes for Washington DC—including our President and governmental leaders– and for generals in this army called the body of Christ. Lets humble ourselves and seek the Lord for what we cannot on our own attain. Pray for provision for your troops… God will release food for His army!

At this critical turning point in our nation—the Lord is willing to resource His army as we persevere for freedom! This is so much greater news than I am able to convey here—maybe even for our national economy, certainly for the Body of Christ. PRAY AGAIN BY THE RIVER—PROVISION WILL COME!