“Pray! Pray now!!!”
I recently had a provoking, upsetting, and reminding dream. It was just before a national election and I was given ten minutes to speak at a townhall meeting. About a thousand people had gathered and I was sharing godly, bible-based responses to current controversial social/political issues — abortion, same-sex marriage, homosexuality, legalization of marijuana, etc.
The incumbent US Senator was present, awaiting his turn to address the crowd. As I continued, he became increasingly uncomfortable as his ungodly, unbiblical stances were being exposed. He abruptly approached the podium to seize control of the mic. He interrupted with, “Thank you for coming out and sharing,” and he rudely placed himself between me and the mic. I insisted that I wasn’t finished and I had a few more things to say, but the Senator was already signaling his bodyguards to step in. I protested, “I have a right to speak! You cannot do this,” but they proceeded, and I knew I was going to be “detained” until this townhall meeting was over.
Thoughts raced through my mind as I was being ushered off the stage. I looked to the crowd for help. I yelled, “Don’t you see what’s happening?! Is this okay with you?!!” I recognized that the people were is a stupor, a trance. (The word “sheeple” came to mind. People dumb as sheep.) My options were swiftly running out. In desperation I yelled to the people, “Pray!” Confused still, the majority of the crowd did not move a muscle. They just continued to stare. I shouted, “Pray now!!!” A few began to move their lips in prayer. I immediately understood they didn’t know how or what to pray.
As I neared the stairs at the end of the stage, I yelled again. This time I screamed, “Declare that Jesus is Lord!!!” (I’m a little embarrassed to admit that prayer was my last resort, but this prayer/declaration jolted many out of their spell.) Small pockets of people began to repeat, “Jesus is Lord,” but it was like lighting a book of matches! Once the first match was lit, the other matches quickly ignited. Rapidly, one by one, people were being freed from their sleep-like, hypnotic state and joined in proclaiming, “Jesus is Lord! Jesus is Lord! Jesus is Lord!”
The Senator saw and quickly understood what was happening. The momentum had shifted and swelled in God’s favor. He knew there was no turning back this wave and conceded. He promptly turned and began to walk smartly off the stage. Now, his cohorts were confused. They wanted to proceed but the seasoned, ungodly Senator, without even turning his head, callously told them, “It’s no use. We’ve lost this one. We’ll get the next meeting.”
Beloved, understand that to a large degree, people today are falling deeper and deeper into a sleep-like trance and into darkness. Know that the god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers (2Cor 4:4). James 5:16 says, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous (innocent) person is powerful and effective.” This is paramount because confessing our sins:
1. Removes our barriers of guilt, shame, fakeness, and pride.
2. Restores innocence, power, and God into our prayers (2Chron 7:14; Ps 34:15-18)
Friends, now more than ever we need pray — for our lives, our families, our nation, our future. I am convinced that only prayers of the righteous (innocent) are powerful enough to wake people up. Not reasoning. Not logic. Not arguing. The souls of people (Believers and Un-Believers) are in comas. God has given us instructions and power for rousing them from their dark sleep. Only the power of prayer can penetrate this stronghold!
People often ask me, “Can we turn things around?” I honestly tell them that I don’t know. But, what I do know is that there is still work to be done. And Prayer is Necessary, Prayer is Powerful, and Prayer Works! So, “Pray! Pray now!!!”