Another Joel 2
Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill…
The Lord thunders at the head of his army,
His forces are beyond number, and mighty are those who obey his command
“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart,
With fasting and weeping and mourning…”
Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate…
Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing
Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly.
Gather the people, consecrate the assembly, bring together the elders.
These words came alive on Saturday the 26th as thousands gathered in Washington for two major prayer events. One called TheReturn featured Jonathan Cahn, Anne Graham Lotz, Dr. James Dobson, Pat Robertson and many other leaders of the church. The second group was a prayer march led by Franklin Graham and blessed by Vice President Pence and his wife Karen. There were tens of thousands at these events.
Prayer has been going on in churches across the land since the events of this year have brought us to our knees. It has been intensifying this fall as we see what’s at stake. We see threats to personal health, safety and well-being. We see racial issues being hijacked by nefarious forces. We’ve seen death and destruction on an unprecedented level, including storms and fires.
The answer is Jesus. Yes, you still need to vote your faith above party or person, because much hangs in the balance. Make sure you know how Judeo-Christian culture is being threatened. Make sure you know how our basic freedoms are being threatened. But the election won’t matter if the nation does not Return to God, as in the Joel passage . If we return, as the passage says, the Lord may “turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing.”
For those of us who prayed along with the Washington event and simulcast, it was good to hear the shofars (trumpets) sounding through the day. Then the Lord himself “thundered” repeatedly from the heavens with no storm in sight. This was about the time Joel 2 was being read! Yes, about the end of Jonathan Cahn’s keynote address, there was thunder for about fifteen minutes over the mall, the Capitol Building and the Supreme Court. Then, the afternoon session closed at 5 PM with the sounding of shofars. At this exact time, a few blocks away, the President was announcing a new pick for Supreme Court Justice. We need to be in special prayer for this godly lady, Amy Coney Barrett, who will be attacked for days, but then confirmed, if God wills it.
May God have his way! I’m going to pray and then share a song.
Lord, may your will be done. We have interceded for our nation on a vast scale, from Washington and across the land. May you turn and heal this nation. We have repented and mourned over the current state of affairs. Please hear us and turn and have pity on us.
Lord, we don’t deserve your blessings, but we ask that you show your name to be great as a witness to the unbelievers in this nation. We pray that trumpets of righteousness will sound across this land and impact every sphere of leadership and influence.
We hear your voice thunder, but we know your written word must be proclaimed with mighty voices. Jesus prayed for us to be “sanctified in the truth- your word in truth.” Thank you for all the “elders”, national leaders of the church who came together as one to lead prayers for the nation.
Thank you for the words of faith and warning spoken over this nation. May your Spirit give flight to these words and let them become reality.
We pray for Judge Barrett to become a godly justice of the Supreme Court. We pray you protect her from anti-life and anti-God attacks and accusations. We pray that she will always fear God more than man and that she will faithfully interpret the Constitution of this land.
Lord, may your name be glorified in Jesus’ Name. Amen.