Friday, September 23, 2005

A Battle of Influence

Late Wednesday night in a leadership meeting Lou Engle expressed that he didn't feel we had gained a dominant position of influence in the battle for the next Supreme Court seat yet. What I mean is that our job here in DC is to fight a spiritual battle for the dominant influence over the leaders of our nation. If there is little prayer and intercessioin of our leadership (1 Tim 2:1-2), then we can expect to have leaders that do not line up with the will of God. See, prayer and fasting can be offensive weapons. They allow God's people to tear through the heavens and engage in a realm that the Church largely ignores. Prayer and fasting moves angels and demons. Take a quick look at Daniel, and you see this clearly. So if we pray and fast with deliberate direction, we can expect to effect the spiritual influences contending for control over the minds of our leaders. Think about how important that is. Paul wrote to Timothy and instructed him that this should be the first thing we do. It's necessary in order for peace, godliness and holiness to reign in a nation.

So what are we doing about it? Many of us have been in a general season of fasting for these issues, and of course we take our usual stand in intercession in front of the Supreme Court every day. But starting at 9 a.m. Thursday, we began a 72-hour non-stop blast of intercession to gain that dominant position. It's baptism by fire for the new interns! We divided our company into three groups and began standing in intercession at the Court in 8-hour intervals. Unending intercession for three days and nights straight. In addition, our entire group is doing an Esther fast. This is nuts! Nothing to eat or drink for three days. But what's it worth? Can you place a price on the value of having good leaders in positions of authority? I'm learning what it means to be an intercessor. It means you throw yourself into the fray. You throw yourself into the gap in between what is and what could be. And you do it with the attitude immortalized by Esther, "If I die, I die." It's gonna be over my dead body that I allow spiritual forces of darkness to have that dominant influence.

Last night I took a shift from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. The city is remarkably quiet and peacefull in the middle of the night. It made for a great evening of prayer. Would you consider joining us in this stand? Consider an Esther fast for yourself with the direction of prayer for President Bush as he considers a nomination for the next seat. This is beyond critical. We feel like he may be considering a softer candidate due to his approval ratings and current events. But now is the time for this man to stand up and be the man God called him to be- to be a BURNING BUSH. He needs to get his swagger back. Know what I mean? Don't sleep through this historical moment. Join us.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Matt, for sho. I will join you in fasting for the Supreme Court Justices and for the dominant influence over this whole thing. I will do what I can to advance God's Kingdom--if we die, we die.

Anonymous said...

Don't die, well someday, but don't die without me. I'd be oh so sad. :(