The Way I Pray For America

     As I told you yesterday, all of us who believe in the power of prayer can have a tremendous impact on the spiritual war being waged against America.  God has increased my knowledge about the roots of the problems that plague our nation; and politics, money, and human power will never solve them.  
     As I have studied spiritual warfare over the past few years, it has become very clear that our country is under demonic opposition and attack.  The deterioration of our society is ample evidence of the Enemy's influence through the assignments given to satan's provocateurs and generals.  However, I have also come to know the importance of Prayer and the Word of God as powerful weapons in our battle to destroy satan's strongholds.  So, I would like to give you an example of how I am praying for our country. 
     I have no formula, and I do not mechanically pray, but when I pray I have a very clear idea of how I want to approach my God and who I am battling.  I will show you how I pray (and why I specifically pray in that manner).  

Heavenly Father,

     I humbly, yet boldly, approach your throne as part of the privilege I have as your child.  Your Word tells me in Hebrews 4:16, that I can "approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that our nation may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [Your amazing] grace to help in this time of our great need.
     Father, I bow down at your throne, and ask that you consider my request as you did the requests of Moses when he pleaded on behalf of the rebellious Israelites.  Over and over again, when they turned their backs on You, You forgave them and restored them to Your favor.  I confess, Father, that we have turned away from You and opened spiritual doors for Evil to transform us in ways that dishonor You and threaten our eternal souls.  So, I repent of the sins of this nation, ask for Your forgiveness, and humbly request that You send Your warring angels on our behalf.
   

     And now, Father, I specifically ask that You make us into a strong, bold, spiritual army.  I speak Your Word into the spiritual realms:  "We are human, but we don't wage war as humans do.  We use Your mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.  We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing You.  We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ". (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).
     Father, in the name of Jesus, I renounce the spirit of AntiChrist and the demonic spirits of anger, hatred and murder that have overwhelmed our country in recent days.  I renounce, in the mighty name of Jesus, the demonic spirits of division and discord that feed upon our sins, and I pray that Your heavenly hosts would be put on assignment to place every spirit of disharmony and disunity under Your authority.  I invite you, Lord Jesus, to take the throne of the realm of this nation, and rule over this territory with Your rod of iron.  In Your name, Jesus, I bind all of satan's gatekeepers and I place each and every portal access belonging to him and his followers under Your authority.
     I place the blood of Jesus upon every portal and open door of evil and seal them with the Holy Spirit.  I take the sword of the Spirit and the Word of God, which are the strongest weapons I have, and I cut this nation free from satan's realm and his inheritance.  I appeal to Your Justice, Father, and declare that as a man sows, so shall he reap.  Therefore, I pray that satan and his prince of America would now reap a hundred fold return for all of the evil sown against us individually, and as a nation.
     In the name of Jesus, I take authority over every demon that has been operating under the authority of satan and the rulers assigned to the United States, and I declare that they are discovered, apprehended, bound, pierced through, and thrust off us for judgment.  I declare that these demonic spirits will be sent to where the Lord Jesus sends them. And I place the Cross between them and this nation, so that they may never return.
     Father, in this day, when we mourn the senseless deaths that plague our nation, and when it seems that godless men and godless laws are destroying the very foundation of our lives, Your Word brings courage and strength to us.  You have promised that "whoever listens to Me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil" (Psalm 112).  Father, raise up an army of faithful people who will obey You and overcome the evil that is invading our land.  Protect us as we battle our spiritual enemies, and do not let their evil schemes succeed.
     And now, Father, I put on the armor of God; the complete armor you provide me in these days of battle ... I put on the belt of Truth, which is Your Truth -- not the truth of the world, not my own truth, nor the truth of the Enemy.  It is the truth of Your character and Your promises; it is the truth that is the foundation of my life.  Next, I put on the breastplate of righteousness, which protects my heart, where your laws have been written.  It is a free-will choice that I make to put that breastplate on and to determine to walk in the footsteps of Christ.  And in the midst of heated battle, that breastplate is also a symbol to those in the spiritual realm -- they recognize which I side belong to, and Whom I obey.  I also strap on the sandals of the peace of the Gospel; the Good News that "He who began a good work in me will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus". That brings such peace to my spirit and soul.  I know there is a purpose ordained for my life, and God will see it through to its conclusion.  I also embrace the peace that comes from knowing Jesus is forever with me; He will never leave me nor forsake me.  I then pick up the shield of Faith, which is my trust and confidence in Jesus Christ as my Savior.  It is also the faithfulness of You, Father, in protecting me from the fiery darts of the Enemy.  I praise You for the countless times I have been protected and shielded without even knowing it.  And lastly, I wield the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, who is Jesus, my Savior, and the Lord and Master of my soul.  When I speak the Word of God out loud in this physical realm, it is a mighty weapon to defeat any spirit that might come against me.  When my spirit speaks the Word into the spirit realm, it may not be heard in this world, but it destroys strongholds in the spiritual world.
    So, I now proclaim Psalm 18:2-3:  "The Lord God is my Rock, and my Fortress, and my Deliverer.  He is my strength, and my God in whom I trust.  He is my Shield, and the power and strength behind my salvation, and He is my tower of refuge.  I will praise the Lord, for He is worthy to be praised, and I will be saved from my enemies".  And I declare Ephesians 3:20-21:  "Now, to Him, whose Power is at work in me; who is able to carry out His purpose (in my life and in the world), and to do it more abundantly than I could ever dare to ask or think; to Him be the Glory in His Church, in Yeshua, my Savior, and to all the generations to come.  So be it!  Amen."
 

     This is just a sample of the way I pray.  It is always in the name of Jesus, and I claim the power and authority that He has given me to trample on snakes and scorpions (demons and fallen ones), and to overcome all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19).  He tells me that nothing can harm us.  Mind you, I never overstep my authority... I am bold in battling spiritual enemies, but always partnering with Jesus and the Holy Spirit... never in my own power.  The Bible tells me that my spirit is seated in the heavenly realms with Jesus, so this is not just a battle in this physical realm.  The Holy Spirit helps me to picture my spirit, in complete armor, battling side-by-side with the army of holy angels, striking down strongholds of the enemy.  The Spirit helps me to identify the specific demonic weapons and spirits being used against me and the nation, and enables me to bind them, in the name of Jesus, and render them powerless and ineffective.  I can actually visualize the battle!  
     I know this may seem bizarre to many of you; you've never heard it in the Church.  And that's the problem!  Our prayers are weak and ineffectual because we have lost the sense of our power and authority in the spiritual realm.  Read the Book of Acts!  It is the model for what the Church should be, and how we, as followers of Christ, should be continuing His work on this earth.  For nearly 2000 years, the devil has had a field day, lying to us and counterfeiting the Gospel Message and twisting it into one of tolerance for godless ways, hostility, and love for ourselves, rather than others.  Once we abandoned God, we gave ourselves over to the temptations of the evil one, and opened the doors for demonic oppression and persecution.  We have lost the way to fight back; and we have lost the knowledge that the Apostles taught the First Century Church.  Therefore, we are "tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching [and shifting doctrine]. We are influenced by people who try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth" (Ephesians 4:14).  
     I cannot tell you the fruit I have seen in my life, and the life of others whom I have prayed for after I searched God's Word regarding spiritual warfare.  It's there for us to see ... IF we have the eyes to see it, and the renewed heart to discern it.

Deuteronomy 28:7   "The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you. They shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways."