I Prayed have prayed
Father in heaven, thank You that You desire for all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. We pray today that You would empower us to proclaim that message as a prophetic call to our nation and to the world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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Analysis. As I scanned the headlines this weekend for something the Lord would want me to write about, I noticed a common denominator in what I read. Here is a sampling: World in Crisis a Grim Backdrop for UN Climate Talks,” accompanied by “ ‘Climate Chaos warning as UN summit begins,” followed by “Chief of US Strategic Command Warns Larger Conflicts Coming.” On the heels of that, the BBC warns us that the war in The Democratic Republic of Congo is expanding. Not to be outdone by this saber-rattling in Africa, North Korea is stepping up its test-firing of missiles as “practice” for hitting U.S. and South Korean targets. That, in turn, has brought worries to Japan, which is now vowing to strengthen its military. Next door, meanwhile, China is increasing its rhetoric of a forced unification with Taiwan. Moreover, reports from the war in Ukraine forecast a drawn-out conflict during the coming winter months, all the while seeing an increasing involvement of other nations. Closer to home, we are on the precipice of a diesel fuel crisis that is projected to worsen inflation. At the same time, contentious midterm elections have voters on edge over electoral system integrity and violence at the polls, if not during the aftermath once the election outcomes are known. 

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It’s no secret that alarming headlines boost ratings. Such buzz words as crisis, concern, worry, chaos, and conflict get our attention. But they also instill fear — and that is the common denominator I saw in all those news headlines I was looking through: fear. Or, as my millennial daughters call it: existential dread. It’s a sort of hopelessness about the future of this planet and a growing sense that we are on a path to destroying ourselves. 

Social media and electronic newscasts with digital soundbites have added fuel to those fires of fear. It has become increasingly difficult to separate truth from lie, and a partial story from a complete one. Opinions are presented as fact, and facts are often skewed or redacted to appeal to emotions. 

Satan would have it no other way. His is a wholesale business in lies, and this includes fanning the flames of fear. It has been said that the word FEAR is an acronym for False Evidence Appearing Real. And that is exactly what Satan does: He will skew the facts to induce fear, because fear is what keeps people from doing the right thing. And the more those fears are fed, the more they grow in our minds to become a stronghold, a fortress of evil deep inside our soul that begins to destroy us from the inside out. Such a fortress of fear will cause us to fear others, to lose hope for the future, to become depressed and lose executive brain function, and to act out of panic in situations that require calmness and forethought. This type of fear is destructive. And Satan’s aim is not merely to control people, but also to steal them from God, Who created them, and then to destroy and kill them (John 10:10).

That is the fear he promotes in the world. But there is another type of fear: what the Bible calls “the fear of God.” The Scripture describes what this does in our souls: The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm (Proverbs 19:23). The fear of the Lord is a deep awe and respect for His majesty, love and power, fueled by truth instead of lies. Where Satan’s form of fear is destructive, the fear of God is constructive and leads one to eternal life. 

Many of the events we see in the world today are the fulfillment of things Jesus foretold about the last days, in such passages as Matthew 24:3–31 and in the visions He gave to John the apostle in Revelation. While it is difficult to match up today’s world events exactly with those renderings of what is to take place, we do recognize that God is shaking the nations in hopes of bringing about human repentance. Revelation 9:20–21 implies this but describes an unfortunate outcome instead. 

Repentance is the result of godly fear — the realization that one’s sin rightly incurs God’s wrath, and that we as sinners must humble ourselves and surrender our lives to God to receive forgiveness, freedom from sin, and eternal life. That is why it is constructive. The fear of the consequences of sin leads to a complete freedom from fear: a respect and an awe for the Father heart of God instead. That type of fear is no destructive stronghold, but rather a propellant to bring us to intimate connection with Him Who gives a peace that transcends understanding (Philippians 4:7). 

This is where the prophetic voice of the Church comes in. We have been given a Great Commission that has stood now for nearly 2,000 years: to spread the good news that in Jesus Christ there is salvation from sin, rescue from tribulation, and eternal hope — instead of existential dread. This is a prophetic commission in the truest sense of the word, because prophecy is speaking forth the counsel of God. Throughout Scripture, prophetic messages have offered both dire warnings and vibrant hope. It was always necessary to warn people of the terrible consequences of rebellion against God while at the same time proclaiming His desire to forgive and to restore: 

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken” (Isaiah 1:18–20). 

The Great Commission is the mandate of the global Church to bring this message to the nations, including our own nation, which is increasingly turning away from its Christian roots. It is our collective responsibility, and not just that of vocational missionaries and evangelists.  

I believe that this message must feature prominently in our political and legal battles in defense of life, religious freedom, and social justice, and in our attempts to address the horrors of poverty, mental illness, homelessness, violence, and addiction. 

It is the counsel of God that all Americans humble themselves, seek forgiveness for sins, and become born again into a relationship with the God of love and hope, thus being freed from existential dread. 

We are the prophetic voice to proclaim that message in any way we can, anywhere we can — from the official halls of Washington to the homeless camps under the bridges of our cities; from the universities to the primary schools; and from the tech moguls in Silicon Valley to the warehouse workers at the e-tailers. And we do this with every vote we cast, in every speech we make, and with every protest we launch. Nothing will improve and no one will be saved apart from humility, repentance, and a rock-solid faith in the Father heart of the God Who wants everyone to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:3–5). 

Let us remember our prophetic mission this week as we process the outcomes of the midterm elections and as we continue scanning the headlines to see what is happening around the world.  

For us as intercessors, the mission is to propel and empower the prophetic voice of the Church through our prayers. After all, prayer is the work of missions: By prayer we call upon God to have mercy, to open hearts and doors for the gospel (2 Thessalonians 3:1, Colossians 4:3), to empower the preaching of the gospel (Colossians 4:4), and to give boldness and courage to the Church even as the nations rage against her (Acts 4:23–31). Not everyone will want to hear. Many will ridicule the message or become angry at the counsel of God. But we must not stop proclaiming until the gospel is brought to every tribe and nation. 

Here are a few things we can pray for the prophetic mission of the Church to a world in fear: 

  1. that the Holy Spirit would open hearts to the gospel and turn existential dread into holy fear;
  2. that the Church would not muddle the prophetic message of the gospel we are mandated to declare and that its clarity would not get lost amid all the other actions we undertake in society;
  3. for an infusion of boldness and courage in the Church to speak forth the counsel of God even as our nation increasingly rages against Him and forgets that we are supposed to be one nation under God; 
  4. that the Lord would raise up laborers from among us, refreshed in the Holy Spirit, to go out into all the world: into the political, cultural, religious, educational, social, military, legal, and medical sphereswith a unified proclamation in word and deed of His counsel of repentance and the forgiveness of sin;
  5. that the Lord would empower you to be a prophetic voice in your own community, and that He would lead you to where He wants you to go and raise that voice.

Father, we unite our hearts in prayer today. Help us in our prophetic mission to a world that increasingly lives in fear. Grant that we may possess renewed boldness and great clarity in what we say and do, so that Your counsel for humanity to humble itself and get right with You is proclaimed forcefully and is heard clearly. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

How can we encourage each other to be that voice of hope in our places of influence? Share below. 

Remco Brommet is a pastor, spiritual-growth teacher, and prayer leader with over 40 years of experience in Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa, and the U.S. Born and raised in the Netherlands and having pastored his first church in Amsterdam, he moved to the U.S. in 1986. He and his wife, Jennifer, live north of Atlanta. When not writing books, he blogs and assists his wife as a content developer and prayer coordinator for True Identity Ministries. Jennifer and Remco are passionate about bringing people into a deeper relationship with Christ. Photo Credit: Canva.

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Darlene DeAngelis
November 11, 2022

Father God keep shaking the church and waking up the people in the church to get out into this world that is dark evil in dying the church has just rejected you in a lot of ways in the first that sticks out in my mind Lord is when many many churches shut down and glorified the government and did not glorify you you see the weakness in this church there are warriors and leaders in churches and every one of us needs to step forward and show the week people in the church what they need to do and what they need to stand for Father God you are definitely dividing the wheat in the tears at this time continue to do this shake it violently if need be in Jesus name I pray

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CHAVA
November 10, 2022

G-D’s HOUSE FOREVER WILL STAND!
by Eva

The heathen winds blow loud and strong;
They assault me with their every line.
Secularism and moral relativism
Seek to invade and control my mind.
Blow, you dastardly evil winds,
For I will not compromise!
My faith, grounded in G-D’s Holy Word,
Will uproot your evil and lies.
My house is built on a sure foundation
And not on sinking sand.
You can huff and puff ’til you’re blue in the face,
G-D’s House forever will stand!

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Taz69
November 10, 2022

If God has man made to wed women and for priests to remain celibate, as nuns do also, why are we speaking of a married couple leading our faith?

teresa hove
November 10, 2022

Father God, we are so thankful that your solution to overcoming and eradicating FEAR is your promise to us, your born again children, that “If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us” (I John 4:16-19). And we thank you, Lord, that you promise to give us our daily bread, to provide shelter and clothing for us, to care for us. You say, “Seek first his [the Father’s] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:33-34). Thank you, Lord, for your word and encouragement in times of chaos and uncertainty and the witness of saints from the past who testify in your written word that “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed” (Psalm: 37:25-26). We throw off the fear and lies of the enemy that work to undermine your promises and try to frighten us to believe lies about you and your care and passionate love for us. We praise you, God, and worship you in the mighty name of the Lord Jesus Christ. AMEN.

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teresa hove
November 10, 2022

Father God, we are so thankful that your solution to overcoming and eradicating FEAR is your promise to us, your born again children, that “If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us” (I John 4:16-19). And we thank you, Lord, that you promise to give us our daily bread, to provide shelter and clothing for us, to care for us. You say, “Seek first his [the Father’s] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:33-34). Thank you, Lord, for your word and encouragement in times of chaos and uncertainty and the witness of saints from the past who testify in your written word that “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed” (Psalm: 37:25-26). We throw off the fear and lies of the enemy that work to undermine your promises and try to frighten us to believe lies about you and your care and passionate love for us. We praise you, God, and worship you in the mighty name of the Lord Jesus Christ. AMEN.

The Prayer Sentry
November 10, 2022

Struggle for the soul of America…more than political hyperbole.
https://theprayersentry.com/2022/11/10/struggle-for-the-soul-of-america/

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Linda k Rice
November 10, 2022

Let’s wake up, clean up, go to work in the secular world, and let our light shine. That’s how we empty the saltshaker.

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Susan
November 10, 2022

Good message to remind us and encourage us to continue moving forward in prayer and do what we are called to be doing in Jesus ‘name. For the glory of God the Father His love is extended to all peoples. 🙏❣️

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Melanie Brooks
November 10, 2022

Excellent article! Defining fear as “false evidence appearing real” is so true for today’s world. The contrast with the fear of the Lord leading to salvation is stark. We need to share this message.

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Robyn ONeal
November 10, 2022

I might as well have been standing before President Lincoln delivering the Gettysburg Address as I just read Pastor Brommet’s clarion call! Spurred on, pepped up, ready to roll, at Your service, King Jesus! Prophetic truth warns AND empowers through promise- both mutually beneficial in bringing souls to repentance and consecration to the Bride Becoming! Allow me this medical metaphor as a retired nurse; Existential Dread (ED) is a phantom strategy by Satan to discourage and deflate the mobilization of the Church. It has the same effect as the medical condition of ED to cause a spiritual impotence and dysfunction! But we have the Cure from our Curator of the Universe as we unite in spirit and truth and choose radical surrender and obedience to the Father’s will and loving heart. Our Great Physician prescribes His Rx and His Remedy is His Word. Joined, fit together, knit together by this Word, we seek the Kingdom first and seek fellowship and intimacy with the Father through the Son above all else. Then our paths, individually and corporately, will continue to unfold before us supernaturally in this end times battle and strategies be made known. Jesus Christ displaces fear and heals spiritual ED. Let us rather strive after Him and the Kingdom of the Father of Lights before all else, together, interceding in unity, with one mind, in one accord in Christ Jesus, Yeshua Hamashiach!
Thanks, Pastor! You got me motivated to fight the good fight of faith today, with my brethren! All glory to God!

18
Susan Lawing
November 10, 2022

My pastor preached an awesome message about being quiet; being still (Psalm 46:10) and listening to others without jumping in. We need to be willing to refrain from sharing our opinions about controversial topics and simply listen to individuals hearts because they need to be heard. They need to know the love of God and one of the most wise and calm ways to do that is to quietly and sincerely hear them out and then offer advice when they ask for it, which I believe they will, once we give them the time that they need to talk. Socials are probably not the best avenue, but one on one conversations wherein they can trust us to be confidential.

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    Robyn ONeal
    November 10, 2022

    Indeed, Susan. Holy Spirit is teaching me this very thing. The guard over my heart is the bridle over my tongue. The guard is His Wisdom to discern what to speak and how to act in given situations, as His ambassador. I’ve spent my whole life being a bull with Asperger’s Syndrome or a Donna Quixote fighting windmills! I’m beginning to mature and practice the art of quiet, prayerful listening! Praise God!

    11
    PR Perez
    November 10, 2022

    Agree and disagree. We certainly need to practice hearing one another and we desperately need to enter into being still and knowing with absolute assurance that He is God. This assurance softens our communication with others because we are looking to Him to know how to have His perspective so that we can wisely and most effectively respond to these things. He must be the Source for our help, guidance, wisdom, and for Truth. Psalm 46 points us back to the fact that no matter how violently the wars rage about us, God is our refuge and strength in the midst of it all. But that in no way negates the call of God to the Church to speak His message of Truth so that others may find Him to be that in their own lives. That is how we genuinely love one another and the lost; leaving them alone in the condition the enemy has them in is not the way to peace and is certainly not loving. This article points to I Timothy 2 where we are reminded of God’s desire that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth. This doesn’t happen by the Church remaining silent. How and when and where to communicate and to how to do so in a way that people can hear is very definitely an essential part of that, and that is where prayer and humbly coming before God and being filled with His Spirit comes in so that we truly are led, guided, and controlled by Him in every encounter that such opportunities present us as they arise.

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