A few weeks ago, while spending time with the Lord, I felt the need to ask for a word for the intercessors. As I sat before Him seeking a prayer strategy, I sensed the Lord say, “Watch out for the distractions.” I knew that this was a word not just for me, but for all who are standing in the gap for our nation. This is a time when we must have our eyes fixed on the Lord and on our assignment.

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When God gives you a word, sometimes you have to let it ruminate. But exactly two days after the Lord said to watch for the distractions, a news headline caught my eye on social media. The Vice President made a public statement about believing aliens to be demons. I didn’t read through the entire comments, but there were thousands. Some mocked and laughed, but more agreed with his statement. It has people talking, and many are Christians. 

Not too long after, the infamous AI image of President Trump as Jesus sent shockwaves on social media. The internet was divided between those who believe it was intentionally blasphemous and those who believe it was misinterpreted. Either way, our focus was on the image. Whichever side you believe, I hope that you prayed for him, too.

The whole purpose of distraction is to draw your attention away from your assignment. It will steal your focus if you allow it. If you look at the synonyms for the word, it implies a diversion, interruption, disturbance, and amusement, in the sense that it provides entertainment. To me, these two headlines were definite distractions. 

We are in the middle of a war, and Islam is advancing in our nation, but we were divided over aliens and AI images. If we are disagreeing or defending, who is praying?

Times are different now. When we were younger, we had to wait for the local or national news to update us, or we could read about it in a newspaper. Now with social media, the news is in our pockets, purses, or hands at all times. We don’t have to find distractions; they’ve found us. 

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it (Proverbs 4:23 NIV). 

It’s a good thing we have the Word of God to speak to us. Here is how we can stay rooted and remain effective when the headlines flood and world events come flooding in. 

Know your Assignment

If you are connected to Intercessors for America, your passion is to see God move and intervene in our government. If this is your assignment, remain a watchman on the wall for the government, whether local or national. Because there is so much to pray about in our nation, we can often go off on rabbit trails. It is not bad to pray for other things, but not every assignment will be yours. That is a recipe for burnout. A governmental intercessor focuses their prayers on all things government. This is where God gives you strategy, and this is where your prayers will strike the mark. 

Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.” But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matthew 15:21-24). 

Jesus knew his assignment and who He was sent to. He did not deny this Syro-Phoenician woman her request. He delivered her daughter, but afterward carried on; it didn’t derail him. Again, other things will come up that need prayer; do them, but don’t abandon your post. 

Eyes Like Eagles

Eagles are known and loved for many reasons. Some see an eagle as a symbol of America, and others as a source of prophetic symbolism. You have heard of the expression “eagle eyes.” It has to do with their exceptional vision, eight times sharper than human vision. There would be too many details to share here, but what felt the most prophetic to me was their tracking system. They can see anywhere from 3 to 5 miles away. Their vision is so keen that they can lock onto a target, whether in flight or on the ground, and track it with great precision. An eagle’s miss rate is extremely low.

While we do not have literal eyes like eagles, we do have an advantage. We have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us. And we have several words from God in scripture that guarantee that if we ask Him anything according to His will, he will hear us (1 John 5:14-15). 

Ask for increased focus, and ask for depth of spiritual vision, eagle eyes, if you will. 

Ears to hear and eyes to see— both are gifts from the LORD (Proverbs 20:12 NLT).

Don’t Be Too Busy for Jesus

Martha was distracted by serving, and it’s not her serving that was bad; it was that she focused more on the act of serving than on taking time to sit at the feet of Jesus. The news will not stop coming; you will be busy. There will be no shortage of things to pray about. Don’t neglect sitting at the feet of Jesus. You need time in His Presence, more than you’ll need anything else. The busier you are, the more you need a Selah.

In Hebrew, Selah comes from the root word “to exalt or lift up”. It is read this way in Habakkuk 3:3 and is also used as a word for pause or meditation, as seen in many Psalms. Both are fitting and necessary. No matter what, we must lift up the name of the Lord over our nation and ourselves. Praise and worship breaks are absolutely necessary to sustain your walk with God. 

Life is moving fast, don’t forget to take a holy pause and meditate on God’s promises and faithfulness. We do not know what is coming next, but we know who does, and in the midst, we are working to rededicate this nation back to him, because He is the Hope and Desire of the nations. To God be the Glory!

Don’t forget to exalt, pray, discern, focus, strike, and pause. 

Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value] (Colossians 3:2 AMP). 

Father, we ask that you give us eyes to see and ears to hear what the Spirit is saying right now, so that we can align our intercession. I pray for that, like eagles, we will soar above the distractions and focus on the assignment you have given each of us, and strike with precision. I pray that as we take a pause in Your Presence, you will fill us afresh with wonder, joy, peace, confidence, or whatever we need, in Jesus’ name, amen. 

How is the Lord showing you to pray? 

IFA contributing writer Gloria Robles is a passionate intercessor with a prophetic voice for today. For more from Gloria, go to Spotify or Anchor and listen to her podcast, Something To Share. Photo Credit: Alfred Kenneally on Unsplash.