When I first heard about the proposed updates to the Pennsylvania health code, I was immediately taken back to the COVID lockdowns and to when I had read about very similar measures being proposed in New York. I tried to tell others about it, and I felt like I was screaming in silence. No one would listen, and I was essentially laughed at for even mentioning it. 

Who is praying on the wall?

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I had friends who owned a small business, and I urged them to stand up for their constitutional rights and hold the line—to not comply, and to not give in to the tyrannical lockdowns. They were afraid that they would lose everything if they did not comply. I pointed them to brave business owners who stood their ground, and I even encouraged them to contact legal firms that had agreed to defend their liberties and freedoms as protected by the Constitution. 

They caved and gave in to the government because of fear. Their business survived, but they lost more than $100,000 in revenue. This is not something that can easily be recovered, especially for a little mom-and-pop business.  

Six short years later, we are seeing a move by the Shapiro administration to institute changes to the health code that, in my view, could make the COVID lockdowns look like a walk in the park. 

When I first saw a summary of the proposed health code updates, I felt sick inside. Department of Health officials could have broad access to our health records, use contact tracing, and potentially quarantine or isolate us involuntarily—not only for an active “disease,” but also for “prevention.” They could place a placard on your door to warn others and involve law enforcement if you did not comply. Pennsylvania could establish a birth-defect registry similar to the one maintained by the CDC. 

What about forced masking for “diseases” and “prevention” under such a broad umbrella that it could give the government far too much power over our daily lives?

Worst of all, the proposed changes raise concerns about Department of Health officials having broad access to our children—to examine them, question them, and potentially provide medical intervention without parental knowledge or consent. 

And let’s not overlook the proposed changes in terminology, replacing words such as “woman” and “mother” with terms such as “individual” and “postpartum individual.” 

What I was reading sounded less like Pennsylvania—a seed of a nation—and more like something from a dark chapter of history that we should never forget, Nazi Germany. 

Then we began seeing measles reports splashed across the news, with particular focus on Amish and Mennonite communities. Again and again, the word unvaccinated was emphasized, almost as though the word itself carried an accusation—as though choosing not to vaccinate was somehow shameful or derelict. 

So much is going on all around us. So much evil. This is not what our Founding Fathers intended for the American experiment, and it certainly is not what the Lord intended.  

But God! In 2 Chronicles 7:14, God calls His people to Himself to humble themselves and pray and seek His face and turn from their wicked ways, and this comes with a promise…..that He will hear from heaven and our land will be healed.  

Divine timing and appointments led to these updates being released in the news media, with more and more attention being drawn to them. Intercessors For America brought the tyrannical measures to the light as well through news articles and the webcast. 

Pennsylvania State Leaders: Libby Chapman, Lori Crabtree, and I began praying with our PA intercessors on our weekly prayer call about the radical proposed changes as soon as the story broke in the media. They sought the Lord. They cried out to God to intervene. They interceded.  

Powerful prayers and intercession were lifted up. Libby, Lori, and I encouraged the intercessors to exercise their right to petition the government by making a public comment on the Department of Health website expressing their personal and Christian beliefs about the violation of their rights under these proposed changes.  

Our PA intercessors were wonderful assets in the efforts to have these measures struck down. One of our intercessors shared a link to a very informative podcast that broke down the major components of the over 500 pages of proposed changes, which helped us to better understand just what the Shapiro administration was trying to do. 

Another intercessor alerted us to the escalating focus on the Amish and Mennonite communities in connection with the measles reports. The urgency she felt in her spirit led us, as leaders, to call a PA 911 prayer call concerning both this situation and the proposed health code changes. 

We called the prayer meeting on a holiday weekend with less than 24 hours’ notice, with Betsy West graciously sending out an email blast to help spread the word. 

Nearly 100 powerful intercessors joined the call! 

Praise the Lord! 

That prayer call seemingly shook the ground beneath us. It was seismic intervention, if ever I have experienced it. 

We had anointed women of God decreeing and declaring, praying and interceding. We had men thundering from positions of godly authority, casting down the evil behind the tyrannical attempt and proclaiming it defeated. 

The prayers were bold. The intercession was fierce. And the presence of God was unmistakable. 

There was repentance. There were cries for mercy. Tears were shed as we thought of our children and the generations coming behind us, and how we desired to see them spared from such a blatant violation of their God-given freedoms.  

IFA headquarters sent out a voter voice to PA intercessors with a link to send a message to our respective legislators expressing our opposition to the proposed changes.  

Libby, Lori, and I sent out an email to the PA intercessors with a link to the Department of Health and a template (that Libby wrote) that could be used for public comment. 

As State Leaders, we regularly pray together over one another and over our fellow intercessors, asking the Lord to protect us and to pray through us. We ask the Holy Spirit to take the lead on every call so that we can hit the mark and see the answers to our prayers. 

I am truly grateful to have two anointed and appointed women of God standing with me in our three-stranded cord. Together, we seek the Lord, follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, and stand in agreement for Pennsylvania. 

Libby and Lori have been hit hard in the past several months with personal losses, deaths of loved ones. Their lives have not been easy by any definition, and yet they remain in the spiritual fight because they know the power and importance of the intercessor.  

I have also experienced loss and relational attacks. It has been extremely painful for all of us, but I know that we are over the target, and we cannot give up now. I am reminded that God works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purposes in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:28) 

For a season, I felt like my prayers were simply bouncing off the ceiling. But the Lord lovingly showed me, through our study of Derek Prince’s book Secrets of a Prayer Warrior, that we must believe and claim God’s promises, forgive those who have trespassed against us, no matter how egregious the offense, and maintain a heart of gratitude. 

It was as though something broke off of me. And wow—have my prayer times been lit up ever since! 

Then the Lord took me to 2 Kings 6:15–17, and I felt led to share it with our intercessors on the mid-term prayer call Thursday morning. I wanted to encourage us with the reminder that there are more with us than against us. I asked the Lord to open all of our eyes, just as Elisha prayed for his servant, so that we might see the help the Lord is sending and has already sent to help us. 

We, as leaders, and even some of our intercessors, have experienced spiritual attacks, the loss of loved ones, discouragement, delays, exhaustion, and disappointment. But we pressed on. We pressed into the Lord, took action, stood up, and spoke out. 

We refused to give up, because we know that we are not standing alone. 

Then this past Friday came, and what a turnaround! 

We heard from our legislative champions, Representative Borowicz and Senator Mastriano, that the proposed changes had been withdrawn after thousands of Pennsylvanians prayed, interceded, and made their voices heard through public comments. In addition, 85 members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives joined together in opposition to the proposed regulations. 

Reports from the Department of Health indicate that more than 10,000 public comments were submitted—an extraordinary response when proposed regulations typically receive only a handful of comments. 

Praise God! 

For those of us who prayed, interceded, and petitioned our government, this was a stunning moment. We witnessed the power of people making their voices heard and exercising their right to participate in the regulatory process. 

But we cannot stop. 

The Pennsylvania Department of Health has indicated that it intends to revise the proposal and resubmit it at a later date after considering the feedback it received. 

So we will continue to storm the gates of heaven with prayer and intercession, while also exercising our constitutional right to peacefully petition our government. 

This battle may have taken a turn, but we must remain vigilant. We must continue to pray, continue to speak, continue to stand, and continue to watch. 

Lori Crabtree said, “We must, as intercessors and parents/ grandparents, be vigilant and know what our state governmental leaders are trying to pass or push forward. We, at IFA, have the power and authority to pray against evil plans -but we must remain steadfast that any rewrites or further plans fall to the ground and remain null and void. We stand in agreement that our children and families remain free from any tentacle trying to steal our freedoms.”

Libby Chapman also added, “We have been faithful to declare and stand in truth over our commonwealth that we are the seed of a nation. We will not fail as we rely on the Holy Spirit in fulfillment of the holy experiment. We will remain focused on the fruit as we wait for God’s timing to bring His will for righteous, just and wise legislators to occupy the seats of our government.” 

The governor’s race and many other elections in Pennsylvania and across this nation are approaching quickly. We are praying for a move of God in our beloved state and nation, that hearts would turn back to Him. 

I thank God for every intercessor who engaged, stood firm, and refused to back down. This victory has been such an encouragement to me, and I trust it has encouraged all of us as well. 

I am also deeply grateful to be a part of Intercessors for America (IFA), whose example has inspired us to stay in the fight, and for their continued support, encouragement, and excellence. 

May we continue to pray, stand, and faithfully intercede for our state and our nation. 

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Gal. 6:9) 

Lord, we thank You! We praise You! We give You all the glory! We cannot thank You enough for Your mercies and grace! We bless Your holy and matchless name! You are so faithful, God! You are so generous and rich in kindness and love! Your people cried out to You, and You heard and answered! Thank You for this victory in the battle for our freedoms. Please let Your candidates win in every election across this land. Please wake up Your church so that they will engage the culture and vote from a Biblical worldview in every election. Please defeat every attempted tyrannical measure and get Your people activated to do their part.  Lord, may we see Your hand at work and trust You even when we can’t, but please, Lord, give us the eyes to see even just a glimpse. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

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April Walker loves God and seeks to serve Him in all she does. She is a proud mom of a 20-year old son, a PA State Co-leader for IFA, a former School Board Director, an organizer for NDOP and ASHP events, a GOP Committee member for Carbon County, an Occupational Therapist, and a vocalist. She feels that writing for and working with IFA brings all her passions together.