Recently, I was in prayer, when the Lord redirected my attention. I’d been praying over some requests I had received earlier in the month. But amid those prayers, I felt powerfully led of the Spirit to begin interceding for our nation’s military — for the Air Force, the Navy, the Marines, the Army, and the Coast Guard, all specifically and by name. I yielded to the Spirit, not fully knowing the why, but being obedient to the what. I then sensed the Lord say: “This is a call to arms.”

Have you taken your place on the wall?

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In the weeks that followed, I began praying over this word, seeking God for clarification, and even for confirmation. The term a call to arms refers, in military terms, to an official order to report for active duty. A more general meaning is to prepare for a confrontation. This can mean fighting directly against some enemy or encouraging others to take assertive action on something. In any sense, this call points to action that is either defensive, offensive, or both. I don’t fully understand everything, but two things are clear to me: This is a call for the Body of Christ to be prepared, and it’s also a call for us to take a definite stand. 

While in church one Sunday evening, I still couldn’t shake that word the Lord had spoken to me. After some time of worship, a pastor I’d never before seen or met took the pulpit. In his hand he held a shofar — a ram’s-horn trumpet used in certain Jewish religious ceremonies — and he began to explain the significance of the instrument. It would take too long to describe every purpose he described, but two things caught my attention. First, the shofar was used to call the people to repentance, and I felt this was significant, as Rosh Hashanah — the Jewish New Year — has begun. These are also called days of awe. It is a time of deep self-examination and repentance. And second, the shofar was meant to sound the alarm (see Ezekiel 33:3); it was a battle cry to rally the people. 

Then, the pastor blew that shofar three times — with some short blasts and some long. After the final blast, he urged the congregation to begin worshiping and to shout out as loud as they could. I can’t fully describe what I felt at that moment. But it was virtually tangible.

Let’s Be Prepared

Let me say that this word is not intended to instill fear in anyone. This is a word of caution. When the unexpected does happen, people who don’t know Jesus will panic and act out of fear. Take 2020 for example — during the COVID-19 epidemic, certain foods became scarce, as did cleaning supplies and toilet paper. Now, some hear words like prepare and instantly go back into this fear pattern. I’m not suggesting that there’s anything wrong with preparation. It was the Lord who gave Joseph the wisdom to interpret Pharoah’s dream so that preparations could be made for a coming time of great famine (see Genesis 41:1–36). Being prepared physically is good, but in my heart I was thinking: What good is storing up anything and everything if we are not prepared to stand before the Lord? Whether you adhere to the Jewish festivals or not is between you and God, but I believe that repentance is necessary in the life of every believer. Let’s prepare our hearts for that and make room for the Lord. 

You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect (Luke 12:40).

Let’s Be Bold

The wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as lions (Proverbs 28:1 NLT).

When I heard that “call to arms” and began interceding for the military, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. We are aware that there is a new virus out there. Will certain interests try to use that virus against us, as they’ve done before with previous ones? Or will it be something else arising? No one knows exactly, but one thing is certain: We as the Church need to stand. The word ekklesia is used in the New Testament 116 times. It refers to the called-out gathering or assembly of God’s people. I believe the Church is being called now to come out of hiding and to come up higher. 

Let’s Be Armed 

You have armed me with strength for the battle; you have subdued my enemies under my feet (Psalm 18:39 NLT).

Spiritual warfare is a reality for every Christian. The minute we surrender our lives to Jesus, we become a target of dark forces, and we have an Adversary who seeks, like a roaring lion, to devour us. This is no reason to fear, however, because the Lord has not abandoned us. And we have been equipped for battle with supernatural weapons of warfare (see 2 Corinthians 10:3; Ephesians 6:11–17).

We have the sword of the Spirit, the word of God (see Ephesians 6:17). That word is living and active (see Hebrews 4:12), and it’s so powerful that our Lord Jesus was able to come back against every one of Satan’s lies and temptations with “It is written” (see Matthew 4:1–10). 

Our Praise and Worship Are a Weapon

The name Judah means “praise,” and, significantly, the tribe of Judah always went into battle first, before the other tribes. After Paul and Silas had been severely beaten and jailed, they began singing praises to God at midnight — and the result was a great physical shaking of the earth that loosed their chains and those of the other inmates (see Acts 16:25–40). And when a huge army was coming toward the people of Judah and Jerusalem, King Jehoshaphat cried out to the Lord and appointed singers on the frontlines to worship the Lord. Miraculously, the enemies of God and His people began turning their weapons against each other (see 2 Chronicles 20:1–24). In just that way, praise and worship will help us take our eyes off our troubling circumstances and fix them instead where they belong: on Christ. Whatever you may face, it’s always best to have your eyes fixed on Almighty God. 

Our Holy Shouts Are a Weapon

The Israelites were commanded to take Jericho, and after their seventh time marching around its walls, they blew trumpets and shouted praise — and the result was that those towering, massive, fortified walls came crashing down (see Joshua 6:4–20). Gideon’s victory, too, came about after a mighty shout: The trumpets were sounded, the people raised a mighty shout as their battle cry, and the Lord brought victory against a numerous host through a mere 300 men (see Judges 7:15–20). In each case, the shouts of God’s people to the Lord produced fear and panic in the enemy camp. 

Our Fervent Prayers Are a Weapon 

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people (Ephesians 6:18 NIV).

I don’t have to remind anyone reading this of the mighty power of prayer. We only need to read the Bible and see how the heroes of faith, named and unnamed, were people who prayed. Perhaps you can recall in your own life many ways God has graciously answered your prayers. Even in our nation’s history, consider all the times God intervened supernaturally due to intercession. Whenever you are faced with the choice to fear and worry or to trust and obey, use that as an opportunity to pray. And don’t just stop there; if you are so led of the Lord, you should also fast. Praying is great, but fasting combined with prayer is even greater.  I believe it’s time to pray bigger and bolder prayers. Is there anything too hard for God? Didn’t Jesus say that with God all things are possible? 

The Blessed Name of Jesus Is a Weapon

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9–11).

There is no greater name than Jesus — that holy name irritates demons and causes them to tremble. Yet, after all authority in heaven and on earth was given to Jesus, He delegated that authority to us as the Church. He said that in His name, we could cast out demons, speak with new tongues, remain unharmed by any deadly poison, and lay healing hands upon the sick and see them recover (see Mark 16:17–18). He also said that whenever we pray, we should ask for everything in His name (John 14:13). So, “in Jesus’ name” should never be something we merely slap onto the end of our prayers. Let’s recognize the ultimate power and authority behind His name whenever we pray. 

Let’s Be the Church!

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:19–20 NIV).

The Great Commission is something we know by heart. The early Church focused on this one task: to go and make disciples. We’ve wandered somewhat from this, but it’s time to come back. It’s time for Christians to quit thinking they need some sort of official title to do the work of God. Some people do have a title, like pastors who are called to a specific task for a specific purpose. But that does not, and should not, diminish what all the rest of us can do for God. You have been called and have a purpose too. The Church was never meant to remain comfortably within its four walls. We have always been called to serve others. That’s why God has given us various gifts. If you recognize a spiritual need anywhere, perhaps the Lord is calling you to do something about that need. You don’t have to hold the “office” of an “evangelist” to tell someone about Jesus, because we are all called to share the truth of Jesus with others.

All this is quite simple, actually. Revelation 12:11 recounts that the persecuted saints overcame Satan by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. You’ve got a testimony — so begin by sharing what God has done for you. Once you’ve begun building that relationship, your hearers may be more open to receiving whatever you share. From there, you can extend an invitation for them to come to know the Lord Jesus for themselves. If they say no, don’t fret. The seed has been planted. God is more than able to have someone else come along and water that seed. So, really, soul winning should never go out of season.

It’s time for the Church to be the Church again. Let’s begin.

(We believe this word was confirmed by IFA Louisiana state prayer leader Lisa Townsend, who wrote us this week:)

Holy Spirit is speaking verses to me this morning.

  Three words stand out in my spirit.

     First- Repent

     Second- Shout

     Third – Prepare

Father, we humble ourselves before You, repenting of the sins of our leaders, forefathers, and current generations. Have mercy on us, O God!

We shout to the mountains, “Be laid low!” We enforce the word of the Lord and release angels to assist in bringing down every mountain that would stand in the way of the Lord’s covenant will for our states and national government this day.

We prepare ourselves with holy consecration unto You, O God. We now consecrate the three branches of government back to you. Do signs and wonders, O God! Our eyes are on You! Quicken our hearts and ears to hear and see, and then to be quick to obey at Your word. In Jesus’ mighty name!

What about you? What is God speaking to you? Does this article resonate with you? Please share!

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: Josh Eckstein on Unsplash.