We recently met with a small group of intercessors from across the nation to pray for the ministry and vision of IFA in 2020. We sought the Lord on behalf of the staff and board members and waited on the Lord for insight and strategic prayer as we prepare for this next presidential election.

In years past, we have focused mostly on bringing our requests before the Lord and petitioning Him for greater wisdom and understanding. With our conviction about repentance and not coming in presumption, we have normally approached these times in a posture of listening and waiting. This year, however, was different.

View Comments (14)

As soon as we entered into a time of extended prayer, I heard the Lord say, “It’s time to prophesy!” In the context of what we had been learning, I knew this was not a call to foretell or predict the future, but to tell forth the purposes of God. It was a call to raise our voices with absolute confidence in His Word and call forth His intentions to be manifest in our nation. The ministry leadership had already been in prayer about this next year and the vision had already been laid out. He was now asking us to step out in faith and simply AGREE with what He already told us to do.

This is the heart and function of the prophetic – to speak the word of the Lord with confidence and assurance of His intervention.

[S]o shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11 ESV)

Though our petitions and prayers can reflect humility of heart and our surrender in following the Lords directives, our prophetic proclamations give voice to what God has already spoken. We are not telling God what to do. We are simply agreeing with what He has already said.

This year is a time to move from petition to proclamation! There are directives He has already given and purposes He has already established. Heaven is waiting for those words of the Lord to be proclaimed by the saints so the angelic host can respond and deal with the battles in the second heaven where the enemy works.

We must know what He has spoken, but also come into agreement with one another and with those that He has placed in positions of authority in order for those proclamations to be effective. National proclamations must come from agreement in the body of Christ if they are to enforce God’s purposes on the earth. It is our oneness of heart and mind that will draw heaven to earth and create that place for God’s purposes to be MANIFEST and known.

Though we should never stop listening and waiting on the Lord, we can rest in the power of His Word to accomplish the purpose for which He sent it. We know the issues at hand. We know the urgency of the hour. We also know there are many who are yet in darkness, unaware of the enemy’s schemes. Our declarations of the Lord’s supremacy over the adversary have greater influence and authority than the devil’s lies.

You don’t have to try to be confident or authoritative. Spending time in His presence and in His Word will establish your faith and the fruit of that time will be a bold witness. Let’s pray for one another as we corporately declare His Kingdom rule in the land and prophesy to the mountains before us. They will have no recourse but to bow to the King.

Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel’s way; it will become a level plain before him! And when Zerubbabel sets the final stone of the Temple in place, the people will shout: “May God bless it! May God bless it!” (Zechariah 4:7 NLT)

_____________

Below are five proclamations the IFA intercessors felt the Lord was giving us. These declarations coincide with the 5-point vision the Lord has given this ministry for the next year. Use these points as launching pads for further insight, prayer, and unified faith:

1. WE ARE ONE IN CHRIST. To overcome the spirit of tribalism and division, we declare our unity is in Christ. So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:26-29)
2. WE ARE ONE NATION UNDER GOD. As we pray “on-site with insight” we take hold of God’s promise to restore our land and transform our nation. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance. (Psalm 33:12)
3. WE HAVE BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GOVERN JUSTLY. As God removes the ungodly from positions of power, we call forth new leadership with the favor of God and the fear of the Lord. I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. (Isaiah 22:22)
4. WE ARE CALLED TO BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER. We determine to pray for our leaders and demonstrate unity within the house of God. [T]hese I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations. (Isaiah 56:7)
5. WE PLACE OUR TRUST IN GOD ALONE.  We do not trust in mammon or seek earthly riches, but look to the Lord for all that we need. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love. (Psalm 33:17-18)