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Gatekeepers Gather to Pray at Gettysburg
“I have statistical evidence God is on the move!” encouraged Dave Kubal, IFA President, to over 80 intercessors, pastors, business owners and government leaders at a recent Gatekeepers gathering in Gettysburg, PA. A Friday evening dinner set the tone for a Saturday bus tour of the widespread Gettysburg Battlefield.
Gettysburg is a town synonymous with death, so it’s no surprise that necromancy and occult activity are in abundance there. But intercessors came energized and confident, sensing that America is in a pivotal “time such as this” moment. PA State Prayer Leaders Bill & Betsy West brought forth Joshua 1:9 as the theme of “Strong and Courageous” for the event. As the strong and courageous at the Battle of Gettysburg were remembered, Betsy decreed, “We are all strong and courageous. God will speak to you in your own language. God has a purpose for you.” Bill directed intercessors to unlock and activate God’s blessings over the land.
Honorably Retired Colonel, Historian, and PA State Senator Doug Mastriano and his wife Rebecca (Rebbie) led an exceptional and unique tour. As they described Civil War details, the providential hand of God interwoven between them was on full display. The Mastrianos also revealed hidden, unsung heroes of the war and battle strategies. Intercessors declared Scripture and prayed at each stop.
The events shared at each site presented the parallels between earthly war tactics and spiritual war tactics. As the Sons of Issachar knew the times and understood the environment, we must do the same. Christians need to spiritually “get our dander up,” as they said in the 19th century. Victory will not come from a defensive, reactionary position. It will take a proactive, offensive position to win.
In war, occupying key terrain, often the high ground, is critical. “The one who commands the high ground commands the battle,” Senator Mastriano reminded the intercessors. Unity, wisdom, and discernment are all necessary to occupy the high ground; pray those attributes over America and its leaders. Pray for disunity and confusion in the enemy’s camp, for them to be flanked. Declare that Christ and His saints would hold all key terrain and areas of influence, including education, culture, business, government, media, and family. Look to the places where we see the enemy attacking and take back that territory. Pray obedience over Christians—that they will be where they are called to be, when they are called to be there. Declare that the providence of God would be seen.
At a battle site on a hill, a stone monument stands in the shape of a half-dead oak tree. It marks where a temporary yet miraculous ceasefire occurred, all for the sake of saving three baby robins. It is a beautiful reminder of the truth in Matthew 10:29, that not even a sparrow will fall to the ground outside of our Father’s care. God also used other unlikely means to protect life- a pitbull of a woman named Sallie Ann Jarret. Though Sallie Ann was wounded and exhausted, for 3 days she stayed behind to protect the dead and wounded men of her regiment from being eaten alive by pigs. Even through scenes of death and war, the sanctity of life prevailed! Decree that there will be life and that it will be protected and preserved, even where destruction and death abound. Pray that God would continue to use unlikely and unsuspecting means to protect life today. Pray the fruit of the Spirit over America.
The Mastrianos shared stories of innocent civilians suddenly caught in the middle of battle; the evidence of war remains in bullet-battered homes and memorials to pregnant women. Poor wartime decisions rooted in politics and disobedience were made — much like today, lives were destroyed because of it. The testimony of the heartbreak of those considered “collateral damage” still ripples through generations. Declare Psalm 22:27-28, that kingship belongs to the Lord and that He rules over the nations. Pray that the unrepentant wicked would be unseated and that there would be a raising up of Davids. Pray for the shielding of innocent lives from physical and spiritual wars. Lift up women and their voices. Decree that the enemy cannot have our marriages or our families.
“Who commands these men?” The question was yelled over the blaring gunshots and terrible sounds of battle. The voice came from 25-year-old Lt Colonel Rufus Dawes (whose great-grandfather had been a crucial part of the infamous midnight ride alerting minutemen that the British were coming.) Incredibly, the fighting somehow stopped at the question. The order was then given to surrender and blood was spared. Throughout the battles, blood was shed from disobedience and spared through obedience. Obedience makes room for God to show up. Pray for Christians to be emboldened and encouraged as we remember who commands us. Pray that we will be in the right battles at the right times. Pray for leadership that brings order to chaos. Pray confusion over the camp of the enemy.
Rebbie Mastriano spoke about how the eyes of the world watched Gettysburg. They watched because they knew the outcome of those battles would change the world. The same is true today. The eyes of the world again watch America because they know the outcome of these battles we fight will change the world. Our commanding officer has instructed us to intercede for those in authority, to pray without ceasing. Let us firmly hold the line in our intercession and let us hold it to the last!
Mastriano’s motto of the tour was an encouraging, yet sobering reminder of the significance of our choices: “What you do in life matters! It echoes across generations…and into eternity.”
What is your response to this call to intercession and action?
Megan Estrem is a Christian Life Coach, writer and Founder of Honeycomb Garden, a women’s ministry providing prayer, Bible teaching, life-coaching and encouraging publications. She holds an MBA and previously founded Be the Light, a non-profit which provided education and support services related to human trafficking. Currently, she is thoroughly enjoying a season of homeschooling her 3 children.
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Comments
I have been praying aloud the Holy Spirit voice of this article! Your intercessors are alive! Thank you for the fiery ignition of our spirits. The battle is not ours, but the Lord’s! Stand firm in obedience to our calling and in the confidence our Lord is mighty to save now as He did then. We kneel to you Father. Your will be done. I’m Jesus mighty power and blood, Amen.
Earlier this morning, as I was biking and singing to the Lord, “love is a battlefield” ran through my mind. It is.
Love the Lord, all His faithful ones. The Lord protects the loyal, but fully repays the arrogant.
Psalm 31:23
Dear Lord and Eternal God, thank You for Your love. We are told it does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres! You gave us a spirit NOT of fear but of power and love and self-control. Turn, Lord! Rescue us; save us because of Your faithful love. I praise You Lord, for You have wonderfully shown Your faithful love to us, a (nation) under siege. May Your faithful love rest on us, Yahweh, for we put our hope in You. May countless that You love and You rebuke and discipline, be committed and repent. I remember Your faithful who quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength after being weak, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight. Raise up this spirit in all of us, Your people and arm us for this battle. I ask this not only for America but for all the nations under siege. I pray to You the Holy One of Israel, America and all nations, to bless us according to Your Word. I am praying this and so much more, in the VICTORIOUS Name of Jesus Christ. Amen
1 Corinthians 13, 2 Timothy 1:7, Psalm 6:4, Psalm 31:21, Psalm 33:22, Revelation 3:19, Hebrews 11:24
We were privileged to visit Gettysburg when we lived in VA. It was sobering, inspiring, heart-breaking – a number of emotions. We prayed as we walked through, knowing that blood-guilt can bring curses upon the land. So we’re thankful to know there was laser-directed repentance, intercession and prayer to break those curses and bring blessing in their place. The movie, “Gettysburg” has a statement from Col. Chamberlain at the Battle of Little Round Top that has become part of my battle strategy against the enemy – in my own words – “We’re out of ammunition, we can’t survive another attack, we can’t retreat, so we’ll fix bayonets and charge!” May we be strong and courageous in the battles we face, because we are never without hope! Watch the segment here: https://youtu.be/KBowND4qACI?si=pJgrQI2UcWG9s4GF
Yes Lord God
Open our eyes. Fill us with the courage to carry out your will.
I ask in Jedus’ name
Amen
Great article !!!! we must prevail….. let us firmly hold the line in our intercession, and let us hold it to the last.!!!
It is very moving to be reminded about the tragedy, and the ultimate triumph of this terrible battle. How easily even good men are deceived into fighting for the wrong side.
O Lord, have mercy on the blindness of our feeble frames! Open our eyes, as citizens of a blessed land, to recognize and honor the hand of god throughout our history.
My wife’s Great Grandfather was a Union Soldier in the Civil War. He fought in every battle of the Potomac Theater (including Gettysburg), and was captured at Petersburg. There are 7,000 bodies in the mass graves behind the prison in Salisbury, NC where he was taken. Less than 100 men survived that prison.
The sacrifice those POWs made is shown in this photograph:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War_prison_camps
The Civil War foot soldier is depicted quite well by this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaZ53Vv8-Jk
The farm her Great Grandfather bought is still being run by his descendants….