Intercessors for America State Groups are seeing big wins. God gets all the glory for every victory, but we are equally humbled and thankful for your prayers. Every person who partners with us, whether through webcasts, phone calls, or with your local state group, is an intricate part of the team. Your prayers are making a difference. Let this praise from Iowa encourage you to keep interceding; God promises us in His Word that in due season, we will reap a harvest. 

Who is praying on the wall?

View Comments (36)

So let us not become tired of doing good, for if we do not give up, the time will come when we will reap the harvest (Galatians 6:9 GNT).

On Thursday, February 27, 2025, Iowa became the first U.S. state to remove transgender protections from its Civil Rights Acts. This massive win did not happen overnight. In 2007, when the Democrats were in control of the House and Senate, “gender identity” was added to the civil rights code. Although Iowa passed laws in 2023 to prevent men from using women’s bathrooms and locker rooms and prohibiting transgender surgeries for minors, gender identity protections made it challenging to enforce. These laws were constantly challenged, and lawsuits were filed for violating transgender rights. 

Iowa Representative Steve Holt spearheaded this legislation. He had it in his heart to sponsor this bill, along with the cooperation of others. He knew that to see the laws enforced, the Civil Rights Act must first be corrected. Although five House Republicans joined the House Democrats in voting against the bill, the Iowa House and Senate passed it and sent it to Governor Reynolds. Through persistent intercession and partnership, a seventeen-year-old law was ended. Thank you, Jesus, for this win!

I spoke with IFA Iowa State Leader Tom McGovern and asked how intercession paved the way for this victory. Tom, who moved to Des Moines, Iowa, four years ago, shared that “Iowa has prayer groups that have been meeting at the state capitol every Tuesday at noon for 33 years.”  Isn’t that amazing? This is a testimony to the power of fervent prayer.

Praying for Protestors

Social media was flooded with imagery of angry protestors who opposed the bill. At least 2,500 stormed the Iowa State Capitol on February 27, 2025, to protest during the Congressional House and Senate hearings. Tom, who was present to intercede during the protests, had this to say.

“There was lots of chaos and confusion,” he said. “We had intercessors navigating the rotunda quietly praying in the midst of the vulgarity, chanting, and violence. We went through the crowd. Several prayer groups were present. One group of men silently prayed in the midst of the crowds when a woman came up and began to scream obscenities in his ear. They continued in prayer, not reacting to her nor retaliating, and she eventually left.” 

“It gives you a deeper appreciation when you think about Jesus. He suffered so much persecution, mockery, and humiliation on the Via Dolorosa, the way to the cross. What we experience cannot be compared with what Jesus endured for us,” Tom said. 

As Tom walked through the crowds of protestors, calmly interceding to avoid altercations, he said, “I silently prayed and worshipped, singing ‘This is how I fight my battles.’ This popular worship song’s lyrics say, “It may look like I’m surrounded, but I’m surrounded by You.”  During prayer, he was overcome by the heart of the Father. “I was praying for the protestors and felt so sorry for them. I was feeling what God feels. They are so confused and desperate for Father’s love. They don’t realize it yet, so they turn to this community, looking for that sense of belonging. Despite how it looks, I believe God will take what the enemy meant for evil and turn it for good.” 

 Hope For A Future

Tom is very encouraged by the growing number of intercessors and lawmakers coming together. 

“While praying in the Rotunda, I saw a man running for the 1st Congressional District. He asked us to pray for him. He bravely handed out cards and pamphlets to the protestors, and they received them. I believe these guys will be some of the greatest evangelists ever seen.”

When I asked how prayer shapes the government, he was very encouraged. Tom said, “We love to pray scriptures and pray as the Holy Spirit leads us. A number of legislators attend our weekly prayer gatherings. On Tuesday, eight legislators were present, and we met in the Treasurer’s Office to meet for prayer. It has been such a blessing. We come together and pray for and over our legislators. They desperately need it, and they know they do. They understand that prayer gets them over the top.” 

“Our prayer meetings are growing. More and more legislators and intercessors are attending. When we gathered to pray for the protestors, I sensed the Holy Spirit say, “It’s an awakening, a joining of intercessors and legislators praying together. We can no longer sit on the sidelines. People are beginning to take ownership and authority against all the silliness in this nation.” 

I pray that you are stirred reading this. Your prayers for your leaders and legislators make a difference, even if you can’t see it immediately. In Luke 18:1- 6, Jesus tells his disciples a parable about a widow who demanded justice. The story is not about the unjust judge, who is NOT god. It’s about a persistent widow who kept going and would not give up. This is the tenacity of intercessors. Our faith tells us God can and will, and we will keep asking, seeking, and knocking until the door is opened. This praise report from Iowa is a perfect example. However, the battle is not over just yet.

Tom shared, “We expect to be challenged by the ACLU, but we believe our grounds are solid enough. Twenty-eight other states have gender identity as a protective class in their civil rights act. We pray that Iowa’s victory will also pave the way for other states.”

Here’s how you can pray for Iowa right now.

• Pray for this bill to be protected from coming lawsuits. 
• Pray it becomes a model serving other states in our nation with similar “gender identity” protections. 
• Pray for unity in our government. Although the bill passed, 5 Republicans voted against the gender identity bill. 
• Pray for favor as more bills need prayer and action.

These priority bills are already through the funnel.

• Age verification for porn websites (SF207)
• Prenatal development education (SF175 & HF391)
• Medical right of conscience (HSB139 & SF220)
• Religious liberty protection for foster parents (SF236)
• Abortion drug reversal informed consent (HSB186)
• Homeschool tax credit increase (HF88)

These bills need to pass out of committee this week to survive.

• School release time for religious instruction (HSB218 & SF280)
• District Court Judicial Nominating Commission reform (SF407)
• School chaplain authorization (HF334)
• Obscene performance prohibition (SF116 & HSB158)

Father,

We thank you for this victory in Iowa. We pray it will be upheld and protected, thwarting every plan to undo what has been done. We pray that the twenty-eight other states with similar laws will be encouraged to act. We also ask for favor over the upcoming bills, many of which seek to protect children. We thank you for the partnership of legislators and intercessors and the open doors. Thank you that our state capitols have allowed for a time of prayer. We pray that as more state capitols open to intercessors, they will become houses of prayer. In Jesus name, amen. 

Were you encouraged by Iowa’s win? Share in the comments.

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: Phil Roeder from Des Moines, IA, USA – Fowl Scene at the Iowa Capitol, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=99598415.