I saw a social media meme that about summed it up for me:

“I don’t get involved much in politics, but I’m pretty sure that if President Trump saved a drowning child, the Democrats would say he was depriving sharks of food.”

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Not much exaggerated, I fear.

Have you taken your place on the wall?

Hatred of the President has so infused his opponents that even classically liberal Bill Maher has chastised Democrats for their Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS). This phenomenon — an obsession with opposing anything associated with President Trump — has even spurred a congressional attempt to research it.

When I look at the speech and behavior of those afflicted with TDS, I see overgrown children who look like they have the psychiatric diagnosis of Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), symptoms include angry/irritable moods, vindictiveness, and argumentative/defiant behavior — especially against authority figures.

But psychiatric diagnoses fail to hit at the spiritual root of the hatred spurring TDS.

For this, we need to turn from the DSM to the Bible.

TDS has driven many, including believers, to align with evil.

That is very dangerous to their souls.

I, like many, was horrified to find liberals — and some I had thought were Christian — rejoicing when conservative Christian Charlie Kirk was assassinated.

Millions cheer on the radical leftists who trash our cities, harass and seek to kill our police and federal immigration officers, and protest the arrest of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro, whose capture previous presidents supported regardless of political party. Shadowy deep-pocket entities exploit TDS to spread anarchy on American streets.

TDS caused many Christians to vote for what the Lord told me was the party of Death just to avoid supporting President Trump. Instead, they voted to continue to murder the most innocent in the womb.

TDS just may affect the mid-term elections.

The midterm elections usually constitute a referendum on the sitting President and his party. This year, any serious dissatisfaction — any big effect of TDS — could cost President Trump any semblance of cooperation from Congress.

In fact, a flip of a Florida State House seat in the very heart of Mar-a-Lago land is a sobering reminder of the stakes.

A national blue-wash could retard the aspects of the President’s agenda that align with the Lord’s desires for America.

Worse, TDS could derail or distract from May 17’s rededication of the nation to the Lord.

President Trump has confirmed America’s Christian roots and destiny with his proclamation that 2026 would be a “Year of Celebration and Rededication.”  He confirmed that America was established by God for His purposes.

In addition, the President has announced plans to rededicate America to the Lord on May 17, 2026, on the National Mall. The spiritual importance of this public event is beyond measure. A similar event in Uganda in the late 1990s launched spiritual, economic, and governmental renewal in the beleaguered African nation.

No wonder President Trump has been so opposed. His enemies are more than just human.

The gates of hell are warring against him.

To defend and advance the Lord’s purposes through President Trump, we need to wage war with much more than social media memes.

Blessedly, those weapons are much more effective and lethal to the enemy than any digital set of pixels ever could be.

To defeat TDS, pray Isaiah 9.

When I asked the Lord how to pray for those who hate President Trump, the Lord led me to Isaiah 9:2.

The people who walked in darkness
Have seen a great light;
Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,
Upon them a light has shined.

This passage of Scripture is part of the lovely foretelling of the reign of Jesus Christ. Verses 6 and 7 are quite familiar to most believers.

For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of His government and peace

There will be no end,

Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,

To order it and establish it with judgment and justice

From that time forward, even forever.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

To be clear: President Trump is not the great light, nor is he always advancing the Lord’s Kingdom!

Nonetheless, the Lord is calling us to pray that people currently shrouded in darkness about the Lord’s purposes through President Trump see the Lord’s light in those presidential actions that are prompted by the Lord.

And certainly anyone who has cast a vote for an abortionist just to avoid voting for President Trump is walking in death and needs to be brought out of it.

IFA intercessors are well acquainted with praying Scripture over governmental persons and situations.

For those who are looking for additional guidance, however, I am including a suggested approach to this assignment. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you which elements below — if any — you might include in your prayer.

Repent.

If you are like me, you may have spoken or thought evil about the TDS-afflicted ones. But that does not please God.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse (Romans 12:14).

With [the tongue] we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so (James 1:9-10).

Forgive.

As Christ did on the Cross, we must forgive those who also harm through word or action. We must especially forgive those who are harming the President and any part of his work that advances the Lord’s Kingdom purposes.

And forgive us our debts,

As we forgive our debtors.

And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses (Matthew 6:12-15).

Armor up.

Going into the battle, we must be in full fighting form.

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints (Ephesians 6:13-18).

Take up our authority.

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth” (Genesis 1:26).

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:18-19).

Though our mandate to govern in the image of God was distorted by sin, it was never revoked. In Christ, we have the responsibility of governing in His Spirit.

Pray the Scripture.

The people [afflicted with TDS or unreasonable hatred of President Trump] who walked in darkness

Have [now] seen a great light [the truth and the good of the Lord’s work through President Trump];

Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death [who have allied with evil and may be suffering the consequences of those actions or who are tormented by their hatred],

Upon them a light [the light of forgiveness, grace, and salvation in Jesus Christ leading to freedom and mind change] has shined (Isaiah 9:2).

Identify the evil.

For He said to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!” Then He asked him, “What is your name?”

And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country (Mark 5:8-10).

When praying about TDS, the midterm elections, the rededication, and God’s agenda through President Trump, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the demons at work.

Please also see the excellent prayer guide, “Breaking Spells Against Trump.” The Prayer Guides “Warring Against Witchcraft” and “15 Steps to Freedom from Witchcraft” also provide important information about this type of spiritual warfare prayer. Go to Prayer Guides and search by title above.

Evict the evil.

“And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’  Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts (Matthew 10:7-9).

And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss. Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them. Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned (Luke 8:31-33).

The Lord calls His disciples to establish His Kingdom, which includes evicting evil forces.

Recognize it is the Name and Power of Jesus Christ doing the evicting; you are merely the obedient vessel of the prayer.

As Luke 8 teaches, demons need to be sent somewhere; in the Scripture, Jesus sent them into the swine to show the people that the demons were real and that He had the power to command them. From this Scripture, we also learn that we can send demons to the abyss, which is what they truly fear.

Decree the good.

Of the increase of His [the Lord’s] government and peace

There will be no end,

Upon the throne of David [which is Christ’s] and over His kingdom,

To order it and establish it with judgment and justice

From that time forward, even forever (Isaiah 9:7).

TDS shall be defeated!

The Lord’s agenda through our President will be accomplished!

America shall be saved!

Lord, we know our President is a fallible man, but we recognize You have called him to rededicate America to You and to accomplish much for this nation and Israel. Help us do our part to defeat the spiritual forces that inspire ungodly hatred for him and for the things he is doing. Reveal and defeat the deception that is causing even believers to rejoice with evil simply to avoid endorsing actions that You have called the President to pursue. Change the minds and liberate those who are afflicted with TDS.  Enable the May 17 rededication of America to You and enable great revival in its wake. In Jesus’ Name.

How are you praying for those who hate the President?

New York City–based Joyce Swingle is an intercessor, webcast prayer leader, and contributing writer for IFA. With her husband, Rich, who is also a contributing writer for IFA, Joyce shares the gospel of Jesus Christ around the world through theater, speaking, writing, and film. Prior to going into full-time ministry, Joyce worked for many major magazines and now works in pastoral ministry and Christian counseling. www.RichDrama.com. Photo Credit: Marc Pell on Unsplash.