These are tense times with “wars and rumors of wars.” God moved mightily during another season in our history much like this one. This true answered prayer story is excerpted from the upcoming IFA book, Inspired Stories: 50 Years of Answered Prayer, which you can pre-order here. We pray that this builds Your faith that God has stopped evil plans in response to the prayers of His people, and He can do it again. 

In the years and months leading to July 4, 1976, Americans were planning a joyous celebration of the nation’s bicentennial. At the same time, terrorist groups were planning to exploit the opportunity for purposes of their own. These terrorists were well organized and well armed, and their intentions were clear: to bomb, to burn, to destroy, and above all to disrupt the July 4 bicentennial celebrations, the Democratic Convention in New York City (July 12–15, 1976), and the Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada (July 17–Aug. 1, 1976).

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Dr. William Kintner, a University of Pennsylvania political science professor, testified before Congress on June 18, 1976, in hopes that making these serious terrorist threats public would deter the terrorists from acting. Kintner told Congress: “… [T]here is reason to be concerned that the terrorist elements in our society will find the bicentennial an irresistible attraction — not only because the eyes of the world will be focused on the bicentennial festivities, but also because they regard the celebration itself with consuming hostility, since it stands for everything they are opposed to: freedom.”

Extremist groups that hate this country and what it stands for, Kintner said, “have been talking in terms of disrupting, or spoiling, the bicentennial.” He gave examples of radical rhetoric that implied and could thus incite violence: “A leader of the Puerto Rican Socialist Party has talked about ‘turning the bicentennial upside down.’ A leader of the American Indian Movement told a Chicago conference in February of this year: ‘When they light the candles on the 200th birthday cake, we will be there to blow them out.’ The terrorist Weather Underground has talked about ‘bringing the fireworks,’ and this slogan has been repeated by some of those in charge of a planned mass demonstration in Philadelphia.”

Radical domestic groups and communist leaders were identified as among those giving rise to the terror threat during the summer of 1976. This coalition of Marxist-Leninist terrorists also included the Native American Solidarity Committee, the Communist Party U.S.A., and many others. 

But God raised up His standard, and Satan’s plans were stopped cold. All three events went ahead, free from any terrorist interference. Prayer was the key here, and so the warfare that did take place was all in the spiritual realm. One example was Joy Dawson’s prayer of intercession at a conference in Pittsburgh. As this leader of the Youth With A Mission ministry team began praying, thousands joined her in taking authority over the unseen forces in the heavenlies. Here are excerpts from that powerful prayer:

“… [C]lothed in the armor of God now, we come to address Satan, principalities, and demon powers, and we come to tell you, God the Holy Ghost has disclosed your plans for riots on July 4 in Philadelphia and on into Montreal. … You will not win, and we come to do aggressive warfare against you in the name of the Lord Jesus and in the power of the Holy Ghost.

“Tonight, I come and address the particular principalities that Satan has allotted to be loosed on July 4. The Holy Ghost has named them to me. They are the principality of lawlessness, the principality of anarchy, and the principality of rebellion — and I tell you right now, you will not do anything to discredit the work of the Living God. I bind you right now. I resist you right now. I command you three principalities, in the mighty name of the Lord Jesus, to cease all plans right now. I command confusion in the committees of hell tonight, through Jesus Christ. You will not work, you will not thwart the will of God, because it is written in the word of God: I will work, says the Living God. …

“And we now say to You, O God, as we take our place, having turned from the powers of darkness — we say thanks be unto God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, for we are more than conquerors through Him who washed us in His own precious blood. We praise You now in faith. King God, we worship You and praise You tonight for the sheer privilege of being on the winning side. We worship You because You’re the mighty conquering king, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the wonderful Lord Jesus Christ. And we tell you tonight that it is a privilege to obey You. We will say ‘Yes, Sir!’ to anything You ask us to do, and we thank You that Your truth is marching on, because You are marching on. Hallelujah!”

Let’s intercede with great faith about the terrorist threats we may face today. Please share this encouraging story with a friend. 

(Excerpt from the upcoming IFA book, Inspired Stories: 50 Years of Answered Prayer, which you can pre-order here. Photo Credit: VisionsofAmerica/Joe Sohm/Getty Images)