“A political solution can’t save America, we need a spiritual solution. We need Jesus,” Gary Frost, National Director of March for Jesus USA, told IFA.

In 2019, Frost attended a prayer conference in Colorado Springs, CO with the president of the National Day of Prayer, Kathy Branzell. Leading up to the 2020 elections, they recognized a polarization taking place in the nation. Frost noted that people, Christians included, were seeking a political solution for America’s problems. Much of the nation was already divided, but division was devastating the church as well. The March for Jesus needed to be reignited. 

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The March for Jesus began in the 1980’s in London, England, a movement birthed by local pastors. Eventually annual events took place in America as well throughout the 1990’s. Every year, during the Saturday of Pentecost weekend, an annual celebration with simultaneous marches occurred throughout these nations and even around the world.

Pray with March for Jesus National Director Gary Frost! Join Pray with Others Live on Tuesday, May 24, 2022.
Details at IFApray.org/watch.

After the year 2000, cities continued to sponsor marches, but not necessarily during Pentecost. Yet Branzell and Frost desired to re-establish the simultaneous march event and once again promote a national March for Jesus. This year the March for Jesus will be held on Saturday, June 4, 2022. IFA’s President/CEO Dave Kubal serves on the Advisory Board of the March for Jesus.

In the past few years many challenges impacted the March. In 2020, because of Covid, many churches could not obtain the marching permits needed in most municipalities. And protests in the wake of the killing of George Floyd impacted the March. In 2021, Covid was still an issue, but more than 40 cities marched for Jesus.

Why March?

“March for Jesus is a procession through the streets of a city celebrating the Lordship of Jesus Christ. It is not a protest or demonstration, it is a celebration of the Son of God,” Frost explained to IFA. He said the vision can be summed up as “a desire to see the body of Christ come together beyond denomination and ethnicity in a visible manifestation of unity and oneness in Jesus.”  Frost added, “There are numerous things of which Christians disagree, but all true Christ followers agree that Jesus Christ is Lord. Let’s meet at the place where there is no dispute and manifest we need a new awareness of Jesus Christ.”

A Strategy Straight from Scripture

LORD, We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you. (2 Chr 20:12)

This verse from 2 Chronicles inspired the heartfelt plea of March for Jesus. In that same chapter Jehoshaphat received a critical strategy that embodied the power of praise and public proclamation.

After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever.” As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. (2 Chr 20:21,22)

This passage served as a mighty motivator for Gary while he and his team prayerfully considered re-igniting March for Jesus. When King Jehosaphat was surrounded by enemies, he felt fearful. The LORD spoke to him through a prophetic word declaring the victory. As a result Jehoshaphat didn’t send the army into battle first, he sent the praise team to lead the way. As they praised and sang to the Lord, the enemy’s armies turned against each other and destroyed each other. 

Like Jehoshaphat, it feels as if the church and nation are in a battle zone of our own. We must take up and use our weapons of praise and worship, especially in the times we are seeing now. Events like the March for Jesus enable us to join in praise together.

God Is Looking for a Remnant

Frost reminded me of Gideon’s victory in Judges 7. Gideon’s army was 32,000 men strong, but the LORD said no. God knew that if they defeated the Midianites with their vast army, they would give themselves the glory. God whittled Gideon’s army down to 300. Then God gave them the victory. Gideon’s 300 inspired other Israelite tribes to get to fighting. With just a remnant, God changed the course of events. 

Gary said, “God always looks for a remnant. He is looking for people called by Christ to stand in the midst of the storm. God is looking for His 300 in the cities who are committed to worship and serve Him. Those who are not swayed by politics, secular ideologies, and cultural trends, but will be fully dependent on Jesus Christ. He wants to use remnants in cities to transform them. He wants to use remnants of ‘Christ Awakened’ believers to awaken the church and transform communities.”

There Are No Coincidences with God

The theme verse for 2022 March for Jesus is: This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. (1 John 4:10 NLT)

Believers in the city of Philadelphia have decided to call their event Celebrate Jesus Philadelphia! It will be a time of celebration, praise, petitioning, and intercession. They will gather but not march. Go to www.CelebrateJesusPhiladelphia.com. 

If you are familiar with American history, then you know that Philadelphia is known in part as the birthplace of our nation (and the home of the Liberty Bell). The Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence were adopted in Philadelphia. 

It’s no coincidence that the city’s name itself means brotherly love. In the book of Revelation, the church of Philadelphia is the only church that is commended for their faithfulness (Rev 3:7-13). Before the church in Philadelphia, God placed an open door that no man can shut. This church kept His name and did not deny His word. 

Frost firmly believes that God is going to use Philadelphia as strategic ground for a Christ Awakening. He posed this question, “What if God uses the city that birthed America, to rebirth America in the Spirit?” My Spirit was stirred upon hearing that. I hope yours is too.

The Celebrate Jesus Philadelphia! event will be held on the same day other cities will be marching, June 4, 2022.  It will take place at 11:00 am at the People’s Plaza in Independence Mall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  All are invited to join.

Here’s How You Can Pray Along

Aside from celebrating Jesus in the streets with prayer, praise, and proclamation, March for Jesus operates in the ministry of reconciliation. They are believing and marching for unity in the body of Christ and to see denominational and racial reconciliation. 

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. (2 Cor 5:19)

For more information, go to the website at www.themarchforjesus.org. To find out if your city is participating or how you can help, go to the website and click “Get Involved.” There you will be prompted to click on your state. 

How will you support the March for Jesus? Please share in the comments.

National Director of March for Jesus USA, Gary Frost has been actively engaged in prayer movement activity for many years, with experience in the pastorate and the Southern Baptist North American Missions Board. Author Gloria Robles is a passionate intercessor with a prophetic voice for today. For more from Gloria, go to Spotify or Anchor to listen to her podcast Something To Share. Photo Credit: Canva.

We also want you to know about this call for repentance on Pentecost (see image below) as well as remind you about this word from Jon Hamill of Lamplighter Ministries about the same time frame:  Passover to Pentecost: The Lid Comes Off!