From the Canyon of Entrapment to the Arms of God's Love

Posted by Pat Allen on May 22, 2015 at 13:15

Dear Intercessors,

There has been concern about possible terror incidents occurring in America this weekend as we gather across the country to remember the veterans of war and their sacrifices. That public events would be soft targets for anyone wanting to harm vets as retribution for participating abroad in the military.

The Lord reminded me of a prayer strategy He gave my team here a few years ago that may be used especially for this weekend praying for America, but actually for any prayer focus as the Holy Spirit leads.

It came in the form of a vision.

There was this lone cowboy riding on his quarter horse as fast as the little pony could run. In hot pursuit was a band of bad guys chasing this one man as fast as they could go. They ran across the desert and turned a corner of a rise right into a canyon with high walls and no way out. The walls were too steep to ride up and too slick to climb.

The lone cowboy had unknowingly run right into an entrapment with the enemy closing in fast. With no choice the cowboy kept going up to the end of the canyon and turned to face the enemy.

The enemy saw the cowboy's predicament and closed in for the kill.

Suddenly, just as the enemy came close to the cowboy the canyon walls started to move. They started to wrap around and close off the canyon entrance they had all rode in through which cut off any way back out.

It turn out that those canyon walls were actually the arms of God, His arms of LOVE ! The cowboy had run right up into the arms of God and His protection. But for the enemy, these arms were God closing in, ending their reign of terror. What provision that only God could bring: salvation for the cowboy (America) while at the same time judgement for the enemies of God.

I believe we have just seen this in the last two weeks here in Texas with the Garland terror incident and the Waco biker conflict. In both scenarios, the police and by-standers were protected miraculously and it was the enemy that had the casualties. Evil was exposed AND dealt with. This is God going ahead of us so that what the enemy meant for evil, God turned to good.

The scripture He has given me often as we assemble in prayer that is to be applied not only to the prayer team doing the prayer, but also applied to the subject of the prayer focus (recipients) as well:

Isaiah 4:5-6Amplified Bible (AMP)

5 And the Lord will create over the whole site, over every dwelling place of Mount Zion and over her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory shall be a canopy (a defense of divine love and protection).

6 And there shall be a pavilion for shade in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge and a shelter from storm and from rain.

May He grant us wisdom to apply this and other prayer strategies rightly and timely for our nation this weekend. May His arms of Love encompass our nation with protection and provision in the face of the enemy, yes, even the enemy among us that we know not ! May we be at His banqueting table and His Banner over America be LOVE !!!

Blessings,

Pat Allen

Dallas

Who prays for YOUR backyard?

Posted by Pat Allen on June 28, 2014 at 0:18

"Who prays for YOUR backyard?"

As our prayer team disembarked the plane that brought us home to DFW from a Washington, DC prayer assignment a few years ago, I heard this question from the Holy Spirit. I asked "what?" "You heard me, WHO prays for YOUR backyard?" My first thought was "this is a trick question Lord." Then He showed me that often, as intercessors, the headlines catch our attention and that is where much of our prayers are targeted, and it is often national and international items we cover in prayer. And those are important too.
But I took His point well realizing it did not cross my mind until a crisis happens to pray over our home state.

What if we gave our state the same prayer opportunity once in a while in that we place ourselves before the Lord to wait on Him for our state, it's leaders, those who govern over us from the city dog catcher to the governor and all offices in between. The people of our state, including those all important "Josephs" that live here, but do international and Kingdom work in the public arena given by God for His use?

1) Take time to go to your state capital and pray on site with insight. It is my opinion that the local church cannot bear the prayer burden of the state capital by themselves....we need to manup and do our part !! Prayerwalk the grounds of your capital, for not only the elected officials and their staff, but all the troopers who keep it secure, the other clerks and staff that make your capital operate smoothly.
2) Is there legislation pending that will make life better or more difficult for it's citizens? Don't know? Find out !! And I have found God has His agenda of what needs to take place....maybe there is legislation we need to pray in to existence !! Get lists of all the elected officials at the state level and pray regularly for them including state and district courts.. Put a map of your state in your tool box for prayer and regularly pull it out to pray for it.
3) You know the state and city laws/services effect our daily life a lot more directly than even the national ones...things like our streets paved & highways built/repaired,public school quality, sales & property taxes, all those things that come out of the state capital and our local city hall efforts.

Consider what your influence for prayer for your state might be, whether in your local church or city prayer group, and get started with it. Invite others and spread the word !!

That we join Heaven in agreeing our city and state will collectively achieve it's destiny from God and fulfill it's Kingdom purposes. Unique in it's giftings and resources, YOUR state is called of Him for such a time as this !!

Blessings,
Pat

Prayers of the Presidents

Posted by Pat Allen on February 11, 2014 at 22:21

Prayers of Our Fathers

It has become fashionable in some circles to deny the Christian foundations of the United States. This week, when we celebrate President’s Day on February 17, would be a good time to listen to the words of our national Fathers and join them in their prayers for America:

Benjamin Franklin: On the Need for Divine Guidance

“I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live the more convincing proofs I see of this truth – that God Governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?

We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that ‘except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it.’ I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our partial local interests; out projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and bye word down on future ages.

And what is worse, mankind may thereafter from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing Governments by Human wisdom and leave it to chance, war and conquest.

I therefore beg leave to move – that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessing on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the clergy of this city be requested to officiate in that service.” – June 28, 1787 at the Constitutional Convention

George Washington: Prayer for the United States

“Almighty God, We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy Holy protection; and Thou wilt incline the hearts of the Citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to Government; and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow Citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for their brethren who have served in the Field.

And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that Charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the Characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed Religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation.

Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

Thomas Jefferson: National Prayer for Peace

“Almighty God, Who has given us good land for our heritage; We humbly beseech Thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of Thy favor and glad to do Thy will. Bless our land with honorable ministry, sound learning, and pure manners.

Save us from violence, discord, and confusion, from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitude brought hither out of many kindred and tongues.

Endow with Thy spirit of wisdom those who in Thy Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that through obedience to Thy law, we may show forth Thy praise among the nations of the earth.

In time of prosperity fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in Thee to fail, all of which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.”

Abraham Lincoln: National Day of Prayer and Humiliation

“Whereas, the Senate of the United States devoutly recognizing the Supreme Authority and Government of Almighty God in all the affairs of men and of nations, has, by a resolution, requested the President to designate and set apart a day for national prayer and humiliation:

And whereas, it is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon, and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history: that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord:

And insomuch as we know that, by His divine law, nations like individuals are subject to punishment and chastisement in this world, may we not justly fear that the awful calamity of civil war, which now desolates the land may be but a punishment inflicted upon us for our presumptuous sins to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole people?

We have been recipient of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown.

But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious Hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own.

Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us!

It behooves us then to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sin and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.

Now, therefore, in compliance with the request and fully concurring in the view of the Senate, I do, by this proclamation, designate and set apart Thursday, the 30^th day of April, 1863, as a day of national humiliation, fasting and prayer.

And I do hereby request all the people to abstain on that day from their ordinary secular pursuits, and to unite, at their several places of public worship and their respective homes, in keeping that day holy to the Lord and devoted to the humble discharge of the religious duties proper to that solemn occasion.

All this being done, in sincerity and truth, let us then rest humbly in the hope authorized by the Divine teachings, that the united cry of the nation will be heard on high and answered with blessings no less than the pardon of our national sins and restoration of our now divided and suffering country to its former happy condition of unity and peace.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand to caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. By the President: Abraham Lincoln.”

To which we can only add: Amen. God Bless you today ! Pat

Prayers of the Presidents

Posted by Pat Allen on February 11, 2014 at 22:17