SOUND THE SHOFAR
Open Up Your Gates
May 22, 2020
Shalom Praying Friends,
This week I drove to my favorite breakfast place. I knew I probably couldn’t eat inside but I needed to get out of the house and just wanted to drive somewhere that wasn’t the grocery or gas station. I figured I could get take out and then find somewhere to eat it other than my kitchen. The restaurant was not only closed but it was also shut down and all the signage removed. I drove through the parking lot of the small shopping center and it was eery to see everything closed up and dark inside. The businesses don’t even do that on the big holidays.
I asked the Lord, “Lord what has this nation come to? I’ve been patient, I have not been in fear, You have taken care of my every need, I trust You but I also need some human contact. You said it’s not good for man to be alone. My goodness! I feel as though all I do is buy food and yet I’ve lost weight during this whole Covid-19 mess (In my case that’s a great thing). When I go in some grocery stores they force me to wear a mask and I’m not at risk for anything! You are with me! I just want to rip off all the masks that people are wearing. I’m done with all this, Help us Lord!
Clear as a bell I heard, “Yes but I’m not done.” Boing! I jammed on the brakes. He said, “All this time you’ve had for yourself but you’ve been busier than ever, checking the internet for news updates, praying for people, prayer calls for the nation, writing, grocery shopping, eating. But what about me? Why aren’t you spending more time with me? If I could have crawled under the floorboards of the car I would have.
When the doors of the world and all its attractions (or distractions) were closed, and people were called home to keep at a safe, social distance from each other, what did I do? Did I spend more time with the Lord or did I transfer what I normally do into other channels? Because of the ministry I am involved in, I am called frequently and that’s ok but it increased substantially as I checked on others to make sure they were doing ok and some others who were having difficult emotional times. It seems as though everyone in the world is having conference prayer calls and zoom meetings. What I learned was that many people didn’t know how to pray about our current situation and often instead of turning to God they were turning away from Him and turning towards others to pray.
The Lord wants to be the source of our comfort. He wants to be the source of our unending love. He wants to deliver us. He wants to heal us. He wants to spend time with us. I wonder does the Lord, our very Creator, ever get lonely? Does He turn away with tears in His eyes when He calls us and we turn to someone else when He wants so much to pour into us? He wants to eat with us, sleep next to us, drive in the car with us, laugh with us. What are we doing with our time?
When the gates of this nation eventually open, what have we learned? That bad people were creating bioweapons and messed up and it was released on the nations? That nations lied about their involvement. That medical research models for shutting down the pandemic were incorrect? That the media has an agenda and its not for our good? That our nation was so easily shut down? That people like Bill Gates have an agenda to profit from the vaccines he promotes to the world but first it requires that everyone has to be scared enough to take the vaccine? And that Bill Gates has a substantial monetary interest invested in the research companies and just about any company associated with the Covid recovery, especially WHO World Health Organization?
Had I accepted a date with my Bridegroom? I realized I put aside quite a few of His invitations and instead I chose to “do for Him” instead of “be with Him.”
All that we had previously relied and depended upon came to a halt, and we were brought face to face with the reality of our human frailty and utter helplessness apart from our Creator-God who calls upon all men to turn to Him. The line between the righteous person who humbly relies on the Lord and the arrogant, self-reliant, proud person who relies on self, power, position, wealth and accomplishment has been dramatically drawn in the sand in this season, as people from all walks of life have begun searching for understanding of who they are, where they are and Whose they are. It’s not what we have, but Who we have that matters.
Idols of sports have been shut down. Idols of viewing activities have been shut down. Fascinations with fashion trends and accumulating things has been shut down. Aimless shopping shut down. Parties shut down. Vacations shut down.
Today I found out something really nasty that I want to share with you. If you have an Apple iPhone and have been updated on your iOS device to iOS 13.5, it is tracking you and your whereabouts and is establishing probable cause to test your family for COVID, without your consent, if your phone enters proximity of a person with COVID.
If your phone has already updated to iOS 13.5 with or without your permission, you can fix it by finding the COVID Contact Tracing feature, and turning it off. Google did it on Androids too!
Go to: settings>privacy>health and turn it off.
This is one more attempt to instill fear and steal away our right to function in a free society. No Thanks!
I asked the Lord, What do You want to deal with in this nation? He said, “The refusal to turn to me instead of things and possessions, uproot and tear down the idols in this land.
So after all this I just wept and cried and asked for forgiveness not only for myself but for our nation. Then I asked Him what else was there? He said the love of money was an abomination to Him. I began clearing my schedule immediately and began to pray anew. Please join me in prayer.
PRAYER GUIDE
Suggested Prayer Guide:Lord, as we prepare to engage the enemy, Your Word gives us instruction on the rules of spiritual warfare. We heed Your instructions lest we become unnecessary casualties of war.
ARMOR OF GOD & Preparation We put on the full armor of God [for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier], so that we may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil that attempts to overcome our minds with dread, fear and hopelessness. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places. Ephesians 6:11-12 Amplified
We put on the breastplate of righteousness to protect our heart and our chest cavity. We gird our loins about with truth and put upon our feet the sandals of the Gospel of peace. We put on the helmet of salvation to renew our minds daily and hold up the shield of faith to thwart every fiery dart of the enemy. According to Judges 7:18, with the Word we release the sword of the Lord against the powers of hell in the name of Yeshua that we may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand.
We forbid any retaliation of the enemy against us in the name of Yeshua. We blind his vision through the pentagram and deafen his ears to your plans. We cover ourselves, our families, homes, finances and ministries in the Blood of Yeshua and We ask You to deliver our nation. All means of communication and connectivity are covered in the Blood of Jesus and the enemy can’t interfere.
In the name of Yeshua we bind the strongmen of the occult Jezebel and Leviathan over America that we may plunder the enemy’s camp. Mark 3:27. We renounce all pride that would open the door for destruction. Proverb 16:18 We bind the prince of the power of the air and abolish demonic frequencies. We bind every scrambling spirit that would attempt to twist the words we pray or hear. We tread upon serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt us. Luke 10:19 We nullify the power of any sacrifice made to devils in our cities, regions, or nation in the name of Jesus. Leviticus 17:7 We bind and rebuke Molech and any spirit that has been assigned to abort the destiny our nation. Lev.18:21
Lord through Your power and authority we will confront the powers of darkness. In Your Son’s name we will defeat demonic oppression. You have given us the ability to endure and withstand hardship, adversity and stress. We will be persistent in dealing with the enemy and because of who we are in You, we will be victorious. Ephesians 6:10-12, Luke 10:19, Acts 1:8
YHWH Tsabaoth we take authority over the princes of media in the name of Jesus. Let the high places of witchcraft be destroyed, and let the eyes and ears of the present generation be turned to Your righteousness. Make us a beacon of light in this evil world and raise up a standard of righteousness in this land. 2 Chronicles 34, Ephesians 2:2, Levitivus 26:30
Let Your holy fire burn up all the high places of wickedness in our land. Purge us from the powers of darkness that invade our airwaves and bring perversion into the hearts of Your people. Cause us to be a firebrand of Your righteousness, and allow us to be a catalyst for a return to Your ways in our land. 2 Kings 22:19-20; 23:19-24
Lord remove every false ministry and strange god from the high places. Let righteous men with Your wisdom sit in the high governmental places of our cities and nations. Let the spiritual foundations that were built in our cities, communities and nation be restored. Use us to walk in the spirit of Josiah and lead the people into righteousness. 2 Peter 2:1-3; 2 Kings 22:1-2
Father God, through Your power, we loose our minds, wills and emotions from every assignment and spirit of darkness in the name of Jesus. We will no longer allow the enemy to capture our minds and plunge us into spiritual darkness and deepest gloom. We are no longer conformed to this world and its way of thinking, but by the transforming of our minds and we will follow the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Psalm 107: 10-14; 2 Samuel 22:29; Romans 12:2
Father, in Jesus name, we stand in Your Son’s power and authority to confront the demonic powers that have taken our cities captive and to loose them from the assignment of hell. Send Your warrior Michael to fight for us, and enable us to set the captives free. We will not be intimidated by the principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, or the spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places. 1Peter 3:18; Revelations 1:18; Daniel 10; Ephesians 6:12
Abba Father, Covid -19 has caused this nation and the world to be put on pause. We are being humbled and choose to be humbled. We are praying and seeking Your face so we may turn from our wicked ways. Heal our land Oh God! Sprinkle this land with clean water and cleanse us from all filthiness and idols. Let all false gods and idols be removed from the land in the name of Jesus. Let America renounce her uncleanness and enter back into a covenant with You that she will put no other gods before You, Oh Lord. 2 Chronicles 7:14; Isaiah 2:11-18; Zechariah 10:5-6
We ask You Father God to keep releasing by the power of Your Holy Spirit the desire for the people to repent of their sins and turn towards You.. As they turn towards You they enter into the light and exit the shadows of despair. For Yeshua is the Light of the World. Illuminate our hearts, our minds, our speech. John 8:12
Abba Father will You forgive us for the times You invited us into your private chambers and we didn’t respond to Your invitation? Will You give us another opportunity to spend time with You in a richer and deeper way? To enter in to Your very presence?
We repent of and renounce as sin for all evil that has cursed our nations economy and our personal finances. Not only the sins of the enemy in the plotting of Covid-19 but our own sins that opened doors.
As a nation and personally we repent for exchange of funds done in ungodly ways. Money spent on unclean activities and objects. Those that did not tithe (and I ask you Lord to break the devourer off our family line). Greed. Stinginess. Those that did not care for the poor. Those who oppressed the poor. Leaders who unjustly taxed the poor. FreeMasons who heaped up curses on descendants finances especially if, and when they became Christians.
Vows of poverty that were broken (monks & priests may have taken and broken vows of poverty, which would have put a curse on the finances of future generations). Ungodly usury Psalm15:5, Ex. 22:25, and ungodly ways of gaining money. Those who stole. Drug trafficking. Curses that have been spoken against ministries and churches. Bribes taken against the innocent. Mercenary acts. Gambling. Worshipping of money and the love of money.1 Tim. 6:10 Those who trusted in money and self-effort above trusting in God. Trickery and false promising of money. Those who helped fund or those who spent money in the KKK. Donations to Planned Parenthood. Unpaid wages. James 5:4 Not Forgiving debts. Matthew 6:12
Forgive us O Lord and our nation for our iniquity in Jesus name! Release Your mercy and compassion upon us!
We recall Your Word to us in Joel 2:25. You said You will restore to us the years the locust has eaten- the hopping locust, stripping locust and the crawling locust, Your great army which has been sent amongst us. You said we shall eat in plenty and be satisfied and praise the name of the Lord. We praise the name of YHWH the Almighty God, the King of the Universe. You deal wondrously with us and we shall never be put to shame. You are not a man that You would lie! Today we don new garments of praise and relinquish the rags of mourning.
Abba today we are opening wide the gates to our hearts. Lead us into a deeper intimacy with You above all the cares of the world and the things we thought mattered to You but were actually secondary. We want to sit with You in the quiet and be held by You in the storm. We desire to be sanctified and set apart for Your purpose and that Your name would be upon us forever. We turn our eyes and our hearts upon You perpetually. 2 Chronicles 7:16
PRAYERS OVER GATES BY John EckhardtThrough Yeshua let us possess the gate of the enemy. Genesis 22:17 We release battering rams against the gates of hell. Ezekial 21:22 The gates of hell cannot prevail against us. Matt.16:18
Strengthen the bars of our gates. Psalm 147:13
Break the gates of brass and cut asunder the bars of iron. Isaiah 45:2 We rebuke every enemy in the gates. Psalm 127:5
We rebuke all enemies that would stand at the gates and try to stop salvation from entering in. Let the gates of our lives and cities be shut to uncleanness, witchcraft, drugs, perversion, and wickedness in the name of Jesus.
Let all the gates of our lives and cities be repaired through the Holy Spirit.
Let the valley gate be repaired.Nehemiah 2:13
Let the gate of the fountain (represents the flow of the Holy Spirit) be repaired.Nehemiah 2:14
Let the sheep gate (represents the apostolic) be repaired. Nehemiah 3:1
Let the fish gate (represents evangelism) be repaired. Nehemiah 3:3
Let the old gate (represents moves of the past) be repaired. Nehemiah 3:6
Let the dung gate (represents deliverance) be repaired. Nehemiah 3:14
Let the water gate (represents preaching and teaching) be repaired. Nehemiah 3:26
Let the east gate (represents the glory) be repaired. Nehemiah 3:29, Ezekiel 43:1-2
Establish the gates of praise in our lives. Isaiah 60:18
Let the gates of our lives and cities be open to the King of Glory. Psalm 24:7 Open to us the gates of righteousness that we may enter in. Psalm 118:19
Open before us the gates, that we may go in and receive the treasure of darkness and hidden riches of secret places. Isaiah 45:1-3
Let the waters flow through the utter gate into our lives, past our ankles, past our loins and past our necks. Ezekial 47:1-5
Make our gates of carbuncles. Isaiah 54:12
Our gates will be open continually to receive blessings. Isaiah 60:11
We command the north gate, the south gate, the east gate, and the west gate to open in our cities and nation to the King of Glory.
We pray for the apostolic gatekeepers of our cities to arise and take their place. Lamentations 5:14
We pray for the gateway cities in our nation to become gateways of righteousness and not iniquity.
Lord raise up bethel churches that will be the gate of heaven. Genesis 28:17
Lord raise up apostolic gate churches that will usher presence and revelation into our regions.
Lord God Almighty! We call our nation America back to life! Supernatural healing belongs to us by the power of the Blood of Jesus! We say to the church doors of our nation and the nations, OPEN UP YOUR GATES! We speak to the dry bones of the Church of Christ here on earth and we say to the dry bones LIVE! We prophesy to the breath of the Church of Christ here on earth and we say Receive the breath from the four winds! We speak to the Church of Christ here in the earth and we say come out of your graves and receive the Spirit of the Lord and live. For surely the Lord will perform His word to you. Ezekiel 37:3-14
We declare the gates of this nation America and the nations is shut to the Gates Foundation and all the associations that are aligned with them. We throw wide our gates to the King of Glory!
We say to our domestic supply chains OPEN UP YOUR GATES! We say to our schools and colleges, OPEN UP YOUR GATES! We say to our meat packing plants, OPEN UP YOUR GATES! We say to our hospitals and medical centers OPEN UP YOUR GATES! We say to our restaurants, OPEN UP YOUR GATES! We say to our small businesses, OPEN UP YOUR GATES! Manufacturers OPEN UP YOUR GATES! Retail businesses OPEN UP YOUR GATES! Parks and recreation areas OPEN UP YOUR GATES! Transportation industries OPEN UP YOUR GATES!
We call the people of America and the nations to come to life in Christ Jesus. Turn to Yeshua and be saved! The hope for our future is good because You Lord have promised that, if we choose the right path with You. Jeremiah 29:11 In Jesus name we pray!
People of God, faithful to hear! May the Lord bless you, and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you: May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace. He shall put His name upon the children of Israel, and He will bless them. Numbers 6:24-27
We pray for the Peace of Jerusalem, May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces. For the sake of our brethren and companions, We will now say, Peace be within you. Because of the house of the Lord our God we will seek your good. Psalm 122:6-9 AMEN!
Stephania
Shofar Sounder