The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty…Ps 93:1 NKJV

History belongs to the intercessors – those who believe and pray the future into being! So wrote the great theologian Walter Wink. Have you ever asked yourself the question, what if the Allies (Britain, France, Canada and the USA, and eventually Russia) had lost World War Two (WW2) to the Axis powers of Germany, Italy and Japan? TV shows and documentaries have taken up the question, describing a United States divided by German and Japanese control, a very different world than the one we live in, but one that could have happened.

In 1946, the greatest Christmas movie ever made, IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, described Americans as a praying, intercessory people. The opening scene shows people lifting up their voices to God and praying for one George Bailey, and then the movie illustrates Heaven’s response, with certain Catholic overtones.

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. John 15:13 NKJV

There are two great battles in WW2 that but for the hand of God, could have turned out very differently, one a sea battle and one an air battle. In THE LAST STAND OF THE TIN CAN SAILORS, James D. Hornfischer describes how the mighty Japanese navy, with the most powerful warships in the world, had drawn the American navy into a trap. The Japanese had drawn off the strength of the American fleet and exposed their carriers to mighty battleships. The carriers were only protected by the smallest of American warships, destroyers and destroyer escorts. When the Japanese pounced on the carriers, the small US warships threw themselves against the mightiest ships on earth, the HOEL, JOHNSTON, and SAMUEL B ROBERTS against the YAMATO, whose eighteen-inch main batteries fired 1500lbs. shells that flew over twenty miles. All three were sunk, with terrific suffering, bravery and loss of life, but not before they held off the Japanese for over two hours, allowing the carriers to begin to escape. But by the hand of God, on the verge of victory after sinking the destroyers the Japanese admiral, Kurita, decided to turn his fleet around and run away…how did that happen? Intercession.

Some say that the great move of God in the 1970’s called the JESUS MOVEMENT was God’s response to a million moms praying for the salvation of their sons and daughters.

And they rose at twilight to go to the camp of the Syrians; and when they had come to the outskirts of the Syrian camp, to their surprise no one was there. 6 For the Lord had caused the army of the Syrians to hear the noise of chariots and the noise of horses — the noise of a great army; so they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to attack us!” 7 Therefore they arose and fled at twilight, and left the camp intact — their tents, their horses, and their donkeys — and they fled for their lives. 2 Kings 7:5-8 NKJV

The second great battle, one that determined the outcome of the war in Europe, was called the battle of Britain. In REES HOWELL INTERCESSOR, author Norman Grubb described how Rees Howell led the tiny band of intercessors at Swansea Bible College through the rise of Hitler and Germany (ABBA told him back in 1935 that the Nazis would by used by Satan to oppose the establishment of a Jewish state in Israel) and WW2 to the fulfilment of the prophecy of Israel in 1948. Howell received revelation on how to defeat Germany and the intercessors prayed in the fact that Germany opened a second war front in north Africa and a third against their ally Russia, dissipating their military strength and precipitating their defeat. But before that was the battle of Britain. Howells fought the battle of Britain on his knees. The Royal Air Force was losing badly to the German Luftwaffe when, as they were poised to win the battle, the Luftwaffe inexplicably turned around and went home. The agnostic Churchill called it the greatest miracle. The hand of God through intercessory prayer had turned back the might of the Nazis…

Do you face similar monumental battles, both in your personal life and in your nation? Let’s see how Rees Howells overcame the enemy and how we can as well. I visited Swansea Bible College in Wales – it’s just a little place of five acres, room for maybe thirty to forty students, and the Howells residence – with Joe and Maureen last summer. It was like walking on holy ground! There is no indication that RH ever spoke in tongues, so he perhaps didn’t have that spiritual intercessory weapon to apply, but he was very adept at listening to God and then believing and praying out what He said.

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. John 16:13 NKJV

‘All truth’ is not just religious or theological truth, but mathematical, scientific, historical truth – truth in all categories – even the secrets of men and nations. When someone is willing to ask, and then listen to God, and their faith is such that they are determined to get an answer, then God can speak to them and reveal the most intimate of faith building details. Does God know what the stock market is going to do? Where and how you should invest your money? Who you should marry, and who you shouldn’t? As you learn to trust Him and hear His voice, you can make right decisions that produce incredible results!

12 And one of his servants said, “None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.” 2 Kings 6:12 NKJV

When you have a particular prayer request, ask the Lord to show you what He thinks about your request. Wait and listen and be willing to make any changes or adjustments that He requires. Be wary of your soul, because it knows how to imitate the voice of God and give you the answer that you want to hear. The king of Judah was wary of a prophet speaking out of his soul.

13 Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Please, let your word be like the word of one of them, and (FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE) speak encouragement.” 14 And Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, whatever the Lord says to me, that I will speak.” 

15 Then he came to the king; and the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall we refrain?” And he answered him, “Go and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king!” 16 So the king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?” 1 Kings 22:13-16 NKJV

The false prophets of Israel had been prophesying victory and prosperity for the kings of Israel and Judah at Ramoth-Gilead. But Micaiah was a true prophet of God, filled with courage and conviction. Jehoshaphat yells at him because he senses in his spirit that something is wrong, and Micaiah responds, “Oh yeah…well, I DID see…small detail, of course…all Israel scattered like sheep without a shepherd…meaning, YOU’RE DEAD…BUT 😊go and prosper!”

Then he said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace.'” 1 Kings 22:17 NKJV

Be careful not to listen to your soul as you wait on God when it responds with banal generalities like ‘God is in control’ or ‘just trust Me.’ That’s not revelation. The voice of God will be specific and will impart faith!

Be still, and know that I am God…Ps 46:10 NKJV

There is the key to answered prayer. When you can get to that place of stillness, of quietness, of peace which indicates great faith then you can hear from Him and receive. Sometimes it takes days even for seasoned believers to get to the place where they are still and can hear from God. We have done our Holy Spirit Encounters with now hundreds of believers, and we are not always able to get everyone to that place of peace, but we are learning increasingly. We have people read the Word and pray in tongues for hours initially. Then on perhaps the third day we will take them through deliverance, which for 95% of the people – some with some extra work – produces peace. Demons can’t stop you from getting born again, but they can interfere with your inner thoughts to keep you from hearing from God. Get and stay free of evil, especially the evil you think is justified!

Now if you have the gift of tongues, and you should, you can operate in that gift with great intercessory power. You simply hold someone, or some situation, in mind and pray in tongues. Write their name down. Look at a picture of them. Hold them in mind and pray in tongues. The Lord who knows your thoughts will enable your spirit to pray perfectly over them in the spirit, and miracles will happen.

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts (the Lord Jesus) knows what the mind (thoughts) of the Spirit is (your spirit – the thoughts in your mind), because He (your spirit) makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Rom 8:26-27 NKJV

I attended my first house church in California as a sixteen-year-old and got filled with the Spirit the first night. There was another guy, a bit older than I, who was in the Navy and attended the house church about the same time I did. The Navy moved him back to Massachusetts, and we learned right before a Christian camp that summer that I would attend that he had gone AWOL and was being court-martialed in Massachusetts. For two nights during campfires at camp, I stayed up all night and prayed for this guy in tongues. Camp ended on Saturday, and on Sunday when I went to church, there he was, free and three thousand miles away from Massachusetts. My first time interceding for someone…it wouldn’t be my last!

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 1 Tim 2:1-5 NKJV

You can intercede over anyone, only do it intelligently, not facetiously, and with faith and expectation. If you don’t know what to pray, hold them in mind and pray in tongues. If you have a situation that you don’t know what to do, wait on the Lord until He clearly shows you His heart and purposes, then pray and decree into that revelation, holding it fast until it comes to pass. History belongs to the intercessors, dear one, those who believe and pray the future into being – that’s you and me. Amen? Love you!

Remember dear ones, we must be about our Father’s business…