Who are You?

SIEGE 2, DAY 31, COUNTDOWN- 7 DAYS TO ELECTION DAY: Who are You? We look upward to the heavens to the King, our God. Psalm 18:1-3... "I love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies." Who are You? You are our God. We look to You and bless Your holy name.

Silence

SIEGE 2, DAY 30, COUNTDOWN- 8 DAYS TO ELECTION DAY: During this evening's worship and prayer session there was an extended period of silence. It began with the reading of Isaiah 40:28-31, "those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength" and "He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power." As the period of silence continued, we felt the quiet before the storm - the final positioning before the last great battle before Election Day. The following scriptures came...

2 Chronicles 14:11 - "Lord, there is no one besides You to help in this battle between the powerful and those who have no strength; so help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in You, and in Your name have come against this multitude. O Lord, Your are our God; let not man prevail against You."

Exodus 14:14 - "Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today... The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent."

What an amazing God we serve!

Vision

SIEGE 2, DAY 29, COUNTDOWN- 9 DAYS TO ELECTION DAY: From Proverbs 29:18 we get the famous phrase: "Without vision a people perish." That verse continues with: "Happy is he who keeps the law (of God)." The Message Bible says it this way... "If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed." Seeing, knowing and "attending to" God's will is essential for our blessing. We see, know, and are attending to God's vision for good government for the 2006 elections. Oh, will we be happy when we see victory on November 7. Their will be a shift-- government resting even more upon His shoulders. Can you see it?

Countdown

SIEGE 2, DAY 28: Ten days and counting until Election Day in Arizona and across our nation. Habukkuk 2:3... "For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal, and it will not fail. Though is tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay." Through prayer and fasting we have a clearer and clearer vision for good government. It will certainly come.

Shaking and Fire

SIEGE 2, DAY 27: Hebrews 12:26-29... "And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven." And this expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, in order that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire." Our state and nation is in, and approaching, a time of His shaking and consuming fire during these elections.

The Media Juggernaut

SIEGE 2, DAY 26, 12 days remaining before Election Day: A juggernaut is defined as "a massive inexorable force that seems to crush everything in its way." This term has been used to characterize the media (particularly the mainstream media), especially when we see its seemingly relentless barrage of bias in the political debate. Ultimately, it is in our hands to seek truth, to know it, and to engage and vote accordingly. As we see through the media distortions and also pursue the truth through other sources, the media juggernaut loses much of its power. Even so, let us pray for truth, honesty, fairness and integrity in the media, especially during the final 12 days before the elections.

I Will Strike

SIEGE 2, DAY 25, Day 9 of the 21-Day STRIKE: The "childhood" Bible story of David and the 9-foot Goliath is profound in its significance for our Arizona governmental elections showdown. I strongly encourage you to (re-)read 1 Samuel 17. Over the centuries, untold references have been made to this history-changing act of faith by David. With nothing but a sling, stone and heart full of courageous faith in his God, David faced the armed and shielded giant and the hordes arrayed behind it. Today, we have a 9-floor Executive Tower goliath at the State Capitol. We join with David as he boldly declared (verse 46-47)...

"This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands, and I will STRIKE you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord's and He will give you into our hands."

Amen this day in Arizona.

Blessed Who Believe

SIEGE 2, DAY 24: Luke 1:45,49,52 says, "Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord... for the Mighty One has done great things for me... He has brought down rulers from their thrones, and has exalted those who were humble." Like Mary the mother of Jesus, we are blessed when we believe what the Lord has spoken to us. The Lord has spoken clearly about His desire for righteousness and justice (Proverbs 21:3) in our government. His desire for godly leaders, those that acknowledge and fear Him and walk in righteousness, is written throughout His word and has been specifically spoken to us in these many months of prayer. This is the critical hour to see a radical shift toward good government. There will be a fulfillment of what has been spoken to us by the Lord-- believe and be blessed.

What Concerns Me

SIEGE 2, DAY 23: We are completing the first week of the 21-day STRIKE of prayer and fasting, more than half way through the second 40-day "Siege" culminating with the General Elections. It never ceases to amaze me how vast the reservoir of God's word is in its application to every circumstance big or small. As we continue to dedicate ourselves to prayer, His word is shown and known to be living every day. Although several passages gave life to us today, Psalm 138:7-8 particularly stands out: "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me. The Lord will accomplish what concerns me; Your lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting; do not forsake the works of You hands."

"The Lord will accomplish WHAT CONCERNS ME!" The word for accomplish in that verse is to perfect, complete, finish, perform... Well, good government in Arizona concerns me (along with some other personal things). Therefore, I wait on the Lord to perfect, complete, finish, perform this wondrous transformation of our state.

Prayer Changes History

SIEGE 2, DAY 22: Today we gathered for the Sunday at the Capitol event, where we continue to worship God and pray on-site for good government. At one point, passages in 2 Chronicles 32 were presented. King Hezekiah is faced with an essentially impossible situation. Sennacherib and the Assyrians are coming to make war with Jerusalem. Hezekiah first brings encouragement to his people: "Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria, nor because of all the multitude which is with him; for the one with us is greater than the one with him. With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles." Soon afterward... "King Hezekiah and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed about this and cried out to heaven. And the Lord sent an angel who destroyed every mighty warrior, commander and officer in the camp of the king of Assyria... So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all others, and guided them on every side." Prayer changes history.

Sedona

SIEGE 2, DAY 21: Intercessors from north and south in Arizona joined those in Sedona today to continue the battle for good government in our land. Sedona sits amidst a beautiful landscape of red rock spires and canyon walls-- truly a national treasure. With the beauty it has also developed a reputation as a center for the new age and similar syncretistic religions. Reminds me of Romans 1:25... "For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, Who is blessed forever. Amen." However, God is not impressed, nor does He tolerate for long those who wield wicked authority: "... in spite of your many sorceries, in spite of the great power of our spells... evil will come on you which you will not know how to charm away; and disaster will fall on you for which you cannot atone, and destruction about which you do not know will come on you suddenly" - Isaiah 47:9,11. When a people honor God and worship Him and Him alone, God deals with their enemies. He then restores the land. That is good government.

Valley of Decision

SIEGE 2, DAY 20: The prophet Joel spoke of a time that seems to describe well where we are in Arizona before this election... "Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision" - Joel 3:14. As personal and private as our decisions may seem to us, there is a serious reckoning with the One Who sees all. In a pitched battle of world views, we find ourselves at a crucial juncture in our history. Will the Church awaken? Will the Church hear what the Spirit is saying? Will the Church stand up and be counted - literally as we vote and engage in the political process to determine our government? Will the Church unite under God and His righteous and just ways, or acquiesce to the world full of mockers and sit it out? Will we waver between two opinions (see 1 Kings 18:21) to appease the world and play it safe? Will we listen to the drone of the media instead of God? In this time of decision, we can choose life or we can choose death (Deuteronomy 30:15-20). Blood is on our hands. It is paramount for the Church to stand up and choose life. We are in the valley of decision.

A team of intercessors is going to Sedona tomorrow to lift up the name of the Lord of Hosts Who will deal with our enemies. Pray for God to do a mighty work.

The Cause

SIEGE 2, DAY 19: The Cause is a band of young Christian intercessory prayer warriors based in Fort Mill, South Carolina. They love God with a passion. They are moved by the things that move God. They travel in teams across the nation praying and fasting with great fervency for God's will to be done wherever a critical battle is being fought. They pray for justice and righteousness, and especially for LIFE, in repentance and intercession for our nation. Several Cause youth joined us during the first 21 days of Siege I before the primary elections. A team is planning on coming back for the finale of THE STRIKE - the last week or so culminating on General Election Day, November 7. Let's join together to pray for great blessing, provision, wisdom and strength to pour out upon all the Cause team. They are making a difference in the government of our state and nation.

Suddenly

SIEGE 2, DAY 18: God is always at work, but often we do not see it until... suddenly. When we wait on Him the suddenly is good - very good. "Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced over what God had prepared for the people, because the thing came about suddenly" - 2 Chronicles 29:36.

God's sudden acts are not so profitable for His enemies. "Now, then, hear this, you sensual one, who dwells securely, who says in your heart, 'I am, and there is no one besides me'... But these things shall come on you suddenly in one day... they shall come on you in full measure in spite of your many sorceries, in spite of the great power of your spells. And you felt secure in your wickedness... but evil will come on you which you will not know how to charm away; and disaster will fall on you for which you cannot atone, and destruction about which you do not know will come on you suddenly... there is none to save you."

Be encouraged, God is preparing a great suddenly for this hour.

21-day STRIKE

Siege 2, Day 17: We launched the 21-day STRIKE at 7:00pm this evening with the sound of the shofar, the striking of the gavel, and with worship and prayer. "You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you; and light will shine on your ways. When you are cast down, you will speak with confidence and the humble person He will save" - Job 22:28-29. The more we are humbled, even cast down by our circumstances, the more we see God's promises unfold. We decree good government and righteous leaders in this election. May the Lord shine His light on our ways and save us.

Believe Well

SIEGE 2, DAY 16: My wife and I saw "One Night with the King" this evening - a rewarding (though not perfect) new movie release about Esther in the Bible. How appropriate that at one point they would have her speak of the showdown between David and Goliath. If I remember it right, Esther says to her beloved friend, who tries to discourage her from risking her life for her people... "It's not that David fought well, it is that he believed well." That is a message for us. As we go after the goliath before us, it is not our skill that will direct the stone. When we stand with and depend on God, He will direct the stone. We may make mistakes throughout the course of this battle, but God loves those who believe in Him. When the dust has cleared, we will enjoy the victory with Him.

We recommend the movie.

THE 21-DAY STRIKE begins tomorrow. Would you pray and fast with us for good government, restoration and revival in Arizona and our nation? See www.AZHOP.com.

Don't Quit!

SIEGE 2, DAY 15: Hang in there, don't quit! With God, so often it is a matter of simply not quitting, regardless of the difficulties. We are not on defense, but on the offense. We have been given an abundance of God's promises for a profound shift toward good government in Arizona. Suddenly God will come through in a miraculous way. He is already at work in ways that would amaze us if we only knew. This is a season God has prepared for the miraculous. He provides the strength for each of us to stay in this battle. It is also a time of testing our faith. "This command I entrust to you... in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith" - (1 Timothy 1:18-19).

The 21-day STRIKE begins at 7:00pm this Tuesday, October 17. See www.AZHOP.com for more information.

Not Return Empty

SIEGE 2, DAY 14: An amazing truth is revealed by God about Himself in Isaiah 55:11... "So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it." When God speaks - the Creator Who spoke and brought the universe into existence - there is always an attendant effect. Something happens. His purpose is carried out everytime.

Is it possible that when we pray according to His will, we become His mouth? Who are the prophets? Who are the intercessors? Who are the Daniels, Davids, Esthers, and Elijahs of today? "The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much... Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain; and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the sky poured rain, and the earth produced its fruit." (James 5:16b-18)

Against All Odds

SIEGE 2, DAY 13: Great moments in history are made when the odds, even impossible situations, are faced by the good guys. The few who make their stand against the many. God's principles and a prayer against an entrenched juggernaut. Can we turn the leviathan of government toward righteousness? God can. And He wants to use us to accomplish His desires. Over and over God's word chronicles history-making when a few dare to believe God against all odds. Moses facing Pharoah and Egypt, then backed up against the Red Sea. Gideon and his 300 against the Midianite multitudes. David versus Goliath and the Philistines. God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. This is the appointed time for a great moment in history.

By Doing Right

SIEGE 2, DAY 12: We continue in the 1 Peter 2 passage, verse 15 - "For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men." Again, this is in the context of distinguishing government's role. When those who do right are promoted by government, then it diminishes the effect of the foolish. Today, we hear many foolish voices trumpeting their themes, so often echoed in the mainstream media. Where there is a void, the foolish will fill it. May those who know the will of God - who do right - be given the platform in our public square that properly 'silences the ignorance of foolish men.'

Government's Role

SIEGE 2, DAY 11: What does the Bible say about government's role? A few distinctives are revealed in 1 Peter 2:14 which says that authorities are in place "for the punishment of evildoers and the promotion of those who do right." Government is ordained by God to punish and restrain evildoers - to provide laws and enforcement that help to curb sinful behavior for the protection of a society's citizens. Further, government is to give place to righteousness, goodness and justice. Proverbs 11:10 says, "when it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices."

3 Tests

SIEGE 2, DAY 10: The Catholic Diocese of Phoenix, led by Bishop Thomas J. Olmstead, is about to release a booklet entitled "Catholics in the Public Square." Though I am not a Catholic, I found the statement to be worthwhile reading and generally applicable to anyone with a moral compass. First, Bishop Olmstead gives strong support for being involved in the political process. He also outlines parameters for those voting and for elected officials to be in line with God's word. Within the very readable statement are 3 fundamental moral tests or "non-negotiables" to assess a voter's and candidate's agreement with scripture.

1. Sanctity of life (primarily regarding abortion and euthanasia)
2. Sanctity of marriage (definition of marriage being between one man and one woman)
3. Parental right to choose how to educate their children

Let's see who pass the tests.

His Will

SIEGE 2, DAY 9: "And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him" - 1 John 5:14-15. It is God's will to establish His good government - righteousness and justice and God-fearing leaders, here on earth as it is in heaven. We ask with confidence for His good government to be established in Arizona.

Sing, Judgement is Coming

SIEGE 2, DAY 8: "Break forth and sing for joy and sing praises to the Lord... for He is coming to judge the earth" (Psalm 98:4-5,9). Now why would we break forth and sing if God's judgments are coming? All of His judgments are "righteous and true". Won't we be condemned? Won't we be squashed by the weight of His holiness?

Thanks be to God, by the acceptance of the sacrifice of Jesus' atonement for our sins, we are judged righteous. As we begin to deeply understand how good God is... His truth, righteousness, lovingkindness, justice, mercy and compassion - all without compromise - we are moved to break forth and sing. His judgments consider everything. His judgments deal with our enemies. His judgments fulfill His promises. When His people humble themselves, pray and seek Him, and turn from their wicked ways, then He brings His gavel down and ushers in new orders. He establishes His good government. He heals and restores the people and the land. Let us begin to sing for joy!

Boldness

SIEGE 2, DAY 7: I'm not talking about false bravado. Boldness in the Lord comes through knowing the God we serve- His promises, and His goodness, power and authority to fulfill them. We must hear His voice, and when we do, we can stand with great confidence and boldness, even in our humble state. No matter the appearance of things or the odds, God's word is sure. He loves our boldness when we stand resolute in the face of the daunting circumstances of the world. Ask the Lord to speak to you about His will for good government. When He does, then walk in His ways and watch Him work. It is a great adventure and has a great reward.

"Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." - Hebrews 11:6

"Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised." - Hebrews 10:35-36

"To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given... that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him." - Ephesians 3:8,10-12

National FaceDown40

SIEGE 2, DAY 6: To connect directly with the national FaceDown40 prayer initiative link to www.facedown40.com. We have intentionally aligned our "FaceDown40 - Siege 2" dates, and united our hearts in prayer for the elections, for righteousness in dealing with the abortion issue, for God's will to be done in Arizona and across our nation.

Do or Die

SIEGE 2, DAY 5: Like Gideon and the 300 on the mountaintops against the multitudes (Judges 7), David facing Goliath on the battlefield (1 Samuel 17), and numerous other showdowns in the Bible, there comes a time when it is do or die. This is such a time. For many of us we have only plan "A". We don't have a fall-back plan "B". We are fully committed. We know that which we believe; more precisely, in Whom we believe. As Elijah challenged: "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him" (1 Kings 18:21). We have chosen. It is do or die.

South Dakota

SIEGE 2, DAY 4: For these 40 days, we are committed not only to a state-wide focus, but to a national focus as well. The amazing battle in South Dakota impacts us and we can help them. Prayer leaps the miles. South Dakota, as small as it may be, has become the immediate epicenter for abortion legislation effecting the nation. We thank the Lord for those at the grassroots level, and the House, Senate and Governor in South Dakota who have taken a bold stand earlier this year by passing SD HB 1215, which prohibits abortions with only one exception - the life of the mother.

The bill has now been held up by all the usual pro-abortion groups who have stormed South Dakota en masse. They gathered signatures to place "Referendum 6" on the ballot, which will bring a vote on November 7 to repeal SD HB 1215. This is a showdown. We need to join in with all those that are praying for God's will to be done, for the people of South Dakota to stand up with moral clarity and vote down "Referendum 6", for every hindrance, lie and perversion of truth executed by the pro-abortion alliances to be exposed and removed, and for SD HB 1215 to become fully enacted on November 7.

You may link to the National Governmental Prayer Alliance and their special prayer alert for South Dakota for more information.

Out of Chaos

SIEGE 2, DAY 3: Politics seems to revel in complexity and chaos. Spin, exaggeration, hype, labeling - all geared to make one look good and another bad in the public eye. It's easy to be overwhelmed and even question if there is a truth to know. But we have a God who makes Himself accessible, knowable and available - the author of truth, even Truth Himself. So, in the midst of all the political confusion, there is one place we can always go, and that is to the God of Truth.

"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5).

Humble Sacrifice

SIEGE 2, DAY 2: So often the Bible shows us how much God loves a simple, humble sacrifice. In 1 Samuel 7, Samuel offers a sacrifice and cries out to God for his nation. Though the mighty Philistines were arrayed for battle, "the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day against the Philistines and confused them, so that they were routed before Israel" (see v. 9-14). Samuel offers a sacrifice to the Lord, and the Lord responds by saving a nation from a godless enemy and restoring the land.

We set out to offer up such a humble sacrifice of prayer and fasting, worship and praise to our Lord. He will save us from our enemies and restore our land.

Shofar is Sounded

SEIGE 2, DAY 1: At 5:00pm we sounded the shofar to commence the next 40 days of SIEGE 2 at the Sunday at the Capitol event.

"And I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, "The work is great and extensive, and we are separated on the wall far from one another. At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet (shofar), rally to us there. Our God will fight for us."" - Nehemiah 4:19-20