I Prayed have prayed
Lord, when government is dangerous, we look to You in Your temple; You test the righteous and hate the wicked (Psalm 11:4–5).
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Analysis. What are we to do when the government’s actions harm citizens? IFA’s Chief Program Officer Kris Kubal explored this on the March 2 Pray with America’s Leaders. Joining her were three IFA state prayer leaders: Dr. Susan Kess, a co-leader of the Nebraska group; and Bill and Betsy West, the co-leaders for Pennsylvania.

Connect with others in your state in prayer.

 

The medical crises discussed — the February 2023 derailment of a Norfolk Southern train in East Palestine, which unleashed multiple toxins; and the COVID-19 pandemic — highlighted governmental incompetency and malfeasance. Another derailment in early March is seemingly being handled with more caution.

Medical dangers are serious. Kess, who is a doctor, is experienced in emergency preparedness and disaster management related to chemical, biological, nuclear radiological, and explosive events. Among many assignments, Kess worked for the Centers for Disease Control, the Division of Health Assessment and Consultation, and the Department of Homeland Security.

About the toxins from the train derailment, she said:

You actually can almost denude your whole respiratory [tract]. … If you take a chemical and you [inhale it] … your immune system gets depressed. … You may have exacerbation of your asthma or your emphysema or whatever other diseases you have. And then when you have stress put on your lungs, you have stress put on your heart. And so it could exacerbate quite a number of things.

Bill and Betsy West attended a public hearing about the train derailment on Feb. 23. That hearing was hosted by Pennsylvania Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-33), chairman of the Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee. Said Betsy:

Pennsylvania was greatly affected by what was going on here. And no one was ever made aware of where this pollutant was in the air, and/or what direction that it was going. … When Senator Mastriano came in several days early … he was only on-site about 30 to 40 minutes, when his own skin began to burn, and his throat began to burn. And he got the headache that they all said that they were plagued with.

The toxic train disaster also has unleashed widespread environmental damage.

Betsy added:

We saw evidence of the fish kill and the raccoons that had come down to the water to drink were lying dead. One woman … said, “I missed the sound of birds.” There’s no birds. This is spring — we should be hearing the birds begin to come alive. There are no birds. … It’s like a Chernobyl.

Said Bill:

The prevailing winds come from the west, so it was blowing the toxins into Pennsylvania, but the watershed flows in the opposite direction.  You have winds coming west to east and water going east to west. It, it contaminated the whole thing.

Each disaster exposed potential dereliction of duty. According to Kess, key items were missing in the derailment crisis: A manifest listing all cargo, including any toxins; special placards noting hazardous materials; and testing for the interaction between chemicals during the explosion. Lacking this information left first-responders directionless as to the materials spilled and the safest way to dispose of them.

Lack of expertise compounded the derailment crisis. Responses are handled by local first-responders — in this case, volunteers — and government officials. Local officials would be responsible for calling upon state or federal agencies for help after the initial incident is contained.

Official and media reports riddled with miscommunication added confusion to the crisis.

Kess’ suspicions were aroused when Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said that elevated volatile-organic compounds found in the first homes tested were not related to the train derailment. Kess disagreed, saying the contaminant was common to similar disasters with which she was involved.

According to Betsy, initial evacuation instructions were incomplete, causing many people to inadvertently flee in the direction of the air pollution, rather than away. But local and state officials seriously understated the danger.

Said Betsy:

Some of the women … said that right away they began to scrub down their walls … only to find out it made them sicker, because everything they were scrubbing was toxic. They did leave, they were evacuated, but then encouraged to come back.

Messages continue to be mixed. Betsy said:

However, [local and state officials] said, “Don’t let your children play basketball. Don’t let them do outside sports.” …  Even … just this morning, I heard on the news that now the state EPA is telling them it’s okay to drink the water: “It’s safe, you can drink it, but don’t let your children play in the creeks or any of the waterways.” So it’s a mixed message.

Of people affected by the toxins of the derailment, Bill said:

They knew before the accident, they were fine. After the accident, they weren’t fine. … The average person intuitively knew that something was wrong. And it is so insulting when you could see something right in front of you that is destroyed and someone says, “No, it’s just fine.”

Similarly, the COVID-19 crisis is further complicated by suspicions about political and economic motives behind government actions.

Kubal listed a number of ideas — labeled “conspiracy theories” by government officials — that have since proved to be true.

Among them: the lab leak origins of the virus. The FBI, foremost in censoring this theory, admitted this week that the virus did leak from the lab. Dr. Anthony Fauci, tied to the Wuhan, China, lab from which the virus leaked, conspired with the FBI, other agencies, and technology companies such as YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter to discredit, censor, and de-platform those with alternate opinions about COVID-19, its origins and the vaccines.

Masking — long advocated by officials and media — has been debunked, as well. According to Kess, even the best mask can’t block a tiny virus, and the strain of breathing through a mask can draw contaminants in.

Then there is the forcing of vaccinations by discrediting natural immunity. As Kubal said: “Now there is a study that proves that the natural immunity we get from God is 90% effective as opposed to 36% and — at the very highest, 78% — through vaccine immunity.”

As Kubal said, the mandates to force vaccination led to vicious verbal attacks, loss of employment or educational opportunities, social shunning for those who opted against the injection. Some people have suffered serious side effects from the untested injections.

The credibility crisis could lead to dangerous backlash against mandates. According to Kess, mandates did not stop the spread of COVID-19, but they may be necessary if a more deadly virus is introduced, in which only sheltering in place and herd immunity are effective.

Trust in the government’s competency and integrity is broken. Betsy said:

If the government would come out tomorrow and say, “Here is the next strain, and you are gonna die if you go inhale the air outside your home,” I would not believe it, because it’s like the cooking of the frog. They kept me in the water so long now that nothing they say will convince me.

Mistrust has divided citizens, as well. Kubal said. “People were saying, ‘You’re killing people by not getting the vaccine.’”  Betsy counted the costs of government actions related to COVID-19: Churches, workplaces, hospitals, and assisted-living facilities were closed. People lost jobs and incomes. Families became divided over masking, vaccines, and treatments. Those with alternate views were shunned and ridiculed. People — especially young people — have become fearful.

According to Bill, another casualty of governmental incompetency and lying has been wisdom:

Wisdom apart from the Bible is really nonsense. … It is like we need to trust God in these situations.

When you can’t trust the government, intercessors need to pursue the gifts of the Spirit. “So that I hopefully by faith will know to turn to the right or the left and tell my friends to do the same,” Kess said.  “And we all have to hear from the Holy Spirit: ‘Is this the way that you want us to go?’”

We may need to lead others in these days. “When they get scared enough, they will ask,” Kess said. “We have to be prepared. We have to have our lamps full of oil, and we have to have all the weaponry that we can possibly use to lead the people.”

Let us pray:

Lord, use these crises to prepare Your people to lead others into the Kingdom. We pray Psalm 11 over these crises and those to come.

What do you think about the government’s actions? Share your own prayers below.

New York City–based Joyce Swingle is an intercessor and a contributing writer for IFA. With her husband, Rich, also a contributing writer for IFA, Joyce shares the gospel of Jesus Christ around the world through theater, speaking, writing, and film. Prior to going into full-time ministry, Joyce worked for about 20 major magazines and now works in pastoral ministry and Christian counseling. Photo Credit: Canva.

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Judy Cramer
March 12, 2023

I just heard trucks are dumping waste into Indy sewer, then it will get into city water! Lord Jesus, we ask that you would turn this poison into nothing! We all have such great need of you Lord ! Save our land!

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Grant Windholz
March 10, 2023

AMEN Lord God Almighty 🙏! The American government is truly dangerously wicked! It’s spiritual war – fare and as we see it now, the majority want a wicked ruler! We need you Jesus!!

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Alan B
March 10, 2023

We are engaged in spiritual warfare for our nation. Every day the news brings more lies and revelations of truth concerning lies that have been revealed. As we take authority over the devil, more lies will be exposed. We must pray daily for wisdom and discernment, asking for knowledge of the truth and praying that we not be deceived.
Gods word has much to say about liars and those who plot evil against the righteous. Wicked people cannot rest until they have harmed someone. A false witness lies with every breath. The wicked and liars need our prayers since they cannot help but lie and cause harm. Liars are called cowards in Revelation; they are afraid of the truth. With humility, we are encouraged to be strong and courageous as we pray for wisdom and take authority over lies and evil deeds and pray for the salvation of those who spread lies, since they are held captive by their father, the devil and cannot help themselves.

Proverbs 4:16-18
16 The wicked cannot sleep until they have done something evil. They will not rest until they bring someone down. 17 Evil and violence are their food and drink.
18 The path of those who live right is like the early morning light. It gets brighter and brighter until the full light of day.

Proverbs 14:5
A faithful witness does not lie,
but a false witness breathes out lies.

Revelation 21:8
8 But those who are cowards, those who refuse to believe, those who do terrible things, those who kill, those who sin sexually, those who do evil magic, those who worship idols, and those who tell lies—they will all have a place in the lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

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Donald J
March 9, 2023

You think this is bad. You just wait until the UN/WHO takes over fraudemic (or even REAL) emergency responses. They will spend years and billions of dollars on “studying” the effects and formulating “treatments” for the adverse effects, rather than PREVENT or quickly respond to any problem. After all, their agenda IS depopulation and TOTAL tyranny as never seen before. Of course, the money will go into their pockets in the end, leaving more dead or incapacitated.

WAKE UP America. Contact your state legislators/senators and get bills PASSED into LAW immediately for not agreeing to UN/WHO dictatorial takeovers at their whim.

God, open the eyes of those who are blind to this tyrannical takeover attempt. Help the naive to realize that most mainstream discussions are lies to increase fear. Give us wisdom and we pray to YOU for deliverance from this satanic cabal of New World (DIS)Order. We know that YOU are our Deliverer and Salvation.

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Marion Riedel
March 9, 2023

We wrestle not against flesh and blood and I pray salvation, healing and deliverance for those ensnared by the enemy that they’d come to repentance in Jesus Christ. This verse is good to remember as a promise, that the wicked spirits behind the people doing wicked things, will be destroyed leaving the people powerless.
Psalm 92:7- When the wicked spring up as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever.

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Darlene DeAngelis
March 9, 2023

Father God you will be done on Earth as it is in heaven father God in your words you say vengeance is mine saith the Lord what has happened to our world and continues to world We the People see through spiritual eyes exactly what’s going on Father God is so much evil underhanded things happening through the hands of evil men and women father God your conviction is needed on these people that have done so much damage to the United States of America in other countries father God Communists shine and needs to be responsible the USA politicians need to be responsible every politician around the world needs to be responsible father God we see the games people are playing we see what Satan is doing with each and every one of these individuals father God bring everything to the surface father God Open the Eyes to the blind the people that have been vaccinated and boosted give them eyes to see what has happened father God you’re the only one that can take everything that is wrong and make it right father God we know you are Almighty all powerful and this is one nation under you Lord thank you Father God for everything that you continue to do for our lives in Jesus name

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Dwight Keafer
March 9, 2023

The manufactured crisis surrounding Covid was a wake-up call for me. Even though my mistrust of government goes back to the 70s when we started a Christian School in our church, I was still surprised by the depth and ubiquity of the evil in our government. The seeds of our current cultural condition go back a long way, before I was born. The visible church has, largely, been asleep. I confess, I also, am guilty. “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.” –Eph.5:14
O Lord, have mercy on us. Wake us. Give us light. Exalt your holy name. Let us hear your voice and humbly walk in your way.

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Joyce
March 9, 2023

2Ch. 20:17
You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you!
Praying in JESUS NAME! AMEN

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Mildred
March 9, 2023

Heavenly Father, you see the wickedness going on in the world. May your church trust you, knowing you are still Sovereign Almighty God.
Have mercy on America, even though we don’t deserve it. May you cause confusion among the evil people within themselves. Lord, save many by your grace and help your children to stand. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen!

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Linda Stater
March 9, 2023

I pray that we have enough leaders with a courageous enough backbone to follow the constitution and get these corrupt leaders out of their positions immediately. We have to be using our feet as well as asking for GOD to all the work !

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Roberta
March 9, 2023

Merrick Garland, the lying Attorney General of the USA just lied on TV again about January 6. Like the 2020 election, when the votes were switched between low votes biden and high votes Trump; he wants us to ignore the truth we see on the January 6 footage (film) released by McCarthy to Tucker Carlson who showed some to us. This footage showed all of the devil’s children (democrats) plus (Liz lying Cheney) (Adam lying Schiff) who are liars that took after their father of lies, the devil! Dear LORD, YOUR WORD says that vengeance is YOURS, that YOU will repay! We turn these liars over to YOU! Please fight this battle quickly for us in JESUS MIGHTY NAME! Amen!

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jacqueline o
March 9, 2023

Father God, Your great will to be done in America, “on earth as it is in heaven”…Matthew 6:10. May we rejoice in righteousness and abhor what is evil. I too pray for America and the wicked ways she has chosen. May Your great justice fall upon the evil doers and replace the ungodly with Godly leaders in America by Your grace and mercy. In Jesus name. Amen

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Brian lynch
March 9, 2023

We simply have a government that really doesn’t care. They have been deceived by Satan, especially the White House, and our President. What appears to be incompetence, in my opinion, is complete indifference. Lord. please, pour out Holy Spirit upon our governmental officials, showing them the error of their ways, and what needs to occur to fix this indifference to key issues that are happening in our nation.

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    C
    March 9, 2023

    What needs to occur FATHER GOD is that they all need to be removed forcibly from office and put in jail for treason quickly in JESUS NAME! Amen!

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Judith
March 9, 2023

Thank you for this article; I found it to be excellent. Much is confirmation of what has transpired and the conclusions I and my fellow intercessors have reached. The comments by Dr. Kess and Bill and Betsy West were most helpful, especially encased in Biblical truth. May the Lord continually bless them with further truth in this season.
For me, my only trust is in Jesus. I pray daily for insight through the Holy Spirit to “know the way I should go”. I’m blessed with my family who believes the same way.
Blessings, Judith

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Michelle
March 9, 2023

In the LORD put I my trust: How say ye to my soul, flee as a bird to your mountain? For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, That they may privily shoot at the upright in heart. If the foundations be destroyed, What can the righteous do? The LORD is in his holy temple, The LORD’s throne is in heaven: His eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. The LORD trieth the righteous: But the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: This shall be the portion of their cup. For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; His countenance doth behold the upright.
Psalm 11:1‭-‬7 KJV
🔒⚔️

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Daniel Felice
March 9, 2023

With the way this governing leadership is treating as minions, we need to seek our Father God for guidance and direction. After all , He created us for a time and a reason and that time is now.

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Carol
March 9, 2023

I look to my LORD first when Government is perfectly competent or incompetent! Most of us never trusted biden, fauci, or the cdc, fbi, etc. A lot of us saw the 2020 election numbers with President Trump overwhelmingly 20 to 40 million + votes ahead of biden before every TV station shut down election reporting all of a sudden! I’m 72 and that has never happened on election night since the days of all night broadcasting began! Hours later when they came back on line, the very large lead President Trump had, had switched to biden! Literally, the numbers had switched! Biden had gained the millions of votes lead and Trump had gone back way below the number he had when TV news crooks went dark! They were all in on the coup, even Fox News! “All liars will find their place in the lake of fire!” I had witnessed the dominion machines do the very same thing in the Kentucky Governors election! On the screen, the republican governor Bevin was leading with about 20,000+ votes when Anderson Cooper, who was reporting went to a commercial break! When they came back on after the break, the numbers behind Anderson Cooper had switched with the high votes with the current democrat governor Beshear! Get this though! The numbers scrolling on the bottom of the screen had not yet been changed and still had the republican governor Bevin in the large lead! If I can find that video I will post it! Those machines has the ability to switch votes! And dominion has the nerve to sue somebody! People we have been gaslighted since obama first came on the scene! Do your own research! FATHER GOD please remove every one if these evil people from office and the public square! Let them be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and spend the rest of their lying lives in prison. Except they repent, they will spend eternity in HELL! Please send laborers to these wicked, crooked people in JESUS MIGHTY NAME! Amen!

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Kathie
March 9, 2023

Lord, help us not to be intimidated by the ever increasing lies and deceptions by those in power, nor by the increasing erosion of the most basic freedoms this nation was founded upon. Let us not be fearful of of personal persecution as we take a stand for godly principles. You Word tells us that You, Who live in us, are greater than he who is in the world. By faith, O Lord, let us believe this and live this by the power of Your Holy Spirit. In the mighty Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen

49
Jude
March 9, 2023

I believe we are in a time when we will have to choose: do we obey God or do we obey ‘man’? My prayer is that God’s children draw closer to Jesus and strengthen our relationship with our Lord. I pray that we all repent of whatever we need to repent of and seek our Lord for His Wisdom, not the world’s wisdom. I would also suggest the reading of a booklet written in 1853 called: Establishment and Limits of Civil Government: An Exposition of Romans 13:1-7. I purchased 5 copies from American Vision which is much more reasonably priced than what I could find elsewhere. Our Lord Jesus is our refuge and our strength. His people need to prepare now.

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Frances Grafton
March 9, 2023

In our prayer time Monday,we realized more of the meaning of Purim….Haman and his ten sons…One prayer warrior pointed out the names and meaning of the names of each of the ten sons of Haman , the destruction of Haman and his ten sons.
We pray , God of all righteousness and creation that the spirits of Haman and his ten sons are confronted with the power of the blood and spirit of Jesus Christ in our families, our government and medical and educational insstitutions. We repent for ourselves and our nation…that we have often invited and exercised these destructive spirits. We ask that , by your grace, we all repent and return to your Son . We speak , we declare that the righteouness of the Lord will again stand and cast out these evil and detructive spirits. Psalm 103

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