"Prophetic Bulletin! Overthrow Babylon: Praying for Iraqi Elections and World Harvest"

OVERTHROW BABYLON: PRAYING FOR IRAQI ELECTIONS AND WORLD HARVEST
 

Dear Praying Warriors:

I just returned from the Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders (ACPE) Meeting in Colorado Springs. The overall consensus was that the next 21 days are key concerning the course of world harvest, and that we are to focus our prayers toward Iraq. That is what this email is about.

I will also be sending out two other emails -- a 10-Day Prayer Focus on Establishing a Mindset for Victory at the beginning of the year, and a second special email from Pastor Dutch Sheets concerning 40 Days of Prayer, beginning with the Presidential Inauguration.

We feel like the elections were a focus to defeat the hordes of hell that we find linked into the Babylonian structure. What we are seeing in the physical in Iraq is a picture of the spiritual.
Pastor Dutch Sheets said:

"There is no doubt that much of what is happening currently in Iraq is spiritual in nature. Do not focus on the politics and do not expect our military to win this war on their own. We, the prayer army, will determine the outcome. Do not move on your own understanding, but focus your prayers and thinking in a new way. Let's break through this situation. The outcome will influence the courts for years, if not decades, to come."

The Babylonian structure is a satanic stronghold that affects the world.

Witchcraft is coming against the soldiers in Iraq and affecting their ability to war. Isaiah 47:9 talks about the power of sorceries of Babylon being broken. This is affecting how the war is being fought, how the elections of government are being established, and how the harvest of the earth and its riches will occur.

"WE MUST CRY FOR THE ANCIENT OF DAYS TO RELEASE WISDOM FOR VICTORY"

Jean Steffenson, who has worked with Native American leaders for years over broken covenants and land issues in our nation, wrote the following:

"Iraq has been constantly in my spiritual radar. I have been in intense prayer regarding Iraq. I keep crying out for the Lord's intervention. I sense a real urgency from God for His army to close some ancient gates and advance on the kingdom of darkness.

"The land of Iraq is soaked with blood, and some of it with the blood of the martyrs. I saw hoards of hell coming from the underworld going through a conduit and forming a dark covering over the land. As you well know, this is a horrific spiritual battle and it has been intensifying.

"I keep thinking that this is the year for secrets and mysteries to be revealed. There are some things that God wants in place and established in this window of time. There must be a shift now to create a clear sound. God made it very clear to me that this is a governmental issue. It is not just the government that America wants, the Shiites, or any others in Iraq. It is God's intended government for Iraq, which will take the involvement of His Kingdom people."
 

We must cry for the Ancient of Days to release ancient wisdom for this present day victory. A Scripture that has revolutionized my prayer life has been 1 Corinthians 2:6-10:

"We speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of the age, nor the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory.

"'Eye has not seen or ear heard . . . the things prepared for those who love Him.' But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit." (NKJV, Emphasis mine)


PRAYERS THAT CONVERT ENTIRE CITIES TO CHRIST

God gives us several keys as we pray:

• God has wisdom greater than any worldly wisdom we see.

• Powers and principalities do not have access to this wisdom.

• The authority of demonic forces is limited.

• There is wisdom that has been hidden since the beginning of time, for His glory.

• Through the redemptive cross of Jesus Christ, we have access to this wisdom.

• God is prepared to release this wisdom to us as we get to know Him intimately, through prayer.

• This wisdom will overthrow high places and release captives.

• Wisdom dismantles demonic structures and dethrones thrones of iniquity.

Any demonic force holding a territory captive cannot withstand the wisdom that God will release to His people. I knew if the Spirit of the Lord burdened me to pray for a city, I had authority to gain the keys for the release of its inhabitants.

This is a day when the Lord is extending a fresh call of prayer to His people. He is going to show us our city as it really is and say to us: "Overcome every obstacle that is keeping these people from coming to know Me. Open the door for My House to be built within them so they may experience My Love throughout eternity. Through prayer, gain wisdom that will dethrone the thrones of iniquity wherever they have been established. Then establish My Throne that many may worship Me and gain life everlasting!"

This is how entire cities will experience conversion. This is also how we will overthrow thrones of iniquity and see God's covenant plan for whole territories flourish in days ahead. In Daniel 10, we find Daniel seeking God with intensity for 21 days. At that point, the Ancient of Days sent the aid of a heavenly messenger. Revelation was then released into the earth realm -- revelation that we are walking in today.


BABYLON: A BIBLICAL UNDERSTANDING

To better understand this issue from a spiritual standpoint, we need to look Biblically at Babylon. Babylon, one of the oldest cities in the ancient world, was an ancient city-state in the plain of Shinar. The name is derived by the Hebrews from the root Balal, which means "to confound."

We can reference this area to the confusion of tongues at the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:9). "God came down to see what they were building and did not like it all." Therefore, God does not honor any of the confusion that is there resisting His purpose. The Biblical account ascribes the founding of the ancient prehistoric city of Babylon to the descendants of Cush and the followers of Nimrod (Genesis 10:8-10).

The beginnings of the city of Babylon are unknown to us except for the Biblical passage mentioned in Genesis 10:10. Babylon was situated along the Euphrates River about 485 kilometers (300 miles) northwest of the Persian Gulf, and about 49 kilometers (30 miles) southwest of modern Baghdad in Iraq. According to Babylonian tradition, it was built by the god Marduk.

Daniel 4:30 explains the ancient exalting power that surrounds this area:

"Is this not Babylon the great, which I (Nebuchadnezzar) myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?" (NASB)

Everyone that comes into power in this area seems to be overtaken by this ancient root of self exaltation. This is what creates wars.

Figuratively, Babylon illustrates the "confusion" into which the whole social order of the world has fallen in under Gentile world domination (Luke 21:24; Revelation 6:16). But, in Isaiah 11 we find a Divine Order: Israel, in her own land, as the center of divine government of the world and the medium of the divine blessing, and God calling forth a remnant from all other nations.

CONTENDING FOR THE REMNANT TO COME FORTH

We are contending for that remnant to come forth. Anything else is politically "Babel" (confusion). This area is so deceptive, spiritually, because it has a political and religious structure that has formed a handshake to attempt to thwart God's redemptive plan for this age in the earth (Revelation 17:5-18; Revelation 16:19; Revelation 18:2-21). That is why we are contending for a major transference of freedom, salvation, wealth, and political liberty.

Babylon also means "the gate of god." This area was known as a "holy place of the gods" and ancient etymologists explained it as meaning "place of the seat of life." Some even thought this was "Paradise." The Garden of Eden was located here. Its great god, Merodach, became the head of the Babylonian pantheon, partly through the influence of Babylon as capital, and partly because the city was the center of his worship. I believe this is why there is so much confusion in the area.

We have not understood the spiritual dynamic that we have come up against. We do not war with flesh and blood; in this are principalities and powers. The Church must rise to a new level of power. Other important passages to read are: Revelation 14:8; 16:19; 17:5; and 18:2, 10, 21.

Babylon is one of the major mysteries to understand in the Bible. The characteristics ascribed to this Babylon can apply to many other places in the earth:

(a) As ruling over the kings of the earth (Revelation 17:18)
(b) As sitting on seven mountains (Revelation 17:9)
(c) As the center of the world's merchandise (Revelation 18:3, 11-13)
(d) As the corrupter of the nations (Revelation 17:2; 18:3; 19:2)
(e) As the persecutor of the saints (Revelation 17:6).
 

In many areas, Rome and New York are both likened to Babylon. Rome was thought by both Jews and Christians as being antagonistic to the Kingdom of God, and its downfall was confidently expected.

• Declare that all of the confusion from this situation in Babylon breaks from around your thinking. This confusion is producing political chaos in the earth.

• Pray that our President remains focused to get to the end of this season.

• Pray that we hold our shields high and contend. In Matthew 16:13-20 the Lord promised us that the gates of Hell would not prevail against those who had revelation of Him. We need "strength at the GATES!" Read Isaiah 28:6.

• Pray that our troops have a spiritual alertness like never before to hear "a word from behind them telling them which way to GO."

WE MUST NOT DRAW BACK AT THIS TIME

We are approaching a time where we see transference of wealth into the Kingdom of God. Keep contending with your enemy, remove the tempter's covering, and possess the spoils to advance the Kingdom of God. Stand against confusion that would allow a surprise attack.

We must not draw back from our enemy at this time in the history of the Church, nor in the history of this nation. Moses told the children of Israel in Deuteronomy 2:24, "Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have given into thine hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land: begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle." (KJV)

The time has come to cross over and battle for the inheritance of this land. This is a season to contend for our faith. Religious spirits will arise to stop our faith from increasing. To "contend" means to vie with a rival and bring to close a point of contention. This word is linked with struggling for victory.

Another word very closely related to contend is "wrestle." Ephesians 6:12 says, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (KJV)

Wrestle comes from the word "pallo," which means "to vibrate or shake." Shake your enemy off of your back. This word also means a contest between two in which each endeavors to throw the other to the ground. The victor is decided when the opponent is held down and the victor's foot is put upon the opponent's neck. This is linked with the Christian's struggle with the power of evil.

Do not be afraid to contend this season! Satan knows that we are on the verge of breakthrough! The enemy has heard of the anointing that is being released. Consequently, he must counterattack by releasing a horde of seducing spirits now.


WE MUST GET OUR SHIELDS OF FAITH HIGH AND INTERLOCKED

Hold your shields of FAITH high! These next 21 days are crucial in the war dimension. The locals in Iraq are being intimidated by the insurgents. Pray against outside help from other nations coming into Iraq to aid those who are overtaken by lawlessness. We must hold out shields high for those troops that are there on the land.

There could be boycotts in this election by Sunni Muslims. Also, violence and intimidation by insurgents in the heavily populated Sunni Muslim areas will likely cause many not to vote. This will boost the electoral chances of a slate of candidates dominated by Iraq's Shiite majority. I think we all will agree there will be many kinds of diverse problems that will arise in these elections. The issue is establishing a government for the future that will understand how to relate worldwide and open up the nation in a way that the purposes of God can manifest.

We must pray for the Lord's choice for leadership for this nation to be accomplished. Pray against assassination and kidnapping of key leaders. Ask the Lord for the women to rise up with a new boldness. We believe women will have a great influence in the direction of this nation as well as the unraveling of the control of Islam.


IRAQI ELECTIONS

In an article, U.S. Fears Iranian Influence in Iraqi Elections, Andrew Mitchell, NBC News (December 15, 2004) writes,
 

"Sources say 1 million Iranians have crossed the border to register. But as Iraqis register to vote, the United States worries that the real winners could be the ayatollahs in neighboring Iran. President Bush, after a White House meeting with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, told Iran and Syria to stay out. 'We will continue to make it clear to both Syria and Iran -- as will other nations in our coalition, including our friend, the Italians, that meddling in the internal affairs of Iraq is not in their interest,' said the president. But, it is not clear what the United States can do.

"The United States says Iran is funding the leading Shiite candidate Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, who is expected to emerge as the country's most powerful figure. A new Shiite government could oppose controversial military operations, like Fallujah, or even demand a rapid U.S. withdrawal. 'I think we have to accept it might not be an outcome that we particularly desire, but if it's a free and clear election, then that's what our policy has been all about,' says Geoffrey Kemp, an Iranian expert at the Nixon Center. U.S. officials hope that Iraqi voters will resist Iran's influence and remember that less than 20 years ago, Iran was their enemy in a brutal war."

In an AP article, Half of Iraq Population Estimated to Vote, Hamza Hendawi writes,

"Farid Ayar of Iraq's Independent Electoral Commission believes there are 14 million eligible voters inside Iraq, plus 1.2 million abroad allowed to vote in 14 countries including the United States, Britain, Iran and Syria. Such flexibility reflects belief that high participation is important for the election's credibility. The roughly 50 percent turnout forecast by Ayar would be respectable given the tenuous security in Baghdad -- home to nearly a quarter of Iraq's 26 million people -- and the fierce insurgency to the capital's north and west.

"A senior election official estimates that half of Iraq's 15 million eligible voters will take part in this month's national election and says that to encourage a high turnout, those living in insurgency-racked areas will be allowed to vote in safer communities. Farid Ayar of Iraq's Independent Electoral Commission said he expected 7 to 8 million Iraqis to vote on Jan. 30 in a ballot seen as a major step toward fulfilling U.S. goals of building democracy here after decades of Saddam Hussein's tyranny.

"Even in devastated areas or in cites where individuals have fled for refuge, voters will be allowed to register and vote on the same day. Insurgents have killed several electoral officials in recent weeks -- some in broad daylight in the heart of Baghdad. Others have quit their jobs out of fear. 'Like in any other Third World country, there will be violence and intimidation. It will not be a quiet election,' Ayar said.

"The Jan. 30 election will signal the emergence of Iraq's majority Shiites as the dominant group in racially and religiously diverse Iraq, ending decades of oppression by the Sunni Arab minority. In predominantly Shiite southern Iraq and Baghdad's eastern neighborhood of Sadr City, election fever runs high. Posters and banners fill the streets and preachers in mosques and Shiite community centers urge people to vote.

"One election poster features one of Saddam Hussein's tanks in front of the heavily damaged gate of one of Shiite Islam's holiest shrines. The written message: 'So this doesn't happen again, participate in the elections.' Thousands of Shiite theology students in the holy city of Najaf were given an early vacation last week so they can go home and give lessons about elections.

"The vacation marking Eid al-Adha, Islam's most important holiday, was supposed to begin mid-January. In Sadr City, a blast wall surrounding a traffic police station was decorated with posters of leading Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, a strong proponent of holding the balloting as scheduled. Messages written on posters said: 'Not participating in elections means that your candidates will not be able to defend your religion as well as your lives.'

"Former army Col. Yassin Taher, 42, said Iraqis must vote 'because we want a legitimate state, a new government and constitution.' Jasim Mohammed, 30, a vegetable vendor, said he and his relatives would vote for the United Iraqi Alliance because 'this is what the grand ayatollah asked us to do.'

"The U.S. military's ground forces commander in Iraq, Lt. Gen. Thomas Metz, has said that while most of Iraq's 18 provinces are secure enough for elections, security remains poor in four provinces -- Nineveh, Anbar, Salahadin and Baghdad. On Thursday, European lawmakers said Iraq's deteriorating security situation will keep the European Parliament from sending election monitors." (01/14/05)

NEW DOORS ARE FORMING

On Wednesday (January 12, 2005), I heard a news report that "Babylon is now open again." We must not miss this window of opportunity for harvest.

Read Isaiah 14:3-23. This concerns the "Fall of the King of Babylon," the "Fall of Lucifer," and how the spirit of Babylon will be destroyed.

Read Revelation 17. This links the Scarlet Woman and the Scarlet Beast and the power of Jezebel that is aligned with Babylon. God will judge the Great Harlot linked with trade. He will rearrange the trade routes. This will cause a shaking all across Europe.

Read Revelation 18. This passage is about the Fall of Babylon the Great. Do not fear Babylon! Trade structures will change throughout the world. The transfer of Babylon's wealth will occur, and Babylon will fall.

Read Revelation 19. Heaven exults over Babylon's fall.

Read Jeremiah 50-51. God rallies people to pray concerning the overthrow of Babylon. Marduk, or Merodach, was the chief god of Babylon. This is the principality that is being dealt with to change the course of that area. Babylon is an instrument in the hand of God. However, ask the Lord to break the power of arrogance that holds this spirit in place. Declare that the people come out from the control of Bel or Marduk.

Read Zechariah 5:5-11. This is a key passage. God will remove wickedness from the land. Wickedness has been consigned to the land of Shinar. Pray that our troops do not align with any wicked force that is dwelling in that land. Declare that the power of wickedness that is holding lawlessness intact would be broken.

We are entering into a season of Harvest praying! This is the time that we are to be watching NEW DOORS FORM. To "form" means "to develop or mold the shape or outline of something," or "to give meaning, character or nature to something." Another way of thinking about a season of formation is to see something (including the conditioning of our mind and body in regard to their mental performance) as it will be in days ahead.

A forming season includes conceiving, training, and disciplining. This phase denotes the arrangement of the part of a thing that gives its distinctive appearance. A key scripture reference is 1 Corinthians 16:8. Paul purposed to stay at Ephesus until Pentecost, because an effectual door was opened to him for his ministry.

You can find a good 21-Day Prayer Focus to help you contend with the confusion of Babylon on the Glory of Zion website by going to http://www.glory-of-zion.org/outmail/4-16-04.htm. I encourage you to find times to fast as the Lord would lead you during January 28-31 to cover and rear-guard the changes and elections in Iraq.

Blessings,


Chuck D. Pierce
Glory of Zion International
www.glory-of-zion.org
 

 

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