We recently saw how important it is to uphold 2 Chronicles 7:14. Although we have known that this beloved United States that we call home is not quite so “united”, we have discovered there are more Christians than there are non-Christians. (If God be for us who can be against us!) For some time, the liberals have used the media to be their trumpet or voice, which has made it appear that they are the majority. But I tell you this; I believe that what has occurred recently, with the election of Donald Trump, is that the normal quiet Christian (myself included) has realized that to survive in America we must stand up, voice our Godly opinion, and act and also understand that prayer does change things! Miracles are real, but they do not occur without faith, trust in our Lord, and action or prayer on our part. You can study, read every survival blog, and have the best “prepper” camp in the world, but without God on your side you will not survive. Given the fact that your camp is pretty much “ready to rock when it all goes down”, I ask you to take a step back, look over everything, and see if you are truly ready.
I cannot stress the importance and necessity of implementing the following procedures in your camp for your successful survival: (1) Fasting & Prayer, (2) Continual Intercessors, (3) Praise and Worship, and (4) Discerning Individuals.
My background is 20 years in law enforcement (local and federal level police as well as my last year spent in corrections) and 23 years of committed Christian service. I have seen the evidence of miracles from prayer and fasting. I have witnessed incidences in my law enforcement career that were only the divine hand of God preventing evil from occurring to me, my family, and other officers. I never in a million years believed I would work in the jail, but (after prayer and careful consideration of pros and cons) I now understand the importance of gaining the knowledge of working there and being able to apply it to a society of lawlessness if the unthinkable (EMP, terror attack, financial crisis, man-made, or natural disaster) were to occur. With that said, it is my belief and understanding to survive mentally, physically, and spiritually, these are the best ways to prepare for what is to come.
Fasting and Prayer
Fasting and praying is something I never understood until I began faithfully going to church with my family and researching the significance of the results. In the Bible, the Book of Esther reveals that fasting combined with prayer can change the course of an entire nation! I have read and heard that numerous people in America were led to fast and pray in regards to the elections and Trump winning. As proof from my own life, nineteen years ago, I fasted and prayed for three days with no food and only some water. The first day in I thought I was going to die without food. Mentally, that was the hardest part to overcome. Determined to get to day three, when it finally came, I realized it was more about setting aside my needs and showing the Lord that I was serious and nothing was going to prevent me from completing this important task. The reason I set the goal to fast and pray was to go to a revival and see miracles of healing in people there. Little did I know that I was one of the beneficiaries of the whole fasting and prayer! It was during a time that I wanted a child with my husband. Without getting into a lot of detail, I can honestly say that miracles can and will occur, as a result of prayer and fasting, as we have two beautiful children now. Along the way, I saw the hand of God appear that has forever strengthened my faith. During the rough times ahead, we are going to need miracles to survive, and trusting in God is going to be inevitable for survival. Not everyone in your camp will be able to partake of the “fasting and prayer” as physical and mental strength is required for certain jobs, such as security or jobs with physical labor. There may be those who are physically not well enough to do this, so volunteers will be needed, as they can function as your intercessors, too. In doing further research, you will see there are different types of fasting, as well as different times when it is needed. Prayer intercession is also something that will be essential at your camp.
Continual Intercessors
The number of people in your camp would determine the number of people who could be assigned the duty of praying over the camp. It should be noted that no one should be forced to do this and you definitely want those individuals who truly will be dedicated to the cause and understand the importance of the task. For example, if you have a minimum of 24 people in your camp, that equals 24 hours in a day, with each individual assigned one hour devoted to prayer. The more individuals you have the better, because you could assign at least two or more to the continual prayer group. Just a few verses from the Bible stating strength comes from praying together are as follows:
Matthew 18:20 – “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
Matthew 18:19 – “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.”
Romans 12:12 – “…rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;”
Once you have a schedule of those who will be praying constantly, it is important to recognize who has the ability of discernment or basically can recognize good and evil. That will be discussed later, after the importance of learning praise and worship.
Praise and Worship
I have learned through praise and worship that the Holy Spirit comes, and when this occurs miracles can happen. Some may not agree that music, like food, is essential for living. But in my opinion, you will not understand unless you have sung praises to the Lord and reach that connection to Him that provides strength to accomplish anything. I would not be in law enforcement for over 20 years if I did not trust in the Lord to protect me. (Psalm 91 is a must to memorize.) I get up two hours early to pray before going to work. I live enough of a distance away that I can listen to about three praise and worship songs before entering the “den of hell”, which is the jail. I say this not complaining, because I have always loved law enforcement and I love even more now my newest job in corrections. However, there is no way I would go to work without first praying and second singing praises to God. It provides a confidence and a strength of who is backing me up when I am faced with any situation, whether it is an uncooperative person from drugs and/or alcohol or whether it is a demonic/possessed person. You cannot have fear, and you cannot rely on your own strength. It is impossible to do this on your own, but with God all things are possible! When you sing a song to the Lord, it becomes written in your heart and you carry it with you throughout the day. It can make a horrible day much easier to bare. Not to sound doom and gloom, but you and I both know that there are horrible days to come.
It only makes sense to have songs on hand for praise and worship. Go ahead and print out praise and worship songs and have them available because if there is no electricity later you won’t be able to get them. Have plenty of Bibles on hand. The good news is that without power, you can still have praise and worship if you have musicians who can play the piano, guitar, drums, or basically any instrument that does not require electricity. If you do not have any music, you still have your voice!
Praise and worship Him now while you still can, for the day may come soon when silence will be a requirement to survive. At least you will have the song in your heart, which no one can take away.
Discerning Individuals
Having discernment is invaluable in your camp. You must be able to recognize good over evil and not be swayed by their skills or occupation. I have known many people in law enforcement or even pastors in the community that “on paper” looked really good, but due to their character, morals, or even racist beliefs I definitely would not want in my camp. I have also known individuals that would admit they were once “rotten to the core” (whether from drugs, assaults, burglaries, et cetera), yet God changed their heart and transformed them into the kind of person you would want on your team. However, I have yet to hear or see any transformation of sex offenders. It’s not to say there are not any, but I have not seen or heard it. Therefore, you may want to go ahead and print off a “sex offender registry” in your region or area and have on file in case electricity goes out. This will not cover everyone due to laws such as “first offenders” or “first offenders as youths”. It also will not cover those who are repeat offenders but were never prosecuted, and from experience I have seen this happen way too often. When it comes to the safety of the women and children in your camp, as well as your own safety, having discernment of individuals is a necessity.
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1 NIV
For many this can be an exciting time or a terrifying time. Some things are going to happen that truly will be tragic, and there is no way to prepare for that except by trusting God and thanking God that “He will never leave us nor forsake us”! God has given you the Bible; therefore, the only true preparation is knowing where you will spend eternity. As the parable of the Good Samaritan states in Luke 10:25-28 (NIV), follow the words of Jesus, and you will live.
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
May God bless you, protect you, and keep you safe from harm, in Jesus’ name, Amen.