I recently had what I believe is a profound prophetic experience. I was preaching in an African American church in San Francisco when a tall man and his entourage entered the room. With every eye on him, he made his way to the front row and sat down. I did not know who he was, but after I finished preaching, the pastor introduced him as the mayor of San Francisco! He then asked me to pray for him. The Spirit of the Lord stirred me with conviction and agitation as I stretched out my hand to him and prayed forcefully, "God, I thank you that all earthly government is derived from your heavenly government. Therefore, let this man know that he will be held accountable for everything he does in this city under the government of God. In Jesus' name. Amen."

Three weeks later, this same man, Gavin Newsome, mayor of San Francisco, was on the front page of every newspaper in America, having ignited the same sex marriage firestorm in America by instructing city clerks to issue gay marriage licenses.

Sent to Warn Our Leaders

As I pondered this amazing 'coincidence', God gripped me with the conviction that He had sent me to warn this man in the spirit of Psalm 2:10, "Therefore, you kings, be wise, be warned you judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way."

This warning was not for Mayor Newsome alone, but prophetically represents leaders and politicians everywhere. I believe it is a prophetic picture of the Church's role in this hour; to stand for righteousness and justice and to soberly warn those in authority who would pass laws that hold the Law of God in contempt. The same-sex marriage issue transcends political differences and touches on the very foundations of society.

A Clash of World Views

In this confrontation, I felt that God was thrusting me again, as in 2000, into the spiritual and cultural battle for our nation. These upcoming elections are not about the war or the economy, but about the titanic clash of worldviews - one which can still call evil 'evil' and good 'good' because it is founded on a biblical worldview espoused by our forefathers - and the other based on relativity, where ethics are vague and absolute truth does not exist.

Let us be very clear on this: God is neither a Republican nor a Democrat. He stands alone, above all governments of men, unmoved by the raging sea of history. He judges nations, and He does not ask kings and presidents for their opinion. Instead, He holds them accountable to carry out His unchanging Law lest they come under His wrath, as Psalms 2 reminds us.

God instituted human government to bring order to society and to restrain violence. Romans 13: 3-4 tells us, the government should hold no terror for the blameless, since it bears the sword to punish evildoers. However, when governments become renegade, they cross their own boundaries and use that sword against the innocent. Through legalized abortion, over 40 million American babies have been terrorized in the womb since 1973. Yet the church still votes for those who sanction this atrocity!

Through our votes, we are guilty before God of making alliances with governments whose laws enshrine evil, particularly the evil of shedding innocent blood, the ultimate moral offense.

America at the Crossroads

In a few short months, America will vote again and the stakes are even higher this time. The outcome of this election will shape America's judicial future for decades to come. The next President of the United States of America will almost certainly decide the fate of legalized abortion and whether millions of innocent lives will continue to be taken 'legally' in our country.

Chief Justice Rehnquist, appointed 32 years ago by Nixon, is now 80. Justice Stevens, a liberal, is 84 years old. Justices O'Connor and Ginsburg are 74 and 71 years old, respectively. Any of these pro-choice Justices could vacate their seats during the next 4 years, due to illness, death or retirement.

In 2000, in Stenberg v. Carhart, the U.S. Supreme Court - by a narrow 5-4 vote - struck down a Nebraska abortion ban. This five-member pro-choice majority would be overthrown by the appointment of just one new Justice, potentially by the next president!

In January 2004, we officially closed The Call offices, having fulfilled our mandate from the Lord for that season. However, our country and our leaders remain in desperate need of prayer, now more than ever. In fact, I believe that we are at a place of far greater crisis than we were in 2000. This is not hype or rhetoric, but a sober assessment of our national condition.

In the four short years since The Call DC, America has endured the horrors of 9/11 and fought two wars that continue to claim lives.

The nation and the church are buckling under an escalating spiritual and moral crisis, punctuated by events such as the removal of the Ten Commandments from the Alabama courthouse, the Catholic Church sex abuse scandals and the ordination of a practicing homosexual, given a place of prominence and spiritual authority within the Body of Christ as an Episcopal Bishop. Last month, Massachusetts (home state of Sen. John Kerry) became the first state in our nation's 200 year history to recognize homosexual marriage in bold defiance of the law of God."

Governmental House of Prayer

In light of these things, I am compelled, as never before, by the word the Lord spoke to me, "Raise up a House of Prayer that will contend with every other house."

Now is time for a House of Prayer that will contend for the government of our land!

We believe God is calling for 120 young Nazirites to come to Colorado Springs for 50 days of day and night worship and intercession. We're inviting thousands more to join them at this 24/7 Governmental House of Prayer at the Navigator's Facility from July 10 to August 28, 2004.

This will be no easy walk in the park.

It will be intense. Each student will be expected to give eight hours a day or night. Many will go on extended fasts. The night watches will be as important as the day battles.

I am asking for worship teams that can carry the fire of worship. There will be two-hour shifts for devotion and spiritual refreshing. Then we will follow the Lord again into the battle for the elections, for the courts of our nation and the overturning of Roe v. Wade, for a great youth awakening, for the ending of the Iraq war and for a powerful move of the Holy Spirit in the homosexual communities of America.

While many are convinced that George Bush somehow 'stole' that election, we believe it was the prayers of the church which ultimately decided the outcome of that struggle, as God intervened in human affairs in response to our intercession. Many ministries, including The Call DC, called for extended fasting and prayer during that time and perhaps as many as 1 million people went on a 21-day fast.

It is clear that this coming election will be just as bitterly fought and just as closely won by whomever triumphs.

I believe this is the hour for thousands of young people to come to Colorado Springs to shake the heavens over America for 50 days! Will you help us do this - through your prayers and by giving generously to this cause? Thank you in advance for joining us in this battle.

For Revival,
Lou Engle

The Governmental House of Prayer has concluded as of August 28th, 2004.