Prayers For 2000 Election Answered

“We were appealing to heaven in behalf of our nation. Then, God showed up! His presence silenced everyone in the church. It was intense!”

The last time I smelled frankincense and myrrh was when Jesus showed up. This happened in a church in Texas 16 years ago. We met there with a hundred intercessors.

We had been worshipping God and praying for God’s will to be done in the upcoming election in America.

A mysterious scene is depicted in Revelation 7: 4- 5. I think this scene depicts intercessors on earth interacting with angels in heaven. The saints on earth prayed. Angels in heaven mixed incense with their prayers. Fire hit the earth.

Where did the authority to shift things come from? Did it originate in heaven or on earth? Interestingly enough, it originated with praying believers on earth, yet it had to pass through heaven’s court before it was enforced on earth. Who enforced it? Angels! People prayed. Angels acted. History changed.

That contest we prayed abut in 2000 was between Al Gore and George Bush. Even after the Nov. 7 election, the outcome was hanging in the balance until Dec. 12. Before the election, prayer and praise went up from the pastors and Christians in the church auditorium.

We were appealing to heaven in behalf of our nation. Then, God showed up! His presence silenced everyone in the church. It was intense! Then the musicians on the platform slowly sank to the floor, wilting under God’s heavy presence. The flag-bearer fainted and fell over. The pianist slid off her bench. The drummer collapsed in slow motion. Yet no one moved. No one said anything. Silence. Awe.

Suddenly the senior pastor threw himself between the altars, crying out “He’s here! Take your shoes off!”

In the stillness of the auditorium, we removed our shoes. An aroma of strong incense suddenly filled the air!

Jesus, his garments satu- rated with the sweet smell of incense from heaven’s altar, had invisibly walked into the room, while we waited on God and prayed earnestly for his God’s will to be done for America.

I was privileged to have been present that evening. It was an awesome encounter with heaven. It showed us that God heard our concerns and took action to help our nation. Do you think this election is critical? Then pray!

Later, I was on mission to Cuba the week that the Supreme Court ended the disputed election. Due to Castro’s news blackout, no one in Cuba knew who won the U.S. election. After my plane landed in Miami on Sunday, I went to a restroom by myself in an empty wing of the terminal. I muttered the words, “I wish I knew who won the election!” I wanted to find a phone and call my wife.

I stopped suddenly. In front of me on the floor was a new USA Today, a special Friday edition two inches thick, still folded, never opened, with a hotel sticker on the front page. It was perfectly centered as though placed deliberately in the doorway.

I had walked through that door only moments before. No one followed me in and no one preceded me out. The paper had feature stories on the election drama.

Everything I wanted to know, I now held in my hand. I believe an angel brought it to me special delivery! Maybe he’d been one of the angels in that prayer meeting in Texas. I rejoiced and went on my way.