Briefings for Intercessors

Praise God for the ceasefire – but there is no room for complacency

There could hardly be a greater contrast between our peaceful sunlit gardens and the violence wracking the Middle East. Regimes across the world will be reevaluating Donald Trump in the aftermath of his decisive action – which contradicted his recent statements about seeing no benefit in America being involved in a war in the region.

Concerning their respective airstrikes, America and Iran have both claimed success. While Iran found a way to save face on the home front with a strategic retaliatory act that nevertheless saw no American lives lost, the success of America’s own raid remains in doubt. Did its ‘bunker-busting bombs’ actually destroy the 400 kilograms of enriched believed to be held in Fordow, and which underpin Iran’s development of nuclear weaponry?

There have been no reports of radioactive fallout, and satellite imagery suggests the site was not destroyed. It has been suggested suggests that the stocks of uranium, were moved prior to the attack. It is even possible that it was transported in perfectly ordinary cars to other nuclear sites and tunnels even deeper underground.

The Iranians are now refusing to allow the International Atomic Energy Committee (IAEC) to inspect its nuclear sites.

Trump has reacted angrily to suggestions that the strikes were not a complete success, and been openly contemptuous about reports provided for him by his own intelligence agencies. (You may remember that he announced not so long ago that he preferred Putin’s version of the ‘truth.’)

He was, however, careful to give thanks to God for the strike in his address to the nation – it was, and is, his hope that a ‘one and won’ (i.e. just the one bombing raid) will keep on board those evangelical believers to whom he repeatedly promised ‘no more wars.’

For its part, Iran has astonishingly said that it wants to work its relationship out with the US, and has agreed to a ceasefire – only days after Trump declared that the supreme leader should not be allowed to live. But how great the trust that will be required on both sides, especially given that Trump pulled out of his first nuclear deal with Iran, despite Iran keeping to its terms.

However, this brilliant overview by the unusually insightful and usually reliable Heather Cox Richardson suggests that there may be very different forces at play concering Trump’s real intentions towards developing nuclear plants, as opposed to nuclear weapons, in the Middle East. If what Heather is saying here is right, it throws a stunningly different light on what is really going on behind the scenes in the Middle East – and one that most definitely appears to involve Iran. Do have a read.

So there is certain extent to which we can agree with Trump and thank the Lord – but a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ between America and Iran? Our trust is in God, not the machinations of men. Every aspect of this remains a matter for prayer.

It is naïve to assume that one can bomb a nation, impose a ceasefire and assume that this allows you to develop a relationship that will avoid further (nuclear) escalation in the future.

‘Friendship between nations is a thing not lightly made. The broad foundations of respect must first be truly laid. Speech is easy. Deeds are costly. Friendship must be proved. Sacrifices must be made, gaps bridged and mountains moved.’

I am reminded of Churchill urging people not to regard Dunkirk as a victory – wars are not won by evacuations!

Our trust must be in God, not the machinations of men. Every aspect of this remains a matter for prayer.

These events have also reminded me of the work done by RAF during the Second World War in what became known as Operation Crossbow. 

A reconnaissance unit identified a brand new threat being developed in North Germany: rocket technology. As a result, Churchill ordered a massive bombing raid on the launch site in Peenemünde and, on the night of 17/18 August 1943, and despite very heavy losses, the bombers knocked out the facilities – and thereby delayed the production of the V1 and V2 rockets for several months.

It was not a permanent reversal of Nazi plans, but it did delay things. The day came, though, when production of the V1 and V2 rockets resumed, and they led to great loss of life in southern England.

And this was not the only fallout . . .
In a recent intriguing documentary on Channel 4, the chroniclers showed how hundreds of the scientists involved in Nazi weapon development – who were well ahead of their allied counterparts in rocket technology – were later recruited by both America and Russia to work in their newly developing respective space missions. It was their brilliance that ultimately made it possible to land men on the moon. How many of them sincerely renounced their Nazi past before becoming American citizens?

Today, are we perhaps merely facing a delay in Iranian nuclear capability? The Pentagon Intelligence Committee believes so, although the President would like to persuade the world otherwise. And perhaps even more concerning, are we dealing with a springing up of old and evil ideologies?

Courageous exploits in the face of great threat – or sheer recklessness?

Photo by Oleksandra Bardash on Unsplash

While the success of America’s mission in removing the threat of Iranian uranium remains in doubt, Israel’s own commando style operations and drone attacks seem to have accomplished with precision their aim of removing leading politicians and nuclear scientists from deep inside Iran – perhaps encouraging Trump’s actions. Did prayer play its part in their achievements?

Netanyahu has spend decades trying to ensure Iran does not get the bomb, recognising that its regime means it when it shouts, ‘Death to Israel!’

How do we ward off great threats? Two examples come to mind: first, I am reminded of the courageous volunteer commandos who set out to inhibit the Nazis acquisition of heavy water in Norway, which they planned to use for their nuclear aims. As the film ‘The Heroes of Telemark (and Ray Mear’s more historically accurate ‘The real heroes of Telemark’) depicts, the team succeeded in sinking the ferry transporting the last of the heavy water available in the deepest part of Lake Tinn.

The operation ultimately prevented the Nazis from acquiring an atomic weapon, and has since been recognised as one of the most successful acts of sabotage carried out during World War II.

Churchill was responding to a genuine threat, and Iran most certainly poses a genuine threat in the world (including the UK), but was Trump’s action ‘courageous and correct’ – or is that but a euphemistic assessment of a reckless action, such as one might hear from the great Sir Humphrey of satirical comedy fame in ‘Yes Minister’?

Even nuclear scientists can be replaced.

Pray for Iran and Iranians

Iran has poured untold billions into arming Hezbollah, Hamas and its now emptied bases in Syria, whilst also being pulverised by Western sanctions imposed against it. Developing nuclear facilities is also a very expensive endeavour. While it needed to retaliate against the American strike in order to save face at home, now, with the senior ranks of top military leadership decimated, Iran may well welcome peace and the chance to recover.

But pity those on whom the regime takes its revenge.

Pray for God to bring blessing inside Iran at this tumultuous time.

God does powerful things through very imperfect means. From a human point of view, we are right to fear the new waves of ferocious persecution that are likely to rise up against Iranian Christians. The Iranian government promotes the belief that Christians are closet Zionists and a poisonous fifth column embedded in the DNA of the revolution. Khomeini had called missionaries a ‘nest of spies’ and this view is still embedded in much of society.

May the Lord keep matters in check. Pray that those who are seen to be out of line will be protected from abuse and false accusation.

The Ayatollahs have a massive networks of mosques behind them and preach a strong message that, although the Shah was not with Iran, ‘we are.’ There is no organised network of opposition in Iran and only a vacuous desire for ‘freedom,’ which means any kind of successful uprising is unlikely. The future looks murky, especially with Moscow increasingly getting behind Tehran.

Iran has long desired to be recognised as the superpower of the region. I very much doubt, for example, that the major attack on Saudi Arabian facilities would have happened without Iran’s specific say-so. It has invested massively heavily in its close proxies, and has seen its multi-billion-dollar investment in them blow up one by one under Israeli destruction, with the loss of their bases in Sria being a serious blow for both Iran and Russia.

Elam ministries offers prayer points to help us pray for Iran. 

A moment of pity from the President in the midst of power play politics

As NATO leaders gathered in The Hague, a number of us were praying that the wind of the Lord would blow, especially in connection with Trump’s attitude to Zelensky and Ukraine. We knew that it would take something special to move Donald Trump’s heart and it happened!

He visibly warmed to the plight of a vulnerable BBC Ukraine journalist in a press interview, and said that “we’re going to see” if Washington is able to supply Patriot missile systems to assist Kyiv.

May he indeed do so!

It was good, too, to hear Trump denouncing Israel’s decision to continue bombing Tehran despite the ceasefire agreement. But we have to remember that he loves an audience, and will play to please them, even beyond the point of sheer fantasy, such as claiming that migrants eat cats. His appointees and operatives have learned to do likewise. These are not the actions of a trustworthy and credible administration.

All leaders must engage in subterfuge in times of war but it is Trump’s frequent habit to say one thing and then do another – and that makes it hard for people to know how to relate to him. He saw the vulnerability of a Ukrainian journalist and was moved to take pity on her. We can pray that his pity becomes a foothold for the Lord – but, at the time of writing, it is a very small window indeed.

He is an impulsive man, and bypasses the checks and balances that might reign him in. He chose not to seek Congress approval before taking action against Iran, but he will instead listen to those whose approbation he seeks, or whose causes he favours; even, indeed, to the last person he spoke to.

• Pray for Donald Trump.
• Pray he does not succumb to a spirit of triumphalism.
• Pray that he listens to wise counsel and does not fall prey to those who know how to manipulate him.
• Pray blessings on his decisions where they are good ones, and checks and balances where they are not.
• Pray for those who need to relate to him, whether personally, in business or at political and international levels.
• Pray that he will learn to value truth and to harness his power for its cause.

European defence spending

In the days of the Cold War, Britain invested 5% of its GDP on defence budget. It is many years since that has been the case – but it is the level President Trump has demanded we and the rest of Europe spend, although he has no intention of doing so himself. He has once again refused to endorse Article 5, or to promise that the US will come to the aid of a NATO nation under attack. Perhaps he has Russia in mind, for he both favours and fears the power of Putin.

We have prayed for years that the West would take rearmament seriously, but Belgium and Spain have already said that they are unable to reach these percentages. How Sir Keir Starmer and the remaining NATO countries will play it remains to be seen. A NATO summit is one thing, but economic realities are quite another.

This BBC article offers an excellent overview of the precarious situation that Europe is now in.

Speaking Truth to Power

Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, and they were sitting in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them. (2 Chron. 18:9)

What a visual image the Chronicler offers us. Can you not see the kings in their fine robes, leaning back in their thrones, in Ahab’s case to lap up the flattering and self-confident words of the prophets, but Jehoshaphat more uncertain and uneasy, missing the authentic voice of the Lord in their declarations. Do you see the fawning prophets bowing themselves and can you hear them calling out their messages, telling the kings what they wanted to hear?

But were their words the words of Heaven? Not at all. Earthly powers sat before them, and they had not the courage – and perhaps not even the awareness – to hear and speak Heaven’s truths.

When advisors feel cowed and pressurised, and become afraid of speaking Truth to Power, then Power will not listen to Truth. We have grown used to advisers telling Vladimir Putin what he wants to hear, but things are not so different in Washington DC, either. This is the serious side to Donald Trump’s ongoing insistence that the 2020 election was stolen. Now he is insisting that the strike against Iran’s nuclear capabilities was a complete success.

The trajectory is not good. Pray for true prophets to emerge who will discern and speak truth out, paying the cost to endeavour to set the record straight. Pray that false blusterings will be exposed and seen for what they really are. Pray that false blusterings will be exposed for what they are.

The stunningly swift demise of democracy in America

Throughout this briefing, there is – as so often – one name that comes up again and again: Donald Trump. He presides over a majority in the Senate and the Congress and can afford to ignore them as he chooses, while also crushing his opponents – no pity shown here. When an organisation becomes dominated by a particular ethos that attracts those who align with it, and looks askance at those who do not, strong holds can develop, and demonic spirits can ride in on them back of them bringing people into bondage to a spiritual stronghold.

Historian Lord Jonathan Sumption, a former member of the UK Supreme Court, is well placed to comment on the polarisation between the two American political parties, and the rutted battlegrounds that have been formed as a result. The state of affairs in the US (and the affairs of State) are clearly not good for the cause of democracy in America, as Lord Sumption has long warned.

Not even Senator Joe McCarthy or the pre-repentant racist Governor of Alabama, George Wallace have offered the threat to American democracy that Trump does. Now we learn that he has been moving to defund Federal revenue for public radio, including NPR, the station relied upon by counties and regions across America. Trump accuses it of a bias it denies. The Senate has yet to vote on the matter.

Trump has also sought to buy up radio stations in order to make them lean in his favour (I have heard them broadcasting truly astonishingly false claims in their reports), alongside closing down media outlets that are either critical or politically neutral.

These are incredibly serious matters, and quite obviously ones to take to the Lord in prayer. Ask the Lord to move in power and so that people might be convicted of ‘sin and righteousness and judgment’ and thereby see their need for Jesus and be saved. (John 16:9-11)

Pray and ponder

Holy Spirit, please will You help us in our prayers. Teach us to know when to praise and trust, and when to be active and forthright in prayers of faith that release people and situations from grip of the enemy. When we need to recognise dark forces at work, may we do so without becoming enemy-focused, and when we need to see the host of heaven surrounding a situation, may we do so without falling into angel-worship. May all the glory be to You alone, Lord Jesus. Thank You for this beautiful gift of prayer, and for permitting us to share in this priceless work of Your Kingdom.