A Call to Fast and Pray by Mahesh and Bonnie Chavda

A Call to Fasting and Prayer
On November 4th, 2008, Americans will elect our new president and members of congress. These are crucial elections - our nation stands at a crossroads that will determine the course of America and shape the world we live in for many years to come.
After eight years in leadership, President Bush and Vice President Cheney will pass their duties on to a new administration led by the man America chooses. Whether that be Senator John McCain or Senator Barack Obama, we know that we will not only be electing the leader who will determine the future of the United States, but that our choice will affect the history of many other nations as well.
Electing the right people to serve in the Congress is also of critical importance. Therefore we are sounding the call for serious prayer, fasting and seeking God's face on behalf of ourselves, our children and the destiny of our nation.
From the intercessory headquarters of the Watch of the Lord™ we are calling Believers across America to join us for "40 Days 4 America" - a corporate forty-day fast, from September 2 to October 11, 2008. Whether you can fast with us for one day or several, we invite you to turn a page in history as you join us and many watchmen across America over the next several weeks in this corporate time of fasting. Be assured that history changes when God's people take the call to prayer and fasting seriously.
"Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions...So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer." Ezra 8:21,23
From Ezra to Esther, Jehoshaphat and Joel, when the future of their nation was at stake, we see God's people respond with prayer and fasting. When the Moabites, Ammonites and others rose up against Judah, Jehoshaphat humbled himself, acknowledged God's greatness and faithfulness and proclaimed a fast for all of Judah (2 Chronicles 20).
As the people worshipped and praised the Lord, He sent ambushes and completely destroyed their enemies. Israel fasted when Haman set about to destroy all the Jews (Esther 4:16). Ezra and several thousand Jews fasted as they embarked on a dangerous journey, and God protected them from assault (Ezra 8:21-23).
Intercession in Our Nation's History
In recent history, we learn from the journal of John Wesley that the king of Great Britain called for a solemn day of prayer and fasting in response to a possible invasion from France. On February 6, 1756, he wrote, "The fast day was a glorious day, such as London has scarce seen since the Restoration. Every church in the city was more than full, and a solemn seriousness sat on every face. Surely God heareth prayer, and there will yet be a lengthening of our tranquility...Humility was turned into national rejoicing for the threatened invasion by the French was averted."
Our spiritual father Derek Prince often related to us that as a newly saved young man serving in the British army in North Africa, he began to regularly fast and pray for the British forces. The British were losing the war in North Africa, and was on the longest retreat in their history, when a series of events transpired that opened the way for Churchill to appoint an as yet unknown commander, General Montgomery.
He was a man who feared God and was instrumental to turn the battle back, eventually leading to the Allied defeat of Rommel and the Nazi forces in North Africa. When Derek heard the appointment of Montgomery to the North African front on his field radio, the Lord spoke to him and said, "This is the answer to your prayer."
The prayer the Holy Spirit had given Derek for this momentous point of history was, "Lord, give us leaders such that it will be for Your glory to give us the victory through them." This is our prayer for America and our leadership for the elections in November.
We are in one of the most critical times of intercession in our nation's history. We can prevail in fasting and prayer for God's hand to shape the course of our nation according to His purpose and destiny. The following are areas we will focus on in this fast:
"40 Days 4 America" Prayer Focus
1. Humility and Repentance: God's heart is moved when He finds humble hearts. Isaiah 66:2 says, "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at My word." Humility not only moves the heart of God, but it releases God's grace into our situation (James 4:6).
As we fast and pray together, let us humbly repent and seek God's mercy for our nation, our church, our city, our family and our children. "If My people, who called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14
2. Elections: 1 Timothy 2:1-2, "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority..."
As we seek God's face on behalf of our nation, pray that He will give us a president of His choosing. We ask for leaders from the White House to the Supreme Court to Congress who stand for Judeo-Christian values, the great heritage of American democracy as a nation under God, and for life which begins in the womb. "Lord give us leaders such that it will be for Your glory to give us the victory through them."
3. Children: "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate." Psalm 127:3-5
The next generation is this generation's greatest treasure. Pray for salvation, breakthrough and blessing for our children. Pray for restoration of Godly principles in our education system. Pray for physical safety. Loose the angels to guard America's children at home and abroad. Pray for restoration to God's covenant for children who have strayed from His commands. As we pray for them we are asking for our future.
4. Armed Forces: "NO WEAPON FORMED against you shall prosper..." Isaiah 54:17. Pray for success in Iraq and Afghanistan. Pray Psalm 91 as a shield of protection. Ask for supernatural courage, vision, discernment and strength. Pray that God will give us military leaders from the top down who are worthy to lead our troops in war and in peace. Pray for the families who send and support our troops. Bind the spirits of terrorism, tyranny, and antichrist that pervade the opposing forces of our mission and our military. Pray MISSION ACCOMPLISHED in every endeavor. Pray that God bring them home in victory and honor.
"I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation." Psalm 91:15b, 16
5. Russia: "The scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous..." Psalm 125:3. Pray for Russia as her leaders move to revive communist domination in their region. Pray for Russia's neighbors as they defend their new democracies against the old "bear" of Marxist communist tyranny. Bind manipulation of the media being used as an agent for evil against freedom.
6. Economy: "Man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord...Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him. For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper. When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you." Deuteronomy 8:3, 6-10
Give thanks for the economic blessing America has enjoyed. Pray for cleansing and healing where greed, avarice, mismanagement and sloth has affected America's national economy. Pray for a closing of the gaps in our economic strength, including on Wall Street and in big businesses. Pray for fresh fire and success on America's small businesses. Pray for deliverance from dependence on foreign oil for our energy needs.
7. Revival: "You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; and You renew the face of the earth." Psalm 104:30
Pray for personal, church and national revival. Pray for the restoration of our Godly foundations. Pray for restoration in every family, every neighborhood and every city. We are asking the Lord for permanent revival that will sweep across America, sweep across denominational lines and bring in worldwide harvest.
8. Peace of Jerusalem: Our spiritual heritage and prophetic destiny are joined to Jerusalem. The happenings in Jerusalem give us a prophetic pulse of God's hand in the nations. Pray for the peace of an undivided Jerusalem. Bless Israel in your prayers. Pray for leaders in Israel whom God appoints for His glory. Pray for Israel to be protected from her enemies inside and outside of her borders.
"I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth." Isaiah 62:6-7
The nuclear weapon of the Church is the Blood of Jesus. That spiritual arsenal is loosed in the power of His name when His people fast and pray. Jesus told His disciples, "This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting" (Matthew 17:21).
This authority is amplified as many join together in one accord. Fast with us. Pray with us. Join with us as the Lord gives us leaders such that it will be to His glory to give us the victory through them.
Our request is that if you can even fast for one day during 40 Days 4 America, please contact us so that we can put you on our list and cover you and your family during this season. You may either sign up online by clicking here to register for 40 Days 4 America, or by calling the MCM office at (800) 730-6264. In addition, if there is a special need that you and your family have for breakthrough in healing, finances, marriages, salvation, jobs or businesses, we invite you to send us your prayer request. We have seen testimony after testimony of breakthroughs in impossible situations when we add the power of many people fasting and praying together.
As you, your church or your prayer group join this call to fast and pray for America, register online or call us at our office to let us know you are participating in this historic hour.
"Lord give us leaders such that it will be for Your glory to give us the victory through them."