The times that we are living in are prophetic times when the Lord is beginning to usher in a new season for the Philippines as well as strategic shift in the events in many nations of the world. The prophet Daniel declared:

“Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God forever and ever: for wisdom and might are His: And He changes the times and the seasons: He removes kings, and raises up kings: He gives wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to those who have  understanding: He reveals deep and secret things: He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him.”
-- Daniel 2:20-22 --

A NATION IN CRISIS

In the midst of the deep and desperate spiritual and moral crises that our nation is experiencing and the consequential social, economic and political woes of our people, the Lord is turning our attention to Him and to the need to cause our people to submit to His divine government, His Kingdom. The people holding the scepter of power in the land are mostly strangers from God's redemptive and regenerative grace, thus succumb easily to and become vicious instruments of the pervading spirit of wickedness and corruption in high places. Because of these, the foundation of the nation is destroyed (Psalms 11:3) and our people suffer terribly and wander aimlessly to an uncertain future. Many have given up hope and others have fled the country to try their chances in foreign lands.

PRAYER WATCHES

The more we prayed about our situation, the more the Lord reveal to us that salvation and deliverance does not come from any other source, but from Him. After launching the three month National Prayer Watches before the May 2007 National and Local elections, the Lord ushered us to a new reality of the Glory of His Kingdom! As the Intercessors for the Philippines (IFP) took heed to the direction of the Lord to vigilantly watch the night and plead the cause of the nation before God, the Lord showed His mighty hand and with great deliverance, removed many corrupt and wicked “politicasters” (pretending politicians) in the local and national fronts! God indeed is cleansing the corridors of power exposing and dealing severely with wickedness in high places in response to the cries of His people!  Mountains will melt like wax in the presence of the Lord (Psalm 97:5)!

A CALL TO A NATIONAL FAST

Last July 2008, during the ring of Fire Conference held in Indonesia, Prophetess Cindy Jacobs prophesied that the Lord is doing a shift in the nation of the Philippines, placing her at the cusp of  entering  a season of greatness or great trouble. The Lord is about to deal with and uproot the principality of corruption that has held these nation for many years. There is however a pre-condition, that is, if God's people will take seriously the call to fast and pray for the change of season for the nation. It is only the Lord who can deal with principalities and powers for the Lord Jesus is over them, but God waits for His people to humble themselves and pray and seek His face and turn from their wicked ways!(II Chron 7:14). As we prepare our hearts and break the fallow ground of our souls, the Lord promises to rain down righteousness from heaven and let salvation spring forth from all over the land. The prophet Isaiah declares the word of the Lord:

“Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness:
let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation,
and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.”
-- Isa 45:8 --

This is the reason why, the Intercessors for the Philippines is launching a two-year National Fast to ask the Lord to change the season of the nation and usher in the times of restoration for our beloved people. This will commence immediately after the 19th NPG and will culminate in the 21st NPG in 2010. Just like the prophet Daniel, who understood the shift in Israel's history when the 70 years captivity in Babylon has been completed (Daniel chapters 9 and 10), gave himself to pray and fast for the imminent shift in God's dealings with Israel, we as the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ must usher in the new season for the nation with a National Fast, a time of humbling, cleansing and consecrating ourselves before the Lord. We enjoin everyone who believes in God's glorious destiny for our people to link hearts with us, pray and lift up our nation before God I these strategic and crucial times!

THE GLORY OF HIS KINGDOM

The main focus of our fasting and prayers for the next two years and beyond will be the ushering in of the Glory of God to the nation. It is the Glory of the Lord that will change the spiritual landscape of the nation!

The word glory was translated from the Hebrew word “kabod” which means weightiness or splendor of God's majesty and power. The glory of God emanates from His person, His divine attributes of holiness and perfection of love. His glory is also displayed by His awesome limitless power and boundless authority. The whole universe was created by His unimaginable power. By His mere spoken words, the heavens and the earth were marvelously and majestically created! The Psalmist declared that the heavens declare the glory of the Lord (Psalm 19:1)! It is amazing to realize that this same glory or “kabod” (resplendent beauty, holiness and power) is manifested anywhere in the whole creation where His throne or ruler ship is established. Yes, if in the heavens where He is enthroned, this glory is eternally manifested, He also desires to manifest this same “kabod” on the earth. What is needed is for His ruler ship to be established in His footstool which is the earth (Isaiah 66:1)!

THE REDEMPTION OF CHRIST AND A COVENANTED PEOPLE

The ones responsible to bring this about are His people. God desires from the very beginning that the earth will be ruled by a people covenanted with Him so that they will be His divine expression of His glory on the earth (Psalm 8:1-9). Since the time when man rebelled against Him, God has put into operation this redemptive plan. Jesus came down from heaven to earth and perfected this plan of the ages! He totally submitted Himself as a man and committed to obey the will of the Father. Fully satisfying all the requirements of the Father's redemptive plan, He offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice, declaring on the cross:”It is finished!” thus paving the way for God to have a people redeemed by Him, covenanted with Him, His own special people, a holy nation who will restore His divine ruler ship in the hearts of the people and nations so that the God of the heavens can set His feet on the earth and manifest His Glory to bless the nations.

THE CHURCH TO PROCLAIM AND MANIFEST HIS GLORY

Yes, the time has come when the people of God in this nation must rise up and speak of the glory of His Kingdom! It is through our passionate commitment to see the glory of God's Kingdom manifested in our nation that this will be possible. We need to, by the power of the Holy Spirit, establish God's throne, God's ruler ship in our lives and families then through the church, extending this ruler ship of God to the   government, economy, education, media, science and technology and the arts. Let us have a new mind set, that is, the mindset of God's Kingdom, knowing His ways through his word, fellowshipping with Him constantly in deeper intimacy, being empowered and led by the Spirit of God and never letting up until one day we see the Glory of His Kingdom in our lives and in the lives of our people! As we achieve this is our generation or in the next generation, let us not stop but keep on proclaiming this glory of His kingdom to the ends of the earth until He comes!