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We desperately need pastors and leaders in our local communities to take a stand for righteousness and empower the Church to serve, protect, and defend their territory for the Kingdom of God. With the increased violence and terrorism threatening our country, even in small rural communities, it is evident that the people of God must rise up AS ONE in prayer. We must build walls of prayer around our cities through corporate agreement and oneness of heart, and our leaders are central to heaven’s strategy.

Regardless of the ongoing political wars in D.C., the body of Christ – the “Ekklesia” of God – is to be the primary change agent in our culture. We are the ones uniquely empowered to turn the tide of fear and deception and demonstrate heaven’s rule on the earth. This is why God has appointed spiritual leaders and overseers in His Church so that we can rise up as a holy people, set apart to show forth the praise and power of the Most High God (see 1 Peter 2:9).

If we are to experience the kind of oneness and unity of heart that brings heaven to earth, we must learn how to bless those in leadership, especially those in the Church. We must willingly embrace those who serve as spiritual leaders in our cities and pray that they would be set on fire by the power of God. They are the ones who have been given heaven’s charge to watch over our souls and care for our well-being.

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. (Acts 20:28)

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. (Hebrews 13:17)

Though God uses all the gifts and parts of the body to strengthen and establish a healthy church, it is the shepherds and overseers in each city that carry an added authority and responsibility for that territory. Regardless of their individual personality traits, human weaknesses, or leadership deficiencies, they have been given a charge and we have been urged to pray for them so that their assignment will be a joy and not a burden.

Because the adversary knows the power of blessing upon our leaders, the powers of the air continue to stir up strife, dissension, and rebellion against leadership. The curses being spoken against leadership in the country have power in the spirit. If we are to have spiritual authority to displace those rulers in high places, we must bless the spiritual leaders that God has appointed in our own cities and states.

We start reversing the curses by first repenting for any way we have personally cursed them or spoken against them. We must acknowledge any bitterness towards those in authority, especially in the Church. We must lay down any corporate offenses against the body of Christ and release any need for personal vindication from those who have hurt us. Unless we clear our own hearts of these offenses and hurt, our prayers will carry little weight in heaven (see James 5:16).

When our own hearts have been cleansed and our conscience cleared, we can then release true blessing on those in authority and heaven will move on our behalf. It is the spirit of the sovereign Lord that can turn hearts and change minds. This is what we can pray for. It is through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit that God’s leaders will be truly empowered to fulfill their heavenly mandate. When believers in local communities bless their shepherds and spiritual leaders, it opens the way for God’s protective covering to come and blanket that community with His presence and His blessing. This is what heaven is drawn to and what brings the anointing of the Lord so that Kingdom rule can come (see Psalm 133).

We can pray Isaiah 11:2-5 as the framework for our intercession on behalf of those leading our own cities. If there are leaders who are not set on Kingdom purposes but their own, we can pray that the Holy Spirit would open their eyes and ears to the spiritual realities of their call and come into alignment with the Father’s purposes. Instead of joining the chorus of curses being blasted across the internet, let’s change the atmosphere by blessing our leaders and calling on the Spirit of God to lift the deception and fear in order for all to embrace the realities of the Kingdom and the love of the King.

The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—
and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.

He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes or decide by what he hears with his ears;
but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.
(Isaiah 11:2-5)

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Lewis Turner
August 14, 2019

The message in this article is timeless. It applies not only to our leaders but to our familes. Where I first heard the issue of curses spoken was after the Vietnam War, where some who served in the war, revealed that in Vietnam many curses were spoken of against our being in Vietnam.

We need to understand that ‘negative words’ are actually a ‘curse’. Many have grown up not realizing the effect of negative words. Yet those negative words have actually affected our children who are our future leaders.

I know this comment expands the subject of this fine article to include the area of family, but if we want to see our country turned around, we need to do like the article says –reverse the curse–and also learn to bless and not curse in our families and churches (which are our spiritual family).

    Deborah Lemons
    August 26, 2019

    Lewis Turner, I agree and concur with your remarks and the idea of expansion of this great article and teaching to families and especially to the “church”.. Most of our positive or negative attitudes come from within our families and personal interactions. If we cannot bless our family or our home or have peace within, how can we pretend or even claim to consider interceding or calling blessing on our leaders, whether spiritual or worldly (government at all levels).

    I think we (believers and the church) unthinkingly, unspiritually and carelessly allow ourselves to be influenced, to be frustrated and to fall into the sin and pattern of speaking curses, esp. against government. WE must/I must repent and call on God to help me reverse my attitudes, so I can be effective in speaking blessing and not careless curses.

    Thank you IFA and Wanda for this great intercessory teaching and message.

    I pray O God for our President and his administration and for others in positions of influence, decision making upholding our laws and constitution, that your Spirit will be working around and within them to direct those who are your children and to impact those who are not and are unaware. Thank you God for the places, the situations and the people where you are working and changing lives. May those who know You be a light until others.

Linda Dieter
August 13, 2019

I came upon this scripture and have been praying it when those curses have been spoken against our president. Proverbs 26:2 Like the sparrow in her wandering ,like the swallow in her flying, so the causeless curse does not alight His word has the final say

    Karen Secrest
    August 13, 2019

    Thank you for sharing that verse. It resonates within. I will be using it for individuals as well as spiritual and government leaders.

Karren
August 13, 2019

This is so encouraging and such an acknowledgement of the way of the Lord to pray for those in leadership.

Allison
August 13, 2019

About a month ago while praying in the Spirit I heard the words “Reverse the curse.” A few weeks after that I heard it from the mouth of a prophet and now here it is in print. I believe the Lord is telling us this very specifically as a strategy to use now in this hour.

May L. Scocco
August 12, 2019

We are making room for the Holy Spirit to fill us afresh. It is all about more than we realize. As we humble ourselves before the Lord, acknowledging our sinfulness, we find cleansing and grace to grow. we are set free and can help free others.
“Build up, build up, prepare the road!”
I need healing…iron is leaking into my blood. Healing can be found in Christ.

Merilee
August 12, 2019

This article is TREMENDOUS. POWERFUL! ARTICULATE!
and, might I add……………..soul searching. IF WE ARE TRULY BORN AGAIN, BLOOD WASHED CHILDREN OF GOD
He has placed in us the same power that He used to raise Jesus from the dead. Eph 1:19-20

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