066 - Response to the Coronavirus
Letter From the Editor
In the days of the prophet Joel it was asked, “Have you ever seen anything like this before?” (Joel 1:2) Today, with sports and entertainment shutting down, along with schools, public gatherings, and even entire nations, the same is being asked once again. In these unusual times brought on by the coronavirus outbreak, I am especially grateful for this company of intercessors who are ready to rally to the sound of the Lord’s trumpet. Today’s briefing brings a clarion word from Lou Engle for a biblical response to our present crisis. Let’s read and run together.
-Cheryl Amabile
The Briefing 066 - Response to the Coronavirus
By Lou Engle
A plague has broken out all over the earth. It’s called the coronavirus. It is threatening to kill tens of thousands across the world and is shutting down global economies. Terror and panic have seized the nations. Something is going on here that is beyond the virus itself. It seems like a demonic force is fueling the rapid spread of the virus and the hysteria surrounding it.
Even so, we understand that God sits enthroned above the floods. He is often at work, even amidst the plans of the evil one, to carry forth His own purposes. People can’t go to arenas and stadiums. Entertainment is shutting down. In some areas, children are home from school and parents from work. Could God be using these circumstances to break our idols, draw families together and woo us back to Himself in bridal love?
At the same time, we believe that 2020 has been marked by the Holy Spirit as a year of Stadium Christianity and explosive advance of the Kingdom. In America alone, approximately 20 stadiums are being prepared for prayer and evangelistic breakthroughs. The Send had been scheduled to be held in Argentina on April 25th. However, just yesterday, Argentina banned all large gatherings in an effort to slow the spread of the virus. It is our conviction that the storm of this pandemic has been stirred up by a high-level demonic principality to hinder the surge of the Church’s mighty assault of fasting, prayer, sending and missions on the global gates of Hades.
It should be noted that this virus has also been rising in the earth at the very time that Israel stands on the threshold of fulfilling biblical prophecy. In Ezekiel 36, the prophet declares that Israel will once again possess the mountains of Judea and Samaria as part of the Lord’s ultimate plan to return the Jewish peoples to Himself. Since the end of January, President Trump (whom the Lord has shown us is in a time like Truman’s) and Prime Minister Netanyahu have been working together towards the annexation of significant portions of Judea and Samaria. Yet, Netanyahu’s and Trump’s re-elections hang in the balance as the storm of this pandemic rages on with complicated economic and political repercussions that could threaten their seats.
We feel that the current scenario is not unlike that which Jesus and His disciples faced when they were crossing the Sea of Galilee to deliver the Gerasene demoniac in Mark 4. A furious storm rose up against them, as if to stop Jesus’ mission. Panic took hold of the disciples (a microcosm of the panic with this pandemic) while the mighty waves threatened their survival. The disciples didn’t know who they were in God. But the God/man Jesus, knowing his authority and his disciples’ authority, admonished them saying, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith” (Mark 4:40)? Then He spoke to the storm, “Peace! Be still!” and the storm obeyed.
Therefore, in response to the present crisis, we are calling an urgent 3-DAY GLOBAL FAST, as Esther did among her people when the wicked prince Haman released a genocidal plot - a political plague - to destroy the Jews.
And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:13-14
Faced with a life and death situation, Esther told them:
“Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!” Esther 4:16
Brothers and sisters, we too are faced with a life and death situation with this coronavirus. A casual approach to this worldwide crisis and the prophetic call to fasting could multiply needless casualties. Let us not give way to passivity and unbelief, as the disciples did in the boat, leaving room for the enemy to wreak havoc. God is looking for His people to take the place of spiritual authority that He has given us in Christ that we might rule with Him through prayer.
Who could have guessed that the timing of the 40-day Global Jesus Fast would be synchronized with the timing of this virus? We believe God saw it coming and raised up a fasting prayer movement to stand against it. Since the beginning of March, a handful of us have been holed-up in a house fasting on water and seeking God. We inquired of the Lord if we were to call a special three-day global Esther fast to rebuke this virus. We didn’t want it to just be a good idea; we wanted to know if it was God. That very morning, a great evangelist from Europe, Jean-Luc Trachsel, texted me and said, “Lou, don’t miss this moment. Call a fast across the world and shatter this coronavirus!” I felt it was the word of the Lord.
Almost immediately, I sat down with my team and began to prepare to write up a call to action. Then, just before taking up the pen, I received another text. It was from Andy Byrd, the leader of The Send, saying, “Lou, would you call a three-day fast within the midst of this 40-day fast and call the Church to stand against this coronavirus? It is threatening the global advance of evangelism and is determined to stop Stadium Christianity and the sending movement. The Send Kansas City must not be stopped! Other great gatherings must not be stopped!” At that moment, with two or three witnesses, I knew it was the word of the Lord.
Therefore, we are calling the global Church to unite together in a three-day Esther Fast, Wednesday, March 18th - Friday, March 20th. Let us humble ourselves, turn from our sins and reconsecrate ourselves to God (Joel 2). Let us also confess the sins of our nation and cry out to God for mercy (Daniel 9). On the third day, as when Esther went before the king, we urge you to join together in twos and threes, if possible, and stand as the ekklesia before the King of Glory. Together, in the victory Christ has already won on the cross, we will speak to this coronavirus, saying, “Be thou removed!” As we do, let’s believe together that this pandemic will abate, stadiums will be filled, elections shifted, and 2020 will go down in history - not as the year where the nations collapsed - but as the year of historic advance of evangelism and missions worldwide!
Some will go three days with no food and no water. Desperate times demand desperate measures. Others will fast on water, or other liquids. We are urging everyone to fast in some measure. For those who are already on this 40-day fast, consider intensifying your fast and joining in this specific focus for these three days. Who knows? For such a time as this we’ve been brought into the Kingdom.
