Contending for the Soul of a Nation - A Call for Intercession April 26, 2003

by David Demian

We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. (1 Corinthians 2:6-7)

From the foundation of time, a plan was hidden deep in the heart of God. A plan for a nation that one day would bring His healing to the nations of the world.

When the time came to birth this plan, in His wisdom God chose two mortal enemies, England and France, as “parents” of this new nation. Just as through the cross He inseparably joined together Jews and Gentiles, in the founding of Canada He meant to display once again the healing power of His love.

His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. (Ephesians 2:15-16)

But the brokenness and humility of the early Christian missionary founders of Canada soon gave way to the pride of man and selfish ambition of those who laid claim to this nation as their own. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Romans 1:21)

Unchecked, the spirits of division and separation went deep into the heart of the new nation. The pain they produced multiplied with every successive generation. No amount of force, human wisdom or political will could alleviate it. Canada was a nation with a Quebec-shaped hole in its heart, struggling to find its identity.

Those Who Revere His Name

But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall. Malachi 4:2

In recent years, the church in Canada has begun again to walk in the steps of brokenness and humility of our godly forefathers. We have embraced a journey of repentance with the Jewish people and our sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart has turned God’s face toward us.

Now we have come into a kairos time where the healing of the whole nation of Canada is in sight. His intent [is] that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 3:10) And to do so, He has revealed another step of obedience for us as the church in Canada.

In the summer of 2003, a team of English and French Canadians of all ages, races and denominations, will undertake a prophetic journey across Canada. Like Joshua when he took Jericho, they will march across the nation in faith, stopping in 12 cities from Montreal to Victoria. Together with the believers in each city, they will celebrate as they blow the trumpets and declare that the walls of separation between English and French Canada are about to fall down.

An Attitude of Travail

Who has ever heard of such a thing?
Who has ever seen such things?
Can a country be born in a day
or a nation be brought forth in a moment?
Yet no sooner is Zion in labor
then she gives birth to her children. (Isaiah 66:8)

In these days, there is a great contending in the spirit realm for the soul of our nation. The breakthroughs of past years are not sufficient. We must lay hold of God like never before. But our cry is no longer the supplicating lament of the wailing women (Jeremiah 9:17) but a joyful travail. We are aligning ourselves with God in great faith to birth His purposes, His rich pre-ordained plans for our nation. We are laying a sure foundation of prayer to undergird all what the Lord wants to accomplish.

As we earnestly seek His face, we believe God will give specific instruction, counsel and prophetic strategies to us. Please direct any words, dreams, visions or discernment you may receive to pray@watchmen.org. We are committed to gathering these threads of godly insight from throughout the nation and communicating them so that we might discern together what the spirit is saying to the church of Canada.

If you would like to receive these communications (these will be different than the regular Watchmen mailing list) please send an email to subscribepray@watchmen.org and include your name, city, province and any contact information you feel might be helpful. With this information, we will also be able to alert you to any specific prayer targets or meetings in your area.

As a first step, we are calling intercessors to rise up to cover a special leadership gathering that is being held in Châteauguay, Quebec April 28-30. There leaders from the church of France and England will meet with leaders from Quebec and Ontario. Together they will seek the Lord’s wisdom to deal with the deep wounds that still exist between the “parent” countries and Canada. We believe this is another God-directed step to prepare English and French Canada for the summer courtship.

Let us rise up in this hour and array ourselves behind the Captain of the hosts. The Lord is about to display His wisdom and power in our nation. May He find a remnant in the church of Canada who will bring great pleasure to His heart, as we offer ourselves willingly in the day of His power. (Psalm 110:3)