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Get Down to the Voting Booth, but Rise Up to Pray

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BELTSVILLE, Md. - Voting is certainly a show of political power. But can voting also be a spiritual exercise? There's certainly been a big push this year to make sure people get out and vote. And for believers, there's another major emphasis -- rising up to pray.

Folks at Hope Christian Church located outside of Washington D.C. felt so strongly about prayer as a focus that they hosted the Rise Up conference just before Election Day

They suggest the key difference between voting and praying is that voting is about what you want, while prayer's about what God wants.

"We need to pray in God's priorities and God's agenda," insisted Bishop Harry Jackson, who leads Hope Christian.  "But the challenge is we have to do it in unity."

Cindy Jacobs of the intercessory prayer movement, Generals International, came up to Maryland from Texas for the conference.   

She told CBN News, "God is not a donkey or an elephant, right?  He's the Lamb of God.  So, whichever party, you need to pray and vote biblical values.  But please take time to pray today."

Christian leaders gathered at Hope Christian to do just that. They prayed for an entire day and evening before the final votes in these midterm elections would be cast.  They prayed, praised and preached – all for the cause of asking God to intercede in America's destiny.

"We believe God has some great things in store for America IF we will vote according to His will," Jackson told CBN News.

"We are His mouthpiece of His will in the earth.  When we pray, we're bringing the will of God from heaven to earth," he added.  "And so, if we don't pray, we're going to miss it."

Jackson sees some dark clouds when he looks at America these days.

"I believe we are under a mediated judgment from God right now.  In our isolation from Him, God seems to be judging America in that He's exposing corporate, personal and national sins," the bishop suggested.

He said such sins could be seen in what's been revealed by the MeToo Movement, strife between the races and the distress caused economic inequality in the country.

"I believe the Bible has a way of dealing with all these, but the Church has to step up," Jackson insisted.  "So what you're going to find is people are going to be exposed, people are going to be removed, and then others are going to be promoted.   And I believe we need to pray in the right people."

Jacobs went after the divide between the generations.

"My generation has been 'it's gotta be right, right, right.' And the millennials have been going 'it's got to be just, just, just,'" Jacobs explained.  "The Lord is bringing a marriage of these two together.  Where, yes, we are right biblically.  And we're also seeing a great concern to fight human trafficking, to feed the poor.  And I believe that God is going to heal the divide in this nation.  I believe that God is not only able to, but I believe He wants to.   And that's why we're praying."

"I just want to encourage everyone to Rise Up – that's what we're calling our prayer day -- and just go make your voice change a nation," Jacobs concluded.

While voting is wrapping up until the next election cycle, you can pray anytime. Every Christian leader at the Rise Up conference would say confidently that God wants to hear from you.   And your nation can certainly use it.   

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About The Author

Paul
Strand

Como corresponsal del buró de noticias de CBN en Washington DC, Paul Strand ha cubierto una variedad de temas políticos y sociales, con énfasis en defensa, justicia y el Congreso. Strand comenzó su labor en CBN News en 1985 como editor de asignaciones nocturnas en Washington, DC. Después de un año, trabajó con CBN Radio News por tres años, volviendo a la sala de redacción de televisión para aceptar un puesto como editor en 1990. Después de cinco años en Virginia Beach, Strand se trasladó de regreso a la capital del país, donde ha sido corresponsal desde 1995. Antes de unirse a CBN News, Strand