If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV)
All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord,
And all the families of the nations will bow down and worship before You,
For the kingship and the kingdom are the Lord’s
And He rules over the nations. (Psalm 22:27-28 AMP)
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all [persons] are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” (US Declaration of Independence, alt.)
If you read my blog regularly, you may have wondered why I spent the previous week focused on praying for our nation and the world. Aside from the obvious reason that our nation and world need prayer and godly correction, I have been sensing that today, May 17, 2026, is a monumental day in the spiritual realm.
On May 17, 1776, the Continental Congress called for a national day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer. Today, 250 years later, “Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving” will host celebrations across the nation, with the most prominent gathering taking place in Washington, D.C., on the National Mall. The event intends to emphasize religion as a founding pillar of American strength while seeking to unite the nation around shared Judeo-Christian values.
According to their website:
“Freedom 250 Invites All Americans to Come Together in Prayer and Worship Ahead of the Nation’s 250th Birthday
On Sunday, May 17, 2026, the National Mall will be the scene of a historic gathering as Americans of every background across the country prepare for the nation’s 250th birthday with Scripture, testimony, prayer, and rededication of our country as One Nation to God. From morning fellowship in front of the U.S. Capitol to an evening filled with music anchored at the main stage on 12th Street, Rededicate 250 will be rooted in giving thanks for God’s presence in our national life throughout 250 years of American history and asking for his guidance for the next 250.
Three Pillars of the Day
Pillar I — The Miracles that Made Us: A reflection on God’s providence throughout 250 years, honoring the faith that inspired America’s founders and has carried us forward in every generation since.
Pillar II — The Miracles Still in Our Midst: Personal testimonies of God’s healing in our lives and in our land.
Pillar III — A New Birth of Faith and Freedom: A collective expression of gratitude for 250 years of freedom — and a unified moment of rededication asking for God’s blessing, guidance, and grace for the next 250.”*
With various (mostly Christian) faith leaders set to speak, and President Trump preparing to rededicate this nation to God, you can see why there would be controversy in the natural and in the spiritual.
While I do not believe the United States of America has been, is, or will ever be a “perfect” country, I do believe that its Constitutional governance, federal system of individual states, and Bill of Rights are the best options the world has available. While I do recognize that this nation has made grave missteps and outright errors in the treatment of people groups and involvement in other nations, I do believe that her overall trajectory has been positive for her people and for the people of the world. And while I recognize that there are many non-Christian faith groups in the United States, the system of freedoms we have makes it possible for them to be here and thrive.
And that is why we must pray over today’s gatherings and over this nation. The enemy of our souls does not want this—or any—nation dedicated to the One True God and celebrating the Way, the Truth, and the Life through its people. The enemy of our souls would gladly encourage political systems that crush true religion, demand atheism, or distract us with any number of idols and draw us away from Yahweh.
While there may be tens or even hundreds of thousands of people gathering to unite in prayer, thanksgiving, and praise to God, there will also be witches, warlocks, and others who are literally aligning themselves with evil to curse these people and this nation.
Paul warned us that, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places.” (Ephesians 6:12 AMP)
So, we pray.
Yahweh,
We thank and praise you for your continued revelation to all people through all ages who have sought you for guidance. Thank you for the spiritual and earthly wisdom you poured out on the men and women who founded this nation 250 years ago, and for that same wisdom available for us today. Thank you for helping this imperfect nation throughout her history. We give you thanks and praise for 250 years of your providence for the United States.
Today we join our hearts and spirits with Jesus-followers all over the nation, coming to you in humility, repentance, fasting, and prayer. We recognize our sins as a people and ask you to forgive us, knowing that you hear our prayers and your hand is not too short to save us. We ask for forgiveness for lukewarm faith and civic engagement; we recognize that when we consider ourselves prosperous, wealthy, and in need of nothing, we ignore you, the Giver of All Good Gifts.
We pray you will build a fire within us for the things of the Lord, and may that fire light up our communities, states, and country. We ask for a shared remembrance of the true history of the United States – including the flaws and the triumphs – that recognizes your hand of guidance upon it. Help us as a people to remember the people, sacrifices, and important moments in which you have powerfully moved in our history.
We pray in the name of Jesus that your angel armies would thwart any attacks of the enemy of our souls on the Rededication 250 gatherings. We pray your spiritual and physical protection and wisdom over President Trump, each speaker, security personnel, and every citizen that gathers. We bind any ruler, power, world forces of this present darkness, and spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places that seeks to influence, delay, or destroy these celebrations and this rededication. May all word curses be reversed and all evil intentions derailed.
God, we pray in the name of Jesus that this day would be a day where Jesus-followers from all over the nation and the world unite in prayer for blessing and protection on the United States. We pray that we would recognize our equality as citizens of your Kingdom and this nation, and that you would continue to pour out upon us life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Revive us and heal our land, we ask in the powerful name of Jesus Christ. AMEN.
Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short
That it cannot save,
Nor His ear so impaired
That it cannot hear. (Isaiah 59:1 AMP)
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold (invigorating, refreshing) nor hot (healing, therapeutic); I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm (spiritually useless), and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth[rejecting you with disgust]. Because you say, “I am rich, and have prospered and grown wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked [without hope and in great need]… (Revelation 3:15-17 AMP)