By Alicia DesMarteau
Why are young Canadians traveling hundreds of miles into the heartland of America? This wasn’t a typical summer trip, but a mission with one purpose – to pray and fast for the destiny of their generation.
The impact, they believed, could be global.
4 MY Canada director and trip leader Faytene Kryskow said that instead of doing their own thing as a nation, Canada needed to combine with the United States “…for something that I believe will affect not just the United States but will have effects for the entire western world.”
The Canadian youth joined 70,000 people from across North America who journeyed to Titans Stadium in Nashville Tennessee on 7 July 2007 for The Call; a day of fasting and prayer for the destiny of America.
International House of Prayer in Kansas City director Mike Bickle said: “Right now America is in a crisis on many different levels … spiritually, socially.
“And the only answer is for God to break in and cause recovery of these different facets of the U.S. society.”
And there seemed to be no better day for The Call than 7 July 2007, or 070707.
“This day was chosen because it’s a day of marriage. It’s a day of re-covenanting ourselves to the Lord as a nation,” said Freedom Church senior pastor Dutch Sheets. “And the significance is that seven is the number of covenant in scripture.”
That wasn’t the only reason the date was important.
Bickle said that during the “summer of love”, forty years ago in 1967, 100,000 young people gathered in San Francisco, “…with a new boldness for immorality, a new boldness for rebellion and false religions. It’s 40 years later and so now we’re coming before the Lord saying, “Lord reverse the trend of America”.”
Sheets said 40 was a biblical number. “And so it’s very symbolic that the Lord would say “forty years are up … and it’s now time, if you will, to return to me”.”
Repentance took centre stage as Lou Engle, founder of The Call, exhorted the crowds, particularly those in church leadership, to “stand and kneel before God and begin to ask forgiveness.”
Why the emphasis on prayer? “Prayer and fasting is the God-ordained means to call God on the scene,” said Bickle. “God could skip the prayer and fasting dimension … but He wants to do it through relationship with His people.”
The masses of youth committed their generation to God with a solemn pledge as Lou Engle led them in prayer.
“By your grace, we return to you,” Engle prayed. “And we bring this nation, America back into covenant with you. We marry you today. We marry you as a nation. Take America back into your heart, God.”
Three young couples chose to make their wedding vows in ceremonies right on the field that day to symbolize the rededication of their nation to God.
Many believe that like the Summer of Love, The Call may spark a cultural shift with a worldwide impact.
“It’s as though God drops a pebble down into the big sea of His purposes,” said Encounters Network co-founder James W. Goll. “And He’s just looking for places of beginning. And then from there there’s ripples, ripples, even tidal waves go out … this is about shaking the nations.”
Right in the midst of it was the Canadian contingent. By standing with their neighbors to intercede for America’s future, were the young Canadians stepping into their own destiny as well?
4 My Canada leadership team member Kayle Mumy said she knew Canada’s national destiny was to bring healing to the nations. “You know that whole thing in Revelation that the leaves of the trees are for the healing of the nations, and our flag is the only one with a leaf on it. So we’re coming here to fulfill that.”
Copyright © Acts News Network, Inc.