On Tuesday night, the Trump-supporting prayer warriors at Intercessors for America texted followers an “urgent prayer assignment” about the public impeachment hearings that began on Wednesday morning. Those who responded were sent a two-page prayer guide about the hearings that included a glaring falsehood; it claims that this week’s scheduled witnesses “previously testified to the committee behind closed doors with no questions from the minority members permitted.”
In fact, Republican members who were part of the closed-door inquiry had ample opportunity to participate and question witnesses, as is documented in the since-released transcript of the testimony of Ambassador William Taylor, who is among the first witnesses appearing in the public hearings.
It’s not terribly surprising that IFA is promoting Republican skepticism and talking points about the legitimacy of the impeachment inquiry. Last year, the group promoted a prayer that Trump would “rule” in the midst of his enemies, which it said “is the same decree that King David prophesied in his own nation concerning the coming Messiah.” The May 2018 IFA newsletter that promoted the prayer for Trump’s “rule” also declared:
The enemies of God continue to rise up to threaten and subvert the godly purposes and destiny of our nation. Those who are hostile to kingdom values and righteous rule are increasing in their efforts to sabotage any godly reforms in our government. The onslaught of villainous attacks against the president and his administration continues unabated and it appears they will not stop. Any victory that is gained is quickly overshadowed by new accusations and threats.
IFA has vigorously promoted GOP attacks on the Mueller investigation and repeatedly portrayed the 2018 midterms as a spiritual battle. Last fall, IFA published an “Intercessory Intel Report” urging its followers to pray against “the Deep State problem.”
The new prayer guide on impeachment urges, “Shift the atmosphere of these contentious and unctuous impeachment activities” and asks people to pray for “truth where there is deception and “revelation where there is concealment.” The final prayer point is “ASK FOR GOD'S PURPOSES TO BE FULFILLED in our nation, and that any plan to derail them through political maneuvering, subterfuge, or plotting would be thwarted.”
IFA’s four “prayer points” were copied verbatim by Trump spiritual adviser and White House staffer Paula White’s new “One Voice Prayer Movement,” which posted its own impeachment-related appeal Wednesday morning.
