Robert Henderson, whose website describes him as “a global apostolic leader who operates in revelation and impartation,” is calling on people to—every day between now and the elections—recite a prayer that he has written calling on God to use the midterm elections “to seat people intent on upholding Your virtues and reclaim the destiny of America as it is written in the books of Heaven.”
Henderson’s prayer was distributed on Wednesday by Elijah List, which through a website and daily email newsletter—it claims about 300,000 subscribers—distributes what it deems to be “credible prophetic words.”
As religion scholars Brad Christerson and Richard Flory documented in “The Rise of Network Christianity,” leaders in the “prophetic” and “apostolic” branches of Pentecostal Christianity function through networks of individuals who align with, and draw spiritual “covering” from, other established leaders. Henderson calls himself an apostle; his “apostolic family” is called Global Reformers and its purpose is to “Secure Nation’s Destinies From the Court of Heaven.” His website explains:
This understanding of the Court System of Heaven is radically shaping the church’s awareness of how the spirit realm works. We are recognizing that it is the job of us individually but also as the corporate people of God (Ecclesia) to grant God as Judge the legal right to fulfill His purpose in the earth. The thing that has hindered the fullest manifestation of the kingdom of God in the earth is the satanic realm still is holding nations under their influence because we as the church have yet to enforce and execute into place the finished works of the cross. This occurs from “The Courts of Heaven”.
The construct of the courts of heaven is used by other “apostles” and “prophets” in appeals for God to judge and transform the nations of the world. It explains the use of legal language in Henderson’s prayer, such as his request to “revoke the rights” of “demonic entities” that have shaped American politics.
Here are some excerpts of the prayer Henderson wants people to pray every day, remembering that “we have a right to petition from His courts and see nations change”:
Lord, we humbly come before Your courts of Heaven and petition You on behalf of the United States of America. As we (Americans) approach the midterm elections in our nation we are in jeopardy of Your purposes being thwarted. We come before You and ask that You would have mercy on the nation of the United States of America. We ask that there would be a sweeping election of representatives who would stand for Your agenda within the US.
We ask that from district to district, region to region and state to state those who carry Your heart, morality, ethics and desire shall be elected. We ask that President Donald J. Trump would have the men and women in Congress that are necessary to fulfill Your purpose in him and through him. We ask, Lord, that Your name would be glorified again within the United States of America and the values cherished by You would be upheld and re-established in our nation.
We realize that we have granted the devil the legal right to possess these seats in the spirit world. He has set within these seats those who will do his will. Lord, we repent for any and all our sins of commission and omission that have allowed this. …
Lord, we repent for not being active in the political process and abdicating our rights to vote responsibly. We ask for You to forgive us and even those before us. We ask for the Blood of Jesus to speak for us and the current occupants of these seats to be removed and filled with representatives who will return to Your purposes and Your will in the earth. Lord, we ask that those who represent Your heart would sit again in these seats of government! …
Lord, we ask that you would deliver the culture of the United States of America from the socialist mentality that is driving it today. We ask that the heart of the culture would shift. Lord, let the powers of darkness that are fashioning the minds of this people be broken, even as we repent on behalf of ourselves and this culture. Lord, we ask that the covering over the people's minds to be destroyed according to Isaiah 25:7, "And He will destroy on this mountain the surface of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations." …
Lord, allow every mindset created by these voices against You within the US culture begin to fall. The powers of darkness that have created these mindsets in culture, let them lose their power and rights. As we repent Lord, have mercy on us and revoke the rights of these demonic entities that have shaped the thinking of culture. Let the minds within the nation of the United States be freed!
We ask Lord, according to Daniel 7:25-26, that every intent of the anti-Christ spirit to change times and laws now be frustrated. Even as was promised, let the court of Heaven be seated and let this demonic powers' rights be taken away and destroyed. …
We ask, Lord, that there would be a decision rendered from Your court that would dissolve the rights of the adversary and cause his influence over the minds of the culture of the United States to now be suspended, and even destroyed. Allow the midterm elections to seat people intent on upholding Your virtues and reclaim the destiny of America as it is written in the books of Heaven. Arise O God, and have mercy on us as we pray from Your courts! In Jesus' name, amen!
