About a month ago I had a very distinct and sustained impression in my spirit of a long, drawn-out trumpet blast.  The spiritual understanding that accompanied it was that the Lord was sounding an alarm and strong rallying call to His people to rouse them from their slumber and get them up to the front lines of the battle.  The specific assignment for His people was for them to engage in the battle for our nation through deep repentance and persistent, prevailing intercession.  These are the most powerful and needed weapons of warfare for the battle that is presently raging.  There was a sense of urgency, ultimatum, and finality that came with this strong and clear impression.

Following this experience, the Lord sovereignly led me to a book written by a dear sister in Christ, Eva Zarley, called, The Final Call to Repentance.  I listened to the audiobook version all the way through and felt that it truly hit the mark and resonated perfectly with what I had been sensing in my spirit.  It is the most thorough, articulate, and accurate call to repentance for the Church collectively, as individual believers, and to unbelievers that I know of.  Every point that is made is grounded in and backed up with Scriptures as well.  I also believe that it was written (and, in the audiobook, read) by the author in a very broken, humble, and obedient spirit.  (Many times in the reading of the book you can hear the author’s heart breaking as she delivers the message the Lord gave her to write.)  There is not much in this book that I disagree with and much that I heartily “Amen!”  I believe it is a significant, prophetic word from the Lord, “for such a time as this!”

I will come back to this book momentarily, but I also want to highlight a very timely and practical expression of what I heard and felt in my spirit that is planned to begin the day following the publishing of this post.  This is a movement and event called “The Return.”  I’m sure many of you are aware of this already, but I feel it is important to share the link and related video here to help further spread the word and to encourage the Body of Christ to solemnly participate in this national and world-wide call to fasting, repentance, and intercession.  The trumpet is sounding!!

“Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there.  Our God will fight for us!”
Nehemiah 4:20 NIV

This call spans a ten-day period beginning with the Feast of Trumpets (September 18) and ending with the Day of Atonement (September 28).  Near the end of this period, on September 26, there will be a solemn assembly on the National Mall in Washington, DC that will also be simulcast to the Body of Christ across the nation and around the world. (There are links on the website for how you can participate right where you are.)

I believe this is a divinely-appointed call to prayer and repentance for God’s people and that the future not only of our nation, but of the nations of the world is literally hanging in the balance.  For those of you who are outside of the USA, I encourage you to join in this time of intercession as well for your own nation and also for America and the world.  We are all connected in one Body and are called to labor together for God’s Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven!

As part of preparation leading up to this specific event on the 26th, then, I want to, encourage you also to read or listen to the book, The Final Call to Repentance by Eva Zarley.  The free audiobook is published by Scribl and can be found in serialized podcast format here (login required.)  The print and Kindle versions are also available through Amazon, and the print book is, likewise, available through Barnes and Noble (all reasonably priced at $5.95)  Other options may also be found online.

This book truly captures the gravity of the need for repentance in this hour and also cuts to the heart of the specific sins we need to repent of.  I am personally committing to re-listening to the nine episodes of the audiobook podcast that relate to the Church corporately and the Christian individually for the nine days of September 18th through to the 26th, the day of the solemn assembly.  I will take one episode each day as a template for contemplation, repentance, and prayer for that day.  I invite you to consider joining with me in doing the same!

I know in my spirit that the trumpet is sounding long and loud!  I have heard it!  This is the time and this is the hour, even as God declares in Joel 2:

“Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”  Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.  Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing— grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God.  

Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly.  Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast.  Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber.  Let the priests, who minister before the LORD, weep between the portico and the altar.  Let them say, “Spare your people, LORD.  Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations.  Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’ ”  Joel 2:12-17 NIV

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Here, then, is the link to “The Return” website and also the announcement video with Jonathan Cahn:

Website: https://thereturn.org/

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Finally, this call to repentance and prayer is not merely for a certain time and place and then we move on or go back to something else.  It is to be the Church’s constant vocation and calling until our Lord Jesus returns.  This post will undoubtedly be posted for months and years after this specific time frame and event has come and gone, but the relevancy of the call must never fade.  May the words and resources offered here be an ongoing source of inspiration and encouragement for those who read to continue on in this heavenly calling!  May we in this way fulfill the Lord’s words to “occupy until I come!” Luke 19:13 KJV

Related:
The Ministry of Intercession – by Andrew Murray (free audiobook)
A First Century Message to Twentieth Century Christians – by G. Campbell Morgan (free audiobook)  (exposition of Revelation 1-3: The Letters to the Seven Churches)
Call to a (Virtual) Solemn Assembly  (updated with follow-up report.)
“The Sacrifices of God” – by David Bolton  (original song)