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    Can God’s People Change the Weather?

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    How does this actually work in practice?

    Deckard’s answer:  “What I do is go outside when there’s a tornado warning and I lift my hands up and begin to praise God for His love and mercy. I pray in the spirit using my prayer language. Then I look in the direction of the threat and say something to this effect: “In the name and by the blood of Jesus Christ I take authority over demonic destruction in the form of tornadoes and destructive wind. I bind you in Jesus’ name and I speak peace to the sky. I declare that no destruction shall befall our region but only gentle and nourishing rains. I command tornadoes to cease and be still. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

    OK… why wasn’t more done to stop the latest hurricanes then?

    Deckard:  “omething was done. A network of people who are committed to join together in prayer and faith exercised authority and I believe that this storm was far less than what it could have been. Mayor Ray Nagin was calling for the mother of all storms. I praise God that a category 5 storm did not hit New Orleans. For that 
matter, shouldn’t we change our perspective and attribute the damage and destruction that did not occur as an “act of God”? We will continue to pray as more of these threats arise.”

    But doesn’t this contradict the prayer he said he prays?  If you pray for no destruction, but only gentle and nourishing rains… does the person whose house is totally destroyed feel your prayer was answered.

    If our prayers can turn a category five into a category four… maybe more people praying could make it a cat 3, or maybe a ‘better pray-er” could make it a cat 2?

    I don’t know… I’ve prayed for good weather before (mostly for, I totally admit, selfish reasons)… but never thought of ‘taking authority over demonic destruction” of the weather.  Is that something I should be doing?

    What say you?

    You can read more here at ChurchExecutive.com


    Most people feel helpless in the face of the storms — Gustav, Ike, and more — that the East and Southeast have experienced this fall. But Mark Deckard says people of faith can pray for changes in the weather and expect results. Pastor of Church on the Lake, in Grand Lake, OK, he’s written Speak to the Sky: Unleashing Christ’s Authority over Destructive Weather.

    Deckard says his book explains through Scripture that evil spirits can be behind destructive weather. It also spends considerable space confronting the unfortunate and erroneous views many have concerning the “judgment of God.”

    Comments

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    1. Lynn on Mon, November 10, 2008

      I think we pray for God’s mercy, grace and protection and then we have to trust him.  When we lived in FL and the four hurricanes came across in a matter of weeks, we did a lot of praying.  I remember being somewhere when a person said they prayed the hurricanes away from them.  My question:  So, did God hear your prayer and let it kill someone in another part of FL?  Explain that to the child who lost its mother - oh, they had more faith over there than we did here, so God sent the storm here and it killed your Mom.  NOT IN MY THEOLOGY!

    2. brandy on Mon, November 10, 2008

      does god send storms? does god kill people?when jesus was born he sent the angels to give earth a message, peace on earth good will toward men., a storm is not good will, so can it be the will of god to send somthing to destroy and kill people. can we believe god or not?

    3. CS on Mon, November 10, 2008

      This is bad theology in practice.  The whole, “binding and loosing,” verses are some of the most misapplied by people who claim extraordinary powers.  “I can change the weather by praising God in tongues, but even if the storm does hit, it still counts.”  Huh?


      God reserves the right to send good weather and bad weather alike.  And, yes, God can send storms and fierce destruction to whomever He pleases.  Things like hurricanes can indeed be a dispensation of his wrath in the same way that a nice rainfall can be a dispensation of his blessing to an area stricken by drought.  It doesn’t have to be an, “evil spirit,” sending a tornado—God Himself could be doing it for His purposes and glory.



      CS

    4. Peter Hamm on Mon, November 10, 2008

      Line from a Pat Terry song


      “Some of us float on a sea of glass


      And some of us fight the waves.


      ‘Cause the wind blows both ways…”


      CS, I agree.

    5. Victoria on Tue, November 11, 2008

      So, if the parting and closing of the Red Sea was an act of the adversary, somebody must be joshing us!


      NOT

    6. Victoria on Tue, November 11, 2008

      Oops, I forgot to answer the original question.  Yes, we can change the weather the same way we can move a mountain—if we have the faith and are in the will of God.  Miracles still happen.  Have I ever managed it?  I have never tried.  I have prayed for protection and been protected.  Praise be to the Lord of Hosts.

    7. may on Wed, November 12, 2008

      Some more lyrics:  “Sometimes He calms the storm; sometimes He calms His child..”


      We do a disservice to tell children and new believers that God will rescue you from everything.  God may use circumstances to teach us something, build up our character, be a comfort to others who have gone through a similar tragedy, etc.   We may not always know His will, but we must respect it.  The point is it’s His will, and we are not to be spoiled children who feel we don’t deserve any adversity to come our way.  But always remember, God is good, God loves us and will help bring us through things if not deliver us.  He ‘s always there for us, and said He will never give us anything we can’t handle with His strength!


      Also, I’ve heard there is no need to bind and loose Satan (at least only do it in Jesus’ name, please! )  and don’t do it alone in your own strength, either.  It’s preferable to just pray for God’s power over a situation since it’s greater than the evil one’s!

    8. NWL on Sat, October 03, 2009

      Where do storms come from?

      Job 37 1 At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place. 2 Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth. 3 He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth. 4 After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard. 5 GOD thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend. 6 For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength. 7 He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work. 8 Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places. 9 Out of the south cometh the whirlwind (hurricanes and tornadoes): and cold out of the north.By the breath of GOD frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened. 11 Also by watering (raining) he wearieth the thick cloud: he scattereth his bright cloud: 12 And it is turned round about by his counsels: that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth. 13 He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy.

      Reading these scriptures in Job 37 it is easy to see that storms are not an act of what we like to call �mother nature� or simple science but rather that GOD sends the storms with a direct intent or purpose in mind. 13 He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy. In times of drought people have prayed and GOD has sent them rain rather it was just rain or rain accompanied by storms. But GOD also sends the storms as a way of correcting people.

      Consider the Great Flood brought on because of the wickedness of the people, where all but the 8 people in the Ark were spared. Also consider Sodom and Gomorrah and how it rained fire because of the wickedness of the people which included homosexuality. Consider some other storms that caused sizeable damage, then consider the location of the storm and ask yourself what was going on during the times of those storms:

      1. Was the land in drought and thirsty?
      2. Had GOD already given the people of that land the rain they needed for the land to produce crop and for mercy so that the people wouldn�t be without water or die of thirst?
      3. After the land and mercy requirements had been met was the over influx of rain GOD�s correction to the people of that land for their:
      � hatred of other peoples skin color (racism/prejudice)
      � witchcraft
      � idolatry
      � homosexuality and promiscuousness
      � rebellion to the leadership that GOD has given (for remember, GOD set up the Kings anyway. Daniel 2:21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings. (A President is our version of a King) 1 Samuel 15:23 � For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

      Remember GOD created us in his image and contrary to what we may think this is HIS earth so not only is he very concerned about us as HIS creation but he is also concerned about HIS earth and what goes on in it. He never intended to place us here and leave us to our wicked devices for remember Jeremiah 17:9 says �The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?�

      So not only is He always watching out for us but He is always watching over us and when He sees our needs He supplies them. But when our behavior becomes too gross or we push to far He deals with it and corrects us just like a parent does for their child or children.

      The concerning thing about all of this is that the leaders in the church are supposed to be the watchmen on the wall and are supposed to be able to see these things and warn the people. Ezekiel 33:1-7 1 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: 3 If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; 4 Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. 6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman�s hand 7 So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.

      Not only are they supposed to warn the people but they are supposed to tell the people of GOD to pray and seek GOD�s face. II Chronicles 7:14 14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

      Do you understand this is a true statement that if you call GOD Abba, meaning Father, you are to humble yourself and realize that something in you or your land is messed up and that you need GOD�s intervention in the situation. Therefore you are to pray and seek GOD�s face. You are to confess to HIM if there is any sin in your life and then turn away from that wickedness. Then GOD will hear you from heaven. He will forgive you of your sin and will heal your land. All of this is so important; but please understand the last four words that state; will heal your land. Your land where you live. Why don�t people pray for their land? Why don�t they understand that they need to follow the instructions in II Chronicles 7:14 so that their land can be healed.

      Look at the churches and people that have been spared and ask yourself did they know this? Ask them did they do it. My family and I live in Georgia in an area affected by the storms. After the initial flooding it was anticipated to rain in our area for 3 more days but we obeyed II Chronicles 7:14 and within a matter of minutes there was no more rain IN OUR AREA and it was SUNNY. Not only that but we had no flooding to our home, street or subdivision and our subdivision is surrounded by a creek. There appears to have been the beginning of some damage to our street as denoted by a crack. There is also a little spot in one of our hallway�s that feels like it had some water damage but it�s only noticeable when you walk over it barefoot but other than that no damage. But I imagine if we had not obeyed II Chronicles 7:14 that the damage to our street, house and entire subdivision would have been worse.

      It is so sad that people don�t know these things but it�s no wonder when on a daily basis they have messengers of Satan that appear to them in different forms whether in a public place, at school, work or on TV feeding them everything that�s contrary to the truth. No wonder why GOD said in Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

      If a storm ever comes to your land and waters the land for crops and provides mercy to the people for drinking and bathing and so forth but continues to the point of over influx I hope that you will remember where the storms come from and obey II Chronicles 7:14.

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