Evangelical leaders pray for God’s intercession after Trump indictment: ‘Demonic situation’
In response to the nearly three dozen counts of "falsifying business records in the first degree" filed against former President Donald Trump in Manhattan, several Evangelical leaders joined a prayer call last week seeking God's intercession.
Trump, seeking the Republican nomination for the 2024 election, appeared in New York City for arraignment last week, prompting his longtime religious adviser Paula White-Cain to organize an "Emergency Prayer Call" with Trump's faith advisory board through Intercessors for America.
Among the participants in the call were Evangelical pastors who served on the informal Evangelical advisory board organized during Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and remained active during Trump's term in office. Following the 2020 election defeat, Trump launched a new National Faith Advisory Board in 2021 led by televangelist White-Cain and Jenny Korn, who served in the Trump White House.
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"Today we are coming together as people of faith with deep concern about the direction of America," White-Cain, who formerly served as the senior pastor of New Destiny Christian Center in Apopka, Florida, said.
"Regardless of any party affiliation, we should all be appalled when a judicial system is weaponized against a political opponent. Today, we do what people of faith in America have always done and continue to do. We pray and we and cry out to God for righteousness."
During the call, Trump denounced what he called a "fake investigation" and "sham" indictment, saying "radical left people" who "hate our country" are behind it.
The former president, indicted by a Manhattan grand jury, reminded the faith leaders that he appointed three U.S. Supreme Court justices who ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade last year, allowing states to set their own abortion laws. He further claimed that Christians are "being discriminated against" and "we can't let that continue."
Toward the end of the call, Sean Feucht, a former Bethel worship leader and founder of the Let Us Worship movement, called the indictment a "horrible, corrupt, disgusting, evil, demonic situation." Feucht, who ran as a Republican for Congress in 2020, prayed for divine intervention and a favorable outcome for Trump, expressing trust in God's plan.
"What a heavy, somber, shameful day for the nation, Lord. I just pray, God, for believers that are listening to my voice, for President Trump who is listening to my voice, I just pray that You would replace the heaviness, God," Feucht said. "Instead of a spirit of despair, God, would You release a garment of praise? I pray, God, that this call would catalyze and mobilize intercession to go forth, prayer warriors, God, that would rise up to change the atmosphere over our nation."
Feucht prayed for God to mobilize the Church to "rebuild the wall of righteousness in America again."
"We don't know how this story is going to end. We know that You got a plan, God. We know that You got a plan that no eye has seen, no ear has heard," he continued. "We trust You tonight as the people of God. We trust that You can take what the enemy meant for evil, in this horrible, corrupt, disgusting, evil, demonic situation with this case in New York. We just thank you, God, that You can shift it and turn it around for our good."
Other participants in the call include Pastor Jentezen Franklin of the Free Chapel in Gainesville, Georgia; Pastor Samuel Rodriguez of New Season Church in Sacramento, California; conservative radio host Eric Metaxas; and Focus on the Family founder James Dobson.
"We're calling out for justice, righteousness, in the culture. What is taking place here is evil, it's wrong," Dobson, 86, prayed. "We ask you to intercede on behalf of former President Donald J. Trump."
Speaking to supporters at his Mar-A-Lago resort in Florida last week, Trump called the charges "an insult to our country."
His speech at Mar-a-Lago marked his first public comments since details of the indictment were released.
Notably absent from the indictment was an allegation related to a payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
Trump insisted on his innocence and accused Democrats of trying to destroy him since the 2016 election, citing past investigations and impeachment trials as evidence.
Last month, evangelist Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham, asked his followers to pray for Trump amidst the "onslaught" against him. Graham said the charges were politically motivated and warned that arresting Trump would be a grave mistake.
He urged Christians across the country to pray for Trump and work together to strengthen the nation.
In September 2021, Trump joined Feucht in calling for a 21-day prayer period during a National Mall event on the 20th anniversary of 9/11.
