A team from PRMI was supposed to be heading to Israel March 9-22 for the Global Alignment conference sponsored by Tikkun Global. Laura and I, with PRMI Board Member Doug McMurry and his wife Carla, were going first for some pre-work. They were to be followed by the PRMI Prayer Team headed up by Martin Boardman. They were to be providing prayer cover for the conference itself.
Unfortunately, Tikkun was forced the cancel the conference after the state of Israel placed a ban on international conferences. All of this is a result of the coronavirus. So instead of travelling to Israel and participating in a fantastic ministry opportunity, the team will be remaining at home.
This change of plans, of course, raises several questions about what is happening in our world. The coronavirus is having a global impact, not just on health, but upon travel and the global economy as well as an effect on Kingdom advancement.
What is happening? And what is God doing amid this pandemic? What is the enemy doing, and how is he using this virus? Then the big question is, how is the Lord calling us as intercessors to pray during this time?
The coronavirus or Covid-19, as the scientific community has named it, is making headlines on every media outlet around the world. It has triggered border closures, enforced quarantine procedures, lockdowns and triggered panic buying in multiple countries.
Amid the news reports and statistics, doing the hard work of discernment is vital for the work of intercession.
What are we Observing?
In some ways, Satan is using this threat of a pandemic to stir up fear. This fear causes people to act in irrational ways or make bad fear-based decisions. We need to pray for the gift of wisdom in all this.
John Chang and others, I know in the Chinese Churches in the NY area, have told me that there is tremendous fear about the virus and that people are afraid to go to church services.
Russ, an intercessor from Canada, shared this discernment
The biggest issue I see to pray about is the massive fear this viral situation has stimulated. The spirit of fear is destructive in so many ways and has great potential for increasing control and manipulation by governments and others. We need to pray against fear and for the faith and love that casts out fear.

Discerning what is the Lord doing in the midst of this epidemic?
How is God using this virus to accomplish His Kingdom purposes and advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
The threat of an epidemic can be used by the Lord to bring to a place of desperately seeking him. We need to pray that this would take place. We need to pray for people to turn to the Lord and not away from him during this time.
Here are what some intercessors have shared that they are discerning:
“I think the Lord may be using this coronavirus outbreak in China and now in Iran even among the leaders close to Supreme Leader Khomeini, to expose the people in China and Iran to the reality of how incompetent and evil their leadership really is.”
Doug McMurry
All totalitarian governments seek to limit the free flow of information, and in the case of an epidemic or pandemic, this can have deadly consequences.
We need to pray that the Lord will use this epidemic to bring open doors for the Gospel in China and Iran. They both have long histories of oppressing the Church of Jesus Christ. Right now, in China, the oppression of the Church is getting worse.
Discerning what is the enemy doing?
It can be hard to determine what exactly the enemy is doing because he hides what he is doing through demonic cloaking. One of the first, and continuing, prayer tactics we undertake is to pray for a piercing of this cloaking. (Read more about the spiritual warfare prayer tactic of Piercing the cloaking here.) We must pray for this Piercing so that we can see what is happening on a spiritual and human level.
That the outbreak is a hindrance to the Gospel in China and elsewhere is a specific topic for intercessory prayer. In China the outbreak provides cover for clearing the streets of protestors and other undesirables, and it hinders Christians everywhere from ministry and meeting together.
Steve Aceto
Applying the Discernment
I cannot but think that there is more going on than meets the eye. There seems to be a sort of orchestrated conspiracy going on. This conspiracy does not just stir up fear but seeks to use the virus to set in motion forces that could significantly disrupt or even destroy the world economy and the American economy.
I believe there is behind this situation; whether causing it or just seizing the opportunity we may never know, are malignant people in league with the “powers and principalities” seeking to further their evil designs.
Fear, uncertainty and chaos are the fertile soil for the seeds of radical Marxist and Fascist ideologies to take root in a society. These seeds, when grown, would crash the present order and impose a new evil totalitarian order.
It was the economic catastrophe in Russia, caused by World War I, that provided the perfect context to sow the seeds of communism embodied in Vladimir Lenin, who ignited the Bolshevik Revolution. Or recall that the Weimar Republic was growing and starting to stabilize in Germany until the Great Depression hit collapsing the economy and allowing an until then marginalized Adolf Hitler’s Nazi party. History is replete with such examples and provides a call for us as intercessors take these awful possibilities with utmost seriousness.
As I have looked for any evidence for this, I found the following article reporting on a briefing given to the Senate. in the Washington Examiner:
Russia mobilizing ‘legions’ of liars to sow coronavirus chaos: State Department by Joel Gehrke & Jerry Dunleavy
Russia has mobilized “an entire ecosystem” of disinformation to prey on global fears that have accompanied the outbreak of the coronavirus, according to President Trump’s top counterpropaganda official.
“We’ve seen adversaries take advantage of a health crisis where people are terrified worldwide to try to advance their priorities,” Lea Gabrielle, who leads the State Department’s Global Engagement Center, told a Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee. “So we’ve been watching the narratives that are being pushed out — false narratives — around coronavirus. Unfortunately, we have been able to assess that accounts tied to Russia — the entire ecosystem of Russian disinformation — has been engaged in the midst of this world health crisis.” Gabrielle, a former human intelligence officer and Navy fighter pilot, told lawmakers that the coronavirus deceptions have been driven by a vast array of human-operated and automated social media campaigns, as well as state-run media outlets. Her testimony placed the coronavirus falsehoods among a “tsunami of lies” promulgated by the Russian government at any given time… The State Department official urged the senators to be clear-eyed about Putin’s intentions.
“The Kremlin’s goal is to separate and divide us,” Gabrielle said. “It’s classic subversion. So the more we can all work together — bipartisan, nonpartisan — working together on countering propaganda and disinformation, the better we’ll be as a country.”
The Washington Examiner
I found this a powerful confirmation of what could be taking place within both the human as well as spiritual spheres to aggravate for sinister purposes this genuine threat posed by a new virus. I remember some of the widespread fear during previous health crises like the SARS epidemic of 2003 or the Swine flu epidemic of 2010 or even the Ebola outbreak that took place in Africa in 2014.
But this situation has had an entirely different feel to it. With the other epidemics, there was not the mobilization of the media, politicians and other nations like Russia to use the crisis against the then President Obama as there is now against President Trump.
What guidance are you getting?
Please confirm this discernment. And send on any intelligence that you may have to us.

One more Perspective. The chaos could work to advance the Kingdom of God by sowing the seeds of the breakdown of the Communist Party in China. This is suggested in the following article, which was quoted in an Intercessors for America article.
Given the way Totalitarian regimes hold on to power at all costs, this could have globally catastrophic consequences that could provide Satan with the opportunity to bring even greater evil. I believe we need to pray in the continuing of and vast expansion of the move of the Holy Spirit in China, that changes hearts and minds especially of the high ranking Communist officials including

Si Jing Ping
Si Jing Ping himself that changes hearts and minds first to enable changes from within, resulting in a change of government systems. I think we should be bold to pray that God will use this virus to break the arrogance of the Communist party leadership and bring them to faith in Jesus Christ. Which through the prayers and witnesses of Chinese Christians could take place.

- First! And as always! Pray for “Piercing the Cloaking” to reveal what is going on. This Piercing needs to take place for both the human and spiritual spheres.
- Give thanks to God for the Israeli scientists, who by some amazing “coincidences” were already working with a virus similar to the coronavirus and are developing a vaccine. Jerusalem Post report
- Pray that the forces of evil that would stir up fear, chaos and even mass hysteria to be bound in the name of Jesus. Like Jesus commanded the wind and waves to be still (Luke 8:22-25)
- Pray for those who would conspire to use this crisis for their evil advantage to be exposed and then have their plots confused or backfire on them.
- Lastly, Steve Aceto, in referring to China, Iran and other places where there are severe outbreaks gives us the following excellent guidance for prayer:
In ancient Rome, the response of Christians to the plague, putting themselves at risk to serve the afflicted rather than running to their villas, was a turning point that caused thoughtful Romans to consider the bankruptcy of their culture and ideas. Prayer Point: Consider that our intercession ought to concern not only protection from illness but that God would remove every hindrance to ministry and the gathering of believers, also that believers would see opportunities and find favor in serving the afflicted.
We are now praying daily at 12:00 noon Eastern Time. For God’s pace in the midst of the pandemic.
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https://www.independentsentinel.com/mit-biologist-says-wuhan-virus-fear-mongering-is-a-fraud-to-manipulate-economies/?fbclid=IwAR2h8xkf0XHrbCqT39alU2lsCCCJ1G3bi5FnUoQR7eMono6Vu_tG-mTwGnY
I completely agree with observations by Steve, Doug and Russ. Additionally, because we live in a fallen universe, we can expect things like this and, in fact, history is replete with out of control infectious diseases (ref: Plagues and Peoples-Mcneill, The Great Influenza-Barry, and Armies of Pestilence-Bray). It has always been the pervue and privilege of he Church to pray peoples and nations through pandemics and plagues. So we must entreat our Father and defeat our enemy regarding: the advancement of the Kingdom, protection of the persecuted church in China and Iran, defeat of totalitarian leaders who cannot control this, overcome fear and protect POTUS and world economies. Jesus Christ is Lord.
Confirmation of praying down the strongholds of (overreaching) government authority and political party control in China and Iran. Exposure of the lies being propagated by these authorities. Additionally, a “fortress” of protection around the Chinese church and leader pastors (particularly in Wuhan), that they would be strong in the Lord’s purposes. Intercessory prayer, 2-27-20, by Pittsburgh Prayer Network, hosted at the Pittsburgh Chinese Church. Wuhan is the sister-city of Pittsburgh.
Prayer for an outpouring of a spirit of sustaining joy for locked-down populations. Equipping prayer for inmates at the Allegheny County Jail – prophetic word(?) at 3-1-20 worship service – discernment for wider audiences (?)
I attended PRMI Healing & Deliverance Ministry in the late 90’s. During Corporate Intercession at that time, we were led to pray against “liberal progressivism & radical Islam”. This was before 911. I remembered us all being confounded for a few moments, and then obedient.
Yet, our Beloved church at large in this country has not yielded that call over 20 years later. The verse I have been burdened for years is 2 Chronicles 7:14 “If, My people, who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven , and I will forgive their sin and heal their land”.
I have been reading a composite one year bible daily of old & New Testament, plus Psalms & Proverbs. I have been struck by how many times our God and Lord said “IF” my people.
Our Beloved church has not heeded the “IF”!
I am in San Diego and part of leadership with my husband of a Calvary Church the past 13 years. They are closing services this Sunday due to Coronavirus. I have rheumatoid arthritis on chronic immunosuppressant medications for 20 years and now on self isolation.
Clarity and Truth of the Bible has never been more poignant to me. Beloved brothers & sisters, let’s heed our Lord’s “IF” and humble ourselves before our Holy Father. He has patiently waited, but now is our chairos moment.
Wondering if this is from the Lord or my imagination:
The Lord redeems all things. What if one of the ways the Lord intends to redeem this season, where so many are suspending worship services and withdrawing to their homes, as a time for an extended sabbath (i.e., a sabbatical) perhaps to focus on the work of prayer. Not just prayer about the pandemic, nor even merely intercessory prayer, but prayer in the broadest sense. Prayer in which we all spend time nurturing our relationship with God, hearing His heart for this season more deeply, and interceding as He leads.
Just wondering.
Good Insight, Richard. …nurturing our relationship with God…
I remember the prayer team in various hotel rooms at GAs. A team can do a lot of heavy lifting and focusing on a specific area of prayer. Many times it touch OUR hearts just as sure as it must have touched God’s heart.
FYI, the President proclaimed a national day of prayer for this Sunday (March 15, 2020)
Perhaps pray for the safety of American liberty. We need to be ready for emergencies but need to avoid totalitarian changes to our government. We have already seen attachments to funding for the response to the virus. Let us continue to pray for our One Nation Under God.
On March 16 during my time of worship, the Bible opened to Isaiah 26. It addresses many issues relevant to the Coronavirus.
It first addresses peace: the solution to the fear that is as epedemic as the virus, is to keep our mind steadfast on Christ and our trust in Him.
Verse 9B is also relevant, “When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness.” The Corona Virus acts as a reminder that God is in control and we are not, and that people need to have a reverential fear of God!
A crisis such as this almost always drives people to church and to repent and ask for God’s grace and mercy. Unfortunately, as vs. 10 says, “Though grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness, they go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the Lord.” After a crisis, people go right back to business as usual.
We, the church, are ‘pregnant’ with unborn spiritual children, and as vs. 17 says, God is about to move, to birth a harvest of souls. But WE have writhed in pain, but WE gave birth to the wind. WE have not brought salvation to the earth; WE have not given birth to people of the world [18]. BUT now it’s time to give birth! [19].
As President Trump announced strict national guidance on how to deal with Corona Virus, the San Francisco Bay Area imposed a ‘Shelter in place’ order for at least three weeks. Isaiah 26:20 says, “Go my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until His wrath has passed by.”
This is a time for concentrated prayer and listening to God. Being shut in gives us the TIME to pray that we say we don’t have! So church, pray! Pray! Pray! Pray for a cure, pray against a spirit of fear and other dark forces behind this virus. Pray for the victims and those hardest hit financially. Pray that the body of Christ will demonstrate peace, and shine light into the darkness of this scary situation. This is a time when satan is trying to separte us and weaken the power of the church, and we need to pray for strategies that will keep us connected and in unity. God is going to get victory out of what looks like defeat!