When I stepped into France nine days ago, I heard the Lord say: “France on fire.”
I had no frame of reference for what that could mean. Initially, I considered the positive side of this expression… being on fire for God. We are in talks to launch an Awakening House of Prayer in France and I hoped this is what God meant, but I knew there was more to it.
As I walked the streets of Paris, round about the area where the Eifel Tower stands in all its majesty, I just could not shake the words, “France on fire.”
As is my custom, when the Lord stops speaking I start seeking. I started researching historical fires in France and came up empty. Most of the fires in France are in the last 20 years and two of them were Channel Tunnel fires.
What was God saying?
As I walked the streets of Paris, I kept seeing signs protesting President Emmanuel Macron. I saw an economic justice movement and discovered its participants are called Yellow Vest Protestors because they wear yellow vests. I stumbled on news reports of protestors setting fires in France.
France on fire.
Just days ago Yellow Vest protestors continued setting shops fire in what marks the 18th week of unrest in the European nation. News reports indicate France is unprepared for the riots that have ensued.
Time magazine reports: “French yellow vest protesters set life-threatening fires, smashed up luxury stores and clashed with police Saturday in the 18th straight weekend of demonstrations against President Emmanuel Macron. Large plumes of smoke rose above the rioting on Paris’ landmark Champs-Elysees avenue, and a mother and her child were just barely saved from a building blaze.”
France on fire.
Where do we go from here? I’m more than a little concerned.
In April 2017, I heard the Lord say:
“The enemy has marked France for destruction because of its spiritual heritage. If My intercessors will rise up and build a spiritual wall around the nation—raise up impenetrable borders around the country through repentance and praise—I myself will raise up a standard that will stem the tide of this onslaught. I myself will rise up and cause France’s enemies to be scattered. I myself will empower the politicians and police with strategies to eradicate terrorists from the land and thwart future attacks. I myself will do it. So begin to pray now with greater fervor because lives are at stake, economies are at stake, and your spiritual heritage is at stake. Begin to cooperate now with My grace and My agenda and My plan for your nation and I myself will fight with you and for you.”
I am sure some intercessors have risen up, but the protestors seem to be making more noise in this season. We need the right kind of fire—revival fire. We need the intercessors now more than ever. Revival fire is on God’s heart for France—and Europe.
Revival wind hit France around 1100 AD through the Albigenses, known as “reformers before the reform.” Another group called the Waldenses were evangelistic reformers that took the gospel into Spain, Germany, Poland and Bohemia.
Of course, we must remember the Huguenots, French Protestants whose numbers rose to about 2 million by 1562 and openly displayed their faith despite persecution. France also saw an awakening in the late 19th Century and Pentecostalism spread there in the early 20th Century.
France’s Christian heritage is indeed rich—and France has seen more than its fair share of terror attacks dating all the way back to Christmas Eve 1800 when a bombing left 22 dead and over 50 injured. All told, there were seven deadly terror attacks in France in the 1800s.
Fast forward to the 1900s and France witnessed many terrorism-connected assassinations, car bomb and grenade attacks, hostage taking and more. Over 60 terror-inspired attacks were reported in the 20th century.
Moving to modern days, we’ve seen at least 30 terror attacks in France—and the pace is accelerating. There were 12 terror attacks in 2016, 10 in 2017 and three in 2018. That’s a downward trend but I’m concerned in my spirit that this ongoing unrest could be opening the door to more terror in 2019.
The enemy always strikes at an opportune time. What better time than when Paris and other parts of France are rioting and literally on fire.
Intercessors in France, please pray. I’ll stand with you! God wants to bring revival fire to your nation.
