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A “Peace Monument” stands in Port Hudson, Louisiana, where one Union and one Confederate soldier are interned together. Last August, I prayed at this climactic site with my IFA Louisiana co-leader Lisa Townsend, asking God to forgive and cleanse this blood-soaked land. 

Port Hudson was the scene of the longest continuous siege (48 days) in American history, with an estimated 17,500 casualties, and also the battle where the first African American soldiers fought. Thirty-thousand Union soldiers surrounded 7,500 Confederate soldiers stationed on a strategic 80-foot bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. After suffering starvation, scurvy, dysentery, malaria, and desertions, the Confederates finally surrendered on July 7, 1863.

The Lord gave Lisa and me the understanding that repentance, cleansing, and covenanting this Civil War land would be strategic in preventing another civil war in our time. We believe our prayer decrees reversed division as well as all effects of the curses brought on the land through war and trauma. 

We repented on-site at the Peace Memorial structure on the Port Hudson battlefield, pouring salt and anointing oil on the land as we prayed for unity, love, and healing over the land and the Mississippi River. 

After we prayed, Lisa saw a twofold vision. First, she saw what appeared to be a wall of scales. The scales suddenly changed color and fell off. As she continued to pray, she realized this scaly structure was a demonic serpent that had strangled the region because of the innocent bloodshed. As we continued to pray, the serpent died as a witness to the redemptive power of the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Union soldiers rode their horses in single file from the north as if they were in a solemn procession. Confederate soldiers also came towards the monument from the south.

Next, Lisa saw women and children in the dress of that period, as well as the soldiers in a semi-circle around the monument. They were solemn but expressed gratitude for the redemptive prayer to remove the effects of sin from the land and their legacy. I saw the oil of the Holy Spirit pouring glue into the different, fractured cultures of people, but I could still see the scars. As we were walking away, we both heard what sounded like a bobcat’s growl. We did not see any animals, so we believe it was a manifestation of the spirit of racism.

In prayer the next morning, the Holy Spirit said to return and finish the prayer assignment by praying “identification repentance.” Back at the Peace Monument, we had IFA intercessor Nicolette Lake join us on a conference call as a representative of white Americans, and she asked for forgiveness from Monetta Givens who represented black Americans. Nicolette repented for her ancestors’ sins of racism. We all prayed and renounced word curses spoken against each culture. Together, we made decrees of unity and unconditional love between all races of Americans. We took communion and distributed salt on the ground surrounding the monument. 

In an open vision, I watched the oil-like glue of the Holy Spirit seal the mouth of the spirit of racism. Lisa saw the trauma and sin that had fractured the soul of our nation. But through our repentance and decrees, the healing of the nation’s soul was now in place. Despite what the enemy may say, we choose to believe that in the spirit realm, victory has been won throughout all the tributaries and along the pathway of the Mississippi River. We believe we will soon see and hear of victories for righteousness and unity in our state and nation. 

How are you seeing patriot Americans unite and refuse to allow our sin and trauma to divide us?

Janie Harris is the IFA state prayer leader from Louisiana. She suggests reading “Portals to Cleansing” by Dr Henry Malone.