Spiritual Paratroopers: Answering the Call to Pray
Spiritual Paratroopers: Answering the Call to Pray
The night sky erupted with the thunderous roar of anti-aircraft fire, shaking the aircraft as it descended toward heavily fortified enemy lines. The paratroopers knew their mission was perilous—flying low and slow over enemy positions. With the door flung open, the sound of explosions faded into the deafening rush of air as they leapt into the unknown, deep behind enemy lines.
On June 6, 1944, thousands of airborne troops—American, British, and Canadian—parachuted into enemy territory, capturing key positions, cutting supply lines, and clearing the way for the D-Day invasion. Their disruption and strategic foothold were critical to the mission’s success. As Dwight D. Eisenhower put it:
“The airborne forces were the tip of the spear in the invasion. Without them, the invasion would have been a much harder fight.”
Much like these airborne troops, Daniel Nash was a spiritual paratrooper. As Charles Finney’s prayer warrior, Nash would slip behind enemy lines weeks before a crusade, covertly disrupting the works of darkness, dismantling strongholds, and preparing the ground for revival through prayer and intercession.
Yet Nash was an unlikely warrior—a former pastor, rejected by his church, and spiritually cold. Finney recalled their first meeting:
“I observed that he [Nash] was praying... but it did not sound to me much like prayer. He was at that time in a very cold and backslidden state.”
Shortly after, Nash suffered a severe eye infection, confining him to a dark room for weeks. Unable to read or write, he wrestled with God—and emerged transformed. His ministry shifted from public preaching to private intercession.
From then on, Nash and a handful of intercessors would stealthily enter towns weeks before Finney’s crusades, fasting and praying for God to move. Even during the meetings, Nash would remain in prayer, contending for the presence of God to descend and stir souls to repentance.
Charles Finney led an estimated 500,000 people to Jesus, what we now call The Second Great Awakening, but Finney never fought alone. Behind every great move of God, unseen warriors contend in prayer—breaking spiritual chains, tearing down barriers, and preparing the soil for the Word of God.
Will You Be One of Them?
Today, the battle for souls is as urgent as ever. We are called to go behind enemy lines—not with weapons of war, but with the unstoppable power of prayer.
Before every crusade, revival, and salvation, there must be those who fast and intercede for God’s presence to break through. Will you be one of them? Will you answer the call to pray—persistently, fervently, sacrificially—for souls to be saved?
A great harvest is coming. But like the spiritual paratroopers of the past, we must prepare the ground.
Your prayers for the upcoming 1Hope4America crusade are essential. The time to pray is now.
The victory is the Lord’s—but He calls us to stand in the gap.
Will you join the fight? Will you pray?
With your prayers, America shall be saved,
The 1Hope4America Team
