Televangelist Paula White opened President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign rally on Tuesday night with a fiery prayer targeting “every demonic network” working against Trump.
White, Trump’s longtime spiritual adviser, peppered her prayer with Bible verses and vivid images of spiritual warfare, painting a picture of a president hand-picked by God to be America’s last defense against the gathering forces of darkness.
“Right now, let every demonic network who has aligned itself against the purpose, against the calling of President Trump, let it be broken, let it be torn down in the name of Jesus!” she prayed in ABC News footage of the rally at Amway Arena in downtown Orlando, Florida.
White’s reference to demonic forces falls in line with how many evangelical Christians understand the world. They believe that there is a supernatural dimension to life and that in that realm, there is an ongoing battle between the forces of good and evil. As part of that fight, some Christians believe that prayer is needed to shield people from satanic forces.
The televangelist’s prayer suggests that she believes Trump is in special need of prayer for protection.
“Let the angel of the Lord encamp around him and around his family,” White prayed about the Trumps.
White chose verses for her prayer that portrayed Trump as the Lord’s “anointed.” She prayed for Trump to be far removed from “oppression,” to overcome “every strategy from hell,” and fulfill “his calling and his destiny.”
“I declare that no weapon formed against him, his family, his calling, his purpose, his counsel will be able to be formed,” she added, referring to a Bible verse that promises that the “servants of the Lord” will prevail against all attacks and will be able to condemn every tongue that rises to judge them.
“We secure victory in the name ... that has never failed for this nation and for my life, the name of Jesus Christ,” White said as she wrapped up her prayer.
The crowd immediately erupted in applause, which faded away to chants of “U.S.A., U.S.A.”
The theory that Trump was specially chosen by God to return America to its Christian roots is not at all uncommon in evangelical circles. He still has the backing of prominent evangelical leaders such as Jerry Falwell Jr., president of the evangelical Liberty University, and Franklin Graham, son of the famous evangelist Billy Graham.
Last month, Graham called on Christians to set aside a special day of prayer for Trump, claiming that “in the history of our country, no president has been attacked as he has.”
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