Pat Robertson was a man called by God and committed to His kingdom’s purpose. I became a co-laborer with the founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) 50 years ago. Pat impacted the world every day of his life with the love of God and His essential, transforming truth. He also helped save the future of freedom. Let me share some history that shows what a world-changer he was.

A Thousand Days Left For Freedom

In the late 1970s, Billy Graham and Bill Bright called me. Billy was absolutely certain God told him that America had a thousand days of freedom — approximately three years. He said he heard that from God while he was standing in Red Square in Moscow. A few months later, Bill Bright — standing in the same Red Square — heard the same message.

Billy and Bill called and asked me if I would get some of the strongest Bible-Baptist leaders together for two days of intensive prayer. They specifically mentioned Adrian Rogers of Bellevue Baptist in Memphis, Tennessee, and Charles Stanley of First Baptist, Atlanta. I also invited my pastor, Jimmy Draper of First Baptist, Euless, Texas, who would soon become president of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Billy Graham told us that Pat Robertson would also be joining us.

The men responded gladly to my invitation, anxious to hear Billy’s concerns. He told us in that prayer meeting, if we didn’t have a change in leadership and direction in America, we would lose our freedom in less than a thousand days — that the Soviet Union and communist powers would take total control of the world.

Billy said that although we had a Southern Baptist Sunday school teacher in the White House who was a good Christian, we needed a stronger leader who could communicate truth more clearly and forcefully, and must communicate the historically confirmed principles essential to freedom and in total harmony with the principles found in the Word of God; principles that have been confirmed as having very positive effects when in place and catastrophic consequences when neglected or abandoned.

Billy and Bill both asked if anybody in the room knew how to talk to the former governor of California, Ronald Reagan. Billy said, “I just feel like perhaps he could communicate the message that must be heard.” He added, “You men will have to take action. I have been hurt and burned too many times being seen close to our presidents when they made very foolish decisions, so my role in communicating this message will be prayer. Those of you in this room will have to take action.”

Pat Robertson and “Washington for Jesus”

During our prayer meeting, Pat Robertson told us about a strong Pentecostal pastor named John Gimenez at The Rock Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He had called for a prayer meeting in Washington, D.C., in the spring of 1980 called “Washington for Jesus.” But he knew it would only be attended by some Pentecostals and charismatics, and he wondered if we would help bring evangelicals and other non-Pentecostal leaders to be part of that great, very much-needed gathering. They asked if I would be a co-chairman and help build support.

I asked Bill Bright if he would also join as a co-chairman. Sure enough, the three of us (Gimenez, Bright and Robison) became tri-chairmen. Adrian Rogers, Charles Stanley and Jimmy Draper joined as part of the promotion committee. They said they would be glad to speak if the leaders of Washington for Jesus wanted them to. Of course, they did — and they all spoke.

Over 3,000 pastors and leaders were there the night before attending a prayer rally, and I was the speaker. My message was on spiritual unity. At that time, I didn’t really understand how important this message was and that it was far broader than most of us Baptists and conservative church leaders had considered.

“Washington for Jesus” was attended by close to 1 million people. Charles Stanley, Adrian Rogers and I, along with Pat Robertson and others, preached at the rally. While I was standing on the platform, God spoke to me and said, “These people are concerned, but they are like ‘sheep having no shepherd.’ You need to call a meeting of principled leaders and help give them direction and leadership.”

Introducing Reagan

God told me Reagan would come speak and the other presidential candidates would not. He told me to host a National Affairs briefing with Reagan as the primary speaker, and he would use that rally to refocus the direction of America.

Through some personal relationships, God connected me with Ronald Reagan, and we met privately in a hotel in Atlanta. He told me he had decided he would not be running for president. I told him I was there to tell him about the prayer meeting Billy Graham called and what those great preachers and church leaders said about him and how they believed he might be able to correct our nation’s perilous course.

He was overwhelmed and moved because these great spiritual leaders, like Billy Graham, Bill Bright and Pat Robertson, would think he could help turn the country. He then decided to enter the race.

Several close friends told me God totally changed Ronald Reagan when he spoke at that National Affairs briefing in Dallas on August 22, 1980, to 17,000 conservative church and business leaders. It was there that he said to the whole world, “I know you can’t endorse me because this is a bipartisan event, but I only say that to say – I endorse you!” That statement became bold headlines in every major newspaper in America and around the world the next day.

Pat Robertson with James Robison and former Texas Governor John Connolly at the National Affairs briefing in August 1980.

Everything from that moment on exploded for Reagan who wasn’t even rating on the charts in the election race. It totally changed. He miraculously won the 1980 election, and in the greatest landslide in American history, he won a second term, losing only one state by a few votes.

Ronald Reagan would not have won the 1980 election had it not been for the help provided by Dr. Pat Robertson and CBN.

President Reagan was used by God with Gen. Daniel Graham and other leaders to bring down the Soviet Union, which was very close to taking control of the whole world. It was a true miracle of almighty God — a total demonstration of the power of prayer and the courage and concern of a Christian leader like Pat Robertson, who had an audience with millions of people on CBN and believed in the vision of a local pastor, John Gimenez, and asked for help.

Pat Robertson Steps Back From Partisan Fights … Steps Up for Jesus

Pat Robertson wisely moved away from any identity as a partisan leader to strictly become what Billy Graham, Bill Bright and I have been from the get-go: a promoter of the unshakable principles of God’s truth and the positive effect of freedom’s principles displayed here in America. We must return to them. We need an even greater move of God bringing people together, especially church leaders and all people of faith, to help turn this nation back to God.

God used Pat Robertson to get the message out and to help bring Pentecostals, charismatics and mainline denominations together as a healthy Christian body of believers without wearing the label of any denomination — just the name of Jesus, encouraging supernatural unity, even with diversity and differences.

I believe Pat Robertson helped launched the move of God at the request of Billy Graham’s call for prayer to literally save the future of freedom in the 1980s and bring down the Marxist/communist power of the Soviet Union.

He helped inspire the beginning of the essential supernatural unity that Jesus prayed for in John 17, and we must see that again in a greater manifestation than ever before. I think we are again closer than a thousand days to losing freedom.

Let’s together follow Pat’s wonderful example and His call for supernatural unity among the members of the body of Christ to make God’s desired Kingdom impact on America and the world. This remains freedom’s hope.

Thank You, My Friend

Thank God for you, Pat Robertson. I know you have already heard our Father say, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” and you are standing at His side. We love you so dearly and deeply and will always praise God for your life, your witness, your ministry, CBN and your wise leadership. Please say a personal hi to our beautiful daughter, Robin.

I love you, Pat, and I treasure every precious, freedom-saving moment I got to spend with you in prayer in the presence of God speaking together for the sake of souls and freedom’s future.

James Robison is The Stream’s Founder and Publisher. He is Founder of LIFE Outreach International and co-host of LIFE Today. He’s the author of many books, including Indivisible (with Jay Richards) and Living Amazed.