On a recent Monday night, The Stream’s founder James Robison was leading a Bible study for area business leaders on the importance of living with kingdom purpose. Suddenly, the floor director stepped into the shot. “James,” she said urgently, “We just got word about Robert — he’s not doing well. So …” 

“Let’s pray for him right now,” James said. 

Lifting Up Pastor Morris in Prayer

Pastor Robert Morris of Gateway Church, author of The Blessed Life and James’ own pastor, was dying. James and many in the audience had come to the set believing Pastor Robert was well on his way to mending from a torn blood vessel that had caused internal bleeding. They were wrong.

Morris was in very critical condition. Doctors had found a second torn vessel. He had lost half of his blood and required immediate surgery. Usually you can’t survive with more than 40 percent blood loss. He also contracted pneumonia while in ICU.

James asked the audience to hold hands and pray. 

“Lord, I talked to a happy Robert driving up here,” James began. “And I do have enough spiritual insight to know that the realm of darkness and deception and destruction hates this man. Hates every heartbeat. So, in the name of Jesus, I command you to get your hands off our pastor Robert Morris. I command every foul, tormenting, destructive spirit in this earth to get off of him! Turn him loose! In the name of Jesus, turn Robert Morris loose. Get out of there!”

James continued his prayer while audience members lifted their hands and prayed with him.

He concluded, “Lord, fill Robert. Overflow him with your life and our church with your life. Above all things, in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

How He Survived

Morris returned to the pulpit to share the experience with Gateway Church the weekend of June 2-3 after eight weeks away. He told the story of how he survived. “I’m here because of prayers, and I’m here because of some phenomenal first responders and medical professionals.” His wife, Debbie, asked for prayer on social media. People began to gather at Gateway Church. Even more joined through a livestream of the prayer rally, which was posted on Facebook. Church members held a 24/7 social media prayer campaign. Debbie posted later that 250,000 people in 45 countries were praying for her husband.

He added, “If we could come together to pray for a dying person, what would happen if we came together to pray for a dying nation?”

He also knew he was a target in the realm of spiritual warfare.

“Spiritual warfare is real,” he said in the pulpit. “Now, I had a medical problem and I needed medical help. And again, I thank God for the medical professionals. But I also had a spiritual battle and that’s where the prayers came in. We have a tendency to be too logical sometimes and not realize that the enemy’s at work. Jesus tells us that Satan only comes to kill, steal and destroy. I think he was trying to kill me.”

Morris also warned that if people are waiting to accept Jesus until right before they die, it may be too late. “[W]hen it happened, and I was dying, there wasn’t time. When I passed out, I couldn’t speak. I just want to say to all of you, because it’s very important: Death can come … in an instant. And if you’re waiting for sometime later to get right with God, you may not have the chance.” Death can come suddenly.

Watch James’ prayer: