Let My People Go! - A 40-day national fast for Quebec and the Francophones in Canada October 10 - November 18, 2001

As the Lord has accepted our repentance for sins committed by Canada against the Jewish people, we believe that now, in this year of new beginnings, God is releasing His favour on our nation to heal our wounds. At the recent Gathering in Kelowna (September 18-22), the Lord spoke clearly to the National Fathers that the time has come to see the complete healing, restoration and release of the French people throughout Canada.

Canada has a tremendous heritage of faith that was seeded into the nation by many French Canadians. It is time that we as a nation rise up to claim this spiritual inheritance for Quebec and for Canada as a whole.

It is in this spirit, that we are calling the nation to fast for 40 days on behalf of Quebec. For Quebec and the Francophones, this call represents a petitioning to God for freedom and for the release of their destiny. For English Canada, this fast is a time of consecration to prepare our hearts to embrace Quebec and to stand with the Francophones for their total healing and release.

A number of months ago, the Lord spoke to Alain Caron, a pastor in Hull, Quebec about this coming fast. Alain writes:

"On last March 10, the Lord asked me to prepare for a 40-day fast . He spoke to me about this fast, saying:

You know my heart for Quebec and all the Francophones of Canada. You know I have seen their sufferings, heard their cries and that I know their sorrows (Exodus.3:7). I am now ready to release from heaven my Word that I will send with power : Let my people go! This will be the beginning of a new phase of My plan for the nation. This fast is to prepare the way.

Then He gave me the following passage that further gripped my heart

I would comfort myself in sorrow;
My heart is faint in me.
The harvest is past,
The summer is ended,
And we are not saved! *
For the hurt of the daughter of my people I am hurt.
I am mourning;
Astonishment has taken hold of me.
Is there no balm in Gilead,
Is there no physician there?
Why then is there no recovery
For the health of the daughter of my people?
Jeremiah 8:18, 20-22

Letting some months pass to better discern the timing for the fast, I came to understand that it had to be after the harvest time.

The harvest is past, The summer is ended,
And we are not saved! (Jeremiah 8:20)

It became clear to me that the fast must take place after the Feast of Tabernacles, which is also called the feast of ingathering or harvest. We know from the Bible that during the feast times, fasting was not permitted. We see this in the book of Nehemiah when Ezra read the law before the people (Nehemiah 8:9-12) and they started to weep. But when they realized they were at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles, the leaders gave instruction not to be in affliction, but rather to rejoice. But after the feast was passed, they gathered for a fast (Nehemiah 9:1-3).

The Feast of Tabernacles in 2001 takes place from October 2nd through October 9th. It so happens this year to also coincide with Thanksgiving, which is taking place October 8th. I believe that the cry of intercession will be fully released after these feasts."

After Alain shared this vision with the Gathering in Kelowna, David Demian challenged the Canadian church : are we ready to give our lives for what God wants to do in Quebec? Do we have a choice? Hundreds of believers, from all corners of Canada, stood up to indicate they were willing to participate in the fast.

The fasting period is called for 40 days, from October 10, 2001 through November 18, 2001. We are encouraging every believer in Canada to seek the Lord and to fast according to the leading of the Spirit.

We believe that the Lord wants to gather a remnant in Quebec for His end-times purposes. Let us weave a blanket of prayer from one ocean to the other for Quebec and Francophone Canadians throughout our land. Let us cry out to the Lord, "Let my people go!"