The eyes of the world were upon us on “the longest day”

Amazing miracle of D-Day. Below are some excerpts from the book Reese Howells:

Intercessor, about how God used Reese Howells to lead a Christian college in England to intercede during WWII and the amazing results of victories in prayer that came before the physical military victories on the ground.

Excerpts from Rees Howells: Intercessor by Norman Grubb…

The Miracle End of Nazi Air Raids on Britain: Ten days were spent in prayer, and then on January 28, the journal stated, “Believed for the protection of the country.” This was followed by the remarkable petition: “Lord, turn the enemy down to the Mediterranean”, and thus relieve the pressure on Britain, by turning Hitler’s attention in another direction. Just over two months later, — on April 6, war was declared by Hitler on Yugoslavia and Greece, and this was followed by the invasion of Crete and North Africa. With these new commitments the enemy was obliged to turn from the destruction of Britain, and so the immediate crisis for this country passed over.

The Nazis Turn Back on the Russian Front: The invasion of Russia started at 4 a.m. on June 22, 1941. But seven weeks previously, on May 2, God had begun to speak to Mr. Howells about Russia, and he said that day: “Much as we long to see the war finished, it seems that God is saying, ‘There is one country more I want to bring judgment on, and that is Communist Russia’.” From that time this became the main prayer of the College: “Lord, bring Russia into the war and deal with Communism.” Six weeks later Russia had come in!

Dr. Kenneth G. Symonds, F.R.C.S., who has been a member of the College staff for twelve years, tells us of the meeting that Sunday morning. “The Director opened his message by saying that the first thing the Lord had told him that morning was, ‘Pray that Moscow will not fall!’ It seemed ridiculously impossible for we had heard that its fall was inevitable; but although the prayer was so far beyond us, yet the Spirit ‘laid it on us. It seemed that He prayed in spite of us, so we travailed all day, until in the late meeting that night, He so inspired us through His servant that we had the assurance that God was answering. The Lord gave liberty to pray that the Nazis might be utterly overthrown in a Russian winter. We shall never forget the joy of victory He gave us as faith mounted up during those days.”

The second day the news was that the Russians had taken fresh courage and the snow was falling heavily in some parts. Four days later in the meeting Mr. Howells said, “I say now, ‘Thus saith the Lord: he (Hitler) is wintering in the Russian snows’.” We all know the end of the story; Moscow never fell, and Goering, recounting later the misfortunes of that winter, stated that three millions of the flower of the Nazi army perished in the snow. Victor Kravchenko in his book, 1 Chose Freedom, said: “The Germans could have taken Moscow those days virtually without a struggle.” Why they turned back is a mystery only the Germans themselves can solve for history.”

The Miraculous Defense of Egypt and Palestine: The area of greatest immediate danger was North Africa. “With the appearance of Rommel and the German armored divisions there, the menace to Egypt became grave; and if Egypt fell, the door was wide open to Palestine. Again we remember those dark days when Rommel had driven back our armies and was almost knocking on the gates of Alexandria. “Unless God will intervene on behalf of Palestine,” said Mr. Howells on July 4,1942, “there will be no safety there for the Jews.

Between Rommel’s men and Alexandria were the remnants of a British army — fifty tanks, a few score field guns, and about 5,000 soldiers. The sides were equally matched, with the Germans holding the advantage, because of their superior 88 mm. guns. Both armies were near exhaustion from heat, dust and lack of water. The battle was grim. “In the words of Major Rainer: “The sun was almost overhead, and our men were fast reaching the end of their endurance, when the Nazis broke. Ten minutes more and it might have been us. Slowly, sullenly the Mark IV tanks lumbered back from their battle smoke. And then an incredible thing happened: 1,100 men of the 90th Light Panzer Division, the elite of the Afrika Korps, came stumbling across the barren sand with their hands in the air. Cracked and black with coagulated blood, their swollen tongues were protruding from their mouths. Crazily they tore water bottles from the necks of our men and pouted life-giving swallows between their parched lips.”

Major Rainer then goes on to give this reason for their surrender. The Germans had been twenty-four hours without water, when they overran the British defenses and found a 6-inch water pipe. They shot holes in it and drank deeply. Only when they had taken great gulps, did they realize that it was sea water. The pipe had only just been laid, and Major Rainer had started to test it. Fresh water was never used for tests on pipes — it was too precious. “The day before, it would have been empty,”, he’ writes. “Two days later it would have been full of fresh water… The Nazis didn’t detect the salt at once, because their sense of taste had already been anaesthetized by the brackish water they had been used to, and by thirst.” The surrender of those 1,100 crack soldiers may have been the deciding incident in the battle for Alexandria. The Editor’s comment is: “Such an incredible happening as this cannot be treated as a mere coincidence. Assuredly the Hand of Almighty God is in evidence once more, coming to our aid when weighty issues are in the balance.”

The Nazi Defeat at Stalingrad: Stalingrad is the gateway to the Caucasus, and the Caucasus to the Bible Lands. The enemy had made two attempts to occupy these lands, the first via Crete, which brought the prayer from the Spirit that the Nazi hordes should be turned against Russia; and the second via. North Africa, which had resulted in the divine intervention in answer to believing prayer at E1 Alamein. But this prayer for Stalingrad seemed the hardest of all to take hold of. For a whole fortnight we wrestled, the Spirit through His servant insisting that, the prayer having come from Him, we were to be responsible to see it through to a successful issue, as with Moscow.

“In spite of our cries the enemy continued to advance until half of the city was in his hands. The fighting there from house to house was some of the most desperate in the whole war; but the conflict in the Spirit was correspondingly desperate. Contrary to all human reason, as the news got darker, faith rose higher, until we found the enemy was giving way before us. At the same time the tide turned in the visible battle and, to the wonder of the world, the Nazi army was driven out again utterly” broken and demoralized. It was another mighty triumph of the Holy Spirit.”

Some months later, with these four great prayer battles behind them — the invasion of Britain, Alexandria, Moscow and Stalingrad, the college were much interested to see an article published in the press by the military commentator, General J. R. C. Fuller, in which he gave four reasons for the impending doom of the Nazis. Hitler’s four blunders, he called them. Blunder No. 1 was missing the chance to invade Britain. Blunder No. 2, his failure to attack Egypt and gain Alexandria. Blunder No. 3, “Everything in the Russian. campaign depended on the fall of Moscow. Yet Hitler turned away to other objectives.” Blunder No. 4, “Hitler’s final mistake the great attack on Stalingrad.”

Before D-Day: In the last great prayer-battle of the war — for the opening of the Second Front — we will quote again some of Mr. Howells’ own words. On April 6, 1944 just two months before “D” Day, he [said], “If we got victory at Stalingrad, we can get it here. We know that He is on the side of our men, and I see nothing tonight but victory.”

In another meeting God gave the assurance to the College that on “D” Day “He was going over before our troops, and they would not have a set-back.” “The believing was so strong that we were able to take it,” wrote one who was present. “After the burden we had been carrying, the relief was so great that I went to my room, fell on my knees and burst into tears. They were tears of joy and sheer relief from a tremendous tension. It was just as real to me ‘then as if the whole Second Front had been established and the victory actually won.”

From: Rees Howells: Intercessor | Chapter 36 – Russia, North Africa, Italy, "D" Day http://www.inspirationalchristians.org/rees-howells-intercessor/chapter-36-russia-north-africa-italy-d-day/#ixzz33sQF9rvQ

Thought you might like this.

BTW, is Patton mentioned in any of the D-Day news?

"We must never forget the names Bold, Sword, Juno, Omaha, Utah, and Point du Hoc"

I'm sure that LTC West knows the difference but the code name for that beach was Gold, not Bold. We should also include Ste Mere Eglise to that holy list too.

We should also include Ste Mere Eglise to that holy list too.

Thanks for the ping. I don’t recall seeing Patton mentioned in today’s news. But I have only read a small amount of it. I see mostly headlines and opening paragraphs. He is more likely to appear in the following day’s news, analysis and speculation. I get the impression a lot of the extended coverage today is stuff the paper had ready to run whenever D-Day happened and not a lot of new reporting. Fog of war, you know.

BTW, is Patton mentioned in any of the D-Day news?

I don’t think so. He was still quiet as head of the fictitious FUSAG. He was still in Peover (sp), England.

Ste Mere Eglise.

"It's them bells."

Private Steele lived in relative obscurity in Philadelphia after the war until the movie, The Longest Day, came out in 1962. The movie was a big hit and supposedly Private Steele never had to pay for his beer in Philly bars when he mentioned to his fellow patrons that he was the real life paratrooper hanging from the church’s spire in the movie.

Here is more information about Private John Steele:

http://usnormandy.com/private-john-steele-the-rest-of-the-story/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Steele_%28paratrooper%29

Patton did not participate in the Normandy landings. He was still in “Ike’s doghouse” for the slapping incident in Sicily. He didn’t take command of Third Army until Aug.1, 1944.

Bold should be Gold Beach

Nope. Because he and his 3d. Army didn’t arrive until later.

Actually, Patton was being used as a decoy in another area of the French coast which had helped pull a lot of German forces away from the Normandy area.

Right. I read an interesting book on how the whole deception of D-Day was done.

He was still quiet as head of the fictitious FUSAG. He was still in Peover (sp), England. He was performing a valuable service as a decoy while still in the dog house.