During the three years from 1996-1999, we observed “The Dragon Wars,” in which we participated in spiritual battles in the heavens to overthrow the Red Dragon and prevent him from devouring the Manchild. These battles were prophesied in Revelation 12, but because “the rapture” did not occur, the Church largely missed the significance of the times and seasons.

Keep in mind also that these “Dragon Wars” were essentially the last half of the 7-year prayer campaign against Babylon (1993-2000).

The Dragon Wars really began as early as July of 1996, immediately following our decision to move from Seattle to Minneapolis. But before we left, we visited Margaret Price, whose name means “Pearl of Great Price.”

We prayed for her protection and thus entered the time of warfare against this dragon. Then we returned to Seattle to prepare for a second trip a few days later to attend a conference at Clarkston on the Snake River, which separates Washington from Idaho. The conference had been scheduled for July 19-21, 1996.

I had never been to Clarkston and did not really even know precisely how to get there until we were on our way. But as we proceeded, I began to see highway signs advertising “Hells Gate Canyon.” I soon learned that Clarkston stood at the head of the deepest gorge in North America. God sent us there to decree judgment against the spirit of Python.

So we went from Vancouver Island to Hells Gate Canyon within the same week to deal with the serpent-dragon. At Clarkston, a group of women from Wasilla, Alaska joined with us to decree judgment upon the dragon July 21, 1996. We did this by anointing the Snake River as we decreed against the dragon.

Incidentally, Wasilla is the home town of Alaska governor, Sarah Palin, who was later to become the Republican vice presidential candidate with John McCain.

I also found it interesting to see so many people at the conference in Clarkston having problems with their feet! One was even on crutches. It looked like a war zone. There were indications everywhere that the dragon had bruised the heel (and feet) of the believers.

Needless to say, Python did not like the decree, nor did he agree with it. In losing the court case, he set out to win by force, and we were plunged into spiritual warfare for the next 3½ years.

The purpose of our warfare was to ensure that the “woman” would be protected, and that the Manchild would not be devoured as soon as He was born. After all, “David” was just then emerging after the death of “Saul” in 1993. The company of overcomers (the Manchild) was in its 7½ year transition from May 30, 1993 to Nov. 30, 2000, and this company was being threatened by the dragon.

Over the next few years we would engage the enemy as he attacked in different ways. We refer to these battles as “The Dragon War.”