Special Report from the RNC with Malachi O'Brien

1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,560
Hello everyone, I'm Stephen Strang and welcome to the special edition of the Strang Report on

2
00:00:04,560 --> 00:00:12,240
Thursday, July 18th, 2024. Very rarely, maybe never have I done a podcast like this,

3
00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:19,440
where live the day of President Trump's acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention,

4
00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:27,040
and my friend Malachi O'Brien is there. And just yesterday, I found out that he was willing to do

5
00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:34,480
a live report on what's happening. We did it just moments ago, about an hour before we put this

6
00:00:34,480 --> 00:00:39,920
online. We needed time to edit it and do those kinds of things, but this is as close to life

7
00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:45,200
as we have ever been. Of course, people will be watching it later. They'll know what President

8
00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:50,880
Trump actually had to say. We speculated it. We talked about the importance of faith. But the most

9
00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:56,800
important takeaway is that he believes that Donald Trump is going to come across as a humble man,

10
00:00:56,800 --> 00:01:02,320
because of what happened last Saturday. You don't want to miss this. And then I'll be back at the

11
00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:08,640
end with a comment. If you like this kind of reporting, if you resonate with my podcast,

12
00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:14,320
be sure to subscribe and hit the little button, the little bell that lets you know when we're on,

13
00:01:14,320 --> 00:01:19,600
and share this with others. This is hot. Now, I realize everybody's covering this.

14
00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:23,440
You've got the networks and everything else, but this is a spiritual perspective

15
00:01:23,440 --> 00:01:35,280
that you can't miss. Stay tuned.

16
00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:41,040
Malachi O'Brien, you are there at the Republican National Convention. Today is Thursday,

17
00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:47,760
the 18th. President Trump speaks tonight. Vice President J.D. Vance spoke last night.

18
00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:55,760
You're there. We're live. Tell us what's going on. It is absolutely an electrifying

19
00:01:56,560 --> 00:02:01,200
Republican National Convention. It almost feels like, Steve, and I think you'll appreciate the

20
00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:08,080
language here. It feels like a revival service. I mean, the energy, the people that are in the room,

21
00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:13,760
the faith leaders that are here at the RNC, the testimonies that have been given, the stories

22
00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:18,480
that have been shared. This is absolutely a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I'm honored to be

23
00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:24,720
here. It's hard to take it all in, but it's quite the moving experience, and especially

24
00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:27,760
after what happened last Saturday that the whole world knows about.

25
00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:31,680
Yeah, I want to talk to you about that. I've been to several Trump rallies, never been to the

26
00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:36,560
Republican National Convention, but a lot of them have the feel of revival meeting.

27
00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:44,000
And in fact, I remember Paula White Kane, before the rally started, went to the microphone and

28
00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:50,960
told people to join hands and to pray. We prayed like we pray at church. So I know that—is that

29
00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:56,640
the kind of thing that you're seeing there? Because I know that you're on the Faith Advisory Board

30
00:02:56,640 --> 00:02:59,520
that Paula White Kane leads, and that's why you're there.

31
00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:04,720
Correct. So yeah, so I mean, there have been several moments. So the main sessions are in

32
00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:10,880
the evening, and there's so many events going on. It's hard to—I mean, it really is—this is so

33
00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:15,040
big at so many levels. It's hard to put it on detail, but this morning there was the

34
00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:20,080
Faith and Freedom Coalition breakfast with Ralph Reed. And so you had Jensen Franklin,

35
00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:26,080
Jack Graham, you had Paula White, you had so many other people get up and Dr. Ben Carson.

36
00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:29,920
So many people get up and just share faith in Jesus Christ, and their love for the Lord,

37
00:03:29,920 --> 00:03:35,840
and the need for the gospel to go forth, and the need for the church to step up in this hour.

38
00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:42,720
And there have been prayer from the main stage. It just shows you that faith still matters in our

39
00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:48,560
nation. Freedom still matters. Family still matters. And it still matters even in this party,

40
00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:53,200
the Republican Party. It should be in all parties. Faith and Freedom should not be a

41
00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:58,080
part of an issue, but they have not shied away from those issues. It's been on the main stage.

42
00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:04,960
Now, you mentioned what happened Saturday. Of course, everybody knows that President Trump

43
00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:12,560
survived an assassination attempt. And I even saw something online where apparently there was a

44
00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:18,720
movie preview, and he made a few remarks, and he talked about how this was drawing him closer to

45
00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:24,240
God or something to that effect. Why are people saying that? I know a lot of people said it's

46
00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:28,800
a miracle. They said it's providential. Even people that don't necessarily go to church are

47
00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:35,040
talking like that. What do you say? Well, I got to share a story that I believe Ben Carson shared

48
00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:40,960
at the prayer breakfast this morning. And I think actually maybe even JD Vance shared it.

49
00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:50,160
But George Washington actually had a very similar experience, only took place as being shot at.

50
00:04:50,160 --> 00:04:56,480
As in it took place like 50 miles from where we are right now at the Republican National Convention,

51
00:04:56,480 --> 00:05:03,600
where like he was on a horse, it got shot. Well, let me tell you, it was 50 miles from where the

52
00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:09,360
president or the former president was shot because it was in Pittsburgh. I hate to tell you, Milwaukee

53
00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:15,040
wasn't started back during George Washington. And he had he had a couple of horses shot from

54
00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:20,960
under him. And it happened not more, not just once to where people actually began to believe that he

55
00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:29,760
was invincible, which added to or actually there wasn't a legend around George Washington back then.

56
00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:35,600
In some ways, it kind of started the legend. So I hate to interrupt, but I had to make that little

57
00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:42,160
fact historical fact. My doctor is not in history. Okay, Steve, so thank you for correcting that.

58
00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:46,080
But it was such a it was such a miracle and Providence that they said, even the Native

59
00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:52,960
Americans said, we want to meet the man that heaven favors. We want to meet the man that heaven favors.

60
00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:59,920
And so the reality is, you know, after Saturday, I've seen I'm actually only like 13 rows from

61
00:05:59,920 --> 00:06:04,640
where Trump has been sitting sitting every night. And there's a different look on him.

62
00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:11,040
There's a different countenance on him. You can tell that he this is this has done something to

63
00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:15,600
him. And the people around him are talking that way. He actually has written a completely different

64
00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:21,840
speech for tonight. So whatever he was going to share prior to Saturday, he's not sharing.

65
00:06:21,840 --> 00:06:27,520
So tonight is a completely different speech. There's this is, I really believe this is a

66
00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:32,640
completely different Donald Trump. He recognizes that this is a miracle. I mean, when you have a

67
00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:37,840
bullet go, I mean, within just an inch of your life, it changes a lot of things. And it didn't

68
00:06:37,840 --> 00:06:44,880
even miss him. It just missed his skull. It actually hit his body, you know, his ear, obviously.

69
00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:50,960
And it's just incredible what happened. Of course, all of us, due to technology, can see this.

70
00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:58,480
I've been glued to the TV from the time I go home. At such a time until they end, which is 11 o'clock

71
00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:05,120
here. And of course, they show a lot of pictures of him. And you're right, he has a different

72
00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:13,200
persona, much more serious, more statesman like. Even something beautiful last night,

73
00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:18,480
his granddaughter spoke, his I think, seven year old granddaughter spoke. And it just brought the

74
00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:26,720
just the humanization of President Trump as a grandfather, as a father. And just you can tell

75
00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:31,920
that this is complete. This is such a completely different convention than I think it obviously

76
00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:37,040
would have been. There's something different about Trump. And it really, there's no way to describe

77
00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:43,040
what happened Saturday apart from the providence of God and a divine supernatural miracle. And so,

78
00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:48,000
and I fully believe God is giving America another chance. And our faith isn't in a man,

79
00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:54,000
but we have to see what God's doing. As Henry Blackaby used to say, and get in on what God's

80
00:07:54,000 --> 00:08:00,320
doing. And so we have another, we have another chance here. And tonight is going to be an historic

81
00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:05,680
night. We've already heard rumors that Paul Kogan will be here tonight. Elon Musk will be here

82
00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:10,800
tonight. And then obviously late tonight is when Donald Trump will take the main stage. And I was at

83
00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:16,480
Donald Trump's RNC acceptance speech four years ago, when he did it from the White House lawn.

84
00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:21,600
So I'm actually looking to compare both of these. But I'm telling you, there's something different

85
00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:26,560
about him. And this is going to be quiet in his historic night, a very historic night.

86
00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:31,440
Well, I know you well enough to know that you are a Trump supporter before all this happened.

87
00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:38,400
But, and you've touched on this, but what do you believe Malachi has shifted since Saturday?

88
00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:47,920
I would like to say that there seems to be a humility about just, there just seems to be a

89
00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:53,600
humility upon him. I think when you're with an inch of your life, it kind of brings, you're not

90
00:08:53,600 --> 00:09:02,880
invincible. You're not, I mean, I think it is opening his eyes to the favor of the Lord on his

91
00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:08,240
life in a different way. I mean, there's just no way to describe it unless someone else has

92
00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:14,000
probably ultimately been there. And so, and it's been the conversation piece in everything that's

93
00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:18,400
been said. I mean, Steve, I just got to tell you this last night, okay, this is a good story.

94
00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:26,080
Last night, a 98 year old World War II veteran got up, okay, and he shared his story and told

95
00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:31,360
everybody to support President Trump. And his way said, he said, if President Trump was commander

96
00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:37,200
in chief again, I would be happy to reenlist for our country. Because we have to defend

97
00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:41,040
story. We have to defend faith. We have to defend family. We have to defend freedom. And so,

98
00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:46,800
it's special. There's something very, I mean, I'm not trying to over, I'm not trying to make

99
00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:51,360
anything mystical or weird about this. There's something very special about this gathering.

100
00:09:51,360 --> 00:09:57,120
And there's something very special on Donald Trump as a person. And so, I believe God is setting

101
00:09:57,120 --> 00:10:02,160
the stage for something powerful. I really wish there was some way I could convey to your audience

102
00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:05,920
the energy. I mean, I'm kind of turning around there so people can see there's,

103
00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:11,840
there's people everywhere. And this is just the media section, security everywhere, obviously,

104
00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:17,200
for many reasons after I'm Saturday. But it's just, it's powerful. I see,

105
00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:22,800
I wish I had something to compare this to, but I don't. But I can tell you,

106
00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:29,520
you can, there is people of genuine faith. And there's people not of faith here. But you can tell

107
00:10:30,160 --> 00:10:34,960
faith is welcome here. And we want the gospel to go forth in power in America. And that has been

108
00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:42,800
clearly stated on multiple occasions. Well, this is going out live at 4pm Eastern time.

109
00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:50,160
The very day that former President Trump is going to, I guess they call it an acceptance speech.

110
00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:57,040
So people will be watching this afterwards. Right now, you and I are talking before it happens.

111
00:10:57,040 --> 00:11:02,000
Why do you think he's going to say tonight? And I think it'll be interesting for people to

112
00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:08,400
reflect later when they see this on, on, you know, what we were thinking before he actually came out on stage.

113
00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:15,280
Well, I think every day up until today has been kind of the miracle of Saturday. And then last

114
00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:21,520
night was definitely against just the, the, what people perceive as the failures of the current

115
00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:26,720
administration. And obviously, Steve, we're, we're on the heels of, of, I mean, being honest,

116
00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:32,240
Steve, of Joe Biden stepping out of the race. Like that's almost about to happen. That's what's on

117
00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:36,960
the news everywhere right now. That's, I mean, and there's even some prophetic stuff around that.

118
00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:40,720
I don't, we don't have time to go into that. I think tonight Donald Trump's going to share

119
00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:46,720
his heart. I don't think you're going to hear some of the same one liners and some of the

120
00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:51,920
rhetoric we've heard in the past. I really think there'll be a humility about him. And I really

121
00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:58,320
believe there will be an anointing on him as he shares tonight a vision for America. I mean,

122
00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:04,320
he literally gave up his, he didn't have to do this. Like he had all the money and the prestige

123
00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:09,920
and the power and the accolades that anyone could ever maybe want, if that's what they want, he

124
00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:15,760
didn't have to run. He's literally given everything to fight for America. His, his fortunes, his

125
00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:20,960
businesses, attacks on his family and even attack on his own life. I think tonight we're going to

126
00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:26,080
hear him recognize the power and presence of God over him Saturday. I think he's going to call people

127
00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:30,240
not to unity. I think that's one of the things that I want people in your audience to know.

128
00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:35,760
There has been a theme of unity in our nation, not, I mean, I know he got up and said, fight,

129
00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:41,600
fight, fight on Saturday when he kind of got off the ground in this William Wallace brave heart

130
00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:47,440
moment. Okay. But I really believe he's going to call America to unity. And I think he's going to

131
00:12:47,440 --> 00:12:52,400
reach out to, and he's going to reach out across to all, you know, and say, this is what we have to

132
00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:58,080
do for the future of our country because the world depends on it. And it really does. I really wish

133
00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:03,280
Steve, and you and I have talked offline about this. I mean, I know people think that you can't

134
00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:07,760
get involved in politics, that it's dirty and, and that you just got to stay out of the mistake of

135
00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:12,880
the gospel. I totally disagree with that in the sense that we, for the sake, our number one,

136
00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:18,720
our number one purpose is to worship the Lord Jesus Christ and share the gospel. Our second greatest

137
00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:25,920
purpose is to protect the right to do that. And so tonight will, I, this will be a historic night,

138
00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:31,200
and I really believe people will seek something completely different they have not seen before.

139
00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:37,200
Boy, that's a good word. And I want to wrap up this short podcast because I know you got to get

140
00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:44,320
back to the convention floor. I really appreciate you doing this. So let me give you the last word

141
00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:53,520
and tell us how people should pray. I mean, some of it seems self-evident, but this is not a political,

142
00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:59,520
why we're facing in our country is spiritual, not really political. There's a political aspect to

143
00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:04,640
it. And there are some concerns. There were somebody, I think of the Hindu faith prayed,

144
00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:11,680
did an opening prayer. The Republican platform was not as strong on abortion as it has been in

145
00:14:11,680 --> 00:14:15,600
the past. You know, there are some things that Christians, especially very conservative,

146
00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:22,720
charismatic Christians are very concerned about. So how do you think, I don't think these have to be

147
00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:28,880
perfect by any means. Nothing is perfect. Nobody's perfect. No platform is perfect.

148
00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:34,080
And, you know, the reality is that often politics is a lesser of two evils and we don't have time to

149
00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:39,120
go into that. And I would think that most of my viewers would understand what I'm talking about.

150
00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:43,360
So how do you, I want to give you the last word and tell us how we should pray.

151
00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:52,080
I think we should pray like we have before, realizing that judgment begins at the house of

152
00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:57,520
God first, that our nations where it is right now, because of the state of the church.

153
00:14:57,520 --> 00:15:02,800
And so I think we need to take personal responsibility for where our nations at,

154
00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:08,080
where our churches are at, where our families are at, and we should get on our knees and ask God

155
00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:14,480
to pour out his spirit on our lives, our families, our churches, our ministries for personal revival

156
00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:19,680
and renewal. I think we should do that first. And in light of time, we should pray for,

157
00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:27,120
we should pray for, there's so many things going on. It's obvious the enemy is at work.

158
00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:32,160
And honestly, it was the miracle providence of God to protect Donald Trump. So we need to pray

159
00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:37,600
for President Trump. It's demonic what's going on. But I would just say, I think of Isaiah,

160
00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:41,600
he saw the Lord high and lifted up. He didn't point his finger at everybody else. He said,

161
00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:47,360
woe is me for I am undone. And then he said, here in my Lord, send me. I say, let's pray

162
00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:55,040
that God would speak to us and show us exactly what we must do today for the sake of the future

163
00:15:55,040 --> 00:16:00,480
tomorrow. And this is such a passion of mine, Steve, if we don't get involved now, and we don't do

164
00:16:00,480 --> 00:16:04,640
this now, there is not an America for the next generation. There's not a church for the next

165
00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:10,800
generation. There's nothing to hand them off to. So as Ben Carson said this morning, if we're going

166
00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:16,800
to be the land of the free, we have to be the home of the brave. We have to be courageous.

167
00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:25,520
We have to step up. We have to get involved. And so my appeal to your audience is to realize

168
00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:31,760
it's not by might, it's nor by power, but it's by my spirit says the Lord. My hope is not in

169
00:16:31,760 --> 00:16:36,160
Republicans or Democrats. My hope is in the Lord Jesus Christ. But I'm telling you,

170
00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:41,760
it's heaven versus hell right now. And we need to pray that God gives us that burden. We can't

171
00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:47,360
hope somebody else fixes the problems. We have to take ownership now. And I believe people that

172
00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:51,760
are watching now are going to get that burden. Pray for their leaders in their state, pray for

173
00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:58,080
their leaders in their cities, get involved. And by all means, please make sure you vote

174
00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:04,160
come this November. Please make sure you vote. And for every pastor listening, watching right now,

175
00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:09,200
don't have to agree with me or you or anyone else on anything, but it's time for pastors

176
00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:14,880
to get courageous and to speak on issues from the pulpit and to actually get involved. The Black

177
00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:20,080
Robed Regiment for this hour. So that's a lot of thanks, Steve. But I still go back to, we need to

178
00:17:20,080 --> 00:17:25,440
pray for revival in the church so we can see awakening in the land. Hey, thanks for staying

179
00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:29,920
tuned this long. I hope you enjoyed that. You know, this is the first time for us. I don't ever

180
00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:36,240
remember, you know, of course we do live podcasts, but never something that is kind of like newsworthy

181
00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:42,160
like this. And I hope you enjoyed it. By the way, I'm not here just to push my book, but I think

182
00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:48,320
that my book, God and Donald Trump is apropos. Because we talk about the spiritual aspects of

183
00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:55,600
how God raised up this man. It was written in 2017, but it's really still valid. You can get this on

184
00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:59,920
Amazon or really wherever Christian books are sold. And I just thought that I would say that.

185
00:17:59,920 --> 00:18:04,640
And be sure to subscribe, be sure to hit the little bell, be sure to share this with others.

186
00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:10,240
We've had several videos here at Charisma Media recently go viral in a small way.

187
00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:16,400
And I hope that this one does too. I'm just so excited that Malachi O'Brien agreed to be on my

188
00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:22,080
podcast today. And hopefully in the future we can do other things like this. We're not trying to

189
00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:27,280
compete with the news networks that, you know, this is what they do, but we're trying to bring a

190
00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:32,400
spiritual perspective to what's happening and connect people within the body of Christ in a

191
00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:38,640
way that the news networks would not. They would not know someone like Malachi O'Brien, nor would

192
00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:42,240
they be concerned about the kind of things we talked about. But I know that you are,

193
00:18:42,240 --> 00:18:47,680
and that's why we bring it to you every Tuesday and Thursday at 4pm Eastern time.

194
00:18:47,680 --> 00:19:02,960
Until next time, God bless you.