A member of president-elect Donald Trump's evangelical council said Trump asked for people to "surround" him with prayers after winning the election and to not let him forget it.
James Robison, founder of LIFE Outreach International and The Stream, wrote about his conversation with Trump and vice president-elect Mike Pence after the election.
Robison said he called Trump to congratulate him when it became apparent that he would win. He said Trump was very thankful for all the prayers of evangelical leaders who supported him and was "grateful prayers are being answered."
A couple of days later, Robison called Trump again, who expressed once more his gratefulness for the evangelical support, saying he was amazed that his victory at the polls "breaks records."
"I love you, and I thank you. I want you to thank everyone," Trump told Robison.
"I just want to help. I want to see you surrounded with wisdom and prayer," Robison replied.
"James, surround me with it! Surround me!" Trump told him. "And don't ever let me forget it."
After the election, Robison also talked to Pence, whom he described as a person possessing a genuine meekness, something that Trump could learn from. Robison admired the sincerity Pence had shown toward him.
"In 55 years of ministry I have never been received more graciously, with such sincere interest and deep appreciation," he wrote.
Political analysts believe Trump won the election because of the influential evangelical voting bloc, which in previous elections also contributed to the victory of former presidents Ronald Regan, George HW Bush and George W Bush.
According to Christianity Today, 4 out of 5 white evangelicals voted for Trump. This year's election saw the highest number of white evangelicals going to the polls since 2004. Catholic votes also favored Trump by 52 percent compared to Hillary Clinton's 45 percent.
Pew Research Center reported that more evangelicals are voting for Trump not because they support him but because they dislike Clinton. A survey they conducted revealed that as of Oct. 25, 45 percent of white evangelicals would vote for Trump while 51 percent of them would vote against Clinton.
Many evangelical leaders have called for prayers in support of Trump. In September, Frank Amedia, co-senior pastor of Touch Heaven Canfield Church in Ohio, urged believers to join him to fast and pray for Trump in a Kingdom Wide Prayer Watch that started on Sept. 26 and ended on Nov. 9.
"We are interceding to pull down strongholds, expose and strike down adversarial plots and strategies, bind every force that opposes the will of God, and loosen upon Mr. Trump the supernatural gifts of grace, favor, wisdom, revelation, power, peace and presidential authority," Amedia said.
