Do you ever wonder how we should be praying into the world situation? Do our personal desires and prayers sometimes conflict with God’s bigger picture? From the first verse in Genesis to the last verse in Revelation we read of God, Yahweh, working out His plans and purposes, despite the rebellion and sin of mankind, despite the opposition of the spiritual powers of darkness in the unseen realm. His purposes will prevail and one day the Lord Jesus Christ will return for His people. Those who have rejected Him ultimately face judgement. “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.” 2 Peter 3:10 NASB
Brother Yun in the book, ‘The Heavenly Man’ writes this…
“God has used China’s government for His own purposes, moulding and shaping His children as He sees fit. Instead of focusing our prayers against any political system, we pray that regardless of what happens to us, we will be pleasing to God. Don’t pray for the persecution to stop! We shouldn’t pray for a lighter load to carry, but a stronger back to endure! Then the world will see that God is with us, empowering us to live in a way that reflects his love and power.”
What is God doing today and how should our prayerful intercession reflect those purposes? The serpent claimed legal jurisdiction over the world when he confronted Adam but ever since then God has been on a mission to reclaim mankind. Christ won a major victory on the cross when He defeated the powers of darkness and reclaimed all authority for Himself over the earth. That victory resulted in the Church, the Body of Christ, being commissioned to ‘Make Disciples’ throughout the world. We live in that Church age, an age when men and women can still come to faith, be forgiven and redeemed.
In John 15:7 Jesus promised His followers: “If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” Let’s ask, intercede, then in the Name of our precious Saviour for the salvation of the nations. God tells us to ask, so let’s ask!
When we don’t know how to pray, ask the Holy Spirit. We, as the Church, have God-given authority to intercede on behalf of this world. Let’s use that authority then to invite God to release all His purposes into this broken world.
Father, we come to You today to intercede for the nations of this world, lost and under the domination of the powers of darkness. Reveal Yourself, glorify Your Name, draw men and women to Yourself. Father, as we see a broken world with evil governments, antagonistic to the Kingdom of God we pray that all You plan and purpose will be released into our world for Your glory and in line with Your purposes. Amen.