PRAYING FOR THE NATION
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Foundation scriptures: Jeremiah 29:4-7; 1 Timothy 2:1-6
This is the Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies, Israel's God, to all the exiles I've taken from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 "Build houses and make yourselves at home. Put in gardens and eat what grows in that country. 6 Marry and have children. Encourage your children to marry and have children so that you'll thrive in that country and not waste away. 7 Make yourselves at home there and work for the country's welfare. Pray for Babylon's well-being. If things go well for Babylon, things will go well for you." Jeremiah 29:4-7 The Message Bible
First of all, then, I admonish and urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be offered on behalf of all men, 2 For kings and all who are in positions of authority or high responsibility, that [outwardly] we may pass a quiet and undisturbed life [and inwardly] a peaceable one in all godliness and reverence and seriousness in every way. 3 For such [praying] is good and right, and [it is] pleasing and acceptable to God our Savior, 4 Who wishes all men to be saved and [increasingly] to perceive and recognize and discern and know precisely and correctly the [divine] Truth. 5 For there [is only] one God, and [only] one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 Who gave Himself as a ransom for all [people, a fact that was] attested to at the right and proper time. 1 Timothy 2:1-6 AMP
1. It is the will of God that we pray for our nation and for those in positions of authority. This is for our own welfare and benefit.
a. Under the unction of the Holy Spirit, Paul exhorts us – he admonishes and urges us – to offer petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings on behalf of all men, beginning with those who are in positions of authority.
b. When God commands us to pray for something specific – like for our leaders - we should take it personally and hear and obey Him.
c. Remember - God is in control! He is the one who brings kings up and brings kings down.
d. Daniel 2:21a says that God, "changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings." The ERV (Easy to Read Version) says: He gives power to kings, and he takes their power away.
e. Proverbs 8:15-16 KJV - By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. 16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
f. We have less than 2 weeks – we have to pray for God's will to be done!
2. God has given us both the authority and the responsibility - we must use it.
a. Joshua 10:5-14 – many powerful enemies came out against Joshua and the Israelites, but God delivered them into their hands. They needed more time, so Joshua commanded the sun and the moon to stand still.
b. God supernaturally gave the Israelites one whole extra day of sunlight so that they could defeat their enemies.
c. Joshua commanded the sun and the moon to stand still - for a reason – to fight and win the battle!
d. John 9:4 AMP - We must work the works of Him Who sent Me and be busy with His business while it is daylight; night is coming on, when no man can work.
e. The sun is fast setting on the horizon of time – we must have some more daylight for the harvest to come in.
f. I am convinced that God will grant us a few more hours of daylight to bring in this harvest!
3. We must press in to pray for America.
a. Pray for this nation to be shaken.
b. Pray the Lord of the harvest that He send forth laborers.
c. Pray for the provision for the laborers to reap the harvest.
4. America MUST have another Great Awakening!
a. America is not ready for what is coming.
b. We have got to move quickly!
c. Zechariah 10:1 AMP – Ask of the Lord rain in the time of the latter or spring rain. It is the Lord Who makes lightnings which usher in the rain and give men showers, and grass to everyone in the field.
d. We, the Church, are living right now in this prophesied season of the latter rain - the spring rain.
e. You can ask God for rain and He will give it to you.
Recent:
Righteous Now
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV
Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 AMP
“Therefore if any man be in Christ…” What does it mean to be “in Christ”? Galatians 3:27 says, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” You are baptized into Christ when you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Romans 10:9-10 says, “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” And Romans 10:13 says, “For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” The moment
Defeating Strife
These six things the Lord hates, indeed, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look [the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that manufactures wicked thoughts and plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who breathes out lies [even under oath], and he who sows discord among his brethren. Proverbs 6:16-19 AMP
Faith Facts
Faith is persistent
Luke 11:9-10 AMP
So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks and keeps on asking receives; and he who seeks and keeps on seeking finds; and to him who knocks and keeps on knocking, the door shall be opened.
John 16:24 AMP
Up to this time you have not asked a [single] thing in My Name [as presenting all that I AM]; but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy (gladness, delight) may be full and complete.
Faith is single-minded
James 1:5-8 AMP
If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him. 6 Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the