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Sometimes it all seems so easy. Everything in life falls together for you. Your job is fulfilling. The family is happy. Things are going well at church. Your loved ones are healthy. Those times seem kind of rare, don’t they? All too often, we feel as though we are under attack. Life seems so hard. Difficulties surround us. Relationships are fractured, health has fled, and finances are a struggle. These valleys of struggle seem all too common. How can we deal with these hard times? Where is God when life gets tough? Is there a key to overcome discouragement? The Bible addresses the difficulties of life with great honesty. God’s Word never presents the believer’s life as one without struggle. Hardships come with the package of life. One of the great stories of overcoming adversity is found in the fourth chapter of Nehemiah. It is an inspiring story of how the Jewish returned exiles are led by Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. The enemies of God attempted to stop them. In spite of great danger and opposition, the exiles triumphed. There is much we can learn from them: “When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, ‘What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble  –  burned as they are?’ Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, ‘What they are building  –  if even a fox climbed up on it, he would break down their wall of stones!’ “Hear us, O our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from Your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders. So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart. “But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the men of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat. “Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, ‘The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.’ Also our enemies said, ‘Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.’ Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, ‘Wherever you turn, they will attack us.’ “Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, ‘Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.’ When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his own work. “From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me. “Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, ‘The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!’ “So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. At that time I also said to the people, ‘Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and workmen by day.’ Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water”  (Nehemiah 4). Any work of God must expect opposition. In Nehemiah’s day, the work was rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. In your life, it might be rebuilding the walls of God’s protection and blessing around your family or church. It’s entirely possible that the work of God for you today involves tearing down the walls that separate believers. Regardless of the specific work, know this…Satan will oppose you. In Jerusalem, rebuilding the walls would make the people of God strong. It was a big first step toward the restoration of God’s purposes for His people. It is only natural to expect the enemy to bring opposition against that. Satan wants us weak. God wants us strong. Satan wanted to see the Jews defeated…crawling among the ruins, fearful of attack, never accomplishing anything. Satan resorts to the same tactics with Christians today. God today is stirring us up to rebuild the walls. Within the walls of our own lives, we are to get serious about God in prayer, the Word, in witness, and in lifestyle. In our churches, God’s walls represent protection against the attacks of Satan that destroy unity, damage witness, and prevent the Church from fulfilling its mission. Chapter four of Nehemiah gives us some key principles for dealing with times of discouragement and trial: We must proceed in spite of opposition (vv. 4-6).  They prayed and went to work “with all their heart.” Discouragement will hit (vv. 10-11). Don’t be surprised by this. The people in Jerusalem said that their strength was giving out. There was too much rubble to be moved. On top of this, the presence of active opposition made the job seem impossible. Be aware of Satan’s plan (vv. 14-15).  This is the turning point toward victory. All too often we are unaware of the enemy’s schemes. Nehemiah reminded his people to remember the Lord and to fight for their loved ones. By returning to work, they would frustrate the plans of their enemies. Work with preparedness for battle (vv. 16-18).  This is an amazing picture of those who understood the situation they were in. They worked with their weapons and armor close at hand. Answer the call when the trumpet sounds (vv. 18-20).  Nehemiah trained the people to respond to the sound of the trumpet during times of intense attack. We must likewise train ourselves to respond during times of spiritual intensity. There will be times of special prayer…times of ministering to those who are hurting. The Christian life is lived out in the midst of a battlefield. That means tough times and difficult situations. God’s Word provides principles for victory. His Word also gives us assurance of the power of God at work within us to allow us to become  “more than conquerors.”  Jesus said in John 16:33,  “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries I’m sitting on a plane, hoping they can fix the tire and we can take off only an hour delayed. I do a lot of this . . . sitting and waiting in and around airplanes. It’s good for me. I’m not a patient person by nature. I don’t like delays. I’ve got stuff to do! That’s why this is good for me. Learning to wait is critical for the life of prayer. Scripture is filled with commands about waiting on God. “LORD, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God” (Psalm 38:14-16). “But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me” (Micah 7:6-8). Why waiting?  Because it’s good for us. Lamentations 3:26 reminds us “It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.” Waiting takes me off of my schedule and my agenda and . . . if I do it properly, puts me on God’s schedule and His agenda. So now . . . I wait. Rather than fret, I close my eyes and turn my thoughts to the Lord. I ask Him what His agenda is for this day. And . . . I write the blog I needed to write! Addendum:  After this blog was published, I received an email from someone I have never met. It encouraged me that sometimes, when God changes the trajectory of our plans and intent, His words can bring life and encouragement to another. And a step beyond even this reminder - those we encourage often bring that to us as we are obedient to the Lord:  Dave, your comments on waiting on God are excellent, and have blessed me. I want to pass along to you a poem which the Lord gave me many months ago as I meditated on Romans 8:28. It relates to what you said: God Works Behind the Scenes (Romans 8:28)  God works behind the scenes  His wonders to perform.  How wondrous are those works,  We stand in awe of each one of them.  When things happen we can’t explain  Just pause to consider – He is busy at work.  Don’t doubt, don’t get up tight,  Our God is in control.  Satan would make us always doubt;  He never believes God’s Word.  He knows not the mind of God, and he hates to see His plan succeed.  But when we see God’s works in motion,  Believe He is perfecting His Word.  He performs what pleases Himself, and in the process we are blessed.  Don’t fret and fume and get upset.  God is on His throne in heaven.  He also lives within our hearts – and there He ordains His peace.  “I know the thoughts I think toward you,  Thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Those words of God to Jeremiah are true.  Behind the scenes we know God is at work to faithfully execute His plan.  Time is but the schedule He’s set which He never fails to bring to pass.  Halleluiah! Praise the Lord!  From age to age we worship Him  ‘Cause He is faithful to keep His Word – And His Word is changeless.  “Never be anxious”, says the Lord.  “Never worry when you don’t understand.  My thoughts are often beyond your grasp ‘cause I AM God and you are man.  “Just stand in awe and praise Me.  Bow in reverence before My majesty.  Say, with the angels, ‘Halleluiah!  You alone are worthy. You alone know best!’”  Lord of all, I’ve heard Your voice.  You’ve spoken, oh, so clearly.  Let me never, ever, doubt Your love.  I know what You say is so.  All things do work together for good, to those who love You,  To those who are called according to Your glorious purposes.  Remember…God does work behind the scenes.  Remember…He is on the throne.  Remember…He is always in control.  Remember…all is for our good.  Amen and Amen. Additional Addendum from Kim Butts: Even though Dave’s original blog was very short, it seems the scriptural mandate to wait on the Lord has a weighty impact on many! Just as Dave was taking his last breath prior to opening his eyes in heaven - his waiting over, this song was playing in his hospice room. In his honor, I want to share those lyrics. The song was also sung at his celebration of life: I Will Wait for You (Psalm 130) Out of the depths I cry to You In darkest places I will call Incline Your ear to me anew And hear my cry for mercy Lord Were You to count my sinful ways How could I come before Your throne Yet full forgiveness meets my gaze I stand redeemed by grace alone I will wait for You, I will wait for You On Your word I will rely And I will wait for You, surely wait for You 'Til my soul is satisfied So put Your hope in God alone Take courage in His power to save Completely and forever won By Christ emerging from the grave I will wait for You, I will wait for You On Your word I will rely I will wait for You, surely wait for You 'Til my soul is satisfied Now He has come to make a way And God Himself has paid the price That all who trust in Him today Find healing in His sacrifice That all who trust in Him today Find healing in His sacrifice I will wait for You, I will wait for You Through the storm and through the night I will wait for You, surely wait for You For Your love is my delight Oh, I will wait for You, I will wait for You Through the storm and through the night I will wait for You, surely wait for You For Your love is my delight I will wait for You, I will wait for You Through the storm and through the night I will wait for You, surely wait for You For Your love is my delight Oh, You are my delight You're my delight I will wait for You, I will wait for You On Your word I will rely I will wait for You, surely wait for You 'Til my soul is satisfied Songwriters: Keith Getty / Stuart Townend / Matt Merker / Jordan KauflinI Will Wait for You (Psalm 130) lyrics © Getty Music Publishing, Matthew Merker Music, Jordan Kauflin Music

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries “For just as the body without  the  spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead” (James 2:26 NASB). Years ago, I met a young woman in a Bible study whose family was struggling financially. Her husband was in prison and she had four young sons at home. They were crammed into a very small little house, but were content and happy. Every day she prayed a simple prayer for God to provide for their needs. She never made a big deal out of the fact that they had very little and were barely getting by on her meager paying job. Another friend and I began regularly praying for and with “Beth” after Bible study each week. She was so grateful for our prayers, and would let us know how we could be praying for her. It wasn’t long before God began to speak to my heart that I needed to become the answer to the prayers I was praying for her financial situation. I began to argue with God, for I was a fairly new believer and hadn’t yet learned why this principle was vital to my spiritual growth and health. God began to show me that if He was calling me to be the person to meet Beth’s need and I did not, the separation of my faith from my works would get me what the Message version of James 2:26 calls “a corpse”: “The very moment you separate body and spirit, you end up with a corpse. Separate faith and works and you get the same thing: a corpse.” When there is “a seamless unity of believing and doing” we are exercising faith as God intends. My friend Nancy shared that she had been sensing a nudge from God as well. So, the two of us decided God wanted to use us, and hatched a plan of blessing for Beth’s family. It began by leaving an anonymous envelope with some money in it on the front seat of her car shortly before she would be heading to work after getting her boys off to school. That night at Bible study, Beth was praising God and thanking Him that the exact amount she had needed for groceries that day was in that envelope. She was astonished at how anyone would have known her need but God, the One she had brought her need to. Nancy and I were just as amazed at how God had given us just the right amount to meet her needs, and so thrilled that He had used us to meet this need. Our spirits were ignited, and we wanted to do more! It was close to Christmas and Beth was going to visit her husband, who was due to be released from prison in just a few short weeks. Nancy and I offered to watch the boys that day for her so she didn’t need to hire a babysitter. After she left, we took the boys to get a Christmas tree, as Beth had sadly told them there wouldn’t be a tree this year. The boys were so excited to get it home and set up in the living room. Next, we made ornaments with paper, markers and glue. We cut out snowflakes and decorated everywhere (I was reminded of this after watching the movie  Elf  years later). Nancy and I also took them to purchase some simple gifts for their parents. Their eyes were shining as they wrapped the gifts. We prayed with them several times that day, asking God to show us all what He wanted us to do to make Christmas one of the best they had ever celebrated. They all knew the Christmas story well, and were excited to rejoice in the birth of Jesus as a family. Beth’s children were breathless with excitement waiting for their mother to come home later that night. When she did, she brought a surprise. The children’s father had been released early and would be with them for Christmas after all! What a joyous reunion this family had when their daddy walked in the door…and what fun when they were able to show their parents the lovely tree they had decorated themselves. Nancy and I quietly slipped out and had a time of worshiping God and thanking Him for letting us be the answer to the prayers we had prayed. Over the years, it has given me and my family much joy to continue to listen to God’s urging to “be the answer,” trusting Him to show us how to meet the needs of those for whom we pray. It isn’t always a financial situation. Sometimes it is simple things such as bringing a meal that’s needed, or offering words of encouragement…or going to the hospital to pray through a surgery. It was an important lesson to learn that praying for others is vital and important; however, if I don’t pair this with listening and responding to the voice of the Father urging me to become the answer to the prayers I pray, I am only going half way in my faith that He will answer. When the burden is placed upon me to pray, He often will also give me a burden to respond. What a privilege that God chooses to work through His people to be the answer to their own prayers. When we respond in obedience, we learn what it truly means to be part of the body of Christ Jesus…and that is life-changing and culture-transforming! God’s people should be those who ask for God’s kingdom to come in the midst of their life together as the corporate body of Jesus Christ. One caution – we should find our identities within the purposes of God alone – not in our work or our “causes.” Most of all, may we never think we can be the answer without God. “…prayer and action can go together; in fact they must. Otherwise we have little more than a bunch of inactive believers or worn-out activists, and neither do much good for the world.” –Shane Claiborne and Jonathan Wilson-Hargrove:  Becoming the Answer to our Prayers: Prayer for Ordinary Radicals

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries Here is a creative prayer idea to do individually, as a couple, a family, small group or Sunday School class, etc. in order to cultivate thankfulness. You can tweak it to fit your needs in many ways, as you will soon see! Here are two ways to utilize Psalm 103 as a means of expressing thankfulness/gratefulness to God using The Living Bible translation (feel free to use whatever translation you wish…or even multiple translations to do this on a repeated basis). Pray through Psalm 103 and notice all of the ways David expressed his thankfulness to God. Be sure to “bless the holy name of God with all of (your) heart” at the beginning and end, as David demonstrates for us. Write your own Psalm based on David’s format in Psalm 103 by being specific about ways God has transformed your life and your own gratefulness for His blessings. Perhaps go verse by verse as the Psalm is laid out below.  Here are two additional simple examples of how to cultivate thankfulness: Set up a prayer station in your home, church, or another location that focuses on gratitude to the Lord. For example, use a bulletin board where family/others can write what they are thankful for and pin to the board. Watch the gratefulness grow, and collectively give thanks for all of His blessings. Ask God to increase your thankfulness every day! Consider starting over at the beginning of a new week or month. At the end of each day, or at the beginning of a small group gathering, etc. share what you are thankful for - it can be a small thing or a huge blessing! God is as faithful in the littlest things as He is in the biggest. Any  of these ideas would make great family or personal activities for Thanksgiving, and year round! It’s important to cultivate gratitude for all of God’s blessings. Psalm 103 TLB I bless the holy name of God with all my heart.  2  Yes, I will bless the Lord and not forget the glorious things he does for me. 3  He forgives all my sins. He heals me. 4  He ransoms me from hell. He surrounds me with loving-kindness and tender mercies. 5  He fills my life with good things! My youth is renewed like the eagle’s! 6  He gives justice to all who are treated unfairly. 7  He revealed his will and nature to Moses and the people of Israel. 8  He is merciful and tender toward those who don’t deserve it; He is slow to get angry and full of kindness and love. 9  He never bears a grudge, nor remains angry forever. 10  He has not punished us as we deserve for all our sins,  11  for his mercy toward those who fear and honor him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. 12  He has removed our sins as far away from us as the east is from the west. 13  He is like a father to us, tender and sympathetic to those who reverence him.  14  For he knows we are but dust  15  and that our days are few and brief, like grass, like flowers,  16  blown by the wind and gone forever. 17-18  But the loving-kindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting to those who reverence him; his salvation is to children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant and remember to obey him! 19  The Lord has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything there is.  20  Bless the Lord, you mighty angels of his who carry out his orders, listening for each of his commands.  21  Yes, bless the Lord, you armies of his angels who serve him constantly. 22  Let everything everywhere bless the Lord. And how I bless him too! Other scriptures to consider as you give cultivate thankfulness: Psalm 34:1-10 Psalm 89:1-8 Psalm 92:1-5 Psalm 95:1-7 Psalm 100 Psalm 107:1-9 Psalm 118:1-9, 19-29 Psalm 136 Psalm 145 Psalm 150

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries It was my father who first opened the door for me to look at world events as connected with God’s Word and His purposes unfolding on planet Earth. It has been a joy and an exciting adventure to watch the news on television or read a newspaper and see happenings as something more than a depiction of events that are out of my control. Instead, the very things taking place around us are an indication that God is indeed in control and has put in His word some amazing details of what is about to happen. All too often, Christians feel powerless and at the mercy of a very big world. Watching or reading about news events can feel like an exercise in futility and even worse, bring a sense of anxiety and worry into our lives. One way to deal with this is to shut yourself off from the world. Turn off the television news and unsubscribe to your daily newspaper. Doing so may provide temporary relief, but certainly does nothing to change the situation. There is a better way. It involves a commitment to change your world through prayer. It happens as you see God’s commitment to prayer as a change agent. You begin to see yourself as a player on the world stage. Rather than passively watching and worrying, or ignoring and hiding, you begin to take significant action to bring God’s power to bear on situations going on in the world. You pray! The Bible is filled with examples of God’s people watching political and national events unfold around them, and then intervening through prayer to bring change. Sometimes a national leader, such as King Asa or King Jehoshaphat of Judah, prayed when faced with a crisis. In both cases, a military attack against the nation was overcome by the prayer of a godly leader. Sometimes, though, the intervention of God comes through the prayers of more common people, such as Anna and Simeon in the New Testament. These two faithful prayer warriors were watching the signs of the times and understanding the prophetic Old Testament scriptures that pointed to the soon appearing of the Messiah. God used their prayers to prepare for Messiah’s coming in ways that we won’t understand until heaven. A group of ordinary believers crowded into a house in Jerusalem when they heard that the Apostle Peter had been arrested and was chained to a prison wall. What a different twist world history would have taken without the powerful leadership of Peter! But God heard the prayers of these little-known believers and sent an angel to release Peter, allowing him to continue helping shape and lead the fledgling church for years. Throughout church history, God has used the prayers of believers to change the flow of events and alter what might have been. One of the more dramatic instances of this occurred during World War II and involved the small group of intercessors that gathered in Great Britain under the leadership of Rees Howell. Again and again, God led them to pray over particular battles and situations, many of which they could not have known about through their natural senses. In numerous situations, the Lord used their prayers to ensure victory and change human history. Obviously, in cases like this, the prayers by themselves did not bring about victory. Men and women in dangerous places fought fierce battles and some paid the ultimate price. But the prayers of Rees Howell and his band of intercessors brought the power of God into the battles and altered history. For further reading on this amazing story, I recommend Norman Grubb’s book, Rees Howell: Intercessor. Most of us don’t feel like world changers. We’re just trying to get through to the end of the week. But God has provided an amazing opportunity for us to join with Him in intercession and see His power bring transformation. Making the most of this opportunity will take a change of attitude and a different way of responding to the news. Changing our attitude is probably the most difficult. That’s why I’ve spent the time I have to point out that God has always used people’s prayers to bring about changes in world events. If we believe God, then our attitude will begin to shift from passivity to action. Rather than sitting and complaining about things as we watch the news or read the newspaper, we will begin to pray to bring about change. A changed attitude—agreeing with God that someone ought to do something and that He (God) is probably the best someone—will bring us into serious prayer. That changed attitude will cause us to redeem the time we are using to become aware of world and national events. We begin to approach the evening news or morning newspaper as serious times of prayer. Instead of passive intake, we move into aggressive intervention. I call it prayer! Let’s talk about some practical ways to pray about the news. First of all, decide to become mentally and spiritually prepared and involved.  Very intentional praying is required. It doesn’t happen accidentally. We don’t just sit down to watch a news show and in the midst of a particular segment suddenly remember or decide to pray. This is not bad, but it is so irregular. Make a decision to sit down and watch the news as a prayer event. It will change everything about your experience. Second, ask the Lord to guide you as you pray.  There are so many times we respond to events by telling God what He should do. You’d think we would have learned that He really isn’t looking for our advice. He is, however, looking for our cooperation in releasing His power into situations. Many times the best question we can ask is, “God, what are You doing in this situation?” Then follow that up by asking, “God, what do You want to do?” Then pray with God’s heart about what you are seeing. Third, watch the news with God.  Invite Him into the experience with you. Ask Him to allow you to see things from His perspective. Things that didn’t formerly upset you may cause you to weep in sorrow. Other things that used to make you angry now may become side issues. His ways are so far beyond ours! Fourth, bring your journal to your prayer time.  By your prayer time, I’m talking about your time of watching the news or reading the newspaper. Journal what you are praying about. Write down insights the Lord provides over situations you are watching. Fifth, ask the Lord if there are any actions for you to take as a result of what you saw and prayed.  Prayer is always the first step but rarely the last. You may need to write a letter to someone involved in a news story. You might be called to give money to someone or something. There might be action steps for your family, especially as it relates to preparation for difficult days ahead. The Lord may direct you to change where your money is invested. He may even call you to move from one city (or nation) to another. Prayerful watching can help prepare you to be a more effective servant in the Lord’s hands. Sixth, bring your Bible with you when you watch the news or read the newspaper.  As you pay closer attention to the prophetic Word of God, you will often be reminded of a passage of scripture as you are watching or reading. Having your Bible with you will help you look up passages and verify that you are, in fact, literally living the Bible as you see things happen right before your eyes. I will never forget June 6, 1967. I was almost fourteen years old. Dad was watching television news and called me in to watch with him. Pointing to the news that Israeli forces had just taken possession of the Temple Mount and the rest of Jerusalem, he said, “You’ve just seen a fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Jesus said that Jerusalem would be trampled on by the Gentiles until the time of the Gentiles was fulfilled. Now you’ve seen it with your own eyes.” That was a powerful demonstration for me of how to view the news through biblical eyes. In the very near future, you will see many such things if you are watching. That brings me to another practical idea: Bring others to your prayer meeting. If you live with family, invite them to join you as you pray about the news. What a wonderful way to teach your children or spouse how to join their prayers to God’s purposes. Perhaps you could have a weekly time when you invite friends to your home to pray about the news with you. What dramatic times of intercession might be unleashed as we pray together over the great events of our day! Prayer Father, give me eyes to see what is happening around me. Help me to see things from Your perspective. I choose to use times of exposure to news from around the world as valuable times of intercession. Help me to be disciplined in praying as I watch and read. Show me how You would have me pray. Thank You for allowing me to be a part of what You are doing in the world today.

What is your family dressed like today? There are two very distinct Biblical commands that tell us how Christians should be clothed:  in  armor, and  with  Christ. This clothing serves three main purposes: it protects us against the enemy, it gives us the ability to fight the enemy, and it allows us to live the kind of lifestyle that reflects Jesus Christ before others. If there is any kind of clothing more important that this, it would be difficult to convince me. In an age of spiritual slumbering, it is vital that families wake up and come alive in Jesus. Without such an awakening, revival will continue to simmer on a back burner rather than bursting forth in a brilliant display of the power and love of Christ in our midst!  “…The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light”  (Rom. 13:11b-12). We are living in a time when even Christians are apathetically living out lives of complacency. Most of our efforts for the Lord are too late, too feeble, or too ineffective to bring about any meaningful change in our culture. We look too much like what we are “wishing” would be different. “Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy”  (Rom. 13:13). There are many Christians engaging in these ungodly, worldly behaviors – some by choice, some by habit, and some by addiction. How can we effectively put aside the  “deeds of darkness”  mentioned above, and instead  “put on the armor of light” ? As individuals and families, we simply must learn how to dress more appropriately for the circumstances of our day. The proper clothing will allow us to recognize our sinfulness, initiate our confession, and lead us to repentance. The proper clothing will remind us of the power of our salvation, guard our righteousness, keep us in the truth, and make us ready as we share the good news of Jesus Christ with a dying world. The appropriate accessories will protect us from further assaults by the enemy, and will even allow us to fight against the kingdom of darkness. Most importantly, the proper clothing will draw us into the presence of our loving Father, who longs for our obedience so that He may do things in us and through us that are  “…immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us”  (Eph. 3:20). The Importance of Choosing the Right Clothes Each morning, I look out the window to see what the weather looks like. Generally I listen to the weather report so that I will have a good idea of the day’s expected temperatures before I choose what clothing to wear on a particular day. Although we would never consider sending our children outside in summer clothes and sandals when it is snowing, or dressed in a coat when it is going to be hot – we are not nearly so careful when it comes to their spiritual clothing. Our families go their separate ways each day…sometimes with no more than a hurried hug – and step outside the door into a war zone. It’s no wonder that marriages are in trouble, or that there is conflict between parents and teenagers and bitter rivalry between siblings – and that is just within our own households. What happens outside of the home is totally out of our control once they leave our protective reach. Fortunately, we can be sure they are properly dressed and then confidently release them into the protective custody of God. The enemy is prowling around looking for moms, dads, children and whole families to devour (1 Pet. 5:8). Unless we are spiritually dressed for victory, we literally leave ourselves exposed to the whims and schemes of the enemy, who would choose to destroy us all as he catches us without the proper attire! How should Christian families be dressing each day? Let’s examine the Word of God to see what our instructions are. As we do so, remember that simply reading the Word, studying the Word and knowing the Word is not enough. We must  obey  the Word. If we tell our children to wear a raincoat and they choose to disobey us – they may get wet. In the same way, if the Word of God tells us what to put on…and we choose to disobey, we will suffer the consequences of our disobedience. Revival will come only when God’s people choose to clothe themselves as He has instructed us in His Word. So many things would be different in our homes, in our churches, in our nation and in the world, if Christians would simply obey the Word of God. Therefore, when you read what the Father wants you to do to be properly clothed, I pray you will be compelled to obey! “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the   full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand”  (Eph. 6:11-13). Note that the Scripture is very clear that we are to put on the full armor of God. It is even commanded  twice  in this short passage. Why does the Lord want us clothed in this spiritual armor? So that we can take our stand against the schemes of the devil, and so that when the day of evil comes, we are able to stand our ground. Protective clothing is very important to Christians. If we do not recognize that we are in a battle for our very lives, the lives of our children, and the lives of the lost, we will be badly damaged and even defeated. Temptation will come – are we prepared to stand our ground? Persecution will come – are we dressed to stand firm against it? Christian families are under attack! Without a time of daily putting on the armor, we will be shot at from every angle. How do you put on spiritual armor? I recommend that it be done prayerfully and as a family each morning before everyone goes his or her separate ways. Be diligent to pray for one another before you all walk out the door into the battle that is known as life. In our fast-paced, busy culture, it is difficult to find time to spend as a family. Perhaps if we recognize what is at stake, we will make time to prayerfully clothe ourselves each day. Yes, God has a plan for our children’s lives…but Satan does too! Therefore, it is critical that we not only obey the command to clothe ourselves with armor, but that we obey the call of Paul in Romans 13:14:  “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”  Paul is exhorting Christians to show the outward results of what has happened inside of us when Jesus became Lord and Savior. Our lives should reflect Jesus in every way to our families, our friends, and to the world around us. The sinful nature is always lurking beneath the surface; however, if Jesus is our very clothing, we will more and more be like Him. I enjoy doing more than one thing at a time. It makes me feel like I’m accomplishing more. So, when I realized that putting on the armor of God also allowed me to put on Christ at the same time, I was thrilled! Imagine! Fulfilling two commandments at the same time! For example, when I put on the belt of truth (Eph. 6:14), I am also putting on Jesus, who  is  the very personification of truth. When I put on the breastplate of righteousness (Eph. 6:14), I am also being obedient to put on Jesus, who is my righteousness. He is the gospel of peace (shoes), and He is our salvation (helmet). There are two important accessories as we are clothing ourselves in armor and with Christ. The first is the shield of faith:  “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can   extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one”  (Eph. 6:16). When we put on Jesus Christ, we certainly do so in faith! His power living in and through us can help us to be an outward representation of our inward decision to follow Jesus. Notice that all of the pieces of armor mentioned above are defensive. Protective clothing is very important; however, Jesus very clearly went on the offensive when dealing with the enemy. So, the second “accessory” to our wardrobe is probably the most important:  “Take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God”  (Eph. 6:17). In John 1:1 we read,  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  Since Jesus is God in the fullest sense, He is also the Word. When Scripture tells us to take up the sword that is the Word of God, we are putting on Jesus. How did Jesus deal with the enemy when He was being tempted by the devil in the desert? He used the Word of God to fight back – and so must we! Families – are you protected by the armor of God? If not – put it on! How? In prayer. It can be a prayer as simple as this: “Lord, today we want to wear the same clothes that You are wearing so that we can stand firm against Satan and any temptation to sin that he might throw at us. We put on the helmet of salvation and the breastplate of righteousness because You are our salvation and righteousness. We fasten the belt of truth around our waists because You are the truth. Because You are the good news, we put on the shoes that will help us to be ready to share this truth with others. In faith, we take up our shields so that we are completely protected from the arrows of the enemy. We will carry the sword of Your Word so that we can give an answer to anyone (1 Pet. 3:15). Most of all, Lord, help others to see that we are wearing the same clothes as Jesus today.” Let’s summarize: If we have, in obedience, put on Jesus, what should we now look like? Him! It means that we should reflect His virtues. Because we have put on the armor of God, we are protected, and ready to do battle against the enemy. Jesus dealt with the enemy by quoting the Word of God to him in Matthew 4:1-11. Because every piece of the armor allows us to be clothed with Christ, we should also deal with the temptations of the enemy in this way. If we will prayerfully put on the armor, and in so doing, put on Christ, we will look more and more like Him. We will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the enemy. When God sees that we are obediently following His Word, and desiring to be like His Son, Jesus, He will be pleased, we will be protected, the enemy can be beaten back and others will see Jesus in us. A spiritual awakening will take place in the midst of our family as our actions please God and win others to His Son. Won’t you consider putting on Jesus’ clothes today?

For many years as I’ve been traveling in the prayer movement worldwide, I’ve been asked many questions. One of the questions asked most often is, “What is the most formative moment in your life for giving you a heart for prayer?” That is an easy one to answer. It goes back to 1970 when I was pastoring a little church adjacent to Kent State University in Ohio. I stood on the campus the day the National Guards shot into the students, killing four, maiming about eighteen others. A real revolution began on that campus that transformed events on the other side of the globe and in a sense transformed the course of history. Our church had a strong ministry to students on the campus so we were caught up in what was happening right from the start. We finally reached that point as a church where we couldn’t do anything else but pray. But none of us knew how to pray, including the pastor of that church who had never had a course on prayer in his life and probably had not prayed more than five or ten minutes at a time up until then as far as I could remember. A group of elders in that church decided with me that we would meet together for six weeks, four nights a week, for two hours a night to seek the Lord in the midst of a revolution. That first night the question was in our mind: how are we going to fill the time for six weeks, four nights a week, two hours a night with prayer that makes any difference, or even with any kind of prayer at all? Finally someone suggested we pray through the book of Ephesians, one chapter for each of the six weeks. Each night of that particular week we would re-read the chapter for that week, and maybe we would talk five or ten minutes about some of its implications as we saw what it might mean for what was happening all around us and for our church. Then we would simply get down on our knees in a little circle at the chairs where we were and lay our Bibles open on the chair to that chapter of Ephesians and basically let God guide us for the rest of the two hours with the words and the phrases and the insights and the promises that were in that particular chapter. A lot of things came out of those six weeks of prayer. We saw a lot of answers to prayer even for the next four years on that campus, where we saw literally hundreds of students come to Christ. God did an amazing work on that campus that touched the whole world before it was over. So to the question: “What is the most formative moment to bring you into a commitment to prayer?” My answer is that it was when I got down on my knees with a group of men who didn’t know any more about prayer than I did, and we struggled together, and God’s Spirit taught us how to pray as we learned how to pray God’s Word back to Him, as we worked through one of the greatest blueprints of revival you can find anywhere – the Book of Ephesians. I have never thought about revival the same again. I saw it as nothing less than a Christ Awakening. My Most Meaningful Moment in Prayer A second question I’m often asked as I travel around the Body of Christ is, “What might be your most meaningful moment of prayer?” There have been quite a few, but if I had to pick one that was the most meaningful in my own experience, it would be a moment when nobody prayed. It was 1997 on the Mall in Washington, D.C. One and one-half million men had gathered for six hours of prayer and repentance to seek God for revival in our nation. I was assigned to get up on the platform toward the end of the second hour and give a short message and then get the crowd back into prayer again. I went to a little prayer tent behind the platform where all speakers were to go to be prayed over before they got up on the platform. While the prayer team was praying over me in that prayer tent, I began to weep, because I saw a vision in front of me, at least in my heart and mind, of something happening on that Mall, which in fact did take place about twenty minutes later. I knew God was saying to me that He didn’t want me to give my talk at all, but He wanted me to get up and do what I did twenty minutes later. I was to read from Revelation, chapter one, the glorious vision that John had of the Lord Jesus Christ, where His eyes were like a flame of fire, His face shining like the sun, His voice like the thundering of many waters. It says that John fell down at His feet like a dead man, and he stayed in that position until Jesus reached out His hand and touched him and said, “Do not be afraid. I have the keys of death and Hades, and I want to show you what is and show you what is to come.” So on the platform, I read that portion of Revelation, chapter one, and then I invited one and one-half million men to prostrate themselves flat on their faces on the ground like dead men, and to take the next three minutes and be like a dead person in absolute silence before the One who was the answer to all the prayers we were praying on that platform and who was the heart and center of the revival for our nation for which we longed. That’s a moment I will never forget, to look out as far as the eye could see and see men flat on their faces, silent before God. I’ve had a number of people come up to me in the years since and say, “David, the moment that changed my life was the moment when we did nothing.” I believe that was the most significant moment of prayer for me personally – just to be silent before Him because every answer to prayer always begins and ends in Him. That day was truly a foreshadowing of the Christ Awakening that is coming to the Church. A Valuable Prayer Principle Another question I’m often asked is, “David, of all the things you have taught on prayer, what would be the most valuable principle you could share with people concerned about prayer?” If there is one I would pick out of hundreds, it would be one that dawned on me one day after I had completed a number of weeks traveling to about twenty-five cities of the world, holding urban consultations on united prayer. Leaders of various churches and ministries in these cities came together to spend a whole day looking at what it would take to raise up a movement of united prayer in their cities. Most of that time I was writing down the things I was learning from these Christian leaders. I began to discover what I have come to understand is the most important principle for uniting and sustaining a work of prayer, whether in your own life or in your church or in a city-wide movement of prayer. It is to be clear on the hope that you are praying toward – the hope that God has given us in all His promises – and to be sure that that hope is shaped by nothing less than the power and glory of Jesus Christ and His Kingdom. In other words we need to be clear on what God’s promises would look like if they would be fully revealed in our lives and in our churches and in our cities, and to become so possessed by that hope, so hungry for the glory and power of Christ and His Kingdom, that we can do nothing else but pray. The Key Passage Another frequently asked question is, “David, what is the one passage of Scripture that has had the most meaning to you in your life and ministry and prayer?” If I had to choose just one passage, I would choose the one passage in the Old Testament that is quoted most often by the New Testament writers. That way you get the Old Testament and the New Testament all wrapped up in one text. Even Jesus Himself drew on it. It is the one text used to describe what God was doing in that first-century Church, the text that they went back to time and again. It is about prayer and the supremacy of Christ. It is Psalm 110:1-4: “The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.’ The LORD will extend Your mighty scepter from Zion; You will rule in the midst of Your enemies. Your troops will be willing on Your day of battle. Arrayed in holy majesty, from the womb of the dawn You will receive the dew of Your youth. The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind: ‘You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.’” The New Testament writers, trying to interpret what the Spirit of God was doing among them, went to a text that talks about Jesus at the right hand conquering His enemies, moving among the nations, mobilizing an army to join Him. And that army is arrayed in the garments of priesthood, full of vigor like the youth, and laboring under the leadership of One to whom God has said, “I have sworn and will not change My mind. This is how the battle is going to be fought and this is how it is going to be won. It’s as You, My Son, remain a priest like Melchizedek,” who was both a king and a priest. The New Testament writers said, “That text helps us understand what God is doing among us,” and I would think therefore that the text describes what God wants to do among us as well. The Miracle, Message, Mission and Measure of the Supremacy of Christ The central theme in the answer to those four questions is quite obvious: It is the supremacy of Christ. I can’t think of a better word to describe who He is than the word “supremacy.” The supremacy of Christ is the miracle of the worldwide prayer movement. There is no other explanation for why God’s people are praying today around the world in ways we have never seen them praying in the history of the Church, except to explain it by the supremacy of Christ. Nothing in us naturally wants to seek the Lord; so if I feel a spirit of prayer stirring inside of me, or if I am a part of a movement of prayer in my church or my city, I know the origin of that is from heaven itself. The mark of that prayer emphasis is the conquering power of Christ, that He could conquer my heart so fully that He is able to put within me a faith and a hope in the promises of God that would stir me to prayer. The miracle that the prayer movement even exists, the miracle of prayer in any of our lives, is explainable only by the supremacy of Christ. The message of this movement of prayer is the supremacy of Christ. In these twenty-five years I’ve traveled with the prayer movement, I have heard hundreds of thousands of prayers prayed. If you were to ask me, “What is everybody praying about?” I would say, you could take thousands of prayers that I’ve heard and bring it down to one request, said in a thousand different ways. Whether God’s people are praying for personal deliverance and healing, or revival in their church, or the transformation of their city, or the reclamation of their nation, or the evangelization of unreached people – it is really one prayer, a prayer for Jesus to reveal Himself more fully for who He is in His supremacy. Think back over the prayers you have prayed this week. Could you be satisfied with the answer to any one of those prayers that was less than Christ revealing more of His glory and His supremacy to you or to someone else for whom you prayed? The reason I am so encouraged that we are on the threshold of a Christ Awakening in the Body of Christ is because this is what I hear God leading His people to pray. I don’t believe He is stirring us up to pray for something this grand and glorious, and so in keeping with His promises, only to disappoint us and frustrate us. The message of the prayer movement is that God is getting ready to give an awakening to the supremacy of His Son, and it’s not far off! The mission God’s praying people around the world hold in common is to keep laboring before the Throne of Heaven, asking and seeking and knocking until the earth is covered with the knowledge of the glory of the supremacy of Christ like the waters cover the sea. That is the mission of the prayer movement, the passion; that’s what’s driving God’s people into prayer like never before. Finally, the supremacy of Christ is the measure of the prayer movement. Even while God’s people are praying, God has already begun to answer them. God is first of all conquering His praying people while they pray with a fresh revelation of the supremacy of His Son to them, in the place of prayer. This is the measure of the prayer movement – the glory and supremacy of Christ. Several years ago I sat in the office of the pastor of the largest church in the world – a church that has grown in the last forty-some years from a church of one hundred members to one of 700,000, and all of it by prayer cells. I asked him, “Is there any part of Scripture that can help me understand what God has done in this church?” This godly man answered me quickly. “Yes, Matthew 11:12,” he said. In the NIV here is what is said: “The kingdom of God is forcefully advancing and the people of force are laying hold of it.” As he explained it, the secret of the growth of this congregation is that the people have begun to sense where God is moving, where His kingdom is advancing, and then they have risen up and laid hold of God’s kingdom initiative by prayer, and in the process they have become a people of force as well. The secret is no secret at all; it’s the supremacy of Christ. What Is the Supremacy of Christ? I’ve spent quite a few years studying verses of Scripture on the supremacy of Christ. Thus far in my studies I’ve boiled it down to three little phrases: Who He is; what He imparts; and where He leads. The supremacy of Christ is who He is as the Son of God; what He imparts as the regent of God; and where He leads in the purposes of God. The supremacy of Christ is first of all not what He is doing, but what He is as the Son of God: His character, His nature, His ways, who He is as creator; who He is as Lord of the nations; who He is as redeemer of the whole earth; who He is because of the cross; who He is because He has conquered death. The supremacy of Christ is first of all about who He is – the Son of God before the worlds were made. It is also about who He will be always for all the ages to come. Secondly, it’s about what He imparts as the regent of God. He is the One to whom God has submitted all of heaven and earth; the One who has all authority in heaven and earth, who is not only the Lord of the nations, but the Head of the Church. As such He imparts to the Church His gifts, the fruits of His risen life and His presence, His love, His holiness, His righteousness. He wants to fill His people with Himself. He brings to pass all the promises of God for all the people of God and for all people and for all the creation of God. And finally, the supremacy of Christ is where He leads in the purposes of God as He leads His Church into the fullness of the stature of Himself; as He leads the missionary cause among the nations; as He leads all of history into its last and final consummation when He comes as Lord of lords and King of kings in all of His resplendent glory. When I think of His supremacy I think of Colossians 3:1-4, where Paul says to set your mind on things above where Christ is seated. Don’t put your affections on things on earth; put your affections on things above, for you are dead and your life is hidden with Christ in God, and when Christ who is our life appears, then will you appear with Him in all of His supremacy finally displayed for every eye to see and every tongue to confess, and you’ll be there in it with Him. That’s who He is as the Son of God. When I think of His supremacy, I think of Ephesians, chapter one, where Paul talks about the power that raised Him and seated Him above every rule and authority and every name that is named, not only in this age but in all the ages to come in order that He who fills the whole universe might fill His Church with the fullness of God. That is supremacy working its way out inside the people of God as He fills us with the life of His Son. That’s what He imparts as the regent of God. When I think of His supremacy, I think about 1 Corinthians fifteen, where it says He will be the first fruits of all of us whom He has raised from the dead, and then it goes on to say that He must reign until He has defeated every one of His enemies, and the last enemy to be conquered is death. But then Paul says that is not the end; he says that even after He has conquered death, there is more of God’s purposes into which we are to be led. He says that there is coming that moment in the consummation when the Son will take the kingdom which He has formed out of the whole universe, redeemed by His blood, and He will bring it back and submit it to the Father so that God may be all in all. That’s where He leads us in the purposes of God. Focus, Fullness, Fulfillment Over the years I’ve coined three little words to describe these three dimensions: Focus, Fullness and Fulfillment. Who He is as the Son of God – that’s the focus of His supremacy. What He imparts as the regent of God – that’s the fullness of His supremacy. Where He leads in the purposes of God – that is the fulfillment of His supremacy. Is there a difference between the centrality of Christ and the supremacy of Christ? Yes, there is. Centrality is part of supremacy, but centrality by itself is not enough. The centrality of Christ – keeping Christ at the center – means we want to keep Christ as the center of our lives, the center of what we do, the center of how we grow in the Lord, the center of where we are headed in our life in the Lord. That’s important, and that is part of owning up to His supremacy. But the supremacy of Christ means more. It points us to what God wants us to be at the center of who Christ is, what He’s doing, and where He’s headed, and that implies a whole lot more. That has to change the way we pray. We often say, “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.” That is true and that is wonderful. That is about centrality. But supremacy would say it this way: “God has a wonderful plan to bring glory to His Son for all the ages to come, and He loves you enough to give you a place in it.” It isn’t just that God has a plan for my life from Jesus. It’s that my destiny is locked into who Christ is and what He’s doing and where He is headed. My life is about God’s plan for His Son! Implications for the Prayer Movement Once this gets hold of you it will change the way you study the Scriptures and what you see in the Scriptures. It will change the way you pray. It will change the way you spend your money. As you live your life you will think, “How does this fit into who Christ is, what He is up to, and where He’s headed?” Psalm 110 says, “The troops will be willing in Your day of battle.” In other words, the troops aren’t all wrapped up in whether the king is coming among them and bringing the blessings they desperately need in their lives. The troops are looking at where this Priest-King is headed, how He intends to fight the battle, and they are saying, “We’re ready! We’re going to go with You. We’re going to go where You’re going, and we’re going to do it Your way. It’s Your day of battle. Lead on!” When you say, “I pray this prayer in Jesus’ Name,” what does that mean? Does that mean I pray this with His authority? Yes. Does that mean I pray this because I belong to Him? Absolutely. You’re taking His identity upon yourself. That’s what gives you the authority and the right to come before the Throne of Grace. But may I suggest that no prayer is valid if we cannot also say at the end of it: “Father, I pray this in Jesus’ Name – because I believe that if You answer this prayer, it will increase the focus of many on the supremacy of Your Son; it will increase our experience of the fullness of the supremacy of Your Son; if You answer this prayer I believe it will help to advance the purposes of Your Son.” That’s what it means to pray in Jesus’ Name. That’s what gives me confidence that if I ask according to His will I have what I ask (1 John 5:14-15). If it is all about the Son, if it is all about the life that is in the Son, if I pray with that understanding and that agenda – then I know He hears me and will answer me. It is good to ask yourself before you ask anything of the Lord, “To what end am I about to pray this? What do I ultimately expect to come out of this? How far into the horizons of God’s promises am I willing to look as I ask this prayer?” Then when you finish a prayer, see if you can finish with this little phrase, “Father, I ask this in order that….” Try for a few days never praying a prayer without finishing with the phrase, “in order that….” and then you fill in the blank. I am suggesting that what you put after that phrase has to relate somehow, directly, to the supremacy of Christ. When Jesus’ disciples said, “Teach us to pray,” He said, “First of all, pray the Father will reveal the matchlessness of His name.” That is focus. “Pray that His kingdom come, that His will be done on earth just as it is in heaven.” That is fulfillment. “Pray He will meet your daily needs, that He will keep you bound together in love and forgiveness and that He will enable you to continue triumphing over every attack of the enemy.” That’s fullness. In John seventeen, when Jesus is standing at the threshold of the greatest moment of all eternity and He prays, what does He pray about? Jesus prays, “Father, glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You.” Focus. Jesus prays, “Father, I pray You will keep them bound together in a oneness that’s like the oneness You and I have.” Fullness. Jesus said, “I pray not only for them but for all who will believe because of their word.” Fulfillment. The whole prayer of John seventeen is about the supremacy of Jesus Christ! He ends by praying, “That when My glory is finally revealed before the whole universe, that these who are standing in this room with Me right now, will be there with Me to see it all in its climax.” In Revelation five we read the great hymn about the worthy One: “Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” Before singing this hymn, we see the elders offer up incense. John says that the twenty-four incense burners represent the prayers of the saints. Then they sing. It is almost like, “Here are the prayers; now here is the answer.” Look at the great prayers in Revelation five and ask, “Do my prayers in any way touch on those themes? Do my prayers in any way exalt the supremacy of Christ in the way I’ll be singing about the answers for all Eternity?” In Revelation chapter eight, again we see the incense burners and the smoke, which John says represents the prayers of the saints. He says when they are offered up there is silence for thirty minutes. Why? Because something is about to happen, the magnitude of which we don’t even begin to know. Everyone is breathless and watching. After the silence the angels move into place and the rest of the Book of Revelation unfolds – with all the thunder and lightning and all the destruction, as well as the redemption, with the saints rising up and showing themselves to be overcomers and victorious through it all. The rest of the Book of Revelation is the answer to the prayers of the saints. There is silence in heaven because God is about to answer the prayers of the saints beyond what any of them had dared to dream or believe was possible. They’ve had foretastes to be sure. But there is even more to come and somehow in the divine economy, what God does in the rest of the Book of Revelation is related to the prayers of His people, including your prayers this very day. The implications of the supremacy of Christ for our life of prayer are significant. As Paul says in Ephesians 3:20-21, He whose power is at work in us is willing to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. “Now to Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever.” Christ Awakening – the Need of the Church The theme of this conference is, “A Christ Awakening.” Why is that such an important theme to have for a prayer conference? What does an awakening mean for a life, a church, or a whole generation? It’s similar to how you woke up this morning. An awakening to Christ is God bringing enough things to invade our consciousness that we begin to arouse and to start seeing Jesus in whole new ways. It is not God giving us something we did not have. It’s all here because it is all in Christ and He is here among us right now – not part of Him but all of Him (Col. 1:27). It’s God awakening faith, awakening hunger, awakening revelation of who His Son is. Which comes first – a Christ awakening and then we start praying, or we start praying and then God gives a Christ awakening? I think it is both at the same time. They work together. The more God reveals of His Son to us the hungrier we get to seek His face, which is an expression used all through Scripture to describe a life of prayer. We are seeking His glorious face in all His glorious supremacy. To answer our prayers, essentially God wakes up an individual, a church, a city, a whole nation – to whom Christ is in new measure; He awakens us to what we have not seen in Christ before. That’s the ultimate answer to all of our prayers. There has been much prayer for revival the last number of years. Why don’t we see the revival we are praying for? One of my answers to that is, “We are in the first phase of it!” God is waking up His people enough to what He wants to give of His Son and His Kingdom to this generation that they’re praying like they have never prayed before. And that is phase one of the awakening. But there is so much more to come because there is so much more of Him to which we are to be obedient and which we are to proclaim to the world. You say, “What does a revival look like?” I want to read you something from a series of lectures given in 1830 by Dr. Ebenezer Porter of Andover Seminary. He lived through what Church historians call “The Second Great Awakening” (beginning 1792), one of the great revivals of all Church history. When he was in his late 70’s, Porter was invited back to Andover Seminary to give a series of lectures on what he understood revival to be. He was a scholar and theologian and had also experientially been through one of the greatest revivals in Church history. Lecture Number Four on page 102 has this paragraph. It is one of the best descriptions of a Christ Awakening I have ever read. I believe it is what God is preparing His Church for on a magnitude that we have never known in the history of the Church. Ebenezer Porter said, “The history of these revivals shows that the genuine tendency of such seasons is to render Christians grateful and watchful and fervent in spirit. Now many doubtless must be viewed as sincere Christians who are not necessarily consistent Christians. The wise and the foolish virgins all slumbered together….” [Note: I don’t care how alive you feel you are, compared to what God is getting ready to do, you are still asleep and so am I. Even the wise virgins went to sleep.] “….but when the Redeemer comes in the triumphs of His grace to visit His churches, then His true followers are seen to be waking up from their apathy and they are seen to go forth to welcome the King of Zion and to do so with an energy and an earnestness and an ardor of affection that greatly surpasses their first love.” I’ve often heard revival sermons on the church of Ephesus in Revelation 2 and how Jesus said, “Come back to your first love.” That’s wonderful, but Porter says that what he observed was that when Jesus visits His churches and reveals Himself as the King that He is, it stirs His people with such an ardor for Him, such a willingness to live for Him, to follow Him, and to be with Him where He is, that one has to conclude that the love he sees flowing out of their hearts for the Savior is even greater than anything they had when they first met Him. The Prayer of All Prayers All of this brings us to the last prayer of the Bible. It is for a Christ Awakening. In a sense it is just one word. All the prayers of all God’s people for all the ages can be boiled down to one word. That word is “Come.” What is that prayer asking to happen? When John says, “Come” at the end of the Book of Revelation, having seen the consummation of all history, having seen the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and of the anointed King upon His throne, John is saying, “Come, Lord Jesus! I want to see You reveal Your supremacy to that degree and no less, so there will be an awakening to You that saturates this entire universe, that scatters all the darkness, destroys all the enemy and quickens all the saints forever!” That’s how the Bible ends – with a one-word prayer for a Christ awakening! Should not such a passion for His glory possess the modern day prayer movement, and all of us who seek God for genuine revival among the nations? Edited from a message given at “The Christ Awakening” Conference, held in Terre Haute, Indiana, October 23-25, 2003.

Revival comes to those who are desperate for it. Many today are talking about spiritual awakening and even beginning to pray about it. But have we allowed God to place within us the burden necessary to pray desperately for God to show up in our midst? Are we willing to “pray the price” to see God move in a powerful way in the Church today? As I continue to learn how to move my prayers into alignment with God’s will, praying Scripture has become increasingly important. As I pray God’s Word I find myself praying in ways I would never have found myself praying before. So it is as we begin to place ourselves before the Lord in asking for a burden for revival. I have been greatly impacted by the prayer of the Psalmist in Psalm 79. This is a powerful prayer for revival. It was prayed from a broken heart that saw the people of God under attack and the promises of God unfulfilled: O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple, they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble. They have given the bodies of your servants as food to the birds of the air, the flesh of your saints to the beasts of the earth. They have poured out like water all around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury the dead. We are objects of reproach to our neighbors, of scorn and derision to those around us. How long, O LORD? Will you be angry forever? How long will your jealousy burn like fire? Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge you, on the kingdoms that do not call on your name; for they have devoured Jacob and destroyed his homeland. Do not hold against us the sins of the fathers; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need. Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake. Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Before our eyes, make known among the nations that you avenge the outpoured blood of your servants. May the groans of the prisoners come before you; by the strength of your arm preserve those condemned to die. Pay back into the laps of our neighbors seven times the reproach they have hurled at you, O Lord. Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will praise you forever; from generation to generation we will proclaim your praise. Praying through Psalm 79 is a great way to develop a biblical burden for revival. The text breaks down into a great outline for passionate prayer: Recognizing your current situation is a critical place to begin. The people of Israel were oppressed . . . under attack by their enemies. They finally got to a place of desperation–“for we are in desperate need” vs.8. Until the Church today arrives at that place of desperation, we will never develop a burden for revival. Get serious about the glory of God. Pagans were disparaging God because of the sorry situation of the Israelites. “Where is their God?” they asked. The fact that the world would ask such a question should bring great grief to God’s people. In a very real sense, this is exactly what the world is saying of the Church today: “Where is your God?” Recognition of your current situation and passion for God’s glory will lead you to petition. It is at this point that you find Israel praying for mercy, deliverance, and forgiveness. It is a very personal sort of prayer that focuses on the needs of the people of God for restoration into the favor of God. Taking the prayer a step further, we see the Psalmist asking God to step into the situation. In a very real sense, the Psalmist prays, “God, You answer the accusations of the enemy. By Your actions Lord, pay back the reproach that the world has heaped upon You through the sad condition of Your people.” The result of such a prayer is worship and praise. It’s the natural result of seeing God work. Even before full-blown revival arrives, there is worship erupting from the people of God. And along with that is the commitment to pass it on to the next generation. Praying such a prayer for revival is not a guarantee of revival. It is merely preparing the ground of the human heart for a fresh work of God. Praying with passion for revival begins to create a burden for revival among the Lord’s people. And into such a prepared state, the Lord has often poured His rain from heaven. Martyn Lloyd-Jones speaks of this preparatory work of prayer in his book, Revival: “Our essential trouble is that we are content with a very superficial and preliminary knowledge of God, His being, His cause. . . . We spend our lives in busy activism . . . instead of realizing our own failure,(that) we are not attracting anybody to Christ and that they probably see nothing in us that makes them desire to come to Him. “The inevitable and constant preliminary to revival has always been in a thirst for God, a thirst, a living thirst for a knowledge of the living God and a longing and a burning desire to see Him acting, manifesting Himself and His power, rising and scattering His enemies. . . . The thirst for God and the longing for the exhibition of His glory are the essential preliminaries to revival” (pages 90-91). May our prayers for revival develop a great thirst for God, not only in our own lives, but in the lives of those around us. Dave Butts (1953-2022) was the co-founder and president of Harvest Prayer Ministries. His popular prayer guide, Asleep in the Land of Nod has been used by hundreds of churches to help their congregations pray for revival.

Here are 7 specific ways to pray for yourself and others before, during and after any election day: Pray before you vote: 1.  Ask God to give you a desire to get out and vote even if you don’t feel like it.   “The good influence of godly citizens causes a city to prosper, but the moral decay of the wicked drives it downhill”  (Proverbs 11:11 TLB). We often have the mentality, especially in local elections, that voting isn’t really very important or that our vote is just one of many and couldn’t possibly make a difference; however, it is especially important for Christians to express the heart and life of Jesus Christ through their votes! Don’t think that it doesn’t matter, because it does! There may be a critical issue that your city or county is voting on that will change the moral culture of your community! The people running for mayor, city council, etc. will affect you and your family through their lives, their beliefs and their authority. You want godly people to be in places of influence. Be sure your voice is heard – don’t stay home! Pray as you vote: 2.  Ask God to open your eyes.  Sometimes we can get in a hurry and/or be distracted during the voting process. It is important to stay focused and to stay aligned with what God is showing you to do:  “Keep your eyes open, hold tight to your convictions, give it all you’ve got, be resolute…”  (1 Corinthians 16:13 MSG). 3.  Ask God to help you be Christlike to anyone you come into contact with no matter their political party or preference.   “…for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world…”  (Philippians 2:13-15 NASB). 4.  Demonstrate the life of Jesus as you wait in line, perhaps running the gauntlet of those trying to convince you to vote for a certain person or for a particular side in a referendum, etc.  When you speak to the election officials be sure to thank them for their selfless service – they work long hours. Take time to pray for them to have endurance, patience and kindness…perhaps as you wait in line. As you enter or exit the polling place, if someone is unkind or rude to you, don’t allow the Devil to tempt you to sin with your response. Instead, shine the light of Jesus and pray for that person. 5.  Ask God for the strength to pray for those who are running for office that you don’t agree with. Ask Him to help you not to criticize and judge, but to love, and to replace anger with kindness.  “ Don’t criticize and speak evil about each other, dear brothers. If you do, you will be fighting against God’s law of loving one another, declaring it is wrong. But your job is not to decide whether this law is right or wrong, but to obey it. Only he who made the law can rightly judge among us. He alone decides to save us or destroy. So what right do you have to judge or criticize others”  (James 4:11-12 TLB)? God loves every person passionately. Even those who disobey Him or who do not follow His commands. You can ruin a good opportunity to be a living testimony for Jesus if you speak badly about others. Instead, pray for those whom you disagree with and who disagree with you, and for those who persecute you or think poorly of you because of your beliefs.  “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you”  (Luke 6:27-28 NASB). Pray after you vote: 6.  Commit to pray for those who have won different offices, even if your candidate didn’t win.   “ I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth”  (1 Timothy 2:1-4 NIV). Pray that those elected to public office will carry out their duties with honor, honesty, moral uprightness and truthfulness. Pray that those who don’t know Jesus as Savior and Lord will come to know Him in all His fullness! Pray also for their families! 7.  Thank the Lord for freedom and for the opportunity to live in a nation where you have a voice in electing officials and voting on issues that affect our lives and our culture.   “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery”  (Galatians 5:1 NASB). We should never take this privilege and responsibility lightly, but continually give thanks for our freedom to have a say in our government.

Our nation, and indeed, every nation, is in great need of targeted intercession! There are so many different ways to seek God on behalf of America; however, here are five topics to prompt your prayers and guide your heart towards whatever else the Holy Spirit places on your heart: 1. Presence “I will put my dwelling place among you, and I will not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people” (Lev. 26:11-12). Nothing is more important than the Presence of the Lord Himself in the midst of any situation we may face as a nation.  The Presence of God changes lives and meets the deepest needs of our nation and its culture. Welcoming the Presence of the Lord into every aspect of the life of our nation can open the door to a longing for His Presence in all of society. Prayer Prompt:  Thank You, Lord, that You dwell among us, and walk among us as our God! Keep us continually aware that we are Your people, created for Your glory! Make Your Presence known in our nation, Lord!  2. Protection “Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance” (Ps. 32:6-7). Asking for the Lord’s protection keeps us from anxiety and worry because we know we can trust in His ability to do what is best for us. Prayer Prompt:  Father, we ask for Your protection over our nation from anything or anyone that might bring harm. Please provide physical, mental and spiritual safety as we trust in You to be our hiding place. Protect us from trouble and surround us with songs of deliverance! 3. Peace “I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and not one will make you afraid. I will remove savage beasts from the land, and the sword will not pass through your country” (Lev. 26:6). In the midst of a badly divided nation, we desperately need God’s peace. Pray that God’s peace would touch the church in this nation so that we would lead the way to the Prince of Peace. Prayer Prompt:  We long for Your peace to come to our nation, Lord! Keep us from being fearful and give us the peace and rest that only You can provide. May our nation be a reflection of Your peace. 4. Provision “He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever. He has shown his people the power of his works, giving them the lands of other nations” (Ps.111:5-6). We need to humbly come before the Lord and confess our need for His great provision to be poured out upon our nation. We need wisdom from above. We need the provision that meets healthcare needs in just ways. We need the provision of a robust economy that allows us to provide good jobs to those who are able to work. We especially need to be a nation that realizes that what we have comes from the Lord’s hand. Prayer Prompt:  Thank You for being our Provider, O Lord! You give us our work, shelter, food and all that we need for life. We ask that You would use Your people to meet the needs of those around us so that our nation reflects the love of Christ to all! May we help to make this nation a beacon of light and life in ways that show the world You alone are our Provider! 5. Proficiency “Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do. Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace” (Ex. 18:19-23). Prayer Prompt: Father, we need a nation that is proficient in all its ways because we follow Your ways.  Show us how to reflect proficiency In every part of society, from government to business, from schools to healthcare. In every area, teach us the value of work and organization. Allow our justice system to reflect the culture of Your Kingdom and not the ungodly ways of man. Lord God, help us to obey Your voice as You show us how to function well as a nation. Put trustworthy, godly people in places of authority and leadership so that our nation will reflect the love You have shown us. Guide us to be just, kind, and generous in all ways, and among all people. May the name of Jesus be elevated and revered as this nation puts its trust in You alone.