Pray that they may know—a summary

Believers around the world joined with Australia in prayer and fasting for America this past week. Today, Thursday, May 7 is the National Day of Prayer. Prayer is all the more critical now than ever.

Because of that, I’ve been recycling a series of blog entries I wrote last year. Back then, God prompted me to shift my focus as I prayed for the nation. In short, I believe God showed me these four things for which to pray:

• Pray for people to know what to do.
• Pray for people to receive wisdom along with their knowledge.
• Pray for those people to receive the boldness to step out in what they know to do.
• Pray for those people to be filled with boldness to carry out their tasks to completion.

Originally posted last year (last in series):

And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Esther 4:14b

To know what to do. Men and women desperately need to know what to do in this hour—no one is exempt from that need. You and I are equipped to pray for those who are facing huge, impactful decisions—for secular leaders and for those who have leadership roles in the body of Christ, for the people of God, and for everyone else living in this nation and around the world. It is time to pray for men and women to know what to do.

To receive wisdom. It’s time to pray for them to receive clear wisdom to direct and uphold them as they gain knowledge concerning what to do. You are I are equipped to pray for them to receive that wisdom from God; we are also equipped to pray that they will desire truth in their innermost being, for that is where He will deposit wisdom (see Psalm 51:6).

To step out in boldness. It’s time to pray for men and women, boys and girls who have been granted knowledge and wisdom in accordance with God’s purposes to step out in boldness to do what they know to do. There is knowledge and wisdom from God ready to be deposited across the board, upon all flesh, upon His people and upon those who do not yet know Him—and each one will need the boldness of Peter to “step out of the boat” (knowing full well that as they step, the boat will rock). You and I have access to the throne of grace to request boldness for them to take appropriate steps as they receive the knowledge of what to do.

To be enveloped and empowered by boldness. It’s time to pray for boldness and great courage to envelop and empower those who do boldly step out to do what they know to do. There are many adversaries; those who have been blinded by the manipulations of the deluding spirit of this age don’t want anyone—secular or Christian—to take a stand for true justice, righteousness, truth, or freedom. Instead, the spirit of this age seeks control and to enforce conformity to its agenda—lawlessness and godlessness and ways that spit in the face of God. The spirit of this age inspires a ruthless, reckless fervor in those it saddles to intimidate anyone who acts or speaks off-script—especially when they defy or denounce the godless status quo of our age. That’s why you and I must pray for a saturation of boldness to come upon the men and women called of God to stand—both those who are visible and the ones who are behind the scenes—in arenas of power and impact. They need to know what to do, they need wisdom in it, they need the boldness to step out, and they need the all-encompassing boldness and power of God to carry them throughout their entire assignment.

Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “…but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition” (1 Thessalonians 2:2). Like Paul—who rocked the boat over and over again as he preached the gospel of Jesus Christ—in our day those for whom we pray will also be rocking boats and swimming against the current. And unfortunately, like Paul, those for whom we pray to know what to do will encounter suffering and mistreatment and much opposition as they boldly defy the godless, lawless, spit-in-the-face-of-God status quo. However, covered by prayer, God’s power, wisdom, and ability will envelop, protect, and lead them, and no weapon formed against them will prosper (see Isaiah 54:17). But we must pray for them for this to take place.

You and I, as well—just by praying bold prayers on the behalf of those called of God to take bold stands—are boat-rockers in defiance of the status quo of our age. Because of that, don’t be surprised, as the apostle Peter wrote, “at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you” (see 1 Peter 4:12). You see, as we engage in prayer for people to know what to do with wisdom and supernatural boldness, the devil doesn’t like it one bit. He doesn’t want his deviously-organized strategies and schemes to be hindered, restrained, or undone. He wants to be in control, and as you and I pray, we actually block and thwart his plans. So if you get attacked, mistreated, or face opposition, consider the source. It’s from the adversary, and it simply means you are making an impact in exposing, restraining, and incapacitating his agenda.

Stand your ground as you pray according to the leading of the Lord, and remember—you are on the overcoming team. Because of your prayers, people will know what to do.

Dorothy

The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. James 5:16b