While home for Thanksgiving a few years ago, I took my family’s miniature Schnauzer, Scout, for a walk.

During the route, I spied the neighbors’ tiny foreign exchange student walking a huge German Shepherd. I heard him barking from down the block as he pulled away from her grip.

My heart raced as they approached. I couldn’t dodge into oncoming traffic.

There was no way to escape.

The German Shepherd snarled and lunged toward us.

I pivoted to protect Scout, and the big dog bit me through my shoe.

Five stitches and two months of wearing a boot later, I healed physically.

The journey to mental healing is taking much longer.

I thought time would erase my fear of being attacked by dogs, but instead it grew.

Kindhearted people told me not to feed my fear, and it would go away.

It didn’t.

I’ve sought therapy to heal from my fear of big dogs. My counselor helped me understand that the attack not only damaged my foot, but ruined my sense of safety.

No wonder I’m terrified of large dogs!

In addition to the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) trauma therapy, I’m ordering my thoughts to align to truth.

I remind myself that God is the ultimate healer of my hurt, not my counselor.

The Holy Spirit led me to Psalm 18 where David said a prayer for protection. God revealed key insights to show how He defends me.

Remember Who God Is

“’I love You, O Lord, my strength.’ The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”   - Psalm 18:1-2 (NASB1995)

Part of rewiring my brain involves feeding my mind on the truth that God is my Protector. I don’t need to seek trouble, but when I follow the Lord, He defends me.
 
David opened his prayer for protection in Psalm 18 packed with truths about God’s character:

• God is my strength: God is mighty to beat down my enemies.
• The Lord is my rock: God is my firm foundation so I don’t slip and fall.
• The Lord is my fortress: God will defend me when I abide in His house.
• The Lord is my deliverer: God gets me out of difficult situations. It’s His specialty.
• My rock in whom I take refuge: God lets me hide in His safety.
• My shield: God stands in front and takes the brunt of the blows that life deals us.
• The horn of my salvation: God will raise the battle cry when I call out to Him.
• My stronghold: God will secure my life from outside evils.

David’s prayer for protection resonates with me as I shift my focus to what God can do instead of my own inadequacies.

Call Upon God with Confidence

“I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies…. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.” - Psalm 18:3, 6 KJV

When David offered his prayer for protection, he trusted God to save him. David didn’t wonder if God would listen, but knew the Lord hears His children.

We can pray for protection with the same confidence knowing that God will hear us and save us from our enemies.

When we feel surrounded on all sides, the Lord is greater than all we can see.

God Delivers His Children

“He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, And from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, But the Lord was my stay. He brought me forth also into a broad place; He rescued me, because He delighted in me.” - Psalm 18:16-19 NASB1995

God did not leave David drowning in deep waters that threatened to sink his soul.

The Lord knows we cannot overcome those who hate us on our own. When we humbly call on Him for help, He honors our cries.

Even when our enemies are mightier than we are, they are not stronger than our God. He can overcome every obstacle we face and make a way through the distress.

God leads us into broad places where we don’t feel like we’re about to fall off a ledge, but can breathe in the peace of the Lord.

The Lord rescues us because He delights in us when we give our times of trials to Him. He transforms our tests into testimonies that glorify His Holy Name.
Praise God for His Protection

“The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted. He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man. Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.” - Psalm 18:46, 48-49 KJV

When the Lord delivers us from evil, we praise God for how He shielded us. We don’t try to be glory hogs and pretend like we’ve kept ourselves safe.

We recognize God as the true hero Who delivers us from our enemies.

Therefore, we spread His praises far and wide to let others know the greatness of our God.

I’ve memorized verses from Psalm 18 to ingrain the assurance of God’s defense into my mind and heart. These truths are sinking into my soul so that I fear God and not man (or big dogs).

Praying through Psalm 18

Do you desire God’s protection from anything? Maybe you need help at work, in a relationship, or during your daily commute.

If so, say this prayer of protection with me that I’ve woven from the verses in Psalm 18.

“Dear God, I love You. I trust You.
You are my strength to endure, my refuge in Whom I can hide, and my shield to protect me from violent people who seek to destroy me.
My heart and mind are full of fear.
I lift a prayer for protection to Your throne. You will always hear my cries.
Stand between anyone or anything that tries to threaten Your child.
Fix my mind on You and let me hope in Your defense.
Give me space to feel peace, even in the presence of my enemies.
I praise You for rescuing me time and time again.
You hasten to usher me into a safe place of health and wholeness.
Thank You for Your mighty arm that crushes my foes.
May all the earth praise You for Your deliverance. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

• Have you ever needed protection?
• How has God protected you in the past? Share your story below so we can rejoice with you.
  

Growing up Protestant, my family didn’t practice Lent. As an adult, I’ve been drawn to learning about Lent and its purpose in Christian life. After researching I found three common themes: prayer, fasting, and giving. Each part of the equation equips the believer to draw closer to Christ and focus on His sacrifice for us in this season.

While there are many types of prayers, the prayer of confession resonated most with me for Lent. If humans had never sinned and separated mankind from a right relationship with the Father, Jesus never would have had to die in our place. As I acknowledge my own sins that Jesus gave His life for, my heart is humbled.

After we confess our sins, our prayers grow more powerful because the guilt and shame that blocked our access to God disappear. James 5:16-18 says, “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit” (NKJV).

James reminds us that Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, not a super human. I’ve never prayed for drought for three and a half years, but I want to pray big. If Elijah was a normal guy, then with a pure heart, my prayers can move mountains. During Lent, I’m asking God to search my heart to show me any wicked ways and lead me in the paths of righteousness (Psalm 139:23). Then, my prayers will be powerful and effective for God’s purposes.

I’ve heard fasting defined as giving up physical food to gain spiritual nourishment. The Bible gives several reasons for fasting including mourning, praying for protection, asking for wisdom, praying for power, and entreating God for mercy. A good reason to fast during Lent is for repentance. That aligns with God revealing the confession of sin through prayer. 

Nehemiah 9:1-2 says, “Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dust on their heads. Then those of Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners; and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers” (NKJV).

The children of Israel intermarried with foreign women while in exile, despite the Lord’s admonition that these wives would pull their hearts away from God. When they returned to Jerusalem, Nehemiah confronted them and the people assembled to separate themselves from all outsiders.

Today, I see this as a charge to not date or marry those who are nonbelievers. Yet, the lesson extends beyond just relationships. Besides marriage, we can often unite our hearts to things that separate us from a deeper relationship with God. Even good things can divide us from God when we make them into idols. Food, social media, jobs, power, cars, the list goes on and on. Fasting gives God space to convict us of any competing interests and draw us closer to Himself.

The last theme for Lent is giving, which aligns well with the example of God’s gift to us at Easter. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16 NKJV, emphasis mine). God freely gave His Son Jesus to restore His relationship with mankind. Christ, out of obedience to His Father, gave His life as a sacrifice for our sins. Jesus also gave those who believe in Him the Holy Spirit to guide their lives on earth.
 
Deuteronomy 15:7-8 says, “If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs” (NKJV).
 
Notice the Lord gave Hebrews the land from which they were to provide food for the poor. The people didn’t own this land, so none of the produce from it was their own. The people needed to be good stewards of God’s provision.
 
Not only are we to give of our money, but also our time, energy, and talents. Everything we have is from God. Everything. Therefore, we can’t hoard what we have for our own glory, but find ways to work for God’s glory.
 
I heard a story in 2020 about an elderly gentleman in Italy who got COVID and was on a respirator. He survived, but was handed a bill at the end. When he saw the amount, he wept. The nurses assured him they would find a way to pay his bill. He responded that he’d been breathing God’s oxygen for free for over 90 years and never thanked Him for it. He’d never realized how much he owed God for the air in His lungs. 

May we view every breath as a gift from God and use every resource He has given us for His Name’s sake.
 
This Lent, may we focus on these three themes: prayer, fasting, and giving as a means to prepare for the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. May we orient our lives to repentance and then posture our resources in a way that put God’s kingdom first. I pray we all enjoy Lent and deepen our relationship with our Lord Jesus.

• What time in your day works well for you to pray? If you don’t already have a rhythm of prayer in your routine, Lent is a great time to start.
• What do you plan to fast from for Lent? Spent time in repentance of sin and let in God’s power.
• Which resources is God calling you to use specifically for His purposes this Lent?

What do you do when you suffer? Do you moan and groan? Do you complain to a friend? Do you phone your mom? If I’m honest, often I think “Who can I call?” I want to talk out my problems and hopefully find solutions through the discussion. Sometimes this works, but the results are usually incomplete.

I see a lot of suffering in the world right now. Personally, I have a family member in the hospital. Again. Chronic stuff is miserable because as soon as you think the person is better, the pain rears its ugly head. A lot of my friends seem to be under a squeeze right now too with knee injuries, unemployment, cancer. The list is long and ugly and too big for me to crack. Even if I phone my mom, she can’t fix all these problems.

Instead of calling friends or family, I need to call God. James 5:13a says, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray” (NKJV). Wow. The Bible is clear in what to do when we are suffering. We should pray.

When we pray, we unleash the God of the universe, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, to enter the equation. We allow all of His strength and ability to fill in the holes of our human inabilities. God can solve the problems of the world today – be they big or small. We need to come with faith like a child, knowing that God cares and will act on our behalf. Psalm 18:6 says, “In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him, even to His ears” (NKJV).

I want God to hear my cry. Many times, I’ve prayed with passion, fearing if I didn’t say all the right words that God may not help. Now I realize that does not align with God’s character. He cares more about the heart of the person praying than the words they speak. When we don’t know what to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with groans that cannot be uttered (Romans 8:26-27). With the Holy Spirit as our prayer buddy, with the right heart we can never pray wrong. The prayer of surrender to God is never easy, but we will have the best results when we do it His way.  

Maybe you are suffering right now. Keep your quarter, and don’t phone home. First, call upon the Lord, and He will listen to you. Let Him know the depths of your pain. He can handle it. Leave your problems in His hands and trust Him to comfort you and make a way. The path may not look how you expected, but stay on it no matter how narrow the road. It will lead you deeper into the heart of God as He sees you through all your cares. “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him” (Psalm 37:7 NKJV). His timing is perfect. Keep praying. Trust God’s character. One day, the Lord will dry every tear you cry in suffering and turn it into a thing of beauty for His glory.

• Who do you call when you are suffering?
• Have you ever tried prayer as a first resort? What happened?
• If anyone is suffering and wants prayer, I would be honored to intercede for you. If you don’t feel comfortable putting it in the comments below, go to the Contact page, and send me your requests. Prayer is powerful, and the Lord fights for those who call Him.   

Teachers around the United States and the world are trying to cope with huge hurdles to educate young minds of the next generation. Some teachers lead in person, but are unable to touch or even approach the students in their classrooms. Other teachers struggle to teach online with children who ignore instructions or cannot grasp concepts over the Internet. My heart goes out to every teacher seeking to overcome in these trying times.

If we desire a country where the leaders of tomorrow are prepared to take on the world’s challenges, we need to pray for our teachers. They are under enormous stress and our prayers can help.

I want to focus on all teachers: kindergarten through high school levels in the public and private school level, including their spiritual instruction of these students. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it” (NKJV). Young minds need solid Christian education so they can become adults who have a foundation of truth at their core. The alarming amount of Biblical illiteracy among not just school-aged children, but even in the adults of this country saddens me. If we don’t know God’s Word, how can we expect to obey it?

That’s why I also pray for Sunday School teachers and Bible study teachers globally. James 3:1 says, “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment” (NKJV). We shouldn’t let that scare us off and claim ignorance. Ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance allows sin to creep in unaware and leaves us vulnerable to Satan’s lies. We need the truth of God’s Word to permeate our hearts and minds so we can obey God and be a positive influence on this land. May God to raise us Bible teachers in churches that will rightly divide the Word of truth, even if it is not popular in secular society, so that Christians can know and obey God.

Dear God, I pray for teachers in public, private, charter schools, and home schools. I pray for them wisdom, discernment, and patience as they face new challenges this year. Please keep the teachers who meet with their students in person safe and healthy. Enable teachers working online to develop new methods to engage their students so everyone can understand and retain the lessons. God, I also pray for the spiritual education of the citizens of this nation. God, please call forth Christian teachers to train people to know and apply God’s Word correctly. May America be filled with people who are strong in all areas of education, especially spiritual education to know God better. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

• What’s the name of a school teacher you can pray for?
• Which Bible study teachers will you pray for too?

America needs prayer! The turmoil in our country may seem political, but actually a spiritual battle with monumental consequences is being waged in the heavens. From racism to face masks to abortion to marriage, our nation is divided. I have never felt the unseen war as palpably as I do now. The other night God woke me up to pray for America. I read Psalm 18 aloud and asked God to come to our nation’s defense. We need some archangels to war on our behalf.

God is sovereign. We know that in the end, God wins. We need to fight this battle with spiritual weapons. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NKJV says, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” When we cry out hate or blame, we add to the problem. Some of our mightiest weapons are prayer and fasting. The name of Jesus and the blood of Jesus cut down the enemy’s strongholds.  

I think sometimes in the western world we can be lulled into the lie that if we can’t see it, it doesn’t exist. Satan knows if Christians stop praying while witches and warlocks have been placing spells on the President of the United States every month, his purposes are filled instead of God’s. We don’t want to give the enemy an inch of ground. We will praise the Lord and trust in Him to overcome.  

I keep thinking about Habakkuk. He asked God how long he had cry out because of the violence in the land. God responded that He would send the Chaldeans, a bitter and hasty nation to capture Judah. Habakkuk was stunned because the Chaldeans were more wicked than the people in Judah. He also pleaded with God “In wrath, remember mercy” (Habakkuk 3:2b NKJV). Our country has strayed from God so far that honestly, we deserve God’s wrath. Yet, I still pray for His mercy. I pray for revival and a fresh wind of the Holy Spirit to fall on our land. 

This May I wrote a blog called “It’s Time to Pray in Revival.” Here’s the link for you to review if you want. I poured my heart into that blog with an examination of 2 Chronicles 7:13-14 that calls believers to repent so that the Lord heals our land. Right now, I just want to pray for America. Please pray with me.

Dear God, Please have mercy on our country. We don’t deserve it, but we need you. Please send the Holy Spirit to convict us and remind us to pray. God, we pray for more people to fast and pray on behalf of the future of our country and our families. We need you God. Please help Christians seek God’s wisdom for who to vote for on every square on their ballots. God, please protect these elections so they are free and fair from any outside influence or corruption. Lord, we pray for people who love You and seek Your face to pray now for Washington, DC so that angels may increase in strength to protect our liberties and freedoms as Americans. Get Christians out to the polling booths beyond their fear of the coronavirus, keep them healthy, and let them vote safely. Send Your winds to destroy the demonic hoards descending to cripple our country. Beat back the enemy in the heavens and let Your weapons hit the mark every time to cut down any plans of the devil to destroy America. Help us remain firm in our Christian heritage. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

• Are you praying for America? If not, what holds you back?
  

I believe one of the greatest ways we can make a positive change in our country is to pray for our politicians. Not groan about what they said at the debates. Not complain that we don’t like what they did in the past. Not gripe about how we don’t understand how they could make a certain decision. Pray. Because prayer changes things while venting frustration just builds more hate.

If we want to have peace in the land where we live, the Bible clearly instructs us to pray for our leaders. 1 Timothy 2:1-3 says, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior” (NKJV). This passage breaks down the types of prayers for our leaders into four powerful categories.

1. Supplications: When we pray for our leaders, we start with praying for ourselves. We can pray to have the right attitudes towards our leaders. We can also pray that we take our proper role in society by voting and being good law-abiding citizens.
2. Prayers: I see this as praying for our leaders personally. We can pray for supernatural wisdom and guidance for our leaders. They are just people, but God is Sovereign over all. One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 21:1, “The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes” (NASB). The king is not a puppet on marionette strings, but God remains in control. Think of Biblical examples like King Cyrus who the Lord stirred his spirit to send the Israelites back to Jerusalem after they had been in exile for 70 years as Jeremiah had prophesized (2 Chronicles 36:22-23). Cyrus was a pagan king, yet the Lord changed his heart to favor God’s children. The earthly king must bow to the heavenly king, so when we have concern about what happens here below, we call on a higher power through prayer.
3. Intercessions: We also are blessed to intercede for those around us. The verse says we are not only to pray for the President, but for all those in authority. We should pray for all our politicians to lead our country well, including sheriffs, school board members, legislators, and governors. Each level of government makes different decisions that impact our daily lives. When we intercede for the people of our town, states, and country, everyone is blessed as God moves on behalf of the prayers of His people.
4. Thanksgiving: The more Scripture I read, the more power I realize is connected to giving thanks. Here in the United States, we have a Constitutional right to the freedom of religion. While prayer has formally been removed from public schools, no one can take our right to pray silently. We also have the freedom of assembly to meet for church with other believers. These are privileges many of the persecuted church do not enjoy. We must thank God for all the ways He has blessed us here in America.

Recently, I joined a group of a few ladies where we meet together once a week in person to pray by name for the leaders of our country at the local, state, and national level. We are careful to social distance, but praying together in person is so powerful. We have several sheets of names where we pray for the leaders to be filled with God’s wisdom and that their advisors would point them to decisions that align with the truths in God’s Word.

Maybe the idea of praying for politicians is a new concept. Some people may wonder why we would pray for people who seem set in their ways. We return to the truth that God is in control and hears the prayers of His people. If you want to start now, you can pray with me:

Dear God, I pray for the politicians in the United States. Help me to be a good citizen and to seek your wisdom for how to vote and contribute to my community. I pray for Christian candidates to not be ashamed of the gospel, but shine forth truth. I pray for their spiritual protection, because Satan wants to attack our country. Please give our leaders discernment to make wise decisions in very difficult circumstances. God, send revival that flows from the peace of your people praying together for all the leaders of our country. Thank You God for controlling the world, even when it seems to not make sense. Thank you for the freedoms we enjoy in America to worship you in spirit and in truth. Please grant us grace and mercy as a nation. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

• Do you know the names of your local politicians?
• Have you thought of praying for them before?
• Do you know a few friends whom you could gather with either by phone or in person to pray for your politicians? Our country needs all the prayer it can get.  

We need to pray for pastors. Even though they are seminary-trained godly men, they are still human. Pastors can fall into temptation in many areas. It could be infidelity, financial misuse, expounding unsound doctrine, or other things. We as God’s people are honored to pray for our pastors so that they can be who God has called them to be and lead their congregations well.

I’ve been blessed with great pastors over the years, but finding pastors that teach accurately may be harder as the days go by. 2 Timothy 4:2-4, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (NKJV). People often seek to justify their fleshly desires by finding others who will tell them they can do whatever they want as long as it feels good. These itchy-eared folks may take milk from the Word, but won’t dig into anything that convicts.

Fortunately, there remain some people willing to call out untruths. My friend recently shared her hurt with me after her pastor used the Lord’s name in vain in church and openly supported things that opposed the Bible. She asked him if he was concerned that what he taught did not align with truth. Instead of humbly asking forgiveness, he blasted her. It broke my heart. We prayed for her pastor on the spot, that God would convict him of his need to return to what is right. 2 Peter 2:1 says, “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction” (NKJV). The pastor brought destructive heresies because he had more concern for what society deemed important than the word of God.

When we stay within the boundaries of living inside God’s law, we reap His blessings. Outside His law resides judgment. Now, I don’t judge her pastor, because but by the grace of God, there go I. Still, James 3:1 warns, “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment” (NKJV). I wouldn’t want to be that man on Judgement Day.

Thus, prayer is so important. Personally, I am guilty of not praying for my pastor as much as I should. I have written the pastors and various church ministries at the end of my daily prayer list. I admit that sometimes, I don’t get that far down in the page. I can’t leave the fate of my church up to hoping that others will pray since I forgot. If I want to be fed the pure word of God, then I need to pray for my pastor to avoid heresy and cling to truth.

Please join me in prayer for our pastors:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the pastors at my church and all Christian pastors around the world. God, I pray that You would put a bloodline of Jesus hedge of protection about them and their families in every area. I pray that You would keep them grounded in Your Word so that they will rightly divide the Word of truth. Let not cultural heresies creep into their sermons to destroy the church. Give them a passion for Your name and renown. May pastors have deep times receiving revelation from You to impart to us as listeners.  May they move forward on their knees as they seek wisdom for how to shepherd their flock, especially during these tough days. Please help pastors seek the praise of God more than the praise of men. God, protect their marriages, help them not have wandering eyes so Satan can have no foothold. Lord, please help pastors not be pulled into greed to steal from the church or be driven to increase the numbers of their churches. Instead, let their motivations be to grow the people in their congregation so that they resemble the Father. Give good health to our pastors so they can preach Your Word with gusto. God, for all the other ways that the enemy would seek to destroy pastors, I pray you would cut off the plans of the enemy, foil the plots, and preserve Your pastors.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

• How often do you pray for your pastor? What things could hinder people from praying more regularly for their pastor? What reminds you to pray for your pastor?
• In what other areas could you pray for your pastor?

My heart is heavy to pray for our country and our world. Please pray with me for revival. So much hurt fills our land right now, and we can't fix it ourselves. Only God can heal our wounded world. Prayer lets us join the healing process by taking our pain to the Great Physician.

We often quote 2 Chronicles 7:14, without looking at the verse before it. 2 Chronicles 7:13 says, "When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people” (NKJV). While we still have rain in America, famine could come due to global food insecurity caused by supply-chain disruptions. Locust currently swarm parts of Africa. COVID-19 is considered a pestilence or plague. Our world needs healing and not just from COVID-19. We need deep spiritual healing.

How do we get spiritual healing? 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land" (NKJV). God desires to hear from heaven, forgive our sins, and heal our land, but first we must obey His requirements. Please pray with me these four things based on 2 Chronicles 7:14 to bring revival:

First: Pray for soft hearts to humble themselves before God. For people’s ears to yearn for truth and not the excuses for sin that their itching ears seek. James 4:6b says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (NKJV). American society values independence and self-reliance; yet, when our independence comes at the cost of depending on God Almighty, the Lord resists us. We must acknowledge our desperate need for God to receive His grace.  

Second: Pray. Pray. Pray. Pray for revival. Pray for other people to pray. Pray messenger angels will move through the Holy Spirit to stir the hearts of God’s people to cry out for revival. We need a multiplicative prayer effort with prayers rising to the throne of God in force. The more prayers we raise, the more power God can release into the world to draw us back to Himself. James 5:16 says, “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (NKJV). May our prayers bring healing to our land.

Third: Pray that we seek God’s face. As we sit in quarantine, we can make no excuses that we are too busy to spend time with God. Without the distractions that tug at our hearts, may we Christians use our time wisely by diving into the Word and getting on our knees in prayer. “Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord” (Hosea 6:3a NKJV). May our relationship with God be the driving motivation of our lives.

Fourth: Pray for people to repent. Often, loving God is easier in word than in deed. The sin that so easily entangles us can cry louder than the still soft voice of the Lord. Yet, only one way leads to truth and life. We must turn from our wicked ways and get back on the path of righteousness. The time for repentance has come.

It’s time we awaken from our slumber.

It’s time we rend our hearts and not our garments.

It’s time we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

It’s time we confess our sins, knowing that He’ll faithfully forgive.

Will you join me today and reclaim our country for Christ? The United States has a strong Christian heritage founded on religious freedom and love of God. We must forsake our sin so that God can heal our land. Don’t let our rich history end with people who have strayed so far from where we started as a nation. Who will pray with me? Who will stand in the gap and cry out for our world? Who will bring heaven to earth and call down revival?

The call is here. The time is now. How will you respond?

Send this to everyone you know to pray for revival for our country.

Everyone wants prayer, even if they aren’t aware of it. My church has held a free prayer booth at the fair the last several years as a local mission trip. This year our booth was relocated from the entrance to the center of the park. While before we thought of ourselves as the welcome committee, now we had to be much more direct. Several of us stood out front with offers of “Free Prayer.”

While some people walked by, it astounded me how many responded to our call. From the woman asking prayer for her daughter to remain sober, to the man who casually asked us to pray for his wife as he continued past the booth, to the people who barely spoke English, but wanted prayer, we prayed with them all.

We all have things that trouble our hearts and pain that seems inescapable. Deep down we know that since we can’t fix it ourselves, there has to be someone who can heal us. The answer to our longing is Christ. He is the Great Physician, able to mend all our mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual brokenness.

Weeks later, I still remember one woman in particular. She’d given me a sideways glare when I’d asked if she wanted prayer and kept walking. We’d had worse responses, so I wasn’t fazed. A man returned with his friend who knew someone struggling with sickness. She began asking me to pray for her friend’s health and for personal peace about her friend’s situation. Then the lady who’d stared at me reappeared.

“I’m an atheist, and I need to hug you,” she said. She proceeded to embrace as if I was her long-lost friend. I hugged her and prayed as she lingered. When she pulled back, she said, “You and I are different. We come from opposite sides, but I needed to hug you.” I stared into her eyes and saw turmoil storming inside. No one wakes up one morning and decides to become an atheist. Often times they’ve been hurt by someone in the church or had a time when life’s circumstances were so crushing that they couldn’t conceive of God’s existence.

My heart went out to this woman. I figured I was a stand in for someone she wanted to hug. I remembered John 13:35, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” I felt like the body of Christ, holding someone to display His love for her. She began to leave. After a short internal struggle, I shouted “God bless you.” I decided that even if she didn’t believe in God, He knew her and wanted to bless her. I prayed that strongholds would break inside her and that the Lord would begin to heal her hurts and reintroduce Himself as the lover of her soul.

I turned back to the other lady whose prayer had been interrupted and prayed for her friend’s illness and for her to be supportive. Prayer flowed through me for the rest of the day. My two-hour shift extended to five and a half hours as I couldn’t tear myself away.

God showed me before I left that I could pray both for those who asked for prayer and for those who didn’t. They needed prayer just as much and maybe more. I prayed for Holy Spirit eyes to see people the way He did and reach through their hurt with the hope of Christ. God would point out someone with colored hair or a bright shirt to catch my eye, and I’d pray for that person. God knew their needs, even if I didn’t.

The next week, I realized I needed to make every day a local mission trip instead of just a Saturday at the fair. People needed prayer daily. I can prayer walk at the grocery store or in my workplace. God knows how to apply my prayers. This is what it means to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 NKJV). Prayer needs to become my lifestyle. When I am in tune with the Holy Spirit, He can accomplish great things through my prayers. I have to focus on the eternal instead of the hectic craze of my day. This transforms the mundane into the extraordinary as God provides divine appointments where He lets us be His hands and feet. I pray God syncs my heart with the Spirit so I extend the gift of free prayer everywhere I go.    

• What places in your routine do you interact with others? How can you turn these encounters into prayer walks? Ask the Holy Spirit to highlight people for prayer, and He will take you up on it.
• Share any experiences you’ve had of praying for someone unexpectedly. What happened?

We live in a microwave society where everything seems instantaneous. Instant popcorn, fast food, microwave vegetables. Our phones hold vast libraries worth of information at our fingertips. We watch TV “on demand” to see shows at whatever time suits our needs.

In high school, I had a pen pal in England. If I received a letter and responded the next day, I got a note every 10 days. Now with email, we can communicate across the globe in less than 10 seconds. With everything available so quickly, we can lose our ability to wait.

Waiting is never easy. So God, in His great love for us, provides opportunities for us to grow. Hebrews 10:36 says, “For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.” (NKJV) One of the byproducts of obedience over the long haul is the ability to persevere. The more we heed God, the more we see Him care for His own.

The story of the persistent widow and the unjust judge (Luke 18:1-18) has always struck me. The widow demanded justice every day from the judge and wore him down. He granted her justice so she’d leave him alone. God is a just judge, and avenges His children speedily. It probably didn’t feel fast to the widow, but God took care of her. Part of our job is to ask God for help.

Matthew 7:7-11 (HCSB) says “Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” The original Greek verbs denote a continued action, not a one-time occurrence. We are to keep asking, not just ask once. We need to continue praying and not give up.

We must keep praying, because sometimes God says no before saying yes. Trying to find my first real job was stressful. I had seasonal work, which had the possibility to lead into full time employment. The position I wanted to fill was in my field of studies. My coworker had a different educational background and unrelated work experience. I assumed I’d get the job. I didn’t.

I was devastated. I couldn’t understand why she was hired. In my mind, I was more qualified. I questioned God’s wisdom in withholding this job from me. This showed a lack of faith when I acted like God didn’t care. Our Heavenly Father always heard me, but I needed to endure. Daniel fasted three weeks before the angel brought a message to him because of a spiritual battle. I had to pray and trust God, knowing He would come through.

Fortunately, God answered my cries. A month later, I was offered a three month-internship that required me to move. I knew it was where God wanted me. If I had had a full time job, I wouldn’t have had the courage to leave for another short-term job. Even after moving in faith, it still took months to get a permanent job. I worked for a temp agency until God gave me a good job with nice people.

God’s no turned into a wait so He could give me His best. Ephesians 3:20-21 says, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,  to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (NKJV) God exceeded my expectations and generously provided for my needs.

My part is to pray and trust. God’s job is to hear. His timing and ways are perfect. However, God’s timing rarely seems to be my timing. When I pray, the answer is often wait. Sometimes, I wouldn’t have appreciated the things God had for me if I had received them sooner. Other times, God was laying groundwork behind the scenes for my future. I just didn’t know about it when I first prayed. Had I received my original requests, I would have missed out on better things.

Ask God boldly for all things, great and small, knowing He hears your voice. Keep praying until something changes. It might look different than what was on your original radar, so watch out. Good things are coming, just keep praying.

• When was a time you endured in prayer?
• How has God shown Himself faithful to you?
• What is the best thing you had to wait for?