Pray for Worldwide Revival

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV

With the whole earth caught in the grip of this pandemic, it’s time now to ask the Lord for a shift in the battle for the nations, so that millions of lost will come to Christ, and strong, vibrant, multiplying churches, grounded in truth and love, will spring up all over the world.

Will you join me?

Tomorrow May 5, let’s set aside the day to pray for a global awakening to God’s love.

In preparation, I encourage you to write lists in your prayer journal of neighbors who are lost, nations God has placed on your heart, missionaries, top 50 nations where Christians are persecuted, ministries that fight against abuse and human trafficking, and anything else the Lord lays on your heart. Begin praying even now for spouses and children who are undergoing abuse during quarantine, for frontline workers who are experiencing anxiety, for government leaders, and especially for every heart to hunger for the Lord. Let’s seek Him for a global breakthrough, so that millions, even billions will be saved, and strong, vibrant churches will be planted all over the world, even in the least likely of places. 

Below, I’ve written out some suggestions for how to get your family, church, or others involved. But you’re welcome to pray any way the Lord leads you. You can also sign up here for a free guide to knowing God’s voice.

• Fast until supper.
• Cook an international dinner, and pray together during the meal.
• Have a family worship service, and spend time in prayer for the nations.
• Lay a map of the world out on the floor, or use a globe, and lay hands on each country as you pray.
• Let each person in your family (church, Bible study group, etc.) choose a country to pray for. Do research on that country’s specific problems, needs, government, religion, etc., and pray with purpose, either on your own or together over the internet.
• Write out your prayers for governments, peoples, nations, the hurting, the persecuted … and post them on social media, so others can join you in praying for that.
• Prayerwalk your neighborhood or other areas where there are internationals, businesses, families in need, or others God lays on your heart.
• Do drive-by prayer to cover government seats, businesses, hospitals, internationals, the elderly, schools, homeless, churches, etc.
• Make a poster, and write out the prayers and verses God lays on your heart, and then keep that poster somewhere where you can continue to pray daily.
• Write the prayers and verses in your journal, and keep it by your Bible, so you will continue to pray daily for worldwide revival. 
• Other ideas (Please share in the comments. 👇)

Lord, we ask You for the nations. Please bring forth a mighty revival all across the world. Turn every heart to You. Suppress wrong, and increase right. Expose evil, and give every person from every nation a hunger for what is right and good and holy. Make seekers out of every lost heart. May they seek You in earnest and find You, Lord. Come and meet them in their dreams, in their trials, in their sin, in their triumphs, and in their failures. Bring them to their knees, so desperate for a Savior, that when they hear Your Good News, they will turn to You and be saved. For the backslidden, Lord, we ask You to break the bonds that tie them to the enemy’s plans for their lives, and set them free to run after You with all their hearts. Reunite marriages. Heal the sick. Make the lame to walk, and the blind to see. And do it in a way that all will know You are the One Who did that. Usher in an unprecedented era of miraculous signs and wonders by Your hand that will turn the world’s attention to You. Whenever someone cries out to You, Lord, hear their prayers, and answer. Show the world Your love. Show them You are strong. That You are more than enough. That You are the One they are looking for. That You alone are Good. And that You love us with a love that is without borders. May every tribe and language know that You alone are God. In Your precious name. Amen.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations…,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back.” Jeremiah 29:11-14 NIV

Join us to pray for the nations May 5, 2020. For more information, click here. 

For guided prayer journals, Bible studies and other books for all ages on walking as one with Christ and making a difference in the world, visit MoreThanAConquerorBooks.com.

Christmas in the dark

What’s it like to live in a country where celebrating Christmas is forbidden? Where Christians are persecuted? Where millions have never heard about the God Who loves them and gave His Son to die for their sins so they can be free?

I’ll tell you. Because we live there.

For most of the people we pass every day, Christmas is just one more day of the year. They’ll go to work like any other day, sell their wares on the streets, gather up vegetables to take to market, chat about the weather.

You’ll find no decorations in shop windows. No mad rushes to shop for last-minute presents. No fighting over toys. No disputes about whether or not a store can play Christ-centered Christmas carols. No complaints about how commercialized Christmas is. No office parties. No family gatherings. No lighting of Christmas trees. No reading from Luke. No nativity scenes on the table or in front of churches. No presents under the tree. No worrying about what to get for that one person that’s always so hard to buy for. No stockings stuffed with gifts hanging over the fireplace. No choir concerts. No hokey Christmas movies. No Santa. No reindeer. No discussions about whether or not it’s a pagan holiday. No houses lit up with colorful decorations. No mistletoe to stand under and kiss that loved one. No Christmas Eve services. No Messiah sings. No driving through ritzy neighborhoods to look at the lights. No cookie exchanges. No Advent wreaths. No preaching about the Greatest Gift of All….

I’m crying as I write this, because my heart breaks for the unreached people all around us. In times past, people here have been so hungry to know about this forbidden Christ that they begged us to tell them about each decoration in our home — the baby born in the manger, the ever-green unending love of our Savior, each and every ornament lovingly painted with verses and scenes to remind us of the miracles of love He’s done in our family. In fact, one Christmas, 50 people crowded secretly into a tiny room with our family and a local brother to hear the Good News in their own language, and nearly all of them came to Christ!

But this year, the darkness feels heavier. In other areas of the country, it may be different, but here in our corner, many Christians have fled or gone silent because of increased threats. Some have even given up the faith. The ones who boldly love God are under constant pressure. And seekers have been warned not to associate with them.

No one has asked us about Jesus this season, and those we’ve shared with have quickly changed the subject.

Oh, God, please don’t give up on this place. Lift the clouds of darkness here, and invade every heart and home with Your light. Perform signs and miracles. Pursue the lost relentlessly. Visit them in their dreams. Block their paths with Your truth. Bring them face-to-face with the Living God Who loves them and gave His Son to die for them so they can be free. Let them hear that Good News in a way they can easily understand. Make Christians bold, grounded in truth and love, and empowered by Your Spirit to SHINE like lights in the darkness for all to see, drawing all people to Yourself like moths to a flame. Deepen our faith. Give us a hunger to meet together to study Your Word, pray, and worship You, even if it must be in secret, even if we fear for our lives. And if we are brought before the authorities, give us Your words to speak (Matthew 10). Draw every persecutor to his knees in worship of You alone as the One True God. May they see the love, joy, and peace in Christians and long for that. Sustain us, empower us, embolden us, renew our strength, chase out all fear with Your perfect love, and make us wholly Yours. In Your name. Amen.

That is the prayer of my heart this Christmas.

As you gather with your families and worship openly in churches, enjoy every ounce of your freedom. Celebrate Jesus vibrantly. Love others deeply. Help the needy. Forgive that family member who has a grudge against you. Encourage those who slander leaders to pray for and bless them instead. Live your faith out loud. Tell your children about the glorious things God has done in your life. Make together special remembrances of His goodness. Sing of His beauty. Don’t be afraid to let your children see your tears of gratitude and joy, as you read that passage or sing that carol that touches you so deeply. Tell them why it moves you so. As you shop, look for gifts that will make a difference in others’ lives.

And as you celebrate, pray for those like us who cannot be with their families, those like our brothers and sisters here who suffer for their faith, and those like the millions around us who will not know Jesus unless someone tells them.

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the One of Whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

Romans 10:13-15 niv

Do you have neighbors from other nations who may never have seen a Christian family celebrate Christmas? Is God asking you to take them a gift or invite them for dinner? Pray He will open up doors for you to share the Good News with the lost this Christmas. And as you shop, look for gifts that will make a lasting difference in others’ lives.

God is bringing the nations to you now. Right there in your neighborhood are people who may not know the truth unless you share with them. Ask the Lord how you can show them His love this Christmas. Pray for their nations.

May He bless you richly as you celebrate His gift of grace.

Mikaela Vincent

For 30 Days of Prayer for Global Awakening, as well as the deep Bible studies and other books (below) on overcoming darkness with Light and walking as one with Christ, visit MoreThanAConquerorBooks.com.

30 Days of Prayer for Global Awakening: a guided prayer book for pushing back the darkness and calling on the God of Heaven to flood the Earth with His light. Available at MoreThanAConquerorBooks.com.

All proceeds the author receives go to shining Christ’s light in dark corners of the world where few have heard of Christ.