Allow God to lead you to pray for others in the church and their needs, national and local situations, the government, the advance of the Kingdom of God, and the growth of the Church. God is looking for people who will stand in the gap with Him in intercession for situations that are beyond their own personal interests. “I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none” (Ezekiel 22:30). Make God’s interests your interests.

“Prayer is everything,” Oswald Chambers wrote. The ministry of intercession involves all types of prayer, and this type of prayer is always at the center of whatever is happening in this world for God. The emphasis of the prayer ministry in intercession is the needs of others and the advancement of God’s interests in the world. It is not simply focused on praying for things for oneself, but for others.

In his book With Christ in the School of Prayer, Andrew Murray wrote: “Christ has opened the school of prayer specifically to train intercessors for the great work of bringing down, by their faith and prayer, the blessings of His work and love on the world around.” He added, “Though in its beginnings, prayer is so simple that the feeblest child can pray, yet it is at the same time the highest and holiest work to which man can rise.” Oswald Chambers reflected the same thought when he said, “Prayer does not fit us for the greater works; prayer is the greater work.” Through prayer God invites you to make a profound difference in the world but you’ve got to pray.

 

• Lance Wubbels

 

This article is part eight in our 8-part series on Prayer.

(Taken from “A Time for Prayer” published by Inspired Faith for the National Day of Prayer – used with permission)

 

The upcoming National Day of Prayer is only the beginning!

You are invited to join with intercessors from around the world in Colorado Springs, Colorado, for the Leadership Summit, October 16-18, 2015. Discounted registration is available (for a limited time) and includes 5 meals and transportation! Learn to mobilize people to intercession as you gain a deeper understanding of prayer with like-minded believers. Register now at prayerleaders.org 

The Leadership Summit speakers will challenge you through powerful ideas, stirring discussions and biblical models. They will take us through life-changing principles that will serve as a roadmap for effectual prayer.

Together, we will also experience a Concert of Prayer at the Jericho Center, focusing on personal repentance, intercession and praise, that will help us draw closer to Almighty God as He prepares us for the work ahead. There should also be plenty of time for fellowship and networking, which are invaluable. It is our hope that you will depart having learned important truths, formed valuable insights and charged-up to commit yourself to action – inspired with vision that ignites audacious faith.

Get registered today and we will see you in Colorado Springs, October 16-18, 2015!

To worship means “to bow down, to prostrate oneself.” God is seeking those who worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23). God wants truth in the inner parts of our heart (Psalm 51:6). In true worship, there is a total bowing down of the heart to God, which is a response to the revelation of who God is - revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. Worship is voluntary submission to the love, the will, and the law of God. Any hypocrisy can defile true worship. Thus, we must repent and seek His face to experience the fullness of praise.

Many effective prayer warriors recognize the importance of spending much time in worship. This deepens our fellowship with God, increases our faith, and pleases the Holy Spirit. We are then more likely to really hear His voice and thus pray more effectively.

• Lance Wubbels

 

This article is part seven in our 8-part series on Prayer.

 

(Taken from “A Time for Prayer” published by Inspired Faith for the National Day of Prayer – used with permission)

It was quite a scene. The Israelites were at it again. Despite the patient leadership of Moses, the Israelites were on the verge of destroying themselves, forgetting the covenant relationship that Israel entered into with the Lord at Sinai. (Numbers 16) A rebellious majority formed a leadership alliance of 250 men and approached Moses and Aaron telling them that they had gone too far, that no one should have so much authority.

Fast forward to a similar situation in America today and voices would be raised, heads would roll. Moses’ response was one of absolute humility. He fell face down and instructed the people to show up the following day with their incense and incense holders and see who God would accept. The next day the glory of the Lord appeared to everyone and God told Moses and Aaron to get back so He could, “put an end to them.”

Again, Moses’ response was incredible. He fell face down and cried out to God to save the people, but the damage was done. God caused an earthquake to occur and swallowed up the leaders of the rebellious alliance, their families, and all their belongings. Then fire came out from the Lord and consumed the remaining 250.

You would think that this would have been enough to convince even the worst skeptics, but just a few verses later the Israelites are back at it, and this time it was worse. Not just a few, but the entire assembly of the Israelites revolted. As they gathered in front of the Tent of Meeting the same thing happened … only with a twist.

God instructed Moses and Aaron to get back so that He could destroy the entire nation, and with that a plague spread out from the Tent of Meeting and began to destroy the Israelites. With no recorded directive from God, Moses told Aaron to take his censer, incense, and fire from the altar “and hurry to the assembly to make atonement.”

Aaron sprinted from the front of the crowd toward the back as the deadly plague was released over the congregation. In front of him people were gasping, moaning, and dying. Chaos ensued as fear gripped the crowd, and the people began to stampede. As Aaron gained ground toward the edge of death, the scriptures say, “He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped.”

There is a plague of death sweeping America today. Will you unite with us in our effort to Get America Praying by mobilizing thousands of additional intercessors to stand in the GAP between life and death, to help avert judgment and bring Christ’s atonement to this country? The plague of death is quickly progressing over virtually every area of our culture. Now is the time to pray and act with humility and concern for every American.

Join us on the National Day of Prayer and please visit GetAmericaPraying.com to learn how to join this nationwide intercessory effort.

—Dave Kubal serves as President / CEO of IFA

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.” Psalm 100:4

Thank God for what He has done for you – for answers to prayer, for forgiving your sins, for coming in to your life, for making you His child. We can thank Him both for blessings seen and those as yet unseen. It is a key to faith, and it is natural and right that we give thanks always to the One from whom all good things come (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Thank God for the results of prayer, both before and after you see the results (Philippians 4:6-7). Pray with thanksgiving. Thanksgiving expresses your confidence that God has heard and answered your prayer even before you see the result.

To praise God is to tell Him how great He is. This is declaring good things about God, both about His character (who He is) and also His actions. To say “God is good” is to praise God, and it is good to use the Word of God to praise Him. This is not a form of flattery in order to get God to give you things, but it is only fitting to praise Him and to Honor Him in reverence. Thanking and praising God will increase your faith, since you will begin to fix your eyes on God, His goodness and faithfulness and greatness and power, and not on your problem.

There are many styles of praise. Some are noisy and exuberant; others are calm. Praise can be well-expressed through music, singing, words, shouting, clapping, dancing, and giving to God. It can also be expressed in quiet surrender. It is truly a matter of the heart – an expression of authentic love and adoration for the Almighty. Regardless of your style of praise, just remember to P.R.A.Y. – Praise, Repent, Ask and Yield and then watch God work in you and the situation you are praying in to.

 

• Lance Wubbels

 

This article is part six in our 8-part series on Prayer.

 

(Taken from “A Time for Prayer” published by Inspired Faith for the National Day of Prayer – used with permission)

Rather than rushing into God’s presence and saying many things, it is good to quiet your mind and wait in God’s presence so you can feel God’s heart and pray the things that the Holy Spirit shows you to pray for (Habakkuk 2:1). God promises to renew the strength of those who wait patiently on Him (Isaiah 40:31; Psalm 27:14). Through this you express to God in a practical way “not my will but Yours be done.” If you are always talking in prayer, you will not be able to hear what God is saying.

Jesus said that the Holy Spirit “will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13), and He will guide you into an understanding of how to pray. Jude instructs us to “pray in the Holy Spirit “ (v. 20), which means the Spirit of God is “guiding” how we pray and what we pray for. We confess that without the help of the Spirit we cannot pray as we should. The apostle Paul tells us to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Ephesians 6:18). The Holy Spirit will lead you in the kind of prayer you offer to God. He is the one who motivates and enables and energizes your prayer.

And if you cannot find the right words to pray, know that the Holy Spirit will gladly assist you. “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express” (Romans 8:26). God sees the longing, the groaning, the desiring, the crying of your heart. He understands without the words. We utterly trust God for His help by the Spirit as we pray, and we consciously depend on His divine working.

 

• Lance Wubbels

 

This article is part five in our 8-part series on Prayer.

 

(Taken from “A Time for Prayer” published by Inspired Faith for the National Day of Prayer – used with permission)

When you come to God, know what you are going to pray about. It is difficult to pray fervently without knowing what you want or desire from God. We should have a clear-cut, well-defined idea about what we are asking God for (being flexible to His leading). “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).

You should pray in such a way that you will know afterward what you prayed for, and you will recognize when the answer to your prayer is manifested. Jesus commanded us to specifically ask, seek, and knock (Matthew 7:7). In asking, we must be definite. If it is a good and right request, it is promised to the sincere seeker. In seeking, our goal is to know God and commune with Him. In knocking (intercession), we must understand what the Lord wants to do and pray according to His Word for that thing. The Lord is glad to open the door to every knocking soul. Have faith and enter through holy courage.

Sometimes we do not know what to pray for, and so we can pray in the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26). Paul stated that he prayed both with the spirit and with the understanding (I Corinthians 14:15). Our whole being, including our minds, should be involved in praying. Our minds should understand what we are asking God for.

The fact remains that when we set ourselves to pray, especially in a group, we must be agreed about what we will pray for (Matthew 18:19). Then watch God work!

• Lance Wubbels

 

This article is part three in our 8-part series on Prayer.

 

(Taken from “A Time for Prayer” published by Inspired Faith for the National Day of Prayer – used with permission)

If anybody understood politics and the rise and fall of administrations, it was Daniel. His initial experiences were with Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Babylonians from 605-561 B.C. You probably know the story. Nebuchadnezzar had a dream and Daniel interpreted it. Daniel and his three friends got promoted, but next there was a plot against them. Daniel’s three friends were thrown into a blazing furnace. They were supernaturally delivered and even Nebuchadnezzar praised the God of the Hebrews. Nebuchadnezzar’s son, Belshazzar, assumed the throne and threw a big party. The finger of God miraculously appeared and wrote on the wall. Daniel interpreted the words. The message predicted Belshazzar’s demise, which brought Darius the Mede to the throne. Shortly after this we find Daniel in the lion’s den. Daniel’s deliverance in the lion’s den caused Darius to honor God. The story continues ...

Ups and downs. Successes and failures. But a pattern emerges: God’s chosen are in trouble, God supernaturally moves in the life of the King, the King honors God, God’s chosen are spared, people around the King are jealous, God’s chosen are in trouble once more and it starts again.

It is in Daniel, chapter 9 that we gain tremendous insight into the character of Daniel and how he handles the roller coaster of political leadership. Here are a few aspects of Daniel’s life that act as examples to us:

He was a man of faith: “Then I set my face to the Lord God to make my request by prayer and supplication with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.” (Dan 9: 3) Daniel was not a young man at this point and with all the ups and downs, he was still full of faith. He remained willing to fight for God’s purposes to be brought to earth. He easily could have given up many times before, but yet he expectantly interceded for his people. Daniel knew that at any point the King could receive a vision, a message, or writing “could appear” on the wall.

He carried a burden for the sins of his people: “… we have sinned and committed
iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments.” (Dan 9:5) Even though Daniel himself walked uprightly with God, his heart was pained that his fellow Jews did not. To the American mind this seems preposterous, but it is a great lesson for us—to accept a greater responsibility through prayer and discipleship for how fellow believers walk with God.

He understood the connection between faith and reality: “… the Lord has kept the disaster in mind and brought it upon us …” (Dan 9:14, 16) In Daniel’s mind there was an obvious connection between disasters and people’s sins. To him it appears that God, though long suffering, is not a God who will forever permit people to behave the way they desire. As with individuals, God has the ability to corporately guide a nation’s actions by the retributions and calamities He permits them to experience. After national disasters it is suddenly acceptable to say “our thoughts and prayers are with you.” The rest of the time there are ongoing efforts to eliminate public prayer.

We can learn much from Daniel. We have seen many political ups and downs in recent days. While the present seems particularly dark, we must remain people of expectant faith. With “fasting, sackcloth and ashes,” we must continue to intercede for our country. At any point God’s finger could write on the wall of the Oval Office and deliver words that could transform many things in short order. We also must surrender our self-centered individuality in order to carry a burden for the righteousness of all the followers of Christ. We need to be pained at the things that pain God’s heart.
—Dave Kubal serves as President / CEO of Intercessors for America

Jesus taught us to pray, “Our Father in heaven…” (Matthew 6:9). Prayer will only work in the context of this relationship where we recognize God as our loving Father and Jesus as our Friend and Brother and Savior. Jesus made it clear that prayer is simply speaking and listening to your heavenly Father, respectfully but openly, just as He did. It is the natural expression of our heart that expresses the intimacy that flows spontaneously from our love for Him.

It is because of our relationship with Jesus Christ that we are “in Christ,” that God hears our prayers. We must pray to the Father in Jesus’ name, not our own name (John 16:24, 26; Colossians 3:17). This means that we are basing our approach to God on Jesus’ righteousness and goodness, not on our own. We receive His righteousness when we repent, confess our sins, and believe that we receive His righteousness. We should know then that “in him we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21), and we can come directly and boldly to have an audience with God because of the sacrifice of Jesus in our place (Hebrews 4:16).

We come as children of God (Galatians 3:26; John 1:12), as members of the royal family of God (Revelation 1:6), and not as beggars or strangers. Therefore, when we pray, we should expect that God will answer our prayers (1 Peter 3:12). Answered prayer is how He manifests Himself in our lives and makes this relationship personal. “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (2 Chronicles 16:9).

This is part 1 of our 8-part series on prayer.

John Bornschein

I have had the amazing privilege of serving here at the National Day of Prayer Task Force for 11 years. It is hard to believe that over a decade has passed since Mrs. Shirley Dobson asked me to be part of this ministry to our nation.

I didn’t realize how nominal my prayer walk really was until I was surrounded by individuals who truly modeled the actions of Christ in daily intercession for others and our nation. I was attending church. I had served in missions and had even held positions with other prominent ministries, but prayer was not a focus in my walk with Jesus. In fact, truth be told, there is little emphasis on the subject even in seminary.

But there I was, making a commitment to join a team of praying people. I thought they were administrators of prayer activities. Little did I know that when Shirley Dobson spoke about prayer, she really meant it. In fact, not only did the team pray in the mornings, they were praying throughout the day – sometimes all day long – without food even. Others, who were volunteer leaders for the ministry across the nation, would travel to the office and pray all night long, taking shifts to ensure the full 24-hour day was covered with words of praise and adoration for the King of kings.

Honestly, I had no idea what I had just signed up for. I could appreciate ministry, but I did not know that this was what was expected of me as a newly commissioned prayer warrior.

After the initial shock wore off, I can tell you that this has become one of the greatest and most life-fulfilling journeys of my life. I never knew what I was missing until I joined this incredible team. The network of National Day of Prayer volunteers, from coast to coast, has changed my life as they cry out to Almighty God on behalf of others. They pray with expectation and I believe that God has stayed His holy hand of judgment on this nation time and time again because of their faithfulness to keep the altar of incense burning brightly. You see, if we don’t praise Him, the rocks will and I certainly don’t want the rocks crying out to Him when it is our blessing and assignment to do so.

The Prayer Room at the National Day of Prayer offices holds a special place in my heart. The room isn’t very large, yet people have traveled from around the country to pray within these four walls.  So, let me give you a glimpse of what you would find if you were to enter the room right now.

As you enter the Prayer Room, just to your left and mounted on the wall is an original text of Jeremiah 29:11-13 from the 1587 Bishops’ Bible – a gift from Life Action Ministries. Below this image you will find a large Bible, currently opened to Psalm 44 and 45. To your immediate right, you will find a large vase sitting on the floor. This is where we encourage our staff to write down their burdens, anxieties, wounds, and hurts and place those in this long-necked, large vase so that once inserted, they are never to be drawn out again – a symbol of surrender to the Lord. Moving forward, you will find 3 wooden containers, decorated and inscribed with Scripture. Inside are the written prayers of praise from our staff and guests. These are a result of moments when, like King David, we write letters of love and adoration to the Lord.

Continuing toward the back wall, you will find a wooden chest and inside are the prayer requests from every person who writes to our ministry. Each is printed and then placed within the chest for the next prayer team to cover, faithfully, before God. Hanging on the wall behind the chest is a large cross, but hanging on it is yet another, much smaller, hand-made cross that was hung there by a soldier who had just returned from Afghanistan. Immediately to your right, you will find a large prayer bench and inside, kneepads for those moments where only on our knees do we truly have a time of reverence before Him.

Then we come to one of my favorite resources in our Prayer Room. Sitting atop a small, wooden table, are two containers. One has water in it. The other has dirt in it. At first glance, you might think it odd. But, after its explanation, you will understand the significance it has to all of us here at the National Day of Prayer Task Force.

The Dirt

The dirt looks like strata layers, but it is actually a collection of soil from all 50 states. The water container next to it is also a collection of water from all 50 states. This unique display was made possible by the volunteer prayer leaders from each of the states who visited and graciously accepted our odd request to journey with dirt and water in their luggage. This collection has provided a very tangible backdrop for our team as we enter the Prayer Room each day. Not only do we lift up the personal requests that come in through mail and email, we are also reminded of the need to lift up our nation every single day. Sometimes we lay hands on the jar as if clasping the whole country at one moment in prayer and other times it serves as a symbol to us of the many beautiful aspects of our great nation and its people – a blend of many colors, textures and types.

I have witnessed miracles happen here and we have documented hundreds, maybe even thousands, of testimonies from around the United States of people who have been healed, lives that have been changed, commitments that have been made to Christ and communities that have been transformed – not because of a room – but by the power of God. He works through the prayers of His people no matter where they are, impacting eternity as a result. The power of prayer is amazing and wherever you are today, know that you are being covered in fervent intercession and God is working in and through your life to shape the course of history.

Someday, when your time allows, we invite you to come and join us here at the National Day of Prayer headquarters as we celebrate all that God is doing and pray without ceasing for generations not yet born. Then you too can hold The Dirt that has been a standing stone in our office commemorating God’s faithfulness to this, the greatest nation on earth.

May God bless you, faithful prayer warrior!

- John Bornschein, Vice Chairman