As we enter the month of resurrection, I believe that all the lost things in your life will be restored by God through prayer. Because of our vision to stand in the gap for society and the leadership, the Christian Youth Army organized a Youth Prayer Festival on the 1st march 2008.
God is certainly looking for people who will stand in the gap to demonstrate his authority on earth but most of the us are self centered neglecting the will of the Lord for our community and society. The same thing happened during the time of Daniel and Israel when the people went into captivity because of disobedience to God. Infact I will say that the whole book of Daniel was written because of his ability to intercede for the people and the nation Israel. For us to become National Intercessors, we will have to follow the steps of Daniel.
(Daniel 9:1-2)
In the first year of Darius, the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldaeans
2 In the first year of his rule, I, Daniel, saw clearly from the books the number of years given by the word of the Lord to the prophet Jeremiah, in which the making waste of Jerusalem was to be complete, that is, seventy years.
Jer 25: 9-11
Prayer means
Request
Plea
Appeal
Entreaty
Intercession means
Intervention
Mediation
Arbitration
Negotiation
Reconcile
It is very important to note that Daniel become a national intercessor because he did the following things...........
1. He asked questions
The kind of questions you ask God, determine the kind of answer you get. When you ask question that concern your community, God will reveal the solutions to you. The world is facing a lot of problems that needs solutions from the believers because the earnest expectation of society is for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Daniels questions led to the discovery of the solution in the book of the prophet Jeremiah.
Because God has exalted his words above himself, there is no way he could have come down on earth to do anything without man.
The type of questions you ask determines the type of anointing you carry. If you really wants a restoration in the behaviors of the people in your country and community, you have to ask questions.
In Ezekiel 22:24-31
30 And I was looking for a man among them who would make up the wall and take his station in the broken place before me for the land, so that I might not send destruction on it: but there was no one.
31 And I let loose my passion on them, and have put an end to them in the fire of my wrath: I have made the punishment of their ways come on their
Heads, says the Lord.
2. He had passion for the entire nation
Most of us have limited God to ourselves and to our families.
God is looking for passionate hearts
Psalm 42:7 says deep calls to the deep and it very important for all the believers to come together to strengthen one another in prayer. God is always delighted when people come together for his purpose and commandments.
In 2chronicles 15:2 And he came face to face with Asa and said to him, Give ear to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin: the Lord is with you while you are with him; if your heart's desire is for him, he will be near you, but if you give him up, he will give you up.
According to Josephus when Nehemiah head of the destruction of the wall of Israel, he could not hold his peace than to fast and pray.
3. He had passion for sinners
Daniel did not think of his shoes, marriage, money, fame, popularity or his individual need but thought of the entire need of Israel.
4. He acknowledged God
There will be any change unless we acknowledge the power and presence of God. This will be done if we can always walk in his boldness through prayer.
Isaiah 64:1 O let the heavens be broken open and come down, so that the mountains may be shaking before you,
2 As when fire puts the brushwood in flames, or as when water is boiling from the heat of the fire: to make your name feared by your haters, so that the nations may be shaking before you;
3 While you do acts of power for which we are not looking, and which have not come to the ears of men in the past.
4 The ear has not had news of, or the eye seen ...any god but you, working for the man who is waiting for him.
God has the ability to do all things according to what we ask Him of. until the whole world come to the knowledge of our God the world will not be a peaceful place for us to be.
5. He fasted for the nation
According to the new Christian media report in 2001, over 600 million people live in Europe, only 26% are Christians and 20%are born again.
One prince in Europe made a remark some time ago that his fore fathers defended the faith but he will defend all the faith (all religions)
Recently it was reported in Kenya that a whole church building was burnt because some people sorted refuge in that place. If believers loose sight of praying for the nation, a time will come when the communities will engulf the church. Even now we see certain behaviors of the communities entering into the churches.
How many times haven’t we spoken to people to give their lives to Christ and how many of them have done that? This type is not by talking alone but also with intensive intercession. It is the spirit that convicts people not our words. We need revival on earth but that can be done by you and I. revival does not start with people but with a man.
6. His prayer brought favor on the land
According to the oxford dictionary, favor means
To endorse
To support
To assist
To make things easier
To provide advantage to someone
To show special privilege
When the prophet Nehemiah head of the broken wall of Jerusalem, he fasted, prayed and he prayer brought favor from the king who provided all he needs for the restoration of the broken walls
Psalm 102:15
15 So the nations will give honor to the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth will be in fear of his glory:
16 When the Lord has put up the walls of Zion, and has been in his glory;
17 When he has given ear to the prayer of the poor, and has not put his request on one side.
18 This will be put in writing for the coming generation, and the people of the future will give praise to the Lord.
19 For from his holy place the Lord has seen, looking down on the earth from heaven;
20 Hearing the cry of the prisoner, making free those for whom death is ordered;
21 So that they may give out the name of the Lord in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;
22 When the peoples come together, and the kingdoms, to give worship to the Lord.
God will only arise if we call on him for the sake of his name.
7. He was moved by compassion
In 2000 there was a strike action South Korea. The government did everything possible to restore peace and order to the place but to no avail so the president called on Dr. Yogi Chou and said to him I believe in your God please talk to him. Dr. Yogi Chou gathered all Christian churches and they enter into a fasting and prayer. After two weeks the strike seized. You know such actions are very dangerous in such places because most of the people are tae kwandoo expects
8. He took authority
Most of us walk as slaves instead of demonstrating our authority as representatives of God on earth. Its about time we begin commanding things to fall the way we want it.
6 ¶ I said you are gods; all of you are the sons of the Most High:
7 but you will come to death like men, falling like one of the rulers of the earth.
9. He understood the times and seasons
The youth must come to knowledge of what exactly God wants to use them for. we are in the despensation where the holy Spirit is looking for young comitted and dedication men and women to use for His purpose.
10. He Prayed for those in authorities
1Ti 2:1 My desire is, first of all, that you will make requests and prayers and give praise for all men;
2 For kings and all those in authority; so that we may have a calm and quiet life in all fear of God and serious behavior.
3 This is good and pleasing in the eyes of God our Savior;
4 Whose desire is that all men may have salvation and come to the knowledge of what is true.
We must endeavor to always pray for those in authority, being political, spiritual, social, traditional etc. what will be the result of civil wars, ethnic conflicts? The church is loosing its power and impact on society and it is about time the church of God go back to the days of our fathers. Many people are dying in Kenya and other parts of Africa because the fear of God in missing in their lives.
The famous John Wesley said ‘God is limited by our prayer. He can do according to our prayer life’.
We need the spirits of James McKeon, Papa Elton, David Livingstone, Elijah ,Otabil, Duncan Williams etc back in the youth.
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