Just think what could happen if every country had leaders that governed in justice and freedom and allowed the Gospel to be preached to their citizens! Imagine how the kingdom of God could expand if every government provided conditions of peace and paved the way for the Word of God to be proclaimed!
“Is such a thing possible?” you might ask.
Absolutely. If it weren’t, God wouldn’t tell us to pray for it. He wouldn’t command us as pray-ers to take up the anointing of Elijah and John the Baptist (see Matthew 17:10 – 13) and become “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.’” If it were impossible, the Bible wouldn’t have declared that:
Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; the crooked places shall be made straight, and the rough places smooth; the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 40:4 – 5)
Sadly enough, we’ve seen governments and societies forbid the preaching of the Gospel so often and so long that we’ve come to accept it as inevitable. But it’s not! In fact, Jesus prophesied that before His second coming “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations” (Matthew 24:14 KJV).
Notice, He said it shall be preached. Not smuggled in quietly so that a few folks in underground churches can hear it. Not whispered about in small groups who hide for fear of being arrested for their faith. No, Jesus said the Gospel shall be preached! The Greek word translated preach means “to herald openly, to proclaim publicly, to publish abroad!”
Jesus declared it so let’s dare to believe what He said. Let’s stand in faith upon His Word and pray until every government on earth bows its knee to the will of God. Let’s prepare highways of peace and quietness into all nations so the Gospel can be proclaimed and everyone can hear!
Scripture Reading: Psalm 67:1 – 7
Source: Devotions for the Praying Heart by Lynne Hammond.
On the chilly March night in 1972 when Lynne Hammond took her first step into a life of Spirit-led prayer, she had no idea what was about to happen. All she knew was the hunger in her heart for God wouldn’t let her sleep. In the few short months she’d been born again, her desire to fellowship with Him had grown so strong she could hardly contain it. “Help me, God!” she cried. “I want to know you. I want to be able to talk to you. Please, teach me to pray!”
Suddenly, a heavenly presence flooded the room. Lynne sensed waves of spiritual fire sweeping over her and a beautiful language began to flow like a river from within her. Although she’d never heard of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, she knew instantly, without a doubt—this was God!
What began that night soon blossomed into a life of prayer that ultimately became a ministry of prayer when, in 1980, Lynne and her husband, Mac, founded Living Word Christian Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Under Lynne’s leadership, the prayer ministry at Living Word has become an internationally recognized model for developing effective pray-ers in the local church.
A teacher and an author, Lynne publishes a newsletter called Prayer Notes, has written numerous books, and currently serves as the national prayer director for Daughters for Zion. Her passion for inspiring and leading others into the life of Spirit-led prayer continues to take her around the world to minister to believers whose heart cry, like hers, is “Lord, teach me to pray!”