Day3: Asking for Nations and Leaders

““Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.””

— Psalm 2:8

There is nobody around the world today that can truly say the world in which we live in today is good. The entire world is sick, and true believers have the power in their hands to change things. As intercessors, we cannot just pass it on as well. The nations are perishing in the hands of cruel systems and leaders. The agenda of the devil is advancing like wildfire, yet Christians go to church every Sunday with smiles on their faces. I don’t think God is smiling.

Psalm 2:8 says, ask for the nations and it will be yours. Mathew 7:7 says ask and it will be given to you. Yet God is looking for a man Ezekiel 22:30??. It is very clear that those asking are very few, so God is still looking for someone to go. John Knox asked for the nation of Scotland and indeed God used him to complete a lot in his generation.

Mathew 7:7-8 “7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”

Ezekiel 22:30 “I looked for someone 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 no one.

As we are wrapping up 2024 and approaching 2025, we have to ask ourselves some serious questions about the nation and its leaders.

In Esther chapter 3, there was a plot to kill the Jews. In chapter 4:1-14, Mordecai would not allow that at his watch. He tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly(Esther 4:1). This expanded to all the cities where the Jews were. Finally, the message got to Esther at the palace, but she tried to downplay it, but Mordecai would not let it settle that way. Mordecai made Esther aware that when trouble comes, she will not be exempted.

Esther 4:12-14 “12 When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai,13 he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

Permit me to say this to you: do you know that the deliverance of the nations is in our hands? Can you just imagine if Mordecai just showed concern and did nothing? But while he was doing his own prayers, he also knew that Queen Esther may have been called for the deliverance of the Jew. He refused to take no for an answer from Queen Esther. Eventually, the victory was theirs.

Why should we pray now?

1. God requires for us to do so.

In this season of prayers/fasting, may the Lord’s burden for the nations move your hearts to the place of intercession. May you answer the call in Ezekiel 22:30 and hold onto the word of God in 1 Timothy 2:1-2 “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for all people—  for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”

2. We pray because there is a blessing when God is in charge.

Psalm 33:12: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage! Isaiah 60:12 “For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you shall perish; those nations shall be utterly laid waste.”

3. We pray because we have been given the heavenly mandate to the nations.

Mathew 28:19: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

Prayer points

Ask God for wisdom on how to proceed in prayers far beyond this season. James 1:5: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

Ask God to give you a nation (s) (Psalm 2:8) as your inheritance so that after this prayer/fasting, you will continue to pray for that nation.

We are the church called by God to pray for the Land. Come before God, therefore, in humility, ask God to help us turn away from our wickedness (not praying is wickedness), and ask God to forgive us for not praying. Then intercede for the nations; plead with God for mercy, forgiveness, and healing. 2 Chronicles 7:14 “f 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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Pray for peace, even in the family, church, workplace, community, and nation you have been positioned. Jeremiah 29:7: “Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it because if it prospers, you too will prosper.

Pray for the deliverance of nations/leaders to open up their hearts unto the Lord and avoid his wrath.

Psalm 33:12: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage! Isaiah 60:12: “For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you shall perish; those nations shall be utterly laid waste.”

Pray that God will give all these wicked leaders a new heart and spirit, remove the stony heart, and give them a heart of flesh. Pray that God will put his Spirit in them so that they will be changed and see the need to follow God. Ezekiel 36:26-27: “26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”

Pray that God will give them a heart that can recognize God. If they just recognized God, their hearts may become soft to turn away from wickedness. Jeremiah 24:7: “I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD. They will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with all their heart.”

Pray for a spiritual circumcision of the hearts of all these wicked leaders. Deuteronomy 30:6: “The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, and you will love Him with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.”

Pray that God will subdue the hearts of leaders so that his word will be preached in all places where Jesus is rejected. Proverbs 21:1: “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.”

Pray for the fear of the Lord in the hearts of leaders. Psalms 2:10-11: “10 Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling.”

There are so many leaders who have held their nation in captivity. Pray that God will arise in his power and set these nations free. John 8:36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Pray that the nations will become still from all chaos so that God will be exalted Psalm 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth!”

Pray that God will arise and remove all the leaders who have not treated its nation in a godly manner.

Nahum 2:13: “Behold, I am against you, declares the Lord of hosts, and I will burn your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions. I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall no longer be heard.”

Day2: Asking for Forgiveness and Mercy

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

— 1 Peter 2:9

What a way to describe who we are in Christ; chosen by grace not rejected, royal- children of the great king, and God’s possession.

If only the church can grasp the revelation and understanding of how valuable we are to God, how he chose us and draw us to himself by the free salvation through Christ, by his love, may help the way we worship God. Because of his love and mercy, he drew us out from darkness into his marvelous light that we may interns show froth his goodness to the world. He requires for us to be a commercial (advertiser). We are called to shine in this world of darkness because we are not of this world : 1 John 2:15 “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.”

Therefore, we must walk according to 2 Corinthians 6:17 “Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you.”

We have not kept the word of God as expected, therefore we cannot pretend to be holy people.

1 John 1:6-10 “6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sinsand purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.”

Self righteousness is a killer and operates in most people with prideful hearts. It is dangerous to be in a self righteous position because you will never see your sin.

In order to ask God for forgiveness and mercy, we must first identify our sin, acknowledge the sin, be ready to fully call it by its name, repent, and ask God for forgiveness and mercy, as well as believe by faith that God hears prayers.

1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

Temptation in its self is not a sin, however, it becomes a sin when one falls into the action that the temptation presented. God is so faithful and balanced in his word. When people say they were tempted to steal, commit adultery or fornicate etc, they must be thinking God is a liar or unfair. God made a way out if only one can pay attention to the voice of the Holy Spirit.

When we walk in the flesh, the flesh governs us and we turn to focus on that which is not of God, this kind of walk is the door that opens to sin ( Galatians 5:19-21 and Mark 7:20-23)

Galatians 5:19-21 “19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Mark 7:20-23 “20 And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

Prayer of Confession

All these things listed above happens in our mist, homes, churches, communities, and nations. We cannot get a breakthrough when we are surrounded by all these stuff. Let us call them by name and confess them, as well as confess on behalf of our families, friends, church, leaders, communities, co-workers, and the nations.

Ezra 9:1-7 “1 When these things had been done, the Jewish leaders came to me and said, “Many of the people of Israel, and even some of the priests and Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the other peoples living in the land. They have taken up the detestable practices of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites. 2 For the men of Israel have married women from these people and have taken them as wives for their sons. So the holy race has become polluted by these mixed marriages. Worse yet, the leaders and officials have led the way in this outrage.” 3 When I heard this, I tore my cloak and my shirt, pulled hair from my head and beard, and sat down utterly shocked. 4 Then all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel came and sat with me because of this outrage committed by the returned exiles. And I sat there utterly appalled until the time of the evening sacrifice. 5 At the time of the sacrifice, I stood up from where I had sat in mourning with my clothes torn. I fell to my knees and lifted my hands to the Lord my God.6 I prayed, “O my God, I am utterly ashamed; I blush to lift up my face to you. For our sins are piled higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached to the heavens. 7 From the days of our ancestors until now, we have been steeped in sin. That is why we and our kings and our priests have been at the mercy of the pagan kings of the land. We have been killed, captured, robbed, and disgraced, just as we are today.”

Prayers points

1. As stated above, we have not kept ourselves separate (2 Corinthians 6:17 ); we are married or prostituted with the world; we listen to the same music, watch the same program, and self separate (2 Corinthians 6:17 ); we are married or prostituted with the world; we listen to same music, watch same program, talk the same. We must be ashamed like Ezra to come before God today. Ask God to forgive us, the ministers of the gospel, families, etc.

2. We have taken up detestable practices: lying, cheating, shedding innocent blood, wickedness, slander (Proverbs 6:16), Child sacrifice, witchcraft, sorcery, psyche, fortune telling etc (Deuteronomy 18:9-12), demonic practices, etc. Anything that dishonors God. Sexual immorality of all kinds etc. We must denounce all these practices and ask God for mercy

3. We have been polluted. We should ask God to cleanse us. There is power in the blood of Jesus. Jeremiah 2:7: “And I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things. But when you came in, you defiled my land and made my heritage an abomination.” Jeremiah 3:21:- “A voice on the bare heights is heard, the weeping and pleading of Israel's sons because they have perverted their way; they have forgotten the Lord their God.”

4. Pray for the eye-opening grace to see the wickedness for what it is; ask to forsake that way. Pray for mercy over evil thoughts and unrighteous acts. Isaiah 55:7: “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”

5. Ask God to create in his church a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us; spirit of truth, holiness, kindness, love etc. Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”

6. Pray for the grace to renew our minds in Christ alone and the finished work on the cross. This means a deliberate commitment to the word of God and his presence. Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” “Peter 1: 13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

7. Pray for the grace to forgive. Sometimes pain covers everything so much that one cannot imagine there is a path for forgiveness. There is a grace that God releases. Matthew 6:14-15 “14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

8. Pray that God will forgive the church and the ministers of the gospel who have gone astray with the word and the call of God. Micah 7:18-19 “18 Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. 19 He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.”

9. Ask God for forgiveness over ungodly sole ties, friendships, ungodly sexual partners and activities, relationships, covenants etc. Ask for the grace to come out of such evil and wicked practices. 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 “14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. 17 Therefore, Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” 18 And, I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

Thank God for answering our prayers. Psalm 65:2 “You who answer prayer, to you all people will come.”