THE POWER OF PRAYER

June 13, 2003

We have seen in the last few weeks the power of prayer in our midst.  How the Lord has moved on the hearts of His people as they have opened up their hearts to Him.  What does this mean and what has the Lord done?

When the scope of the war with Iraq came into play a few months ago, we began to see it unfold and the seriousness of it was evident.  America was moved.  She remembered September 11th.  She knew this war was serious and could have repercussions here on our homeland.  She began to view via television that this war could be a major event bringing us into some drastic consequences.  Prayer began.  Many Americans were moved and became part of the war through prayer.  Their whole being was affected.  The prayer wall was being lifted up to God.  One of the brothers here cried out in anguish with God's heart, "My boys, my boys", and tears came down his face.  Young boyish faces in the US military were shown on the television screen - men being baptized in the desert in a rubber sheet filled with water; men carrying their bibles in their gear; men stopping to pray; men picking up small Iraq children to comfort, who were left to themselves in all the chaos; men helping their buddies in duress situations; young men and women rising up to meet the challenge; men dying.  The need to pray was evident everywhere and the signs and billboards here in the US were being displayed everywhere.  Pray, pray, pray!

AND GOD MOVED

Yes, God moved!  Prayer began to come up before Him - and so He moved with mercy and compassion.  Prayers coming up before Him are like sweet incense before the throne of God.  His mercy was extended and the war was over ever so quickly.  How wonderful is the God of Israel!

I for one know that we can never forsake our post to pray.  If we have moved out of our sphere of prayer and have gone back to our mundane way of life, then we have not learned the lesson of mercy and reprieve.  When one is extended mercy by God, we should only have in our hearts a thankfulness of His kindness and love for us.  We then turn from our wicked ways- thanking Him that He delivered us out of catastrophe and disaster.

Prayer must continue in such a dedication for, you see, we have just been given a short reprieve, but not a forgiveness as a country.  People confuse mercy with forgiveness.  We have still not repented as a nation for the idols erected in the place of the Almighty God, acknowledge them and cry out to God to forgive us of our transgressions.  Yes, we have been given a short span of time as a country to get right before the Lord.  But sad to say, I believe the American mentality and the church's mentality is that it is all finished, when in reality, it has just begun.

I do believe that revival is coming, which will bring in an end-time harvest, but   I also know that the Lord will still deal with His people who call themselves by His name.  Yes, beloved ones, the judgment is still coming.  A span of time has been given for a change of mind and heart which means to repent.  But if this does not happen quickly, then judgment still continues barreling down the path.  I will not go into "Why judgment?" for that is in another article.  Judgment is a means to bring a people to their knees, repenting to the Lord of the universe - the Father God - the creator of all things.

Some may be crying out "Peace and safety" - and then sudden destruction comes.  Do not be left with the false  security that peace and safety is now here.  We have left that far behind.  We should be on the wall of prayer and doing all we know to do with all of our heart and soul.  I look around and see my fellow Christians falling back to their ease in Zion, forgetting so quickly of how mercy was extended to them.  But there are a few who are maintaining their stand in prayer.  Are you one of them?  There is a standard of maintaining and this standard is the standard of holiness, and doing what we know to do according to His Word.

Rene