Government Intercessors
Many times we hear people ask the question: "If God is so concerned about the nations, then why is there so many poor in so many countries, starving to death and living in complete chaos and ruin?" The answer? Prayerlessness!
There are more than 6 billion people on the earth ( and this is probably an old statistic) and of that at least 109 million Americans profess to be born-again Christians. ( Sorry I don't know the stats for Canada or other countries.) Just think what would happen if even 1% of those believers began to pray for the unsaved governments of the world! Remember the famous quote from Edmund Burke: " The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
II Chronicles 7:14 is the encouragement that we can change a nation with our intercession.
"If 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 will forgive their sin and will heal their land."This is a call to the Government Intercessors of the Church! God can and will heal our lands IF we are faithful to pray!
One office of government we are to pray for is Pastors!! If a pastor falls , part of the blame is shared with the congregation because we are the prayer shields for our leaders. We need to pray for holiness and wholeness of their love for both God and His children. If Intercessors truly understood their place of important, the whole congregation would reap the benefit of their sacrifice.
They are finding that pastors who have enlisted personal intercessor are reporting greater fruitfulness in every facet of their lives, including their own holiness. Pastors with a minimum of two or three pray-ers interceding over every service, exhibit a renewed strength in their teaching and preaching.
Another office of government we are to pray for, is in our own home. Talk to God about the things that need to change and allow Him to change the hearts of those involved. ( Prov.21:1 talks of ' the king's heart is like a channel of water in the hand of the Lord: He turns it wherever He wishes." The 'king' is referring to the person who is governing the situation.)
You may be called to pray for your city and all those involved in government there: eg. police departments, churches, fire station etc. You might not be a person who can pray over a daily list for leaders of your church, or your schools or your city, state or government. You might be a crisis intercessor who is called to respond to governmental kinds of emergencies.
God may be calling you to be a government intercessor by giving you specifics to pray for a teacher in your child's classroom. You may be called to pray over policies that will effect your school district. Start with what you know..and what you see! As you are faithful to pray over even the least significant-looking governmental issue, God will broaden your prayer power. God is not looking for powerful speakers; He is looking for speakers who will rely on His power to speak up and speak out. Who knows? You could be a voice for God that will change a government.
Are you a Government Intercessor?
1. Do politics stimulate you?
2. Does your life revolve around the church?
3. Are you interested in policies for schools, churches, and political situations?
4. Would prayer walking the schools, churches and governments buildings in your neighbourhood excited you?
5. Are you called to intercession for your government as your read the newspaper or watch global news?
6. Do you keep apprised of government officials by name in any level of government?
Pitfalls of Government Intercessors:
-intolerance for those who appear ignorant about governmental matters
-Becoming so concerned about the government that people become a secondary issue - and so does the Lord
-Allowing recognition to be the motive for intercessory prayer rather than the call of God
-Compromising integrity and beliefs to please people
-Getting caught up in the spirits that are over the land, which are power and pride
-Taking offense when convictions are questioned
-Believing that you're the only one with the answer
-Letting bitterness take root when leaders do not live up to God's will
-Gossiping and grumbling about leaders instead of leading them into change THROUGH prayer.
Remember, that like Daniel, government intercessor need to remember their spiritual roots no matter who governs the environment in which they live or work. Government intercessors are the spiritual Daniels of our day. The key is to stand like Daniel with a disciplined focus at the windows of prayer!
