Praying a Generation Back Home!

—The Law of Asking and Receiving.

Did you know that the coming of God’s Kingdom hinges upon the prayers of the Church? The unreached, the prodigal and the orphaned heart will likely never find their way home, until someone CARES enough to PRAY. Regardless of how things may appear on the surface, nothing of eternal value is released without someone, somewhere PRAYING. Because prayer by its nature is often a HIDDEN work, being done in the SECRET closet, many come to false conclusions. Often, credit is given to the more obvious and outward ministries of preaching, teaching or administration for what is actually being accomplished through prayer.

In spite of appearances, prayer is one of God’s primary means of GRACE to achieve the desires of His heart. Our Lord has sovereignly chosen to govern His Kingdom by the simple law of asking and receiving. Prayer is not some human invention or scheme, it is the anointed strategy of God. King Jesus earnestly invites us, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For EVERYONE who asks receives” (Matt. 7:7-8). Today the Church and the world are both sin-sick and suffering because those who call themselves believers have not taken these promises seriously. “We have not because we ask not” (James 4:2). Are we losing this generation because of our own lack of prayer? Is Hell larger today than it was yesterday, simply because our churches have failed to pray? God has ordained that ALL believers should expand His Kingdom through the WORK of prayer and intercession. Jesus emphatically instructed us to PRAY for His Kingdom to come. (Matt. 6:10) We may not all be called to go to an unreached nation, but every last one of us has been called to GO to the closet and PRAY!

—Prayer that Makes a Difference 

What kind of prayer can transform and awaken a whole generation? Are all prayers equally effective and powerful? James 5:16-18 says, “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed EARNESTLY that it would not rain, and it did not rain… Then he prayed again, and the heavens poured rain and the earth produced its fruit. Awakening prayer is always EARNEST and always PERSISTENT.

James 5:18 says that Elijah prayed AGAIN and the heavens gave rain. That has to be one of the biggest understatements in the whole Bible. I Kings 18:41-45 tells us that Elijah prayed not once, not twice, but SEVEN times before the rains of revival came. Earnest prayer doesn’t STOP until God says stop. Earnest prayer REFUSES to QUIT until the promise of God fully comes. Like everything God requires of His children, our prayers for this generation must be done with ALL of our heart, ALL of our soul and ALL of our strength. (Deut. 4:29, Deut. 6:5)

—The Fervent Prayers of Jesus

Some may assume such praying is only for the faithless or fearful. But remember, Jesus also interceded with intense and fervent prayers. In Hebrews 5:7, the scriptures tell us that, “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with LOUD CRIES and TEARS.” Jesus NEVER struggled with fear or unbelief, yet He wept and fervently prayed.

Jesus prayed like no one else has ever prayed, because His prayers were driven by His unlimited compassion and a clear vision of ETERNITY. Jesus was consumed with the eternal destiny of multitudes of lost souls rushing towards HELL. I believe this was the vision that gripped His heart as He fervently prayed with broken cries and rivers of tears streaming down His face. Is there any other kind of prayer consistent with such an overwhelming view of eternity? Our lack of prayer is the bitter fruit of our own blindness to the realities of an eternal HEAVEN and an everlasting HELL. Many of us have TEARS for ourselves, but NO TEARS for a lost and sin-sick generation! “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Prov 29:18). Where there is no vision of ETERNITY, there is no prayer for the PERISHING.

—Embracing the Broken Heart of Jesus

Prayer is God’s ordained way of opening and closing doors in the spiritual realm. Prayer binds up the enemy and opens the heavens. Prayer breaks up the fallow ground and prayer waters the Gospel seed. Prayer OPENS the hearts of men and releases the power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, is there really any such thing as a good Christian who LOVES lost souls, but never prays for them? NO, of course not. The LOVE of God ALWAYS cares enough to PRAY.

Today Jesus will witness the abuse and pain of countless men, women and children all around the world. But will He turn His head or hide His eyes? No, He SEES it ALL and WEEPS, and WONDERS, where are the intercessors? Where are the ones who will stand in the gap and PRAY for a broken and orphaned generation? He grieves and looks for someone who will SLOW DOWN and listen to His heart. He’s calling us to step into His BROKENNESS and LOVE through faith and fervent prayer. The Spirit of God is crying out to each of us today, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore PRAY.” (Matt. 9:37,38). Will you answer the call — Will you embrace the broken heart of Jesus, and PRAY for this generation?

Please join us in united prayer this coming February 28th on the Collegiate Day of Prayer. Boldly ASK the Father to bring this generation back HOME.

—David Smithers