Preparation of Prayer Warriors

Praying for an unreached people group like the Miao is an important ministry in the body. In addition to this, however, God wants us to be reaching out to our "Jerusalem" as well as the utter most parts of the earth. The principles set foth below will help you focus on a prayer ministry to your city as you and others seek God to redeem your city. This will further equip you for the role God has in praying for the Miao or other unreached peoples.

As we accept our responsibility to pray for the reconciliation of many with the Lord, the truth of being an Ambassador will probably take on a new meaning (2 Cor. 5:18-20). In prayer, we are going to claim for the Kingdom of God those who are now active, voting members of another kingdom. Each of us should be in living contact with our Lord, doing everything possible to be controlled by the Word and the Spirit in our personal and corporate lives. Many who desire to pray for others will undoubtedly need to be prayed for themselves. We recommend that the prayer group dedicate a good amount of time to bearing the personal burdens of its own members.

This "body ministry" to one another is very important. A context of praise is very helpful, as it focuses our attention on the Lord.

A context of thanksgiving is imperative. Participants should remind themselves of all they have received through the blood shed on the cross for them. In the coming days, we are going to pray with an authority "bought by this blood."

We should:

1. Submit again to the will of God
2. Ask again that His Kingdom come, His will be done here, among us, as we pray for one another
3. Ask that his burden for the lost, the broken, the poor, etc., might give a new dimension to our life and world view.
4. Ask that we may see with the eyes of Christ.
5. Pray that our minds and emotions be renewed once again, so that there will be no conflict between the Lord’s priorities and ours

Confess our sins one to another in this context of prayer and ministry (James 5:16). Never forget that, "If I hide iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me" (Ps 66:18).

Sin will separate us from the vital relationship we need with the Lord. As you begin to pray for others, it is very important that you do not have any hidden agendas which might open you to Satan’s attacks: for these attacks are sure to come as we enter into battle for the hearts, souls, spirits, emotions, bodies, lives and expectations of men and women under the influence of the Prince of this Age.

Pray for the lifting of one another’s burdens. The Lord’s healing is at least both physical and emotional. It undoubtedly also extends to reconciliation between brothers and sisters in the faith. Please take this opportunity to be reconciled to your brother or sister in the Lord. If we consciously leave a lot of relationship problems unresolved, Satan is sure to stir something up during your time of prayerwalking (Mark 11:24-25).

Give the Lord the opportunity to speak through His Word, through a prayer burden, or perhaps through a revelatory gift.

Intercede for one another’s family situations. Ask the Lord to protect your families, your homes, your stuff, etc. Pray that our God will sovereignly protect things and people related to us during your prayers of preparation to that you are not kept from prayer by those quite normal problems which "just happen" to occur before we intercede for others.

General Blessing for an Area

"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone: for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all men, the testimony given in its proper time" (1 Tim. 2:1-6).

When you pray blessings over an area, you want to begin praying in a global way for everyone in the designated area. Pray for them in the authority of the Lord, for, as yet, He has not been acknowledged as the Lord the of the people in that area. Ask the Father as Jesus taught us.

on earth as it is in heaven…"

Ask that the peace, the grace and the mercy of God the Father and Jesus Christ the Lord rest upon every person and place in this area.

Ask that the Holy Spirit do His work of "convicting or proving the world wrong" about "sin, righteousness, and judgment" (Jn. 16:8)

As you pray for the area in this way, ask the Lord to reveal any specifics we should be aware of.

Ask yourselves:

SPIRITUAL WARFARE PRAYER

It is difficult for those of us who come from the industrialized and "humanized" western world to appreciate the full significance of the clear scriptural affirmation about a spiritual/cosmic battle between Jesus and the powers of this evil age. Perhaps the clearest statement to the Church is found in Ephesians, chapter six.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. …put on the full armor of God…stand firm…take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one…pray in the spirit on all occasion with all kinds of prayers and requests..(Eph. 6:10-20).

North American Christians need to become as fully aware of the truth of this and related biblical passages, as are our brothers and sisters in the "two-thirds world". When this occurs, our appreciation of the need to "pray on all occasions with all kinds of prayers…", will deepen. We will develop an awareness of the fact that biblically neither human sin, nor human emotions, nor human relationships, nor human resistance to the Gospel, nor human injustice, nor human anything, by itself, is the fundamental battleground for the spirits, hearts, and lives of men. The "world" and the "flesh" are constantly being agitated by the devil. The battle is essentially "spiritual" in nature, and we can most effectively achieve the defeat of the evil powers through prayer in the name of Jesus!

The Lord Jesus has won the victory!

The final victory of our Lord is assured. The final defeat of Satan and all his hosts is clearly taught in the Scriptures. His final estate is to be the lake of fire, where he will be tormented forever (Mt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10).

This victory was achieved on the cross and affirmed by Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. We have been justified freely by God’s grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus (Rom. 3:24). We have been transferred from the kingdom of Satan in the kingdom of God (Acts 26:18).

The ruler of this dark age had no idea that when they crucified the Lord of Glory, the culmination of the plan of God from eternity past would come to fulfillment (1 Cor. 2:8). Satan himself entered Judas, who unwittingly facilitated the plan of redemption (Jn. 13:2, 27). This same Jesus, whom they crucified, has been exalted above "…all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come" (Eph. 1:21). It is in this authority and in this name, that the Church addresses the spirit world, so that repentance and forgiveness of sins, that come from the exalted Prince and Savior of Israel and the world, may freely flow to those who live under the rule of this age (Eph. 2:2-3; 1 Jn. 5:19). The Lord is "exalted" and seated at the right hand of the throne of God, awaiting the moment, hour and day, when all of His enemies will become His footstool (1 Cor. 15:20-28;Heb. 2:6-9).

To our Lord has been given "all authority in heaven and on earth" (Mt. 28:18). In this authority and in this Name, which I above every name, we, the Church, are to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Lord of Lords, to every creature (Mk. 16:15). The spiritual forces of evil which "bind" this world, can only be loosed by the authority of the One who is immeasurably superior to them, and who has purchased the right to those they hold in bondage through His atoning death. The Church in representation of her Head, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, witnesses to all levels of creation (angelic, as well as terrestrial), declaring the glory of her Lord.

In this type of prayer, it is very important that we utilize the Scriptures. In His own testing by Satan, our Lord responded with the Word of God (Mt. 4; Lk 4). Dressed for battle in the armor of God, we are to pray for the protection of our brothers and sisters and tear down the strongholds of the enemy.

(Jn. 17:15; Eph. 6:10-20; Acts 4:23-31; Acts 13:6-12; Acts 26:18)

Sample Prayer:

Father God, in the Name of Jesus please place a "hedge of angelic protection" around this entire battleground. Incapacitate or bind any resident spiritual force, which is opposing your will and the conversion of people to the Lord Jesus. Bind all the evil spirits which may enter this area by means of people who come to work or visit in this section of the city. Rebuke and incapacitate any spiritual forces in the air, water, or earth which are in opposition to your kingdom. Show grace and mercy to any who are guilty of social or economic injustice. Break and confound the spiritual forces involved in these areas. Break all Satanic and spiritual bondage involved in the brothels, bars, drug centers, places of spirit/occult worship or practice, and other centers where sin is practiced. Expose, reveal, confound and incapacitate the territorial and ruling spiritual forces present in this area.