Crises are inherent to the human experience. How we respond determines whether we overcome them or succumb to them. At the time of writing, the world is still in the grip of a global crisis of unprecedented proportions: COVID-19.
Initially, some were unaware of the gravity of the situation, they were casual in the early days of lockdown, but soon realized that the world was in trouble. Others had lost their footing. They were discouraged and afraid of what would happen next. Then there were those who were in denial and mired themselves in conspiracy theories. Yet, neither of these reactions is appropriate.
What to do? How to handle crises like this or any other crisis in our lives?
God wants the lives of His people to testify to His faithfulness as Father and Friend. He has given us tools that will enable us to lead extremely powerful and victorious lives. Therefore, God's children can overcome any crisis. The first tool, discussed earlier, is the tool of faith. And second, the tool of prayer, a formidable weapon in its effectiveness.
Some General Thoughts on Prayer
- We pray and continue to pray because we see in the Word of God that Prayer is a prerequisite for divine intervention.
- It is also the expression of our desire for intimacy with God.
- Moreover, prayer, and many may never have seen it this way, is a demonstration of God's commitment to ensuring our well-being. Think about it. If God wants us to pray, it is because He wants to help us.
First, He knows that without fellowship with Him, we wither. And, He knows that He cannot intervene on our behalf unless we present our requests to Him. Man must pray for God to answer.
Why prayer?
Here are some quick guidelines for entering a dimension of prayer that will make you literally invincible in the difficult times we are living through. This spiritual act of prayer must, of course, be accompanied by natural and reasonable measures. For example, in the case of Covid-19, respect natural rules of hygiene, and every crisis situation has specific rules to follow.
Prayer is a commandment
1 Timothy 2:8 (NKJV) I desire therefore that the men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NKJV) 17 Pray without ceasing,
Not as a ritual or a mere act of obedience, but in expectation of change, as agents of change. Prayer is not suggested, it is commanded. It is essential for our well-being that God can help us overcome. Prayer is not a proof of growth but the instrument of growth; and understanding this will facilitate the life of prayer for many.
And as mentioned earlier, prayer is a prerequisite for divine intervention. That's why, during the coronavirus crisis, we prayed long and hard. We held online prayer meetings almost daily. Draw inspiration from these prayers to respond to the crisis you are experiencing. You can also download the free eBook 'Act and Pray Against the Pandemic'.
- Father, intervene, Father act, Father, deliver. We have asked that He deliver the nations from this coronavirus scourge, that He deliver people from fear.
- We break the power of the spirit of fear. May people be set free. Father, we ask you to intervene against the waves of suicide and calm fears about the future.
- Father, just as you destroyed the armies of Sennacherib, act with power. Send your angel to end the plague.
And if there is anyone who takes advantage of this situation, let Your vengeance come upon them. Avenge the thousands who have lost their lives. - Father, we ask You to comfort these families who are mourning and grieving at this time. We ask You to intervene on behalf of orphans and widows.
- We ask that nations be delivered from this plague. Let this miserable virus wither from its roots in the name of Jesus. We annihilate it, we destroy its power and its impact on our generation in the name of Jesus.
- Lord, we cry out to You. Touch the leaders, give them wisdom. Give them understanding. You said that he who relies on his own understanding is a fool. So touch them, give them wisdom, for they are lost. They do not know what to do, but we cry out to You.
- Jehoshaphat cried out to You in the face of the enemy armies, he said: Will You not judge them? He said, We, we do not know what to do, our eyes are on You. We cry out to You, Lord; we do not know what to do. Our eyes are on You.
- Father, put an end to this miserable disruption of your plan for humanity in Jesus' name.
Man must pray for God to answer. And because God wants to answer and God wants to bless, He commands us to pray. Obedience to this command will eject things from your life that weigh you down and perpetuate crisis situations. Prayer is not dutifully following an empty religious ritual imposed by God; it is positioning yourself for divine rescue. God wants to help us.
The second principle is that prayer is effective.
Prayer is effective
James 5:13-16 (NIV)
13 Is any of you in distress? Let him pray. Is another rejoicing? Let him sing hymns. 14 Is one of you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and they will pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 Prayer made with faith will obtain healing for the sick person and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sin, it will be forgiven him. 16 Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. When a righteous person prays, his prayer avails much.
This passage leaves no doubt about the effectiveness of prayer. This is worth emphasizing, because many people pray out of resignation and not out of hope of receiving good.
First, the examples given.
The Apostle James clearly states that anyone who is suffering should pray. In other words, it is through prayer that their suffering will be alleviated. Then, the sick should adopt the same solution: prayer. They would be anointed with oil and receive prayer. The apostle leaves no room for uncertainty. He affirms that the prayer of faith will save the sick. He is certain: prayer will be effective. Whether it is illness, a crisis, or whatever, prayer will get you through it.
As you pray through this crisis you face, believe that God hears and let Him fill you with peace and rest. If necessary, repent of sin. He grants forgiveness, as the text says. Sin will not be an obstacle to divine intervention if there is renunciation.
Second, the principle given.
The principle is this: the prayer of a righteous person is extremely powerful. It achieves its goal. Who is righteous? He who has been declared righteous because of the blood of Jesus. He thus becomes potentially powerful in prayer.
So, not praying is missing the opportunity to exert influence for God. Let's imagine that the elders mentioned in this passage had made themselves unavailable and refused to go and pray for the sick person, he would probably have succumbed to the illness and died. Unless the person knows how to apply one of the other means the Lord has provided, such as personal prayer offered by faith.
So there are situations that persist in our lives, our nations, and the world because we don't pray. Prayer is effective. It will get you out of any crisis. Not praying is counterproductive. It causes and perpetuates problems that have no reason to persist. It deprives God of one of the means He uses to establish His will on earth; and it also deprives you of the glorious future that should be yours. You don't have it because you don't ask for it. Isn't that powerful?
Not praying facilitates demonic blockage, leaves our loved ones without assistance, and is dangerous to our own lives. Many put themselves in danger by not praying. They live dangerously by waiting for things to go wrong before calling on the Lord. Even in times of crisis, many wait until all desperate measures have failed before turning to God. Start praying now in this time of crisis. Beloved, pray, pray, pray, pray, double, triple, quadruple your prayer time.
God has spectacular things He wants to pour into your spirit. He has powerful things He wants to accomplish in you, during and after the crisis. Decide that you are going to spend time with Him and listen to Him unfold His plans.
We can testify in our ministry of God's plans working wonderfully. We hadn't planned to pray as much as we did during the coronavirus crisis, but we followed His plans. The result is a continuous shower of testimonies of changed lives. People have come through the crisis with the strength and peace God gave them at these meetings. Many started out terrified and confused, but as they prayed with us, restoration came. Someone called me the other day and she said, "I've been completely transformed. I'm back on track." She spoke at length about what God had done for her through the times of prayer.
If you truly believe God will change things, you will pray. And the third principle is that your prayer is effective.
Your prayer is effective
Not only is prayer effective, but your Prayer is effective. Everyone must believe that their prayer is effective in order to pray their way out of a crisis. This is why God's Word goes to great lengths to tell us that Elijah was no different than we are and he withheld and released the rain through his prayer. The implication is that if he could do this through prayer, you can also have splendid results from your prayer.
James 5:17-18 The Bible of the Sower (BDS)
17 Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain and for three and a half years it did not rain on the ground. 18 Then he prayed again, and the heavens gave rain again, and the earth produced its crops.
1 John 5:14-15 The New International Version (NIV)
14 And this is the confidence we have toward God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us, we know that what we ask is ours.
This is an essential point to keep in mind. Hezekiah's life was prolonged by his prayer, Hannah overcame the crisis of childlessness and mockery through her prayer. She was an ordinary person with a painful problem, and God heard her. Pray then, as He heard Elijah, He hears Philip and Jimmy and Cora and Gbemi. Think about what you can accomplish in prayer and keep praying. Never stop praying. Pray and pray and pray and pray, pray, pray, pray, pray, and you will overcome every crisis in your life.
This article is part of the series: 3 Ways to Overcome Life's Crises. Click below to read.
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