Last night, toward the close of a year-ending prayer meeting, the Lord led me to seek Him to change the hearts of 1-3 world leaders from worldliness to faith in Jesus Christ in 2013; Saul to Paul conversions, if you will.
As I awoke this morning, the burden to pray this continued. Then I began to think, "The world, and its nations, will change in 2013- as they do every year. Will I seek their change through prayer or prayerlessness in 2013?"
It's a fact. By the end of this New Year, the world and its nations will change. For some, that will mean a change in leadership. For others, it may mean a change in national boundaries. For others still, it will mean economic strife and instability; possibly even war.
It's easy to sit or stand back, gaze upon the troubles of the world, and say, "It's out of my hands. I can't possibly have any impact on world events. I'll just let things go the way they'll go. What else could I possibly do?"
How about this? Pray!
What if we invite God into the current events, the meetings and meeting rooms of world leaders, and seek Him to affect the circumstances of their lives so that they'll be confronted with a decision for Jesus Christ today? The Bible says He'll do immeasurably more than what we ask or imagine! (see reference below)
God is a perfect gentleman. He desires, and patiently waits, to hear from His children through prayer. He patiently waits for His children to be still and listen to or for His voice. He loves to hear our praises, petitions, and pleas! He also loves when His children listen for His voice and follow His instructions. But He won't force us to do so. It's up to us.
Our choice:
By prayer, we seek God in faith and actively trust Him to fulfill His promises.
or
By prayerlessness, we neglect God's power and ability to make all things new and allow things to deteriorate with greater and greater speed.
Will you join me in seeking God to do things that only He can do in 2013? If you do, He will transform the world as we know it! He will also transform your prayer life and your relationship with Him. That alone, is worth it if you ask me!
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. -Ephesians 3:16-21
