“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 lies 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.” 1 Timothy 2:1-4
All of my life (49 years) war has been on the hearts of men. Whether it has been how to start a war (usually financial gain is at stake), endure a war (survive the horrors) or end a war (save as many lives as possible) it seems that the nations are captivated by war. For several months now we have heard rumor after rumor of continued wars in the Middle East, potential wars in Asia, threats of war between Pakistan and India and recently due to war the mass exodus of refugees from Syria into Europe through make shift boats on the Mediterranean with so many dying on the way…some have suggested this is a plot by ISIS to get radical Muslims into Germany and other parts of Europe to cause mass damage and fear. Even the past year, 2014, was riddled with movies about war: “Fury”, “Unbroken”, “The Hunger Games- Mockingjay”, “American Sniper” and coming up in December- “Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens”! Why this fascination with war? I believe it is because it brings out the best and worst in mankind and for many it gives them a reason to live. We have heard story after story of soldiers coming back home from the Middle East and they find themselves bored with a mundane life and actually missing the thrill of war…many even go back into battle for 2nd and 3rd tours looking for that purpose to their lives, but sadly never finding it. In addition, the hand of God is at work rising up and tearing down nations, all for His will to be done.
Certainly we, as disciples, are at war- a spiritual war for the souls of mankind! What a war have we entered into! What passion, endurance, toughness, intensity, determination and hard line holding to the truth is needed for a disciple to make it through even one week! Yet our battle is not against other men (Ephesians 6) but against the satanic forces of evil at work in our world. How do we fight? How do we endure? How do we win? By awakening the power given to us when we became disciples, repented and were baptized- through the Holy Spirit! By prayer and a determination to depend on our Almighty God! With this is mind, I have copied many parts of an article by our brother Kip McKean from December 18, 1983 and am putting out a call for all the disciples in the USA South Quadrant to have a day of prayer and fasting on Wednesday, October 7, 2015.
EXCERPTS FROM THE 1983 ARTICLE: The movie “The Day After” dramatically called a nation’s attention to the threat and carnage of nuclear war. People have varying solutions to this dilemma all the way from unilateral disarmament to escalating our present strike capabilities. However, all desired peace. The Christian perspective is also one of desiring peace, but not peace for the sake of peace. (Jeremiah 6:14) We desire peace so that the “knowledge of the truth” can be preached to all nations without hindrance. (I Timothy 2:2-4)… Our prayer is for peace- this is NOT a political plea. No matter what one’s political stance, this should be our prayer. (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Christians that are serious about world evangelism must unite and pray for peace by God working through the world’s leaders.
Historically speaking the wisdom behind this prayer is obvious. One of the reasons Christianity spread in the climate of the first century is because the world enjoyed a period of peace called the “Pax Romana” (Roman Peace). There were few hindrances from traveling throughout the known world proclaiming God’s Word. During wars of any kind, people are distracted from considering their spiritual existence because of the struggle to survive physically. Also the message is hindered from being freely proclaimed from one nation to another. Even within a nation a war, travel is restricted and times for the gathering of the faithful in Christ are few. During the devastation of World War II church growth was nil. (James 4:1-2) Afterwards, during the time of peace, many countries including America enjoyed an unprecedented period of growth in the Lord’s church. It was during the period of peace in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s that the church of Christ was the fastest growing religious group in America. Once again let me reiterate, political convictions and compromise are not at issue. What is at issue is that man once more has proven himself inadequate to handle his life and destiny (Genesis 3) and therefore needs God to move in the hearts of our world leaders to provide a peace what would allow “all men to come to a knowledge of the truth.”
Let us remember these Biblical principles when we pray: 1. Prayer must always be within the will of God expressed in His Word. (1 John 5:14-15) It is God’s expressed will for peace (1 Timothy 4:1-4) and for the world to be evangelized. (Matthew 28:19-29) 2. God can and has changed the hearts of the leaders of the nations if it is for the purpose of spreading His Word to all the world. (Daniel 4:28-37, Romans 9:17) 3. God gives wisdom in times of uncertainty to Christians who pray for wisdom. (James 1:5) 4. Christians need not worry about death like the rest of men who have no hope, for our salvation is sure as long as we are faithful to God. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) Remember, Christians who worry do not have their prayers answered because of their lack of faith. (James 1:6-8) 5. Our prayer for peace must be continued not just for a day, but “all the days after” until we die. (1 Thessalonians 5:17, Luke 18:1-8) 6. Fasting accompanies prayer to allow Christians to focus more keenly on a singular plea and to demonstrate to God how serious we are about this request. (Esther 4:14-17)…END OF KIP’S ARTICLE.
Let us pray together every day and especially on this special day, Wednesday October 7 let us pour our hearts out to God, pleading for the souls of men to be moved to hear the incredibly good news of the gospel! We are entering into the fall of this year and traditionally this time of year the Lord has radically grown His church worldwide at this time of harvest. Let us therefore pray for a tremendous harvest as we close out 2015 and pray the true “Force Awakens”! I will leave you with some quotes from the very inspiring Winston Churchill as he endured and then helped inspire a nation to win a gruesome war against Hitler and the Nazi onslaught:
This is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.
We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air. We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing-grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender!
He stoops down to make us great,
Matt Sullivan
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