"The Power of Prayer During Times of
National Upheaval"
by John Paul
Jackson
http://www.streamsministries.com
During times of national upheaval and stress, we are
often left wondering what we can do. What good can one person accomplish? What
power can one person have? The truth is that you and I wield enormous spiritual
power. One person's prayers can accomplish amazing things.
Jeremiah was a prophet who cried out to God on behalf of his nation. His heart
ached for his people. He saw the folly of the political parties and warned them
of God's plan for the nation, but almost no one listened to him. In fact, one
king was openly hostile to him and another put Jeremiah's eyes out. The
prophet's homeland crumbled and fell into captivity;
So what did Jeremiah's spirit of intercession and repentance accomplish? To
some, it might seem as if nothing happened. But during Jeremiah's last days, a
young Hebrew boy named Daniel was born who was deported to
Jeremiah's
Prophecies Turned Daniel's Heart Toward Repentance
Although Daniel lived in the midst of horrendous occult decadence, he had an
uncompromising spirit and displayed a courageous commitment to God. He became
one who excelled in godly wisdom.
In Daniel 9, we discover how Daniel was seeking the Lord to find out how long
the Babylonian captivity would last, when he stumbled on to the prophecies of
Jeremiah. At a time when every other prophetic voice was telling the Israelites
they would be free within two years, Jeremiah foretold 70 years of bondage.
Years later, Daniel knew that Jeremiah was correct.
By Daniel's prayers we can imagine his grief as he realized that Jeremiah's
prophetic words and pleas for repentance had gone unheeded by his nation.
Jeremiah suffered greatly for his prophetic words; he was put in chains,
beaten, slandered, conspired against, and falsely accused. Yet he remained
faithful to God.
Although they were given to a previous generation, Jeremiah's prophecies turned
Daniel's heart toward repentance. He humbled his heart and asked God to forgive
his nation's lust, greed, covetousness, pride, disobedience, and disrespect
(Daniel 9). This prayer changed Daniel's life; it also changed his nation. I am
sure God loved that Daniel honored his predecessor, Jeremiah; perhaps this
played a significant role in God's answer to Daniel's prayer.
How Did
God Answer Daniel's Prayer?
During the first year of King Darius' reign, Daniel offered this prayer on
behalf of his nation and his sorrow at the destruction of God's temple (verse
17). God responded by releasing the archangel Gabriel to strengthen Darius
(Daniel 11:1). Why would God strengthen a pagan king who was known for his
decadence, sin, lust, and murder -- a ruler who would later throw Daniel into a
lion's den?
Here's what we learn in Ezra 4. Just a few months after Gabriel strengthened
Darius, a decree was issued to restore God's temple. God answered Daniel's
prayer, sparked by the words of Jeremiah.
Today, a similar call is being given to the servants of God. We must
individually repent of our corporate, national wickedness. As God said in 2
Chronicles 7:14:
"If My people who are called by My name
will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked
ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their
land."
Our responsibility rests in remaining
humble before God, trusting Him to lift us out of the dark places of sin and
defeat.
Paving
the Way for the Enemy's Defeat;
Obtaining the Position God Has Reserved For Us
Humility, submission, dependency upon God, and a steadfastly perseverant faith
pave the way for the enemy's defeat. It also assures that we obtain the
position God has reserved for us by His grace. As followers of Jesus, this
admonition should be our banner:
"Be still and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!
The Lord of hosts is with us.
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah."
-- Psalm 46:10-11
May God open the spiritual eyes of our understanding to perceive and embrace
the wisdom that comes from above. May we find grace to rightly see the ways we
have erred, and thus repent, so that times of refreshing may come from the
Lord.
by John Paul Jackson
Streams Ministries
http://www.streamsministries.com