Café

• 
  The Hardest Sermons You’ll Ever Have To Preach
  Reviewed by Hans Kristensen
• 
  Little Black Books: Science and God
  Reviewed by Andrew Laird
• 
  Making the Most of the Cross
  Reviewed by Lesley Hicks
• 
  Higher Ground
  Reviewed by Andrew Laird

• We’re publishing daily news articles
• Our new home
• Coming soon a new web home for Eternity
• Eyewitness report from Egypt

• Ethical Investment
• Sarah’s Key - the consequences of truth
• Ben Witherington III: Jesus and Women
• Harry Potter’s Critique of Western Extravagance

• The Komen Fiasco's Silver Lining
• The Pink Ribbon and the Dollar Sign
• The Similarities and Differences in Eric Metaxas's and President Obama's Prayer Breakfast Addresses
• The Ironies of Obama's National Prayer Breakfast Speech
• Evangelicals Mounting Concerns over Obama Administration's Contraceptive Mandate

Prayer to change the world

1:00am Tuesday, 9th March 2010  

It is our calling to reach others for Christ. We must intercede on behalf of all who are lost, so that they in turn can answer Jesus’ call. 
Jesus—after the Resurrection, in every one of the four Gospels, and in the book of Acts —said, “As the Father sent me, I send you.” He essentially said, “Go and tell. Be my witnesses. Go and make disciples. Train them. Go and stand in the gap.”
Jesus’ people need to humble themselves and pray, aligning their will with the will of God. We must ask, “God, what is Your will so I can pray Your will and have my will aligned with Yours?” That’s the right way to pray.
When Moses aligned his will with God’s will, God brought water out of the rock.  When Joshua aligned his will with the will of God, the sun stood still in its orbit. When David aligned his will with the will of God, Goliath fell. When Elijah aligned his will with the will of God, fire came from heaven on Mount Carmel and licked up everything, including the water. And when Daniel aligned his will with the will of God, mouths of lions were zipped. That’s what happens when we align our will with the will of God and intercede.
There are three things to remember when praying for our world, our neighbours, our friends, and our family members. We must employ penitent, persistent, and persuasive prayer. The Bible gives us an example of an effective intercessor in Abraham’s intercession for Sodom (see Genesis 18:16-33).
Penitent prayer. Abraham did not come to God demanding. He did not come to God enumerating all of his righteous deeds, all of his righteous acts. In fact, he said, “I am nothing but dust and ashes” (Genesis 18:27). It was a penitent prayer.
Persistent prayer. When Abraham interceded for Sodom, he persisted in his prayer; he persisted in his request of God. He didn’t pray once or twice flippantly then give up. He continually petitioned for Sodom and his family. Five times Abraham would make his request of the Lord. Each time he saw the grace of God extended and he became emboldened to ask for more.
Persuasive prayer. How should our prayers be persuasive?  By twisting God’s arm?  No. Persuasive prayer is pleading the character of God. When we plead with God on the basis of who He is and what He promises, we are praying a persuasive prayer.
To impact our world, we must continue interceding with penitent, persistent, and persuasive prayer. Pray for those who deny the very power of the Gospel.