As this pops up on your screen you’re probably thinking “it’s not Monday already, surely?” Well no, it’s not, but I felt provoked to put this out as an extra because I think it’s important. It’s to do with where we are as a nation, and particularly as believers in this nation. I’ll try to be brief.
I had a dream the other night and although it was for me I think there is an application for all of us who follow Jesus in this nation.
In the dream I saw a metal coat hook lying in water. It had been there some time and had accumulated scaly rust on it. As I was looking at it I knew it represented me and I was saying to God “I want to be able to get rid of the scaly stuff and get back to the simplicity of my calling. I want to be fulfilling my destiny, doing what you called me for.” As I was speaking in the dream the rust scales were disappearing and the coat hook was bright and shiny and ready for use.
Since the outbreak in early spring last year and the restrictions on our lives that followed, we have found that our horizons have shrunk, our contacts with others have shrunk and in various ways many of us have been progressively more isolated. In a sense, the enemy has come in like a flood and his flood waters have affected our ability to live normally. Like the coat hook left lying under the water we need to brush ourselves off and be ready for action once again. The scripture says that the Lord will drive the enemy back. It’s time to stand up to this flood and say “no more” – but what can we do?
The answer is …. Pray. Since this crisis started various parts of the Church in UK have called days of prayer – including the Church of England, the Evangelical Alliance, the Vineyard church, and many others. You may have been involved.
Last night I listened to Jarrod Cooper who leads the Revive church network in Hull that I have connected with. They have called a 21 day 24/7 time of prayer for this nation with the aim of creating a tsunami of prayer. We want to see the enemy’s hold broken. It’s time to stand up and fight. We are the Church. This is what the Church does – all of us, together. It is significant that some other Church groupings in the North are starting prayer times at the same time as Revive, but without deliberately arranging it. This is God’s timing.
If you google ‘Revive prayer Tsunami’ you can see what Revive are doing, starting from Monday 11th to 31st January. You can sign up to pray in one hour slots – as many or as few as you want, but whether you choose to do that or not, I do want you to be encouraged that now is the time to stand up and pray. You are not a lone voice crying “O God, how much longer….” Can you at least make a note of the dates, 11th to 31st of January and remember each day to pray. Every little bit counts.
I don’t think we’ll get out of the mess we’re in unless God delivers us and the good news is that God plans to deliver us and He plans to move powerfully in this nation. So it’s time to pray. We need to be the ones who stand before our God on behalf of our nation.
Let’s pray for an end to the Coronavirus, and for lockdowns to end. Lets pray for the enemy’s schemes to unravel. Let’s pray for revival in the UK and beyond, for God to move in us and for God to do whatever He wants.
Here are 2 links for you if you want to find out more:
www.facebook.com/groups/247prayertsunami
Whatever you do, can you mark the dates and pray in some way over the 21 days. Some can pray much, some can pray a little but every prayer counts just as much. If you miss a day, no matter, just take it up again the next day.
Thank you, and bless you.
Church is out there 