Hi, today I will be sharing with you the blessing of praying for nations. We do pray and we do pray various kinds of prayers. But have you ever taken time to pray for your own nation? I come from Kenya and I do take time to pray for my nation for one reason or the other, because the Word of God says that we ought to pray for our leaders so that we may live in peace at all times. And there are certain situations. Every time I watch the news I don't like how the government is running things. Every time I read the newspaper there's one thing or another that vexes my spirit around how the nation ought to be. But we're reminded in the Word of God to always pray, and to pray for all things at all times with thanksgiving. So one of the things I have come to learn is how to pray for the nation of Kenya and other nations, but also how to unlock the blessing that comes with praying for nations.
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Colossians 3, 22-24 in the NKJV version that says born servants obey in all things your masters according to their flesh, not with eye service as men pleases, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ. Indeed, there is a reward for praying for the nations, but what does it mean? How does it mean to enjoy? What does it mean to enjoy the blessing of nations? How are we able to unlock the blessing of nations? I will take you through the five pointers that I have identified as things that then touch the heart of God, that you can apply in your prayer life and your daily walk, as you learn to pray for your nation and the nations at large, that you will then begin to unlock the blessing and the inheritance that is part of praying for the nations. So the first one is sacrifice. You have to be able to set time apart and sacrifice, just as you are from this nation, by birth, not by your will or choice, but by the will of God, and other times it's also because of choices that you have made in your life, but you sacrifice, sacrifice some time out of your busy schedule to pray for your nation.
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Number two prayer being able to lift up your nation to God is amazing and, yes, many times you think that they are praying. No, no, I'm here to tell you today. You pray for your nation, you arise and be the watchman upon the walls of your nation, as it were written in the book of Isitial. Number three how do you unlock the blessing of the nation is by fasting, being able either to join the brethren or even by yourself. Dedicate a certain day or time and fast and pray to the Lord regarding your nation. And number four is do not remove your hand from the plow. Continue to pray, even when you watch things and you see things are not going according to plan. Pray, commit all things to God in prayer, ask and begin to petition on behalf of your nation, and surely the Lord, who hears, he will answer your prayer.
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Secondly, there is an aspect of brokenness. When you're praying for nations to allow God to mold you, to teach you, to heal you, to restore you and to reconcile you back to himself, then he will be able to use you to entrust you with greater secrets regarding that. Your nation and the nations aren't large and then, in turn, you will be able to unlock this inheritance and the blessing of praying for the nations. Thirdly is surrender your ability to surrender everything with honesty and sincerity of heart, crying out and lamenting to the Lord. We have read in the Bible and we know that the prophets of old, jeremiah, ezekiel, isaiah they cried out to the Lord and they wept for the nation of Israel. How much so for you to weep with honesty and utmost surrender to the Lord regarding your nation.
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Fourthly is to have a learning heart, a heart that the Holy Spirit, who is our teacher, our friend, is able to teach us into all truth. The Lord is able to tell you an assignment, to wake you up and to tell you pray for the president, pray for this leader, pray for this arm of government, and you are able to take on this assignment, no matter how small. Indeed to him that the Lord entrusts certain talents he is able to expand. So be diligent with the small, be diligent with the little assignments. Even prayer drives, prayer walks in, as much as sometimes we don't put so much thought into it. It is an assignment and once you do it with utmost surrender and a learning heart, then the Lord will begin to increase you in areas that you'd otherwise not even be able to know.
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And then accept the challenge. Accept the challenge to be the watchman on the world, to be the one who partners with the Holy Spirit, for your nation to be the one who calls upon the name of the Lord, not only at the time of distress, but also at times of joy. To be able to go back to the Lord and give thanks to him for what he has done, the peace that he has bestowed in your nation at any given time, and then allow Holy Spirit to begin to transform you, to reveal to you great and mighty things which you do not know regarding your nation. Go back and do research, begin to ask other people what does this mean? What was the impact of this?
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Carry out research and also allow the Holy Spirit to divinely orchestrate and teach you and reveal unto you things that you wouldn't know, and also build your faith by being able to pray and trust God for your nation, being able to call upon the name of the Lord, jesus Christ, calling him to come and make the will of God done here on earth, as it were, in heaven, for your nation, that not only yourself and your family members, but even other people and your fellow citizens at large can begin to enjoy the blessing of your nation.
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One of the prophetic words that comes from the nation of Kenya is that we are the springboard of revival. Many people have prayed over this word and I am also joining in the band of Waggon to continue to pray for this word until we see the full manifestation of the word of God over this nation, because we know that God's word is true. He exalts his word above his name. So go on and unlock the various blessings that you begin to enjoy as you pray for your nation. Take on the challenge. Join with other brethren and your church to call upon the name of the Lord, even your family members. Call upon the name of the Lord for your nation, and begin to see the Lord do richly, greatly reward you, amen.