World Prayer - The first step in touching nations
Most people think the first step in touching the nations is to GO… but really, the first step is to PRAY. You can have a powerful impact on the nations right where you’re at, whether you’re in Kansas City, Missouri or Freeport, Illinois (our old home town) or Kalamazoo, Michigan… or somewhere else in the world like Mexico or Korea (where our son-in-law is… Hi, James!) or in Italy.
It all begins with prayer. Hmmmm… but not the kind of prayers you pray with your head bowed and your eyes closed and YOU DON’T KNOW A THING THAT’S GOING ON AROUND YOU. How about some prayers with real discernment and wisdom… with an understanding of the times and the need of the nation?
I encourage you to listen to the Holy Spirit who will counsel you in your prayers, but also get your hands on a good resource that will help you to know the nation you’re praying for. Operation World is the resource I recommend, and Alan and I even made it a required textbook for our Cross-Cultural Ministry class at the World Revival School of Ministry here in Kansas City.
It gives a great overview of the nation with enough demographic information to get you started in understanding the nature of the people and the country, and shares “praise reports” and “prayer needs” of the nation as well. Written by Patrick Johnstone and Jason Mandryk, I highly suggest you make it part of your library. Click on the link above and it will take you straight to an ordering page on the Operation World site, which also, by the way is a great online resource.
Okay - enough to get you started on touching the nations for now. More specifics next time on how to pray for the nations. (I’m in the middle of a 100-day prayer saturation of Mexico… you might be interested in hearing how I’m tackling this nation.)
-Laura
I agree that anyone who has a “heart for the nations” should make an effort to educate themselves as well. I know from my own experience that we can think of “the nations” often but we don’t get beyond that to praying and learning. We don’t want to be missionaries without knowledge or Holy Spirit experience!