Continuing the Battle For Christ – Week 13

How should we respond to persecution?

“Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else” (I Thessalonians 5:15 NIV84).

Jesus spoke Truth boldly and fiercely, but He also displayed kindness and gentleness.  We must be bold in our witness for Christ, but we must also display the gentleness of Christ when speaking to those who oppose Him and His Kingdom.  Kindness rather than retaliation will be more effective in displaying the love of Christ.

How should we pray for the lost?

“I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none” (Ezekiel 22:30 NIV84).

Often, there is nothing we can do to reach the lost except pray for them.  That is especially true when we are concerned about family members.  They should already know that we are Christians, and I hope that we have been bold in our witness to them.  Ultimately, there is nothing more important than praying for them—standing in the gap, seeking conviction, the movement of the Holy Spirit, and the realization of the Truth of the Gospel message.    

Leadership Prayer Focus This Week: President

“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.  The authorities that exist have been established by God” (Romans 13:1 NIV84).

The President of the United States is the most powerful person in the world, and whether you agree with his politics or not, God has placed him in that position for a reason. 

Pray that he will recognize that he serves at God’s pleasure and for God’s purpose, not his own.

That he will be a man of the Word and will seek God’s guidance in each decision that he makes.

That he will serve with honesty and integrity.

That he will seek to be a uniter rather than a divider.

For all our leaders, pray that if they do not already know Christ, they will accept Him as Lord.  For those who do know Christ, pray that they will stand firm on His Truth and His Word, never compromising it or minimizing it.

“Pray continuously” (I Thessalonians 5:17 NIV84)