God’s instructions to Elijah might seem peculiar to us today. But we must pay special attention to them because as members of God’s road construction crew, we must do what Elijah did. We must pray not only for spiritual leaders and believers but for secular leaders as well.
We must pray for God to anoint people in government.
That’s part of our Christian responsibility. We are Christ’s body on the earth and the government is on His shoulder (Isaiah 9:6). Therefore, the weight of government rests upon us.
That’s why the apostle Paul wrote young pastor Timothy and said:
Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:2 – 4)
Those verses reveal God’s prayer strategy for winning the lost and preparing the way for the second coming of the Lord. They tell us how to fulfill our divine assignment. We do it not only by praying for all mankind but by dispersing God’s anointing through prayer into civil, military, and spiritual realms.
If one or two of those realms are neglected, the spread of the Gospel can be hindered. Revivals can be thwarted and the Word can be locked up if the Devil can get governments and military forces on his side. But a three-fold cord is more than he can handle. When spiritual, civil, and military leaders are operating in the anointing, all the forces of hell itself can’t block the move of God.
Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 19:1 – 18
On the chilly March night in 1972 when Lynne Hammond took her first step into a life of Spirit-led prayer, she had no idea what was about to happen. All she knew was the hunger in her heart for God wouldn’t let her sleep. In the few short months she’d been born again, her desire to fellowship with Him had grown so strong she could hardly contain it. “Help me, God!” she cried. “I want to know you. I want to be able to talk to you. Please, teach me to pray!”
Suddenly, a heavenly presence flooded the room. Lynne sensed waves of spiritual fire sweeping over her and a beautiful language began to flow like a river from within her. Although she’d never heard of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, she knew instantly, without a doubt—this was God!
What began that night soon blossomed into a life of prayer that ultimately became a ministry of prayer when, in 1980, Lynne and her husband, Mac, founded Living Word Christian Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Under Lynne’s leadership, the prayer ministry at Living Word has become an internationally recognized model for developing effective pray-ers in the local church.
A teacher and an author, Lynne publishes a newsletter called Prayer Notes, has written numerous books, and currently serves as the national prayer director for Daughters for Zion. Her passion for inspiring and leading others into the life of Spirit-led prayer continues to take her around the world to minister to believers whose heart cry, like hers, is “Lord, teach me to pray!”