Mark 13:10
Many times when we’re praying for leaders as 1 Timothy 2:1 commands, the Holy Spirit will direct us to pray not only for people who are in governmental authority but for those who carry authority in other realms as well. He’ll have us pray for people who have influence over others. People who have, you might say, a microphone to the masses.
In 1997, I was at a prayer meeting in Las Vegas where the Holy Spirit led us to pray for Mel Gibson. We didn’t know why at the time, but the reason became clear seven years later when he produced and directed The Passion of the Christ.
Who in that prayer group could have ever imagined what an impact Mr. Gibson would have for the Lord through that movie? Who could have guessed that he would deliver the message of the cross in such a stunning way to untold millions of people? My son was in Bible school in Singapore when that movie came out and he said that every night, the theatres there were filled with Muslims watching The Passion of the Christ.
When you find yourself praying for influential people, be sure to remember this: our mandate is to get the Gospel to the world. That’s the one mission of the Church. We can’t allow ourselves to get mixed up about that when we pray.
We can’t start thinking that we’re praying for leaders just so that we can all have easy lives and enjoy ourselves. No, we’re praying to pave the way for the Good News to be preached. We’re praying to prepare a highway for God so that He can move into nations and save people from eternal darkness.
That’s serious business, and there’s no time to waste. After all, there are just two primary seasons in the kingdom of God. There’s road construction season and there’s the time that’s coming, as Jesus said, when no man can work (John 9:4).
Let’s work while we can. Let’s pray and build—not just paths or roads but super highways for our God so that multitudes can be saved.
Scripture Reading: Proverbs 21:1
Excerpt permission granted by Lynne Hammond Ministries
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!”