The Prayer Factor

As I prepare to go to Rwanda in June to speak on prayer at a prayer, healing, and worship conference, I have sensed a deep intertwine between prayer and forgiveness.  Rwanda is a war torn nation following the genocide of 1994.  For many, after 15 years, the wounds are still fresh and the memories of horrific acts of terror (often by people they knew) are replayed in 3-D in their minds.  For some, the depth of bitterness still clings like the toughest velcro.  Deep emotional pain eats at the mind and heart. 

How is healing to occur?  Only in the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, do we find the answer.  Only through prayer do we find the vessel to approach the throne of God on behalf of others.  The Holy Sprit can open the hardest of hearts. 

Forgiveness is catching.  For a country that needs reconciling, the healing of one life can touch another.  As Christians, we need to pray for those in nations such as Rwanda.  Despite the horrific tragedy, healing must take place.  It can only take place through the movement of God’s Holy Spirit.  The burden of prayer for our neighbor whom we don’t know, must precede any claim to the second part of the Great Command, to love our neighbor as ourselves.  If we truly love our neighbor, we will pray for God’s intervention and healing in their lives.  Only then will true evangelisim take root in places like Rwanda.

“Now in those days it occurred that

He went up into a mountain to pray,

and spent the whole night in prayer

to God.” Luke 6:12 Amplified

Bible

Evangelism and prayer go hand in

hand. Many evangelists have tried

to separate the two or forget the

latter. But the Bible says the

spiritual battles are fought in the

heavenly realms. They are fought

when we go to the mountain as

Jesus did, on our knees.

Jesus is telling us in this passage not

to be hasty with our prayers (He

spent the whole night in prayer).

Much of His time I believe was in

listening. He needed direction from

the Father. I believe Jesus is also

giving us a message in this passage

of what we need to do when we

face major decisions or challenges.

It was on the next day that He

chose His twelve apostles (Lk

6:13).