The call to be a missionary is a call to the nations; to preach the gospel of Christ healing and deliverance to the nations of the world (Isa 61:1-3). Intercession is the key to accessing the nations of the world and opening them up to the gospel of Christ. How does intercession open up the nation?
Intercession opens up the nations by establishing the God-given spiritual authority of the missionary or believer over the nations. In Psalm 2:8, God commands us: Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession (Psalm2:8). When we “ask of the Lord” for healing, deliverance, peace of our nations through intercessory prayer, the Lord grants us possession or authority over that land, that is the establishment of spiritual authority.
Once the missionary or believer’s spiritual authority is established over the land, every other power will bow to them and doors to the nation will open. Intercession establishes godly altars. Altars are raised by a consistent practice or invocation in or over a particular place. Therefore, when a missionary engages in consistent intercessory prayer for a particular location, the atmosphere over that location is saturated with the power of God, causing a godly altar to be raised. That altar will speak for that nation, country, or locality for many generations.
Many great men of God have taken nations for Christ and performed mind-blowing miracles through the agency of Holy Spirit-led intercession. One of these great men is Charles Finney who cried- “God give me Scotland or I die”. A missionary cannot achieve anything worthwhile in any country, without first releasing the power and the presence of God into that country through intercessory prayer. The missionary must engage in intercession before commencing missionary work. Intercession for the nation must continue for the duration of the missions and even after the missionary has departed from that country.
Word of encouragement
Dear missionary, be encouraged to rise in the intercessory prayer for the nations. The Lord has made the grace and anointing for intercession available for every missionary and believer, particularly in this season of unrest amongst the nations. We must ask the Holy Spirit to stir in us this grace and anointing in our lives. We must be like Jesus. We must not relent in our intercessory prayer for the nations. Jesus interceded for his disciples and the world whilst he was on earth. Jesus has not ceased intercession. Jesus sits at the right hand of the father offering continuous intercession for believers and the world- Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him since He always lives to make intercession for them (Heb 7:25).
We must not hold our peace until the nations come to Jesus- For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, Until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, And her salvation as a lamp that burns. (Isa 62:1). Heaven is counting on us to release the power and the presence of the Lord into the nations through our intercessory prayer for the nations.
Written by: Adjoa Ago
