Read Ephesians 6: 10-18
Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests - Ephesians 6:18 NIV
In the third week of April 2010 an Icelandic volcano exploded with devastation effect, sending clouds of smoke and ash 11 kilometers into the sky. High winds carried this ash over most of Europe, grounding jet aircraft and paralyzing air transport. The ‘fall-out’ has been devastating in terms of passenger trip-disruption and the time and financial losses to airlines and business.
The Lord used this occasion as a parable to teach me about our Christian warfare in the spiritual realm. When Christians gather in prayer under the fiery presence of the Holy Spirit, immense power is released. Our prayers ascend as a cloud, not just for 11 kilometers, but up to the very throne of God. There the wind of the Spirit carries our prayers over enemy strongholds, paralyzing and grounding the evil purposes of ungodly forces that they intend to release upon God’s people. This allows the children of God to prepare and arm themselves with the whole armor of God to withstand the attacks of the evil one.
A biblical example of this parable and the power of united prayer is found in the Book of Esther. There the evil Haman sold his plan to destroy the Jews in the empire to the Xerxes, King of the Medes and Persians. Through the work of Queen Esther and prevailing prayer, God thwarted Haman’s plans, destroyed the evil plotter and saved the Jewish people.
We as children of the Most High God need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading and warnings. At such times we must gather together and pray volcanic prayers of protection in the Spirit and God will be glorified.
When fear threatens to overwhelm us may God teach us to stand together in prayer to resist the devil and overcome the evil one. Do you know of someone or some danger today that generates fear and threatens God’s People? Can you call people together in prayer to meet this danger? Remember, our God is an awesome God.
Gerald McCann is a retired pastor, author, artist and mountain man, living in Bot River, near Cape Town, South Africa.
He may be contacted by e-mail at:
geraldmc(at)telkomsa(dot)net
When a lot of the time I feel quite passive and pointless, in the face of 'volcano clouds' (real or metaphoric) it's good to be reminded that I can if I choose, connect up with the Great Power for Good. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteDo you have any artworks on line I wonder?
Ann
Thanks Gerald. What a great amount of power would be generated if all God's children sent up prayers like volcanoes!
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot of fire and smoke in the Biblical images of God's power and glory, especially in the wilderness. We tend to get all mushy about his (very real) love and forget that "he is not a tame lion." May we spread a cloud of prayer over the economic situation in Greece, the political situation in Thailand, and the various other problems the Lord has brought to our attention.
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