I read an encouraging article about prayer this week by David Wells (Prayer: Rebelling Against the Status Quo). In it he said this about prayer, “In essence, it is rebellion—rebellion against the status quo, the state of the world in its sin and fallenness.”

Conversely, he said that to not pray is to accept “life as it is (i.e. accepting the inevitability of the way things are in life).”

It reminded me that in these last few days leading up to the 2020 Election and in light of potentially more craziness left in 2020, that I need to be praying proactively and persistently and with a galvanized faith to overcome the naturally broken challenges we face.

Here are a few verses that will hopefully strengthen your faith and encourage your hearts to pray in a way that rebels against the “status qoa” and against accepting the natural circumstances hurled at us from this broken world:

Psalm 46:1-3 (NIV) “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” Psalm 46:1-3 (NIV)

• Because God is our ever-present help, WE WILL NOT FEAR, “Though the earth give way…” or even if ‘__________ wins the Presidency.’

Psalm 46:10 (NAS) “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

• ‘Let go and relax’ because God is God (and we are not) and He has got this!

Psalm 120:1-2 (NIV) “I call on the LORD in my distress, and he answers me. Save me, O LORD, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues.”

• Have any stress in your life or anything troubling you? I know I do. This is a great example for us all to follow!

Psalm 121:1-2 (NLT) “I look up to the mountains–does my help come from there? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth!”

• He made the heavens and the earth and everything in them, so there’s no better to place for us to look for help!

Psalm 125:1 (NIV) “Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.”

• God and His Kingdom are the only things that will not be shaken, so let’s make sure we are solely anchored there!

Romans 10:11,13 (NIV) As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame”… for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

• If you’ve called on Jesus as your Lord, you will be saved! If your trust is in the sure foundation of Jesus Christ, you’ll never be put to shame!

Psalm 123:1 (ESV) “To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!”

• It’s refreshing to remember that God the Father and the Lamb of God are currently enthroned and reign from Heaven (See Revelation chapters 1 & 4)! The Kingdom of God is expanding on Earth and the dominion of the devil is shrinking, and the history of God’s victory and the devil’s defeat are already recorded in the book of Revelation!

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT) “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. [7] Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

• We can give our worries and anxieties to God in prayer request and God promises to give us His peace in exchange!

Matthew 21:21-22 (NIV) Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. [22] You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”

• Jesus promised that our faith-filled prayers can move the mountains that we face! Do you believe His promise?

Mark 9:23 (NLT) “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”[24] The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

• When we don’t believe God’s promises, we should confess our unbelief as sin and ask God for help to overcome it!

Luke 18:1 (ESV) “And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.”

• Let’s keep on praying because God honors and responds to our faith-filled persistence!

Praying with you!
–Rich