We need to understand that our God is a sovereign God. Even though He allows man to rule his own life, God is still the final say in any matter. You can find God's final say. It is called the Holy Bible. Whenever mankind makes their stand against God's Word, God shows up and interrupts man's plans any way He wants to. He is still the Lord of lords and the King of kings.
As praying Christians, we should never be hindered in our prayers by what we see mankind doing. Too often, we never bring our prayers to the throne of grace simply because some ruler of some country makes bigoted remarks and threats. We see this man has power. This man has an army. This man is in the newspaper and on TV. This man has a history of doing dastardly things to people who stand against him. We don't see anyone else standing against him or even say that they are praying for him. We act like we are helpless to stop this maniac.
God's Word is our basis for prayer. God's Word portrays His will for mankind. Most folks do not know how or what to pray about in these situations because they don't know what the Word says about it. In Part 1, I shared with you some of the scriptures that I use when I pray for the leaders of the nations. I not only pray for the leaders of the nation, I pray for the nations themselves. God sent His only begotton Son so that "whosoever" believeth in Him should not perish. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us that God's will is that "all" come to repentence. If it's God's will that they be saved, then I have a right and a demand from the throne of Grace to pray for them.
Let me give you a Fox News Alert about God and His will. As much as some of the leaders and terrorist groups brag and blow, God never has to ask any of them for their permission to answer prayer. God never has to ask for their permission to confound and confuse their plans against innocent people (See Part 1). God DOES, however, pay attention to believers who will hold fast to His promises and pray in the manner He prescribed. (1 John 5:14) He never asks if it is OK or would they mind. If a believer stands on God's Word and prays and believes-------God sovereignly answers. He will honor His Word no matter who doesn't like it.
God promised Abraham that his children would be slaves in a foreign land for 400 years. He promised that He would bring them out with great substance and judge the nation. God spoke to his great-grandson, Joseph in dreams that his famil would all bow down to him one day. That excited his brothers to no end. They plotted to fake his death and sell him into slavery to the Ishmaelites. It was all part of God's plan. The Ishmaelites sold him to Potiphar as a slave. It was all part of God's plan. Later on, he was put in jail. God's plan, again. Pharaoh's cup bearer got thrown in jail and had a dream. Joseph interpreted it. God's plan, again. A few years later, Pharaoh had a weird dream that nobody could interpret. He was upset with his soothsayers until his cup bearer told him of Joseph. Wow. What a coincidence. Nope. It was God's plan. God orchestrated the whole thing from the beginning. Joseph knew God would honor His Word to Abraham and honor what He told him in his dreams. That is why Joseph was so successful in Potiphar's house and the jail. They all saw that God blessed Joseph in adverse circumstances. Why? Joseph's faith in God's Word gave him a great attitude even when he was surrounded by evil and harsh circumstances.
Now, did God ask Pharaoh if He could operate that way? After all it was his country. He was the supreme ruler, wasn't he? He might have been supreme ruler over Egypt at that time, but he was not the supreme ruler over God's promises. God never gave a promise He could not keep. Pharaoh, who thought he was the supreme ruler over Egypt, actually became a pawn in God's hand so that God could keep His promise to Abraham and to Joseph. God did not need Pharoah's approval to do anything. God stood by the believer who held on to His Word.
Four hundred years later, there was 2 million Hebrews in the land of Egypt and it was time to come out. In Exodus 2:23, we find that the children of Israel finally began to cry out to God. Most of them could count and knew that it was about the 400 year mark. God tapped Moses on the shoulder, talked to him from the burning bush and told him it was time for His children to inherit the promised land. I don't know about your Bible, but I have never read where God pleaded and bribed Pharaoh to let His people go. I don't find where God even ASKED Pharaoh. He TOLD Pharaoh to let His people go. In the middle of unbelief, God showed up in power and majesty. He toyed with Pharaoh just enough to make him mad. After he let God's people go, Pharaoh changed his mind and ran after them with his mighty army. That really scared God, didn't it? God put a cloud between His children and Pharaoh's army so they could not attack. Then, when Pharaoh and his army tried to chase the children through the sea, he destroyed the entire army. Did God ask them for their permission? No. Did He warn them? No. Pharaoh had many, many chances to honor God's people but, instead, made their lives harder and more miserable. God sovereignly moved in a way that brought Pharaoh to his destruction. All because His people stood on His Word and cried out for His deliverance.
The ruler of the nations, the nations themselves, and the individual terrorist groups have had ample opportunity to bless people. Instead, they have chosen to oppress and destroy innocent lives. When God's people begin to humble themselves and pray, God moves sovereignly. When we cry out in line with what the Word of God says, God will honor that Word at the expense of any of the mighty men. God's love is towards all men. His favor is towards the righteous. If men chose not to receive God's offer of love, they also chose not to be in His favor. There are elected officials here in he United States that have turned a deaf ear to the cries of the poor. They, too, have had choices to make.
As God's people of prayer, we have the command from God's Word in Ezekiel 22:30-And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. We have been called to stand in the gap for those who are oppressed and burdened so that they will not be destroyed by the rulers and the hardships of this world. As an individual with limited resources, I can't do much to help, but I CAN stand in the gap and pray. Joseph and Moses experienced a "God thing" as I call it. A time when the Almighty God of all creation comes down and moves anybody and everybody any way He wants to because a believer is praying. That's what I am praying for. A "God thing." Our Christian history has seen several revivals that swept through areas and closed up hell holes. Entire towns came to Jesus. And it all started out with 2 Chronicles 7:14. God's people humbling, repenting, turning to God and praying instead of expecting politics to bring us the answer. Next, God promises a "God thing." We get to hear from heaven. Let's join together in seeking Him. Now, pass this along.
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