Weekly Prayer Posts from Thailand
God’s Special Prayer Warriors
November 19, 2020
Dear Friends and Loved Ones,
God has always called forth warriors to step into the breach whenever His people faced trying times. While these are often stopgap measures that are put in place until a more permanent solution is found for a given need or situation — God has always desired to have coworkers who are willing to be yoked together with Him to help shoulder the burdens that weigh heavy on His heart.
“I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.”
Ezekiel 22:30
God’s desire to have “boots on the ground” — to function as His “eyes and ears,” and His “hands and feet,” — has always been an important priority for Him.
“I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.”
Isaiah 62:6-72
This calling to participate in God’s sacred work — a work that helps to hold everything together — is not an office reserved for some elite group. This high level work is a ministry role that God has created for every believer. The only requirement for participation in God’s worldwide “Prayer Corps” is personal availability — God Himself provides the on the spot training and equipping with each assignment we receive.
The readiness we maintain in this work involves:
being clothed with God’s armor in the earthly realm Ephesians 6:10-18
being seated with Christ in the heavenly realm Ephesians 2:6
being empowered with the Holy Spirit’s gifts in the spiritual realm 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
It goes without saying that we need to develop a hunger for God’s Word. Reading and studying the Bible is what puts food on our spiritual table — it’s what puts meat on our bones, and skin on our flesh. We would not be able to move a single spiritual muscle if it were not for the strengthening that we receive through the reading of God’s Word. Spending time reading the Bible, and attempting to hear what God is saying, needs to become a daily habit for all of us.
This is going to become increasingly important as we move forward into the days ahead. There are just too many voices out there trying to shape our thinking and win our allegiance. Who do we listen to, and whom do we follow? Who do we choose to serve? This is the age-old dilemma! Joshua’s challenge to the children of Israel after he brought them into their “Promise Land” is the clearest guidance we have concerning this matter.
“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.
Joshua 24:14-15
This is what we must do as well. We too must choose to serve the Lord — whatever country we may live in, or whichever side of the fence we may find ourselves on. We must be collectively yoked to each other — and collectively yoked to Jesus. This is the only way we will be able to pray into One Will — with one heart!
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30
Well, it looks like we have our work cut out for us! The call to a life of prayer is not a lighthearted summons — it does require taking up our position on the wall. It does mean finding our spot on the defense line, or up at the battlefront. But here’s the great privilege set before us — if we do decide to take up our post, we get to use our longbows — fitted with the Spirit’s own prayer arrows that have pinpoint accuracy!
Now we’re talking!
Blessings on all of you as you hold the line!
Joni & Nangsar
🙏 Prayer Requests 🙏
- Let’s continue to pray for one another’s health.
- The pandemic is still ravaging the world. Here in Thailand we are relatively safe from what people are experiencing in other places. Whether we are in safe zones or are not — let’s continue praying for all those who are threatened by this virus.
- Thank you for praying for our daughter Rebecca’s sprained back.
- Rebecca says she is gradually improving. She and Luke have been applying to various International Schools for their next move after they finish their teaching assignment in Fiji. A School in Vietnam, as well as one here in Chiang Mai has shown interest. Pray that they will get a teaching post with the school here in Chiang Mai, Thailand!
- Please join us in praying for the various village Thanksgiving services here.
- This Wednesday Nangsar and I shared in a Thanksgiving service held in one of the Akha villages we work with. Tomorrow we go to another village to share in a Lisu Thanksgiving service. The day after tomorrow it’s off to a Lahu village! Because there are just so many weekends in a month — many villages are now scheduling their Thanksgiving celebrations to fall on weekdays as well! This will allow villages to be able to attend each other’s events.
