PRAYER FOR THE NATION – JUNE 2024

POSSESSING THE GATES OF THE MARKETPLACE

The Bible reveals that God uses Christians to influence nations, as Daniel influenced the king of the Babylonian empire and Joseph influenced the Pharaoh of Egypt. 

Christians are called to serve God in their sphere of influence in the marketplace. In the marketplace, Jesus’ followers will be able to “speak blessings and a sense of destiny” in the lives of others at work, at home, in the community, and government. Moreover, Christians who are covenant partners with God will be enabled by the Holy Spirit to flow in supernatural wisdom and knowledge to develop godly solutions to problems affecting our world.

People in marketplace ministry can fulfil the prayer Jesus gave to His followers to pray and practise – “Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-13).  God desires His children to conduct business like it is being done in Heaven.  God wants His children to demonstrate His work and righteousness on Earth for Him. Marketplace ministry provokes Christians to put God first in all matters, not just in church.

Just as Jesus came to destroy the works of the evil one, God has commissioned His children to do the same thing – to overcome the power of darkness by being the light of the world, the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13–16). As Christians, we are all called to proclaim the gospel and Lordship of Christ to people. God gives us the career or jobs in the marketplace through which we can live out our calling. Through our career, we can engage our respective marketplace as our mission field to reach unbelievers in our sphere of influence. The Lord also appointed us as priests in our communities with the primary responsibility to intercede for others to win souls and reclaim the marketplace for God’s Kingdom. This is what it means to possess the gates of the marketplace. As ambassadors for Jesus, are you impacting the marketplace for God? 

What and how to pray at your place of work

1. Ask the Holy Spirit to direct you in how to pray for the specific task that the Lord has entrusted to you in the workplace.

2. Do your work as for the Lord.

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might…(Ecclesiastes 9:10). Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. (Colossians 3:23). So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31).

3. Ask the Lord to help you have a humble, servant heart in the workplace, with a willingness to do what needs to be done according to the guidelines of your company.

4. Pray for the Holy Spirit to fill your heart with His creativity at work, giving you new ideas on how to do your work with more excellence, for His glory and to the advantage of your company.

5. “…And I will make you fishers of men.” – Jesus

Ask the Lord to give you opportunities to share the Gospel with your co-workers without fear or shame, and under the leading of the Holy Spirit.
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19). I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Romans 1:16-17). So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. (2 Timothy 1:8).

6. Never stop to pray by name for the salvation of your co-workers and clients, as well as the management of the company.
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9). “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:32).
Ask the Lord to show you the people’s felt needs, their daily practical needs, challenges, hurt and emotional pain. Ask the Lord to help you pray for them in a disciplined way. Trust the Holy Spirit to show you when to pray with them for their needs.

7. Pray God’s blessings on your employer daily – for his/her family, health, physical and spiritual protection, and for wisdom to make the right decisions. Also pray God’s blessings on your colleagues and clients.
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people — for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

8. Display the fruit of the Spirit

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you be a witness of His love, especially when treated unfairly, when things go wrong, or when facing frustrations.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23). Ask the Lord to help you to forgive those who behaved incorrectly towards you and also to ask for forgiveness when you are wrong. “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15).

9. Pray for your protection from any sexual temptations, dishonesty, unethical behaviour, lack of love, a critical spirit, gossiping, slander and lying. 

It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable. (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4). Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands that he may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. (Ephesians 4:25-5:5).

10. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you keep your focus on the Lord, and not put your work first at the cost of spending time with Him and your family. Our calling to fulfil God’s plan should have priority over building our career.
Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those he loves. (Psalm 127:1-2).

11. Beware the love of money

Ask the Lord to set you free from greed and to be content with what He gives you.
But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:8,10).

12. Remember to tithe from your income to further the work of the Kingdom of God. Do not be stingy but give with a joyful heart. Know that He will bless you and take care of you.
“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” (Malachi 3:10). 

13. Serving others at the Marketplace

Ask the Lord to help you serve your co-workers in everything you do, even putting their interests before your own.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than ourselves. (Philippians 2:3).

14. Pray for signs and miracles and the powerful working of the Holy Spirit in your workplace as you seek the leading of the Holy Spirit in praying for the sick, those in trouble and facing difficulties.
“Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. (Acts 4:29-31). God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. (Hebrews 2:4). My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power. (1 Corinthians 2:4-5).

Adapted from Jericho Walls international Prayer Network