Praying Through the Countries

I’m not a big resolution person. It’s like resolutions are created just to be broken. However, one thing I’ve committed to doing in 2012 (and for the rest of my life) is become more diligent and consistent in prayer. Before Christmas, I was given the parable in Matthew 25 about the Ten Virgins as a word for my life. There are many different contextual and original Greek symbols in that parable, but the word for me was that fasting and contending prayer will be my source of oil. That is, if I stay strong in contending for other people and fasting for them, that my metaphorical lamp will always stay lit and I’ll be ready for the Bridegroom (Jesus) when He returns.

Recently, a friend gave me the idea to pray through the countries. With my recently fabric world map completed and my newfound heart for missions, it seems like the perfect place to start for consistent contending prayer. I copied a list of all the countries in the world down and have begun to take each one and pray for the specific needs of that country. Ultimately, my hope in doing this is not only will I become strong and consistent in my prayer time, but also that in praying through the countries that the Lord may reveal to my heart where it is I am being called. I’m thinking that as I pray for each country, there will be certain countries that my heart breaks for, that I don’t want to move on from, that I can’t stop praying for.

The first country was Afghanistan.

It definitely helps in praying for a country to know what the needs are, and a great place to find accurate information about that is the CIA World Factbook. It tells the poverty, the health/clean water, the diseases, the religion, and more. Because I’m not focusing on one specific country, this site gives a great starting place for knowing the needs of the country. I typically look up the facts before my prayer time, write them on a notecard (i.e. 99% Islam, 52% people have unimproved water sources), and then take my journal, my bible, the notecard, and my prayer list with me to pray. Like with Afghanistan, a verse came to mind while I was praying for the country and I put the notecard in my Bible, at that reference. Hopefully, any time I turn to read that chapter or verse, I’ll be reminded to pray for the needs of Afghanistan.

It’s just a practical way I’m learning to be obedient in “wrestling God” for breakthrough in people’s lives and around the world. Jacob did it in Genesis 32, Jesus did it in John 17, and I want to grow into and become a woman of relentless and empowered prayer.

Have a beautiful Friday and a blessed weekend! I’ve got a Project 365 post in the works for Sunday!