April 2003

Working with God

'When we pray we are working with God to determine the future.' Richard Foster

This quotation strikes a particular chord at this time of world crisis. Prayer changes things! We are encouraging prayer at every level: in our services, prayer meetings, pastorates, home groups and of course personally, to seek the Lord for a successful outcome to the war in Iraq, for a speedy end to the hostilities, for the smallest number of casualties both civilian and military, for our forces, and for peace and freedom for the people of Iraq – and of course for wisdom for the world leaders.

There are many occasions in Scripture when difficult times caused the people of God to come together to pray. On Saturday, March 23 we met to pray at Westminster Chapel as a united group of 1200 Christians across the denominations, initiated by seven London Church leaders.

We turned to the following example of Jehoshaphat’s powerful prayer to the Lord at a time of crisis: ‘We do not know what to do but our eyes are on you.’ (2 Chronicles 20:12b). We were focused immediately on the sovereignty of God in every situation.

As many of you will know, Jehoshaphat called the people to pray and seek help from the Lord at a very difficult time. Help came in the form of a strategy that relied on prayer and worship and we are told that God gave them peace on every side (2 Chronicles 20:30).

That evening we prayed for peace and for every aspect of the war – especially for a solution with justice and mercy. We recognised that as well as the battle in the natural we are in the middle of a spiritual battle. It was an inspiring evening.

There is so much blessing and power in corporate prayer and we have seen an increase in the number of people attending the weekly prayer meetings here on Tuesday mornings and Thursday evenings.

Deirdre Hurst

This article is an edited version of one first published in Focus, April 2003. Reproduced here with permission.