Prayer In Struggling Times

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This is the Truth Network. Encouraging Prayer. God offers an open invitation for His people to talk with Him at any time about anything. On Encouraging Prayer, Dr. James Banks, author of the bestselling Prayers for Prodigals and many other books on prayer, provides weekly biblical insight to help you learn to love to pray.

And now, here's James. Well, today on Encouraging Prayer, I guess for such a time as this, right, as we are in a very difficult time, we all could use some encouragement that of course could just come from God as we were thinking of our hearts turn to the events in the Ukraine. If you're like a lot of folks, we saw the church, our brothers and sisters on the frozen ground, kneeling in prayer as this horrible invasion started. So, James, we just want to join in prayer with our brothers and sisters listening. Like, if my people are called by my name, we'll humble themselves and pray, because this is our only hope right now, right?

Yeah, this is what we need to do. There's only so much that we can do, but in praying, we can do so much. And so, we need to come boldly before the throne of grace, and we just want to turn this into a prayer meeting with our listeners right now, wherever you are, just stop and pray with us for the people of the Ukraine. So, we're also going to pray Psalm 56, maybe as much of it as we can, which was a time when David was in real trouble, and he'd been seized by the Philistines, so it's really appropriate.

So, let's just start right now. Father, we lift up the Ukraine to you, and we pray have mercy on these dear people, Lord. We especially lift up the believers in the Ukraine, and we think of those there. I think of our church, which has had missions to orphanages there, and Father, please, please preserve, protect your people, set your angels around them in this time, and Lord, just prevent this from going further, we pray. Psalm 56 begins, be merciful to me, O God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit all day long.

They press their attack. My adversaries pursue me all day long, and their pride, many are attacking me. But when I am afraid, I put my trust in you. So, Lord, we pray with faith. Help us, but especially the people of the Ukraine, to put their trust in you.

Go ahead, Robbie. In God whose word I praise, in God I trust, and I'm not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? All day long, they twist my words. All their schemes are for my ruin. They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps, hoping to take my life because of their wickedness.

Do not let them escape. In your anger, God, bring the nations down. Lord, we pray for the Russian people, that they would come to their senses, that they would make noise, do whatever they need to do to get a hold of people, to say, we've got to stop this. Lord, we pray for your spirit to move among their enemies, to bring this to a halt. Yes, Father, yes, and I pray, Father, too, that you would change Vladimir Putin's heart, and, Lord, if his heart will not be changed, then stop him. Lord, you alone know what that means, but we pray, stop this plan. Let's keep on reading in Psalm 56, 8. Record my misery. List my tears on your scroll.

Are they not in your record? Then my enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this I will know that God is for me. Father, I think of the believers in the Ukraine who wonder, are my prayers being heard in this time? And I pray just an extra measure of your spirit to help them and to encourage them. I think of the innocent people in the subway, the women and the children.

I think of the animals. There's so much suffering in all of this, Lord, and we pray that their enemies will turn back, and what Satan has meant for evil, because we know that your spirit has been moving in the Ukraine, and there are many believers there. We pray that you would use this for good. Lord, please have mercy on them. Robby, you want to pick up in verse 10?

Sure. In God, whose word I praise. In the Lord, whose word I praise. In God, I trust and am not afraid.

Lord, help those folks in the Ukraine trust and not be afraid. What can man do to me? I'm under vows to you, my God. I will present you thank offerings, for you have delivered us from death and our feet from the stumbling path that we may walk before God in the light of life.

In the light of life. Lord, we know that the sorrows of those who chase after other gods will be multiplied, and we pray through that that these people that are chasing after the wrong stuff will turn to you, that they'll feel in their conscience that this is wrong. We pray that you would help this country to realize what they're doing is wrong, and that they would come awake and repent and come back to you.

And in doing so, that you would be glorified, that people will see what a wonderful, amazing God you are, even through this particular fire. We pray that you would provide just intervention for those who desperately need your help. Our hearts go out to them.

Lord, we hear those words, what can man do to me? And we think of the fear that those who that those who are in battle face. And we know, Lord, many of our listeners I know know from personal experience what that is like. And Father, please protect the men of the Ukraine in battle. Lord, we also pray for your protection, especially for believers on the Russian side who are in battle, but Lord, that they, that their hearts would turn and that they would have mercy.

Lord, you alone can sort this whole mess out. But most of all, Father, we pray for your strength of spirit that whatever is to come in someone's life, and you alone, again, you alone can sort that out. That Father, people would turn to you, hearts would turn to you, good would come from this.

I think of what David meant when he prayed this, you've delivered me from death, my feet from stumbling that I may walk before God in the light of life. And so Lord, yes, yes. We pray, Father, that you would save that nation, just as we pray that you would save our nation. We pray, Lord, for your kingdom to come. Lord, help us to look to you most of all and have mercy, especially on you, dear ones, but oh Lord, preserve the lives of the innocent. And Lord, please move in power to help the people of the Ukraine. In Jesus name, Amen. Amen. You can hear more from Pastor James by visiting his website, jamesbanks.org, or by visiting Peace Church in Durham, North Carolina. May God bless you and encourage you as you pray. This is the Truth Network.