"Jerusalem - built as a
city that is bound firmly together. To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the
Lord, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.... Pray
for the peace of Jerusalem: 'May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your
walls, and security within your towers.' For the sake of my relatives and
friends, I will say, 'Peace be within you.' For the sake of the house of the
Lord our God, I will seek your good' " (Psalm 122:3-9).
The destinies of
nations are impacted by their decisions regarding Jerusalem. So in these days
where the leaders and people of the nations of the earth make their decisions
and take their votes concerning the city of Jerusalem, let us "pray for the
peace of Jerusalem," as You have commanded us in Your Word.
Let us pray for her out
of a love for her. Let us pray for her out of a Spirit-led desire for her to
know peace within her walls and security within her towers. Let us seek her good
and not her harm. Let us seek her honor and not her shame. You have anointed our
prayers to have power and You have determined our prayers will have
consequences. For our sake and for the sake of Your heart and Your will in this
world, let us seek Your face so we can pray Your heart regarding Jerusalem.
"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as
we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And
God, Who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the
Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God" (Romans
8:26-27).
What city has known the
strife and war, the wounds and scars of Jerusalem? Yet it is named "the city of
peace." Its name reveals its destiny. And we're to pray its destiny, not its
past; we're to pray in faith, not in doubt; we're to pray in hope, not in
hatred; we're to pray for its unity, not its division. It's to be a city "bound
firmly together" as a prophetic picture of Your heart for Your people of all
nations bound firmly together in our hearts as one by Your Spirit. "I therefore,
the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which
you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing
with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the
Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were
called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one
God and Father of all, Who is above all and through all and in all" (Ephesians
4:1-6).
We do not yet see that
unity of one body in Christ on this earth, just as we do not yet see one
Jerusalem united in one Spirit of Peace. Yet our part is to pray - to "pray for
the peace of Jerusalem," just as we are to pray for peace on earth. And in our
prayer, led by Your Spirit, we are ultimately praying for the coming of the One
Who is "the Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).
One day our prayers
will be answered and our hopes will be fulfilled in the return of Christ: "And I
saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the
throne say, 'See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as
their God; they will be His peoples, and God Himself will be with them; He will
wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more, for the first things
have passed away.' And the One Who is seated on the throne said, 'See, I Am
making all things new' " (Revelation 21:2-5).
Give us Your heart to
pray for all things to become new. Give us Your heart to pray for the peace of
Jerusalem and all the earth to live in peace because we willingly choose to
embrace the Prince of Peace and the Presence of God in our midst. As one, our
body is Your temple and our heart is the city of God, the new Jerusalem. As one
in the Spirit and one in the Lord, we are the city of peace - at peace with God,
at peace with one another, at peace within ourselves. In Jesus name I pray,
Amen.
Be
encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
Please come join us in Lexington
in October for our 4 Day School of Spiritual Ministry for
equipping and impartation in healing prayer ministry and prophetic ministry.
Scholarships are available as needed so all can come. Please see our Events
Calendar on the web site for details or to register on-line:
Please come for healing prayer
ministry at The Healing Rooms of Lexington every Thursday Night, hosted by our
ministry team in Lexington. Details on our ministry web site calendar: www.messiah-ministries.org
