Closing Session: Global Day Of Prayer With Pastor Chris by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome: MP3 Download & Sermon Notes

The Purpose of Intercession

This Global Day of Prayer is structured around two primary focuses: first, to intercede for the nations of the world, as the scriptures enjoin us; and second, to pray for God's people and His churches around the world and for His work to the ends of the earth. The Father sent Jesus, who came with a passion and said something no one else ever said: "The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." He was the only one ever called Savior of the world.

1 Timothy 2:1-4 guides us: "I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." He wants them to come to the knowledge of the truth — the truth about who Jesus truly is. "I am the way, the truth, and the life." That is the question for all nations.

The Inescapable Evidence of the Resurrection

Saul of Tarsus believed, like many of his time, that Jesus was an ordinary man whose disciples had stolen His body and fabricated the resurrection. He was given authority by the leaders of the nation to arrest Christians from city to city and throw them in jail. He made havoc of the church.

On the road to Damascus, he encountered a light brighter than the noonday sun and heard a voice call him by name: "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" And the voice identified itself — "I am Jesus." The same Jesus he believed was dead and gone. The power of that presence was so overwhelming that he fell to the ground and was blinded by the glory of the light.

This man subsequently lost everything — his reputation, his freedom, his standing with the authorities who had trusted him. He was flogged publicly, thrown into jail multiple times, and eventually sentenced to death. Why would any person construct a story that would destroy their entire life? He could have stopped the imprisonment, the beatings, and the death sentence at any moment simply by saying, "I was mistaken." But he insisted his story was true — because he had seen the risen Christ.

All the apostles died for the same story: that Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead. They had seen Him die. They had seen Him after His death. They had related with Him and then watched Him ascend bodily before their very eyes, beyond the clouds into heaven. You cannot witness that and deny it. They were ready to die for it because they knew it was the truth.

We pray for the nations of the world to come to the knowledge of the truth.

God Opens Hearts

Acts 16:14 — "A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us; whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul." The Lord opened Lydia's heart. No man can find God through the laboratory or through his senses alone. But if God opens a heart, that person will know the truth. We pray for men and women around the world who have not yet known Him — that God will open their hearts to attend to the message we bring.

The Armor of God

Ephesians 6:10-14 — "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

Human beings are not our enemies. The forces of darkness are responsible for the evil we see in the world. They control acts of wickedness through people who cooperate with them. Ephesians 6:13-14 says, "Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, taking the shield of faith."

Your faith, your trust in God's word, is a shield. "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench, liquidate, neutralize, paralyze, and frustrate all the fiery darts of the wicked." They cannot have an advantage when your faith is your shield.