PRAYING FOR THE NATION OF BOLIVIA AND NIGERIA

Key texts:  Hebrew 4:1-8 and Ephesians 2:14-18

Nation means a corporate body of people. We are praying for the people of Bolivia at the region of South America. A country of extremes, landlocked Bolivia is the highest and most isolated country in South America according to the (BBC News, 10 January 2018) and people of Nigeria at the West Africa.

Gen 1 states in the beginning God created heaven and earth. In the earth, God gave us a family whom he created in His image and blessed them with all the authorities over the whole earth and its hosts that the Lord God had created.

We are aware how the family of Mr and Mrs Adams disobeyed God, faced the consequences of spiritual death and the loss of authorities. This has marked the beginning of downfall of Man and separation from God whom the God created in His image for His pleasure. Man gave up on God and continues in ignorance, seeking vain self-glory and making names for themselves (Gen 11:4) “ “Come,” they said, “let us build for ourselves a city with a tower that reaches to the heavens, that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth”.

Man continues to be vulnerable at the hand of the enemy of God to the world system and labouring with heavy laden for vanity under the curse.

The mercy of God is renewed every day and because of His love the Lord God never gave up on Mankind. The Almighty God from time to time always reaching out to reconcile Man back to Himself and compelled by His Love according to the book of John 3:16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him, will not perish but have eternal life”

This love of God was demonstrated at the Calvary Mountain when the sinless Son of God laid down his life for the penalty of sin of Man, bore our curses on himself, forsaken by the Father at the hour. This is to make peace between Man and God. He gave his Son to destroy all the work of the devil and saves us from the plans of the wicked one in this world and eternal.

Ephesians 2:14-18 King James Version (KJV)14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

For this special gift of God in Christ Jesus, I think we should start our prayer with Thanksgiving to our Lord God.

Praise & Thanksgiving - Psalm 100:1-5 

·      Dearest God, Glorious One Whom we love! We enter your gates with praise and thanksgiving. Awesome Creator of the Heavens and Earth we take this time to celebrate who you are in our individual lives, in the lives of our families and in the nations of the world. We blessed you for being merciful to us for by your mercy we are not consumed by the evil one.

Pray for the Peace and Rest of Bolivia/Nigeria – Hebrew 4: 1-13

How could Bolivia enter into rest from extreme poverty, restlessness and troubles on every sides? A nation of about 10.5 million population with number of mineral resources, but in bondage of extreme poverty, life expectancy for men is 66 years and women is 71 in Bolivia. The major religion in the nation is Christianity.

·      Pray for the outpouring power of Holy Spirit on Bolivia to believe on the perfect work of Calvary as to enter into rest from every attacked of the evil one.

Shalom-Peace, Rest and Healing for Bolivia/Nigeria- Isaiah 26:3“He keeps those in perfect peace whose minds are focused on Him”

The way of peace/deliverance and safety is by fixing our minds on the perfect work of Calvary on the Saviour Jesus. The world is full of distraction, distresses and disasters. But there is a place of peace- it is in Him, and it is HIM. The prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

The Ever Presence of the Lord in Bolivia/Nigeria

Paul ended his letters to the Thessalonians with a massive statement about peace, saying: (1) God is the Lord of peace. He possesses total peace within Himself and controls the flow and force of peace. (2) He Himself is peace. It’s one of His attributes. (3) He gives peace. It comes from nowhere else. (4) He gives peace always. There’s no circumstance in life beyond His ability to provide inner peace. (5) He gives peace in every way. It’s hard to comprehend all that means, but it surely involves our spirit, soul, mind, and emotions. (6) His peace is accompanied by His presence—“the Lord be with you all.”

·      Pray for the awesome presence of God, the Kingdom of God to come and His will be done in Bolivia/Nigeria and on all the nations of the world.