Unity Through Prayer

Unity Through Prayer

Commonwealth Prayer Initiative - 2010 and 2011

EVERYONE I know who was praying for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings has been deeply impacted. There is a sense of awe that we (me? yes, even me!) would have been chosen by Jesus for this work. We have a new understanding of what Jesus, John, Peter and Paul were telling us as they taught again and again that when we are united, the darkness in the world will be overcome as the Kingdom of God advances "infinitely more than all we can ask or imagine according to the power that is working among us" (Ephesians 3:20).

Here are some thoughts Jesus has shared with me over the past few weeks:

UNITED - Bible Word Search

(Romans 6:5) For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His.

(Philippians 2:1-2) So if there is any encouragement from being united in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

(Colossians 2:2) that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together, united in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ.

UNITY - Bible Word Search

(Psalm 133:1) Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters dwell in unity!

(Romans 15:5) May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you the spirit of unity to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus.

(Ephesians 4:13) until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature adulthood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

(Colossians 3:14) And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect unity.

OBSERVATIONS ABOUT CPI AND UNITY

•  Unity is modeled by the Holy Trinity; Father, Son and Spirit.

•  Unity is the most outstanding characteristic of CPI (Commonwealth Prayer Initiative).

•  CPI has a limitless variety of people participating across
nations, ethnicity and Church denominations, doctrines, and practice.

•  Traditional denominational barriers seemed to melt before the needs of CPI:

••  Many different local churches hosted the Thursday evening CPI meetings in Perth - each one would host for just one month then then another congregation would step up.

•• 54 days before CPI-Shine the flags of the 54 Commonwealth nations were presented to our Lord Jesus at St Georges Anglican Cathedral. The Bishop and his team graciously hosted and provided many resources for this launch - they welcomed all Christians and many Civil and Government leaders.

•• Shine launched at Challenge Stadium. Hundreds of Christians (many of whom did not know one-another) voluntarily worked together and brought a stadium-sized public event to a magnificent realisation, to the glory of God our Father and His Son.

•• For the next two days a Baptist Church and a Charismatic/Pentecostal Church welcomed the whole body of Christ, including many inter-state and overseas visitors, for joint prayer and sharing about Christian life in our diverse communities and countries.

•• Then for a week, Wesley Church, of the Uniting denomination, at the very heart of Perth City CBD, hosted 24x7 prayer. This ranged from quiet contemplative prayer to warfare prayer to very loud, exuberant praise and worship; altogether about 68 sessions led by more than 50 different people or groups. All of this was honouring to Jesus our King of Kings.

• Unity among Christians brought change at the CHOGM meetings. When some nations threatened to withdraw their delegations (over issues of human rights) the media announced "CHOGM Talks Derailed"; it seemed that no progress could be made. After overnight warfare prayer, unity prevailed among the praying Christians and then among the nations. The talks went ahead as planned, the media reported that "CHOGM was back on track". We will rejoice as we see the world change as a result; we expect to see change in all Commonwealth countries, especially those ruled by despots, by the corrupt and by warlords; Jesus can change the hearts of all He chooses. We know that God appoints all rulers (Romans 13:1), in His might and power He can bring change and extend their unity. So we pray.

Thank you Jesus for bringing your Church here to this wonderful place of unity, sense of joint purpose, and hope in Jesus Christ. We pray that you will continue to challenge and guide us and what we have seen will grow "that none should perish" (2 Peter 3:9).

Amen.

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Praise Jesus.