How prayer can change Papua New Guinea

The National Weekender

By ELIJAH TITUS
LET us pray.
At a time when many of us are struggling to be positive about our country, we must pray. We have to seek God’s loving hand and redemptive heart towards our own leaders and our own people. We cannot pray out of the love of God if we have a spirit of judgement and criticism.
In 1 Peter 2:5, we read: “You also, like living stone, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
We should be like Abraham who stood before God in intercession for Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 18:22-23).
We should not be like Jonah, who ran away from his task to preach repentance to Nineveh, afraid that God would have mercy on the capital of Israel’s greatest enemy at that time (Jonah 1:1-3; 4:1-2.)
We must pray for our nation to move away from whatever displeases God in order for God’s redemptive power and redemptive purposes to break through to our people and to our nation.
We must pray for our nation’s healing and we must pray for our tribes and families.
We must pray to thank God for Papua New Guinea. It is always good to start our prayers and intercession with thanksgiving and praise, and as far as Papua New Guinea is concerned, there is a lot to thank God for with his goodness and greatness – even in times of pain.
We must pray for humility in the Church concerning the people of the land, for the Church to become a source of comfort to the people ,irrespective of their tribal differences. We must pray for unity in diversity; our diversity is our strength.
We must pray for the restoration of our political, church and community leaders. We must pray for peace and God’s glory in every family home; pray for the salvation of our young generation.
As people of Papua New Guinea, we have to try and discover the power of unity and pray that we may break loose from the spirit of pride, rebellion and independence which separates us from God. We should seek humility, fear of God and be grateful for the grace and mercies that come upon us as a nation.
The 10th Covenant Day of Prayer (2007-2017) is a time for the people of Papua New Guinea to pray, thank and praise God for his promises: “Christ in us, the hope of glory” (Col 1:27); “for we are the temple of the living God, I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (2 Corinthians 6:16; Hebrews 8:7-13.)
Because of God’s grace and goodness, His glory is more and more in our  lives. We become the temple – a habitation for God’s glory; “. . . in whom you also are being built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit”(Eph 2:22.)
Tomorrow is the 10th Covenant Day of Prayer, and we mark the day  with the knowledge that God has made it possible for everyone in our country to be able to be close to him. Numbers 14:21 says: “But truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.”
The wonderful and exciting news is that God desires to reveal his glory on Earth more so in our present day and time. “This is . . . the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face” (Psalm24:6).
God’s glory is not meant to be hidden but to be seen and made manifest. The time has come now to expect and experience more and more of the manifestation of God’s glory. God wants to capture this generation with his glory and power. He is doing a new work and releasing a new power on the earth and in our country.
The challenge is, will we long and hunger for more of God’s glory?
Will we desire more of him?
Will we pray?

  •  Elijah Titus is the chairman of PNG All People’s Prayer
    Assembly