Coronavirus Is An Opportunity To See Our Power United In Prayer
What happens to Coronavirus when we come together united in prayer? Join me and let’s find out!
Last week in my blog post, Spiritually Gifted To Be Different; Divinely Called To Be One, I talked about the power of the differences of our gifts unified as one.
I wondered if I should just ditch my planned message because of the Coronavirus, but I also realized that many others posted messages of encouragement so I decided to stick with my original plan.
Last week’s message set me up to encourage my sisters in Christ regarding the Coronavirus.
I believe the common power factor of the early church as recorded in the book of Acts was that they were with one accord, which I detailed in my previous blog post.When the early church needed power in some area, they joined their hearts and minds united in prayer.
2 Chronicles 7:14 says, If my people, who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. I think we agree that we need healing to touch our land and the people of our land in this moment. So what can we do? We can pray! And we can pray with one accord.
What Jesus said about the power of being united in prayer:
Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask,
it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.
For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
Matthew 18:19-20
The same power that the early church had is available to us. And it is available to us where the Coronavirus is concerned.
Think about the situation we are facing in relation to Scripture:
Christ has authority over Coronavirus.
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying,
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Matthew 28:18
Christ is seated above the disease named, Coronavirus.
… the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead
and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
far above all principality and power and might and dominion,
and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
Ephesians 1:19-21
The sickness named Coronavirus has to bow to the name of Jesus.
Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name
which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
and that every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:9-11
If we identify the name of the sickness recently plaguing our world, its name is Coronavirus. So according to the Scriptures above, Christ’s authority rules and reigns over Coronavirus.
Jesus gave His power and authority to those who belonged to Him, believed in Him, and followed Him.
In relation to Jesus twelve disciples, Matthew 3:13; 10:8; Mark 3:14-14; 6:7; 16:17; Luke 9:1; 10:17, 20, all say that Jesus gave them power to heal and to cast out demons.
Now remember that right before Jesus was to be crucified, He prayed for his disciples whom He had given His power to, and not just those twelve, but those disciples who would come after the twelve. That is, you and me. (See John 17)
I love the picture Paul painted with his words related to how we share in Christ’s authority in Ephesians 2:6 saying that we were raised up together with Christ and seated with Him in the heavenly places.
I hope you see the reality that Christ gave us power and authority. He shared His position with us and allowed us to rule and reign over the things named in this world, i.e. Coronavirus.
United In Prayer
If we take that position, power, and authority seriously and join our hearts and minds together as a people with one accord as they did in the early church, we can stop Coronavirus and its effects in its tracks. That is my challenge this week.
Our Model – God’s Man Daniel From The Old Testament
Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published,
he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem.
Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed,
giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
Daniel 6:10
Daniel had information that made him very aware of His need for God to intervene on his behalf. You and I are aware of our need for God to intervene on our behalf as well. Let’s follow Daniel’s example through his response and actions when faced with a need.
Three times a day, let us pray and give thanks to God.
Our lives are anything but normal these days. For many of us, this could be the easiest time to be intentional and pray three specific times a day taking authority over Coronavirus and praying for our family, friends, and people we have never met. For the past several days, my husband and I have been coming together, united in prayer. We are praying with the authority Jesus gave us, declaring that Coronavirus has to bow to the name of Jesus.
If you are able to pray with your spouse or other family members, do that, but if not your prayer and my prayers are united in Spirit whether we are in the same place praying at the same time or not. So for the next week, will you join me in specific and intentional prayer three times a day? Let’s take the power and authority Jesus gave us, bind our heart and minds, united in prayer, stand against, and overthrow Coronavirus and its effects!
And Remember! Our God is Faithful!
