March 2011 Prayer Guide

Download the 'Isaiah 62' prayer guide for March »

This week marks the celebration of Purim; a feast that points back to one of the darkest hours of Jewish history. Haman, the Prime minister of the Persian Empire plotted a ‘final solution’ - the extermination of all Jews living in Persia.

The story is familiar to us. The unwilling Queen Esther is persuaded by her uncle Mordecai to risk her life by pleading for her people before the King

But before she went into the King’s presence, Esther made an important and strategic request to Mordecai:

“Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king…” (Esther 4:16).

Before she engaged on this crucial mission on which so many lives depended, she understood vital power of prayer. She understood that without prayer her visit to the king could result in failure or in only a partial victory. She knew if God wasn’t on her side, success would depend solely on the King’s mood.

But Esther also knew that there is another dimension to our known world of space and time. She knew that there is a God in heaven and He was able turn the King’s heart ‘like the rivers of water’ (Prov. 21:1). But most importantly she knew that this heavenly dimension could be accessed by humbly placing herself into the presence of God. 

Therefore the most strategic decision which Esther made was not her decision to see the King of Persia, but her decision to see the King of Kings and to seek his face for three days in fasting and prayer.

E.M. Bounds writes in his classic book Power through Prayer:

What the Church needs to-day is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use — men of prayer, men mighty in prayer. The Holy Ghost does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men — men of prayer.

That’s why the ICEJ has made a strategic decision in the beginning of year. We decided to expose our lives more to the presence of God through our Isaiah 62 Prayer Initiative and we invite you to join us. We have said aside the fourth Wednesday of each month to be a day of prayer and fasting for Israel and the nations, and continue to do so this coming Wednesday, March 23.

Hundreds of people from all around the world have already committed themselves to pray with us. I am very encouraged by that because I know our God is a prayer-answering God! Therefore we want to invite you to join this growing army of prayer. Pray with us and become part of this strategic call to seek God by downloading the March Prayer letter and encouraging others in your local churches and Bible study groups to do the same.

 Please Pray for the nation of Japan

• Pray that in the midst of all the tragedy salvation will come to Japan
• Pray for the churches and Pastors in Japan that God can use them to bless and console the nation and lead many to God.
• Pray that the church worldwide might rise to the challenge and bring help and comfort to this battered nation.

For Israel

• Please pray for the three surviving children of the family murdered in the March 11 terror attack, and their grandparents now caring for them.Pray that the God of comfort will be with them.
• Pray for the Israeli government that God will grant them, strength, patience and wisdom in times of increasing isolation.
• Thank God that the Israeli navy was able to intercept an Iranian weapons' ship bound for Gaza; and pray for God's continued hand of protection on the nation.
• Pray for the protection of the Gaza border communities as Hamas steps up its rocket attacks on Israel once again.
• Please pray for more honesty and integrity when the world media reports on Israel

For the Middle East

• Pray forthe nation of Libya as the international community imposes a no-fly zone on the country even as the conflict intensifies between the Gaddafi regime and the rebel forces in the east.
• Pray in particular for the church in Libya, that God will strengthen Christians through these difficult times.
• Please pray also for Egypt for protection for the Christian community and a vibrant witness of the Good News of Jesus.
• For Lebanon - for the tens of thousands that came out onto the streets recently to rally against Hezbollah.
• For Syria - which is seeing a dramatic escalation in protests against the minority Alawite regime of President Bashar Assad.
• For Yemen - where the influence of al-Qaeda is being strengthened by the protests
• For Bahrain - where the protests are drawing a fault-line between the Saudi-linked Sunni regime and the pro-Iranian Shi’ite majority. 
• Pray once again according to Acts 17:27 – that the peoples of the Middle East would be willing to "seek the Lord" and find him: “He is not far from each one of us.”

Download the "Isaiah 62 Prayer letter" for March 23 »

Yours in Jesus,

 
Dr. Jürgen Bühler
ICEJ International Director